• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1207-1214
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• 2017

Schisandrae Fructus (SF), the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of a number of chronic diseases. SF extracts have been recently reported to attenuate the inflammatory responses in SW1353 human chondrocyte cells in in vitro and monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced cartilage degradation in in vivo osteoarthritis (OA) models. However, their protective and therapeutic potentials against OA in primary culture chondrocytes and animal models remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of the ethanol extract of SF on the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), biomarkers for diagnosis of OA, on interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}-induced$ primary cultured rat cartilage chondrocytes and MIA-induced osteoarthritis in a rat model. Our data indicated that SF treatment significantly reduced the mRNA expression and enzyme activity of MMP-1, -3 and -13 in $IL-1{\beta}-induced$ primary cultured rat cartilage chondrocytes. The chondro-protective effects of SF were then analyzed in a rat OA model using a single intra-articular injection of MIA in the right knee joint. According to our results, the elevated levels of MMP-1 and -3 were markedly ameliorated by SF administration. Collectively, these findings indicate that SF could be a candidate for the treatment of OA.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 1999

Background: The transplantation of organs between phylogenetically disparate or harmonious species has invariably failed due to the occurrence of hyperacute rejection or accerelated acute rejection. But, concordant cardiac xenograft offer us an opportunity to study xenotransplantation in the absence of hyperacute rejection. Current therapeutics for the prolongation of survival of rodent concordant xenotransplantation are not ideal with many regimens having a high mortality rate. Cyclosporine A & Mycophenolate Mofetil are new immunosuppresive agent which has been shown to be effective at prolonging survival of allograft, as purine synthesis inhibitor. Material and Method: We used white mongrel rats as recipient and mice as donor, divided 4 groups(n=6), control group(Group 1) has no medication or pretreatment, Group 2 has splenectomy as pretreatment 7∼10 days before transplantation, Group 3 has Cyclosporine A treatment group, Group 4 has combined treatment of Cyclosporine A & Mycophenolate Mofetil(RS 61443). We compared survival time. Reuslt: We can't find significant difference of survival time between each groups. Conclusion: We concluded that rejection of cardiac xenograft was different from rejection of allograft, and new immunossuppresive Agent(Mycophenolate Mofetil, Cyclosporine A) was not effective for prolongation of survival time after cardiac xenograft.

• 한국지구과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.108-109
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• 2010

IMPACT Silver 주식회사는 Zacualpan 프로젝트의 Royal Mines(이하 로얄 광산)을 인수했다. $124.5\;km^2$에 해당하는 지역의 소유권은 두 개의 멕시코 사기업으로부터 가행중인 광산의 채굴권 구입과 운영 중인 기반시설의 임대를 조건으로 한다. 프로젝트 지역은 멕시코시티로부터 남서방향으로 100 km와 Taxco Silver 광산으로부터 북서방향으로 25 km 떨어진 지점에 위치한다. 기반시설은 비포장 도로, 충분한 전력과 물의 공급 및 숙련공들을 갖추어 우수한 평가를 받고 있다. 소유권은 멕시코인의 개인소유 하에서 무한한 매장량 혹은 자원량을 갖고 운영된 채광과 가공시설을 인수하는 것이다. 소유권 지역을 대상으로 한 IMPACT Silver사의 주 탐사목적은 이미 알려진 광화대의 확장을 위한 잠재성 평가와 다른 지역에서 신규 광상의 유망지역을 발견하는 것이다. Zacualpan 프로젝트의 로얄 광산은 남동 Guerrero terrane의 북부에 위치한다. Teloloapan subterrane은 주로 저변성 녹색편암상으로 구성된 쥬라기 후기에서 백악기 초기의 화산성 퇴적층으로 구성된다. 대부분의 유망지역은 Lower Villa de Ayala층의 중성 내지 염기성 화산성 쇄설암을 모암으로 한다. 다상의 변성작용은 지역 전반에 걸쳐 나타나고, Zacualpan 광산지역에서 수반되는 광화작용을 규제한다. Zacualpan 광산지역은 Sierra Madre del Sur로 알려진 유망 광화대에 해당한다. 이 지역은 화산성 괴상 황화광상과 천열수 맥상광상이 우세하다. 대부분의 천열수 광화작용은 3.2-3.8억 년 전 마그마의 생성이 활발한 판구조 체제 동안 발생하였다. 역사적으로 가장 주요한 지역은 Lipton Vein이다. 현재 Zacualpan 지구에서 채광량은 은 200-500 g/t 정도로 보고되고 있다. 일부 지역은 고품위 은 광화작용(은 1,000 g/t 이상)을 수반하고 있으며, 이는 탐사의 주 타겟이 되고 있다. Zacualpan에서 은 광화작용은 은이 부화된 중유황 천열수 맥상광상으로 상당히 유명하다. Fresnillo, Pachuca 및 Taxco 광산을 포함한 멕시코 소유의 대규모의 잘 알려진 광산들이 이에 해당한다. 이러한 광산들은 부산물로서 금, 아연, 연이 생산된다. 이러한 광상들은 맥상과 각력상 및 산점상 또는 망상세맥의 형태로 산출된다. 광화작용은 석영과 탄산염 맥 내에 주로 황철석과 다양한 섬아연석, 방연석, 은 혹은 금 광물들을 수반한다. 경제성을 갖는 광화작용의 수직적인 연장은 평균적으로 대략 300 m이고, 멕시코 중부에 위치한 Fresnillo의 광화작용은 100 m에서 960 m의 연장을 갖는 것으로 알려져 있다. 아주 오랫동안 Zacualpan에서 광산관계자의 관측과 IMPACT Silver에서 최근 작업의 결과를 토대로, Zacualpan 광산지역의 탐사모델은 새로운 광상의 탐사를 위한 가이드로서 개발되었다. Zacualpan 광산지역에서 가장 높은 경제성을 갖는 광화작용은 북서와 남북방향의 맥 구조를 따라 수반된다. 이러한 맥 구조들은 종종 이 지역을 가로질러 수 km까지 추적되지만, 경제성을 갖는 광화작용은 맥 구조를 따라서 구조적으로 유리한 지역에서 부광대를 형성한다. 부광대를 형성하기 위한 가장 유리한 구조적 지역은 북서와 남북방향으로 발달한 맥 구조들이 교차하는 지역이다. 지난 30년간 채광된 주요 부광대는 폭이 2-6 m 이고 수평연장은 30-150 m 그리고 수직연장은 230-300 m에 이른다. 가장 높은 생산량을 보이는 부광대는 남북방향의 이차 맥들이 Guadalupe 광산의 Lipton 맥을 가로지르는 지역에서 발달한다. 남동쪽으로 현재 Compadres 광산의 Silver Shoot No. 1으로부터 고품위 은을 생산하는 지역은 북서방향의 San Agustin 맥이 북향의 Cometa Navideno 맥에 의해 절단되는 지역에서 산출한다. 모암은 광화작용을 규제하는 또 다른 중요한 요소이다. 광산지역에서 경제성을 갖는 모든 광화작용은 중성 내지 염기성 화산암 특히 안산암과 관련 모암에 배태된다. 부광대가 셰일 혹은 편암으로 전이되는 지역에서, 맥들은 소규모의 세맥으로 나뉘어 진다. Zacualpan의 전형적인 천열수 광상에서 부광대는 상부로 가면서 은의 함량이 증가하고, 하부로 가면서 연 아연의 함량이 증가하는 수직적 대상을 보인다. 금의 함량 변화는 보다 예측이 어려우나 상당히 중요하다. Zacualpan 광산지역의 탐사모델에 사용된 토양 채취, 정밀지도제작, 트렌치 및 시추탐광은 현재 IMPACT Silver사가 이 지역을 대상으로 한 가장 효율적인 탐사방법으로 입증되었다. Zacualpan 프로젝트의 로얄 광산은 하루 500 톤을 제련하는 기반시설과 수반된 채굴권을 갖는 가행 광산들을 포함한다. 현재 IMPACT Silver사는 두 곳의 타겟 지역에서 정밀지도제작, 토양 및 암석 채취, 12공 총 1866 m의 시추탐광에 의한 사전조사로 구성된 4 단계 탐사를 수행했다. 암석 1,953개, 토양 1,631 개, 389 개의 시추코어 시료가 채집되고 분석되었다. 이러한 작업은 추가탐사를 요구하는 수많은 유망 광화대를 규명했다. Compadres 광산에서 현재 가행중인 지하갱 시료는 레벨 1에서 0.9 m의 폭을 갖는 광체에서 은 680 g/t과 금 0.3 g/t, 레벨 3에서 1.67 m의 폭을 갖는 광체에서 은 12,591 g/t과 금 12.07 g/t의 품위를 갖는 것으로 나타났다. 레벨 1에서 3까지 2-3 m의 폭과 30-40 m 연장으로 채광되었다. 시추탐광은 고품위를 갖는 몇몇의 중첩된 맥을 발견했다. Compadres 광산에서 남동방향으로 200 m지점에 위치한 Soledad 지역에서 5 개의 시추공으로부터 동일 맥 시스템이 발견되었고, 고품위 부광대의 상부로 간주되는 몇몇 중요 지점이 발견되었다. 초기 단계의 탐사는 유망 시추탐광 지역인 중간정도 내지 고품위 유망 광화대를 규명했다.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 2015

Parameters of mating system and pollen flow of a Pinus densiflora population in Buan, South Korea, were estimated using seven nuclear microsatellite markers. The expected heterozygosity ($H_e$) was 0.614 in mother trees and 0.624 in seeds. Fixation index (F) was 0.018 and 0.087 in each generation. There was no significant genetic difference between the generations (P > 0.05). From MLTR, the outcrossing rate ($t_m$), the biparental inbreeding ($t_m-t_s$), and the correlation of paternity ($r_p$) were 0.967, 0.057, and 0.012, respectively. tm was larger but $t_m-t_s$ and $r_p$ were smaller than those of allozyme markers in Pinus densiflora. These values were similar to those of microsatellite markers in other pine species. The optimal pollen dispersal model from TwoGener was the normal dispersal model with the effective density of 220 trees/ha and its level of genetic differentiation in pollen pool structure (${\Phi}_{ft}$) was 0.021. The average radial distance of pollen flow (${\delta}$) was calculated as 11.42 m, but no correlation between the pairwise-${\Phi}_{ft}$ and the geographical distance among mother trees was at Mantel test (r = -0.141, P > 0.05). Although the effective pollen dispersal in the population seems to be restricted, the amount of genetic variation might be maintained in each generation without a loss of genetic diversity. It might be because the genetic diversity in pollen pool was high but the genetic difference between pollen donors was small under the complete random mating condition in the Pinus densiflora population in Buan.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.325-338
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• 2003

Video adaptation in response to dynamic resource conditions and user preferences is required as a key technology to enable universal multimedia access (UMA) through heterogeneous networks by a multitude of devices In a seamless way. Although many adaptation techniques exist, selections of appropriate adaptations among multiple choices that would satisfy given constraints are often ad hoc. To provide a systematic solution, we present a general conceptual framework to model video entity, adaptation, resource, utility, and relations among them. It allows for formulation of various adaptation problems as resource-constrained utility maximization. We apply the framework to a practical case of dynamic bit rate adaptation of MPEG-4 video streams by employing combination of frame dropping and DCT coefficient dropping. Furthermore, we present a descriptor, which has been accepted as a part of MPEG-21 Digital Item Adaptation (DIA), for supporting terminal and network quality of service (QoS) in an interoperable manner. Experiments are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the presented framework using the descriptor.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.129
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• pp.23-51
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• 2014

Christine M. Korsgaard believes that constructivism can respond to moral skepticism without depending upon moral realism. The purpose of this paper is to examine Korsgaard's kantian constructivism and her positions on moral realism. According to Korsgaard moral realism cannot answer normative questions in that it sees the function of moral concepts as describing the reality and so accepts the model of applied knowledge for action. In contrast Korsgaard insists that constructivism is better at justifying normativity since it regards moral concepts as representing the solutions to practical problems and so shows that moral principles are necessarily involved in the practical problems of agency. Korsgaard's constructivism has antirealistic elements such as pure proceduralism, the constitutive model to exclude ontological, metaphysical meanings, and the account of human beings as the sources of values. In spite of those antirealistic elements it is difficult to jump to a conclusion that Korsgaard's constructivism is antirealism. Korsgaard, in the early book, The Sources of Normativity, says that kantian constructivism has something to do with a form of realism, or procedural moral realism. And in the following books she argues that constructivism is compatible with realism although she pays attention to the practical implications of constructivism and then sets aside its ontological relevance. That is, Korsgaard does not want that her constructivism results in antirealism. Korsgaard's realism, however, is too weak to be called as realism. There is, also, a question why one would rather take a constructivist approach if one holds on to realism.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2022

The mobility and transport of radioactive cesium are crucial factors to consider for the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal sites in granite. The retardation of radionuclides in the fractured crystalline rock is mainly controlled by the hydrochemical condition of groundwater and surface reactions with minerals present in the fractures. This paper reports the experimental results of cesium sorption to the Wonju Granite, a typical Mesozoic granite in Korea, performed in an anaerobic chamber that mimics the anoxic environment of a deep disposal site. We measured the rates and amounts of cesium (¹³³Cs) removed by crushed granite samples in different electrolyte (NaCl, KCl, and CaCl₂) solutions and a synthetic groundwater solution, with variations in the initial cesium concentration (10^-5, 5×10^-6, 10^-6, 5×10^-7 M). The cesium sorption kinetic and isotherm data were successfully simulated by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (r²= 0.99) and the Freundlich isotherm model (r²= 0.99), respectively. The sorption distribution coefficient of granite increased almost linearly with increasing biotite content in granite samples, indicating that biotite is an effective cesium scavenger. The cesium removal was minimal in KCl solution compared to that in NaCl or CaCl₂ solution, regardless of the ionic strength and initial cesium concentration that we examined, showing that K⁺ is the most competitive ion against cesium in sorption to granite. Because it is the main source mineral of K⁺ in fracture fluids, biotite may also hinder the sorption of cesium, which warrants further research.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.277-286
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• 2023

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and function. It is a natural part of aging and can lead to decreased mobility and increased frailty. The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which is involved in muscle protein degradation, is closely linked to sarcopenia. Germinated Rhynchosia nulubilis hydrolysate (GRH) has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but there have been no reports on its inhibitory effect on muscle reduction. However, no study has yet explored the relationship between GRH and muscle loss inhibition. In this study, we evaluated the effects of GRH on muscle atrophy inhibitory activity in dexamethasone (Dexa)-induced muscle atrophy C2C12 myotubes and mouse models. Moreover, we identified a molecular pathway underlying the effects of GRH on skeletal muscle. May Grunwald-Giemsa staining showed that the length and area of myotubes increased in the groups treated with GRH. In addition, the GRH-treated group significantly reduced the expression of muscle ring finger protein 1 and muscular atrophy F-box (MAFbx) in the Dexa-induced muscular atrophy C2C12 model. GRH also improved muscle strength in C57BL/6 mice with Dexa-induced muscle atrophy, resulting in prolonged running exhaustive time and increased grip strength. We found that muscle strengthening by GRH was correlated with a decreased expression of the MAFbx gene in mouse muscle tissue. In conclusion, GRH can attenuate Dexa-induced muscle atrophy by inhibiting the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway via downregulation of the MAFbx gene expression.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.416-423
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• 2023

Figs has known to have antioxidant, whitening, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects in their leaves, roots, stems, latex, and fruits. In order to develop cosmetic materials based on natural products, we have studied on the skin activity of the ficin in latex as well as the whitening function of the fruit extract with 70% ethanol, and used it as a raw material for released cosmetic product. However, there is little research on the demand for the development of new eutectic solvent extraction methods and its ability to control skin inflammation and psoriasis regulation. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of fig fruit extracts and fractions using eutectic solvent extraction for skin inflammation control and psoriasis. First, fig fruits were extracted under optimal eutectic solvent conditions and fractionated with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and butanol. First, the antioxidant activity and inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production were confirmed in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells. In addition, as a result of observing the mRNA expression through RT-PCR, pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL1α, and IL-1β were suppressed significantly in the hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate fractions. In addition, it was confirmed in TNF-α stimulated HaCaT keratinocyte model. Finally, chemokine CC motif ligand 20 (CCL20), marker gene of human psoriasis skin disease, was significantly suppressed in the hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate fractions. These results suggested its anti-inflammatory and skin soothing effect and the possibility of development as an excellent skin soothing natural cosmetic material in the future through future clinical trials.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.609-619
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• 2024

Neurodegenerative diseases are marked by the accumulation of toxic misfolded proteins in neurons. Therefore, strategies for the effective prevention and clearance of aggregates are crucial for therapeutic interventions. Cytoplasmic dynein plays a crucial role in the clearance of aggregates by transporting them to the cell center, where lysosomes are enriched and the aggregates undergo extensive autophagic degradation. Previously, we reported evidence for the activation of dynein by N-acetylglucosamine kinase (NAGK) and Reln. In the present study, we explored the effects of NAGK and Reln upregulation on the clearance of aggregates. To upregulate NAGK and Reln genes in HEK293T cells (a human embryonic kidney cell line), CRISPR/dCas9 activation systems (CASs) were used with specific plasmids encoding target-specific 20 nt guide RNA. The effects of this genetic modulation were analyzed in Huntington's disease cellular models, including HEK293T cells and primary mouse cortical cells, where external mutant huntingtin (mHtt, Q74) aggregates were induced. The results showed that the CAS activation of NAGK or Reln, or their combination, significantly reduced the proportion of cells with Q74 aggregates (aggresomes). This effect was reversed by Ciliobrevin D (a dynein inhibitor) and chloroquine (an autophagy inhibitor), indicating the role of dynein-mediated autophagy in aggregate clearance. These findings provide the basis for therapeutic strategies aimed at enhancing neuronal health through targeted gene activation.