• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.29-33
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• 2021

Purpose Plasma renin activity (PRA) test is important for the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism. PRA is an easily deformed substance in vitro and affected by temperature changes. Laboratory of ASAN medical center has consistently found that there was a difference between the initial and re-experimental results. We compared and analyzed the differences in PRA test results according to the sample storage status. Materials and Methods The measurement of PRA was performed by using the radioimmunoassay. From August to September 2020, 43 PRA re-test samples were tested with different sample storage condition. The first group was re-examined by freezing the plasma-separated samples at -18℃, and the second group was re-examined with refrigerated EDTA sample. Also, additional tests were conducted on 13 PRA samples to verify the effect on thawing temperature differences in plasma-separated samples. The same samples were divided into two parts and stored frozen at -18℃, respectively, and thawing samples in room temperature and those in refrigerator were were conducted. Each result was compared and analyzed based on the initial experimental results. Results The results of re-examination after frozen storing plasma separation samples showed a lower correlation than the results of re-examination with EDTA plasma samples in refrigerator. When calculating the percentage based on the initial test results, the average percentage of each was 404.9% and 133.8%. The correlation coefficient was also R=0.8501 and R=0.9966, respectively, showing a higher correlation between plasma in the refrigerated sample EDTA tube. In comparison experiments with differences in thawing temperature, average percentage of the results of initial test and room temperature thawing was 94.3% and the average percentage of the results of refrigerated thawing was 88.0%. After again freezing the sample, the average percentage of the second room temperature thawing result is 107.5%, and the second refrigerated thawing group is 112.7%. Both groups showed an increase from first thawing. Conclusion A comparative analysis of retesting according to differences in sample storage methods in PRA tests showed a higher correlation between the results of retesting of the refrigerated EDTA plasma. And repeated freezing and melting of plasma separation samples, regardless of temperature during defrosting, has been shown to affect results. Therefore, retest of PRA should re-collect plasma from original EDTA plasma to increase reproducibility.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.177-180
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• 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to examine whether the effects of acupotomy therapy were beneficial for the treatment of protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disc. Methods: The number of patients (n = 80) were equally assigned into treatment group and control group. Treatment group was given acupotomy therapy twice a week, and control group was given acupuncture 3 times a week, for 4 weeks. The beneficial effect and changes in score of the Japan Orthopedic Association (JOA) for low back pain were observed. Results: Among 40 cases in the treatment group, there were 25 (62.5%) with an excellent effect, 13 (32.5%) with good effect, 1 (2.5%) with a medium effect and 1 (2.5%) with poor effect, with the total experiencing an excellent/good effect of 95.0%. Among 40 cases in the control group, there were 11 (27.5%) with an excellent effect, 17 (42.5%) with good effect, 10 (25.0%) with a medium effect, and 2 (5.0%) with poor effect, with an excellent/good rate of 70.0%. The result of the rank sum test showed Z = -4.923, p < 0.05 in the comparison, indicating a significantly better outcome following acupotomy compared with acupuncture. JOA scores increased in both groups after treatment (p < 0.05), which was more significant in the acupotomy treatment group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Acupotomy therapy has a beneficial effect on protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disc.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.363-369
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• 2019

This paper aims to assess the effect of herbal extract mixture, Ahn Tonic, on hair growth and examine the stability of this percutaneous hair growth ointment. The hair on the back of the mice C57b1/6N was removed, and 1% of the TXN(testosterone) was then applied for a week to prevent the hair growth. The experimental group was then treated with Ahn Tonic, 0.2 mL per day. The degree of newly grown hair was observed with a vernier caliper. We also measured the proportion of the newly growing hair section to the entire shaved section in the 4th week and 8th week by distinguishing the section turning black from the shaved area. To observe the effect of the test chemical product on hair follicles and hair roots, the biopsy was executed between week 4 and week 8. Gene expressions, which operate as a factor for growing hair in the skin tissues extracted from each experimental animals, were also observed through a real-time PCR gene amplification method. The results showed that the Ahn tonic group had statistically significant hair restoring effect compared to the control group in terms of microscopy, biopsy, and gene expressions. Ahn Tonic is considered to have an impact on the hair growth.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.53-65
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• 1995

The growth and synthetic activities of fibroblasts are regulated by cytokines and growth factors derived from activated inflammatory cells. Stimulatory effect of low level laser (LLL) radiation on wound healing seems to be in part due to direct stimulatory action on cell proliferation and synthetic activities of fibroblasts. Also indirect stimulatory effect on the fibroblast function through inflammatory or immune cells is another possible mechanism of biostimulatory action of LLL. This study was performed to determine the growth rate of human gingival fibroblasts obtained biopsy and culture, fibroblast cell line, and immune cell line by using $[^3H]-$ thymidine incorporation test. And gene expression pattern was also analyzed by using the DNA probe such as Hsp70, IL-1$\beta$, MIP-1$\alpha$ and actin cDNA. Proliferation rate of gingival fibroblast was increased by LLL irradiation, but no more effect was added by LPS or IL-1$\beta$ pretreatment Enhanced Hsp70 gene expression was found from gingival fibroblasts and fibroblast cell line COS by LLL irradiation., which was not more increased by LPS or IL-1$\beta$ pretreatment. LLL-irradiated promyelcytic cell line HL-60 and macrophage cell line RAW264.7 showed significant stimulatory effect of proliferation rate when compared with respective control. However there were no changes in growth rate of other immune cell tested in this study, such as B cell line WR19n.l and 230, helper T cell line Jurkat and Hut78, cytolytic T cell line CTLL-r8. By LLL-irradiation Hsp70 gene expression was increased in RAW246.7 and HL-60, not in CTLL-R8. And IL-1$\beta$ and MIP-1$\alpha$ gene expression were induced only from LLL-irradiated RAW264.7. These results led us to presume that LLL radiation may affect to the immune cells, especially to macrophage, through which it might promote wound healing process.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.219-225
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• 2018

This study was carried out to investigate the injection characteristics of 800 kPa compressed natural gas compressed natural gas (CNG) injector developed in Korea. The CNG injector with multi-holes, employed in this experiment, was designed to inject CNG in the manifold at high pressure of 800 kPa. The spray macroscopic visualization test was carried out via Schlieren photography to study fuel-air mixing process. The fundamental spray characteristics, such as spray penetration, spray cone angle and spray velocity, were evaluated in the constant volume combustion chamber (CVCC) with varying the constant back pressure in CVCC from 0 to 1.8 bar. For the safety reason, nitrogen ($N_2$) and an acetone tracer were utilized as a surrogate gas fuel instead of CNG. The surrogate gas fuel pressures were controlled at 3, 5.5, and 8 bar, respectively. Injection durations were set at 5 ms throughout the experiment. The simulating events of the low engine speed were arranged at 1,000 rpm. The spray images were recorded by using a high-speed camera with a frame rate of 10,000 f/s at $512{\times}256pixels$. The spray characteristics were analyzed by using the image processing (Matlab). The results showed the significant difference that higher injection pressure had more effect on the spray shape than the lower injection pressure. When the injection pressure was increased, the longer spray penetration occurred. Moreover, the linear relation between speed and time are dependent on the injection pressure as well.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.551-561
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• 1998

This paper was studied to understand the characteristics of heat transfer coefficients and surface temperature distributions around a circular combustion chamber within the heat-intercept duct of kerosene fan heater. The experiment was carried out in the heat-intercept duct of kerosene fan heater attached to the blow-down-type subsonic wind tunnel with a test section of 240 mm * 240 mm * 1200 mm. The purpose of this paper was to obtain the basic data related with normal combustion for new design from conventional kerosene fan heater, and to investigate the effect of surface temperature, local and mean heat transfer coefficients versus flow-rate of convection axial fan according to the variations of heat release conditions from kerosene fan heater during normal combustion. Consequently it was found that (i) the revolution of convection axial fan during combustion had a smaller value than that of non-combustion because of the thermal resistance due to the high temperature in the heat-intercept duct, (ii) the pressure ratio P$_{2}$/P$_{1}$ had a comparatively constant value of 0.844 according to the revolution increase of turbo fan and the heating performance of kerosene fan heater had a range of 1,494 ~ 3,852 kcal/hr, (iii) the local heat transfer coefficient around a circular combustion chamber had a comparatively larger scale in the range of 315 deg. < .theta. < 45 deg. than that in the range of 90 deg. < .theta. < 270 deg. as a result of heat transfer difference between front and back of a circular combustion chamber, and (iv) the mean heat transfer coefficient around a circular combustion chamber increased linearly like a H$_{m}$=95.196Q+104.019 in condition of high heat release according to the increase of flow-rate of axial fan.n.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.221-226
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• 1990

This experiment was performed to identify and isolate a growth inhibiting compound from Aralia continentalis. In order to isolate the growth inhibiting compound from Aralia continentalis the bioassay test of lettuce seed germination and rice seedling growth were used. Through these bioassays the growth inhibiting compound which was spotted at $R_f$ 0.51 on Tlc was isolated. This compound inhibited the lettuce growth by 79% at the concentration of 1000ppm. When sprayed with $FeCl_3$ reagent, it developed a bule spot. It had UV-absorbance at 217 nm and 342 nm, and $OH^-$ of $3600cm^{-1}$, C=O of $1700cm^{-1}$, C=C of $1600cm^{-1}$, and C-O of $1200cm^{-1}$ on IR spectrum. Through HPLC analysis this compound was identified as a ferulic acid ($C_{10}H_{10}O_4$) having 25 min. retention time.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.167-174
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• 2011

Acute ischemic stroke results from sudden decrease or loss of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in a coinciding loss of neurological function. The antioxidant action of melatonin is an important mechanism among its known effects to protective activity during ischemic/reperfusion injury. The focus of this research, therapeutic efficacy of melatonin on recovery of neurological function following long term treatment in ischemic brain injured rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40; 8 weeks old) were divided into the control group, and MCAo groups (Vehicle, MT7 : MCAo+ melatonin injection at 7:00, MT19 : MCAo+melatonin injection at 19:00, and MT7,19 : MCAo+melatonin injection at 7:00 and 19:00). Rat body weight and neurological function were measured every week for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the rats were anesthetized with a mixture of zoletil (40 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg) and sacrificed for further analysis. Tissues were then collected for RNA isolation from brain tissue. Also, brain tissues were analyzed by histological procedures. We elucidated that melatonin was not toxic in vital organs. MT7,19 was the most rapidly got back to mild symptom on test of neurological parameter. Also, exogenous melatonin induces both the down-regulation of detrimental genes, such as NOSs and the up-regulation of beneficial gene, including BDNF during long term administration after focal cerebral ischemia. Melatonin treatment reduced the loss of primary motor cortex. Therefore, we suggest that melatonin could be act as prophylactic as well as therapeutic agent for neurorehabilitative intervention.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.203-209
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• 2018

Background: Night shift work is associated with many problems such as sleep deprivation, sleepiness, decreased cognitive performance, increased human errors, and fatigue. This study set out to measure cognitive performance, melatonin rhythms, and sleep after different consecutive night shifts (7 vs. 4) among control room operators (CORs). Methods: The participants included 60 CORs with a mean age of 30.2 years (standard deviation, 2.0) from a petrochemical complex located in Southern Iran. Cognitive performance was assessed using the n-back task and continuous performance test. To evaluate melatonin, saliva was collected and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To assess sleep and sleepiness, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale were used, respectively. Results: Individuals who worked 7 consecutive night shifts had a significantly better cognitive performance and sleep quality than those who worked 4 consecutive night shifts. However, salivary melatonin profile and sleepiness trend were not affected by shift type. Conclusion: The main duty of CORs working night shifts at the studied industry included managing safety-critical processes through complex displays; a responsibility that demands good cognitive performance and alertness. It is suggested that an appropriate number of consecutive night shifts in a rotating shift system should be planned with the ultimate aim of improving CROs performance/alertness and enhancing safety.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.1778-1790
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• 2018

Based on the requirements and characteristics of multi-zone autonomous decision-making in modern power system, fully distributed computing methods are needed to optimize the economic dispatch (ED) problem coordination of multi-regional power system on the basis of constructing decomposition and interaction mechanism. In this paper, four fully distributed methods based on alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) are used for solving the ED problem in distributed manner. By duplicating variables, the 2-block classical ADMM can be directly used to solve ED problem fully distributed. The second method is employing ADMM to solve the dual problem of ED in fully distributed manner. N-block methods based on ADMM including Alternating Direction Method with Gaussian back substitution (ADM_G) and Exchange ADMM (E_ADMM) are employed also. These two methods all can solve ED problem in distributed manner. However, the former one cannot be carried out in parallel. In this paper, four fully distributed methods solve the ED problem in distributed collaborative manner. And we also discussed the difference of four algorithms from the aspects of algorithm convergence, calculation speed and parameter change. Some simulation results are reported to test the performance of these distributed algorithms in serial and parallel.