• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.101-109
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• 2010

Efficient L-lactic acid production from Jerusalem artichoke tubers, by Lactobacillus casei G-02, using simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) in a fed-batch culture, is demonstrated. A kinetic analysis of the SSF revealed that the inulinase activity was subjected to product inhibition, whereas the fermentation activity of G-02 was subjected to substrate inhibition. It was also found that the intracellular NADH oxidase (NOX) activity was enhanced by the citrate metabolism, which dramatically increased the carbon flux of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway, along with the production of ATP. As a result, when the SSF was carried out at $40^{\circ}C$ after an initial hydrolysis of 1 h and included a sodium citrate supplement of 10 g/l, an L-lactic acid concentration of 141.5 g/l was obtained after 30 h, with a volumetric productivity of 4.7 g/l/h. The conversion efficiency and product yield were 93.6% of the theoretical lactic acid yield and 52.4 g lactic acid/l00 g Jerusalem artichoke flour, respectively. Such a high concentration of lactic acid with a high productivity from Jerusalem artichokes has not been reported previously, making G-02 a potential candidate for the economic production of L-lactic acid from Jerusalem artichokes on a commercial scale.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.196-202
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• 2009

A visible-light photoactive $TiO_{2-x}N_x$ photocatalyst was synthesized successfully by means of cogrinding of anatase-$TiO_2(a-TiO_2)$ in $NH_3$ ambient, followed by heat-treatment at $200^{\circ}C$ in air environment. In general, it is well known that the grinding-operation induces phase transformation of a-$TiO_2$ to rutile $TiO_2$. This study investigates the influence of the amount of $NH_3$ gas on the phase transformation rate of a-$TiO_2$ and enhancement of visible-light photocatalytic activity, and also examines the relation between the photocatalytic activity and the period of grinding time. The phase transformation rate of a-$TiO_2$ to rutile is retarded with the amount of NH3 injected. And the visible-light photocatalytic activity of samples, was more closely related to the period of grinding time than $NH_3$ amount injected, which means that the doping amount of nitrogen into $TiO_2$ more effective to mechanical energy than $NH_3$ amount injected. XRD, XPS, FT-IR, UV-vis, Specific surface area (SSA), NOx decomposition techniques are employed to verify above results more clearly.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.274-282
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• 2014

Purpose: In this study, a hybrid power system was developed for agricultural machines with a 20-KW output capacity, and it was attached to a multi-purpose cultivator to improve the performance of the cultivator, which was evaluated using output tests. Methods: The hybrid system combined heterogeneous sources: an internal-combustion engine and an electric power motor. In addition, a power splitter was developed to simplify the power transmission structure. The cultivator using the hybrid system was designed to have increased fuel efficiency and output power and reduced exhaust gas emissions, while maintaining the functions of existing cultivators. Results: The fuel consumption for driving the cultivator in the hybrid engine vehicle (HEV) mode was 341 g/KWh, which was 36% less than the consumption in the engine (ENG) mode for the same load. The maximum power take off output of the hybrid power system was 12.7 KW, which was 38% more than the output of the internal-combustion engine. In the HEV mode, harmful exhaust gas emissions were reduced; i.e., CO emissions were reduced by 36~41% and NOx emissions were reduced by 27~51% compared to the corresponding emissions in the ENG mode. Conclusions: The hybrid power system improved the fuel efficiency and reduced exhaust gas emissions in agricultural machinery. Lower exhaust gas emissions of the hybrid system have considerable advantages in closed work environments such as crop production facilities; therefore, agricultural machinery with less exhaust gas emissions should be commercialized. However, the high manufacturing cost and complexity of the proposed system are challenges which need to be solved in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.375-382
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• 1999

Growing evidence indicates that enhanced generation or actions of nitric oxide (NO) are implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats and diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. We investigated whether inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in STZ-induced diabetic rats is responsible for the alterations of vascular reactivity. Diabetic state was confirmed 28 days after injection of STZ (i.p) in rats by measuring blood glucose. In order to evaluate whether short term (4 weeks) diabetic state is related with altered vascular reactivity caused by iNOS expression, isometric tension experiments were performed. In addition, plasma nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels and expression of iNOS in the lung and aorta of control and STZ-treated rats were compared by using Griess reagent and Western analysis, respectively. Results indicated that STZ-treated rats increased the maximal contractile response of the aorta to phenylephrine (PE), and high $K^+,$ while the sensitivity remained unaltered. Endothelium-dependent relaxation, but not SNP-mediated relaxation, was reduced in STZ-treated rats. Plasma nitrite/nitrates are significantly increased in STZ-treated rats compared to controls. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of liver, serum, and aorta of diabetic rats were also significantly increased. Furthermore, nitrotyrosine, a specific foot print of peroxynitrite, was significantly increased in endothelial cells and smooth muscle layers in STZ-induced diabetic aorta. Taken together, the present findings indicate that enhanced release of NO by iNOS along with increased lipid peroxidation in diabetic conditions may be responsible, at least in part, for the augmented contractility, possibly through the modification of endothelial integrity or ecNOS activity of endothelium in STZ-diabetic rat aorta.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 2011

The influence of sulfate on the selective catalytic reduction of $NO_x$ on the Ag/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst was studied when $CH_4$ was used as a reducing agent. Various preparation methods influenced differently on the $deNO_x$ activity. Among the methods, cogelation precipitation gave best activity. When sulfates were formed on the surfaces of samples prepared by impregnated and deposition precipitation, $deNO_x$ activity was enhanced as long as suitable forming condition is satisfied. The major sulfate formed in Ag/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst was the aluminum sulfate and it seems that this sulfate acted as a promoter. When Mg was added to the Ag/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst it promoted $deNO_x$ activity at high temperature. Intentionally added sulfate also enhanced $deNO_x$ activity, when their amount was confined less than 3 wt%.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.378-384
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• 2015

The long-term variations of ozone and nitrogen oxides in Suwon city, the capital of Gyeong-gi province, were examined from 1991 to 2012. In this period, the annual average $O_3$ concentration increased from 13.8 ppbv to 22.7 ppbv and that of $99^{th}$ percentile increased from 58.0 ppbv to 80.0 ppbv. The monthly average and $99^{th}$ percentile of $O_3$ concentrations were the highest in June. The increase in $O_3$ concentration was the greatest in early summer (May and June) before monsoon season began. While the concentrations of NO and NOx have gradually decreased since 2000, $NO_2$ remained unchanged. As a result, $NO_2/NO_x$ ratio increased from 0.5 to 0.73 in 2012. The monthly $NO_2/NO_x$ ratio was the highest in early summer, when monthly average $O_3$ concentration was the highest. It suggests that the enhanced $NO_2/NO_x$ ratio is intimately coupled with increase in $O_3$ for the last two decades in Suwon.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.162-169
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• 2005

The performance of oxygen combustion with $CO_2$ feeding was investigated in a pyrex tube furnace. The inverse type multi-hole burner was used for improving mixing and wide operating range. It introduced oxygen, fuel, and oxygen, respectively, from center tube to outer tubes. Oxygen combustion characteristics with excess oxygen ratio, oxygen feeding ratio, and $CO_2$ feeding flow rate were studied to optimize the operating condition and to apply the oxygen combustion with recirculation of flue gas to a real furnace. This paper presents results on the effect of $CO_2$ feeding flow rate on the structure of the flames and concentrations of NO and CO emissions. The visible flame length was shortest due to well mixing between fuel and oxygen when the oxygen feeding ratio was 0.25. The NO emission was reduced drastically regardless of excess oxygen ratio when the $CO_2$ feeding flow rate was larger than 15 lpm. The CO emission is varied by changing the $CO_2$ feeding flow rate but the CO emission characteristics is highly affected by excess oxygen ratio. When the excess oxygen ratio is below ${\lamda}=1.1$, the CO emission increased as the $CO_2$ feeding flow rate increased.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.46-52
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• 1987

There are many factors such as airtighteness and high density of merchandises or passengers that contaminate indoor air in underground commercial floor. So it is very important to know air quality and quantity of contamination in underground market increasing in number lately. It was from these viewpoints that gaseous pollutants, dusts and mutagenicity of organic compounds extracted from dusts in an underground market were investigatd. Organic ompounds (tar) were extracted by Soxhlet extractor with benzene as a solvent. Mutagenicities of these extracts were evaluated by the preincubation method using Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 and TA 98 strains with and without S9mix. The results obtained were as follows: It seemed to be under the influence of outdoor air that the concentrations of $CO, CO_2, NO, NO_2$ and dusts were higher in winter than summer. The concentration of $CO_2$ was higher in indoor than outdoor, but the concentration of NOx was similar in both sampling areas. Metal contents in dusts attached to the ventilation ducts were as follows showing in order of high concentration : Fe (9000-22000ppm), Zn(1200-2300ppm) and Pb (280-590ppm). The contents of tar were 6-33% of dusts, and higher than those from dusts collected by high volume air sampler. The extracts from dusts attached to the inlet duct exhibited lower mutagenicity than those from dusts attached to the outlet duct. This finding seemed to suggest that mutagenic substances were in creasing in underground. There was no seasonal difference of mutagenicity toward TA 98. Toward TA 100 in the presence of S9mix, the mutagenicity was about 3 fold higher in winter than summer. The mutagenicities of tar extracted from dusts collected by high volume air sampler were different from those attached to the ventilation ducts. The former showed 2-3 fold higher mutagenicity than the latter toward TA 100. However no difference showed between the former and the latter toward TA 98 in the absence of S9mix, but the former was 4-5 fold higher than the latter in the presence of S9mix.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.451-463
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• 2004

The performance of disk-type catalytic filters impregnated by TiO$_2$ or TiO$_2$-3Al$_2$O$_3$ㆍ 2SiO$_2$ supports and V$_2$O$_{5}$ catalyst was evaluated for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with ammonia as a reductant. XRD, FT -IR, BET and SEM were used to characterize the catalytic filters prepared in this work. Optimal V$_2$O$_{5}$ loading and reaction temperature for V$_2$O$_{5}$/TiO$_2$ catalytic filters were 3-6 wt.% and 350-40$0^{\circ}C$ at GHSV 14,300 $hr^{-1}$ in the presence of oxygen, respectively. With increasing the V$_2$O$_{5}$ loading from 0.5 to 6 wt%, NO conversion increased from 24 to 96% at 40$0^{\circ}C$ and 14.300$hr^{-1}$, and maintained at 80% over in the V$_2$O$_{5}$ loading range of 3-6 wt.% and then dropped at V$_2$O$_{5}$ loading of 7wt.% over. In comparing V$_2$O$_{5}$/ TiO$_2$ and V$_2$O$_{5}$/ TiO$_2$-3Al$_2$O$_3$ㆍ2SiO$_2$ catalytic fillers, which have same 3wt.% V$_2$O$_{5}$ loading, the V$_2$O$_{5}$/ TiO$_2$-3A1$_2$O$_3$ㆍ2SiO$_2$ catalytic filter showed higher activity than V$_2$O$_{5}$/ TiO$_2$ catalytic filter, but higher differential pressure drops owing to its low air permeability. low air permeability.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.3370-3375
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• 2014

MILD combustion is a highly favored technology for solving the trade-off relation between high thermal efficiency and low pollutant emissions. The system has low NOx concentration in high temperature combustion by recirculating the combustion gas, as well as improving the thermal efficiency by making the internal temperature in a combustion furnace uniform. This study describes the combustion characteristics of a conical MILD combustor in a laboratory-scale furnace by adjusting the equivalence ratio with the fuel gas flow rate while maintaining a constant air flow rate of the furnace. The MILD regime in the furnace is well characterized and the in-furnace temperature and emissions were predicted, respectively, for the range of equivalence of 0.69 - 0.83. For the range of equivalence ratios, this study confirmed the existence of a stable flame region that has an approximately $300^{\circ}C$ temperature difference between the maximum flame temperature region and main reaction region.