• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.76-83
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• 2006

Epidemiological studies have indicated that the ubiquitous consumption of seaweeds is a protective factor against some types of cancer. Previous results showed that the administration of seaweed powder or extract reduced the incidence rate of chemically induced tumorigenesis using in vivo animal model. Recently, we reported that the extracts of Gloiopeltis furcata, a kind of Korean edible seaweed, caused he cell growth inhibition of various human cancer cell lines, among them methanol extract exhibited a relatively strong antiproliferative activity. However, the molecular mechanisms of this seaweed in malignant cells have been poorly studied until now. To elucidate this problem, we investigated the effects of methanol extract of G. furcata (MEGF) on the growth inhibition in several human cancer cell lines, and further we analyzed the effects of this extract were tested on the activity of apoptosis induction in human leukemic cells. The results demonstrated that MEGF treatment resulted in the morphological changes and the growth inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, MEGF potently suppresses the growth of human leukemic U937 cells by induction of apoptosis, which was associated with induction of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1) in a tumor suppressor p53-independent fashion and up-regulation of Fas/FasL system. Further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anticancer activity of MEGF. Once such compounds are identified, the mechanisms by which they exert their effects can begin to be characterized.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.19-26
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• 2023

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is an economically important plant because of it is rich in saponins. It is mainly cultivated in Asia, including Korea and China. Since ginseng requires a long breeding period due to juvenility, homozygote production techniques, such as anther culture, must be urgently established. In the present study, callus induction and embryogenesis through anther culture were observed in P. ginseng. Murashige and Skoog medium was used as the basal medium suitable for callus induction. When the medium was supplemented with 3% sucrose, the callus induction rate was high and the callus size was large. Cold pretreatment did not significantly affect callus induction and embryogenesis. Embryogenesis was the most efficient when the embryo-formation medium was supplemented with 1.0 or 3.0 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Cultivar significantly affected anther culture efficiency. Specifically, 'Cheongseon' showed the highest embryo-formation efficiency, whereas no embryogenesis occurred in 'Sunun'. Ploidy assessment revealed the haploid status of the induced calli. Embryos derived from anther culture formed shoots upon transfer to germination medium, although no difference in ploidy was noted between the induced callus and control. Overall, the anther culture conditions established in the present study may contribute to the production of homozygous P. ginseng plants in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.94-104
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• 2024

β-Lapachone is a natural quinone compound originally obtained from the bark of the lapacho tree (Tabebuia vellanedae), which has been used in traditional medicine in several South and Central American countries for treating various diseases. Although β-lapachone has been reported to have potent anticancer activity in many types of cancer cells, its effect on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells is still unclear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of β-lapachone on the proliferation of human HCC Hep3B cells. According to our results, the decrease in cell viability of Hep3B cells caused by β-lapachone was closely related to the induction of apoptosis, which was confirmed through changes in nuclear morphology and flow cytometry. In addition, in Hep3B cells treated with β-lapachone, the expression of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic factor, was decreased, while the expression of Bax, an apoptosis inducer, was increased, and the activity of the caspase cascade was also increased. However, in the presence of a pan-caspase inhibitor, β-lapachone-induced apoptosis was weakened, indicating that the induction of apoptosis by β-lapachone was caspase-dependent. Moreover, β-lapachone treatment activated extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling while inhibiting activation of the phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Furthermore, the effect of the ERK inhibitor on suppressing the induction of apoptosis by β-lapachone was minimal, and the PI3K inhibitor significantly increased β-lapachone-induced apoptosis. The findings from this study will contribute to a better understanding of the anticancer activity of β-lapachone in HCC cells.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.178-186
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• 2007

This study is attempted to correct an error of electronic blood pressure meter with an optical sensor. In general, for a hospitalized patient, ECG, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respiration are basically measured to monitor the patient's condition. Opening of a blood vessel after it is occluded by pressurizing the cuff influences the blood flow of peripheral blood vessels as well as oscillation changes in the cuff. Blood vessels are occluded and peripheral blood flow disappears at cuff pressure above the examinee's blood pressure, while blood vessels are opened and peripheral blood flow appears again at cuff pressure under the examinee's blood pressure. Then Disappear-Appear Point Length(DAPL) of peripheral blood flow can be judged with the signal of peripheral blood flow, thus is available as a factor of error correction for electronic blood pressure meter. Also, systolic or diastolic blood pressure can be corrected with Appear-Point-Pressure(APP) of cuff pressure at a point where blood flow occurs and Appear-Maximum Pressure(AMP) of cuff pressure at the maximum amplitude point of peripheral blood flow after peripheral blood flow appears again. For verification, 27 examinees were selected, and their blood value was obtained through experimental procedure of 4 stages including induction of blood pressure change. The examinees were divided into two groups of experimental group and control group, regression analysis was conducted for experimental group, and correction of a blood pressure error was verified with optical signal by applying the regression equation calculated in experimental group to control group. As an experimental result, mean of the whole measurement errors was 5mmHg or more, which did not meet the standard fur blood pressure meter. As a result of correcting blood pressure measurements with data of DAPL, APP, and AMP as drawn out of PPG signal, systolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were $-0.6{\pm}4.4mmHg,\;-1.0{\pm}3.9mmHg$ and $-1.3{\pm}5.4mmHg$, respectively, indicating that mean of the whole measurement errors was greatly improved, and standard deviation was decreased.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.332-341
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• 2012

We studied the effects of induction of natural convection instability flow (NCIF) according to the gravitational orientation (inclined angle) of the membrane cell on the reduction of membrane fouling in the constant-flow ultrafiltration (UF) of colloidal silica solutions. Five colloidal silica solutions with different silica size (average size = 7, 12, 22, 50 nm and 78 nm) were used as UF test solutions. The silica particles in colloidal solutions form cakes on the membrane surface thereby causing severe membrane fouling. The constant-flow UF performance according to the gravitational orientation of the membrane cell (from $0^{\circ}$ to $180^{\circ}$ inclined angle), was examined in an unstirred dead-end cell. We evaluate the effects of NCIF on the suppression of fouling formation by measuring the variation of transmembrane pressure (TMP) and the increase of critical flux by using the flux-stepping method. In the constant-flow dead-end UF for the smaller size (7, 12 nm and 22 nm) silica colloidal solutions, changing the gravitational orientation (inclined angle) of the membrane cell above the $30^{\circ}$ angle induces NCIF in the membrane module. This induced NCIF enhances back transport of the deposited silica solutes away from the membrane surface, therefore gives for the reduction of TMP. But in the constant-flow UF for the more larger size (50 nm and 78 nm) silica colloidal solutions, NCIF effects are not appearing. The critical flux is increased as increasing the module angle and decreasing the silica size. Those results show that the intesity of NCIF occurrence in membrane module is more higher as increasing the module angle and decreasing the silica size.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.292-298
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• 1997

An ICP(Inductively Coupled Plasma) emission spectrometer was developed with an axially viewed ICP source incorporated by a 5-turned induction coil and a torch, outer quartz tube of which was 50 mm longer than that used in conventional ICP/AES(Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry). The Optimization of the system has been performed in terms of the determination of signal-to-noise ratio and background intensity at various rf powers, sample flow rates, argon gas flow rates and cut-off gas flow rates. The spectro-analytical characteristics of the spectrum obtained between 200 and 500 nm was revealed to be similar compared with a vertically viewed ICP source. The detection limit of Pb(Ⅱ) at 220.35 nm was 11 ppb which was 5 times lower than that obtained with a vertically viewed ICP source.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.29 no.11 s.242
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• pp.1229-1238
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• 2005

The objective of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of physical water treatment (PWT) technologies using different catalytic materials and an electronic anti-fouling device in the mitigation of mineral fouling in a once-through flow system with mini-channel heat exchanger. Effects of flow velocity and water hardness on the effectiveness of PWT technologies were experimentally studied. The artificial water hardness varied from 5.0 to 10 mo1/m$^{3}$ as CaCO$_{3}$. For 10 mo1/m$^{3}$ solution, fouling resistance reduced by 13-40$\%$ depending on flow velocity and types of PWT devices. On the other hand, fouling resistance reduced by 21-29$\%$ depending on the PWT devices for 5 mo11m3 solutions. The PWT device using alloy of Cu and Zn as catalyst (CM2) was slightly more effective than the others. SEM photographs of scale produced from the 10 mol/m$^{3}$ solution at 1.0 m/s indicated that calcium carbonate scales without PWT devices were needle-shaped aragonite, which is sticky, dense and difficult to remove. Scales with the PWT devices showed a cluster of spherical or elliptic shape crystals. Both the heat transfer test results and SEM photographs strongly support the efficacy of PWT technologies using catalytic materials and an electronic anti-fouling device in the mitigation of mineral fouling.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.59-71
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• 1998

The radiation-induced apoptosis was studied for two human cancer cell lines (KB cells, RPMI 2650 cells) and the human gingival fibroblast cell line (HGF-1 cells). The single irradiation of 2, 10, 20Gy was done with 241.5 cGylmin dose rate using the /sup 137/Cs MK cell irradiator. The cells were stained with propidium iodide and examined under the fluoro-microscope and assayed with the flow cytometry a day after irradiation. Also, the LDH assay was done to determine the amount of necrotic cells. The obtained results were as follows: 1. On the fluoro-microscope, many fragmented nuclei were detected in the KB, RPMI 2650, and HGF-1 cells after irradiation. 2. On the DNA content histogram obtained from the flow cytometry, the percentages of the pre-Gl peak of the control and 2, 10 and 20Gy irradiation group were 4.5, 55.0, 52.3, and 66.6％ on KB cells, 2.7, 3.3, 31.8, and 32.6％ on RPMI 2650 cells and 2.8, 21.8, 30.4, and 40.2％ on HGF-1 cells respectively. 3. The number of Gl-stage cells was abruptly decreased after 2Gy irradiation on KB cells and 10Gy irradiation on RPMI 2650 cells, But there was a slight decrease without regard to irradiation dose on HGF-1 cells. 4. There was no significantly different absorbance in extracellular LDH assay along the experimental cell lines.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.261-266
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• 2019

Flow cytometry is an electrical detection system that provides precise and diverse optical properties to cells and micro particles. Flow cytometry, which provides multidimensional information including cell size and granularity through light scattering and fluorescence emission generated by the induction of light of a specific wavelength to the fluorescently treated cells or micro particles, plays an important role in biomedical and biophysical fields. However, it has some drawbacks such as high cost, size of the instrument and limitation in selecting fluorescent dyes. Therefore, in this paper, a low cost compact fluorescent detection system is developed using light-emitting diode and microcontroller. The proposed fluorescence detection system has a replaceable the light source/fluorescence filter/photodetector and constructed by 3D printer, so that the user can design a customized system according to the selected fluorescent dyes. The fluorescence intensity was measured by varying the number of fluorescently labeled cells, and the measured intensities showed a high linearity within the tested concentration ranges.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.153-162
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• 1997

The effects of tumble and swirl flows on the flame propagation were investigated experimentally in a 4-valve optical gasoline engine. The tumble flow patterns, generated by various intake ports of different entry angle; $25^{\circ}$ , $20^{\circ}$ and $15^{\circ}$ , were characterized under motored conditions with laser Doppler velocirnetry. Inclined tumble(swirl) flows were induced by three different swirl control valves. The initial flame propagation was visualized by an ICCD camera and its image were analyzed to compare the enflamed area and displacement of initial flames. It was found that there is a correlation between the stronger tumble during induction and turbulence levels at the time of ignition resulting in faster flame development. Inclined tumble was proved to be more beneficial than the pure tumble for faster and stable combustion under lean mixture conditions, which was confirmed by faster propagating flame images.