• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.79-94
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• 2011

Background: Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccines are currently being evaluated as a novel strategy for tumor vaccination and immunotherapy. However, inducing long-term regression in established tumor-implanted mice is difficult. Here, we show that deoxypohophyllotoxin (DPT) induces maturation and activation of bone marrow-derived DCs via Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 activation of MAPK and NF-${\kappa}B$. Methods: The phenotypic and functional maturation of DPT-treated DCs was assessed by flow cytometric analysis and cytokine production, respectively. DPT-treated DCs was also used for mixed leukocyte reaction to evaluate T cell-priming capacity and for tumor regression against melanoma. Results: DPT promoted the activation of $CD8^+$ T cells and the Th1 immune response by inducing IL-12 production in DCs. In a B16F10 melanoma-implanted mouse model, we demonstrated that DPT-treated DCs (DPT-DCs) enhance immune priming and regression of an established tumor in vivo. Furthermore, migration of DPT-DCs to the draining lymph nodes was induced via CCR7 upregulation. Mice that received DPT-DCs displayed enhanced antitumor therapeutic efficacy, which was associated with increased IFN-${\gamma}$ production and induction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity. Conclusion: These findings strongly suggest that the adjuvant effect of DPT in DC vaccination is associated with the polarization of T effector cells toward a Th1 phenotype and provides a potential therapeutic antitumor immunity.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.1-32
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• 2008

This study examines the changes and determinants of cash to assets ratios(cash ratios) by analyzing 14,016 Korean manufacturing firms sample for the period of $1999{\sim}2004$. The major findings can be summarized as follows. First, the average cash ratios for Korean manufacturing firms have increased from 4.7 percent of 1999 to 5.2 percent of 2004. In addition, the average cash holdings per firm also have increased from 4.3 billion Won to 8.0 billion Won during the same period. However, the capital expenditures relative to cash ratios or operating cash flow have decreased significantly, confirming the notion that physical investment of Korean manufacturing sector has been shrinking recently. Second, in regression tests with panel data, the coefficients of target adjustment variables show the expected negative signs, but coefficients of the deficit of fund variables show the unexpected positive signs. Thus, the evidence seems to be supportive of static tradeoff model of cash holdings. Third, in regression tests to find the determinants of cash ratios, most of the variables show similar results as the previous studies. However, in terms of adjusted coefficient of determination and F-statistic, the firm-characteristic variables suggested by static trade-off theory have more explanatory power than the variables suggested by pecking order theory.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2017

Objectives : Mori Radicis Cortex (MRC), the root epidermis of Morus alba L., has been traditionally used to treat lung-related diseases in Korean Medicine. The common of MRC is Mulberry bark Morus bark, and it's pharmaceutical properties and taste are known as sweet and cold, and it promotes urination and reduce edema by reducing heat from the lungs and soothe asthma. In the present study, anti-apoptotic mechanism of MRC in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model in mice. Methods : Two-hundred grams of MRC was extracted with methanol at room temperature for 5 days, and this was repeated one time. After filtration, the methanol was removed using vacuum evaporator, then stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ until use. C57BL/6 male mice were housed in an environment with controlled humidity, temperature, and light cycle. In order to determine beneficial effects of MRC on ischemia induced brain damage, infarct volume, neurological deficit scores, activities of several apoptosis-related proteins such as caspase-8, -9, Bcl-xL in MCAO-induced brains of mice were analyzed. Mice in MRC-treated groups were orally administered 30, 100, or 300 mg/kg of body weight for three consecutive days before commencing the MCAO procedure. Results : Pre-treatment of MRC significantly reduced infarct volume in MCAO subjected mice applied with 300 mg/kg of MRC methanol extract, and MRC effectively inhibited Bcl-xL reduction and caspase-9 activation caused by MCAO-induced brain damage. Conclusions : MRC showed neuro-protective effects by regulating apoptosis-related protein signals, and it can be a potential candidate for the therapy of ischemia-induced brain damage.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2003

Purpose : To evaluate the effect of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on the radiosensitivity of normal human oral keratinocyte (NHOK). Materials and methods: Relative cell survival fraction including SF2 (survival fraction at 2 Gy) was calculated on the basis of colony formation assay. Data were fitted to the linear-quadratic model to establish the survival curve and calculate α and β values. Using flow cytometry at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 days after exposure to 2 and 10 Gy irradiation, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were analysed. To understand the molecular mechanism of the radiosensitization of ATRA on NHOK, proteins related with apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were investigated by Western blot analysis. Results: Treatment with ATRA resulted in a significant decrease of SF2 value for NHOK from 0.63 to 0.27, and increased α and β value, indicating that ATRA increased radiosensitivity of NHOK. ATRA increased LDH significantly, but increasing irradiation dose decreased LDH, suggesting that the radiosensitizing effect of ATRA is not directly related with increasing cell necrosis by ATRA. ATRA did not induce appotosis but increased G2 arrest after 10 Gy irradiation, implying that the increased radiosensitivity of NHOK may be due to a decrease in mitosis casued by increasing G2 arrest. ATRA inhibited the reduction of p53 at 3 days after l0Gy irradiation and increased p21 at 1 day after 10 Gy irradiation. Further study is required to determine the precise relationship between this effect and the radiosensitizing effect of A TRA. Conclusion: These results suggested that ATRA increase radiosensitivity by inhibiting mitosis caused by increasing G2 arrest.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.85-95
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to reveal what influences the divergent methodological researches have brought the nursing practice in during the past 3 decades. The nursing record sheets ie, the nursing discourses were analyzed to know the knowledges that were recorded, accepted and communicated in nursing practice at pediatric intensive care units, and unclosed the philosophical and methodological position of that knowledges. The texts were 13 sheets, 3 kinds of nursing record(7 24hours flow charts, 4 nursing information record sheets and 2 transfer record sheets) used at 4 hospitals. The unit of analysis was 'word'. First, all words of the sheets were listed up, clustered into categories based on their contents. And then, the larger conceptual themes were drawn to elucidate the effect of the knowledge/power and the philosophical and methodological position of that knowledges. To enhanced the validity of the analysis, the data were analyzed by two researchers. The 'words' were classified into 3 categories; 'general information', 'assessment' and 'inter-vention'. The conceptual themes of the texts were 'the gaze for quantification and objectification' and 'technical/assimilated caring'. This themes reflected the logic positivistic and biomedical view that had dominated at clinical practice. Nursing has endeavored to resist the logic-positivistic knowledge/power and to established the nursing knowledge/power based on multiple philosophies and methodologies, especially phenomenological-interpretative. But the results of this study revealed that such efforts in nursing theory and research couldn't influenced the knowledge of practice. Logic positivism was yet so strong and the biomedical model yet dominated in the clinical practice. It identified that the borrowed theory and the knowledge from the received view gave nursing the power. But they were modalities that reinforced the dominant, medical power. Nursing has investigate the other positions (feminism, Habermas' critical social theory and Foucault's discourse theory). This positions suggest different assumptions but share the common concepts; equality, emancipation and freedom. The important point is how make these concepts the practical for nursing knowledge/power in practice. We must recognize that the praxis at clinical setting take place at the field unlike theoretical praxis. The change of clinical practice is the social, economic and political change.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.09a
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• pp.133-144
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• 2009

Incheon Bridge, 18.4 km long sea-crossing bridge, will be opened to the traffic in October 2009 and this will be the new landmark of the gearing up north-east Asia as well as the largest & longest bridge of Korea. Incheon Bridge is the integrated set of several special featured bridges including a magnificent cable-stayed girder bridge which has a main span of 800 m width to cross the navigation channel in and out of the Port of Incheon. Incheon Bridge is making an epoch of long-span bridge designs thanks to the fully application of the AASHTO LRFD (load & resistance factor design) to both the superstructures and the substructures. A state-of-the-art of the geotechnologies which were applied to the Incheon Bridge construction project is introduced. The most Large-diameter drilled shafts were penetrated into the bedrock to support the colossal superstructures. The bearing capacity and deformational characteristics of the foundations were verified through the world's largest static pile load test. 8 full-scale pilot piles were tested in both offshore site and onshore area prior to the commencement of constructions. Compressible load beyond 30,000 tonf pressed a single 3 m diameter foundation pile by means of bi-directional loading method including the Osterberg cell techniques. Detailed site investigation to characterize the subsurface properties had been carried out. Geotextile tubes, tied sheet pile walls, and trestles were utilized to overcome the very large tidal difference between ebb and flow at the foreshore site. 44 circular-cell type dolphins surround the piers near the navigation channel to protect the bridge against the collision with aberrant vessels. Each dolphin structure consists of the flat sheet piled wall and infilled aggregates to absorb the collision impact. Geo-centrifugal tests were performed to evaluate the behavior of the dolphin in the seabed and to verify the numerical model for the design. Rip-rap embankments on the seabed are expected to prevent the scouring of the foundation. Prefabricated vertical drains, sand compaction piles, deep cement mixings, horizontal natural-fiber drains, and other subsidiary methods were used to improve the soft ground for the site of abutments, toll plazas, and access roads. Light-weight backfill using EPS blocks helps to reduce the earth pressure behind the abutment on the soft ground. Some kinds of reinforced earth like as MSE using geosynthetics were utilized for the ring wall of the abutment. Soil steel bridges made of corrugated steel plates and engineered backfills were constructed for the open-cut tunnel and the culvert. Diverse experiences of advanced designs and constructions from the Incheon Bridge project have been propagated by relevant engineers and it is strongly expected that significant achievements in geotechnical engineering through this project will contribute to the national development of the longspan bridge technologies remarkably.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.59-72
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• 2014

For circular rigid footings with a rough base on sand, combined vertical - moment loading capacity was studied by three-dimensional numerical modelling. Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model with the associated flow-rule was used for the soil. After comparing the results of the swipe loading method, which can construct the interaction diagram with smaller number of analyses, and those of the probe loading method, which can simulate the load-paths in the conventional load tests, it was found that both loading methods give similar results. Conventional methods based on the effective width or area concept and the results by eccentricity factor ($e_{\gamma}$) were reviewed. The results by numerical modelling of this study were compared with those of previous studies. The combined loading capacity for vertical (V) - moment (M) loading was barely affected by the internal friction angle. It was found that the effective width concept expressed in the form of eccentricity factor can be applied to circular footings. The numerical results of this study were smaller than the previous experimental results and the differences between them increased with the eccentricity and moment load. Discussions are made on the reason of the disparities between the numerical and experimental results, and the areas for further researches are mentioned.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.857-864
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• 2011

Oxy-fuel combustion with many advantages such as high combustion efficiency, low flue gas flow rate and low NOx emission has emerged as a promising CCS technology for coal combustion facilities. In this study, the effects of the direct sulfation reaction on $SO_2$ removal efficiency were evaluated in a drop tube furnace under typical oxy-fuel combustion conditions represented by high concentrations of $CO_2$ and $SO_2$ formed by gas recirculation to control furnace combustion temperature. The effects of the operating parameters including the reaction temperature, $CO_2$ concentration, $SO_2$ concentration, Ca/S ratio and humidity on $SO_2$ removal efficiency were investigated experimentally. $SO_2$ removal efficiency increased with reaction temperature up to 1,200 due to promoted calcination of limestone reagent particles. And $SO_2$ removal efficiency increased with $SO_2$ concentrations and the humidity of the bulk gas. The increase of $SO_2$ removal efficiency with $CO_2$ concentrations showed that $SO_2$ removal by limestone was mainly done by the direct sulfation reaction under oxy-fuel combustion conditions. From the impact assessment of operation parameters, it was shown that these parameters have an effects on the desulfurization reaction by the order of the Ca/S ratio > residence time > $O_2$ concentration > reaction temperature > $SO_2$ concentration > $CO_2$ concentration > water vapor. The semi-empirical model equation for to evaluate the effect of the operating parameters on the performance of in-furnace desulfurization for oxy-fuel combustion was established.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.358-364
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• 2012

The kinetics of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and water gas shift reactions over a precipitated iron catalyst were studied in a 5 channel fixed-bed reactor. Experimental conditions were changed as follows: synthesis gas $H_2$/CO feed ratios of 0.5~2, reactants flow rate of 60~80 ml/min, and reaction temperature of $255{\sim}275^{\circ}C$ at a constant pressure of 1.5 MPa. The reaction rate of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis was calculated from Eley-Rideal mechanism in which the rate-determining step was the formation of the monomer species (methylene) by hydrogenation of associatively adsorbed CO. Whereas water gas shift reaction rate was determined by the formation of a formate intermediate species as the rate-determining step. As a result, the reaction rates of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for the hydrocarbon formation and water gas shift for the $CO_2$ production were in good agreement with the experimental values, respectively. Therefore, the reaction rates ($r_{FT}$, $r_{WGS}$, $-r_{CO}$) derived from the reaction mechanisms showed good agreement both with experimental values and with some kinetic models from literature.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartD
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• v.17D no.2
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• pp.87-102
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• 2010

A vast amount of traffic data is produced every day from detection devices but this data includes a considerable amount of errors and missing values. Moreover, this information is periodically deleted before it could be used as important analysis information. Therefore, this paper discusses the implementation of an integrated traffic history database system that continuously stores the traffic data as a multidimensional model and increases the validity and completeness of the data via a flow of processing steps, and provides a what-if analysis function. The implemented system provides various techniques to correct errors and missing data patterns, and a what-if analysis function that enables the analysis of results under various conditions by allowing the flexible definition of various process related environment variables and combinations of the processing flows. Such what-if analysis functions dramatically increase the usability of traffic data but are not provided by other traffic data systems. Experimantal results for cleaning the traffic history data showed that it provides superior performance in terms of validity and completeness.