• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.170-176
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• 2014

This study examined the effect of chemical attack on the stress-strain relationship of alkali-activated Hwangtoh concrete. Water-to-binder ratio and air content were selected as mixture parameters. The stress-strain relationship of concrete was measured at chemical immersion times of 0, 7, 28, 56, and 91 days from an age of 28 days. Based on the test results, the reduction in compressive strength of alkali-activated hwangtoh concrete owing to chemical attack was formulated. In sddition the present study demonstrated that the stress-strain behavior of concrete under chemical attack is significantly dependent on the air content and chemical immersion time, indicating the rate of decrease of modulus of elasticity was greater than that of compressive strength at the same immersion time. As a result, the stress-strain behavior of concrete under chemical attack was significantly inconsistent with the conventional models specified in the CEB-FIP provision.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.418-424
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• 2012

Repeated stress induces corticosterone release. However, it is not clear that stress results in further elevation of corticosterone levels, and the roles of released corticosterone to aggravate stress-related symptoms are also not clear. This study investigated whether neuronal modulation was induced in the amygdala after two kinds of stress, that is, such as electric shock and corticosterone injection. It was found that stress by electric shock decreased the expression of tyrosine hydoroxylase (TH) in the amygdala while the expression of pERK was increased. However, there is no difference in the expressions of TH and pERK in the frontal cortex compared with those of the control group. The level of corticosterone was significantly increased in the serum after stress. To determine the effect of corticosterone on the induction of anxiety and the expression of TH, the rats received corticosterone (20 mg or 40 mg/kg i.p.) for 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks, respectively. The spent time in open arms of the EPM (elevated plus maze) test was significantly decreased after 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks. The time spent in open arms of the EPM test after repeated injections of corticosterone was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of TH in the amygdala was reduced after following repeated corticosterone treatment for 2 weeks and 3 weeks. Collectively, this study suggests that corticosterone has a major role in the induction of anxiety and the modulation of TH expression, at least, in the amygdala.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.285-290
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• 2011

Naegleria fowleri, a ubiquitous free-living ameba, causes fatal primary amebic meningoencephalitis in humans. N. fowleri trophozoites are known to induce cytopathic changes upon contact with microglial cells, including necrotic and apoptotic cell death and pro-inflammatory cytokine release. In this study, we treated rat microglial cells with amebic lysate to probe contact-independent mechanisms for cytotoxicity, determining through a combination of light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy whether N. fowleri lysate could effect on both necrosis and apoptosis on microglia in a time- as well as dose-dependent fashion. A $^{51}Cr$ release assay demonstrated pronounced lysate induction of cytotoxicity (71.5%) toward microglial cells by 24 hr after its addition to cultures. In an assay of pro-inflammatory cytokine release, microglial cells treated with N. fowleri lysate produced TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, and IL-$1{\beta}$, though generation of the former 2 cytokines was reduced with time, and that of the last increased throughout the experimental period. In summary, N. fowleri lysate exerted strong cytopathic effects on microglial cells, and elicited pro-inflammatory cytokine release as a primary immune response.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.259-265
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• 2017

This study aimed to investigate the analgesic effect of substance P (SP) in an animal model of neuropathic pain. An experimental model of neuropathic pain, the chronic constriction injury (CCI) model, was established using ICR mice. An intravenous (i.v.) injection of SP (1 nmole/kg) was administered to the mice to examine the analgesic effects of systemic SP on neuropathic pain. Behavioral testing and immunostaining was performed following treatment of the CCI model with SP. SP attenuated mechanical allodynia in a time-dependent manner, beginning at 1 h following administration, peaking at 1 day post-injection, and decaying by 3 days post-injection. The second injection of SP also increased the threshold of mechanical allodynia, with the effects peaking on day 1 and decaying by day 3. A reduction in phospho-ERK and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) accompanied the attenuation of mechanical allodynia. We have shown for the first time that i.v. administration of substance P attenuated mechanical allodynia in the maintenance phase of neuropathic pain using von Frey's test, and simultaneously reduced levels of phospho-ERK and GFAP, which are representative biochemical markers of neuropathic pain. Importantly, glial cells in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord (L4-L5) of SP-treated CCI mice, expressed the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, which was not seen in vehicle saline-treated mice. Thus, i.v. administration of substance P may be beneficial for improving the treatment of patients with neuropathic pain, since it decreases the activity of nociceptive factors and increases the expression of anti-nociceptive factors.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.86-94
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• 2019

Background: Ginseng is believed to have antitumor activity. Autophagy is largely a prosurvival cellular process that is activated in response to cellular stressors, including cytotoxic chemotherapy; therefore, agents that inhibit autophagy can be used as chemosensitizers in cancer treatment. We examined the ability of Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) to prevent autophagic flux and to make hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells become more sensitive to doxorubicin. Methods: The cytotoxic effects of total RGE or its saponin fraction (RGS) on HCC cells were examined by the lactate dehydrogenase assay in a dose- or time-dependent manner. The effect of RGE or RGS on autophagy was measured by analyzing microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain (LC)3-II expression and LC3 puncta formation in HCC cells. Late-stage autophagy suppression was tested using tandem-labeled green fluorescent protein (GFP)-monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP)-LC3. Results: RGE markedly increased the amount of LC3-II, but green and red puncta in tandem-labeled GFP-mRFP-LC3 remained colocalized over time, indicating that RGE inhibited autophagy at a late stage. Suppression of autophagy through knockdown of key ATG genes increased doxorubicin-induced cell death, suggesting that autophagy induced by doxorubicin has a protective function in HCC. Finally, RGE and RGS markedly sensitized HCC cells, (but not normal liver cells), to doxorubicin-induced cell death. Conclusion: Our data suggest that inhibition of late-stage autophagic flux by RGE is important for its potentiation of doxorubicin-induced cancer cell death. Therapy combining RGE with doxorubicin could serve as an effective strategy in the treatment of HCC.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.138-144
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• 2019

In this work, PEO (Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation) film formation behavior of Al6061 alloy was investigated as a function of applied current density of AC at 310 Hz in the range from $120mA/cm^2$ to $300mA/cm^2$ in 0.5 M $Na_2SiO_3$ solution. When applied current density is lower than a critical voltage of about $132mA/cm^2$, voltage reaches a steady-state values less than 120 V without generation of arcs and metallic color of the alloy surface remains. On the other hand, when applied current density exceeds about $132mA/cm^2$, voltage increases continuously with time and arcs are generated at more than 175 V, resulting in the formation of PEO films with grey colors. Two different types of arcs, large size and small number of arcs with orange color, and small size and large number of arcs with white color, were generated at the same time when the PEO film thickness exceeds about $50{\mu}m$, irrespective of applied current density. Formation efficiency of the PEO films was found to increase with increasing applied current density and the growth rate was obtained to be about $5{\mu}m/min$ at $300mA/cm^2$. It was also found that surface roughness of the PEO films with $70{\mu}m$ thickness is not dependent on the applied current density.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.21-32
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• 2019

In order to investigate the decay process of wood treated with preservative, waterproofing agent and their compound systems, a full-cell process was applied to impregnate the sapwood of poplar (Populus cathay) at paraffin wax emulsion concentrations of 0.5% and 2.0%, Copper Azole (CA) concentrations of 0.3% and 0.5%, and their four compound systems, respectively. Leaching tests and laboratory decay resistance against the white-rot fungus Corious versicolor (L.) Murrill for treated wood were carried out according to the America Standard E11-06 and China Standard GB/T 13942.1-2009. At certain time intervals during the decay test, samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction technique (XRD) to investigate the time-dependent changes of chemical components and crystalline structure, thus clarifying the decay mechanisms. The results suggested that white-rot fungi degrade hemicellulose and lignin in the wood cell wall first, followed by a simultaneous degradation of polysaccharides and lignin. Besides, CA could not only slower the decomposition of both hemicellulose and lignin, but also reduce the degradation amount of hemicellulose. However, paraffin wax emulsion at high concentration had a negative effect on the impregnation of CA for the compound system treated wood.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.365-379
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• 2022

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of storage length, turning frequency and egg position on internal quality traits of chukar eggs obtained from 56-week-old chukar partridges under the same nutrition and management conditions. A total of 720 eggs were collected and assigned to 36 subgroups according to storage length (7, 14, 21, and 28 d), turning frequency (0, 1, and 24 per day) and egg position (pointed end up, blunt end up and horizontal). As a result of the study, almost all the internal quality traits of chukar eggs were negatively affected by lengthening of storage period especially 21 days and longer (p < 0.001). Internal egg quality traits weren't statistically affected by turning frequency except yolk index (p < 0.01). An improvement was observed in Haugh unit, albumen index and heigh of eggs stored with pointed end up (p < 0.001). Some significant interactions occurred among all internal egg quality traits which were mostly dependent on the eggs stored horizontally, extended storage time more than 21 days and egg turning during storage. The results and interactions showed that internal quality traits would be preserved well for the eggs stored less than 21 days with the position of pointed end up independent of turning. If the storage period was to exceed 21 days, the eggs should be positioned horizontally and turning should be applied to preserve the quality of chukar eggs.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.126-131
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• 2022

Obesity is known as a metabolic disease caused by abnormal differentiation of fat tissue due to an imbalance between energy intake and consumption.. The purpose of this study was to confirm the changes in the genes associated with pancreatic lipase activity and pre-adipocyte cell differentiation by treatment of red onion extract treatment. The effect of red onion extract treatment on pre-adipocyte differentiation was evaluated using 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and the activity of related genes was confirmed through Real-Time PCR. As a result of the experiment, the red onion extract inhibit pancreatic lipidase activity by concentration dependent manner. In addition, it was found to inhibit adipocyte differentiation and inhibit the activity of genes(C/EBP-α, C/EBP-β, PPAR-γ) associated with adipocyte differentiation. Through the results of this experiment, it is suggested that the red onion extract can be developed as a high potential material with anti-obesity efficacy by suppressing adipocytic differentiation by controlling genes related to adipocyte differentiation.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-49
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• 2024

Using the mechanical treatments for mechanical properties improvement was rarely in the development scope before. This research approves through analytical ways that surface impacts can improve the quality of the surface significantly. This fact is approved for deposited titanium on silicone substrate. The new algorithm called minimum resultant error method (MREM) which is a direct combination of nanoindentation, FEM and dimensional analysis through a reverse method is utilized to extract the mechanical characteristics of the coating surface before and after impact. This method is extended to the time dependent behavior of the material to obtain strain rate coefficient. To implement this new approach, a new analysis technic is developed to define the residual stress field caused by surface impact as initial condition for nanoindentation. Analyzing the model in micro and macro scale at the same time was one of the main resolved challenges in this study. The result was obtaining of the constants of Johnson-Cook constitutive equation. Comparing the characteristics of the coating surface before and after impact shows high improvement in yield stress (34%), Elastic modulus (7.75%) and strain hardening coefficient (2.8%). The main achievement is that the strength improvement in titanium thin layer is much higher than bulk titanium. The yield strength shows 41.7% improvement for coated titanium comparing with 24% for bulk material. The rate of enhancement is about 6 times when it comes to the Young's modulus.