• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2009

In this study, we suggest Korean nonlinear fitting formula (KNFF) to maximize speech intelligibility for digital hearing aids based on NAL-NL1 (NAL-nonlinear, version 1). KNFF was derived from the same procedure which is used for deriving NAL-NL1. KNFF consider the long-term average speech spectrum of Korean instead of English because the frequency characteristic of Korean is different from that of English. New insertion gains of KNFF were derived using the SII (speech intelligibility index) program provided by ANSI. In addition, the insertion gains were modified to maximize the intelligibility of high frequency words. To verify effect of the new fitting gain, we performed speech discrimination test (SDT) and preference test using the hearing loss simulator from NOISH. In the SDT, a word set as test material consists of 50 1-syllable word generally used in hearing clinic. As a result of the test, in case of moderate hearing loss with severe loss on high frequency, the SDT scores of KNFF was more improved about 3.2% than NAL-NLl and about 6% in case of the sever hearing loss. Finally we have obtained the result that it was the effective way to increase gain of mid-high frequency bands and to decrease gain of low frequency bands in order to maximize speech intelligibility of Korean.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2014

To investigate the alteration of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activity after myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MIRI) and further explore the effect of naloxone postconditioning on MIRI. Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham operation (sham, n=8); ischemia reperfusion (IR, n=8); IR+naloxone 0.5 mg/kg (Nal L, n=8); IR+naloxone 1.0 mg/kg (Nal M, n=8); IR+naloxone 2.0 mg/kg (Nal H, n=8). Pathological changes of myocardial tissue were visualized by HE staining. The expression of p-JNK, and the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes were investigated with Western blotting and the TUNEL assay, respectively. Irregular arrangement and aberrant structure of myocardial fibers, cardiomyocytes with granular or vacuolar degeneration, and inflammatory cells infiltrating the myocardial interstitial regions characterized MIRI in the IR group. Signs of myocardial injury and inflammatory infiltration were less prominent in the Nal-treated groups. The expression of p-JNK in the sham group and in all Nal-treated groups was significantly lower than that in the IR group (p<0.01). The apoptosis index of cardiomyocytes in the IR group was significantly higher than in the sham group (p<0.01). The apoptosis indices of cardiomyocytes in all Nal-treated groups were significantly reduced to 55.4%, 26.2%, and 27.6%, respectively, of the IR group (p<0.01). This study revealed that Naloxone postconditioning before reperfusion inhibits p-JNK expression and decreases cell apoptosis, thus alleviating MIRI.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.10
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• pp.441-446
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• 2024

The vascular system in plants facilitates long-distance transportation of water and nutrients through the xylem and phloem, while also providing mechanical support for vertical growth. Although many genes that regulate vascular development in rice have been identified, the mechanism by which epigenetic regulators control vascular development remains unclear. This study found that Rolled Fine Striped (RFS), a Chromodomain Helicase DNA-binding 3 (CHD3)/Mi-2 subfamily protein, regulates vascular development in rice by affecting the initiation and development of primordia. The rfs mutant was found to affect auxin-related genes, as revealed by RNA sequencing and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis. The transcript levels of OsPIN1 and NAL1 genes were downregulated in rfs mutant, compared to the wild-type plant. The chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed lower levels of H3K4me3 in the OsPIN1a and NAL1 genes in rfs mutant. Furthermore, exogenous auxin treatment partially rescued the reduced adventitious root vascular development in rfs mutant. Subsequently, exogenous treatments with auxin or an auxin-transport inhibitor revealed that the expression of OsPIN1a and NAL1 is mainly affected by auxin. These results provide strong evidence that RFS plays an important role in vascular development and root formation through the auxin signaling pathway in rice.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1618-1622
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• 2003

The photochemical reactions of methanolic nalidixic acid (NAL) solution in the absence and in the presence of air have been investigated using 300 nm UV light. From the reactions, 1-ethyl-7-methyl-4-oxo-4-hydro-1,8-naphthyridine (EMDN),formic acid, and formaldehyde are produced. In the presence of air, hydrogen peroxide is also detected along with the products listed above. The presence of oxygen during the irradiation of methanolic NAL solution effects on the product yield. The initial quantum yields of the products and of the NAL decomposition are determined. Possible reaction pathways for the photochemical reaction are suggested on the basis of the products analysis.

• International Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2019

In this paper, the probabilistic free vibration analysis of a geometrically coupled cantilever wing with uncertain material properties is carried out using stochastic finite element (SFEM) based on first order perturbation technique. Here, both stiffness and damping of the system are considered as random parameters. The bending and torsional rigidities are assumed as spatially varying second order Gaussian random fields and represented by Karhunen Loeve (K-L) expansion. Here, the expected value, standard deviation, and probability distribution of random natural frequencies and damping ratios are computed. The results obtained from the present approach are also compared with Monte Carlo simulations (MCS). The results show that the uncertain bending rigidity has more influence on the damping ratio and frequency of modes 1 and 3 while uncertain torsional rigidity has more influence on the damping ratio and frequency of modes 2 and 3.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.426-431
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• 1991

The present study examines the effect of naloxone, mu-opioid receptor antagonist, on prolactin (PRL) gene expression and secretion induced by estradiol (I) treahent in vivo. Adult rats were ovariectomized (OW) and implanted with Silastic capsules containing either vehicle (oil) or E. Three days later, NAL (2 mg/kg BW) or saline urere injected 30 min prior to sacrifice. To examine PRL secretion in vitro, the pituitaries were incubated in the superfusion system for 3 hrs. Superfusates were collected at 10 min intenrals on ice and subjected to PRL radioimmunoassay. Endogenous release of PRL in OU( + I rats was signifcantlv higher than that in OVX rats (mean $\pm$ SE; 24.5 $\pm$ 3.1 vs 14.5 $\pm$ 2.9 ns/10 min). A single injection of NAL clearly inhibited PRL release in Nitro from pituitaries derived from OW + I rats, but not from OW group. PRL myNA was determined by RNA-blot hybridisation assay with nicktranslated PRL CDNA. E stimulated PRL mRNA about 3 fold over that shown in OW group. Treahent of NAL suppressed the I-stimulated PRL myNA in OVX + I group, but not in OVX group. These data clearly showed that the NAL-induced inhibition of PRL secretion was well correlated with changes in PRL mRNA level and this inhibitory process appears to be mediated in I-dependent manner.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 1992

Effective strains of cowpea bradyrhizobia JB7 $nal^rspe^r$ and CB756 $str^rrif^r$, antibiotic-resistant variants of JB7 and CB756, respectively, were used to examine changes of rhizosphere populations and nodule occupancy. Populations of each strain increased gradually in the rhizosphere, reaching a maximum of about $10^8$ cells per root system. Nodule number increased as the density of inoculum increased from $10^2$ cells to $10^8$ cells per seed. Inoculation with liquid suspension resulted in the formation of more nodules than the peat slurry or granule inoculation. When JB7 $nal^rspe^r$ and CB756 $str^rrif^r$ were introduced in equal numbers in inoculum mixtures the former consistantly occupied the majority of nodules with all three groundnut cultivars used. There was no difference in yield between nitrogen treatments and inocultation treatments.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.849-854
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• 2000

The protonation and divalent cation complexation equilibria of several quinolone antibiotics such as nalidixic acid (NAL),flumequine (FLU), oxolinic acid (OXO), ofloxacin (OFL), norfloxacin (NOR) and enoxacin (ENO) have been examined by potentiome tric titration and spectrophotometric method. The antibacterial activity of these drugs depends upon the pH and the concentration of metal cations such as Mg2+ , Ca2+ in solu-tion. The apparent ionization constants of NAL, FLU, OXO, OFL, NOR and ENO in aqueous solution were found to be 6.33, 6.51, 6.72, 7.18, 7.26, and 7.53, respectively. In aqueous solution, NAL, FLU and OXO were found to be present mainly as two chemical species : molecularand anionic; but OFL, NOR and ENO were present mainly as three chemical species : anionic, neutral zwitterionic and cationic form, in equilibrium. The pKa1 and pKa2are found to be 6.10 and 8.28 for OFL; 6.23 and 8.55 for NOR; 6.32 and8.62 for ENO, respec-tively. The complex formation constants between OFL, NOR or FLU and some divalent cations are measured at pH 7.5. The 1 : 1 complexes are formed mainly by ion-dipole interaction. FLU has somewhat larger Kf values than OFL and NOR because its molecular size is small and the FLU is present asanionic form at pH 7.5.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.218-229
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• 2011

Companding algorithms have been used to enhance speech recognition in noise for cochlea implant users. The efficiency of using companding for digital hearing aid users is not yet validated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of the companding for digital hearing aid users in the various hearing loss cases. Using HeLPS, a hearing loss simulator, two different sensorinerual hearing loss conditions were simulated; mild gently sloping hearing loss(HL1) and moderate to steeply sloping hearing loss(HL2). In addition, a non-linear compression was simulated to compensate for hearing loss using national acoustic laboratories-non-linear version 1(NAL-NL1) in HeLPS. In companding, the following four different companding strategies were used changing Q values(q1, q2) of pre-filter(F filter) and post filter(G filter). Firstly, five IEEE sentences which were presented with speech-shaped noise at different SNRs(0, 5, 10, 15 dB) were processed by the companding. Secondly, the processed signals were applied to HeLPS. For comparison, signals which were not processed by companding were also applied to HeLPS. For the processed signals, log-likelihood ratio(LLR) and cepstral distance(CEP) were measured for evaluation of speech quality. Also, fourteen normal hearing listeners performed speech reception threshold(SRT) test for evaluation of speech intelligibility. As a result of this study, the processed signals with the companding and NAL-NL1 have performed better than that with only NAL-NL1 in the sensorineural hearing loss conditions. Moreover, the higher ratio of Q values showed better scores in LLR and CEP. In the SRT test, the processed signals with companding(SRT = -13.33 dB SPL) showed significantly better speech perception in noise than those processed using only NAL-NL1(SRT = -11.56 dB SPL).

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.356-363
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• 2017

ARice is an important staple food in the world and rice yield is one of the main traits for rice breeding. Several genes involved in increasing the yield have been identified through map-based gene cloning within natural variations in rice. These identified genes are good targets for introducing a genetic trait in molecular breeding. Here, we chose five genes reported to be involved in increasing grain number per panicle in rice; Gn1a, dep1, Apo1, Ghd7, and Nal1. We developed In/Del markers for Gn1a, and dep1, Apo1, and applied the reported SNP markers for Ghd7 and Nal1. We were easily able to examine the genotype of each gene on agarose gel. We tested the genotypes on 479 rice resources that we held with evaluated molecular markers. According to the genotype of each gene, rice resources were divided into 13 haplotypes, and most of the Indica and Japonica varieties were included in haplotypes 1 and 13, respectively. When we examined the effect of each gene on grain number per panicle and panicle number per plant, panicle number per plant in the yield negative allele group for each gene was reduced by approximately 0.3 to 0.8 compared to that in the yield positive allele group. However, the number of yield positive alleles for each gene was higher by about 21 to 27 grains per panicle than that of yield negative alleles. Although most of the varieties were grouped in haplotypes 1 and 13, we believe that this genotype information with evaluated molecular markers will be useful in rice breeding for increasing the yield with grain number per panicle.