• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.215-223
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• 2005

Non-thermal plasma decomposition of gas-phase styrene was investigated in this study using three different types of plasma reactors; dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) reactor, surface discharge (SD) reactor and plasma-driven catalyst (PDC) reactor packed with 2.0 wt% $Ag/TiO_2$ catalysts. The main parameters used for the comparative assessment of the plasma reactors include the decomposition efficiency, carbon balance, byproduct distribution, COx ($CO+CO_2$) selectivity and COx yield. The SD and the DBD reactors showed better conversion efficiency of styrene than that of the PDC reactor due to their larger capability in ozone formation. On the other hand, the PDC reactor showed better carbon balance, the yield and the selectivity of COx. The required specific input energies to achieve 100% carbon balance from the decomposition of 100 ppmv styrene using the plasma alone reactors and the PDC reactor were 420 J/L and 110 J/L, respectively. The major decomposition products in gas-phase were CO, $CO_2$ and HCOOH regardless of the types of plasma reactors. In the case of SD and DBD reactors, the $CO_2$ selectivity ranged in $39.5{\sim}60%$. The $CO_2$ selectivity in the PDC reactor was in range of $68.5{\sim}75.5%$.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.1712-1718
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• 2014

Experimental analysis according to the plasma actuator design variables was performed in order to verify the effects of sliding discharge plasma on aerodynamic drag reduction of a high-speed train. For the study, sliding discharge plasma actuator and high-frequency, high-voltage power supply were developed and experimented to figure out the best design variables for highest ionic wind velocity which could reduce the drag force. And then, 5% reduced-scale model of a high-speed train was built for wind tunnel test to verify it. From the results, it was confirmed that sliding discharge plasma had contribution to reduce the drag force and it had the potential to be applied to real-scale trains.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.194-198
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• 2000

Taurine, 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid is widely distributed in animal tissues and has a variety of bio-logical activities. A recent worldwide study demonstrated beneficial effects of taurine on aging and age-associated disorders. In general, taurine levels in the brain decease when an animal is subjected to pathologic conditions such as ischemia-anoxia and seizure. But the taurine levles tend to increase in the brain in hypertensive state. In the present study, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) transport of [$^3$H]taurine was compared between spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats (SD) using intravenous injection technique in vivo. We also obtained pharmacokinetic parameters of plasma volume maker, [$^{14}$ C] sucrose and [$^3$H]taurine after inject to rats simulatenously. BBB permeability surface area product (PS) value of [$^3$H]taurine in SHR (16$\pm$2.9$\times$10$^{-3}$ ml/min/g) was significantly higher than that in SD (7.4$\pm$0.8$\times$10$^{-3}$ ml/min/g). There is also significant difference for brain uptake of [$^3$H]taurine between SHR (0.195$\pm$0.031%ID/g) and SD (0.058$\pm$0.003% ID/g). This is due to difference of area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and that of total clearance (Class) between SHR and SD. No significant difference was indicated from other organ uptakes such as lung, heart, liver SHR and SD. But also kidney uptake was much higher in SHR. In conclusion, [$^3$H]taurine in plasma was slowly eliminated in SHR than in SD and uptake of [$^3$H]taurine in SHR is much higher than that of SD. This results suggest increased taurine level in the brain in hypertension state have an any effect on the brain uptake of taurine.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2009

Background: Ketamine has an indirect sympathetic stimulation effect. We investigated heart rate variability (HRV) as a marker of cardiac autonomic function after a target controlled infusion (TCI) of ketamine with a plasma concentration of 30 or 60 ng/ml. Methods: In 20 adult volunteers, the mean of the R wave to the adjacent R wave interval (RRI), the range of RRI, the root mean square successive difference of intervals (RMSSD), the total power, the low frequency (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz) power, the high frequency (HF, 0.15-0.4 Hz) power, the normal unit HF (nuHF), the normal unit LF (nuLF), the LF/HF ratio and the SD1 and the SD2 in the Poincare plot were measured before and after a TCI of ketamine. We observed for any psychedelic symptoms or sedation. Results: There were no differences in the mean and range of the RRI, RMSSD, total power, LF power, HF power, nuHF, nuLF, LF/HF ratio, SD1 and SD2 between before and after ketamine administration. The OAA/S score was higher and there were more psychedelic symptoms with a 60 ng/ml plasma concentration than with a 30 ng/ml plasma concentration. Conclusions: This study did not show any effect of a low plasma concentration of ketamine on the autonomic nervous system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.980-986
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• 2005

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of diet (1:1 ratio) added with meat product (seasoning chicken product, patty) containing natural extracts (green tea, Schizandra chinensis) on body weights, internal organs weights, the contents of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and total lipid in plasma and liver. The experimental diets were prepared with basal diet added with $1\%$ natural extracts. These diets were supplied to SD (Sprague-Dawley) rats for 45 days. The body weight of SD rats supplied seasoning chicken and patty containing green tea and Schizandra chinensis tended to be lower than that of SD rats dieted seasoning chicken product and patty product. The contents of plasma cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and total lipid were decreased in SD rats dieted seasoning chicken and patty with green tea and Schizandra chinensis. However, the contents of plasma cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and total lipid tended to be increased in SD rats supplied seasoning chicken product and patty only. Hepatic lipid peroxidation measured by TBARS method was not different, compared to that of control. In conclusion, the diets with meat products containing $1\%$ natural extracts were effective in reducing plasma and hepatic cholesterol levels in rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 1988

In order to evaluate the effect of cigarette smoking on the pharmacokinetics of theophylline in Koreans, doses of 4.5 to 5.0 mg/kg of theophylline, as injectable aminophylline, were administered to 12 normal young volunteers (male, 22 to 35 yrs;mean, 26 yrs) through intravenous infusion over 30 minutes, and pharmacokinetics of theophylline were tested. Among subjects, six were nonsmokers and the other were smokers (range 1 to 2 packs/day). Also the correlations between plasma and saliva theophylline concentrations were investigated by determining the concentrations of theophylline in saliva simultaneously at each plasma sampling time. The total body clearances of theophylline in smokers (Mean${\pm}$SD, 0.0578${\pm}$0.0092 L/hr/kg)were appreciably higher than thoxe of nonsmokers (Mean${\pm}$SD, 0.0359${\pm}$0.0063 L/hr/kg), and the half-lives of theophylline in smokers averaged 5.36${\pm}$1.22hr, and significantly shorter than those of nonsmokers which averaged 9.14${\pm}$1.73hrs(p<0.005). But the apparent volumes of distribution of theophylline did not show any significant difference between smokers (Mean${\pm}$SD,0.44 ${\pm}$0.05L/kg) and nonsmokers (Mean${\pm}$SD, 0.46${\pm}$0.05L/kg). The average concentration ratios in saliva and plasma were 0.61 in smokers and 0.56 in nonsmokers after 2 hrs following drug administrations, and the smoker group had a slightly higher value of ratio(S/P) than the nonsmoker group (p<0.05). The correlations between saliva and plasma theophylline concentration in smokers were r=0.852(p<0.0005) within 2 hr and r=0.985(p<0.0005) after 2 hrs and also those of nonsmokers were r=0.729(p<0.0005) within 2 hrs and r=0.957(p<0.0005) after 2 hrs starting the infusion. From the results, it was found that smoking cigarettes had significantly increased the clearance of theophylline and that the relationships between saliva and plasma theophylline concentrations in all subjects were better after 2 hrs than within 2 hrs starting the infusion of aminophlline.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2007

Folate is important for multiple metabolic processes such as nucleic acid synthesis and interconversions, and cell division. Folate deficiency may be a risk factor for several pathologies, such as neural tube birth defects, dementia, and cardiovascular diseases. The objectives of this study were to estimate folate intakes and plasma concentrations of young children living in Kwangju, Korea. Three consecutive 24-h food recalls and fasting blood samples were obtained from 24 boys and 30 girls, aged 2-6 y, living in Kwangju, Korea. The daily folate intake ($mean{\pm}SD$) of the children was $146.7{\pm}73.6{\mu}g$ dietary folate equivalents. No differences in folate intakes were observed by gender ($p{\geq}0.05$). The mean folate intakes of the 2 and 3 y old groups were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those of 5 and 6 y old groups. Over half of subjects consumed $mean{\pm}SD$) of all subjects was $19.2{\pm}8.7nmol/L$, and there was no significant difference by age nor gender ($p{\geq}0.05$). No significant correlation was observed between folate intakes and plasma folate concentrations. One subjeci (1.9%) in this study had a plasma folate concentration <6.8 nmol/L, which is indicative of folate deficiency. Approximately 24% of subjects had plasma folate concentrations of 6.8-13.4 nmol/L, which is representative of marginal folate status. In conclusion, some young children may have less than adequate folate status in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.364-367
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to compare the plasma progesterone concentrations during gestation in 4 breeds of companion bitches. When Day 0 was timed the first male acceptance, plasma progesterone were 1.8 ± 0.4 ng/ml (Mean ± SD) at Day 0 and increased constantly with 58.5 ± 8.9 ng/ml a peak at Day 20. Thereafter plasma progesterone concentrations was decreased below 1.0 ng/ml with 0.7 ± 0.2 g/ml at Day 65. There were no statistically significant differences of plasma progesterone concentrations in the each day of gestation and in litter size among the companion bitches (p < 0.01). These results indicated that the plasma progesterone concentrations was useful method for estimating optimal breeding time, ovulation time, the time of onset of parturition, properly planned elective cesarean section and abortion time in companion bitches.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.618-624
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones are widely believed to be beneficial to human health, in relation to their antioxidant potentials. Exercise can cause an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants. This study was conducted in order to investigate the ability of isoflavones in amelioration of oxidative stress induced by exercise. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of four groups: isoflavone-free with no exercise (CON-sd), isoflavone-free with exercise (CON-ex), isoflavone-supplemented with no exercise (ISF-sd), and isoflavone-supplemented with exercise (ISF-ex). Animals exercised on the treadmill for 30 minutes per day, five days per week. TBARS as a marker of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity, including SOD, GSH-px, and catalase were determined in liver tissue. Serum lipid profile was also examined. RESULTS: A significant effect of isoflavone alone was observed on abdominal fat pad mass. ISF-ex had significantly less abdominal fat pad than CON-ex. Both exercise and isoflavone treatment had significant effects on lowering plasma triglyceride (TG), thus, the ISF-ex group had a significantly lower TG level than the CON-sd group, by 30.9%. However, no differences were observed in plasma cholesterol, HDL-C, and cholesterol/HDL-C ratio. Exercise, isoflavone, and exercise-isoflavone interaction effects were significant on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (P = 0.001, 0.002, and 0.005, respectively). The CON-ex group showed a higher TBARS level than the other three groups. By contrast, in the ISF-ex group, TBARS was restored to the level of the ISF-sd or CON-sd group. Isoflavone had a significant effect on superoxide dismutase (SOD) (P = 0.022) and catalase activities (P = 0.049). Significantly higher SOD and catalase activities were observed in ISF-ex than CON-ex. SOD and catalase activities showed an inverse pattern of TBARS. Taken together, isoflavones increased the activities of SOD and catalase with concomitant decreases in TBARS, indicative of decreased oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: Isoflavone supplementation enhances antioxidant action with attenuation of exercise-induced oxidative stress, as measured by decreases in TBARS, and inhibits body fat accumulation and plasma TG increase. Antioxidative effects ascribed to isoflavones may be partially exerted via enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activities.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1064-1068
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• 2007

We evaluated the effect of soybean dongchunghacho [SD, cultivated dongchunghacho fungus (Paecilomyces tenuipes) on soybeans] on dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced DNA damage and oxidative stress in male F344 rats. The animals were divided into 3 groups and fed a casein-based high-fat, low fiber diet without (DMH group) or with 13%(w/w) of soybean (DMH+S group), or SD (DMH+SD group). One week after beginning the diets, rats were treated weekly with DMH (30 mg/kg, s.c.) for 6 weeks; dietary treatments were continued for the entire experiment and endpoints measured at 9 weeks after the first DMH injection. SD supplementation reduced DMH-induced DNA damage in colon cells and reduced plasma lipid peroxidation. Thus, SD may have therapeutic potential for early-stage colon carcinogenesis.