• Title/Summary/Keyword: Department of Agriculture

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Effect of Ethanol Fractionation of Lignin on the Physicochemical Properties of Lignin-Based Polyurethane Film

  • Sungwook WON;Junsik BANG;Sang-Woo PARK;Jungkyu KIM;Minjung JUNG;Seungoh JUNG;Heecheol YUN;Hwanmyeong YEO;In-Gyu CHOI;Hyo Won KWAK
    • Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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    • v.52 no.3
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    • pp.221-233
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    • 2024
  • Lignin, a prominent constituent of woody biomass, is abundant in nature, cost-effective, and contains various functional groups, including hydroxyl groups. Owing to these characteristics, they have the potential to replace petroleum-based polyols in the polyurethane industry, offering a solution to environmental problems linked to resource depletion and CO2 emissions. However, the structural complexity and low reactivity of lignin present challenges for its direct application in polyurethane materials. In this study, Kraft lignin (KL), a representative technical lignin, was fractionated with ethanol, an eco-friendly solvent, and mixed with conventional polyols in varying proportions to produce polyurethane films. The results of ethanol fractionation showed that the polydispersity of ethanol-soluble lignin (ESL) decreased from 3.71 to 2.72 and the hydroxyl content of ESL increased from 4.20 mmol/g to 5.49 mmol/g. Consequently, the polyurethane prepared by adding ESL was superior to the KL-based film, exhibiting improved miscibility with petrochemical-based polyols and reactivity with isocyanate groups. Consequently, the films using ESL as the polyol exhibited reduced shrinkage and a more uniform structure. Optical microscope and scanning electron microscope observations confirmed that lignin aggregation was lower in polyurethane with ESL than in that with KL. When the hydrophobicity of the samples was measured using the water contact angle, the addition of ESL resulted in higher hydrophobicity. In addition, as the amount of ESL added increased, an increase of 7.4% in the residual char was observed, and a 4.04% increase in Tmax the thermal stability of the produced polyurethane was effectively improved.

Hepatoprotective Effects of Potato Peptide against D-Galactosamine-induced Liver Injury in Rats

  • Ohba, Kiyoshi;Han, Kyu-Ho;Liyanage, Ruvini;Nirei, Megumi;Hashimoto, Naoto;Shimada, Ken-ichiro;Sekikawa, Mitsuo;Sasaki, Keiko;Lee, Chi-Ho;Fukushima, Michihiro
    • Food Science and Biotechnology
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    • v.17 no.6
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    • pp.1178-1184
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    • 2008
  • The effect of some peptides on hepatoprotection and cecal fermentation against D-galactosamine (GalN)-treated rats was studied. In acute hepatic injury tests, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotranferase (AST), and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were remarkably increased after injection of GalN. However, potato and soybean peptides significantly decreased GalN-induced alterations of serum ALT and AST activities. Hepatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) concentration in GalN-treated groups fed potato and soybean peptides was significantly lower than that in GalN-treated control group. Hepatic glutathione level in the GalN-treated group fed potato peptide was significantly higher than that in GalN-treated control group. Furthermore, cecal Lactobacillus level in GalN-treated groups fed potato and soybean peptides was significantly higher than that in GalN-treated control group, and cecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations in GalN-treated group fed potato peptide were significantly higher than in GalN-treated control group. These results indicate that potato peptide may improve the cecal fermentation and prevent the GalN-induced liver damage in rats.

Effect of knife castration on leukocyte cytokine expression and indicators of stress, pain, and inflammation in Korean cattle bull calves

  • Seonpil Yoo;Seok-Hyun Beak;Hyeok Joong Kang;Da Jin Sol Jung;Dilla Mareistia Fassah;InHyuk Jeong;Seung Ju Park;Md Najmul Haque;Myunghoo Kim;Myunggi Baik
    • Animal Bioscience
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    • v.36 no.3
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    • pp.521-528
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    • 2023
  • Objective: This study investigated the effects of surgical castration on behavior, physiological and inflammatory indicators, and leukocyte cytokine mRNA levels in Korean cattle bull calves. Methods: Nineteen Korean cattle bull calves (average body weight, 254.5 kg; average age, 8.2 months) were divided into two treatment groups: control (n = 9) and castration (n = 10). Surgical castration was performed using Newberry knives and a Henderson castrating tool. Blood was obtained just before castration (0 h) and at 0.5 h, 6 h, 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d after castration. Plasma cortisol (PC), saliva cortisol (SC), plasma substance P, and plasma haptoglobin concentrations, and the leucocyte mRNA levels of the interleukin-1-alpha (IL1A), interleukin-1-beta (IL1B), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN), and interleukin-6 (IL6) genes were analyzed. Results: Castration decreased (p<0.01) the average daily gain and gain/feed ratio. Castration reduced the time spent eating (p<0.001) and the eating frequency (p<0.01) and increased (p<0.001) the lying frequency. Castration temporarily increased (p<0.05) circulating PC and SC concentrations at 0.5 h after castration. Castration temporarily increased (p<0.05) plasma substance P concentrations at 1 d after castration. Castration increased (p<0.05) plasma haptoglobin concentrations at 1 and 3 d after castration. Castration increased (p<0.05) leukocyte mRNA levels of the IL1A, IL1B, IL1RN, and IL6 genes at 6 h after castration. Conclusion: Castration temporarily induced stress and expression of leucocyte inflammatory cytokine genes in Korean cattle bull calves.

Production of Kittens from Non-Surgical Intrauterine Insemination of Frozen Epididymis Semen in Cat

  • Lee, Young-Ho;Yu, Dae-Joong;Lee, Hyo-Sang;Seo, Youn-Gil;Jeon, Se-Sin;Cho, Su-Jin;Kim, Young-Ho;Yin, Xi-Jun;Cho, Seong-Kyun;Bae, In-Hyu;Kong, Il-Keun
    • Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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    • 2004.06a
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    • pp.245-245
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    • 2004
  • This study was carried out to evaluate the possibility of production of kittens by a non-surgical intrauterine insemination (NIUI) or intra-vaginal insemination (IVI) with the Norwegian catheter and using a frozen epididymal sperm (FES). Semen was collected epididymal sperm and frozen in Tris-buffered with 50 × 10/sup 6//㎖. The motility and progressive motility of FES was approximately 40.3±5.8% and 35.9±6.5% after thawing. (omitted)

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Breast Cancer: Major Risk Factors and Recent Developments in Treatment

  • Majeed, Wafa;Aslam, Bilal;Javed, Ijaz;Khaliq, Tanweer;Muhammad, Faqir;Ali, Asghar;Raza, Ahmad
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.8
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    • pp.3353-3358
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    • 2014
  • Breast cancer is the most common in women worldwide, with some 5-10% of all cases due to inherited mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Obesity, hormone therapy and use of alcohol are possible causes and over-expression of leptin in adipose tissue may also play a role. Normally surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy allow a good prognosis where screening measures are in place. New hope in treatment measures include adjuvant therapy, neoadjuvant therapy, and introduction of mono-clonal antibodies and enzyme inhibitors.

Analysis of Natural Ventilation Rates of Venlo-type Greenhouse Built on Reclaimed Lands using CFD (전산유체역학을 통한 간척지 내 벤로형 온실의 자연환기량 분석)

  • Lee, Sang-Yeon;Lee, In-Bok;Kwon, Kyeong-Seok;Ha, Tae-Hwan;Yeo, Uk-Hyeon;Park, Se-Jun;Kim, Rack-Woo;Jo, Ye-Seul;Lee, Seung-No
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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    • v.57 no.6
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    • pp.21-33
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    • 2015
  • Recently, the Korean government announced a new development plan for a large-scale greenhouse complex in reclaimed lands. Wind environments of reclaimed land are entirely different from those of inland. Many standard books for ventilation design didn't include qualitative standard for natural ventilation. In this study, natural ventilation rates were analyzed to suggest standard for ventilation design of venlo type greenhouse built on reclaimed land. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation models were designed according to the number of spans, wind conditions and vent openings. The wind profile at a reclaimed land was designed using ESDU (Engineering Sciences Data Unit) code. Using the designed CFD simulation model, ventilation rates were computed using mass flow rate and tracer gas decay method. Additionally computed natural ventilation rates were evaluated by comparing with ventilation requirements. As a result of this study, ventilation rates were decreased with increasing of the number of spans. Ventilation rates were linearly increased with increasing of wind speed. When the wind speed was $1.0\;m{\cdot}s^{-1}$, only side vent was open and wind direction was $45^{\circ}$, homogeneity of ventilation rate at 0~1 m height is the worst. Finally, chart for computing natural ventilation rate was suggested. The chart was expected to be used for establishing standard of ventilation design.

Analysis on Ventilation Efficiency of Standard Duck House using Computational Fluid Dynamics (전산유체역학을 이용한 표준 오리사 설계안에 대한 환기효율성 분석)

  • Yeo, Uk-Hyeon;Jo, Ye-Seul;Kwon, Kyeong-Seok;Ha, Tae-Hwan;Park, Se-Jun;Kim, Rack-Woo;Lee, Sang-Yeon;Lee, Seung-No;Lee, In-Bok;Seo, Il-Hwan
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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    • v.57 no.5
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    • pp.51-60
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    • 2015
  • In Korea, 69.4 % of duck farms had utilized conventional plastic greenhouses. In this facilities, there are difficulties in controlling indoor environments for raising duck. High rearing density in duct farms also made the environmental control difficult resulting in getting more stressed making their immune system weaker. Therefore, a facility is needed to having structurally enough solidity and high efficiency on the environmental control. So, new design plans of duck house have recently been conducted by National Institute of Animal Science in Korea. As a study in advance to establish standard, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to estimate the aerodynamic problems according to the designs by means of overall and regional ventilation efficiencies quantitatively and qualitatively. Tracer gas decay (TGD) method was used to calculate ventilation rate according to the structural characteristics of duck houses including installation of indoor circulation fan. The results showed that natural ventilation rate was averagely 164 % higher than typically designed ventilation rate, 1 AER ($min^{-1}$). Meanwhile, mechanically ventilated duck houses made 81.2 % of summer ventilation rate requirement. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a new duck house considering more structural safety as well as higher efficiency of environmental control.

Measurement of Dust Concentration in a Naturally Ventilated Broiler House according to Season and Worker's Access (윈치커튼식 계사의 시기 및 작업자 출입에 따른 분진 발생 농도 측정 연구)

  • Jo, Ye-seul;Kwon, Kyeong-seok;Lee, In-bok;Ha, Tae-hwan;Park, Se-jun;Kim, Rack-woo;Yeo, Uk-hyeon;Lee, Sang-yeon;Lee, Seung-no
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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    • v.57 no.6
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    • pp.35-46
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    • 2015
  • Improvement in domestic poultry production has a positive effect on the export competitiveness of the poultry industry. However, overproduction and enlargement of facilities to assure a supply increase a stocking density which make a poor environment in the broiler house. In particular, an intensive rearing environment is vulnerable to dust control that causes respiratory diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis, etc., to farmers and broilers. However, monitoring data and research for environment control are not adequate, and there are no air quality regulations in broiler houses in Korea. In this study, TSP, PM10, inhalable dust and respirable dust concentration were monitored according to season, age of broiler and broiler's activities. Air quality assessment was also performed in accordance with the threshold limit value by Donham et al. (2000). The TSP concentrations were 77.5 %, 219.7 % higher and PM10 concentrations were 121.2 %, 303.8 % higher when change of season and winter respectively than summer. There were significantly different concentrations according to season and age of broiler. Inhalable and respirable dust concentration were also clearly different according to the season and age of broiler. A high dust concentration was observed, specifically exceeding the threshold limit by 119 % in the winter. In the case of the broiler's motion was activity according to worker's access into the broiler house, concentration level was 769.6 % higher than broiler's motion was stable and exceeded the threshold limit. These results suggest that the worker should put on protective equipment to protect there's respiratory health in the broiler house.