• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.421-429
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• 2005

Purpose: It has been postulated that dopamine release in the striatum underlies the reinforcing properties of nicotine. Substantial evidence in the animal studies demonstrates that nicotine interacts with dopaminergic neuron and regulates the activation of the dopaminergic system. The aim of this study was to visualize the dopamine release by smoking in human brain using PET scan with $[^{11}C]raclopride$. Materials and Methods: Five male non-smokers or ex-smokers with an abstinence period longer than 1 year (mean age of $24.4{\pm}1.7$ years) were enrolled in this study $[^{11}C]raclopride$, a dopamine D2 receptor radioligand, was administrated with bolus-plus-constant infusion. Dynamic PET was performed during 120 minutes ($3{\times}20s,\;2{\times}60s,\;2{\times}120s,\;1{\times}180s\;and\;22{\times}300s$). following the 50 minute-scanning, subjects smoked a cigarette containing 1 mg of nicotine while in the scanner. Blood samples for the measurement of plasma nicotine level were collected at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, and 90 minute after smoking. Regions for striatal structures were drawn on the coronal summed PET images guided with co-registered MRI. Binding potential, calculated as (striatal-cerebellar)/cerebellar activity, was measured under equilibrium condition at baseline and smoking session. Results: The mean decrease in binding potential of $[^{11}C]raclopride$ between the baseline and smoking in caudate head, anterior putamen and ventral striatum was 4.7%, 4.0% and 7.8%, respectively. This indicated the striatal dopamine release by smoking. Of these, the reduction in binding potential in the ventral striatum was significantly correlated with the cumulated plasma level of the nicotine (Spearman's rho=0.9, p=0.04). Conclusion: These data demonstrate that in vivo imaging with $[^{11}C]raclopride$ PET could measure nicotine-induced dopamine release in the human brain, which has a significant positive correlation with the amount or nicotine administered bt smoking.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.53-66
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• 1997

Insulin resistance is a prominent feature of diabetic state and has heterogeneous nature. However, the pathogenetic sequence of events leading to the emergence of the defect in insulin action remains controversial. It is well-known that prolonged hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia are one of the causes of development of insulin resistance, but both hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia stimulate glucose uptake in peripheral tissue. Therefore, it is hypothesized that insulin resistance may be generated by a kind of protective mechanism preventing cellular hypertrophy. In this study, to evaluate whether the acutely increased glucose uptake inhibits further glucose transport stimulated by insulin, insulin sensitivity was measured after preloaded glucose infusion for 2 hours at various conditions in rats. And also, to evaluate the mechanism of decreased insulin sensitivity, insulin receptor binding affinity and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein of plasma membrane of gastrocnemius muscle were assayed after hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies. Experimental animals were divided into five groups according to conditions of preloaded glucose infusion: group I, basal insulin ($14{\pm}1.9{\mu}U/ml$) and basal glucose ($75{\pm}0.7mg/dl$), by normal saline infusion; group II, normal insulin ($33{\pm}3.8{\mu}U/ml$) and hyperglycemia ($207{\pm}6.3mg/dl$), by somatostatin and glucose infusion; group III, hyperinsulinemia ($134{\pm}34.8{\mu}U/ml$) and hyperglycemia ($204{\pm}4.6mg/dl$), by glucose infusion; group IV, supramaximal insulin ($5006{\pm}396.1{\mu}U/ml$) and euglycemia ($l00{\pm}2.2mg/dl$), by insulin and glucose infusion; group V, supramaximal insulin ($4813{\pm}687.9{\mu}U/ml$) and hyperglycemia ($233{\pm}3.1mg/dl$), by insulin and glucose infusion. Insulin sensitivity was assessed with hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique. The amounts of preloaded glucose infusion(gm/kg) were $1.88{\pm}0.151$ in group II, $2.69{\pm}0.239$ in group III, $3.54{\pm}0.198$ in group IV, and $4.32{\pm}0.621$ in group V. Disappearance rates of glucose (Rd, mg/kg/min) at steady state of hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies were $16.9{\pm}3.88$ in group I, $13.5{\pm}1.05$ in group II, $11.2{\pm}1.17$ in group III, $13.2{\pm}2.05$ in group IV, and $10.4{\pm}1.01$ in group V. A negative correlation was observed between amount of preloaded glucose and Rd (r=-0.701, p<0.001) when all studies were combined. Insulin receptor binding affinity and content of GLUT4 were not significantly different in all experimental groups. These results suggest that increased glucose uptake may inhibit further glucose transport and lead to decreased insulin sensitivity.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 1999

This study was carried out to investigate the general characteristics such as volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, sperm abnormality on whole semen, removed seminal plasma(RSP) semen and fractional semen of small dogs, and the effect of temperature and preservatio time and cryopreservation on motility of whole and removed seminal plasma semen. Multiple ejaculates were collected from small dogs by the digital manipulation of penis. 1. Average sperm concentration, sperm motility and abnormal sperm rates of whole semen and RSP semen were 5.07$\pm$2.32$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 95.42$\pm$2.65%, 4.42$\pm$0.157% and 4.69$\pm$3.27~4.25$\pm$3.65$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 91.17$\pm$3.85~88.52$\pm$3.85%, 6.57$\pm$0.43~5.54$\pm$0.52%, respectively. 2. Average semen volume per ejaculate, sperm concentration, sperm motility and abnormal sperm rate of 1st fractional semen were 0.92$\pm$0.7$m\ell$, 4.57$\pm$0.78$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 10.72$\pm$3.21% and 5.50$\pm$0.70%. Average semen volume per ejaculate, sperm concentration, sperm motility and abnormal sperm rate of 2nd fractional semen were 2. 14$\pm$0.19$m\ell$, 2.01$\pm$0.12$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 95.44$\pm$4.21% and 4.31$\pm$0.53%. Average semen volume per ejaculate, sperm concentration, sperm motility and abnormal sperm rate of 3rd fractional semen were 2.66$\pm$0.23$m\ell$, 2.35$\pm$0.21$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 90.71$\pm$2.63%, 6.33$\pm$0.91%, respectively. 3. Motility of whole semen and RSP semen were higher at 2$0^{\circ}C$ than at 4$^{\circ}C$ or 37$^{\circ}C$. When preservation temperature was 2$0^{\circ}C$, sperm motility were 98.32% at 1 hr, 92.15% at 5 hrs, 90.23% at 10 hrs 82.08% at 15 hrs 70.07% at 20 hrs 60.02% at 20 hrs 37.19% at 40 hrs respectively. 4. Average sperm motility of frozen 2nd fraction semen and RSP semen were 33.3$\pm$8.7, 54.7$\pm$9.5%, respectively. Sperm motility was significantly higher in frozen 2nd fraction semen and RSP semen compared with control group.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.279-287
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• 1995

The vertical profiles of natural ²¹⁰Pb, ²¹⁰Po and ²³⁴Th activities were measured for the upper 100 m of water column at three stations in the middle region of the Korean East Sea during May 1992. And the distribution of these radionuclides was discussed associated with the formation of warm eddy or water mass. The main thermocline was maintained between the depth of 50 and 100 m at the southern station (Sta. A1), and between the depth of 10 to 50 m at the coastal station of Sockcho (Sta. B10). Contrastingly, a main thermocline at Sta. A10, which locates near the center of warm eddy, was observed below 230 m depth. Between 50 and 220 m depth of Sta. A10 is there a relatively homogeneous water mass of 10.1${\pm}$0.5$^{\circ}C$, which is significantly higher in temperature and lower in nutrient than the other two stations. It seems to be due to sinking of the warm surface water in which nutrients were completely consumed. Both ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po show the highest concentration at Sta. A1 and the lowest at Sta. B10 among the three stations. Also, the ²¹⁰Pb activity is generally higher in the upper layer than in the lower layer, while ²¹⁰Po activity represents the reversed pattern at all three stations. At Sta. A1 and Sta. B10, the activities of ²¹⁰Po relative to its parent ²¹⁰Pb were deficient in the water column above the main thermocline, but were excess below the thermocline. However, the station near the center of warm eddy(Sta. A10), shows no excess of ²¹⁰Po in the depths below 50 m, although its defficiency is found in the upper layer like the other stations. At Sta. A1 and b10. ²³⁴Th activities are slightly lower in the surface mixed layer than in the deeper region However, at Sta. A10, ²³⁴Th activity in the upper 30 m is higher than below 50 m or in the same depth of the other stations, probably because of the high concentration of particulate matter. The residence time of ²¹⁰Po in the surface mixed layer at Sta. A10 is 0.4 year, much shorter than at the other two stations(about one year). Above 100 m depth, the residence times of ²³⁴Th range from 18 to 30 other two stations(about on year). Above 100 m depth, the residence times of ²³⁴Th range from 18 to 30 days at all stations, without significant regional variation. The percentages of recycled ²¹⁰Po within the thermocline are 39% and 92% at Sta. A1 and Sta. B10, respectively. Much higher value at Sta. B10 may be due to a thin thickness of the mixed layer as well as the slower recycling rate of ²¹⁰Po in the main thermocline.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.41-53
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• 2012

During rainfall period, to identify the characteristics of the infiltration of moisture, electrical resistivity monitering survey was carried out to weathered zone. Four regions of geophysical exploration areas with different rock types, four regions were selected. An area consists of mafic granite and three areas are composed of sedimentary rocks (Sandstone, Shale, Unconsolidated Mudstone). Survey was conducted from June (rainy season) to November (dry season), and during the period the change in resistivity was observed. According to the result of monitoring exploration on Geumjeong and Jinju areas, for the estimation of the standard rainfall, it is necessary to estimate the effects of the antecedent rainfall during the rainy season based on the overall rainfall from June till October and also necessary to consider this for the estimation of the half period. Also, the vertical distribution of the low resistivity anomaly zone does not show that the infiltration of moisture does not occur uniformly from the surface of the ground to the lower ground but shows that it occurs along the relaxed gap of the crack or soil stratum of the weathering zone. In Pohang area, the type of moisture infiltration is different from that of the granite or sedimentary rock. Since, after the rainfall, the rate of infiltration to the lower ground is high and the period of cultivation to the lower bedrock aquifer is short, it has similar effect to that of the antecedent rainfall applied for the estimation of the standard rainfall being presently used. In Danyang, due to the degree of water content of the ground, the duration period of the low resistivity anomaly zone observed in the lower ground of the place where clastic sedimentary rock is distributed is similar to that in Pohang area. The degree of lateral water diffusion at the time of localized heavy rain is the same as that of the sedimentary rock in Jinju. According to the above analysis results, in Danyang area, the period when the antecedent rainfall has its influence is estimated as three weeks or so.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.228-235
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• 2015

The efficiency and applicability of the solid phase extraction disk method in a ²²⁶Ra analysis were examined by the gamma ray spectrometer (GRS) method using a Marinelli beaker and the liquid scintillation counter (LSC) method for groundwater. The recovered ²²⁶Ra, which was filtered by the solid phase extraction disk, was analyzed using gamma ray spectrometer The disks, which were pretreated for caulking the daughter nuclide, were sealed with polyethylene film. Distilled water was used for the blank value of the ²²⁶Ra activity. The recovery values of ²¹⁴Bi and ²¹⁴Pb in the solid phase extraction disk, which used ²²⁶Ra standard material, were 80% (295.21 Kev) and 104% (351.92 Kev), respectively, which were higher than 75% determined by the LSC. The injection of nitrogen gas into the measuring chamber reduced the interference values by about 10%. The detection limits of the ²²⁶Ra activity in a blank sample of 5 L were 0.17~0.40 pCi/L after 80,000 seconds of measuring time. The relationship of the ²²⁶Ra activity in the solid phase extraction disk method and in the LSC method in seven groundwater samples showed a correlation coefficient value 0.987, which implies the applicability of the solid phase extraction disk method. The results showed that ²²⁶Ra activity in groundwater using the solid phase extraction disk method has the following benefits: simple pretreatment, time saving, high recovery values, a low detection limit, and so on. Compared with the LSC method and the GRS method using the Marinelli beaker for the ²²⁶Ra analysis, the solid phase extraction disk method could be useful in groundwater samples with low levels of activities of radionuclides because the method is not restricted by the volume of the sample.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.101-112
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• 2004

Chloride($Cl^-$) channels play critical roles in cell homeostasis and its specific functions such as volume regulation, differentiation, secretion, and membrane stabilization. The presence of these channels have been reported in all kinds of cells and even in frog oocytes. These essential role of $Cl^-$­ channels in cell homeostasis possibly play any role in egg homeostasis and in the early stage of development, however, there has been no report about the presence of $Cl^-$­ channel in the mammalian oocyte. This study was performed to elucidate the presence of $Cl^-$­ channels in hamster eggs. When allowing only $Cl^-$­ to pass through the channel of the egg membrane by using impermeant cation such as N-methyl-D-glucamine(NMDG), single channel currents were recorded. These channel currents showed typical long-lasted openings interrupted by rapid flickering. Mean open $time({\tau}o)$ was 43${\pm}$10.14 ms(n=9, at 50 mV). The open probability(Po) was decrease with depolarization. The current-voltage relation showed outward rectification. Outward slop conductance(32${\pm}$5.4 pS, n=22) was steeper than the inward slop conductance(10${\pm}$1.3 pS). Under the condition of symmetrical 140 mM NaCl, single channel currents were reversed at 0 mV(n=4). This reversal potential(Erev) was shifted from 0 mV at 140 mM concentration of internal NaCl(140 mM [Na+]i) to ­9.8${\pm}$0.5 mV(n=4) at 70 mM [Na+]i and 11.5${\pm}$1.9 mV at 280 mM [Na+]i(n=4) respectively, strongly suggesting that these are single $Cl^-$­ channel currents. To examine further whether this channel has pharmacological property of the $Cl^-$­ channel, specific Cl­ channel blockers, IAA-94(Indanyloxyacetic acid-94) and DIDS(4, 4'-diisothiocyan ostillben- 2-2'disulfonic acid) were applied. IAA-94 inhibited the channel current in a dose-dependent manner and revealed a rapid and flickering block. From these electrophysiological and pharmacological resluts, we found the novel $Cl^-$­ channel present in the hamster oocyte membrane. The first identification of $Cl^-$­ channel in the hamster oocyte may give a clue for the further study on the function of $Cl^-$­ channel in the fertilization and cell differentiation.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.101-122
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• 1997

A spiting reinforcement system is composed of a series of radially installed reinforcing spites along the perimeter of the tunnel opening ahead of excavation. The reinforcing spill network is extended into the in-situ soil mass both radially and longitudinally The sailing reinforcement system has been successfully used for the construction of underground openings to reinforce weak rock formations on several occasions. The application of this spiting reinforcement system is currently extended to soft ground tunneling in limited occasions because of lack of reliable analysis and design methods. A method of threetimensional limit equilibrium stability analysis of the smile-reinforced shallow tunnel in soft ground is presented. The shape of the potential failure wedge for the case of smile-reinforced shallow tunnel is assumed on the basis of the results of three dimensional finite element analyses. A criterion to differentiate the spill-reinforced shallow tunnel from the smile-reinforced deep tunnel is also formulated, where the tunnel depth, soil type, geometry of the tunnel and reinforcing spites, together with soil arching effects, are considered. To examine the suitability of the proposed method of threedimensional stability analysis in practice, overall stability of the spill-reinforced shallow tunnel at facing is evaluated, and the predicted safety factors are compared with results from twotimensional analyses. Using the proposed method of threetimensional limit equilibrium stability analysis of the smile-reinforced shallow tunnel in soft ground, a parametric study is also made to investigate the effects of various design parameters such as tunnel depth, smile length and wadial spill spacing. With slight modifications the analytical method of threeiimensional stability analysis proposed may also be extended for the analysis and design of steel pipe reinforced multi -step grouting technique frequently used as a supplementary reinforcing method in soft ground tunnel construction.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2011

The application of fibrous activated carbon (FAC)-titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) hybrid system has not been reported yet for the control of malodorous dimethyl sulfide (DMS) at residential environmental levels. Accordingly, the current study was designed not only to characterize this hybrid system using x-ray diffraction method, particulate surface measurement and Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) method, but also to evaluate its adsorptional photocatalytic activity (APA) for the DMS removal. The physical/surface characteristics of FAC-$TiO_2$ which was prepared in this study suggested that the hybrid material might have certain APA for DMS. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific area, total pore volume, micropore volume and mesopore volume decreased all as the $TiO_2$ amounts coated on FAC increased, whereas the reverse was true for average pore diameter. $TiO_2$ coated onto FAC did not influence the adsorptional activity of FAC for the DMS input concentration of 0.5 ppm. The APA test of the hybrid material presented that the initial removal efficiencies of DMS were 93, 78, 71 and 57% for the flow rates of 0.5, 1.0, l.5 and 2.0 L/min, respectively, and they decreased somewhat 2 h after the experiment started and kept almost constant for the rest experimental period. Under this pseudo-equilibrium condition, the DMS removal efficiencies were 78, 58, 53 and 36% for the four flow rates, respectively. Meanwhile, there were no significant byproducts observed on the surfaces of the hybrid material. Consequently, this study suggests that, under the experimental conditions used in the present study, the hybrid material can be applied for DMS at residential environment levels without being interfered by any byproducts.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.9-15
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• 2016

We investigated >$50-{\mu}m$ marine planktonic organisms (mainly zooplankton) using a bongo net in Masan Bay and Jangmok Bay in order to harvest 75% of natural communities based on Phase-II approval regulations by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The concentrated volume (in 1 ton) and abundance of zooplankton were $1.8{\times}10^7ind.ton^{-1}$ and $2.3{\times}10^7ind.ton^{-1}$, and their survival rates were 82.6% and 80.1%, respectively. The community structure in Jangmok Bay was similar to that in Masan Bay, and dominant species were adult and immature groups (stage IV) of genus Acartia. Harvested populations were inoculated in a 500-ton test tank. Although the population abundances were $6.0{\times}10^4ind.ton^{-1}$ for both bay samples, the mortality rates were higher in the Masan Bay population (32%) than the Jangmok Bay population (20%). We considered the reason to be that there were 30% more immature individuals of Acartia from Masan Bay than from Jangmok Bay. The younger population may have been greatly stressed by the moving process and netting gear. After applying a Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) using a sample form Jangmok Bay, the mortality rates in the treatment groups were found to be 100% after 0 days and 5 days, implying that the BWTS worked well. During the winter season, the zooplankton concentration method alone did not easily satisfy the approval standards of USCG Phase II (> $10{\times}10^4ind.ton^{-1}$ in the 500 ton tank). Increasing the netting frequency and additional fishing boats may be helpful in meeting the USCG Phase II biological criteria.