• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

As the interest on the air pollution is gradually rising up at home and abroad, automotive and fuel researchers have been working on the exhaust emission reduction from vehicles through a lot of approaches, which consist of new engine design, innovative after-treatment systems, using clean (eco-friendly alternative) fuels and fuel quality improvement. This research has brought forward various main issues : whether PM emissions should be regulated for diesel and gasoline vehicles and whether gasoline and LPG powered vehicles can be further neglected from PM emission inventories. Finally, the greenhouse gas regulation has been discussed including automotive emission regulation. The greenhouse gas and emissions of automotive had many problem that cause of ambient pollution, health effects. Based on various test modes and ambient conditions, this paper discusses the characteristics of LPG on exhaust emissions and greenhouse gases. Also, this paper assessed emission characteristics due to the test temperature. These test temperature were performed by dividing the temperature of the test mode and the lowest local temperature in winter. Through this study, the correlation of vehicle test mode and ambient condition, exhaust emission, greenhouse gas emission was analyzed.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2018

Background: Polysaccharides are the most important functional constituent in Astragalus membranaceus. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of polysaccharides isolated from the aboveground parts of A. membranaceus (AMA) and polysaccharides isolated from the roots of A. membranaceus (AMR) immune function by modulated cytotoxic T cell and Th1- and Th2-related cytokines kinetics. Methods and Results: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into exhaustive exercise case groups and non-exercise case, AMA and AMR samples were administered orally for 30 days (500 mg/kg/day and 10 mg/kg/day, respectively) and were compared to those rats in the groups fed commercial sports drink (SPD) and vehicle. Both exhaustive exercise groups and non-exercise groups had a lower ratio of $CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ cells in the spleens of the rat fed AMA and AMR compared to those in the rats fed SPD and vehicle group. These results suggested that AMA and AMR promote an increase in the proportion of cytotoxic T cells. The IL-4-producing T lymphocytes decreased significantly in the AMR (10 mg/kg/day) group compared to SPD and vehicle, whereas the AMA group increased the IL-4 concentration more than the SPD and vehicle in exhaustive exercise group. However, the populations of IFN-${\gamma}$-producing T lymphocytes of AMR and AMA increased. AMA decreased the concentration of IFN-${\gamma}$ to inhibit the Th1 response and thereby increased the concentration of IL-4 to induce a Th2 response that was related to humoral immunity in the non-exercise group. Conclusions: These results showed that, in addition to Th1/Th2 regulation, AMR and AMA played an important immuno-modulatory role after exhaustive exercise-induced Th1/Th2 lymphocyte imbalance, which might be correlated with cytokine producing immunoregulatory cells.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.213-218
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• 2005

Phellinus linteus (PL), one of the immune-regulatory substances, is recognized to play the role in the metabolic process on inflammation and immunity. It has been traditionally used in the oriental medicine to treat inflammatory related disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of water extracts of PL on the mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes immune function in the ICR male mice. Control mice received vehicle only. The PL treated mice were administered the respective extract by oral gavages for 4 weeks. IgE concentrations in serum and MLN lymphocytes were significantly lower in PL treated mice than in control mice. PL increased the proportion of $CD4^+\;and\;CD8^+$ T cells in MLN lymphocytes. PL significantly decreased Th2 cytokine concentrations and mRNA expression levels in cytokine secretions. Therefore, water extracts of PL modulate inflammatory parameters through regulation of immunoglobulin production resulting from decreased Th2 cytokine secretion and mRNA expression levels and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and mRNA expression in MLN lymphocytes.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.416-421
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• 2011

This study was initiated to prevent rear-end collision which causes the most frequent human damage by agricultural tractors. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the luminous performance of a stop lamp for an agricultural tractor which could reduce rear-end collision. The performance test of luminous intensity distribution was conducted for a total of 12 tractor models classified by size (above 44 kW for large, 30~43 kW for medium, and below 29 kW for small) and production area (domestic, foreign manufacture) in accordance with Regulation No.7 of UNECE Vehicle Regulations-1958 Agreement considering ${\pm}$20 standard deviation. Three out of 5 large, 3 out of 4 medium, and all small tractors were resulted as inadequate for the test criterion. This study found that the luminous performance results were better as the size of agricultural tractors became bigger. One out of 4 foreign and 2 out of 8 domestic manufacturers were suitable for the test criterion, and overall no difference from the luminosity test results was observed between domestic and foreign manufacturers. In addition, the measuring points, HV, 5L, 5R, 5U and 5D with the minimal luminosity revealed flaws (80% of the proportion of faulty products). Therefore, it is urgent to improve the quality for measuring points (HV, 5U, 5L, 5R, 5D) of stop lamps to apply Regulation No. 7.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.180-180
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• 1996

Previous studies have shown that kainic acid (KA) causes an elevation of hippocampal proenkephalin mRNA level. However, the role of proto-oncogene products, such as c-Fos, c-Jun and Fra proteins in the regulation of KA-induced proenkephalin mRNA increase in the hippocampus has not been well characterized. Thus, in the present study, the effect of cycloheximide (CHX) on KA-induced proenkephalin mRNA and immediate early gene products induction was examined. After pretreating with either vehicle or CHX (20 mg/kg, s.c.) for 30 min, KA (10 mg/kg) was administered s.c. The animals were sacrificed 1,2, or 8 hrs after KA administration. Total RNA and were isolated for Northern blot assay, and proteins were isolated for Western and electrophoretic gel-shift assays. First, we found that CHX inhibited KA-induced proenkephalin mRNA increase without altering intracellular proenkephalin protein level. Secondly, Western blot assays showed that KA increased c-Fos, c-Jun and Fra proteins at 1,2, and 8 hrs and CHX inhibited these immediate early gene products. Finally, electrophoretic gel shift assays revealed that KA increased both AP-1 and ENKCRE-2 DNA binding activities. Furthermore, CHX attenuated KA-induced AP-1 and ENKCRE-2 DNA binding activities. Both AP-1 and ENKCRE-2 DNA binding activities were abolished by cold AP-1 or ENKCRE-2 oligonucleotides, and further reduced by antibodies against c-Fos or c-Jun. Antibody against CREB reduced ENKCRE-2, but not AP-1, DNA binding activity. Our results suggest that on-going protein synthesis is required for elevation of hippocampal proenkephalin mRNA level induced by KA. All c-Fos, c-Jun, and Fra proteins appears to be involved in the regulation of hippocampal proenkephalin mRNA level induced by KA (This study was supported by a grant from KOSEF).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2013

Using natural gas-hydrogen blended fuel (HCNG) in a heavy duty vehicle is regarded as an alternative to meet reinforced emission regulation compared to a recent direct injection (DI) diesel engine. Hydrogen can lead stable lean combustion even under leaner mixture condition than natural gas, so that improving not only thermal efficiency but also $NO_x$ emissions. In the present study, the feasibility of HCNG engine's commercialization was accessed with HCNG fuel (30% $H_2$ and 70% natural gas) in aspect to the reliability and possibility to reduce $NO_x$ emissions by the level of EURO-VI under various operating conditions.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2011

Acute ischemic stroke results from sudden decrease or loss of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in a coinciding loss of neurological function. The antioxidant action of melatonin is an important mechanism among its known effects to protective activity during ischemic/reperfusion injury. The focus of this research, therapeutic efficacy of melatonin on recovery of neurological function following long term treatment in ischemic brain injured rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40; 8 weeks old) were divided into the control group, and MCAo groups (Vehicle, MT7 : MCAo+ melatonin injection at 7:00, MT19 : MCAo+melatonin injection at 19:00, and MT7,19 : MCAo+melatonin injection at 7:00 and 19:00). Rat body weight and neurological function were measured every week for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the rats were anesthetized with a mixture of zoletil (40 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg) and sacrificed for further analysis. Tissues were then collected for RNA isolation from brain tissue. Also, brain tissues were analyzed by histological procedures. We elucidated that melatonin was not toxic in vital organs. MT7,19 was the most rapidly got back to mild symptom on test of neurological parameter. Also, exogenous melatonin induces both the down-regulation of detrimental genes, such as NOSs and the up-regulation of beneficial gene, including BDNF during long term administration after focal cerebral ischemia. Melatonin treatment reduced the loss of primary motor cortex. Therefore, we suggest that melatonin could be act as prophylactic as well as therapeutic agent for neurorehabilitative intervention.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.7-19
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• 2007

The purpose of posted speeds is to provide a speed that ensures the safety of vehicle flow according to given road situations. Because of this, posted speeds must be carefully examined, and posted speeds at freeway exits and entrances in particular should consider car characteristics. Posted speeds at freeway exits and entrances must take changing speeds due to curve radiuses into consideration and in this study, an 85th percentile speed becomes the most important element to consider. When it is considered that most traffic accidents occur because of variations in speed between cars, posted speeds should be set after considering car traveling characteristics. Within these dimensions, instead of putting significance on an upper direction regulation or lower direction regulation, speed distributions which fit to the characteristics of each road should be fully considered. Accordingly, this study evaluated appropriate posted speeds that will reduce the dangers of traffic accidents through posted speed regulations of roads now in operation by offering a posted speed setting method theory, using entries at Yangji, Yongin, and Cheongwon interchanges as subjects.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.163-170
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• 2000

Accident statistics shows that the portion of fatal occupant injuries due to side impacts is considerably high. The side impact usually leads to a severe intrusion of side structure into the passenger compartment. Furthermore, the safety zone for the side impact is relatively small compared to the front impact. Those kinds of physics for side impact frequently result in a fatal injury for the occupant. Therefore, NHTSA and EEVC are trying to intensify the regulation for the occupant protection against side impact. Both the regulation and recent market trends are asking for an installation of side airbag. There are several types of system configuration for side impact sensing. In this paper, we adopt the acceleration-based remote sensing method for the side airbag control system. We mainly focus on the development of hardware and crash discrimination algorithm of remote sensing unit. The crash discrimination algorithm needs fast decision of airbag firing especially for high-speed side impact such as FMVSS 214 and EEVC tests. It is also required to distinguish between low-speed fire and no-fire events. The algorithm should have a sufficient safety margin against any misuse situation such as hammer blow, door slam, etc. This paper introduces several firing criteria such as acceleration. velocity and energy criteria that use physical value proportional to crash severity. We have made a simulation program by using Matlab/Simulink to implement the proposed algorithm. We have conducted an algorithm calibration by using real crash data for 2,500cc vehicle. The crash performance obtained by the simulation was verified through a pulse injection method. It turned out that the results satisfied the system requirements well.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2016

We investigated 23 lactic acid bacteria isolated from Korean breast milk-fed infant in order to select strains which show superior anti-allergic effect. The candidates were cultivated and then we obtained dried powders of tyndallized cells and supernatant concentrate separately. Screening was carried out with down-regulation of interleukin (IL) 4 and up-regulation of IFN-${\gamma}$ in mouse splenocytes. As a result of the screening, we selected Lactobacillus rhamnosus IDCC 3201 (RH3201) for oral feeding to ovalbumin-sensitized BALB/c mice. Oral administration of RH3201 as dead cell bodies and supernatant concentrate suppressed hyper-production of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels compared to vehicle group. Such anti-allergic effects were achieved by improvement of the balance between cytokines produced from type-1 helper T (Th1) and type-2 helper T (Th2) lymphocytes. Therefore, RH3201 has potential to improve atopic symptoms by immunomodulatory effect.