• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.181-191
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• 2021

The present study addresses isolation, optimization, partial purification, and characterization of a haloalkaline serine protease from a newly isolated haloarchaeal strain isolated from Wadi El Natrun in Egypt. We expected that a two-step sequential statistical approach (one variable at a time, followed by response surface methodology) might maximize the production of the haloalkaline serine protease. The enzyme was partially purified using Hiprep 16/60 sephacryl S-100 HR gel filtration column. Molecular identification revealed the newly isolated haloarchaeon to be Natrialba hulunbeirensis strain WNHS14. Among several tested physicochemical determinants, casamino acids, KCl, and NaCl showed the most significant effects on enzyme production as determined from results of the One-Variable-At-A-time (OVAT) study. The BoxBehnken design localized the optimal levels of the three key determinants; casamino acids, KCl, and NaCl to be 0.5% (w/v), 0.02% (w/v), and 15% (w/v), respectively, obtaining 62.9 U/ml as the maximal amount of protease produced after treatment at 40℃, and pH 9 for 9 days with 6-fold enhancement in yield. The enzyme was partially purified after size exclusion chromatography with specific activity, purification fold, and yield of 1282.63 U/mg, 8.9, and 23%, respectively. The enzyme showed its maximal activity at pH, temperature, and NaCl concentration optima of 10, 75℃, and 2 M, respectively. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF, 5 mM) completely inhibited enzyme activity.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.77-84
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• 2022

In this paper, we propose a Label Reassignment Strategy to improve the performance of an object detection algorithm. Our approach involves two stages: an inference stage and an assignment stage. In the inference stage, we perform multi-scale inference with predefined scale sizes on a trained model and re-infer masked images to obtain robust classification results. In the assignment stage, we calculate the IoU between bounding boxes to remove duplicates. We also check box and class occurrence between the detection result and annotation label to re-assign the dominant class type. We trained the YOLOX-L model with the re-annotated dataset to validate our strategy. The model achieved a 3.9% improvement in mAP and 3x better performance on AP_S compared to the model trained with the original dataset. Our results demonstrate that the proposed Label Reassignment Strategy can effectively improve the performance of an object detection model.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2009

Absorption spectra for a quantitative analysis of actinide elements such as U(VI) and Pu(V) were measured by using a liquid waveguide capillary cell (LWCC) which has an optical path length of 1.0 meter. In order to investigate radioactive elements, a LWCC is installed in a glove box and is coupled to a spectrophotometer with optical fibers. Limits of detection (LOD) for the system were determined as 0.74 and 0.35 M with molar absorption coefficients of 8.14${\pm}$0.07 (414 nm) and 17.00${\pm}$0.16 (569 nm) $M^{-1}cm^{-1}$ for U(VI) and Pu(V) ions, respectively. The measured LOD values are about 30 times more sensitive when compared to those achievable by using a conventional quartz cell with an optical path length of 1.0 cm. As an application with an enhanced sensitivity, a quantitative analysis for micromolar concentrations of Pu(V) has been performed to decrease the uncertainty in the formation constant of the Pu(VI)-OH complex.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.895-903
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• 2019

The aim of the present study was to improve the cell viability of human dental papilla derived single-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using a Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, Y-27632. The iPSCs were produced using an episomal plasmid-based reprogramming method. After cell separation using trypsin, the iPSCs were treated with 0, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, or $10{\mu}M$ Y-27632 for 5 d. Cell viability increased significantly following the $5{\mu}M$ Y-27632 treatment (p<0.05). When the iPSCs were exposed to medium containing $10{\mu}M$ Y-27632 for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 d, the cell viability rate increased significantly in accordance with the cell viability rate (p<0.05). To evaluate the effect of the Y-27632 treatment on stemness characteristics, the expression of stem cell-specific transcripts and telomerase activity were investigated in the iPSCs treated with $10{\mu}M$ Y-27632 for 5 d. The expression levels of stem cell-specific transcripts, such as OCT-4, NONOG, and SOX-2, and telomerase activity were not significantly different in the iPSCs treated with $10{\mu}M$ Y-27632 as compared with those of untreated control iPSCs (p>0.05). Taken together, the results demonstrated that cell viability can be improved by treatment with the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632, without losing iPSC stemness characteristics.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.378-386
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• 2009

A sequential optimization strategy, based on statistical experimental designs, is employed to enhance the production of alkaline protease by a Bacillus pseudofirmus local isolate. To screen the bioprocess parameters significantly influencing the alkaline protease activity, a 2-level Plackett-Burman design was applied. Among 15 variables tested, the pH, peptone, and incubation time were selected based on their high positive significant effect on the protease activity. A near-optimum medium formulation was then obtained that increased the protease yield by more than 5-fold. Thereafter, the response surface methodology(RSM) was adopted to acquire the best process conditions among the selected variables, where a 3-level Box-Behnken design was utilized to create a polynomial quadratic model correlating the relationship between the three variables and the protease activity. The optimal combination of the major medium constituents for alkaline protease production, evaluated using the nonlinear optimization algorithm of EXCEL-Solver, was as follows: pH of 9.5, 2% peptone, and incubation time of 60 h. The predicted optimum alkaline protease activity was 3,213 U/ml/min, which was 6.4 times the activity with the basal medium.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.52.1-52.1
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• 2015

We have recently installed SQUEAN on the 82 inch telescope at the McDonald Observatory, USA. This instrument consists of an ANDOR CCD camera, a focal reducer, an electronic box, an auto guiding system and a new filter wheel which holds up to 20 filters. Currently the filter wheel is equipped with Johnson-Cousins BVRI filters, SDSS rizY and isiz filters, and 50nm medium band pass filters (M625(625nm), M675(675nm), M725(725nm), M775(775nm), M825(825nm), M875(875nm), M925s(925nm), M975(975nm), and M1025(1025nm)). Our medium band pass filter system is suitable with SED fitting. Filter transformation methods are essential for time-domain observations including transient objects, e.g., supernovae, variable stars, and solar system bodies. In this work, we develop a series of equations to convert the open clusters photometry data within these filter systems.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.5 no.11
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• pp.2016-2034
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• 2011

Ubiquitous Healthcare (u-Healthcare) is the intelligent delivery of healthcare services to users anytime and anywhere. To provide robust healthcare services, recognition of patient daily life activities is required. Context information in combination with user real-time daily life activities can help in the provision of more personalized services, service suggestions, and changes in system behavior based on user profile for better healthcare services. In this paper, we focus on the intelligent manipulation of activities using the Context-aware Activity Manipulation Engine (CAME) core of the Human Activity Recognition Engine (HARE). The activities are recognized using video-based, wearable sensor-based, and location-based activity recognition engines. An ontology-based activity fusion with subject profile information for personalized system response is achieved. CAME receives real-time low level activities and infers higher level activities, situation analysis, personalized service suggestions, and makes appropriate decisions. A two-phase filtering technique is applied for intelligent processing of information (represented in ontology) and making appropriate decisions based on rules (incorporating expert knowledge). The experimental results for intelligent processing of activity information showed relatively better accuracy. Moreover, CAME is extended with activity filters and T-Box inference that resulted in better accuracy and response time in comparison to initial results of CAME.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2009

CWS I method developed to overcome the problems of frequent occurrence in the application of existing downward construction methods has demonstrated excellent efficiency. However, in the case of using slurry wall instead of SCW or CIP as a retaining wall, the improvements in connecting steel beams with the wall were demanded. Therefore, the study of CWS II method was carried out in order to accomplish the CWS I method reflecting its strong points and to ensure the settlement of a steel beam and to induce the diaphragm effect of a slab while reducing the degree of difficulty and the term of works and the cost of construction. In this paper, the concept and features of CWS II method as well as the progress of execution was discussed by comparing with existing methods.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.17 no.3 s.87
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• pp.473-480
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• 2005

In this study, a mix design for self compacting concrete was based on Okamura's method and concrete incorporated just a ground granulated blast furnace slag. Replacement ratio of slag is in the range of $20-80\%$ of cement matrix by volume. For the optimal self compactability in mixture incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag, the paste and mortar tests were first completed. Then the slump flow, elapsed time of 500mm slump flow, V funnel time and filling height by U type box were conducted in concrete. The volume of coarse aggregate in self compacting concrete was in the range of $50-60\%$ to the solid volume percentage of coarse aggregate. Finally, the compressive and splitting tensile strengths were determined in the hardened self compacting concrete incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag. From the test results, it is desirable for self compacting concrete that the replacement of ground granulated blast furnace slag is in the range of $40-60\%$ of cement matrix by volume and the volume of coarse aggregate to the solid volume percentage of coarse aggregate with a limit of $55\%$.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.87-95
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• 2003

FIMS (Far-ultraviolet IMaging Spectrograph) is the main payload of STSAT-1 satellite which was successfully launched on September 27, 2003. The optical system of FIMS consists of two sets of parabolic cylinder mirror, slit, ellipsoidal reflection grating, and baffle system. We designed two types of baffle system for the FIMS: FOV baffle and order baffle. FOV baffle in the mirror house controls the field of view, and the order baffle in the vacuum box blocks the rays reflected rays by different orders.