• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nature of science

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Copying and Manipulating Nature: Innovation for Textile Materials

  • Rossbach, Volker;Patanathabutr, Pajaera;Wichitwechkarn, Jesdawan
    • Fibers and Polymers
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.8-14
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    • 2003
  • This paper considers the potential impact of biological approaches such as bio-copying (biomimetics) and biomanipulating (e.g. genetic engineering) on future developments in the field of textiles and, in particular, fibres. If analytical tools for studying biological systems combined with those of materials science are further developed, and higher efficiency and reproducibility of genetic engineering technology can be achieved, the potential for the copying and manipulation of nature for textile innovations will be immense. The present state for both fields is described with examples such as touch and close fastener, structurally coloured fibres, the Lotus of lect (for bio-copying), as well as herbicide tolerant cotton, insecticide resistant cotton (Bt cotton), cotton polyester bicomponent fibres, genetically engineered silkworm and silk protein, and spider fibres. (for genetic engineering).

GWO-based fuzzy modeling for nonlinear composite systems

  • ZY Chen;Yahui Meng;Ruei-Yuan Wang;Timothy Chen
    • Steel and Composite Structures
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    • v.47 no.4
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    • pp.513-521
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    • 2023
  • The goal of this work is to create a new and improved GWO (Grey Wolf Optimizer), the so-called Robot GWO (RGWO), for dynamic and static target tracking involving multiple robots in unknown environmental conditions. From applying ourselves with the Gray Wolf Optimization Algorithm (GWO) and how it works, as the name suggests, it is a nature-inspired metaheuristic based on the behavior of wolf packs. Like other nature-inspired metaheuristics such as genetic algorithms and firefly algorithms, we explore the search space to find the optimal solution. The results also show that the improved optimal control method can provide superior power characteristics even when operating conditions and design parameters are changed.

Cellular Protective Effect and Component Analysis of Euphorbia humifusa Extracts (땅빈대 추출물의 세포 보호 효과 및 성분 분석에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Sun-Young;Won, Doo-Hyun;Lim, Myoung-Sun;Park, Soo-Nam
    • Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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    • v.41 no.4
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    • pp.264-269
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    • 2010
  • In this study, the cellular protective effect, antioxidative property and component analysis of Euphorbia humifusa extracts were investigated. The ethyl acetate fraction ($3.68\;{\mu}g/mL$) and aglycone fraction ($3.15\;{\mu}g/mL$) of Euphorbia humifusa extract showed prominent free radical (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) scavenging activity ($FSC_{50}$). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity ($OSC_{50}$) of Euphorbia humifusa extract on ROS generated in $Fe^{3+}$-EDTA/$H_2O_2$ system was investigated using the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay. The ethyl acetate fraction ($0.43\;{\mu}g/mL$) and aglycone fraction ($0.35\;{\mu}g/mL$) of extract showed higher ROS scavenging activity than L-ascorbic acid ($1.50\;{\mu}g/mL$). The cellular protective effects of fractions of Euphorbia humifusa extract on the rose-bengal sensitized photohemolysis of human erythrocytes were investigated. The ethyl acetate fraction and aglycone fraction of extract protected cellular membranes against ROS in a concentration dependent manner ($5{\sim}25\;{\mu}g/mL$), and was more effective than (+)-${\alpha}$-tocopherol, lipid peroxidation chain blocker. Aglycone fraction from Euphorbia humifusa extract showed 2 bands in TLC and 2 peaks in HPLC. In HPLC chromatogram of aglycone fraction, peak 1 and peak 2 were identified as quercetin and kaempferol, respectively. And these components are very effective as antioxidant. Thus, these results indicate that fractions of Euphorbia humifusa extracts can function as antioxidant in biological systems, particularly skin exposed to UV radiation by scavenging $^1O_2$ and other ROS, and protect cellular membranes against ROS. Fractions of Euphorbia humifusa extracts can be applicable to new functional cosmetics for antioxidant.

Antibaterial Activity and Skin Moisturizing Effect of Cedrela sinensis A. Juss Shoots Extracts (참죽나무 새순 추출물의 항균 활성과 피부 보습효과에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Sun-Young;Lee, Min-Hye;Jo, Na-Rae;Park, Soo-Nam
    • Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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    • v.36 no.4
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    • pp.315-321
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    • 2010
  • In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity and the skin moisturizing effect of cream contaning Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts. MIC values of ethyl acetate fraction from Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts on P. acnes and S. aureus were 0.13 %, 0.03% respectively and P. ovale and E. coli were 0.25 % equally. The results showed that the antibacterial activity of the ethyl acetate fraction on P. acnes and S. aureus were higher than the methyl paraben. The cream containing the ethyl acetate fraction from Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts was formulated and its skin moisturizing effect was evaluated in a clinical trial. The skin hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were investigated after topical application of the cream. The skin hydrating effect of the cream containing Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extract was 10 ~ 15 % higher than the placebo cream, and transepidermal water loss was decreased to 6.7 g/$m^2h$ in the subjects applied with cream containing the ethyl acetate fraction of Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts. These results indicate that ethyl acetate fraction from Cedrela sinensis A. Juss shoots extracts could be applicable to new functional antibacterial cosmetics.

A Study on the Stability of DOPC Liposome (염의 농도에 따른 DOPC 리포좀의 안정성에 관한 연구)

  • Won, Doo-Hyun;Kim, Sun-Young;Lim, Gyu-Nam;Park, Soo-Nam
    • Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.55-60
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    • 2011
  • In this study, DOPC liposomes were prepared with distilled water, phosphate buffer and phosphate buffered saline to evaluate the effects of salt on the stability of DOPC liposome. The changes in physical properties (likeparticle size and zeta potential) of liposome were measured after adding the salt. Liposomes were diluted 40 times and 80 times with hydration solvent to confirm the effect of dilution. Consequently, the stability of liposome was maintained up to 40 times dilution with hydration solvent. The liposome that prepared with distilled water was diluted with distilled water, phosphate buffer and phosphate buffered saline, and the liposome that prepared with phosphate buffer was diluted with phosphate buffer and phosphate buffered saline to evaluate the salt-induced changes in particle size and zeta potentia. As results, the particle size increased slightly and zeta potential became closer to 0 when the salt concentration was increased. In conclusion, particle size and zeta potential of liposome could be reasonable factors to evaluate the stability of liposome. In addition, we suggest that salt concentration of hydration solvent has a significant effect on the stability of liposome.

Effects of Model Construction and Pattern Identification Activities on Views on the Nature of Science in the Context of Science 10 Inquiry Unit (10학년 과학 탐구 단원의 맥락에서 모델구성과 규칙발견을 통한 명시적 수업이 과학의 본성의 관점에 미치는 효과)

  • Cho, Jung-Il;Kim, Jin-Hee;Hong, Hang-Hwa
    • Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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    • v.28 no.8
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    • pp.955-963
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    • 2008
  • This study was conducted to assess any change in students' views on the nature of science (NOS) after lessons through the activities of model construction and pattern identification. The instrument used to examine NOS views was the Views of Nature of Science questionnaire (VNOS). Four students' responses on VNOS before and after instruction were analyzed. The two levels of their views, novice and expert, were judged by the authors based on criteria set by several science educators. The instruction consisted of six hours of the so-called black box and cube activities developed for model construction and pattern identification, respectively. Students' views were at the novice level in definition of scientific theory, tentativeness of scientific knowledge, difference of hypotheses, theories and laws, model construction, and creativity and imagination in experiments and investigations. Students' views on NOS knowledge such as model and theory have improved for two students after instruction. The improvement seemed to be due to an explicit approach using the activities of model construction and pattern identification. The factors of changes and no-changes of views on NOS were identified and discussed in terms of improvement of the views.