• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.295-306
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• 2018

Schisandra chinensis (SC) and Lycium chinense (LC) were widely distributed in Asia and the fruit has been used traditionally for medicinal herbs. The processing method was solid-state fermentation using Aspergillus oryzae for 48 h after stir-frying treatment at $220^{\circ}C$ for 12 min. In this study, in vitro the anti-inflammatory effect and in vivo hangover reduction were compared to unprocessed SC and LC water extract. Anti-inflammatory effects have been evaluated in pro-inflammatory mediators which were secreted by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. Nitric oxide (NO) was determined using Griess reaction. Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ and interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities were compared to processed SC or LC and mixtures thereof (1:1). In vivo study was compared to hangover relief in alcohol-fed mice. After administering a mixture of SC and LC (300 mg/kg) water extract (1:1), mice were fed 3 g/kg of ethanol. Serum was collected at 1, 3, and 5 h intervals to analyze ethanol and acetaldehyde levels using a colorimetric assay kit. The processed SC and LC water extracts compared to raw materials significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO and inflammatory cytokine production in RAW 264.7 cells. The results of the hangover mouse model are also consistent with anti-inflammatory effects. These results suggest that processed SC and LC extracts may be functional materials for the treatment of inflammation and hangover.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.235-242
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• 2018

High temperature electrical conductivity of Aluminum Nitride (AlN) ceramics sintered with $Y_2O_3$ as a sintering aid has been investigated with respect to various sintering conditions and MgO-dopant. When magnesium oxide is added as a dopant, liquid glass-film and crystalline phases such as spinel, perovskite are formed as second phases, which affects their electrical properties. According to high temperature impedance analysis, MgO doping leads to reduction of activation energy and electrical resistivity due to AlN grains. On the other hand, the activation energy and electrical resistivity due to grain boundary were increased by MgO doping. This is a result of the formation of liquid glass film in the grain boundary, which contains Mg ions, or the elevation of schottky barrier due to the precipitation of Mg in the grain boundary. For the annealed sample of MgO doped AlN, the electrical resistivity and activation energy were increased further compared to MgO doped AlN, which results from diffusion of Mg in the grains from grain boundary as shown in the microstructure.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.448-458
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• 2021

Purpose: Mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit is widely grown in Asia and consumed as fresh fruit, jam, and juices. The fruit has beneficial health effects, including anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, and anti-obesity properties. However, the mechanisms by which mulberry fruit juice powder (MJ) regulates inflammatory microRNAs (miRs) are not yet known. This study investigated the effect of mulberry fruit juice powder on the regulation of inflammation and miR-132/143 during 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation. Methods: The 3T3-L1 cells were induced to differentiate for 2 days and then treated with various concentrations of MJ for 7 days. Cytotoxicity was determined by evaluating cell viability using a water-soluble tetrazolium salt-8 assay kit. Intracellular lipid accumulation was evaluated by oil-red O staining. The levels of the expression of genes involved in adipogenesis and inflammation, and miR-132/143 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions. Results: MJ showed no cytotoxic effect on 3T3-L1 adipocytes at concentrations below 100 ng/mL. Intracellular lipid accumulation was reduced by MJ treatment at concentrations of 100 ng/mL. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of proliferator-activated receptor-γ, cytosine-cytosine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine/enhancer-binding protein-α, and adipocyte protein 2, which are involved in adipogenesis, were suppressed by MJ. A reduction was also seen in mRNA levels of genes related to the inflammatory response, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. The expression of the inflammatory miR-132 and miR-143 was also decreased by MJ. Conclusion: These results suggest that MJ may suppress adipogenesis and inflammation through the regulation of miR-132/143 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Thus, MJ may be useful as a food agent that prevents obesity-associated inflammation.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2021

The effect of chemical composition on the structural and thermal properties of TiZrN thin films was studied. As the Zr fraction in the deposited TixZr1-xN (x = 0.87, 0.82, 0.7, 0.6, and 0.28) increased, microstructural changes consisted of reduction in the grain size and a gradual transition from columnar structure to granular structure were observed. In addition, it was also confirmed that a gradual crystal phase transition from TiN to TiZrN has occurred as the Zr fraction increased up to 0.4. After heat treatment at 900℃, Ti0.82Zr0.18N and Ti0.7Zr0.3N layers were converted to a form in which rutile phase TiO2 and TiZrO4 oxides coexist, while Ti0.6Zr0.4N layer was converted to TiZrO4 oxide. Among the five compositions of TiZrN films, the Ti0.6Zr0.4N showed the best high temperature stability and produced a significant enhancement in the thermal oxidation resistance of Inconel 617 through suppressing the surface diffusion of Cr caused by thermal oxidation of the Inconel 617 substrate.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.338-341
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• 1988

Two crystal structures of fully dehydrated silver and potassium exchanged zeolite A, stoichiometries of $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ (${\alpha}$ = 12.282(2) ${\AA}$) and $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}{\AA}$ (${\alpha}$ = 12.287(2) A) per unit cell, have been determined from 3-dimensional x-ray diffraction data gathered by counter methods. All structures were solved and refined in the cubic space group Pm3m at 21(1)$^{\circ}C$ . The crystals of $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ and $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}A$ were prepared by flow method using exchange solutions in which mole ratios of $AgNO_3$ and $KNO_3$ were 1:10 and 1:5, respectively, with total concentration of 0.05M. The structures of the dehydrated $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ and $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}A$ were refined to yield the final error indices $R_1$ = 0.037 and $R_2$ = 0.040 with 321 reflections, and $R_1$ = 0.042 and $R_2$ = 0.043 with 371 reflections, repectively, for which I > 3${\sigma}$(I). In both structures, eight $Ag^+$ ions are found nearly at 6-ring centers and each $Ag^+$ ion is nearly in the (1 1 1) plane at its O(3) ligands. The 8-ring sites are preferentially occupied by $K^+$ ions in both structures. 1.3 and 1.7 reduced silver atoms per unit cell were found inside of sodalite units of $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ and that of $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}A$, respectively. These reduced silver species were presumably formed from the reduction of $Ag^+$ ions by oxide ions of residual water molecule or of the zeolite framework. These two crystals may be presented as hexasilver cluster in 21.7% and 28.3% of sodalite unit cells for $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ and $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}A$, repectively.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.251-255
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• 2021

a-Si is commonly considered as a primary candidate for the formation of passivation layer in heterojunction (HIT) solar cells. However, there are some problems when using this material such as significant losses due to recombination and parasitic absorption. To reduce these problems, a wide bandgap material is needed. A wide bandgap has a positive influence on effective transmittance, reduction of the parasitic absorption, and prevention of unnecessary epitaxial growth. In this paper, the adoption of a-SiO_x:H as the intrinsic layer was discussed. To increase lifetime and conductivity, oxygen concentration control is crucial because it is correlated with the thickness, bonding defect, interface density (D_it), and band offset. A thick oxygen-rich layer causes the lifetime and the implied open-circuit voltage to drop. Furthermore the thicker the layer gets, the more free hydrogen atoms are etched in thin films, which worsens the passivation quality and the efficiency of solar cells. Previous studies revealed that the lifetime and the implied voltage decreased when the a-SiOx thickness went beyond around 9 nm. In addition to this, oxygen acted as a defect in the intrinsic layer. The D_it increased up to an oxygen rate on the order of 8%. Beyond 8%, the D_it was constant. By controlling the oxygen concentration properly and achieving a thin layer, high-efficiency HIT solar cells can be fabricated.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.174-181
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• 2021

This study analyzed the groundwater quality characteristics according to the main source of pollution and quarter (season) by using data from the pollution exclusive monitoring network in the Gyeongsangnam-do area for five years (2013-2017). The main source of pollution was the industrial complex areas, waste mines, and sewage treatment facilities. The analysis items were field measurement items (water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, oxide reduction potential), positive ions, and negative ions. Water temperature and pH did not vary significantly according to the main source of pollution. In industrial complex areas, the value of electrical conductivity was the highest, and dissolved oxygen value was the lowest. The mean concentration of positive and negative ions was the largest in industrial complex areas, followed by sewage treatment facilities and waste mines. It was shown that the concentration of sodium ion was the highest in industrial complex areas and calcium ion in waste mines and sewage treatment facilities. The concentration of bicarbonate ion was the highest in all main sources of pollution. Water temperature, pH, and concentrations of cations and anions did not vary significantly from quarter to quarter. Of the water quality types, the Na-HCO₃ type accounted for the highest proportion, but the Na-Cl type, which has a high possibility of external contamination, accounted for about 20% of the total data in the pollution exclusive monitoring network.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2022

Rodent model for chronic cerebral hypoperfusion caused by bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCAO) show clinically relevant evidences for vascular dementia and impairments of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effect of fermented garlic (F-Garlic) extract with NO metabolites on cognitive behaviors, synaptic plasticity, and molecular events in the hippocampus following BCAO. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided three experimental groups into: control+water; BCAO+water; BCAO+F-Garlic. Animals were treated with oral administration of F-Garlic in tap water as a drinking water after surgery for 4 weeks. On passive avoidance test and Y-maze test, BCAO+water showed a significant decrease in step-through latency and spontaneous alteration, indicating deficit of hippocampal memory formation but the treatment of F-Garlic significantly increased these cognitive behaviors. In control+water, a robust increase in the amplitude of evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials was observed by theta burst stimulation to hippocampal neural circuit indicating formation of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1. BCAO+water showed a highly significant deficit in LTP induction 4 weeks after BCAO. On other hand, daily oral administration of F-Garlic extract caused the marked preservation of LTP induction. Moreover, parvalbumin was markedly reduced in the CA1, especially, in the stratum radiatum of BCAO+water. In contrast, BCAO+F-Garlic mitigate a significantly reduction of the parvalbumin. In summary, these results suggest that daily oral administration of F-Garlic extract can ameliorate cognitive memory deficit through the preservation of synaptic plasticity and interneurons integrity in the hippocampus in rodent model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2020

Objectives : The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of Corni Fructus 30% ethanol extract (CFE) on the monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis rats. Methods : The subjects were divided into 4 groups ; Normal group (N, n=10), MIA-induced osteoarthritis control group (Con, n=10), indomethacin 5 mg/kg treated group (INDO, n=10), CFE 200 mg/kg treated group (CFE, n=10). Blood and articulation tissues were collected after two weeks of drug administration. Oxidative stress was analyzed with reactive oxygen species (ROS), peroxynitrite (ONOO-). And the Nuclear factor erythroid-2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase-1/2 (GPx-1/2), Nuclear Factor Kappa B p65 (NF-κBp65), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin 1β (IL-1β), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) were investigated by western blot. Results : The administration of CFE showed a significant reduction of changes in relative hind paw weight distribution. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxy nitrite (ONOO-) levels of articulation tissues were significantly decreased in CFE compared to the control group. Western blot measurements of Nrf2, HO-1, SOD, catalase, GPx-1/2 showed that the CFE group was increased compared to the Con group. And western blot measurements of NF-κBp65, COX-2, iNOS, TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β showed that the CFE group was reduced compared to the Con group. Also CFE group decreased MMP-1 and increased TIMP-1. Conclusion : Based on the above results, it can be seen that osteoarthritis is improved when Corni Fructus 30% ethanol extract treated.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.175-188
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• 2022

Relaxin has been demonstrated to have regulatory functions on both the smooth muscle and extracellular matrix (ECM) of blood vessels and fibrotic organs. The diverse mechanisms by which relaxin acts on small resistance arteries and fibrotic organs, including the bladder, are reviewed here. Relaxin induces vasodilation by inhibiting the contractility of vascular smooth muscles and by increasing the passive compliance of vessel walls through the reduction of ECM components, such as collagen. The primary cellular mechanism whereby relaxin induces arterial vasodilation is mediated by the endothelium-dependent production of nitric oxide (NO) through the activation of RXFP1/PI3K, Akt phosphorylation, and eNOS. In addition, relaxin triggers different alternative pathways to enhance the vasodilation of renal and mesenteric arteries. In small renal arteries, relaxin stimulates the activation of the endothelial MMPs and EtB receptors and the production of VEGF and PlGF to inhibit myogenic contractility and collagen deposition, thereby bringing about vasodilation. Conversely, in small mesenteric arteries, relaxin augments bradykinin (BK)-evoked relaxation in a time-dependent manner. Whereas the rapid enhancement of the BK-mediated relaxation is dependent on IK_Ca channels and subsequent EDH induction, the sustained relaxation due to BK depends on COX activation and PGI₂. The anti-fibrotic effects of relaxin are mediated by inhibiting the invasion of inflammatory immune cells, the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), and the differentiation and activation of myofibroblasts. Relaxin also activates the NOS/NO/cGMP/PKG-1 pathways in myofibroblasts to suppress the TGF-β1-induced activation of ERK1/2 and Smad2/3 signaling and deposition of ECM collagen.