• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2017

In the present work, the synergistic effect of seaweed addition on organic acid production from sludge was investigated. The batch experiment was conducted at various mixing ratios of sewage sludge and seaweed (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100 on a COD basis) under the substrate concentration of 20 g COD/L. The fermentation temperature was conducted under mesophilic condition ($35^{\circ}C$) and a heat-treated ($90^{\circ}C$ for 20 min) anaerobic digester sludge was used as a seeding source to suppress the methanogenic activity, The results showed that the amount of organic acid production increased as the content of seaweed increased: organic acids were 1.45, 3.22, 4.28, 5.24 and 4.82 g COD/L for the mixing ratio of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 respectively. The synergistic effect was calculated based on the organic acid production of individual sludge and seaweed, and was found to be 0.92, 1.14, 1.26 g COD/L at the mixing ratio of 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75, which indicates that 40% of synergy was obtained when 25% of seaweed was added. The synergistic effect could be ascribed to the high C/N ratio and biodegradability of seaweed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1170-1178
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• 2008

The cyclopentenone prostaglandins (cyPGs) prostaglandin $A_1$ ($PGA_1$) and 15-deoxy-${\Delta}^{12,14}$-prostaglandin $J_2$ (15d-$PGJ_2$) have been reported to exhibit antiinflammatory activity in activated monocytes/macrophages. However, the effects of these two cyPGs on the expression of cytokine genes may differ. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of $PGA_1$ in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of inter leu kin (IL)-10 mRNA in mouse peritoneal macrophages. 15d-$PGJ_2$ inhibited expression of LPS-induced IL-10, whereas $PGA_1$ increased LPS-induced IL-10 expression. This synergistic effect of $PGA_1$ on LPS-induced IL-10 expression reached a maximum as early as 2 h after simultaneous $PGA_1$ and LPS treatment ($PGA_1$/LPS), and did not require new protein synthesis. The synergistic effect of $PGA_1$ was inhibited by GW9662, a specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}(PPAR{\gamma})$ antagonist, and Bay-11-7082, a NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitor. The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) inhibitor PD98059 increased the expression of $PGA_1$/LPS-induced IL-10 mRNA, rather than inhibiting the IL-10 expression. Moreover, $PGA_1$ inhibited LPS-induced ERK phosphorylation. The synergistic effect of $PGA_1$ on LPS-induced IL-10 mRNA and protein production was inhibited by p38 inhibitor PD169316, and $PGA_1$ increased LPS-induced p38 phosphorylation. In the case of stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun $NH_2$-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK), the SAPK/JNK inhibitor SP600125 did not inhibit IL-10 mRNA synthesis but inhibited the production of IL-10 protein remarkably. These results suggest that the synergistic effect of $PGA_1$ on LPS-induced IL-10 expression is NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent and mediated by mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, p38, and SAPK/JNK signaling pathways, and also associated with the $PPAR{\gamma}$ pathway. Our data may provide more insight into the diverse mechanisms of $PGA_1$ effects on the expression of cytokine genes.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.39-44
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• 2008

Objectives: Notopterygium incisum(N. incisum) and Saposhnikovia divaricata(S. divaricata) have been clinically used in traditional oriental medicine for treatment of inflammatory diseases. Also, a herbal mixture prepared with N. incisum and S. divaricata has been strongly linked to the anti-inflammatory effect. In this study, we evaluate the synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of N. incisum and S. divaricata. Methods: For evaluating the anti-inflammatory activity of a herbal mixture of N. incisum and S. divaricata in vivo, we measured the changed ear thickness in 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate(TPA)-induced mouse ear edema model after topical application of herbal mixture. In addition, the levels of markers for inflammation, such as tumore necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-1${\beta}$, and nitric oxide(NO), were determined by ELISA assay in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells. Results: We reported that water extracts of N. incisum and S. divaricata combination significantly inhibited the mouse ear edema induced by TPA. Moreover, the water extracts of N. incisum and S. divaricata combination exhibited synergistic effects in down-regulating IL-1${\beta}$ level, but not TNF-${\alpha}$ and NO. Conclusions: These results suggest that combined treatment of N. incisum and S. divaricata, based on seven methods in prescription compatibility, has a synergistic effect in down-regulating inflammatory response both in vivo and in vitro models. Especially, it seems that IL-1${\beta}$ is a one of main target of the mixture of N. incisum and S. divaricata on anti-inflammatory activity.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.93-98
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• 2016

Objectives : Hwangheuk-san is a complex prescription composed of oriental traditional medicine and has been reported for antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer effects in the recent study. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of important causes of fatal infectious diseases such as septicemia, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome, pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). S. aureus is reported as being for a variety of human diseases and its epidemiological relevance is mainly due to their ability of becoming highly resistant to common antimicrobials such as tetracycline, penicillin, cphalosporin and aminoglycoside. The objective of this study is to determine the antimicrobial effect of Hwangheuk-san ethanol extracts (HHS) and synergistic effects with antibiotics oxacillin against MRSA.Methods : The antimicrobial activity of HHS was measured by the disc diffusion method, broth microdilution method and the checkerboard dilution test, time-kill curve assay was performed to investigate synergistic effects with antibiotics oxacillin against MRSA.Results : HHS showed antimicrobial activity against MRSA with a MIC value of 125 ㎍/㎖. In the checkerboard test, the interaction of HHS with antibiotics oxacillin produced almost synergy or partial synergy against MRSA. This study showed that HHS reduced the MICs of oxacillin tested, and a remarkable antibacterial effect of HHS, with membrane permeability enhancers.Conclusions : These results suggest that HHS has the antimicrobial effect and synergistic effects with antibiotics oxacillin against MRSA. This study thus can be a valuable source for the development of a new drug with low MRSA resistance.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.742-748
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• 1998

Experiments have been conducted to investigate synergistic effects and mechanisms of the Alaskan subbituminous coal/polypropylene (PP). Coliquefaction of coal/PP gave the synergistic effect in yields by 17% compared to independent liquefactions of coal or PP at $430^{\circ}C$. To analyse coliquefaction mechanisms, the second and zeroth order kinetic models were developed for coal and PP conversions respectively. When the models were simulated to fit coliquefaction results, those represented results successfully with the correlation coefficient of 0.99. The amount of tetralin needed to liquefy unit mass of coa 1(${\beta}$) was also calculated using the developed model. According to the calculated results, $\beta$ increased from 0.4 to 1.0 as the coliquefaction temperature increased from $410^{\circ}C$ to $470^{\circ}C$. This indicated that tetralin lowered the molecular weight of oil produced, and this phenomenon was recognized by the GPC analyses. Furthermore, it was found that tetralin prohibited the liquefaction of PP when coal was not added. On the other hand, tetralin was believed to act as a hydrogen-donor solvent to coal rather than prohibit PP liquefaction during coliquefaction. Therefore, the liquefaction rate of PP increases and synergistic effects in oil yields are mainly due to the increase in PP liquefaction during coal/PP coliquefaction.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4615-4619
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• 2013

Background: Artesunate, extracted from Artemisia annua, has been proven to have anti-cancer potential. Allicin, diallyl thiosulfinate, the main biologically active compound derived from garlic, is also of interest in cancer treatment research. This object of this report was to document synergistic effects of artesunate combined with allicin on osteosarcoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Methods: After treatment with artesunate and allicin at various concentrations, the viability of osteosarcoma cells was analyzed by MTT method, with assessment of invasion and motility, colony formation and apoptosis. Western Blotting was performed to determine the expression of caspase-3/9, and activity was also detected after drug treatment. Moreover, in a nude mouse model established with orthotopic xenograft tumors, tumor weight and volume were monitored after drug administration via the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. Results: The viability of osteosarcoma cells in the combination group was significantly decreased in a concentration and time dependent manner; moreover, invasion, motility and colony formation ability were significantly suppressed and the apoptotic rate was significantly increased through caspase-3/9 expression and activity enhancement in the combination group. Furthermore, suppression of tumor growth was evident in vivo. Conclusion: Our results indicated that artesunate and allicin in combination exert synergistic effects on osteosarcoma cell proliferation and apoptosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.392-397
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• 2010

The aim of present study was to investigate the possible influence and related mechanism of additional alcohol on the flavonoid- induced arterial relaxation. Agonist-induced vascular smooth muscle contractions involve the activation of thick or thin filament pathway. However, there are no reports addressing the question whether this pathway is involved in quercetin-induced relaxation cotreated with alcohol in rat aortae contracted with phorbol ester, fluoride or thromboxane $A_2$ mimetic U-46619. We hypothesized that cotreated alcohol plays a role in vascular relaxation evoked by quercetin in rat aortae. Endothelium-denuded arterial rings from male Sprague-Dawley rats were used and isometric contractions were recorded using a computerized data acquisition system. Quercetin inhibited phorbol ester, fluoride or thromboxane $A_2$-induced contraction regardless of endothelial function. However, alcohol didn't decrease any agonist-induced contraction. Interestingly, only in thromboxane $A_2$-induced contraction, synergistic results were observed in aortae denuded and cotreated with quercetin and alcohol suggesting that additional pathways different from antioxidation or endothelial nitric oxide synthesis might be involved in the vasorelaxation. In conclusion, in the agonists-contracted rat aortae, quercetin and alcohol together showed synergistic response regardless of endothelial function in an agonist-dependent manner.

• IE interfaces
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.205-213
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• 2009

Warfare information system is a core factor of future combat operation under NCW(Network centric Warfare) environment. In this paper, we proposed a new MOE(Measure of Effectiveness) that can assess the combat power synergistic effect of warfare information system in the theater-level joint fire operation. This new MOE uses the rule of Newton's second law($F=(m{\Delta}{\upsilon})/{\Delta}t{\Rightarrow}(M{\upsilon}I)/T$). Four factors considered in combat power evaluation are network power(M), movement velocity(v), information superiority(I), command and control time(T). We applied this new MOE to the JFOS-K(Joint Fire Operating System-Korea) to assess its combat power effect and compared with other's effects obtained from different MOE.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.97-111
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• 2015

Polypropylene short fiber (PP)-clay particulate-epoxy ternary composites were prepared by reinforcing PP short fiber and clay particles in the range of 0.1 phr to 0.7 phr into epoxy resin. Prepared hybrid composites were characterized for their mechanical, thermal and flame retardant properties. The obtained results indicated an increase in impact resistance, tensile strength, flexural strength and Young's modulus to an extent (up to 0.5 phr clay and 0.5 phr PP short fiber) and then decreases as the reinforcing phases are further increased. The thermal stability of these materials are found to increase up to 0.2 phr clay and 0.2 phr PP addition, beyond which it is decreased. Addition of clay is found to have the negative effect on epoxy-PP short fiber composites, which is evident from the comparison of mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy-0.5 phr PP short fiber composite and epoxy-0.5 phr PP short fiber-0.5 phr clay composite hybrid. UL-94 tests conducted on the composite hybrids have showed a reduction in the burning rate. Morphological observations indicated a greater fiber pull with the addition of clay. The performed tests in the present study indicated that materials under investigation have promising applications in construction, agriculture and decorative purposes.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.37.1-37.11
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• 2020

BET inhibitor, as an epigenetic regulator inhibitor, reduces the expression of oncogenes such as Myc and Bcl-2, which affects cancer growth and development. However, it has modest activity because of the narrow therapeutic index. Therefore, combination therapy is necessary to increase the anti-tumor effect. Paclitaxel, an anti-mitotic inhibitor, is used as second-line therapy for gastric cancer (GC) as a monotherapy or combination. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing of GC cells treated with iBET-151 and/or paclitaxel to identify the differentially expressed genes associated with possible mechanisms of synergistic effect. We also performed Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses to determine the most enriched terms and pathways of upregulated and downregulated genes. We found 460 genes in which iBET-151 and paclitaxel combination treatment changed more than single-treatment or no-treatment. Thus, additional functional studies are needed, but our results provide the first evidence of the synergistic effect between iBET-151 and paclitaxel in regulating the transcriptome of GC cells.