• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.345-367
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• 2015

Past earthquakes have signaled the increased collapse vulnerability of mainshock-damaged bridge piers and urgent need of repair interventions prior to subsequent cascading hazard events, such as aftershocks, triggered by the mainshock (MS). The overarching goal of this study is to quantify the collapse vulnerability of mainshock-damaged substandard RC bridge piers rehabilitated with different repair jackets (FRP, conventional thick steel and hybrid jacket) under aftershock (AS) attacks of various intensities. The efficacy of repair jackets on post-MS resilience of repaired bridges is quantified for a prototype two-span single-column bridge bent with lap-splice deficiency at column-footing interface. Extensive number of incremental dynamic time history analyses on numerical finite element bridge models with deteriorating properties under back-to-back MS-AS sequences were utilized to evaluate the efficacy of different repair jackets on the post-repair behavior of RC bridges subjected to AS attacks. Results indicate the dramatic impact of repair jacket application on post-MS resilience of damaged bridge piers-up to 45.5 % increase of structural collapse capacity-subjected to aftershocks of multiple intensities. Besides, the efficacy of repair jackets is found to be proportionate to the intensity of AS attacks. Moreover, the steel jacket exhibited to be the most vulnerable repair intervention compared to CFRP, irrespective of the seismic sequence (severe MS-severe or moderate AS) or earthquake type (near-fault or far-fault).

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.15-28
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• 2016

As the industry of Mobile Internet has been gradually developed, the major device for accessing the web is predicted to shift from PC to Mobile devices in the near future. This drastic increase of demand in Mobile devices has drawn a more convenient standard of living by transcending time and space in our lives, however, it triggered various side effects such as a digital divide. This study was conducted to analyze how people utilize the contents via Mobile devices and their active attitude toward Mobile Internet by dividing individual characteristics into generations, education level and income level, and also identify whether Mobile contents utilization has an effect on the active attitude. The research results could be used for establishing a policy to narrow the gap in Mobile contents use and active attitude by individual characteristics.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.617-622
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• 2014

Voacanga globosa (Blanco), a plant endemic to the Philippines, is traditionally used especially by indigenous people of Bataan in the treatment of ulcers, wounds and tumorous growths. This study aimed to provide scientific evidence to therapeutic properties by determining cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activity of HPLC fractions from leaves on HCT116 human colon carcinoma and A549 human lung carcinoma cell lines. Ethanolic extraction was performed on V globosa leaves followed by hexane and ethyl acetate partitioning. Silica gel column chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) produced MP1, MP2 and MP3 fractions. Cytotoxic activity of the fractions was determined through MTT assay against the cancer cell lines HCT116 and A549 and the non-cancer AA8 Chinese hamster ovarian cell line. Pro-apoptotic activities of the most active fractions were further assessed through DAPI staining, TUNEL assay and JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential assay with HCT116 cells. While the MPI fraction exerted no significant activity against all cell lines tested, MP2 and MP3 fractions demonstrated high toxicity against HCT116 and A549 cells. The MP3 fraction induced formation of apoptotic bodies, condensed DNA and other morphological changes consistent with apoptosis of HCT116 cells and TUNEL assay showed significant increase in DNA fragmentation over time. In these cells, the MP3 fraction also induced mitochondrial membrane destabilization, which is generally associated with the beginning of apoptosis. Phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence only of saponins and terpenoids in the MP3 fraction. The results indicate that the MP3 fraction exerts cytotoxic activity on HCT116 cells via induction of apoptosis triggered by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential crucial for cell survival.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.444-454
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• 2020

Objective : Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive for of brain tumor and treatment often fails due to the invasion of tumor cells into neighboring healthy brain tissues. Activation of the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway is essential for normal cellular function including angiogenesis, and has been proposed to have a pivotal role in glioma invasion. This study aimed to determine the dose-dependent effects of ruxolitinib, an inhibitor of JAK, on the interferon (IFN)-I/IFN-α/IFN-β receptor/STAT and IFN-γ/IFN-γ receptor/STAT1 axes of the IFN-receptor-dependent JAK/STAT signaling pathway in glioblastoma invasion and tumorigenesis in U87 glioblastoma tumor spheroids. Methods : We administered three different doses of ruxolitinib (50, 100, and 200 nM) to human U87 glioblastoma spheroids and analyzed the gene expression profiles of IFNs receptors from the JAK/STAT pathway. To evaluate activation of this pathway, we quantified the phosphorylation of JAK and STAT proteins using Western blotting. Results : Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that ruxolitinib led to upregulated of the IFN-α and IFN-γ while no change on the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor expression levels. Additionally, we showed that ruxolitinib inhibited phosphorylation of JAK/STAT proteins. The inhibition of IFNs dependent JAK/STAT signaling by ruxolitinib leads to decreases of the U87 cells invasiveness and tumorigenesis. We demonstrate that ruxolitinib may inhibit glioma invasion and tumorigenesis through inhibition of the IFN-induced JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Conclusion : Collectively, our results revealed that ruxolitinib may have therapeutic potential in glioblastomas, possibly by JAK/STAT signaling triggered by IFN-α and IFN-γ.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.573-583
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• 2015

B-32 is one of a panel of monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies to growth hormone (GH) that we developed. To characterize and identify its potential role as a novel growth hormone receptor (GHR) agonist, we determined that B-32 behaved as a typical $Ab2{\beta}$ based on a series of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay assays. The results of fluorescence-activated cell sorting, indirect immunofluorescence and competitive receptor binding assays demonstrated that B-32 specifically binds to the GHR expressed on target cells. Next, we examined the resulting signal transduction pathways triggered by this antibody in primary porcine hepatocytes. We found that B-32 can activate the GHR and Janus kinase (2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK2/STAT5) signalling pathways. The phosphorylation kinetics of JAK2/STAT5 induced by either GH or B-32 were analysed in dose-response and time course experiments. In addition, B32 could also stimulate porcine hepatocytes to secrete insulin-like growth factors-1. Our work indicates that a monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody to GH (B-32) can serve as a GHR agonist or GH mimic and has application potential in domestic animal (pig) production.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.234-240
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• 2011

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that typically presents as a monophasic disorder associated with multifocal neurologic symptoms and encephalopathy. ADEM is considered an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by an environmental stimulus in genetically susceptible individuals. The diagnosis of ADEM is based on clinical and radiological features. Most children with ADEM initially present with fever, meningeal signs, and acute encephalopathy. The level of consciousness ranges from lethargy to frank coma. Deep and subcortical white-matter lesions and gray-matter lesions such as thalami and basal ganglia on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are associated with ADEM. In a child who presents with signs of encephalitis, bacterial and viral meningitis or encephalitis must be ruled out. Sequential MRI is required to confirm the diagnosis of ADEM, as relapses with the appearance of new lesions on MRI may suggest either multiphasic ADEM or multiple sclerosis (MS). Pediatric MS, defined as onset of MS before the age of 16, is being increasingly recognized. MS is characterized by recurrent episodes of demyelination in the CNS separated in space and time. The McDonald criteria for diagnosis of MS include evidence from MRI and allow the clinician to make a diagnosis of clinically definite MS on the basis of the interval preceding the development of new white matter lesions, even in the absence of new clinical findings. The most important alternative diagnosis to MS is ADEM. At the initial presentation, the 2 disorders cannot be distinguished with certainty. Therefore, prolonged follow-up is needed to establish a diagnosis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.869-876
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• 2016

Cantharidin (CTD) is an active compound isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine blister beetle and displayed anticancer properties against various types of cancer cells. However, little is known about its effect on human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells, including imatinib-resistant CML cells. The objective of this study was to investigate whether CTD could overcome imatinib resistance in imatinib-resistant CML cells and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms associated with the effect. Our results showed that CTD strongly inhibited the growth of both imatinib-sensitive and imatinib-resistant CML cells. CTD induced cell cycle arrest at mitotic phase and triggered DNA damage in CML cells. The ATM/ATR inhibitor CGK733 abrogated CTD-induced mitotic arrest but promoted the cytotoxic effects of CTD. In addition, we demonstrated that CTD downregulated the expression of the BCR-ABL protein and suppressed its downstream signal transduction. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that CTD inhibited BCR-ABL at transcriptional level. Knockdown of BCR-ABL increased the cell-killing effects of CTD in K562 cells. These findings indicated that CTD overcomes imatinib resistance through depletion of BCR-ABL. Taken together, CTD is an important new candidate agent for CML therapy.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.103.1-103.1
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• 2011

Recent observations by Hinode show weakly-attenuated coronal loop oscillations in the presence of background flow (Ofman & Wang 2008, A&A, 482, L9). We study the vertical kink oscillations in solar coronal loops, considering field aligned flows inside the loops as well as surrounding the loops environment. The two dimensional numerical model of straight slab is used to explore the excitation and attenuation of the impulsively triggered fast magnetosonic standing kink waves. A full set of time dependent ideal magnetohydrodynamics equations is solved numerically taking into account the value of flow of the order of observed flows detected by SOT/Hinode. We find that relaxing the assumption of the limited flows within the loops enhances the damping rate of the fundamental mode of the standing kink waves by 2 - 3 % as compared to flow pattern which is basically localized within the loops. We further notice that extending the flow pattern beyond the loop thickness also enhances the strength of the shock associated with slow magnetoacoustic waves, recognized as an addition feature detected in the numerical simulation. The wider out-flow pattern destroys the oscillation patterns early as compared to narrower flow pattern, in other words we can say that it affects the durability of the oscillation. However, for the typical coronal loops parameters we find that the observed durability periods of the SOT/Hinode observation can be achieved with an out-flow Gaussian patterns for which half-width is not greater than factor 2.0 of the loop-half-width. explain a possible relation between electric current structure and sigmoid observed in a preflare phase.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.644-654
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• 2020

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental disorder induced by traumatic stress and often accompanied by depression and/or anxiety, may involve an imbalance in the neurotransmitters associated with the fear response. Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has long been used as a traditional medicine and is known to be involved in a variety of pharmacological activities. We used the open field test and forced swimming test to examine the effects of KRG on the depression-like response of rats after exposure to single prolonged stress (SPS), leading to activation of the serotonergic system. Methods: Male rats received KRG (30, 50, and 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) once daily for 14 days after exposure to SPS. Results: Daily KRG administration significantly improved depression-like behaviors in the forced swimming test, increased the number of lines crossed and time spent in the central zone in the open field test, and decreased freezing behavior in contextual and cued fear conditioning. KRG treatment attenuated SPS-induced decreases in serotonin (5-HT) tissue concentrations in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. The increased 5-HT concentration during KRG treatment may be partially attributable to the 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid/5-HT ratio in the hippocampus of rats with PTSD. These effects may be caused by the activation of hippocampal genes encoding tryptophan hydroxylase-1 and 2 mRNA levels. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that KRG has an antidepressant effect in rats subjected to SPS and may represent an effective use of traditional medicine for the treatment of PTSD.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1605-1613
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• 2010

Twenty-nine P. polymyxa strains isolated from rhizospheres of various crops were clustered into five genotypic groups on the basis of BOX-PCR analysis. The characteristics of several plant growth-promoting factors among the isolates revealed the distinct attributes in each allocated group. Under gnotobiotic conditions, inoculation of pepper roots with P. polymyxa isolates significantly increased the biomass in 17 of total 29 treated plants with untreated plants. Experiments on induced systemic resistance (ISR) against bacterial spot pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria in pepper by P. polymyxa strains were conducted and only one isolate (KNUC265) was selected. Further studies into ISR mediation by the KNUC265 strain against the soft-rot pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora in tobacco demonstrated that the tobacco seedlings exposed to either bacterial volatiles or diffusible metabolites exhibited a reduction in disease severity. In conclusion, ISR and plant growth promotion triggered by P. polymyxa isolates were systemically investigated on pepper for the first time. The P. polymyxa KNUC265 strain, which elicited both ISR and plant growth promotion, could be potentially used in improving the yield of pepper and possibly of other crops.