• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.9
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• pp.987-990
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• 2006

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusion is an effective therapy for acute Kawasaki disease (KD). Nonetheless, approximately 10 percent to 20 percent of patients have persistent or recrudescent fever despite IVIG treatment, leading to a higher risk for coronary artery aneurysms (CAA). This unresponsiveness may pose a challenge to the clinicians. Tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ levels are elevated in the acute phase of the disease, especially in patients who develop CAA. We report a 10-month-old male with KD who failed to respond to multiple doses of IVIG and methylprednisolone and who then was treated with infliximab (5 mg/kg single dose). After infliximab treatment, he became afebrile with normalization of inflammatory markers and no further progression of CAA.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.900-907
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• 2004

The antiproliferative effect of the water extract of the branch and root bark of Ulmi Pumilae Cortex(WEUPC) was investigated on the p53-negative human leukemia cell line (HL-60). A dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell growth was observed; this effect appears to be due to induction of apoptosis. Involvement of oxidative stress is indicated by a dose-dependent increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. In addition. anti-apoptic effect was observed in the cells simultaneously treated with WEUPC and the anti-oxidant N-acetylcysteine. WEUPC did not affect the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and the pro-apoptotic Bax, whereas p21/sup WAF1/CIPl/ was enhanced in a dose- and time-dependent fashion; this effect was partially inhibited by N-acetylcysteine. The increase in p21/sup WAF1/CIPl/ was accompanied by a parallel accumulation of cells in the G1 phase of the cycle. These results suggest that the p53-independent induction of p21/sup WAF1/CIP/ and the induction of apoptosis may mediate the anti proliferative effect of WEUPC at least in this study; on the basis of this observation, WEUPC could be proposed as an useful adjunct to the treatment of p53-deficient tumors, which are often refractory to standard chemotherapy.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.170-174
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• 2015

Composite ceramics of alumina-TZP(3Y) have good mechanical and electrical properties. So, They have been used as high strength refractory materials and thick film substrates, etc. In this study, Composite ceramics of alumina-TZP(3Y) were fabricated by uniaxial pressing and sintering at 1,400, 1,500, and $1,600^{\circ}C$, and their microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated. As the TZP(3Y) content in composite ceramics increases from 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, the fracture toughness increases monotonically, which seems to be related to the higher relative density and/or toughening mechanism by means of stabilized tetragonal zirconia phase at room temperature. In contrast to the fracture toughness, Vickers hardness of the composite ceramics shows maximum value (1,938 Hv) at a 40 wt.% of TZP(3Y). The result of Vickers hardness is likely to be due to more dense sintered microstructure of composite ceramics than pure alumina and reinforcement of composite ceramics with TZP(3Y), considering that Vickers hardness of pure $Al_2O_3$ is greater than that of TZP(3Y). It is also shown that the $ZrO_2$ particles are $l^{\circ}Cated$ between $Al_2O_3$ grains and suppress grain growth each other.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 1976

The properties vary with quality of ferric-oxide that is major material of ferrites. In this point of view, a manufacturing method of pure and homogeneous fine ferric oxide is very important. The characters of this study are as follows: 1) Ferric oxide was made from waste pickling liquor of steel. 2) The crude ferric-oxide that is made by roasting the pickling liquor was dissolved in 20% HCI solution and then produced ferric chloride is purified by ethyl ether extraction. 3) The methanol solution of purified ferric chloride was sprayed into the refractory tube with compressed air and propane gas and then ignited leading to the ferric-oxide powder. 4) The produced oxide powder was introduced to the scrubber type vessel throught cooling system in order to collect the powder. 5) Crystalline phase of the powder was identified by X-ray diffraction and particle size, crystalline shape of the powder were investigated by settling method and electron microscope and the effects of concentration of ferric chloride in methanol on grain size were discussed. Results were obtained as fellows: 1) Total impurity in the ferric oxide produced from waste pickling liquor was 3.7%. 2) The solubilityof crude ferric oxide that was made from waste pickling liquor in HCI solution increased with the HCI concentration and reached to saturation range at 15% HCI concentration. 3) Extraction of FeCl3 increased with HCI concentration which is solvent. 4) Alpha ferric oxide obtained was very fine crystalline particles, the mean crystalline grain increased with the concentration of ferric chloride, and mean grain size distributed from 3.5$\mu$(at 0.5mole/l) to 0.5$\mu$(at 0.05mole/l).

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2012.11a
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• pp.35-50
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• 2012

$900^{\circ}C$이상 초고온 He-gas 분위기 또는 용융불화염 (molten salts, FLINAK) 환경에서 사용될 VHTR(Very High Temperature Reactor)의 IHX(Intermediate heat exchanger)용 열수송 구조재료로 가장 가능성이 높은 합금인 Inconel 617 및 Hastelloy X 상에 습식화학적, 물리적기상합성법(Vacuum arc-plasma과 RF magnetron sputtering) 및 pack cementation에 의한 표면개질 및 마이크로 초내열(refractory ceramics) 코팅층(TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, $Al_2O_3$, $TiO_2$)을 형성시켰다. 고온 장기사용 시 문제가 될 수 있는 고온에서의 조직변화, 미세구조와 상(phase)형성, 고온 부식 및 그에 따른 마모(wear resistance) 손상 등 이들 소재의 내열, 내식 및 내마모 물성을 개선하는 연구를 수행하였다. TiAlN 박막의 경우 공기분위기에서 N이 분해되나 치밀한 산화물($TiO_2/Al_2O_3$ layer)을 형성하여 내식성 있는 보호피막을 형성함으로 기판과의 열팽창 계수로 인한 박리가 발생하지 않아 보호피막으로 적합하였다. Pack cementation법에 의한 aluminiding(Al-Ni합금)도 He 및 공기분위기에서 고온물성의 저하를 가져오는 $Cr_2O_3$의 생성을 충분히 억제하고 있었으며 He 및 air 분위기에서 사용이 가능한 박막으로 여겨진다. 내열 및 내식성에 대한 실험을 종합한 결과, 공기분위기에서 사용할 수 없는 박막은 He-gas 및 FLINAK(LiF-NaF-KF) 용융염 분위기에서도 사용할 수 없었으며, He-gas, FLINAK 및 air 분위기에서 모두 사용이 가능한 박막으로는 Inconel 617에서는 $(TiO_2-)Al_2O_3$, TiAlN 및 Al-Ni이었고 Hastelloy에서는 Al-Ni 및 $Al_2O_3$가 가장 적당하였다.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.362-372
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• 2010

Although different disposal routes of waste-activated sludge are possible, anaerobic digestion plays an important role for its abilities to further transform organic matter into methane. The potential of using methane as energy source has long been widely recognised and the present paper extensively reviews the principles of anaerobic digestion, the process parameters and hydrolysis. Hydrolysis is recognised as rate-limiting step in the complex digestion process. To accelerate the digestion and enhance the production of biogas, various pre-treatments can be used to improve the rate-limiting hydrolysis. These treatments include mechanical, thermal, chemical and biological interventions to the feedstock. All pre-treatments result in a lysis or disintegration of sludge cells, thus releasing and solubilizing intracellular material into the water phase and transforming refractory organic material into biodegradable species. The reader will finally be guided to extensive discussion for anaerobic digestion processes.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.569-576
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• 2018

In modern society, a huge number of the buildings have been constructed with RC structure. RC structures have many structural instabilities due to earthquake, typhoon, construction fault, design phase errors. Therefore, many reinforcement methods are being implemented to solve this problem. In the reinforcement method, the organic epoxy adhesive used in the FRP reinforcing method is abruptly damaged when exposed to high temperature, which is directly connected to the fall of the reinforcing material. Therefore, the present study was conducted to develop inorganic refractory mortar with a certain level of adhesion ability to reduce the heat transferred to FRP reinforcement when exposed to high temperatures. As a result of the test, it showed high adhesion strength at room temperature condition with the inclusion of EVA resin, and showed no performance deterioration up to about $300^{\circ}C$ even under heating conditions. Also, it was confirmed that the backside temperature was lower as the thickness increased, and converged to a constant temperature of about $780^{\circ}C$ after 2 hours of heating.

• Korean Journal of Transplantation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.157-169
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• 2017

Regulatory T cells (Treg) naturally rein in immune attacks, and they can inhibit rejection of transplanted organs and even reverse the progression of autoimmune diseases in mice. The initial safety trials of Treg against graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) provided evidence that the adoptive transfer of Treg is safe and capable of limiting disease progression. Supported by such evidence, numerous clinical trials have been actively investigating the efficacy of Treg targeting autoimmune diseases, type I diabetes, and organ transplant rejection, including kidney and liver. The limited quantity of Treg cells harvested from peripheral blood and subsequent in vitro culture have posed a great challenge to large-scale clinical application of Treg; nevertheless, the concept of CAR (chimeric antigen receptor)-Treg has emerged as a potential resolution to the problem. Recently, two CAR-T therapies, tisagenlecleucel and axicabtagene ciloleucel, were approved by the US FDA for the treatment of refractory or recurrent acute lymhoblastic leukemia. This approval could serve as a guideline for the production protocols for other genetically engineered T cells for clinical use as well. The phase I and II clinical trials of these agents has demonstrated that genetically engineered and antigen-targeting T cells are safe and efficacious in humans. In conclusion, both the promising results of Treg cell therapy from the clinical studies and the recent FDA approval of CAR-T therapies are paving the way for CAR-Treg therapy in clinical use.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.3-17
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• 2017

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common and painful complication of acute herpes zoster. In some cases, it is refractory to medical treatment. Preventing its occurrence is an important issue. We hypothesized that applying nerve blocks during the acute phase of herpes zoster could reduce PHN incidence by attenuating central sensitization and minimizing nerve damage and the anti-inflammatory effects of local anesthetics and steroids. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of using nerve blocks to prevent PHN. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov and KoreaMed databases without language restrictions on April, 30 2014. We included all randomized controlled trials performed within 3 weeks after the onset of herpes zoster in order to compare nerve blocks vs active placebo and standard therapy. Results: Nine trials were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Nerve blocks reduced the duration of herpes zoster-related pain and PHN incidence of at 3, 6, and 12 months after final intervention. Stellate ganglion block and single epidural injection did not achieve positive outcomes, but administering paravertebral blockage and continuous/repeated epidural blocks reduced PHN incidence at 3 months. None of the included trials reported clinically meaningful serious adverse events. Conclusions: Applying nerve blocks during the acute phase of the herpes zoster shortens the duration of zoster-related pain, and somatic blocks (including paravertebral and repeated/continuous epidural blocks) are recommended to prevent PHN. In future studies, consensus-based PHN definitions, clinical cutoff points that define successful treatment outcomes and standardized outcome-assessment tools will be needed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.671-675
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• 2009

Prostate cancer has been a critical health problem due to an increase of prostate cancer-related deaths worldwide. Also, a frequent treatment option for prostate cancer is androgen ablation, but this treatment has a limited scope, especially for hormone-refractory cancer. There is an urgent need for the identification of alternative therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer. Previously, over one hundred species of dried-plant methanol extracts were tested for inhibitory effects on proliferation. One of them, Piper longum Linn. was selected based on its potent anti-proliferation effect. The dried root of P. longum Linn. was extracted with 100% methanol for 2-3 days and its extract was fractionated using chloroform. The chloroform layer was then subjected to column chromatography on silica gel, reverse phase-18 (RP-18) and Sephadex LH-20, in turn. Finally, the pure compound was obtained and identified as pipernonaline by NMR spectroscopic and physico-chemical analysis. In this study, anti-proliferation and cell cycle arrest effects of pipernonaline on human prostate cancer PC-3 cells were investigated using the MTT and PI staining, respectively. Our findings suggest that pipernonaline represents a dose-dependent growth inhibition pattern on PC-3 cells and, moreover, its growth inhibition is associated with sub-G1 and G0/G1 cell cycle accumulation in PC-3 cells. Also, these results provide an anticancer candidate for human prostate cancer.