• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2011.08a
• /
• pp.222-222
• /
• 2011

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has a number of applications in optics and electronics due to its superior properties, such as physical and chemical stability, high refractive index, good transmission in vis and NIR regions, and high dielectric constant. Atomic layer deposition (ALD), also called atomic layer epitaxy, can be regarded as a special modification of the chemical vapor deposition method. ALD is a pulsed method in which the reactant vapors are alternately supplied onto the substrate. During each pulse, the precursors chemisorb or react with the surface groups. When the process conditions are suitably chosen, the film growth proceeds by alternate saturative surface reactions and is thus self-limiting. This makes it possible to cover even complex shaped objects with a uniform film. It is also possible to control the film thickness accurately simply by controlling the number of pulsing cycles repeated. We have investigated the ALD of TiO2 at 100$^{\circ}C$ using precursors titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP) and H2O on -O, -OH terminated Si surface by in situ X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. ALD reactions with TTIP were performed on the H2O-dosed Si substrate at 100$^{\circ}C$, where one cycle was completed. The number of ALD cycles was increased by repeated deposition of H2O and TTIP at 100$^{\circ}C$. After precursor exposure, the samples were transferred under vacuum from the reaction chamber to the UHV chamber at room temperature for in situ XPS analysis. The XPS instrument included a hemispherical analyzer (ALPHA 110) and a monochromatic X-ray source generated by exciting Al K${\alpha}$ radiation (h${\nu}$=1486.6 eV).

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.91-97
• /
• 2017

Background: A gamma energy identifying algorithm using spectral decomposition combined with smoothing method was suggested to confirm the existence of the artificial radio isotopes. The algorithm is composed by original pattern recognition method and smoothing method to enhance the performance to identify gamma energy of radiation sensors that have low energy resolution. Materials and Methods: The gamma energy identifying algorithm for the compact radiation sensor is a three-step of refinement process. Firstly, the magnitude set is calculated by the original spectral decomposition. Secondly, the magnitude of modeling error in the magnitude set is reduced by the smoothing method. Thirdly, the expected gamma energy is finally decided based on the enhanced magnitude set as a result of the spectral decomposition with the smoothing method. The algorithm was optimized for the designed radiation sensor composed of a CsI (Tl) scintillator and a silicon pin diode. Results and Discussion: The two performance parameters used to estimate the algorithm are the accuracy of expected gamma energy and the number of repeated calculations. The original gamma energy was accurately identified with the single energy of gamma radiation by adapting this modeling error reduction method. Also the average error decreased by half with the multi energies of gamma radiation in comparison to the original spectral decomposition. In addition, the number of repeated calculations also decreased by half even in low fluence conditions under $10^4$ ($/0.09cm^2$ of the scintillator surface). Conclusion: Through the development of this algorithm, we have confirmed the possibility of developing a product that can identify artificial radionuclides nearby using inexpensive radiation sensors that are easy to use by the public. Therefore, it can contribute to reduce the anxiety of the public exposure by determining the presence of artificial radionuclides in the vicinity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.21 no.7
• /
• pp.757-765
• /
• 2011

Many studies have suggested that the behavioral and reinforcing effects of morphine are induced by hyperactivation of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, which results in increases in locomotor activity, c-Fos expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In order to investigate the effect of wild ginseng (WG) on treating morphine addiction, we examined the behavioral sensitization of locomotor activity and c-Fos and TH expression in the rat brain using immunohistochemistry. Intraperitioneal injection of WG (100 and 200 mg/kg), 30 min before administration of a daily injection of morphine (40 mg/kg, s.c.), significantly inhibited morphine-induced increases in c-Fos expression in NAc and TH expression in VTA as well as in locomotor activity, as compared with Panax ginseng. It was demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of WG on the behavioral sensitization after repeated exposure to morphine was closely associated with the reduction of dopamine biosynthesis and postsynaptic neuronal activity. It suggests that WG extract may be effective for inhibiting the behavioral effects of morphine by possibly modulating the central dopaminergic system and that WG might be a useful resource to develop an agent for preventing and treating morphine addiction.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.15-20
• /
• 2009

The number of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles have increased gradually by virtue of korea government's urban air quality improvement policy since 1998. Although the use of CNG as transportation fuel gives environmental benefits, there is a possibility of huge accidents from unexpected fire. Therefore, needs for the guarantee of safety are indispensible for the reliable operation of CNG vehicles. A check valve is a safety device which prevents leakage of the pressurized fuel charged in a fuel tank. Durability of this component should be guaranteed in spite of repeated operation. This research has performed durability tests of a CNG check valve regarding the repeated usage, extreme chattering, and the effect of compressor oil.Although a check valve used for CNG vehicle satisfies validation requirements in the test results, it has been found that problem in the function of leakage prevention in a check valve could take place in the case of prolonged exposure to compressor oil.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.114-119
• /
• 1994

[$^3$H]Ouabain binding parameters ( $K_{D}$ and $B_{max}$) to control rat ventricular strips and Langendorff preparations which were not previously exposed to ouabain were compared with those to both preparations that had been first exposed to a complete ouabain dose range of dose-response curve (10$^{-8}$ to 10$^{4}$M). In rat ventricular strips and Langendorff perfused heart preparations, cumulative dose-response curves of ouabain revealed biphasic positive inotropic effects, a "low-dose" effect and a "high-dose" effect with E $d_{50}$ values of 0.5 $\mu$M and 35 $\mu$M ouabain, respectively. The "low-dose" effect in ventricular strip disappeared or was diminished significantly when the ouabain dose-response curve was repeated after the washout of the effects of the first dose-response curve, whereas there were no significant differences in the maximal "high-dose"effect in both exposures to oubain. However, both of the control and ouabain-preexposed Langendorff perfused hearts revealed the same low-dose effects. The $K_{D}$ value for [$^3$H] ouabain binding and the ouabain binding site concentration ( $B_{max}$) estimated by [$^3$H]ouabain displacement assay in control preparations were 230 nM and 2 pmol/mg protein, respectively. [$^3$H]Ouabain binding parameters were not changed by repeated exposure to high concentrations of ouabain. These results suggest that digitalis receptor desensitization in the rat ventricular strip may due to the change of post-receptor events induced by ouabain binding to a high affinity site ($\alpha$$_2$isoform).).).).).

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.433-439
• /
• 2022

Background: Repeated administration of opioid analgesics for pain treatment can produce paradoxical hyperalgesia via peripheral and/or central mechanisms. Thus, this study investigated whether spinally (centrally) administered orexin A attenuates opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). Methods: [D-Ala², N-Me-Phe⁴, Gly⁵-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO), a selective µ-opioid receptor agonist, was used to induce mechanical hypersensitivity and was administered intradermally (4 times, 1-hour intervals) on the rat hind paw dorsum. To determine whether post- or pretreatments with spinal orexin A, dynorphin A, and anti-dynorphin A were effective in OIH, the drugs were injected through an intrathecal catheter whose tip was positioned dorsally at the L3 segment of the spinal cord (5 ㎍ for all). Mechanical hypersensitivity was assessed using von Frey monofilaments. Results: Repeated intradermal injections of DAMGO resulted in mechanical hypersensitivity in rats, lasting more than 8 days. Although the first intrathecal treatment of orexin A on the 6th day after DAMGO exposure did not show any significant effect on the mechanical threshold, the second (on the 8th day) significantly attenuated the DAMGO-induced mechanical hypersensitivity, which disappeared when the type 1 orexin receptor (OX1R) was blocked. However, intrathecal administration of dynorphin or an anti-dynorphin antibody (dynorphin antagonists) had no effect on DAMGO-induced hypersensitivity. Lastly, pretreatment with orexin A, dynorphin, or anti-dynorphin did not prevent DAMGO-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. Conclusions: Spinal orexin A attenuates mechanical hyperalgesia induced by repetitive intradermal injections of DAMGO through OX1R. These data suggest that OIH can be potentially treated by activating the orexin A-OX1R pathway in the spinal dorsal horn.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.195-202
• /
• 2007

The normalized difference in incident solar energy between a target surface and a level surface (overheating index, OHI) is useful in eliminating estimation error of site-specific maximum temperature in complex terrain. Due to the complexity in its calculation, however, an empirical proxy variable called northern exposure index (NEI) which combines slope and aspect has been used to estimate OHI based on empirical relationships between the two. An experiment with real-world landscape and temperature data was carried out to evaluate performance of the NEI - derived OHI (N-OHI) in reduction of spatial interpolation error for daily maximum temperature compared with that by the original OHI. We collected daily maximum temperature data from 7 sites in a mountainous watershed with a $149 km^2$ area and a 795m elevation range ($651{\sim}1,445m$) in Pyongchang, Kangwon province. Northern exposure index was calculated for the entire 166,050 grid cells constituting the watershed based on a 30-m digital elevation model. Daily OHI was calculated for the same watershed ana regressed to the variation of NEI. The regression equations were used to estimate N-OHI for 15th of each month. Deviations in daily maximum temperature at 7 sites from those measured at the nearby synoptic station were calculated from June 2006 to February 2007 and regressed to the N-OHI. The same procedure was repeated with the original OHI values. The ratio sum of square errors contributable by the N-OHI were 0.46 (winter), 0.24 (fall), and 0.01 (summer), while those by the original OHI were 0.52, 0.37 and 0.15, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.147-151
• /
• 2019

In chest and abdomen CT scans, the radiation exposure doses by scattering lines were measured at the eyeball and thyroid. Radiation exposure was investigated by using shielding devices. The chest and abdomen CT scan protocols used in the real examination were applied to measure and compare radiation doses before and after the use of shielding devices at the eyeball and the thyroid. The radiaton doses were measured with OSLD dosimeters. Barium, tungsten sheets, goggles and neck shields were used to protect the scattered X-ray. The chest CT scans showed respectively 3.01 mSv and 6.21 mSv at the eyeball and the thyroid by the scattered X-ray. The abdomen CT scans showed 0.55 mSv and 3.22 mSv for the eyeball and the thyroid respectively. Barium and tungsten sheets had 11% to 13% protection rates at the eyeball and the thyroid for chest CT scan, and 34% to 49% reduction in radiation dose for the abdomen CT scan. Because of the significant radiation dose, which causes cataracts and thyroid cancer by the repeated and continuous radiation exposure, for the chest and the abdomen CT scans, it is required to use shielding devices to reduce radiation dose for examinations.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.442-451
• /
• 2021

Microplastics are fragments of any type of plastic with a size less than 5 mm. Ocean pollution by microplastics is now a worldwide concern in relation to marine ecosystems and human health. The widespread contamination by microplastics means that they can be ingested by and accumulated in diverse species of wildlife, such as fish, mussels, oysters, clams, and scallops. Once ingested, the microplastics can be observed in the intestines, liver, and kidney, and even in the brain. Seafood is one of the major sources of protein intake in humans; therefore, seafood consumption could be pathway for human microplastics exposure. Accumulating evidence indicates that repeated oral exposure to microplastics induces pathologic and functional changes in the reproductive, cardiac, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and even nervous systems of rodents. Maternal exposure to microplastics during gestation and lactation alters metabolic homeostasis in the offspring. Given that seafood provides more than 20% of the total protein intake by over 310 million people worldwide, a reasonable assumption is that microplastics could be substantially accumulated in the human body and impair physiological function. In this review, we have summarized the current status of microplastics contamination in the ocean, their accumulation and toxicities in marine animals and rodents, their exposure to humans, and their potential impacts on human health.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.463-474
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this research was to find the suitable dyeing method for dyeing cotton fabric into indigo blue color using the raw indigo powder dyes sold in the Korean market. The research focused primarily on the comparison of the non-reduced dyeing method and the reduced dyeing method. The dyeing effects using different dyeing temperatures ($2{\sim}80^{\circ}C$) and different concentrations of reducing agent and alkali were also investigated. It was found that the reduced dyeing method must be used for dyeing cotton into indigo blue color using the commercial raw indigo powder dyes. The best result was obtained by $20^{\circ}C$ dyeing with the $40^{\circ}C$ dyeing giving a comparable result. The intensity of the blue color could be enhanced by increasing the alkali concentration. The non-reduced dyeing could not dye cotton fabric into indigo blue color at any given dyeing temperatures ($2{\sim}80^{\circ}C$). The reduce-dyed cotton fabrics showed a gradual color change upon repeated washing and extended sunlight exposure, the most color change occurring after the first two washing cycles and the first 5 hours of sunlight exposure. The standard tests of colorfastness showed that the reduce-dyed cotton fabrics had good to excellent colorfastness whereas the colorfastness of the non-reduce-dyed cotton fabrics were mostly poor.