• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.55-66
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• 2018

The solar magnetic field plays a central role in the field of solar research, both theoretically and practically. Sunspots are an important observational constraint since they are considered a discernable tracer of emerged magnetic flux tubes, providing the longest running records of solar magnetic activity. In this presentation, we first review the statistical properties of the latitudinal distribution of sunspots and discuss their implications. The phase difference between paired wings of the butterfly diagram has been revealed. Sunspots seem to emerge with the exponential distribution on top of slowly varying trends by periods of ~11 years, which is considered multiplicative rather than additive. We also present a concept for the center-of-latitude (COL) and its use. With this, one may sort out a traditional butterfly diagram and find new features. It is found that the centroid of the COL does not migrate monotonically toward the equator, appearing to form an 'active latitude'. Furthermore, distributions of the COL as a function of latitude depend on solar activity and the solar North-South asymmetry. We believe that these findings serve as crucial diagnostic tools for any potential model of the solar dynamo. Finally, we find that as the Sun modulates the amount of observed galactic cosmic ray influx, the solar North-South asymmetry seems to contribute to the relationship between the solar variability and terrestrial climate change.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2008

The use of doxorubicin, which is one of the most effective anticancer agents, is often limited by occurrence of acquired resistance in tumor cells. GSH has been shown to be involved in the development of this drug resistance. Transcription factor Nrf2 governs the expression of GSH synthesizing glutamylcysteine ligase (GCL), as well as multiple phase 2 detoxifying enzymes. Here we show that Nrf2 is one of factors determining doxorubicin sensitivity. Nrf2-deficient fibroblasts (murine embryonic fibroblasts, MEF) were more susceptible to doxorubicin mediated cell death than wild-type cells. Doxorubicin treatment elevated levels of Nrf2-regulated genes including NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (Nqo1) and GCL in wild-type fibroblasts, while no induction was observed in Nrf2-deficient cells. Doxorubicin resistance in human ovarian SK-OV cells was reversed by treatment with L-buthionine-sulfoxamine (BSO), which is depleting intracellular GSH. Finally, transfection of SK-OV cells with Nrf2 siRNA resulted in exacerbated cytotoxicity following doxorubicin treatment compared to scrambled RNA control. These results indicate that the Nrf2 pathway, which plays a protective role in normal cells, can be a potential target to control cancer cell resistance to anticancer agents.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.807-813
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• 2011

High precision of planning in the preoperative phase can contribute to increase operational safety during computer-aided spinal fusion surgery, which requires extreme caution on the part of the surgeon, due to the complexity and delicacy of the procedure. In this paper, an advanced preoperative planning framework for spinal fusion is presented. The framework is based on spinal pedicle data obtained from CT (Computed Tomography) images, and provides optimal insertion trajectories and pedicle screw sizes. The proposed approach begins with safety margin estimation for each potential insertion trajectory that passes through the pedicle volume, followed by procedures to collect a set of insertion trajectories that satisfy operation safety objectives. The radius of a pedicle screw was chosen as 70% of the pedicle radius. This framework has been tested on 68 spinal pedicles of 8 patients requiring spinal fusion. It was successfully applied, resulting in an average success rate of 100% and a final safety margin of $2.44{\pm}0.51mm$.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2981-2986
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• 2015

Background: Despite many epidemiological studies on the effects of dietary antioxidant micronutrients on risk of cervical cancer, the findings remain uncertain and little evidence is available for serum nutrient markers. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between serum carotenoid, retinol and tocopherol concentrations and risk of cervical cancer among Chinese women. Materials and Methods: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study in which 358 adults (158 incident cases and 200 controls) were recruited from Xinjiang, China. Serum levels of carotenoids (${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin), retinol, and tocopherols (${\alpha}$-tocopherol and ${\gamma}$-tocopherol) were assessed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: We found inverse associations between serum carotenoid (${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene, and lutein/zeaxanthin) and tocopherol (${\alpha}$-tocopherol) concentrations and the risk of cervical cancer after adjusting for potential confounders, but a null association for retinol. The ORs for 1-SD increase were 0.71 (95 % CI: 0.56-0.92; p=0.003) for total carotenoids and 0.75 (95 % CI: 0.60-0.94; p=0.008) for total tocopherols. Conclusions: These results show that higher serum concentrations of some carotenoids and tocopherols are associated with a lower risk of cervical cancer among Chinese women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8419-8423
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• 2016

Purpose: Anti-cancer activity evaluation of aqueous extract of CRUEL (herbomineral formulation) capsules on renal cell carcinoma cell lines, and exploration of mechanisms of cell death. Materials and Methods: To detect the cytotoxic dose concentration in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells, MTT assays were performed and morphological changes after treatment were observed by inverted microscopy. Drug effects against RCC cell lines were assessed with reference to cell cycle distribution (flow cytometry), anti-metastatic potential (wound healing assay) and autophagy(RT-PCR). Results: CRUEL showed anti-proliferative effects against RCC tumor cell lines with an IC50 value of ${\approx}4mg/mL$ in vitro., while inducing cell cycle arrest at S-phase of cell cycle and inhibiting wound healing. LC3 was found to be up-regulated after drug treatment in RT-PCR resulting in an autophagy mode of cell death. Conclusions: This study provides the experimental validation for antitumor activity of CRUEL.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.182-188
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• 2006

The search for high-density recording materials has been one of most active and vigorous field in the field of magnetism. $FePt-L1_{0}$ nanoparticle has emerged as a potential candidate because of its high anisotropy. In this paper, we provide an overview of recent work at Argonne National Laboratory that contributes to the ongoing dialogue concerning the relation between structure and properties of the FePt nanoparticle system. In particular we discuss the ability to control structure and properties via dosing with Cr. Cr-dosed FePt films were grown via molecular beam epitaxy and annealed at $550^{\circ}C$ in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber, and were studied with the surface magneto-optic Kerr effect (SMOKE), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). We found that small dosage of Cr helps to generate $L1_{0}$ phase FePt magnetic nanoparticles with small size, defined shape and regular spatial distribution on MgO (001) substrate. The nanostructures are ferromagnetic with high magnetic coercivity (${\sim}0.9T$) and magnetic easy axis in the desired out-of-plane orientation. We also show that controlling the lateral region where nanostructures exist is possible via artificial patterning with Cr.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.26 no.1 s.70
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• pp.37-41
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• 1987

Sporulation potential and conidia release phase of Pyricularia oryzae on lesions under the natural conditions were measured in 1985 and 1986 leaf blast seasons. The amount of conidia produced in lesions on detached leaves and conidia released under the field condition were reached peak at $5{\sim}7$ days after lesion appearance. The maximum numbers of conidia produced and released were 16,200 and 15,900, respectively. Conidia release under the natural conditions lasted for 30 days.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2018

The potential of zinc fluorides with different molar ratios of Zn/F was applied as a solid catalyst in the simultaneous reaction of transesterification and esterification of crude palm oil (CPO) for biodiesel production. These materials were prepared by the fluorolytic sol-gel technique with different fluorine contents. The resulting samples were investigated using elemental analysis, XRD, FT-IR, TG/DTG, $N_2$ physisorption measurements and SEM. The results exhibited that the presence of fluorine strongly affected the catalytic activity in the biodiesel production. The catalysts with smaller fluorine contents (${\leq}1$) showed the best performance in all of the observed samples, yields from 92.94 to 89.95, 87.38 and 85.21% with increasing fluorine contents, respectively. The yield toward the formation of biodiesel depended on the phase and particle sizes of catalysts, but it was not influenced by surface area, pore size, and volume of the samples. The recovered catalyst showed a gradual decrease in activity over three cycles of same reactions.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.247-256
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• 2017

The feasibility of using hydrazine for inhibiting pitting corrosion in copper sprinkler tubes was investigated by examining microscopical and structural evolution of corrosion by-products with SEM, EDS, and XRD. Hydrazine removed dissolved oxygen and reduced CuO and $Cu_2O$ as well. The stable phase was changed from CuO to $Cu_2O$ or Cu depending on hydrazine concentration. Hydrazine concentration of 500 ppm could convert all CuO corrosion by-products to $Cu_2O$. In a tightly sealed acryl tube filled with aqueous solution of 500 ppm hydrazine, octahedral $Cu_2O$ particles were formed while plate-like structures with high concentration of Cu, O, N and C were formed near a corrosion pit. The inside structure of a corrosion pit was not altered by hydrazine aqueous solution. Uniform corrosion of copper was almost completely stopped in aqueous solution of 500 ppm hydrazine. Corrosion potential of a copper plate was linearly dependent on log (hydrazine concentration). The concept of stopping pitting corrosion reaction by suppressing oxygen reduction reaction could be verified by applying this method to a reasonable number of real sprinkler systems before full-scale application.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.78.1-78.1
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• 2014

An ionization front (IF) surrounding an H II region is a sharp interface through which a cold neutral gas makes transition to a warm ionized phase by absorbing UV photons from central massive stars. We investigate the structure and instability of a plane-parallel D-type IF threaded by magnetic fields parallel to the front. We find that magnetic fields increase the maximum propagation speed of the IFs, while reducing the expansion factor, defined as the density ratio of neutral to ionized phases. IFs become unstable to distortional perturbations due to gas expansion across the fronts, exactly analogous to the Darrieus-Landau instability of ablation fronts in terrestrial flames. The growth rate of the IF instability is proportional linearly to the perturbation wavenumber as well as the upstream flow speed. The IF instability is stabilized by gas compressibility and becomes completely quenched when the front is D-critical. The instability is also stabilized by magnetic pressure when the perturbations propagate in the direction perpendicular to the fields. When the perturbations propagate in the direction parallel to the fields, on the other hand, it is magnetic tension that reduces the growth rate, completely suppressing the instability when ${\beta}$ < 1.5, with ${\beta}$ denoting the square of the ratio of the sound speed to the Alfven speed in the pre-IF region. When the front experiences an acceleration, the IF instability cooperates with the Rayleigh-Taylor instability to make the front more unstable. We discuss potential effects of IF instability on the evolution and dynamics of IFs in the interstellar medium.