• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 2002

The water extract of Omija-tang(OMJT) has been traditionally used for treatment of ischemic heart and brain damage in oriental medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the water extract of OMJT protects cells from such damage. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the protective mechanisms of OMJT on $H_2O_2$-induced toxicity in H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells. Treatment of $H_2O_2$ markedly induced death of H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells in a dose-dependent manner. The characteristics of $H_2O_2$-induced death of H9c2 showed apparent apoptotic features, such as DNA fragmentation. However, OMJT significantly reduced both $H_2O_2$-induced cell death and chromatin fragmentation. The decrease of Bcl-XL expression by $H_2O_2$ was inhibited by OMJT. In addition, the increase of Bcl-XS and Bax expression were also inhibited by OMJT. In particular, Fas expression, which is generally recognized as cell death inducing signal by Fas/FasL interaction, was markedly increased by $H_2O_2$ in a time-dependent manner, whereas this increase was completely prevented by OMJT. The combined treatment of OMJT and $H_2O_2$ in H9c2 cells also reduced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 like protease. Taken together, this study indicates that the protective effects of the water extract of OMJT against oxidative damage may be mediated by the modulation of BcI-XL/S and Bax expression by way of the regulation of mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase cascades.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.603-609
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal operation conditions in an anoxic oxic process to eliminate both organic and nitrogen matters in swine wastewater. For the purpose of this, the removal efficiency was evaluated with various HRTs and internal recycling ratio. During the whole 580 days of experiment, HRTs had been gradually decreased in an order of 20, 14, 12 and l0days, and the internal recycle ratio was kept at 20Q. So as to determine the effect of the internal recycle ratio on the nitrogen removal, the internal recycle ratio had been gradually increased from 20Q to 50Q while HRT was maintained at 12days. As a result, it was shown that the removal efficiency of organic matter was above 95% regardless of changing of HRTs. The average influent concentration of TCODcr and SCODcr were 24,854 mg/L and 18,920 mg/L, respectively. Average removal efficiency of TKN was shown to be nearly 98% when HRT was kept at 12days; however, the $NH_4{^+}-N$ concentration of effluent was shown to be increased when the loading rate of $NH_4{^+}-N$ was increased to $0.602 kgNH_4{^+}-N/m^3$-day by means of decreasing HRT to 10days. It was concluded that nitrogen loading rates should be more considered rather than organic loading rates in case of determining an optimal HRT. When gradually increasing the internal recycle ratio from 20Q to 50Q, the removal efficiency of organic matters and TKN were 96% and 98%, respectively so that no significant changes in removal efficiency was detected. However, when the internal recycle ratio was kept at 50Q, it was revealed that the $NO_3-N$ concentration of effluent seemed to drop and the average $NO_3-N$ concentration of effluent was around 52 mg/L.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.479-483
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• 2006

Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a histological pattern consisting of prominent intra-alveolar fibrin and organizing pneumonia, with out hyaline membranes or prominent eosinophilia. The clinical manifestations of AFOP resemble those of acute lung injury such as acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP). However, the classic histological patterns of AFOP differ from diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia (BOOP) or acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP). The characteristic intra-alveolar fibrin ball and lack of classic hyaline membrane are the predominant histological features of AFOP. Although some reports suggest that its clinical course is less catastrophic than DAD, the clinical entity that distinguishes AFOP from DAD has not been established. We present a case of pathologically demonstrated AFOP in a 79-year-old man. The radiological findings of our case were similar to those of DAD, presented with diffuse bilateral lung infiltrations. However, despite the rapid development of respiratory failure, the patient had a better response and outcome to steroid therapy than what would be expected for DAD.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.9
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• pp.35-49
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• 2000

Purpose: This study is to investigate the alleviation effects of Daebangpoongtang in LPS induced arthritis in mice knee joint. Methods : Daebangpoongtang was chosen to treat the arthritis caused by injecting $300{\mu}g/kg$ LPS to mice knee joint. The control group had no treatment, while the LPS group was injected $300{\mu}g/kg$ LPS to mice knee joint and the DBP group was oral administrated of Daebangpoongtang. After injection of $300{\mu}g/kg$ LPS to mice knee joint, the alteration of synovial lining cell, vessel, fibrosis, distribution of collagen fiber, fibroblast, mast cell, infiltration of inflammation component cell and distribution of ICAM and VCAM was observed by light microscope(BX50). Results : In the DBP extract treatment group, the distribution of vessel, the enlargement of synovial lining cell layer, the synovial lining cells with filopodia, the fibrosis, the distribution of fibroblast in synovial membrane, the distribution of TCAM and VCAM on the knee joint was less than that of LPS group. Infiltrated lymphocyte into the apical surface had not observed in the DBP extract treatment group. The distribution of mast cell was as same as control group(no treatment group) and it showed granulated type. Conclusion: According to the above results, it might be considered that the administration of Daebangpoongtang has a curative effect on synovial membrane injury in arthritis by inhibiting increase of vessel, cell adhesion molecule(ICAM and VCAM) in LPS induced arthritis.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2014

Use of an apical plug in management of cases with open apices has gained popularity in recent years. Biodentine, a new calcium silicate-based material has recently been introduced as a dentine substitute, whenever original dentine is damaged. This case report describes single visit apexification in a maxillary central incisor with necrotic pulp and open apex using Biodentine as an apical barrier, and a synthetic collagen material as an internal matrix. Following canal cleaning and shaping, calcium hydroxide was placed as an intracanal medicament for 1 mon. This was followed by placement of small piece of absorbable collagen membrane beyond the root apex to serve as matrix. An apical plug of Biodentine of 5 mm thickness was placed against the matrix using pre-fitted hand pluggers. The remainder of canal was back-filled with thermoplasticized gutta-percha and access cavity was restored with composite resin followed by all-ceramic crown. One year follow-up revealed restored aesthetics and function, absence of clinical signs and symptoms, resolution of periapical rarefaction, and a thin layer of calcific tissue formed apical to the Biodentine barrier. The positive clinical outcome in this case is encouraging for the use of Biodentine as an apical plug in single visit apexification procedures.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.803-812
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• 2019

Triplex composite is an epoxy-bonded joint structure, which constitutes the secondary barrier in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier. Defects in the triplex composite weaken its shear strength and may cause leakage of the LNG, thus compromising the structural integrity of the LNG carrier. This paper proposes an autonomous triplex composite inspection (ATCI) system for visualizing and classifying hidden defects in the triplex composite installed inside an LNG carrier. First, heat energy is generated on the surface of the triplex composite using halogen lamps, and the corresponding heat response is measured by an infrared (IR) camera. Next, the region of interest (ROI) is traced and noise components are removed to minimize false indications of defects. After a defect is identified, it is classified as internal void or uncured adhesive and its size and shape are quantified and visualized, respectively. The proposed ATCI system allows the fully automated and contactless detection, classification, and quantification of hidden defects inside the triplex composite. The effectiveness of the proposed ATCI system is validated using the data obtained from actual triplex composite installed in an LNG carrier membrane system.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2023

Blast Hardened Bulkhead (BHB) is an important measure that can increase the ship's survivability as well as protect the lives of the crew by mitigating the damage extent caused by an internal explosion in the ship. In particular, both the pressure and the shock impulse should be considered when designing the BHB against reflected shock waves having a high pressure with a short duration. This study proposes a design method for BHB that considers both the pressure and the shock impulse generated during the internal explosion. In addition, analysis and design concepts for accident loads such as explosion, fire, and collision of NORSOK and DNVGL, one of the international design guidelines for the curtain plate type blast hardened bulkhead type applied by the Korean Navy, are utilized. If this method is applied, it is expected that it can be used as a design concept for the pressure as well as the shock impulse of the explosion load of the curtain plate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.20-26
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• 2024

Water management is crucial for the performance, durability, and stability of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). Due to its importance, various methods for visualizing PEMFC's internal water distribution have been adapted to study and manage water within the cells. However, these methods often require large facilities, leading to high costs and significant barriers to entry. This study addresses these challenges by using a commercial Radiation (X-ray) Generator (RG) for internal water distribution visualization and comparing the results with synchrotron X-ray data from the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) 9D beamline. Despite the lower resolution and potential beam distortion challenges, the RG shows promise for PEMFC water distribution visualization, suggesting the need for further research to refine water attenuation coefficients and build-up factors for improved measurement accuracy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.4
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• pp.328-334
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• 2019

Background: Although the frequency of respiratory viral infection in patients with pulmonary acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is not uncommon, clinical significance of the condition remains to be further elucidated. The purpose of this study was to compare characteristics and outcomes of patients with pulmonary ARDS infected with influenza and other respiratory viruses. Methods: Clinical data of patients with pulmonary ARDS infected with respiratory viruses January 2014-June 2018 were reviewed. Respiratory viral infection was identified by multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Among 126 patients who underwent multiplex RT-PCR, respiratory viral infection was identified in 46% (58/126): 28 patients with influenza and 30 patients with other respiratory viruses. There was no significant difference in baseline and clinical characteristics between patients with influenza and those with other respiratory viruses. The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was more frequent in patients with influenza than in those with other respiratory viruses (32.1% vs 3.3%, p=0.006). Co-bacterial pathogens were more frequently isolated from respiratory samples of patients with pulmonary ARDS infected with influenza virus than those with other respiratory viruses. (53.6% vs 26.7%, p=0.036). There were no significant differences regarding clinical outcomes. In multivariate analysis, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II was associated with 30-mortality (odds ratio, 1.158; 95% confidence interval, 1.022-1.312; p=0.022). Conclusion: Respiratory viral infection was not uncommon in patients with pulmonary ARDS. Influenza virus was most commonly identified and was associated with more co-bacterial infection and ECMO therapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.87 no.4
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• pp.494-504
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• 2024

Background: Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1), which encodes thiol protease that hydrolyzes a peptide bond at the C-terminal glycine residue of ubiquitin, regulates cell differentiation, proliferation, transcriptional regulation, and numerous other biological processes and may be involved in lung cancer progression. UCHL1 is mainly expressed in the brain and plays a tumor-promoting role in a few cancer types; however, there are limited reports regarding its role in lung cancer. Methods: Single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing using 10X chromium v3 was performed on a paired normal-appearing and tumor tissue from surgical specimens of a patient who showed unusually rapid progression. To validate clinical implication of the identified biomarkers, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was performed on 48 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue specimens, and the correlation with clinical parameters was evaluated. Results: We identified 500 genes overexpressed in tumor tissue compared to those in normal tissue. Among them, UCHL1, brain expressed X-linked 3 (BEX3), and midkine (MDK), which are associated with tumor growth and progression, exhibited a 1.5-fold increase in expression compared to that in normal tissue. IHC analysis of NSCLC tissues showed that only UCHL1 was specifically overexpressed. Additionally, in 48 NSCLC specimens, UCHL1 was specifically upregulated in the cytoplasm and nuclear membrane of tumor cells. Multivariable logistic analysis identified several factors, including smoking, tumor size, and high-grade dysplasia, to be typically associated with UCHL1 overexpression. Survival analyses using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets revealed that UCHL1 overexpression is substantially associated with poor survival outcomes. Furthermore, a strong association was observed between UCHL1 expression and the clinicopathological features of patients with NSCLC. Conclusion: UCHL1 overexpression was associated with smoking, tumor size, and high-grade dysplasia, which are typically associated with a poor prognosis and survival outcome. These findings suggest that UCHL1 may serve as an effective biomarker of NSCLC.