• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.445-450
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• 2011

We studied the adhesion characteristics of polymer films (PC, PET, EVA) treated by atmospheric pressure plasma. The process parameters were the frequency, gas flow, and treatment time; we studied the effects of these parameters on the adhesion characteristics of the polymer materials. We used de-ionized water and diiodomethane as the polar and nonpolar solvents, respectively, for measuring the contact angles, and subsequently calculated the surface free energy of each polymer film. The adhesion characteristics were studied by carrying out a $180^{\circ}$ peel-off test. The polymer films treated with plasma developed a hydrophilic surface, which led to increased surface free energy and improved adhesion properties. From the results for contact angle, surface free energy, and adhesion strength, we obtained the optimal plasma-treatment conditions.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.10.1-10.10
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• 2020

Background: Butaphosphan (BTP) has recently been introduced into the Korean aquaculture sector as a stressattenuating agent. In this study, a sensitive chemical analytical method was established for the detection of BTP in the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) tissues. Methods: Utilizing a method employing liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), detection sensitivity, specificity, and precision were satisfactorily established. Temporal changes in the BTP plasma and muscle concentrations were assessed after a single intramuscular injection of BTP (50 and 150 mg/kg) to the olive flounder maintained at 13 ℃ or 22 ℃. Results: High BTP plasma levels were achieved immediately after the injection, and the drug was rapidly eliminated. Additionally, plasma BTP levels were markedly dependent on the elimination rate, which, in turn, seemed dependent on the water temperature, with the drug elimination half-life and mean residence time significantly shorter at 22 ℃ than 13 ℃. Overall, muscle BTP levels were markedly lower than the plasma levels. Notably, muscle levels were not influenced by water temperatures. Muscle BTP concentrations were used to estimate the necessary withdrawal period for drugs used in food fish, with BTP levels maintained far below the possible hazardous limit. Conclusions: In conclusion, the established LC-MS/MS method can be used for BTP residue detection with high sensitivity and reproducibility.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.349-357
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• 1998

The aim of this experiments was to investigate the effect of Semen Plantaginis extract on. the renal function, plasma renin activity, plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide and aldosterone in rats. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Water balance decreased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract. 2. Urine volume increased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract, 0.1ml/200g. 3. Urinary excretion of sodium decreased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract, 0.1 ml/200 g, 2week. 4. Urinary excretion of potassium decreased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract, 0.1 ml/200 g, 2week. 5. Urinary excretion of chloride decreased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract. 6. Free water clearance increased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract 0.1 ml/200 g, 2 week and 0.2 ml/200 g. 7. Urinary excretion of creatinine increased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract. 8. Plasma renin activity decreased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract, 0.2 ml/200 g. 9. Plasma levels of aldosterone decreased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract. 10. Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) decreased significantly after the administration of Semen Plantaginis extract.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2020

PURPOSE. The aim of this study was to investigate the shear bond strength of luting cements used with implant retained restorations on to titanium specimens after different surface treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS. One hundred twenty disc shaped specimens were used. They were divided into three groups considering the surface treatments (no treatment, sandblasting, and oxygen plasma treatment). Water contact angle of specimens were determined. The specimens were further divided into four subgroups (n=10) according to applied cement types: polycarboxylate cement (Adhesor Carbofine-AC), temporary zinc oxide free cement (Temporary CementZOC), non eugenol provisional cement for implant retained prosthesis (Premier Implant Cement-PI), and non eugenol acrylic-urethane polymer based provisional cement for implant luting (Cem Implant Cement-CI). Shear bond strength values were evaluated. Two-way ANOVA test and Regression analysis were used to statistical analyze the results. RESULTS. Overall shear bond strength values of luting cements defined in sandblasting groups were considerably higher than other surfaces (P<.05). The cements can be ranked as AC > CI > PI > ZOC according to shear bond strength values for all surface treatment groups (P<.05). Water contact angles of surface treatments (control, sandblasting, and plasma treatment group) were 76.17° ± 3.99, 110.45° ± 1.41, and 73.80° ± 4.79, respectively. Regression analysis revealed that correlation between the contact angle of different surfaces and shear bond strength was not strong (P>.05). CONCLUSION. The retentive strength findings of all luting cements were higher in sandblasting and oxygen plasma groups than in control groups. Oxygen plasma treatment can improve the adhesion ability of titanium surfaces without any mechanical damage to titanium structure.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.2589-2594
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• 2009

Aging phenomena of plasma polymer films were studied by using the surface analysis techniques of contact angle measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOFSIMS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The polymer films were grown on an aluminum substrate by using a plasma polymerization method from a gas mixture of acetylene and helium, and the films were subsequently modified to have a hydrophilic surface by oxygen plasma treatment. Aging of the polymer films was examined by exposing the samples to water and air environments. The aging process increased the hydrophobicity of the surface, as revealed by an increase in the advancing contact angle of water. XPS analysis showed that the population of oxygen-containing polar groups increased due to the uptake of oxygen during the aging, whereas TOF-SIMS analysis revealed a decrease in the polar group population in the uppermost surface layer. The results suggest that the change in surface property from hydrophilic to hydrophobic nature results from the restructuring of polymer chains near the surface, rather than compositional change of the surface. Oxidative degradation may enhance the mobility and the restructuring process of polymer chains.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2009

We conducted two studies to determine the effect of gender, gonadectomy (GDX) on growth and plasma cholesterol levels in pigs. In experiment 1, five sham-operated and five GDX female Landrace pigs (26kg) were allowed to have free access to water and feed up to market weight (approximately 100kg). Body weight and feed consumption were recorded biweekly, and daily body weight gain, daily feed intake and feed efficiency (gain/feed) were calculated during the feeding period. In experiment 2, 10 male (26kg) and 10 female (26kg) Landrace pigs were used; five male and five female pigs were assigned to sham-operated or GDX. Pigs were allowed to have free access to water and a diet without added cholesterol (Table 1) until they were 6 months old (male 104 and female 98kg) and thereafter they were fed a hypercholesterolemic diet (Table 1) containing 0.5% cholesterol and 0.1% cholate for 10 days. GDX of female pigs increased average daily gain (P<0.05), compared with their sham-operated counterparts during the growing-finishing period, but had no effect (P>0.05) on feed efficiency. Plasma cholesterol levels in pigs fed a hypercholesterolemic diet for 10 days were much higher (P<0.05) in females than in males (161 vs 104mg/100mL plasma), and were increased by GDX only in male pigs. HDL-cholesterol/LDL+VLDL-cholesterol ratio appeared to be higher in males than in females, and was not influenced by GDX in either sex. Results suggested that the lower growth rate of female pigs than their male counterparts is attributable to the ovarian activity, and the lower plasma cholesterol level in male than in female pigs fed a hypercholesterolemic diet is due to the testicular activity.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.64-72
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• 2023

Biopolymer is a versatile material used in food processing, medicine, construction, and soil reinforcement. 𝛽-glucan is one of the biopolymers that improves the soil water content and ion adsorption in a drought or toxic metal contaminated land for plant survival. We analyzed drought stress damage reduction in sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L. cv. Sodammi) by measuring the growth and major protein expression and activity under 𝛽-glucan soil amendment. The result showed that sweet potato leaf length and width were not affected by drought stress for 14 days, but sweet potatoes grown in 𝛽-glucan-amended soil showed an effect in preventing wilting caused by drought in phenotypic changes. Under drought stress, sweet potato leaves did not show any changes in electrolyte leakage, but the relative water content was higher in sweet potatoes grown in 𝛽-glucan-amended soil than in normal soil. 𝛽-glucan soil amendment increased the expression of plasma membrane (PM) H⁺-ATPase, but it decreased the aquaporin PIP2 (plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2) in sweet potatoes under drought stress. Moreover, water maintenance affected the PM H⁺-ATPase activity, which contributed to tolerance under drought stress. These results indicate that 𝛽-glucan soil amendment improves the soil water content during drought and affects the water supply in sweet potatoes. Consequently, 𝛽-glucan is a potential material for maintaining soil water contents, and analysis of the major PM proteins is one of the indicators for evaluating the biopolymer effect on plant survival under drought stress.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.320-320
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• 2016

Nanocrystalline Carbon thin films have numerous applications in different areas such as mechanical, biotechnology and optoelectronic devices due to attractive properties like high excellent hardness, low friction coefficient, good chemical inertness, low surface roughness, non-toxic and biocompatibility. In this work, we studied the comparison of pure DC power and pulsed DC power in plasma sputtering process of carbon thin films synthesis. Using a close field unbalanced magnetron sputtering system, films were deposited on glass and Si wafer substrates by varying the power density and pulsed DC frequency variations. The plasma characteristics has been studied using the I-V discharge characteristics and optical emission spectroscopy. The films properties were studied using Raman spectroscopy, Hall effect measurement, contact angle measurement. Through the Raman results, ID/IG ratio was found to be increased by increasing either of DC power density and pulsed DC frequency. Film deposition rate, measured by Alpha step measurement, increased with increasing DC power density and decreased with pulsed DC frequency. The electrical resistivity results show that the resistivity increased with increasing DC power density and pulsed DC frequency. The film surface energy was estimated using the calculated values of contact angle of DI water and di-iodo-methane. Our results exhibit a tailoring of surface energies from 52.69 to $55.42mJ/m^2$ by controlling the plasma parameters.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.520-528
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• 2006

Free amino acids in epidermis function as a major component of Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), which maintains the optimal level of water in skin even at the low humidity. In fact, the depletion of free amino acids is reported in the epidermis of atopic dermatitis, the skin condition involving dryness. As an effort searching the dietary source for improving the level of water and free amino acid in epidermis, the dietary effects of silk protein, sericin (S) and fibroin (F) on trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), and plasma and epidermal levels of free amino acids were compared in this study. Thirty of male NC/Nga mice, an animal model of atopic dermatitis, were divided into three groups: group CA as an atopic control with control diet, group S: 1% sericin diet and group F: 1% fibroin diet. Ten of male BALB/c mice were served as group C (control group) with control diet. All mice were fed on diet and water ad libitum for 10weeks. Dry skin condition was established in group CA as TEWL was increased (148.7% of group C). In parallel, epidermal level of glutamate, one of major amino acids functioning as NMF, was dramatically decreased and epidermal levels of methionine and alanine were inversely elevated. Dietary supplementation of sericin (group S) reduced TEWL at the similar level with group C and increased epidermal levels of glutamate as well as serine and glycine, the other major amino acids as NMF. Despite a marked decrease of methionine and alanine, the reduction of TEWL and epidermal levels of glutamate, serine and glycine of group F were less than of group S. Furthermore, in contrast to similar levels of other free amino acids in plasma and epidermis of group S and group C, plasma and epidermal levels of other free amino acids, specifically phenylalanine, isoleucine, cysteine and tyrosine in epidermis of group F, were significantly higher than of group C. Together, our data demonstrate that dietary supplementation of sericin is more effective at improving dry skin condition that paralleled with the normalization of free amino acids in plasma and epidermis of NC/Nga mice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.12
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• pp.1753-1757
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• 2012

A new liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) assay for the quantification of ginsenoside Rb1 in human plasma was developed and validated. The separation was performed on a Agilent C18 column ($4.6mm{\times}150mm$, particle size 5 ${\mu}m$) with a gradient elution of 0.1% formic acid in water and 0.1% formic acid in methanol and a flow rate of 0.9 mL/min. The analyte was determined using electrospray positive ionization mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode (m/z 1131.714${\rightarrow}$365.303). Human plasma samples were extracted with acetone : water (50:50) by the liquid-liquid extraction method. The method was linear over the dynamic range of 10~500 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of r=0.9995. The intra-and inter-day precision over the concentration range of ginsenoside Rb1 was lower than 5.8% (correlation of variance, CV), and the accuracy was between 96.0~104.6%. This LC-MS/MS assay of ginsenoside Rb1 in human plasma is applicable for quantification in a pharmacokinetic study.