• Title/Summary/Keyword: Reduction of Energy

Search Result 5,085, Processing Time 0.042 seconds

Photoimmunology -Past, Present and Future-

  • Daynes, Raymond A.;Chung, Hun-Taeg;Roberts, Lee K.
    • The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
    • /
    • v.21 no.3
    • /
    • pp.311-329
    • /
    • 1986
  • The experimental exposure of animals to sources of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) which emit their energy primarily in the UVB region (280-320nm) is known to result in a number of well-described changes in the recipient's immune competence. Two such changes include a depressed capacity to effectively respond immunologically to transplants of syngeneic UVR tumors and a markedly reduced responsiveness to known inducers of delayedtype (DTH) and contact hypersensitivity (CH) reactions. The results of experiments that were designed to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for UVR-induced immunomodulation have implicated: 1) an altered pattern of lymphocyte recirculation, 2) suppressor T cells(Ts), 3) deviations in systemic antigen presenting cell (APC) potential. 4) changes in the production of interleukin-1-like molecules, and 5) the functional inactivation of epidermal Langerhans cells in this process. The exposure of skin to UVR, therefore, causes a number of both local and systemic alterations to the normal host immune system. In spite of this seeming complexity and diversity of responses, our recent studies have established that each of the UVR-mediated changes is probably of equal importance to creating the UVR-induced immunocompromised state. Normal animals were exposed to low dose UVR radiation on their dorsal surfaces under conditions where a $3.0\;cm^2$ area of skin was physically protected from the light energy. Contact sensitization of these animals with DNFB, to either the irradiated or protected back skin, resulted in markedly reduced CH responses. This was observed in spite of a normal responsiveness following the skin sensitization to ventral surfaces of the UVR-exposed animals. Systemic treatment of the low dose UVR recipients with the drug indomethacin (1-3 micrograms/day) during the UVR exposures resulted in a complete reversal of the depressions observed following DNFB sensitization to "protected" dorsal skin while the altered responsiveness found in the group exposed to the skin reactive chemical through directly UVR-exposed sites was maintained. These studies implicate the importance of EC as effective APC in the skin and also suggest that some of the systemic influences caused by UVR exposure involve the production of prostaglandins. This concept was further supported by finding that indomethacin treatment was also capable of totally reversing the systemic depressions in CH responsiveness caused by high dose UVR exposure (30K joules/$m^2$) of mice. Attempts to analyze the cellular mechanisms responsible established that the spleens of all animals which demonstrated altered CH responses, regardless of whether sensitization was through a normal or an irradiated skin site, contained suppressor cells. Interestingly, we also found normal levels of T effector cells in the peripheral lymph nodes of the UVR-exposed mice that were contact sensitized through normal skin. No effector cells were found when skin sensitization took place through irradiated skin sites. In spite of such an apparent paradox, insight into the probable mechanisms responsible for these observations was provided by establishing that UVR exposure of skin results in a striking and dose-dependent blockade of the efferent lymphatic vessels in all peripheral lymph nodes. Therefore, the afferent phases of immune responses can apparently take place normally in UVR exposed animals when antigen is applied to normal skin. The final effector responses, however, appear to be inhibited in the UVR-exposed animals by an apparent block of effector cell mobility. This contrasts with findings in the normal animals. Following contact sensitization, normal animals were also found to simultaneously contain both antigen specific suppressor T cells and lymph node effector cells. However, these normal animals were fully capable of mobilizing their effector cells into the systemic circulation, thereby allowing a localization of these cells to peripheral sites of antigen challenge. Our results suggest that UVR is probably not a significant inducer of suppressor T-cell activity to topically applied antigens. Rather, UVR exposure appears to modify the normal relationship which exists between effector and regulatory immune responses in vivo. It does so by either causing a direct reduction in the skin's APC function, a situation which results in an absence of effector cell generation to antigens applied to UVR-exposed skin sites, inhibiting the capacity of effector cells to gain access to skin sites of antigen challenge or by sequestering the lymphocytes with effector cell potential into the draining peripheral lymph nodes. Each of these situations result in a similar effect on the UVR-exposed host, that being a reduced capacity to elicit a CH response. We hypothesize that altered DTH responses, altered alloresponses, and altered graft-versus-host responses, all of which have been observed in UVR exposed animals, may result from similar mechanisms.

  • PDF

Microscopic Observation of Pellets Fabricated with Torrefied Larch and Tulip Tree Chips and Effect of Binders on the Durability of the Pellets (반탄화 낙엽송 및 백합나무 칩으로 제조한 펠릿의 현미경 관찰과 펠릿의 내구성에 대한 바인더의 영향)

  • Park, Dae-Hak;Ahn, Byung Jun;Kim, Sang Tae;Lee, Jae-Won;Han, Gyu-Seong;Yang, In
    • Korean Chemical Engineering Research
    • /
    • v.53 no.2
    • /
    • pp.224-230
    • /
    • 2015
  • This study was conducted to investigate the effects of several variables on the durability of wood pellets fabricated with torrefied larch (LAR) and tulip tree (TUT) chips. Microscopic observation by scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer was also performed to identify the surface of the wood pellets visually. In addition, torrefied-LAR and TUT pellets were fabricated with the addition of moisture, lignin, starch and protein as binders, and durabilities of the pellets were analyzed statistically. Durabilities of torrefied-LAR and TUT pellets were lower than one of non-torrefied-LAR and TUT pellets. Durabilities of both pellets fabricated with the wood chips, which were torrefied with $230^{\circ}C$ and 30 min, were the highest among all torrefaction conditions used in this study. From the microscopic observations, lignin was distributed broadly on the surface of non-torrefied wood pellets, whereas congregated partially on the surface of torrefied wood pellets. Durability of LAR pellets increased with the addition of moisture, but that of TUT pellets was reduced. Addition of binders contributed to increase the durability of LAR and TUT pellets. As a binder, lignin and protein were more effective than starch for improving the durability. In conclusion, mild torrefaction treatment, such as $230^{\circ}C$ and 30 min, might be an optimal condition to minimize the durability reduction of the LAR and TUT pellets. In addition, when torrefied woody materials with high and low specific gravities are used as a raw material for the production of durable wood pellets, it might be required to adjust moisture content and torrefaction conditions of woody materials, respectively.

Some Factors Affecting Bone Mineral Status of Postmenopausal Women (폐경 후 여성의 골격상태에 영향을 미치는 요인분석)

  • 오세인;이행신;이미숙;김초일;권인순;박상철
    • Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
    • /
    • v.7 no.1
    • /
    • pp.121-129
    • /
    • 2002
  • Osteoporosis, the typical metabolic bone disease of the elderly, is characterized by a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk. Genetic and environmental factors are known to play a key role in bone metabolism, and diet is also considered to be one of the important factors. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship among the factors affecting BMD, including stature, body weight, age, time period since onset of menopause, and biochemical markers of bone turnover in postmenopausal women. Seventy-eight postmenopausal women who visited health promotion center for health examinations volunteered to participate in this study and they were divided into two groups according to the time period since onset of menopause : women with a time period since onset of menopause of less than 5 years (Group 1) and women with a time period since onset of menopause of 5 years or more (Group 2). The demographic characteristics and dietary intake were surveyed using a questionnaire. BMDs of the lumbar spine and femoral neck of subjects were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH), known to be indicators of bone related hormone status, were anlyzed. Serum samples were measured for calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin as bone formation indicators, and urine was analysed for deoxypyridinoline, creatinine, calcium, and sodium as bone resorption indicators. The results are as follow : The mean BMDs of the lumbar spin and femoral neck were $1.02 \pm 0.02 g/cm^2 and 0.81 \pm 0.02 g/cm^2 respectively, and the BMD level of Group 2 was significantly lower than tat of Group 1 (p<0.01, p<0.05, respectively). The mean daily intake of energy was 1838 $\pm$ 55 kcal. When nutrient intake was compared with the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of the subjects, only calcium, vitamin A and riboflavin intake showed means lower than the RDA. The nutrient intake did not show any significant differences between Group 1 and 2 Serum and urine levels of biochemical markers of bone turnover did not show any significant differences between Group 1 and 2, and all were within the normal range. However, the PTH and deoxypyridinoline levels showed a tendency to be higher, and the osteocalcin level to be lower in Group 2 than in Group 1. Although age and years after menopause (YAM) showed negative correlations with lumbar spine bone mineral density (LBMD) (r= -0.38, p<0.001, and r= -0.26, p< 0.05, respectively), no correlation was found with femoral neck bone mineral density (NBMD). While height, body weight and body mass index (BMI) showed a positive correlation with LBMD (r= 0.32, p<0.001, r= 0.38, p<0.001, r= 0.22, p= 0.05, respectively), only body weight and BMI showed a positive correlation with NBMD (r= 0.30, p<0.01, and r= 0.27, p<0.05, respectivley). There was no significant corealtion between BMDs and the nutrient intake of subjects, except in the case of carbohydrates (r= 0.22, p<0.05). Also, serum and urine levels of bone turnover markers showed no significant correlation with nutrient intake. On the other hand, serum osteocalcin had a positive correlation with vitamin C intake (r= 0.22, p= 0.05), and urine deoxypyridinolin showed a negative correlation with niacin intake (r= -0.22, p= 0.05). Urinary na was negatively correlated with protein intake(r= -0.23, p= 0.05). The results suggested that it is difficult to prevent the decrease in bone mass among postmenopausal women eating the usual Korean diet. However, the BMDs of the lumbar spine and femoral neck were positively related to body weight ad BMI in postmenopausal women. Therefore, this study confirmed that one of the most effective ways to minimize bone loss in postmenopausal women would be to maintain an adequate body weight with balanced nutrient intake and activity in the pre-and postmenopausal periods.

The Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of Medical Nutrition Therapy for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (제2형 당뇨병환자에서 임상영앙치료의 임상적 효과와 비용효과 연구)

  • Cho, Youn-Yun;Lee, Moon-Kyu;Jang, Hak-Chul;Rha, Mi-Yong;Kim, Ji-Young;Park, Young-Mi;Sohn, Cheong-Min
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
    • /
    • v.41 no.2
    • /
    • pp.147-155
    • /
    • 2008
  • Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is considered a keystone of medical treatment of chronic diseases. However, only few studies have evaluated medical and economical outcome of MNT. The study was performed on the patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus to evaluate the effect of clinical and cost-effective outcomes of MNT. Subjects from two general hospitals were randomly assigned to two different groups; One receiving basic nutritional education (BE) (n = 35), and the other receiving intensive nutritional education (IE) (n = 32) for a 6-month clinical trial. The group which received BE had a single visit with a dietitian, while the other group which received IE had an initial visit with a dietitian addition to two visits during the first 4 weeks of the study periods. Anthropometric parameters, blood components, and dietary intake were measures at the beginning of study period and after 6 month. Cost-effective analysis included direct labor costs, educational materials and medication cost difference during 6 months. After 6 month, subjects from IE group showed significant reduction of body weight (p <0.05) and systolic blood pressure (p <0.05), whereas BE group did not show any significant changes. Result from biochemical indices showed glycated hemoglobin concentration was significantly reduced by 0.7% (p <0.05) only in the IE group. The ratio of energy intake to prescribed energy intake decreased significantly in both groups (p <0.05). Mean time taken for a dietitian to educate the subject was 67.9 ${\pm}$ 9.3 min/person for BE group, while 96.4 ${\pm}$ 12.2 min/person for IE group. Mean number of educational materials was 1.9 ${\pm}$ 0.7/person for BE group and 2.5 ${\pm}$ 0.7/person for IE group. Change in glycated hemoglobin level along the 6 month period of study can be achieved with an investment of \88,510/% by implementing BE and \53,691/% by implementing IE. Considering the net cost-effect of blood glucose control and HbA Ic, IE which provides MNT by dietitian had a cost efficiency advantage than that of BE. According to this study, MNT provided by dietitian had a significant improvements in medical and clinical outcomes compared to that of BE intervention. Therefore, MNT protocol should be performed by systemic intensive nutrition care by dietitian in clinical setting to achieve good therapeutic results of DM with lower cost.

The Construction and Application of Planning Support System for the Sustainable Urban Development (지속가능한 도시개발을 위한 계획지원시스템의 구축과 활용에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Hee-Yeon
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
    • /
    • v.42 no.1 s.118
    • /
    • pp.133-155
    • /
    • 2007
  • The sustainable urban development has emerged as a new paradigm of urban studies in recent years. A review of the literature of land use and transport policies in relation to sustainable development reveals a consensus that the main objectives of sustainable strategy should decrease the numbers and length of journeys, and change the land use pattern towards mixed use and high density. However, there is a lack of empirical research as to what types of policies might influence effectively the reduction in the energy consumption and emission of $CO_2$. in order to sustain urban development. This paper tries to construct the conceptual structure of the PSS(planning support system), which is designed to the simulation of the probable effects of policies and planning of different kinds in cities, and evaluate the sustainablilty level according to construct the structure of the PSS(planning support system), which is designed to the simulation of the probable effects of policies and planning of different kinds in cities, and evaluate the sustainablilty level according to the alternative scenarios. The PSS is composed of three components (input-modeling-output). The core of PSS is integrating land use-transport-environment modeling. The advantages of integrating land use-transport-environment modeling are well known, but there are very few such integrated modeling packages in practice. So this paper tries to apply TRANUS software, which is an integrated land use and transport model. The TRANUS system was calibrated to city of Yongin for the base year. The purpose of the application of TRANUS to Yongin is to examine the operability of TRANUS system in Korea. From the outputs and results of operating the system, TRANUS may be effectively used to evaluate the effects of alternative sustainable urban development policies, since sustainablilty indicators can be extracted from several aspects such as land use consumption, total trips, distance and cost, energy consumption, ratio of transport split.

Effect of Additives on Paper Aging (종이 첨가제가 종이의 노화에 미치는 영향)

  • 윤병호;이명구;최경화
    • Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
    • /
    • v.21 no.2
    • /
    • pp.25-33
    • /
    • 2002
  • One of the critical problems to preserve books and documents in libraries and archives is the deterioration. Some of previous results showed that the major cause of paper deterioration was the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the cellulose in paper fibres and aging rate of acidic paper was faster than that of alkaline paper. Therefore, It is necessary to remove the acid in the paper for reducing the rate of paper deterioration. It has been reported to extend the useful life of acidic paper by three to five times. Recently, It has been recognized the need for an effective method of deacidifying large quantities of books and document. However, in the previous many reports little attention was paid to the effect of paper additives. In this paper, We carried out experiment about the effect of additives on paper aging and the effect of deacidification by the gaseous ethanolamines (monoehtanolamine, diethanolamine, triehtanolamine). In result, it was found that the strength of aging was in the order of the alum+rosin>alum >AKD> control and the rate of deacidification was in the order of the monoethanolamine>diethanolamine>triethanolamine. The treatment with the gaseous ethanolamines caused decreasing of brightness and dropping of fold endurances. However, deacidification by combination treatment of the various gaseous ehtnaolamines prevented from decreasing of brightness and dropping of folding endurances.

  • PDF

Structure and Variation of Tidal Flat Temperature in Gomso Bay, West Coast of Korea (서해안 곰소만 갯벌 온도의 구조 및 변화)

  • Lee, Sang-Ho;Cho, Yang-Ki;You, Kwang-Woo;Kim, Young-Gon;Choi, Hyun-Yong
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
    • /
    • v.10 no.1
    • /
    • pp.100-112
    • /
    • 2005
  • Soil temperature was measured from the surface to 40 cm depth at three stations with different heights in tidal flat of Gomso Bay, west coast of Korea, for one month in every season 2004 to examine the thermal structure and the variation. Mean temperature in surface layer was higher in summer and lower in winter than in lower layer, reflecting the seasonal variation of vertically propagating structure of temperature by heating and cooling from the tidal flat surface. Standard deviation of temperature decreased from the surface to lower layer. Periodic variations of solar radiation energy and tide mainly caused short term variation of soil temperature, which was also intermittently influenced by precipitation and wind. Time series analysis showed the power spectral energy peaks at the periods of 24, 12 and 8 hours, and the strongest peak appeared at 24 hour period. These peaks can be interpreted as temperature waves forced by variations of solar radiation, diurnal tide and interaction of both variations, respectively. EOF analysis showed that the first and the second modes resolved 96% of variation of vertical temperature structure. The first mode was interpreted as the heating antl cooling from tidal flat surface and the second mode as the effect of phase lag produced by temperature wave propagation in the soil. The phase of heat transfer by 24 hour period wave, analyzed by cross spectrum, showed that mean phase difference of the temperature wave increased almost linearly with the soil depth. The time lags by the phase difference from surface to 10, 20 and 40cm were 3.2,6.5 and 9.8 hours, respectively. Vertical thermal diffusivity of temperature wave of 24 hour period was estimated using one dimensional thermal diffusion model. Average diffusivity over the soil depths and seasons resulted in $0.70{\times}10^{-6}m^2/s$ at the middle station and $0.57{\times}10^{-6}m^2/s$ at the lowest station. The depth-averaged diffusivity was large in spring and small in summer and the seasonal mean diffusivity vertically increased from 2 cm to 10 cm and decreased from 10 cm to 40 cm. Thermal propagation speeds were estimated by $8.75{\times}10^{-4}cm/s,\;3.8{\times}10{-4}cm/s,\;and\;1.7{\times}10^{-4}cm/s$ from 2 cm to 10 cm, 20 cm and 40 cm, respectively, indicating the speed reduction with depth increasing from the surface.

The Study on the Reduction of Patient Surface Dose Through the use of Copper Filter in a Digital Chest Radiography (디지털 흉부 촬영에서 구리필터사용에 따른 환자 표면선량 감소효과에 관한 연구)

  • Shin, Soo-In;Kim, Chong-Yeal;Kim, Sung-Chul
    • Journal of radiological science and technology
    • /
    • v.31 no.3
    • /
    • pp.223-228
    • /
    • 2008
  • The most critical point in the medical use of radiation is to minimize the patient's entrance dose while maintaining the diagnostic function. Low-energy photons (long wave X-ray) among diagnostic X-rays are unnecessary because they are mostly absorbed and contribute the increase of patient's entrance dose. The most effective method to eliminate the low-energy photons is to use the filtering plate. The experiments were performed by observing the image quality. The skin entrance dose was 0.3 mmCu (copper) filter. A total of 80 images were prepared as two sets of 40 cuts. In the first set (of 40 cuts), 20 cuts were prepared for the non-filter set and another 20 cuts for the Cu filter of signal + noise image set. In the second set of 40 cuts, 20 cuts were prepared for the non-filter set and another 20 cuts for the Cu filter of non-signal image (noisy image) with random location of diameter 4 mm and 3 mm thickness of acryl disc for ROC signal at the chest phantom. P(S/s) and P(S/n) were calculated and the ROC curve was described in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Accuracy were evaluated after reading by five radiologists. The number of optically observable lesions was counted through ANSI chest phantom and contrast-detail phantom by recommendation of AAPM when non-filter or Cu filter was used, and the skin entrance dose was also measured for both conditions. As the result of the study, when the Cu filter was applied, favorable outcomes were observed on, the ROC Curve was located on the upper left area, sensitivity, accuracy and the number of CD phantom lesions were reasonable. Furthermore, if skin entrance dose was reduced, the use of additional filtration may be required to be considered in many other cases.

  • PDF

Changes of Radiation Dose and Image Quality Due to Additional Filtration Material in Computed Radiography (Computed Radiography에서 Additional Filtration Material에 따른 Radiation Dose와 Image Quality의 변화)

  • Kwon, Soon-Mu;Cho, Hyung-Wook;Kang, Yeong-Han;Kim, Boo-Soon;Kim, Jung-Su
    • Journal of radiological science and technology
    • /
    • v.37 no.4
    • /
    • pp.239-246
    • /
    • 2014
  • Filter absorbs low-energy X-ray to increase the average energy and reduces patient exposure dose. This study investigates if the materials of Mo and W could be used for the digital imaging device CR by conducting image assessment and dose measurement of SNR, FOM and histogram. In addition, measurement of beam quality was conducted depending on the material of the filter, and at the same time, a proper combination of filters was examined depending on the change in tube voltage (kVp). In regard to entrance skin dose, Mo filter showed the dose reduction by 42~56%, compared to Cu filter. Moreover, Mo filter showed higher transmission dose by around 1.5 times than that of Cu filter. In image assessment, it was found that W was unsuitable to be used as a filter, whereas Mo could be used as a filter to reduce dose without decline in image quality at the tube voltage of 80 kVp or higher. As tube voltage increased, 2.0 mm Al+0.1 mm Mo almost had a similar histogram width to that of 2.0 mm Al+0.2 mm Cu. Therefore, Mo filter can be used at relatively high tube voltage of 80 kVp, 100 kVp and 120 kVp. The SNR of 2.0 mm Al+0.1 mm Mo did not show any significant difference from those of 2.0 mm Al+0.2 mm Cu and 2.0 mm Al+0.1 mm Cu. As a result, if Mo filter is used to replace Cu filter in general radiography, where 80 kVp or higher is used for digital radiation image, patient exposure dose can be reduced significantly without decline in image quality, compared to Cu filter. Therefore, it is believed that Mo filter can be applied to chest X-ray and high tube voltage X-ray in actual clinical practice.

AMP-activated Kinase Regulates Adipocyte Differentiation Process in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes Treated with Selenium (AMP-activated protein kinase가 셀레늄으로 처리된 3T3-L1 지방세포의 분화과정 억제에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Song-Yi;Hwang, Jin-Taek;Lee, Yun-Kyoung;Kim, Young-Min;Park, Ock-Jin
    • Journal of Life Science
    • /
    • v.19 no.4
    • /
    • pp.423-428
    • /
    • 2009
  • Selenium was investigated using human origin preadipocytes to see whether it possesses preventive or therapeutic effects for obesity. Unveiling the potential of selenium in the reduction of adipogenesis can help predict the therapeutic capabilities of selenium in obesity. In the present study, the molecular mechanism of the inhibition of adipogenesis by selenium was explored to unravel the involvement of the AMP-activated protein kinase. There is emerging evidence that AMPK, a sensor of cellular energy status, is a possible molecular target of controlling adipocyte differentiation on the basis of discovery that AMPK is responsible for the major metabolic responses to exercise, and integration of nutritional and hormonal signals to modulate feeding behavior or energy expenditure in the hypothalamus. Treatment of selenium resulted in inhibition of the adipocyte differentiation process and induction of mature apoptosis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We hypothesized that selenium may exert anti-adipogenic potential though modulating AMPK. We have found that selenium significantly activated AMPK and phosphorylated its substrate acetyl-CoA carboxylase ($ACC-serine^{79}$) during the inhibitory process of adipocytes. Also, the inhibition process of adipocyte differentiation by selenium was comparable to either reveratrol or a synthetic AMPK activator, AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-${\beta}$-D-ribofuranoside). To evaluate the involvement of AMPK in anti-lipogensis, we applied AICAR and Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, to 3T3-L1-adipocytes and found that AMPK is required for the adipocyte differentiation blocking process. These results suggest that selenium has a potential to control adipogenesis and that this effect is mediated by AMPK, an essential kinase for both inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and apoptosis of mature adipocytes.