• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.62-77
• /
• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide with a high recurrence rate. Oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance is one of the major reasons hindering CRC therapy. β-Carotene (BC) is a provitamin A and is known to have antioxidant and anticancer effects. However, the combined effect of OXA and BC has not been investigated. Therefore, this study investigated the anticancer effects and mechanism of the combination of OXA and BC on CRC. MATERIALS/METHODS: In the present study, the effects of the combination of OXA and BC on cell viability, cell cycle arrest, and cancer stemness were investigated using HCT116, HT29, OXA-resistant cells, and human CRC organoids. RESULTS: The combination of OXA and BC enhanced apoptosis, G₂/M phase cell cycle arrest, and inhibited cancer cell survival in human CRC resistant cells and CRC organoids without toxicity in normal organoids. Cancer stem cell marker expression and self-replicating capacity were suppressed by combined treatment with OXA and BC. Moreover, this combined treatment upregulated apoptosis and the stem cell-related JAK/STAT signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a novel potential role of BC in reducing resistance to OXA, thereby enhances the anticancer effects of OXA. This enhancement is achieved through the regulation of cell cycle, apoptosis, and stemness in CRC.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.107-114
• /
• 2021

Material Life Cycle Assessment (MLCA) was performed to analyze the environmental impact characteristics of the Mg₂NiH_x-5 wt% CaO hydrogen storage composites' manufacturing process. The MLCA was carried out by Gabi software. It was based on Eco-Indicator 99' (EI99) and CML 2001 methodology. The Mg₂NiH_x-5 wt% CaO composites were synthesized by Hydrogen Induced Mechanical Alloying (HIMA). The metallurgical, thermochemical characteristics of the composites were analyzed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), specific surface area analysis (Bruner-Emmett-Teller, BET), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). As a result of the CML 2001 methodology, the environmental impact was 78% for Global Warming Potential (GWP) and 22% for Eutrophication Potential (ETP). In addition, as a result of applying the EI 99' methodology, the acidification was the highest at 43%, and the ecotoxicity was 31%. Accordingly, the amount of electricity used in the manufacturing process may have an absolute effect on environmental pollution. Also, it is judged that the leading cause of Mg₂NiH_x-5 wt% CaO is the addition of CaO. Ultimately, it is necessary to research environmental factors by optimizing the process, shortening the manufacturing process time, and exploring eco-friendly alternative materials.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.26 no.8
• /
• pp.430-437
• /
• 2016

Aluminum oxide ($Al_2O_3$) thin films were grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using a new Al metalorganic precursor, dimethyl aluminum sec-butoxide ($C_{12}H_{30}Al_2O_2$), and water vapor ($H_2O$) as the reactant at deposition temperatures ranging from 150 to $300^{\circ}C$. The ALD process showed typical self-limited film growth with precursor and reactant pulsing time at $250^{\circ}C$; the growth rate was 0.095 nm/cycle, with no incubation cycle. This is relatively lower and more controllable than the growth rate in the typical $ALD-Al_2O_3$ process, which uses trimethyl aluminum (TMA) and shows a growth rate of 0.11 nm/cycle. The as-deposited $ALD-Al_2O_3$ film was amorphous; X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that its amorphous state was maintained even after annealing at $1000^{\circ}C$. The refractive index of the $ALD-Al_2O_3$ films ranged from 1.45 to 1.67; these values were dependent on the deposition temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the $ALD-Al_2O_3$ films deposited at $250^{\circ}C$ were stoichiometric, with no carbon impurity. The step coverage of the $ALD-Al_2O_3$ film was perfect, at approximately 100%, at the dual trench structure, with an aspect ratio of approximately 6.3 (top opening size of 40 nm). With capacitance-voltage measurements of the $Al/ALD-Al_2O_3/p-Si$ structure, the dielectric constant of the $ALD-Al_2O_3$ films deposited at $250^{\circ}C$ was determined to be ~8.1, with a leakage current density on the order of $10^{-8}A/cm^2$ at 1 V.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.499-507
• /
• 2020

Research reactors for radioisotope production, fuel and material testing and research activities are designed, constructed and operated based on the society's needs. In this study, neutronic and thermal hydraulic design of a high neutron flux research reactor core for radioisotope production is presented. Main parameters including core excess reactivity, reactivity variations, power and flux distribution during the cycle, axial and radial power peaking factors (PPF), Pu₂₃₉ production and minimum DNBR are calculated by nuclear deterministic codes. Core calculations performed by deterministic codes are validated with Monte Carlo code. Comparison of the neutronic parameters obtained from deterministic and Monte Carlo codes indicates good agreement. Finally, subchannel analysis performed for the hot channel to evaluate the maximum fuel and clad temperatures. The results show that the average thermal neutron flux at the beginning of cycle (BOC) is 1.0811 × 10¹⁴ n/㎠-s and at the end of cycle (EOC) is 1.229 × 10¹⁴ n/㎠-s. Total Plutonium (Pu₂₃₉) production at the EOC evaluated to be 0.9487 Kg with 83.64% grade when LEU (UO₂ with 3.7% enrichment) used as fuel. This designed reactor which uses LEU fuel and has high neutron flux and low plutonium production could be used for peaceful nuclear activities based on nuclear non-proliferation treaty concepts.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.226-233
• /
• 2023

In this study, we compared the performance of several refrigeration cycles using different refrigerants and utilizing the cold heat of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the liquefaction of carbon dioxide. The final conditions for the liquefied CO₂ were set to -20℃ and 20 bar. The refrigerants used included R404a, ammonia, propane, and propylene using a vapor recompression refrigeration cycle. For the refrigeration cycle, the CO₂ at room temperature and pressure was compressed in a two-stage compression process with an intermediate cooling stage using a refrigeration unit. To compare with the liquefaction process using refrigeration, we compressed the CO₂ to 8 bar in a single compression stage and cooled it to around -50℃ using the cold heat of the LNG before liquefying it. Results showed that using ammonia as the refrigerant required the least amount of compressor power for the liquefaction process, and the heat transfer area of the evaporator was the smallest when using propylene as the refrigerant. Using the cold heat of LNG instead of refrigeration using R404a resulted in approximately 69% less energy consumption.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.302-309
• /
• 2016

Urea-SCR system is currently regarded as promising NOx reduction technology for diesel engines. SCR system has to achieve maximal NOx conversion in combination with minimal $NH_3$ slip. In this study, model based open loop control for urea injection was developed and assessed in the European Transient Cycle (ETC) for heavy duty diesel engine. On the basis of the transient modeling, the kinetic parameters of the $NH_3$ adsorption and desorption are calibrated with the experimental results performed over the zeolite based catalyst. $NH_3$ storage or surface coverage of SCR catalyst can not be measured directly and has to be calculated, which is taken into account as a control parameter in this model. In order to reduce $NH_3$ slip while maintaining NOx reduction, $NH_3$ storage control algorithm was applied to correct the basic urea quantity. If the actual $NH_3$ surface coverage is higher than the maximal $NH_3$ surface coverage, the urea injection quantity is significantly reduced in the ETC cycle. By applying this logic, the resulting $NH_3$ slip peak can be avoided effectively. With optimizing the kinetic parameters based on standard SCR reaction, it suggests that a simplified, less accurate model can be effective to evaluate the capability of model based control in the ETC cycle.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.421-426
• /
• 2015

The increased potential for vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth is a key abnormality in the development of atherosclerosis and post-angioplasty restenosis. Abnormally high activity of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is believed to play a central role in the etiology of these pathophysiological situations. Here, we investigated the anti-proliferative effects and possible mechanism(s) of murrayafoline A, a carbazole alkaloid isolated from Glycosmis stenocarpa Guillamin (Rutaceae), on PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs. Murrayafoline A inhibited the PDGF-BB-stimulated proliferation of VSMCs in a concentration-dependent manner, as measured using a non-radioactive colorimetric WST-1 assay and direct cell counting. Furthermore, murrayafoline A suppressed the PDGF-BB-stimulated progression through $G_0/G_1$ to S phase of the cell cycle, as measured by [$^3H$]-thymidine incorporation assay and cell cycle progression analysis. This anti-proliferative action of murrayafoline A, arresting cell cycle progression at $G_0/G_1$ phase in PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs, was mediated via down-regulation of the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)2, CDK4, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRb). These results indicate that murrayafoline A may be useful in preventing the progression of vascular complications such as restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and atherosclerosis.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.559-564
• /
• 2010

A new hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium, Aeromonas sp. strain JS-1, that can fix $CO_2$ via the reductive pentose phosphate cycle (Calvin-Benson cycle) under chemoautotrophic conditions but not photoautotrophic conditions was isolated from fresh water. Strain JS-1 showed considerable $CO_2$ fixation ability during continuous cultivation even at high $CO_2$ concentration. Strain JS-1 used $H_2$ and $CO_2$ fixation as energy and carbon sources, respectively. Carbon dioxide fixation is carried out through the Calvin-Benson cycle, in which ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) is the key enzyme. Hydrogen-oxidizing chemoautotrophic Aeromonas sp. strain JS-1 exhibited remarkedly strong RubisCO [EC 4.1.1.39] activity. RubisCO was purified as an $L_8S_8$-type hexadecamer with molecular mass of 560 kDa by gel filtration. The enzyme consisted of two different subunits eight large (56 kDa) and eight small (15 kDa), as demonstrated by SDS-PAGE. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was about 3.31 unit/mg and stable up to $45^{\circ}C$. The $K_m$ values for RuBP, $CO_2$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were estimated to be 0.25 mM, 5.2 mM and 0.91 mM, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.82-86
• /
• 2006

Leukemia arises in hematopoietic progenitor cells and is characterized by impaired or blocked differentiation, uncontrolled proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. Molecular mechanisms underlying cellular functions by $As_2O_3$, however, have been poorly investigated. The consensus of several reports is that $As_2O_3$ induces apoptosis in leukemia cells by activating genes for apoptosis. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of $As_2O_3$ on the cell cycle and its morphological change and a relationship between the caspase-3 and $As_2O_3$-induced apoptosis. Caspase-3 is involved in $As_2O_3$-induced apoptosis in K562 cells. In this study, to address whether $As_2O_3$-induced apoptosis is mediated by caspase-3 activity, the same samples were probed with a specific antibody. The pretreatment of $25{\mu}M$ Z-VAD-fmk, a specific inhibitor of caspase, decreased $As_2O_3$-induced cytotoxicity. And $As_2O_3$ significantly increased the percentages of the cells accumulated in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Chromatin condensational changes were observed with Hoechst 33258 staining after treatment of $As_2O_3$. It was shown that $As_2O_3$-induced apoptosis is controlled through caspase-3 activation. These results may provide a useful rationale for CML treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.839-845
• /
• 2021

In this study, it shows the efficiency of each refrigerant through simulation method for ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) power generation that converts waste heat discarded by ship exhaust into electricity for the purpose of reducing CO₂ emission and increasing ship waste heat recovery. by Simulation was performed with waste heat from the exhaust gas which is relatively high temperature and cooling sea water which is relatively low temperature from ships. As a result of the sea water cooling ORC power generating system, efficiency of the working fluid with R717 is highest as a 2.86 % and the next working fluid is R152a, R134a, R143a and R125a.