• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.1752-1757
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• 2017

The aim of this study is to evaluate the radioactivity levels and radiological impacts of representative black sand samples collected from different locations in the Rashid area, Egypt. These samples were prepared and then analyzed using the high-resolution gamma ray spectroscopy technique with a high-purity germanium detector. The activity concentration ($A_c$), minimum detectable activity, absorbed gamma dose rate, external hazard index ($H_{ex}$), annual effective dose rate equivalent, radium equivalent, as well as external and internal hazard index ($H_{ex}$ and $H_{in}$, respectively) were estimated based on the measured radionuclide concentration of the $^{238}U$($^{226}Ra$) and $^{232}Th$ decay chains and $^{40}K$. The activity concentrations of the $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$ decay series and $^{40}K$ of these samples varied from $45.11{\pm}3.1Bq/kg$ to $252.38{\pm}34.3Bq/kg$, from $64.65{\pm}6.1Bq/kg$ to $579.84{\pm}53.1Bq/kg$, and from $403.36{\pm}20.8Bq/kg$ to $527.47{\pm}23.1Bq/kg$, respectively. The activity concentration of $^{232}Th$ in Sample 1 has the highest value compared to the other samples; this value is also higher than the worldwide mean range as reported by UNSCEAR 2000. The total absorbed gamma dose rate and the annual effective dose for these samples were found to vary from 81.19 nGy/h to 497.81 nGy/h and from $99.86{\mu}Sv/y$ to $612.31{\mu}Sv/y$, which are higher than the world average values of 59 nGy/h and $70{\mu}Sv/y$, respectively. The $H_{ex}$ values were also calculated to be 3.02, 0.47, 0.63, 0.87, 0.87, 0.51 and 0.91. It was found that the calculated value of $H_{ex}$ for Sample 1 is significantly higher than the international acceptable limit of <1. The results are tabulated, depicted, and discussed within national and international frameworks, levels, and approaches.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2017

Background: Phosphate rock and its by-product are widely used in various industries to produce phosphoric acid, gypsum, gypsum board, and fertilizer. Owing to its high level of natural radioactive nuclides (e.g., $^{238}U$ and $^{226}Ra$), the radiological safety of workers who work with phosphate rock should be systematically managed. In this study, $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$, $^{226}Ra$, and $^{40}K$ levels were measured to analyze the transport characteristics of these radionuclides in the production cycle of phosphate rock. Materials and Methods: Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and gamma spectrometry were used to determine the activity of $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$, $^{226}Ra$, and $^{40}K$. To evaluate the extent of secular disequilibrium, the analytical results were compared using statistical methods. Finally, the distribution of radioactivity across different stages of the phosphate rock production cycle was evaluated. Results and Discussion: The concentration ratios of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ in phosphate rock were close to 1.0, while those found in gypsum and fertilizer were extremely different, reflecting disequilibrium after the chemical reaction process. The nuclide with the highest activity level in the production cycle of phosphate rock was $^{40}K$, and the median $^{40}K$ activity was $8.972Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$ and $1.496Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$, respectively. For the $^{238}U$ series, the activity of $^{238}U$ and $^{226}Ra$ was greatest in phosphate rock, and the distribution of activity values clearly showed the transport characteristics of the radionuclides, both for the byproducts of the decay sequences and for their final products. Conclusion: Although the activity of $^{40}K$ in k-related fertilizer was relatively high, it made a relatively low contribution to the total radiological effect. However, the activity levels of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ in phosphate rock were found to be relatively high, near the upper end of the acceptable limits. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically manage the radiological safety of workers engaged in phosphate rock processing.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.46.1-46.16
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• 2023

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) affects all age group and occurs mainly in women. Pyroptosis is a novel programmed cell death featured with cell bursting and release of proinflammatory cytokines. A deeper understanding of AIH pathogenesis will contribute to novel therapy for AIH patients. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of IL-17 in immune-mediated liver injury. The levels of cytokines were measured by ELISA, and mRNA levels of STAT3 and IFN gamma-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) were detected by PCR. Expressions of STAT3, IFI16, gasdermin D and cleaved caspase-1 were measured by western-blotting. Immunohistochemical staining and transmission electron microscopy were applied to evaluate liver histopathological changes of the treated mice. Our results showed that the levels of IFI16 was increased in hepatocytes treated with IL-17 protein, and further elevated after STAT3-overexpressed (STAT3-OE) lentivirus treatment. The levels of IFI16 were reduced in hepatocytes treated with IL-17 neutralizing Ab (nAb), but were significantly increased after STAT3-OE treatment. Pyroptosis was observed in hepatocytes treated with IL-17 protein, and further cell damage was observed after STAT3-OE lentivirus treatment. Liver damage was alleviated in mice treated with IL-17 nAb, however sever damage was experienced after STAT3-OE lentivirus treatment. A binding interaction between IFI16 and STAT3 was detected in IL-17 treated hepatocytes. Glutathione transaminase activity was enhanced in concanavalin A-induced AIH mice compared to the control group (p<0.01). IL-17 plays an important role in activating STAT3 and up-regulating IFI16, which may promote the pyroptosis in AIH-related liver injury through STAT3-IFI16 axis.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.234-240
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• 1994

The essential oils of Thymus quinquecostatus Celakov. and T. magnus Nakai, respectively, were isolated by using a modified Likens-Nickerson type steam distillation and extraction apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The oil content of T. quinquecostatus was 1.94%, and that of T. magnus was 1.91% in mixed leaves and stems and 0.68% in flowers. Among 38 components identified in either mixed leaves and stems or flowers the major components in essential oil isolated from T. quinquecostatus were thymol(39.8%), ${\gamma}-terpinene(10.0%)$ ${\rho}cymene(9.2%)$ and camphor(5.9%) while those from mixed leaves and stems of T. magnus were thymoI(54.7%), ${\gamma}-terpinene(15.8%)$, ${\rho}cymene(6.7%)$ and carvacroI(3.2%). The contents of ${\alpha}-pinene$, camphene, camphor, bornyl acetate and ${\alpha}-terpinene+borneol$ were higher in T. quinquecostatus than in T. maglnus but ${\gamma}-terpinene$ and thymol were higher in T. magnus than in T. quinquecostatus. Comparing leaves and stems with flowers in T. magnus, peak area percentage(%) of ${\gamma}-terpinene$, ${\alpha}-terpinene$ were higher in mixed leaves and stems than in flowers, whereas ${\rho}cymene$ was predominantly higher in flowers than in leaves and stems.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.97-104
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• 2015

KIGAM has surveyed most of the Korean territory since 1982 using airborne gamma-ray spectrometry, and complete the nationwide scale map in the near future. However, since the duration of survey is too long and the conditions of survey is not consistent, the data does not have physical consistency. In addition, the window counts (count/sec) were recorded instead of potassium, uranium and thorium radioelement concentrations. Thus, the data could not be registered to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) radioelement datum. This limits the usefulness of the data and it is not possible to easily combine surveys into regional compilations or make quantitative interpretations between different survey areas. To solve these problems, we undertook a test baseline survey over Jincheon-Eumseong area, to level the different two sets of data and to map radioelement concentrations. This survey confirms to IAEA radioelement baseline. The method and procedures of data leveling prepared by this study improve the usefulness and usability of the radiometric data, and make it enable to compile the nationwide scale radioelement concentration maps.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.162-166
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• 1996

The effects of NiO addition on the microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of ($Zr_{08}Sn_{02}$)$TiO_4$ (ZST) were investigated. With the NiO addition, a higher density of ZST ceramics than 95% of the theoretical values has been obtained in the sintering temperature range of 1400 to 150$0^{\circ}C$. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) analysis of sintered specimen shows the presence of second phase at grain boundaries, which is considered to be $NiTiO_3$. Dielectric constant of the specimen is found to increase linearly with density. Q-values and TC$_r$ decrease with increasing NiO content. The variation of dielectric properties with NiO content is discussed in terms of the second phase. The ZST ceramics with 0.25 wt% NiO showed ${\varepsilon}_{\gamma}$=38, Q=7000 at GHz and TC$\gamma$=-0.5 ppm/$^{\circ}C$, comparable with the values obtained by the previous investigations.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.487-493
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• 2004

To investigate the antifungal activity related protein in pesticidal bacteria, a bacterial strain LTD was isolated from soil collected at Gimje in Jeonbuk province, Korea, and identified as Bacillus subtilis LTD based on a API50 CHB kit and 168 rDNA sequencing. It has an antifungal activity against 9 plant pathogenic fungi in a paper disc assay. The antifungal activity- deficient mutant, B. subtilis mLTD was induced at a 5 kGy dose of $^{60}Co$ gamma radiation. Using the two-dimensional electrophoresis and the matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the comparison analysis of proteins between the wild and mutant were performed. A major intracellular serine proteinase IspA (MW: 32.5 kDa), a NAD (P) H dehydrogenase (MW: 20.0 kDa), and a stage II sporulation protein AA, SpoIIAA (MW: 14.3kDa) were detected only in the B. subtilis LTD. These results suggested that the functions of these proteins found only in the B. subtilis LTD could. be closely related to the antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.443-447
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• 2014

$^{134}Cs$ radioactive concentration among soil samples is difficult to classify due to the background impact on crust originated natural radioactive nuclide, and overlapping and interfering between peaks. The ways to identify true peaks in gamma-ray spectroscopy are as follows to reduce statistical fluctuation by smoothing based on the fact that the shapes of peak are mostly Gaussian, to inspect the levels of width and height of peaks, to add functions on low-energy trailing phenomena, or 4) to check the peaks after modifying Gaussian function itself. Therefore, it is considered that information and knowledge for spectrum analysis are necessary.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.273-277
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• 2015

We investigated secondary electron emission characteristics of ZnO thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition method with respect to the ambient oxygen pressure and the substrate temperature during the deposition. X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, and ${\gamma}$-FIB were used to examine the structural, optical transmission, surface morphology, and secondary electron emission properties of the films, respectively. The secondary electron emission coefficient of the ZnO films increases as the O/Zn ratio of the films increases which was thought to result from either the ambient oxygen pressure increase or the substrate temperature decrease and as the grain size of the films decreases. It was confirmed that ZnO has better secondary electron emission characteristics than those of MgO, which is currently widely used as a material for PDP protecting layers.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1985

Non-destructive gamma-ray spectrometry was carried out on the spent PWR fuel assemblies at the spent fuel pool of reactor-site. Attention was focused on the determination of burnup distribution and cooling time. For the measurement of burnup distribution, the concentration ratio of $^{134}$ Cs$^{137}$ Cs was used and the results showed these ratios varied with the positions of assemblies in the core during their irradiation. For the measurement of cooling time, $^{144}$ Ce$^{137}$ Cs was used and the results were agreed considerably well with the operator declared cooling time.