• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.128-136
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• 2014

Acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) lactonase has been proved to be the AHL-degrading enzyme with the highest substrate specificity for AHL molecules and has shown a considerable potential as low-cost and efficient quorum quenching (QQ) technique. However, few studies focused on its inhibitory effect on biofilm formation which is also a quorum sensing (QS)-regulated phenomenon. In this study, QQ activity of six isolates from biofouled reverse osmosis membranes was studied using Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4 as biosensors under various conditions. All of the isolates belonged to the genus Bacillus and showed QQ activity regardless of the acyl chain length or substitution of AHL molecule. The isolates were capable of significantly inhibiting biofilm formation (46.7-58.3%) by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and produced heat-sensitive extracellular QQ substances. The LC-MS analysis of the QQ activity of a selected isolate, RO1S-5, revealed the degradation of N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12 AHL) and the production of corresponding acyl homoserine (3-oxo-C12-HS), which indicated the activity of AHL lactonase. The broad AHL substrate range and high substrate specificity suggested that the isolate would be useful for the control of biofilm-related pathogenesis and biofouling in industrial processes.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.569-574
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• 2014

We developed and evaluated a fluorescence-based optical DO sensor (OS-100, Global Optical Communication Ltd., Korea) for long-term monitoring of the dissolved oxygen concentration in waste water treatment. Fluorescent sensing membrane containing $Ru(Dpp)_3{^{2+}}$ (tris(4,7diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline) ruthenium(II)) was prepared with GA sol-gel matrix and coated on a quartz plate by sprayed method. Properties of sensor film exhibit deviation about ${\pm}1%$ under wide range of DO concentration from 3 to 10. The developed optical DO sensor was actually mounted in waste water from dyeing industry and successfully applied for on-line DO monitoring. Online monitoring results showed the changes of DO concentrations in wastewater treatment processes with accuracy better than ${\pm}2%$ during the 6 months measurements period in vicious environmental conditions.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.240-244
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• 2013

Although forward osmosis desalination technology has drawn substantial attention as a next-generation desalination method, the energy efficiency of its draw solution treatment process should be improved for its commercialization. When ammonium bicarbonate is used as the draw solute, the system consists of forward-osmosis membrane modules, draw solution separation and recovery processes. Mixed gases of ammonia and carbon dioxide generated during the draws solution separation, need to be recovered to re-concentrate ammonium bicarbonate solution, for continuous operation as well as for the economic feasibility. The diluted ammonium bicarbonate solution has been proposed as the absorbent for the draw solution regeneration. In this study, experiments are conducted to investigate performance and features of the absorption corresponding to absorbent concentration. It is concluded that ammonium bicarbonate solution can be used to recover the generated ammonia and carbon dioxide. The results will be applied to design and operation of pilot-scale forward-osmosis desalination system.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.27-33
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• 2017

Conventional lithium ion batteries suffer from notorious safety issues caused by inevitable lithium dendrite formation and proliferation during over/fast charging processes. The lithium dendrites or mechanical damage on the separator induce internal short circuit in LiB that generates extensive amount of heat within contacted electrode surfaces through the separator. During this heat generation, conventional polyolefin separators shrinks dramatically, and increasing short circuit pathway, that causes the battery to explode. To overcome this serious issue, ceramic coated separators are developed in commercial LiB to enhance thermal and mechanical stability. In this paper, various size(IL = 488.5 nm, I = 538.7 nm, S = 810.3 nm, D = 1533.3 nm) of $Al_2O_3$ particles are coated using styrene-butadiene rubber(SBR) / carboxymethyl cellulose(CMC) binder on PE separator to investigate its thermal stability and electrochemical effect on LiB coin cell with NCM cathode and Li metal anode.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.645-654
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• 2009

Lab-scale Electrodialysis(ED) system with different membranes combined with before or after pyroma process were carried out to remove nitrate from two pickling acid wastewater containing high concentrations of $NO_3\;^-$(${\approx}$150,000 mg/L) and F($({\approx}$ 160,000 mg/L) and some heavy metals(Fe, Ti, and Cr). The ED system before Pyroma process(Sample A) was not successful in $NO_3\;^-$ removal due to cation membrane fouling by the heavy metals, whereas, in the ED system after Pyroma process(Sample B), about 98% of nitrate was removed because of relatively low $NO_3\;^-$ concentration (about 30,000 mg/L) and no heavy metals. Mono-selective membranes(CIMS/ACS) in ED system have no selectivity for nitrate compared to divalent-selective membranes(CMX/AMX). The operation time for nitrate removal time decreased with increasing the applied voltage from 10V to 15V with no difference in the nitrate removal rate between both voltages. Nitrate adsorption of a strong-base anion exchange resin of $Cl\;^-$ type was also conducted. The Freundlich model($R^2$ > 0.996) was fitted better than Langmuir mode($R^2$ > 0.984) to the adsorption data. The maximum adsorption capacity ($Q^0$) was 492 mg/g for Sample A and 111 mg/g for Sample B due to the difference in initial nitrate concentrations between the two wastewater samples. In the regeneration of ion exchange resins, the nitrate removal rate in the pickling acid wastewater decreased as the adsorption step was repeated because certain amount of adsorbed $NO_3\;^-$ remained in the resins in spite of several desorption steps for regeneration. In conclusion, the optimum system configuration to treat pickling acid wastewater from stainless-steel industry is the multi-processes of the Pyroma-Electrodialysis-Ion exchange.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2017

The technology for hydrothermal reaction of organic waste is one of the promising process to improve energy efficiency of biomass waste recycling system since moisture contents of treated biomass could be reduced at 40% or less than by dehydration processes. For these reasons, many parts of the world are interested in hydrothermal reaction of organic waste. In this paper, drying performances were evaluated with and without hydrothermal reaction of organic wastes which are sewage sludge and food wastes. For the hydrothermal reaction, organic wastes were treated at $200^{\circ}C$ for 1hr. Drying time of treated organic waste by hydrothermal reaction was reduced. In case of food waste drying at $100^{\circ}C$, drying time of treated wasted was reduced more 52.9% than non-treated. Hence, drying performances of sewage sludge and food wastes should be improved by hydrothermal reaction. Drying rates of treated wastes were considerably increased at preheat period of drying characteristic curve as followings; at $80^{\circ}C$ sludge as 148%, $100^{\circ}C$ sewage sludge as 151%, $80^{\circ}C$ food waste as 209%, $100^{\circ}C$ food waste as 366%. It means the surface area of treated wastes could be increased with destruction of cell membrane by hydrothermal reaction. However, the designer and operator of drying process should be careful, since enhanced drying rate cause the extension the decreasing drying period.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.123-127
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• 2003

Chemical burns onto oral mucosa which are infrequent, may result from contact with a wide variety of chemical agents. The degree of injury depends on the chemical, its concentration, duration of contact, and the natural penetrability and resistance of the tissues involved. Chemicals do not usually "burn" in that they do not cause destruction by hyperthermic activity. Rather, they damage tissue by causing coagulation of protein by one of several processes, reduction, oxidation, desiccation, corrosion, or vesication. Paraquat(Gramoxon) is the most frequently agricultural chemicals that induce the severe toxic reactions onto the organs of human body in Korea. The toxic reaction are composed of pulmonary edema and fibrosis, formation of hyaline membrane, inflammatory reaction and bleeding tendency, owing to the cell damage by the production of superoxide radicals. The contents of essential treatment in paraquat intoxication are commonly airway and breathing maintenance, gastric lavage, much hydration and diuresis, hemoperfusion and medications for the removal of the chemicals and the prevention of various complications. The sedative oral dressings, such as, orabase ointment application, warm saline gargling, lidocaine viscous gargling and oral gargling by the mixed solutions(tetracycline, prednisolone and 10% dextrose water) are important for the improvement of chemical oral mucositis and the comfortable feeding of diet. The authors managed properly two cases of oral chemical mucositis that were occurred by the incorrect use of agricultural chemicals(paraquat) and report the cases with the review of literatures about care of the chemical intoxication and oral mucositis.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.60-65
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• 2005

The human solute carrier, SLC41Al, is a $Mg^{2}+$ transporter that is regulated by extracellular magnesium. Although intracellular magnesium plays a fundamental role in cellular metabolism, little is known about how $Mg^{2}+$ is taken up and controlled by cells. Magnesium plays a fundamental role in cellular metabolism so that its control within the body is critical. Magnesium homeostasis is principally a balance between intestinal absorption of dietary magnesium and renal excretion of urinary magnesium. The kidney, mainly the distal convoluted tubule, controls magnesium reabsorption. Although renal reabsorption is under the influence of many hormones, selective regulation of magnesium transport is due to intrinsic control involving transcriptional processes and synthesis of transport proteins. Using microarray analysis, identification of the genetic elements involved with this transcriptional control has been begun. SLC41A1(GenBank Accession No. AJ514402), comprises 10 putative transmembrane domains, two of which are highly homologous to the integral membrane part of the prokaryote transports $Mg^{2}+$ and other divalent cations $Sr^2+,\;Zn^2+,\;Cu^2+,\;Fe^2+,\;Co^2+,\;Ba^2+,\;and\;Cd^2+,\;but\;not\;Ca^2+,\;Mn^2+,\;and\;Ni^2+.$ Transport of $Mg^{2}+$ by SLC41Al is rheogenic, voltage dependent, and not coupled to Na or Cl. Expressed SLC41Al transports a range of other divalent cations: $Mg^{2+},\;Sr^{2+},\;Zn^{2+},\;Cu^{2+},\;Fe^{2+},\;Co^{2+},\;Ba^{2+},\;and\;Cd^{2+}$. The divalent cations $Ca^{2+},\;Mn^{2+},\;and\;Ni^{2+}$and the trivalent ion $Gd^{3+}$ did not induce currents nor did they inhibit $Mg^{2+}$ transport. The nonselective cation $La^{3+}$ abolishes $Mg^{2+}$ uptake. Computer analysis of the SLC41Al protein structure reveals that it belongs to MgtE protein family & suggested that the human solute carrier, SLC41Al, might be a eukaryotic $Mg^{2+}$ transporter closely related $(60-70\%)$ protein encoded by SLC41A2 is a $Mg^{2}+$ transporter that might be involved in magnesium homeostasis in epithelial cells also transports a range of other divalent cations: $Ba^2,\;Ni^2,\;CO^2,\;Fe^2,\;or\;Mn^2,\;but\;not\;Ca^2,\;Zn^2,\;or\;Cu^{2+}$ that may have related functional properties.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.8-27
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• 2000

Components of extracellular matrix and the matrix-degrading enzymes are some of the key regulators of tumor metastasis and angiogenesis. Hyaluronic acid (HA), a matrix glycosaminoglycan, is known to promote tumor adhesion and migration, and its small fragments are angiogenic. Until now, we have compared levels of hyaluronidase, an enzyme that degrade HA, in normal adult prostate, benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer tissues and in conditioned media from epithelial explant cultures, using a substrate (HA)-gel assay and ELISA-like assay (Kim et al., unpublished results). The present review described an overall characterization of hyaluronidases and its application to human diseases. The hyaluronidases are a family of enzymes that have, until recently, deed thorough explication. The substrate for these enzymes, hyaluronan, is becoming increasingly important, recognized now as a major participant in basic processes such as cell motility, wound healing, embryogenesis, and implicated in cancer progression. And in those lower life forms that torment human beings, hyaluronidase is associated with mechanisms of entry and spread, e.g. as a virulence factor for bacteria, for tissue dissection in gas gangrene, as a means of treponema spread in syphilis, and for penetration of skin and gut by nematode parasites. Hyaluronidase also comprises a component of the venom of a wide variety of organisms, including bees, wasps, hornets, spiders, scorpions, sh, snakes and lizards. Of particular interest is the homology between some of these venom hyaluronidases and the enzyme found in the plasma membrane of mammalian spermatozoa, attesting to the ancient nature of the conserved sequence, a 36% identity in a 300 amino acid stretch of the enzyme protein. Clearly, hyaluronidase is of biological interest, being involved in the pathophysiology of so many important' human disorders. Greater effort should be made in studying this family of enzymes that have, until recently, been overlooked. Also, oriental medical application of the hyaluronidase will be discussed with respect to inhibition and suppression of inflammation and malignacy.