• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.231-251
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• 2010

The sulfatation of chitosan, by reaction with chlorosulfonic acid under controlled conditions, allowed increasing the pH range of chitosan solubility. The biopolymer was characterized using FTIR and $^{13}C$-NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and titration analysis and it was tested for mercury recovery by polymer enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF). In slightly alkaline conditions (i.e., pH 8) mercury recovery was possible and at saturation of the polymer the molar ratio $-NH_2$/Hg(II) tended to 2.6. Polymer recycling was possible changing the pH to 2 and the polymer was reused for 3 cycles maintaining high metal recovery. The presence of chloride ions influences metal speciation and affinity for the polymer and "playing" with metal speciation allowed using the PEUF process for mercury separation from cadmium; at pH 11 the formation of hydroxo-complexes of Hg(II) limits it retention. Cake formation reveals the predominant controlling step for permeation flux.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.201-207
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• 2021

The 2019 coronavirus outbreak poses a threat to scientific, societal, financial, and health resources. The complex pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus centers on the unpredictable clinical progression of the disease, which may evolve abruptly and result in critical and life-threatening clinical complications. Effective clinical laboratory biomarkers that can classify patients according to risk are essential for ensuring timely treatment, and an analysis of recently published studies found cytokine storm and coagulation disorders were leading factors of severe COVID-19 complications. The following inflammatory, biochemical, and hematology biomarkers markers have been identified in COVID-19 patients; neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, c-reactive protein, procalcitonin, urea, liver enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase, serum amyloid A, cytokines, d-dimer, fibrinogen, ferritin, troponin, creatinine kinase, and lymphocyte, leukocyte, and platelet counts. These factors are predictors of disease severity and some are involved in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. CRP is an acute-phase, non-specific serological biomarker of inflammation and infection and is related to disease severities and outcomes. In the present study, CRP levels were found to rise dramatically among COVID-19 patients, and our findings suggest CRP could be utilized clinically to predict COVID-19 prognosis and severity even before disease progression and the manifestation of clinical symptoms.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.4 no.S2
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• pp.131-138
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• 1995

The broad beam ion sources of hot filament plasma type have widely used for modifications of materials and thin films, and the new type intensive current broad beam metal ion source including reactive gaseous ion beams is needed for preparing the hard coating films such as DLC, $\beta-C_3N_4$ Carbides, Nitrides, Borides etc. Now a electorn beam evaporation(EBE) broad beam metal ion source has been developed for this purpose in our lab. CN film has been formed by the EBE ion source. Study of the CN film shows that it has high hardness(HK=5800kgf/$\textrm {mm}^2$)and good adhesion. This method can widely changes the ratio of C/N atom's concentrations from 0.14 to 0.6 and has high coating rate. The low energy pocket ion source which was specially designed for surface texturing of medical silicon rubber was also developed. It has high efficiency and large uniform working zone. Both nature texturing and mesh masked texturing of silicon rubbers were performed. The biocompatibility was tested by culture of monocytes, and the results showed improved biocompatibility for the treated silicon rubbers. In addition, the TiB2 film synthesized by IBED is being studied recently in our lab. In this paper, the results which include the hardness, thickness of the films and the AES, XRD analysis as well as the tests of the oxidation of high temperature and erosion will be presented.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.32-42
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between obesity and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in Korean adults without cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: The subjects were 3,634 adults, and data were extracted from the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII-3). A complex sampling design analysis was applied to reflect the stratified and clustered weights. The data were analyzed using the complex sample Rao-Scott chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis (in SPSS for Windows version 26.0). Obesity, according to body mass index (BMI), was defined as obesity (BMI = 25-29.9 kg/m²), high obesity (BMI = 30-34.9 kg/m²), and super-high obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²), and abdominal obesity (AO) was defined as a waist circumference (WC) ≥ 90 cm in males and WC ≥ 85 cm in females. Results: The odds ratios for moderate CVD risk (hs-CRP; 1-3 mg/dL) were 2.21, 4.16, and 7.13 in the obesity, high obesity, and super-high obesity groups, respectively, compared to the normal BMI group. The odds ratio for moderate CVD risk was 2.18 in males with AO and 1.88 in females with AO. The odds ratios for high CVD risk (hs-CRP > 3 mg/L) were 4.40 and 17.55 in the high obesity and super-high obesity groups, respectively, compared to the normal BMI group. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that early detection and prevention programs for CVD should include obesity-related interventions aiming to modulate hs-CRP.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.291-304
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• 2022

Maximum shear modulus (G_max or G₀) is an important soil property useful for many engineering applications, such as the analysis of soil-structure interactions, soil stability, liquefaction evaluation, ground deformation and performance of seismic design. In the current study, bender element (BE) tests are used to evaluate the effect of the void ratio, effective confining pressure, grading characteristics (D₅₀, C_u and C_c), anisotropic consolidation and initial fabric anisotropy produced during specimen preparation on the G_max of sand-gravel mixtures. Based on the tests results, an empirical equation is proposed to predict G_max in granular soils, evaluated by the experimental data. The artificial neural network (ANN) and Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) models were also applied. Coefficient of determination (R²) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between predicted and measured values of G_max were calculated for the empirical equation, ANN and ANFIS. The results indicate that all methods accuracy is high; however, ANFIS achieves the highest accuracy amongst the presented methods.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.409-421
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• 2007

The purpose of this paper is to consider the formation processes and depositional conditions of bars formed at the upper-stream part of Sayeon Dam since Sayeon Dam construction in 1964. Results of analyzing the shape characteristics of bars and their sediment grain size distribution are as follow: Firstly, bars are able to categorized as subaqueous bars (A, B), mid-channel bars(C, D), and tributary side-bars(E). Secondly, the outline of bars has longish along the flow path, and their height lowers more and more going towards downstream. Also the height of bar surface tend to heighten from flow path to mountain slope. However, the near part of A is comparatively higher than its distant part, A is defined as a subaqueous natural levee and back swamp. Thirdly, the average particle size of A and B become smaller toward mountain slope. In transportation style, ratio of suspended load become higher toward mountain slope. Fourthly, sorting is worse to very worse according with lake's random changable water level. Fifthly, bar A and B were formed by vertical sedimentation of sediments according as sediments transported along flow path in the subaqueous conditions were spreaded out of flow path. C and D were formed by bed load as flood level lowered. And E was formed by vertical sedimentation while stream flow stopped in tributary's mouth areas with the water level heightening.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.46-55
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• 2006

This study was to compare the antifungal activitiy of monoterpenes with that of sesquiterpenes, which were major constituents of antifungal active essential oil of Chamaecyparis obtusa, to investigate which constituents had more effective against dermatophytes, and to evaluate the synergistic effect of combination of the antifungal active constituents. The antifungal activities of seven fractions (A, B, C, D, E, F, and G) from C obtusa essential oil by column chromatography were tested against Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Fraction D, E, F, and G were more active than fraction A, B, and C, and their major compounds were mono- and sesquiterpenes analyzed by GC/MS. Borneol, linalool, and ${\alpha}$-terpineol were selected as monoterpenes, and ${\alpha}$-cedrol, nerolidol, and ${\beta}$-eudesmol as sesquiterpenes, respectively. The antifungal activities of the constituents were respectively examined against Trichophyton mentagrophytes (KCTC6077), Microsporum canis (KCTC6591), and Microsporum gypseum. The constituents of sesquiterpenes were more active than those of monoterpenes. By comparing single and combined sesquiterpenes with fraction F containing the higher ratio of sesquiterpenes, combined sesquiterpenes were the most active. This result indicated that there was the synergistic antifungal effect against dermatophytes when sesquiterpenes were combined together.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.121-137
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• 2015

Studies on carbon flux in the oceans have been highlighted in recent years due to increasing awareness about climate change, but the coastal ecosystem remains one of the unexplored fields in this regard. In this study, the dynamics of carbon flux in a vegetative coastal ecosystem were examined by an evaluation of net and gross ecosystem production (NEP and GEP) and $CO_2$ exchange rates (net ecosystem exchange, NEE). To estimate NEP and GEP, community production and respiration were measured along different habitat types (eelgrass and macroalgal beds, shallow and deep sedimentary, and deep rocky shore) at Gwangyang Bay, Korea from 20 June to 20 July 2007. Vegetative areas showed significantly higher ecosystem production than the other habitat types. Specifically, eelgrass beds had the highest daily GEP ($6.97{\pm}0.02g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$), with a large amount of biomass and high productivity of eelgrass, whereas the outer macroalgal vegetation had the lowest GEP ($0.97{\pm}0.04g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$). In addition, macroalgal vegetation showed the highest daily NEP ($3.31{\pm}0.45g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) due to its highest P : R ratio (2.33). Furthermore, the eelgrass beds acted as a $CO_2$ sink through the air-seawater interface according to NEE data, with a carbon sink rate of $0.63mg\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Overall, ecosystem production was found to be extremely high in the vegetated systems (eelgrass and macroalgal beds), which occupy a relatively small area compared to the unvegetated systems according to our conceptual diagram of a carbon-flux box model. These results indicate that the vegetative ecosystems showed significantly high capturing efficiency of inorganic carbon through coastal primary production.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.537-543
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• 2013

In this study, the push-pull structure polymer for organic photo voHaics (OPVs) was synthesized and characterized. The poly{4,8-didodecyloxybenzo[1,2-b;3,4-b]dithiophene-alt-5,6-bis(octyloxy)-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]-thiadiazole} (PDBDT-TBTD) was synthesized by Stille coupling reaction using the benzothiadiazole (BTD) derivative as an electron acceptor and benzodithiophene (BDT) derivative as an electron donor. The structure of monomers and polymers was identified by $^1H-NMR$ and GC-MS. The optical, physical and electrochemical properties of the conjugated polymer were identified by GPC, TGA, UV-Vis and cyclic voltammetry. The number average molecular weight ($M_n$) and initial decomposition temperature (5% weight loss temperature, $T_d$) of PDBDT-TBTD were 6200 and $323^{\circ}C$, respectively. The absorption maxima on the film was about 599 nm and the optical band gap was about 1.70 eV. The structure of device was ITO/PEDOT : PSS/PDBDT-TBTD : $PC_{71}BM/BaF_2/Ba/Al$. PDBDT-TBTD and $PC_{71}BM$ were blended with the weight ratio of 1:2 which were then used as an optical active layer. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of fabricated device was measured by solar simulator and the best PCE was 2.1%.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.85-99
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• 2005

This trial was carried out to determine effects of organic feeds in comparison to conventional diet on feed intake, digestibility, and nitrogen retention in Korean native goats. Twelve Korean native goats were allotted to treatments in four groups of three goats and then they were housed in separate metabolism cages for 21 days. Treatments included conventional diet (A) as a control group and three organic feed groups (B: organic rice straw, C: organic nee leaves, D: organic mixture of rice straw and tree leaves). The A treatment, conventional diet, consisted of common rice straw and commercial concentrates at a proportion of 60 and 40%, respectively. All ingredients of organic feeds treatments were organically produced-agricultural products without any application of chemical fertilizer and pesticide. Four experimental diets were formulated to have the same ratio of forage to concentrate and similar contents for protein and carbohydrate across treatments and they were offered to goats ad libitum. Feed intake, apparent nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention were investigated. For chemical compositions of experimental diets, all nutrients except crude ash and ether extract were not significantly different across treatments as we expected. Crude ash content was highest in the A treatment (P<0.05), however, it was not significantly different among organic feeds treatments. Ether extract content was higher (P<0.05) in C and D treatments than in A and B. Even if dry matter intakes for organic feeds treatments were not significantly different among them, they were significantly higher (P<0.05) compared with conventional diet. Fecal excreta were not significantly different across treatments, resulting in significantly higher digestible dry matter (g/day) in treatments of organic feeds (P<0.01). Average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (FE) were more increased (P<0.01) in treatments of organic feeds compared with conventional diet. Digestibilities for most of nutrients except NFC had the same trend as ADG and FE, however, NFC digestibilities for C and D treatments were significantly lower (P<0.01) than those of A and B. Nitrogen intakes for organic feeds treatments were significantly higher (P<0.001) than conventional diet, with no difference among organic feeds treatments. Fecal nitrogen loss was higher (P<0.05) for C and D treatments than for A and B. Retained nitrogen contents were significantly higher (P<0.05) for organic feeds treatments than for conventional diet, but nitrogen retention rate did not show any difference across treatments. The results showed that organic feed supplementation more improved feed intake, digestibility and nitrogen retention in comparison with conventional diet, and thus they could be concluded that organic feeds might contribute to animal performance and a safer production of animal product.