• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.149-153
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• 2000

In this study, the fabrication of $Al_2O_3$/5vol.%Cu nanocomposite and its mechanical property were discussed. The nanocomposite powders were produced by high energy ball milling of $Al_2O_3$ and Cu elemental powders. The ball-milled powders were sintered with Pulse Electric Current Sintering (PECS) facility. The relative densities of specimens sintered at $1200^{\circ}C$ and $1250^{\circ}C$ after soaking process at $900^{\circ}C$ were 96% and over 97%, respectively. The sintered microstructures were composed of $Al_2O_3$ matrix and the nano-sized Cu particles distributed on grain boundaries of $Al_2O_3$ matrix. The nanocomposite exhibited the enhanced fracture toughness compared with general monolithic $Al_2O_3$. The toughness increase was explained by the crack deflection and bridging by dispersed Cu particles.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.16-16
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• 2001

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.291-299
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• 2019

Background: Ginsenosides of Korean Red Ginseng extracts (RGE) and its saponin components suppress secretion of inflammasome-mediating cytokines, whereas the nonsaponin fraction (NS) of RGE oppositely stimulates cytokine secretion. Although direct exposure of NS to macrophages in mice induces cytokine production, oral administration of NS has not been studied in inflammasome-related disease in animal models. Methods: Mice were fed RGE or NS for 7 days and then developed peritonitis. Peritoneal cytokines were measured, and peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) were collected to assay expression levels of a set of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cytokines in response to NS ingestion. In addition, the role of intestinal bacteria in NS-fed mice was assessed. The effect of preexposure to NS in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) on cytokine production was further confirmed. Results: NS ingestion attenuated secretion of peritoneal cytokines resulting from peritonitis. In addition, the isolated PECs from NS-fed mice presented lower TLR transcription levels than PECs from control diet-fed mice. BMDMs treated with NS showed downregulation of TLR4 mRNA and protein expression, which was mediated by the $TLR4-MyD88-NF{\kappa}B$ signal pathway. BMDMs pretreated with NS produced less cytokines in response to TLR4 ligands. Conclusion: NS administration directly inhibits TLR4 expression in inflammatory cells such as macrophages, thereby reducing secretion of cytokines during peritonitis.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.301-306
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• 1999

Mechanical properties of oxide based materials could be improved by nanocomposite processing. To investigate optimum route for fabrication of nanocomposite enabling mass production, high energy ball milling and Pulse Electric Current Sintering (PECS) were adopted. By high energy ball milling, the $Al_2O_3$-based composite powder with dispersed Cu grains below 20 nm in diameter was successfully synthesized. The PECS method as a new process for powder densification has merits of improved sinterability and short sintering time at lower temperature than conventional sintering process. The relative densities of the $Al_2O_3$-5vol%Cu composites sintered at $1250^{\circ}C$ and $1300^{\circ}C$ with holding temperature of $900^{\circ}C$ were 95.4% and 95.7% respectively. Microstructures revealed that the composite consisted of the homogeneous and very fine grains of $Al_2O_3$ and Cu with diameters less than 40 nm and 20 nm respectively The composite exhibited enhanced toughness compared with monolithic $Al_2O_3$. The influence of the Cu content upon fracture toughness was discussed in terms of microstructural characteristics.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.261-263
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• 2007

본 연구는 광전자 촉매시스템을 이용해 $TiO_{2}$ 졸이 코팅된 구형 비드의 광분해 효율에 대해 고찰한 것이다. $TiO_{2}$ 졸이 코팅된 구형 비드인 알루미늄비드, 유리비드, 실리카비드 화이트젤 ($1{\cdot}2{\cdot}3$형) 다섯 가지 비드를 사용하였고 실험은 산화환원지시 약인 메틸렌블루 수용액이 광촉매의 산화환원반웅을 통해 색상 및 홉광도 변화를 통해 환원 청도를 고찰할 목적으로 실행되었다. 소재별 실험 결과, 실험에 사용한 소재 중 실리카비드 화이트첼($1{\cdot}2{\cdot}3$형)만이 반응성을 나타냈다. 이들 $1{\cdot}2{\cdot}3$형은 $TiO_{2}$의 함량을 달리한 비드들이며 1형이 가장 적은 함량을 가지며 3형이 가장 많은 함량을 가지고 있다. 실험 결과 3형이 반응성이 가장 좋은 것을 알 수 있으며, 이 실험에서는 코팅물의 함량과 고정물의 상태가 광촉매 반응에 영향을 주는 것을 알 수 있다.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.656-660
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• 2002

It was investigated that $Al_2$$O_3$/Cu nanocomposite powder could be optimally prepared by dispersion and reduction of Cu oxide, and suitably consolidated by employing pulse electric current sintering (PECS) process. $\alpha$-$Al_2$$O_3$ and CuO powders were used as elemental powders. In order to obtain $Al_2$O$_3$ embedded by finely and homogeneously dispersed CuO particles, the elemental powders were high energy ball milled at the rotating speed of 900 rpm, with the milling time varying up to 10 h. The milled powders were heat treated at $350^{\circ}C$ in H$_2$ atmosphere for 30 min to reduce CuO into Cu. The reduced powders were subsequently sintered by employing PECS process. The composites sintered at $1250^{\circ}C$ for 5 min showed the relative density of above 98%. The fracture toughness of the $Al_2$$O_3$/Cu nanocomposite was as high as 4.9MPa.$m^{1}$2//, being 1.3 times the value of pure $Al_2$$O_3$ sintered under the same condition.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.783-792
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• 2009

This study investigated 31 selected EDCs(Endocrine Disrupting Compounds) and PPCPs(Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products) in the influent and effluent of a wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) nearby Seoul metropolitan area. The chemical compounds of EDC/PPCPs detected from the plant influent sample include stimulant, X-ray contrast media and fire retardant. The total amount of each compound class were 59.67%, 20.20% and 9.00% respectively. However, in the effluent sample, the major micropolutants detected were oral beta-blocker(30.54%), fire retardant(20.49%), X-ray contrast media(18.17%). The EDC/PPCPs occurrence levels of this study were somewhat lower than previous domestic studies'. When compared to those of overseas, the values were even lower. Some pharmaceutical compound levels particularly measured in European studies were even several thousand times high. This study then compared PECs(Predicted Environmental Concentration) and MECs(Measured Environmental Concentration) of 9 selected pharmaceuticals compounds. The calculated PECs were substantially different with the MECs, while the occurrence order between the PECs and MECs in terms of concentrations of the compounds were similar.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.993-1005
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• 2021

Objective: Zearalenone (ZEA) has estrogen-like effects. Our previous study has shown that ZEA (0.5 to 1.5 mg/kg) could induce abnormal uterine proliferation through transforming growth factor signaling pathway. To further study the other regulatory networks of uterine hypertrophy caused by ZEA, the potential mechanism of ZEA on porcine endometrial epithelial cells (PECs) was explored by the Illumina Hiseq 2000 sequencing system. Methods: The PECs were treated with ZEA at 0 (ZEA0), 5 (ZEA5), 20 (ZEA20), and 80 (ZEA80) µmol/L for 24 h. The collected cells were subjected to cell cycle, RNA-seq, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and western blot analysis. Results: The proportion of cells in the S and G2 phases decreased (p<0.05), but the proportion of cells in the G1 phase increased (p<0.05) in the ZEA80 treatment. Data analysis revealed that the expression of Wnt pathway-related genes, estrogen-related genes, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway-related genes increased (p<0.05), but the expression of genetic stability genes decreased (p<0.05) with increasing ZEA concentrations. The relative mRNA and protein expression of WNT1, β-catenin, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) were increased (p<0.05) with ZEA increasing, while the relative mRNA and protein expression of cyclin D1 (CCND1) was decreased (p<0.05). Moreover, our immunofluorescence results indicate that β-catenin accumulated around the nucleus from the cell membrane and cytoplasm with increasing ZEA concentrations. Conclusion: In summary, ZEA can activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by up-regulating WNT1 and β-catenin expression, to promote the proliferation and development of PECs. At the same time, the up-regulation of GSK-3β and down-regulation of CCND1, as well as the mRNA expression of other pathway related genes indicated that other potential effects of ZEA on the uterine development need further study.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.2689-2693
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• 2012

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and $C_{60}$-encapsulated SWNTs ($C_{60}@SWNTs$) are introduced to Ru-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells (PECs), and photocurrents are compared between two cells, i.e., an $RuL_2(NCS)_2$/DAPV/SWNTs/ITO cell and an $RuL_2(NCS)_2$/DAPV/$C_{60}@SWNTs$/ITO cell. [L = 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid, DAPV = di-(3-aminopropyl)-viologen, and ITO = indium-tin oxide] The photocurrents are increased by 70.6% in the presence of $C_{60}@SWNTs$. To explain the photocurrent increase, the reverse-field emission method is used, i.e., $RuL_2(NCS)_2$/DAPV/SWNTs/ITO cell (or $RuL_2(NCS)_2$/DAPV/$C_{60}@SWNTs$/ITO cell) as an anode and a counter electrode Pt as a cathode in the external electric field. The improved field emission properties, i.e., ${\beta}$ (field enhancement factor) and emission currents in the reverse-field emission with $C_{60}@SWNTs$ indicate the enhancement of the PEC electric field, which implies the improvement of the electron transfer rate along with the reduced charge recombination in the cell.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.345-350
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• 2005

Acute toxicities of five pharmaceutical products were evaluated with aquatic microbes, invertebrates, and fish. The test pharmaceuticals, i.e., cimetidine, carbamazepine, diltiazem, acetaminophene, and metformin have been often detected in aquatic environment, but theire cological hazard on receptors of various trophic levels has seldom been evaluated. In the present study, we conducted acute toxicity assays with a marine bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, an invertebrate, Daphnia magna, and a fish, Japanese medake (Oryzias latipes). In general, D. magna, showed the most sensitive response to the test chemicals. Diltiazem exhibited the lowest EC50 value after 96 hr of exposure at 7.6 mg/L, followed by cimetidine >acetaminophen > metformin = carbamazepine in an order of decreasing susceptibility. With the fish, diltiazem and carbamazepine showed the 96 hr EC50 values at 14.1${\sim}$35.4 mg/L while acetaminophen, cimetidine, and metformin did not cause 50% mortality at 100 mg/L. Similar pattern was noted with the Microtox Assay, with which the median effective concentrations for acetaminophen, cimetidine, and metformin were found at the range between 301.8 and 755.4 mg/L. Carbamazepine and diltiazem exposure to the microbes resulted in EC50 values around 50 mg/L. Predicted no effect concentrations (PECs) of these pharmaceuticals derived from the EC5O values obtained from this study, and predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) obtained from available literatures were utilized to estimate ecological risks of the test compounds. No test pharmaceuticals resulted in risk quotients (PEC/PNEC) greater than 1, which suggests no serious potential ecological concerns. It should be noted however that further studies including the refinement of PEC derivation, identification and toxicity assessment of the metabolites and/or their interactions with other stressors may be warranted to better understand the environmental consequences of the residual pharmaceutical discharge to the waterway.