• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.125-129
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• 2022

The purpose of study is to evaluate in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Moringa Folium and Eucommiae Cortex 2:1 (g/g) mixtures (MEMix). HaCaT and human normal dermal fibroblast were treated with 0.01-1 mg/mL of MEMix to monitor cytotoxicity. Radical scavenging activities of MEMix were examined by DPPH assay. To explore anti-inflammatory effect, Raw 264.7 cells were pretreated with MEMix for 1h and subsequently exposed to LPS for 18h. NO release and cytotoxicity of Raw 264.7 cells were measured by adding Griess and MTT reagents, respectively. TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and PGE2 productions were examined by ELISA. Immunoblot analysis was conducted to examine COX-2 expression in MEMix pretreated Raw 264.7 cells. Up to 1 mg/mL concentration, treatment of MEMix for 24 h did not affect normal dermal fibroblast viability and significantly reduced cell viability of HaCaT cells with no concentration dependency. MEMix increased DPPH radical scavenging activity with concentration dependency. Radical scavenging activities by 1 mg/mL of MEMix was comparable with 30 µM of trolox. Pretreatment of MEMix did not change the reduction of Raw 264.7 cell viability. Exposure of LPS in Raw 264.7 cells significantly increased NO, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and PGE2 productions, and MEMix pretreatment attenuated these productions by LPS concentration dependently. However, pretreatment with MEMix did not change COX-2 expression by LPS in Raw 264.7 cells. MEMix showed in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. MEMix would be useful candidate agent against inflammation.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.535-547
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• 2021

A policy to expand the hydrogen economy has been established in Korea and the supply of FCEV is being expanded to realize a hydrogen society. Therefore, the supply of FCEV is expected to increase rapidly, and a solution to respond to accidents of FCEV is required. In this study, an experimental study was conducted to analyze the effect of the hydrogen jet flame generated by a FCEV on the inner wall of the tunnel and the characteristics of the internal radiant heat. For the experiment, the initial pressure of hydrogen tank was set to 700 bar, and the injection nozzle diameter was set to 1.8 mm in order to make the same as the conditions generated in the FCEV. In addition, a tunnel fire resistance test specimen having the same strength as the compressive strength of concrete applied to general tunnels of 40 MPa was manufactured and used in the experiment. The results were analyzed for the separation distance (2 m and 4 m) between the hydrogen release nozzle and the tunnel fire resistance test concrete. As the result, the maximum internal temperature of the test concrete was measured to 1,349.9℃ (2 m separation distance), and the radiant heat around the jet flame was up to 39.16 kW/m².

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.83-92
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• 2013

Objectives : Lespedeza Cuneata has been used to treat leukorrhea, asthma, stomach pain, diarrhea, acute mastitis, in Korean traditional medicine. According to recent studies, Lespedeza Cuneata has antioxidation, hypoglycemia, cell protective, insulin secretion, whitening, corpora cavernosa smooth muscle relaxation and antimicrobial activities, but it has been rarely conducted to evaluate the immuno-biological activity. The present study was examined to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of the Lespedeza Cuneata MeOH extract (LCE) in vivo and in vitro. Methods : In vitro, inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines, nitric oxide and prostaglandin $E_2$ were detected after the addition of LPS with or without LCE in Raw 264.7 macrophage cell line. In vivo, anti-edema effect of LCE was determined in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats. Results : In vitro assay, LCE decreased release of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) via suppression of iNOS and COX-2 expression. LCE inhibited the phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B$ indicating the suppression of NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. In vivo assay, LCE significantly inhibited the formation of paw edema induced by carrageenan injection in rats. LCE effectively inhibited increases of hind paw skin thickness and inflammatory cell infilterations. Conclusion : These findings demonstrate that LCE has inhibitory effect on inflammatory mediators in LPS-activated Raw 264.7 cells and on paw edema in carrageenan-stimulated rats, showing the possibility of anti-inflammatory use of Lespedeza Cuneata.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.475-487
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• 2022

Background: Use of opioids for chronic intractable pain is increasing globally, and their proper use can improve patients' quality of life. In contrast, opioid use disorders, such as abuse or addiction, caused by prescribing opioids, are a worldwide issue. This study aimed to understand current opioid prescribing patterns and pain physicians' experiences with opioid use in South Korea. Methods: Pain physicians in 42 university hospitals in South Korea were asked to complete anonymous questionnaires regarding opioid prescriptions. Results: A total of 69 surveys were completed. Most pain physicians started prescribing opioids at a pain score of 7/10 and aimed to reduce pain by 50%. Most physicians (73.1%) actively explained the prescribed medications and possible side effects, and 61.2% of physicians preferred the prescription interval of 4 weeks. Immediate-release opioids were the most popular treatment for breakthrough pain (92.6%). The most common side effect encountered by physicians was constipation (43.3%), followed by nausea/vomiting (34.3%). Of the physicians, 56.5% replied that addiction and misuse prevalences were less than 5%. However, the most concerning side effect was addiction (33.0%). Conclusions: The survey results showed that the prescribing patterns of pain physicians generally followed Korean guidelines. Physicians were most interested in the safety and effectiveness of opioid prescriptions. They were most concerned about respiratory depression and abuse or addiction. A significant number of physicians agreed that the NHIS regulations needed improvement for patient convenience and safe and effective treatment, though there were pros and cons of the NHIS restrictions on prescription conditions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.397-405
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• 2023

Although glutathione (GSH) has been shown to play an important role in the prevention of oxidative damage as an antioxidant, studies on immune regulation by it have not been properly conducted. In this study, we investigated whether luthione^®, a reduced GSH, has an immune enhancing effect in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The results of flow cytometry and immunofluorescence experiments indicated that luthione increased phagocytic activity, a representative function of macrophages, compared to the control cells. According to the results of the cytokine array, the expression of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-1β, and IL-27 was significantly increased in the luthione-treated cells. Luthione also enhanced the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-1β through increased expression of their proteins, and increased release of the immune mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ was associated with increased expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. In addition, the expression of cluster of differentiation 86, an M1 macrophage marker, was dramatically enhanced in RAW 264.7 cells treated with luthione. Furthermore, as a result of heat map analysis, we found that cytokine signaling 1/3-mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription/Janus tyrosine kinase signaling pathway was involved in the immunomodulatory effect by luthione. In conclusion, our data suggested that luthione could act as a molecular regulator in M1 macrophage polarization and enhance immune capacity by promoting macrophage phagocytic function.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2022

Excessive activation and aggregation of platelets is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, inhibition of platelet activation and aggregation is considered an attractive therapeutic target in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. In particular, strong platelet activation and aggregation by collagen secreted from the vascular endothelium are characteristic of vascular diseases. Artesunate is a compound extracted from the plant roots of Artemisia or Scopolia species, and has been reported to be effective in anticancer and Alzheimer's disease fields. However, the effect and mechanism of artesunate on collagen-induced platelet activation and aggregation have not been elucidated. In this study, the effect of artesunate on collagen-induced human platelet aggregation was confirmed and the mechanism of action of artesunate was clarified. Artesunate inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt and Mitogen-activated protein kinases, which are phosphoproteins that are known to act in the signal transduction process when platelets are activated. In addition, artesunate decreased TXA₂ production and decreased granule secretion in platelets such as ATP and serotonin release. As a result, artesunate strongly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen, a strong aggregation inducer secreted from vascular endothelial cells, with an IC₅₀ of 106.41 µM. These results suggest that artesunate has value as an effective antithrombotic agent for inhibiting the activation and aggregation of human platelets through vascular injury.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.205-216
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to analyze the water quality improvement effect by providing the environmental flows from agricultural reservoir using QUAL2K model. The Bonghyun reservoir, located in Hai-myun, which is in the city of Gosung in the Gyeongnam province, was selected for study area. The stream monitoring was conducted 24 times from 2011 to 2013 and the water quality was monitored in 6 stations including reservoir. Reservoir operation was simulated to determine the environmental flow supply amount from March to October with the constraint that environmental flow supply was restrained when the storage of reservoir was below the one-third of effective storage. The QUAL2K model was selected for water quality simulation. Simulated water quality were compared with the observed for BOD, SS, TN, and TP. R2 were ranged 0.8508~0.9913, RMSE were 0.005~0.52 mg/L, and NSE were 0.949~0.998 for water quality items, respectively. The QUAL2K model simulation results indicated that the water quality improvement effect by providing the environmental flows(3,000 ton/day) were 9.2% for BOD, 21.0% for SS, -9.0% for TN, -2.4% for TP, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.334-343
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• 2023

Background: South Korea's Act on Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemicals (known as K-REACH) was established to protect public health and the environment from hazardous chemicals. 4,4'-Methylenedianiline (MDA), which is used as a major intermediate in industrial polymer production and as a vulcanizing agent in South Korea, is classified as a toxic substance under the K-REACH act. Although MDA poses potential ecological risks due to industrial emissions and hazards to aquatic ecosystems, no ecological risk assessment has been conducted. Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the ecological risk of MDA by identifying the actual exposure status based on the K-REACH act. Methods: Various toxicity data were collected to establish predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) for water, sediment, and soil. Using the SimpleBox Korea v2.0 model with domestic release statistical data and EU emission factors, predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) were derived for ten sites, each referring to an MDA-using company. Hazard quotient (HQ) was calculated by ratio of the PECs and PNECs to characterize the ecological risk posed by MDA. To validate the results of modeling-based assessment, concentration of MDA was measured using in-site freshwater samples (two to three samples per site). Results: PNECs for water, sediment, and soil were 0.000525 mg/L, 4.36 mg/kg dw, and 0.1 mg/kg dw, respectively. HQ for surface water and sediment at several company sites exceeded 1 due to modeling data showing markedly high PEC in each environmental compartment. However, in the results of validation using in-site surface water samples, MDA was not detected. Conclusions: Through an ecological risk assessment conducted in accordance with the K-REACH act, the risk level of MDA emitted into the environmental compartments in South Korea was found to be low.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.127-140
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• 2024

Upon direct/indirect exposure to flame or heat, composite structures may burn or thermally buckle. This issue becomes more important in the natural fiber-based composite structures with higher flammability and lower mechanical properties. The main goal of the present study was to obtain an optimal eco-friendly composite system with low flammability and high thermal buckling resistance. The studied composite consisted of polypropylene (PP) and short abaca fiber (AF) with eggshell powder (ESP) and halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) additives. An optimal base composite, consisting of 30 wt.% AF and 70 wt.% PP, abbreviated as OAP, was initially introduced based on burning rate (BR) and the Young's modulus determined by horizontal burning test (HBT) and tensile test, respectively. The effects of adding ESP to the base composite were then investigated with the same experimental tests. The results indicated that though the BR significantly decreased with the increase of ESP content up to 6 wt.%, it had a very destructive influence on the stiffness of the composite. To compensate for the damaging effect of ESP, small amount of HNT was used. The performance of OAP composite with 6 wt.% ESP and 3 wt.% HNT (OAPEH) was explored by conducting HBT, cone calorimeter test (CCT) and tensile test. The experimental results indicated a 9~23 % reduction in almost all flammability parameters such as heat release rate (HRR), total heat released (THR), maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE), total smoke released (TSR), total smoke production (TSP), and mass loss (ML) during combustion. Furthermore, the combination of 6 wt.% ESP and 3 wt.% HNT reduced the stiffness of OAP to an insignificant amount by maximum 3%. Moreover, the char residue analysis revealed the distinct differences in the formation of char between AF/PP and AF/PP/ESP/HNT composites. Afterward, dilatometry test was carried out to examine the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of OAP and OAPEH samples. The obtained results showed that the CTE of OAPEH composite was about 18% less than that of OAP. Finally, a theoretical model was used based on first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) to predict the critical bucking temperatures of the OAP and OAPEH composite plates. It was shown that in the absence of mechanical load, the critical buckling temperatures of OAPEH composite plates were higher than those of OAP composites, such that the difference between the buckling temperatures increased with the increase of thickness. On the contrary, the positive effect of CTE reduction on the buckling temperature decreased by raising the axial compressive mechanical load on the composite plates which can be assigned to the reduction of stiffness after the incorporation of ESP. The results of present study generally stated that a suitable combination of AF, PP, ESP, and HNT can result in a relatively optimal and environmentally friendly composite with proper flame and thermal buckling resistance with no significant decline in the stiffness.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.3-14
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• 2023

Recently, the effect of using social media on psychological well-being has been highlighted. However, studies exploring factors that may predict the quality of social media relationships are relatively rare. The present study investigated whether social media activity and psychological states, such as loneliness and depression, can predict the quality of social media relationships during the COVID-19 quarantine period using a machine learning technique. Ninety-five participants completed a self-report survey on loneliness, Instagram activity, quality of social media relationships, and depression at different time points (during the self-isolation and after the release of self-isolation). Similarity analyses, including multidimensional scaling (MDS), representational similarity analysis (RSA), and classification analyses, were conducted separately at each point in time. The results of MDS revealed that time spent on social media and depression were distinguished from others in the first dimension, and loneliness and passive use were distinguished from others in the second dimension. We divided the data into two groups based on the quality of social media relationships (high and low), and we conducted RSA on each group. Findings indicated an interaction between the quality of the social media relationships and the situation. Specifically, the effect of self-isolation on the high-quality social media relationship group is more pronounced than that on the low-quality group. The classification results also revealed that the predictors of social media relationships depend on whether or not they are isolated. Overall, the results of this study imply that social media relationship could be well predicted when people are not in isolated situations.