• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2018

Renewable energy has been of interests in the area of modern alternative fuels. Biogas is produced in waste landfill sites through anaerobic digestion processes, including hydrolysis, acidogenesis, organic acid fermentation (acetogenesis), and methane fermentation (methanogenesis). High contents of fine dust and moisture limited its utilization for direct combustion, town gas and vehicle fuel. Thus, this study proposed a new design for a cooling device using a centrifugal cyclone for simultaneous removal of fine dust and moisture as a pretreatment in the purification processes. A heat exchanger and an ID fan, which are installed inside and outside of the cyclone, in order to cool the humid gas below the freezing point and form a foggy mist. Such an atmosphere enhanced to capture fine dust as recirculating the cold mist flow. The water removal rate was 80.8% at a relative humidity of 95%, and the particle removal efficiency was 98.3% for $2.5{\mu}m$. Simultaneous removal efficiency was 70.8% and 99.6% for particle and moisture respectively.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.115-123
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• 2007

Immobilization of contaminants in subsurface environment is one of the major processes that determine their fate. Especially, immobilization by oxidative-coupling reactions, which is irreversible in the bio-chemical reactions and results in a significant reduction of toxicity, can be successfully applied for the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater more effectively than conventional degradation. As a catalyst of this oxidative-coupling reaction, manganese oxide has many advantages in practical aspects as compared to microorganisms or oxidoreductive enzymes extracted from microorganisms, fungi, or plants. This paper is to present recent research achievements on the treatment mechanisms of various organic contaminants by manganese oxide. Especially, treatment methods of non-reactive organic compounds to Mn oxide are the main focus; i.e., application of reaction mediator, PAHs treatment method, combination with an appropriate pretreatment such as reduction using $Fe^0$, which suggests the potential of a wide range of engineering application. Concerning the natural carbon cycle processes, immobilization and stabilization by oxidative coupling reaction can be effectively applied as a environmentally-friend remediation method especially for aromatic contaminants which possess a high resistance to degradation.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.3-11
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• 2024

This study addressed the cost structure of metallurgical plants for vanadium recovery or production, which were previously planned or implemented. Vanadium metallurgy consists of several sub-processes such as such as pretreatment, roasting, leaching, precipitation, and filtration, in order to finally produce vanadium pentoxide. Here, lots of costs should be spent for such plants, in which these costs are largely divided into CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) and OPEX (Operational Expenditure). As a result, the capacities (feed input rates) and vanadium contents are various along the target projects for this study. However, final production rates and grades of vanadium pentoxide showed relatively small differences. In addition, a noticeable correlation is found between capacities and specific operating costs, in that a steadily decreasing trend is described with a non-linear curve with around -0.3 power. Therefore, for the plant capacity below 100,000 tons per year, the specific operating cost rapidly decreases as the capacity increases, whereas the cost remains relatively stable in the range of 0.6 to 1.2 million tons per year of the capacity. From a technical perspective, effective optimization of the metallurgical process plant can be achieved by improving vanadium recovery rate in the pre-treatment and/or roasting-leaching processes. Finally, the results of this study should be updated through future research with on-going field verification and further detailed cost analysis.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.2 s.27
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• pp.45-53
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• 1980

Lipid peroxidation in vitro has been identified as a basic deteriorative reaction in cellular mechanism of aging processes, such as air pollution oxidant damage to cell and to the lung, chlorinated hydrocarbon hepatotoxicity. Many experimental evidences were reported by several investigators that lipid peroxidation could be one of the principle causes for the hepatotoxicity produced by $CCl_4$. It is now reasonably established that $CCl_4$ is activated to a free radical in vivo, that lipid peroxidation occurs very quickly in microsomes prepared from damaged livers, that the peroxidation is associated with loss of enzyme activity of microsomes, and that various antioxidants can protect animals against the hepatotoxic effect of $CCl_4$. Recent studies have drawn attention to some other feature of microsomal lipid peroxidation. Incubation of liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH has led to a loss of cytochrome $P_{450}$. However, the presence of an antioxidant prevented lipid peroxidation and preserved cytochrome $P_{450}$. Decrease of cytochrome $P_{450}$ in microsomes under in vitro incubation can be enhanced by $CCl_4 and these changes were parallel to a loss of microsomal polyunsaturated fatty acid and formation of malonaldehyde. The primary purpose of this experiment was to study the effect of riboflavin tetrabutylate on lipid peroxidation, specially, the relationship between lipid peroxidation and drug metabolizing enzyme system which is located in smooth endoplasmic recticulum as well as the effect of ritoflavin tetrabutylate on drug metabolizing enzyme system of animal treated with $CCl_4$. Albino rats were used for experimental animal. In order to induce drug metabolizing enzyme system, phenobarbital was injected intraperitoneally. $CCl_$ and riboflavin tetrabutylate were given intraperitoneally as solution in olive oil. Microsomal fraction was isolated from liver of animals and TBA value as well as the activity of drug metabolizing enzyme were measured in the microsomal fractions. The results are summerized as following. 1) The secobarbital induced sleeping time of $CCl_4$ treated rat was about 2 times longer than that of the control group. However, the pretreatment with riboflavin tetrabutylate inhibited completely the lengthened sleeping time due to $CCl_4$ treatment. Furthermore TBA value was significantly increased in $CCl_4$ treated rat in comparison to control group tut the increase of TBA value was prevented by the pretreatment with riboflavin tetrabutylate. On the other hand, the activity of hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme was decreased in $CCl_4$ group, however, the pretreatment with riboflavin tetrabutylate also prevented the decrease of the enzyme activity caused by $CCl_4$. 2) The effect of riboflavin tetrabutylate on TBA value and the activity of drug metabolizing enzyme in vitro was similar to in vivo results. Incubation of liver microsome from rat in the presence of $CCl_4$, $Fe^{++}$, or ascorbic acid has led to the marked increase of TBA value, however, the addition of riboflavin tetrabutylate in incubation mixture prevented significantly the increase of TBA value, suggesting the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. In accordance with TBA value, the activity of drug metabolizing enzyme was inhibited in the presence of $CCl_4$, $Fe^{++}$, ascorbic acid but the addition of riboflavin tetrabutylate protected the loss of the enzyme activity in microsome under in vitro incubation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2011

Migration and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells are crucial for tissue regeneration in response to injury. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid that regulates a variety of biological processes, including proliferation, survival, differentiation and motility. In the present study, we determined the role of S1P in migration and differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). S1P stimulated migration of BMSCs in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and pre-incubation of the cells with pertussis toxin completely abrogated S1P-induced migration, suggesting involvement of Gi-coupled receptors in S1P-induced cell migration. S1P elicited elevation of intracellular concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) and pretreatment with VPC23019, an antagonist of $S1P_1/S1P_3$, blocked S1P-induced migration and increase of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. Small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous $S1P_1$ attenuated S1P-induced migration of BMSCs. Furthermore, S1P treatment induced expression of $\alpha$-smooth muscle actin ($\alpha$-SMA), a smooth muscle marker, and pretreatment with VPC23019 abrogated S1P-induced $\alpha$-SMA expression. S1P induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and pretreatment of cells with SB202190, an inhibitor of p38 MAPK, or adenoviral overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant of the p38 MAPK blocked S1P-induced cell migration and $\alpha$-SMA expression. Taken together, these results suggest that S1P stimulates migration and smooth muscle differentiation of BMSCs through an $S1P_1$-p38 MAPK-dependent mechanism.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2014

Background: Autophagy is a self-eating process that is important for balancing sources of energy at critical times in development and in response stress. Autophagy also plays a protective role in removing clearing damaged intracellular organelles and aggregated proteins as well as eliminating intracellular pathogens. The purpose of the present study was to examine the protective effect of propofol against hypoxic damage using keratinocytes. Methods: Human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection. Propofol which were made by dissolving them in DMSO were kept frozen at $-4^{\circ}C$ until use. The stock was diluted to their concentration with DMEM when needed. Prior to propofol treatment cells were grown to about 80% confluence and then exposed to propofol at different concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, $100{\mu}M$) for 2 h pretreatment. Cell viability was measured using a quantitative colorimetric assay with thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT assay), and fluorescence microscopy and western blot analysis were used for evaluation of autophagy processes. Results: The viability of propofol-treated HaCaT cells was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Propofol did not show any significant toxic effect on the HaCaT cells. The autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine, reduced cell viability of hypoxia-injured HaCat cells. Fluorescence microscopy and western blot analysis showed propofol induce autophagy pathway signals. Conclusions: Propofol enhanced viability of hypoxia-injured HaCaT cells and we suggest propofol has cellular protective effects by autophagy signal pathway activation.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.96-105
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• 2019

Automobile shredder residue (ASR) is the final waste produced when end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) are shredded. ASR can be separated using mineral-processing operations such as comminution, air classification, magnetic separation, and/or electrostatic separation. In this work, trajectory analyses of conductors (copper) and non-conductors (glass) in the ASR have been carried out using induction electrostatic separator for predicting or improving the ASR-separation efficiency. From results of trajectory analysis for conductors, the trajectories of copper wire by observation versus simulation for coarse particles of 0.5 and 0.25 mm showed consistent congruity. The observed 0.06 mm fine-particles trajectory was deflected toward the (-) attractive electrode owing to the charge-density effects due to the particle characteristics and relative humidity. In the case of non-conductors, the actual trajectory of dielectric glass deflected toward the (-) electrode, showing characteristics similar to those of conductive particles. The analyses of stereoscopic microscope and SEM & EDS found heterologous materials (fine ferrous particles and conductive organics) on the glass surface. This demonstrates the glass decreasing separation efficiency for non-ferrous metals during electrostatic separation for the recycling of ASR. Future work will require a pretreatment process for eliminating impurities from the glass and advanced trajectory-simulation processes.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2016

Thermal acid hydrolysis pretreatment of Kappaphycus alvarezii was carried out with 12% (w/v) seaweed slurry and 180 mM H₂SO₄ at 140°C for 5 min. Utility of the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus KCTC7150 was evaluated with respect to cell growth and ethanol fermentation at 40°C was close to optimal for enzymatic hydrolysis. This could lead to the integration of both the saccharification and fermentation processes. The levels of ethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with non-adapted and adapted K. marxianus KCTC7150 were 9.1 g/l with an ethanol yield (Y_EtOH) of 0.24 and 10.2 g/l with an ethanol yield (Y_EtOH) of 0.27 at 156 h, respectively. The two-phase SSF process was employed in this study to improve the efficiency of ethanol fermentation. Adapted K. marxianus KCTC7150 using the two-phase SSF process produced 13.5 g/l with an ethanol yield (Y_EtOH) of 0.35 at 96 h. Development of the two-phase SSF process could enhance the overall ethanol fermentation yields of the seaweed K. alvarezii.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2014

This paper is to develop the process suitable for the advanced treatment of liquid fertilizer from the livestock night soil treatment facility (biogas plant). Nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) process was used, respectively, for the advanced treatment of liquid fertilizer. And membrane bioreactor (MBR) with and without biomedia were tested, respectively, for the pretreatment. It was found that almost T-N of the liquid fertilizer was composed of ammoniacal nitrogen. Transmembrane pressure of MBR with biomedia increased slowly during the operation time, while that of MBR without biomedia increased rapidly at the initial time. But there was no difference observed in the removal efficiencies of COD, T-N, and T-P irrespective of the dosage of biomedia. When the liquid fertilizer was pretreated by MBR with biomedia, the removal efficiencies of COD, T-N, and T-P were 99.8, 86.5%, and 99.8% by NF, and 99.9, 86.8%, and 99.8% by RO, respectively. Compared with the effluent quality standards of the livestock night soil treatment facility, the water quality treated by MBR and NF/RO process met the standard for COD and T-P, but exceeded the permitted standard for T-N. In order to meet the effluent quality standard for T-N, it is necessary to change the MBR operation cycle or to add the secondary treatment by NF/RO.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.288-298
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• 1992

Since the major important factors limiting plant growth and crop productivity are environmental stresses, of which low temperature is the most serious. It has been well known that many physiological processes are alterant in response to the environmental stress. With regard to the relationship between plant hormones and the regulation of chilling tolerance in rice seedlings, the major physiological roles of plant hormones: abscisic acid, ethylene and polyamines are evaluated and discussed in this paper. Rice seedlings were grown in culture solution to examine the effect of such plant hormones on physiological characters related to chilling tolerance and also to compare the different responses among tested cultivars. Intact seedlings about 14 day-old were chilled at conditions of 5$^{\circ}C$ and 80% relative humidity for various period. Cis-(＋)-ABA content was measured by the indirect ELISA technique. Polyamine content and ethylene production in leaves were determined by means of HPLC and GC respectively. Chilling damage of seedlings was evaluated by electrolyte leakage, TTC viability assay or servival test. Our experiment results described here demonstrated the physiological functions of ABA, ethylene, and polyamines related to the regulation of chilling tolerance in rice seedlings. Levels of cis-(＋)-ABA in leaves or xylem sap of rice seedlings increased rapidly in response to 5$^{\circ}C$ treatment. The tolerant cultivars had significant higher level of endogenous ABA than the sensitive ones. The ($\pm$)-ABA pretreatment for 48 h increased the chilling tolerance of the sensitive indica cultivar. One possible function of abscisic acid is the adjustment of plants to avoid chilling-induced water stress. Accumulation of proline and other compatible solutes is assumed to be another factor in the prevention of chilling injuies by abscisic acid. In addition, the expression of ABA-responsive gene is reported in some plants and may be involving in the acclimation to low temperature. Ethylene and its immediate precusor, 1-amincyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid(ACC) increased significantly after 5$^{\circ}C$ treatment. The activity of ACC synthase which converts S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to ACC enhanced earlier than the increase of ethylene and ACC. Low temperature increased ACC synthase activity, whereas prolonged chilling treatment damaged the conversion of ACC to ethylene. It was shown that application of Ethphon was beneficial to recovering from chilling injury in rice seedlings. However, the physiological functions of chilling-induced ethylene are still unclear. Polyamines are thought to be a potential plant hormone and may be involving in the regulation of chilling response. Results indicated that chilling treatment induced a remarkable increase of polyamines, especially putrescine content in rice seedlings. The relative higher putrescine content was found in chilling-tolerant cultivar and the maximal level of enhanced putrescine in shoot of chilling cultivar(TNG. 67) was about 8 folds of controls at two days after chilling. The accumulation of polyamines may protect membrane structure or buffer ionic imbalance from chilling damage. Stress physiology is a rapidly expanding field. Plant growth regulators that improve tolerance to low temperature may affect stress protein production. The molecular or gene approaches will help us to elucidate the functions of plant hormones related to the regulation of chilling tolerance in plants in the near future.