• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.180-187
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• 2023

The skin is a dynamic ecosystem on which diverse microbes reside. The interkingdom interaction between microbial species in the skin microbiota is thought to influence the health and disease of the skin although the roles of the intra- and interkingdom interactions remain to be elucidated. In this context, the interactions between Malassezia and Staphylococcus, the most dominant microorganisms in the skin microbiota, have gained attention. This study investigated how the interaction between Malassezia and Staphylococcus affected the antifungal susceptibility of the fungus to the azole antifungal drug ketoconazole. The susceptibility was significantly decreased when Malassezia was co-cultured with Staphylococcus. We found that acidification of the environment by organic acids produced by Staphylococcus influenced the decrease of the ketoconazole susceptibility of M. restricta in the co-culturing condition. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that the significant increased ergosterol content and cell membrane and wall thickness of the M. restricta cells grown in the acidic environment may be the main cause of the altered azole susceptibility of the fungus. Overall, our study suggests that the interaction between Malassezia and Staphylococcus influences the antifungal susceptibility of the fungus and that pH has a critical role in the polymicrobial interaction in the skin environment.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.351-354
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• 1990

2, 3-diphenyl-4-cyano-pyrrole-5-thione (4) was either by the reaction of benzoin (1) and cyanothioacetamide (3) followed by cyclization using AcOH/sodium acetate or by refluxing a mixture of benzoin (1) and cyanothioacethamide in pyridine to afford directly 4. Several new pyrrole and pyrazole derivatives were synthesised using 4 as synthon. The structure of the newly synthesised derivatives were based on celemental and spectral data studies. Methylation of the SH group in 4 afforded 5. Reaction of 4 with ethyl bromo acetate afforded (6). Treatment of (5) and (6) with hydrazine hydrate afforded the same pyrazole derivative (10) through the intermediate (9). Treatment of 6 with aniline and phenylhydrazine afforded the pyrrole derivatives 8a, b respectively. Treatment of 6 while dill HCI gave 2, 3-diphenyl-4-cyano-pyrrole-5-one (7). Treatment of 6 with $NH_3$/EtOH afforded the amidic derivatives (11) with treatment of 6 $NH_3$/ heat then acidification it gave the carboxylic derivatives (12).

• The Korean Journal of Soil Zoology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 1996

This research was carried out to investigate soil mictoarthropods fauna in Namsan and Kwangreung which were considered to receive different degreeds of environmental pressures. In basic environmental data, Namsan where under rather accelerated acidification by air contamination and acidic rain showed low pH, tardy decomposition and turnover rate. Population density of soil microarthropods was high in Kwangreung 17,169.8/\ulcorner\ulcorner(coniferous forests), 17,892.6/$\textrm{m}^2$(deciduous forests) than in Namsan, 12,143.8/$\textrm{m}^2$ (coniferous forests), 14,216$\textrm{m}^2$(deciduous forests). Biomass of soil microarthropods was 2,020.219mg/$\textrm{m}^2$ at coniferous forests and 4,270.172mg/$\textrm{m}^2$ at deciduous forests in Namsan, and 3,287.326mg/$\textrm{m}^2$ at coniferous forests and 4326.1mg/$\textrm{m}^2$ at deciduous forests in Kwangreung. Population density constantly showed high in spring, and seasonal fluctuations were correlated with seasonal precipitation. As far as vertical distribution is concerned, population density was concentrated in litter layer as 70% while 30% are in soil layer and also decreased with increasing depth.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.35-50
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• 2021

In this study, we analyzed the changes in the topographical landscape and the sedimentary environment to evaluate the ecological value of the Dongcheon Estuary and protect the wetland, and presented the conservation management method of the Dongcheon Estuary. Based on the result of topographical landscape analysis, agricultural land tended to decrease continuously, and artificial structures gradually increased. Moreover, in sediment analysis, the Dongcheon Estuary showed both the characteristics of river sediments and coastal sediments, and in some areas problems such as acidification and nutritional imbalance appeared. Therefore, in order to protect and manage the Dongcheon Estuary with high ecological value, it is necessary to limit the development around micro topography and minimize the artificial damage in the Dongcheon Estuary. In addition, efforts such as securing facilities for reducing pollutants and freshwater wetlands for pollutants, that flow in from nonpoint pollutants are required.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2023

Milk protein is often fractionated/concentrated by using various techniques in dairy industries. Among these techniques, ultrafiltration (UF) is particularly efficient at concentrating the casein fraction of milk protein. The objectives of this study were to produce casein hydrolysates by concentrating the casein fraction in skim milk using the UF technique and to investigate the chemical composition of the casein hydrolysates. The skim milk was concentrated using a UF laboratory test unit equipped with 10 kDa and 30 kDa membranes. After UF, the protein content of the milk was concentrated up to ~7.2% and the Ca was concentrated up to ~196 mg/100 g of milk. Trypsin was then added to the concentrated skim milk to produce the casein hydrolysates. The results of sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the casein fraction was not present after hydrolysis, indicating that casein in the milk had been hydrolyzed. The Ca content in the casein hydrolysates was much higher (p<0.05) compared to Ca content in commercial casein phosphopeptides (CPP) indicating that was acidified during the manufacture of commercial CPP. In conclusion, it seems that casein hydrolysates containing large concentrations of protein and Ca can also be made from concentrated UF milk without acidification or renneting.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.324-328
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• 2023

Excessive inflammation in the body causes immune cells to release cytokines that damage normal tissues and cells, leading to rheumatoid arthritis and sepsis. Pulsed magnetic field(PMF) stimulation has many applications in the treatment of neurological, muscular disorders and pain. Therefore, in this study, we aim to investigate the effect of PMF stimulation on the regulation of excessive inflammation in the overall immune system. Macrophages, a primary immune cell, and T cells, a secondary immune cell, were co-cultured in the insert wells under the same conditions, and then inflammation was artificially induced. The changes in inflammatory activity following PMF stimulation were measured by pH and IL-6 concentration. After inflammation induction, both cells became more acidic and increased IL-6 expression, but after PMF stimulation, we observed improved acidification of macrophages and T cells and decreased IL-6 expression. Our results showed that infected macrophages activated T cells and that the recovery of excessive inflammatory response regulation after PMF stimulation proceeded more rapidly in macrophages. Therefore, this study suggests that PMF has a positive anti-inflammatory effect on the overall immune system and thus has the potential to be used as a non-invasive therapy for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.8
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• pp.3112-3122
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• 2024

Crevice corrosion is a localized attack of metal that occurs in occluded areas of materials as a result of a degradation of the oxide passivity on the metal surface in contact with stagnant environments. Materials suffer crevice corrosion when generally the crevice opening gap is so narrow that the migration or diffusion of ionic species into the crevice can be restricted and consequently results in the production of aggressive crevice solutions and differential aeration conditions over time. Among several factors affecting the crevice corrosion, differential aeration causing oxygen depletion associated with the geometry of components, acidification, and accumulation of aggressive species (e.g., Cl^-, SO₄^-2, NO₃^- ) in the crevice solution become main aspects of the mechanism of the crevice corrosion. Thus, controlling such factors is most critically necessary to either prevents or terminates the crevice corrosion. This paper covers electrochemical aspects of the crevice corrosion, roles of critical factors affecting the crevice corrosion, and electrochemical processes of impurity species in the crevice in high temperature water. A better and clear understanding of mechanisms of the crevice corrosion is important to develop the protection and mitigation technology against the crevice corrosion in order for maintaining the integrity and longevity of structural components at various industries

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.329-335
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• 2004

Acid deposition in forest adjacent to the industrial complexes causes soil acidification resulting in the leaching of cations, decreases of buffering capacity and increases of toxic metal concentrations such as Al, Fe, Mn and Cu in soil solution. Changes of nutrient availability equilibria by acid deposition have been known to retard the growth of pine trees. Objective of this research was to assess the critical ratios of Ca/Al and Mg/Al limiting the growth of Pinus thunbergii in the hydroponic culture. The Ca concentration and Ca/Al ratio in stalks of pine tree were increased as increasing Ca/Al molar ratio in the nutrient solution, but were not changed when the Ca/Al molar ratio was adjusted to greater than 1. Growth of Pinus thunbergii was inhibited at the Ca/Al molar ratio lower than l due to the Ca deficiency. The molar ratios of Ca/Al in the needles of Pinus thunbergii showed the similar tendency with the stalks. This indicated that Ca/Al molar ratio of 1 in the growth media was the critical level limiting the growth of Pinus thunbergii. Concentration of Mg and Mg/Al molar ratios in the stalks of pine tree were increased as increasing Mg/Al molar ratio in nutrient solution. Molar ratios of Mg/Al in the needles were increased as increasing Mg/Al ratios in nutrient solution up to 0.83, which was the critical level limiting the growth of Pinus thunbergii.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 2003

Phosphorus is one of the major plant growth limiting nutrients, despite being abundant in soils in both inorganic and organic forms. Phosphobioinoculants in the form of microorganisms can help in increasing the availability of accumulated phosphates for plant growth by solubilization. Penicillium oxalicum CBPSTsa, isolated from paddy rhizosphere, was studied for its phosphate solubilization. The influence of various carbon sources like glucose, sucrose, mannitol and sorbitol and nitrogen sources like arginine, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, ammonium chloride and ammonium sulphate were evaluated using liquid media with tricalcium phosphate (Ca-P), ferric phosphate (Fe-P) and aluminium phosphate (Al-P). Maximum soluble phosphate of 824 mg/L was found in the amendment of sucrose-sodium nitrate from 5 g/L of Ca-P. Mannitol, sorbitol, and ariginine were poor in phosphate solubilization. While sucrose was better carbon source in solubilization of Ca-P and Al-P, glucose fared better in solubilization of Fe-P. Though all the nitrogen sources enhanced P solubilization, nitrates were better than ammonium In the amendments of ammonium chloride and ammonium sulphate, higher uptake of available phosphates by the fungus was found, and this resulted in depletion of available P in Fe-P amendment Phosphate solubilization was accompanied by acidification of the media, and the highest pH decrease was observed in glucose amendment Among the nitrogen sources, ammonium chloride favored greater pH decrease.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.405-412
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• 2011

Environmental impact by proposed pump and treatment remediation of groundwater contaminated with TCE over 0.6 mg/L down to 0.005 mg/L was assessed for 30 years operation in an industrial park. Total amount of groundwater treated was $2.96{\times}10^7m^3$ and the amount of TCE removed was 17.6 kg at most. The life cycle assessment was used to estimate the environmental cost and environmental benefit and their effects on the environment could be analyzed. Most of the environmental cost was accrued from electricity generation for 30 years pump operation, which includes energy consumption, resources consumption such as coal, crude oil, emission of global warming gas and acid gas into air, waste water production, and waste generation. Environmental impact could be quantified with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model for soil and groundwater remediation and normalized based upon consumption and emission quantities per capita in the world. Among the normalized values, acidification material release was the most significant.