• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2018

Biosurfactants or microbial surfactants are surface-active biomolecules that are produced by a variety of microorganisms. Biodegradability and low toxicity have led to the intensification of scientific studies on a wide range of industrial applications for biosurfactants in the field of environmental bioremediation as well as the petroleum industry and enhanced oil recovery. However, the major issues in biosurfactant production are high production cost and low yield. Improving the bioindustrial production processes relies on many strategies, such as the use of cheap raw materials, the optimization of medium-culture conditions, and selecting hyperproducing strains. The present work aims to obtain a mutant with higher biosurfactant production through applying mutagenesis on Bacillus subtilis SPB1 using a combination of UV irradiation and nitrous acid treatment. Following mutagenesis and screening on blood agar and subsequent formation of halos, the mutated strains were examined for emulsifying activity of their culture broth. A mutant designated B. subtilis M2 was selected as it produced biosurfactant at twice higher concentration than the parent strain. The potential of this biosurfactant for industrial uses was shown by studying its stability to environmental stresses such as pH and temperature and its applicability in the oil recovery process. It was practically stable at high temperature and at a wide range of pH, and it recovered above 90% of motor oil adsorbed to a sand sample.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2017

Tc-99m labeled sestamibi ($^{99m}Tc$-MIBI) is one of most widely used radiopharmaceuticals for myocardial SPECT imaging. Radiolabeling of $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI is recommended by heating in $100^{\circ}C$ water bath for 15 min. However, the water bath might be a source of contamination. Thus, if radiolabeling of $^{99m}Tc$-sestamibi can be performed at room temperature, then it would be more convenient to use in clinical application. In this study, we performed the radiolabeling of $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI in different temperature conditions or using different instruments to find out the efficient labeling condition. We studied the $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI labeling at room temperature or $100^{\circ}C$ heating block, and checked the labelling yields every 1 min for 10 min using radio-TLC with 2 different eluents-saline and acetone. From the experiment, we confirmed that the $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI can be labeled over 90% yield but not completed at room temperature. However, the $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI labeling was completed when it was performed in the $100^{\circ}C$ heating block. Finally, we proved that heating is essential for complete $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI labelling, furthermore using heating block is also possible instead of water bath.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.23-31
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• 2017

Bumblebees, more efficient than honeybees, provide important services for pollination especially in tomato, pepper, cucumber, strawberries and other crops grown under tunnel farming or glasshouse conditions to yield maximization. These bees require pollen and nectar to meet their dietary needs and maintain their colony structure, development and reproduction. Keeping in view their economic importance, the effect of five concentrations of sugar and honey solutions (1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2, 2:1,1.5:1) each as alternative to nectar were used to observe their effect on life history parameters of Bombus terrestris. The 1:1 ratio of sugar solution was found most effective followed by 1.5:1, 1:1.5, 1:2 and 2:1 and also more effective of all five concentrations of honey solutions on all three stages of colony development i.e., at colony initiation, colony development and colony maturation stages. At colony initiation stage, early pre-oviposition period ($6.40{\pm}0.97$ days), early emergence of first worker in the first batch ($25.40{\pm}1.21$ days) and maximum numbers of workers ($6.20{\pm}0.24$) emergence in the first batch were observed at 1:1 ratio of sugar solution. Colonies reared on 1:1 ratio of sugar solution reached earlier ($52.13{\pm}1.28$ days) at colony foundation stage with minimum mortality ($3.27{\pm}0.54$ workers). At colony maturation stage, maximum numbers of workers, sexual (males, queens) and maximum mother queen longevity was observed at the same 1:1 ratio of sugar solution. It can be suggested from present study that sugar solution as alternative of nectar at 1:1 ratio was better than other sugar concentration levels and also from those of honey solution.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.32-41
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• 2016

The precipitation test, which is the last step of magnesium recovery process consisting of three processes (pre-precipitation, selective dissolution of magnesium, precipitation) is performed to obtain magnesium sulfate powder from seawater. In the study, we succeed in precipitating the magnesium sulfate by adding acetone into the solution of magnesium over 4 times concentrated from seawater. The yield efficiency of magnesium sulfate increases with increasing pH and the ratio of added acetone. More than 99% of magnesium is obtained as magnesium sulfate hydrate ($MgSO_4{\cdot}6H_2O$) under the following conditions; pH 1.0 ~ 1.5, and the ratio of solution and acetone 1 : 1.5 (v:v). The acetone used in the precipitation process is recovered by the fractional distillation.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.315-325
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• 2014

A combination of MHL and LED fish-luring light is used in this study. Its yield, characteristics, and irradiance distribution are evaluated and analyzed. To obtain an irradiance distribution similar to that of an MHL, we suggest the optimal arrangement of MHL and LED.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.459-465
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• 2018

This paper presents a study of the microstructure and mechanical properties of commercial high-hardness armor (HHA) steels tempered at different temperatures. Although the as-received specimens of all the steels exhibit a tempered martensite structure with lath type morphology, the A steel, which has the smallest carbon content, had the lowest hardness due to reduced solid solution hardening and larger lath thickness, irrespective of tempering conditions. As the tempering temperature increases, the hardness of the steels steadily decreases because dislocation density decreases and the lath thickness of martensite increases due to recovery and over-aging effects. When the variations in hardness plotted as a function of tempering temperature are compared with the hardness of the as-received specimens, it seems that the B steel, which has the highest yield and tensile strengths, is fabricated by quenching, while the other steels are fabricated by quenching and tempering. On the other hand, the impact properties of the steels are affected by specimen orientation and test temperature as well as microstructure. Based on these results, the effect of tempering on the microstructure and mechanical properties of commercial high-hardness armor steels is discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.391-397
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• 2020

In this study, we used a novel α-L-arabinopyranosidase (AbpBs) obtained from ginsenoside-converting Blastococcus saxobsidens that was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), and then applied it in the biotransformation of ginsenoside Rb₂ into Rd. The gene, termed AbpBs, consisting of 2,406 nucleotides (801 amino acid residues), and with a predicted translated protein molecular mass of 86.4 kDa, was cloned into a pGEX4T-1 vector. A BLAST search using the AbpBs amino acid sequence revealed significant homology with a family 2 glycoside hydrolase (GH2). The over-expressed recombinant AbpBs in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) catalyzed the hydrolysis of the arabinopyranose moiety attached to the C-20 position of ginsenoside Rb₂ under optimal conditions (pH 7.0 and 40℃). Kinetic parameters for α-L-arabinopyranosidase showed apparent K_m and V_max values of 0.078 ± 0.0002 μM and 1.4 ± 0.1 μmol/min/mg of protein against p-nitrophenyl-α-L-arabinopyranoside. Using a purified AbpBs (1 ㎍/ml), 0.1% of ginsenoside Rb₂ was completely converted to ginsenoside Rd within 1 h. The recombinant AbpBs could be useful for high-yield, rapid, and low-cost preparation of ginsenoside Rd from Rb₂.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.907-918
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• 2000

The pyrolysis characteristics of celluloses and plastics, which are the principal materials contributing to the municipal solid wastes(MSWs), was investigated with a thermal gravimetric analysis reaction system. The experiments were carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere in the temperature range of 400~900K at various experimental conditions. Also, a modified pyrolysis model for compressed MSWs has been proposed. Varing the heating rate to 20, 30, 40K/min, reaction orders of MSWs' main component were around 1.1~1.9, activation energies were 117~166kJ/mol for celluloses and 187~239kJ/mol for plastics. Char yield was proportional to the heating rate, particle size, and compressed ratio. The model proposed in this study, which is applying Arrhenius equation and thermodynamics, is closer to the experimental results than the conventional model.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.419-423
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• 1998

Indonesian coal-based activated carbon was manufactured with steam-reaction method. Also effects of carbonization temperature and steam amount on the process yield and quality of the product were investigated at the activation temperature of $900^{\circ}C$. The rotary kiln type furnace was used for both carbonization and activation and the optimum operation conditions were carbonization temperature of $700^{\circ}C$, steam amount of 2.7g steam/g char and activation temperature of $900^{\circ}C$. At this condition, the iodine value of activated carbon was 1,010 mg/g. Methylene Blue Adsorption Number was 230mg/g and B.E.T. surface area was $1,020m^2/g$ with the hardness about 97.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.2043-2050
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• 2009

2′-$\beta$-C-Methylneplanocin A (3) was synthesized via 2-$\beta$-C-methylribonolactone, prepared by a modified Whistler and BeMiller’s method developed by our laboratory, as potential anti-HCV agent. Reduction of 14 with Dibal-H afforded 26 in a good yield with a trace of 25, whereas a Luche reduction gave 26/25 = 4/1 mixture. Several attempts were made to chemoselectively remove TBS group in the presence of TBDPS group and treatment with both PPTS and TsOH showed the best result. Condensation of 26 with 6-chloropurine under Mitsunobu conditions produced an $S_N$2 product 27 along with an $S_N$2′ product 28.