• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.714-725
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• 2023

Background: Our previous investigation indicated that the preparation of Panax ginseng Meyer (P. ginseng) inhibited melanogenesis. It comprised salicylic acid (SA), protocatechuic acid (PA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), vanillic acid (VA), and caffeic acid (CA). In this investigation, the regulatory effects of P. ginseng phenolic acid monomers on melanin production were assessed. Methods: In vitro and in vivo impact of phenolic acid monomers were assessed. Results: SA, PA, p-CA and VA inhibited tyrosinase (TYR) to reduce melanin production, whereas CA had the opposite effects. SA, PA, p-CA and VA significantly downregulated the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), cycle AMP (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA), cycle AMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) pathway, reducing mRNA and protein levels of TYR, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1), and TYRP2. Moreover, CA treatment enhanced the cAMP, PKA, and CREB pathways to promote MITF mRNA level and phosphorylation. It also alleviated MITF protein level in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 cells, comparable to untreated B16F10, increasing the expression of phosphorylation glycogen synthase kinase 3β (p-GSK3β), β-catenin, p-ERK/ERK, and p-p38/p38. Furthermore, the GSK3β inhibitor promoted p-GSK3β and p-MITF expression, as observed in CA-treated cells. Moreover, p38 and ERK inhibitors inhibited CA-stimulated p-p38/p38, p-ERK/ERK, and p-MITF increase, which had negative binding energies with MC1R, as depicted by molecular docking. Conclusion: P. ginseng roots' phenolic acid monomers can safely inhibit melanin production by bidirectionally regulating melanin synthase transcription. Furthermore, they reduced MITF expression via MC1R/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway and enhanced MITF post-translational modification via Wnt/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2016

NEXTSat-1 is the next-generation small-size artificial satellite system planed by the Satellite Technology Research Center(SatTReC) in Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST). For the control of attitude and transition of the orbit, the system has adopted a RHM(Resisto-jet Head Module), which has a very simple geometry with a reasonable efficiency. An axisymmetric model is devised with two coil-resistance heaters using xenon(Xe) gas, and the minimum required specific impulse is 60 seconds under the thrust more than 30 milli-Newton. To design the module, seven basic parameters should be decided: the nozzle shape, the power distribution of heater, the pressure drop of filter, the diameter of nozzle throat, the slant length and the angle of nozzle, and the size of reservoir, etc. After quasi one-dimensional analysis, a theoretical value of specific impulse is calculated, and the optima of parameters are found out from the baseline with a series of multi-physical numerical simulations based on the compressible Navier-Stokes equations for gas and the heat conduction energy equation for solid. A commercial code, COMSOL Multiphysics is used for the computation with a FEM (finite element method) based numerical scheme. The final values of design parameters indicate 5.8% better performance than those of baseline design after the verification with all the tuned parameters. The present method should be effective to reduce the time cost of trial and error in the development of RHM, the thruster of NEXTSat-1.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.379-399
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• 2013

In practice, analysis of laterally loaded piles is carried out using beams on non-linear Winkler springs model (often known as p-y method) due to its simplicity, low computational cost and the ability to model layered soils. In this approach, soil-pile interaction along the depth is characterized by a set of discrete non-linear springs represented by p-y curves where p is the pressure on the soil that causes a relative deformation of y. p-y curves are usually constructed based on semi-empirical correlations. In order to construct API/DNV proposed p-y curve for clay, one needs two values from the monotonic stress-strain test results i.e., undrained strength ($s_u$) and the strain at 50% yield stress (${\varepsilon}_{50}$). This approach may ignore various features for a particular soil which may lead to un-conservative or over-conservative design as not all the data points in the stress-strain relation are used. However, with the increasing ability to simulate soil-structure interaction problems using highly developed computers, the trend has shifted towards a more theoretically sound basis. In this paper, principles of Mobilized Strength Design (MSD) concept is used to construct a continuous p-y curves from experimentally obtained stress-strain relationship of the soil. In the method, the stress-strain graph is scaled by two coefficient $N_C$ (for stress) and $M_C$ (for strain) to obtain the p-y curves. $M_C$ and $N_C$ are derived based on Semi-Analytical Finite Element approach exploiting the axial symmetry where a pile is modelled as a series of embedded discs. An example is considered to show the application of the methodology.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.401-408
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• 2017

Salvia plebeia R. Br. (Lamiaceae) has been used in folk medicines in Asian countries, including Korea and China, to treat inflammatory diseases. The focus of our research was on the anti-adipogenic activity of ethanol extract from Salvia plebeia R. Br. (SPE) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. This study investigated inhibition of differentiation and lipogenesis upon SPE treatment in 3T3-L1 cells. The results reveal that SPE at non-cytotoxic concentration significantly suppressed triglyceride accumulation and reduced expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-alpha, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein as adipogenic transcription factors in 3T3-L1 adipocytes compared to non-treated control cells. Inducible phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase, acetyl CoA carboxylase, and hormone-sensitive lipase as well as carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 mRNA expression increased upon SPE treatment, which suppressed expression of fatty acid synthase. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that SPE can inhibit expression of adipogenic genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our study suggests that SPE has potential anti-obesity effects and is a novel therapeutic functional agent with anti-adipogenic activity via reduction of lipogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.39 no.10
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• pp.912-918
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• 2002

Ni-Mn-Co-Fe oxide thick films were coated on an alumina substrate by screening printing technique. The microstructure and electrical properties of the thick films, as a function of composition and sintering temperature, were investigated. The components of the NTC thick films sintered at 1150${\circ}C$ were distributed homogeneously. On the other hand, in the case of the NTC thick films sintered at 1200 and 1250${\circ}C$, Co element was distributed homogeneously, but Ni, Mn and Fe elements were distributed heterogeneously, resulting in the formation of Ni rich and Mn-Fe rich regions. All the thick film NTC thermistors prepared showed a linear relationship between log resistance (log R) and the reciprocal of absolute temperature (1/T), indicative of NTC characteristics. At a given NiO and $Mn_3O_4$ content, the resistance, B constant and activation energy of $(Ni_{1.0}Mn_{1.0}Co_{1-x}Fe_x)O_4$ (0.25${\le}$x${\le}$0.75) and $(Ni_{0.75}Mn_{1.25}Co_{1-x}Fe_x)O_4$ (0.25${\le}$x${\le}$0.75) thermistors increased with increasing $Fe_2O_3$ content.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1330-1338
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• 2014

In Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv 16 adenylyl cyclase (AC) genes have been identified, while 10 AC genes have been found in non-pathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis. Expression of 6 AC genes (MSMEG_0218, MSMEG_3243, MSMEG_3780, MSMEG_4279, MSMEG_4477, and MSMEG_6154) among 10 AC genes in M. smegmatis was increased when M. smegmatis was subjected to hypoxic growth conditions. On the other hand, only MSMEG_3780 and MSMEG_4279 were slightly induced in the presence of NO. The cAMP levels in cells and culture media were 450- and 9.8-fold increased, respectively, when M. smegmatis was grown under hypoxic conditions relative to those grown aerobically. Intracellular levels of cAMP were increased 5.8-fold on the exposure to NO. The DevSR two-component system is known to be involved in the induction of many genes whose expression is induced under hypoxic conditions and in the presence of NO. Expression of 6 hypoxically induced AC genes was observed to be induced in a devR deletion mutant grown under hypoxic conditions, indicating that the induction of the 6 AC genes under hypoxic conditions is independent of the DevSR two-component system. In order to identify a trans-acting regulatory element that is pertinent in the hypoxic induction of MSMEG_3780, ligand-fishing analysis was performed using the upstream DNA of MSMEG_3780 and MSMEG_5136 protein was identified.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.361-365
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• 2007

The precipitation reaction of some rare earth chlorides ($Ce/Nd/GdCl_3$) in a LiCl-KCl molten salt has been carried out by reaction with oxygen. Identification of rare earth precipitates by reaction with oxygen and effects of oxygen sparging time (max. 420 min) and molten salt temperature ($450{\sim}750^{\circ}C$) on conversion were investigated. In this study, regardless of the oxygen sparging time and the molten salt temperature, oxychlorides (REOCl) for $NdCl_3$ and $GdCl_3$, and an oxide ($REO_2$) for $CeCl_3$ are formed as a precipitate, which are identical with the estimation results of Gibbs free energy of reaction (${\Delta}G_r$). The conversion of rare-earth chlorides into insoluble precipitates was described by using a conversion ratio. The conversion ratio increased exponentially with the oxygen sparging time and finally showed asymptotic value, over 0.999 at $750^{\circ}C$ of the molten salt temperature and over 300 min of sparging time conditions. The conversion ratios were increased with the molten salt temperature. In case of $CeCl_3$, when the sparging time exceed 60 min, the values of the conversion ratio were nearly constant over 0.999 in all experimental temperature conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.475-483
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• 2012

High capacitance X5R MLCCs based on $BaTiO_3$ ceramic dielectric layers exhibit a single broad, asymmetric arc shape impedance and modulus response over the wide frequency range between 1 MHz to 0.01 Hz. Analysis according to the conventional brick-layer model for polycrystalline conductors employing a series connection of multiple RC parallel circuits leads to parameters associated with large errors and of little physical significance. A new parametric impedance model is shown to satisfactorily describe the experimental spectra, which is a parallel network of one resistor R representing the DC conductivity thermally activated by 1.32 eV, one ideal capacitor C exactly representing bulk capacitance, and a constant phase element (CPE) Q with complex capacitance $A(i{\omega})^{{\alpha}-1}$ with ${\alpha}$ close to 2/3 and A thermally activated by 0.45 eV or ca. 1/3 of activation energy of DC conductivity. The feature strongly indicate the CK1 model by J. R. Macdonald, where the CPE with 2/3 power-law exponent represents the polarization effects originating from mobile charge carriers. The CPE term is suggested to be directly related to the trapping of the electronic charge carriers and indirectly related to the ionic defects responsible for the insulation resistance degradation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.650-655
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• 1998

The chromosomal DNA fragment from Phaffia rhodozyma CBS 6938 which is able to autonomously replicate in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cloned on an integrative URA3 plasmid. Its minimal fragment exhibiting autonomously replicating activiy in the S. cerevisiae gave a higher frequency transformation efficiency than that found for centromere-based plasmid, and enabled extrachromosoma1ly stable transmission of the plasmids in one copy per yeast cell under non-selective culture condition. The 836-bp DNA element lacked an ORF and did not contain any acceptable match to an ARS core consensus. Sequence analysis, however, displayed a cluster of three hairpin-Ioop-sequences with individual $\triangle {G_{25}}^{\circ}C$ free energy value of -10.0, -17.5, and -17.0 kcal. $mor^{-l}$as well as a 9-bp sequence with two base pair mismatches to the S. cerevisiae/E. coli gyrase-binding site. This 836-bp sequence also included one 7-bp sequence analogous to the core consensus of centromeric DNA element III (CDEIII) of S. cerevisiae, but CDEIII-like 7 bp sequence alone did not give a replicative function in this yeast.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.253-270
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• 2013

This paper concerns the effect of orientation and geometric characteristics of a fracture zone on the tunnel behavior using a numerical investigation. A parametric study was executed on a number of drill and blast tunnelling cases representing different fracture and tunnelling conditions using two and three dimensional finite element analyses. The variables considered include the strike and dip angle of fracture zone relative to the longitudinal tunnel axis, the width and the clearance of the fracture zone, the tunnel depth, and the initial lateral stress coefficient. The results of the analyses were examined in terms of the tunnel deformation including crown settlement, convergence, and invert heave as well as shotcrete lining stresses. The results indicate that the tunnel deformation as well as the shotcrete lining stress are strongly influenced by the orientation of the fracture zone, and that such a trend becomes more pronounced for tunnels with greater depths.