• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2010

Developments of radioprotective agents are important issues for minimizing the troubles and the effective treatments in radiotherapy. But few agents are useful in clinical and practical fields. It was shown that trace elements in alcohol beverages might have radioprotective effect. In this study, the types of cell death of lymphocytes according to the commercial alcohol beverage was investigated. Normal healthy volunteers ingested distilled water, beer or soju containing $81.5mg{\cdot}dl^{-1}$ ethyl ahcohol, respectively. After 2 hours, their blood were sampled with their consents. Fraction of lymphocytes was isolated by density gradient method with Histopaque-1077 (Sigma) and irradiated with dose from 0.5 to 5 Gy. After 60 hour incubation, the cells were harvested and analysed by flow cytometry. Cell viability was decreased by dose dependent manner. Cell viability of beer group was reduced about 15% compared with control group. Apoptosis in soju group was reduced about 20% compared with control group. Apoptosis of beer and control groups are similar. Necrosis of soju group significantly increased about 35% compared with control group. Early apoptosis of beer group was increased compared with control group. Early apoptosis of soju group was decreased about 25% compared with control group. Late apoptosis of beer and control group was increased by dose dependent manner. Late apoptosis of soju group was increased about 20-30% compared with control group. Late apoptosis of soju was increased and the radioprotective effect of soju was minimal because late apoptosis induced the cell necrosis. In case of soju trace elements, total cell apoptosis was decreased about 20% and early cell apoptosis was remarkably low. In this case, mitotic cells death may be dominant mechanism. Therefore, trace elements in soju may not be effective radioprotective agents.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.398-404
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• 2010

It is known that onions, or bioactive compounds therein, providehealth benefits. The present study was designed to investigate whether a concentrated onion extract lowered blood lipid levels in rats fed a high-fat diet. Initially, male Sprague-Dawley rats were housed singly in an environment in which temperature and light duration were controlled, and had free access to a nutritionally adequate AIN-93G diet and deionized water. After an acclimatization period, rats were weight-matched and assigned to one of the following five groups: 1) a control group, fed the AIN-93G diet mixed with 10% (w/v) lard and 0.7% (w/v) cholesterol to induce hyperlipidemia (control); 2) three experimental groups, fed the AIN-93G diet mixed with a high-fat source plus concentrated onion extract at three different levels (termed the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups); and, 3) a placebo group, fed the AIN-93G diet with fats plus the same concentrated extract but devoid of onion-derived material. All five groups freely ingested their respective diets over 6 weeks. At 0, 3, and 6 weeks, blood samples were collected from the orbital sinus following overnight food deprivation. At 6 weeks, livers were collected. Both control and experimental groups continually gained body weight throughout the study. No significant differencein body weight gain was observed among groups. However, the serum concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and non HDL-cholesterol were significantly reduced by ingestion of concentrated onion extract. Also, the hepatic levels of total lipids and total fatty acids, especially C18:1 (oleic acid), were significantly decreased in rats fed a high level of concentrated onion extract, compared with the control and placebo groups. These results provide clear evidence that ingestion of a concentrated onion extract has a profound inhibitory effect on serum lipid levels in rats fed a high-fat diet. Our findings indicate that a concentrated onion extract may be used to alleviate hyperlipidemia by lowering serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.197-206
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• 1996

Water extract of Coix locrvmn seeds (Co-Ex) was separated into several components; dissolved with Tris-Cl buffer and the supernatant (WC 1), ammonium sulfate treatment supernatant (WC2) and the pellet nvc31,9AE column chromatography of WC 1 and the peak portions; WC4, WCS and WC6. Murine peritoneal macrophages in DMEM containing 10% heat-inactivated FCS were infected with tachyzoites of ToxopIQsmc gondii, RH strain, in uifo. By adding modulators such as Co-Ex, WC 1,2,3,4.5,6 and LPS or IFN-γ for 24 hrs . toxoplasmastatic activity of macrophages was examined in relation to nitrite production. Nitrite production of macrophages was enhanced especially in the series of WC2, WC1 and the combination sample (WC1 + WC2 + WC3) by order than other components or fractions (WC4, WC5, WC6) tested . Toxoplasmastatic actions such as percentage of the inacrophages infected by T. gonnii and fold increase of T gondii in macrophages showed retroverse relations with the amount of nitrite production; i.e. as nitric oxide (NO) increased the phagocytic index of macrophages and the fold increase of tachyzoites in macrophages decreased . Nitrite (NO-2) production was increased by adding IFN-γ in all cases together with enhancement of biostatic effects. Through the results obtained, it is speculated that some components other than the non-proteinous and defatted components in Coix lacrwmn seeds may contribute to activate macrophages through induction of NO for the biostatic activity.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.1 s.106
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• pp.1-11
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• 2004

The limnological characteristics of a coastal lagoon were studied in Lake Hyangho, one of a series of brackish lagoons along the eastern coast of Korea. Phytoplankton community structure, physical factors, and chemical factors were surveyed from May 1998 through November 2002 on a two-month interval basis. Temperature, salinity, Secchi disc transparency, TN, TP, organic matter content of sediment, chlorophyll a concentration, dominant phytoplankton species, and phytoplankton cell density were measured. Salinity gradient was formed between the overlying freshwater stream water and the permeated seawater at the bottom. The chemocline was persistent at the depth of 2 ${\sim}$ 5 m that caused discontinuities of salinity, DO, and temperature profiles. The inversion of vertical temperature profiles with higher temperature in deeper layer was observed in early winter. Secchi disc transparency was very low with the range of 0.1 to 1.1m. TP, TN, and Chl. a concentration in the epilimnion was 0.011 ${\sim}$ 0.238 mgP $L^{-l}$, 0.423 ${\sim}$ 2.443 mgN $L^{-l}$, and 0.7 ${\sim}$ 145.2 mg $m^{-3}$, respectively. Sediment was composed of silt and coarse silt. COD, TP, and TN content of dry sediment were 19.7 ${\sim}$ 73.3 mg$O_2\;g^{-1}$, 0.61 ${\sim}$ 1.32 mgP $g^{-l}$ and 0.64 ${\sim}$ 0.88 mgN $g^{-l}$, respectively. Dominant phytoplankton species were chlorophytes (Ankistrodesmus falcatus) and cyanobacteria (Oscillatoria sp. and Merismopedia tennuissima). The total cell density was in the range of 560 ${\sim}$ 35,255 cells $mL^{-l}$.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.223-226
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• 2012

Liquid livestock manure (LLM) has been used as a nitrogen fertilizer source for horticulture plants. LLM contains organic nitrogen (N), ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite. The amount of nitrate and nitrite in LLM are usually small compared to the amount of ammonium in it and so they can be negligible if total nitrogen (N) concentration in LLM is higher than $1,000mg\;L^{-1}$. However, if total N concentration in LLM is less than $1,000mg\;L^{-1}$, the amount of nitrate and nitrite may affect total N concentration in LLM. Currently, Kjeldahl digestion method is mainly used for ammonium-N in LLM. Therefore, it is ineffective to analyze nitrate-N and nitrite-N. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the total N concentrations are affected by the amount of nitrate-N and nitrite-N with diverse LLMs by Kjeldahl method (with and without Devarda's alloy after Conc. sulfuric acid digestion). Five liquid livestock manure samples were collected at swine farms in Ansung and Icheon. All LLM samples were stored at $25^{\circ}C$, subsampled at every $15^{th}$ day for 90 days, and analyzed for total N, ammonium-N, and nitrate-N. At the $90^{th}$ day, LLM samples were analyzed with and without Devarda's alloy after Conc. sulfuric acid digestion. Potassium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and ammonium chloride were used to determine the N recovery percentages. Total N concentration ranged from 560 to $4,230mg\;L^{-1}$. Nitrate-Ns were found in all LLM samples, ranged from 21 to $164mg\;L^{-1}$. N recovery percentages with potassium nitrate were 0 % without Devarda's alloy and 100% with Devarda's alloy because adding Devarda's alloy facilitated nitrate-N into ammonium-N conversion. Total Ns were significantly different between two methods, with and without Devarda's alloy. Total N concentrations were $210mg\;L^{-1}$ at LLM 4 and $370mg\;L^{-1}$ at LLM 5 without Devarda's alloy and $290mg\;L^{-1}$ at LLM 4 and $490mg\;L^{-1}$ at LLM 5 with Devarda's alloy. These results suggest that if total N of LLM is less $1,000mg\;L^{-1}$, additional procedure such as adding Devarda's alloy can be used to estimate the total N and inorganic N better.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.283-289
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• 1986

To establish a suitability grouping system of paddy soils for multiple cropping of rice with other upland crops, the study was carried out after a few basic experiments. In succession to the results on basic experiment prior, the suitability system proposed and the results of application mentioned in this report were summarized as follows; 1. The factors of soil properties in the system were productivities represented by soil texture and drainage class, as well as salinity of surface and sub-soil pH of chemical properties were considered together with slope, warmth index, ground water table, parent materials etc. of soil physical or environmental conditions. The weights of the factors were combined with multiplicatively and additively so as the total marks of ideal soil to be 100. The system was composed with 5 suitability classes; over 91 mark is class I, under 60 mark class V, and each 10 point interval between classes. The limiting factors "P" (in the case that Physical properties or Productivity marks under 24), "S" (Surface slope less than 15) and "C" (Chemical condition below 15) etc. were appended up to two kinds to the classes except a part of soils in class I. 2. The areas where the warmth index exceed 110 in Yeongnam were 19% for class I, 22.7% for class II, 44.7% for class III, 11.5% for class IV, and 2.1% for class V. The rates in class I and II were slightly more than those of the whole country. 3. The points of each soil gained by the system had a positive correlation ($r=.922^{**}$) with the potential productivities.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.143-150
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• 2014

In general radiotherapy, mega-voltage (MV) x-ray images are widely used as the unique method to verify radio-therapeutic fields. But, the image quality of MV images is much lower than that of kilo-voltage x-ray images due to scatter interactions. Since 1990s, studies for the scatter correction have performed with digital-based MV imaging systems. In this study, a novel method for the scatter correction is suggested using scatter to primary ratio (SPR), instead of conventional methods such as digital image processing or scatter kernel calculations. We measured two MV images with and without a solid water phantom describing a patient body with given imaging conditions, and calculated un-attenuated ratios. Then, we obtained SPR distributions for the scatter correction. For experimental validation, a line-pair (LP) phantom using several Al bars and a clinical pelvis MV image was used. As the result, scatter signals of the LP phantom image were successfully reduced so that original density distribution of the phantom was restored. Moreover, image contrast values increased after SPR correction at all ROIs of the clinical image. The mean value of increases was 48%. The SPR correction method suggested in this study has high reliability because it is based on actually measured data. Also, this method can be easily adopted in clinics without additional cost. We expected that the SPR correction can be an effective method to improve the quality of MV image guided radiotherapy.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.6B
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• pp.565-575
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the expression of both multi-metric qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) and biological integrity index (IBI) for artificial structures eco-artificial fish reef (EAFR) for fishes asylum and habitat. Especially, both experimental evaluation and biological verification were performed in Water and Environmental Center's outdoor test-bed of Korea Institute of Construction Technology located in Andong-city, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The experimental conditions reflecting the situation of domestic river include the flow rate (e.g., $0.0{\sim}1.5m\;s^{-1}$), the width (e.g., 1.0~3.0 m), the depth (e.g., 0.05~0.70 m), and variable bed materials. Both QHEI and IBI were monitored for 8 months from May to December 2010. Whereas QHEI values were highest at experimental points of the E~F with an average of 83.1, those were lowest at B~C with an average of 78.1. However, QHEI values inside EAFR were more than 98.9, regardelss of space and time, and indicated more than the highest good of the state (Good) in the habitat. Overally, IBI values showed similar trend with QHEI, but were 44.2 in the winter dry season, compared to 32.8 of QHEI values. IBI values Also, IBI values inside EAFR were greater than those at the experimental channel by 5.7 to 11.4% and 18.7 to 34.8% in flow and stagnant conditions, respectively, indicating that EAFR can secure asylum and habitat for fish during the dry season. For comprehensive aquatic ecosystem assessment, the experimental channel showed generally fair conditions (Fair~Good), whereas EAFR showed good conditions (Good), suggesting that EAFR can be applied to aquatic ecosystem restoration and improvement.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.335-347
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• 2013

In February 2008, high storm waves due to a developed atmospheric low pressure system propagating from the west off Hokkaido, Japan, to the south and southwest throughout the East Sea (ES) caused extensive damages along the central coast of Japan and along the east coast of Korea. This study consists of two parts. In the first part, we estimate extreme storm wave characteristics in the Toyama Bay where heavy coastal damages occurred, using a non-hydrostatic meteorological model and a spectral wave model by considering the extreme conditions for two factors for wind wave growth, such as wind intensity and duration. The estimated extreme significant wave height and corresponding wave period were 6.78 m and 18.28 sec, respectively, at the Fushiki Toyama. In the second part, we perform numerical experiments on wave-structure interaction in the Fushiki Port, Toyama Bay, where the long North-Breakwater was heavily damaged by the storm waves in February 2008. The experiments are conducted using a non-linear shallow-water equation model with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) and wet-dry scheme. The estimated extreme storm waves of 6.78 m and 18.28 sec are used for incident wave profile. The results show that the Fushiki Port would be overtopped and flooded by extreme storm waves if the North-Breakwater does not function properly after being damaged. Also the storm waves would overtop seawalls and sidewalls of the Manyou Pier behind the North-Breakwater. The results also depict that refined meshes by AMR method with wet-dry scheme applied capture the coastline and coastal structure well while keeping the computational load efficiently.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.155-159
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate synthetic extender for semen cryopreservation of Jeju Native Black Bull. The semen was collected using an artificial vagina and transported to the laboratory. The semen was diluted 1:1 by Tris-Egg yolk extender and contrifuged in 1,500 rpm for 15 minutes. The supernatant was removed. The pellect was diluted to final sperm concentration of $2{\times}10^8/ml$ by doubling in every 30 minutes at $4^{\circ}C$ cold chamber. The semen was equilibrated for 4 hours at cold chamber and packed to 0.5 ml straw. The semen straws were located above 5 cm for 10 minutes. The height and duration affect the freezing speed by temperature. The frozen straw was plunged to $LN_2$. The presented straws were examined the viability and motility after thawed at $37^{\circ}C$ water bath. Frozen-thawed sperm were evaluated sperm viability, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity. Post-thawed sperm viability has been significantly higher (p<0.05) in fresh sperm ($93.27{\pm}1.62%$) than frozen-thawed sperm ($73.34{\pm}3.27%$). However, there were no significant differences between fresh and frozen-thawed dead cell rate ($7.35{\pm}2.63$ vs, $13.71{\pm}2.85$). In sperm motility, between Triladyl and AndroMed Extender, there was no significant different ($72.86{\pm}2.83$ vs, $81.47{\pm}2.48$), similarly, the dead cell rates was similar ($18.41{\pm}3.42%$ and $17.26{\pm}4.25$). The results of our study suggest that AndroMed to the freezing extender showed more positive effect on the frozen-thawed spermatozoa in Jeju Native Black bull semen.