• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.306-312
• /
• 2000

Background : Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are well known environmental pollutants. The measurement of PAH in ambient air is not commonly used, because it is quite difficult to perform and is unreliable. Using biomarkers of PAH can be an alternative approach to this problem. The PAH in ambient air is absorbed in particulate matter. Total suspended particulate(TSP) or particulate matter of less than $10{\mu}m$ in diameter (PM10) can be easily measured. Therefore, TSP or PM10 can be used as a surrogate measurements of ambient air PAH. Objectives : We investigated whether the urinary concentration of two biomarkers of PAH, 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and 2-naphthol, could reflect the total suspended particulate in the general population. Methods : In order to exclude the effects of occupational exposure and smoking, first grade middle school students were included in this study. Four middle schools within a one kilometer boundary of ambient air monitoring stations were selected. Total suspended particulate was regarded as the marker of airborne PAH. Diet and smoking data were collected by self administered questionnaires, and spot urine samples were collected. Urinary 1-OHP and 2-naphthol were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Results : The correlation between urinary 1-OHP, 2-naphthol and passive smoking was not statistically significant. The correlation between urinary 1-OHP and TSP indices was not statistically significant. The correlations between urinary 2-naphthol and TSP of two lag days, one lag day, and zero lag days were statistically significant. The statistical significance of two lag days was the strongest (p=0.001), one lag day was the next (p=0.0275), and zero lag days was the weakest (p=0.0349). Conclusion : Our results imply that the urinary concentration of 2-naphthol can be applied as a PAH exposure marker for the general population with low PAH exposure.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.625-637
• /
• 2003

This study was performed to examine the relationship between air pollution exposure and mortality in Seoul for the years of 1998∼2001. Daily counts of death were analyzed by general additive Poisson model, with adjustment for effects of seasonal trend, air temperature, humidity, and day of the week as confounders in a nonparametric approach. Daily death counts were associated with CO (current day),O$_3$ (current day), PM$_{10}$ (current day), NO$_2$ (1 day before), SO$_2$ (1 day before). Increase of 41.71 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ (interquartile range) in PM$_{10}$ was associated with 1.3% (95% CI = 0.7∼1.9％) increase in the daily number of death. $O_3$ concentrations resulted in an increased risk of 1.3% for 23.86 ppb in all-aged mortality [RR = 1.013 (1.004-1.023)1. This effect was greater in children (less than 15 aged) and elderly (more than 65 aged). After ozone level exceeds 25 ppb, the dose-response relationship between mortality and ozone was almost linear. We concluded that Seoul had 1∼5％ increase in mortality in association with IQR (interquartile range) in air pollutants. Daily variations in air pollution within the range currently occurring in Seoul might have an adverse effect on daily mortality. These findings also support the hypothesis that air pollution, at levels below the current ambient air quality standards of Korea, is harmful to sensitive subjects, such as children or elderly.rly.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.61-74
• /
• 2010

ITS (Intelligent transportation systems) collects real-time traffic data, and accumulates vest historical data. But tremendous historical data has not been managed and employed efficiently. With the introduction of data management systems like ADMS (Archived Data Management System), the potentiality of huge historical data dramatically surfs up. However, traffic data in any data management system includes missing values in nature, and one of major obstacles in applying these data has been the missing data because it makes an entire dataset useless every so often. For these reasons, imputation techniques take a key role in data management systems. To address these limitations, this paper presents a promising imputation technique which could be mounted in data management systems and robustly generates the estimations for missing values included in historical data. The developed model, based on NPR (Non-Parametric Regression) approach, employs various traffic data patterns in historical data and is designated for practical requirements such as the minimization of parameters, computational speed, the imputation of various types of missing data, and multiple imputation. The model was tested under the conditions of various missing data types. The results showed that the model outperforms reported existing approaches in the side of prediction accuracy, and meets the computational speed required to be mounted in traffic data management systems.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.10 no.2 s.21
• /
• pp.81-88
• /
• 2004

We review the adaptation strategies of the 21st climate change in an application to sea level rise. For the development of appropriate adaptation strategies on the coast vulnerable to the sea level rise, we have to consider the issues such as where to adapt, how to adapt, and when to adapt. The coastal target needed adaptation can be found by the evaluation of adaptive capacity of the coastal zone which requires the understanding of impacts and adaptive potential of the natural and socioeconomic systems in the coastal zone. Planned adaptation options to sea level rise can be classified into three generic approaches as managed retreat, accommodation, and protection In practice, the implementation of the options requires the analysis of land use, degree of vulnerability, cost and benefit, etc, and may be combination of the options rather than one approach. In terms of the response timing, the adaptation can be grouped as anticipatory and reactive ones. Generally it is more effective to consider both anticipatory and reactive adaptations at the same time for the impacts of future sea level rise. Due to the scientific uncertainty of climate change issues including sea level rise, the adaptation processes have to be designed to deal with a series of processes such as information md awareness establishment, planning and design implementation, and monitoring and evaluation in continuity and long-term period.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.288-298
• /
• 2016

Resveratrol acts as a free radical scavenger and a potent antioxidant in the inhibition of numerous reactive oxygen species (ROS). The function of resveratrol and resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles in protecting human lung cancer cells (A549) against hydrogen peroxide was investigated in this study. The 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assay was performed to evaluate the antioxidant properties. Resveratrol had substantially high antioxidant capacity (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity value) compared to trolox and vitamin E since the concentration of resveratrol was more than $50{\mu}M$. Nanoparticles prepared from ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin (${\beta}$-lg) were successfully developed. The ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticle showed 60 to 146 nm diameter in size with negatively charged surface. Non-cytotoxicity was observed in Caco-2 cells treated with ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticles. Fluorescein isothiocynate-conjugated ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticles were identified into the cell membrane of Caco-2 cells, indicating that nanoparticles can be used as a delivery system. Hydrogen peroxide caused accumulation of ROS in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles restored $H_2O_2$-induced ROS levels by induction of cellular uptake of resveratrol in A549 cells. Furthermore, resveratrol activated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-Kelch ECH associating protein 1 (Nrf2-Keap1) signaling in A549 cells, thereby accumulation of Nrf2 abundance, as demonstrated by western blotting approach. Overall, these results may have implications for improvement of oxidative stress in treatment with nanoparticles as a biodegradable and non-toxic delivery carrier of bioactive compounds.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.309-315
• /
• 2005

In this study, the bacterial regrowth characteristics in drinking water were investigated for various nutrient concentrations and forms using improved BRP method as a traditional approach and specific regrowth rate as a new index. The results of bacterial regrowth potential for glucose and $NH_4^+-N$, which was evaluated by BRP method as a traditional index, appeared to be higher relative to that of acetate or humic acids as carbon source and $NO_2^--N\;or\;NO_3^--N$ as nitrogen sources, respectively. The results obtained by specific regrowth rate as a new index were similar to that of BRP method with respect to the nutrient conditions examined in this study; i.e., the specific regrowth rate for glucose(ranged from 0.005 to $0.082\;hr^{-1}$) was feater than that acetate and humic acids(ranged from 0.005 to $0.068\;hr^{-1}$ and from 0.005 to $0.008\;hr^{-1}$, respectively). And specific regrowth rate for $NH_4^+-N$ (ranged from 0.008 to $0.072\;hr^{-1}$) was feater than that $NO_2^--N\;and\;NO_3^--N$ (ranged from 0.008 to $0.055\;hr^{-1}$ and from 0.008 to $0.059\;hr^{-1}$, respectively). Therefore, specific regrowth rate can be applied in order to evaluate the bacterial regrowth potential in drinking water.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.10
• /
• pp.4331-4338
• /
• 2014

$N^1$-(2, 5-dimethoxyphenyl)-$N^8$-hydroxyoctanediamide (N25) is a novel SAHA cap derivative of HDACi, with a patent (No. CN 103159646). This invention is a hydroxamic acid compound with a structural formula of $RNHCO(CH_2)6CONHOH$ (wherein R=2, 5dimethoxyaniline), a pharmaceutically acceptable salt which is soluble. In the present study, we investigated the effects of N25 with regard to drug distribution and molecular docking, and anti-proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycling, and $LD_{50}$. First, we designed a molecular approach for modeling selected SAHA derivatives based on available structural information regarding human HDAC8 in complex with SAHA (PDB code 1T69). N25 was found to be stabilized by direct interaction with the HDAC8. Anti-proliferative activity was observed in human glioma U251, U87, T98G cells and human lung cancer H460, A549, H1299 cells at moderate concentrations ($0.5-30{\mu}M$). Compared with SAHA, N25 displayed an increased antitumor activity in U251 and H460 cells. We further analyzed cell death mechanisms activated by N25 in U251 and H460 cells. N25 significantly increased acetylation of Histone 3 and inhibited HDAC4. On RT-PCR analysis, N25 increased the mRNA levels of p21, however, decreased the levels of p53. These resulted in promotion of apoptosis, inducing G0/G1 arrest in U251 cells and G2/M arrest in H460 cells in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner. In addition, N25 was able to distribute to brain tissue through the blood-brain barrier of mice ($LD_{50}$: 240.840mg/kg). In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that N25 will provide an invaluable tool to investigate the molecular mechanism with potential chemotherapeutic value in several malignancies, especially human glioma.

• The Journal of Information Systems
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.247-284
• /
• 2017

Purpose The first purpose of this study is to investigate factors that are likely to influence user's intention to adopt third-party mobile payment platform. A comprehensive study about mobile payment services have used various variables to explain user's use intention based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA) or the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Variables such as simplicity, security, costs, relative advantage, individual mobility, subjective norm, trust, satisfaction, attitude towards use, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and so on. Among these factors, we expect to find out the most influential factors effecting user's use intention of the third-party mobile payment services. Second, we also examine whether the most influential factors have the same influence to different third-party mobile payment services by conducting comparative study of Alipay and WeChat Pay. Design/methodology/approach Empirical data for this study were collected from Chinese who has the experience using or have used Alipay or WeChat Pay. Participants needed to be familiar with Alipay or WeChat Pay because such users may be more aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of Alipay and WeChat Pay. We conduct a pilot test using Smart PLS 2.0, which includes 50 Alipay users and 82 WeChat Pay users. The result indicates that all the measurement fit for the context. And then 980 questionnaires were mainly sent out to the college students and the e-mails users randomly. To encourage participation, we give the participants a small gift as a present. Finally, we received a total of 683 replied. Data from respondents who gave incomplete or invalid answers were excluded to assure the validity of the constructs. 79 questionnaires were rejected, finally the valid data are 604 (with 372 Alipay users and 232 WeChat Pay users). Findings The results suggest that users' intention is determined by their trust on third-party mobile payment service and perceived usefulness of use. Comparative study results also indicated that the factors have different influence on Alipay group and WeChat Pay group, which offers a new aspect for academic field, and provides useful information to mobile payment service providers in China.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.589-598
• /
• 2000

A pilot-scale Spray Drying Sorber (SDS) system was set up to evaluate the effect of spray characteristics on the desulfurization yield. The size distribution and the Sauter Mean Diameters of slurry droplets were measured in advance using the optical size measurement system, Malvern 2600. The desulfurization yield of the drying chamber by size was measured for the conditions of inlet gas and spray injection. As a reagent, 10% limestone slurry of $Ca(OH)_2$ was treated with flue gas containing $SO_2$, and the combustion gas analyzer and gas detectors were attached to measure the $SO_2$ concentration. With a flow rate of 144 Nm3/h and a temperature range of $200{\sim}300^{\circ}C$, the experiments were performed for the Stoichiometric Ratio (SR) of 1.0 to 3.0 and droplet mean diameter of 6.5 to $34.3{\mu}m$. In case of smaller spray droplets, the desulfurization efficiency improved due to the increase of total droplet surface area, while the reduction in evaporation time reduced the contact time between the droplets and $SO_2$ gas. In some typical region of droplet diameter, this negative effect, reduction of contact time, became dominant and the desulfurization yield decreases the desulfurization yield in spite of the expansion in absorption area. These results revealed that there exists the optimal size of spray droplets for a given state, which is determined by the compromise between the total surface area of slurry droplets and the evaporation time of droplets. The measurements also indicated that the inlet temperature of flue gas changes the optimal injection condition by varying the driving force for evaporation. The results confirm that the effect of the evaporation time of slurry droplets should be considered in analyzing the desulfurization yield as well as the total surface area, for it is a significant aspect of the correlation with the capabilities of $SO_2$ absorption in wet droplets. In conclusion, the optimal condition of spray can be determined based on these results, which might be applied to design or scale-up of SDS system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2012.02a
• /
• pp.96-97
• /
• 2012

In nitride and oxide film deposition, sputtered metals react with nitrogen or oxygen gas in a vacuum chamber to form metal nitride or oxide films on a substrate. The physical properties of sputtered films (metals, oxides, and nitrides) are strongly influenced by magnetron plasma density during the deposition process. Typical target power densities on the magnetron during the deposition process are ~ (5-30) W/cm2, which gives a relatively low plasma density. The main challenge in reactive sputtering is the ability to generate a stable, arc free discharge at high plasma densities. Arcs occur due to formation of an insulating layer on the target surface caused by the re-deposition effect. One current method of generating an arc free discharge is to use the commercially available Pinnacle Plus+ Pulsed DC plasma generator manufactured by Advanced Energy Inc. This plasma generator uses a positive voltage pulse between negative pulses to attract electrons and discharge the target surface, thus preventing arc formation. However, this method can only generate low density plasma and therefore cannot allow full control of film properties. Also, after long runs ~ (1-3) hours, depends on duty cycle the stability of the reactive process is reduced due to increased probability of arc formation. Between 1995 and 1999, a new way of magnetron sputtering called HIPIMS (highly ionized pulse impulse magnetron sputtering) was developed. The main idea of this approach is to apply short ${\sim}(50-100){\mu}s$ high power pulses with a target power densities during the pulse between ~ (1-3) kW/cm2. These high power pulses generate high-density magnetron plasma that can significantly improve and control film properties. From the beginning, HIPIMS method has been applied to reactive sputtering processes for deposition of conductive and nonconductive films. However, commercially available HIPIMS plasma generators have not been able to create a stable, arc-free discharge in most reactive magnetron sputtering processes. HIPIMS plasma generators have been successfully used in reactive sputtering of nitrides for hard coating applications and for Al2O3 films. But until now there has been no HIPIMS data presented on reactive sputtering in cluster tools for semiconductors and MEMs applications. In this presentation, a new method of generating an arc free discharge for reactive HIPIMS using the new Cyprium plasma generator from Zpulser LLC will be introduced. Data (or evidence) will be presented showing that arc formation in reactive HIPIMS can be controlled without applying a positive voltage pulse between high power pulses. Arc-free reactive HIPIMS processes for sputtering AlN, TiO2, TiN and Si3N4 on the Applied Materials ENDURA 200 mm cluster tool will be presented. A direct comparison of the properties of films sputtered with the Advanced Energy Pinnacle Plus + plasma generator and the Zpulser Cyprium plasma generator will be presented.