• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.206-217
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• 1995

Background: In patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS), there are several factors increasing upper airway resistance and there is a predisposition to compromised respiratory function during waking and sleep related to constitutional factors including a tendency to obesity. Several recent studies have suggested a possible relationship between sleep apnea(SA) and systemic hypertension. But the possible pathophysiologic link between SA and hypertension is still unclear. In this study, we have examined the relationship among age, body mass index(BMI), pulmonary function parameters and polysomnographic data in patients with OSAS. And also we tried to know the difference among these parameters between hypertensive OSAS and normotensive OSAS patients. Methods: Patients underwent a full night of polysomnography and measured pulmonary function during waking. OSAS was diagnosed if patients had more than 5 apneas per hour(apnea index, AI). A careful history of previously known or present hypertension was obtained from each patient, and patients with systolic blood pressure $\geq$ 160mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure $\geq$ 95mmHg were classified as hypertensives. Results: The noctural nadir of arterial oxygen saturation($SaO_2$ nadir) was negatively related to AI and respiratory disturbance index(RDI), and the degree of noctural oxygen desaturation(DOD) was positively related to AI and RDI. BMI contributed to AI, RDI, $SaO_2$ nadir and DOD values. And also BMI contributed to $FEV_1,\;FEV_1/FVC$ and DLco values. There was a correlation between airway resistance(Raw) and AI, and there was a inverse correlation between DLco and DOD. But there was no difference among these parameters between hypertensive OSAS and normotensive OSAS patients. Conclusion: The obesity contributed to the compromised respiratory function and the severity of OSAS. AI and RDI were important factors in the severity of hypoxia during sleep. The measurement of pulmonary function parameters including Raw and DLco may be helpful in the prediction and assessment of OSAS patients. But we could not find clear difference between hypertensive and normotensive OSAS patients.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2015

The structures of reinforced concrete have been extensively increased with rapid development of industrial society. Futhermore, these reinforced concretes are easy to expose to severe corrosive environments such as seawater, contaminated water, acid rain and seashore etc.. Thus, corrosion problem of steel bar embedded in concrete is very important in terms of safety and economical point of view. In this study, specimens having six different coating thickness (W/C:0.5) were prepared and immersed in flowing seawater for five years to evaluate the effect of coating thickness and immersion time on corrosion property. The polarization characteristics of these embedded steel bars were investigated using electrochemical methods such as corrosion potential, anodic polarization curve, and impedance. At the 20-day immersion, the corrosion potentials exhibited increasingly nobler values with coating thickness. However, after 5-yr. immersion their values were shifted in the negative direction, and the relationship between corrosion potential and coating thickness was not shown. Although 5-yr. immersion lowered corrosion potential, 5-yr. immersion did not increase corrosion rate. In addition, after 5-yr. immersion, the thinner cover thickness, corrosion current density was decreased with thinning coating thickness. It is due to the fact that ease incorporation of water, dissolved oxygen and chloride ion into a steel surface caused corrosion and hence, leaded to the formation of corrosion product. The corrosion product plays the role as a corrosion barrier and increases polarization resistance. The corrosion probability evaluated depending on corrosion potential may not be a good method for predicting corrosion probability. Hence, the parameters including cover thickness and passed aged years as well as corrosion potential is suggested to be considered for better assessment of corrosion probability of reinforced steel exposed to partially or fully in marine environment for long years.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.291-295
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• 2007

The oxidation treatment of needle cokes with 70 wt% of nitric acid and sodium chlorate ($NaClO_3$) was attempted to achieve an electrochemically active material with a large capacitance. The structure of needle cokes was changed to graphite oxide after oxidation treatment of needle cokes with acidic solution having the composition ratio, $NaClO_3$/needle cokes, of 7.5, and the inter-layer distance of the oxidized needle cokes was extended to $6.9{\AA}$with increasing oxygen content. On the other hand, the electrochemical performance of oxidized needle cokes as a polarized electrode for an Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC) was examined with an electrolyte of 1.2 M $TEABF_4$ (tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate) and $TEABF_4$ (triethylmethylammonium tetrafluoroborate) in acetonitrile. The capacitor cell using 1.2 M $TEABF_4$/acetonitrile has exhibited smaller electric resistance of $0.05{\Omega}$, and larger capacitance per weight and volume of 32.0 F/g and 25.5 F/mL at the two-electrode system in the potential range 0~2.5 V than that of the capacitor cell using $TEABF_4$. The observed electrochemical performance was discussed with the correlation between the inter-layer distance in graphite oxide structure and the anionic size of electrolyte.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2017

The transcriptional activator AphB has been implicated in acid resistance and pathogenesis in the food borne pathogens Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio cholerae. To date, the full-length AphB crystal structure of V. cholerae has been determined and characterized by a tetrameric assembly of AphB consisting of a DNA binding domain and a regulatory domain (RD). Although acidic pH and low oxygen tension might be involved in the activation of AphB, it remains unknown which ligand or stimulus activates AphB at the molecular level. In this study, we determine the crystal structure of the AphB RD from V. vulnificus under aerobic conditions without modification at the conserved cysteine residue of the RD, even in the presence of the oxidizing agent cumene hydroperoxide. A cysteine to serine amino acid residue mutant RD protein further confirmed that the cysteine residue is not involved in sensing oxidative stress in vitro. Interestingly, an unidentified small molecule was observed in the inter-subdomain cavity in the RD when the crystal was incubated with cumene hydroperoxide molecules, suggesting a new ligand-binding site. In addition, we confirmed the role of AphB in acid tolerance by observing an aphB-dependent increase in cadC transcript level when V. vulnificus was exposed to acidic pH. Our study contributes to the understanding of the AphB molecular mechanism in the process of recognizing the host environment.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.363-369
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• 2002

We have designed conductive transparent filters using a low-emissivity coating such as [dielectric|Ag|dielectric] for display applications. The design is the repetition of [$TiO_{2}$|Ti|Ag |$TiO_{2}$] to increase the transmittance in the visible and decrease the transmittance in the near IR. The conductive transparent filters are deposited by a radio frequency(RF) magnetron sputtering system. The optical, structural and electrical properties of the filters were investigated and the optical spectra are compared with simulated spectra. The thickness of the deposited Ag films is above 13 ㎚ to increase the conductivity and that of $TiO_{2}$ films is 24 ㎚ to increase the transmittance in the visible range. Ti blockers are employed to prevent the Ag films from being oxidized by an oxygen gas during the reactive sputtering process. Also, it is shown that the thicker Ti film is necessary as the period increases. Finally, a filter with repetition of the basic structure three times shows the better cut-off near infrared(NIR) and the sheet resistance as low as 2Ω/□ which is enough to shield an unnecessary electromagnetic waves for a display panel.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.564-577
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• 2016

Salinity stress limits plant cultivation in many areas worldwide; however, persimmon (Diospyros spp.) has high tolerance to salt. Five accessions of Diospyros [three of Diospyros lotus (accession numbers 824, 846, and 847); one of Diospyros kaki var. sylvestris (869); and one of Diospyros virginiana (844)] were chosen for analysis of salinity stress. We compared the effects of salt stress on plant growth, relative water content (RWC), malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide content ($H_2O_2$), and antioxidative enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; peroxidase, POD; and ascorbate peroxidase, APX) in leaves of healthy potted seedlings from each of the five accessions after salt treatment for 25 days. Salt stress affected the growth of plants in all five accessions, with all three D. lotus accessions showing the most severe effect. Salt stress increased membrane lipid peroxidation in all accessions, but a stronger increase was observed in the three D. lotus accessions. Moreover, accumulation of $H_2O_2$ was faster in salt-sensitive D. lotus compared to salt-tolerant D. virginiana 844. The activities of all antioxidant enzymes increased in D. virginiana 844 and in D. kaki var. sylvestris 869; the activities of SOD, CAT, and APX were at similar levels in D. virginiana 844 and D. kaki var. sylvestris 869, but POD activity was stimulated to a greater extent in D. virginiana 844. The activities of all antioxidant enzymes (except POD) decreased in D. lotus 824 and increased (except for SOD) in D.lotus 846. The activities of SOD and APX decreased in D. lotus 847, whereas POD and CAT activities both increased. Relative water content decreased significantly in D. lotus. No significant changes in lipid peroxidation or relevant antioxidant parameters were detected in any of the accessions in controls treated with 0.0% NaCl. D. virginiana 844 had higher antioxidant capacity in response to salinity compared to other persimmon rootstocks. These results indicate that changes of these key physiological variables are related to salinity resistance in different accessions of persimmon.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2008

We synthesized and investigated $(La_{0.75}Sr_{0.25})_{1-x}FeO_{3-\delta}$ perovskite oxides having different stoichiomety (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08) as cathode materials. SEM images and XRD patterns reveal that the synthesized powder has uniform size distribution and high degree of crystallinity. The electrochemical performances of the synthesized powders were investigated by AC impedance spectroscopy. Both the electric conductivity and the electrochemical performance showed the highest properties at the stoichiometry x = 0.02. Finally, we concluded that the variation of A-site deficiency results in the variation of the amount of oxygen vacancy and micro structure, which leads to the variation of electric conductivity and polarization resistance.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.457-469
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• 2017

Obesity is one of the most serious health problem because it induced numerous metabolic syndrome and increases the incidence of various disease, including diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and cancer. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, increases in reactive oxygens species (ROS) occur with lipid accumulation. NADPH oxidase, producing superoxide anion, may contribute to the development of obesity-associated insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In this study, we elucidated the effect of Chaenomeles sinensis koehne extract (CSE) against the development of obesity and the inhibition mechanisms in 3T3-L1 preadiocytes. CSE decreased triglyceride content and inhibited the expression of adipogenic transcription factors including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $(PPAR){\gamma}$, CCAT/enhancer binding protein $(C/EBP){\alpha}$ and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP-1). In addition, CSE highly increased antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. CSE remarkably reduced intracellular ROS increase and NAD(P)H oxidase activity, NOX1, NOX4, Rac1 protein expression, and phosphorylation of p47phox and p67phox We also studied the effect of CSE on weight gain induced by high-fat diet. The oral treatment of CSE (500 mg/kg, body weight) in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice showed decrease in triglyceride and adipocyte size. Therefore, these results indicate that the effect of CSE on anti-obese effects, adipocyte differentiation and reducing triglyceride contents as well as adipocyte size in obese mice, may be associated with inhibition of NAD(P)H oxidase-induced ROS production and adipose transcription factors. These results showed the potential to inhibit the obesity by CSE treatment through controlling the activation of NAD(P)H oxidase in vitro and in vivo obese model.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.89-95
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• 2015

Carbon felts manufactured by (Co)CNF were subjected to heat treatment under different temperatures to use for the electrode of a redox-flow battery. BET and weight loss were tested to investigate the physical properties of the carbon felt according to the heat treatment conditions. SEM and XPS were also analyzed to characterize their surface area. In addition, electrical resistance, CV (cyclic voltammetry) and RFB charge on the electrode properties were examined in accordance with the heat treatment conditions with the discharge performance. The changes of physical properties on the carbon felt surface was confirmed via SEM and BET analysis, The most addition of oxygen functional groups on the carbon felt surface was obtained when one hour heat treatment at $550^{\circ}C$ and it was confirmed by XPS analysis. After resulting the CV tests, the active area of the electrode was the largest at $550^{\circ}C$ heat treatment. The heat treatment experiment of vanadium redox flow battery using the carbon felts were tested at $400^{\circ}C$, $500^{\circ}C$ and $550^{\circ}C$. As a result, the charge-discharge energy efficiency of the heat treatment electrode was 72.9% and 79.8%, at $400^{\circ}C$ and $500^{\circ}C$, respectively. The efficiency of the heat treatment electrode at $550^{\circ}C$ was the best as 79.8% at $550^{\circ}C$.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.7
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• pp.1070-1078
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• 1998

Thermodynamic analysis on carbon dioxide reforming of methane was performed using a computer program which can handle condensed species in the products, and the reforming experiments were conducted over $Al_2O_3$, $La_2O_3$, ZSM-5, MCM-41, KIT-1 supported nickel catalysts, and a commercial ICI 46-1. It was estabished that a system which consists of $CH_4$, $CO_2$, CO, $H_2$, $H_2O$, and C is appropriate for theoretical equilibrium calculations and addition of water vapor or oxygen was found to diminish the contribution of carbon dioxide in reforming. Silicate molecular sieve-supported catalysts such as Ni/ZSM-5, Ni/MCM-41, Ni/KIT-1 were effective for high $CH_4$ and $CO_2$ conversions as well as for high CO yield. Coke formation was suppressed when CaO was added as a promoter. Ni/Ca/KIT-1 which contains 10% Ni with 3% Ca showed conversion approaching equilibrium levels above $650^{\circ}C$ and maintained constant activity over 20 h. Despite increased space velocity, relatively high conversion and CO yield were observed.