• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.236-236
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• 2015

Flood is one of the major natural disasters affecting millions of people. Thailand also, frequently faces with this type of disaster. Especially, 2011 mega flood in Central Thailand, inundated highway severely attributed to the failure of national economic and risk to life. Lesson learned from such an extreme event caused flood monitoring and warning becomes one of the sound mitigations. The highway flood hazard mapping accomplished in this research is one of the strategies. This is due to highway flood is the potential risk to life and limb, and potential damage to property. Monitoring and warning therefore help reducing live and property losses. In this study, degree of highway flood hazard was assessed by weighting factors for each cause of the highway flood using Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) based Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). These weighting factors are the essential information to classify the degree of highway flood hazard to enable pinpoint on flood monitoring and flood warning in hazard areas. The highway flood causes were then investigated. It was found that three major factors influence to the highway flood are namely the highway characteristics, the hydrological characteristics and the land topography characteristics. The weight of importance for each cause of the highway flood in the whole country was assessed by weighting 3 major factors influence to the highway flood. According to the result of MCA analysis, the highway, the hydrological and the land topography characteristics were respectively weighted as 35, 35 and 30 percent influence to the cause of highway flood. These weighting factors were further utilized to classify the degree of highway flood hazard. The Weight Linear Combination (WLC) method was used to compute the total score of all highways according to each factor. This score was later used to categorize highway flood as high, moderate and low degree of hazard levels. Highway flood hazard map accomplished in this research study is applicable to serve as the handy tool for highway flood warning. However, to complete the whole warning process, flood water level monitoring system for example the camera gauge should be installed in the hazard highway. This is expected to serve as a simple flood monitor as part of the warning system during such extreme or critical event.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.56
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• pp.165-185
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• 2018

Because financial industry is closely related to the daily lives of people, internal fraud such as embezzlement by the employees can cause serious damage to the national economy, including credit crunch and contagious bankruptcy, as once demonstrated in the Savings Bank Scandal in 2011. Therefore, the importance of financial industry security is being emphasized and developed into converged security that combines physical, human and cyber security. In this study, to prevent fraud caused by internal employees in Korean financial sector, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 16 participants including bankers, officials of financial regulators, and security experts, who were in charge of risk management in the industry. The collected data were analyzed at three stratification levels such as individual, organization, and socio-cultural factor. Based on this analysis, policy recommendations were suggested for the development of financial industry security and reducing internal fraud in banking institutions.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.533-543
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• 2021

Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is the result of persistent and repeated aggravation of myocardial ischemia and hypoxia, leading to the gradual development of heart failure of chronic ischemic heart disease. Triptolide (TPL) is identified to be involved in the treatment for MF. This study aims to explore the mechanism of TPL in the treatment of MF. The MF rat model was established, subcutaneously injected with isoproterenol and treated by subcutaneous injection of TPL. The cardiac function of each group was evaluated, including LVEF, LVFS, LVES, and LVED. The expressions of ANP, BNP, inflammatory related factors (IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, MCP-1, VCAM1), NLRP3 inflammasome factors (NLRP3, ASC) and fibrosis related factors (TGF-β1, COL1, and COL3) in rats were dete cted. H&E staining and Masson staining were used to observe myocardial cell inflammation and fibrosis of rats. Western blot was used to detect the p-P65 and t-P65 levels in nucleoprotein of rat myocardial tissues. LVED and LVES of MF group were significantly upregulated, LVEF and LVFS were significantly downregulated, while TPL treatment reversed these trends; TPL treatment downregulated the tissue injury and improved the pathological damage of MF rats. TPL treatment downregulated the levels of inflammatory factors and fibrosis factors, and inhibited the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome or NF-κB pathway reversed the effect of TPL on MF. Collectively, TPL inhibited the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by inhibiting NF-κB pathway, and improved MF in MF rats.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.217-225
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• 2021

Neuropathic pain (NP) that contributes to the comorbidity between pain and depression is a clinical dilemma. Neuroinflammatory responses are known to have potentially important roles in the initiation of NP and depressive mood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of paeoniflorin (PF) on NP-induced depression-like behaviors by targeting the hippocampal neuroinflammation through the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. We used a murine model of NP caused by unilateral sciatic nerve cuffing (Cuff). PF was injected intraperitoneally once a day for a total of 14 days. Pain and depression-like behavior changes were evaluated via behavioral tests. Pathological changes in the hippocampus of mice were observed by H&E staining. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus were detected using ELISA. Activated microglia were measured by immunohistochemical staining. The TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway-associated protein expression in the hippocampus was detected by western blotting. We found that the PF could significantly alleviate Cuff-induced hyperalgesia and depressive behaviors, lessen the pathological damage to the hippocampal cell, reduce proinflammatory cytokines levels, and inhibit microglial over-activation. Furthermore, PF downregulated the expression levels of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway-related proteins in the hippocampus. These results indicate that PF is an effective drug for improving the comorbidity between NP and depression.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.20.1-20.13
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• 2021

Background: Pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection leads to high mortality in swine. Despite extensive efforts, effective treatments against PRV infection are limited. Furthermore, the inflammatory response induced by PRV strain GXLB-2013 is unclear. Objectives: Our study aimed to investigate the inflammatory response induced by PRV strain GXLB-2013, establish an inflammation model to elucidate the pathogenesis of PRV infection further, and develop effective drugs against PRV infection. Methods: Kunming mice were infected intramuscularly with medium, LPS, and different doses of PRV-GXLB-2013. Viral spread and histopathological damage to brain, spleen, and lung were determined at 7 days post-infection (dpi). Immune organ indices, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and inflammatory cytokines, as well as levels of activity of COX-2 and iNOS were determined at 4, 7, and 14 dpi. Results: At 10⁵-10⁶ TCID₅₀ PRV produced obviously neurological symptoms and 100% mortality in mice. Viral antigens were detectable in kidney, heart, lung, liver, spleen, and brain. In addition, inflammatory injuries were apparent in brain, spleen, and lung of PRV-infected mice. Moreover, PRV induced increases in immune organ indices, ROS and NO levels, activity of COX-2 and iNOS, and the content of key pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ and MCP-1. Among the tested doses, 10² TCID₅₀ of PRV produced a significant inflammatory mediator increase. Conclusions: An inflammatory model induced by PRV infection was established in mice, and 10² TCID50 PRV was considered as the best concentration for the establishment of the model.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2021

Flexural test of reinforced concrete beam with corroded reinforcement were performed to measure the deflection, curvature and cracking moment for various bar diameter and amounts of corrosion. The amounts of corrosion are varied from 0% to 10% by weight and the bar diameters are chosen as 10mm, 13mm, and 19mm. The changes in reinforcement diameter do not affect the flexural behaviors significantly according to this experiment. If the amounts of corrosion is greater than 2%, the deflection and curvature of the beam increased and the cracking moment decreased. It means that the lower amounts of corrosion does not result structural damage in flexural member significantly as in direct tensile test. A modification factor considering an effect of amounts of corrosion is proposed based on the experiment, which can be used to determine the deflection of reinforced concrete beam with corroded reinforcement.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 2019

The aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of Hataedock treatment using Coptidis Rhizome and Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (CG) mixed extract in allergic rhinitis induced NC/Nga mice. We divided NC/Nga mice into 3 groups as follows; allergic rhinitis-induced group after CG Hataedock treatment (CGT, n=10), no treatment group (Ctrl), allergic rhinitis elicited group (ARE). To induce allergic rhinitis, NC/Nga mice of 3 weeks age were sensitized on 7, 8 and 9week by Ovalbumin (OVA) antigen in intranasal space. Hataedock using CG extract was administered on week 3 in allergic rhinitis-induced group (CGT) after Hataedock treatment. To identify distribution of Interlukin (IL)-4, Cluster of differentiation 40 (CD40), high-affinity IgE receptor ($Fc{\varepsilon}RI$), substance P, Matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), Nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$) p65, Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2), we used histological examination. CGT significantly inhibited IL-4 and CD40 response compared with ARE. The reduction of Th2 cytokine expression decreased inflammatory mediators such as $Fc{\varepsilon}RI$, substance P, MMP-9, $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65, iNOS and COX-2. Such immunological improvement induced reduction of respiratory epithelial damage and mucin secretion in goblet cell. These results indicate that Hataedock treatment suppresses allergic rhinitis through modulating of Th2 responses and diminishing various inflammatory mediators in nasal mucosal tissue. It might have potential applications for prevention and treatment of allergic rhinitis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.75-86
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• 2019

Recently, natural disasters due to abnormal climates are frequently outbreaking, and there is rapid increase of damage to aged agricultural infrastructure. As agricultural infrastructure facilities are in contact with water throughout the year and the number of them is significant, it is important to build a maintenance management system. Especially, the current maintenance management system of pumping and drainage stations among the agricultural facilities has the limit of lack of objectivity and management personnel. The purpose of this study is to develop a performance evaluation model using the factors related to performance degradation of pumping and drainage facilities and to predict the performance of the facilities in response to climate change. In this study, we focused on the pumping and drainage stations belonging to each climatic zone separated by the Korea geographical climatic classification system. The performance evaluation model was developed using three different statistical models of POLS, RE, and LASSO. As the result of analysis of statistical models, LASSO was selected for the performance evaluation model as it solved the multicollinearity problem between variables, and showed the smallest MSE. To predict the performance degradation due to climate change, the climate change response variables were classified into three categories: climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The performance degradation prediction was performed at each facility using the developed performance evaluation model and the climate change response variables.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2019

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are glycolipids and have several pharmacological efficacies. MELs also show skin-moisturizing efficacy through a yet-unknown underlying mechanism. Aquaporin-3 (AQP3) is a membrane protein that contributes to the water homeostasis of the epidermis, and decreased AQP3 expression following ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation of the skin is associated with reduced skin moisture. No previous study has examined whether the skin-moisturizing effect of MELs might act through the modulation of AQP3 expression. Here, we report for the first time that MELs ameliorate the UVA-induced downregulation of AQP3 in cultured human epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT keratinocytes). Our results revealed that UVA irradiation decreases AQP3 expression at the protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, but that MEL treatment significantly ameliorated these effects. Our mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor analysis revealed that phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase or p38, mediates UVA-induced AQP3 downregulation, and that MEL treatment significantly suppressed the UVA-induced phosphorylation of JNK. To explore a possible mechanism, we tested whether MELs could regulate the expression of peroxidase proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR-{\gamma}$), which acts as a potent transcription factor for AQP3 expression. Interestingly, UVA irradiation significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ in HaCaT keratinocytes, whereas a JNK inhibitor and MELs significantly rescued this effect. Taken together, these findings suggest that MELs ameliorate UVA-induced AQP3 downregulation in HaCaT keratinocytes by suppressing JNK activation to block the decrease of $PPAR-{\gamma}$. Collectively, our findings suggest that MELs can be used as a potential ingredient that modulates AQP3 expression to improve skin moisturization following UVA irradiation-induced damage.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.687-693
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• 2018

The active development of the global marine trade industries has been known to increase the inflows of marine invasive species and harmful organisms into the ecosystem, and the marine ecological disturbances. One of these invasive species, Ciona robusta, has now spread to the Korea Strait, the East Sea, and Jeju Island in connection with the climate change but not the Yellow Sea in Korea. Currently, the spread and distribution of C. robusta is increasingly damaging aquaculture and related facilities. Therefore, this study aims to identify the spread of C. robusta and potential habitats and to secure a data for the prevention of effective management measures due to climate change as well as damage the reduction in future through the prediction of spread. We used environmental variables in BioOracle. Also, the potential habitat and distribution of C. robusta was predicted using MaxEnt, a species distribution model. Two different RCP scenarios(4.5 and 8.5) were specified to predict the future distributions of C. robusta. The results showed that the biggest environmental factor affecting the distribution of C. robusta was the salinity as well as the highest distribution and potential habitats existent in the East Sea and around Jeju Island.