• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.38 no.6_3
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• pp.1861-1869
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• 2022

Recent climate change can increase the frequency and damage of wildfires worldwide. It can also lead to the deterioration of the forest ecosystem and increase casualties and economic loss. Satellite-based indices for forest damage can facilitate an objective and rapid examination of burned areas and help analyze inaccessible places like North Korea. In this letter, we conducted a detection of burned areas in North Korea using the traditional Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to represent vegetation vitality, and the Fire Burn Index (FBI) and Forest Withering Index (FWI) that were recently developed. Also, we suggested a strategy for the satellite-based detection of burned areas in the Korean Peninsula as a result of comparing the four indices. Future work requires the examination of small-size wildfires and the applicability of deep learning technologies.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the preventive effects of ethanol extract of Polygalae radix (EEPR) against oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide, $H_2O_2$)-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in Chang liver cells. Methods: Chang liver cells were pretreated with various concentrations of EEPR and then challenged with 0.5 mM $H_2O_2$. The cell viability and apoptosis were assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potentials (MMPs) and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) contents were measured. Expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax were also determined using Western blot analysis. Results: The results showed that the decreased survival rate induced by $H_2O_2$ could be attributed to the induction of DNA damage and apoptosis accompanied by the increased production of ROS, which was remarkably protected by EEPR. In addition, the loss of $H_2O_2$-induced MMPs and ATP contents was significantly attenuated in the presence of EEPR. The inhibitory effect of EEPR on $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis was associated with up-regulation of Bcl-2 and down-regulation of Bax, thus reducing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Conclusions: Our data prove that EEPR protects Chang liver cells against $H_2O_2$-induced DNA damage and apoptosis by scavenging ROS and thus suppressing the mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis pathway.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.71-80
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• 2009

Although desire for living without hazardous damages grows these days, threats from natural disasters which we are currently exposed to are quiet different from what we have experienced. To cope with this changing situation, it is necessary to assess the characteristics of the natural disasters. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is to suggest a methodology to estimate the potential property loss and assess the flood risk using a regional regression analysis. Since the flood damage mainly consists of loss of lives and property damages, it is reasonable to express the results of a flood risk assessment with the loss of lives and the property damages that are vulnerable to flood. The regional regression analysis has been commonly used to find relationships between regional characteristics of a watershed and parameters of rainfall-runoff models or probability distribution models. In our research, however, this model is applied to estimate the potential flood damage as follows; 1) a nonlinear model between the flood damage and the hourly rainfall is found in gauged regions which have sufficient damage and rainfall data, and 2) a regression model is developed from the relationship between the coefficients of the nonlinear models and socio-economic indicators in the gauged regions. This method enables us to quantitatively analyze the impact of the regional indicators on the flood damage and to estimate the damage through the application of the regional regression model to ungauged regions which do not have sufficient data. Moreover the flood risk map is developed by Flood Vulnerability Index (FVI) which is equal to the ratio of the estimated flood damage to the total regional property. Comparing the results of this research with Potential Flood Damage (PFD) reported in the Long-term Korea National Water Resources Plan, the exports' mistaken opinions could affect the weighting procedure of PFD, but the proposed approach based on the regional regression would overcome the drawback of PFD. It was found that FVI is highly correlated with the past damage, while PFD does not reflect the regional vulnerabilities.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.81-89
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• 2000

In the present study, to determine whether the ascorbate protect against radiation damage and the possible relationship among the radioprotective effects and antioxidant actions, the effects of ascorbate(240 mg/kg, i.p) pretreatment of mice on the survival ratio, splenic weight, major antioxidant enzymes(SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) activities, glutathione contents and lipid peroxidation in the liver were examined for 2 weeks after whole-body ${\gamma}-irradiation$(6.5 Gy). The 30-day survival ratio Increased from 10% to 47% for mice treated with ascorbate. The ascorbate decreased the extent of loss in splenic weight and stimulated recovery of splenic weight in irradiated mice(p<0.01). On the day of 14 after ${\gamma-irradiation}$, the ascorbate pretreatment produced a slight increase of antioxidant enzymes activities and significantly increased reduced glutathione(GSH) contents(P<0.05) in the liver compared with non-treated group. Pretreatment with the ascorbate significantly decreased GSSG/total GSH ratio(p<0.05) without the change of GSSG in the liver and inhibited the radiation-induced increase in the hepatic malondialdehyde levels(p<0.05). In these results, we found that its radioprotective effect by protecting antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione contents from radiation induced a decrease, and thereby suppressing lipid peroxidation which is induced by free radicals.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2020

Background: Helicobacter pylori increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induces oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis in gastric epithelial cells. DNA damage activates DNA damage response (DDR) which includes ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) activation. ATM increases alternative reading frame (ARF) but decreases mouse double minute 2 (Mdm2). Because p53 interacts with Mdm2, H. pylori-induced loss of Mdm2 stabilizes p53 and induces apoptosis. Previous study showed that Korean Red Ginseng extract (KRG) reduces ROS and prevents cell death in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. Methods: We determined whether KRG inhibits apoptosis by suppressing DDRs and apoptotic indices in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial AGS cells. The infected cells were treated with or without KRG or an ATM kinase inhibitor KU-55933. ROS levels, apoptotic indices (cell death, DNA fragmentation, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase-3 activity) and DDRs (activation and levels of ATM, checkpoint kinase 2, Mdm2, ARF, and p53) were determined. Results: H. pylori induced apoptosis by increasing apoptotic indices and ROS levels. H. pylori activated DDRs (increased p-ATM, p-checkpoint kinase 2, ARF, p-p53, and p53, but decreased Mdm2) in gastric epithelial cells. KRG reduced ROS and inhibited increase in apoptotic indices and DDRs in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. KU-55933 suppressed DDRs and apoptosis in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells, similar to KRG. Conclusion: KRG suppressed ATM-mediated DDRs and apoptosis by reducing ROS in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. Supplementation with KRG may prevent the oxidative stress-mediated gastric impairment associated with H. pylori infection.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.482-488
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• 2011

Cadmium (Cd) is well known as a spermatotoxic and gonadotoxic heavy metal ion. This study was performed to assess the possible protective effect of Enerbalance on Cd-induced spermiotoxicity and testicular damage. The control group received isotonic saline; Cd group received Cd (2 mg/kg BW per day) orally; extract-treated groups were orally administrated with Enerbalance (50 mg and 100 mg/kg BW per day) and Cd for 10 days. Morphological changes of testicular tissue, sperm characteristics, oxidative/antioxidative parameters from testis, and serum sexual hormone level were determined. Enerbalance was significantely increased sperm amount in cauda epididymis without changes of ratio of epididymis/body weight and testis/body weight. Cd caused a marked decrease in epididymal sperm concentration and chemotactic sperm motility, testicular superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), Enerbalance was significantly ameliorated loss of epididymal sperm concentration, sperm chemotactic motility, antioxidative parameters, and male hormone whereas decreased abnormal architecture by testis damage. Enerbalance was successfully attenuated these adverse effects of Cd and offers a dose-dependent protection. Our study demonstrated that Enerbalance could proffer a measure of protection against Cd-induced testicular damage and spermiotoxicity by possibly reducing oxidative stress and increasing the antioxidant defense mechanism in mice.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.731-746
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• 2021

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the axial bearing capacity and residual properties of steel reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (SRC) column after elevated temperature. A total of 48 SRC columns were designed for the static loading test after elevated temperature. The variables include replacement ratios, designed temperature, target duration, thicknesses of cover concrete, steel ratios and stirrup spacing. From this test, the mass loss ratio and stress load-deformation curve were obtained, and the influence of various parameters on residual bearing capacity were analyzed. ABAQUS was used to calculate the temperature field of specimens, and then got temperature damage distribution on the cross-section concrete. It was shown that increasing of the elevated temperatures leaded to the change of concrete color from smoky-gray to grayish brown and results in reducing the bearing capacity of SRC columns. The axial damage and mechanism of SRC columns were similar to those of reinforced natural aggregate concrete columns at the same temperatures. Finally, the calculation method of axial compressive residual bearing capacity of SRC columns recycled concrete columns after high temperature was reported based on the test results and finite element analysis.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.110-120
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• 2009

In tunnel, though the frequency of fire occurrence is relatively lower than other structures, the characteristics of sealed space tends to cause the temperature to rapidly rise to more than $1000^{\circ}C$ within 5minutes after fire, which might eventually lead to a large fire that usually results in a loss of lives and the damage to the properties, not to mention a huge cost necessary for repair and maintenance after fire. We have developed various conditions of the heating furnace and the method to install a thermo couple within the furnace based on EFNARC and KS F 2257-1. Referring to tunnel fire scenarios, it clarified the heat transfer characteristics of concrete PC panel lining depending on fire intensity (ISO, $1^{\circ}C$/SEC, MHC, RWS), and to identify the range of thermal damage, the evaluation was carried out using ITA standard. As a result, 30mm under ISO fire condition, 20mm under $1^{\circ}C$/SEC, 100mm under MHC and 50mm under RWS were measured. And when it comes to spalling, 30mm was measured under RWS and MHC.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.493-502
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• 2020

Apigenin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, is known to exhibit significant anticancer activity. This study was designed to determine the effects of apigenin on two malignant mesothelioma cell lines, MSTO-211H and H2452, and to explore the underlying mechanism(s). Apigenin significantly inhibited cell viability with a concomitant increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caused the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and ATP depletion, resulting in apoptosis and necroptosis in monolayer cell culture. Apigenin upregulated DNA damage response proteins, including the DNA double strand break marker phospho (p)-histone H2A.X. and caused a transition delay at the G₂/M phase of cell cycle. Western blot analysis showed that apigenin treatment upregulated protein levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved PARP, p-MLKL, and p-RIP3 along with an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. ATP supplementation restored cell viability and levels of DNA damage-, apoptosisand necroptosis-related proteins that apigenin caused. In addition, N-acetylcysteine reduced ROS production and improved ΔΨm loss and cell death that were caused by apigenin. In a 3D spheroid culture model, ROS-dependent necroptosis was found to be a mechanism involved in the anti-cancer activity of apigenin against malignant mesothelioma cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that apigenin can induce ROS-dependent necroptotic cell death due to ATP depletion through mitochondrial dysfunction. This study provides us a possible mechanism underlying why apigenin could be used as a therapeutic candidate for treating malignant mesothelioma.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2021

Purpose & Method: The purpose of this study is the theoretical study on the durability standard of ground structures monitoring sensors. A survey on the durability criteria for construction monitoring sensors of domestic construction companies and the income tax implementation regulations, the standard years of contents such as buildings and the standards of the Public Procurement Service for construction monitoring and construction machinery were analyzed. Result: The durability criterion such as the inclination meter and the strain gauge, which are purchased from the Public Procurement Service prior to installation on the ground structure, is 8 to 10 years. Conclusion: The actual durability analysis by comparing the reliability of various monitoring sensors installed in dams at home and abroad, As a result of comprehensive study on the loss and damage rate of the maintenance monitoring sensor installed in the tunnel, the proper durability period of the built-in type monitoring sensor such as domestic pore pressure meter and earth pressure meter installed in the structure or the ground is 5 to 8 years it seems reasonable.