• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.230-237
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• 2020

Nitrogen flux release from organically enriched sediments into overlying water, which may have significantly influence on water quality and increasing continuous eutrophication. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the remediation efficiency of oyster shell powder and its treated product into organically enriched sediment in terms of nitrogen flux, organic matter, chlorophyll-a, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO). The TOSP was mainly composed of CaO2. The application of TOSP into the sediment has increased the pH, DO and significantly decreased the concentrations of NH₄⁺-N and T-N compared to other basins. On the other hand, nitrate was enriched with the addition of treated oyster powder, an oxygen releasing compound on both phases. Furthermore, chlorophyll-a was found to be increasing with time in the control basin meanwhile it dropped drastically with the addition of TOSP, which implied on the repression of algal growth owing to blockage of nitrogen source migrating from the sediment. This study has shown that the TOSP was effective to improve sediment-water quality, diminish eutrophication and control harmful algae blooms in a marine environment. Therefore, it is a good reference as an effective environmental remediation agent.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.3410-3415
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• 2014

The heat generated by electronic devices can result in performance degradation. Therefore, a heat sink has been used to release the operating heat into the air outside. This study addressed a methodology for a heat sink with an inner tunnel. Under forced convection conditions, the heat transfer characteristics were different so the cooling and heating performances were studied for the heat sink with an inner tunnel. This was evaluated by performing the experimental test examining the heat transfer characteristics related to the variance in time and temperature distribution. In the cooling experiment, the temperature of the A-shape was lower than that of the B-shape, when the voltage was 10 V. These experimental results indicate the optimal cooling effect. In a heating experiment, the temperature of the A-shape was higher than that of the B-shape, when the voltage was 13 V. The experimental results showed that the temperature and efficiency of the A-shape were higher than those of the B-shape.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.606-612
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Several medicinal properties of Smilax china L. have been studied including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, the antiobesity activity and mechanism by which the water-soluble fraction of this plant mediates its effects are not clear. In the present study, we investigated the lipolytic actions of the water-soluble fraction of Smilax china L. leaf ethanol extract (wsSCLE) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. MATERIALS/METHODS: The wsSCLE was identified by measuring the total polyphenol and flavonoid content. The wsSCLE was evaluated for its effects on cell viability, lipid accumulation, glycerol, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) contents. In addition, western blot analysis was used to evaluate the effects on protein kinase A (PKA), PKA substrates (PKAs), and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). For the lipid accumulation assay, 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with different doses of wsSCLE for 9 days starting 2 days post-confluence. In other cell experiments, mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated for 24 h with wsSCLE. RESULTS: Results showed that treatment with wsSCLE at 0.05, 0.1, and 0.25 mg/mL had no effect on cell morphology and viability. Without evidence of toxicity, wsSCLE treatment decreased lipid accumulation compared with the untreated adipocyte controls as shown by the lower absorbance of Oil Red O stain. The wsSCLE significantly induced glycerol release and cAMP production in mature 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, protein levels of phosphorylated PKA, PKAs, and HSL significantly increased following wsSCLE treatment. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the potential antiobesity activity of wsSCLE is at least in part due to the stimulation of cAMP-PKA-HSL signaling. In addition, the wsSCLE-stimulated lipolysis induced by the signaling is mediated via activation of the ${\beta}$-adrenergic receptor.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2012

Objective : Hemifacial spasm (HFS) caused by vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD) is very rare, and in theses cases, it is difficult to decompress the nerve from its vascular compression. The objective of this study was to investigate the outcome of microvascular decompression (MVD) for HFS caused by VBD. Methods : There were 10 patients of HFS caused by VBD at our hospital between September 1978 and September 2008. We evaluated magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and time of flight magnetic resonance imaginge (TOF MRI) findings using the criteria for VBD. We compared the clinical outcomes of MVD for the 10 patients with VBD with the overall outcomes of the total 2058 MVDs performed for HFS. Results : The results of MVD for HFS caused by VBD were successful in 90.9% of cases. The postoperative complication rate in VBD was 45.5%. Offending vessels in patients with VBD were identified visually during surgery. Adverse effects after MVD were found in 4 patients. We found that the diameter of VBD was significantly greater in patients with complications than in those with no complications (p=0.028). Conclusion : Our data shows that MVD may be a good treatment modality for HFS caused by VBD but care must be taken to avoid adverse effects from the procedure. It is important to detach the dolichoectatic artery from its surrounding structures sufficiently to allow it to be easily movable. In addition, attempts should be made to lessen the retraction of the cerebellum during release of the dolichoectatic artery.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1457-1466
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• 2012

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exert antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and viruses by various mechanisms. AMPs commonly possess particular characteristics by harboring cationic and amphipathic structures and binding to cell membranes, resulting in the leakage of essential cell contents by forming pores or disturbing lipid organization. These membrane disruptive mechanisms of AMPs are possible to explain according to the various structure forming pores in the membrane. Some AMPs inhibit DNA and/or RNA synthesis as well as apoptosis induction by reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Specifically, mitochondria play a major role in the apoptotic pathway. During apoptosis induced by AMPs, cells undergo cytochrome c release, caspase activation, phosphatidylserine externalization, plasma or mitochondrial membrane depolarization, DNA and nuclei damage, cell shrinkage, apoptotic body formation, and membrane blebbing. Even AMPs, which have been reported to exert membrane-active mechanisms, induce apoptosis in yeast. These phenomena were also discovered in tumor cells treated with AMPs. The apoptosis mechanism of AMPs is available for various therapeutics such as antibiotics for antibiotic-resistant pathogens that resist to the membrane active mechanism, and antitumor agents with selectivity to tumor cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.540-544
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• 2011

The molecular mechanisms of apoptotic induction by benzyldihydroxyoctenone (BDH), a nonsteroidal antiandrogen, isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp., have been previously published in prostate cancer LNCaP cells. Apoptotic induction of BDH-treated LNCaP cells was associated with downregulation of Bcl-xL that caused, in turn, cytochrome c release from mitochondria, and activation of procaspases and specific proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the patterns of apoptotic induction by BDH in non-prostate, ovarian cancer PA-1 (androgen-independent and -insensitive) cells and prostate cancer cells with different androgen responsiveness, such as C4-2 (androgen-independent and -sensitive), 22Rv1 (androgen-dependent and -low sensitive), and LNCaP (androgen-dependent and -high sensitive) cells. We found that BDH-treated LNCaP cell proliferation was significantly inhibited in a time-dependent manner and induced apoptosis via downregulation of the androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA), as well as antiapoptotic Bcl-xL protein. However, the levels of BDH-mediated apoptotic induction and growth inhibition in 22Rv1 cells were apparently lower than those of LNCaP cells. In contrast, the induction of apoptosis and antiproliferative effect in BDH-treated non-prostate cancer PA-1 and hormone refractory C4-2 cells were not detectable and marginal, respectively. Therefore, BDH-mediated differential apoptotic induction and growth inhibition in a cell type seem to be obviously dependent on its androgen responsiveness; primarily on androgen-dependency, and then on androgensensitivity.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 1983

Prostaglandin(PG) is ubiquitously distributed in most mammalian tissue and their actions are complicated. Especially in autonomic nervous system, there are evidences indicating that PGs act as neuromodulators i.e., PGs, which are released in the vicinity of autonomic neuroeffector junctions, influence the release and the response of the neurotransmitter. Present study was undertaken to elucidate the interrelationship between $PGF_{2\alpha}$ and adrenergic ${\alpha}_2-receptor$ function in electrical field stimulation induced contractile response of vas deferens in rat. Male rat, weighing 150{\sim}200\;g, was sacrificed and vas deferens was obtained. The isolated vas deferens strip was placed between two platinum electrodes in temperature controlled $(37^{\circ}C)$ muscle chamber containing Tyrode's solution and the electrical field stimulation(EFS) induced contraction was recorded with Grass Polygraph(Model 7) via force displacement transducer (FT .03, Grass). The results are summarized as follows: 1) Electrical field stimulation for 1sec( 1 msec, 40 cps) induced contraction of vas deferens was completely blocked by tetrodotoxin. 2) Bretylium caused marked inhibition of the EFS-induced contraction, hut tyramine and cocaine augmented the contraction. 3) EFS-induced contraction was inhibited or little affected in distal portion of vas deferens by norepinephrine or methoxamine, but the contraction was rather augmented by the ${\alpha}-agonists$ in proximal portion. 4) Clonidine inhibited the EFS-induced contraction proportionally to the concentration in distal portion, which was blocked by yohimbine pretreatment, but in the presence of $PGF_{2\alpha}$ the blockade by yohimbine was reversed. 5) Indomethacin pretreatment reduced the effect of clonidine, but addition of $PGF_{2\alpha}$ after washing-out the indomethacin caused the contraction to the control level. From these results it is suggested that PG synthesis is a necessary step and the PG itself has a permissive role in ${\alpha}_2-adrenoceptor$ action in rat vas deferens.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.315-320
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• 2013

Here, we show that radicicol, a fungal antibiotic, resulted in marked inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) transcription by the pancreatic beta cell line MIN6N8a in response to cytokine mixture (CM: TNF-${\alpha}$, IFN-${\gamma}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$). Treatment of MIN6N8a cells with radicicol inhibited CM-stimulated activation of NF-${\kappa}B$/Rel, which plays a critical role in iNOS transcription, in a dose-related manner. Nitrite production in the presence of PD98059, a specific inhibitor of the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase-1 and 2 (ERK1/2) pathway, was dramatically diminished, suggesting that the ERK1/2 pathway is involved in CM-induced iNOS expression. In contrast, SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38, had no effect on nitrite generation. Collectively, this series of experiments indicates that radicicol inhibits iNOS gene expression by blocking ERK1/2 signaling. Due to the critical role that NO release plays in mediating destruction of pancreatic beta cells, the inhibitory effects of radicicol on iNOS expression suggest that radicicol may represent a useful anti-diabetic activity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.145-159
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• 1990

Recently, it has been suggested that the endogenous adenosine may be the mediator for the intercellular communication in the regulation of tubuloglomerular feedback control and renin release. Even though two subclasses of adenosine receptors, A1 and A2, have been described, their functional roles are controversial. The present study was undertaken to clarify the role of adenosine receptors in hypertensive rabbit caused by clamping of renal artery. Experiments were done in two-kidney one clip Goldblatt hypertensive rabbits (2K1GHR) and sham-operated normotensive rabbits. Adenosine, N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) and 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) were infused into a renal artery. The decreases in urine volume, renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate and excreted amounts of electrolytes caused by adenosine and CHA were significantly attenuated in 2K1CHR. However, changes in renal function caused by A2 adenosine receptor agonist, NECA, tend to be accentuated in 2K1CHR. These results suggest that the attenuation of renal effect caused by adenosine and A1 adenosine receptor agonist may be due to the modification of adenosine receptor in the kidney in Goldblatt hypertensive rabbits.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartD
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• v.8D no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2001

In this paper, we present an advanced transaction scheduling protocol to improve the degree of concurrency and satisfy the security requirements for multilevel secure database. We adapted two-phase locking protocol, namely traditional syntax-oriented serializability notions, to multilevel secure database. Altruistic locking, as an advanced protocol, has attempted to reduce delay effect associated with lock release moment by use of the idea of donation. An improved form of altruism has also been deployed for extended altruistic locking OffiLl. This is in a way that scope of data to be early released is enlarged to include even data initially not intended to be donated. We also adapted XAL to multilevel secure database and we first of all investigated limitations inherent in both altruistic schemes from the perspective of alleviating starvation occasions for transactions in particular of short-lived nature for multilevel secure database. Our protocol is based on extended altruistic locking for multilevel secure database (XAL/MLS), but a new method, namely two-way donation locking for multilevel secure database (2DL!/-MLS), is additionally used in order to satisfy security requirements and concurrency. The efficiency of the proposed protocol was verified by experimental results.