• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.77-85
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• 2022

Background: After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident, a model was developed to estimate the external exposure doses for residents who were expected to return to their homes after evacuation orders were lifted. However, the model's accuracy and uncertainties in parameters used to estimate external doses have not been evaluated. Materials and Methods: The model estimates effective doses based on the integrated ambient dose equivalent (H^*(10)) and life patterns, considering a dose reduction factor to estimate the indoor H^*(10) and a conversion factor from H^*(10) to the effective dose. Because personal dose equivalent (H_p(10)) has been reported to agree well with the effective dose after the FDNPS accident, this study validates the model's accuracy by comparing the estimated effective doses with H_p(10). The H_p(10) and life pattern data were collected for 36 adult participants who lived or worked near the FDNPS in 2019. Results and Discussion: The estimated effective doses correlated significantly with H_p(10); however, the estimated effective doses were lower than H_p(10) for indoor sites. A comparison with the measured indoor H^*(10) showed that the estimated indoor H^*(10) was not underestimated. However, the H_p(10) to H^*(10) ratio indoors, which corresponds to the practical conversion factor from H^*(10) to the effective dose, was significantly larger than the same ratio outdoors, meaning that the conversion factor of 0.6 is not appropriate for indoors due to the changes in irradiation geometry and gamma spectra. This could have led to a lower effective dose than H_p(10). Conclusion: The estimated effective doses correlated significantly with H_p(10), demonstrating the model's applicability for effective dose estimation. However, the lower value of the effective dose indoors could be because the conversion factor did not reflect the actual environment.

• International Journal of Oncology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.2117-2126
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• 2019

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a multifunctional cytokine that functions as a growth suppressor in normal epithelial cells and early stage tumors, but acts as a tumor promoter during malignant progression. However, the molecular basis underlying the conversion of TGF-β1 function remains largely undefined. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis-associated factor 1 (XAF1) is a pro-apoptotic tumor suppressor that frequently displays epigenetic inactivation in various types of human malignancies, including colorectal cancer. The present study explored whether the anti-apoptotic effect of TGF-β1 is linked to its regulatory effect on XAF1 induction in human colon cancer cells under stressful conditions. The results revealed that TGF-β1 treatment protected tumor cells from various apoptotic stresses, including 5-fluorouracil, etoposide and γ-irradiation. XAF1 expression was activated at the transcriptional level by these apoptotic stresses and TGF-β1 blocked the stress-mediated activation of the XAF1 promoter. The study also demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibition or extracellular signal-activated kinase (Erk)1/2 depletion induced XAF1 induction, while the activation of K-Ras (G12C) led to its reduction. In addition, TGF-β1 blocked the stress-mediated XAF1 promoter activation and induction of apoptosis. This effect was abrogated if Erk1/2 was depleted, indicating that TGF-β1 represses XAF1 transcription through Erk activation, thereby protecting tumor cells from apoptotic stresses. These findings point to a novel molecular mechanism underlying the tumor-promoting function of TGF-β1, which may be utilized in the development of a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.423-433
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• 2021

Purpose: Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) is a method for promoting functional movements by facilitating neuromuscular responses through the stimulation of proprioceptors in the body using spiral and diagonal patterns. Irradiation, a basic principle of PNF, is a phenomenon in which the muscle activity of a body part caused by resistance is increased or spread into muscles in other parts via their connected muscles. Resistance training can be divided by body alignment into closed and open chain exercises. Methods: In this study, 19 healthy men in their 20s and 30s were selected as subjects. They performed PNF hip flexion, abduction, and internal rotation motions on their dominant side in an open chain exercise posture in which the nondominant sole was away from the wall, and in a closed chain exercise posture in which the sole was fixed to the wall. The nondominant leg's muscle activity was measured while resistance was maintained with applied pressure at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the maximum muscle strength in the last range of motions. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted for a comparative analysis of the contralateral leg's muscle activity according to the chain exercise postures and the intensity of resistance intensity during PNF hip flexion, abduction, and internal rotation. In addition, an independent sample T-test was conducted for a comparative analysis of each chain exercise posture according to the intensity of resistance. A one-way ANOVA and a Scheffe post-hoc test were also performed to analyze the contralateral leg's muscle activity according to the intensity of resistance in the closed and open chain exercise postures. Results: Results of the two-way ANOVA found that the gluteus medius and the biceps femoris had statistically significant differences in both the chain exercise postures and resistance intensity (p<0.05), and that the vastus medialis and the gastrocnemius did not exhibit statistically significant differences in the chain exercise postures (p>0.05) but showed statistically significant differences in resistance intensity (p<0.05). As a result of the independent sample T-test, the application of the PNF hip flexion-abduction-internal rotation pattern led to a statistically significant difference in the contralateral gluteus medius during the closed chain exercise posture (p<0.05). According to the results of the one-way ANOVA and the Scheffe post-analysis, statistically significant differences were observed in the gluteus medius at 50%, biceps femoris at 75%, vastus medialis at 100%, and gastrocnemius at 100% during the closed chain exercise posture based on a resistance intensity of 0% (p<0.05). In the open chain exercise posture, statistically significant differences were found in the gluteus medius at 50%, biceps femoris at 50%, and vastus medialis at 75% based on the resistance intensity of 0% (p<0.05). In the same posture, there was no significant difference in the gastrocnemius's resistance intensity (p>0.05). Conclusion: When the PNF leg pattern is applied, each muscle requires effective chain exercise postures and resistance intensity to generate the contralateral leg muscle's irradiation.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.188-198
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• 2017

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) spears were treated with white (color temperature 4,500 k), blue (peak 450 nm), and red (peak 660 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ for 12 h, and UV-B (280 nm) at 0.5 kJ or 1.0 kJ to determine the effect on agronomic characteristics, antioxidant phytochemicals, and antioxidant activity. The fresh weight, length, and width of spears were not affected by light quality treatments. The free sugars and chlorophyll contents were increased by 9 and 41%, respectively in the UV-0.5 kJ treatments. Among the antioxidant phytochemicals (vitamin C, total phenol, rutin, and total flavonoid), vitamin C was most greatly affected by the light treatments. Vitamin C content was significantly increased in asparagus spears subjected to the white (114%), red (137%), and UV-0.5 kJ(127%) treatments compared to the control. By contrast, rutin, total phenol, and total flavonoid content were increased only in samples subjected to the red and UV-0.5 kJ treatment. Furthermore, antioxidant activity, as measured by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, increased in white, red, and UV-0.5 kJ treatments by about 43, 41, and 43%, respectively, compared to the control. These results suggest that postharvest treatment of asparagus spears with red light at $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ for 12 h or with UV-B (280 nm) at 0.5 kJ could enhance the functional quality of the asparagus spears by increasing the content of phytochemicals like vitamin C, rutin, total phenolics, and total flavonoids.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.342-352
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• 2023

Ultra-violet (UV) light is one of abiotic stress factors and causes oxidative stress in plants, but a suitable level of UV radiation can be used to enhance the phytochemical content of plants. The accumulation of antioxidant phenolic compounds in UV-exposed plants may vary depending on the conditions of plant (species, cultivar, age, etc.) and UV (wavelength, energy, irradiation period, etc.). To date, however, little research has been conducted on how leaf thickness affects the pattern of phytochemical accumulation. In this study, we conducted an experiment to find out how the antioxidant phenolic content of kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) leaves with different thicknesses react to UV-A light. Kale seedlings were grown in a controlled growth chamber for four weeks under the following conditions: 20℃ temperature, 60% relative humidity, 12-hour photoperiod, light source (fluorescent lamp), and photosynthetic photon flux density of 121±10 µmol m^-2 s^-1. The kale plants were then transferred to two chambers with different CO₂ concentrations (382±3.2 and 1,027±11.7 µmol mol^-1), and grown for 10 days. After then, each group of kale plants were subjected to UV-A LED (275+285 nm at peak wavelength) light of 25.4 W m^-2 for 5 days. As a result, when kale plants with thickened leaves from treatment with high CO₂ were exposed to UV-A, they had lower UV sensitivity than thinner leaves. The Fv/Fm (maximum quantum yield on photosystem II) in the leaves of kale exposed to UV-A in a low-concentration CO₂ environment decreased abruptly and significantly immediately after UV treatment, but not in kale leaves exposed to UV-A in a high-concentration CO₂ environment. The accumulation pattern of total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and individual phenolic compounds varied according to leaf thickness. In conclusion, this experiment suggests that the UV intensity should vary based on the leaf thickness (age etc.) during UV treatment for phytochemical enhancement.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.478-485
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• 2011

Merocyanine derivatives transformed from spiropyran-containing compounds by irradiating the light of ultraviolet (UV) include zwitterion of phenolate anion and amine cation. Complexation of this phenolate anion on merocyaninemodified surface and Ni ion among metal ions led to a change of surface charge and it was measured with kelvin prove force microscopy (KFM). We found that the resultant surface potential decreased linearly as UV-exposed time increased, and finally were saturated. Also it was analyzed through XPS the immobilized amount of Ni ions was increased according to increase of UV-exposed time. It is considered that these properties could be applied for detection and a quantitative control of different metal ions. Further research is to aim construct specific scaffold/matrix which enable high selective, high sensitive and, especially, a quantitative immobilization of metal ions-binding biomaterials such as proteins and cells.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1998.10b
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• pp.113-113
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• 1998

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae UV irradiation and a variety of chemical DNA -damaging agents induce the transcription of specific genes, including several involved in DNA repair. One of the best characterized of DNA -damage inducible genes is PHRI, which encodes the apoenzyme for DNA photolyase. Basal-level and damage-induced expression of PHRI require an upstream activation sequence, UASPHRI. Here we report the identification of the UlvIE6 gene of S. cerevisiae as a regulator of UASPHRl activity. Surprisingly, the effect of deletion of UME6 is growth phase dependent. In wild-type cells PHRI is induced in late exponential phase, concomitant with the initiation of glycogen accumulation that precedes the diauxic shift. Deletion of UNIE6 abolishes this induction, decreases the steady-state concentration of photolyase molecules and PHRI mRNA, and increases the UV sensitivity of a rad2 mutant. The results suggest that UM E6 contributes to the regulated expression of a subset of damage-responsive genes in yeast. Furthermore, the upstream repression sequence, URSPHRI, is required for repression and damage-induced expression of PHRl. Here we show identification of YER169W and YDR096W as putative regulators acting through $URS_{PHRI}$. These open reading frames were designated as RPHI (YERl69W) and RPH2 (YDR096W) indicating regulator of PHRI. Simultaneous disruption of both genes showed a synergistic effect, producing a four-fold increase in basal level expression and a similar decrease m the induction ratio following treatment of methyl methanesulfonate(MMS). Mutation of the sequence ($AG_4$) bound by Rphlp rendered the promoter of PHRI insensitive to changes in RPHI or RPH2 status. The data suggest that RPHI and RPH2 act as damage-responsive negative regulators of PHRI. Surprisingly, the sequence bound by Rphlp in vitro is found to be $AG_4$ which is identical to the consensus binding site for the regulators Msn2p and Msn4p involved in stress-induced expression. Deletion of MSN2 and MSN4 has little effect on the induction$.$ ratio following DNA damage. However, all deletions led to a significant decrease in basal-level and induced expression of PHRI. These results imply that MSN2 and MSN4 are positive regulators of P HRI but are not required for DNA damage repression. [Supported by grant from NIH]om NIH]

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.963-968
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• 2009

Liquid crystal (LC; E7 and/or ML-0249)-embedded, poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-co-HFP)-based, polymer electrolytes were prepared for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The electrolytes contained 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide (PMII), tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI), and iodine ($I_2$), which participate in the $I_3^-/I^-$ redox couple. The incorporation of photochemically stable PVdF-co-HFP in the DSSCs created a stable polymer electrolyte that resisted leakage and volatilization. DSSCs, with liquid crystal(LC)-embedded PVdF-co-HFP-based polymer electrolytes between the amphiphilic ruthenium dye N719 absorbed to the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ photoanode and the Pt counter electrode, were fabricated. These DSSCs displayed enhanced redox couple reduction and reduced charge recombination in comparison to that fabricated from the conventional PVdF-co-HFP-based polymer electrolyte. The behavior of the polymer electrolyte was improved by the addition of optimized amounts of plasticizers, such as ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC). The significantly increased short-circuit current density ($J_{sc}$, $14.60\;mA/cm^2$) and open-circuit voltage ($V_{oc}$, 0.68 V) of these DSSCs led to a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.42% and a fill factor of 0.65 under a standard light intensity of $100\;mW/cm^2$ irradiation of AM 1.5 sunlight. A DSSC fabricated by using E7-embedded PVdF-co-HFP-based polymer electrolyte exhibited a maximum incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of 50%.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.241-245
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• 2013

Granular bamboo-derived active carbons (AC) were impregnated (or coated) with $TiO_2$ nano crystalline powders. The photocatalytic activity of the $TiO_2$-impregnated active carbons ($TiO_2$/AC) were determined on the basis of the degradation rate of methylene-blue aqueous solution under UV irradiation. The active compounds of $TiO_2$ were impregnated onto the AC under moderate hydrothermal conditions (${\leq}200^{\circ}C$, pH 11). The mean size of $TiO_2$ particles calculated from BET surface area were found to be as 50 nm. The $TiO_2$ precipitates were coated on the cavities or pores on the surfaces of highly activated carbons. Since the hydrothermal process led to a lowering of the on-set temperature of the anatase-to-rutile transition of $TiO_2$ as low as $200^{\circ}C$, $TiO_2$ crystallites of a pure anatase or a mixed form with rutile were successfully coated on the AC depending on the synthesis temperatures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.565-569
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• 2017

This research aims at measuring the changes in the dose rate of photoneutron occurring in the process of the investigation into the 10 MV photon beam with a linear accelerator. In addition, the life time of the photoneutron after the end of irradiation was to be analyzed. The photoneutron were measured with a $BF_3$ proportional counter, and the measurement results of the dose rate of the photoneutron were analyzed in 3 parts at intervals of 2 seconds. The measurement results showed that the photoneutron were generated fastest when there was no metal plate inside the radiation field and when there was a lead plate, and that, as for the time that shows the final dose rate at the level of background, the life time was about 1 minute and 40 seconds regardless of the kinds of materials. Therefore, the dose rate according to the time until the photoneutron run out was proved to be different depending on the sorts of the materials and the threshold energy. However, final life time showed similar results regardless of the kinds of the materials, it can be concluded that the kinds of materials don't get involved in the life time of photoneutron.