• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.908-912
• /
• 2005

Bio-Q is a modified prescription with the activities of supplementing Qi and blood in human body. In the present study, immunomodulatory effect of Bio-Q was examined. After oral administration of Bio-Q for 7 days to Balb/c mice, splenocytes were isolated and immunological experiments were performed. Bio-Q significantly increased the proliferation of splenocytes exposed to concanavalin A (Con A), while it did not in case of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Bio-Q also significantly increased CD3/CD19, CD4/CDB and NK cells by flow cytometric analysis. In addition, Bio-Q significantly enhanced the level of $INF-\gamma$ in splenocytes, but not $TNF-\alpha$ by ELISA. These results strongly suggest that Bio-Q has immunomodulatory activity through the regulation of T cell mediated immune pathway.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.585-590
• /
• 2010

This study attempted to facilitate various groundcover plants, related to phytoremediation material, and advance shade plants with a heavy metal tolerance to contaminated soil in an urban shade space. Saxifraga stolonifera, which has commonly been used a landscape shade plants, was evaluated to determine its heavy metal tolerance to different concentrations(Control, $100mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$, $250mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ and $500mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ treatment) of Cd, Pb and Zn in soil. The growth of Saxifraga stolonifera showed no significant tendency after the initial transplantation, but showed distinct changes with the respective treatment heavy metal types and concentrations over time. Especially, severe chlorosis, with more yellowish green leaves, was observed, with inhibition at Cd concentrations greater than $100mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$. Conversely, no external symptoms or growth retardation were observed with Pb and Zn concentrations less than $500mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$. Therefore, Saxifraga stolonifera can be applied as a long term phytoremediation species in soil contaminated with low concentrations of heavy metal in urban shade spaces.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.568-573
• /
• 2006

We have synthesized new blue light emitting random copolymers, poly(9,9'-n-dioctylfluorene-co-perfluorobenzene-1,4-diyl)s (PFFBs), via Ni(0)-mediated coupling reactions. The weight-average molecular weights ($M_w$) of the PFFB copolymers ranged from 9,000 to 15,000. The PFFB copolymers dissolved in common organic solvents such as THF and toluene. The PL emission peaks of the PFFB copolymers were at around 420, 440, and 470 nm. EL devices were fabricated in ITO/PEDOT/polymer/Ca/Al configurations using these polymers. These EL devices were found to exhibit pure blue emission with approximate CIE coordinates of (0.15, 0.11) at $100cd/m^2$. The blue emissions of these devices might be due to the restriction of the polymer chains to aggregation by introducing of the highly electronegative fluorine moieties. The maximum brightnesses of the PFFB copolymer devices ranged from 140 to $3600cd/m^2$ with maximum efficiencies from 0.2 to 0.6 cd/A. The enhanced efficiency of the PFFB (8/2) copolymer device results from the inhibition of excimer formation by the introduction of the electronegative fluorine moieties into the copolymers.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.8-25
• /
• 2014

The aims of this study were to determine concentrations of selected metals in Asian and non-Asian dust collected in Daejeon, Korea between February 2008 and December 2008 and to estimate the pollution level. The geochemical analyses of Asian dust (AD) and Non Asian dust (NAD) show that the mean concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Zr, Sb, Mo and S reached levels up to 16, 209, 31, 43, 81, 28, 31, 122 and 302 times higher, respectively, than those in uncontaminated Chinese desert soils. These results indicate that both AD and NAD serve as an atmospheric repository for trace and heavymetal accumulation. The the enrichment factor (EF) and pollution index (PI) show that AD and NAD were severely contaminated by S, Mo, Zr, Cd, Pb, Zn, Sb, Cu, and As. All indices for these metals showed either strong or notably high level of pollution relative to Chinese desert soil, principally due to the severe atmospheric pollution derived from anthropogenic activities in heavily industrial Chinese cities. Therefore, Mo, Cd, Zr, As, Cu, Sb, Pb, and Zn are the ones most strongly affected by anthropogenic inputs such as airborne pollutants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2010.02a
• /
• pp.19-19
• /
• 2010

최근 박막 태양전지의 시장 점유율이 전체 태양전지 시장에서 지속적으로 성장하고 있다. 이러한 박막 태양전지의 점유율은 주로 Fist Solar 사의 CdTe 박막 태양전지에 의해 이루어지고 있으며 Si 계 박막 태양전지와 CIGS 박막 태양전지 성장은 비교적 크지 않은 것이 현실이다. CdTe 박막 태양전지는 양산 효율이 약 10.5%에 달하고, 원가는 1$/W 이하 수준에 도달한 것으로 알려져 있으며, 향후 2011년 까지 양산 능력을 2 GW로 확대할 계획을 가지고 있다. Fist solar사는 Cd란 환경유해 물질을 메인 광흡수층에 포함하고 있다는 CdTe 박막 태양전지 제품적인 약점에도 불구하고 원가 절감, 투자비 최소화, 및 제품 성능 향상을 통해 태양전지 시장의 절대적인 강자로 떠오르고 있다. 이러한 성공의 배경에는 단순한 사업 전략적인 성공요인 외에도 제품의 기술적 경쟁력 확보가 무엇보다도 중요한 요소인 것으로 판단된다. Si 계 박막 태양전지의 경우 현재 AMAT 사 및 Oelikon 사와 같은 주요 turn-key 회사를 중심으로 생산량을 확대해가고 있으며, MHI 사, Kaneka 사, 및 Uni-Solar 사와 같은 Si 계 박막 태양전지 전문회사를 중심으로 제품의 효율 향상, 원가 절감, 및 투자비 감소를 위한 연구개발이 진행되고 있다. 본 발표에서는 이러한 박막 태양전지 전반적인 환경을 기반으로 향후 태양전지 시장 및 사업환경의 변화와 주요 박막 태양전지 기술 개발 방향 및 상업적 의미에 대해 논의하고자 하며, Si 계 박막 태양전지가 궁극적으로 세계 최고 수준의 제품이 되기 위해서 필요한 사업적 환경, 기술 개발 방향 및 주요 기술개발 이슈들에 대해 논의하고자 한다.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.44-49
• /
• 2009

Conjugated nanocrystals using CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystal quantum dots modified by organic linkers and glucose oxidase (GOx) were prepared for use as biosensors. The trioctylphophine oxide (TOPO)-capped QDs were first modified to give them water-solubility by terminal carboxyl groups that were bonded to the amino groups of GOx through an EDC/NHS coupling reaction. As the glucose concentration increased, the photoluminescence intensity was enhanced linearly due to the electron transfer during the enzymatic reaction. The UV-visible spectra of the as-prepared QDs are identical to that of QDs-MAA. This shows that these QDs do not become agglomerated during ligand exchanges. A photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopic study showed that the PL intensity of the QDs-GOx bioconjugates was increased in the presence of glucose. These glucose sensors showed linearity up to approximately 15 mM and became gradually saturated above 15 mM because the excess glucose did not affect the enzymatic oxidation reaction past that amount. These biosensors show highly sensitive variation in terms of their photoluminescence depending on the glucose concentration.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.231-237
• /
• 2004

In this research we determined the levels of heavy metals in soil and metal-accumulating plants from a D military shooting site in the Kyungkido district of Korea. The data obtained may be useful in the development of methods for the efficient phytoremediation of contaminated soil. The total Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the soil were found to be 1.67-5.04 mg/kg, 52.51-106.26 mg/kg, 37.24-90.32mg/kg, and 111.45-188.19mg/kg, respectively. These results show that the soil is contaminated with Cd and Cu, and this contamination is particularly severe in the case of Cd because of its high bioavailability (25-57% of the total metal in the soil is exchangeable). The high concentrations of heavy metals in the shoots of Persicaria thunbergii and Artemisia princeps var. orientalis indicate that these plants (all perennial herbs) accumulate heavy metal efficiently. Further, these plants were found to contain more Cd in its shoots (＞60% of the total metal found in the plant) than any other plant; these results indicate that these native species are particularly suited to use in Cd phytoextraction.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.171-178
• /
• 1991

The two-stage enzyme reactor, packed with cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) immobilized on Amberite IRA 900, coupled with ultrafiltration membrane was investigated for continuous production of cyclodextrin (CD). 5% (w/v) of soluble starch was partially cyclized, in the 0.1 l first-stage immobilized enzyme reactor, up to CD conversion yield of 10% (w/w) at retention time of 0.56hr and 1.5 units of immobilized CGTase/1g of carrier. In the second stage main immobilized enzyme reactor capacity of 1.5 l, the maximum CD conversion yield of 39% (w/v) was achieved at retention time of 2.8hr and 0.47 unit of CGTase/1 g of carrier. Unreacted residual dextrin was fractionated with ultrafiltration membrane, and then, recycled into the second-stage main bioreactor to increase the CD conversion yield. The most suitable membrane size and the volume concentration ratio (concentrate: filterate) for recycling of unreacted residual dextrin were found to be 5K dalton and 4:6, respectively. CD conversion yield was increased about 3~4% upon co-immobilization of pulluanase along with CGTase. Spent Amberite IRA 900 can be reutilized consecutively more than 3 times for immobilization of CGTase after regeneration.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.133-137
• /
• 2010

Ginsan is an acidic polysaccharide purified from Panax ginseng, a famous oriental herb. Although a variety of biological activities of ginsan have been studied, the effects of ginsan on spleen cells are not fully elucidated. We investigated the effect of ginsan on the viability and proliferation of spleen cells. Using Cell Counting $Kit-8^{(R)}$ solution and trypan blue solution, we found that ginsan significantly enhanced viability and proliferation. Multiple clusters, indicating proliferation, were observed in ginsan-treated spleen cells and, carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester and surface marker staining assay revealed that ginsan promoted proliferation from $CD19^+$ B cells rather than $CD4^+$ or $CD8^+$ T cells. In addition, ginsan decreased the percentage of late apoptotic cells. Ginsan increased the surface expression of CD25 and CD69 as well as production of interleukin-2 from spleen cells, suggesting increased activation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that ginsan increases the viability and proliferation of spleen cells via multiple mechanisms, valuable information for broadening the use of ginsan in clinical and research settings.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.25 no.11
• /
• pp.1185-1191
• /
• 1992

Cell mediated immunity is depressed following surgical procedure and the degree of immunosuppression is directly related to the magintude of the procedure, blood transfusion, and length of operation. So we would expect cardiac operations to be highly immunosuppressive, although little is konwn about their immunosuppressive effect. The nearly complete consumption of complement factors and decreased levels of IgM and IgG resulting in an impaired opsonizing capacity. Additionally, peripheral blood mononuclear cell counts including T-and B-lymphocytes and T-cell subsets are reduced. Depression of cell-mediated immunity following open-heart surgery is potentially detrimental because it could increase the susceptability of patients to viral and bacterial infection. We reviewed 20 patients after cardiac operation to search for changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets. Lymphocyte subsets were measured by flow cytometer and the preoperative values of lymphocyte subsets were compared with those from the first, fourth, and seventh days after operation. After cardiac operation, total mumbers of T lymphocyte was severely depressed on the first postoperative day and returned to the preoperative level by the seventh day after operation. CD3, CD4, and CD8 lymphocytes were decreased on the first postoperative day and returned to the preoperative level by the seventh day also. There was four cases of wound infection and these patients had increased CD4 lympocyte and more decreased CD19 lymphocyte compared with the non-infected group. It is concluded from these data that cell-mediated immunity is significantly depressed for at least one week following open-heart surgery and this result was closely related to the postoperative infection.