• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 2017

Objectives : Polygoni Multiflori Ramulus has been widely used as a traditional medicinal herb for the treatment of insomnia, limb pain and itch. The extract of Polygoni Multiflori Ramulus (PMRE) is known to have a modulatory effect of many inflammatory responses. This study was performed to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of PMRE against arachidonic acid (AA) + iron-induced oxidative stress on HepG2 cell and carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury on mice. Methods : The effects of PMRE on cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. And flow cytometric analysis was performed to estimate the effects on mitochondrial function. To investigate its underlying mechanism, apoptosis-related proteins were analysed by using immunoblot analysis. In addition, ICR mouse were administrated (po) with the PMRE (30, 100 mg/kg) for 3 days and then, injected (ip) with $CCl_4$ (0.5 ml/kg body weight) to induce acute liver damage. The level of pro-caspase-3 was measured. Results : Treatment of PMRE increased relative cell viability, prevented a cleavage of poly (ADP ribose) polymerase and pro-caspase-3, and also reduced mitochondrial membrane permeability against AA + iron-induced oxidative stress. In addition, PMRE treatment decreased liver injury induced by $CCl_4$, as evidenced by increases in pro-caspase-3 level. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that PMRE has an ability to anti-oxidant and hepatoprotective effect against AA + iron-induced oxidative stress and $CCl_4$-induced liver injury.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.200-205
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• 2004

Uterine leiomyoma is the most common tumor in the female genital tract. Although the tumor is benign, it is of paramount importance since it often causes profuse menstrual bleeding, pressure symptoms, and infertility. Nevertheless, the etiology and patholphysiology of this abnormality remain poorly understood. The traditional definitive treatment for uterine leiomyomas is hysterectomy and, even today, symptomatic leiomyomas are the leading cause of hysterectomy in Korea. Clearly, the development of a safe, effective, and nonsurgical method of treatment for leiomyoma would be of great benefit to many women. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Rhubarb on apoptosis in uterine leiomyoma cells. Results demonstrate that Rhubarb inhibited cell growth in dose-dependent manner. Cell growth significantly decreased to 60% of control in the treatment of Rhubarb (300㎍/㎖). Associated with the decreased response, there was a concomitant and significant delay of subG1 8.32% above baseline in the treatment of Rhubarb (300㎍/㎖). The delay of subG1 showed a dose-dependent manner, as evidenced by the flow cytometry. The reduced cellular viability on exposure to Rhubarb may represent the induction of apoptosis, at least in part, as concomitantly evidenced by enhanced DNA fragmentation, PARP cleavage and caspase 9 and decreased pro-caspase 3. In addition, Rhubarb decreased clAP1 expression levels in dose-dependent manner. Talcen together, there results suggest that Rhubarb can produce a potent inhibition effect of apoptosis and implicate the delay of G1 phase in the cell cycle and pathways of caspase 3 and 9 in the mechanism underlying inhibitory apoptosis effect of Rhubarb.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.818-825
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• 2004

In this paper, the study of effects of flow parameters on flame structure and NOx emission concentration was performed in co-axial. laminar partially premixed methane/air flames. Such (low parameters as equivalence ratio(${\Phi}$), fuel split percentage($\sigma$), and mixing distance(x/D$\_$i/) were defined as a premixing degree and varied within ${\Phi}$=1.36∼9.52, $\sigma$=50∼100, and x/D$\_$i/=5∼20. The image of OH$\^$*/ and NOx concentration were obtained with an ICCD camera and a NOx analyzer. The flame structure observations show a categorization of partially premixed flames into three distinct flame regimes corresponding to ${\Phi}$<1.7(premixed flame structure), 1.7<${\Phi}$<3.3(hybrid structure), and ${\Phi}$>3.3(diffusion flame structure existing a luminous sooting region) at $\sigma$=75%, and x/D$\_$i/=10. As o decreases from 100% to 50%, and x/D$\_$i/ decreases, nonpremixed flame structure appear at low equivalence ratio relatively. In addition, the measured emissions for NOx rise steeply from ${\Phi}$=1.7, to ${\Phi}$=3.3, then constants ${\Phi}$>4.76. NOx emissions decrease with increase the level of premixing level. In conclusion, the main effect on flame structure and NOx production was at first equivalence ratio(${\Phi}$), and next fuel split percentage($\sigma$), and finally mixing distance(x/D$\_$i/).

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.373-384
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• 2017

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of refrigerant heat exchanger on the performance of type II absorption heat pump performance using numerical analysis. Two heat exchange installation methods were used: solution to refrigerant and waste hot water to refrigerant. These methods were compared to the standard model of hot water flow without using refrigerant heat exchanger. When waste hot waters were bypassed to refrigerant heat exchanger, COP was not affected. However, steam mass generation rates were increased compared to those of the standard model. When solutions were bypassed to the refrigerant heat exchanger, results were different depending on the place where the solution rejoined. COP and steam mass generation rates were lower compared to those when waste heat water was passed to refrigerant heat exchanger. Thus, it is possible to obtain higher steam mass generation rates by using waste water and installing refrigerant heat exchanger.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.182-192
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• 2022

This study provides an overview of the production costs of methane and hydrogen via water electrolysis-based hydrogen production followed by a methanation based methane production technology utilizing CO₂ from external sources. The study shows a comparative way for economic optimization of green methane generation using excess free electricity from renewable sources. The study initially developed the overall process on the Aspen Plus simulation tool. Aspen Plus estimated the capital expenditure for most of the equipment except for the methanation reactor and electrolyzer. The capital expenditure, the operating expenditure and the feed cost were used in a discounted cash flow based economic model for the methane production cost estimation. The study compared different reactor configurations as well. The same model was also used for a hydrogen production cost estimation. The optimized economic model estimated a methane production cost of $11.22/mcf when the plant is operating for 4000 hr/year and electricity is available for zero cost. Furthermore, a hydrogen production cost of $2.45/GJ was obtained. A sensitivity analysis was performed for the methane production cost as the electrolyzer cost varies across different electrolyzer types. A sensitivity study was also performed for the changing electricity cost, the number of operation hours per year and the plant capacity. The estimated levelized cost of methane (LCOM) in this study was less than or comparable with the existing studies available in the literature.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.857-862
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-proliferative mechanism by Trichosanthes kirilowii (TCK) in MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cell. In this study, we used human breast cancer cell line, Michigan cancer foundation-7 cells (MCF-7 cells). They were co-incubated with 30~200 ${\mu}g$/ml TCK for 48 hours, and cell viability was measured by Water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 (WST-1) assay. After MCF-7 cells were exposed to 60 ${\mu}g$/ml of TCK for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 hours, We performed flow analysis cytometry sorting(FACS) and western blot analysis. We investigated the effect of dose-dependent cell growth inhibition by TCK, which could be proved by WST-1 assay. Also, flow cytometry analysis showed that TCK increased percentage of subG1 phase and G2/M phase cell cycle. In addition, TCK induced apoptosis through the expression of caspase-9, -3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP) activation. Moreover, we showed that ATM-dependent G2/M phase arrest by DNA damage and phosphorylation of chk2, cdc25C, cdc2(Tyr15). Taken together, these results suggest that by G2/M phase arrest through DNA damage and inducing of apoptosis through intrinsic pathway, TCK may have potential tumor suppressor in breast cancer.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.53 no.spc1
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• pp.755-764
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• 2020

In South Korea, 850 standard watersheds and 7,807 KRF catchment areas have been used as basic maps for water resources policy establishment, however it becomes necessary to set up new standard maps with a more appropriate scale for the integrated managements of surface water-groundwater as well as water quantity-quality in the era of integrated water management. Since groundwater has a slow flow velocity and also has 3-D flow properties compared to surface water, the sub-catchment size is more effective than the regional watershed for the evaluation of surface water-groundwater interaction. The KRF catchment area, which has averagely a smaller area than the standard watershed, is similar to the sub-catchment area that generally includes the first-order or second-order tributaries. Some KRF catchment areas, which are based on the surface reach, are too small or large in a wide plain or high mountain area. Therefore, it is necessary to revise the existing KRF area if being used as a unit area for integrated management of surface-water and groundwater. A unit watershed with a KRF area of about 5 to 15 ㎢ can be effective as a basic unit for water management of local government considering a tributary composition and the location of groundwater wells, and as well it can be used as a basic tool for water demand-supply evaluation, hydrological observation system establishment, judgment of groundwater permission through a total quantity management system, pollution assessment, and prioritizing water policy, and etc.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.169-186
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• 2000

To study anti-cancer effect and molecular biological mechanism of bee venom for aqua-acupuncture, the effects of bee venom on cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle were analyzed using MTT assay, tryphan blue assay, [3H]thymidine release assay, flow cytometric analysis, activity of caspase-3 protease activity assay, and immunocytometric analysis of PCNA. To explore whether anti-cancer effects of bee venom are associated with the transcriptional control of gene expression, quantitative RT-PCR analysis of apoptosis- and cell cycle-related genes was performed. The obtained results are summarized as follows: 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that cell viability was decreased by bee venom in a dose-dependant manner. 2. Significant induction of apoptosis was identified using tryphan blue assay, [$^3H$]thymidine release assay, and flow cytometric analysis of sub $G_1$ fraction. 3. In analysis of caspase-3 protease activity, the activity had increased significantly, in a dose-dependant manner. 4. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the apoptosis-related genes showed that Bcl-2 and $Bcl-X_L$ were down-regulated whereas Bax was up-regulated by bee venom treatment. 5. In flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle and immunocytometric analysis of PCNA expression, cell numbers of $G_1$ phase was increased by a dose-dependant manner. 6. In quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the cell cycle-related genes, p21, p27, and p57 were increased, while Cyclin D1, CDK4, c-Myc, c-Fos, and Histone H3 were decreased. In contrast, there were no remarkable changes in expression levels of CDC2 and c-Jun.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1187-1197
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• 2013

The result of a small electrostatic precipitator which is in order to decrease indoor air pollution for optimal efficiency was shown as follows. Although the closer distance between the discharge electrode and dust collecting electrode shows the better throughput efficiency by forming strong electrostatic Field, it does not have profound impact in case of optimal dust collecting area. G.P(gas passage) which is the distance from dust collecting electrode to dust collecting electrode is a crucial factor to decide dust collecting efficiency. The narrower distance of G.P shows the better throughput efficiency whereas it decreases when the distance is too narrow since sparks ensue by increasing the capacity of electrostatic charging system 5 mm regards as optimal efficiency in this experiment. Although the higher voltage shows the higher dust collecting efficiency overall, the experiment was not able to keep performing since the sparks which decrease dust collecting efficiency ensue over 40 kV. The efficient and safe voltage state is considered 3.6 kV in this experiment. The most crucial factor for dust collecting efficiency of an electrostatic precipitator which is in order to decrease indoor air pollution is applied voltage. In addition, optimal raw gas flow rate(2.4 m/sec) is more important factor than the excessive increase of dust collecting area.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.914-919
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• 2006

We investigated the catechin content in green tea leaf (GTL) and green tea seed (GTS), the antiproliferative and detoxifying phase II enzyme-inducing activities of the methanolic (80%, v/v) extracts from GTL and GTS. GTL and GTS contained $8,685{\pm}1,061$ and $108{\pm}32\;{\mu}g/g$ epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), $11,486{\pm}506$ and $116{\pm}72\;{\mu}g/g$ epigallocatechin (EGC), $3,535{\pm}308$ and $821{\pm}95\;{\mu}g/g$ epicatechin gallate (ECG), and $1,429{\pm}177$ and $37{\pm}44\;{\mu}g/g$ epicatechin (EC), respectively. The methanolic extract of GTS showed a greater increase in quinone reductase activity and antiproliferation potential against mouse hepatoma cells than GTL extract did. GTS treatment resulted in the accumulation at sub-G1 phase of mouse hepatoma hepa1c1c7 cells as assessed by flow cytometry. Enhancement of phase II enzyme activity by GTS extract was shown to be mediated, directly or indirectly, via interaction with the antioxidant response element (ARE) sequence in the genes encoding the phase enzymes. As the catechin content in GTS was significantly lower than that in GTL, components other than catechins appear to be responsible for the anticarcinogenic activity of the seed. In summary, these results suggest that the 80% methanolic extract of GTS deserves further study to evaluate its potential as an anticarcinogenic agent and to investigate its mechanism of action.