• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.257-280
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• 2014

In this paper, a novel PARAllel FACtor (PARAFAC) decomposition based Blind Source Separation (BSS) algorithm is proposed for modal identification of structures equipped with tuned mass dampers. Tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are extremely effective vibration absorbers in tall flexible structures, but prone to get de-tuned due to accidental changes in structural properties, alteration in operating conditions, and incorrect design forecasts. Presence of closely spaced modes in structures coupled with TMDs renders output-only modal identification difficult. Over the last decade, second-order BSS algorithms have shown significant promise in the area of ambient modal identification. These methods employ joint diagonalization of covariance matrices of measurements to estimate the mixing matrix (mode shape coefficients) and sources (modal responses). Recently, PARAFAC BSS model has evolved as a powerful multi-linear algebra tool for decomposing an $n^{th}$ order tensor into a number of rank-1 tensors. This method is utilized in the context of modal identification in the present study. Covariance matrices of measurements at several lags are used to form a $3^{rd}$ order tensor and then PARAFAC decomposition is employed to obtain the desired number of components, comprising of modal responses and the mixing matrix. The strong uniqueness properties of PARAFAC models enable direct source separation with fine spectral resolution even in cases where the number of sensor observations is less compared to the number of target modes, i.e., the underdetermined case. This capability is exploited to separate closely spaced modes of the TMDs using partial measurements, and subsequently to estimate modal parameters. The proposed method is validated using extensive numerical studies comprising of multi-degree-of-freedom simulation models equipped with TMDs, as well as with an experimental set-up.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1999.10b
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• pp.31-31
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• 1999

Characterization of mutant mice has been utilized as an animal model for the study of human inherited diseases. In addition to the pathogenesis stduy using the mutant mice, the mice have been used for the identification of the genes causing the phenotypes. Functional cloning and positional cloning are two approaches, depending on the phenotypes of the mutant mice. Though it takes a long time positional cloning has been well used to identify the gene of which function can not be presumed from the mouse phenotype. Recently by the advance of the molecular tools and the human genome project close to 10,000 genetic markers are developed to make the procedure faster. We obtained a new mutant mouse, sims, spontaneously arose and the affected mouse has a mild tremor and seizure was observed. Homozygote in either sex is sterile since uterus growth in female and seminal vesicle in male are not induced for the growth in puberty, implying the abnormal hormonal regulation during puberty. Supporting this, there is no detectable testosterone in the serum of the mutant male and the brain of the mutant is 30% heavier than littermate. To identify the location of the mutated gene, intraspecies cross to CAST/Ei was carried out and the 37 affected mice was analyzed for the linkage. The gene was mapped on chromosome 18, 20 cM from the centromere. More than 500 F2 progenies have been analyzed for the linkage and the locus becomes narrow within 3cM between Egrl and Fgf gene.f gene.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2012

Burns are one of the most devastating forms of trauma and wound healing is a complex and multicellular process, which is executed and regulated by signaling networks involving numerous growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines. Recombinant human granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) was specifically produced from rice cell culture through use of a recombinant technique in our laboratory. The effect of rhGM-CSF on promotion of deep second-degree burn wound healing on the back skin of a hamster model was evaluated through a randomized and double-blind trial. As macroscopic results, hamster skins of the experimental groups showed earlier recovery by new epidermis than the control groups. Immunohistochemical reactions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and transforming growth factor-b1, which are indicators of cell proliferation, were more active in the experimental group, compared with the control group. On electron microscopy, basal cells in the epidermis of the experimental group showed oval nuclei, prominent nucleoli, numerous mitochondria and abundant free ribosomes. In addition, fibroblasts contained well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum with dilated cisternae. Bundles of collagen fibrils filled the extracellular spaces. Particularly, ultrastructural features indicating active metabolism for regeneration of injured skin at 15 days after burn injury, including abundant euchromatin, plentiful free ribosomes, and numerous mitochondria, were observed. These findings suggest that use of rhGM-CSF could result in accelerated deep second-degree burn wound healing in animal models.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.528-533
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• 2021

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disorder that can result in the loss of articular cartilage. No effective treatment against OA is currently available. Thus, interest in natural health products to relieve OA symptoms is increasing. However, their qualities such as efficacy, toxicity, and mechanism are poorly understood. In this study, we determined the efficacy of avenanthramide (Avn)-C extracted from oats as a promising candidate to prevent OA progression and its mechanism of action to prevent the expression of matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) in OA pathogenesis. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), a proinflammatory cytokine as a main causing factor of cartilage destruction, was used to induce OA-like condition of chondrocytes in vitro. Avn-C restrained IL-1β-mediated expression and activity of MMPs, such as MMP-3, -12, and -13 in mouse articular chondrocytes. Moreover, Avn-C alleviated cartilage destruction in experimental OA mouse model induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery. However, Avn-C did not affect the expression of inflammatory mediators (Ptgs2 and Nos) or anabolic factors (Col2a1, Aggrecan, and Sox9), although expression levels of these genes were upregulated or downregulated by IL-1β, respectively. The inhibition of MMP expression by Avn-C in articular chondrocytes was mediated by p38 kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling, but not by ERK or NF-κB. Interestingly, Avn-C added with SB203580 and SP600125 as specific inhibitors of p38 kinase and JNK, respectively, enhanced its inhibitory effect on the expression of MMPs in IL-1β treated chondrocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that Avn-C is an effective candidate to prevent OA progression and a natural health product to relieve OA pathogenesis.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2021

The seagrass habitats are a highly productive marine ecosystem which provides nursery ground and shelter for many fish and invertebrate species. Pholis nebulosa (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) is one of the most abundant seagrass fishes in the coastal waters of Korea. The estimation of fish production is key for devising conservation measures and ensuring fish resources sustainability. A total 894 P. nebulosa ranging from 3.83 to 26.5 cm total length (TL) were collected monthly in 2006 with a small beam trawl in a seagrass bed of southern Korea. Growth parameters of P. nebulosa were estimated using the von Bertalanffy growth model, and production was estimated using a general equation which relates daily fish production to ash-free dry weight (AFDW), biomass, and water temperature. The von Bertalanffy's growth equation was estimated as: L_t = 28.3823(1-e^{-0.7835(t+0.9864)}). The densities, biomass, daily, annual production, and P/B ratio were 0.069±0.061/m^-2, 1.022±0.621 g/m², 0.005±0.004 g AFDW/m²/day, 1.676 g AFDW/m²/yr, and 1.641, respectively. Monthly variation in production of P. nebulosa peaked during March and April 2006 (0.0139 and 0.0111 g AFDW/m²/day), whereas the lowest value of 0.0005 g AFDW/m²/day was in December. Monthly change in production of P. nebulosa was positively correlated with biomass and condition factor. Our results will contribute to the conservation of seagrass ecosystems, which are still undisturbed in the study area.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.643-654
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• 2018

Tunnel excavation leads to a disturbance on the initial stress balance of surrounding soils, which causes convergences around the tunnel and settlements at the ground surface. Considering the effective impact of settlements on the structures at the surface, it is necessary to estimate them, especially in urban areas. In the present study, ground settlements due to the excavation of East-West Line 7 of the Tehran Metro (EWL7) and the Abuzar tunnels are evaluated and the effect of the lateral earth pressure coefficient ($K_0$) on their extension is investigated. The excavation of the tunnels was performed by TBMs (Tunnel Boring Machines). The coefficient of lateral earth pressure ($K_0$) is one of the most important geotechnical parameters for tunnel design and is greatly influenced by the geological characteristics of the surrounding soil mass along the tunnel route. The real (in-situ) settlements of the ground surface were measured experimentally using leveling methods along the studied tunnels and the results were compared with evaluated settlements obtained from both semi-empirical and numerical methods (using the finite difference software FLAC3D). The comparisons permitted to show that the adopted numerical models can effectively be used to predict settlements induced by a tunnel excavation. Then a numerical parametric study was conducted to show the influence of the $K_0$ values on the ground settlements. Numerical investigations also showed that the shapes of settlement trough of the studied tunnels, in a transverse section, are not similar because of their different diameters and depths of the tunnels.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.489-499
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• 2019

Subunit vaccines are safer and more stable than live vaccines although they have the disadvantage of eliciting poor immune response. To develop a subunit vaccine, an effective delivery system targeting the key elements of the protective immune response is a prerequisite. In this study, oxidized carbon nanospheres (OCNs) were used as a subunit vaccine delivery system and tuberculosis (TB) was chosen as a model disease. TB is among the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide and an effective vaccine is urgently needed. The ability of OCNs to deliver recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) proteins, Ag85B and HspX, into bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) and dendritic cells (BMDCs) was investigated. For immunization, OCNs were mixed with the two TB antigens as well as the adjuvant monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL). The protective efficacy was analyzed in vaccinated mice by aerosol Mtb challenge with a virulent strain of Mtb and the bacterial burdens were measured. The results showed that OCNs are highly effective in delivering Mtb proteins into the cytosol of BMDMs and BMDCs. Upon immunization, this vaccine formula induced robust Th1 immune response characterized by cytokine profiles from restimulated splenocytes and specific antibody titer. More importantly, enhanced cytotoxic $CD8^+$ T cell activation was observed. However, it did not reduce the bacteria burden in the lung and spleen from the aerosol Mtb challenge. Taken together, OCNs are highly effective in delivering subunit protein vaccine and induce robust Th1 and $CD8^+$ T cell response. This vaccine delivery system is suitable for application in settings where cell-mediated immune response is needed.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.86-97
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• 2021

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer has been used as a nourishing edible herb in East Asia for thousands of years. 25-OH-PPT was first discovered as a natural rare triterpenoid saponin in ginseng stems and leaves by our group. Research found that it showed strong inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, and protected cardiocytes (H9c2) through PI3K/Akt pathway. Methods: In the research, in order to optimize the 25-OH-PPT enrichment process, optimal macroporous resins and optimal purification conditions were studied. Meanwhile, the hypoglycemic effect and mechanism of 25-OH-PPT were evaluated by using STZ to establish insulin-dependent diabetic mice and the spontaneous type 2 diabetes DB/DB mice. Results and Conclusion: Research found that 25-OH-PPT can reduce blood glucose and enhance glucose tolerance in STZ model mice. It increases insulin sensitivity by upregulating GLUT4 and AMPK in skeletal muscle, and activating insulin signaling pathways. In DB/DB mice, 25-OH-PPT achieves hypoglycemic effects mainly by activating the insulin signaling pathway. Meanwhile, through the influence of liver inflammatory factors and lipids in serum, it can be seen that 25-OH-PPT has obvious anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering effects. These results provide new insights into the study of ginseng as a functional food.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.10
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• pp.235-242
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• 2022

The ultimate motive of the paper is to establish whether financial inclusion (FI) has a consequential impact on the Sustainable Development (SD) of India. This study uses one model for the assessment of the influence of FI through the Co-Operative bank network on SD. This is purposely done to analyze the absolute impact of the role of the Co-Operative bank network in the said context. The sample encompasses data taken from 28 states and 3 Union Territories for two years (FY2018-FY2020). Assessment of data for the remaining Union Territories is not undertaken for the reason of the non-availability of data for other Union Territories. This study uses Panel Data Analysis (PDA) to establish the nexus of the relation between the said variables. Results of this study reveal elevated levels of SD resultant of increased FI thereby indicating a positive and significant relationship between the said variables. Unlike previous studies, this study gives India-specific significant findings, which suggests policy formulation for increasing the numbers and improving the governance of Co-Operative bank networks for SD. Co-Operative bank network as a proxy despite having high weighted significance in FI has not been incorporated in any recent study as per the last updated knowledge of authors.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.389-404
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• 2020

Red algal fertilization is unusual and offers a different model to the mechanism of intracellular transport of nuclei and polyspermy blocking. A female carpogonium (egg) undergoes plasmogamy with many spermatia (sperm) simultaneously at the receptive structure, trichogyne, which often contains numerous male nuclei. The pattern of selective transport of a male nucleus to the female nucleus, located in the cell body of the carpogonium, remain largely unknown. We tracked the movement of spermatial nuclei and cell organelles in the trichogyne after plasmogamy using time-lapse videography and fluorescent probes. The fertilization process of Bostrychia moritziana is composed of five distinctive stages: 1) gamete-gamete binding; 2) mitosis in the attached spermatia; 3) formation of a fertilization channel; 4) migration of spermatial nuclei into the trichogyne; and 5) cutting off of the trichogyne cytoplasm from the rest of the cell after karyogamy. Our results showed that actin microfilaments were involved in the above steps of fertilization, microtubules are involved only in spermatial mitosis. Time-lapse videography showed that the first ("primary") nucleus which entered to trichogyne moved quickly to the base of carpogonium and fused with the female nucleus. The transport of the primary male nucleus to the egg nucleus was complete before its second nucleus migrated into the trichogyne. Male nuclei from other spermatia stopped directional movement soon after the first one entered the carpogonial base and oscillated near where they entered trichogyne. The cytoplasm of the trichogyne was cut off at a narrow neck connecting the trichogyne and carpogonial base after gamete nuclear fusion but gamete binding and plasmogamy continued on the trichogyne. Spermatial organelles, including mitochondria, entered the trichogyne together with the nuclei but did not show any directional movement and remained close to where they entered. These results suggest that polyspermy blocking in B. moritziana is achieved by the selective and rapid transport of the first nucleus entered trichogyne and the rupture of the trichogyne after gamete karyogamy.