• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2010

This study was performed to investigate the effect of desalinated underground seawater (named as 'magma seawater', MSW) of Jeju Island in Korea on lipid metabolism and antioxidant activity. MSW was collected from underground of Han-Dong in Jeju Island, and freely given to high fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6 mice for 10 weeks. Although there were no significant differences in the body weight changes and plasma lipid levels, hepatic triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the MSW group than in the normal tap water (TW)-drunken control group. Furthermore, the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS) was significantly decreased and carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) activity was increased in MSW group compared to TW group. Similarly, real-time PCR analysis revealed that mRNA expressions of lipogenic genes were lowered in MSW groups compared to the control group. In a morphometric observation on the liver tissue, accumulation of fats was remarkably reduced in MSW group. Meanwhile, in vitro assay, tree radical scavenging activity measured by using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was increased in MSW group. The 2'-7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) staining followed with fluorescent microscopy showed a low intensity of fluorescence in MSW-treated HepG2 cells, compared to TW-treated HepG2 cells, which indicated that the production of reactive oxygen species by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) in HepG2 cells was decreased by MSW treatment. The antioxidant effect of MSW on t-BHP-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells was supported by the increased activities of intracellular antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and glutathione reductase. From these results, we speculate that MSW has an inhibitory effect on lipogenesis in liver and might play a protective role against cell damage by t-BHP-induced oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.73-81
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• 2014

Ocean thermal energy conversion(OTEC) is a power generation method that utilizes temperature difference between the warm surface seawater and cold deep sea water of ocean. As potential sources of clean-energy supply, Ocean thermal energy conversion(OTEC) power plants' viability has been investigated. Therefore, this paper evaluated the thermodynamic performance of solar-OTEC convergence system for the production with electric power and desalinated water. The comparison analysis of solar-OTEC convergence system performance was carried out as the fluid temperature, saturated temperature difference and pressure of flash evaporator under equivalent conditions. As a results, maximum system efficiency, electric power and fresh water output show at 40, 10, 2.5 kPa of the flash evaporator pressure, respectively. And their respective enhancement ratios were approximately 6.1, 18, 8.6 times higher than that of the base open OTEC system. Also, performance of solar-OTEC system is the highest in the flash evaporator pressure of 10 kPa.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.293-305
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• 2015

In this paper, we suggest the conceptual design of a water-cooled reactor system for a low-pressure inherent heat sink nuclear desalination plant (LIND) that applies the safety-related design concepts of high temperature gas-cooled reactors to a water-cooled reactor for inherent and passive safety features. Through a scoping analysis, we found that the current LIND design satisfied several essential thermal-hydraulic and neutronic design requirements. In a thermal-hydraulic analysis using an analytical method based on the Wooton-Epstein correlation, we checked the possibility of safely removing decay heat through the steel containment even if all the active safety systems failed. In a neutronic analysis using the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code, we estimated a cycle length of approximately 6 years under 200 $MW_{th}$ and 4.5% enrichment. The very long cycle length and simple safety features minimize the burdens from the operation, maintenance, and spent-fuel management, with a positive impact on the economic feasibility. Finally, because a nuclear reactor should not be directly coupled to a desalination system to prevent the leakage of radioactive material into the desalinated water, three types of intermediate systems were studied: a steam producing system, a hot water system, and an organic Rankine cycle system.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.301-310
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• 2008

This study was to analyze characteristics of fish compositions and longitudinal distribution, based on trophic and tolerance guild at 22 sampling sites of Yeongsan River watershed during 2003$\sim$2006, and also to compare before and after the estuary dam construction. The collected fishes, based on catch per unit effort (CPUE), were 44 species in the watershed and dominant fishes were Zacco platypus, Acheilognathus macropeterus, Zacco temminckii and Carassius auratus. According to comparative analysis of fish in the non polluted sites (NPS) vs. polluted sites (PS), the number of species and individuals was lower by 70% in the PS than the NPS, indicating ecological degradations by chemical pollutions or/and habitat modifications. The relative abundance of sensitive and insectivore species decreased as the stream order increases, while tolerant and omnivore species increased with the stream order. In this survey, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), which is a top-carnivore and exotic species, may influence trophic guild system throughout active predations on endemic species, resulting in modifications of ecological functions. The construction of estuary dam on Yeongsan River in 1981 resulted in wider lacustrine zone and desalinated through limitation of seawater input. These physical changes have caused increases of lentic dwelling species and limited fish migrations (i.e., eel). Overall, fish fauna and composition analyses showed that the number of species and individuals in this water body may be reduced due to inputs of pollutants from the watershed, habitat modifications, and increases of exotic species (largemouth bass). For these reasons, effective lake management strategies are required for the ecosystem conservation.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1976

1. Under an asumption that Ficks diffusion equation could be applicable in soil systems, the diffusivities of NaCl in several flooded soil systems were measured to range from $0.4{\times}10^{-5}cm^2sec^{-1}$ to $0.83{\times}10^{-5}cm^2sec^{-1}$ 2. It was discussed that, when a polder soil with a uniform initial salt content through the profile is desalinated only by diffusion to flooding water, the salt content in profile is a function of soil depth, diffusion time, and diffusivity as following $$C=C^{\circ}erf\frac{x}{\sqrt[2]{Dt}}$$ 3. On the basis of Kirkham, et al's integration of complementary erra function, the speed of desalting was discussed to be inversely proportional to the square root of time as following $$dq/dt=C^{\circ}{\sqrt{D/{\pi}t}}$$ 4. It was estimated enough to exchange the flooding water once or twice, even when desalination of polder soil is carried out only by diffusion, if the desalination begins in June, the used flooding water is fresh water, and flooding depth is 10cm. 5. Desalination of polder soil by diffusion requires 2 month for good standing of planted rice.