• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 2023

Under constant environmental pollution, the incidence of Atopic Dermatitis (AD) caused by air pollutants and allergens has increased. AD is an allergy inflammatory skin disease characterized by pruritus, eczema, and skin dryness. In herbal medicine, Anemarrhena asphodeloides (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma; AR) has been utilized to treat Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, hypertension, and inflammation. The purpose of study evaluated the effect of AR in a mouse model of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like skin lesions. After acclimatization for 5 days, the mice (6-week-old, male Balb/c) were divided into five groups (n=6/group): NC (normal control), DNCB (control), Dex (5 mg·kg-1, p.o.), AR100 (100 mg·kg-1, p.o.), and AR300 (300 mg·kg-1, p.o.). On days 1 and 3, 1% DNCB was applied to the skin and ears. After 4 days, 0.5% DNCB was applied once every 2 days for 2 weeks. Then, skin and ears eczema area and severity index (EASI); skin nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels; and plasma immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were examined. The AR groups showed lower EASI, skin and ear thickness, mast cell count, and IgE levels than the control groups. Moreover, AR reduced iNOS, COX-2, and PGE2 levels. Therefore, AR possesses anti-inflammatory properties and can improve skin damage, indicating its therapeutic potential against AD.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.473-491
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• 2022

The research investigates experimentally the effect of confinement on structural behavior at the ends of beam-column in reinforced concrete (RC) frames. In the experimental study, five specimens consisting of 1/3-scaled RC frames having single-bay, representing the traditional deficiencies of existing buildings constructed without receiving proper engineering service is investigated. The RC frame specimens were produced to represent most of the existing buildings in Turkey that have damage potential. To decrease the probable damage to the existing buildings exposed to earthquakes, the carbon Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM) strengthening technique (fully wrapping) was used on the ends of the RC frame elements to increase the energy dissipation and deformation capacity. The specimens were tested under reversed cyclic lateral loading with constant axial loads. They were constructed satisfying the weak column-strong beam condition and consisting of low-strength concrete, such as compressive strength of 15 MPa. The test results were compared and evaluated considering stiffness, strength, energy dissipation capacity, structural damping, ductility, and damage propagation in detail. Comprehensive investigations of these experimental results reveal that the strengthening of a brittle frame with fully-TRM wrapping with non-anchored was effective in increasing the stiffness, ductility, and energy dissipation capacities of RC bare frames. It was also observed that the frame-only-retrofitting with an infill wall is not enough to increase the ductility capacity. In this case, both the frame and infill wall must be retrofitted with TRM composite to increase the stiffness, lateral load carrying, ductility and energy dissipation capacities of RC frames. The presented strengthening method can be an alternative strengthening technique to enhance the seismic performance of existing or moderately damaged RC buildings.

• Journal of Space Technology and Applications
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2022

This paper reports on the design and installation of a thermostat to keep the temperature of the fluxgate magnetometer constant and the data stability evaluation after installation. The thermostat was installed at the Icheon Geomagnetic Observatory operated by the Korean Space Weather Center of National Radio Research Agency. It was designed in consideration of stability of temperature control against safety incident, potential effects on magnetic field measurement, and the temperature control efficiency. After the temperature control device was installed, it was confirmed that the temperature was constantly maintained at the level of 20℃. Delta F and baseline values were used to evaluate geomagnetic data stability, and it was confirmed that delta F and baseline fluctuations were reduced after installation of the thermostat.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.303-316
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• 2023

Rapid post-earthquake damage estimation of subway stations is particularly necessary to improve short-term crisis management and safety measures of urban subway systems after a destructive earthquake. The conventional Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) framework with constant earthquake occurrence rate is invalid to estimate the aftershock risk because of the time-varying rate of aftershocks and the uncertainty of mainshock-damaged state before the occurrence of aftershocks. This study presents a time-varying probabilistic seismic risk assessment framework for underground structures considering mainshock and aftershock hazards. A discrete non-omogeneous Markov process is adopted to quantify the time-varying nature of aftershock hazard and the uncertainties of structural damage states following mainshock. The time-varying seismic risk of a typical rectangular frame subway station is assessed under mainshock-only (MS) hazard and mainshock-aftershock (MSAS) hazard. The results show that the probabilities of exceeding same limit states over the service life under MSAS hazard are larger than the values under MS hazard. For the same probability of exceedance, the higher response demands are found when aftershocks are considered. As the severity of damage state for the station structure increases, the difference of the probability of exceedance increases when aftershocks are considered. PSDR=1.0% is used as the collapse prevention performance criteria for the subway station is reasonable for both the MS hazard and MSAS hazard. However, if the effect of aftershock hazard is neglected, it can significantly underestimate the response demands and the uncertainties of potential damage states for the subway station over the service life.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.151-168
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• 2022

Torsion is one of the most important causes of building collapse during earthquakes. Sometimes, despite the symmetric form of the building, infill walls disturb the symmetry of the lateral resisting system. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of urban layout on developing torsion caused by infill walls. For this purpose, a typological study was conducted based on the conditions of perimeter walls on 364 buildings and then 9 cases were selected. The dimensions of the selected buildings are constant and the conditions of the perimeter walls including facades with openings and cantilevered facades are variable. The selected buildings with 60 different layouts of infill walls were analyzed and the behavior of each one was evaluated based on the torsional irregularity criteria of seismic codes. The results of the analyses showed that if the perimeter walls of a building are symmetric, asymmetric interior walls will not be important in developing torsion and effective parameters in symmetry of the perimeter infill walls are the number of walls, area of openings, aspect ratio, and construction details. Finally, architectural solutions to mitigate the torsional effects of infill walls were proposed for buildings with solid infill walls on some sides, for buildings where the perimeter walls of one side are on the cantilevered part, and for buildings where the perimeter walls of two adjacent sides are on the cantilevered part. In three-sided buildings, where two adjacent façades are cantilevered, it is often impossible to use the potential of the infill walls.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.132-140
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• 2023

In this study, rotary magnet holder (RMH) was manufactured to analyze the ion transport effect according to the rotating magnetic field for the hydrogen production efficiency by alkaline water electrolyte. In the experiment, the voltage signal according to the magnet arrangement inside the RMH, the rotation speed, and the rotation time was measured using the voltage measurement module. As a result of the voltage signal measurement experiment, the average potential difference increased as the rotation speed of the RMH increased. Through the results of the voltage signal measurement experiment, the most efficient magnet arrangement (case 2) was applied to the RMH to conduct a water electrolysis experiment. A 20% NaOH aqueous solution was filled in the electrolytic cell, and a direct current 2 V constant voltage was applied to measure the current value according to the RMH rotation to compare the hydrogen generation amount. When rotating at 100 RPM, the hydrogen production efficiency increased by 8.06% compared to when not rotating. Considering the area exceeding +25 mA, which was not measured at the beginning of the experiment, an increase in hydrogen production of about 10% or more can be expected.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.197-207
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• 2022

The seismic holding behaviors of plate anchor embedded into submerged coarse-grained soils were investigated considering different anchor inclinations. The limit equilibrium method and the Pseudo-Dynamic Approach (PDA) were employed to calculate the inertia force of the soils within the failure rupture. In addition, assuming the permeability of coarse-grained soils was sufficiently large, the coefficient of hydrodynamic force applied on the inclined plate anchor is obtained through adopting the exact potential flow theory. Therefore, the seismic holding resistance was calculated as the combination of the inertia force and the hydrodynamic force within the failure rupture. The failure rupture can be developed due to the uplift loads, which was assumed to be an arc of a circle perpendicular to the anchor and inclines at (π/4 - φ/2). Then, the derived analytical solutions were evaluated by comparing the static breakout factor N_γ to the published experimental and analytical results. The influences of soil and wave properties on the plate anchor holding behavior are reported. Finally, the dynamic anchor holding coefficients N_γd, were reported to illustrate the anchor holding behaviors. Results show that the soil accelerations in x and z directions were both nonlinear. The amplifications of soil accelerations were more severe at lower normalized frequencies (ωH/V) compared to higher normalized frequencies. The coefficient of hydrodynamic force, C, of the plate anchor was found to be almost constant with anchor inclinations. Finally, the seismic anchor holding coefficient oscillated with the oscillation of the inertia force on the plate anchor.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.9.1-9.13
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• 2023

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a zinc and calcium-dependent proteolytic enzyme involved in extracellular matrix degradation. Overexpression of MMP-9 has been confirmed in several disorders, including cancers, Alzheimer's disease, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and dental caries. Therefore, MMP-9 inhibition is recommended as a therapeutic strategy for combating various diseases. Cinnamic acid derivatives have shown therapeutic effects in different cancers, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases, and dental caries. A computational drug discovery approach was performed to evaluate the binding affinity of selected cinnamic acid derivatives to the MMP-9 active site. The stability of docked poses for top-ranked compounds was also examined. Twelve herbal cinnamic acid derivatives were tested for possible MMP-9 inhibition using the AutoDock 4.0 tool. The stability of the docked poses for the most potent MMP-9 inhibitors was assessed by molecular dynamics (MD) in 10 nanosecond simulations. Interactions between the best MMP-9 inhibitors in this study and residues incorporated in the MMP-9 active site were studied before and after MD simulations. Cynarin, chlorogenic acid, and rosmarinic acid revealed a considerable binding affinity to the MMP-9 catalytic domain (ΔG_binding < -10 kcal/ mol). The inhibition constant value for cynarin and chlorogenic acid were calculated at the picomolar scale and assigned as the most potent MMP-9 inhibitor from the cinnamic acid derivatives. The root-mean-square deviations for cynarin and chlorogenic acid were below 2 Å in the 10 ns simulation. Cynarin, chlorogenic acid, and rosmarinic acid might be considered drug candidates for MMP-9 inhibition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.254-260
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• 2007

This study was examined closely physiological activation and intended to present the possibility of developing food low-fat food. Developing carbohydrate fat replacer as materials for low-fat food made of Korean potato starch, it is expected that the new demand of fat replacer will be created. Potato starch was modified by chemical modification. The calorie of starch of GPS was measured to be 3.0 kcal/g, those of chemically modified starch, HPR showed 2.5 kcal/g respectively, suggesting that calorie is decreased by modified treatment. The appropriateness of processing food was experimented by substituting the existing oil and fat containing food with gel of starch and modified starch in constant rate through utilization of modified starch. When producing mayonnaise by substituting edible oil with gel of modified starch in 10-50%, calorie was reduced by 44${\sim}$45% when substituted by 50%, suggesting the potential of low-fat food. Measuring viscosity of mayonnaise by Brookfield viscometer, the mayonnaise with HPR showed high viscosity and the chemical modified starch group of EZ also showed high viscosity. Generally, the material property of mayonnaise tended to reduce in all measured items when oil and fat are substituted by starch substituting materials and the substituting materials increase. When it comes to the emulsification stability of mayonnaise with starch substituting materials, emulsification stability of all mayonnaise with starch substituting materials is lower than that of compared group. While the group with NL as commercial fat replacer showed emulsification stability which was slightly higher than group with modified starch and the substitution group of HPR showed higher emulsification stability. Sensory evaluation for low-fat mayonnaise by substituting oil the products substituted by modified starch was more preferred than general starch substituting products such as GPS. While NL as commercially fat replacer showed the hight preference, products with H40, EZ were also highly preferred.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.77-100
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• 2014

Many researchers have analyzed the relationship between the financial success patterns of a motion picture and many other factors, such as the production cost, marketing, stars, awards, reviews, genre, and rating. Through these studies, many researchers and investors concluded that big budgets to make a blockbuster movie can serve as an insurance policy to meet their ROI; thus the box office is dominated by blockbuster movies. High-budget blockbuster movies are more likely to receive attention because these movies are more recognizable given their high expenses for production and casting. Therefore, audiences choose blockbusters in an effort to reduce the searching cost and to mitigate the possibility of a regrettable choice. This behavior of consumers, in turn, causes distributors to allocate screens for blockbusters, resulting in "concentration of blockbuster consumption." As such, low-budget films cannot easily become popular due to the lack of distribution. Indeed, low-budget films released on a small number of screens often end up becoming dismal failures. However, there are exceptional examples which are contrary to the general idea in the movie industry that a big budget and showings on a large number of screens can guarantee the success of a movie. Although researchers have attempted to analyze the performances of movies with small budgets, such movies are likely to be regarded as outliers and then be entirely discarded, as they are far from the 'three-sigma' range, especially given that previous research methodologies could not explain the financial success of such unique examples. This study attempts to explain the financial success at the box office of low-budget movies by applying the concept of the tunnel effect in quantum mechanics, as the phenomenon found in the movie industry is similar to a particle's movement in quantum physics. The tunneling effect is a phenomenon by which a particle without enough energy to pass over a potential barrier tunnels through it. Adopting the analogy, this study draws a tunneling probability function and cultural constant to forecast other outliers using the Schrödinger equation. Moreover, the study finds that word-of-mouth creates in the movie industry this phenomenon of finding outliers.