• Wind and Structures
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.313-329
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• 2012

There have existed for a number of years good practice guidelines for the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in the field of wind engineering. As part of those guidelines, details are given for the size of flow domain that should be used around a building of height, H. For low-rise buildings, the domain sizes produced by following the guidelines are reasonable and produce results that are largely free from blockage effects. However, when high-rise or tall buildings are considered, the domain size based solely on the building height produces very large domains. A large domain, in most cases, leads to a large cell count, with many of the cells in the grid being used up in regions far from the building/wake region. This paper challenges this domain size guidance by looking at the effects of changing the domain size around a tall building. The RNG ${\kappa}-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model is used in a series of steady-state solutions where the only parameter varied is the domain size, with the mesh resolution in the building/wake region left unchanged. Comparisons between the velocity fields in the near-field of the building and pressure coefficients on the building are used to inform the assessment. The findings of the work for this case suggest that a domain of approximately 10% the volume of that suggested by the existing guidelines could be used with a loss in accuracy of less than 10%.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.443-450
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• 2006

The present study has been conducted to investigate the effects of rotation on heat/mass transfer and pressure drop characteristics in a two-pass square duct with and without discrete ribs. For stationary cases, the heat/mass transfer on the surfaces with and without discrete ribs is almost the same or reduced. For rotating cases, the gap flow affects differently the heat/mass transfer on leading and trailing surfaces with discrete ribs. On the leading surface of the first pass, the heat/mass transfer is slightly enhanced due to generating strong gap flow. On the trailing surface of the first pass, however, the heat/mass transfer is much decreased because the gap flow disturbs impingement of main flow. The phenomenon, that is, the heat/mass transfer discrepancy between the leading and trailing surfaces is distinctly presented with the increment of rotation number. The friction losses on each surface with discrete ribs are reduced because the blockage ratio decreases for both non-rotating and rotating cases. Therefore, high thermal performance appears in a duct with discrete ribs.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2011

This study aimed to determine the effects of the blockage of visual feedback on joint dynamics of the lower extremity. Fifteen healthy male subjects(age: $24.1{\pm}2.3\;yr$, height: $178.7{\pm}5.2\;cm$, weight: $73.6{\pm}6.6\;kg$) participated in this study. Each subject performed single-legged landing from a 45 cm-platform with the eyes open or closed. During the landing performance, three-dimensional kinematics of the lower extremity and ground reaction force(GRF) were recorded using a 8 infrared camera motion analysis system (Vicon MX-F20, Oxford Metric Ltd, Oxford, UK) with a force platform(ORG-6, AMTI, Watertown, MA). The results showed that at 50 ms prior to foot contact and at the time of foot contact, ankle plantar-flexion angle was smaller(p<.05) but the knee joint valgus and the hip flexion angles were greater with the eyes closed as compared to with the eyes open(p<.05). An increase in anterior GRF was observed during single-legged landing with the eyes closed as compared to with the eyes open(p<.05). Time to peak GRF in the medial, vertical and posterior directions occurred significantly earlier when the eyes were closed as compared to when the eyes were open(p<.05). Landing with the eyes closed resulted in a higher peak vertical loading rate(p<.05). In addition, the shock-absorbing power decreased at the ankle joint(p<.05) but increased at the hip joints when landing with the eyes closed(p<.05). When the eyes were closed, landing could be characterized by a less plantarflexed ankle joint and more flexed hip joint, with a faster time to peak GRF. These results imply that subjects are able to adapt the control of landing to different feedback conditions. Therefore, we suggest that training programs be introduced to reduce these injury risk factors.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 1985

A series of Escherichia coli mutants were exmined for ability to convert glucose and ammonium salts into phenylalanine. This enabled the biochemical changes having major. effects on phenylaianine yield, and interactions between mutations, to be identified. Changes to the common pathway of aromatic biosynthesis having a major effects include desensitization of the first enzyme (3-deoxy-D-arabinoheptulosonate synthase) to end-product inhibition, and removal of repression of enzyme synthesis. It is suggested that the 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate synthase Phe isoenzyme has a more important effect on yield. Similarly, removal of repression and end-product inhibition on the phenylalanine terminal pathway increased yield, and changes to both common and branch pathways were synergistic. Blockage of the typrosine and tryptophan pathways had minor effects on phenylalanine yield, and a mutation affecting aramatic amino acid transport (aroP) decreased yield. With multiple-mutation strains hish specific rates of product formation (ie 0.1-0.17g phenylalanine/g cells/h) were obtained.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.306-312
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• 2012

Resveratrol (trans-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) has received considerable attention recently for the potential neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative disorders where heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) represent promising therapeutic targets. Resveratrol has been known to increase HO-1 expression and SIRT1 activity. In this study, the effects of resveratrol and trans-3,5,4'-trimethoxystilbene (TMS), a resveratrol derivative, on cytotoxicity caused by glutamate-induced oxidative stress, HO-1 expression, and SIRT1 activation have been investigated by using murine hippocampal HT22 cells, which have been widely used as an in vitro model for investigating glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Resveratrol protected HT22 neuronal cells from glutamate-induced cytotoxicity and increased HO-1 expression as well as SIRT1 activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Cytoprotection afforded by resveratrol was partially reversed by the specific inhibition of HO-1 expression by HO-1 small interfering RNA and the nonspecific blockage of HO-1 activity by tin protoporphyrin IX, but not by SIRT1 inhibitors. Surprisingly, TMS, a resveratrol derivative with methoxyl groups in lieu of the hydroxyl groups, and trans-stilbene, a non-hydroxylated analog, failed to protect HT22 cells from glutamate-induced cytotoxicity and to increase HO-1 expression and SIRT1 activity. Taken together, our findings suggest that the cytoprotective effect of resveratrol was at least in part associated with HO-1 expression but not with SIRT1 activation and, importantly, that the presence of hydroxyl groups on the benzene rings of resveratrol appears to be necessary for cytoprotection against glutamate-induced oxidative stress, HO-1 expression, and SIRT1 activation in HT22 neuronal cells.

• Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.170-175
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• 2018

Background: Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common liver tumor and the main cause of cancer-related death. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as imatinib and GNF5 which were developed to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia, regulate the progression of various cancers. The aim of this study was to confirm the anti-tumor activity of tyrosine kinase inhibitors through regulation of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), an important oncogenic factor in various cancer cells, in human hepatocarcinoma SK-HEP1 cells. Methods: Cell viability and colony formation assays were conducted to evaluate the effects of imatinib, GNF5 and GNF2 on the growth of SK-HEP1 cells. Using immunoblot analysis, we assessed change of the activation of caspases, PARP, Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinases, and Skp2/p27/p21 pathway by imatinib and GNF5 in SK-HEP1 cells. Using sh-Skp2 HCC cells, the role of Skp2 in the effects of imatinib and GNF5 was evaluated. Results: Imatinib and GNF5 significantly inhibited the growth of SK-HEP1 cells. Treatment of imatinib and GNF5 decreased Skp2 expression and Akt phosphorylation, and increased the expression of p27, p21, and active-caspases in SK-HEP1 cells. In sh-Skp2 HCC cells, cell growth and the expression of Skp2 were inhibited by more than in the mock group treated with imatinib and GNF5. Conclusions: These results suggest that the anti-growth activity of tyrosine kinase inhibitors may be associated with the regulation of p27/p21 and caspases through Skp2 blockage in HCC cells.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2020

Background and Objectives:The blockage of adenosine receptors by caffeine changes the levels of neurotransmitters. These receptors are present in all parts of the body, including the auditory and vestibular systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of caffeine on evoked potentials using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Subjects and Methods: Forty individuals (20 females and 20 males; aged 18-25 years) were randomly assigned to two groups: the test group (consuming 3 mg/kg pure caffeine powder with little sugar and dry milk in 100 mL of water), and the placebo group (consuming only sugar and dry milk in 100 mL water as placebo). The cVEMPs and ABRs were recorded before and after caffeine or placebo intake. Results: A significant difference was observed in the absolute latencies of I and III (p<0.010), and V (p<0.001) and in the inter-peak latencies of III-V and I-V (p<0.001) of ABRs wave. In contrast, no significant difference was found in cVEMP parameters (P13 and N23 latency, threshold, P13-N23 amplitude, and amplitude ratio). The mean amplitudes of P13-N23 showed an increase after caffeine ingestion. However, this was not significant compared with the placebo group (p>0.050). Conclusions: It seems that the extent of caffeine's effects varies for differently evoked potentials. Latency reduction in ABRs indicates that caffeine improves transmission in the central brain auditory pathways. However, different effects of caffeine on auditory- and vestibular-evoked potentials could be attributed to the differences in sensitivities of the ABR and cVEMP tests.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2020

Background and Objectives:The blockage of adenosine receptors by caffeine changes the levels of neurotransmitters. These receptors are present in all parts of the body, including the auditory and vestibular systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of caffeine on evoked potentials using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Subjects and Methods: Forty individuals (20 females and 20 males; aged 18-25 years) were randomly assigned to two groups: the test group (consuming 3 mg/kg pure caffeine powder with little sugar and dry milk in 100 mL of water), and the placebo group (consuming only sugar and dry milk in 100 mL water as placebo). The cVEMPs and ABRs were recorded before and after caffeine or placebo intake. Results: A significant difference was observed in the absolute latencies of I and III (p<0.010), and V (p<0.001) and in the inter-peak latencies of III-V and I-V (p<0.001) of ABRs wave. In contrast, no significant difference was found in cVEMP parameters (P13 and N23 latency, threshold, P13-N23 amplitude, and amplitude ratio). The mean amplitudes of P13-N23 showed an increase after caffeine ingestion. However, this was not significant compared with the placebo group (p>0.050). Conclusions: It seems that the extent of caffeine's effects varies for differently evoked potentials. Latency reduction in ABRs indicates that caffeine improves transmission in the central brain auditory pathways. However, different effects of caffeine on auditory- and vestibular-evoked potentials could be attributed to the differences in sensitivities of the ABR and cVEMP tests.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.2064-2071
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• 2011

We are developing an innovative super-speed land transportation system running in a partial vacuum in tunnels with small inside diameter to reduce the aerodynamic drag forces. This paper presents the experimental results obtained on a small scale model when a super-speed train model passing through a tunnel with small inside diameter and a partial vacuum to reduce the aerodynamic drag forces. The experiments were performed on a 1/52-scale moving model rig in which a train model with a diameter of 58 mm and a length of 603 mm was accelerated in a launching tube with 12.27 m length by means of the compressed air launcher and then passed through a tunnel model with 17.149 m length. The partial vacuum was maintained in the tunnel in order to reduce the energy consumption of the propulsion system of the super-speed tube train at super-speed of 700 km/h. In this study, the blockage ratio of train to tunnel model is 0.336. Experimental results show the nonlinear effects of the vacuum on the speed-up of the train model in the tunnel model under the partial vacuum up to 0.21 atm and at the velocity up to 684 km/h. This paper is first study for experiments on the speed-up of a super-speed train model in the partial vacuum tunnels.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.231-235
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• 2020

Industrialization and modern developments have led to an influx of toxic heavy metals into the aquatic environment, and the accumulation of heavy metals has serious adverse effects on humans. Among the various heavy metal treatment methods, adsorption is very useful and frequently used. Plastic materials, such as polypropylene and polyethylene, have been widely used as filter media due to their mechanical and chemical stability. However, the surface of plastic material is inert and therefore the adsorption capability of heavy metals is very limited. In this study, granular media and fiber media composed of polypropylene and polyethylene are used, and the surface modification was conducted in order to increase adsorption capability toward heavy metals. Oxygen plasma generated hydroxyl groups on the surface of the media to activate the surface, and then acrylic acid was synthesized on the surface. The grafted carboxyl group was confirmed by FT-IR and SEM. Heavy metal adsorption capability of pristine and surface modified adsorbents was also evaluated. Overall, heavy metal adsorption capability was increased by surface modification due to electrostatic interaction between the carboxyl groups and heavy metal ions. Fibrous PP/PE showed lower improvement compared to granular PP media because pore blockage occurred by the surface modification step, thereby inhibiting mass transfer.