• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1247-1259
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• 2018

Raspberries are polyphenol-rich fruits with the potential to reduce the severity of the clinical signs associated with obesity, a phenomenon that may be related to changes in the gut microbiota. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of raspberry supplementation on the fecal microbiota using an in vivo model of obesity. Obese diabetic db/db mice were used in this study and assigned to two experimental groups (with and without raspberry supplementation). Fecal samples were collected at the end of the supplementation period (8 weeks) and used for bacterial 16S rRNA gene profiling using a MiSeq instrument (Illumina). QIIME 1.8 was used to analyze the 16S data. Raspberry supplementation was associated with an increased abundance of Lachnospiraceae (p = 0.009), a very important group for gut health, and decreased abundances of Lactobacillus, Odoribacter, and the fiber degrader S24-7 family as well as unknown groups of Bacteroidales and Enterobacteriaceae (p < 0.05). These changes were enough to clearly differentiate bacterial communities accordingly to treatment, based on the analysis of UniFrac distance metrics. However, a predictive approach of functional profiles showed no difference between the treatment groups. Fecal metabolomic analysis provided critical information regarding the raspberry-supplemented group, whose relatively higher phytosterol concentrations may be relevant for the host health, considering the proven health benefits of these phytochemicals. Further studies are needed to investigate whether the observed differences in microbial communities (e.g., Lachnospiraceae) or metabolites relate to clinically significant differences that can prompt the use of raspberry extracts to help patients with obesity.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.139-149
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• 2017

The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute plans to develop a coronagraph in collaboration with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and to install it on the International Space Station (ISS). The coronagraph is an externally occulted one-stage coronagraph with a field of view from 3 to 15 solar radii. The observation wavelength is approximately 400 nm, where strong Fraunhofer absorption lines from the photosphere experience thermal broadening and Doppler shift through scattering by coronal electrons. Photometric filter observations around this band enable the estimation of 2D electron temperature and electron velocity distribution in the corona. Together with a high time cadence (<12 min) of corona images used to determine the geometric and kinematic parameters of coronal mass ejections, the coronagraph will yield the spatial distribution of electron density by measuring the polarized brightness. For the purpose of technical demonstration, we intend to observe the total solar eclipse in August 2017 with the filter system and to perform a stratospheric balloon experiment in 2019 with the engineering model of the coronagraph. The coronagraph is planned to be installed on the ISS in 2021 for addressing a number of questions (e.g., coronal heating and solar wind acceleration) that are both fundamental and practically important in the physics of the solar corona and of the heliosphere.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.211-218
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• 2013

Large quantities of irradiated graphite waste from graphite-moderated nuclear reactors exist and are expected to increase in the case of High Temperature Reactor (HTR) deployment [1,2]. This situation indicates the need for a graphite waste management strategy. Of greatest concern for long-term disposal of irradiated graphite is carbon-14 ($^{14}C$), with a half-life of 5730 years. Fachinger et al. [2] have demonstrated that thermal treatment of irradiated graphite removes a significant fraction of the $^{14}C$, which tends to be concentrated on the graphite surface. During thermal treatment, graphite surface carbon atoms interact with naturally adsorbed oxygen complexes to create $CO_x$ gases, i.e. "gasify" graphite. The effectiveness of this process is highly dependent on the availability of adsorbed oxygen compounds. The quantity and form of adsorbed oxygen complexes in pre- and post-irradiated graphite were studied using Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Xray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) in an effort to better understand the gasification process and to apply that understanding to process optimization. Adsorbed oxygen fragments were detected on both irradiated and unirradiated graphite; however, carbon-oxygen bonds were identified only on the irradiated material. This difference is likely due to a large number of carbon active sites associated with the higher lattice disorder resulting from irradiation. Results of XPS analysis also indicated the potential bonding structures of the oxygen fragments removed during surface impingement. Ester- and carboxyl-like structures were predominant among the identified oxygen-containing fragments. The indicated structures are consistent with those characterized by Fanning and Vannice [3] and later incorporated into an oxidation kinetics model by El-Genk and Tournier [4]. Based on the predicted desorption mechanisms of carbon oxides from the identified compounds, it is expected that a majority of the graphite should gasify as carbon monoxide (CO) rather than carbon dioxide ($CO_2$). Therefore, to optimize the efficiency of thermal treatment the graphite should be heated to temperatures above the surface decomposition temperature increasing the evolution of CO [4].

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.523-531
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• 2022

In order to study the sensitivity and the uncertainty of the Moroccan research reactor TRIGA Mark II, a model of this reactor has been developed in our ERSN laboratory for use with the N-Particle MCNP Monte Carlo transport codes (version 6). In this article, the sensitivities of the effective multiplication factor of this reactor are evaluated using the ENDF/B-VII.0, ENDF/B-VII.1 and JENDL-4.0 libraries and in 44 energy groups, for the cross sections of the fuel (U-235 and U-238) and the moderator (H-1 and O-16). However, the quantification of the uncertainty of the nuclear data is performed using the nuclear code NJOY99 for the generation and processing of covariance matrices. On the one hand, the highest uncertainty deviations, calculated using the ENDFB-VII.1 and JENDL4.0 evaluations, are 2275, 386 and 330 pcm respectively for the reactions U₂₃₅(n, f), $ U_{235}(n\bar{\nu})$ and H₁(n, γ). On the other hand, these differences are very small for the neutron reactions of O-16 and U-238. Regarding the neutron spectra, in CT-mid plane, they are very close for the three evaluations (ENDF/B-VII.0, ENDF/B-VII.1 and JENDL-4.0). These spectra present two peaks (thermal and fission) around the energies 0.05 eV and 1 MeV.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.151-163
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• 2008

A formulation of three-dimensional model of articulated train-b ridge dynamic interaction has been made for the Korean eXpress Train (KTX). Semi-periodic profiles of rail irregularities consisting of elevation, alignment, cross and gauge irregularities have also been proposed using FRA maximum tolerable rail deviations. The effects of rail joints and sleeper step were also included. The resulting system matrices of train and bridge are very spare, and thus, are stored in one-dimensional arrays, yielding a time-efficient solution. A numerical algorithm for computing bridge-train response including an iterative scheme is also formulated. A program simulating train-bridge interaction and solving this problem using the new algorithm is implemented as new modules for the f inite element analysis software named XFINAS. Computed results using the new program are then checked by that of the validated 2-D bridge-train interaction model. This new 3D analysis provides more detailed train responses such as swaying, bouncing, rolling, pitching and yawing accelerations, which are useful inevaluating passenger riding comfort. Train operation safety and derailment could also be directly investigated by relative wheel displacements computed from this program.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.128-138
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• 2022

In this study, in order to apply ultra-high-strength concrete beams of 100 MPa or more manufactured by centrifugal molding as the superstructure of the avalanche tunnel, the purpose is to verify the structural safety of the corner rigid joint in which the centrifugal molded beam is integrated with the substructure, which is the negative moment area. A full-size specimen was manufactured, and loading tests and analysis studies were performed. In order to expect the same effect that the maximum moment occurs in the corner joint part of the upper slab end when the standard model of the avalanche tunnel is designed with a load combination according to the specification, a modified cantilever type structural model specimen was manufactured and the corner rigid joint was fixedly connected. A study was performed to determine the performance of the method and the optimal connection construction method. The test results demonstrated that the proposed connection system outperforms others. Despite having differences in joint connection construction type, stable flexural behavior was shown in all the tested specimens. The proposed method also outperformed the behavior of centrifugally formed beams and upper slabs. The behavior of the corner rigid joint analysis model according to the F.E. analysis showed slightly greater stiffness compared to the results of the experiment, but the overall behavior was almost similar. Therefore, there is no structural problem in the construction of the corner rigid joint between the centrifugally formed beam and the wall developed in this study.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 2021

In this study, activated clay treated with H₂SO₄ (20% by weight) and heat at 90 ℃ for 8 h for acid white soil was used as an adsorbent for the removal of PO₄^3--P in water. Prior to the adsorption experiment, the characteristics of activated clay was examined by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF) and BET surface area analyser. The adsorption of PO₄^3--P on activated clay was steeply increased within 0.25 h and reached equilibrium at 4 h. At 5 mg/L of low PO₄^3--P concentration, roughly 98% of adsorption efficiency was accomplished by activated clay. The adsorption data of PO₄^3--P were introduced to the adsorption isotherm and kinetic models. It was seen that both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were applied well to describe the adsorption behavior of PO₄^3--P on activated clay. For adsorption PO₄^3--P on activated clay, the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm coefficients, K_F and Q, were found to be 8.3 and 20.0 mg/g, respectively. The pseudo-second-order kinetics model was more suitable for adsorption of PO₄^3--P in water/activated clay system owing to the higher correlation coefficient R² and the more proximity value of the experimental value q_e,exp and the calculated value q_e,cal than the pseudo-first-order kinetics model. The results of study indicate that activated clay could be used as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of PO₄³-P from water.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2017

The joints between precast PSC slabs of the intermediate road slab in double deck tunnel are inevitably generated in the road traffic vehicle traveling direction. Therefore, it is important to make the behavior of parts on the joint in one piece. The imtermediate road slab system of double deck tunnel in great depth proposed in this study will be constructed with precast PSC slab in order to minimize the construction period. And the joint connection between the precast slab has been developed in two methods: the 'Transverse tendon reinforcement method' and 'High strength bolts connection method'. Also, the experiments were performed for the full scale model in order to evaluate the performance of the intermediate road deck slab with two type joints systems, the structural stability was verified through the F.E.M analsysis. The results of static loading test and F.E.M analysis investigated a very stable behavior of intermediate road deck slab in double deck tunnel applying the joint methods developed in this study, in the cracks and deflections to satisfy the design standards of Highway Roads Bridges (2011), it was determined that there is no problem even servicebility.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.55-75
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• 1986

This article is to analyse the economic efficiency of capital market, which plays a role of resource allocation in terms of financial claims such as stock and bond. It provides various contributions to the welfare theoretical aspects of modern capital market theory. The key feature that distinguishes the theory described here from traditional welfare theory is the presence of uncertainty. Securities has time dimensions and the state and outcome of the future are really uncertain. This problem resulting from this uncertainty can be solved by complete market, but it has a weak power to explain real stock market. Capital Market is faced with the uncertainity because it is a kind of incomplete market. Individuals and firms in capital market made their consumption-investment decision by their own criteria, i. e. the maximization of expected utility form intertemporal consumption and the maximization of the market value of firm. We noted that allocative decisions that had to be made in the economy could be naturally subdivided into two groups. One set of decisions concerned the allocation of first-period resources among consumption $C_i$, investment in risky firms $I_j$, and riskless investment M. The other decisions concern the distribution among individuals of income available in the second period $Y_i(\theta)$. Corresponing to this grouping, the theoretical analysis of efficiency has also been dichotomized. The optimality of the distribution of output in the second period is distributive efficiency" and the optimality of the allocation of first-period resources is 'the efficiency of investment'. We have found in the distributive efficiency that the conditions for attainability is the same as the conditions for market optimality. The necessary and sufficient conditions for attainability or market optimality is that (1) all utility functions are such that -$\frac{{U_i}^'(Y_i)}{{U_i}^"(Y_i)}={\mu}_i+{\lambda}Y_i$-linear risk tolerance function where the coefficients ${\mu}_i$ and $\lambda$ are independent of $Y_i$, and (2) there are homogeneous expectations, i. e. ${\Large f}_i(\theta)={\Large f}(\theta)$ for every i. On the other hand, the efficiency of investment has disagreement about optimal investment level. The investment level for market rule will not generally lead to Pareto-optimal allocation of investment. This suboptimality is caused by (1)the difference of Diamond's decomposable production function and mean-variance valuation model and (2) the selection of exelusive investment or competitive investment. In conclusion, this article has made an analysis of conditions and processes of Pareto-optimal allocation of resources in capital marker and tried to connect with significant issues in modern finance.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.18-28
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• 2009

Both feasibility and accuracy of lumped approach to group 12 organic compounds in mixtures into a fewer number of pseudocompounds in sorption processes were evaluated using mixtures containing organic compounds with various physicochemical properties and low-surface-area mineral sorbents. The lumped approach for sorption to simulated mineral sorbents was developed by cluster analysis from statistics. Using the lumped approach, the sorption estimated from both reduced number of pseudocompounds and their sorption parameters (i.e., $K_f$, n) can approximate sorption behavior of complex organic mixtures. Additionally, the pseudocompounds for various mixtures to different types of low-surface-area mineral sorbents can be estimated a priori from the physicochemical properties of organic compound (i.e., ${\gamma_w}^{sat}$). Therefore, the lumped approach may help to simplify the complex fate and transport model of organic contaminant mixtures, reduce experimental efforts, and yet provide results that are statistically identical for practical purposes. Further research is warranted to enhance the accuracy of lumped approach using the multiple regression analysis considering the H-bonding capacity, site concentrations, functional groups for mineral sorbents.