• Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.135-143
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• 2016

Background: Fraxetin (7,8-dihydroxy-6-methoxy coumarin), a coumarin derivative, has been reported to possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. A number of recent observations suggest that the induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inhibits inflammation and tumorigenesis. In the present study, we determined the effect of fraxetin on HO-1 expression in HaCaT human keratinocytes and investigated its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Reverse transcriptase-PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to detect HO-1 mRNA and protein expression, respectively. Cell viability was measured by the MTS test. The induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by fraxetin was evaluated by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate staining. Results: Fraxetin upregulated mRNA and protein expression of HO-1. Incubation with fraxetin induced the localization of nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in the nucleus and increased the antioxidant response element-reporter gene activity. Fraxetin also induced the phosphorylation of Akt and AMP-activated protein kinase $(AMPK){\alpha}$ and diminished the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog, a negative regulator of Akt. Pharmacological inhibition of Akt and $AMPK{\alpha}$ abrogated fraxetin-induced expression of HO-1 and nuclear localization of Nrf2. Furthermore, fraxetin generated ROS in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusions: Fraxetin induces HO-1 expression through activation of Akt/Nrf2 or $AMPK{\alpha}/Nrf2$ pathway in HaCaT cells.

• 드라이브 ㆍ 컨트롤
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.97-103
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• 2022

Low fertility rates and increased life expectancy further exacerbate the process of an aging society. This is also reflected in the gradual increase in the proportion of vulnerable groups in the social population. The demand for improved mobility among vulnerable groups such as the elderly or the disabled has greatly driven the growth of the electric-assisted mobility device market. However, such mobile devices generally require a certain operating capability, which limits the range of vulnerable groups who can use the device and increases the cost of learning. Therefore, autonomous driving technology needs to be introduced to make mobility easier for a wider range of vulnerable groups to meet their needs of work and leisure in different environments. This study uses mini PC Odyssey, Velodyne Lidar VLP-16, electronic device and Linux-based ROS program to realize the functions of working environment recognition, simultaneous localization, map generation and navigation of electric powered mobile devices for vulnerable groups. This autonomous driving mobility device is expected to be of great help to the vulnerable who lack the immediate response in dangerous situations.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.291-302
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• 2018

This paper presents a flexibility based method for damage identification from static measurements in beam-type structures. The response of the beam at the Damaged State is decomposed into the response at the Reference State plus the response at an Incremental State, which represents the effect of damage. The damage is localized by detecting slope discontinuities in the deflection of the structure at the Incremental State. A denoising filtering technique is applied to reduce the effect of experimental noise. The extent of the damage is estimated through comparing the experimental flexural stiffness of the damaged cross-sections with the corresponding values provided by analytical models of cracked beams. The paper illustrates the method by showing a numerical example with two cracks and an experimental case study of a simply supported steel beam with one artificially introduced notch type crack at three damage levels. A Digital Image Correlation system was used to accurately measure the deflections of the beam at a dense measurement grid under a set of point loads. The results indicate that the method can successfully detect and quantify a small damage from the experimental data.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.187-206
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• 2011

Accurate estimations of pre-failure deformations and post-failure responses of geostructures require that the simulation tool possesses at least three main ingredients: 1) a constitutive model that is able to describe the macroscopic stress-strain-strength behavior of soils subjected to complex stress/strain paths over a wide range of confining pressures and densities, 2) an embedded length scale that accounts for the intricate physical phenomena that occur at the grain size scale in the soil, and 3) a computational platform that allows the analysis to be carried out beyond the development of an initially "contained" failure zone in the soil. In this paper, a two-scale micropolar plasticity model will be used to incorporate all these ingredients. The model is implemented in a finite element platform that is based on the mechanics of micropolar continua. Appropriate finite elements are developed to couple displacement, micro-rotations, and pore-water pressure in form of $u_n-{\phi}_m$ and $u_n-p_m-{\phi}_m$ (n > m) elements for analysis of dry and saturated soils. Performance of the model is assessed in a biaxial compression test on a slightly heterogeneous specimen of sand. The role of micropolar component of the model on capturing the post-failure response of the soil is demonstrated.

• 한국지진공학회논문집
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.89-95
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• 2003

본 논문에서는 시간영역에서의 응답을 이용하여 복잡한 트러스의 구조물에서 발생할 수 있는 손상의 위치와 크기를 추정할 수 있는 알고리즘을 제안하였다. 일정한 시간동안 획득한 응답데이터를 각 부재별 평균 변형에너지를 구하기 위하여 공간적으로 확장하였다. 이렇게 확장된 평균 변형에너지는 다시 손상 지표를 구축하는데 사용하였으며, 손상 지표는 손상 전과 손상 후의 구조물의 강성의 비이다. 본 논문에서 제안한 방법론의 타당성은 유한요소 모델로 손상을 모의하고 이로부터 얻은 응답데이터를 적용하여 입증하였다. 또한 응답데이터에 노이즈를 추가하여 노이즈가 제안한 알고리즘에 미치는 영향도 분석하였다.

• 한국전산구조공학회논문집
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.91-99
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• 2012

본 연구에서는 PZT 소자의 정압전 효과에 의한 동적 응답신호를 이용하는 보 구조물 손상 모니터링 기법을 제안하였다. 특히, 모드 변형에너지기반 보 구조물 손상 모니터링에 PZT 정압전 응답신호를 입력자료로 활용하는 방안에 대한 연구에 주안점이 있다. 먼저, PZT 소자의 정압전 효과 및 동적 변형률 응답의 이론적 배경을 요약하였다. 다음으로, 모드 변형에너지기반 보 구조물 손상위치 모니터링 기법을 제시하였다. 제시된 기법의 적합성을 검증하기 위해, 캔틸레버 보 모형을 대상으로 강제진동 실험을 수행하였으며, 세 종류의 센서(가속도계, PZT 센서, 변형률계)를 통해 동적 응답신호가 계측되었다. 손상 전후에 계측된 이들 진동신호들을 사용하여 모드 변형에너지기반의 손상위치 모니터링이 수행되었다.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.343-365
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• 2008

In this study, the frequency domain method which utilizes the evaluation of changes in the structural mode shape is adopted to identify regions which contain localized damages. Frequency response function (FRF) values corresponding to the modal frequency, analogous to the mode shape coefficients, are used since change in natural frequency of the system is usually insignificant for localized damage. This method requires only few sensors to obtain the dynamic response of the structure at specific locations to determine the FRF via fast-Fourier transform (FFT). Numerical examples of an aluminum plate, which includes damages of varying severity, locations and combinations of multiple locations, are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the method. An experimental verification of the method is also done using an aluminum plate with two different degrees of damage, namely a half-through notch and a through notch. The inconsistency in attaining the FRF values for practical applications due to varying impact load may be overcome via statistical averaging, although large variations in the loading in terms of the contact duration should still be avoided. Nonetheless, this method needs special attention when the damages induce notable changes in the modal frequency, such as when the damages are of high severity or cover more extensive area or near the boundary where the support condition is modified. This is largely due to the significant decrease in the frequency term compared to the increase in the vibration amplitude. For practical reasons such as the use of limited number of sensors and to facilitate automation, extending the resolution of this method of identification may not be efficient. Hence, methods based on wave propagation can be employed as a complement on the isolated region to provide an accurate localization as well as to trace the geometry of the damage.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.57-63
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• 2007

Leukotrienes (LTs) are produced by several biosynthetic enzymes including cytosolic phospholipase $A_2$ ($cPLA_2$), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), and 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) in the perinuclear area. In the present study, we showed that pretreatment with methyl-${\beta}$-cyclodextrin (MβCD), a cholesterol-depleting agent, dramatically reduced the synthesis of LTs in response to A23187 in mast cells. A23187-induced LT synthesis was inhibited by pretreatment with M${\beta}$CD, and this effect was reversed when cholesterol was added. In an approach to identifying the $M{\beta}CD$-sensitive protein(s), we observed that FLAP co-localized with flotillin-1, a lipid raft marker protein, in the lipid raft-rich low-density region of sucrose gradients. In addition, electron microscopic analysis revealed that FLAP co-localized with flotillin-1. Together, these results suggest that FLAP is present in cholesterol-rich lipid raft-like domains and that its localization in these domains is critical for LT synthesis.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.273-295
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• 2018

In this study, an investigation of a damage detection methodology for global condition assessment is presented. A particular emphasis is put on the utilization of wireless sensors for more practical, less time consuming, less expensive and safer monitoring and eventually maintenance purposes. Wireless sensors are deployed with a sensor roving technique to maintain a dense sensor field yet requiring fewer sensors. The time series analysis method called ARX models (Auto-Regressive models with eXogeneous input) for different sensor clusters is implemented for the exploration of artificially induced damage and their locations. The performance of the technique is verified by making use of the data sets acquired from a 4-span bridge-type steel structure in a controlled laboratory environment. In that, the free response vibration data of the structure for a specific sensor cluster is measured by both wired and wireless sensors and the acceleration output of each sensor is used as an input to ARX model to estimate the response of the reference channel of that cluster. Using both data types, the ARX based time series analysis method is shown to be effective for damage detection and localization along with the interpretations and conclusions.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.69-74
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• 2007

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a representative diagnostic tool in epilepsy. However, there are several points of debate on the role of EEG in diagnosis and management of epilepsy. We suggest that EEG has some limitations for differential diagnosis from nonepileptic episodic diseases, classification of epilepsy, prediction of recurrence, and evaluation of treatment response. Interictal EEG cannot diagnose or exclude epilepsy because interictal epileptic discharge (IED) is frequently absent in epilepsy and can appear in nonepileptic conditions. Although EEG is helpful in classification of epilepsy, focal spikes in generalized epilepsy and secondary bilateral synchrony in localization related epilepsy cause interrater disagreement. It is controversial whether EEG predicts recurrence after the first seizure in adults. The predictive value of EEG in antiepileptic drug (AED) withdrawal is not absolute. The prognosis after AED withdrawal depends on epilepsy syndrome. Many studies could not confirm the value of EEG in assessing the treatment response. After all, epilepsy is clinically diagnosed and assessed. Interictal EEG alone does not provide decisive information and routine follow-up of EEG is not recommended.