• Title/Summary/Keyword: Critical levels

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Anticancer Activities of the Methanolic Extract from Lemon Leaves in Human Breast Cancer Stem Cells (인간 유방암 줄기세포에서 레몬잎 메탄올 추출물의 항암 효능)

  • Moon, Jeong Yong;Nguyen, Linh Thi Thao;Hyun, Ho Bong;Osman, Ahmed;Cho, Minwhan;Han, Suyeong;Lee, Dong-Sun;Ahn, Kwang Seok
    • Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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    • v.58 no.3
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    • pp.219-226
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    • 2015
  • The anticancer activity of a methanolic extract from lemon leaves (MLL) was assessed in MCF-7-SC human breast cancer stem cells. MLL induced apoptosis in MCF-7-SC, as evidenced by increased apoptotic body formation, sub-G1 cell population, annexin V-positive cells, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, as well as proteolytic activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. Concomitantly, MLL induced the formation of acidic vesicular organelles, increased LC3-II accumulation, and reduced the activation of Akt, mTOR, and p70S6K, suggesting that MLL initiates an autophagic progression in MCF-7-SC via the Akt/mTOR pathway. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a critical step in the acquisition of the metastatic state, is an attractive target for therapeutic interventions directed against tumor metastasis. At low concentrations, MLL induced anti-metastatic effects on MCF-7-SC by inhibiting the EMT process. Exposure to MLL also led to an increase in the epithelial marker E-cadherin, but decreased protein levels of the mesenchymal markers Snail and Slug. Collectively, this study provides evidence that lemon leaves possess cytotoxicity and anti-metastatic properties. Therefore, MLL may prove to be beneficial as a medicinal plant for alternative novel anticancer drugs and nutraceutical products.

Analysis of the Controlling Factors of an Urban-type Landslide at Hwangryeong Mountain Based on Tree Growth Patterns and Geomorphology (부산 황령산에서의 수목 성장 및 지형 특성을 이용한 도시 산사태의 발생원인 분석)

  • Choi, Jin-Hyuck;Kim, Hyun-Tae;Oh, Jae-Yong;Kim, Young-Seog
    • The Journal of Engineering Geology
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.281-293
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    • 2011
  • We investigated the causes and characteristics of a landslide at Hwangryeong Mountain, Busan, based on aerial photos, annual precipitation data, rock fracture patterns, and geomorphic features using GIS Software, and a statistical analysis of tilted trees. The analyzed slope shows evidence of a previous slope failure event and the possibility of future failures. Although the NW-SE trending slope was relatively stable until 1975, a large-scale slope failure occurred between 1975 and 1985 due to complex factors, including favorably oriented geologic structures, human activity, and heavy rain. This indicates that a detailed study of geologic structures, slope stability, and rainfall characteristics is important for slope cuttings that could be a major factor and cause of urban landsliding events. The statistic analysis of tilted trees shows a slow progressive creeping type of mass wasting with rock falls oblique to the dip of the slope, with the slope having moved towards the west since 1985. A concentration of tree tilting has developed on the northwestern part of the slope, which could reach critical levels in the future. The analysis of deformed trees is a useful tool for understanding landslides and for predicting and preventing future landslide events.

Relationship between fish assemblages community and Streamline complexity (어류군집 특성과 하안형태복잡도와의 관계)

  • Kim, Jin-Ah;Lee, Sang-Woo;Hwang, Gil-Son;Kim, Chulgoo
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.15 no.2
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    • pp.19-29
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    • 2012
  • Numerous studies suggested that fish assemblage structure reflects the status of stream ecosystems. The status of streams integrity, including various trophic levels, water quality and habitat degradation, can be assessed by fish assemblages. In this study, we investigated the relationships between fish assemblages and streamline geometry of streams. Previous studies suggested that geomorphologic parameter can be a critical factor of permeability between adjacent two systems. From a landscape ecological perspective, edges may partially control the flow rate of energy between two adjacent systems. Thus, the Streamline geometry can be a geomorphologic parameter that exhibits the integrity of stream. We selected the Nakdong river for study areas, which is one of major rivers and the longest (525 km) River in South Korea. We used the revised IBI representing overall ecological characteristics of Korean fish assemblages and eight sub-assessment criteria of IBI, collected from 82 sampling sites in the Nakdong River. For calculating the Streamline geometry, we measured fractal dimension index that generally used in biology, ecology and landscape ecology. We used the digital land-use/land-cover map and generated a 1-km buffer for each sampling site and refined the shape of the Streamlines. Pearson correlation analyses were performed between Streamline geometry and IBI and sub-assessment criteria of IBI. The results show that IBI and eight sub-assessments of fish are significantly correlated with geometry of Streamline. The fractal dimension of Streamline geometry were related with IBI (r = 0.48) and six sub-assessments of IBI, including total number of native fish and native species, the number of riffle benthic species, sensitive species, tolerant species and native insectivore. Especially, the number of tolerant species(r = -0.52) and native insectivore(r = 0.52) show strong correlation with geometry of Streamline. These results indicate that lower Streamline geometry can result in poor fish assemblages, while higher geometry of Streamline can enhance fish assemblages by potentially supplying insects and better habitat conditions. We expect the results of our study to be useful for stream restoration and management. However, we see the necessity of study investigating the mechanisms how Streamline geometry affect fish assemblages.

Development of a Data Reference Model for Joint Utilization of Biological Resource Research Data (생물자원 연구데이터의 공동 활용을 위한 데이터 참조모델 개발)

  • Kwon, Soon-chul;Jeong, Seung-ryul
    • Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.135-150
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    • 2018
  • The biological resources research data around the world are not only very critical themselves but should be shared and utilized. Up to now, the biological resources have been compiled and managed individually depending on the purpose and characteristics of the study without any clear standard. So, in this study, the data reference model would be suggested which is applicable in the phase ranging from the start of the construction of the information system and which can be commonly used. For this purpose, the data model of the related information system would be expanded based on the domestic and foreign standards and data control policy so that the data reference model which can be commonly applicable to individual information system would be developed and its application procedure would be suggested. In addition, for the purpose of proving the excellence of the suggested data reference model, the quality level would be verified by applying the Korgstie's data model evaluation model and its level of data sharing with the domestic and foreign standards would be compared. The test results of this model showed that this model is better than the conventional data model in classifying the data into 4 levels of resources, target, activities and performances and that it has higher quality and sharing level of data in the data reference model which defines the derivation and relation of entity.

Elution Buffers for Human Enteric Viruses in Vegetables with Applications to Norovirus Detection

  • Moon, Aerie;Ahn, Jaehyun;Choi, Weon Sang
    • Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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    • v.28 no.4
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    • pp.287-292
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    • 2013
  • The efficient elution of viruses from contaminated food is a critical step for its detection. In this study, conditions optimal for enteric viral recovery from three leafy vegetables (cabbage, lettuce, sesame leaf) and three root vegetables (carrot, onion, mooli) were analyzed to find common buffers (statistically not different) applicable to the leafy and root vegetables. Viral recovery varied depending on the food matrices or elution buffers. Buffer solutions containing 0.25M threonine / 0.3M NaCl (pH 9.5) or 0.25M glycine / 0.14M NaCl (pH 9.5) could efficiently recover poliovirus from five out of six vegetables. The threonine buffer was applied to one leafy vegetable (sesame) and one root vegetable (carrot) for genogroup II norovirus (NoV) detection. The detection sensitivity was significantly higher from the leafy vegetable compared to the root vegetable. The use of these common elution buffers should facilitate the detection of low levels of NoV and other enteric viruses in a wide range of vegetables.

An Interdisciplinary Approach for the Solution of Enviromental polution (環境汚染의 解決을 위한 綜合科學的 接近方法 (I))

  • Sin, Hyeon-Deok
    • Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.207-216
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    • 1979
  • Environmental pollution or contaminations caused by various kinds of pollutants have become one of most serious problems of our time. Environ mental pollution is the unfavoralble alteration of our surroundings, through direct or indirect effects of changes in energy patterns, rediation levels, chemical and physical constitution and abundances of organisms. These changes may affect humans directly or through their supplies of water and of agicultural and other biological products, their physical objects or possessions, or their opportunities for recreation and appreciation of nature. Pollutants that meet the criteria of this definition of environmental pollution are numerous: gases (such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) and paniculate matter (such as smoke particles, lead aerosols, and asbestos) in the atmosphere; pesticides and radioactive isotopes in the atmosphee and in waterways; sewage, organic. chemicals, and phosphates in water; solid wastes on land; excessive heating (thermal pollution) of rivers and lakes; and many others. Some of these pollutants are introduced into the environment naturally, others by human actions, and most in both ways. Our major concer is with environmental pollution resulting wholly or largely as a by-product of human activities, because these can be controlled most readily. Environmental pollution cannot be solved by science and technology alone. It should be handled by an interdisciplinary approach with combined methods of science and technology as wen as social science disciplines for the better solution of this critical problem. In this respect, introducing "Environmental Science," a new scientific approach for the solution of environmental problems, which is now widely accepted by most developed countries of the world will be very helpful for systematization of theoretical basis for a new scientific approach to environmental pollution. Environmental science is "the study of all systems of air, land, water, energy, and life that surround Man. It includes all sciences directed to the system-level of understanding of the environment, drawing especially upon such disciplines as meteorology, geophysics, oceanography, and ecology, and utilizing to the fullest knowledge and techniques developed in such fields as physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering as well as many social science disciplines, such as economics, such as economics, law, political science and public administration." The components of this discipline are not new, for they are drawn from existing areas of science within biology chemistry, physics, and geoscience. What is really new about environmental science, however, is it siewpoint - its orientation to global problems, its conception of the earth as a set of interlocking, interacting systems, and its interest in Man as a part of these systems.

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Developing the assessment model for technology selection: Based on the BSC and ANP (기술 선정을 위한 평가모델 개발: BSC와 ANP를 중심으로)

  • Hong, Jongyi;Shin, Kyungchul
    • Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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    • v.17 no.6
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    • pp.83-93
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    • 2012
  • Technology assessment is one of the most challenging decision making areas that companies face nowadays. According to increase the importance of technology selection, it has been a main issue for the decision makers whether an appropriate technology selection will be successful or not. Therefore, in this study, a technology assessment model using BSC and ANP method was proposed. The technology assessment model consist of three phase. In first phase, various factors, that have an influence on technology assessment, were taken into consideration. Based on the extracted BSC process, the strategies and critical success factors and performance measures were extracted for selecting the technology. And in second phase, the ANP method used to integrate opinions of experts' and evaluate technology alternatives controls tangible and intangible criteria, allows for more complex inter-relationship among decision levels and deals with ambiguity involved in the assessment process. In the lase phase, according to the result of before phase, decision makers select the appropriate technology. Furthermore, the proposed model was applied in the public service for validating the feasibility of the assessment model. The criteria and proposed performance measures informs the method and focus areas for developing the technology. Furthermore, the assessment model can be applied to the other area, and give the objectivity and rationality.

Review of the trend of research in geographical education in Korea (1945-1995) (지리교육 반세기의 회고와 전망: 연구업적을 중심으로)

  • ;Nam, Sang-Joon
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.31 no.2
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    • pp.317-328
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    • 1996
  • The purpose of this paper is to review the trend of research in geographical education since the launching of the Korean Geographical Society in 1945 and to suggest the areas and directions for future oriented research in geographical education. 422 articles (including 12 books) were reviewed and analized for this paper. The outputs of research in geographical education contributed in developing and improving the geographical education in primary and secondary school geography. But to achieve stable and desirable status as a subject in the school curriculum, research in geographical education has to be changed in its target areas and methods. The results and the suggestions of this study are summarized as follows: First, research in geographical education in diverse areas, especially in the areas of significance, aims and objectives, and psychology of geographical education should be preceded the revision of the school curriclum so that the results could be used as the basis information and evidences in decision making about the curriculum. Second, research in geographical education for affective domain and skill development should be implemented more actively in accordance to the trend of integration centering around the dicipline-inquiry skill and citizenship skill. More close relationship between the circles of geographical education and geography would be one of the ways to satisfy the social needs. Third, the linkage between primary and secondary school geography is crucial to the research in geographical education. Considering the sequence in human development research in geographical education for two levels of school should be conducted in more wide school-year span. Fourth, critical and prescriptive research in geographical education focusing on the individual, diciplinary, and social relevancy of the content of geographical education may be recommended. Finally, the outputs of the research in geographical education should be publicized more widely so that the rationale for justification of subject geography and geographical education may be shared with among the researchers, educational administrators, and practioners.

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Analysis of Interpretation Processes Through Readers' Thinking Aloud in Science-Related Line Graphs (과학관련 선 그래프를 해석하는 고등학생들의 발성사고 과정 분석)

  • Kim, Tae-Sun;Kim, Beom-Ki
    • Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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    • v.25 no.2
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    • pp.122-132
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    • 2005
  • Graphing abilities are critical to understand and convey information in science. And then, to what extent are secondary students in science courses able to understand line graphs? To find clues about the students' interpretation processes of the information in science-related line graphs, this study has the following research question: Is there a difference between the levels of complexity of good and poor readers as they use the thinking aloud method for studying cognitive processes? The present study was designed to provide evidence for the hypothesis that good line graph readers use a specific graph interpretation process when reading and interpreting line graphs. With the aid of the thinking aloud method we gained deeper insight into the interpretation processes of good and poor graph readers while verifying verbal statements with respect to line graphs. The high performing students tend to read much more information and more trend-related information than the low performing students. We support the assumption of differential line graph schema existing in the high performing students in conjunction with general graph schema. Also, high performing students tend to think aloud much more metacognitively than low performing students. High performing students think aloud a larger quantity of information from line graphs than low performing students, and more trend-related sentences than value-related sentences from line graphs. The differences of interpretation processes revealed between good and poor graph readers while reading and interpreting line graphs have implications for instructional practice as well as for test development and validation. Teaching students to read and interpret graphs flexibly and skillfully is a particular challenge to anyone seriously concerned with good education for students who live in an technological society.

The Neuroanatomy and Psychophysiology of Attention (집중의 신경해부와 정신생리)

  • Lee, Sung-Hoon;Park, Yun-Jo
    • Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.119-133
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    • 1998
  • Attentional processes facilitate cognitive and behavioral performance in several ways. Attention serves to reduce the amount of information to receive. Attention enables humans to direct themselves to appropriate aspects of external environmental events and internal operations. Attention facilitates the selection of salient information and the allocation of cognitive processing appropriate to that information. Attention is not a unitary process that can be localized to a single neuroanatomical region. Before the cortical registration of sensory information, activation of important subcortical structures occurs, which is called as an orienting response. Once sensory information reaches the sensory cortex, a large number of perceptual processes occur, which provide various levels of perceptual resolution of the critical features of the stimuli. After this preattentional processing, information is integrated within higher cortical(heteromodal) systems in inferior parietal and temporal lobes. At this stage, the processing characteristics can be modified, and the biases of the system have a direct impact on attentional selection. Information flow has been traced through sensory analysis to a processing stage that enables the new information to be focused and modified in relation to preexisting biases. The limbic and paralimbic system play significant roles in modulating attentional response. It is labeled with affective salience and is integrated according to ongoing pressures from the motivational drive system of the hypothalamus. The salience of information greatly influences the allocation of attention. The frontal lobe operate response selection system with a reciprocal interaction with both the attention system of the parietal lobe and the limbic system. In this attentional process, the search with the spatial field is organized and a sequence of attentional responses is generated. Affective, motivational and appectitive impulses from limbic system and hypothalamus trigger response intention, preparation, planning, initiation and control of frontal lobe on this process. The reticular system, which produces ascending activation, catalyzes the overall system and increases attentional capacity. Also additional energetic pressures are created by the hypothalamus. As psychophysiological measurement, skin conductance, pupil diameter, muscle tension, heart rate, alpha wave of EEG can be used. Event related potentials also provide physiological evidence of attention during information process. NI component appears to be an electrophysiological index of selective attention. P3 response is developed during the attention related to stimulus discrimination, evaluation and response.

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