• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2012

Oroxylin A is a flavone isolated from a medicinal herb reported to be effective in reducing the inflammatory and oxidative stresses. It also modulates the production of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in cortical neurons by the transactivation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). As a neurotrophin, BDNF plays roles in neuronal development, differentiation, synaptogenesis, and neural protection from the harmful stimuli. Adenosine $A2_A$ receptor colocalized with BDNF in brain and the functional interaction between $A2_A$ receptor stimulation and BDNF action has been suggested. In this study, we investigated the possibility that oroxylin A modulates BDNF production in cortical neuron through the regulation of $A2_A$ receptor system. As expected, CGS21680 ($A2_A$ receptor agonist) induced BDNF expression and release, however, an antagonist, ZM241385, prevented oroxylin A-induced increase in BDNF production. Oroxylin A activated the PI3K-Akt-GSK-$3{\beta}$ signaling pathway, which is inhibited by ZM241385 and the blockade of the signaling pathway abolished the increase in BDNF production. The physiological roles of oroxylin A-induced BDNF production were demonstrated by the increased neurite extension as well as synapse formation from neurons. Overall, oroxylin A might regulate BDNF production in cortical neuron through $A2_A$ receptor stimulation, which promotes cellular survival, synapse formation and neurite extension.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.67-71
• /
• 1997

Bupleurum falcatum is one of the oldest medicinal crop spontaneously generated as well as cultivated by man and successfully grown during the summer season in Korea. This study was conducted to examine the effect of planting density in the row spacing and hill spacing system using machine seeder on major agronomic traits, yield and labor saving. In 1993 and 1994, a spilt plot design was used with row spacing as the main plot and hill spacing as subplot. Labor saving efficency of the machine seeder reduced 96% than the hand seeding in sowing time required. Number of seeding stand increased, but stem height and number of nodes did not affect with different density in each row and hill spacing. There were reduced with narrow hill spacing on stem diameter, number of branches, shoot weight and root traits. There was no significant interaction between row and hill spacing for any major traits studied except shoot weight. Yield was more increase at 20cm than at 30cm row spacing. For these studies the optiomum density appears to be between drilling or 5cm hill spacing with 20cm row spacing. A highly significant positive correlation was appeared between number of seedling stand and root yield.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.630-635
• /
• 2000

The concentration of neurotransmitters in rat brain was determined by HPLC-ECD (electrochemical detection) method and the effects of methanol extracts of some crude drugs, such as Polygala Radix, Myristicae Semen, Zizyphi Semen, Acori graminei Rhizoma, Visci Herba, Liriopsis Tuber, Myrrha on the concentration of neurotransmitters in the ethanol-treated rat brain were investigated. By the administration of ethanol, dopamine (DA), 3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in frontal cortex and 5-HT level in hippocampus were significantly increased compared with the neurotransmitter levels in the brain of saline-treated rats. The ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level in frontal cortex was decreased by the same treatment. There was a tendency that the DA level in frontal cortex and striatum of ethanol-treated rats were increased by the administration of crude drug extracts. Especially, Myrrha and Visci Herba significantly increased the DA level of frontal cortex in ethanol-treated rats, while they significantly decreased the 5-HT level in the same region of the brain. GABA level in striatum of ethanol-treated rats was significantly decreased by Myristicae Semen, Visci Herba and Myrrha. These results suggest that the tested crude drug extracts have selective interaction with neurotransmitters in specified region of central nervous system.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.163-172
• /
• 2004

Mast cells (MCs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of tissue fibrosis. However, the role of MC in the development of liver fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. Stem cell factor (SCF) is known to recruit MCs to the liver following injury as it induces mast cell proliferation, survival and differentiation from resident tissue precursors. This study examines the interaction between activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and MCs in rat fibrotic liver, and SCF production by HSCs during culture in vitro. Rats were studied 4, 7, 14 and 21 days after bile duct ligation (BDL). Fibrogenesis was assessed by a measurement of collagen stained with sirius red F3B. Activated HSCs and MCs were identified by ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}-SMA$) immunohistochemical and alcian blue staining and measured by a computerized image analysis system. SCF production was determined in rat HSC cultures using Western blotting. Mild fibrotic changes were noted in BDL rat livers as early as 4 days after induction of cholestasis. Significant expansion and organization of fibrous tissue has occurred in day 14 BDL rats which progressed to bridging fibrosis by day 21. In BDL rats, both a large number of activated HSCs and MCs were detected in portal tracts and fibrous septa. Both area of activated HSCs infiltration and density of MCs were significantly higher in all BDL group compared with Shams. In BDL rats, both areas of activated HSCs infiltration and density of MCs were no significant difference between day 4 and 7 and were significantly higher in day 14. However, the areas of activated HSCs infiltration were significantly lesser in day 21 and the densities of MCs were significantly higher in day 21 compared with day14 BDL. In BDL rats, both areas of activated HSCs infiltration and density of MCs were highly correlated with areas of fibrosis. Western blotting showed that SCF protein was consistently produced in activated HSCs by culture on plastic and freshly isolated HSCs expressed relatively little 30kD SCF compared to late primary culture activated HSCs (day 14) and passaged HSCs. These results suggest that HSCs activated in vitro produce SCF, and may play an important role in recruiting mast cells to the liver during injury and fibrosis.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.204-211
• /
• 2011

A dynamic analysis procedure is developed to provide a better estimation of the dynamic responses of bridge during the passage of high speed railway vehicles. Particularly, a three dimensional numerical model including the structural interaction between high speed vehicles, bridges and railway endures to analyse accurately and evaluate with in-depth parametric studies for dynamic responses of various bridge span lengths running KTX railway locomotive up to increasing maximum speed(450km/h). Three dimensional frame element is used to model the simply supported pre-stressed concrete (PSC) box bridges for four span lengths(40~25m). Track irregularity employed as a stationary random process from the given spectral density functions and irregularities of both sides of the track are assumed to have high correlation. The high-speed railway vehicle (KTX) is used as 38-degree of freedom system. Three displacements (Vertical, lateral, and longitudinal) as well as three rotational components (Pitching, rolling, and yawing) are considered in the 38-degree of freedom model. The dynamic amplification factors are evaluated by the developed procedure under various traveling conditions, such as track irregularity camber, train speed and ballast. The dynamic analysis such as Newmark-${\beta}$ and Runge-Kutta methods which are able to analyse considering the dynamic impact factors are compared and contrasted.

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.3-8
• /
• 2011

Recently, the demand for enterprise for service map providing and portal site services of a 3D virtual city model for public users has been expanding. Also, accuracy of the data, transfer rate and the update for the update for the lapse of time emerge are considered as more impertant factors, by providing 3D information with the web or mobile devices. With the latest technology, we have seen various 3D data through the web. With the VRML progressing actively, because it can provide a virtual display of the world and all aspects of interaction with web. It offers installation of simple plug-in without extra cost on the web. LiDAR system can obtain spatial data easily and accurately, as supprted by numerous researches and applications. However, in general, LiDAR data is obtained in the form of an irregular point cloud. So, in case of using data without converting, high processor is needed for presenting 2D forms from point data composed of 3D data and the data increase. This study expresses urban LiDAR data in 3D, 2D raster data that was applied by compressing algorithm that was used for solving the problems of large storage space and processing. For expressing 3D, algorithm that converts compressed LiDAR data into code Suited to VRML was made. Finally, urban area was expressed in 3D with expressing ground and feature separately.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.661-678
• /
• 2006

Products developed in this research is a software which can transfer the type of shape(.shp) into the type of ascii using the land cover data and the topography data in the metropolitan area of Seoul. In addition, it can calculate the $CO_2$ flux according to distribution of plants within the land cover data. The $CO_2$ flux is calculated by the experimental equation which is compose of the meteorological parameters such as the solar radiation and the air temperature. The net flux was shown in about $-19ton/km^2$ by removing $CO_2$ through the photosynthesis during daytime, and in 2 ton/km2 by producing it through the respiration during nighttime on 10 August 2004, the maximum day of air temperature during the period of 3yr(2001 to 2004), in the metropolitan area of Seoul. Spatial distribution of the air temperature and the wind field is simulated by substituting the middle classification of the land cover map data, upgraded by the Korean Ministry of Environment(KME), for the land-use data of the United States Geological Survey(USGS) within the Meteorological Mesoscale Model Version 5(MM5) on 10 August 2006 in the metropolitan area of Seoul. Difference of the air temperature between both data was shown in the maximum range of $-2^{\circ}C\;to\;2.9^{\circ}C$, and the air temperature due to the land use data of KME was higher than that of USGS in average $0.4^{\circ}C$. Also, those of wind vectors were meanly lower than that of USGS in daytime and nighttime. Furthermore, the hourly time series of Volatile Organic Components(VOCs) is calculated by using the Biosphere Emission and Interaction System Version 2(BEIS2) including the new land cover data and the meteorological parameters such as the air temperature and so]ar insolation. It is possible to calculate the concentration of ozone due to the biogenic emission of VOCs.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.149-164
• /
• 1988

Electrum-sulfide mineralization of the Samgwang and Sobo mines of the Cheongyang Au-Ag area was deposited in two stages of quartz and calcite veins that fill fault zones in granite gneiss. Radiometric dating indicates that mineralization is Early Cretaceous age (127 Ma). Fluid inclusion and sulfur isotope data show that ore mineralization was deposited at temperatures between $340^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities of 1 to 8 wt. % equiv. NaCl and a ${\delta}^{34}S_{{\sum}S}$ value of 2 to 5 per mil. Evidence of fluid boiling (and $CO_2$ effervescence) indicates a range of pressures from < 200 to $\approx$ 700 bars, corresponding to depths of ${\approx}1.5{\pm}0.3\;km$ in a hydrothermal system which alternated from lithostatic toward hydrostatic conditions. Au-Ag deposition was likely a result of boiling coupled with cooling. Meaured and calculated hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of ore-forming fluids indicate a significant meteoric water component, approaching unexchanged paleometeoric water values. Comparison of these values with those of other Korean Au-Ag deposits reveals a relationship among depth, Au/Ag ratio and degree of water-rock interaction. All investigated Korean Jurassic and Cretaceous gold-silver-bearing deposits have fluids which are dominantly evolved meteoric waters, but only deeper systems (${\geq}1.5\;km$) are exclusively gold-rich.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.425-452
• /
• 1990

A tentative hydrogeologic and hydrodispersive study was carried out to evaluate the groundwater pollution potential at a selected site by utilizing empirical assessment methodologies in an advanced stage of quantitative computer aided assessment. The upper most aquifer is defind as saturated overburden and weathered zone including the upper part of highly fractured rock. Representative hydraulic conductivity and storativity of the uppermost aquifer are estimated at 2.88 E-6 m/s and 0.09, respectively. Also calculated Darcian and average linear velocity of groundwater along the major pathway are 0.011 m/d and 0.12 m/d with average hydraulic gradient of 4.6% in the site. The results of empirical assessment methodologies indicate that 1) DRASTIC depicts that the site is situated on non-sensitive and non-vulnerable area. 2) Legrand numerical rating system shows that the probability of contamination and degree of acceptability are classed to "Maybe-Improbable, and Probable Acceptable and Marginally Unacceptable" with situation grade of "B". 3)Waste soil-site interaction matrix assessment categorizes that the study site is located on "Class-8 Site".

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.307-316
• /
• 2019

In the agricultural sector, greenhouse gas emissions vary depending on the interaction of all ecosystem changes such as soil environment, weather environment, crop growth, and anthropogenic farming activities. Agricultural sector greenhouse gas emissions resulting from many of these interactions are highly variable. Uncertainty-based evaluation that defines the interval with confidence level of greenhouse gas emission and absorption is necessary to take account of the variance characteristics of individual emissions, but research on uncertainty evaluation method is insufficient. This study aims to decide on the effect of reducing N₂O emissions from upland soils using an uncertainty-based approach. An uncertainty-based approach confirmed whether there was a difference between confidence intervals in the 5 different fertilizer treatment groups to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Unlike the statistically significant test with three repetition averages, the uncertainty-based approach method estimated in this study is able to estimate the confidence interval considering the distribution characteristics of the emissions, such as the dispersion characteristics of individual emissions. Therefore, it is considered that the reliability of emissions can be improved by statistically testing the variance characteristics of emissions such as the uncertainty-based approach. It is hoped that the direction of the uncertainty-based approach for the effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture will be helpful in the future development of agricultural greenhouse gas emission reduction technology, adaptation to climate change, and further development of sustainable eco-social system.