• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.1337-1347
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• 2009

Purpose:Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a simple sulfur-containing amino acid. It is abundantly present in tissues such as brain, retina, heart, and skeletal muscles. Current studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of taurine, but limited data are available for such effects during neonatal period. The aim of this study was to determine whether taurine could reduce hypoxic-ischemic (HI) cerebral injury via anti-apoptosis mechanism. Methods:Embryonic cortical neurons isolated from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at 18 days gestation were cultured in vitro. The cells were divided into hypoxia group, taurine-treated group before hypoxic insult, and taurine-treated group after HI insult. In the in vivo model, left carotid artery ligation was performed in 7-day-old SD rat pups. The pups were exposed to hypoxia, administered an injection of 30 mg/kg of taurine, and killed at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after the hypoxic insult. We compared the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 among the 3 groups by using real- time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting. Results:The cells in the taurine-treated group before hypoxic insult, although similar in appearance to those in the normoxia group, were lesser in number. In the taurine-treated group, Bcl-2 expression increased, whereas Bax and caspase-3 expressions reduced. Conclusion:Taurine exerts neuroprotective effects onperinatal HI brain injury due to its anti-apoptotic effect. The neuroprotective effect was maximal at 1-2 weeks after the hypoxic injury.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 2008

Vinclozolin (VCZ) is a systemic fungicide commonly used in fruits, vegetables and the wine industry. VCZ and its metabolites, butenoic acid (M1) and enanilide (M2) derivatives, act as anti-androgens through actions on the androgen receptor. Although there is growing body of evidence that VCZ's action as an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) in male reproductive physiology and pathphysiology, no evidence on the VCZ's EDC action in female is available yet. Previously we found that the prepubertal VCZ exposures could effectively delay the onset of puberty in female rats, suggesting the postponed or weakened activities of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary (H-P-O) reproductive hormonal axis. The present study was performed to examine whether the VCZ administration affects the transcriptional activities of reproductive hormone-related genes in the same animal model. VCZ (10 mg/kg/day) was administered daily from postnatal day 21 (PND 21) through the day when the first vaginal opening (V.O.) was observed. To determine the transcriptional changes of reproductive hormone-related genes in hypothalamus and pituitary, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). As a result, treatment with VCZ significantly lowered the transcriptional activity of nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS-2) which is known to adjust gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion in the hypothalamus (p<0.01). Similarly, the mRNA levels of KiSS-1, G protein-coupled receptor 54 (GPR54) and GnRH were significantly decreased in hypothalamus (p<0.01) from VCZ-treated group. As expected, the transcriptional activities of luteinizing hormone-${\beta}$ (LH-${\beta}$) and follicle stimulating hormone-${\beta}$ (FSH-${\beta}$) in the anterior pituitary from VCZ-treated group were also significantly lower than those from the control group. The present study indicates that(i) the inhibitory effect of VCZ exposure on the onset of puberty in immature female rats could be derived from the reduced transcriptional activities of gonadotropin subunits and their upstream modulators such as GnRH and KiSS-1 in hypothalamus-pituitary neuroendocrine axis, and (ii) these inhibitory effects could be mediated by NO signaling pathway.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.330-335
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• 2007

This study was performed to investigate the anti-diabetic mechanism of crude polysaccharides isolated from the fruiting bodies of Grifola frondosa. We treated 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells to observe whether the crude polysaccharides isolated from Grifola frondosa would stimulate insulin sensitivity. Significant insulin sensitizing activity was observed in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and giving the crude polysaccharide of Grifola frondosa with 1 nM of insulin caused glucose uptake to increase to a similar level as giving 50 nM of insulin alone. To confirm the mechanism for the anti-diabetic effect of the crude polysaccharides, we performed further examinations within $KK-A^{y}$ mice, an animal model of type 2 diabetes. The crude polysaccharides reduced blood glucose levels in the $KK-A^{y}$ mice for 2 weeks after feeding, and also significantly lowered plasma insulin levels. These results suggest that the anti-diabetic mechanism of the crude polysaccharide of Grifola frondosa is related to the enhancement of insulin sensitivity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1751-1760
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• 2015

Mucin2 (MUC2), an important regulatory factor in the immune system, plays an important role in the host defense system against bacterial translocation. Probiotics known to regulate MUC2 gene expression have been widely studied, but the interactions among probiotic, pathogens, and mucin gene are still not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of MUC2 in blocking effects of probiotics on meningitic E. coli-induced pathogenicities. In this study, live combined probiotic tablets containing living Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus were used. MUC2 expression was knocked down in Caco-2 cells by RNA interference. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR), which enhances mucin-promoted probiotic effects through inducing production of Sadenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe), was used to up-regulate MUC2 expression in Caco-2 cells. The adhesion to and invasion of meningitic E. coli were detected by competition assays. Our studies showed that probiotic agents could block E. coli-caused intestinal colonization, bacteremia, and meningitis in a neonatal sepsis and meningitis rat model. MUC2 gene expression in the neonatal rats given probiotic agents was obviously higher than that of the infected and uninfected control groups without probiotic treatment. The prohibitive effects of probiotic agents on MUC2-knockdown Caco-2 cells infected with E44 were significantly reduced compared with nontransfected Caco-2 cells. Moreover, the results also showed that 5-Aza-CdR, a drug enhancing the production of SAMe that is a protective agent of probiotics, was able to significantly suppress adhesion and invasion of E44 to Caco-2 cells by upregulation of MUC2 expression. Taken together, our data suggest that probiotic agents can efficiently block meningitic E. coli-induced pathogenicities in a manner dependent on MUC2.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.5-14
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• 2011

Opening agricultural market expansion, reduced purchases through wholesale markets, expanding the influence large retailers of consumer's market such as changes in the distribution system to the farmer's market conditions are changing rapidly. Because of this, retailers of the scaled and chain-store operations was centered on distribution environmental changes of the consumer market place. In producing area due to changes in market conditions in the agricultural production of in producing area distribution organization and the size distribution can not be put off no longer challenge is imminent. If it do not raise forces banded together, the producer is bound to remain as the weak. To support the distribution of this production was introduced in 2000 enable the Activation Project of in producing area distribution. Recent in producing area Changes of Agricultural conditions in order to cope with the Small-scale farmers and small individual farmers are becoming Scaled and specialized. Also, is specific to each item and regional is showing aspects. Government support for Activation Project of in producing area distribution is greatly improved, but in terms of competitiveness on the market still is showing the limitations. The most common of these problems, the market response if in producing area producer's organization and scale of the problem. Equipped for the purpose of consumer market place responsiveness unreasonable propelled outward from the Painter-sized weakens the organizational power. also, Difficult to succeed organizational size is a dissolution or anything within a few years, farmers around the best producer organizations, such as deviation occurs is exposed to a variety of issues. In this study, previous studies refer to the recent changes in agricultural retail environment, background and needs of organization·scaled, Determine the status of the domestic in producing area organizations and derived Problems, look into Domestic and overseas of in producing area organization with best practices for enhancing the competitiveness of the proposed improvement are intended to. In the future, in producing area distribution policy would like to provide direction to the development. The results of the study showed the follwing : 1) enhance utilization and orrganized through the diversification of the agricultural Collection systems. 2) Scaled to achieve through Items of specialized a wide area marketing. 3) Management operating units, such as installation and operating that overseas the best practices " Comite Economique Agricole Regional 'Fruits et Legumes' de Bretagne". 4) To establish a support system that in producing area distribution organization model development for appropriate domestic. In particular, in case of domestic in producing area distribution organization, through the analysis of various case study that a successful organization and scaled. The process of the various challenges arising in organizational scaled and generalization, and by the way he goes about trying to overcome is required. At the end of the study's limitations and future research directions suggested.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.377-392
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• 2017

A set of BFM (Brute Force Method) simulations with the CMAQ (Community Multiscale Air Quality) model were conducted in order to estimate self-contributions and conversion rates of PPM (Primary $PM_{2.5}$), $NO_x$, $SO_2$, $NH_3$, and VOC emissions to $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations over the SMA (Seoul Metropolitan Area). CAPSS (Clean Air Policy Support System) 2013 EI (emissions inventory) from the NIER (National Institute of Environmental Research) was used for the base and sensitivity simulations. SCCs (Source Classification Codes) in the EI were utilized to group the emissions into area, mobile, and point source categories. PPM and $PM_{2.5}$ precursor emissions from each source category were reduced by 50%. In turn, air quality was simulated with CMAQ during January, April, July, and October in 2014 for the BFM runs. In this study, seasonal variations of SMA $PM_{2.5}$ self-sensitivities to PPM, $SO_2$, and $NH_3$ emissions can be observed even when the seasonal emission rates are almost identical. For example, when the mobile PPM emissions from the SMA were 634 TPM (Tons Per Month) and 603 TPM in January and July, self-contributions of the emissions to monthly mean $PM_{2.5}$ were $2.7{\mu}g/m^3$ and $1.3{\mu}g/m^3$ for the months, respectively. Similarly, while $NH_3$ emissions from area sources were 4,169 TPM and 3,951 TPM in January and July, the self-contributions to monthly mean $PM_{2.5}$ for the months were $2.0{\mu}g/m^3$ and $4.4{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Meanwhile, emission-to-$PM_{2.5}$ conversion rates of precursors vary among source categories. For instance, the annual mean conversion rates of the SMA mobile, area, and point sources were 19.3, 10.8, and $6.6{\mu}g/m^3/10^6TPY$ for $SO_2$ emissions while those rates for PPM emissions were 268.6, 207.7, and 181.5 (${\mu}g/m^3/10^6TPY$), respectively, over the region. The results demonstrate that SMA $PM_{2.5}$ responses to the same amount of reduction in precursor emissions differ for source categories and in time (e.g. seasons), which is important when the cost-benefit analysis is conducted during air quality improvement planning. On the other hand, annual mean $PM_{2.5}$ sensitivities to the SMA $NO_x$ emissions remains still negative even after a 50% reduction in emission category which implies that more aggressive $NO_x$ reductions are required for the SMA to overcome '$NO_x$ disbenefit' under the base condition.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.63-68
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• 2018

The establishment of Ground Control Points (GCPs) in UAV-Photogrammetry is a working process that requires the most time and expenditure. Recently, the rapid developments of navigation sensors and communication technologies have enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to conduct photogrammetric mapping without using GCP because of the availability of new methods such as RTK (Real Time Kinematic) and PPK (Post Processed Kinematic) technology. In this study, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of RTK-UAV mapping with no GCPs compared to that of non RTK-UAV mapping. The positioning accuracy results produced by images obtained simultaneously from the two different types of UAVs were compared and analyzed. One was a RTK-UAV without GCPs and the other was a non RTK-UAV with different numbers of GCPs. The images were taken with a Canon IXUS 127 camera (focal length 4.3mm, pixel size $1.3{\mu}m$) at a flying height of approximately 160m, corresponding to a nominal GSD of approximately 4.7cm. As a result, the RMSE (planimetric/vertical) of positional accuracy according to the number of GCPs by the non-RTK method was 4.8cm/8.2cm with 5 GCPs, 5.4cm/10.3cm with 4 GCPs, and 6.2cm/12.0cm with 3 GCPs. In the case of non RTK-UAV photogrammetry with no GCP, the positioning accuracy was decreased greatly to approximately 112.9 cm and 204.6 cm in the horizontal and vertical coordinates, respectively. On the other hand, in the case of the RTK method with no ground control point, the errors in the planimetric and vertical position coordinates were reduced remarkably to 13.1cm and 15.7cm, respectively, compared to the non-RTK method. Overall, UAV photogrammetry supported by RTK-GPS technology, enabling precise positioning without a control point, is expected to be useful in the field of spatial information in the future.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.119-126
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to analyze motion-induced dose error generated by each tumor motion parameters of irregular tumor motion in helical tomotherapy. To understand the effect of the irregular tumor motion, a simple analytical model was simulated. Moving cases that has tumor motion were divided into a slightly irregular tumor motion case, a large irregular tumor motion case and a patient case. The slightly irregular tumor motion case was simulated with a variability of 10% in the tumor motion parameters of amplitude (amplitude case), period (period case), and baseline (baseline case), while the large irregular tumor motion case was simulated with a variability of 40%. In the phase case, the initial phase of the tumor motion was divided into end inhale, mid exhale, end exhale, and mid inhale; the simulated dose profiles for each case were compared. The patient case was also investigated to verify the motion-induced dose error in 'clinical-like' conditions. According to the simulation process, the dose profile was calculated. The moving case was compared with the static case that has no tumor motion. In the amplitude, period, baseline cases, the results show that the motion-induced dose error in the large irregular tumor motion case was larger than that in the slightly irregular tumor motion case or regular tumor motion case. Because the offset effect was inversely proportion to irregularity of tumor motion, offset effect was smaller in the large irregular tumor motion case than the slightly irregular tumor motion case or regular tumor motion case. In the phase case, the larger dose discrepancy was observed in the irregular tumor motion case than regular tumor motion case. A larger motion-induced dose error was also observed in the patient case than in the regular tumor motion case. This study analyzed motion-induced dose error as a function of each tumor motion parameters of irregular tumor motion during helical tomotherapy. The analysis showed that variability control of irregular tumor motion is important. We believe that the variability of irregular tumor motion can be reduced by using abdominal compression and respiratory training.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2014

This study examined the uplift bearing capacity of spiral steel pegs according to the degree of soil compaction and embedded depth in a small-scaled lab test. As a result, their uplift bearing capacity increased according to the degree of soil compaction and embedded depth. The uplift bearing capacity under the ground condition of 85% compaction rate especially recorded 48.9 kgf, 57.9 kgf, 86.2 kgf and 116.6 kgf at embedded depth of 25 cm, 30 cm, 35 cm and 40 cm, respectively, being considerably higher than under other ground conditions. There were huge differences in the uplift bearing capacity of spiral steel pegs according to the compaction conditions of ground. Their maximum uplift bearing capacity was 116.6 kgf under the ground condition of 85% compaction rate and at embedded depth of 40 cm, and it is very high considering the data of spiral steel pegs. It is thus estimated that wind damage can be effectively reduced by careful maintenance of ground condition surrounding spiral steel pegs. In addition, spiral steel pegs will be able to make a contribution to greenhouse structural stability if proper installation methods are provided including the number and interval according to the types of greenhouse as well as fixation of plastic film. The findings of the study indicate that the optimal effects of spiral steel pegs for greenhouse can be achieved at embedded depth of more than 35cm and compaction degree of more than 85%. The relative density of the model ground in the test was 67% at compaction rate of 85%.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.576-583
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• 1982

The variation of free amino acids during the tomato producing was studied using a tomato variety, Kagome 77. The concentration of free amino acids in fresh and heated pulp, and in puree and paste was analyzed by using automatic amino acid analyzer, Hitachi model KLA-5. 1. A significant difference in decomposition rate of glutamine and asparagine among amide group was recognized. For instance, the glutamine decomposed fast and no glutamine was found in the paste, while 56% of asparagine was found in the paste. 2. The diminishing quantity of glutamic acid among acid group was highest among all free amino acids. The quantity of aspartic acid was next to the glutamine. The percents of glutamic acid and aspartic acid left over were 38% and 24%, respectively. 3. Glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine and leucine of neutral amino acids tended to be reduced a little during the heating, concentrating process. 4. No apparent variation was found for the lysine and histidine belonging to basic amino acids. while arginine increased a little. 5. Tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophane of aromatic group seemed to increase a little during the heating process. But the variations of them during the concentrating process were not recognized. 6. The methionine content, sulfur containing amino acid decreased a little throughout the process. But the decrease of ${\gamma}-amino$ butyric acid of non-protein was not apparently recognized. 7. The amino acid contents of fresh pulp were found as following order: glutamic acid>${\gamma}$-amino butyric acid>glutamine>aspartic acid>asparagine. The amino acid contents of paste were as glutamic acid>${\gamma}$-amino butyric acid>aspartic acid and aspargine. The percent distribution of aromatic and basic amino acids increased, even it was not great. 8. When amino acids were analyzed by Hitachi KLA-5, unknown peak which was never app eared in the fresh pulp before tryptophane was appeared when processed. The peak became greater when heated and concentrated. Later it was known that the peak was not due to lysinoalanine or ornithine.