• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10397-10400
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• 2015

Stigmalactam, an aristolactam-type alkaloid extracted from Orophea enterocarpa, exerts cytotoxicity against several human and murine cancer cell lines, but the molecular mechanisms remain elusive. The aims of this study were to identify the mode and mechanisms of human cancer cell death induced by stigmalactam employing human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and human invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells as models, compared to normal murine fibroblasts. It was found that stigmalactam was toxic to HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cells with $IC_{50}$ levels of $23.0{\pm}2.67{\mu}M$ and $33.2{\pm}4.54{\mu}M$, respectively, using MTT assays. At the same time the $IC_{50}$ level towards murine normal fibroblast NIH3T3 cells was $24.4{\pm}6.75{\mu}M$. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was reduced in stigmalactam-treated cells dose dependently after 4 h of incubation, indicating antioxidant activity, measured by using 2',7',-dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate and flow cytometry. Caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities were increased in a dose response manner, while stigmalactam decreased the mitochondrial transmembrane potential dose-dependently in HepG2 cells, using 3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide and flow cytometry, indicating mitochondrial pathway-mediated apoptosis. In conclusion, stigmalactam from O. enterocarpa was toxic to both HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cells and induced human cancer HepG2 cells to undergo apoptosis via the intrinsic (mitochondrial) pathway.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.197-218
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• 2014

Quite a demanding task frequently arises in space engineering, when dealing with the cargo accommodation of modules and vehicles. The objective of this effort usually aims at maximizing the loaded cargo, or, at least, at meeting the logistic requirements posed by the space agencies. Complex accommodation rules are supposed to be taken into account, in compliance with strict balancing conditions and very tight operational restrictions. The context of the International Space Station (ISS) has paved the way for a relevant research and development activity, providing the company with a remarkable expertise in the field. CAST (Cargo Accommodation Support Tool) is a dedicated in-house software package (funded by the European Space Agency, ESA, and achieved by Thales Alenia Space), to carry out the whole loading of the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). An ad hoc version, tailored to the Columbus (ISS attached laboratory) on-board stowage issue, has been further implemented and is to be used from now on. This article surveys the overall approach followed, highlighting the advantages of the methodology put forward, both in terms of solution quality and time saving, through an overview of the outcomes obtained to date. Insights on possible extensions to further space applications, especially in the perspective of the paramount challenges of the near future, are, in addition, presented.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.243-257
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• 2013

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the factors affecting the dropout intentions of the dental technology students of a college. Methods: The subject of this study was 76 freshmen and 74 sophomores of dental technician major in an anonymous college. Results from the questionnaire called K-vision diagnosis program were computed by means of t-test, One-Way ANOVA, and correlation analysis. Results: 1. Total points of the drop out intention came to 782.14 points. Of the five categories concerned with the drop out intention, complain in college satisfaction(50.12points) was the highest and department satisfaction(47.51points) was the lowest. Of 16 subcategories, complaining in administrative supporting system proved the highest as 50.80 points and Inquiry to Professor the lowest(45.56 points). 2. Among the general characteristic gender (p<. 01), student group (p<.01), and credit (p<.05) made a meaningful statistical difference; no statistical significance was found in grade, admission, and dwellings. 3. Of the five categories, statistical significance was shown as follows; Department satisfaction (p<.01), College satisfaction (p<.05) under gender, Department satisfaction (p<.05) in grade, Academic integration (p<.01), Department satisfaction (p<.01) in credit. No statistical meaning was found in admission and dwellings. 4. Statistical significance was found under 16 subcategories as follows: Career identification(p<.01), Academic support system(p<.01), Social activity II(p<.05) in gender area, Inquiry to professor(p<.01), Learning(p<.05), Understanding learning I(p<.05) in grade area, Learning(p<.001), Career identification(p<.001), Understanding learning I(p<.01), Understanding learning II(p<.01), Inquiry to professor (p<.01), Learning ability (p<.05), Occupation (p<.05), Social Activity II(p<.05), Administrative support system (p<.05) in student group area, Credit (p<.001), Career identification (p<.01), Understanding learning I(p<.05) in credit area; admission and dwellings was statistically meaningless. 5. Of the 5 categories academic integration (r=.766) was most relevant to the dropout intention of the subjects and followed by department satisfaction (r=.735), college satisfaction (r=.554), service acceptability (r=.373), and statistical significance was shown as p<.01. Conclusion: Considering the results of this study, we are in a pressing need for the introduction of policies and programmes aiming at preventing the dropout rates of the dental technician majors at college. In tandem with this, qualitative and viable human resource management of the dental technicians should be implemented.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.121-149
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• 2002

This Study aims at investigating the tendency of individual problems that the students at the departments of dental technology are faced with, their efforts and types of activities to solve the problems. Surveyed for this purpose were 700 freshmen to juniors enrolled in the departments of dental technology at the universities across the country and they were analyzed by area, grade and sex. 1. Tendency of Problems The areas of problems the students at the departments of dental technology considered as most serious were health, human relation, view of value and economy in sequence, while the areas they considered as least serious were future course and employment. In general, there were tendencies as follows: divided by grade, the higher the grades of the students are, the higher scores of problems they get(F=12.14, P=.000) : in the areas of health and human relation, as the grade gets higher, the scores of their problems also increase, accordingly(F= 17.58, P=.000)(F=8.39, P=.000) : in the areas of economy, parents and home, freshmen and juniors are found to have higher scores of problems compared to sophomores,:F=7.89, P=.000)(F=11.63, P=.000) : divided by sex, female students recorded higher scores of problems than their counterparts(F=31.85, P=.000) 2. Efforts for Problems View of value, human relation, parents and home appeared to be the areas for which the students made the highest rate of efforts in sequence while the areas for which they paid lowest grade of efforts were health and economy. In other words, the students gave higher scores for human relation and view of value in terms of tendency as well as efforts of problems, while they rated high for health and economy in the tendency but low in the efforts of problems. Divided by grade, freshmen and juniors appeared to score higher points than sophomores in their efforts to solve problems, even though juniors made relatively higher efforts than freshmen(F=6.53, P=.002). Divided by sex, female students scored higher points in their efforts than males(F=15.98, P=.000) 3. Difference of Efforts to Solve Problems. In the analysis into the scores of difference showing the disagreement between the tendency of problems and the efforts to solve problems, the area of health was rated as highest, followed by economy. There was little difference of scores between human relation and view of value, an indicator of agreement between the scores of problems and efforts. The difference of scores between future course and employment, between liberal arts and recreation, between characters/parents and home/school work turned out to be negative in the listed sequence, leading to a conclusion that the students enrolled in the departments of dental technology are making more efforts to solve problems than actually needed in most areas. By grade, there was a significant difference only in the area of health(F=3.00, P=.050). This difference itself was widening as the students come to higher grades. By sex, females showed bigger difference than males. 4. Types of Activities to Solve Problems. The analysis into types of activities to solve problems revealed that the surveyed students seemed to actively cope with the problems in all areas, relying at the same time on personal relationship. Especially in the areas of health, economy, parents, home, human relation, future course and employment, the students appeared to deal with the problems actively as well as emotionally.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.477-487
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• 2019

Objectives: Firefighters are known to be exposed to a variety of toxic substances, but little information is available on the exposure profile of firefighting activities. The aims of this study were to conduct exposure monitoring of toxic chemicals at fire scenes, to compare the concentrations of respective chemicals among firefighting tasks, and to assess the main factors influencing the concentrations of chemicals. Methods: Researchers performed sampling at firefighting scenes during four weeks in 2013. At the scene, we collected samples based on firefighters' own activities and examined the situation and scale of the accident. Collected samples were classified into three categories, including fire extinguishing and overhaul, and were analyzed in the laboratory according to respective analysis methods. Results: A total of fourteen fire activity events were surveyed: five fire extinguishing, six overhaul, and three fire investigations. Although no substance exceeded the ACGIH TLV, PAHs were detected in every sample. Naphthalene ranged from 0.24 to 279.13 mg/㎥ (median 49.6 mg/㎥) and benzo(a)pyrene was detected in one overhaul case at 10.85 ㎍/㎥. Benzene (0.01-12.2 ppm) was detected in every task and exceeded the ACGIH TLV. No significant difference in concentrations between tasks was shown. Conclusions: These results indicate that all firefighting tasks generated various hazardous combustion products, including possible carcinogens.