• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.2403-2409
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• 2014

Absolute isotope ratio is a critical constituent in determination of atomic weight. To measure the absolute isotope ratio using a mass spectrometer, mass discrimination factor, $f_{MD}$, is needed to convert measured isotope ratio to real isotope ratio of gas molecules. If the $f_{MD}$ could be predicted, absolute isotope ratio of a chemical species would be measureable in absence of its enriched isotope pure materials or isotope references. This work employed gravimetrically prepared isotope mixtures of argon (Ar) to obtain $f_{MD}$ at m/z of 40 in the magnetic sector type gas mass spectrometer (gas/MS). Besides, we compare the nitrogen isotope ratio of nitrogen trifluoride ($NF_3$) with that of nitrogen molecule ($N_2$) decomposed from the same $NF_3$ thermally in order to identify the difference of $f_{MD}$ values in extensive m/z region from 28 to 71. Our result shows that $f_{MD}$ at m/z 40 was $-0.044%{\pm}0.017%$ (k = 1) from measurement of Ar artificial isotope mixtures. The $f_{MD}$ difference in the range of m/z from 28 to 71 is observed $-0.12%{\pm}0.14%$ from $NF_3$ and $N_2$. From combination of this work and reported $f_{MD}$ values by another team, IRMM, if $f_{MD}$ of $-0.16%{\pm}0.14%$ is applied to isotope ratio measurement from $N_2$ to $SF_6$, we can determine absolute isotope ratio within relative uncertainty of 0.2 %.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.172-178
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• 2001

K-Ar dating system of Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) was installed in 1997 and has been used since then. The system consists of high temperature graphite furnace, gas purification system, and mass spectrometer with data acquisition system. K-Ar age is determined by the measurement of the concentrations of Ar and K through isotope dilution method using $^{38}Ar$ as spike and flame spectroscopy, respectively. The accuracy and reliability for the K-Ar age are checked using the several K-Ar standard materials. Although the exact age determination for young samples of less than 1 Ma is hampered by small fluctuations of sensitivity and mass discrimination, the present system yields the reliable K-Ar age compared to the standard materials of Tertiary and Mesozoic age. The measurements for the SORI93 biotite with the recommended K-Ar age of $92.6\pm$0.6 Ma and Bern4M muscovite of $18.5\pm$0.6 Ma yield the reliable age of $92.1\pm$1.1 Ma and $17.8\pm$0.2 Ma, respectively.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.470-475
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• 2013

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major environmental factor that leads to acute and chronic reactions in the human skin. UV exposure induces wrinkle formation, DNA damage, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Most mechanistic studies of skin physiology and pharmacology related with UV-irradiated skin have focused on proteins and their related gene expression or single-targeted small molecules. The present study identified and analyzed the alteration of skin metabolites following UVB irradiation and topical retinyl palmitate (RP, 5%) treatment in hairless mice using direct analysis in real time (DART) time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) with multivariate analysis. Under the negative ion mode, the DART ion source successfully ionized various fatty acids including palmitoleic and linolenic acid. From DART-TOF-MS fingerprints measured in positive mode, the prominent dehydrated ion peak (m/z: 369, M+H-$H_2O$) of cholesterol was characterized in all three groups. In positive mode, the discrimination among three groups was much clearer than that in negative mode by using multivariate analysis of orthogonal partial-least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). DART-TOF-MS can ionize various small organic molecules in living tissues and is an efficient alternative analytical tool for acquiring full chemical fingerprints from living tissues without requiring sample preparation. DART-MS measurement of skin tissue with multivariate analysis proved to be a powerful method to discriminate between experimental groups and to find biomarkers for various experiment models in skin dermatological research.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.157-171
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• 2001

This study investigated the effects of Pb/Tl ratio, Pb concentration and concomitant matrix elements on the measurement of Pb isotope ratios using multi-collector ICP/MS (AXIOM MC model). Accuracy and reproducibility of Pb isotope ratios in NBS 981 solution were estimated for 42 data measured from March to August 2001. Pb isotopes measured in rocks, bronzes and sediments were compared to data measured by TIMS. Reproducibilities for $^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb,\; ^{207}Pb/^{204}Pb,\;and\;^{208}Pb/^{204}Pb$ ratio were about 500 ppm (2sd) and for $^{207}Pb/^{206}Pb$\;and\;^{208}Pb/^{206}Pb$ were 100~200 ppm for 200 ng of Pb in NBS 981 solution. The optimum conditions for the analysis of Pb isotope ratios with AXIOM MC for best accuracy and reproducibility were defined as follows; 1) Pb/Tl ratio is about 10 2) Pb concentration is about 100 ng/ml 3) correction for mass discrimination is performed by exponential law using 2.3887 of $^{205}Tl/^{203}Tl$ and Pb mass fractionation factor empirically obtained from $ln(^{208}Pb/^{206}Pb)-ln(^{205}Tl/^{203}Tl)$ relationship. The sample data measured with MC/ICP/MS for acid-digested and chemically separated rock samples, and acid-digested bronze samples and sediment samples coincide with those of TIMS within analytical errors. Therefore, MC/ICP/MS is a rapid analytical technique for Pb isotope ratios with the similar precision compared with TIMS.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.149-162
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• 2024

Ginseng, the roots of Panax species, is an important medicinal herb used as a tonic. As ginsenosides are key bioactive components of ginseng, holistic chemical profiling of them has provided many insights into understanding ginseng. Mass spectrometry has been a major methodology for profiling, which has been applied to realize numerous goals in ginseng research, such as the discrimination of different species, geographical origins, and ages, and the monitoring of processing and biotransformation. This review summarizes the various applications of ginsenoside profiling in ginseng research over the last three decades that have contributed to expanding our understanding of ginseng. However, we also note that most of the studies overlooked a crucial factor that influences the levels of ginsenosides: genetic variation. To highlight the effects of genetic variation on the chemical contents, we present our results of untargeted and targeted ginsenoside profiling of different genotypes cultivated under identical conditions, in addition to data regarding genome-level genetic diversity. Additionally, we analyze the other limitations of previous studies, such as imperfect variable control, deficient metadata, and lack of additional effort to validate causation. We conclude that the values of ginsenoside profiling studies can be enhanced by overcoming such limitations, as well as by integrating with other -omics techniques.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.113-122
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate weight control and the relative influence of individual variables affecting children's attempts to control weight. The study subjects were 319 elementary school children. First, the average body height and weight of the children who participated in this study was somewhat larger in boys and similar in girls, as compared with the normal body shape of Korean children. More boys were classified as overweight than girls, based on BMI. Both boys and girls were dissatisfied with their body shape, and especially the girls showed higher dissatisfaction rate than the boys did. Almost half of the children were concerned about weight control and girls had higher concern than boys. Of the children, 38.8% had controlled their weight; however there was no difference between their sexes. There were significant differences between children who had and had not experienced weight control in the following variables: stress caused by obesity, body satisfaction, BMI, subjective body shape perception and concern about weight control. Therefore, discriminant function analysis was performed to determine the discrimination of these variables between the two groups. From the analysis results, the most critical factor was BMI in the boys and concern about weight control in the girls. This finding should be reflected in the design of weight control programs for children i.e., boys should be encouraged to perceive correctly their own body shape and to control weight by maintaining a well-balanced diet and moderate exercise over a long period of time, rather than by skipping meals, while girls should be inspired with sound values and attitudes regarding their body shape, rather than provided with the concrete information on how to control weight.