• Title/Summary/Keyword: enhancement.

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Enhancement of Image Contrast in Linacgram through Image Processing (전산처리를 통한 Linacgram의 화질개선)

  • Suh, Hyun-Suk;Shin, Hyun-Kyo;Lee, Re-Na
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.345-354
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    • 2000
  • Purpose : Conventional radiation therapy Portal images gives low contrast images. The purpose of this study was to enhance image contrast of a linacgram by developing a low-cost image processing method. Materials and Methods : Chest linacgram was obtained by irradiating humanoid Phantom and scanned using Diagnostic-Pro scanner for image processing. Several types of scan method were used in scanning. These include optical density scan, histogram equalized scan, linear histogram based scan, linear histogram independent scan, linear optical density scan, logarithmic scan, and power square root scan. The histogram distribution of the scanned images were plotted and the ranges of the gray scale were compared among various scan types. The scanned images were then transformed to the gray window by pallette fitting method and the contrast of the reprocessed portal images were evaluated for image improvement. Portal images of patients were also taken at various anatomic sites and the images were processed by Gray Scale Expansion (GSE) method. The patient images were analyzed to examine the feasibility of using the GSE technique in clinic. Results :The histogram distribution showed that minimum and maximum gray scale ranges of 3192 and 21940 were obtained when the image was scanned using logarithmic method and square root method, respectively. Out of 256 gray scale, only 7 to 30$\%$ of the steps were used. After expanding the gray scale to full range, contrast of the portal images were improved. Experiment peformed with patient image showed that improved identification of organs were achieved by GSE in portal images of knee joint, head and neck, lung, and pelvis. Conclusion :Phantom study demonstrated that the GSE technique improved image contrast of a linacgram. This indicates that the decrease in image quality resulting from the dual exposure, could be improved by expanding the gray scale. As a result, the improved technique will make it possible to compare the digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRR) and simulation image for evaluating the patient positioning error.

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An International Comparative Study of the Graduate Degree Programs for the Professionals of the Gifted/Talented Education - An Analysis of Korean Graduate Program in Comparison with the Standards of America and Europe - (영재교육 전문가 양성을 위한 대학원 교육과정 국제 비교 연구 - 미국과 유럽 표준에 비추어본 한국 대학원 교육과정의 교과목 분석 -)

  • Kang, Choong-Youl
    • Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.569-589
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    • 2008
  • One of the main factors that affect the improvement of G/T education is the number and the level of quality of the professionals who are working for the gifted. The professionals vary depending on the role they play for the gifted from the classroom teacher, coordinator, to consultant. Since the legislation of the law for the enhancement of the gifted education in Korea, the in-service training for the classroom teacher has been expanded in number throughout the country. Nowadays, the gifted education is about to be expanded into the general school population, and it becomes more necessary that the training at the level of university graduate program be expanded beyond the short-term in-service training so far. In this vein, the number of universities in Korea that offer the staff development for the gifted education at the graduate level has been increased. However, the problem is whether those programs meet the need to produce the quality professionals. Based on this problem awareness, the study analyzed the graduate programs of 8 universities in Korea by comparing their course descriptions with the graduate-level training program standards of the United States and Europe. It was found that most of the universities fulfilled the areas that both standards commonly consider import, such as "concept and development of giftedness", "curriculum development for the gifted", "teaching methods for the gifted." However, the number of the offered subjects was different among the universities, which indicates that it is suspicious that the universities equally satisfy the areas both standards require. Furthermore, it was also found that the universities differ in satisfying the other standards, From these findings, several suggestions were made for the improvement of the university graduate programs in Korea.

The Analysis and Strengthening Method of Export Competitive Power of Medical Device Industry - With Respect to Medical Device Industry in Gangwon Area (의료기기산업의 수출경쟁력 분석 및 강화방안 -강원지역 의료기기산업을 중심으로-)

  • Lee, Kang-Bin
    • THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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    • v.45
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    • pp.191-238
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    • 2010
  • The purpose of this paper is to make research on the trend of the worldwide medical device market, the trend of the medical device market in the major foreign countries, the present status of the medical device industry in Korea and Gangwon area, the present status of export competitive power and the SWOT analysis of competitive power of the medical device industry in Gangwon area, and the strengthening methods of export competitive power of the medical device industry in Gangwon area. As the research method, the questionaire for the strengthening of export competitive power of the medical device industry in Gangwon area was carried out from August 13 to Otober 22, 2009. The worldwide medical device market in 2008 is estimated at USD 210.2 billion, with the United States being the largest market, followed closely by Japan and Western Europe. In 2006, the worldwide export amount of medical devices recorded USD 121.1 billion and the worldwide import amount of medical devices recorded USD 126.3 billion. As of the end of 2008, the number of Korea's medical device manufacturers expanded to 1,726. The production amount of Korea's medical device industry in 2008 recorded 2,525 billion won, and the domestic market volume of medical devices in 2008 recorded 3,618 billion won. Korea's export amount of medical devices in 2008 recorded USD 1,132 million and recorded a 9.67% growth compared to the previous year, and the import amount of medical devices recorded USD 2,123 million and recorded a 1.43% reduction compared to the previous year. As of the end of 2008, the number of Gangwon area's medical device manufacturers expanded to 81. The production amount of Gangwon area's medical industry in 2008 recorded 380 billion won, and Gangwon area's export amount of medical devices recorded USD 269 million and recorded a 0.25% reduction compared to the previous year, and the import amount of medical devices recorded USD 3 million and recorded a 39.63% reduction compared to the previous year. According to the result analysis of the questionaire for the strengthening of export competitive power of medical device industry in Gangwon area(August 13~October 22, 2009), the competing country of the export medical device is the United States being the highest ranking. Comparing to the collective competitive power level 100 of the competing country, the collective competitive level of the export medical device is 60 below and 70-80 below being the highest ranking. Comparing to the quality level 100 of the United States, EU and Japan, the quality level of the export medical device is 80-90 below being the highest ranking. Comparing to the design level 100 of the United States, EU and Japan, the design level of the export medical device is 90-100 below being the highest ranking. Comparing to the technology level 100 of the United States, EU and Japan, the technology level of the export medical device is 80-90 below being the highest ranking. According to the SWOT analysis of competitive power of medical device industry in Gangwon area, the strength is the abundant expert manpower of the medical device in Wonju area. The weakness is the fragility of the brand recognition of the medical device industry. The opportunity is the demand increase of the new medical device owing to the advanced age of population. The threat is the difficulty of entry into overseas market owing to the request of the new specification certification of the medical device. In order to strengthen the export competitive power of the medical device industry in Gangwon area, the following measures should be taken by the government, local self-government body, related organization and medical device industry : the development of new technology and design, the enhancement of brand recognition. the acquisition of the foreign specification certification, the building of overseas distribution channel and after sales service channel, the positive participation in overseas medical device exhibition and opening of medical device exhibition, the training of expert manpower, the strengthening of overseas marketing, and the application of FTA and the establishment of counter measures against FTA. In conclusion, the medical device industry in Gangwon area has the difficulty in the entry into the overseas market owing to the shortage of overseas marketing capability. Therefore, the government and local self-government body should make the intensive and systematical support for overseas marketing of the medical device industry. For the support of overseas marketing, the government and local self-government body should provide positively the support of expenses for the acquisition of foreign specification certification, the support of participation in the overseas medical device exhibition, the despatch of market development mission, the increase of the support amount for R&D investment fund, and the training of expert manpower of medical devices.

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Effect of Phenolic Mediators and Humic Acid on the Removal of 1-Indanone Using Manganese Oxide (망간산화물(Birnessite)을 이용한 1- Indanone 제거 시 페놀계 반응매개체와 휴믹산(HA) 영향 평가)

  • Choi, Chan-Kyu;Eom, Won-Suk;Shin, Hyun-Sang
    • Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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    • v.34 no.7
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    • pp.445-453
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    • 2012
  • An investigation for removal of 1-indanone (1-ID), which were commonly produced from the biological and/or chemical treatment and natural weathering of the PAHs-contaminated soils, via oxidative transformation mediated by birnessite in the presence of various phenolic mediators is described. This study also examines the potential effect of the natural occurring substance humic acid (HA) on the oxidative transformation. The experiment was carried out in aqueous phase as a batch test (10 mg/L 1-ID, 0.3 mM phenolic mediators, $1.0g/L\;{\delta}-MnO_2$, at pH 5). All of the 11 tested phenoilic mediators belong to the group of natural occurring phenols and are widely used as model constituents of humic substances. From the results of HPLC analysis, it is demonstrated that 1-ID was not reactive to birnessite itself, but it can be effectively removed in birnessite-mediated cross coupling reactions in the presence of the phenolic mediators. The percent removals of 1-ID after 2 day incubation were ranged from 9.2 to 71.2% depending on the phenolic mediators applied. The initial rate constant ($K_{int}$, $hr^{-1}$) values for the 1-ID removals obtained from the pseudo-first-order kinetic plots also widely ranged from 0.18 to 15.0. Results of the correlative analysis between the removal efficiencies and structural characteristics of phenolic mediators indicate that the transformation of the 1-ID was considerably enhanced by the addition of electron-donating substituents (e.g., -OH, $-OCH_3$) at the benzne ring, and much less enhanced by the addition of electron-withdrawing substituents (e.g., -COOH, -CHO). The presence of HA showed that removal efficiencies of 1-ID in the birnessite-phenolic mediator systems decreased with increasing HA concentrations. However at low concentration of HA (< 2 mg/L), it caused some enhancement in the removals of 1-ID as compared to the control.

The Effect of Strong Acid and Ionic Material Addition in the Microwave-assisted Solubilization of Waste Activated Sludge (Microwave를 이용한 폐활성슬러지의 가용화 반응에서 강산과 이온성 물질의 첨가가 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Jeongmin;Lee, Jaeho;Lim, Jisung;Kim, Youngwoo;Byun, Imgyu;Park, Taejoo
    • Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.60-68
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    • 2015
  • The study of waste activated sludge (WAS) solubilization has been increased for sludge volume reduction and enhancing the efficiency of anaerobic digestion. Microwave (MW)-assisted solubilization is an effective method for the solubilization of WAS because this method can lead to thermal, nonthermal effect and ionic conduction by dielectric heating. In this study, the solubilization of WAS by MW heating and conductive heating (CH) was compared and to enhance the MW-assisted solubilization of WAS at low MW output power, chemical agents were applied such as $H_2SO_4$ as the strong acid and $CaCl_2$, NaCl as the ionic materials. Compared to the COD solubilization of WAS by CH, that by MW heating was approximately 1.4, 6.2 times higher at $50^{\circ}C$, $100^{\circ}C$, respectively and the highest COD solubilization of WAS was 10.0% in this study of low MW output power condition. At the same MW output power and reaction time in chemically agents assisted experiments, the COD solubilization of WAS were increased up to 18.1% and 12.7% with the addition of $H_2SO_4$ and NaCl, however, that with the addition of $CaCl_2$ was 10.7%. This result might be due to the fact that the precipitation reaction occurred by calcium ion ($Ca^{2+}$) and phosphate ion (${PO_4}^{3-}$) produced in WAS after MW-assisted solubilization. In this study, $H_2SO_4$ turned out to be the optimal agent for the enhancement of MW efficiency, the addition of 0.2 M $H_2SO_4$ was the most effective condition for MW-assisted WAS solubilization.

Synergistic effect of ionizing radiation and $\beta$-lapachone against tumor in vitro and in vivo

  • Park, Eun-Kyung;Kim, Young-Seok;Lee, Sang-wook;Ahn, Seung-Do;Shin, Seong-Soo;Park, Heon-Joo;Song, Chang-Won
    • Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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    • 2003.06a
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    • pp.80-80
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    • 2003
  • ${\beta}$-lapachone(${\beta}$-Lap), a natural o-naphthoquinone, presents in the bark of the Lapacho tree. ${\beta}$-Lap is cytotoxic against a variety of human cancer cells and it potentiates the anti-tumor effect of Taxol. In addition, ${\beta}$-Lap has been reported to radiosensitize cancer cells by inhibiting the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage.In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of ${\beta}$-Lap against RKO human colorectal cancer cells as well as the combined effect of ${\beta}$-LaP and ionizing radiation. An incubation of RKO cells with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap for 4 h killed almost 90% of the clonogenic cells. An incubation of RKO cells with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap for 4 h or longer also caused massive apoptosis. Unlike other cytotoxic agents, ${\beta}$-Lap did not increase the expression of p53 and p21 and it suppressed the NFkB expression. The expression of Caspase 9 and 3 was minimally altered by ${\beta}$-Lap. Radiation and ${\beta}$-Lap acted synergistically in inducing clonogenic cell death and apoptosis in RKO cells when ${\beta}$-Lap treatment was applied after but not before the radiation exposure of the cells. Interestingly, a 4 h treatment with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap starting 5 h after irradiation was as effective as that starting immediately after irradiation. The mechanisms of ${\beta}$-Lap-induced cell killing is controversial but a recent hypothesis is that ${\beta}$-Lap is activated by NAD(P)H: quinone-onidoreductase (NQO1) in the cells followed by an elevation of cytosolic Ca$\^$2+/ level and activation of proteases leading to apoptosis. It has been reported that NQO1 level in cells is markedly up-regulated for longer than 10 h after irradiation. Indeed, using immunological staining of NQO1, we observed a significant elevation of NQO1 expression in RKO cells 5h after 2-4 Gy irradiation. Such a prolonged elevation of NQO1 level after irradiation may be the reasons why the ${\beta}$-Lap treatment applied S h after irradiation was as effective as that applied immediately after irradiation in killing the cells. In view of the fact that the repair of radiation-induced damage is usually completed within 1-2 h after irradiation, it is highly likely that the ${\beta}$-Lap treahment applied 5 h after irradiation could not inhibit the repair of radiation-induced damage. For in vivo study, RKO cells were injected S.C. into the hind-leg of Nu/Nu mice, and allowed to grow to 130 mm3 tumor. The mice were i.p. injected with ${\beta}$-lapachone or saline 2 h after irradiation of tumors with 10 Gy of X-rays. The radiation induced growth delay was increased by 2.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/g of ${\beta}$-lapachone. Taken together, we may conclude that the synergistic interaction of radiation and ${\beta}$-Lap in killing cancer cells is not due to radiosensitization by ${\beta}$-Lap but to an enhancement of ${\beta}$-Lap cytotoxicity by radiation through an upregulation of NQO1. The fact that NQO1 is elevated in tumors and that radiation causes prolonged increase of the NQO1 expression may be exploited to preferentially kill tumor cells using ${\beta}$-Lap in combination with radiotherapy.

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Effect of Amounts of Pisolithus tinctorius Spores and Fertilizer on the Growth of Potted Pinus densiflora Seedlings (모래밭 버섯 포자접종량(胞子接種量)과 시비량(施肥量)에 따른 소나무 화분파종묘(花盆播種苗)의 생장촉진효과(生長促進効果))

  • Koo, Chang Duck;Lee, Won Kyu;Lee, Chun Yong;Park, Seung Kull
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.72 no.1
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    • pp.32-36
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    • 1986
  • The effect of different inoculation amounts of Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt) spores and fertilizers on the growth of Pinus densiflora seedlings grown in fumigated or nonfumigated soils were tested in the: polyethylene pots. To infest the pot soil with Pt spores, the mixture of the spores with sterilized nursery soil was used after seeding. Eighteen months after inoculation, mycorrhizal formation was 42-70% in fumigated plus Korean-Pt inoculated pots, 60-70% in fumigated plus U.S.-Pt inoculated pots, and less than 1% in non-fumigated, Korean-Pt inoculated pots. Growth enhancement effect of Pt spore inoculation was shown on only fumigated soil and the inoculation increased the seedlings height (8-38%), stem diameter (9-40%) and dry weight (6-73%). Especially 0.4g per pot application rate increased the height (30-31%), stem diameter (23-28%) and dry weight (56-69%), while the 0.2g U.S. Pt spore per pot rate increased 26-38, 17-20 and 58-60%, for height, stem diameter, and dry weight respectively. At 1X fertilizer application rate (urea 2g, fused superphoshate 4g, and potassium chloride 1g per pot), the 0.4g per pot rate resulted in more dry weight by 18% than that at 1/2X rate. The result indicated that there is a need for further research on inoculating nonfumigated soil with Pt and that appropriate application rates of fertilizers and Pt spores are 1X and 0.2-0.4g per pot on fumigated soil, respectively.

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Effects of Inoculation with Mycorrhizal Fungi, Pisolithus tinctorius and Glomus sp. on the Rooting of Quercus acutissima Carr. Cuttings at Various Ortet Ages (모래밭 버섯균(菌)과 Glomus 균근균(菌根菌)의 인공접종(人工接種)이 연령(年齡)이 다른 상수리나무에서 채취(採取)한 삽수(揷穗)의 삽목발근(揷木發根)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Kim, Jong Ju;Lee, Kyung Joon
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.79 no.3
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    • pp.302-308
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    • 1990
  • This study was conducted to determine the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation and ortet ages on the rooting of Quercus acutissima cuttings. The cuttings taken from 12-week-, 2-year-, 4-year-, and 20-year-old plants were rooted in mid summer in the rooting medium (vermiculite 2 : peatmoss 1 by volume) with or without Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt) and Glomus sp. inocula and IBA under intermittent misting system in an open shed. The average percentages of rooting were about 82%, 49%, 29%, and 13% for cuttings taken from 12-week-, 2-year-. 4-year-, and 20-year-old seedlings, respectively. Pt inoculation, enhanced rooting of cuttings at all age classes, except 12-week-old seedlings, with the highest enhancement(22%) observed in cuttings taken from 20-year-old trees. The highest percentage of rooting in each age group eras 88.9% in 12-week-old seedlings treated with Pt plus 3.000ppm IBA, 75% in 2-Year-old plants with 1,000ppm IBA, 58.3% in 4-year-old plants with 3.000ppm IBA and 22% in 20-year-old plants. The addition of Glomus sp. fungus inoculum failed to enhance rooting. Pt mycorrhizal inoculation enhanced root dry weight, length, and diamter of adventitious roots at cuttings taken from 12-week- and 20-year-old trees, except the cuttings taken from 4-year-old seedlings. Rooted cuttings had more total nitrogen content in the leaves than unrooted cuttings, and the greater rooting response was associated with the higher phosphorus content in the leaves.

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Application Plan of Goods Information in the Public Procurement Service for Enhancing U-City Plans (U-City계획 고도화를 위한 조달청 물품정보 활용 방안 : CCTV 사례를 중심으로)

  • PARK, Jun-Ho;PARK, Jeong-Woo;NAM, Kwang-Woo
    • Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.21-34
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    • 2015
  • In this study, a reference model is constructed that provides architects or designers with sufficient information on the intelligent service facility that is essential for U-City space configuration, and for the support of enhanced design, as well as for planning activities. At the core of the reference model is comprehensive information about the intelligent service facility that plans the content of services, and the latest related information that is regularly updated. A plan is presented to take advantage of the database of list information systems in the Public Procurement Service that handles intelligent service facilities. We suggest a number of improvements by analyzing the current status of, and issues with, the goods information in the Public Procurement Service, and by conducting a simulation for the proper placement of CCTV. As the design of U-City plan has evolved from IT technology-based to smart space-based, reviews of limitations such as the lack of standards, information about the installation, and the placement of the intelligent service facility that provides U-service have been carried out. Due to the absence of relevant legislation and guidelines, however, planning activities, such as the appropriate placement of the intelligent service facility are difficult when considering efficient service provision. In addition, with the lack of information about IT technology and intelligent service facilities that can be provided to U-City planners and designers, there are a number of difficulties when establishing an optimal plan with respect to service level and budget. To solve these problems, this study presents a plan in conjunction with the goods information from the Public Procurement Service. The Public Procurement Service has already built an industry-related database of around 260,000 cases, which has been continually updated. It can be a very useful source of information about the intelligent service facility, the ever-changing U-City industry's core, and the relevant technologies. However, since providing this information is insufficient in the application process and, due to the constraints in the information disclosure process, there have been some issues in its application. Therefore, this study, by presenting an improvement plan for the linkage and application of the goods information in the Public Procurement Service, has significance for the provision of the basic framework for future U-City enhancement plans, and multi-departments' common utilization of the goods information in the Public Procurement Service.

Effects of Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) on mineralization, bone morphogenetic protein-2, alkaline phosphatase, type I collagen and collagennase-1 in bone cells (유근피가 골세포의 mineralization, bone morphogenetic protein-2, alkaline phosphatase, type I collagen 및 collagennase-1에 미치는 영향)

  • Byun, You-seok;Yoon, Jong-hwa;Hwang, Min-seob;Kim, Kap-sung;Jo, Hyun-seog
    • Journal of Acupuncture Research
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.13-22
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    • 2005
  • By extracting the sample of Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae), which was known to have the protection of damaged organ and the anti-inflammation action, it was experimented whether it is available for the application of treatment of osteoporosis. In the previous experiment, the extracts from Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) were confirmed to inhibit Cathepsin K through treating the cell of long bone, which contains osteoclast. Through this, it is suggested that Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) can play a role of prodrug as an inhibitor of absorbing bone ash in the treatment of osteoporosis. In the present experiment, a research in vitro Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) on the growth and sensibilization of osteoblast in a state that induced osteosis by using the cell tissue of MC3T3-El pre-osteoblastic was conducted. As a result, it could be confirmed that Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) has the strengthening function by enhancing the dosage and the activity of ALP depending on the time. The dosage was observed at the minimum of $50{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and the maximum of $150{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. The enhancement in bone morphogenetic protein-2 at $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ UD could be observed, and it also increased the concentration of ALP mRNA within the cell of MC3T3-El. At $60{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ UD which indicated a little increase in Type I collagen mRNA for a long time of culture. However, it was shown to sharply inhibit the expression of gene in the culture between 15-20 days. These results suggest that Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) has an influence upon bone metabolism through thje sensibilization of osteoblast. Therefore, it could be known that utilized Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) can be positively applied for the general disease of bone metabolism through future studies.

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