• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.169-175
• /
• 2023

As a protective defensive mechanism against ultraviolet (UV) light exposure in skin tissue, melanocytes produce the pigment melanin. Tyrosinase plays a key role in melanin production in melanocytes. However, the overproduction of melanin can lead to lesions, such as freckles and dark spots. Thus, it is clinically important to find a modulating molecule to control melanogenesis by regulating tyrosinase expression and/or activity. It is known that catechin, a plant flavonoid, can reduce melano- genesis through the downregulation of tyrosinase expression. Here, we tested whether catechin derivatives isolated from the stem bark of Ulmus parvifolia have an effect on melanin production by regulating tyrosinase in mouse melanoma cells and in vitro mushroom tyrosinase. The catechin derivatives used in this study included C5A, C7A, C7G, and C7X. Treatments using these catechin derivatives reduced melanin production in mouse melanoma B16F10 cells in which melanogenesis was stimulated by α-MSH. Notably, the anti-melanogenic effects of catechin derivatives were similar to those of kojic acid, a well-known anti-melanogenic molecule. Both C5A and C7A directly inhibited the activity of tyrosinase isolated from mushrooms in vitro. Furthermore, our in silico computational simulation showed that these two compounds were expected to bind to the active site of tyrosinase, which is similar to kojic acid. In addition, all four catechin derivatives reduced tyrosinase protein expression. In summary, our results showed that catechin derivatives can reduce melanogenesis by regulating tyrosinase activity or expression. Thus, this study suggests that catechin derivatives isolated from U. parvifolia can be novel modulators of melanin production.

• Information Systems Review
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.143-156
• /
• 2019

Types of innovation can be categorized into simplification, information, automation, and intelligence. Intelligence is the highest level of innovation, and RPA can be seen as one of intelligence. Robotic Process Automation(RPA), a software robot with artificial intelligence, is an example of intelligence that is suited for simple, repetitive, large-scale transaction processing tasks. The RPA, which is already in operation in many companies in Korea, shows what needs to be done to naturally focus on the core tasks in a situation where the need for a strong organizational culture is increasing and the emphasis is on voluntary leadership, strong teamwork and execution, and a professional working culture. The introduction was considered naturally according to the need to find. Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is a technology that replaces human tasks with the goal of quickly and efficiently handling structural tasks. RPA is implemented through software robots that mimic humans using software such as ERP systems or productivity tools. RPA robots are software installed on a computer and are called robots by the principle of operation. RPA is integrated throughout the IT system through the front end, unlike traditional software that communicates with other IT systems through the back end. In practice, this means that software robots use IT systems in the same way as humans, repeat the correct steps, and respond to events on the computer screen instead of communicating with the system's application programming interface(API). Designing software that mimics humans to communicate with other software can be less intuitive, but there are many advantages to this approach. First, you can integrate RPA with virtually any software you use, regardless of your openness to third-party applications. Many enterprise IT systems are proprietary because they do not have many common APIs, and their ability to communicate with other systems is severely limited, but RPA solves this problem. Second, RPA can be implemented in a very short time. Traditional software development methods, such as enterprise software integration, are relatively time consuming, but RPAs can be implemented in a relatively short period of two to four weeks. Third, automated processes through software robots can be easily modified by system users. While traditional approaches require advanced coding techniques to drastically modify how they work, RPA can be instructed by modifying relatively simple logical statements, or by modifying screen captures or graphical process charts of human-run processes. This makes RPA very versatile and flexible. This RPA is a good example of the application of digital to intelligence(D2I).

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.66
• /
• pp.204-212
• /
• 2023

Whitening is inhibitory activity of the melanin synthesis of melanocytes. Recently, whitening materials have been developed on natural materials because of its side effects on skin. Figs (Ficus Carica L.) is a fruit belonging to the Moraceae family and whitening activity was reported in focusing on the fig's stem and leaf components, but whitening activity of the figs fruit was not known. Thus, in this study, we tried to observe its anti-melanogenesis as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammation. The radical scavenging activity of figs fruits extract (FFE) was observed as the level of 34.52±1.98%/60.71±1.26% compared to the control in the its maximum concentration in the DPPH/ABTS assay. Cytotoxicity of FFE was observed at 10% concentration by CCK8 assay, so the maximum concentration was set at 5% and applied to all experiments. FFE concentration dependently decreased NO production associated with inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α gene expression, these strongly suggesting anti-inflammatory activity. In melanin contents assay, FFE significantly down-regulated melanin production in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 cell as well as tyrosinase inhibition in vitro. In addition, FFE decreased the Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) mRNA expression about 94.34% compared to the α-MSH treatment group in RT-PCR. Finally, FFE significantly reduced the MITF, cAMP response element-binding protein and tyrosinase protein expression in the α-MSH stimulated B16F10 cell. Through these results, we found that FFE can not only directly inhibit tyrosinase enzyme activity but also suppress melanogenesis through regulation of MITF gene expression in α-MSH signal transduction.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.168-181
• /
• 2024

Constructed wetlands (CWs) deliver a range of ecosystem services, including the removal of contaminants, sequestration and storage of carbon, and enhancement of biodiversity. These services are facilitated through hydrological and ecological processes such as infiltration, adsorption, water retention, and evapotranspiration by plants and microorganisms. This study investigated the correlations between microbial populations, soil physicochemical properties, and treatment efficiency in a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (HSSF CW) treating runoff from roads and parking lots. The methods employed included storm event monitoring, water quality analysis, soil sampling, soil quality parameter analysis, and microbial analysis. The facility achieved its highest pollutant removal efficiencies during the warm season (>15℃), with rates ranging from 33% to 74% for TSS, COD, TN, TP, and specific heavy metals including Fe, Zn, and Cd. Meanwhile, the highest removal efficiency was 35% for TOC during the cold season (≤15℃). These high removal rates can be attributed to sedimentation, adsorption, precipitation, plant uptake, and microbial transformations within the CW. Soil analysis revealed that the soil from HSSF CW had a soil organic carbon content 3.3 times higher than that of soil collected from a nearby landscape. Stoichiometric ratios of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in the inflow and outflow were recorded as C:N:P of 120:1.5:1 and 135.2:0.4:1, respectively, indicating an extremely low proportion of N and P compared to C, which may challenge microbial remediation efficiency. Additionally, microbial analyses indicated that the warm season was more conducive to microorganism growth, with higher abundance, richness, diversity, homogeneity, and evenness of the microbial community, as manifested in the biodiversity indices, compared to the cold season. Pollutants in stormwater runoff entering the HSSF CW fostered microbial growth, particularly for dominant phyla such as Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, which have shown moderate to strong correlations with specific soil properties and changes in influent-effluent concentrations of water quality parameters.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.1937-1947
• /
• 1970

This experiment was conducted, making use of the 'NONG-RIM No, 6' a recommended variety of rice plant for the year of 1969. Main purpose of the experiment are to explore possibilities of; a) ways and means of saving irrigation water and, b) overcoming drought at the same time so that an increaded yield in rice production could be resulted in Specifically, it was tried to determine the effects of the Rotation Irrigation method combined with differentiated thickess of Lining upon the growth and Yield of rice production. Some of the major finding are summarized in the follows. 1) The Different thicknesses show a significant relationship with the weight of 1000 grains. In the case of 3cm Lined plot, the grain weight is 39.0 Grams, the heaviest. Next in order is 6 cm lined plnt, 5 day control plot, 6 day control plot. 2) In rice yield, it is found that there is a considerably moderate signicant relationship with both the different thickness of lining and the number of irrgation, as shown in the table No,7. 3) There is little or no difference among different plot in terms of; a) physical and chemical properties of soil, b) quality of irrgation water, c) climatic condition, and rainfalls. 4) It is found that there is no significant relationship between differences in the method of rotation irrgation and the number of ears per hill because of too much rainydays and low temperature during irrigation season. 5) In uyny1-treated plots, it is shown that there is on difference among different plots, but the irrigation water requirement saved as much as 1/2 to actual irrigation water compare to uncontroled plot. 6) The irrigation water requirement for 48 days is saved as much 67% compared to uncontroled plot, the order are; the 9cm lined plot, the plot of vinyl with no hole, the plot with a hole of $1cm/m^2$ as shows in fig 15. 7) The rate of percolation of 40-30mm/day is decreased to 30-20/day. It is found that the decreasad rate of percolation due to vinyl-cutoff in footpath. 8) The growing condition was fine, and there was no found that decease and lageing as always submerged plot. 9) It is found that it must be constructed irrigation and drainage system, inlet and outlet perpect, respectly, of which could be irrigation water saved and would be inereased the irrigation water temperature.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.217-227
• /
• 2006

Micronutrient status in soils and crops of plastic film house and their relationship were investigated. Total 203 plastic film houses were selected (red pepper, 66; cucumber, 63; tomato, 74) in Yeongnam region and soil and leaf samples were collected. Hot-water extractable B and 0.1 N HCl extractable Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in soil samples and total micronutrients in leaf samples were analyzed. Contents Zn, Fe, and Mn in most of the investigated soils were higher than the upper limits of optimum level for general crop cultivation. Contents of Cu in most soils of cucumber and tomato cultivation were higher than the upper limit of optimum level, but Cu contents in about 30% of red pepper cultivation soils were below the sufficient level. Contents of B in most soils of cucumber and tomato were above the sufficient level but in 48% of red pepper cultivation soils B were found to be deficient. Micronutrient contents in leaf of investigated crops were much variable. Contents of B, Fe, and Mn were mostly within the sufficient levels, while in 71% of red pepper samples Cu was under deficient level and in 44% of cucumber samples Cu contents were higher than the upper limit of sufficient level. Contents of Zn in red pepper and cucumber samples were mostly within the sufficient level but in 62% of tomato samples Zn contents were under deficient condition. However, any visible deficiency or toxicity symptoms of micronutrients were not found in the crops. No consistent relationships were found between micronutrient contents in soil and leaf, and this indicates that growth and absorption activity of root and interactions among the nutrients in soil might be important factors in overall micronutrient uptake of crops. For best management of micronutrients in plastic film house, much attention should be focused on the management of soil and plant characteristics which control the micronutrient uptake of crops.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.79-92
• /
• 2015

Knowledge map is widely used to represent knowledge in many domains. This paper presents a method of integrating the national R&D data and assists of users to navigate the integrated data via using a knowledge map service. The knowledge map service is built by using a lightweight ontology and a topic modeling method. The national R&D data is integrated with the research project as its center, i.e., the other R&D data such as research papers, patents, and reports are connected with the research project as its outputs. The lightweight ontology is used to represent the simple relationships between the integrated data such as project-outputs relationships, document-author relationships, and document-topic relationships. Knowledge map enables us to infer further relationships such as co-author and co-topic relationships. To extract the relationships between the integrated data, a Relational Data-to-Triples transformer is implemented. Also, a topic modeling approach is introduced to extract the document-topic relationships. A triple store is used to manage and process the ontology data while preserving the network characteristics of knowledge map service. Knowledge map can be divided into two types: one is a knowledge map used in the area of knowledge management to store, manage and process the organizations' data as knowledge, the other is a knowledge map for analyzing and representing knowledge extracted from the science & technology documents. This research focuses on the latter one. In this research, a knowledge map service is introduced for integrating the national R&D data obtained from National Digital Science Library (NDSL) and National Science & Technology Information Service (NTIS), which are two major repository and service of national R&D data servicing in Korea. A lightweight ontology is used to design and build a knowledge map. Using the lightweight ontology enables us to represent and process knowledge as a simple network and it fits in with the knowledge navigation and visualization characteristics of the knowledge map. The lightweight ontology is used to represent the entities and their relationships in the knowledge maps, and an ontology repository is created to store and process the ontology. In the ontologies, researchers are implicitly connected by the national R&D data as the author relationships and the performer relationships. A knowledge map for displaying researchers' network is created, and the researchers' network is created by the co-authoring relationships of the national R&D documents and the co-participation relationships of the national R&D projects. To sum up, a knowledge map-service system based on topic modeling and ontology is introduced for processing knowledge about the national R&D data such as research projects, papers, patent, project reports, and Global Trends Briefing (GTB) data. The system has goals 1) to integrate the national R&D data obtained from NDSL and NTIS, 2) to provide a semantic & topic based information search on the integrated data, and 3) to provide a knowledge map services based on the semantic analysis and knowledge processing. The S&T information such as research papers, research reports, patents and GTB are daily updated from NDSL, and the R&D projects information including their participants and output information are updated from the NTIS. The S&T information and the national R&D information are obtained and integrated to the integrated database. Knowledge base is constructed by transforming the relational data into triples referencing R&D ontology. In addition, a topic modeling method is employed to extract the relationships between the S&T documents and topic keyword/s representing the documents. The topic modeling approach enables us to extract the relationships and topic keyword/s based on the semantics, not based on the simple keyword/s. Lastly, we show an experiment on the construction of the integrated knowledge base using the lightweight ontology and topic modeling, and the knowledge map services created based on the knowledge base are also introduced.

• Explosives and Blasting
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.3-13
• /
• 1991

The cautious blasting works had been used with emulsion explosion electric M/S delay caps. Drill depth was from 3m to 6m with Crawler Drill ${\phi}70mm$ on the calcalious sand stone (soft -modelate -semi hard Rock). The total numbers of test blast were 88. Scale distance were induced 15.52-60.32. It was applied to propagation Law in blasting vibration as follows. Propagtion Law in Blasting Vibration $V=K(\frac{D}{W^b})^n$ were V : Peak partical velocity(cm/sec) D : Distance between explosion and recording sites(m) W : Maximum charge per delay-period of eight milliseconds or more (kg) K : Ground transmission constant, empirically determind on the Rocks, Explosive and drilling pattern ets. b : Charge exponents n : Reduced exponents where the quantity $\frac{D}{W^b}$ is known as the scale distance. Above equation is worked by the U.S Bureau of Mines to determine peak particle velocity. The propagation Law can be catagorized in three groups. Cubic root Scaling charge per delay Square root Scaling of charge per delay Site-specific Scaling of charge Per delay Plots of peak particle velocity versus distoance were made on log-log coordinates. The data are grouped by test and P.P.V. The linear grouping of the data permits their representation by an equation of the form ; $V=K(\frac{D}{W^{\frac{1}{3}})^{-n}$ The value of K(41 or 124) and n(1.41 or 1.66) were determined for each set of data by the method of least squores. Statistical tests showed that a common slope, n, could be used for all data of a given components. Charge and reduction exponents carried out by multiple regressional analysis. It's divided into under loom over loom distance because the frequency is verified by the distance from blast site. Empirical equation of cautious blasting vibration is as follows. Over 30m ------- under l00m ${\cdots\cdots\cdots}{\;}41(D/sqrt[2]{W})^{-1.41}{\;}{\cdots\cdots\cdots\cdots\cdots}{\;}A$ Over 100m ${\cdots\cdots\cdots\cdots\cdots}{\;}121(D/sqrt[3]{W})^{-1.66}{\;}{\cdots\cdots\cdots\cdots\cdots}{\;}B$ where ; V is peak particle velocity In cm / sec D is distance in m and W, maximLlm charge weight per day in kg K value on the above equation has to be more specified for further understaring about the effect of explosives, Rock strength. And Drilling pattern on the vibration levels, it is necessary to carry out more tests.

• MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
• /
• v.98
• /
• pp.226-241
• /
• 2020

Located on the right side of the third floor of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the "Art of Central Asia" exhibition boasts the world's finest collection of artworks and artifacts from the Silk Road. Every item in the collection has been classified by region, and many of them were collected in the early twentieth century through archaeological surveys led by Russia's Pyotr Kozlov, Mikhail Berezovsky, and Sergey Oldenburg. Some of these artifacts have been presented around the world through special exhibitions held in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, and elsewhere. The fruits of Russia's Silk Road expeditions were also on full display in the 2008 exhibition The Caves of One Thousand Buddhas - Russian Expeditions on the Silk Route on the Occasion of 190 Years of the Asiatic Museum, held at the Hermitage Museum. Published in 2018 by the Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House in collaboration with the Hermitage Museum, Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia introduces the Hermitage's collection of artifacts from the Kuche (or Kucha) region. While the book focuses exclusively on artifacts excavated from the Kuche area, it also includes valuable on-site photos and sketches from the Russian expeditions, thus helping to enhance readers' overall understanding of the characteristics of Kuche art within the Buddhist art of Central Asia. The book was compiled by Dr. Kira Samosyuk, senior curator of the Oriental Department of the Hermitage Museum, who also wrote the main article and the artifact descriptions. Dr. Samosyuk is an internationally renowned scholar of Central Asian Buddhist art, with a particular expertise in the art of Khara-Khoto and Xi-yu. In her article "The Art of the Kuche Buddhist Temples," Dr. Samosyuk provides an overview of Russia's Silk Road expeditions, before introducing the historical development of Kuche in the Buddhist era and the aspects of Buddhism transmitted to Kuche. She describes the murals and clay sculptures in the Buddhist grottoes, giving important details on their themes and issues with estimating their dates, and also explains how the temples operated as places of worship. In conclusion, Dr. Samosyuk argues that the Kuche region, while continuously engaging with various peoples in China and the nomadic world, developed its own independent Buddhist culture incorporating elements of Gandara, Hellenistic, Persian, and Chinese art and culture. Finally, she states that the culture of the Kuche region had a profound influence not only on the Tarim Basin, but also on the Buddhist grottoes of Dunhuang and the central region of China. A considerable portion of Dr. Samosyuk's article addresses efforts to estimate the date of the grottoes in the Kuche region. After citing various scholars' views on the dates of the murals, she argues that the Kizil grottoes likely began prior to the fifth century, which is at least 100 years earlier than most current estimates. This conclusion is reached by comparing the iconography of the armor depicted in the murals with related materials excavated from the surrounding area (such as items of Sogdian art). However, efforts to date the Buddhist grottoes of Kuche must take many factors into consideration, such as the geological characteristics of the caves, the themes and styles of the Buddhist paintings, the types of pigments used, and the clothing, hairstyles, and ornamentation of the depicted figures. Moreover, such interdisciplinary data must be studied within the context of Kuche's relations with nearby cultures. Scientific methods such as radiocarbon dating could also be applied for supplementary materials. The preface of Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia reveals that the catalog is the first volume covering the Hermitage Museum's collection of Kuche art, and that the next volume in the series will cover a large collection of mural fragments that were taken from Berlin during World War II. For many years, the whereabouts of these mural fragments were unknown to both the public and academia, but after restoration, the fragments were recently re-introduced to the public as part of the museum's permanent exhibition. We look forward to the next publication that focuses on these mural fragments, and also to future catalogs introducing the artifacts of Turpan and Khotan. Currently, fragments of the murals from the Kuche grottoes are scattered among various countries, including Russia, Germany, and Korea. With the publication of this catalog, it seems like an opportune time to publish a comprehensive catalog on the murals of the Kuche region, which represent a compelling mixture of East-West culture that reflects the overall characteristics of the region. A catalog that includes both the remaining murals of the Kizil grottoes and the fragments from different parts of the world could greatly enhance our understanding of the murals' original state. Such a book would hopefully include a more detailed and interdisciplinary discussion of the artifacts and murals, including scientific analyses of the pigments and other materials from the perspective of conservation science. With the ongoing rapid development in western China, the grotto murals are facing a serious crisis related to climate change and overcrowding in the oasis city of Xinjiang. To overcome this challenge, the cultural communities of China and other countries that possess advanced technology for conservation and restoration must begin working together to protect and restore the murals of the Silk Road grottoes. Moreover, centers for conservation science should be established to foster human resources and collect information. Compiling the data of Russian expeditions related to the grottoes of Kuche (among the results of Western archaeological surveys of the Silk Road in the early twentieth century), Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia represents an important contribution to research on Kuche's Buddhist art and the Silk Road, which will only be enhanced by a future volume introducing the mural fragments from Germany. As the new authoritative source for academic research on the artworks and artifacts of the Kuche region, the book also lays the groundwork for new directions for future studies on the Silk Road. Finally, the book is also quite significant for employing a new editing system that improves its academic clarity and convenience. In conclusion, Dr. Kira Samosyuk, who planned the publication, deserves tremendous praise for taking the research of Silk Road art to new heights.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.103-109
• /
• 2003

We investigated the effect of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the regeneration process of experimentally crush injured rat sciatic nerves. The bilateral sciatic nerves of fifty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were compressed surgically with a straight hemostat for 30 seconds with 1 mm width. Twenty rats were divided into four groups to test the dose-dependent effect of GTS (0, 50, 100, or 150 mg/kg, i.p.). Saline for vehicle control group or GTS dissolved in saline was administerd for three weeks. After that period of time, the numbers of total myelinated axon and degenerated myelin in the sciatic nerves of bilateral legs were examined and analyzed using image analysis system to confirm a morphological effect of GTS. We found that the most effective concentration of GTS for the regeneration of damaged sciatic nerve was 150 mg/kg. In another set of experiment, thirty rats were divided into two groups as saline-treated vehicle group and GTS-treated group (150 mg/kg, i.p.) for three weeks. Every week we examined the numbers of total myelinated axon and degenerated myelin in the sciatic nerves of bilateral legs using image analysis system to evaluate the effect of GTS on injured nerves. We found that the regeneration of damaged sciatic nerves was facilitated in GTS-treated group compared to saline-treated group until two weeks. However, after that period of time we could not observe the significant difference between saline-treated group and GTS-treated group. These results suggest that GTS is a useful adjuvant therapy for the regeneration of the peripheral nerve injury in short period of treatment.