• BMB Reports
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.141-146
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• 2012

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is important in the regulation of metabolic diseases and has emerged as a promising signaling target. Previously, we reported the PTP1B inhibitory activity of Rheum undulatum (RU). In the present study, we investigated the metabolic regulatory effects of RU in a high-fat diet (HFD) model. RU treatment significantly blocked body weight gain, which was accompanied by a reduction of feed efficiency. In addition, it led to a reduction of liver weight mediated by overexpression of PPAR${\alpha}$ and CPT1 in the liver, and an increase in the expression of adiponectin, aP2, and UCP3 in adipose tissue responsible for the reduction of total and LDL-cholesterol levels. Chrysophanol and physcion from RU significantly inhibited PTP1B activity and strongly enhanced insulin sensitivity. Altogether, our findings strongly suggest that 2 compounds are novel PTP1B inhibitors and might be considered as anti-obesity agents that are effective for suppressing body weight gain and improving lipid homeostasis.

• ETRI Journal
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.275-282
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• 2018

Flash reduction of graphene oxide is an efficient method for producing high quality reduced graphene oxide under room temperature ambient conditions without the use of hazardous reducing agents (such as hydrazine and hydrogen iodide). The entire process is fast, low-cost, and suitable for large-scale fabrication, which makes it an attractive process for industrial manufacturing. Herein, we present a simple fabrication method for a flexible in-plane graphene micro-supercapacitor using flash light irradiation. All carbon-based, monolithic supercapacitors with in-plane geometry can be fabricated with simple flash irradiation, which occurs in only a few milliseconds. The thinness of the fabricated device makes it highly flexible and thus useful for a variety of applications, including portable and wearable electronics. The rapid flash reduction process creates a porous graphene structure with high surface area and good electrical conductivity, which ultimately results in high specific capacitance ($36.90mF\;cm^{-2}$) and good cyclic stability up to 8,000 cycles.

• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제31권8호
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• pp.893-901
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• 1994

In this study, AlN powder of fine particle size and of high purity was synthesized by the carbothermal reduction-nitridation of monodisperse, spherical Al(OH)3 which had been prepared by sol-gel method using Al(O-sec-C4H9)3 as the starting material. Depending on the mixing order and kinds of reducing agents, the optimum condition for the preparation of AlN was determined as follows. AlN single-phase was produced by the carbothermal reduction-nitridation of (1) Benzene-washed Al(OH)3 and the reducing agent, carbon, which was mixed in a ball mill: for 5 hours at 140$0^{\circ}C$ under NH3 atmosphere; (2) The mixture prepared by hydrolysis of alkoxide solution into which carbon had been dispersed beforehand: for 5 hours at 135$0^{\circ}C$ ; (3) Al(OH)3 Poly(furfuryl alcohol) composite powder: for 2.5 hours at 135$0^{\circ}C$; (4) The mixture of Al(OH)3 and polyacrylonitrile: for 5 hours at 140$0^{\circ}C$. Addition of CaF2 increased the nitridation rate when carbon or polyacrylonitrile was used as the reducing agent; but it had no effect on the nitridation rate when furfuryl alcohol was used as the reducing agent.

• 상하수도학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.53-60
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• 2005

Ferrous cement hydrates made from hydrating Portland cement doped with Fe (II) were reported to reductively dechlorinate chlorinated organics and to reduce Cr (VI) to Cr (III). In this study, kinetics of nitrate removal by ferrous cement hydrates were investigated. Nitrate removal kinetics were characterized by experimental variables such as cement hydration, amount of cement addition, Fe (II) dose, pH, and byproducts. As a result, hydrated cement showed better performances than non-hydrated cement due to the formation of LDH (layered double hydroxide). Doping of Fe (II) into the cement was found to improve removal efficiency at high pHs by association with Fe (II) sorbed on cement hydrates as a reactive reductant. Reduction of nitrate produced ammonium as a major product, which accounted for 63.5% of the final products, and nitrite (0.15%) as a minor product. These results indicate that the developed media are effective as sorbent/reducing agents in the nitrate removal and the reaction mechanisms of nitrate removal are sorption and reduction.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.14-21
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• 2016

This study evaluated the applicability of stabilization of arsenic (As)-contaminated soil with iron (Fe) oxides at the former Janghang smelter site. Three Fe oxides (magnetite, goethite, and hematite) were tested as stabilizing agents to one soil sample collected from the study site. Amendment of 5% of magnetite, goethite, or hematite for one week showed the 64, 58, and 36% of reduction of the SBRC (Solubility/Bioavailability Research Consortium)-extractable (bioaccessible) As, respectively. Duration of stabilization more than one week did not show an additional reduction in SBRC-extractable As. Amendment of 5% of magnetite, which showed the highest As stabilization efficiency, was applied to 24 soil samples collected from the same site for one week, and 72% of reduction in the bioaccessible As was observed. The potential carcinogenic human health risk at the study site caused by As was $1.7{\times}10^{-5}$, which could be reduced to $8.1{\times}10^{-6}$ by the amendment of 5% magnetite for one week.

• BMB Reports
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• 제48권11호
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• pp.609-617
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• 2015

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), an obligatory two-electron reductase, is a ubiquitous cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of quinone substrates. The NQO1- mediated two-electron reduction of quinones can be either chemoprotection/detoxification or a chemotherapeutic response, depending on the target quinones. When toxic quinones are reduced by NQO1, they are conjugated with glutathione or glucuronic acid and excreted from the cells. Based on this protective effect of NQO1, the use of dietary compounds to induce the expression of NQO1 has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer prevention. On the other hand, NQO1-mediated two-electron reduction converts certain quinone compounds (such as mitomycin C, E09, RH1 and β-lapachone) to cytotoxic agents, leading to cell death. It has been known that NQO1 is expressed at high levels in numerous human cancers, including breast, colon, cervix, lung, and pancreas, as compared with normal tissues. This implies that tumors can be preferentially damaged relative to normal tissue by cytotoxic quinone drugs. Importantly, NQO1 has been shown to stabilize many proteins, including p53 and p33ING1b, by inhibiting their proteasomal degradation. This review will summarize the biological roles of NQO1 in cancer, with emphasis on recent findings and the potential of NQO1 as a therapeutic target for the cancer therapy.

• Journal of Computing Science and Engineering
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.321-338
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• 2008

This paper presents a Modified Multiple Depth First Search algorithm for the exploration of the indoor environments occupied with obstacles in random distribution. The proposed algorithm was designed and implemented to employ one or a team of Khepera II mini robots for the exploration process. In case of multi-robots, the BlueCore2 External Bluetooth module was used to establish wireless networks with one master robot and one up to three slaves. Messages are sent and received via the module's Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) interface. Real exploration experiments were performed using locally developed teleworkbench with various autonomy features. In addition, computer simulation tool was also developed to simulate the exploration experiments with one master robot and one up to ten slaves. Computer simulations were in good agreement with the real experiments for the considered cases of one to one up to three networks. Results of the MMDFS for single robot exhibited 46% reduction in the needed number of steps for exploring environments with obstacles in comparison with other algorithms, namely the Ants algorithm and the original MDFS algorithm. This reduction reaches 71% whenever exploring open areas. Finally, results performed using multi-robots exhibited more reduction in the needed number of exploration steps.

• 생약학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.244-249
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• 1999

In order to find less toxic antiviral agents from Basidiomycetes, EA, the water soluble substance, was prepared from the carpophores of Elfvingia applanata(Pers.) Karst. Antiviral activity of EA against vesicular stomatitis virus [Indiana serotype, VSV(IND)] was examined in Vero cells using plaque reduction assay in vitro. And the combined antiviral effects of EA with interferon (IFN) alpha or gamma were examined on the multiplication of VSV(IND). EA caused a concentration-dependent reduction in the plaque formation of VSV(IND) with 50% effective concentration $(EC_{50})$ of $104.02\;{\mu}g/ml$. The results of combination assay were evaluated by the combination index (CI) that was analysed by the multiple drug effect analysis. All cases of the combination of EA with IFN alpha or IFN gamma showed potent synergism with CI values of $0.38{\sim}0.52$ for $50{\sim}90%$ effective levels.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2006

Six organophosphorus, one organochlorine, and three synthetic pyrethroid pesticides were analyzed for their residues during washing and hot-air drying of red peppers conducted in the production of powder. The residue ratio in organophosphorus pesticides was 33% in chlorpyrifos, 31 % in diazinon, 50% in methidathion, 80% in EPN, 28% in fenitrothion, and 60% in profenofos. The ratio in pyrethroids was 109% in cypermethrin, 102% in deltamethrin, and 106% in fenvalerate. That in organochlorine was 56% in ${\alpha}$-endosulfan and 90% in ${\beta}$-endosulfan. The results were greatly different between organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides. UV irradiation along with hot-air drying brought about a remarkable reduction of the residues, up to 70% as compared with hot-air drying only. The removal effect was most remarkable in pyrethroids, which are hardly removed by hot-air drying. The color of the pepper was not changed during UV irradiation. The use of oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide or chlorine dioxide during washing did not show a remarkable removal of residues. The residue ratio was not affected whether the pesticide is contaminated artificially or naturally.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.215-223
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• 2001

Objective: The purpose of this study was to make a guideline of uterine artery embolization for the treatment of uterine leiomyomas accompanying with adenomyosis in Korea. Materials and Methods : We performed the retrospective study for 37 women who had uterine leiomyomas accompanying with adenomyosis. Bilateral uterine artery embolization was performed in 37 patients (age range 25-65) during 17 months with pain, hypermenorrhea, urinary frequency etc due to leiomyomas. Ultrasound imaging was performed before the procedure and at mean 6.9 months after the procedure. Results: All procedures were technically successful. Mean clinical follow-up was 12.8 months. Minor complication occurred in 82% patients after the procedure. After imaging follow-up (mean, 6.9 months postprocedure), median uterine volume decreased 34.4%, and dominant myoma volume decreased 86%. There was no statistical difference in uterine volume reduction and dominant myoma size reduction whether occluding agents was polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol plus gelfoam, and gelfoam, and whether ultrasound measured Resistance Index value before the procedure was low or high. Conclusion: Primary candidates for uterine artery embolization include those with symptomatic uterine leiomyomas who no longer des ire fertility but wish to avoid surgery or are poor surgical risks. To our study, uterine volume reduction and dominant myoma size reduction in patients who had adenomyosis were similar to previous other studies in patients who had not adenomyosis. Therefore adenomyosis should not be considered as a contraindication for uterine artery embolization. Because there is little data about subsequent reproductive potential after this procedure, it should not be routinely advocated for infertile women. Further investigation is warranted for occluding agents and Resistance Index.