• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2013

Temperature-dependent hydrolysis behaviors of aqueous U(VI) species were investigated with time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) in the temperature range from 15 to $75^{\circ}C$. The formation of four different U(VI) hydrolysis species was measured at pHs from 1 to 7. The predominant presence of $UO{_2}^{2+}$, $(UO_2)_2(OH){_2}^{2+}$, $(UO_2)_3(OH){_5}^+$, and $(UO_2)_3(OH){_7}^-$ species were identified based on the spectroscopic properties such as fluorescence wavelengths and fluorescence lifetimes. With an increasing temperature, a remarkable decrement in the fluorescence lifetime for all U(VI) hydrolysis species was observed, representing the dynamic quenching behavior. Furthermore, the increase in the fluorescence intensity of the further hydrolyzed U(VI) species was clearly observed at an elevated temperature, showing stronger hydrolysis reactions with increasing temperatures. The formation constants of the U(VI) hydrolysis species were calculated to be $log\;K{^0}_{2,2}=-4.0{\pm}0.6$ for $(UO_2)_2(OH){_2}^{2+}$, $log\;K{^0}_{3,5}=-15.0{\pm}0.3$ for $(UO_2)_3(OH){_5}^+$, and $log\;K{^0}_{3,7}=-27.7{\pm}0.7$ for $(UO_2)_3(OH){_7}^-$ at $25^{\circ}C$ and I = 0 M. The specific ion interaction theory (SIT) was applied for the extrapolation of the formation constants to infinitely diluted solution. The results of temperature-dependent hydrolysis behavior in terms of the U(VI) fluorescence were compared and validated with those obtained using computational methods (DQUANT and constant enthalpy equation). Both results matched well with each other. The reaction enthalpies and entropies that are vital for the computational methods were determined by a combination of the van't Hoff equation and the Gibbs free energy equation. The temperature-dependent hydrolysis reaction of the U(VI) species indicates the transition of a major U(VI) species by means of geothermal gradient and decay heat from the radioactive isotopes, representing the necessity of deeper consideration in the safety assessment of geologic repository.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 1977

In the previous study of the release, excretion, and plasma concentration of aldosterone in normal Koreans, the author found that urinary aldosterone excretion and aldosterone secretion rate of the Korean who usually take high amount of salt are significantly lower, in compared to Americans, although the plasma concentration is only tended to be low. The control of plasma aldosterone level depends on the secretion rate and the metabolic clearance of the hormone. In this experiments, the metabolic clearance rate of aldosterone was determined in normotensive korean and the effects of adrenal stimulations on the rates were also studied in the same subjects. The metabolic clearance rate of the normal Korean was not significantly different from those of the American, and shown a little increase in response to sodium restriction. These results indicate that the decrease in secretion rate rather than the increase in metabolic clearance Tate is the major factor maintaining lower plasma aldosterone level. After furosemide diuresis, on the contrary, the removal of aldosterone showed significant the decrease despite slight increase of secretion rate. This suggest that the reduction in metabolic clearance rate of the hormone during volume depletion found to be major cause of high plasma concentration. Additional potassium supply produced detectable decrease of metabolic clearance rate, but the changes were smaller than that of secretion rate, which suggested that the higher secretion rate could account for elevated plasma concentration of aldosterone rather than metabolic clearance. Above results also support author's previous evidences that the normal Korean who already adapted to a high sodium diet have ability to produce adequate aldosterone activity without producing detectable changes on the metabolic clearance rate under the condition of sodium restriction with approp riate potassium intake.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2013

The fog water chemistry and deposition in northern Japan were investigated by fog water and throughfall measurements in 2010. Fog water was sampled weekly by an active-string fog sampler at Lake Mashu from May to November. Throughfall measurements were conducted using rain gauges under three deciduous trees along the somma of the lake from August to October. The mean fog deposition rate (flux) was calculated using throughfall data to estimate the total fog water deposition amount for the entire sampling period. $NH_4{^+}$ and $SO{_4}^{2-}$ were the most abundant cation and anion, respectively, in the fog water samples. A mean pH of 5.08 in the fog water, which is higher than those in rural areas in Japan, was observed. The [$NH_4{^+}$]/[$SO{_4}^{2-}$] equivalent ratio in fog water was larger than 1.0 throughout the study period, indicating that $NH_3$ gas was the primary neutralizing agent for fog water acidity. The mean rate and total amount of fog water deposition were estimated as 0.15 mm $h^{-1}$ and 164 mm, respectively. The amounts of nitrogen and sulfate deposition via fog water deposition were corresponded to those reported values of the annual deposition amounts via rainfall.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.476-484
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• 2018

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (steamed and dried white ginseng, Panax ginseng Meyer) is well known for enhancing vital energy and immune capacity and for inhibiting cancer cell growth. Some clinical studies also demonstrated a therapeutic potential of ginseng extract for treating lung inflammatory disorders. This study was conducted to establish the therapeutic potential of ginseng saponins on the lung inflammatory response. Methods: From Korean Red Ginseng, 11 ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg1, Rg2, Rg3, and Rh2) were isolated. Their inhibitory potential and action mechanism were evaluated using a mouse model of lung inflammation, acute lung injury induced by intranasal lipopolysaccharide administration. Their anti-inflammatory activities were also examined in lung epithelial cell line (A549) and alveolar macrophage (MH-S). Results: All ginsenosides orally administered at 20 mg/kg showed 11.5-51.6% reduction of total cell numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Among the ginsenosides, Rc, Re, Rg1, and Rh2 exhibited significant inhibitory action by reducing total cell numbers in the BALF by 34.1-51.6% (n = 5). Particularly, Re showed strong and comparable inhibitory potency with that of dexamethasone, as judged by the number of infiltrated cells and histological observations. Re treatment clearly inhibited the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$, and the c-Fos component in the lung tissue (n = 3). Conclusion: Certain ginsenosides inhibit lung inflammatory responses by interrupting these signaling molecules and they are potential therapeutics for inflammatory lung diseases.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.473-492
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• 2016

Objective: This paper discusses the recent challenges to human factors engineering due to the safety culture. Background: As incidents occurring in specific fields such as logistics, plant, energy and medical sectors in Korea, as well as in the public sectors including railway, road, aviation and shipping, are recently raised as social issues from the disaster dimension, those incidents are dealt with as man-made disasters in many cases. The trend regarding all accidents as man-made disasters has been expanded in the active perspective that the controllability of all incidents should be ensured in technology development, due to change from a fatal point of view regarding disasters as random occurrence of uncertainties in the past. Method: Man-made disasters are concluded as human errors, and safety culture stands out as a cause of human errors or a new cause item recently. Because safety culture, however, is a very comprehensive term, of which true nature is obscure, although many definitions of safety culture have been presented, the safety culture may make avoid the true nature and responsibility of an incident, or make the main player and subject obscure. Raising safety culture as a cause without presenting a specific countermeasure will be just a wisdom of hindsight. Results and Conclusion: This study reviews the fundamental discussions on "Is safety culture a task of human factors engineering?" and the existing approach carried out from various perspectives in order to seek an effective approach on the new task of safety culture in the human factors engineering field. This study discusses an engineering approach to meet a precondition that safety culture is not just an added factor through a review of the approaches in the proactive fields such as nuclear power and aviation, and the traditional approaches of human factors engineering. Application: This study especially defines the perspective of socio-technological system that has expanded the existing man-machine system, and discusses a systemic approach embracing various interactions, and several overriding tasks.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.43-48
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• 2009

When the PDD (percentage depth dose) in the megavoltage beams is measured in the water phantom, the polarity and ion recombination effects of ionization chambers with depth in water are not usually taken into consideration. We try to investigate if those variations with depth should be taken into consideration or could be ignored for the thimble type semiflex ionization chamber (PTW $31010^{TM}$, SN 1551). According to the recommendation of IAEA TRS-398, the 4 representative depths of $d_s$, $d_{max}$, $d_{90}$ and $d_{50}$ were used for the electron beams. For the photon beams, the 4 depths were arbitrarily chosen for the photon beams, which were $d_s$, $d_{max}$, $d_{10}$ and $d_{20}$. For the high energy photon beam both polarity and ion recombination factors of the chamber with depth in water gives the good agreements within the maximum $\pm$0.2%, while the $C_{polS}$ with depth came within the maximum $\pm$ 0.4% and the $C_{IRS}$ within the maximum $\pm$0.6% in every electron beam used. This study shows that PDI (percentage depth ionization) could be a good approximation to PDD for the chamber used.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.216-221
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• 2016

Background: Very fine radiation-induced aerosol particles are produced in intense radiation fields, such as high-intensity accelerator rooms and containment vessels such as those in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP). Size measurement of the aerosol particles is very important for understanding the behavior of radioactive aerosols released in the FDNPP accident and radiation safety in high-energy accelerators. Materials and Methods: A combined technique using wire screens and imaging plates was developed for size measurement of fine radioactive aerosol particles smaller than 100 nm in diameter. This technique was applied to the radiation field of a proton accelerator room, in which radioactive atoms produced in air during machine operation are incorporated into radiation-induced aerosol particles. The size of $^{11}C$-bearing aerosol particles was analyzed using the wire screen technique in distinction from other positron emitters in combination with a radioactive decay analysis. Results and Discussion: The size distribution for $^{11}C$-bearing aerosol particles was found to be ca. $70{\mu}m$ in geometric mean diameter. The size was similar to that for $^7Be$-bearing particles obtained by a Ge detector measurement, and was slightly larger than the number-based size distribution measured with a scanning mobility particle sizer. Conclusion: The particle size measuring method using wire screens and imaging plates was successfully applied to the fine aerosol particles produced in an intense radiation field of a proton accelerator. This technique is applicable to size measurement of radioactive aerosol particles produced in the intense radiation fields of radiation facilities.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.364-371
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• 2013

The sintering behavior of monolithic SiC is examined using the binary sintering additive of $Al_2O_3$-rare earth oxide ($RE_2O_3$, where RE = Sc, Nd, Dy, Ho, or Yb). Through hot pressing at 20 MPa and $1750^{\circ}C$ for 1 h in an Ar atmosphere for 52 nm fine ${\beta}$-SiC powder added with 5 wt% sintering additive, a SiC density of > 97% is achieved, which indicates the effectiveness of $Al_2O_3-RE_2O_3$ system as a sintering of additive for SiC. Based on this result, 7 wt% of $Al_2O_3-Sc_2O_3$ is tested as an additive system for the fabrication of a continuous SiC fiber-reinforced SiC-matrix composite ($SiC_f$/SiC). Electrophoretic deposition combined with the application of ultrasonic pulses is used to efficiently infiltrate the matrix phase into the voids of $Tyranno^{TM}$-SA3 fabric. After hot pressing, a composite density of > 97% is obtained, along with a maximum flexural strength of 443 MPa.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.865-868
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• 2011

An organic substance, hydroquinone is used to form clathrate compounds in order to identify separation characteristics of carbon dioxide in flue gas. Formed samples were analyzed by means of the solid-state $^{13}C$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Raman spectroscopic methods to examine enclthration behaviors of guest species. In addition, elemnetal analysis was also performed in order to evaluate separation efficiency of $CO_2$ in a quantitative way. Based on the experimental results obtained, $CO_2$ molecules are found to be captured into the clathrate compound more readily than $N_2$ molecules. Moreover, because such preferential enclathration is even more significant at low pressure conditions, $CO_2$ separation/recovery from flue gas can be achieved with minimizing additional energy cost for the technique. Experimental results obtained in this study can provide useful information on separation techniques of flue gas or selective separation of gas mixtures in the future.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.165-166
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• 2018

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is a leading cause of disability with a large socioeconomic cost. OA is a whole-joint disease characterized by cartilage destruction, synovial inflammation, osteophyte formation, and subchondral bone sclerosis. To date, however, no effective disease-modifying therapies for OA have been developed. The estrogen-related receptors (ERRs), a family of orphan nuclear receptor transcription factors, are composed of $ERR{\alpha}$, $ERR{\beta}$, and $ERR{\gamma}$, which play diverse biological functions such as cellular energy metabolism. However, the role of ERRs in OA pathogenesis has not been studied yet. Among the ERR family members, $ERR{\gamma}$ is markedly upregulated in human and various models of mouse OA cartilage. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of $ERR{\gamma}$ in the mouse knee joint tissue caused OA pathogenesis. Additionally, cartilage-specific $ERR{\gamma}$ transgenic (Tg) mice exhibited enhanced experimental OA. Consistently, $ERR{\gamma}$ in articular chondrocytes directly caused expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 3 and MMP13, which play a crucial role in cartilage destruction. In contrast, genetic ablation of Esrrg or shRNA-mediated Esrrg silencing in the joint tissues abrogated experimental OA in mice. These results collectively indicated that $ERR{\gamma}$ is a novel catabolic regulator of OA pathogenesis and can be used as a therapeutic target for OA.