• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.662-668
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• 2007

Studies have shown that onions exhibit a wide variety of health-promoting properties. The health benefits by the onion have been attributed to its ability to scavenge free radicals, to reduce blood lipids, to lower blood pressure, and to inhibit platelet aggregation. This study was performed to investigate whether onion extract supplementation would affect the blood markers of ethanol-induced fatty liver in rats. Initially, male Sprague-Dawley rats were housed singly in a room of controlled temperature and lighting and had free access to a nutritionally adequate AIN-93G and deionized water. The rats were trained for meal feeding to prevent a decline in food intake, as inevitably observed following an ethanol feeding. After the training period, rats were weight-matched and assigned to the following three groups: 1) a control group, fed the AIN-93G diet alone (control); 2) an ethanol group, fed the AIN-93G diet with ethanol at 4 g/day/kg body weight (ethanol); and 3) an onion group, fed the AIN-93G diet with ethanol plus supplemental freeze-dried onion powder at 500 mg/day/rat (ethanol + onion). All three group were meal-fed 7.0 g of their respective diets at 0900 h and 7.5 g at 1600 h for 28 days. At 0, 2, and 4 wk, blood was collected via the orbital sinus and organs were collected following overnight food deprivation. Both control and experimental groups continually gained weight throughout the study. No significant differences in the weights of the liver, kidneys, heart, spleen, and testis were observed. However, the serum level of triglycerides was significantly increased by ethanol but significantly decreased by onion extract. The activities of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) at 4 wk were significantly increased by ethanol feeding but were significantly decreased by onion supplementation. However, no differences among groups were observed in the serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, bilirubin, and protein. These results provide that onion extract favorably affect alcoholic fatty liver by decreasing the serum concentration of triglyceride and the activities of GOT and GPT.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.183-202
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• 2019

For design and performance assessment of a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal system, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behavior. However, in previous studies for the Korean Reference HLW Disposal System (KRS), thermal analysis was performed to determine the spacing of disposal tunnels and interval of disposition holes without consideration of the coupled THM behavior. Therefore, in this study, TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D is used to conduct THM modeling for performance assessment of the Korean Reference HLW Disposal System (KRS). The peak temperature remains below the temperature limit of $100^{\circ}C$ for the whole period. A rapid rise of temperature caused by decay heat occurs in the early years, and then temperature begins to decrease as decay heat from the waste decreases. The peak temperature at the bentonite buffer is around $96.2^{\circ}C$ after about 3 years, and peak temperature at the rockmass is $68.2^{\circ}C$ after about 17 years. Saturation of the bentonite block near the canister decreases in the early stage, because water evaporation occurs owing to temperature increase. Then, saturation of the bentonite buffer and backfill increases because of water intake from the rockmass, and bentonite buffer and backfill are fully saturated after about 266 years. The stress is calculated to investigate the effect of thermal stress and swelling pressure on the mechanical behavior of the rockmass. The calculated stress is compared to a spalling criterion and the Mohr-Coulumb criterion for investigation of potential failure. The stress at the rockmass remains below the spalling strength and Mohr-Coulumb criterion for the whole period. The methodology of using the TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D simulator can be applied to predict the long-term behavior of the KRS under various conditions; these methods will be useful for the design and performance assessment of alternative concepts such as multi-layer and multi-canister concepts for geological spent fuel repositories.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.1599-1608
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• 2008

This study aimed to assess the health status based on the anthropometric and biochemical measurements of middle-aged and elderly people living in Andong area. The subjects were 1,384 people (532 males, 852 females) aged 50 years and over (average 62.7 years). The mean anthropometric values for males and females were heights of 163.7 and 151.5 cm; weights 63.6 and 57.3 kg; body mass index (BMI) 23.6 and $24.9kg/m^2$; body fat 21.8 and 31.8%, respectively. Height and weight were lower, however, waist circumference (in female) and BMI were higher than those of the 2001 National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHNS). Obesity incidences of male and female subjects were 28.7% and 47.3% by BMI; 25.8% and 50.8% by % body fat; and 15.6% and 80.9% by waist circumference, respectively. Also, abdominal adiposity was very severe in female subjects of 50s. The mean biochemical measurements of male and female were as follows: systolic and diastolic blood pressure 136.9, 83.8 mmHg and 133.6, 82.5 mmHg; hemoglobin (Hb) 14.3 and 13.0 g/dL; hematocrit (Ht) 44.7 and 39.8%; blood albumin 4.15 and 4.04 g/dL; total-cholesterol 170.0 and 183.1 mg/dL; HDL-cholesterol 43.6 and 42.7 mg/dL; fasting blood glucose 96.7 and 93.0 mg/dL, respectively. Also, the prevalence of biochemically abnormal subjects according to each cut-off point of biochemical measurements were analyzed. The results for male and female were; hypertension 58.0% and 47.2%; iron deficient anemia 19.3% and 20.6% by Hb, 7.2% and 11.9% by Ht; hypoalbuminemia 9.8% and 11.7%; diabetes 12.0% and 10.2%; hypercholesterolemia 19.5% and 30.5%, respectively. From those results we found that hypoalbuminemia, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were prevalent, and obesity in females of 50s, iron-deficient anemia and diabetes in males of 70 years and over were significant health problems in this area. Therefore, it seems to be necessary to examine their health status periodically and provide the appropriate health and nutrition education program, which includes low sodium intake, balanced diet, exercise and weight control, to prevent the occurrence of chronic diseases.