• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2015

Background: Korean Red Ginseng-a steamed root of Panax ginseng Meyer-has long been used as a traditional medicine in Asian countries. Its antipruritic effect was recently found, but no molecular mechanisms were revealed. Thus, the current study focused on determining the underlying molecular mechanism of Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) against histamine-induced itch at the peripheral sensory neuronal level. Methods: To examine the antipruritic effect of RGE, we performed in vivo scratching behavior test in mice, as well as in vitro calcium imaging and whole-cell patch clamp experiments to elucidate underlying molecular mechanisms. Results: The results of our in vivo study confirmed that RGE indeed has an antipruritic effect on histamine-induced scratching in mice. In addition, RGE showed a significant inhibitory effect on histamine-induced responses in primary cultures of mouse dorsal root ganglia, suggesting that RGE has a direct inhibitory effect on sensory neuronal level. Results of further experiments showed that RGE inhibits histamine-induced responses on cells expressing both histamine receptor subtype 1 and TRPV1 ion channel, indicating that RGE blocks the histamine receptor type 1/TRPV1 pathway in sensory neurons, which is responsible for histamine-dependent itch sensation. Conclusion: The current study found for the first time that RGE effectively blocks histamine-induced itch in peripheral sensory neurons. We believe that the current results will provide an insight on itch transmission and will be helpful in understanding how RGE exerts its antipruritic effects.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.27
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• pp.3-17
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• 1984

Anaerobic digestion has recently attracted all over the world and Korea also shows no exception. The major benefits of anaerobic digestion are energy production, water pollution control, pathogen reduction and effective manure production. In Korea it was recognized in late sixties that there was a positive need to find alternative energy for farmers household. The main traditional energy sources in rural area were crop residues and forestry products. Therefore Office of Rural Development through its Rural Guidance Bureau disseminated about 29,000 household biogas units from 1969 to 1975 to provide cooking fuel for farmers household and to improve the mode of farmers living standards. The units were welcomed by farmers at that time. Now, however, most of them are not using due to a number of reasons associated with cold winter and some techno-economical problems (in those day, fossil fuel was quite expensive to compare with other prices and since then farmers income was quickly increased). The author studied on bag type household biogas plant to solve some technical problems of existing household biogas plants, but this also has little appeal for the farmers. From 1977 author studied on village scale biogas plant with two pilot plants. From the viewpoint of energy production, COD removal, kill rate of pathogen and fertilizer value, the results obtained from the experiments were quite promising, but the construction cost of the village scale biogas plant was too high for the farmers in Korea. To find most suitable biogas plant for farmers in Korea through the simplifying the biogas digester, the author developed batch-load biogas plant. By feeding coarse crop residues and manures, total solids concentrations of the batch-load biogas plant are about 28 percent which is much higher than continous digester of 5-8 percent. The batch-load biogas plant was welcomed by many farmers in Korea when it was reported on TV and newspapers. The plant was disseminated 154 units in 1982, 766 units in 1983 and 812 units in 1984 as a promissing project. Besides these biogas plant experiments, studies were also conducted 1) to determine gas production rate with agricultural wastes, 2) to evaluate the effect of loading rate, dilution, retention time on biogas production, 3) to project the amount of potencial energy from agricultural wastes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.38-51
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• 2000

This study seeks to present creation techniques increasing biodiversity while excluding techniques that avoid rooftop as a place for revegetation or techniques that are standardized and ecologically undesirable. To this end, a theoretical study was conducted including the identification of issues that need to be considered in introducing biotope creation techniques at a rooftop space using eco-pond or eco-park creation techniques. Based on the result, a creation process and techniques were presented for the rooftop of Kyungdong Energy Company building located in Bundang, Sungnam city. The conclusions reached in this study are as follows. First, when structural problems such as load or leakage are resolved and when it is planned as a habitat within a range of carrying load, a rooftop may be habitats for various organisms. Second, same creation techniques for eco-ponds or eco-parks may be applied to create biotope in a rooftop. In fact, the introduction of a wetland ecosystem on a rooftop may contribute significantly in increasing biodiversity. In addition, it would be desirable to approach traditional rooftop revegetation methods in an ecological aspect and to introduce indigenous plants and to offer habitats to insects and birds. Third, in order to create rooftop biotope, there should be enough studies and experiments on resolving structural problems and on techniques or technologies to create habitats. Since the Kyongdong Energy Company rooftop biotope described in this study is the first experimental site in Korea, it requires a series of process to identify problems and to improve them by monitoring the site in the future. Through such studies and experiments, efficient rooftop biotope creation techniques should be developed and disseminated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.603-606
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• 2006

We present a study on the development of a practical and quantitative technique for the assessment of the structural health condition with using piezoceramic(PZT) sensors. The electro-impedance-based technique with the PZT patches is very sensitive for evaluation of the incipient and small damage in a high frequency range, and however the commonly traditional modal analysis method is effective only for considerably larger damages in low frequency range. The paper presents the technique in detecting and characterizing real-time damage on the specimen that is an aluminum plate fastened with bolts and nuts by different torques and as well a plate with a crack. By using the special arrangement of the PZT sensors, the required longitudinal wave is generated through the specimen. A large number of experiments are conducted and the different conditions of the specimens, i.e. the location and extent of loosening bolts, and the plate with a crack are simulated. respectively. Since fixing and loosening the loosened bolt is controlled by a torque wrench, we can control exactly the experiment of the different torques. Compared with the simulated healthy condition, we can find whether or not there is a damage in the specimen with using an impedance analyzer with the PZT sensors. Several indices are discussed and used for assessing the different simulated damages. As for the location of bolt loosening, the RMSD is found to be the most appropriate index for numerical assessment and as well the RMSD shows strongly linear relationship for assessing the extent of the bolt loosening, and the frequency peak shift ${\Delta}F$ is used to assess the cracked plate. The possibility of repeatability of the pristine condition signatures is also presented and the appropriate frequency range and interval are uniquely selected through large numbers of experiments.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.59-65
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• 2016

PURPOSES : This paper aims to develop a road pavement de-icing system using carbon sheet to replace the older snow de-icing method. Carbon sheet is a light and high-strength metal. Hence, various bodies of research for its applications in many industries have progressed. METHODS : The experiment was conducted in a laboratory. The carbon sheet supplied voltage through a power supply system, and produced heat transfers to the concrete surface. Various factors, such as pavement material, carbon sheet width, penetration depth, and freezing-thawing resistance, were considered in the conducted experiments to confirm the heating transfer efficiency of the carbon sheet. RESULTS : The carbon sheet used was a conductor. Therefore, it produced heat if voltage was supplied. The exposed carbon sheet on the atmosphere did not affect the carbon sheet width when it provided constant voltage. However, the sheet showed different heating behaviors by width change when the carbon sheet penetrated into the concrete. Moreover, the freezing-thawing resistance was decreased by the carbon sheet with increasing width. CONCLUSIONS : The experiments confirmed the possibility of developing a road snow melting system using a carbon sheet. The antiicing system using the carbon sheet to replace the traditional anti-icing system has disadvantages of environmental pollution risk and electric leakage. The pavement also improved its toughness resistance. The utilization value will be very high in the future if carbon sheet heat loss can be minimized and durability is improved.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.44-50
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• 2004

We introduce an introductory engineering education course for engineering majors and non-engineering majors. This course does not require any previous knowledge and experience on engineering. It requires strong curiosities and imaginations on current and future society we live in, where technology is inseparable ingredient. Course encourages attendees to explore fundamental issues of engineering: what is proper technology and what are proper ways of exercising engineering, issues dealt in soft engineering. Since course topics cover many aspects of technology, traditional learning methods fail to be successful and efficient. Various efficient learning methods have been proposed and implemented. We utilize various interactive tangible media, which include simulated thought experiments and physical media experiences. About twenty (20) episodes in short film format are produced based on scenario written according to related issues selected. Physical media like interactive robots are introduced for attendees' stimulated experiences. We summarize our exciting experiments on interactive teaching experiences at Pusan National University which include on/off-line interactions, assignments, projects, and evaluations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2005

This study was conducted in order to improve the automatic fishing operation system for anchovy boat seine by comparison with the fishing gear geometry and efficiency using the labor saving nets and the combined type net with midwater trawl. Field experiments were carried out to observe the geometry of nets and improve the fishing operation system by catcher boats. The vertical net opening of fore wing net, square, fore bag net and after bag net of the combined type net were varied in the range of 9.9~12.9. 16.2~28.2, 6.8~12.1 and 9.5~15.2m respectively, when the towing speed was 1.0m/sec and the distance between boats were 100m, 200m, 300m. The vertical net opening of the combined type nets was gradually decreased as function of with increasing the distance between catcher boats. Labor saving net which was maintained the net opening and towing depth stable was more suitable for the automatic hauling operation system by improvement of bag net rather than the combined type nets which was impossible in swallow depth and near to anchovy school. 3 boats hauling operation system of the labor saving net was carried out by crane with power block in 2 catcher boats for improvement of hauling operation and pushing equipment of anchovy cooking system in the processing boat for maintain more anchovy in dry frame. From the results of field experiments, 3 boats hauling operation system with power block and improved cooking system was very 3 boats hauling operation system with power block and improved cooking system was very useful and more practical as hauling time 20~35min and No. of fishermen 12~13 in comparison with the traditional system such as hauling time 30~50 min and No. of fishmen 28~38.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.261-282
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• 2013

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an application area of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) which usually needs high data communication rate to transfer a large amount of monitoring data. Traditional sink node can only process data from one communication channel at the same time because of the single radio chip structure. The sink node constitutes a bottleneck for constructing a high data rate SHM application giving rise to a long data transfer time. Multi-channel communication has been proved to be an efficient method to improve the data throughput by enabling parallel transmissions among different frequency channels. This paper proposes an 8-radio integrated sink node design method based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and the time synchronization mechanism for the multi-channel network based on the proposed sink node. Three experiments have been performed to evaluate the data transfer ability of the developed multi-radio sink node and the performance of the time synchronization mechanism. A high data throughput of 1020Kbps of the developed sink node has been proved by experiments using IEEE.805.15.4.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.61-75
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• 1999

To examine the effect of Xuefuzhuyutang on the metastasis of cancer, the following experiments were carried out. Before the main experiments, the cytotoxicity was measured by putting Xuefuzhuyutant sample in HT1080. Then zymography was made to examine the change of gelatinolytic activity. Western blotting was carried out to examine the changes of Fos, Jun, Ets, Erk, md JNK. In vitro invasion assay with transwells coated by collagen and matrigel was carried out. From the above results the following conclusions were obtained. 1. The experimental result about cytotoxicity of Xuefuzhuyutang agaitst HT1080 was a below. The stained cell count after being treated by by Xuefuzhuyutang sample $400{\mu}g/ml$ for 24 hours was 0.9% of total cells, and the stained cell count by Xuefuzhuyutang sample $100{\mu}g/ml$ was 1.5% of total cells. Both were near the level of control group which showed 0.6% stained. 2. The result of collagenase assay was as below. In Xuefuzhuyutang sample $400{\mu}g/ml$, MMP2 was reduced as compared with TPA control group, and the band of MMP-9 induced by TPA disapappeared. In Xuefuzhuyutang samle $800{\mu}g/ml$ both bands of MMP-2 and MMP-9 disapeared. 3. The results of western blots for Jun, Fos, Ets, Erk, JNK were a below. In Xuefuzhuyutang sample $200{\mu}g/ml$, Ets was reduced, and Jun, Fos were increased. 4 The result of invasion assay was as below. The number of cells which migrated across transwell membrane in Xuefuzhuyutang-treated group was less than that of control(+TPA) group. From the above results, it was concluded that Xuefuzhuyutang might inhibit the activity of collagenase not by the MMP-2, MMP-9 promoter but by the other way.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.131-146
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• 1998

To examine the effect of Shiquandabutang on the metastasis of cancer, the following experiments were made. Before the main experiments, the cytotoxicity was measured by putting Shiquandabutang sample in HT1080. Then zymography was made to examine the change of gelatinolytic activity. And western blotting was carried out to examine the changes of Fos, Jun, Ets, the transcription factors of MMP-2, MMP-9, and Erk, JNK on signal transduction pathway to AP-1. Third, in vitro invasion assay with transwells coated by collagen and matrigel was carried out. From the results of the above the following conclusions were obtained. 1. The experimental result about cytotoxicity of Shiquandabutang against HT1080 was as below. The stained cell count after being treated by Shiquandabutang sample $400{\mu}g/ml$ for 24 hours was 0.9% of total cells, and the stained cell count by Shiquandabutang sample $100{\mu}g/ml$ was 1.5% of total cells. Both were near the level of control group which showed 0.6% stained. 2. The result of collagenase assay was as below. In Shiquandabutang sample $400{\mu}g/ml$, MMP-2 was reduced as compared with TPA control group, and the band of MMP-9 induced by TPA disappeared. In Shiquandabutang sample $800{\mu}g/ml$, both bands of MMP-2 and MMP-9 disappeared. 3. The results of western blots for Jun, Fos, Ets, Erk, JNK were as below. In Shiquandabutang sample $200{\mu}g/ml$, Ets was reduced, and Fos were increased. 4. The result of invasion assay was as below. The number of cells which migrated across transwell membrane in Shiquandabutang-treated group was less than that of +TPA control group. From the above results, it was concluded that Shiquandabutang might control the appearing and acting of collagenase not by the MMP-2, -9 promoter but by other way.