• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.284-290
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• 2023

Adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) is used for the treatment of hepatitis and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, but long-term use can cause osteoporosis. In this study, the effect of ADV on the osteocyte maturation process was evaluated at the level of undifferentiated cells using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and osteoblasts (MG63). First, MSCs and MG63 cells were treated with ADV at different concentrations, and then a Cell Counting Kit-8 analysis was performed to determine the effect on the proliferation of each cell. Additionally, crystal violet and Hoechst staining were performed for the morphological analysis of each cell and nucleus. To determine the cause of cell hypertrophy, the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) expression was investigated, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and activity were measured to determine the degree of differentiation of the MSCs and MG63 cells into mature osteocytes. The results confirmed that the ADV increases the expression of TGF-β in MSCs and MG63 cells, causing cellular and nuclear hypertrophy, and can cause osteoporosis by inhibiting cell proliferation and affecting the differentiation of mature osteocytes. Therefore, it is believed that these results can be used as a basis for understanding the adverse effects of ADV at a cytological level in basic medicine and clinical research.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.213-220
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• 2023

The most common skin disease, acne, often occurs in adolescence, but it is also detected/observed in adults due to air pollution and drug abuse. One of the causative agents of acne, Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) plays a role in the development of skin acne by inducing inflammatory mediators. Torreya nucifera (TN) is an evergreen tree of the family Taxaceae, having well reported antioxidant, anti-proliferative, liver protection, and nerve protection properties. Improvement of these bioactive properties of natural products is one of the purposes of natural product chemistry and pharmaceuticals. We believe biorenovation could be one improvement strategy that utilizes microbial metabolism to produce unique derivatives having enhanced bioactivity. Therefore, in this study, the C. acnes-induced RAW264.7 inflammation model was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the biorenovated Torreya nucifera product (TNB). The results showed improved viability of TNB-treated cells compared to TN-treated cells in the concentration range of 50, 100, and 200 ㎍/mL. At non-toxic concentrations, TNB inhibited the production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 by suppression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression. TNB also attenuated the expression of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α induced by C. acnes. Furthermore, TNB inhibited the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway, a transcription factor known to regulate inflammatory mediators. Based on these results, this study suggests the potential of using TNB as natural material for the treatment of acnes and thus, supporting our postulation of biorenovation as an bioactivity improvement strategy.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.23-28
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• 2023

Since the global shock caused by COVID-19, interest in immune-enhancing materials is rapidly increasing, therefore, the development of novel materials is necessary from the industrial and health perspectives. In this study, we selected Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner Seed Extract (NSE) and evaluated immune enhancement effect by using RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. NSE significantly up-regulated production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species without affecting cell viability in RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, NSE exhibited an increase of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in RAW 264.7 cells. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that NSE-treatment significantly enhanced production of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, we observed that NSE significantly up-regulated phosphorylation of p65, I kappa B kinase α/β, and I kappa B (IκB) α as well as down-regulation of IκB α expression in RAW 264.7 cells. Our findings indicate that NSE could be the potential health-functional food material with capacity of improving immunity via Nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.272-281
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• 2023

It has been known that Paeoniae Radix (PR) contains monoterpene glycosides showing a variety of biological activities such as anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, neuroprotective, and sedative effects. This study aimed to find the cytotoxic compounds isolated from the dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂)- and ethyl acetate-soluble fractions of PR. As results, thirteen compounds (1-13) were isolated and the chemical structures were identified. In addition, the human alveolar adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) was treated with isolated compounds to determine the cytotoxic effect via evaluation of cell viability. The reduction of A549 cell viability was shown as following order; gallic acid (8) > (2S)-naringenin (9) > methyl gallate (10)>6'-O-benzoylpaeoniflorin (7) > palmitic acid (3). Especially, 7 did not show the cytotoxicity in the human lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5). The effect of 7 on the cell viabilities in A549 and MRC-5 is firstly reported in this study. Further study is required to find out the cytotoxic mechanism and the selectivity for the cancer cells of 7 in detail.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.209-223
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• 2024

In the context of the fourth industrial revolution, data-driven decision-making has increasingly become pivotal. However, the integrity of data analysis is compromised if data quality is not adequately ensured, potentially leading to biased interpretations. This is particularly critical for water level data, essential for water resource management, which often encounters quality issues such as missing values, spikes, and noise. This study addresses the challenge of noise-induced data quality deterioration, which complicates trend analysis and may produce anomalous outliers. To mitigate this issue, we propose a noise removal strategy employing Wavelet Transform, a technique renowned for its efficacy in signal processing and noise elimination. The advantage of Wavelet Transform lies in its operational efficiency - it reduces both time and costs as it obviates the need for acquiring the true values of collected data. This study conducted a comparative performance evaluation between our Wavelet Transform-based approach and the Denoising Autoencoder, a prominent machine learning method for noise reduction.. The findings demonstrate that the Coiflets wavelet function outperforms the Denoising Autoencoder across various metrics, including Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), and Mean Squared Error (MSE). The superiority of the Coiflets function suggests that selecting an appropriate wavelet function tailored to the specific application environment can effectively address data quality issues caused by noise. This study underscores the potential of Wavelet Transform as a robust tool for enhancing the quality of water level data, thereby contributing to the reliability of water resource management decisions.

• Clean Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2024

In order to better understand carbon dioxide recycling, the carbon dioxide capture characteristics of six different alkaline industrial by-products, including incineration ash, desulfurized gypsum, low-grade quicklime, and steelmaking slag were investigated using a laboratory-scale direct aqueous carbonation reactor. In addition to the dissolution characteristics of each sample, the main reaction structure was confirmed through thermogravimetric analysis before and after the reaction, and the reactive CaO content was also defined through thermogravimetric analysis. The carbon dioxide capture capacity and efficiency of quicklime were determined to be 473 g/kg and 86.9%, respectively, and desulfurized gypsum and incineration ash were also evaluated to be relatively high at 51.1 to 131.7 g/kg and 51.2 to 87.7%, respectively. On the other hand, the capture efficiency of steelmaking slag was found to be less than 10% due to the influence of the production and post-cooling conditions. Therefore, in order to apply the carbonation process to steelmaking slag, it is necessary to optimize the slag production conditions. Through this study, it was confirmed that the carbon dioxide capture characteristics of incineration ash, quicklime, and desulfurized gypsum are at levels suitable for carbonation processes. Furthermore, this study was able to secure basic data for resource development technology that utilize carbon dioxide conversion to produce calcium carbonate for construction materials.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.210-217
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• 2015

Ipfencarbazone is a herbicide of the tetrazolinone class, and is believed to be an inhibitor of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), which control cell division in weeds. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an official analytical method for ipfencarbazone determination in agricultural products. The ipfencarbazone residues in agricultural products were extracted with acetone, partitioned with n-hexane, and then purified through silica SPE cartridge. Finally, the analyte was quantified by gas chromatograph-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and confirmed with gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer(GC/MS). The linear range of ipfencarbazone was 0.01 to 1.0 mg/L with the coefficient of determination ($r^2$) of 0.9999. The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) was 0.003 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, average recoveries of ipfencarbazone ranged from 80.6% to 112.3% at the different concentration levels LOQ, 10LOQ and 50LOQ, while the relative standard deviation was 2.2-8.6%. All values were consistent with the criteria ranges requested in the CODEX guidelines. Furthermore, and inter-laboratory study was conducted to validate the method. This proposed method for determination of ipfencarbazone residues in agricultural products can be used as an official analytical method.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 2017

Basic dyes such as malachite green and methylene blue have been used as disinfectants to control water fungal infections since the 1930s. However, after succeeding reports of carcinogenicity and bioaccumulation of the dye, their use was forbidden in lieu of public health. This study undertook to evaluate the therapeutic effect of sulfur solution processed by effective microorganisms (EM-PSS) against Saprolegnia parasitica infection, and its safety in fish. In vitro antifungal evaluation of EM-PSS inhibited the growth of S. parasitica mycelia at concentrations of 50 ppm or higher. The acute toxicity test of EM-PSS to the mud fish (Misgurnus mizolepis) measured a no effect concentration (NOEC) at 100 ppm, the lowest effect concentration (LOEC) at 125 ppm, and the half-lethal concentration ($LC_{50}$) at 125 ppm in juvenile and 250 ppm in the immature stage. In addition, the ecotoxicity test of EM-PSS using Daphnia magna inhibited swimming of D. magna at concentrations of 100 ppm or less. Lastly, the EM-PSS prevented infection of S. parasitica to mud fish, at concentrations of 50 ppm. Furthermore, at 100 ppm concentration, the EM-PSS showed no acute toxicity on mud fish, nor any eco-toxic effects on D. magnano. Therefore, we conclude that carcinogenic disinfectants such as malachite green and methylene blue could be replaced by EM-PSS to remove S. parasitica in mud fish farming, and might be a potential eco-friendly disinfectant in aquaculture.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.284-295
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to measure and analyze the bond strength of bonded amalgam using dental adhesives and to compare this with light-curing composite resin. Sections 8mm in diameter were punched out from the labial surface of bovine anterior teeth. These were embedded in clear acrylic resin blocks with labial surface facing out. 55 specimens were made for enamel and dentin each. After dividing these into 5 groups, group 1: Superbond C&B, group 2: Panavia 21, group 3: All-Bond 2, group 4: Fuji I Glass Ionomer Luting Cement, group 5: Scotchbond Multi-Purpose(Restorative Z-100), molds with holes of 6.3mm in diameter and 1.5mm in depth were placed over the specimens. The exposed tooth surfaces were treated with adhesives and the molds were filled with amalgam. In group 5, the mold was filled with composite resin and light-cured for 40 seconds. The author measured all specimens for bond strength 24 hours after amalgam filing and analyzed fracture surfaces. The following results were obtained: 1. Among the dentin groups, groups 1, 2 and 4 showed significantly lower bond strength compared with group 5(P<0.05). 2. Among the enamel groups, group 4 showed significantly lower bond strength compared with group 5(P<0.05). 3. In group 2, 2D showed significantly lower bond strength compared with group 2E(P<0.05). Other adhesives showed no such differences in bond strength between dentin and enamel(P>0.05). 4. Cohesive failure was observed in groups 1E and 5D, while mixed failure was seen in groups 1 and 5. Only adhesive failures were noted in groups 2, 3, 4.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.350-357
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the downward mobility of pesticides using soil columns and to compare the experimental results with values predicted from Convective mobility test model. Nine pesticides such as metolcarb, molinate, fanobucarb, isazofos, diazinon, fenitrothion, dimepiperate, parathion and chlorpyrifos-methyl were used for leaching test in soil column for four soils; Jungdong (upland soil), Gangseo (paddy soil), Yesan (forest soil), and Sineom(upland, volcanic ash-derived soil) series. The peak concentrations leached from 10 cm-columns of three soils except Sineom series ranged 6.5 to 12.6 mg/L for metolcarb, 2.6 to 5.0 mg/L for molinate, 4.5 to 7.8 mg/L for fenobucarb, 0.39 to 1.36 mg/L for dimepiperate, 1.1 to 4.6 mg/L for isazofos, 0.01 to 0.14 mg/L for diazinon, lower than 0.01 to 0.70 mg/L for fenitrothion and lower than 0.01 to 0.44 mg/L for parathion. But chlorpyrifos-methyl was not leached from any soil columns. Elution volumes to reach the peak of metolcarb, molinate, fenobucarb, isazofos, diazinon, and dimepiperate in the leachate ranged 1.1 to 2.1 pore volume (PV), 1.6 to 3.3 PV, 1.6 to 3.3 PV, 2.1 to 4.4 PV, 6 to 15 PV, and 8 to 21 PV, respectively. On the same water flux conditions, convection times estimated by Convective mobility test model were coincided with results from soil column test in most of the soil-pesticide combinations applied. Based on convection times estimated by the model at standard conditions (water flux 1 cm/day), metolcarb was classified as most mobile, molinate, fenobucarb and isazofos as mobile or most mobile, dimepiperate as moderately mobile or mobile, diazinon as mobile, fenitrothion and parathion as slightly mobile or mobile and chlorpyrifos-methyl as immobile or slightly mobile.