• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.874-883
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• 2018

Osteoporosis is a disease that increases the risk of fracture by decreasing the mass and strength of bone. It is caused by imbalance of osteoclast bone formation and osteoclast bone resorption. Bone formation by osteoblast is activated via bone morphogenetic proteins and runt-related transcription factor 2. $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ signaling and bone resorption by osteoclast are initiated by the binding of receptor activator of nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ligand and receptor activator of nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$. Menopausal women are at risk for many diseases due to hormonal imbalances, and osteoporosis is the most common metabolic disorder in 30% of postmenopausal women. When estrogen is deficient, bone resorption of osteoclasts is promoted, and the risk of osteoporosis especially increases in postmenopausal women. Hormone replacement therapy has been widely used to relieve or treat the symptoms of menopausal syndrome. However, long-term administration of hormone therapy has been associated with a high risk of side effects, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer. Recently, phytochemicals have been actively studied as a phytoestrogen, which has an estrogen-like activity to cope with symptoms of menopausal syndrome. Therefore, in this review, we investigated the differentiation mechanism of osteoblast and osteoclast and the role of estrogen and phytoestrogen in bone metabolism in relation to previous studies.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.548-553
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• 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in cartilage tissue engineering to repair articular cartilage defects. However, hypertrophy of chondrocytes derived from MSCs might hinder the stabilization of hyaline cartilage. Thus, it is very important to find a suitable way to maintain the chondrogenic phenotype of chondrocytes. It has been reported that cordycepin has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor functions. However, the role of cordycepin in chondrocyte hypertrophy remains unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of cordycepin on chondrogenesis and chondrocyte hypertrophy in MSCs and ATDC5 cells. Cordycepin upregulated chondrogenic markers including Sox9 and collagen type II while down-regulated hypertrophic markers including Runx2 and collagen type X. Further exploration showed that cordycepin promoted chondrogenesis through inhibiting Nrf2 while activating BMP signaling. Besides, cordycepin suppressed chondrocyte hypertrophy through PI3K/Bapx1 pathway and Notch signaling. Our results indicated cordycepin had the potential to maintain chondrocyte phenotype and reconstruct engineered cartilage.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.382-390
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• 2004

One of the significant natural bioactive materials is demineralized bone particle (DBP) whose has a powerful induce. of new bone growth. In this study, we developed the DBP loaded poly-lactide (PLA) and poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds for the possibility of the application of the tissue engineered bone. PLA/DBP and PLGA/DBP scaffolds were prepared by solvent casting/salt leaching method and were characterized by porosimeter, scanning electron microscopy. BMSCs were stimulated by osteogenic medium and characterized by histological stained Wright-Giemsa, Alizarin red, von Kossa, and alkaline phosphate activity (ALP). DBP impregnated scaffolds with BMSCs were implanted into the back of athymic nude mouse to observe the effect of DBP on the osteoinduction compared with control scaffolds. It can be observed that the porosity was above $90.2\%$ and the pore size was above 69.1$\mu$m. BMSCs could be differentiated into osteoprogenitor cells as result of wright-giemsa, alizarin red, von Kossa and ALP staining. In in vivo study, we could observed calcification region in PLA/DBP and PLGA/DBP groups, but calcification did not occur almost in control scaffolds. From these results, it seems that DBP as well as BMSCs play an important role for bone induction in PLA/DBP and PLGA/DBP scaffolds.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.163-175
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• 2015

In this paper, soil erosion and soil loss management system (SMS) of the City of Calgary in Albert, Canada was reviewed. Regulatory basis supporting this soil management system, permit process and conditions, guidelines and principles for the SMS, and monitoring and repair duties, inspection were discussed. Permit process in the City of Calgary is handled mainly by Urban Development Division, in which special task force called CPAG (Coorporative Planning Application Group) (if necessary circulated through related subdivisions). Inspects all the permit conditions and decides permit or refusal, and LUM (Land Use and Mobility) advertises the approval, if there is no appeals, permit is released to developers. If permit is rejected, applicant can appeals Development Appeal Board, it can approve or reject. In addition to permit, the city has manual for soil management plan, which includes BMP selection, design, monitoring, maintenance, and inspection activities. Perfect SMS policy does not necessarily guarantee relieving the soil-particle related pollution problem, but in Korea, we have to recognize that construction works during development is potentially the most destructive stage of environmental pollution. The central and local governments must make preparations for the effective and tight regulations and ordinance which is appropriate for regional social-economic conditions.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.55-65
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• 2021

This study investigated methane productions and a degradation rate of organic matters by German standard method, VDI4630 test. In this study, 11 waste biomasses from agricultural fields were selected for the investigation. The objective of this study was to estimate a distribution of organic matters by using the Double first-order kinetics model in order to calculate the rate of biodegradable organic matters which degrade rapidly in the initial stage and the persistently biodegradable organic matters which degrade slowly later. As a result, all the biomasses applied in this study showed rapid decomposition in the initial stage. Then the decomposition rate began to slow down for a certain period and the rate became 10 times slower than the initial decomposition rate. This trend of decomposition rate changes is typical conditions of biomass decompositions. The easily degradable factors (k₁) were raged between 0.097~0.152 day^-1 from vegetable crops and persistent degradable factor (k₂) were 0.002~0.024 day^-1. Among these results, greater organic matter decomposition rates from VDI4630 had greater k₁ values (0.152, 0.144day^-1) and smaller k₁ values (0.002, 0.005day^-1) from cucumbers and paprika. In a meanwhile, radishes and tangerine rinds which had low decomposition rates showed 0.097 and 0.094 day^-1 of k₁ values and decomposition rates seems to affect k₁ values.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.638-646
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• 2014

Soil erosion from agricultural fields leads to various environmental problems weakening the capabilities of flood control and ecosystem in water bodies. Regarding these problems, Ministry of Environment of South-Korea prepared various structural and non-structural best management practices (BMPs) to control soil erosion. However, a lot of efforts are required to monitor and develop BMPs. Thus, modeling techniques have been developed and utilized for these issues. This study estimated the effectiveness of BMPs which are a vegetation mat with infiltration roll and Roll type vegetation channel using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model through the adjustment of the conservation practice factors, P factors, for Universal Soil Loss Equation which were calculated by monitoring data collected at the segment plots. Each BMP was applied to the areas with slopes ranged from 7% to 13% in the Haeanmyeon watershed. As a result of simulation, the vegetation mat with infiltration roll and Roll type vegetation channel showed 55% and 59% efficiency of soil erosion reduction, respectively. Also, Vegetation mat with infiltration roll and Roll type vegetation channel showed each 11.2% and 11.8% efficiency in reduction of sediment discharge. These roll type vegetation channel showed greater efficiency of soil erosion reduction and sediment discharge. Based on these results, if roll type vegetation channel is widely used in agricultural fields, reduction of soil erosion and sediment discharge of greater efficiency would be expected.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.897-913
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• 2004

There has been continuous efforts to manage the water resources for the required water quality criterion at river channel in Korea. However, we could not obtain the partial improvement only for the point source pollutant such as, wastewater from urban and industrial site through the water quality management. Therefore, it is strongly needed that the Best Management Practice(BMP) throughout the river basin for water quality management including non-point source pollutant loads. This problem should be resolved by recognizing the non-point source pollutant loads from upstream river basin to the outlet depends on the land use and soil type characteristic of the river basin using the computer simulation by distributed parameter model based on the detailed investigation and the application of Geographic Information System(GIS). Used in this study, Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution (AnnAGNPS) model is a tool suitable for long term evaluation of the effects of BMPs and can be used for un gauged watershed simulation of runoff and sediment yield. Now applications of model are in progress. So we just describe the limited result. However If well have done modeling and have investigated of propriety of model, well achieve our final goal of this study.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.296-306
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of dexamethasone and osteogenic protein-1(BMP-7) on bone, cementum and periodontal tissue regeneration. A total of 60 Sprague-Dawley white female mice were selected and beta-APN was used for five days to extract the maxillary first molar a traumatically. After the extraction of the teeth, the mesiobuccal root canal was filled with Caviton$^{\circledR}$. The teeth were etched with citric acid for 1 min and coated with one of four different experimental solutions : DEX(500nM/ml), DEX(1000nM/ml), OP-1(100$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) and OP-1(500$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) for three minutes depending on the group. All teeth were then replanted under microscope. All replantation procedures were done within 30 minutes. Teeth that were replanted after 30 minutes of bench dry only was used as positive control. All animals were sacrificed at 3 weeks following replantation and histologic observtion was done. The results were as follows ; 1. Active root resorption rate was decreased by the order of OP-1(500$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml), DEX(1000nM/ml), OP-1(100$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml), and DEX(500nM/ml). There was statistically less root resorption in OP-1 (500$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) and DEX(1000nM/ml) group(P<0.05). 2. The group with higher concentration of dexamethasone(1000nM/ml) had statistically more bone union compared to positive control group(P<0.05),but there were no significant differences among four experimental groups. 3. OP-1(500$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) and DEX(1000nM/ml) groups showed less degree of inflammation compared to the OP-1(100$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml). DEX(500nM/ml), and positive control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, the group with higher concentration of OP-1 had the best results on root resorption, bone ankylosis and anti-inflammatory effects compared to the other experimental groups, but a long-term study is also necessary to evaluate the exact pharmacological effects of the drugs in the future.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.67-76
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• 2009

The contribution of pollutant loadings from non-point source (NPS) to the four major rivers in Korea exceeded 22~37 % of the total loadings in 2004 and is expected to reach 60 % in 2020. Most of NPS loadings are coming from urban areas, especially from paved areas. Because of high imperviousness rate, many types of NPS pollutant are accumulating on the surface during dry periods. The accumulated pollutants are wash-off during a storm and highly degrading the water quality of receiving water bodies. For this reason, the Korean Ministry of Environment (MOE) developed the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program to protect the water quality by managing the point source and NPS loadings. NPS has high uncertainties during a storm because of the characteristics of rainfall and watershed areas. The rainfall characteristics can affect on event mean concentrations (EMCs), mass loadings, flow rate, etc. Therefore, this research was performed to determine EMCs for rainfall ranges from transportation landuses such as road and parking lot. Two sites were monitored over 45 storm events during the 2006/06 through 2008/10 storm seasons. Mean TSS EMCs decrease as rainfall ranges increase and highest at less than 10mm rainfall. The results of this study can be used to determine the efficient scale of BMP facility considering specific rainfall range.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.933-941
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• 2021

Ginsenoside Rg4 is a rare ginsenoside that is naturally found in ginseng, and exhibits a wide range of biological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in several cell types. The purpose of this study was to use an in vivo model of hair follicle (HF)-mimic based on a human dermal papilla (DP) spheroid system prepared by three-dimensional (3D) culture and to investigate the effect of Rg4 on the hair-inductive properties of DP cells. Treatment of the DP spheroids with Rg4 (20 to 50 ㎍/ml) significantly increased the viability and size of the DP spheres in a dose-dependent manner. Rg4 also increased the mRNA and protein expression of DP signature genes that are related to hair growth including ALP, BMP2, and VCAN in the DP spheres. Analysis of the signaling molecules and luciferase reporter assays further revealed that Rg4 induces the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and the inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3β, which activates the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. These results correlated with not only the increased nuclear translocation of β-catenin following the treatment of the DP spheres with Rg4 but also the significant elevation of mRNA expression of the downstream target genes of the WNT/β-catenin pathway including WNT5A, β-catenin, and LEF1. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg4 promotes the hair-inductive properties of DP cells by activating the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway in DP spheres, suggesting that Rg4 could be a potential natural therapy for hair growth.