• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.513-520
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• 2016

It is well known that volatile compounds including disinfection by-products as well as emissive dissolved gas in water can be removed effectively by air stripping. The micro-bubbles of flotation unit are so tiny as microns while the diameter of fine bubbles applied to air stripping is ranged from hundreds to thousands of micrometer. Therefore, the micro-bubbles in flotation can supply very wide specific surface area to transfer volatile matters through gas-liquid boundary. In addition, long emission time also can be gained to emit the volatile compound owing to the slow rise velocity of micro-bubbles in the flotation tank. There was a significant difference of the THMs species removal efficiency between air stripping and flotation experiments in this study. Moreover, the results of comparative experiments on the removal characteristics of THMs between air stripping and flotation revealed that the mass transfer coefficient, $K_La$ showed obvious differences. To overcome the limit of low removal efficiency of dissolved volatile compounds such as THMs in flotation process, the operation range of bubble volume concentration is required to higher than the operation condition of conventional particle separation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.378-386
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a major cause of abnormal overgrowth of the prostate mainly in the elderly. Corni Fructus has been reported to be effective in the prevention and treatment of various diseases because of its strong antioxidant effect, but its efficacy against BPH is not yet known. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Corni Fructus water extract (CF) in testosterone-induced BPH rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: To induce BPH, rats were intraperitoneal injected with testosterone propionate (TP). Rats in the treatment group were orally administered with CF with TP injection, and finasteride, which is a selective inhibitor of $5{\alpha}$-reductase type 2, was used as a positive control. RESULTS: Our results showed that the increased prostate weight and histopathological changes in BPH model rats were suppressed by CF treatment. CF, similar to the finasteride-treated group, decreased the levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone by TP treatment in the serum, and it also reduced $5{\alpha}$-reductase expression and concentration in prostate tissue and serum, respectively. In addition, CF significantly blocked the expression of the androgen receptor (AR), AR co-activators, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in BPH rats, and this blocking was associated with a decrease in prostate-specific antigen levels in serum and prostate tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CF may weaken the BPH status through the inactivation of at least $5{\alpha}$-reductase and AR activity and may be useful for the clinical treatment of BPH.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.323-334
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• 2020

Adsorption by granule activated carbon(GAC) is recognized as an efficient method for the removal of perfluorinated compounds(PFCs) in water, while the poor regeneration and exchange cycles of granule active carbon make it difficult to sustain adsorption capacity for PFCs. In this study, the behavior of PFCs in the effluent of wastewater treatment plant (S), the raw water and the effluents of drinking water treatment plants (M1 and M2) located in Nakdong river waegwan watershed was monitored. Optimal regeneration and exchange cycles was also investigated in drinking water treatment plants and lab-scale adsorption tower for stable PFCs removal. The mean effluent concentration of PFCs was 0.044 0.04 PFHxS g/L, 0.000 0.00 PFOS g/L, 0.037 0.011 PFOA g/L, for S wastewater treatment plant, 0.023 0.073 PFHxS g/L, 0.000 0.00 PFOS g/L, 0.013 0.008 PFOA g/L for M1 drinking water treatment plant and 0.023 0.073 PFHxS g/L, 0.000 0.01 PFOS g/L, 0.011 0.009 PFOA g/L for M2 drinking water treatment plant. The adsorption breakthrough behaviors of PFCs in GAC of drinking water treatment plant and lab-scale adsorption tower indicated that reactivating carbon 3 times per year suggested to achieve and maintain good removal of PFASs. Considering the results of mass balance, the adsorption amount of PFCs was improved by using GAC with high-specific surface area (2,500㎡/g), so that the regeneration cycle might be increased from 4 months to 10 months even if powdered activated carbon(PAC) could be alternatives. This study provides useful insights into the removal of PFCs in drinking water treatment plant.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2012

Purpose: Toxic alcohols are responsible for accidental and suicide motivated poisonings, resulting in death or permanent sequelae for the afflicted patients. Major therapeutic modalities in these cases include treatment with alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitors and extracorporeal elimination. There have been a number of case reports of toxic alcohol intoxication in Korea. The purpose of this study was to review the clinical characteristics of patients suffering toxic alcohol intoxication. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who presented with toxic alcohol intoxication at 8 emergency departments (ED) from Jun 2005 to Nov 2011. Patients who ingested methanol, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, and other alcohols except ethanol, were included in this study. The clinical characteristics of these patients were analyzed to include anion and osmolar gap, and estimated concentration of alcohol in the body. Results: During the study period, 21 patients were identified who had ingested toxic alcohol (methanol; 12 patients, ethylene glycol; 9 patients). At ED arrival, the mean anion gap was $18.7{\pm}6.9$ and the osmolar gap was elevated in 13 patients. Oral and IV ethanol were administrated to 11 patients in order to inhibit alcohol dehydrogenase. Extracorporeal elimination procedures such as hemodialysis were performed in 9 patients. There were no fatalities, but the one patient suffered permanent blindness. Conclusion: This study found that ethylene glycol and methanol were the substances ingested which produced toxic alcohol intoxication. The patients presented with high anion gap metabolic acidosis and were typically treated with oral ethanol and hemodialysis.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.266-275
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• 2009

To develop new high-quality Yakchobugak, features of Lactococcus lactis-fermented waxy rice paste after addition of some colored powdered agro-food products were investigated. Total and reducing sugars of waxy rice paste fermented by lactic acid bacteria were higher than those of control raw waxy rice paste. Total acidity gradually increased as powder concentration rose, being 1.02-1.56% and 0.96-1.87% in samples fermented with Cucurbita maxima and Capsicum annuum powders, respectively; these values were 3-4 times those in rice fermented with other powders. Fermented waxy rice paste viscosities were lower than those of non-fermented samples. The viscosities of samples fermented with Curcuma longa and Opuntia ficus powders were in the range $100-160{\times}10^4$ centipoise($mPa{\cdot}s$), and those of pastes fermented with Robus coreanus and Camellia sinensis extracts were under $40{\times}10^4mPa{\cdot}s$. Hunter color lightness(L) values decreased and yellowness(b) values rose after fermentation. Waxy rice paste fermented with Robus coreanus showed uniform particle size distribution, and many pores, by scanning electron micrography.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.184-189
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• 2003

This research was conducted to determine the effect of mixing ratio of aquafarm waste water sludge (AWWS) in the growing medium as a source of fertilizers on growth of plug seedlings of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.). Increased mixing ratio of AWWS resulted in increased fresh and dry weights, leaf area, plant height, and total chlorophyll content, although there were slight differences in growth characteristics at 20 and 40 days after sowing. Concentration of AWWS affected insignificantly the percent dry matter, number of leaves, and length of the longest root. The addition of AWWS increased pH and decreased EC in the medium as compared to that of chemical fertilizer. Compared to the control of a liquid fertilizer, 4 or 8 kg AWWS${\cdot}45L^{-1}$ medium (Sludge 4) gave a similar or slightly better growth. Above results suggested that addition of about 4 kg AWWS${\cdot}45L^{-1}$medium is sufficient for seedling growth and the AWWS can be used as a substitute for the liquid fertilizer in plug seedling production.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4 s.92
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• pp.358-365
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• 2000

To evaluate the influences of stocking and removal of silver carp on plankton communities and physicochemical parameters, fish biomanipulation was conducted in six enclosures constructed on the coast of a hypertrophic lake during the summer of 1997. Of these, three enclosures were established for the fish-stocking experiment; one fishless enclosure used as a control and two enclosures with high and low densities of fish. The other three enclosures for the fish-removal experiment were prepared in an entirely converse process compared to that for fish stocking. The results of randomized intervention analysis (${\alpha}=0.05$) showed significant changes in several physicochemical parameters and plankton communities after fish stocking and removal. Fish stocking decreased water transparency, DO, pH and chi-a (> $40\;{\mu}m$), while increasing the concentration of nitrogen and chi-a (<$2\;{\mu}m$). However, water transparency did not increase by fish removal. Small plankton communities, such as picocyanobacteria, eukaryotic picoplankton and ciliates (<$2\;{\mu}m$) showed significant reciprocal changes after both fish treatments: increase by the presence of fish and decrease by the absence of fish. No count of large sized phytoplankton and zooplankton showed significant change in the presence of fish, while large zooplankton, Diaphanosoma, Cyclopida and nauplii were significantly increased by fish removal. Although the frequent heavy-winds and endless supply of phosphorus from the lake sediment strongly disturbed the fish behavior and enclosure management, the stocking and removal of silver carp showed an obvious reciprocal influences on plankton communities and its physico-chemical parameters in a shallow-hypertrophic lake.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.172-180
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• 2020

This study investigated retrospectively the correlation between the results of the N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and a routine blood test using a hospital information system. The NT-proBNP is involved in the pathophysiology of heart failure. The results show that the relationship between age and NT-proBNP was significant (P<0.01) with a positive correlation (r=0.163). The peptide concentration showed a negative correlation between the total protein (r=-0.250) and albumin (r=-0.270), and a negative correlation between the erythrocyte count and hemoglobin and hematocrit (P<0.01). NT-proBNP had a positive correlation with neutrophils (r=0.227) and a negative correlation with lymphocytes (r=-0.236), showing significant results (P<0.01). NT-proBNP and creatinine showed a positive correlation (r=0.594, P<0.01), and it was the most influential factor according to multiple regression analysis (B=0.53, t=7.65). P<0.01). The concentrations of NT-proBNP and uric acid showed a positive correlation (r=0.180, P<0.05). Lactate dehydrogenase was observed as a factor affecting the NT-proBNP (B=0.20, t=3.28, P<0.01). This explanatory power had an influence of 43%. Therefore, the accurate test and related factors of the NT-proBNP have significant clinical value.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.84-93
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• 2008

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) has received much attention in the last several years for the lithium secondary batteries. In this study, to enhance the porosity, PVdF was prepared by phase inversion method using as an additive, PEG (poly(ethylene glycol)), with N,N-dimethylformamid as a solvent. The pores are generated during the solvent and non-solvent exchange process in the coagulation bath filled with non-solvent (distilled water). The surface and cross-section of the membranes were observed with a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical property of the membrane was determined by using an universal testing machine (UTM) and thermal property was verified by heat shrinkage. Uniformed sponge structure of PVdF-PEG membrane for the lithium secondary batteries was prepared with 10 wt% of PEG concentration in the PVdF-PEG solution. Porosity, elongation and tensile strengh of the membrane were 87%, 75.45%, and 275. 27 MPa respectively.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.679-686
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• 2010

To investigate the contribution of macroalgae to biogeochemical nutrients and carbon cycles, we measured the uptake rates of nutrients and $CO_2$ by Undaria pinnatifida using an incubation method in an acrylic chamber. From January to March 2010, U. pinnatifida was sampled at Ilkwang, a well-known area of macroalgae culture in Korea. The initial and final concentrations of nutrients, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, and pH of the chamber water were measured, and production/uptake rates were calculated using concentration changes, chamber volume, and incubation time. The production rate of dissolved oxygen by U. pinnatifida (n = 32) was about $5.4{\pm}4.0\;{\mu}mol\;g_{fw}^{-1\;}h^{-1}$. The uptake rate of total dissolved inorganic carbon (TDIC), calculated by total alkalinity and pH, was $7.9{\pm}6.5\;{\mu}mol\;g_{fw}^{-1}\;h^{-1}$. Nutrients uptake averaged $141.7{\pm}119.2$ nmol N $g_{fw}^{-1}\;h^{-1}$ and $15.0{\pm}9.1$ nmol P $g_{fw}^{-1}\;h^{-1}$. A positive linear correlation ($r^2$ = 9.6) existed between the production rate of dissolved oxygen and the uptake rate of total dissolved inorganic carbon, suggesting that these two factors serve as good indicators of U. pinnatifida photosynthesis. The relationships between fresh weight and uptake rates of nutrients and $CO_2$ suggested that younger specimens (<~50 g fresh weight) are much more efficient at nutrients and $CO_2$ uptake than are specimens >50 g. The amount of carbon uptake by the total biomass of U. pinnatifida in Korea during the year of 2008 was about 0.001-0.002% of global ocean carbon uptake. Thus, more research should be focused on macroalgae-based biogeochemical cycles to evaluate the roles and contributions of macroalgae to the global carbon cycle.