• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.611-618
• /
• 2020

Background: It is well recognized that gut microbiota is involved in the biotransformation of ginsenosides by converting the polar ginsenosides to nonpolar bioactive ginsenosides. However, the roles of the gut microbiota on the pharmacokinetics of ginsenosides in humans have not yet been fully elucidated. Methods: Red ginseng (RG) or fermented red ginseng was orally administered to 34 healthy Korean volunteers, and the serum concentrations of the ginsenosides were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In addition, the fecal ginsenoside Rd- and compound K (CK)eforming activities were measured. Then, the correlations between the pharmacokinetic profiles of the ginsenosides and the fecal ginsenoside-metabolizing activities were investigated. Results: For the RG group, the area under the serum concentratione-time curve values of ginsenosides Rd, F2, Rg3, and CK were 8.20 ± 11.95 ng·h/mL, 4.54 ± 3.70 ng·h/mL, 36.40 ± 19.68 ng·h/mL, and 40.30 ± 29.83 ng·h/mL, respectively. For the fermented red ginseng group, the the area under curve from zero to infinity (AUC_∞) values of ginsenosides Rd, F2, Rg3, and CK were 187.90 ± 95.87 ng·h/mL, 30.24 ± 41.87 ng·h/mL, 28.68 ± 14.27 ng·h/mL, and 137.01 ± 96.16 ng·h/mL, respectively. The fecal CK-forming activities of the healthy volunteers were generally proportional to their ginsenoside Rd-eforming activities. The area under the serum concentration-time curve value of CK exhibited an obvious positive correlation (r = 0.566, p < 0.01) with the fecal CK-forming activity. Conclusion: The gut microbiota may play an important role in the bioavailability of the nonpolar RG ginsenosides by affecting the biotransformation of the ginsenosides.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2011.08a
• /
• pp.293-294
• /
• 2011

It is known that semiconductor quantum-dot (QD) heterostructures have superior zero-dimensional quantum confinement, and they have been successfully applied to semiconductor laser diodes (QDLDs) for optical communication and infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) for thermal images [1]. The self-assembled QDs are normally formed at Stranski-Krastanov (S-K) growth mode utilizing the accumulated strain due to lattice-mismatch existing at heterointerfaces between QDs and cap layers. In order to increase the areal density and the number of stacks of QDs, recently, sub-monolayer (SML)-thick QDs (SQDs) with reduced strain were tried by equivalent thicknesses thinner than a wetting layer (WL) existing in conventional QDs (CQDs) by S-K mode. Despite that it is very different from CQDs with a well-defined WL, the SQD structure has been successfully applied to QDIP[2]. In this study, optical characteristics are investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) spectra taken from self-assembled InAs/GaAs QDs whose coverage are changing from submonolayer to a few monolayers. The QD structures were grown by using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on semi-insulating GaAs (100) substrates, and formed at a substrate temperature of 480$^{\circ}C$ followed by covering GaAs cap layer at 590$^{\circ}C$. We prepared six 10-period-stacked QD samples with different InAs coverages and thicknesses of GaAs spacer layers. In the QD coverage below WL thickness (~1.7 ML), the majority of SQDs with no WL coexisted with a small amount of CQDs with a WL, and multi-peak spectra changed to a single peak profile. A transition from SQDs to CQDs was found before and after a WL formation, and the sublevel of SQDs peaking at (1.32${\pm}$0.1) eV was much closer to the GaAs bandedge than that of CQDs (~1.2 eV). These revealed that QDs with no WL could be formed by near-ML coverage in InAs/GaAs system, and single-mode SQDs could be achieved by 1.5 ML just below WL that a strain field was entirely uniform.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.496-506
• /
• 2015

This study explored adequate water temperature ranges for maintaining stable water quality in a biofloc- based zero-water exchange culture system. Five experimental tanks with the following temperatures were set up: 10℃, 15℃, 20℃, 25℃, and 30℃. First, a biofloc-based culture system was developed in the experimental tanks; then, the tanks were stocked with goldfish and went without a water exchange for 60 days. Conditions for developing a biofloc-based culture system and stable water quality in low concentrations of inorganic nitrogen compounds at 10℃, 15℃, 20℃, 25℃, and 30℃ were maintained after 17, 26, 43, 68, and 78 days, respectively. Beginning from when the goldfish were stocked in the biofloc-based culture tanks, concentrations of $NH_4{^+}-N$ remained constant and at low levels at 10℃ and 15℃, but they showed a gradual increase at 20℃, 25℃, and 30℃. Concentrations of $NO_2{^-}-N$ and $NO_3{^-}-N$ at 10℃ and 15℃ did not remain at low levels and immediately increased. While $NO_2{^-}-N$ concentrations at above 20℃ remained constant and stable at relatively low levels, $NO_3{^-}-N$ concentrations showed a gradual increase. Conditions of 15℃ and below could not maintain low and stable concentrations of $NO_2{^-}-N$. In the pH range of 4.0 to 6.0, $NH_4{^+}-N$ concentration decreased as the pH rose. However, there was no correlation between pH and $NH_4{^+}-N$ concentration in the pH range of 6.0 to 8.0. These results indicate that pH levels should be kept at pH 6.0 and above to maintain a low and stable concentration of $NH_4{^+}-N$ at above 20℃.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.279-309
• /
• 2009

Greenhouse gas emissions should be precisely forecast to reduce the emissions from industrial production processes. This study calculated the direct and indirect $CO_2$ emission intensities of 401 industries using the Input-Output tables 2003 and statistical data on the amount of energy use. This study had some limitations in drawing study findings because overseas data were used given the lack of domestic data. Other limiting factors included the oil distribution problems in the oil refinery sector, re-review of carbon neutral, and insufficient consideration of waste treatment. Nonetheless, this study is very meaningful since the direct and indirect $CO_2$ emission intensities of 401 industries were calculated. Specifically, this study considered from the zero-waste perspective the effects of waste, which attract interest worldwide since coke gas and gas from the steel industry are obtained as byproducts for the first time in Korea. According to the results of the analysis of $CO_2$ emission intensity per industry, typical industries whose indirect $CO_2$ emission intensity is high include crude steel making, Remicon, steel wire rods & track rail, cast iron, and iron reinforcing rods & bar steel. These industries produce products using the raw materials produced in the industrial sector whose $CO_2$ emission intensity is high. The representative industries whose direct $CO_2$ emission intensity is high include cement, pig iron, lime & plaster products, andcoal-based compounds. These industries extract raw ore from nature and refine them into raw materials that are useful in other industries. The findings in this study can be effectively used for the following case: estimation of target $CO_2$ emission reduction level reflecting each industrial sector's characteristics, calculation of potential emission reduction of each policy to reduce $CO_2$ emissions, identification of a firm's $CO_2$ emission level, and setting of the target level of emission reduction. Moreover, the findings in this study can be utilized widely in fields such as System of integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting(SEEA) and Material Flow Analysis(MFA) as the current topic of research in Korea.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.217-223
• /
• 2003

Effects of temperature on the development and reproduction of the Luciola lateralis were investigated at various temperatures. The development time of eggs, larvae, and pupae were shorter at higher temperatures than at lower ones. The insect did not develop at 10$^{\circ}C$ and 35$^{\circ}C$. The hatchability was 61.5% at 15$^{\circ}C$, 73.9% at 20$^{\circ}C$, 93.3% at 23$^{\circ}C$, 91.8% at 25$^{\circ}C$, 74.0% at 27$^{\circ}C$, and 46.0% at 30$^{\circ}C$, indicating the best hatchability rate at the temperature condition of 23 DC. Larval periods were 341.5:t 23.2 days at 15$^{\circ}C$, 265.5${\pm}$17.5 days at 20$^{\circ}C$, and 250.9${\pm}$11.7 days at 25$^{\circ}C$. Pupal periods were 94.7${\pm}$11.5 days at 15$^{\circ}C$, 41.7${\pm}$9.1 days at 20$^{\circ}C$, and 18.5${\pm}$7A days at 25$^{\circ}C$. Emergence rate was 23.3, 89.3 and 80.7%, respectively at the above temperatures. Adult longevity of female was 18.0 days at 15$^{\circ}C$, 2004 days at 20$^{\circ}C$, 10.7 days at 25$^{\circ}C$, and 5.8 days at 30$^{\circ}C$. Mean fecundity per female was higher at 20$^{\circ}C$ compared with at other temperatures. The developmental zero point temperatures (1) and the total effect temperatures (I<) of egg, larva, pupa, and complete development were 10.6, 14.0, and l3.1$^{\circ}C$ and 214.8, 1,564.8, and 229.2 degree-days, respectively. Mean generation time in days (T) was shorter at higher temperature. Net reproductive rate per generation (Ra) was the lowest at the highest temperature as well as at the lowest, and it was 177.19 which was the highest at 23$^{\circ}C$. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r$\sub$m/) was highest at 27$^{\circ}C$ as 0.019. As a result, optimum range of temperature for L. lateralis growth was between 20-25$^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.37-43
• /
• 2015

Korea has four distinct seasons, showing hot and humidity in summer and cold weather lasted in winter. Domestic research on earth work has been developed according to the seasonal characteristics, and most of research topics have focused on the effect of freezing-thawing on the performance of geo-materials. However, the previous research was performed on the ground compacted at room temperature and therefore, the effect of the sub-zero temperature at the time of construction was not fully investigated. The ground characteristics compacted at freezing temperature can be different from those at room temperature and show different characteristics of strength and deformation caused by freezing and thawing. Therefore, the compaction tests on sandy materials were conducted under various temperature at $-3^{\circ}C$ and $-8^{\circ}C$ with various fine contents of 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% in weight fraction. The effectiveness of soil compaction at below-freezing temperatures were compared with the compaction at room temperature at $18^{\circ}C$ in terms of the maximum dry unit weight and optimum water contents. Based on the test results, the maximum dry unit weight tends to decrease with the freezing temperature and the relative compaction at $-8^{\circ}C$ can not be satisfied with general specification standard.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.61 no.2
• /
• pp.267-276
• /
• 2018

Objective : The beneficial effect of hypothermia after hemicraniectomy in malignant middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction has been controversial. We aim to investigate the safety and clinical efficacy of hypothermia after hemicraniectomy in malignant MCA infarction. Methods : From October 2012 to February 2016, 20 patients underwent hypothermia (Blanketrol III, Cincinnati Sub-Zero, Cincinnati, OH, USA) at $34^{\circ}C$ after hemicraniectomy in malignant MCA infarction (hypothermia group). The indication of hypothermia included acute cerebral infarction >2/3 of MCA territory and a Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score <11 with a midline shift >10 mm or transtentorial herniation sign (a fixed and dilated pupil). We retrospectively collected 27 patients, as the control group, who had undergone hemicraniectomy alone and simultaneously met the inclusion criteria of hypothermia between January 2010 and September 2012, before hypothermia was implemented as a treatment strategy in Dong-A University Hospital. We compared the mortality rate between the two groups and investigated hypothermia-related complications, such as postoperative bleeding, pneumonia, sepsis and arrhythmia. Results : The age, preoperative infarct volume, GCS score, National institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, and degree of midline shift were not significantly different between the two groups. Of the 20 patients in the hypothermia group, 11 patients were induced with hypothermia immediately after hemicraniectomy and hypothermia was initiated in 9 patients after the decision of hypothermia during postoperative care. The duration of hypothermia was $4{\pm}2days$ (range, 1 to 7 days). The side effects of hypothermia included two patients with arrhythmia, one with sepsis, one with pneumonia, and one with hypotension. Three cases of hypothermia were discontinued due to these side effects (one sepsis, one hypotension, and one bradycardia). The mortality rate of the hypothermia group was 15.0% and that of the control group was 40.7% (p=0.056). On the basis of the logistic regression analysis, hypothermia was considered to contribute to the decrease in mortality rate (odds ratio, 6.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 37.05; p=0.045). Conclusion : This study suggests that hypothermia after hemicraniectomy is a viable option when the progression of patients with malignant MCA infarction indicate poor prognosis.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.217-231
• /
• 2017

The subsidence of ground in urban area can be caused by the occurrence of the cavity and the change in ground volumetric water content. The objective of this study is the detection of abnormal area of ground in urban area where the cavity or the change in ground volumetric water content is occurred by the ground penetrating radar signal. GPR survey is carried out on the test bed with a circular buried object. From the GPR survey, the signals filtered by the bandpass filtering are measured, and the methods consisting of gain function, time zero, background removal, deconvolution and display gain are applied to the filtered signals. As a result of application of the signal processing methods, the polarity of signal corresponds with the relation of electrical impedance of the cavity and the ground in test bed. In addition, the relative permittivity calculated by GPR signal is compared with that of predicted by volumetric water content of the test bed. The relative permittivities obtained from two different methods show similar values. Therefore, the abnormal area where the change in ground volumetric water content is occurred can be detected from the results of the GPR survey in case the depth of underground utilities is known. Signal processing methods and estimation of relative permittivity performed in this study may be effectively used to detect the abnormal area of ground in urban area.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.221-244
• /
• 2014

We suggested several implications by examining geochemical properties of sediments in Simjeok, Jangdo, and Hwaeomneup mountain wetlands which are natural preservation areas. Geochemical properties of wetland sediments show that all wetlands were included in the type of fens, but their distribution patterns were different from one another. We classified three sub-groups of sediments using the two step cluster analysis on the ratio of exchangeable cations. Wetland sediments can be grouped into Ca-dominated, Mg-dominated, and K-dominated types. Simjeok wetland have Ca-dominated sediments, while the sediments of Jangdo wetland indicate the Mg-dominated and Ca-dominated characteristics. Hwaeomneup wetland is composed of K-dominated sediment mainly. Different properties in the ratio are affected by various environmental factors such as geological, pedological, and vegetational settings. Because these geochemical properties will be affected by climate change and human impacts, these will be environmental indicator in mountain wetlands and be used in wetland management. This scheme can be used for classification of mountain wetlands. Therefore, we should work on geochemical properties of wetland sediments and classification schemes based on geochemical properties not only to widen understanding in geomorphic system or ecosystem of mountain wetlands but to conserve mountain wetlands properly.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.355-361
• /
• 2012

Genus of Gambierdiscus, Ostrepsis, Prorocentrum, Coolia and Amphidinium are epiphytic ciguatoxin-producing armored dinoflagellate, often attached on macroalgae. These organisms are the primary causative agent of ciguatera fish poisoning which occurs in tropical and subtropical regions. However, regardless of the fact that population of epiphytic dinoflagellates have expanded to such temperate areas from sub-trophic and trophic areas, monitoring of the epiphytic dinoflagellates was greatly lacked in coastal water of Korean Peninsula. This study was performed in the Korean Peninsula in November, 2011. Cell densities of Gambierdiscus spp. on macroalgae ranged from zero to 10 cells $g^{-1}$ and the maximum density was recorded at St.18 (Pohang guryongpo). The abundance of Ostreopsis spp. was highest on macro-algaes Chondrus ocellatus, Lomentaria catenata and Plocamium telfairiae (140 cells $g^{-1}$). The maximum abundance of Prorocentrum, Coolia and Amphidinium were 52, 3 and 1 cells $g^{-1}$, respectively. Of these, Prorocentrum lima was observed at most stations of East Sea. Therefore, our results suggest that the epiphytic armored dinoflagellates may have adapted to Korean coastal water of temperate areas (i.e., East Sea) and those abundances may be related to the macroalgal species.