• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.59
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• pp.31-49
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• 2012

This study investigates normative role model of the journalists under the changing environment. Firstly, this article explores what pressure the new media environment gives to the journalists in their routine of news production and distribution. These are stated from the angle of epistemological, professional and interactive pressure. Next, as a reference for the standard journalism in the age of mass media, the idea of Rhee Young-hee, a late journalist who won respects from many Korean journalists, is studied. His firm belief in the pursuit of hard facts, rigorous investigative writing and expertism are spelt out. Then, this study explores how, in real term, this pressure changes the journalistic value, norm and practices in the newsroom. Ten of Koran journalists are interviewed in order to get their idea about the emerging journalistic standards under the digital environment. From this in-depth interviews, it is conclued that the pursuit of hard fact, investigative writing, expertism of Rhee Young-hee are, nonetheless the change of the media technology, still effective and provide good reference points for the enhancement of the standard of journalism in Korea. However, it is also suggested that the methods to fulfil desirable journalism in the digital age should be different from that of the mass communication age. The interviewees make propose that the journalist, as a network node, news curator or coordinator, should actively interact with the audiences facilitating their enhanced potential as a news 'prosumer'(producer and consumer).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.258-266
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• 2020

Background: Oxidative stress-induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis is a key pathological process in ischemic heart disease. Glutathione reductase (GR) reduces glutathione disulfide to glutathione (GSH) to alleviate oxidative stress. Ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1) prevents the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes; however, the role of GR in this process is unclear. Therefore, the effects of GRb1 on GR were investigated in this study. Methods: The antiapoptotic effects of GRb1 were evaluated in H9C2 cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, annexin V/propidium iodide staining, and Western blotting. The antioxidative effects were measured by a reactive oxygen species assay, and GSH levels and GR activity were examined in the presence and absence of the GR inhibitor 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the binding of GRb1 to GR. The direct influence of GRb1 on GR was confirmed by recombinant human GR protein. Results: GRb1 pretreatment caused dose-dependent inhibition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced cell apoptosis, at a level comparable to that of the positive control N-acetyl-L-cysteine. The binding energy between GRb1 and GR was positive (-6.426 kcal/mol), and the binding was stable. GRb1 significantl reduced reactive oxygen species production and increased GSH level and GR activity without altering GR protein expression in H9C2 cells. Moreover, GRb1 enhanced the recombinant human GR protein activity in vitro, with a half-maximal effective concentration of ≈2.317 μM. Conversely, 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea co-treatment significantly abolished the GRb1's apoptotic and antioxidative effects of GRb1 in H9C2 cells. Conclusion: GRb1 is a potential natural GR agonist that protects against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of H9C2 cells.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.107-115
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotecive effect of silk protein hydrolysates (SDH), which was prepared by acid hydrolysis, in rats. SDH itself did not exhibit any cytotoxic effect on hepatic tissues. SDH showed a protective effect on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced hepatotoxicity and liver damage. SDH effectively reduced AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine aminotransferase), which are biomarkers for liver damage, in a dose-dependent manner. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation product, was significantly reduced by SDH. A high dose of SDH (2 g/kg) reduced t-BHP-induced MDA production by 40%. Glutathione (GSH), which is an endogenous antioxidant molecule, was effectively increased by SDH treatment. GSH content was enhanced by around 2.5-fold, compared with t-BHP control, upon SDH (2 g/kg) treatment. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which is an enzyme released by cell cytotoxicity, was greatly increased by t-BHP, but significantly decreased by SDH treatment. Furthermore, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining showed that SDH suppressed t-BHP-induced lesions in liver tissue. Taken together, SDH might be used as a protective agent against liver damage.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.347-356
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• 2010

Bauxite is a main raw material for the production of alumina and aluminum hydroxide in the processing plant of KC company. It is a NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials), and its waste, red mud, is a TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials). The purpose of the geochemical and mineralogical investigations of the bedrock and soils in and around the plant, a large NORM source, was to provide basic data for measuring the radiation dose and protecting from radioactive hazards. Soils were mixtures of minerals derived from the country rock (quartz, feldspar, mica, kaolin, gibbsite, and sepiolite) and bauxite (hematite, boehmite, and calcite) of open-air storage. Average U and Th contents of the soil samples were 4.7 ppm and 23 ppm, respectively, indicating somewhat Th anomaly. The average concentrations of radionuclides are $^{40}K$ 100~1,433 Bq/kg, $^{226}Ra$ anomaly in the red mud open-air storage. Soil external hazard indices range from 0.10 to 1.66 with an average of 0.63. Although most of the indices are below 1.0 that is a regulation value, those of 4 samples of total 41 soil samples exceed 1.0, requiring further detailed investigation.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.235-253
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• 2016

China has been developing a new auto industry growth plan since 2004. In line with this initiative, China actively adopted its policy favoring foreign companies' investment which had a competitive edge over their technologies and manufacturing methodologies. To meet this demand in policy and market change, many foreign auto companies and their parts' manufacturers including Korean auto companies joined this stream. Policy change favoring higher technologies applicable in China requested auto companies' swift adaptation to meet the policy requirements by higher technologies with innovation and introduction of those foreign technologies to China. The spatial (excellence) strategy was followed by the increase in its efficiency and competiveness of each region, which were materialized by or in the form of; Firstly, strategic partnership with China auto companies and encouragement of Korea auto parts manufacturing companies to set up its own factories in China. Secondly, modularization and platform sharing strategy by applying enhanced technologies. Thirdly, strategic utilization of China local government's incentive policies. As production management methodology, JIS was adopted all across the board to meet the on-demand market requirements in the manufacturing processes. Auto part manufacturers had been integrated regionally based on forward linkages and modules. As a result, regional-specific auto industry complexes have been made in the places such as Beijing-Hyundai in the north, Dongfeng-Yueda-Kia in the south, common auto parts at central area like Qingdao, and other parts and raw materials in the vicinity of Shanghai.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2018

Conventional nickel-based catalyst processes used for dry reforming reactions have high activation temperatures and problems such as carbon deposition and metal sintering on the active sites of the catalyst surface. In this study, the characteristics of butane dry reforming reaction were investigated by using DBD plasma combined with catalytic process and compared with existing catalyst alone process. The physical and chemical properties of the catalysts were investigated using a surface area & pore size analyzer, XRD, SEM and TEM. Using $10%Ni/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ at $580^{\circ}C$, in the case of the catalyst+plasma process, the conversion of carbon dioxide and butane were improved by about 30% than catalyst alone process. When the catalyst+plasma process, the conversion of carbon dioxide and butane and the hydrogen production concentration are enhanced by the influence of various active species generated by the plasma. In addition, it was found that the particle size of the catalyst is decreased by the plasma in the reaction process, and the degree of dispersion of the catalyst is increased to improve the efficiency.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.556-563
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• 2007

We carried out a laboratory scale experiment about the characteristics of chemically active species produced in hybrid gas-liquid discharges. The electrode configuration which had high voltage electrode in the gas phase and ground electrode in the liquid was utilized while high voltage electrode has been typically positioned in the liquid in other studies. Our electrode was configured in such a way as to increase the energy efficiency of chemical reactions by creating a higher electrical field strength and a narrower pulse width than the typical electrode configuration. The highest ozone concentration was obtained at 45 kV which was the medium value in operating voltages. The decrease of solution conductivity increased the resistance of liquid phase and the electric field strength through the gas phase, so ozone gene-ration rate was enhanced. The increase of voltage promoted the production rate of hydrogen peroxide by increasing the electric field strength. In a lower voltage, the increase of solution conductivity increased the degradation rate of $H_2O_2$, so the $H_2O_2$ generation rate decreased. On the other hand, the effects of UV radiation, shock waves etc. increased the $H_2O_2$ generation rate as the solution conductivity increased. A higher rate of $H_2O_2$ generation can be achieved by mixing argon to oxygen which generates a stronger and more stable discharges.

• Archives of design research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.99-108
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• 1999

The interior space in a passenger car is consisted with many partial elements, and the instrument panel is the most important part from all of them, which is designate the total image of the interior design and the space variation, drivability and safety of the interior space. ] The instrument panel of a passenger car in the early age had the concept of a wall between the engine room and the passenger cabin on which the instrument for the driver were fitted. Therefore the central mounting of the instruments was the typical feature regardless of the position of a driver seat. As the automobiles became more functional with many equipments, driver oriented instrument panel with energy absorbing materials had been developed, and that was the beginning of the various instrument panel design of these days. The recent instrument panels of passenger car have the tendency of going back to the central instrument mounting as it was at the past on a few cars for the strict safety regulation, a new production technology and for the enhanced drivability. It can be summarized into a few results as these with the analysis of a few recent instrument panels. -minimizing the total volume for the better frontal visibility. -energy absorbing and passive structures for the strict impact regulations. -revival of central instrument mounting for the convenience and safety through minimizing the difference of the focal length of a driver.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2000

Grafting of fruit-bearing vegetables has been widely used to increase the resistance to soil-borne diseases, to increase the tolerance to low temperature or to soil salinity, to increase the plant vigor, and to extend the duration of economic harvest time. After grafting, it is important to control the environment around grafted seedlings for the robust joining of a scion and rootstock. Usually the shading materials and plastic films are used to keep the high relative humidity and low light intensity in greenhouse or tunnel. It is quite difficult to optimally control the environment for healing and acclimation of grafted seedlings under natural light. So the farmers or growers rely on their experience for the production of grafted seedling with high quality. If artificial light is used as a lighting source for graft-taking of grafted seedlings, the light intensity and photoperiod can be easily controlled. The purpose of this study was to develop a prototype system for the graft-taking enhancement of grafted seedlings using artificial lighting and to investigate the effect of air current speed on the distribution of air temperature and relative humidity in a graft-taking enhancement system. A prototype graft-taking system was consisted by polyurethane panels, air-conditioning unit, system controller and lighting unit. Three band fluorescent lamps (FL20SEX-D/18, Kumho Electric, Inc.) were used as a lighting source. Anemometer (Climomaster 6521, KANOMAX), T-type thermocouples and humidity sensors (CHS-UPS, TDK) were used to measure the air current speed, air temperature and relative humidity in a graft-taking system. In this system, air flow acted as a driving force for the diffusion of heat and water vapor. Air current speed, air temperature and relative humidity controlled by a programmable logic controller (UP750, Yokogawa Electric Co) and an inverter (MOSCON-G3, SAMSUNG) had an even distribution. Distribution of air temperature and relative humidity in a graft-taking enhancement system was fairly affected by air current speed. Air current speed higher than 0.1m/s was required to obtain the even distribution of environmental factors in this system. At low air current speed of 0.1m/s, the evapotranspiration rate of grafted seedlings would be suppressed and thus graft-taking would be enhanced. This system could be used to investigate the effects of air temperature, relative humidity, air current speed and light intensity on the evaportranspiration rate of grafted seedlings.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.289-295
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• 2006

Sodium fluoride (NaF) has been shown to be cytotoxic and elicit inflammatory response in human. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying NaF-induced cytotoxicity in periodontal tissues have not yet been elucidated. This study is aimed to investigate the mechanisms of NaF-induced apoptosis in human gingival fibroblast (HGF). NaF decreased the cell viability of HGF in a dose- and time-dependent manner. NaF gave rise to apoptotic morphological changes including cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation. However, NaF did not affect the production of ROS. In addition, NaF augumented cytochrome c release from mitochondria into the cytosol, and enhanced caspase -9 and -3 activities., cleavage (85 kDa fragments) of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and upregulation of voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) 1. These results demonstrated that NaF-induced apoptosis in HGF may be mediated with mitochondria. Furthermore, NaF elevated caspase-8 activity and upregulated Fas-ligand (Fas-L), suggesting involvement of death receptor mediated pathway in NaF-induced apoptosis. Expression of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family, was downregulated, whereas expression of Bax, a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family, was not affected in NaF-treated HGF. These results suggest that NaF induces apoptosis in HGF through both mitochondria- and death receptor-mediated pathway mediated by Bcl-2 family.