• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2018

This study presents early crack detection of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) under varying temperature and humidity conditions using an instantaneous electrical impedance acquisition system. SFRC has the self-sensing capability of electrical impedance without sensor installation thanks to the conductivity of embedded steel fibers, making it possible to effectively monitor cracks initiated in SFRC. However, the electrical impedance is often sensitively changed by environmental effects such as temperature and humidity variations. Thus, the extraction of only crack-induced feature from the measured impedance responses is a crucial issue for the purpose of structural health monitoring. In this study, the instantaneous electrical impedance acquisition system incorporated with SFRC is developed. Then, temperature, humidity and crack initiation effects on the impedance responses are experimentally investigated. Based on the impedance signal pattern observation, it is turned out that the temperature effect is more predominant than the crack initiation and humidity effects. Various crack steps are generated through bending tests, and the corresponding impedance damage indices are extracted by compensating the dominant temperature effect. The test results reveal that propagated cracks as well as early cracks are successfully detected under temperature and humidity variations.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.483-489
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• 2009

Despite the potential importance of the human regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN-1) gene in the modulation of cell survival under stress, little is known about its role in death-inducing signal pathways. In this study, we addressed the effects of RCAN1.4 knockdown on cellular susceptibility to apoptosis and the activation of death pathway proteins. Transfection of siRNAs against RCAN1.4 resulted in enhanced Fas- and etoposide-induced apoptosis, which was associated with increased expression and translocation of Bax to mitochondria. Our results suggest that enhanced expression and activation of p53 was responsible for the upregulation of Bax and the increased sensitivity to apoptosis, which could be reversed by p53 knockdown. To explain the observed upregulation of p53, we propose a downregulation of the ubiquitin ligase HDM2, probably translationally. These findings show the importance of appropriate RCAN1.4 expression in the modulation of cell survival and reveal a link between RCAN1.4 and p53.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.91-108
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• 2002

Whitening agents are eagerly demanded especially by oriental women who often suffers from the pigmentary disorders such as melasma and solar lentigines. As these pigmentary disorders are exacerbated by ultraviolet (UV), the whitening agents could exert its effect not only by inhibiting melanin synthesis but also by inhibiting UV activated signals. Eumelanin protects UV-induced DNA damages so that the chemicals which could reduce UV-induced DNA damages might be the ideal lightening agents. The effect of newly synthesized antioxidants, a-tocopheryl ferulate, on protective effect for UV-induced DNA damages as well as inhibiting melanin synthesis are briefly shown. For clinical evaluation, our results of the efficacy of lightening agents on treating pigment macules in combination with chemical peeling are shown. Furthermore, newly developed facial image analyzers to quantitatively evaluate the improvement of pigment macules are introduced.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.208-211
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• 2000

The recombinant fluorescent chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line was developed and optimized through this study for biomonitoring system. This cell line, called KFC-A10, contains recombinant plasmid(pKCFG) constructed in this study for detecting toxic conditions (Mitomicyn C, EDCs, ${\gamma}-ray$, etc.). It is known that c-Fos is involved in proliferation and differentiation of the signal transduction and overexpression of this gene can lead cell to death under the toxic conditions including apoptosis status. Therefore, pKCFG which has the c-fosSRE::GFP is induced by toxic chemicals, especially DNA damage agents and apoptotic chemicals, and produces green fluorescence protein(GFP) under these toxic conditions. Through the characterization of KFC-A10 using fluorescent assays of GFP, it was shown that KFC-A10 cell line had a manifest GFP expression pattern due to various toxicants especially mitomycin C, ${\gamma}-ray$ and bisphenol A. Therefore this study proved the possibility of using GFP as a reporter for detecting various toxicants

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.556-563
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• 2005

Homogentisic acid was found to scavenge intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and thus prevented lipid peroxidation in human fibroblast (Wl 38) cells. The radical scavenging activity of homogentisic acid was found to protect Wl 38 cells against hydrogen peroxide $(H_2O_2)$ induced oxidative stress, via the activation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) protein. Homogentisic acid increased the activity of catalase. Hence, from the present study, it is suggested that homogentisic acid protects Wl 38 cells against $H_2O_2$ damage by enhancing the intracellular antioxidative activity.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.145-161
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• 2001

Novel characterization of thermal properties of a battery has been introduced by defining its frequency-dependent thermal impedance function. Thermal impedance function can be approximated as a thermal impedance spectrum by analyzing experimental temperature transient which is related to the thermal impedance function through Laplace transformation. In order to obtain temperature transient, a process has been devised to generate external heat pulse with heating wire and to measure the response of battery. This process is used to study several commercial Li-ion batteries of cylindrical type. The thermal impedance measurements have been performed using potentionstat/galvanostate controlled digital signal processor, which is more commonly available than flow-meter usually applied for thermal property measurements. Thermal impedance spectra obtained for batteries produced by different manufactures are found to differ considerably. Comparison of spectra at different states of charge indicates independence of thermal impedance on charging state of battery. It is shown that thermal impedance spectrum can be used to obtain simultaneously thermal capacity and thermal conductivity of battery by non-linear complex least-square fit of the spectrum to thermal impedance model. Obtained data is used to simulate a response of the battery to internal heating during discharge. It is found that temperature inside the battery is by one-third larger that on its surface. This observation has to be considered to prevent damage by overheating.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.78-86
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• 2005

Dioxins, especially 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD or dioxin), are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. TCDD is known that it has toxic effects in animals and humans, including chloracne, immune, reproductive and developmental toxicities, carcinogenicity, wasting syndrome and death. TCDD induces a broad spectrum of biological responses, including disruption of normal hormone signaling pathways, reproductive and developmental defects, immunotoxicity, liver damage, wasting syndrome and cancer. Many researches showed that TCDD induces gene expression of transcriptional factors related cell proliferation, signal transduction, immune system and cell cycle arrest at molecular and cellular levels. These toxic actions of TCDD are usually mediated with AhR (receptor, resulted from cell culture, animal and clinical studies). cDNA microarray can be used as a highly sensitive and informative marker for toxicity. Additionally, microarray analysis of dioxin-toxicity is able to provide an opportunity for the development of candidate bridging biomarkers of dioxin-toxicity. Through microarray technology, it is possible to understand the therapeutic effects of agonists within the context of toxic effects, classify new chemicals as to their complete effects on biological systems, and identify environmental factors that may influence safety.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.590-594
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• 2008

brc-2, an ortholog of BRCA2 in Caenorhabditis elegans, is essential in the maintenance of genetic integrity. In C. elegans, cellular location correlates with meiotic progression, and transgene-induced cosuppression is observed in the germ line but not in somatic cells. We used these unique features to dissect the role of brc-2 in the germ line from that in somatic cells. In situ hybridization of wild type animals revealed that brc-2 gene expression was higher in oocytes than in other germline cells, and was barely detectable in mitotic cells. In contrast, germ cells containing multicopies of the brc-2 transgene showed no significant in situ hybridization signal at any oogenesis stage, confirming that brc-2 expression was functionally cosuppressed in the transgenic germ line. RAD-51 foci formation in response to DNA damage was abrogated in brc-2-cosuppressed germ cells, whereas wild-type germ cells showed strong RAD-51 foci formation. These germ cells exhibited massive chromosome fragmentation and decompaction instead of six bivalent chromosomes in diakinesis. Accordingly, lethality was observed after the early stage of germline development. These results suggest that brc-2 plays essential roles in chromosome integrity in early prophase, and therefore is crucial in meiotic progression and embryonic survival.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.231-235
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• 2013

The purpose of this paper is to compare with estimation of equivalent fatigue load in time domain and frequency domain and estimate the fatigue life of structure with multi-axial vibration loading. The fatigue analysis with two methods is implemented with various signals like random, sinusoidal signals. Also an equivalent fatigue life estimated by rainflow cycle counting in time domain is compared with results estimated with probability density function of each signal in frequency domain. In case of frequency domain, equivalent fatigue life can estimate through Dirlik's method with probability density function. And the work proposed in this paper compared the fatigue damage accumulated under uni-axial loading to that induced by multi-axial loading. The comparison is preformed for a simple cantilever beam, which is exposed to vibrations of several directions. For verification of estimation performance of fatigue life, results are compared to those of FEM analysis (ANSYS).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.83-93
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• 2020

Dynamic pressure transducer needs to be flush-mounted on hardware due to frequency response characteristics of pressure transmission system. However, it is sometimes necessary to be mounted in recessed configuration due to insufficient space for sensor installation and for protection of sensor from thermal damage. Dynamic response characteristics should be considered due to distortion of original dynamic pressure signal in the pressure transmission system. In this study, small perturbation model and 2nd order reduced model were compared with experiments and a guideline for selecting a frequency response model was suggested.