• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.97-104
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• 2018

In recent years, more than 5,000 tons of sargassum honeri have been infested in the southern coast and the coast of Jeju Island, causing serious damage to the farms and fisheries, and environmental problems. The alginate contained in the sargassum honeri is a natural polymeric substance mainly used for medicines and foods. However, since there is no way to utilize it in large quantities, a study was carried out to utilize bio polymer obtained from sargassum honeri in producing polymer mortar for repairing deteriorated infrastructures. From the tests of setting time, it was found that the L0BP12 mixture containing 12% of bio polymer increased the setting time by 20% as compared with the L12BP0 mixture using only synthetic polymer. From the tests of water absorbtion, the LOBP12 combination decreased by 0.36% compared to Plain-URHC using ultra rapid hardening cement. This indicated that the watertightness of the mortar was increased by the incorporation of the bio polymer. In the compressive and flexural strength tests, the strength decreased as the amount of bio polymer increased. The incorporation rate of the maximum bio polymer satisfying the KS F 4042 standard was determined to be 12%. In addition, the bond strength of the mortar produced with biopolymer was higher than that of Plain-URHC specimens, and it was confirmed that incorporation of bio polymer improves bond strength of mortar.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2008

The GTL(Gas to Liquids) technology, manufacturing synthesized oil from natural gas, had been developed about 1920 for the military purpose by Fischer and Tropsch, German scientists. And 1960, Sasol company had started commercializing the FT(Fischer-Tropsch) synthesis technology, for the transport fuel in South Africa. Until a recent date, the commercialization of GTL technology had been delayed by low oil price. But concern about depletion of petroleum resources, and development in synthesizing technology lead to spotlight on the GTL businesses. Especially, Qatar, which has rich natural gas fields, aims at utilizing natural gas like conventional oil resources. Therefore, around this nation, GTL plants construction has been promoted. There are mainly 3 processes to make GTL products(Diesel, Naphtha, lube oil, etc) from natural gas. The first is synthesis gas generation unit reforming hydrogen and carbomonoxide from natural gas. The second is FT synthesis unit converting synthesized gas to polymeric chain-hydrocarbon. The third is product upgrading unit making oil products from the FT synthesized oil. There are quite a little sulfur, nitrogen, and aromatic compounds in GTL products. GTL product has environmental premium in discharging less harmful particles than refinery oil products from crude to the human body. In short, the GTL is a clean technology, easier transportation mean, and has higher stability comparing to LNG works.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.722-730
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• 2021

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the intracellular signaling pathways for macrophage activation by the polysaccharide GBW-II purified from ginseng berry. GBW-II consists of 14 different sugars, including rarely observed sugars such as 2-O-methyl-xylose, apiose, aceric acid, 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid, and 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-lyxo-2-heptulosaric acid, which are typical RG-II component sugars. GBW-II enhanced the production of IL-6 and TNF-α in RAW 264.7 cells. In experiments evaluating specific inhibitor activity, it was found that the production of IL-6 was suppressed by inhibitors of SB, PD, and BAY, and the production of TNF-α was suppressed by PD and BAY. The experiments with neutralizing antibodies showed that TLR4 was involved in the stimulation of IL-6 production by GBW-II in RAW 264.7 cells, whereas TNF-α production was regulated through SR and TLR2. These results suggest that GBW-II activates the MAPK and NF-κB pathways via several macrophage receptors, including SR, TLR2, and TLR4, and subsequently induces the secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.849-855
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• 2021

Recently, as nanotechnology has been introduced and used in various fields, the development of new drugs has been accelerating. Nanoparticles have maintained blood drug concentration for extended periods of time with a single administration of the drug. The drug can then be selectively released only at the pathological site, thereby reducing side effects to other non-pathological sites. In addition, nanoparticles can be modified for selective target sites delivery for other specific diseases, with polymers being widely used in the manufacture of these nanoparticles. Poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid ) (PLGA) is one of the most extensively developed biodegradable polymers. PLGA is widely used in drug delivery for a variety of applications. It has also been approved by the FDA as a drug delivery system and is widely applied in controlled release formulations, such as in gene therapy treatments. PLGA nanoparticles have been developed as delivery systems with high efficiency to specific cell types by using passive and active targeting methods. After the development of a drug delivery system using PLGA nanoparticles, the drug is selectively delivered to the target site, and the effective blood concentration for extended periods of time is optimized according to the disease. In this review paper, we focus on ways to improve cell-specific treatment outcomes by examining the development of astrocyte selective nanoparticles based on PLGA nanomaterials for gene therapy.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.434-442
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• 2021

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane has a good membrane durability because of its high mechanical resistance, thermal and chemical stability. However, the strong hydrophobic property of PVDF membrane can induce a low water permeability and easy fouling by proteins and organic matters. In order to improve the anti-fouling properties of PVDF membrane, the PVDF mixed matrix asymmetric membranes impregnated with biofunctional material 𝛽-cyclodextrin (𝛽-CD) in the membrane structure were prepared by phase inversion method. The membrane filtration experiments of pure water and BSA solution were performed using the PVDF/𝛽-CD mixed matrix asymmetric membranes prepared according to the 𝛽-CD contents. The experiments showed that the introduction of 𝛽-CD into the PVDF polymer matrix contributed to increase in the hydrophilic property of the PVDF membranes, and this led to the reduction of contact angles and improvement of anti-fouling properties. The PVDF/𝛽-CD membrane which was prepared using the dope solution with a 2 wt% 𝛽-CD content represented 64 L/m²·h of pure water flux, 95% of BSA rejection and maximum 80% of flux enhancements compared to flux results of the pristine PVDF membrane.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.405-415
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• 2021

MMBR system has been suggested as a promising system to resolve harvesting problems induced from low settling efficiency of microalgae. And recently, a lot of research on reducing fouling at the MMBR system has investigated focused on EPS in many cases. EPS of microalgae mainly consists of polysaccharides and protein components, and is produced through photosynthesis and nitrogen-carbon metabolic pathways. Especially, P-EPS is one of major compounds which occur membrane fouling phenomenon, as its hydrophobic protein components cause floc formation and cake layer accumulation. And it is already known that almost every microalgae can metabolize P-EPS or Chl-a when nitrogen sources as a substrate is insufficient or exhausted situation. With the above backgrounds, uptake rates of P-EPS or Chl-a by Scenedesmus quadricauda according to the type of carbon source and nitrogen concentration were evaluated in order to verify correlation between carbon source vs P-EPS production, and indeed Scenedesmus quadricauda uses P-EPS or Chl-a when the amounts of nitrogen sourc es in the feed is not satisfied. As a result, it was shown that P-EPS and Chl-a production were increased proportional to nitrogen concentration under organic carbon condition. And especially, the amo unts of P-EPS and Chl-a in the cell were diminished with the nitrogen source becomes insufficient or exhausted. Because P-EPS accelerates fouling at the MMBR system, P-EPS degradation by Scenedesmus quadricauda in order to get nitrogen source may contribute to reducing fouling. About a affects of N-consumed Chl-a to the MMBR fouling, more survey is needed. On the contrary, considering the purpose of MMBR system of this study, i.e. harvesting useful high value microalgae efficiently feeding adequate industrial process wastewater, it seems like difficult to maintain satisfied metabolic activity and to harvest with high yield rate using nitrogen-poor MMBR feed.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.188-194
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• 2022

This work presents a non-destructive and straightforward approach to assemble a large-scale conductive electronic film made of a pre-treated single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) solution. For effective electron transfer between the immobilized enzyme and SWCNT electronic film, we optimized the pre-treatment step of SWCNT with p-terphenyl-4,4"-dithiol and dithiothreitol. Glucose oxidase (GOx, a model enzyme in this study) was immobilized on the SWCNT electronic film following the positively charged polyelectrolyte layer deposition. The glucose detection was realized through effective electron transfer between the immobilized GOx and SWCNT electronic film at the negative potential value (-0.45 V vs. Ag/AgCl). The SWCNT electronic film-based glucose biosensor exhibited a sensitivity of 98 ㎂/mM·cm². In addition, the SWCNT electronic film biosensor showed the excellent selectivity (less than 4 % change) against a variety of redox-active interfering substances, such as ascorbic acid, uric acid, dopamine, and acetaminophen, by avoiding co-oxidation of the interfering substances at the negative potential value.

• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2023

In general, the presence of non-selective intercrystalline (grain boundary) defects in polycrystalline metal-organic framework (MOF) or zeolite membranes, which are known to be ca. 1 nm in size, causes lower membrane performance (selectivity) than the intrinsically expected. In this study we show that applying a thin polymeric coating of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on a polycrystalline MOF membrane is effective to cap the non-selective intercrystalline defects and therefore improve membrane performance. To demonstrate the concept, first, polycrystalline UiO-66, one of Zr-based MOFs, membranes were prepared by an in-situ solvothermal growth. By controlling membrane growth condition with respect to growth temperature, we were able to obtain polycrystalline UiO-66 membranes at 150 ℃ with intercrystalline defects of which the quantity is not significant, so it can be plugged by the suggested PDMS deposition. Second, their performances were compared before and after the PDMS deposition. As expected, the PDMS deposition ended up with a noticeable increase in CO₂/N₂ ideal selectivity from 6 to 14, indicating successful intercrystalline defect plugging. However, the enhancement in CO₂/N₂ selectivity was accompanied by a significant reduction in CO₂ permeance from 5700 to 33 GPU because the PDMS deposition not only plugs defects but also forms a continuous coating on membrane surface, adding an additional transport resistance.

• Composites Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.7-11
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• 2006

The improved SWNTs/PANi composite actuator films applicable to an artificial muscle were fabricated successfully using a new process of manufacture that consists of 90% pure single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and chemical polymerization. PANi is electrically conducting polyaniline polymer. The conductivities of the composite SWNTs/PANi film-type actuators and the pure PANi films fabricated were measured as 56.15 S/cm and 17.38 S/cm, respectively, by the 4-prove method. The conductivity of the composite actuator is 3.2 times higher than the pure PANi film. The fabricated composite actuator showed higher conductivity than any other similar ones. The quality of samples was investigated by an electron scanning microscope (SEM). To measure the actuating strains, a specially designed beam balance apparatus was developed and strains of the composite actuators was measured by a laser displacement sensor subjected to electric currents. During the operation, the sample was soaked in the $NaNO_3$ solution and the sine-wave voltage in the range of $+1V{\sim}-1V$ was applied. The length of the composite actuator changed from $l_0=12.690$ mm to $l_1=12.733$ so that the change of length was l=0.043 mm and the strain was 0.34 %. This is a very high strain for this kind of a composite actuator. Other result reported by Tahhan showed 0.23 % strain, so that the present result is improved by 48%.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-85
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• 2006

Blood serum concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in employees who worked at a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI), members of residential community who lived near the MSWI (<0.3km) and members of residential community lived far from the MSWI (>10 km). Human blood serum samples were analyzed for all PCB congeners using high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). The mean levels of total PCBs and dioxin-like PCBs in 87 serum samples were 242.77 ng/g lipid and 8.83 TEQ pg/g lipid, respectively. The PCB homologue profiles showed that penta-, hexa-, hepta-chlorinated biphenyls contributed more than 80% of the total PCBs concentration. The most abundant congeners were PCB153, PCB138, PCB180, PCB187, PCB118. A statistical analysis was performed to determine whether there were significant correlations between PCB concentrations and specific variables such as age, gender, smoking habits, occupation, BMI (Body Mass Index) and time of residence. As a result, the age was found to be strongly correlated with serum PCB concentrations. In addition, there were strong correlations between total PCBs and PCB153 (r=0.93, p<.0001), dioxin-like PCBs and PCB118 (r=0.98, p<.0001). So these two congeners are satisfactory indicators for total PCB concentrations and dioxin-like PCBs in human blood respectively.