• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2307-2312
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• 2015

Curcumol is a sesquiterpene originally isolated from curcuma rhizomes, a component of herbal remedies commonly used in oriental medicine. Its beneficial pharmacological activities have attract significant interest recently. In this study, anti-cancer activity of curcumol was examined with both in vitro and in vivo models. It was found that curcumol exhibited time- and concentration-dependent anti-proliferative effects in SPC-A-1 human lung adenocarcinoma cells with cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase while apoptosis-induction was also confirmed with flow cytometry and morphological analyses. Interestingly, curcumol did not display growth inhibition in MRC-5 human embryonic lung fibroblasts, suggesting the anti-proliferative effects of curcumol were specific to cancer cells. Anti-neoplastic effects of curcumol were also confirmed in tumor bearing mice. Curcumol (60 mg/ kg daily) significantly reduced tumor size without causing notable toxicity. In conclusion, curcumol appears a favorable anti-cancer candidate for further development.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6519-6524
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of radical cystectomy (RC) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC) in patients with locally advanced bladder cancer (BC). From December 2000 to February 2012, 72 patients with locally advanced BC (T3-4a, N0 or N+, M0) received either RC or CRT. RC with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection including the common iliac region as the standard procedure. Patients in the CRT group received one cycle of MVAC followed by radiotherapy with a half dose of MVAC and then two more cycles of MVAC. Standard fractionation at a daily dose of 1.8-2.0 Gy was used, with a median total dose of 50 Gy (range, 45-60 Gy). The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates in the RC and CRT groups were 56.2% and 25.6%, respectively (p=-0.015) and the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 63.5% and 48.1% (p=0.272). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis with application of a propensity score indicated that RC was a significant predictor of PFS (p=0.033) but not of OS (p=0.291). Among patients with locally advanced BC, PFS was significantly prolonged in the RC group compared with the CRT group. However, RC was not a significant predictor of OS. Although the sample size in this study was small, the results suggest that patient background and postoperative quality of life should be considered when choosing treatment strategy for locally advanced BC.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.704-711
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• 2015

We examined the effects of temperature and light intensity on gametophyte growth of Ecklonia cava Kjellman. The growth of female and male gametophytes was investigated before maturation. Gametophytes prepared from Munseom, Jeju, Korea in October 2014 were separated by sex and maintained under the following conditions: 15℃, 20 μmol·m^-2·s^-1, and a 12-h/12-h light/dark cycle. The experiments were conducted at five temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30℃) and three light intensities (5, 20, and 40 μmol·m^-2·s^-1). Daily growth rates were estimated by the increase in filamentous frond area. The optimal growth conditions for female gametophytes were 20℃ and 40 μmol·m^-2·s^-1; the optimal conditions for male gametophytes were 15℃ and 20 μmol·m^-2·s^-1. The relative growth rates (RGR) of female and male gametophytes decreased at 25℃ and 30℃, respectively. At 30℃, RGRs of gametophytes decreased by approximately 1.0% day^-1. In addition, RGRs of male gametophytes were higher than those of female gametophytes. These results indicate that female gametophytes were more sensitive to temperature and light intensity than male gametophytes. Moreover, these results suggest that E. cava growth rates could decrease as a result of global warming.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.70-79
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• 2016

Based on the soil moisture data assimilation suggested in the first paper (I), we estimated root zone soil moisture and evaluated drought severity using remotely sensed (RS) data. We tested the impacts of various spatial resolutions on soil moisture variations, and the model outputs showed that resolutions of more than 2-3 km resulted in over-/under-estimation of soil moisture values. Thus, we derived the 2 km resolution-scaled soil moisture dynamics and assessed the drought severity at the study sites (Chungmi-cheon sites 1 and 2) based on the estimated soil/root parameters and weather forcings. The drought indices at the sites were affected mainly by precipitation during the spring season, while both the precipitation and land surface characteristics influence the spatial distribution of drought during the rainy season. Also, the drought severity showed a periodic cycle, but additional research on drought cycles should be conducted using long-term historical data. Our proposed approach enabled estimation of daily root zone soil moisture dynamics and evaluation of drought severity at various spatial scales using MODIS data. Thus, this approach will facilitate efficient management of water resources.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.171-173
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• 2003

Bisphenol A (4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol, C$\_$15/H$\_$16/O$_2$) is the monomer used in the manufacture of polycarbonate. Polycarbonate, in turn, is used in a wide array of plastic products, with new applications continuously being developed. Also it has been used to produce epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics for food container. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of bisphenol A on lactation period to dams and F1, Sprague-Dawley females were mated with on 2:1 ratio basis. Various doses of bisphenol A (0, 2, 20, 200, and 2,000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg) were daily administered to females for 21 days after parturition. Dams and offsprings were sacrificed at the time of weaning. The results were as follows, 2000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg of bisphenol A decreased the dams' body weight at post-partum 18 days and also 200 and 2000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg of bisphenol A decreased the body weight of neonates at the days of post-partum 21 days. Bisphenol A increased the relative weights of liver and spleen in male offsprings, depending on the doses. But female offsprings showed high relative organ weights of ovaries, and low relative organ weights of uterine in a some dose-response manners. High dose of bisphenol A induced low viability of neonates exposed during lactation period. The dams treated with bisphenol A showed prematured estrous stage. Bisphenol A was recovered about 21.2% average in serum of dams, and also in offsprings'. The results indicate that the bisphenol A induces estrous cycle during lactation period in dams, also reaches to the of offspring through breast milk. Thus bisphenol A exopsed to dams and neonates via lactation induces some estrogenic and toxic effects.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.177-187
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• 2009

This study examined the multi-scale variabilities of sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity in the Japan/East Sea (JES) based on statistical analyses of observational data, with a focus on the northwestern part of the sea. The regionality of JES SST variability was estimated for different frequency ranges on semimonthly (11-17 days), monthly to seasonal (30-90 days), quasi-semiannual (157-220 days), and quasi-biennial (1.5-3 years) time scales using cluster analyses of daily gridded SST data for 1996 to 2007 from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Several significant peaks and regional cores were found in each frequency range of the SST anomaly (SSTA) oscillations. Quasi-semiannual SSTA oscillations with high amplitude were found in the south-southwestern part of the Japan Basin ($41-43^{\circ}N$) and were amplified in the area adjacent to Peter the Great Bay. Oscillations with periods of 79 and 55 days also prevailed over the southwest Japan Basin between the Yamato Rise and the continental slope. A similar method was applied to classify SST and the annual cycle of surface salinity using Generalized Digital Environmental Model (GDEM) gridded data. The Tatarskii Strait and adjacent area showed the most specific annual cycles and variability in salinity on interannual to interdecadal time scales. The most significant inverse relationship between surface salinity in the Tatarskii Strait and southern JES areas was found on the interdecadal time scale. Linkages of sea water salinity in the Tatarskii Strait with Amur River discharge and wind velocity over Amurskii Liman were also revealed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.207-212
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• 2013

Chronic diarrhea with a 35 kg weight loss (75 kg to 40 kg) occurred during 2 years in an alcoholic patient was diagnosed with Isospora belli infection in the Republic of Korea. The patient, a 70-year old Korean male, had been a heavy drinker for more than 30 years. He was admitted to the Seoul National University Hospital because of long-standing diarrhea and severe weight loss. He had an increased white blood cell (WBC) count with high peripheral blood eosinophilia (36.8-39.9%) and lowered protein and albumin levels but without any evidence of immunosuppression. A parasitic infection was suspected and fecal examination was repeated 3 times with negative results. Peroral endoscopy with mural biopsy was performed in the upper jejunum. The biopsy specimens revealed villous atrophy with loss of villi together with various life cycle stages of I. belli, including trophozoites, schizonts, merozoites, macrogamonts, and microgamonts. The patient was treated successfully with oral doses of trimethoprim 160-320 mg and sulfamethoxazole 800-1,600 mg daily for 4 weeks. A follow-up evaluation at 2.5 years later revealed marked improvement of body weight (68 kg), increased protein and albumin levels, and normal WBC count with low eosinophils (3.1%). This is the first clinical case of isoporiasis with demonstration of various parasitic stages in the Republic of Korea.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.549-554
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• 2011

Recently, technical advances have been made in high efficiency gas turbine power plants. In domestic gas turbine facilities, the material properties of the blade and vane are degraded by the daily start-stop operations arising from the thermo mechanical cycle. We surveyed the time dependent degradation of the HP blade and vane to gather basic data for life assessment and damage analysis. The EOH(equivalent operating hours) of the blades were 23,686, 27,909, and 52,859 and the EOH of the vanes were 28,714 and 52,859, respectively. With increased operating hours, the shape of the primary ${\gamma}$' precipitate transformed from cubic to spherical, and its average size also increased. The leading edge area of the blades and the center of the vanes had the worst morphology, and this tendency agrees with the microhardness results. The thickness of the thermally grown oxide at the outer surface of the bond coat increased with increased operating hours.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.1040-1048
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• 1999

Four ruminally fistulated crossbred $(Sahiwal{\times}Holstein\;Friesan)$ adult (~6 yr.) cattle of about $318{\pm}16kg$ body weight were randomly assigned in an experiment based on $4{\times}4$ latin square design to study the effect of different level of barseem (Trifolium alexendrinum) supplementation to wheat straw based diet on intake, digestion, VFA production, eating behaviour and passage rate. Four dietary treatments were wheat straw ad lib. (I), supplementation to wheat either 15(II), 30(III) or 45(IV)% of berseem. Mean total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) concentration in rumen liquor was 58.45, 66.14, 77.92 and 78.64 mmol/l. TVFA concentration in rumen liquor increased significantly (p<0.01) with increased level of berseem supplementation upon 30% level of breseem. Two peaks of TVFA concentration was observed at 4 and 8 h post feeding. Brseem supplementation showed no significant effect on daily time spent for eating, ruminating or idling, chews per minute or number of rumination boli ingested per minute. Time spent for eating and ruminating one kg neutral detergent fibre (NDF) was significantly (p<0.05) less in breseem supplemented groups. Animals in groups I, II, III and IV consumed 26, 34, 47 and 57% of DM within 1st 4 h and 64, 70, 70 and 77% of total DM within 1st 8 h of offering. All the animals consumed more than 90% of their DMI within 12 h. Active period of rumination was observed 8h post feeding reached the peak at 16 h post feeding, then declined and animals spend considerable time idling in last 4 h of 24 h feeding cycle. Berseem supplementation showed no significant effect on eating and rumination time. It is concluded that berseem supplementation upon 30% increases the efficiency of chewing during eating and rumination, which results in increase intake and TVFA production and nutrient digestibility.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.292-299
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• 2000

Forty-four Javanese thin-tail ewes were used to study the effect of superovulation prior to mating and of ration quality on lamb birth weight at parturition. Twenty-two ewes weaning at least one lamb were used to measure lamb preweaning growth. Prior to mating, the experimental ewes were injected twice with prostaglandin, with an 11 d interval between injections to synchronize the estrous cycle. At the last prostaglandin injection, 24 ewes were also injected with 700 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) to stimulate superovulation and the remainder were injected with saline as control. During pregnancy and lactation, the experimental ewes were fed either on a low (12% CP and 65% TDN) or a high (15% CP and 75% TDN) quality ration. During lactation, the milk was collected twice a day and was refed to the lambs by bottle feeding immediately after collection. Superovulation or ration quality as a main factor did not significantly affect lamb birth weight. Litter size significantly affected lamb birth weight (p<0.05), and there was an interaction of superovulation and litter size. Nonsuperovulated ewes giving birth to multiple lambs had significantly lower average lamb birth weight (1.34 kg) as compared to those giving birth to a single lamb (1.97 kg) (p<0.05). However, superovulated ewes giving birth to multiple lambs had no significant difference in average lamb birth weight (1.68 kg) as compared to those giving birth to a single lamb (1.91 kg) (p>0.05). Superovulation of ewes prior to mating resulted in a significant improvement in lamb birth weight in the multiple litter size, without significant effect on average preweaning daily gain (p=0.07). Superovulation had a promising use in improving animal production through improvement of prenatal growth during pregnancy and milk production during lactation.