• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2015

Although it has recently been reported that Acanthopanax senticosus has a protective effect against the development of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia, its underlying molecular mechanisms have remained to be elucidated. In this study, we observed that treatment of an extract of A. senticosus (ASE) reduced body weight and adiposity and improved glucose tolerance in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. HFD-induced weight gain in white adipose tissues and liver was also significantly reduced in ASE-treated HFD-fed mice, which was found to be contributed by suppression of mRNA expression of genes involved in fatty-acid uptake and fat synthesis in white adipose tissue. ASE treatment also attenuated M1 macrophage activation, increased regulatory T ($T_{reg}$) cell population, and modulated leptin/adiponectin profile that might alleviate chronic inflammation to protect against HFD-induced insulin resistance. Our findings suggest a therapeutic potential of ASE for prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes without adverse effects such as weight gain and dyslipidemia.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.94-100
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was done to confirm the role of NF-$\kappa$B in cisplatin-induced apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Five cell lines originated from different oral cancer patients were tested for the apoptosis by the treatment of cisplatin. These cells showed different degree of cisplatin-resistance and the order is OSCC-2>OSCC-3>OSCC-5> OSCC-1>OSCC-4. OSCC-2 and OSCC-4 cells were assayed for the apoptosis by measuring DNA fragmentation and TUNEL staining after cisplatin treatment. While OSCC-4 cells showed apoptosis, OSCC-2 cells showed no or very slight apoptosis by cisplatin treatment. Next, It was determined whether NF-$\kappa$B activation is required in mediating cisplatin-induced apoptosis of OSCC-4. Result: The result was that elevated NF-$\kappa$B activity mediated cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Conclusion: In conclusion, these findings suggest that NF-$\kappa$B activation is essential to cisplatin-induced apoptosis and it may be involved in cisplatin resistance in OSCC cells.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.810-818
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• 2020

A moored floating structure may exhibit resonant motion responses to low-frequency excitations. Similar to the resonant responses of many vibration systems, the motion amplitude of a moored floating structure is significantly affected by the damping of the entire system. In such cases, the damping contributed by the mooring lines sometimes accounts for as much as 80% of the total damping. While the damping induced by catenary mooring lines is well-investigated, few studies have been conducted on the damping induced by taut mooring lines, especially one partly embedded in soil. The present study develops a simple but accurate model for estimating the damping contributed by mooring lines. A typical type of taut mooring line was used as the reference and the hydrodynamic drag force and soil resistance were taken into consideration. The proposed model was validated by comparing its predictions with those of a previously developed model and experimental measurements obtained by a physical model. Case studies and sensitivity studies were also conducted using the validated model. The damping induced by the soil resistance was found to be considerably smaller than the hydrodynamic damping. The superposition of the wave frequency motion on the low-frequency motion was also observed to significantly amplify the damping induced by the mooring lines.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2011

The characteristics of noise generation in the suction nozzle of a vacuum cleaner are analyzed numerically and experimentally. First, the flow resistance induced by each element in the suction nozzle of a vacuum cleaner with a double-blade rotary fan is investigated numerically and its relation with flow-induced noise and suction performance is examined in an anechoic room. The flow resistance and vorticity in the suction nozzle are calculated, and it is found that they are closely related to flow-induced noise and that the upper limit of noise reduction is only 4 dBA. This upper limit can be achieved by changing the design of the brush nozzle. Two methods for noise reduction by enlargement of flow-inlet area and by optimization of the number of blades are tested. Finally, the effects of each method are verified experimentally.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.238-246
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• 2020

Background: Dietary fat has been suggested to be the cause of various health issues. Obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and kidney disease are known to be associated with a high-fat diet (HFD). Obesity and associated conditions, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are currently a worldwide health problem. Few prospective pharmaceutical therapies that directly target NAFLD are available at present. A Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginseng-plus-Bai-Hu-Tang (GBHT), is widely used by diabetic patients to control glucose level or thirst. However, whether it has therapeutic effects on fat-induced hepatic steatosis and metabolic syndrome remains unclear. Methods: This study was conducted to examine the therapeutic effect of GBHT on fat-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance in mice. Results: GBHT protected mice against HFD-induced body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia compared with mice that were not treated. GBHT inhibited the expansion of adipose tissue and adipocyte hypertrophy. No ectopic fat deposition was found in the livers of HFD mice treated with GBHT. In addition, glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity in HFD mice was also improved by GBHT. Conclusion: GBHT prevents changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in a HFD mouse model. Our findings provide evidence for the traditional use of GBHT as therapy for the management of metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.686-696
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• 2011

To deal with pathogens, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms including constitutive and induced defense mechanisms. Phytohormones play important roles in plant growth and development, as well as in the systemic response induced by beneficial and pathogen microorganisms. In this work, we identified an Aspergillus ustus isolate that promotes growth and induces developmental changes in Solanum tuberosum and Arabidopsis thaliana. A. ustus inoculation on A. thaliana and S. tuberosum roots induced an increase in shoot and root growth, and lateral root and root hair numbers. Assays performed on Arabidopsis lines to measure reporter gene expression of auxin-induced/ repressed or cell cycle controlled genes (DR5 and CycB1, respectively) showed enhanced GUS activity, when compared with mock-inoculated seedlings. To determine the contribution of phytohormone signaling pathways in the effect elicited by A. ustus, we evaluated the response of a collection of hormone mutants of Arabidopsis defective in auxin, ethylene, cytokinin, or abscisic acid signaling to the inoculation with this fungus. All mutant lines inoculated with A. ustus showed increased biomass production, suggesting that these genes are not required to respond to this fungus. Moreover, we demonstrated that A. ustus synthesizes auxins and gibberellins in liquid cultures. In addition, A. ustus induced systemic resistance against the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea and the hemibiotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae DC3000, probably through the induction of the expression of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid/ethylene, and camalexin defense-related genes in Arabidopsis.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 1998

During an earthquake, there are three main components of excitation : horizontal excitation of the ground, vertical excitation of the pile due to superstructure feedback produced by vertical excitation of the ground, and the seawater excitation induced by the vertical ground shaking, that is, "the seaquake." These excitations could have effects on the soil plugs in open-ended pie piles installed at offshore sites. In this study, seaquake excitation induced by the vertical ground shaking was simulated by pulsing the water pressure at the seabed. During a seaquake, due to the induced excess porewater pressure and pressure gradients in the soil, the capacity of open-ended pipe piles installed in a simulated sea depth of greate than 220 m was reduced serevely and the soil plugging resistance was degraded by more than 80% The soil plug was failed because of eh upward seepage forces that developed in the soil plug due to excess pore water pressure produced in the bottom of the soil plug during the seaquake, The compressive capacity of ar open-ended pile in a simulated sea depth of less than 220 m was reduced only by about 10% and the soil plug resistance was degraded by less than 5%.s than 5%.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.150-154
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• 2007

Transponders of RFID system are classified as active or passive depending on the type of power supply they use. In passive transponders the data carrier has to obtain its power from the induced voltage. The induced voltage is converted into direct current using a low loss bridge rectifier and then smoothed. In practice, the induced voltage in the transponder coil is variable according to the coupling coefficient k and the load resistance ($R_L$). Therefore, the rectified voltage is unstable and the transponder of RFID is unstable sometimes. In this paper, a voltage-dependent shunt resistor ($R_s$) circuits are designed and inserted in parallel with the load resistance of RFID transponder in order to improve the stability of power.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2012

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent for management of cancer because of its selective cytotoxicity to cancer cells. However, some cancer cells have resistance to TRAIL. Accordingly, novel treatment strategies are required to overcome TRAIL resistance. Here, we examined the synergistic apoptotic effect of apigenin in combination with TRAIL in Huh-7 cells. We found that combined treatment of TRAIL and apigenin markedly inhibited Huh-7 cell growth compared to either agent alone by inducing apoptosis. Combined treatment with apigenin and TRAIL induced chromatin condensation and the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, enhanced apoptosis by TRAIL/apigenin combination was quantified by annexin V/PI flow cytometry analysis. Western blot analysis suggested that apigenin sensitizes cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by activating both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathway-related caspases. The augmented apoptotic effect by TRAIL/apigenin combination was accompanied by triggering mitochondria-dependent signaling pathway, as indicated by Bax/Bcl-2 ratio up-regulation. Our results demonstrate that combination of TRAIL and apigenin facilitates apoptosis in Huh-7 cells.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.193-203
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• 2000

Objectives : Hindered barrier function of vascular endothelium has been implicated in the initiation and progression of degenerative vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. In this study, the effect of Sunghyangchungisan(SHCS) as a protectant against oxidant-induced destruction of endothelial barrier function was assessed. Methods : Toward this end, endothelial cells derived from the human umbilical vein were cultured as monolayers on permeable membrane filters. Endothelial permeability was monitored by measuring transendothelial electrical resistance and movement of low density lipoprotein (LDL) across the endothelial monolayer. Results : Along with increased movement of LDL, $H_2O_2$-induced increase in endothelial permeability was paralleled by a decrease in transendotheliaI electrical resistance. The effect of $H_2O_2$ was mimicked by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a potent activator of proteinkinase C. Calphostin-C, a protein kinase C inhibitor, effectively blocked the increase in endothelial permeability induced by $H_2O_2$ or PMA, indicating that activation of protein kinase C is associated with the $H_2O_2-induced$ permeability change. SHCS effectively protected the endothelial monolayer against $H_2O_2-induced$ increase in permeability, whereas, it did not affect PMA-induced change. Forskolin, a potent activator of adenylyl cyclase, antagonized $H_2O_2$ to increase endothelial permeability. In addition, in ${H_2O_2}-treated$ cens, intracenular cAMP concentration was significantly decreased, indicating that impaired cAMP production as well as activation of proteinkinase C is a mechanism underlying ${H_2O_2}>-induced$$H_2O_2$ with regard to its effect on intracellular cAMP content. However, SHCS itself did not affect resting cAMP concentration in endothelial cells. Conclusions : These results suggest that SHCS might operate as an effective protectant against oxidant-induced destruction of endothelial barrier function. The mechanism does not appear to involve direct interaction with protein kinase C- or cAMP-associated signaling mechanism.