• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2012

The magnification technique has recently become popular in bone radiography, mammography and other diagnostic examination. However, because of the finite size of X-ray focal spot, the magnification influences various imaging properties with resolution, noise and contrast. The purpose of study is to investigate the influence of magnification and focal spot size on digital imaging system using eDQE (effective detective quantum efficiency). Effective DQE is a metric reflecting overall system response including focal spot blur, magnification, scatter and grid response. The adult chest phantom employed in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was used to derive eDQE from eMTF (effective modulation transfer function), eNPS (effective noise power spectrum), scatter fraction and transmission fraction. According to results, spatial frequencies that eMTF is 10% with the magnification factor of 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 are 2.76, 2.21, 1.78, 1.49 and 1.26 lp/mm respectively using small focal spot. The spatial frequencies that eMTF is 10% with the magnification factor of 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 are 2.21, 1.66, 1.25, 0.93 and 0.73 lp/mm respectively using large focal spot. The eMTFs and eDQEs decreases with increasing magnification factor. Although there are no significant differences with focal spot size on eDQE (0), the eDQEs drops more sharply with large focal spot than small focal spot. The magnification imaging can enlarge the small size lesion and improve the contrast due to decrease of effective noise and scatter with air-gap effect. The enlargement of the image size can be helpful for visual detection of small image. However, focal spot blurring caused by finite size of focal spot shows more significant impact on spatial resolution than the improvement of other metrics resulted by magnification effect. Based on these results, appropriate magnification factor and focal spot size should be established to perform magnification imaging with digital radiography system.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 1993

Crude ${\beta}-glucan$ extracted from Barley was purified by stepwise enzyme treatment (Thermostable ${\alpha}-amylase$, amyloglucosidase, protease). The Intrinsic Viscosity $[{\eta}]$ of the purified ${\beta}-glucan$ was determined by Cannon Fenske Capillary Viscometer (size 50, Cannon Instruments, State, College pa.) at different pH (2, 4, 7, 9, 11) and various salt concentration (0.01 M, 0.03 M, 0.05 M, 0.07 M, 0.1 M and 0.2 M). The $[{\eta}]$ of purified ${\beta}-glucan$ was ranged from $0.997{\sim}2.290\;dl/g$. The $[{\eta}]$ of purified ${\beta}-glucan$ at both alkali, acid condition were lower than those at pH 7. However, the alkali condition of puified ${\beta}-glucan$ solution showed less $[{\eta}]$ than the acid condition of this solution. From 0 M to 0.2 M salt concentration, the $[{\eta}]$ of purified ${\beta}-glucan$ solution was decreased to 0.03 M then increased to 0.05 M NaCl and remained constant to 0.2 M NaCl. The chain stiffness parameter of purified ${\beta}-glucan$ was not affected by temperature from $15^{\circ}C$ to $65^{\circ}C$. The shear rates of various ${\beta}-glucan$ conditions were determined by Bohlin Rheometer (Lund, Sweden). The ${\beta}-glucan$ concentration of 1.0 g/dl and 2.0 g/dl behaved as Newtonian fluid. However, above the concentration of 3.0 g/dl ${\beta}-glucan$ solution, it showed thixotropic and psedoplastic characteristics. Barley ${\beta}-glucan$ appears a damping at 0.5 frequency for the 4.0 g/dl solution. Below 0.5 frequency, it appears a viscous behavior property and above 0.5 frequency, it appears a elastic behavior property.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2009

To understand the ecological function of heterotrophic bacterial community in water column of large freshwater lakes in the permafrost zone, we investigated the structure and function of bacterial community in Lake Khuvsgul, Mongolia. Species composition of overall bacterial community was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rRNA gene fragments, and bacteria that can be cultured at 10oC were isolated and characterized. Based on the depth profile of environmental parameters, thermocline and chemocline were recognized at the 5~10 m zone of the water column. The stratified DGGE profile indicated that the discontinuity of water properties might influence the structure of bacterial community: band profiles in the 0~5 m zone were diverse with large change by depth, but the profile was relatively stable at the $\geq$10 m zone, with predominance of the band identified as Acidovorax facilis. Bacterial cultures were screened for protease, cellulase, amylase and lipase activity, and 23 isolates were selected for high activity of the hydrolytic enzymes. The isolates were identified based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences. In the surface water (zero meter depth), Acidovorax defluvii and Sphingobacterium faecium with high cellulase activity were present. Flavobacterium succinicans, Mycoplana bullata and A. facilis were stably predominant isolates at 2 m, 5 m, and $\geq$10 m depths, respectively. F. succinicans isolates showed high protease activity while M. bullata isolates showed moderate levels of protease and celluase activity. A. facilis isolates showed either cellulase or lipase activity, exclusively to each other. According to the profile of growth rates of the isolates in the temperature range of $0\sim42^{\circ}C$, the surface-zone (0~5 m) isolates were facultative psychrophiles while isolates from $\geq$10 m depth were typical mesophiles. This stratification is believed to be due to stratified availability of organic materials to the bacterial decomposers. In the water column below the chemoline, the environment is extremely oligotrophic so that the trait of rapid growth in low temperature might not be demanded by deep-lake decomposers. The stratified distribution of community composition and decomposer activity in Lake Khuvsgul implies that ecological functions of bacterial community in lakes of cold region are sharply divided by water column stratification.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.189-197
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• 2003

Properties of seed production in Corydalis, spring ephemeral, group were studied during two years at Namhansansung area. Corydalis´ flower was out in the early April and its seed dispersed in the early May. The period of total seed production was 30 days. The decrease rate of sex organs was the highest between deflowering time and early fruiting time. The numbers of flower and seed per plant were in the range of 1∼13 and 0∼76, respectively. And the number of seed per fruit was from zero to twenty. In a plant, seed production was the most (11.8 seeds) in the lowest fruit and conspicuously decreased along the upward fruit. In the same plant, seed production was various by each year. The plants of small tuber size produced more seeds and those of large tuber size produced fewer seeds in the next year than this year. In the early growth season, the flowering plants/total plants rate increased in proportion to plant size (tuber volume), the rate of the smallest size class (<100 ㎣) was in the range of 5.0%(1999)∼5.4%(2000), those over the 600 ㎣ size classes were 100%. The number of flower per plant at the same size class were higher in 2000 than in 1999. Especially, at the size class of 900 ㎣≤, the numbers of flower per plant were 13.2 in 2000 and 6.5 in 1999. In the late growth season, the flowering plants/total plants rates were 13.3%in the smallest size class (<100 ㎣)and 100% over the 500 ㎣ size classes. Therefore, the flowering plants/total plants rates along the size classes were higher in the late growth season than in the early one. The bumer of fruit or seed per plant increased in proportion to the volume and dry weight of tuber, there was not significant and varied along each plant in the same size class. The number of fruit or seed per plant conspicuously increased in proportion to the leaf area. Therefore, it was thought that seed production was related to photosynthetic ability during growth season.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.350-358
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• 1998

To determine the optimum application of fertilizers for the cultivation of tomato in plastic film house, eighteen soils which contained different salt contents were taken from four different areas under plastic film house cultivation, Youngdong, Boeun, Cheongweon county, and Cheongju city. The dry weight and the amount of N, P, and K uptakes of tomato in the plot with no fertilization were considered as the factors representing the fertility of the soil. The differences in the dry weight and in the amounts of N, P, and K uptakes of plants between the plots with fertilization and with no fertilization were considered as the factors representing the total effect of fertilizer and the effects of fertilizer N, P, and K, respectively. These factors of soil fertility and fertilizer effects were estimated by correlation and regression with the chemical properties of the soil in order to find the critical levels and recommended method for optimum fertilization of tomato. The standardized partial regression coefficients of inorganic nitrogen ($NO_3-N+NH_4-N$) contents in soil for the factors of fertility ranged from 247 to 1,159, showing the best, while those of the others ranged from 0.02 to 4.02. Those of inorganic nitrogen ($NO_3-N+NH_4-N$) contents in soil for the electrical conductivity were also the best and were ranged from 35.2 to 36.0 compared with the values of less than 1.0 of the others. These results demonstrate that the content of inorganic nitrogen in the soil is the best index for both soil fertility and electrical conductivity of the soil. The critical level of inorganic nitrogen ($NO_3-N+NH_4-N$) in the soil for maximum productivity with zero value of fertilizer effects for tomato, estimated through Cate-Nelson split method was $220mg\;kg^{-1}$. This was the same value as evaluation for the cultivation of chinese cabbage. In conclusion, for optimal application of fertilizer in plastic film house, 1) no fertilization is recommended when the contents of inorganic nitrogen in the soil is more than $220mg\;kg^{-1}$; however, 2) in the case of less than $220mg\;kg^{-1}$ of inorganic nitrogen content in the soil, the optimal level of fertilization could be estimated through the regression equation between fertilizer effects and content of inorganic nitrogen in the soil.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.689-698
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• 2021

Since the mine reclamation scheme was implemented from 2007 in Korea, various remediation programs have been decontaminated the pollution associated with mining and 254 mines were managed to reclamation from 2011 to 2015. However, as the total amount of contaminated mine drainage has been increased due to the discovery of potential hazards and contaminated zone, more efficient and economical treatment technology is required. Therefore, in this study, the adsorption properties of arsenic was evaluated according to the adsorbents which were derived from water treatment sludge(Alum based adsorbent, ABA-500) and granular ferric hydroxide(GFH), already commercialized. The alum sludge and GFH adsorbents consisted of aluminum, silica materials and amorphous iron hydroxide, respectively. The point of zero charge of ABA-500 and GFH were 5.27 and 6.72, respectively. The result of the analysis of BET revealed that the specific surface area of GFH(257 m²·g^-1) was larger than ABA-500(126~136 m²·g^-1) and all the adsorbents were mesoporous materials inferred from N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherm. The adsorption capacity of adsorbents was compared with the batch experiments that were performed at different reaction times, pH, temperature and initial concentrations of arsenic. As a result of kinetic study, it was confirmed that arsenic was adsorbed rapidly in the order of GFH, ABA-500(granule) and ABA-500(3mm). The adsorption kinetics were fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model for all three adsorbents. The amount of adsorbed arsenic was increased with low pH and high temperature regardless of adsorbents. When the adsorbents reacted at different initial concentrations of arsenic in an hour, ABA-500(granule) and GFH could remove the arsenic below the standard of drinking water if the concentration was below 0.2 mg·g^-1 and 1 mg·g^-1, respectively. The results suggested that the ABA-500(granule), a low-cost adsorbent, had the potential to field application at low contaminated mine drainage.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.227-237
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• 2008

Arsenic has recently become of the most serious environmental concerns, and the worldwide regulation of arsenic fur drinking water has been reinforced. Arsenic contaminated groundwater and soil have been frequently revealed as well, and arsenic contamination and its treatment and measures have been domestically raised as one of the most important environmental issues. Arsenic behavior in geo-environment is principally affected by oxides and clay minerals, and particularly iron (oxy)hydroxides have been well known to be most effective in controlling arsenic. Among a number of iron (oxy)hydroxides, for this reason, 2-line ferrihydrite was selected in this study to investigate its effect on arsenic behavior. Adsorption of 2-line ferrihydrite was characterized and compared between As(III) and As(V) which are known to be the most ubiquitous species among arsenic forms in natural environment. Two-line ferrihydrite synthesized in the lab as the adsorbent of arsenic had $10\sim200$ nm for diameter, $247m^{2}/g$ for specific surface area, and 8.2 for pH of zero charge, and those representative properties of 2-line ferrihydrite appeared to be greatly suitable to be used as adsorbent of arsenic. The experimental results on equilibrium adsorption indicate that As(III) showed much stronger adsorption affinity onto 2-line ferrihydrite than As(V). In addition, the maximum adsorptions of As(III) and As(V) were observed at pH 7.0 and 2.0, respectively. In particular, the adsorption of As(III) did not show any difference between pH conditions, except for pH 12.2. On the contrary, the As(V) adsorption was remarkably decreased with increase in pH. The results obtained from the detailed experiments investigating pH effect on arsenic adsorption show that As(III) adsorption increased up to pH 8.0 and dramatically decreased above pH 9.2. In case of As(V), its adsorption steadily decreased with increase in pH. The reason the adsorption characteristics became totally different depending on arsenic species is attributed to the fact that chemical speciation of arsenic and surface charge of 2-line ferrihydrite are significantly affected by pH, and it is speculated that those composite phenomena cause the difference in adsorption between As(III) and As(V). From the view point of adsorption kinetics, adsorption of arsenic species onto 2-line ferrihydrite was investigated to be mostly completed within the duration of 2 hours. Among the kinetic models proposed so for, power function and elovich model were evaluated to be the most suitable ones which can simulate adsorption kinetics of two kinds of arsenic species onto 2-line ferrihydrite.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.377-388
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• 2022

Laboratory-scale experiments were performed to identify the As removal mechanism of the residual slag generated after the mineral carbonation process. The residual slags were manufactured from the steelmaking slag (blast oxygen furnace slag: BOF) through direct and indirect carbonation process. RDBOF (residual BOF after the direct carbonation) and RIBOF (residual BOF after the indirect carbonation) showed different physicochemical-structural characteristics compared with raw BOF such as chemical-mineralogical properties, the pH level of leachate and forming micropores on the surface of the slag. In batch experiment, 0.1 g of residual slag was added to 10 mL of As-solution (initial concentration: 203.6 mg/L) titrated at various pH levels. The RDBOF showed 99.3% of As removal efficiency at initial pH 1, while it sharply decreased with the increase of initial pH. As the initial pH of solution decreased, the dissolution of carbonate minerals covering the surface was accelerated, increasing the exposed area of Fe-oxide and promoting the adsorption of As-oxyanions on the RDBOF surface. Whereas, the As removal efficiency of RIBOF increased with the increase of initial pH levels, and it reached up to 70% at initial pH 10. Considering the PZC (point of zero charge) of the RIBOF (pH 4.5), it was hardly expected that the electrical adsorption of As-oxyanion on surface of the RIBOF at initial pH of 4-10. Nevertheless it was observed that As-oxyanion was linked to the Fe-oxide on the RIBOF surface by the cation bridge effect of divalent cations such as Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Fe²⁺. The surface of RIBOF became stronger negatively charged, the cation bridge effect was more strictly enforced, and more As can be fixed on the RIBOF surface. However, the Ca-products start to precipitate on the surface at pH 10-11 or higher and they even prevent the surface adsorption of As-oxyanion by Fe-oxide. The TCLP test was performed to evaluate the stability of As fixed on the surface of the residual slag after the batch experiment. Results supported that RDBOF and RIBOF firmly fixed As over the wide pH levels, by considering their As desorption rate of less than 2%. From the results of this study, it was proved that both residual slags can be used as an eco-friendly and low-cost As remover with high As removal efficiency and high stability and they also overcome the pH increase in solution, which is the disadvantage of existing steelmaking slag as an As remover.