• Medical Lasers
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.74-79
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• 2019

Periorbital melasma is often refractory to treatment and highly associated with rebound hyperpigmentation or mottled hypopigmentation after laser treatment in Asian patients. In this report, we describe 2 patients with cluster-1 periorbital melasma and 1 patient with cluster-2 periorbital melasma who experienced remarkable clinical improvements after microwave-generated, atmospheric-pressure, non-thermal nitrogen plasma treatments. All patients exhibited limited clinical responses after combination treatments with topical bleaching agents, systemic oral tranexamic acid, and low-fluenced Q-switched neodymium (Nd):yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) lasers. Low-energy nitrogen plasma treatment at 0.75 J elicited remarkable clinical improvement in the periorbital melasma lesions without post-laser therapy rebound hyperpigmentation and mottled hypopigmentation. We deemed that a single pass of nitrogen plasma treatment at 0.75 J induces mild microscopic thermal tissue coagulation and modification within the epidermis while preserving the integrity of the basement membrane in patients with periorbital melasma. Accordingly, nitrogen plasma-induced dermal tissue regeneration could play a role in the treatment of melasma lesions.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the killing effect of Candida albicans on hairless mouse-2 (HRM-2) mouse tissues. We tested the effectiveness of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma in killing C. albicans strains. The viability of C. albicans was determined by counting the colony forming units (CFU), after non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma treatment. When non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma was repeatedly treated on mouse skin which inoculated with C. albicans. The C. albicans cells were planted on skin tissue, and then the infected mouse tissue was exposed to non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma for 0 sec, 60 sec, 180 sec and 300 sec. The death rate of C. albicans was increased in dependent with treatment times. The three times of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma at the interval of 10 minutes significantly showed the 6 log CFU/ml reduction of death rate on HRM-2 mouse tissues. Thus, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma could be used for the disinfection of C. albicans on oral surface.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.207-207
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• 2016

plasma group velocities of neon with oxygen admixture (ug) are obtained by intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) camera images at fixed gate width time of 5 ns. The propagation velocities outside interelectrode region are in the order of 104 m/s.The plasma ambipolar diffusion velocities are calculated to be in the order of 102 m/s. Plasma jet is generated by all fixed sinusoidal power supply, total gas flow and repetition frequency at 3 kV, 800 sccm and 40 kHz, respectively. The amount of oxygen admixture is varied from 0 to 2.75 %. By employing one dimensional convective wave packet model, the electron temperatures in non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma jet are estimated to be in a range from 1.65 to 1.95 eV.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.156.1-156.1
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• 2015

Neon and argon plasma group velocities (ug) are obtained by intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) camera images at fixed gate width time of 5 ns. The propagation velocities in upstream and downstream region are in the order of 104-105 m/s. The plasma ambipolar diffusion velocities are calculated to be in the order of 101-102 m/s. Plasma jet is generated by sinusoidal power supply in varying voltages from 1 to 4 kV at repetition frequency of 40 kHz. By employing one dimensional convective wave packet model, the neon and argon electron temperatures in non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma jet are estimated to be 1.95 and 1.18 eV, respectively.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.2-8
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• 2013

PURPOSE. Autoclaves and UV sterilizers have been commonly used to prevent cross-infections between dental patients and dental instruments or materials contaminated by saliva and blood. To develop a dental sterilizer which can sterilize most materials, such as metals, rubbers, and plastics, the sterilization effect of an atmospheric pressure non-thermal air plasma device was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS. After inoculating E. coli and B. subtilis the diamond burs and polyvinyl siloxane materials were sterilized by exposing them to the plasma for different lengths of time (30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and, 240 seconds). The diamond burs and polyvinyl siloxane materials were immersed in PBS solutions, cultured on agar plates and quantified by counting the colony forming units. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and significance was assessed by the LSD post hoc test (${\alpha}$=0.05). RESULTS. The device was effective in killing E. coli contained in the plasma device compared with the UV sterilizer. The atmospheric pressure non-thermal air plasma device contributed greatly to the sterilization of diamond burs and polyvinyl siloxane materials inoculated with E. coli and B. subtilis. Diamond burs and polyvinyl siloxane materials inoculated with E. coli was effective after 60 and 90 seconds. The diamond burs and polyvinyl siloxane materials inoculated with B. subtilis was effective after 120 and 180 seconds. CONCLUSION. The atmospheric pressure non-thermal air plasma device was effective in killing both E. coli and B. subtilis, and was more effective in killing E. coli than the UV sterilizer.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

The aim in this study is to develop the combined EGR system with a non-thermal plasma reactor for reducing exhaust emissions and improving fuel economy in turbo intercooler ECU common-rail diesel engines. In this study, the characteristics of soot, CO and $CO_2$ emissions under four kinds of engine loads are experimentally investigated by using a four-cycle, four-cylinder, direct injection type, water-cooled turbo intercooler ECU common-rail diesel engine with a combined plasma exhaust gas recirculation(EGR) system operating at three kinds of engine speeds. The EGR and non-thermal plasma reactor system are used to reduce $NO_x$ emissions, and the non-thermal plasma reactor and turbo intercooler system are used to reduce soot and THC emissions. The plasma system is a flat-to-flat type reactor operated by a plasma power supply. The fuel is sprayed by pilot and main injections at the variable injection timing between BTDC $15^{\circ}$ and ATDC $1^{\circ}$ according to experimental conditions. It is found that soot emissions with increasing EGR rate are increased, but are decreased as the applied electrical voltage of the non-thermal plasma reactor is elevated at the same engine speed and load. Results also show that CO and $CO_2$ emissions are increased as EGR rate is elevated, and CO emissions are increased, but $CO_2$ emissions are decreased as the applied electrical voltage of the non-thermal plasma reactor is elevated at the same engine speed and load.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.10-21
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• 2006

The aim in this study is to develop the combined EGR system with a non-thermal plasma reactor for reducing exhaust emissions and improving fuel economy in turbo intercooler ECU common-rail diesel engines. At the first step, in this paper, the characteristics of performance and $NO_x{\cdot}THC$ emissions under four kinds of engine loads are experimentally investigated by using a four-cycle, four-cylinder, direct injection type, water-cooled turbo intercooler ECU common-rail diesel engine with a combined plasma exhaust gas recirculation(EGR) system operating at three kinds of engine speeds. The EGR system is used to reduce $NO_x$ emissions, and the non-thermal plasma reactor and turbo intercooler system are used to reduce THC emissions. The plasma system is a flat-to-flat type reactor operated by a plasma power supply. The fuel is sprayed by pilot and main injections at the variable injection timing between BTDC $15^{\circ}$ and ATDC $1^{\circ}$ according to experimental conditions. It is found that the specific fuel consumption rate with EGR is increased, but the fuel economy is better than that of mechanical injection type diesel engine as compared with the same output. Results show that $NO_x$ emissions are decreased, but THC emissions are increased, as the EGR rate is elevated. $NO_x$ and THC emissions are also slightly decreased as the applied electrical voltage of the non-thermal plasma reactor is elevated. Thus one can conclude that the influence of EGR in $NO_x$ and THC emissions is larger than that of the non-thermal plasma reactor, but THC emissions are greatly influenced by the non-thermal plasma reactor as the EGR rate is elevated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.260-260
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• 2014

Dermatophytes can invade in keratinized tissues and cause dermatophytosis [1] that rank among the most widespread and common infectious diseases world-wide. Although several systemically and topically administered drugs with activities against these fungi are available, still complete eradication of some of these infections, is difficult and relapses and remissions are often observed [2,3]. In addition, some people are allergic to many of the available drugs which add complications even more. Therefore, the search for novel, selective and more effective therapy is always required and it may help the clinicians to choose the correct treatment for their patients. Non-thermal plasmas primarily generate reactive species and recently have emerged as an efficient tool for medical applications including sterilization. In this study, we evaluated the ability of non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma for the inactivation of clinical isolates of Trichophyton genera, Trichophyton mentagrophytes (T. mentagrophytes) and Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum), which cause infections of nails and skin and, are two of the most frequently isolated dermatophytes [4]. Our results showed that DBD plasma has considerable time dependent inactivation potential on both T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum in-vitro. Furthermore, the mechanisms for plasma based T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum inactivation and planning for in-vivo future studies will be discussed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.815-824
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• 2011

In this study, a non-thermal plasma system was employed to simultaneously remove odorous compounds and organic sludge. The system consisted of two reactors; the first one was the non-thermal plasma reactor where ozone was produced by the plasma reaction and the ozone oxidized hydrogen sulfide, the model odorous compound, and then the ozone-laden gas stream was introduced to the second reactor where wasted sludge was disintegrated and solubilized by ozone oxidation. In this study, the gas retention time (GRT) and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) were changed in the two-reactor system, and the effects of GRT and HRT on reduction efficiencies of odor and sludge were determined. As the GRT increased, the ozone concentration increased resulting in an increasing efficiency of hydrogen sulfide removal. However, the overall ozone loading rate to the second sludge reactor was the same at any GRT, which resulted in an insignificant change in sludge reduction rate. When HRTs in the sludge reactor were 1, 2, 4 hours, the sludge reduction rates were approximately 30% during the four-hour operation, while the rate increased to 70% at the HRT of 6 hours. Nevertheless, at HRTs greater than 4 hours, the solubilization efficiency was not proportionally increased with increasing specific input energy, indicating that an appropriate sludge retention time needs to be applied to achieve effective solubilization efficiencies at a minimal power consumption for the non-thermal plasma reaction.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.727-733
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• 2007

In this study, a newly developed biotrickling system, combined with a non-thermal plasma reactor, was investigated to effectively treat gaseous contaminants such as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Three kinds of non-thermal plasmas (NTPs) such as a rod type dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma, a packed bead type DBD plasma and a gliding arc (GA) plasma, were tested and compared in terms of power consumption. The rod type DBD plasma was selected as one for integration with biotrickling system due to its relatively high VOC removal efficiency, low power consumption and low pressure drop. Toluene and xylene as representatives of VOCs were used as test gases. The experiment results showed that the efficiency of biotrickling system was especially very low at the high gas concentration and high flow rate and the removal efficiencies of VOCs were considerably enhanced in the biotrickling system, when the DBD plasma was worked in front of that even at the high gas concentration and high flow rate.