• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.122-126
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• 2012

The properties of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films were investigated as a function of $H_2/(Ar+H_2)$ gas ratio using an AZO (2 wt% $Al_2O_3$) ceramic target in a radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering system. The deposition process was done at $200^{\circ}C$ and in $2{\times}10^{-2}$ Torr working pressure and with various ratios of $H_2/(Ar+H_2)$ gas. During the AZO film deposition process, partial $H_2$ gas affected the AZO film characteristics. The electron resistivity (${\sim}9.21{\times}10^{-4}\;{\Omega}cm$) was lowest and mobility (${\sim}17.8\;cm^2/Vs$) was highest in AZO films when the $H_2/(Ar+H_2)$ gas ratio was 2.5 %. When the $H_2/(Ar+H_2)$ gas ratio was increased above 2.5 %, the electron resistivity increased and mobility decreased with increasing $H_2/(Ar+H_2)$ gas ratio in AZO films. The carrier concentration increased with increasing $H_2/(Ar+H_2)$ gas ratio from 0 % to 7.5 %. This phenomenon was explained by reaction of hydrogen and oxygen and additional formation of oxygen vacancy. The average optical transmission in the visible light wavelength region over 90 % and an orientation of the deposition was [002] orientation for AZO films grown with all $H_2/(Ar+H_2)$ gas ratios.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.437-441
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• 2016

Objective : Recently, regenerative therapies have been used in clinical trials (heart, cartilage, skeletal). We don't make use of these treatments to spinal cord injury (SCI) patients yet, but regenerative therapies are rising interest in recent study about SCI. Neural precursor/stem cell (NPSC) proliferation is a significant event in functional recovery of the central nervous system (CNS). However, brain NPSCs and spinal cord NPSCs (SC-NPSCs) have many differences including gene expression and proliferation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of neural growth factor (NGF) on the proliferation of SC-NPSCs. Methods : NPSCs ($2{\times}10^4$) were suspended in $100{\mu}L$ of neurobasal medium containing NGF-7S (Sigma-Aldrich) and cultured in a 96-well plate for 12 days. NPSC proliferation was analyzed five times for either concentration of NGF (0.02 and 2 ng/mL). Sixteen rats after SCI were randomly allocated into two groups. In group 1 (SCI-vehicle group, n=8), animals received 1.0 mL of the saline vehicle solution. In group 2 (SCI-NGF group, n=8), the animals received single doses of NGF (Sigma-Aldrich). A dose of 0.02 ng/mL of NGF or normal saline as a vehicle control was intra-thecally injected daily at 24 hour intervals for 7 days. For Immunohistochemistry analysis, rats were sacrificed after one week and the spinal cords were obtained. Results : The elevation of cell proliferation with 0.02 ng/mL NGF was significant (p<0.05) but was not significant for 2 ng/mL NGF. The optical density was increased in the NGF 0.02 ng/mL group compared to the control group and NGF 2 ng/mL groups. The density of nestin in the SCI-NGF group was significantly increased over the SCI-vehicle group (p<0.05). High power microscopy revealed that the density of nestin in the SCI-NGF group was significantly increased over the SCI-vehicle group. Conclusion : SC-NPSC proliferation is an important pathway in the functional recovery of SCI. NGF enhances SC-NPSC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. NGF may be a useful option for treatment of SCI patients pending further studies to verify the clinical applicability.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.449-460
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• 2014

Since the emergence of domestically produced automobiles in 1964, the number of automobiles in circulation in South Korea has increased constantly. With this rapidly increasing number of automobiles, automobile-induced environmental pollution has become an issue of great concern, especially with regard to air pollution. Of the carbon composites contained in automobile exhaust gas, PAHs are known to be carcinogenic and highly deleterious to humans and thus need to be urgently mitigated. To address this issue of PAHs, this study was conducted to estimate qualitative of particulate PAHs contained in carbon composites in automobile exhaust gas, by capturing all particulate matter discharged from the latter. To allow for differentiated analyses, the automobiles investigated were divided into 4 groups: gasoline vehicle, motocycle, diesel vehicle, and LPG vehicle. Samples were analyzed using two methods. First, in-depth analysis was performed on organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) composites with analysis parameters, using the Thermal Optical Transmittance Method (NIOSH 5040). Second, for the examination of particulate PAHs, GC/MSD was used to analyze the 16 PAH species specified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The analyses yielded the findings that diesel vehicles had the highest mass concentration ($2,007{\mu}g/m^3$), followed by motocycle ($1,066{\mu}g/m^3$), LPG vehicle ($392{\mu}g/m^3$), and gasoline vehicles ($270{\mu}g/m^3$). The highest carbon concentrations in total particulate matter by vehicle weight were produced from LPG vehicle (79.8%), followed by gasoline vehicle (77.4%), motocycle (69.8%), and diesel vehicle (59.1%).

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.629-634
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The aim of this experiments was to show anti-obesity effects of Korean solar salt from different salt fields in diet-induced obese mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Diet-induced obesity (DIO) was induced by a high-fat diet (HFD; 45% cal from fat) in C57BL/6J mice for eight weeks. The mice were fed with the designated diets (chow diet for Normal, HFD for Control, 0.47%-salt-mixed HFD for purified salt (PS), Guerande solar salt from France (SS-G), solar salt from Y salt field (SS-Y), solar salts from T salt field (SS-T) and S salt field (SS-S)) for another eight weeks. We checked body weight, food efficiency ratio (FER) and tissue weights (liver and epididymal adipose tissue (EAT)), and observed serum concentrations of triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC), leptin and insulin. We also evaluated gene expressions of adipogenic / lipogenic mRNAs of $C/EBP{\alpha}$, $PPAR{\gamma}$ and FAS and beta-oxidation-related factors ($PPAR{\alpha}$ and CPT-1) in liver and EAT. The mineral composition of salt samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). RESULTS: SS-T and SS-S significantly reduced body weight gain, FER, and weight of EAT compared to control and other samples (P < 0.05). SS-T and SS-S also significantly decreased serum levels of TG, TC, leptin and insulin (P < 0.05). SS-T and SS-S suppressed expressions of adipogenic / lipogenic mRNAs in liver and EAT, while promoting expression of beta-oxidation-related factors. The lowest sodium concentration was observed in SS-T ($30.30{\pm}0.59%$), and the lowest sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio was found in SS-S (17.81). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that well-processed Korean solar salt may have anti-obesity effects in vivo, probably owing to its differences in mineral composition and other components, presumably resulting from the manufacturing processes. Further research is needed into the mechanism and to explore optimal manufacturing processes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.225-236
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• 2016

Objectives: Nanomaterials have been used in various fields. As use of nanoproducts is increasing, workers dealing with nanomaterials are also gradually increasing. Exposure assessments for nanomaterials have been carried out for protection of worker's health in workplace. Exposure studies were mainly focused on manufacturing processes, but these studies on after-treatment processes such as refinement, weighing, and packing were insufficient. So, we investigated exposure characteristics of particles during after-treatment processes of $Al_2O_3$ fibers and Ni powders. Methods: Mass-production of Ni powder process was carried out in enclosed capture-type canopy hood. In a developing stage, $Al_2O_3$ was handled with a local ventilation unit. Exposure characteristics of particles were investigated for $Al_2O_3$ fiber and Ni powder processes during the periods of 10:00 to 16:00, 20 May 2014 and 13:00 to 16:00, 21 May 2014, respectively. Three real-time aerosol instruments were utilized in exposure assessment. A scanning mobility particle sizer(SMPS, nanoscan, model 3910, TSI) and an optical particle counter(OPC, portable aerosol spectrometer, model 1.109, Grimm) were used to determine the particle size distribution in the size range of 10-420 nm and $0.25-32{\mu}m$, respectively. In addition, a nanoparticle aerosol monitor(NAM, model 9000, TSI) was used to measure lung-deposited nanoparticle surface area. Membrane filters(isopore membrane filter, pore size of 100 nm) were also used for air sampling for the FE-SEM(model S-5000H, Hitachi) analysis using a personal sampling pump(model GilAir Plus by 2.5 L/min, Gilian). Conclusions: For Ni powder after-treatment process, only 27% increase in particle concentration was found during the process. However, for $Al_2O_3$ fiber after-treatment process, significant exposure(1.56-3.34 times) was observed during the process.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.17-26
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• 2011

This study was performed to analyze the antibacterial activity against food hazardous microorganisms and antimutagenic effects of Sanguisorba officinalis L. ethanol extracts on Salmonella Typhimurium TA100. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by paper disc diffusion assay, minimum inhibition concentration (MIC), and optical density of the culture with the ethanol extract for 24 hr. Antibacterial activity was tested with seven microorganisms including Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus. The paper disc diffusion assay showed distinct clear inhibition zones around the discs treated with the extract for five microorganisms, except Escherichia coli and Escherichia coli O157:H7. MIC values were 0.625-2.5 mg/mL for these five strains that showed clear zones. The time-kill assay was consistent with the results from the paper disc diffusion assay and MIC test. Additionally, antimutagenicity of the extract was determined using the Ames test. The ethanol extract at 5 mg/plate inhibited 72.42% and 89.85% of mutagenicity induced by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide and sodium azide, respectively. These results demonstrate that the ethanol extract from S. officinalis L. has remarkable antibacterial activity and antimutagenicity.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.119-131
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• 2011

The asbestos contents in some representative building materials were analyzed using JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. The changes in mineral composition during analysis process and problems in JIS method were also examined. XRD analysis of some representative domestic building materials used for roof, wall, ceiling, and floor indicates that slate have the highest asbestos content having 6.87~6.93% of chrysotile. Other building materials analyzed in this study also have 1.35~3.98% of chrysotile contents. The XRD analysis results of asbestos contents in some domestic building materials are presented in this study. This method is very effective for the asbestos content evaluation of building materials according to newly modified asbestos content regulation (Law of Industrial Safety and Health, 2007-26) that limits asbestos content less than 0.1% by Ministry of Employment and Labor. Small amount of tremolite as well as chrysotile were also observed in some samples. With consideration of crystal shape, contents and geological occurrence, it is considered that tremolite is an associated mineral of chrysotile and is not intentionally added. Complemental analyses with optical microscope and SEM/EDS are also necessary because XRD method cannot distinguish asbestiform from non-asbestiform. The XRD method applied in this study is very effective in the asbestos content analysis of building materials, specially building materials showing high asbestos concentration in residues due to the high loss rate with ashing and acid dissolution procedure.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.347-351
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• 2003

II-Ⅵ ZnO compound semiconductor thin films were grown on $\alpha$-Al$_2$O$_3$(0001) single crystal substrate by radical beam assisted molecular beam epitaxy and the optical properties were investigated. Zn(6N) was evaporated using Knudsen cell and O radical was assisted at the partial pressure of 1$\times$10$^{4}$ Torr and radical beam source of 250-450 W RF power. In $\theta$-2$\theta$ x-ray diffraction analysis, ZnO thin film with 500 nm thickness showed only ZnO(0002)and ZnO(0004) peaks is believed to be well grown along c-axis orientation. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement using He-Cd ($\lambda$=325 nm) laser is obtained in the temperature range of 9 K-300 K. At 9 K and 300 K, only near band edge (NBE) is observed and the FWHM's of PL peak of the ZnO deposited at 450 RF power are 45 meV and 145 meV respectively. From no observation of any weak deep level peak even at room temperature PL, the ZnO grains are regarded to contain very low defect density and impurity to cause the deep-level defects. The peak position of free exciton showed slightly red-shift as temperature was increased, and from this result the binding energy of free exciton can be experimentally determined as much as $58\pm$0.5 meV, which is very closed to that of ZnO bulk. By van der Pauw 4-point probe measurement, the grown ZnO is proved to be n-type with the electron concentration($n_{e}$ ) $1.69$\times$10^{18}$$cm^3$, mobility($\mu$) $-12.3\textrm{cm}^2$/Vㆍs, and resistivity($\rho$) 0.30 $\Omega$$\cdot$cm.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.139-149
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• 2012

Four in situ incubation experiments were conducted in May, August and November 2009, as well as February 2010 to determine the seasonal primary productivity and the community structure of phytoplankton at the Seomjin estuary. The primary production of phytoplankton ranged from 9 to 3560 mgC $m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Primary productivity was the highest in the summer season (August), which was influenced by improved optical and temperature conditions of the water, as well as the supply of nutrients derived from its surrounding watershed. Particularly, the upper station (SJ-1, SJ-2) of Seom-jin estuary showed a higher productivity, as a result of inflow of input nutrients originated from the terrestrial source. The fucoxanthin, as an index pigment of diatoms showed the highest concentration (0.74~9.51 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$) at all stations, occupying 30~80% to total Chl a concentrations. The phytoplankton species composition determination, using a microscope showed similar results to the pigment analysis, which indicated diatom Skeletonema costatum, as the dominant species. The primary productivity in Seom-jin estuary indicates temporally and spatially large variation, according to different environmental conditions. Also, Skeletonema costatum has euryhaline features with relatively higher contribution.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2013

ZnO thin films co-doped with Mg and Ga (MxGyZzO, x + y + z = 1, x = 0.05, y = 0.02 and z = 0.93) were prepared on glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering with different sputtering powers ranging from 100W to 200W at a substrate temperature of $350^{\circ}C$. The effects of the sputtering power on the structural, morphological, electrical, and optical properties of MGZO thin films were investigated. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed that all the MGZO thin films were grown as a hexagonal wurtzite phase with the preferred orientation on the c-axis without secondary phases such as MgO, $Ga_2O_3$, or $ZnGa_2O_4$. The intensity of the diffraction peak from the (0002) plane of the MGZO thin films was enhanced as the sputtering power increased. The (0002) peak positions of the MGZO thin films was shifted toward, a high diffraction angle as the sputtering power increased. Cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscopy images of the MGZO thin films showed that all of these films had a columnar structure and their thickness increased with an increase in the sputtering power. MGZO thin film deposited at the sputtering power of 200W showed the best electrical characteristics in terms of the carrier concentration ($4.71{\times}10^{20}cm^{-3}$), charge carrier mobility ($10.2cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$) and a minimum resistivity ($1.3{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}cm$). A UV-visible spectroscopy assessment showed that the MGZO thin films had high transmittance of more than 80 % in the visible region and that the absorption edges of MGZO thin films were very sharp and shifted toward the higher wavelength side, from 270 nm to 340 nm, with an increase in the sputtering power. The band-gap energy of MGZO thin films was widened from 3.74 eV to 3.92 eV with the change in the sputtering power.