• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2009

Nitric oxide (NO) acts as an intracellular messenger at the physiological level but can be cytotoxic at high concentrations. The cells within periodontal tissues, such as gingival and periodontal fibroblasts, contain nitric oxide syntheses and produce high concentrations of NO when exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharides and cytokines. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying NO-induced cytotoxicity in periodontal tissues are unclear at present. In our current study, we examined the NO-induced cytotoxic mechanisms in human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). Cell viability and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined using a MTT assay and a fluorescent spectrometer, respectively. The morphological changes in the cells were examined by Diff-Quick staining. Expression of the Bcl-2 family and Fas was determined by RT-PCR or western blotting. The activity of caspase-3, -8 and -9 was assessed using a spectrophotometer. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, decreased the cell viability of the HGF cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. SNP enhanced the production of ROS, which was ameliorated by NAC, a free radical scavenger. ODQ, a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, did not block the SNP-induced decrease in cell viability. SNP also caused apoptotic morphological changes, including cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation. The expression of Bax, a member of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family, was upregulated in the SNP-treated HGF cells, whereas the expression of Bcl-2, a member of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family, was downregulated. SNP augmented the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol and enhanced the activity of caspase-8, -9, and -3. SNP also upregulated Fas, a component of the death receptor assembly. These results suggest that NO induces apoptosis in human gingival fibroblast via ROS and the Bcl-2 family through both mitochondrial- and death receptor-mediated pathways. Our data also indicate that the cyclic GMP pathway is not involved in NO-induced apoptosis.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2014

Objective: This entire study has two parts. Study I aimed to develop a psychological assessment scale and the study II aimed to investigate the effects of LFN (low frequency noise) on the psychological responses in humans, using the scale developed in the study I. Background: LFN is known to have a negative impact on the functioning of humans. The negative impact of LFN can be categorized into two major areas of functioning of humans, physiological and psychological areas of functioning. The physiological impact can cause abnormalities in threshold, balancing and/or vestibular system, cardiovascular system and, hormone changes. Psychological functioning includes cognition, communication, mental health, and annoyance. Method: 182 college students participated in the study I in development of a psychological assessment scale and 42 paid volunteers participated in the study II to measure psychological responses. The LFN stimuli consisted of 12 different pure tones and 12 different 1 octave-band white noises and each stimulus had 4 different frequencies and 3 different sounds pressure levels. Results: We developed the psychological assessment scale consisting of 17 items with 3 dimensions of psychological responses (i.e., perceived physical, perceived physiological, and emotional responses). The main findings of LFN on the responses were as follows: 1. Perceived psychological responses showed a linear relation with SPL (sound pressure level), that is the higher the SPL is, the higher the negative psychological responses were. 2. Psychological responses showed quadric relations with SPL in general. 3. More negative responses at 31.5Hz LFN than those of 63 and 125Hz were reported, which is deemed to be caused by perceived vibration by 31.5Hz. 'Perceived vibration' at 31.5Hz than those of other frequencies of LFN is deemed to have amplified the negative psychological response. Consequently there found different effects of low frequency noise with different frequencies and intensity (SPL) on multiple psychological responses. Conclusion: Three dimensions of psychological responses drawn in regard to this study differed from others in the frequencies and SLP of LFN. Negative psychological responses are deemed to be differently affected by the frequency, SPL of the LFN and 'feel vibration' induced by the LFN. Application: The psychological scale from our study can be applied in quantitative psychological measurement of LFN at home or industrial environment. In addition, it can also help design systems to block LFN to provide optimal conditions if used the study outcome, .i.e., the relations between physical and psychological responses of LFN.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.7.1-7.7
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• 2009

"To be, or not to be?" This question is not only Hamlet's agony but also the dilemma of mitochondria in a cancer cell. Cancer cells have a high glycolysis rate even in the presence of oxygen. This feature of cancer cells is known as the Warburg effect, named for the first scientist to observe it, Otto Warburg, who assumed that because of mitochondrial malfunction, cancer cells had to depend on anaerobic glycolysis to generate ATP. It was demonstrated, however, that cancer cells with intact mitochondria also showed evidence of the Warburg effect. Thus, an alternative explanation was proposed: the Warburg effect helps cancer cells harness additional ATP to meet the high energy demand required for their extraordinary growth while providing a basic building block of metabolites for their proliferation. A third view suggests that the Warburg effect is a defense mechanism, protecting cancer cells from the higher than usual oxidative environment in which they survive. Interestingly, the latter view does not conflict with the high-energy production view, as increased glucose metabolism enables cancer cells to produce larger amounts of both antioxidants to fight oxidative stress and ATP and metabolites for growth. The combination of these two different hypotheses may explain the Warburg effect, but critical questions at the mechanistic level remain to be explored. Cancer shows complex and multi-faceted behaviors. Previously, there has been no overall plan or systematic approach to integrate and interpret the complex signaling in cancer cells. A new paradigm of collaboration and a well-designed systemic approach will supply answers to fill the gaps in current cancer knowledge and will accelerate the discovery of the connections behind the Warburg mystery. An integrated understanding of cancer complexity and tumorigenesis is necessary to expand the frontiers of cancer cell biology.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2009

This study was carried out to detennine the optimal submerged culture conditions for the growth increase of ginseng adventitious roots containing germanium by means of a fractional factorial design with four factors and three levels, using the response surface methodology (RSM). The ginseng (Panax ginseng CA. Meyer) adventitious roots were induced by plant growth regulators and cultured in a liquid SH medium. The effects of various $GeO_2$ and phosphoric acid ($H_3P0_4$) concentrations in the medium, $GeO_2$ addition time and the pH of the medium on the fresh weight of the ginseng adventitious roots were investigated. The optimum pH of the medium and the phosphoric acid concentration detennined by the partial differentiation of the model equation were 4.7 and 6.0 roM, respectively. The predicted optimal $GeO_2$ concentration was 10 ppm and the $GeO_2$ addition time did not affect the growth of ginseng adventitious roots. Under these conditions, the growth of the ginseng adventitious root containing germanium was predicted to be 2.47 g.

• The Journal of Korean Association of Computer Education
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Excessive cognitive burdens caused by learning grammar should be reduced to cultivate high-level thinking skills in students through programing education. To this end, various educational programing languages have been developed. In recent years, block-based App Inventor that can used in real life have been introduced. This study intends to suggest an educational environment in which programing can be utilized as a leading problem solving tool by designing and producing an app that can be easily used by students in their real life. In particular, given the developmental phase of elementary school students, specific operational activities are important. For this reason, an App Inventor that can be proposed to enable dynamic interactions with the real world based on various smartphone sensors during the process of programing has significance as an educational programing language for elementary school students. In this regard, this study designed App Inventor programing education for elementary school students, which can be used in their daily life. The results of applying the education in fifth graders showed its positive effects on learning programing. LT collaborative learning where the students cooperated with each other, the theme of learning, which enables the utilization of various smartphone sensors in real life, and the app inventor may have generated and sustained the students' interest and attention.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.598-604
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• 2006

The $Ca^{2+}-activated$ neutral protease calpain induced proteolysis has been suggested to play a role in certain cell growth regulatory proteins. Cyclin proteolysis is essential for cell cycle progression. D-type cyclins, which form an assembly with cyclin-dependent kinases (cdk4 and cdk6), are synthesized earlier in G1 of the cell cycle and seem to be induced in response to external signals that promote entry into the cell cycle. Here we show that cyclin D3 protein levels are regulated at the posttranscriptional level by calpain protease. Treatment of human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells with lovastatin and actinomycin D resulted in a loss of cyclin D3 protein that was completely reversible by the peptide aldehyde calpain inhibitor, LLnL. The specific inhibitor of the 26S proteasome, lactacystin, the lysosome inhibitors, ammonium chloride and chloroquine, and the serine protease inhibitor, phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF), did not block the degradation of cyclin D3 by lovastatin and actinomycin D. Results of in vitro degradation of cyclin D3 by purified calpain showed that cyclin D3 protein is degraded in a $Ca^{2+}-dependent$ manner, and the half-life of cyclin D3 protein was dramatically increased in LLnL treated cells. These data suggested that cyclin D3 protein is regulated by the $Ca^{2+}-activated$ protease calpain.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.301-322
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• 2013

Recent major post-hurricane damage assessments in the United States have reported that the most common damages result from the loss of building roof coverings and subsequent wind driven rain intrusion. In an effort to look further into this problem, this paper presents a full-scale (Wall of Wind --WoW--) investigation of external and underneath wind pressures on roof tiles installed on a low-rise building model with various gable roofs. The optimal dimensions for the low-rise building that was tested with the WOW are 2.74 m (9 ft) long, 2.13 m (7 ft) wide, and 2.13 m (7 ft) high. The building is tested with interchangeable gable roofs at three different slopes (2:12; 5:12 and 7:12). The field tiles of these gable roofs are considered with three different tile profiles namely high (HP), medium (MP), and low profiles (LP) in accordance with Florida practice. For the ridge, two different types namely rounded and three-sided tiles were considered. The effect of weather block on the "underneath" pressure that develops between the tiles and the roof deck was also examined. These tests revealed the following: high pressure coefficients for the ridge tile compared to the field tiles, including those located at the corners; considerably higher pressure on the gable end ridge tiles compared to ridge tiles at the middle of the ridge line; and marginally higher pressure on barrel type tiles compared to the three-sided ridge tiles. The weather blocking of clay tiles, while useful in preventing water intrusion, it doesn't have significant effect on the wind loads of the field tiles. The case with weather blocking produces positive mean underneath pressure on the field tiles on the windward side thus reducing the net pressures on the windward surface of the roof. On the leeward side, reductions in net pressure to a non-significant level were observed due to the opposite direction of the internal and external pressures. The effect of the weather blocking on the external pressure on the ridge tile was negligible.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.12-20
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to evaluate human thermal comfort by spatial structure and to explore solutions to improve the thermal environment of a small urban space. The study site was Korea University campus. Thermal conditions were measured to evaluate the quality of the thermal environment in each type of space within the study site. Micrometeorology measurements, analysis of space characteristics for using fish-eye lens photography, and thermal comfort modeling through the use of collected meteorological data, such as temperature and humidity, were performed. Results showed that the level of thermal comfort for humans differs depending on the types of space within the study site. Thermal comfort is better in open spaces than enclosed in the aspect of radiative mean temperature, Predicted Mean Vote(PMV), and Physiologically Equivalent Temperature(PET). This fact is probably due to shadows or buildings or trees that may block solar radiation. Thus, it is necessary to consider the spatial arrangements of buildings and trees to enhance openness and ventilation in the space. Paving materials and exterior building materials should also be selected to lower the radiant temperature. Given these results, a quantitative evaluation on human thermal comfort could propose a way to plan user comfortable small urban spaces. Study methods used and results provided in the study can promote a better way for urban space planning direction to improve environmental quality.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.431-435
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• 2011

This paper presents optimized searching technique to improve the performance of H.264/AVC. The proposed CAVLC encoder uses forward and backward searching algorithm to compute the parameters. By zero-block skipping technique and pipelined scheduling, the proposed CAVLC encoder can obtain better performance. The experimental result shows that the proposed architecture needs only 66.6 cycles on average for each $16{\times}16$ macroblock encoding. The proposed architecture improves the performance by 13.8% than that of previous designs. The proposed CAVLC encoder was implemented using VerilogHDL and synthesized with Megnachip $0.18{\mu}m$ standard cell library. The synthesis result shows that the gate count is about 15.6K with 125Mhz clock frequency.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.693-699
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• 2016

The simulators for pump operation developed by domestic or overseas research have been developed for dynamic analysis or operator training purposes. However, previous developed simulators focused on the operators so they are unsuitable for logic designers or commissioning engineers who need to change the operation conditions or logics arbitrarily. In addition, the simulator for two or more condensate pumps' operation, which can be used easily by plant designers or operators, has not been developed. Accordingly, this paper suggests a simulation method that can be used easily for plant designers or operators using MATLAB Simulink. This suggestion helps users who can use MATLAB to implement ANSI/ISA S5.2, which is applied mainly for DCS (Distributed Control System). In addition, to implement the logics specified in the CODE, Sub-Systems were created for the block and evaluated to determine if they can be used in the simulator. In the working level stage using the suggested method, all error possibilities that might occur during the three pumps' rotation operation could be verified with the suggested simulator during the design stage or before operation.