• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.322-328
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• 2005

Acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) are known to be the triggering molecules in the quorum sensing mechanism of many gram-negative bacteria. In order to detect AHL inhibitors that are potential biofilm inhibitors, a convenient and sensitive bioassay was developed based on the $\beta$-galactosidase activity ($\beta$-GAL) of a recombinant Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain. A series of commercially available AHLs were tested for inducing $\beta$-GAL at varying concentrations in agar-plate and liquid cultures of the reporter strain. All AHLs tested exhibited a concentration­dependent induction, and octanoyl homoserine lactone (OHL) showed the highest sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.1 nM in the liquid culture assay. When fimbrolide, a known quorum sensing inhibitor, was added, induction of $\beta$-GAL by OHL was repressed. The repression at a constant OHL concentration was dependent on the fimbrolide concentration with the detection limit below 1 ppm, indicating that this assay is a sensitive method for screening AHL inhibitors.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.757-765
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• 2023

Lead, a heavy metal widely employed in various industries, continues to pose a threat to both human health and the environment. Therefore, the development of a sensor capable of rapidly and accurately detecting lead(II) ions in real-time at contaminated sites is crucial. In this study, we have engineered a fluorescent sensor with the ability to efficiently detect lead(II) ions under actual environmental conditions, including tap water and freshwater. The compound, tetraphenylethylene carboxylic acid derivative (TPE-COOH), exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity toward lead(II) ions in aqueous solution, where the interaction between TPE-COOH and lead(II) ions leads to its aggregation, thus triggering a fluorescence "turn-on" based on the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) mechanism. Impressively, compound TPE-COOH proficiently detects lead(II) ions within a range of 30 to 100 𝜇M in tap water and freshwater, even in the presence of various interfering substances.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.41.1-41.1
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• 2014

Although the link between activity in the nuclei of galaxy and galactic mergers has been under scrutiny for several years, it is still unclear to what extent and for which populations of active galaxies merger-triggered activity is relevant. The environment of AGN allows an indirect probe of the past merger history and future merger probability of these systems, suffering less from sensitivity issues while extending to higher redshifts, compared to traditional morphological studies of AGN host galaxies. Here we present results from our investigation of the environment of radio selected sources out to redshift z=2. We employ the first data release J-band catalog from the new near-IR Infrared Medium-Deep Survey (IMS) and 1.4 GHz radio data from the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-cm (FIRST) survey and a deep dedicated VLA survey of the VIMOS field, covering a combined total of ~20 sq. degrees. Given the flux limit of the combined radio catalog (0.1 mJy), we probe a radio luminosity range of 10^36-10^44 erg/s. Using the second and fifth closest neighbor density parameters, we test whether active galaxies inhabit denser environments and study these overdensities in terms of both distance to the AGN and its luminosity. We find evidence for a sub-population of radio-selected AGN that resides in significantly overdense environments at small scales, although we do not find significant overdensities for the bulk of our sample. We do not recover any dependence between the AGN radio-luminosity and overdensities. We show that radio-AGN inhabiting the most underdense environments in the field have vigorous ongoing star formation. We interpret these results in terms of the triggering and fuelling mechanism of radio-AGN.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.75-85
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• 2016

A pyrotechnic system consisting of donor/acceptor pair separated by a gap relies on shock attenuation characteristics of the gap material and shock sensitivity of the donor and acceptor charges. Despite of its common use, numerical study of such pyrotechnic train configuration is seldom reported because proper modeling of the full process requires precise capturing of the shock wave attenuation in the gap prior to triggering a full detonation of high explosive and accurate description of the high strain rate dynamics of the explosively loaded inert confinements. We apply a Eulerian level-set based multimaterial hydrocode with reactive flow models for pentolite donor and heavily aluminized RDX as acceptor charge. The complex shock interaction, critical gap thickness, acoustic impedance, and go/no-go characteristics of the gap test are quantitatively investigated.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.82-93
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• 2000

Purpose: We characterized the signals obtained from the components of a small gamma camera using Nal(Tl)-position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT) and optimized the parameters employed in the modules of the system. Materials and Methods: The small gamma camera system consists of a Nal(Tl) crystal ($60{\times}60{\times}6mm^3$) coupled with a Hamamatsu R3941 PSPMT, a resister chain circuit, preamplifiers, nuclear instrument modules (NIMs), an analog to digital converter and a personal computer for control and display. The PSPMT was read out using a resistive charge division circuit 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 and digitized via triggering signal and used to localize the position of an event by applying the Anger logic. The gamma camera control and image display was performed by a program implemented using a graphic software. Results: The characteristics of signal and the parameters employed in each module of the system were presented. The intrinsic sensitivity of the system was approximately $8{\times}10^3$ counts/sec/${\mu}Ci$. The intrinsic energy resolution of the system was 18% FWHM at 140 keV. The spatial resolution obtained using a line-slit mask and $^{99m}Tc$ point source were, respectively, 2.2 and 2.3 mm FWHM in X and Y directions. Breast phantom containing $2{\sim}7mm$ 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 proposed a simple method for development of a small gamma camera and presented the characteristics of the signals from the system and the optimized parameters used in the modules of the small gamma camera.

• 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.