• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.441-449
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• 2015

Endlicheria anomala, a neotropical plant, is found in northern South America and the Amazon region. It is traditionally used to remove poisons and cure gangrene. According to recent data, this plant has diverse biological properties such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-melanogenic properties. However, the anti-cancer effect of E. anomala and its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we examined the anti-cancer effect and the active mechanism of methanol extract of E. anomala (MEEA) in human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) and human liver cancer cells (HepG2). Our data revealed that MEEA showed cytotoxic activity in a dose-dependent manner and induced apoptosis both in A549 and HepG2 cells. We verified evidences of apoptosis via formation of chromatin condensation, apoptotic body and accumulation of cells in the subG1 phase. Following observed apoptosis-related phenomena, we found that the induction of apoptosis by MEEA was associated with the increase of tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (WAF1/CIP1) expression. Furthermore, MEEA-induced apoptosis was characterized with proteolytic activation of caspase-3, degradation of poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression. Taken together, these findings indicate that MEEA may have potential cancer therapeutic utility in A549 and HepG2 cells.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.443-449
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• 2017

The imbalance of air supply and the exhaust on subway platforms has led to the installation of platform screen doors in underground subway stations. This imbalance causes the accumulation of pollutants on the platform and loss of comfort due to the lack of ventilation. In this study, a floor exhaust system was optimized using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and an optimization program. The optimized floor exhaust system was manufactured and tested experimentally to evaluate the particle collection efficiency. CFX 17.0 and HEEDS were used to analyze the flow field and optimize the principal dimensions of the exhaust system. As a result of the three-step optimization, the optimized floor exhaust system had a total height of 1.78 m, pressure drop of 430 Pa, and particle collection capability of 61%. A fine dust particle collection experiment was conducted using a floor exhaust system that was manufactured at full scale based on the optimized design. The experiment indicated about 65% particle collection efficiency. Therefore, the optimized design can be applied to subway platforms to draw in exhaust air and remove particulate matter at the same time.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.79-88
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• 2010

준분포형 모형인 SWAT 모형은 소유역내 수문학적 반응단위 별로 유출, 유사 등의 발생을 평가하는데 이때 Hydrological Response Unit (HRU)의 지형정보가 활용된다. 현재 SWAT 모형의 인터페이스 구조는, 각 소유역의 평균 지형인자 값이 각 소유역내의 모든 HRU의 지형정보로 사용된다. 그러므로 각 소유역내의 HRU에 있는 지형인자를 정확하게 추출하기 위해서는 수계를 자세하게 나누어야 하며, 이를 위해서 더욱 자세한 소유역 수계 인터페이스가 필요하다. 현재 SWAT 모형 인터페이스에서는 수계를 나눌 때 임계값의 최소값은 최대 flow accumulation 값의 0.1 %가 사용된다. 따라서 HRU의 지형인자를 추출하기 위해 아주 자세한 정도로 소유역의 수계를 나눈다는 것은 불가능하다. 본 연구에서는 사용자가 원하는 임계값과 농경지 경계를 근거하여 소유역 경계를 추가로 수계를 나눌 수 있는 Dual Watershed Delineation Module (DWDM) 을 개발하였다. 기존 SWAT의 수계추출 모듈로 유량을 모의한 결과 $27,219\;m^3$/month 가 산정되었고, DWDM 을 적용한 결과 $26,172\;m^3$/month 로 약 3.8 %의 미미한 차이가 생겼다. 하지만 유사의 경우 DWDM을 적용하기 전에는 0.779 ton/month, 적용 후에는 2.688 ton/month 로 약 245 %의 차이를 보였다. 즉 농경지를 추가적으로 수계를 나눌 때 유사의 가장 민감한 요소인 경사장을 실제지형에 맞게 고려함에 따라 좀 더 정확한 유사 산정을 할 수 있었다. 농경지에서의 정확한 수문 및 유사 평가 시 본 연구에서 개발한 모듈이 적용 되어야 한다고 사료된다.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.515-529
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• 2019

Geospatial information for river network and watershed boundary have played a fundamental roles in terms of river management, planning and design, hydrological and hydraulic analysis. Irrespective of their importance, the lack of punctual update and improper maintenance in currently available river-related geospatial information systems has revealed inconsistency issues between individual systems and spatial inaccuracy with regard to reflecting dynamically transferring riverine geography. Given that digital elevation models (DEMs) of high spatial resolution enabling to reproduce precise river network are only available adjacent to national rivers, DEMs with poor spatial resolution lead to generate unreliable river network information and thereby reduce their extensible applicabilities. This study first of all evaluated published spatial information available in Korea with respect to their spatial accuracy and consistency, and also provides a methodology and tool to modify existing low resolution of DEMs by means of striation of conventional or digitized river network to replicate input river network in various degree of further delineation. The tool named FSND was designed to be operated in ArcGIS ModelBuilder which ensures to automatically simulate river network striation to DEMs and delineation with different flow accumulation threshold. The FNSD was successfully validated in Seom River basin to identify its replication of given river network manually digitized based on recent aerial photograph in conjunction with a DEM with 30 meter spatial resolution. With the derived accuracy of reproducibility, substantiation of a various order of river network and watershed boundary from the striated DEM posed tangible possibility for highly extending DEMs with low resolution to be capable of producing reliable riverine spatial information subsequently.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.327-335
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• 2020

The method of selecting an existing flood hazard area via a numerical model requires considerable time and effort. In this regard, this study proposes a method for selecting flood vulnerable areas through topographic analysis based on a surface runoff mechanism to reduce the time and effort required. Flood vulnerable areas based on runoff mechanisms refer to those areas that are advantageous in terms of the flow accumulation characteristics of rainfall-runoff water at the surface, and they generally include lowlands, mild slopes, and rivers. For the analysis, a digital topographic map of the target area (Seoul) was employed. In addition, in the topographic analysis, eight topographic factors were considered, namely, the elevation, slope, profile and plan curvature, topographic wetness index (TWI), stream power index, and the distances from rivers and manholes. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted between the topographic factors and actual inundation trace data. The results revealed that four topographic factors, namely, elevation, slope, TWI, and distance from manholes, explained the flooded area well. Thus, when a flood vulnerable area is selected, the prioritization method for various factors as proposed in this study can simplify the topographical analytical factors that contribute to flooding.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.405-412
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• 2022

This paper studies the method of estimating power loss and classifying the factors for improving the power generation efficiency through O&M. It is installed under various climatic conditions worldwide, operational and maintenance technologies suitable for the characteristics of the installation location are required. Existing studies related to solar power generation efficiency have been actively quantifying the impact on short-term losses by environmental factors such as high temperature, dust accumulation, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed, but analysis of the overall impact from a long-term operation perspective is limited. In this study, the potential for efficiency improvement was analyzed by re-establishing a loss classification system according to the power flow of solar power to derive a comprehensive efficiency model for long-term operation and estimating power loss through a case study for each region where climate conditions are classified. As a result of the analysis, the average annual potential for improving soiling loss was 26.9%, Death Valley 7.2%, and Seoul 3.8%. Aging losses was 6.6% in the 20th year as a cumulative. The average annual potential due to temperature loss was 2.9 % for Doha, 1.9% for Death Valley, and 0.2% for Seoul.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.409-422
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• 2022

Riverine wetlands are an important element of the river ecosystem and account for approximately 38% of the inland wetlands surveyed so far. The Shincheon Wetland located in Mangyeong River is also a channel wetland as the flow rate is slowed by the constructed weirs, leading to sediment accumulation. To identify the conservation value and ecological characteristics of Shincheon Wetland, its vegetation and plant diversity were identified using a phytosociological method, and a total of 45 vegetation-related datasets were collected. Overall, 24 plant communities, comprising a total of 153 taxa (49 families, 117 genera, 146 species, 2 subspecies, 5 varieties) were identified. The plant with the highest appearance rate in the communities was Humulus japonicus Siebold & Zucc. In addition, annual herb species, including Rumex crispus L., Bromusjaponicus Thunb., Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers., and Artemisia indica Willd. were frequently observed to be growing in the secondary grassland. Naturalized plants were surveyed in the 38 taxa; the urbanization index was 10.3% and the naturalized index was 24.8%. Plant communities were largely classified into submerged vegetation, floating and floating-leaved vegetation, annual and biennial vegetation, perennial herb vegetation, and woody vegetation. The distribution of plant communities reflecting various habitats, including the lentic and lotic zone maintaining a constant water depth, littoral zone experiencing intermittent water level fluctuations, and dry floodplain environment was also confirmed. Overall, plant community development plays an important role in the habitat for wild animals; therefore, it is expected to positively impact biodiversity enhancement.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 2023

Background: Hyperactivated airway mucosa cells overproduce mucin and cause severe breathing complications. Here, we aimed to identify the effects of saponins derived from Panax ginseng on inflammation and mucin overproduction. Methods: NCI-H292 cells were pre-incubated with 16 saponins derived from P. ginseng, and mucin overproduction was induced by treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Mucin protein MUC5AC was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and mRNA levels were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Moreover, we performed a transcriptome analysis of PMA-treated NCI-H292 cells in the absence or presence of Rg5, and differential gene expression was confirmed using qPCR. Phosphorylation levels of signaling molecules, and the abundance of lipid droplets, were measured by western blotting, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy. Results: Ginsenoside Rg5 effectively reduced MUC5AC secretion and decreased MUC5AC mRNA levels. A systematic functional network analysis revealed that Rg5 upregulated cholesterol and glycerolipid metabolism, resulting in the production of lipid droplets to clear reactive oxygen species (ROS), and modulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor (NF)-kB signaling pathways to regulate inflammatory responses. Rg5 induced the accumulation of lipid droplets and decreased cellular ROS levels, and N-acetyl-ⳑ-cysteine, a ROS inhibitor, reduced MUC5AC secretion via Rg5. Furthermore, Rg5 hampered the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 proteins, affecting the NF-kB signaling pathway and pro-inflammatory responses. Conclusion: Rg5 alleviated inflammatory responses by reducing mucin secretion and promoting lipid droplet-mediated ROS clearance. Therefore, Rg5 may have potential as a therapeutic agent to alleviate respiratory disorders caused by hyperactivation of mucosa cells.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.2B
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• pp.225-231
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• 2006

The nonpoint source control is based on TPLMS (Total Pollution Load Management System) program. Recently, the Ministry of Environment in Korea has programed TPLMS for 4 major large rivers to improve the water quality in rivers by controling the total pollutant loadings from the watershed area. Usually the urbanization is the main pollutant sources, particularly for nonpoint pollutants, because of high imperviousness and high pollutant mass emissions. The stormwater runoff from urban areas is containing various pollutants such as sediments, metals and toxic chemicals due to human and vehicle activities. Of the various landuses, the highways are highly polluted landuses because of high pollutant accumulation rate by vehicle activities during dry periods. Therefore, this research is achieved to provide pollutant EMCs (Event Mean Concentrations) and mass loadings washed-off from highways during rainfall periods. Five monitoring locations were equipped with an automatic rainfall gage and an flow meter. The results show that the EMC ranges for 95% confidence intervals in highway land use are 45.52-125.76 mg/L for TSS, 52.04-95.48 mg/L for COD, 1.77-4.48 mg/L for TN, 0.29-0.54 mg/L for TP. The ranges of washed- off mass loading are $712.7-2,418.4mg/m^2$ for TSS and $684.1-1,779.6mg/m^2$ for COD.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.56 no.12
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• pp.837-844
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• 2023

Small and medium-sized mountain rivers that flow through steep, confined valleys carry large amounts of coarse-grained sediment and woody debris during floods. It causes an increase in flood water level by aggrading the riverbed and the cross-section blockage due to driftwood accumulation during flooding. However, the existing flood level calculation in the river basic plan does not consider these changes. In this study, using the Typhoon Hinnamnor flood in September 2022 as an example, we performed numerical simulations using the HEC-RAS model, taking into account the blockage of a cross-section at the bridge and changes in riverbed elevation that occurred during floods, and analyzed the flood level to predict flood risk. This study's results show that flooding occurs if more than 30% of the cross-section is blocked. The rise of flood water levels corresponds to that of the riverbed due to sediment deposition. These results can be used as basic data to prevent and effectively manage flood damage and contribute to establishing flood defense measures that consider actual phenomena.