• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2008

Background: Coptis chinensis rhizome has been used as a medicinal herb in traditional Oriental medicine. We investigated the effects of Coptis chinensis extract on inflammatory mediators and delayed type hypersensitivity in mice. Methods: The inhibitory effect of ethanolic extract of Coptis chinensis (CCE) on cell proliferation was evaluated using MTS assay. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and the Con A-activated mouse splenocytes were cultured with various concentrations of CCE. Total nitric oxide (NO) production was determined by Griess reaction. The amounts of secreted prostaglandine E2 ($PGE_2$), interleukin (IL)-2 and IFN-${\gamma}$ were measured by ELISA. To investigate the in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of CCE, oxazolone-induced delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) model was used. Results: The CCE at $100{\mu}g/ml$ significantly blocked the LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory mediators (NO and PGE) in RAW264.7 macrophages. Also, it significantly inhibited cell proliferation and cytokine (IL-2 and IFN-${\gamma}$) production in splenocytes. Furthermore, when splenocytes from CCE fed mice (200 mg/kg for 2 weeks) were activated with Con A, cell proliferation and cytokine production were significantly inhibited. In addition, CCE decreased in vivo inflammation in oxazolone-induced DTH model mice. Conclusion: We suggest that Coptis chinensis can be used as an anti-inflammatory drug by exerting an inhibitory effect in inflammatory mediator- and cell-mediated inflammation.

• Atmosphere
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.51-66
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• 2015

This study was conducted to perform various sensitivity experiments using WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model in order to determine the effects of terrains of the Korean Peninsula and the land-sea thermal contrast on the formation and development of the convergent cloud band for the cases of 1 February 2012. The sensitivity experiments consist of the following five ones: CNTL experiment (control experiment), and TMBT experiment, BDMT experiment and ALL experiment that set the terrain altitude of Taeback Mountains and Northern mountain complex as zero, respectively, and the altitude of the above-mentioned two mountains as zero, and LANDSEA experiment that set to change the Korean Peninsula into sea in order to find out the land-sea thermal contrast effect. These experiment results showed that a cold air current stemming from the Siberian high pressure met the group of northern mountains with high topography altitude and was separated into two air currents. These two separated air currents met each other again on the Middle and Northern East Sea, downstream of the group of northern mountains and converged finally, creating the convergent cloud band. And these experiments suggested that the convergent cloud band located on the Middle and Northern East Sea, and the cloud band lying on the southern East sea to the coastal waters of the Japanese Island facing the East Sea, were generated and developed by different dynamical mechanisms. Also it was found that the topography of Taeback Mountains created a warm air advection region due to temperature rise by adiabatic compression near the coastal waters of Yeongdong Region, downstream of the mountains. In conclusion, these experiment results clearly showed that the most essential factor having an effect on the generation and development of the convergent cloud band was the topography effect of the northern mountain complex, and that the land-sea thermal contrast effect was insignificant.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1657-1671
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• 2015

In this study, the wind direction and the wind speed of the nearest temperature observations point of the National Weather Service was analyzed in order to investigate the rapid rise and drop of water temperature in the East Coast appeared after passing of the 2015 typhoon No. 9 and 11. Then the figures were simulated and analyzed using the WRF(weather research and forecast) model to investigate in more detailed path of the typhoon as well as the changes in the wind field. The results were as follows. A sudden drop of water temperature was confirmed due to upwelling on the East coast when ninth typhoon Chanhom is transformed from tropical cyclones into extra tropical cyclone, then kept moving eastwards from Pyongyang forming a strong southerly wind after 13th and this phenomenon lasted for two days. The high SST(sea surface temperature) is confirmed due to a strong northerly wind by 11th typhoon Nangka. This strong wind directly affected the east coast for three days causing the Ekman effect which transported high offshore surface waters to the coast. The downwelling occurred causing an accumulation of high temperature surface water. As a results, the SST of 15m and 25m rose to that of 5m.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 1992

It is believed that the lower cold water is formed by winter cooling in the north of the East(Japan) Sea. To examine its effect on the general circulation of the East Sea, we performed a two-layer numerical model with realistic bottom topography. First a circulation is generated by imposing only an inflow and an outflow which is then modified by adding the cooling effect in the north. The interface between the two layers rises due to cooling and propagates along the coast as internal Kelvin waves. About 7 months after the cooling starts, all coastal areas of the basin have higher elevation than that in offshore region. This induces baroclinic currents resulting in clockwise(anticlockwise) circulation in upper (lower) layer of the basin. It is concluded that the East Korean Warm Current strengthens as a result of lower cold water formation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.327-338
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• 2020

The role of precise prediction of subsurface fluids and discrimination among them cannot be ignored in reservoir characterization and petroleum prospecting. A suitable rock physics model should be build for the extraction of valuable information form seismic data. The main intent of current work is to present a rock physics model to analyze the characteristics of seismic wave propagating through a cracked porous rock saturated by a three phase fluid. Furthermore, the influence on wave characteristics due to variation in saturation of water, oil and gas were also analyzed for oil and water as wet cases. With this approach the objective to explore wave attenuation and dispersion due to wave induce fluid flow (WIFF) at seismic and sub-seismic frequencies can be precisely achieved. We accomplished our proposed approach by using BISQ equations and by applying appropriate boundary conditions to incorporate heterogeneity due to saturation of three immiscible fluids forming a layered system. To authenticate the proposed methodology, we compared our results with White's mesoscopic theory and with the results obtained by using Biot's poroelastic relations. The outcomes reveals that, at low frequencies seismic wave characteristics are in good agreement with White's mesoscopic theory, however a slight increase in attenuation at seismic frequencies is because of the squirt flow. Moreover, our work crop up as a practical tool for the development of rock physical theories with the intention to identify and estimate properties of different fluids from seismic data.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.325-335
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• 2012

It is well known that sound waves in the sea propagates under the influence of sea surface and bottom roughness, the sound speed profile, the water depth, and the density of sea floor sediment. In particular, an abrupt change of sound speed with depth can greatly affect sound propagation through an eddy. Eddies are frequently generated in the East Sea near the Korean Peninsula. A warm eddy with diameter of about 150 km is often observed, and the sound speed profile is greatly changed within about 400 m of water depth at the center by the eddy around the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea. The characteristics of low-frequency sound propagation across a warm eddy are investigated by a sound propagation model in order to understand the influence of warm eddies. The acoustic rays and propagation losses are calculated by a range-dependent acoustic model in conditions where the eddy is both present and absent. We found that low-frequency sound propagation is affected by the warm eddy, and that the phenomena dominate the upper ocean within 800 m of water depth. The propagation losses of a 100 Hz frequency are variable within ${\pm}15$ dB with depth and range by the warm eddy. Such variations are more pronounced at the deep source near the sound channel axis than the shallow source. Furthermore, low-frequency sound propagation from the eddy center to the eddy edge is more affected by the warm eddy than sound propagation from the eddy edge to the eddy center.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.52-66
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• 2008

Objectives :Ginkgo-Chunghyul-dan (GCHD) is newly developed herbal medicine to prevent and treat stroke. In this study, we investigated whether the GCHD had antioxidant activity and anti-platelet aggregation effect in vitro and hypolipidemic activities in vivo. Methods :Anti-oxidant activity of GCHD was measured using the Blois method, anti-platelet effect of GCHD was assessed by the Born method, and hypolipidemic activities of GCHD were evaluated in corn oil- or Triton WR-1339-induced and cholesterol-fed rats. Results :GCHD showed anti-oxidant activity in the study inhibiting the formation of 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals and xanthine oxidase activity. GCHD had anti-platelet aggregation activity. GCHD significantly lowered total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in high cholesterol diet and Triton WR-1339 induced model TG in corn oil-induced model. GCHD had no acute toxicity at a single dosage. Conclusion : These results suggest that GCHD has the potential to treat hyperlipidemia and stroke.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.13-26
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• 2016

Sea water level variations are generally influenced by a variety of factors such as tides, meteorological forces, water temperature, salinity, wave, and topography, etc. Among non-tidal conditions, atmospheric pressure is one of the major factors causing water level changes. In the East Sea, due to small tidal range which is opposite to large tidal range of the Yellow Sea, it is difficult to predict water level changes using a numerical model, which consider tidal forcing only. This study focuses on the effects of atmospheric pressure variations on sea level predictions along the eastern coast of Korea. Telemac-2D model is simulated with the Inverted Barometer Effect(IBE), and then its results are analyzed. In comparison between observed data and predictions, the correlation of prediction with IBE and tide is better than that of tide-only case. Therefore, IBE is strongly suggested to be considered for the numerical simulations of sea level changes in the East Sea.

• Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.138-146
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• 2022

Background and Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) helps with brain development analysis and disease diagnosis. Brain volumes measured from different ages using MRI provides useful information in clinical evaluation and research. Therefore, we trained machine learning models that predict the brain age gap of healthy subjects in the East Asian population using T1 brain MRI volume images. Methods: In total, 154 T1-weighted MRIs of healthy subjects (55-83 years of age) were collected from an East Asian community. The information of age, gender, and education level was collected for each participant. The MRIs of the participants were preprocessed using FreeSurfer(https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/) to collect the brain volume data. We trained the models using different supervised machine learning regression algorithms from the scikit-learn (https://scikit-learn.org/) library. Results: The trained models comprised 19 features that had been reduced from 55 brain volume labels. The algorithm BayesianRidge (BR) achieved a mean absolute error (MAE) and r squared (R²) of 3 and 0.3 years, respectively, in predicting the age of the new subjects compared to other regression methods. The results of feature importance analysis showed that the right pallidum, white matter hypointensities on T1-MRI scans, and left hippocampus comprise some of the essential features in predicting brain age. Conclusions: The MAE and R² accuracies of the BR model predicting brain age gap in the East Asian population showed that the model could reduce the dimensionality of neuroimaging data to provide a meaningful biomarker for individual brain aging.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2024

This study analyzed the effect of warming on PM_2.5 aerosol production in mid-latitude East Asia during June 2020 using PM_2.5 aerosol anomalies, which were identified by incorporating meteorological and climate data into the Weather Research Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model. The decadal temperature change trend over a 30-year period (1991-2020) in East Asia showed that recent warming has been greater in summer than in winter. Summer warming in East Asia generated low and high pressure in the lower and upper troposphere, respectively, over China. The boundary between the lower tropospheric low and upper tropospheric high pressure sloped along the terrain from the Tibetan Plateau to Korea. The eastern China, Yellow Sea, and Korean regions experienced a convergence of warm and humid southwesterly airflows originating from the East China Sea with the development of a northwesterly Pacific high pressure. In June 2020, the highest temperatures were observed since 1973 in Korea. Meanwhile, enhanced warming in East Asia increased the production of PM_2.5 aerosols that travelled long distances from eastern China to Korea. PM_2.5 anomalies, which were derived solely by inputting meteorological and climatic data (1991-2020) into the WRF-Chem model and excluding emission variations, showed a positive distribution extending from eastern China to South Korea across the Yellow Sea as well as over the Pacific Northwest. Thus, the contribution of warming to PM_2.5 aerosols in East Asia during June 2020 was more than 50%. In particular, PM_2.5 aerosols were transported from eastern China to Korea through the Yellow Sea, where the warm and humid southwesterly airflows implied wet scavenging of sulfate but promoted nitrate production.