• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.7
• /
• pp.3211-3217
• /
• 2014

Background: The current study investigated the effects of Piper longumine on radio-sensitization of human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells and underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: Human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in vitro and those in logarithmic growth phase were selected for experiments divided into four groups: control, X-ray exposed, Piper longumine, and Piper longumine combined with X-rays. Conogenic assays were performed to determine the radio-sensitizing effects. Cell survival curves were fitted by single-hit multi-target model and then the survival fraction (SF), average lethal dose ($D_0$), quasi-threshold dose ($D_q$) and sensitive enhancement ratio (SER) were calculated. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). Western blot assays were employed for expression of apoptosis-related proteins (Bc1-2 and Bax) after treatment with Piper longumine and/or X-ray radiation. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected by FCM with a DCFH-DA probe. Results: The cloning formation capacity was decreased in the group of piperlongumine plus radiation, which displayed the values of SF2, D0, Dq significantly lower than those of radiation alone group and the sensitive enhancement ratio (SER) of D0 was1.22 and 1.29, respectively. The cell apoptosis rate was increased by the combination treatment of Piper longumine and radiation. Piper longumine increased the radiation-induced intracellular levels of ROS. Compared with the control group and individual group, the combination group demonstrated significantly decreased expression of Bcl-2 with increased Bax. Conclusions: Piper longumine at a non-cytotoxic concentration can enhance the radio-sensitivity of MDA-MB-231cells, which may be related to its regulation of apoptosis-related protein expression and the increase of intracellular ROS level, thus increasing radiation-induced apoptosis.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.162-169
• /
• 2020

The worldwide focus on reducing the emissions, fuel and lubricant consumption in T-GDI engines is leading engineers to consider the crankcase ventilation and oil mist separation system as an important means of control. In today's passenger cars, the oil mist separation systems mainly use the inertia effect (e.g. labyrinth, cyclone etc.). Therefore, this study has investigated high efficiency cylinder head-integrated oil-mist separator by using a compact multi-impactor type oil mist separator system to ensure adequate oil mist separation performance. For this purpose, engine dynamometer testing with oil particle efficiency measurement equipment and 3D two-phase flow simulation have been performed for various engine operating conditions. Tests with an actual engine on a dynamometer showed oil aerosol particle size distributions varied depending on operating conditions. For instance, high rpm and load increases bot only blow-by gases but the amount of small size oil droplets. Submicron-sized particles (less than 0.5 ㎛) were also observed. It is also found that the impactor type separator is able to separate nearly no droplets of diameter lower than 3 ㎛. CFD results showed that the complex aerodynamics processes that lead to strong impingement and break-up can strip out large droplets and generate more small size droplets.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1615-1623
• /
• 2021

Picropodophyllotoxin (PPT), an epimer of podophyllotoxin, is derived from the roots of Podophyllum hexandrum and exerts various biological effects, including anti-proliferation activity. However, the effect of PPT on colorectal cancer cells and the associated cellular mechanisms have not been studied. In the present study, we explored the anticancer activity of PPT and its underlying mechanisms in HCT116 cells. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to monitor cell viability. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate cell cycle distribution, the induction of apoptosis, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), assess the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and multi-caspase activity. Western blot assays were performed to detect the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins, apoptosis-related proteins, and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase). We found that PPT induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and ROS in the HCT116 cell line. In addition, PPT enhanced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, which regulates apoptosis and PPT-induced apoptosis. The phosphorylation of p38 MAPK was inhibited by an antioxidant agent (N-acetyl-L-cysteine, NAC) and a p38 inhibitor (SB203580). PPT induced depolarization of the mitochondrial inner membrane and caspase-dependent apoptosis, which was attenuated by exposure to Z-VAD-FMK. Overall, these data indicate that PPT induced G1 arrest and apoptosis via ROS generation and activation of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.394-405
• /
• 2022

This paper presents the numerical estimation results of oil outflows from damaged single-hull and double-hull ships by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. A CFD method for multi-phase flow analysis was used, and the effects of numerical parameters on oil flows was investigated. Numerical simulations were conducted to predict the changes in oil outflows under various damage conditions owing to grounding or collision accidents and verified through available experimental results. The present numerical results showed a good agreement with the experimental results according to the geometrical characteristics of single and double hulls. In particular, the oil outflows from double hulls accompanying complex interactions between water and oil were reasonably predicted a shown in the experiment. This study established a reliable CFD technique necessary for estimating the oil outflows of damaged ships.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.167-174
• /
• 2022

Background: 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (20(S)-PPD), one of the main active metabolites of ginseng, performs a broad spectrum of anti-tumor effects. Our aims are to search out new strategies to enhance anti-tumor effects of natural products, including 20(S)-PPD. In recent years, fasting has been shown to be multi-functional on tumor progression. Here, the effects of fasting combined with 20(S)-PPD on hepatocellular carcinoma growth, apoptosis, migration, invasion and cell cycle were explored. Methods: CCK-8 assay, trypan blue dye exclusion test, imagings photographed by HoloMonitorTM M4, transwell assay and flow cytometry assay were performed for functional analyses on cell proliferation, morphology, migration, invasion, apoptosis, necrosis and cell cycle. The expressions of genes on protein levels were tested by western blot. Tumor-bearing mice were used to evaluate the effects of intermittent fasting combined with 20(S)-PPD. Results: We firstly confirmed that fasting-mimicking increased the anti-proliferation effect of 20(S)-PPD in human HepG2 cells in vitro. In fasting-mimicking culturing medium, the apoptosis and necrosis induced by 20(S)-PPD increased and more cells were arrested at G0-G1 phase. Meanwhile, invasion and migration of cells were decreased by down-regulating the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 in fasting-mimicking medium. Furthermore, the in vivo study confirmed that intermittent fasting enhanced the tumor growth inhibition of 20(S)-PPD in H22 tumor-bearing mice without obvious side effects. Conclusion: Fasting significantly sensitized HCC cells to 20(S)-PPD in vivo and in vitro. These data indicated that dietary restriction can be one of the potential strategies of chinese medicine or its active metabolites against hepatocellular carcinoma.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.213-223
• /
• 2022

Although the number of computed tomography(CT) is increasing every year, it is insufficient to establish appropriate workload calculation standards of radiologic technologist to provide optimal medical services to patients, such as patient safety management and infection management. The purpose of this study is to present guidelines for calculating the appropriate workload of radiologic technologist by analyzing the work flow of CT procedures and the time required for CT examination in major hospitals. As for the study subjects and methods, the appropriate process for each step of CT examination was investigated to systematically present the process and time required for the actual examination, and the CT procedure time of 104,105 adult patients and 465 pediatric patients under the age of 6 were analyzed. For the time required, data according to the use of contrast medium, procedure type, and adult/child were collected and compared. The test time of CT examination using contrast medium took about 13 minutes when one radiologic technologist worked and about 9 minutes when two radiologic technologists worked. The time required for the procedures were statistically significant depending on the presence or absence of contrast medium, multi-phase procedure, and patient age (considering pediatric patients). As a result, in order to thoroughly perform patient safety and infection management, the appropriate workload increased by about 40% when there were two radiologic technologists. The limit workload was an average of 32 people per day with one radiologic technologist per 15 minutes, and 48 people per day with two radiologic technologist per 10 minutes. This is a marginal workload, and in the case of procedures that require more time to acquire radiographic images, the interval between reservations should be widened.

• Analyses & Alternatives
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.93-110
• /
• 2018

Due to its speciality, Johannesburg has drawn wide attention from the international academia, which the existing urban theory cannot easily explain. This paper focuses on the spatial pattern of Johannesburg, and finds that it is highly fragmented: first North-South Division due to apartheid and gold mining, secondly, the continuous sprawl due to population densification, and thirdly formation of city-region due to the fill-in spatial policy. The fragmented spatial pattern undermines the social integration and weakens the potential economic sustainability, which make the balanced multi-core spatial pattern inevitable under the influence of the international planning thought. The Johannesburg's spatial transformation comes not only from social integration, but also from the development vison of world-class status of an African city. In reality, since the collapse of apartheid, the municipal government has released series of strategic planning in different executive phase. These different plannings unanimously focus on the world class status although since 2008, the social inclusiveness is more emphasized. Thus, Johannesburg implements some spatial policies, as promoting the corridor of freedom, identifying the key nodes in the city then developing with high density, implementing the in-filling policy, managing the urban growth boundary, effectively preserving the natural system. However, the industrial structure in Johannesburg is already quite high-ended which cannot produce many jobs and also require much investment in advanced infrastructure. Thus, the strategic goals of world-class status of an African city and social inclusiveness which really need widely shared public services to some extent are in tension. After evaluation, we can see that spatial transformation is quite limited. Obviously spatial transformation largely depends on the social-economy. The population is still in flow. In this sense Johannesburg must energetically support the employment-based industry, effectively control the spatial sprawl and carry out institutional innovation which further incentive investment, gradually build an integrated regional governance. In general, how Johannesburg combines globalization and its own condition is still worth thinking in both theory and practice.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.280-289
• /
• 2024

In this study, a cryogenic vessel was constructed to maintain and control the safe pressure of liquid hydrogen boil-off gas (BOG), and the numerical analysis was conducted on the development of computational fluid dynamics model inside the high-pressure vessel. An evaluation system was constructed using cryogenic inner and outer containers, pre-cooler, upper flange, and internal high-pressure container. We attempted to analyze the performance of the safety valve by injecting relatively high temperature hydrogen gas to generate BOG gas and quickly control the pressure of the high-pressure vessel up to 10 bar. As a results, the liquid volume fraction decreased with a rapid evaporation, and the pressure distribution increased monotonically inside a high pressure vessel. Additionally, it was found that the time to reach 10 bar was greatly affected by the filling rate of liquid hydrogen.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.15 no.4 s.48
• /
• pp.277-283
• /
• 2006

In this study, butane 100% was used as fuel to verify the real fuel effect such as vapor pressure variation due to temperature change. A MPI fuel injection system for V-6 engine, which has reverse 'L' type cross section to minimize the possibility of liquid phase injection, was composed and one bank was operated under sequential injection scheme. Flow rate were measured according to injection duration, interval, and pressure. Also occurring of liquid phase injection was monitored with varying vaporizer and fuel rail temperature. The result shows that basic characteristics of injection is a relatively difference between air and LPG injection. Under cold start condition, however, the occurrence of liquid injection becomes more severe as the pressure increases, and sufficiently high temperature both in vaporizer and fuel rail is very important to insure gaseous injection. In addition, the temperature of vaporizer plays more important role in keeping LPG vapor state and the reverse 'L' type cross section of the rail is available to prevent liquid injection.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.167-183
• /
• 2021

It is essential to understand the complex thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) coupled behavior in the engineered barrier system and natural barrier system to secure the high-level radioactive waste repository's long-term safety. The heat from the high-level radioactive waste induces thermal pressurization and vaporization of groundwater in the repository system. Groundwater inflow affects the saturation variation in the engineered barrier system, and the saturation change influences the heat transfer and multi-phase flow characteristics in the buffer. Due to the complexity of the coupled behavior, a numerical simulation is a valuable tool to predict and evaluate the THMC interaction effect on the disposal system and safety assessment. To enhance the knowledge of THMC coupled interaction and validate modeling techniques in geological systems. DECOVALEX, an international cooperation project, was initiated in 1992, and KAERI has participated in the projects since 2008 in Korea. In this study, we introduced the main contents of all tasks in the DECOVALEX-2023, the current DECOVALEX phase, to the rock mechanics and geotechnical researchers in Korea.