• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1320-1324
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• 2006

The pancreatic and neutrophil elastases are associated with several illnesses including lung and vascular diseases, various cancers, and pancreatitis. The development of a potent and specific inhibitor to the elastases could lead to new therapies. In this study, an agar diffusion method was modified to include a substrate-dye conjugate (Elastin-Congo red) as a substrate of elastase and an indicator of elastase inhibitory activity. The Elastin-Congo red agar plates consisted of 0.1 % Elastin-Congo red and 2.5% agar. The elastase and elastase inhibitors were simultaneously loaded into wells, ultimately resulting in halo formations in which the halo diameter decreased as the concentration of elastase inhibitor increased. The concentration of elastase inhibitor in the samples, therefore, was inversely proportional to the halo diameters. This simplified method provided an excellent correlation with the standard microplate technique, which uses a chromogenic substrate. The concentration of elastase inhibitor obtained from the culture supernatant of a recombinant elastase inhibitor produced by the yeast Pichia pastoris was easily determined. This study has established a simple modified and inexpensive agar diffusion method that is potentially useful for the identification, quantification, and screening of new elastase inhibitors.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.300-306
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• 1998

An experiment was conducted to investigate correlations of litter size and average serum progesterone concentrations during pregnancy with mammary gland growth and development at parturition. Twenty ewes (5, 9, 4, and 2 ewes carrying 0, 1, 2, and 3 lambs, respectively) were used to measure weekly serum progesterone concentration during pregnancy. At parturition, the experimental ewes were slaughtered for determination of mammary gland growth and development at parturition (mammary dry fat-free tissue [DFFT], DNA, RNA, collagen, protein, and glycogen). Correlation of mammary DFFT with litter size and averages serum progesterone concentrations were 0.75 and 0.72, respectively. Litter size or maternal serum progesterone concentrations did not correlate with the mammary DNA concentration. However, litter size or maternal serum progesterone concentrations positively correlated (p < 0.01) with the mammary RNA and protein concentrations, but negatively correlated with the mammary collagen (p < 0.01) and. glycogen (p < 0.05) concentrations. Litter size or maternal serum progesterone positively correlated (p < 0.01) with the total mammary DNA, RNA, collagen, protein and glycogen contents. These results implied that the increased concentrations of progesterone with the increased litter size during pregnancy improved mammary gland growth and development at parturition.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.285-290
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• 2002

In order to assay the efficacy of newly synthesized antiviral compounds, in vitro studies of their active intracellular phosphorylated metabolites were established as compared with Zidovudine (ZDV). Antiviral base analogs require intracellular phosphorylation prior to the inhibition of HIV replication. Therefore, antiviral drugs concentrations in plasma have not reflected any direct relationship with activity or toxicity. A method has been developed to measure the concentration of total phosphorylated metabolites inside peripheral blood mononuclear cells using modified commercial radioimmunoassay (RIA). ZDV 5'-monophosphate was synthesized and used as a procedural control for RIA modification. PBMCs were isolated from whole blood and incubated with ZDV for 20 h to allow metabolic phosphorylation. Viable cells were extracted overnight with 60% methanol. After evaporation, the extract was reconstituted in Tris buffer. Samples were split into two fractions, one of which was treated with alkaline phosphatase (AP) to liberate phosphate groups. Concentrations of phosphorylated metabolites were determined by subtracting thε concentration of non-AP-treated fraction from that of the treated fraction. Recovery of phosphorylated ZDV from cell extracts was approximately 90%, and reproducibility was acceptable (coefficients of variation <15% for concentrations${\geq}$0.25 ng/mL). Intracellular concentrations $(0.135{\sim}5.019\;nmole/10^6\;cells)$ followed a nonlinear dose-response relationship over the range $0.015{\sim}2.996mM$ extracellular ZDV, with concentration-dependant saturation.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.42-54
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• 2010

Automobile emissions have caused a major hydrocarbon pollution problem in the ambient air of many cities around the world. This study was conducted to measure the pollution status of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in some urban residential areas in Seoul, Korea. A total of 20 VOCs (11 aromatic and 9 chlorinated species) were identified at 4 urban residential sites in Seoul, Korea from February 2009 to July 2009. Comparison of total VOC (TVOC) concentration data indicated the dominance of the aromatic species with the maximum (72.2 ppbC) at Jong Ro (JR) and the minimum at Yang Jae (33.4 ppbC). The peak concentration of TVOC occurred during spring at all sites with an exception at Gang Seo (GS), where it was recorded during winter. The distribution of individual VOCs at the study sites was characterized by high toluene concentration. A strong correlation of benzene was also observed with other VOCs and criteria pollutants at all sites (except YJ). The overall results of this study suggest that vehicular emissions have greatly contributed to the increase in VOC pollution at all the study sites.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.220-225
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• 2009

The water quality in eutrophic lakes is affected by serious problems, such as abnormal increasing of Cyanobacteria. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of a modified flotation system using a hybrid technique formed by chemical compounds and an electrostatic bridge. Therefore, experiments using the hybrid technique were performed to measure the zeta potential value on the phytoplankton surface and the removal efficiencies of phytoplankton, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and phosphoric acid. The results were as follows: Firstly, the zeta potential of M.aeruginosa was observed to approach charge neutralization due to adhesion of magnesium hydroxide precipitate on the phytoplankton surface in the pH range 10.5 to 11. Secondly, the concentration of chlorophyll-a decreased from about 150 to 20${\mu}g$g/L, with a maximum removal efficiency of 84% due to coagulation with pH values higher than 10. Thirdly, the N$H_4$-N concentration was observed to decrease from 0.62 to 0.54mg-N/L (13%), and the P$O_4$-P concentration, which is a limiting factor to the formation of algae blooms, decreased from 0.27 to 0.02mg-P/L (92%). These findings suggest that the modified flotation system can be applied for the purification of the raw water of numerous lakes containing high phytoplankton populations and elevated pH.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.272-275
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• 1999

Generally, it is known that the composition of the cation of the dog's RBCs is high in potassium(K) and low in sodium(Na). However, it is reported that certain kinds of dogs have HK, HG phenotype which contains a large amount of reduced glutathione(GSH) by the effect of Na-K pump on the cell membrane of RBC with high concentration of K and low concentration of Na. Although this HK phenotype is not regarded as a disease, it is supposed to be an important assignment to examine the distribution and the occurrence rate of the dogs that contain HK cell in their RBCs for the proper clinical treatments as these HK dogs are very sensitive to aromatic disul-fide or onions and have a tendency to cause hemolysis. Accordingly, present study was performed to measure the concentration of K, Na and GSH in the RBCs of Jindo dogs and that of Dosa dogs at the same time.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.275-280
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• 2015

In order to measure the Radionuclides and Concentration, the directly grinded land samples (river soil, pine leaves and mugwort) among the environment samples around the nuclear power plant were filled in a 450 mL Marinelli beaker and weighed to obtain the dry mass ratio of the samples. Then the background and land samples were measured for 80,000 sec. The analysis of the collected land samples showed that most of them contained less radiation nuclide than the detection minimum limit in the 'Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Public Notice No. 2010-32.'In others, the natural radionuclides $^{40}K$ were detected. Of the products of nuclear reaction discharged by a nuclear reaction, $^{134}Cs$ and $^{137}Cs$ are more easily detected, and their discharge sources can be traced using the relative ratio. Although the radioactive concentration in the vicinity of Kori Nuclear Power Plant, which is more than 1,100km away from Fukushima, the Japanese nuclear accident site, continuous monitoring is needed as the radionuclides can still be accumulated in the soil or animals and plants.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.523-528
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to reduce negative elements such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from fulvic acid using supercritical carbon dioxide ($SCO_2$) and to measure concentration and chromaticity of fulvic acid before and after treatment of $SCO_2$. Fulvic acid was treated at different experimental conditions; pressures of 100, 120 and 150 bar at $40^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. The composition of VOCs from fulvic acid was evaluated by GC-MS analysis, and the concentration was quantitatively analyzed using UV-spectrometer from fulvic acid at different experimental conditions. Also, the chromaticity of fulvic acid was evaluated using spectrophotometer. Though concentration and chromaticity of fulvic acid were not nearly changed, the VOCs from fulvic acid was remarkably decreased at 150 bar, $40^{\circ}C$ and 2 h. Reduction of VOCs through the $SCO_2$ is expected to contribute to quality improvement of fulvic acid.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1299-1307
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• 2009

In order to measure in-situ suspended particle size, volume concentration of suspended particulate matter and current speed, mooring observation was performed at the Gwangyang Bay by using of an optical instrument, 'LISST-100' and an acoustic instrument, 'ADV'(St. S1). And the sediment flux was obtained based on the concentration of suspended particulate matter and current speeds measured at three lines of Gwangyang Bay during ebb and flood tide of August 2006. To investigate the spatial variation of suspended particulate matter, profiling observations were measured difference echo intensity and beam attenuation coefficient by using of ADCP and Transmissometer (Line A, B, C). The suspended sediment flux rate at the mouth of Gwangyang Bay was observed to be higher during asymmetrical than symmetrical of current speeds. The flux of suspended particulate matter concentration and current speeds were transported to southeastern direction of surface layer and northwestern direction of bottom layer at the western area at line A of Gwangyang Bay. Small suspended particles have been found to increase attenuation and transmission more efficiently than similar large particles using acoustic intensity (ADV/ADCP) or optical transmit coefficient (LISST-100/Transmissometer). The application and problems as using optical or acoustic instruments will be detected for use in time varying calibrations to account for non-negligible changes in complex environments in situ particle dynamics are poorly understood.

• 한국가시화정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.86-89
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• 2004

One most feasible way to measure the concentration field in the micro-channel is using micro-LIF(Laser Induced Fluorescence) method. However, an accurate concentration field at a given cross plane in a micro-channel has not been successfully achieved so far due to various limitations in the light illumination and fluorescence signal detection. The present study demonstrates a novel method to provide an ultra thin laser sheet beam having five(5) microns thickness by use of a micro focus laser line generator. The laser sheet beam illuminates an exact plane of concentration measurement field to increase the signal to noise ratio and considerably reduce the depth uncertainty. Nile Blue A was used as fluorescent dye for the present LIF measurement. The enhancement of the fluorescent intensity signals was performed by a solvent mixture of water $(95\%)$ and ethanol (EtOH)/methanol (MeOH) $(5\%)$ mixture. To reduce the rms errors resulted from the CCD electronic noise and other sources, an expansion of grid size was attempted from $1\times1$ to 3(3 or 5(5 pixel data windows and the pertinent signal-to-noise level has been noticeably increased accordingly.