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Using Trophic State Index (TSI) Values to Draw Inferences Regarding Phytoplankton Limiting Factors and Seston Composition from Routine Water Quality Monitoring Data (영양상태지수 (trophic state index)를 이용한 수체 내 식물플랑크톤 제한요인 및 seston조성의 유추)

  • Havens, Karl E
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.33 no.3 s.91
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    • pp.187-196
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    • 2000
  • This paper describes a simple method that uses differences among Carlson's (1977) trophic state index (TSI) values based on total phosphorus (TP), chlorophyll a (CHL) and Secchi depth (SD) to draw inferences regarding the factors that are limiting to phytoplankton growth and the composition of lake seston. Examples are provided regarding seasonal and spatial patterns in a large subtropical lake (Lake Okeechobee, Florida, USA) and inter- and intra-lake variations from a multilake data set developed from published studies. Once an investigator has collected routine water quality data and established TSI values based on TP, CHL, and SD, a number of inferences can be made. Additional information can be provided where it also is possible to calculate a TSI based on total nitrogen (TN). Where TSI (CHL)<>TSI (SD), light attenuating particles are large (large filaments or colonies of algae), and the phytoplankton may be limited by zooplankton grazing. Other limiting conditions are inferred by different relationships between the TSI values. Results of this study indicate that the analysis is quite robust, and that it generally gives good agreement with conclusions based on more direct methods (e.g., nutrientaddition bioassays, zooplankton size data, zooplankton removal experiments). The TSI approach, when validated periodically with these more costly and time-intensive methods, provides an effective, low cost method for tracking long-term changes in pelagic structure and function with potential value in monitoring lake ecology and responses to management.

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The First Newborn Screening Study of T-Cell Receptor Excision Circle and κ-Deleting Recombination Excision Circle for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in Korea: A Pilot Study (국내 최초 T-Cell Receptor Excision Circle과 κ-Deleting Recombination Excision Circle 신생아 선별검사에 관한 연구)

  • Son, Sohee;Kang, Ji-Man;Kim, Jong Min;Sung, Sein;Kim, Yi-Seoul;Lee, Haejeong;Kim, BitA Reum;Lee, Yeon Kyoung;Ko, Sun Young;Shin, Son Moon;Kim, Yae-Jean
    • Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.134-140
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    • 2017
  • Purpose: Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is the most serious form of primary immunodeficiency. Infants with SCID are susceptible to life-threatening infections. To establish newborn screening for SCID in Korea, we performed a screening test for T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC) and ${\kappa}$-deleting recombination excision circle (KREC) in neonates and investigated the awareness of SCID among their parents. Methods: Collections of dried blood spots from neonates and parent surveys were performed at the Samsung Medical Center and Cheil General Hospital & Women's Healthcare Center in Korea. The amplification crossing point (Cp) value <37.0 was defined as TREC/KRECpositive based on cutoff values from measuring multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction. A Cp value >39.0 was defined as negative. Results: For TREC/KREC screening, 141 neonates were enrolled; 63 (44.7%) were male. One hundred forty neonates (99.3%) had positive TREC/KREC results at the time of the initial test; 82.3% and 75.9% were positive and 17.0% and 23.4% were weakly positive for TREC and KREC, respectively. In one neonate (0.7%), the initial TREC/KREC test result was negative. However, repeated tests obtained and confirmed a positive result. For an awareness survey, 168 parents were engaged. Only 2% of parents (3/168) knew that the newborn screening test for SCID had been introduced and performed in other countries. Eighty-four percent of parents (141/168) replied that nationwide newborn SCID screening should be performed in Korean newborns. Conclusions: In this study, newborn SCID screening was performed along with assessment of public awareness of the SCID test in Korea. The study results showed that newborn SCID screening can be readily applied for clinical use at a relatively low cost in Korea.

Egg Antibody Farming and IgY Technology for Food and Biomedical Applications (식품과 생의학을 위한 계란 항체생산과 IgY 기술의 활용)

  • Sim, Jeong S.;Sunwoo, Hoon H.
    • Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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    • 2003.07b
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    • pp.37-54
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    • 2003
  • It has been recognized that the hen. like its mammalian counterparts. provides young chicks with antibodies as protection against hostile invaders. This system facilitates the transfer of specific antibodies from serum to egg yolk. and provides a supply of antibodies called immunoglobulin Y(IgY) to the developing embryo and the hatched chick. The protection against pathogens that the relatively immuno-incompetent newly hatched chick has. is through transmission of antibodies from the mother via the egg. Egg yolk. therefore. can be loaded with a large amount of IgY against pathogens which can immobilize the existing or invading pathogens during the embryo development or in day-old chicks. Thus. the immunization of laying hens to various pathogens results in production of different antigen-specific IgY in eggs. Egg yolk contains 8~20 mg of immunoglobulins (IgY) per $m\ell$ or 136~340 mg per yolk suggesting that more than 30 g of IgY can be obtained from one immunized hen in a year. By immunizing laying hens with antigens and collecting IgY from egg yolk. low cost antibodies at less than $10 per g compared to more than $20.000 per g of mammalian IgG can be obtained. This IgY technology opens new potential market applications in medicine. public health veterinary medicine and food safety. A broader use of IgY technology could be applied as biological or diagnostic tool. nut-raceutical or functional food development. oral-supplementation for prophylaxis. and as pathogen-specific antimicrobial agents for infectious disease control. This paper has emphasized that when IgY-loaded chicken eggs are produced and consumed. the specific antibody binds. immobilizes and consequently reduces or inhibits the growth or colony forming abilities of microbial pathogens. This concept could serve as an alternative agent to replace the use of antibiotics. since today. more and more antibiotics are less effective in the treatment of infections. due to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria.

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Development of a Small Gamma Camera Using NaI(T1)-Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube for Breast Imaging (NaI (T1) 섬광결정과 위치민감형 광전자증배관을 이용한 유방암 진단용 소형 감마카메라 개발)

  • Kim, Jong-Ho;Choi, Yong;Kwon, Hong-Seong;Kim, Hee-Joung;Kim, Sang-Eun;Choe, Yearn-Seong;Lee, Kyung-Han;Kim, Moon-Hae;Joo, Koan-Sik;Kim, Byuug-Tae
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.32 no.4
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    • pp.365-373
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    • 1998
  • Purpose: The conventional gamma camera is not ideal for scintimammography because of its large detector size (${\sim}500mm$ in width) causing high cost and low image quality. We are developing a small gamma camera dedicated for breast imaging. Materials and Methods: The small gamma camera system consists of a NaI (T1) crystal ($60 mm{\times}60 mm{\times}6 mm$) coupled with a Hamamatsu R3941 Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube (PSPMT), a resister chain circuit, preamplifiers, nuclear instrument modules, an analog to digital converter and a personal computer for control and display. The PSPMT was read out using a standard resistive charge division which multiplexes the 34 cross wire anode channels into 4 signals ($X^+,\;X^-,\;Y^+,\;Y^-$). Those signals were individually amplified by four preamplifiers and then, shaped and amplified by amplifiers. The signals were discriminated ana digitized via triggering signal and used to localize the position of an event by applying the Anger logic. Results: The intrinsic sensitivity of the system was approximately 8,000 counts/sec/${\mu}Ci$. High quality flood and hole mask images were obtained. Breast phantom containing $2{\sim}7 mm$ diameter spheres was successfully imaged with a parallel hole collimator The image displayed accurate size and activity distribution over the imaging field of view Conclusion: We have succesfully developed a small gamma camera using NaI(T1)-PSPMT and nuclear Instrument modules. The small gamma camera developed in this study might improve the diagnostic accuracy of scintimammography by optimally imaging the breast.

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The Evaluation of Images with Various Filters in I-131 SPECT/CT (I-131 SPECT/CT에서 Ringing Artifact 감소를 위한 다양한 Filter값의 적용)

  • Kim, Ha Gyun;Kim, Soo Mee;Woo, Jae Ryong;Oh, So Won;Lee, Jae Sung;Kim, Yu Kyeong
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.62-68
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    • 2014
  • Purpose: After I-131 therapy, SPECT/CT is useful in identifying location of thyroid remnants and metastasis of thyroid cancers. An excessive uptake of thyroid leads to a ringing artifact in the SPECT images. The aim of this study is to investigate and suggest a proper post filters to remove ringing artifact and produce better image quality. Materials and Methods: A low-cost, customized thyroid-mimicking phantom, consisting of an acrylic bottle and a hollow sphere was used for SPECT/CT Discovery (GE Healthcare, USA). It was filled with I-131 solution. The ratio of hollow sphere to background were varied as 50:1, 200:1, 1000:1 and 4000:1. Acquired images were reconstructed by OSEM (2 iterations, 10 subsets) with and without Evolution (resolution recovery correction, GE). Three different post-filters were applied; Butterworth (cut off: 0.38 to 0.58 with intervals of 0.05), Hanning (cut off: 0.8 to 1 with intervals of 0.05) and Gaussian (FWHM: 3 to 5 with intervals of 0.5) filters. Contrast, background variability, air area variability, and full width half maximum (FWHM) were compared. Results: Higher contrasts were obtained from the SPECT images with Evolution than without Evolution. In the case of images without Evolution, image distortion such as star artifact was generated. For all sphere-to-background ratio, the Butterworth filter showed better constrasts and FWHMs than other two filters, but the ringing artifact was still generated in all studies except 50:1 and it was decreased as cutoff value was increased. The ringing artifact didn't appear with Hanning and Gaussian filters at all studies, however constrats and FWHMs with Gaussian was worse than Hanning filter. For the images having ringing artifacts, the background variability and air area variability were increased. Conclusion: In this study, we suggested that it is desirable to use Hanning filter when the ringing artifact is generated and to use Butterworth filter when ringing artifact is not generated in I-131 SPECT.

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Development of Dust Recycling System and Dust Cleaner in Pipe during Vitrification of Simulated Non-Radioactive Waste (모의 비방사성폐기물의 유리화시 발생 분진의 재순환처리장치 및 배관 내 침적분진에 의한 막힘 방지용 제진장치의 개발)

  • Choi Jong-Seo;You Young-Hwan;Park Seung-Chul;Choi Seok-Mo;Hwang Tae-Won;Shin Sang-Woon
    • Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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    • 2005.06a
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    • pp.110-120
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    • 2005
  • For utilizing vitrification to treat low and intermediate level waste, industrial pilot plant was designed and constructed in October 1999 at Daejon, Korea through the joint research program among NETEC, MOBIS and SGN. More than 70 tests were performed on simulated IER, DAW etc. including key nuclide surrogate(Cs, Co); this plant has been shown to vitrify the target waste effectively and safely, however, some dust are generated from the HTF(High Temperature Filter) as a secondary waste. In case of long term operation, it is also concerned that pipe plugging can be occurred due to deposited dust in cooling pipe namely, connecting pipe between CCM(Cold Crucible Melter) and HTF. In this regard, we have developed the special complementary system of the off-gas treatment system to recycle the dust from HTF to CCM and to remove the interior dust of cooling pipe. Main concept of the dust recycling is to feed the dust to the CCM as a slurry state; this system is regarded as of an important position in the viewpoint of volume reduction, waste disposal cost and glass melt control in CCM. The role of DRS(Dust Recycling System) is to recycle the major glass components and key nuclides; this system is served to lower glass viscosity and increase waste solubility by recycling B, Na, Li components into glass melt and also to re-entrain and incorporate into glass melt like Cs, Co. Therefore dust recycling is helpful to control the molten glass; it is unnecessary to consider a separate dust treatment system like a cementation equipment. The effects of Dust Cleaner are to prevent the pipe plugging due to dust and to treat the deposited dust by raking the dust into CCM. During the pilot vitrification test, overall performance assessment was successfully performed; DRS and Dust Cleaner are found to be useful and effective for recycling the dust from HTF and also removing the dust in cooling pipe. The obtained operational data and operational experiences will be used as a basis of the commercial facility.

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A Study on Dimethacryloyloxy Alkane Derivatives Having an Anti-wear Performance as Lubricating Oil Additives (윤활유첨가제로써 마모억제 성능을 갖는 Dimethacryloyloxy Alkane 유도체에 관한 연구)

  • Han, Hye-Rim;Cho, Jung-Eun;Sim, Dae-Seon;Kang, Chung-Ho;Kim, Young-Wun;Jeong, Noh-Hee;Kang, Ho-Cheol
    • Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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    • v.27 no.6
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    • pp.583-589
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    • 2016
  • Lubricant additives including zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) containing metal have been widely used due to the advantage of very low cost, but they can generate impurities such as ash. In this work, ZDDP containing metals was partially replaced with bis[3-(dialkyloxyphosphorothionyl) thio-2-methylpropanyloxy] butane (BAP4s) which was synthesized conveniently and effectively from alkanediol without any metal components. Also, the wear resistance property of synthesized BAP4s were studied. Wear scar diameter (WSD) values of BAP4s with butyl, octyl, decyl, dodecyl or tetradecyl groups were also measured by four-ball test. As the length of the alkyl group increased from 4 to 8, the WSD value of BAP4s decreased rapidly from 0.59 to 0.45 mm, but from 8 to 14, the value increased very slowly from 0.45 to 0.50 mm. Thus, among all BAP4s, B8P4 having BAP4 with the octyl group, showed the lowest WSD value. Furthermore, the WSD values were measured in a lubricant base oil mixed with a 0.50 percent concentration (w/w) of either BAP4 or ZDDP. The former was 0.55 mm, and the latter was 0.45 mm. The thermal stability and tribofilm formation peroperty were also measured by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and energy-dispersive X-rays spectroscopy (EDS), respectively.

Efficiency Test for Surface Protecting Agents for the Chemical Resistance of Concrete Structures Using Sulfur Polymers (Sulfur Polymer를 사용한 콘크리트 구조물용 내화학성 표면보호재의 성능 평가)

  • Lee, Byung-Jae;Lee, Eue-Sung;Chung, Woo-Jung;Kim, Yun-Yong
    • Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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    • v.18 no.5
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    • pp.1-8
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    • 2014
  • Structures requiring chemical resistance are usually coated with surface protecting agents, but the cost for maintenance and re-construction is incurred due to the low durability. Therefore, in this study, sulfur was polymerized and the performance was examined so that it could be used as the concrete surface protecting agents for structures requiring chemical resistance. The evaluation results indicated that for the spray of the sulfur polymer surface coating agents, the application of the gravity type was appropriate; and for the number of coating times, about 3 cycle spray gave the best results. For the surface condition of the concrete to be coated with the surface protecting agents, outstanding quality was obtained above room temperature ($20{\sim}30^{\circ}C$), and the bond strength increased as the temperature increased. The evaluation results of the strength characteristics depending on the filler content of the surface protecting agents indicated that about 20~40% filler mixing contributed to the strength improvement as it reduced the shrinkage of the sulfur polymer. Also, the mixing of silica showed larger increase in the bond strength than the mixing of fly ash, and the most outstanding bond strength characteristics could be obtained by the mixing of both silica and fly ash. In the case of the chemical resistance, the strength reduction was minimized and outstanding chemical resistance was obtained when the fly ash and silica were substituted by 20%, respectively. The performance evaluation of the chloride ion penetration indicated that for the specimens coated with the sulfur polymer surface protecting agents, the chloride ion penetration resistance increased by 29~48% compared to the specimen without the coating of the surface protecting agent. The examination of the coating condition of the surface protecting agents, compressive strength, bond strength, chemical resistance, and salt damage resistance indicated that in the range of this study, the optimal level was when the silica and fly ash were substituted by 20%, respectively, as the filler for the sulfur polymer.

Selecting Suitable Riparian Wildlife Passage Locations for Water Deer based on MaxEnt Model and Wildlife Crossing Analysis (MaxEnt 모형과 고라니의 이동행태를 고려한 수변지역 이동통로 적지선정)

  • Jeong, Seung Gyu;Lee, Hwa Su;Park, Jong Hoon;Lee, Dong Kun;Park, Chong Hwa;Seo, Chang Wan
    • Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
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    • v.23 no.1
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    • pp.101-111
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    • 2015
  • Stream restoration projects have become threats to riparian ecosystem in Rep. of korea. Riparian wildlife becomes isolated and the animals are often experience difficulties in crossing riparian corridors. The purposes of this study is to select suitable wildlife passages for wild animals crossing riparian corridors. Maximum entropy model and snow tracking data on embankment in winter seasons were used to develop species distribution models to select suitable wildlife passages for water deer. The analysis suggests the following. Firstly, most significant factors for water deer's habitat in area nearby riparian area are shown to distance to water, age-class, land cover, slope, aspect, digital elevation model, tree density, and distance to road. For the riparian area, significant factors are shown to be land cover, size of riparian area, distance to tributary, and distance to built-up. Secondly, the suitable wildlife passages are recommended to reflect areas of high suitability with Maximum Entropy model in riparian areas and the surrounding areas and moving passages. The selected suitable areas are shown to be areas with low connectivity due to roads and vertical levee although typical habitats for water deer are forest, grassland, and farmland. In addition, the analysis of traces on snow suggests that the water deer make a detour around the artificial structures. In addition, the water deer are shown to make a detour around the fences of roads and embankment around farmland. Lastly, the water deer prefer habitats around riparian areas following tributaries. The method used in this study is expected to provide cost-efficient and functional analysis in selecting suitable areas.

Rapid Detection of Radioactive Strontium in Water Samples Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)를 이용한 방사성 스트론튬 오염물질에 대한 신속한 모니터링 기술)

  • Park, Jin-young;Kim, Hyun-a;Park, Kihong;Kim, Kyoung-woong
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.50 no.5
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    • pp.341-352
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    • 2017
  • Along with Cs-137 (half-life: 30.17 years), Sr-90 (half-life: 28.8 years) is one of the most important environmental monitoring radioactive elements. Rapid and easy monitoring method for Sr-90 using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has been studied. Strontium belongs to a bivalent alkaline earth metal such as calcium and has similar electron arrangement and size. Due to these similar chemical properties, it can easily enter into the human body through the food chain via water, soil, and crops when leaked into the environment. In addition, it is immersed into the bone at the case of human influx and causes the toxicity for a long time (biological half-life: about 50 years). It is a very reductive and related with the specific reaction that makes wet analysis difficult. In particular, radioactive strontium should be monitored by nuclear power plants but it is very difficult to be analysed from high-cost problems as well as low accuracy of analysis due to complicated analysis procedures, expensive analysis equipment, and a pretreatment process of using massive chemicals. Therefore, we introduce the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis method that analyzes the elements in the sample using the inherent spectrum by generating plasma on the sample using pulse energy, and it can be analyzed in a few seconds without preprocessing. A variety of analytical plates for samples were developed to improve the analytical sensitivity by optimizing the laser, wavelength, and time resolution. This can be effectively applied to real-time monitoring of radioactive wastewater discharged from a nuclear power plant, and furthermore, it can be applied as an emergency monitoring means such as possible future accidents at a nuclear power plants.