• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2016

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant(MDR) strain. (+)-Usnic acid(UA) is uniquely found in lichens, and is especially abundant in genera such as Usnea and Cladonia. UA has antimicrobial activity against human and plant pathogens. Therefore, UA may be a good antibacterial drug candidate for clinical development. In search of a natural products capable of inhibiting this multidrug-resistant bacteria, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of UA against 17 different strains of the bacterium. In this study, the effects of a combination of UA and permeable agents against MRSA were investigated. For the measurement of cell wall permeability, UA with concentration of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) was used. In the other hand, Sodium azide($NaN_3$) was used as inhibitors of ATPase. Against the 17 strains, the minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of UA were in the range of $7.81-31.25{\mu}g/ml$. EDTA or $NaN_3$ cooperation against MRSA showed synergistic activity on cell wall. UA and in combination with EDTA and $NaN_3$ could lead to the development of new combination antibiotics against MRSA infection.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.38-45
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• 2007

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a representative dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) and has contaminated substance environments including soil and groundwater due to leakage and careless. DNPAL, has been treated by surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR). After application of SEAR, groundwater contains still surfactant as well as little amount of residual TCE. Permeable reactive barrier using zero-valent iron (ZW) is a very effective technology to treat the residual TCE in groundwater. In this study, the effect of the residual surfactant on the reductive dechlorination of residual TCE was investigated using ZVI. Mixed surfactant composed of nonioinic surfactant and cationic surfactant was used as a residual surfactant because of toxicity and enhancement of dechlorination rate. Structure of surfactant affected significantly the decrhlorination rate of TCE. Mixed surfactant system with relatively short polyethylene oxide (PEO) chain in nonionic surfactant, cationic surfactant did not affect TCE dechlorination rate. However, mixed surfactant system with relatively long PEO chain in nonionic surfactant shows that TCE dechlorination rate was significantly dependent on fraction of cationic surfactant and HLB of nonionic surfactant. Cationic surfactant with trimethyl ammonium group enhanced reductive dechlorination rate compared to that surfactant with pyridinium group.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.105-118
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of profile disturbance with different artificial accumulation history on physico-chemical properties of soil under plastic film house. The investigations included soil profile description using soil column cylinder auger F10cm x h110cm, in situ and laboratory measurements of soil properties at five sites each at the cucumber (Site Ic ~ Vc) and grape (Site Ig ~ Vg) plastic film houses with artificial soil accumulation. The sites except sites Ic, IVc, IVg and Vg, belong to ex-paddy area. The types of accumulates around root zone included sandy loam soil for 3 sites, loam soil for 1 site, saprolite for 2 sites, and multi-layer with different accumulates for 3 sites. Especially, Site IIg has mixed plow zone (Ap horizon) with original soil and saprolite, whereas disturbed soil layers of the other sites are composed of only external accumulates. The soil depth disturbed by artificial accumulation ranged from 20 cm, for Site IIg, to whole measured depth of 110 cm, for Site IVc, Vc, and Site IVg. Elapsed time from artificially accumulation to investigation time ranged from 3 months, Site IIc, to more than 20 years, Site Vg, paddy-soil covering over well-drained upland soil during land leveling in 1980s. Disturbed top layer in all sites except Site Vg had no structure, indicating low structural stability. In situ infiltration rate had no correlation with texture or organic matter content, but highest value with highest variability in Site IIIc, the shortest elapsed time since sandy loam soil accumulation. Relatively low infiltration rate was observed in sites accumulated by saprolite with coarse texture, presumably because its low structural stability in the way of weathering process could result in relatively high compaction in agro-machine work or irrigation. In all cucumber sites, there were water-transport limited zone with very low permeable or impermeability within 50 cm under soil surface, but Site IIg, IIIg, and Vg, with relatively weak disturbance or structured soil, were the reverse. We observed the big change in texture and re-increase of organic matter content, available phosphate, and exchangeable cations between disturbed layer and original soil layer. This study, therefore, suggest that the accumulation of coarse material such as saprolite for cultivating cash crop under plastic film house might not improve soil drainage and structural stability, inversely showing weaker disturbance of original soil profile with higher drainage.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.277-287
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• 2016

Five fractions separated from Nannochloropsis oculata using solvent-solvent partition chromatography of 80% methanolic extract of N. oculata (NOM) followed by the open silica column chromatography of its hexane fraction (NOMH) for the anti-inflammatory on RAW 264.7 cells and anti-cancer activities on HL-60, A-549, HEP-3B, HCT-116, and SW-480 cancer cells. All the five fractions showed potential anti-inflammatory activities against lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages cells with IC₅₀ values less than 6.25 μg mL⁻¹. Moreover, 90% n-hexane column elution of NOMH (NOMH90) down-regulated lipopolysaccharide-stimulated protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. Furthermore, NOMH90 showed marked cytotoxic effect on the HL-60 cells with IC₅₀ value of 23.58 ± 0.09 μg mL⁻¹. In addition, Hoechst 33342 cell permeable dye used to visualize the apoptosis nucleus and cell cycle analysis measured Sub-G1 DNA contents to confirm reduction of the cell viability in NOMH90 treated cells due to induction of apoptosis in HL60. These results are quite related to the phytosterol contents of the NOMH fractions and the results suggest N. oculata extracts might be useful as potential sources of natural anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer compounds. In conclusion, the sterol content in N. oculata might provide a promising role in future medicines in anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2007

The excavation damaged zone (EDZ) is an area around an excavation where in situ rock mass properties, stress condition, displacement, groundwater flow conditions have been altered due to the processes induced by the excavation. Various studies have been carried out on EDZ, but most studies have focused on the mechanical bahavior of EDZ by in situ experiment. Even though the EDZ could potentially form a high permeable pathway of groundwater flow, only a few studies were performed on the analysis of groundwater flow in EDZ. In this study, the 'hydraulic EDZ' was defined as the rock zone adjacent to the excavation where the hydraulic aperture has been changed due to the excavation by using H-M coupling analysis. Fundamental principles of distinct element method (DEM) were used in the analysis. In the same groundwater level, the behavior of hydraulic aperture near the cavern was analyzed for different stress ratios, initial apertures, fracture angles and fracture spacings by using a two-dimensional DEM program. We evaluate the excavation induced hydraulic aperture change. Using the results of the study, hydraulic EDZ was defined as an elliptical shape model perpendicular to the joint.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 1991

The characteristics of the unconsolidated sediment in Gwangyang bay was analyzed from the core samples. The porosity of the sediment showed irregular variation with respect to the sedimentation depth, which indicated that sediment weight-induced consolidation was not significant. Numerical analysis for the mechanical and hydraulic behavior of the unconsolidated sediment due to the tidal sea level change was processed. Because of the delayed excessive pore pressure change in the very low permeable mud medium, the magnitude of the excessive pore pressure for the duration of the minimum sea level exceeded the total stress from the sea water weight, which resulted in the negative (tensional) effective stress below the top surface. The in-situ effective stress, obtained by superposing the tensional effective stress on the solid weight-induced compressive stress, was remained to be tensile (quick-sand condition) near the top surface of the mud deposit. The occurrence of the quirk-sand condition provided a theoretical evidence for the insignificant consolidation and the irregular porosity variation of the sediment. When the sand is distributed on the top surface of the mud layer, the quick-sand condition occurred below the sandy mud layer and the downward movement of sand particles was facilitated.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.69-81
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• 2009

This study was intended to evaluate the objective landscape of rural region using an additive integration index method in the Seondong region of Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Korea. This study consisted of the following three steps. First, this study developed an additive integration index calculation model for landscape assessment based on indicators and weight to each space type in accordance with three landscape fields which were developed by the expert Delphi method. Second, this study used NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and permeable area rate, which were available from high resolution satellite image, to calculate the green naturality degree, area rate, and building coverage respectively. Third, this study has calculated the landscape assessment index of rural regions using an additive integration index method made of assessment data and weight for each indicator. This study has found the following results: 1) landscape level was very poor in all 6 types of space, marking grade five; 2) while the highest level of natural landscape and mixed landscape was grade two, that of artificial landscape was grade five; 3) based on objective landscape, grade five showed the highest frequency, and grade one, two, three, and four followed in that order.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.297-302
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• 2016

Loss of pancreatic β-cells by oxidative stress or cytokines is associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). DJ-1 is known to as a multifunctional protein, which plays an important role in cell survival. We prepared cell permeable wild type (WT) and mutant type (M26I) Tat-DJ-1 proteins to investigate the effects of DJ-1 against combined cytokines (IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α)-induced RINm5F cell death. Both Tat-DJ-1 proteins were transduced into RINm5F cells. WT Tat-DJ-1 proteins significantly protected against cell death from cytokines by reducing intracellular toxicities. Also, WT Tat-DJ-1 proteins markedly regulated cytokines-induced pro- and anti-apoptosis proteins. However, M26I Tat-DJ-1 protein showed relatively low protective effects, as compared to WT Tat-DJ-1 protein. Our experiments demonstrated that WT Tat-DJ-1 protein protects against cytokine-induced RINm5F cell death by suppressing intracellular toxicities and regulating apoptosisrelated protein expression. Thus, WT Tat-DJ-1 protein could potentially serve as a therapeutic agent for DM and cytokine related diseases.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.319-325
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• 2020

In this study, we developed mixed matrix membranes by blending thermoplastic elastomer, i.e. polystyreneblock-polybutadiene-block-polystyrene (SBS) block copolymer with the synthesized UiO-66 particles for CO₂/N₂ gas separation. To investigate the effect of UiO-66 particles in the SBS matrix, we prepared different mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) by varying the mass ratio of SBS and UiO-66 in the blend. To fabricate well-dispersed UiO-66, the SBS/UiO-66 mixture was sonicated and stirred thoroughly. The physico-chemical properties of prepared membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The gas separation performance was measured by time-lag method. The permeability of the MMMs increased significantly as the content of UiO-66 increased, but the CO₂/N₂ selectivity did not decrease significantly. The membranes containing 20% of UiO-66 particles showed the best performance with the CO₂ permeability and CO₂/N₂ selectivity of 663.8 barrer and 13.3, respectively. This result showed performance closer to upper bound than pure SBS membrane in the Robeson plot, as the added UiO-66 particles did not significantly sacrifice selectivity and more than doubled gas permeability.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 2000

Seven constructed and three natural tidal flats were compared to evaluate state-of- the-art of creation and restoration technology for tidal flats. parameters studied were physico-chemical and biological characteristics of soils and rate of respiration. The natural tidal flats had higher contents of silts, nitrogen and organic matter compared to the constructed ones. The natural ones had reductive Bone below 2 cm whereas the constructed ones had oxidative zone from the surface to below 20 cm. The bacterial population in the soil of the constructed tidal flats was one to two magnitudes lower than that in the natural ones. Biomass of macrobenthos and microbial respiration rate, however, were not different significantly between the natural and the constructed tidal flats. The purification capacity by diatom+bacterial+meiobenthos and macrobenthos in the constructed tidal flats was higher than that in the natural ones due to deeper permeable layer for purification in the constructed tidal flats. There was an exceptional constructed tidal flat with similar physico-chemical and biological characteristics to natural ones. Shearing stress to the surface of the tidal flat by the flow of seawater was as low as that of natural ones. These hydraulic conditions seemed to be a controlling factor on structures and functions of tidal flats. The control of hydraulic condition seemed to be one of the most important factors to create natural-like tidal flats.