• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.68 no.2
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• pp.159-170
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• 2018

This paper aims to develop response modification factors for stiffness degrading structures by incorporating soil-structure interaction effects. A comprehensive parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of key SSI parameters, natural period of vibration, ductility demand and hysteretic behavior on the response modification factor of soil-structure systems. The nonlinear dynamic response of 6300 soil-structure systems are studied under two ensembles of accelograms including 20 recorded and 7 synthetic ground motions. It is concluded that neglecting the stiffness degradation of structures can results in up to 22% underestimation of inelastic strength demands in soil-structure systems, leading to an unexpected high level of ductility demand in the structures located on soft soil. Nonlinear regression analyses are then performed to derive a simplified expression for estimating ductility-dependent response modification factors for stiffness degrading soil-structure systems. The adequacy of the proposed expression is investigated through sensitivity analyses on nonlinear soil-structure systems under seven synthetic spectrum compatible earthquake ground motions. A good agreement is observed between the results of the predicted and the target ductility demands, demonstrating the adequacy of the expression proposed in this study to estimate the inelastic demands of SSI systems with stiffness degrading structures. It is observed that the maximum differences between the target and average target ductility demands was 15%, which is considered acceptable for practical design purposes.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.31-40
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• 1993

It is essential to clone the peptide transporter in order to obtain better understanding of its molecular structure, regulation, and substrate specificity. Characteristics of an endogenous peptide transporter in oocytes were studied along with expression of an exogenous proton/peptide cotransporter from rabbit intestine. And further efforts toward cloning the transporter were performed. The presence of an endogenous peptide transporter was detected in Xenopus laevis oocytes by measuring the uptake of $0.25\;{\mu}M\;(10\;{\mu}Ci/ml)\;[^3H]-glycylsarcosine$ (Gly-Sar) at pH 5.5 with or without inhibitors. Uptake of Gly-Sar in oocytes was significantly inhibited by 25 mM Ala-Ala, Gly-Gly, and Gly-Sar (p<0.05), but not by 2.5 mM of Glu-Glu, Ala-Ala, Gly-Gly, Gly-Sar and 25 mM glycine and sarcosine. This result suggests that a selective transporter is involved in the endogenous uptake of dipeptides. Collagenase treatment of oocytes used to strip oocytes from ovarian follicles did not affect the Gly-Sar uptake. Changing pH from 5.5 to 7.5 did not affect the Gly-Sar uptake significantly, suggesting no dependence of the endogenous transporter on a transmembrane proton gradient. An exogenous $H^+/peptide$ cotransporter was expressed after microinjection of polyadenylated messenger ribonucleic acid $[poly\;(A)^+-mRNA]$ obtained from rabbit small intestine. The Gly-Sar uptake in mRNA-injected oocytes was 9 times higher than that in water-injected oocytes. Thus, frog oocytes can be utilized for expression cloning of the genes encoding intestinal $H^+/peptide$ cotransporters. Using the technique size fractionation of mRNA was sucessfully obtained.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.159-164
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• 2005

Effects of antioxidants on the established nephropathy were investigated. The experimental nephropathy was induced in rats by intravenous injection of adriamycin (2 mg/kg). Six weeks later, when proteinuria was apparent, the rats were supplemented with N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 1 g/kg/day) in drinking water for additional 6 weeks. Glomerulosclerosis score and tubulointerstitial injury index were determined by light microscopy. Expression of transforming growth factor (TGF) ${\beta}1$ and laminin ${\beta}1$ was determined in the renal cortex by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunogold electron microscopy. The adriamycin-induced proteinuria as well as the glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial injury was ameliorated by the treatment with NAC. Adriamycin increased the expression of TGF ${\beta}1$ mRNA and protein, which was ameliorated by NAC. Although the expression of laminin ${\beta}1$ mRNA was increased, adriamycin did not significantly alter that of its protein. These results indicate that antioxidants ameliorate the established nephropathy in association with normalization of overexpressed TGF ${\beta}1$.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2011

Proteomics is a useful approach to know protein expression, post-translational modification and protein function. We investigated the protein expression pattern and identity in pigs fed with the tissue culture medium waste after harvest of Korean wild ginseng (TCM-KWG) (Panax ginseng). Two groups (n = 30/group) of pigs were administered with 0 (control) and 16 ml/L (treatment) TCM-KWG through drinking water. After 4 weeks, we examined the protein expression pattern of longissimus dorsi muscle by Two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis. TCM-KWG treatment significantly increased two spot's density, and markedly reduced one spot's density in the muscles. We identified 3 proteins (heat shock protein 90-alpha, myosin binding protein and cofilin 2) by the ESI-MS/MS (Q-TOF2, Micromass). These results demonstrate that TCM-KWG treatment may play a protection role against physiological stress in pigs, like as increased heat shock protein 90-alpha.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2009

Extracts derived from various medical mushrooms have been reported to have antitumor and immuno-modulatory properties. In order to investigate the antitumor activity of keumsa Linteusan, the water extract of Phellinus Iimteus, HT1080 cells, a human fibrosarcoma cell line, were treated with it and changes in cellular migration potential was tested in vitro. At a concentration range below 1,000 $\mu$g/mL, Linteusan blocked, in a dose dependent manner, the migration of cells through Matrigel as well as Boyden chamber without affecting the viability of the cells. Prolonged treatment of HT1080 cells with Linteusan suppressed TNFa induced production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 as well as basal level expression of MMP-2. Linteusan also affected the adhesion of the cells to fibronectin-coated surfaces. The effect of Linteusan on cell signaling pathways was also tested. Linteusan specifically affected TNF-$\alpha$ induced phosphorylation of AKT in a dose-dependent manner, while phosphorylation levels of ERK remained unaffected. These data indicate that Linteusan blocks the migration of HT1080 cells by affecting various processes associated with cell migration such as the expression of matrix degradingenzymes,cell adhesion, and AKT-medicated cellular signaling pathways.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 2016

Using high-fat diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, the mechanism of anti-adiposity and anti-obesity actions produced by Inonotus obliquus water extract (IOE) was investigated. Significant reduction in body weight in DIO mice orally administrated with IOE for 8 weeks compared to IOE-non-treated control mice was observed, which was attributed to the reduction of epididymal and mesenteric adipose tissue, but not the liver and skeletal muscle. Adiponectin synthesis in epididymal adipose tissue (EAT) and AMPK phosphorylation in the liver were significantly increased in IOE-treated DIO mice. Gene expression analysis showed that IOE-treated DIO mice had higher expression levels of lipogenic genes in EAT and fatty-acid oxidative genes in the liver, but lower expression levels of hepatic pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to IOE-non-treated controls. Our findings confirm a therapeutic potential of Inonotus obliquus for reducing adiposity and ameliorating hyperlipidemia to treat metabolic disorders.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.445-450
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• 2011

In order to validate the use of Olibanum as an anti-inflammatory drug in the traditional Korean medicine, I have investigated the effect of water-soluble extract of Olibanum (EO) on the expression of pro-inflammatory vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$. The extract inhibited dose-dependently VCAM-1 expression without its cytotoxic effect on HUVECs, as measured by a flow cytometer using fluorescence-enhanced anti-VCAM-1 antibody, and significantly decreased mRNA levels of VCAM-1, as determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. These results suggest that Olibanum may have therapeutic potential in the control of endothelial disorders caused by inflammation.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.932-938
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• 2012

Facial expression has its significance in mutual communication. It is the only means to express human's countless inner feelings better than the diverse languages human use. This paper suggests muscle model-based 3D facial expression generation system to produce easy and natural facial expressions. Based on Waters' muscle model, it adds and used necessary muscles to produce natural facial expressions. Also, among the complex elements to produce expressions, it focuses on core, feature elements of a face such as eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and cheeks and uses facial muscles and muscle vectors to do the grouping of facial muscles connected anatomically. By simplifying and reconstructing AU, the basic nuit of facial expression changes, it generates easy and natural facial expressions.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.169-180
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• 2005

Objective : Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn stems, Chinese vine plants, have been used for the relief of menstrual disorders and rheumatic arthralgia. In this study, we investigated the antitumor effect of Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn on cervical cancer in vitro. Methods : HeLA cervical cancer cell lines were used as targets. We examined the effect of water extract from Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn on cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation and cell cycle-regulating gene expression. Further, we investigated the apoptotic effects of Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn on cervical cancer cell lines. Results : Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn significantly inhibited the proliferation of cervical cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent and time dependent manner. Fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis indicated that Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn induced G1 cell cycle arrest. Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn enhanced the expression of $p21^{waf1}$ and $p27^{kip1}$ with cell cycle arrest. Further, Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn stimulated apoptosis via caspase3 pathway. Conclusions : These findings suggest that Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn is a candidate agent for the treatment of cervical cancer. p21waf1 and $p21^{waf1}$ and $p27^{kip1}$ may play an important role in Spatholobus Suberectus Dunn-induced cell cycle arrest and cell growth inhibition.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.190-195
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• 2010

Glutamate-induced oxidative injury contributes to neuronal degeneration in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and ischemia. Inducible heme oxygenase (HO)-1 acts against oxidants that are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. NNMBS098, a composition comprising the water insoluble of the 70% EtOH extract of Zingiberis Rhizoma, showed the potent neuroprotective effects on glutamateinduced neurotoxicity by induced the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and increased HO activity in the mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. Furthermore, NNMBS098 caused the nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. In addition, we found that treatment with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125) reduced NNMBS098-induced HO-1 expression and NNMBS098 also increased JNK phosphorylation. Therefore, these results suggest that NNMBS098 increases cellular resistance to glutamate-induced oxidative injury in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells, presumably through JNK pathway-Nrf2-dependent HO-1 expression.