• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.799-807
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• 2020

Background: The skin acts as a barrier to protect organisms against harmful exogenous agents. Compound K (CK) is an active metabolite of ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2 and Rc, and researchers have focused on its skin protective efficacy. In this study, we hypothesized that increased expression of the serine protease inhibitor Kazal type-5 (SPINK5) may improve skin barrier function. Methods: We screened several ginsenosides to increase SPINK5 gene promoter activity using a transactivation assay and found that CK can increase SPINK5 expression. To investigate the protective effect of CK on the skin barrier, RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to investigate the expression levels of SPINK5, kallikrein 5 (KLK5), KLK7 and PAR2 in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. Measurement of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and histological changes associated with the skin barrier were performed in a UVB-irradiated mouse model and a 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis-like model. Results: CK treatment increased the expression of SPINK5 and decreased the expression of its downstream genes, such as KLKs and PAR2. In the UVB-irradiated mouse model and the DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis model, CK restored increased TEWL and decreased hydration and epidermal hyperplasia. In addition, CK normalized the reduced SPINK5 expression caused by UVB or DNCB, thereby restoring the expression of the proteins involved in desquamation to a level similar to normal. Conclusions: Our data showed that CK contributes to improving skin-barrier function in UVB-irradiated and DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis-like models through SPINK5. These results suggest that therapeutic attempts with CK might be useful in treating barrier-disrupted diseases.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2013

In this study, the catalytic performance and characterization of $Ni/Ce_xZr_{1-x}O_2$ were investigated using an autothermal reforming (ATR) process for hydrogen production. The $Ni/Ce_xZr_{1-x}O_2$ catalysts were prepared using the following methods: the water method (CZ-W), urea water method (CZ-UW) and urea, water and ethanol method (CZ-UWA). The performance of $Ni/Ce_xZr_{1-x}O_2$ catalysts in autothermal reforming of propane for hydrogen production was studied in a fixed-bed flow reactor. Reaction tests were conducted by using a feed of $H_2O/C_3H_8/O_2$=3/1/0.37 and $300{\sim}700^{\circ}C$. The CZ-UW and CZ-UWA catalysts showed higher propane conversion and hydrogen yield than the CZ-W catalyst. The activity test confirmed that the improvement in the water-ethanol catalyst was due to the low level of carbon deposition. SEM showed that the surface carbon consisted of clusters on the used CZ-UW catalyst, which is incontrast to the nano-fiber morphology observed on the used CZ-UWA catalyst. It was found that the amount of carbon deposition depends on the preparation method. Especially the $Ni/Ce_{0.75}Zr_{0.25}O_2$ was showed higher propane conversion and hydrogen yield than the other catalysts. Also TGA showed that the resistance of carbon deposition increase to Co addition.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.10
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• pp.618-624
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• 2008

Various calcium phosphate bioceramics are distinguished by their excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. Especially, the exceptional biodegradability of $\beta$-TCP makes it a bone graft substitute of choice in many clinical applications. The activation of osteoclasts, differentiated from macrophage precursor cells, trigger a cell-mediated resorption mechanism that renders $\beta$-TCP biodegradable. Based on this evidence, we studied the biodegradation process of granular-type $\beta$-TCP bone graft substitute through in vitro and in vivo studies. Raw 264.7 cells treated with RANKL and M-CSF differentiated into osteoclasts with macrophage-like properties, as observed with TRAP stain. These osteoclasts were cultured with $\beta$-TCP nano powders synthesized by microwave-assisted process. We confirmed the phagocytosis of osteoclasts by observing $\beta$-TCP particles in their phagosomes via electron microscopy. No damage to the osteoclasts during phagocytosis was observed, nor did the $\beta$-TCP powders show any sign of cytotoxicity. We also observed the histological changes in subcutaneous tissues of rats implanted with granule-type $\beta$-TCP synthesized by fibrous monolithic process. The $\beta$-TCP bone graft substitute was well surrounded with fibrous tissue, and 4 months after implantation, 60% of its mass had been biodegraded. Also, histological findings via H&E stain showed a higher level of infiltration of lymphocytes as well as macrophages around the granule-type $\beta$-TCP. From the results, we have concluded that macrophages play an important role in the biodegradation process of $\beta$-TCP bone graft substitutes.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.687-692
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• 2010

This paper surveys emission characteristics of Far-infrared of the fabrics fabricated with germanium imbedded sheath-core conjugate composite filaments. For this purpose, master batch chip was prepared with PET semi-dull chip and nano sized germanium particles and sheath-core type conjugate composite filament was spun using this master batch chip and polyester semi dull. The emission power and emissivity of the germanium imbedded fabrics were measured and investigated using FT-IR spectrophotometer by KICM- FIR 1005 measurement method. In addition, the fabric mechanical properties were measured and discussed with the effects of the optimum texturing process conditions and fabric structural design conditions. The sheath/core type PET composite germanium imbedded filaments were manufactured by the optimum spinning condition, its tenacity and breaking strain showed the same level as the regular PET filament. The tenacity and breaking strain of the DTY showed good physical properties and no problem in the weaving process. Then, wet and dry shrinkages showed higher values than those of regular PET filament. The emission power of the germanium imbedded fabric was $3.53{\times}10^2W/m^2$ at the $5-20{\mu}m$ wave length range, and emissivity was 0.874. The fabric hand of germanium imbedded fabrics was inhanced by the optimum texturing process and fabric structural design with improved mechanical properties such as fabric bending and compressional properties.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2005

Samples were collected to investigate the effect of salinity change on biological interaction between primary producers and herbivores in water column of the Youngsan estuary (Mokpo Harbor) at 8 stations from October 2003 to September 2004. The highest river freshwater inputs were introduced into the estuary from the Youngsan dike during summer (June and July 2004). Ranges of salinity were between 6 and 28.9 psu when the gates of dike were open whereas the ranges were between 24.4 and 30.3 psu when the gates were closed. Algal bloom occurred in February and July when the gates were not open at the upper region of the Youngsan estuary and the bloom was dominated $(70\%)$ by large cells of phytoplankton $(micro-sized;>20{\mu}m).\;Nano-sized (2-20{\mu}m)$ and pico-sized phytoplankton $(<2{\mu}m)$ were dominant in October, November 2003, June, August and September 2004 when the gates were open suggesting that size structure was affected by river discharge from the dike. Micro-and meso-zooplankton (herbivores) displayed the similar pattern to that of phytoplankton. The biomass of zooplankton was higher when the gates were closed than when the gates open and also the biomass was higher at the upper region of the harbor system. This results suggest that freshwater inputs affect size structure and biomass of phytoplankton by changing salinity, nutrient inputs, turbidity or light level In water column resulting in the change of the interaction between primary producters and herbivores in the Youngsan estuary.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.297-297
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• 2010

Precise control of the position and density of doping elements at the nanoscale is becoming a central issue for realizing state-of-the-art silicon-based optoelectronic devices. As dimensions are scaled down to take benefits from the quantum confinement effect, however, the presence of interfaces and the nature of materials adjacent to silicon turn out to be important and govern the physical properties. Utilization of visible light is a promising method to overcome the efficiency limit of the crystalline Si solar cells. Si quantum dots (QDs) have been proposed as an emission source of visible light, which is based on the quantum confinement effect. Light emission in the visible wavelength has been reported by controlling the size and density of Si QDs embedded within various types of insulating matrix. For the realization of all-Si QD solar cells with homojunctions, it is prerequisite not only to optimize the impurity doping for both p- and n-type Si QDs, but also to construct p-n homojunctions between them. In this study, XPS and SIMS were used for the development of p-type and n-type Si quantum dot solar cells. The stoichiometry of SiOx layers were controlled by in-situ XPS analysis and the concentration of B and P by SIMS for the activated doping in Si nano structures. Especially, it has been experimentally evidenced that boron atoms in silicon nanostructures confined in SiO2 matrix can segregate into the Si/$SiO_2$ interfaces and the Si bulk forming a distinct bimodal spatial distribution. By performing quantitative analysis and theoretical modelling, it has been found that boron incorporated into the four-fold Si crystal lattice can have electrical activity. Based on these findings, p-type Si quantum dot solar cell with the energy-conversion efficiency of 10.2% was realized from a [B-doped $SiO_{1.2}$(2 nm)/$SiO_2(2\;nm)]^{25}$ superlattice film with a B doping level of $4.0{\times}10^{20}\;atoms/cm^2$.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.390-396
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• 2008

Calreticulin (CRT) is one of the major $Ca^{2+}$ binding chaperone proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and an unusual luminal ER protein. Postnatally elevated expression of CRT leads to impaired development of the cardiac conductive system and may be responsible for the pathology of complete heart block. In this study, the molecular mechanisms that affect $Ca^{2+}$-dependent signal cascades were investigated using CRT-overexpressing cardiomyocytes. In particular, we asked whether calreticulin plays a critical role in the activation of $Ca^{2+}$-dependent apoptosis. In the cells overexpressing CRT, the intracellular calcium concentration was significantly increased and the activity of PKC and level of SECAR2a mRNA were reduced. Phosphorylation of Akt and ERKs decreased compared to control. In addition the activity of the anti-apoptotic factor, Bcl-2, was decreased and the activities of pro-apoptotic factor, Bax, p53 and caspase 8 were increased, leading to a dramatic augmentation of caspase 3 activity. Our results suggest that enhanced CRT expression in mature cardiomyocytes disrupts intracellular calcium regulation, leading to calcium-dependent apoptosis.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2013

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effect is known to be the physical origin for various exotic magnetic phenomena in the low-dimensional systems. Recently, SOC also draws lots of attention in the study on magnetically doped thermoelectric alloys to determine their properties as the thermoelectric application as well as the topological insulator via the exact electronic structures determination near the Fermi level. In this research, aiming to investigate the spin-orbit coupling effect on the structural properties such as the lattice constants and the bulk modulus of the most widely investigated thermoelectric host material, $Bi_2Te_3$, we carried out the first-principles electronic structure calculation using the all-electron FLAPW (full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave) method. Employing both the local density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), the structural optimization is achieved by varying the in-plane lattice constant fixing the perpendicular lattice constant and vice versa, to find that the SOC effect increases the equilibrium lattices slightly in both directions while it markedly reduces the bulk modulus value implying the strong orientational dependence, which are attributed to the material's intrinsic structural anisotropy.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.173-181
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• 2018

Recently composite materials have dominated most engineering fields, owing to their better performance, increased durability and flexibility to be customized and designed for a specific required property. This has given them unprecedented superiority over conventional materials. With the help of the ever increasing computational capabilities of computers, researchers have been trying to develop accurate material models for the complex and integrated properties of these composites. This has led to advances in virtual testing of composite materials as a supplement or a possible replacement of laboratory experiments to predict the properties and responses of composite materials and structures. This paper presents a review on the complex multi-scale modelling framework of the virtual testing machines, which involve computational mechanics at various length-scales starting with nano-mechanics and ending in structure level computational mechanics, with a homogenization technique used to link the different length scales. In addition, the paper presents the features of some of the biggest integrated virtual testing machines developed for study of concrete, including a multiscale modeling scheme for the simulation of the constitutive properties of nanocomposites. Finally, the current challenges and future development potentials for virtual test machines are discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.311-316
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• 2008

Since the presence of the chemical impurities and defect at surfaces and interfaces greatly influence the properties of various semiconductor devices, an unambiguous chemical characterization of the metal and semiconductor surfaces become more important in the view of the miniaturization of the devices toward nano scale. Among the various conventional surface characterization tools, Electron-induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy (EAES), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Secondary Electron Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) are being used for the identification of the surface chemical impurities. Recently, a novel surface characterizaion technique, Positron-annihilation induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy (PAES) is introduced to provide a unique method for the analysis of the elemental composition of the top-most atomic layer. In PAES, monoenergetic positron of a few eV are implanted to the surface under study and these positrons become thermalized near the surface. A fraction of the thermalized positron trapped at the surface state annihilate with the neighboring core-level electrons, creating core-hole excitations, which initiate the Auger process with the emission of Auger electrons almost simultaneously with the emission of annihilating gamma-rays. The energy of electrons is generally determined by employing ExB energy selector, which shows a poor resolution of $6{\sim}10eV$. In this paper, time-of-flight system is employed to measure the electrons energy with an enhanced energy resolution. The experimental result is compared with simulation results in the case of both linear (with retarding tube) and reflected TOF systems.