• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.722-728
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• 2002

Eight strains producing bacterial cellulose (BC) were isolated from rotten fruits and traditionally fermented vinegars. One of the isolated strains from the rotten grape in Gwangju, Korea, maintained a relatively stable BC production in shaking cultures. This isolated strain proved to be Acetobacter xylinum, based on several biochemical and morphological tests. It was shown that the slant-baffled flask was more efficient than the conventional flask for the BC production in shaking cultures. To determine the most suitable carbon and nitrogen sources for the production of BC, various compounds were examined. Fructose was found to be the most effective carbon source with an optimal concentration of 2%. Mixed carbon source (glucose:fructose=1:3) was also better than glucose or fructose alone. Optimal nitrogen source, when basal medium was used, was 10% (v/v) com steep liquor (CSL). When com steep liquor was used with a mixed carbon source (glucose:fructose=1 :3),4% CSL exhibited the best BC production. Based on these results, a defined medium was developed for the BC production by Acetobacter xylinum KJ-1. When this medium was used under optimal culture conditions, the BC production was 7.2 g/1, which was approximately 3 times higher than that with the traditional HS medium.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.313-323
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aimed to assess exposure to black carbon(BC) among forklift operators and to identify environmental and occupational factors influencing their BC exposure. Methods: We studied a total of 23 forklift operators from six workplaces manufacturing paper boxes. A daily BC exposure assessment was conducted during working hours from January to April 2017. A micro-aethalometer was used to monitor daily BC exposure, and information on work activities was also obtained through a time-activity diary(TAD) and interviews. BC exposure records were classified into four categories influencing BC exposure level: working environment, workplace, forklift operation, and job characteristics. Analysis of variance(ANOVA) was used to compare average BC exposure levels among the four categories and the relationships between potential factors and BC exposure were analyzed using a multiple linear regression model. Results: The operators' daily exposure was $12.9{\mu}g/m^3$(N=9,148, $GM=7.5{\mu}g/m^3$) with a range: $0.001-811.4{\mu}g/m^3$. The operators were exposed to significantly higher levels when they operate a forklift in a room ${\leq}20,000m^3$($AM=12.3{\mu}g/m^3$), in indoor workplaces($AM=16.3{\mu}g/m^3$), when they operate a forklift manufactured before 2006 ($AM=13.2{\mu}g/m^3$), a forklift with a loading limit of four-tons($AM=27.1{\mu}g/m^3$), with a roll and bale type clamp($AM=17.1{\mu}g/m^3$), and with no particulate filter($AM=15.7{\mu}g/m^3$). Conclusions: Occupational factors including temperature, smoking, season, daytime, room volume($m^3$), location of operating, and manufacturing era and model of forklift influenced the BC exposure of forklift operators. The results of this study can be used to minimize the BC exposure of forklift operators.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.472-481
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• 2015

Black carbon (BC) aerosols were monitored at the KIST site ($37.603^{\circ}N$, $127.046^{\circ}E$) and Cheonan-KOREATECH site ($36.766^{\circ}N$, $127.281^{\circ}E$) during the pre KORea-US Air Quality Study (KORUS-AQ) campaign using a couple of Muliti Angle Absorption Photometers (MAAP). BC mass concentrations were presented as $2.14{\pm}1.06{\mu}g/m^3$ and $0.94{\pm}0.60{\mu}g/m^3$ at KIST site (Seoul) and KOREATECH site (Cheonan), respectively. BC mass concentrations measured at KIST and KOREATECH sites from 22:00 on May 22 to 12:00 on May 23, 2015 showed 80% and 72% higher than average BC mass concentrations measured during campaign period, respectively. It indicates both sites could be influenced by a remote source. Similar patterns of BC concentrations between two sites from 20:00 to 24:00 on June 6, 2015 implies that the BC could be transported into both sites and then be stagnant inside the Korean Peninsula. Diurnal variation of BC in weekdays and weekends were also presented for the KIST and KOREATECH sites. Morning rush hour peak was observed at KIST site located in metropolitan area though no distinct morning rush hour peak was not observed at KOREATECH site located in a suburban area. This study revealed transport pathways of BC near the Korean Peninsula using back-trajectory analysis of BC measured both in a metropolitan area and in a suburban area.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.360-367
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• 2011

Beta-carotene producing transformants were produced in the background of 'Nagdongbyeo', a Japonica rice cultivar. Introgression of the carotenoid locus in the transformant, PAC4-2 into the elite cultivar 'Ilpumbyeo' was started. To initiate a backcrossing program, we surveyed 220 SSR markers and found that 38% of them were polymorphic between 'Ilpumbyeo' as a recurrent parent and the PAC4-2 as a recipient parent. The selection strategy comprising foreground and background selection was employed. First, foreground selection was practiced in $BC_1$, $BC_2$, and $BC_3$ generations using the transgene specific PCR-based marker in addition to visual scoring of the seed color. Marker-based background selection combined with phenotypic selection was employed from $BC_3F_2$ to $BC_3F_4$ generations. Blast search indicated that the transgene PAC4-2 was located between SSR markers, RM6 and RM482. 240 $BC_3F_3$ and 63 $BC_3F_4$ lines were evaluated for four agronomic traits including days to heading. Most of the lines were similar to Ilpumbyeo in agronomic traits evaluated. The percentage of PAC4-2 genome ranged from 4% to 21% with a mean of 12.5%, which was higher than the expected for an unselected $BC_3$ backcross population. This could be explained by the fact that two genes for beta-carotene and the stripe virus resistance were targeted in this study. We selected 10 representative $BC_3F_5$ lines from 63 $BC_3F_4$ lines based on agronomic traits and carotenoids content. The selection strategy would be appropriate for the introgression of beta-carotene gene in a breeding program.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.36-43
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• 2003

Background and objectives; Esophageal cancer is one of the most malignant tumors and has a poor prognosis. Many clinical studies have been tried for improving prognosis of esophageal cancer. Some clinical studies used molecular markers as the predictor of prognosis & the indicator for the choice of multimodality treatments. We investigated the relationship between some molecular markers, including p53 mutation, expression of bc12, Ki67 index, expression of E-Cadherin and the prognosis of esophageal cancer, Materials and Method; The materials used in this study were the tumor specimens from 72 esophageal cancer patients who underwent esophagectomy from 1987 to 2002 in our institute. The mutation of p53, expression of bc12, Ki67 index, and expression of E-cadherin were examined by using the tissue array and immunohistochemical staining method. The patients were subgrouped into higher Ki67 index group if the index was higher than 30. The patients were also subgrouped into grade 1(>90%), grade 2(50∼90%), grade 3 (10∼50%), and grade 4(<10%) according to the rate of E-Cadherin expression. We studied the relationship between the rates of immunohistochemical staining and the survival rate. Results: Seventy two tumor specimens from 72 patients were studied. (mean age ; 59.6 years, male female = 69 : 3) The histologic type of the specimens was all squamous cell carcinoma. The patient's number of stage IIA, IIB, and Ⅳ was 30, 37, and 7 respectively, Thirty patients were alive and overall 5 year-survival rate was 28%. The mutation of p53 was shown in 54.2% of the patients. Five year survival rates of negative and positive groups were 29% and 28% respectively.(p=0.4) Expression of bc12 gene was found in 13.9% of the specimens. Five year survival rates of negative and positive groups were 30% and 21%.(p=0.3) Higher Ki67 index was correlated to poorer differentiation.(p=0.05) Five year survival rates of higher and lower groups of Ki67 index were 47% and 30%.(p=0.15) Higher expression rate of E-Cadherin showed better differentiation.(p=0.04). However we couldn't find any survival differences between these 4 groups.(p=0.23) Conclusion; We could not find any molecular markers meaningful in the prognosis of esophageal cancer patients. We just found the tumor markers correlated to the differentiation of esophageal cancer. However, we knew that we need further study with some more samples to stratify other important prognostic factors of esophageal cancer.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.44 no.9
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• pp.71-80
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• 2007

This paper presents a new push-push VCO technique that extracts a second harmonic output signal from a capacitive commonnode in a negativegm oscillator topology. The generation of the $2^{nd}$ harmonics is accounted for by the nonlinear current-voltage characteristic of the emitter-base junction diode causing; 1) significant voltage clipping and 2) different rising and falling time during the switching operation of core transistors. Comparative investigations show the technique is more power efficient in the high-frequency region that a conventional push-push technique using an emitter common node. Prototype 12GHz and 17GHz MMIC VCO were realized in GaInP/GaAs HBT technology. They have shown nominal output power of -4.3dBm and -5dBm, phase noise of -108 dBc/Hz and -110.4 dBc/Hz at 1MHz offset, respectively. The phase noise results are also equivalent to a VCO figure-of-merit of -175.8 dBc/Hz and -184.3 dBc/Hz, while dissipate 25.68mW(10.7mA/2.4V) and 13.14mW(4.38mA/3.0V), respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.743-749
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• 1994

This study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary ${\beta}-carotene$ level on the lipid metabolism and lipid peroxide metabolizing enzyme activities in rats. Male Sprague -Dawley rats were fed on diets containing five levels of ${\beta}-carotene$ (0, 10, 120, 1200, 12000mg/kg diet ; BC 0, BC 1, BC 2, BC 3, BC 4 group). The rats were sacrificed after 7 weeks of the feeding periods. Lipid peroxide value of mitochondrial fraction of rat liver was elevated in ${\beta}-carotene$ restriction group when compared to $\beta$ -carotene groups. Superxide dismutase activity increased significantly by ${\beta}-carotene$ supplementation. Both catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were reduced with increasing ${\beta}-carotene$ supplementation, except only ${\beta}-carotene$ restriction group. In liver, the contents of total lipid and cholestero decreased by ${\beta}-carotene$ supplementation but triglyceride content was not different among treatment groups. HDL-and total cholesterol ratio in plasma of 12, 000 ${\beta}-carotene$ group decreased, and was similar to that of ${\beta}-carotene$ restriction group.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.895-902
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• 2014

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has played important role as new functional material for food industry and industrial products based on its unique properties. The interest in BC from static cultures has increased steadily in recent years because of its potential for use in medicine and cosmetics. In this study, we investigated culture condition for BC production by Acetobacter sp. F15 in static culture. The strain F15, which was isolated from decayed fruit, was selected on the basis of BC thickness. The optimal medium compositions for BC production were glucose 7%, soytone 12%, $K_2HPO_4$ 0.2%, $NaH_2PO_4{\cdot}_2H_2O$ 0.2%, lactic acid 0.05% and ethanol 0.3%, respectively. The strain F15 was able to produce BC at $26^{\circ}C-36^{\circ}C$ with a maximum at $32^{\circ}C$. BC production occurred at pH 4.5-8 with a maximum at pH 6.5. Under these conditions, a maximum BC thickness of 12.15 mm was achieved after 9 days of cultivation; this value was about 2.3-fold higher than the thickness in basic medium. Scanning electron micrographs showed that BC from the optimal medium was more compact than plant cellulose and was reticulated structure consisting of ultrafine cellulose fibrils. BC from the optimal medium was found to be of cellulose type I, the same as typical native cellulose.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2012

The fire retardant bamboo charcoal (BC) boards were manufactured for interior building materials in this study, The BC boards were manufactured by mixing and pressing of the bamboo charcoal, expanded vermiculite, and inorganic binder. The combustion behaviors of the BC boards were investigated using a cone calorimeter at an incident heat flux of 50 kW/$m^2$. Three building materials (plywood, BC board of Japan, and gypsum board) were used to observe the burning behaviors of weight loss, total heat release rate, and maximum heat release rate. Surface test and toxicity evaluation of the BC board were also conducted. The weight loss of the BC board (12.0%) was lower than the nonflammable gypsum board (15.6%) after burning of 10 min. Total heat release of the BC was 3 MJ/$m^2$ (KS standard 8 MJ/$m^2$) and total heat release rate of the BC was 20 kW/$m^2$ (KS standard 200 kW/$m^2$). Therefore, the BC boards were adjustable for the third-grade flame retardant building materials. External appearance change and mouse toxicity were not found in the BC boards after the combustion test.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.25.1-25.12
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• 2021

Objectives: This study used micro-computed tomography (µCT) to compare voids and interfaces in single-cone obturation among AH Plus, EndoSequence BC, and prototype surface pre-reacted glass ionomer (S-PRG) sealers and to determine the percentage of sealer contact at the dentin and gutta-percha (GP) interfaces. Materials and Methods: Fifteen single-rooted human teeth were shaped using ProTaper NEXT size X5 rotary files using 2.5% NaOCl irrigation. Roots were obturated with a single-cone ProTaper NEXT GP point X5 with AH Plus, EndoSequence BC, or prototype S-PRG sealer (n = 5/group). Results: The volumes of GP, sealer, and voids were measured in the region of 0-2, 2-4, 4-6, and 6-8 mm from the apex, using image analysis of sagittal µCT scans. GP volume percentages were: AH Plus (75.5%), EndoSequence BC (87.3%), and prototype S-PRG (94.4%). Sealer volume percentages were less: AH Plus (14.3%), EndoSequence BC (6.8%), and prototype S-PRG (4.6%). Void percentages were AH Plus (10.1%), EndoSequence BC (5.9%), and prototype S-PRG (1.0%). Dentin-sealer contact ratios of AH Plus, EndoSequence BC, and prototype S-PRG groups were 82.4% ± 6.8%, 71.6% ± 25.3%, and 70.2% ± 9.4%, respectively. GP-sealer contact ratios of AH Plus, EndoSequence BC, and prototype S-PRG groups were 65.6% ± 29.1%, 80.7% ± 25.8%, and 87.0% ± 8.6%, respectively. Conclusions: Prototype S-PRG sealer created a low-void obturation, similar to EndoSequence BC sealer with similar dentin-sealer contact (> 70%) and GP-sealer contact (> 80%). Prototype S-PRG sealer presented comparable filling quality to EndoSequence BC sealer.