• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.336-346
• /
• 2013

Intrathecal drug delivery is an effective and safe option for the treatment of chronic pathology refractory to conventional pain therapies. Typical intrathecal administered drugs are opioids, baclofen, local anesthetics and adjuvant medications. Although knowledge about mechanisms of action of intrathecal drugs are every day more clear many doubt remain respect the correct location of intrathecal catheter in order to achieve the best therapeutic result. We analyze the factors that can affect drug distribution within the cerebrospinal fluid. Three categories of variables were identified: drug features, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics and patients features. First category includes physicochemical properties and pharmacological features of intrathecal administered drugs with special attention to drug lipophilicity. In the second category, the variables in CSF flow, are considered that can modify the drug distribution within the CSF with special attention to the new theories of liquoral circulation. Last category try to explain inter-individual difference in baclofen response with difference that are specific for each patients such as the anatomical area to treat, patient posture or reaction to inflammatory stimulus. We conclude that a comprehensive evaluation of the patients, including imaging techniques to study the anatomy and physiology of intrathecal environment and CSF dynamics, could become essential in the future to the purpose of optimize the clinical outcome of intrathecal therapy.

• Advances in nano research
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2017

Multiwalled carbon-nanotubes (MWCNT) and micro-structured carbon, such as biochar or activated carbon (AC), have been seen to significantly increase the growth indices of certain plant species such as maize (Zea mays L.). Seed imbibition is the stage where environmental factors that affect water transport across the seed coat barrier, make a large impact. This work explores the effect on water imbibition by maize seeds when the aqueous environment surrounding the seed is diluted by small concentrations (10 and 20 mg/l) of pristine MWCNT (p-MWCNT), carboxylate functionalized MWCNT (COO-MWCNT) and AC. The degree of sensitivity of the process to (i) large structural changes is seen by utilizing the nano (the MWCNT) and the micro (the AC) allotropic forms of carbon; (ii) to small changes in the purity and morphology of the p-MWCNT by utilizing 95% pure and 99% pure p-MWCNTs of slightly differing morphologies; and (iii) to MWCNT functionalization by using highly pure (97%) COO-MWCNT. Water imbibition was monitored over a 15 hour period by Near Infrared Thermography (NIRT) and also by seed weighing. Seed surface topography was seen by SEM imaging. Analysis of the NIRT images suggests rapid seed surface topological changes with the quantity of water imbibed. While further work is necessary to arrive at a conclusive answer, this work shows that the imbibition phase of the maize seed is sensitive to the presence of MWCNT even to small differences in the purity of the p-MWCNT and to small differences in the physicochemical properties of the medium caused by the hydrophilic COO-MWCNT.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.261-275
• /
• 2008

The profile of a fixed site at station M ($34.77^{\circ}N,\;129.13^{\circ}E$) in the Korea Strait was studied from March 2006 to February 2007. The aim was to understand the relationship between the annual thermal stratification pattern and seasonal variation in phytoplankton community structure. Physicochemical factors including temperature, salinity and nutrient concentrations, which strongly influence the proliferation and diversity of phytoplankton, were measured. The study period was divided into three due to the characteristic of thermohaline structures; mixed I (March-May 2006), stratified (June-November 2006) and mixed II(December 2006-Feburuary 2007). Diatoms dominated during the mixed I (89%) and II (48%) periods, while nanoplankton group occupied over 83% of total population during the stratified period. The dominant species during the mixed I and II was Chaetoceros socialis (47% and 29%, respectively), while during the stratified period Gyrodinium sp.(4%) was the most dominant. Averaged total chl a concentrations during the mixed I and II periods were 0.61 mg $m^{-3}$ and 0.72 mg $m^{-3}$, respectively, which were at least two-fold higher than that during the stratified period (0.30 mg $m^{-3}$). The vertical mixing and convection process of the water column induced nutrient supply from the bottom layer to the euphotic zone. It also led to the dominance of diatoms during the mixed periods, whereas small phytoplankton prevailed over large phytoplankton as stratification blocked the upward movement of nutrients to subsurface during the stratified period. During the mixed I and II periods, microplanktonic chl a dominated concentrations (50% and 48%, respectively), while picoplanktonic chl a occupied over 37% of total chl a during the stratified period.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.6-11
• /
• 2005

Injury of articular cartilage can be classified into acute injury and chronic degenerative osteoarthritis Acute mechanical trauma on articular cartilage causes injuries that are divided into three distinct types based on the depth of injury: microdamage, chondral fracture, osteochondral fracture and each type has different potential of healing response and long-term prognosis. Articular cartilage undergoes degradation in response to a number of stimuli and eventually degenerative osteoarthritic changes will progress. The extent of initial injury to the articular cartilage is the most important factor affecting the long-term outcome of the healing response and other variables such as the size of lesion, site, age, activity level, obesity, limb alignment are also important factors. In this review, the pathophysiology that occurs within articular cartilage after different injuries and the effect of nonsurgical treatment mainly in physicochemical aspect and biological aspect will be discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.24 no.12
• /
• pp.1707-1718
• /
• 2014

In this study, the phylogenetic diversities of bacterial and archaeal communities in a plant-microbial fuel cell (P-MFC) were investigated together with the environmental parameters, affecting its performance by using rice as a model plant. The beneficial effect of the plant appeared only during a certain period of the rice-growing season, at which point the maximum power density was approximately 3-fold higher with rice plants. The temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), and pH in the cathodic and anodic compartments changed considerably during the rice-growing season, and a higher temperature, reduced difference in pH between the cathodic and anodic compartments, and higher EC were advantageous to the performance of the P-MFC. A 16S rRNA pyrosequencing analysis showed that the 16S rRNAs of Deltaproteobacteria and those of Gammaproteobacteria were enriched on the anodes and the cathodes, respectively, when the electrical circuit was connected. At the species level, the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) related to Rhizobiales, Geobacter, Myxococcus, Deferrisoma, and Desulfobulbus were enriched on the anodes, while an OTU related to Acidiferrobacter thiooxydans occupied the highest proportion on the cathodes and occurred only when the circuit was connected. Furthermore, the connection of the electrical circuit decreased the abundance of 16S rRNAs of acetotrophic methanogens and increased that of hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The control of these physicochemical and microbiological factors is expected to be able to improve the performance of P-MFCs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.45 no.7
• /
• pp.1001-1009
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between quality factors and palatability of modified Doenjang and traditional Doenjang. Fourteen types of Doenjang, including three modified Doenjang and 11 traditional Doenjang samples, were analyzed to evaluate their physicochemical and sensorial properties. There were differences in e-tongue, which indicates overall acceptability. Water contents, minerals, total sugar contents, salt contents, pH, titratable acidity, and free amino acids of Doenjang did not show significant differences. From the correlation and regression analysis, palatability was closely related to the e-tongue sensor such as $X_1$ (sourness), $X_3$ (saltiness), and $X_4$ (umami) to -0.772, -0.642, and 0.678, respectively. The regression equation for sensorial palatability (Y) was Y=$45.356-0.008X_1-0.010X_3$ with a coefficient of 0.882.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.185-196
• /
• 2010

The distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in Daecheon stream, an urban stream of Busan, was investigated to analyze the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates. The collection was performed monthly at five(A~E) sites divided into three parts, upper, middle and lower, of stream from January to November, 2004. In physicochemical analysis of environmental factors, water quality parameters such as BOD, COD, conductivity and ABS were relatively increased in sites B and C. Whereas sites A, D and E showed little variations with good water quality parameters. However, water quality parameters in all surveyed sites showed gradual decrease with time toward improvement of water quality. A total of 8,226 individuals including 4 phyla, 6 classes, 9 orders, 302 families and 44 species were identified from five sites. The most dominant group was insect(class Insecta), and order Ephemeroptera and Diptera among insect was the largest member in species(30.6%) and individuals(75.0%) of benthic macroinvertebrates, respectively. The primary dominant species were Gammarus sp. and Ephemera strigata in site A, whereas Chironomus sp. and Brenchiura sowerbyi were dominated commonly in the other sites. In community analysis of benthic macroinvertebrates of Daecheon stream diversity index showed relatively low values, whereas dominance index was significantly high. Diversity index was the highest in site A, whereas the dominance index was the highest in site B. However, diversity index showed gradual increase with time showing adverse mode in dominance index. From these results, it can be suggested that long-term ecological monitoring of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna is needed for sustainable management of Daecheon stream.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.81-88
• /
• 1996

To study the Cd adsorption in the presence of competing ions in soil-solution interphase, three soil samples from the Bt horizon were taken and analyzed for their physical and chemical properties. Adsorption of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether(EGME) and N, were determined to establish the specific surface area of the soils. We attempted to establish a qeneralizing competitive sorption isotherms for soils of entirely different composition of the solid phase, resulting in the routine use as a guidelines for the fate of reactive solute in soil profiles. Many physicochemical factors including competitive adsorption bettween solutes will affect the general adsorption phenomena as shown in a single not only on the soil:solution ratio used, but also on the surface areas of its respective soil samples. This phenomenon was attributed to competition Cd for sorption sites with Mg by different soil constituents. These adsorption isotherms are able to use as examples to demonstrate that this phenomenon can complicate the development of a standardized batch adsorption procedure as well as interpreting fate and adsorption of toxic inorganic compounds.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.241-252
• /
• 2000

Twenty-two water samples(fifteen groundwater and seven geothermal water samples) were collected to elucidate chemical characteristics of the ground and geothermal waters in the Haeundae hot spring area and its vicinity. Major and honor elements were analyzed for ground and geothermal water samples. The concentrations of $K^+$, Na+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $SO_4^{2-}$, $Cl^-$, ^F^-$ and $SiO_2$ were higher in the geothermal water samples than the groundwater samples except $HCO_3^- and Mg^{2+}$ ions. Based on the contents of Fe, Zn, Cu, Al, Mn and Pb, some of the ground and geothermal water samples are contaminated by anthropogenic sources. The ground waters shown on the Piper diagram belong to $Ca-HCO_3$ type, while the geothermal waters Na-Cl type. The graphs of $Cl^-$ versus $Na^+$, $Ca^{2+}, Mg^{2+}, K^+, SO_4^{2-} and HCO_3^-$ indicate that the groundwater is related partly with mineral-water reaction and partly with anthropogenic contamination, while the geothermal water is related with saline water. On the phase stability diagram, groundwater and thermal water mostly fall in the field of stability of kaolinite. This indicates that the ground and geothermal waters proceed with forming kaolinite. Factor and correlation analyses were carried out to simplify the physicochemical data into grouping some factors and to find interaction between them. Based on the Na-K, Na-K-Ca and Na-K-Ca-Mg geothermometers and silica geothermometers, the geothermal reservoir is estimated to have equilibrium temperature between 125${$\mid$circ}C$ and 160${$\mid$circ}C$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.590-600
• /
• 2005

The present report has been aimed at reviewing important factors which need to be closely analyzed or considered when increasing the market weight of finishing pigs. The pig market weight has increased worldwide during the past few decades, which is attributable primarily to an increased lean gain potential of finishing pigs. To increase the market weight, however, the acceptability of larger pigs by the packer as well as pork consumers should be met first. By increasing the market weight, total number of breeding stock, as well as the facility for them, necessary for producing a given weight of pork can be reduced, whereas more building space for finishing pigs and an additional nutrition program for the later finishing period are needed. Additionally, a more thorough disease prevention program especially against ileitis and mycoplasma pneumonia may also be needed, because outbreaks of these are known to increase with increasing body weight over 110 kg. Some larger finishing pigs may deposit excessive fat that may be reduced or prevented by using hormonal and/or nutritional agents. Backfat thickness increases linearly with increasing body weight between 110 and 130 kg, whereas intramuscular fat content does not change significantly. With increasing live weight within this range, the ratios of belly and loin to carcass weight also are known to increase. Some physicochemical characteristics related to fresh and cooked meat quality including color, firmness, juiciness, etc. are known to be unaffected or slightly changed following an increase of slaughter weight. In conclusion, ratios of primal cuts and pork quality characteristics are not significantly affected by increasing the market weight. Moreover, increasing the market weight of lean-type pigs approximately up to 130 kg is normally profitable to producers, as long as packers and consumers accept larger pigs.