• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.60-70
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• 2017

Glaucoma is characterized by a slow and progressive degeneration of the optic nerve, including retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons in the optic nerve head (ONH), leading to visual impairment. Despite its high prevalence, the biological basis of glaucoma pathogenesis still is not yet fully understood, and the factors contributing to its progression are currently not well characterized. Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only modifiable risk factor, and reduction of IOP is the standard treatment for glaucoma. However, lowering IOP itself is not always effective for preserving visual function in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. The second messenger cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) regulates numerous biological processes in the central nervous system including the retina and the optic nerve. Although recent studies revealed that cAMP generated by adenylyl cyclases (ACs) is important in regulating aqueous humor dynamics in ocular tissues, such as the ciliary body and trabecular meshwork, as well as cell death and growth in the retina and optic nerve, the functional role and significance of cAMP in glaucoma remain to be elucidated. In this review, we will discuss the functional role of cAMP in aqueous humor dynamics and IOP regulation, and review the current medications, which are related to the cAMP signaling pathway, for glaucoma treatment. Also, we will further focus on cAMP signaling in RGC growth and regeneration by soluble AC as well as ONH astrocytes by transmembrane ACs to understand its potential role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma neurodegeneration.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.259-265
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• 2001

Staphylococal infection still remains to be one of the most serious infections, having various complications in the clinical use of indwelling polymeric medical devices. However, there are a few promising systems showing a high antibacterial effect without causing any demage of polymer backbone under biological environments such as blood or body fluid. In order to resolve this problem, we have designed a new antibiotic releasing system via a hydrolysis mechanism. The surface of biomedical polyurethane (PU) was modified by using 1,6-diisocyanatohexane (HMDI) to immobilize the rifampicon. Also, the immobilized rifampicin was designed to be released by a selective cleavage of the unstable carbamate linkage that exists on the rifampicin-immobilized polyurethane (PHR). The immobilization of rifampicin on the surface of polyurethane was confirmed by the disappearance of the characteristics IR absorbance peak of the isocyanate (-NCO) group at $2,267\;cm^{-1}$. The PHR showed a continuous rifampicin release profile under an aqueous environment of 10 mM of PBS (phosphate-buffered saline) for ove 6 days. The rifampicin molecules, which are released from PHR under an optimal bacterial infection environment, had a higher antibacterial activity against both S. aureus and S. epidermidis than rifampicin-incorporated polyurethane (RIP). In addition, the PHR maintained a stable antibacterial effect under a blood-mimic aqueous environment such as bovine calf serum.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.02a
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• pp.245-256
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• 2004

The extraction of three kinds of amido podands, N,N,N'N'-tetrabutyl-3-oxa-pentanedi- amide (TBDGA), N,N,N'N'-tetra-isobutyl-3-oxa-pentanediamide(TiBDGA) and N,N,N'N'-tetra- butyl-3,6-dioxa-oct-anediam- ide(TBDOODA) on U(VI),Pu(IV), Am(III), Eu(III) and other metal ions is studied in nitric acid solutions. 40%octanol-kerosene is chosen as diluents to eliminate third phase and emulsion. TBDGA and TiBDGA show extraction selectivity to An(III) and Ln(III) much higher than to U(VI) and Pu(IV). Fe, Ru and Mo is poorly extracted by the three kinds of amid podands in 2~3mol/L $HNO_3$ solutions. Aiming to eliminate interface crude when using simulated HLLW solution in the system of 0.2mol/L TBDGA/Octanol＋kerosene, acetohydroxyamic acid was adapted. Distribution ratio of zirconium was decreased when adding acetohydroxyamic acid in aqueous solution, and interface crude disappeared as mixing extractant with HLLW. The counter-current extraction test is carried out in a set of miniature mixer-settler, with 0.2mol/L TBDGA/ 40% octanol-kerosene as extractant to separate U(VI), Pu(IV), Am(III) and Eu(III) from simulated high level liquid waste(HLLW) solution. In battery A, lanthanides and actinides are coextracted into organic phase with the recovery of 99.98% for U(Ⅵ), >99.99% for Pu(IV), and >99.99% for Am(III) and Eu(III) respectively. In battery R1, 99.99% U, 86.2% Pu and a part of Am or Eu are stripped into aqueous phase by 0.2mol/L acetohydroxyamic acid (AHA) in 0.01mol/L $HNO_3$ solution. In battery $R_2$, Am, Eu and remained Pu are completely back-extracted by 0.2mol/L AHA. This separation process contains no salt reagent, and it is not necessary to dilute HLLW feed.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.17-23
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• 2013

Six-valent chromium ($Cr^{6+}$) is a highly toxic pollutant, supplied in a variety of industrial activities such as leather tanning, cooling tower blowdown, and plating. Herein, we investigated the removal of $Cr^{6+}$ from aqueous phase using low-cost adsorbents. Steel slag, montmorillonite, illite, kaolinite, red mud, and acid treated red mud with 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 M HCl were used as adsorbent for the removal of $Cr^{6+}$ and the results showed that acid treated red mud with 2.0 M HCl (ATRM-2.0 M) had higher adsorption capacity of $Cr^{6+}$ than other adsorbents used. Accordingly, $Cr^{6+}$ removal by ATRM-2.0 M were studied in a batch system with respect to changes in initial concentration of $Cr^{6+}$, initial solution pH, adsorbent dose, adsorbent mixture, and seawater. Equilibrium sorption data were described well by Freundlich isotherm model. The influence of initial solution pH on $Cr^{6+}$ adsorption was insignificant. The use of the ATRM-2.0 M alone was more effective than mixing it with other adsorbents including red mud, zeolite, oyster shell, lime stone, and montmorillonite for the removal of $Cr^{6+}$. The $Cr^{6+}$ removal of the ATRM-2.0 M was slightly less in seawater than deionized water, resulting from the presence of anions in seawater competing for the favorable adsorption site on the surface of ATRM-2.0 M. It was concluded that the ATRM-2.0 M can be used as a potential adsorbent for the removal of $Cr^{6+}$ from the aqueous solutions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

Nuclear power plants (NPP) using Alloy 600 (Ni 75wt%, Cr 15wt%, Fe 10wt%) as a heat exchanger tube of the steam generator (SG) have experienced various corrosion problems by ageing such as pitting, intergranular attack (IGA) and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). In spite of much effort to reduce the material degradations, SCC is still one of important problems to overcome. Especially lead is known to be one of the most deleterious species in the secondary system that cause SCC of the alloy. Even Alloy 690 (Ni 60wt%, Cr 30wt%, Fe 10wt%) as an alternative of Alloy 600 because of outstanding superiority to SCC is also susceptible to leaded environment. An oxide on SG tubing materials such as Alloy 600 and Alloy 690 is formed and modified expanding to complex sludge throughout hideout return (HOR) of various impurities including Pb. Oxide formation and breakdown is requisite for SCC initiation and propagation. Therefore it is expected that an oxide property such as a passivity of an oxide formed on steam generator tubing materials is deeply related to PbSCC and an inhibitor to hinder oxide modification by lead efficiently can be found. In the present work, the SCC susceptibility obtained by using a slow strain rate test (SSRT) in aqueous solutions with and without lead was discussed in view of the oxide property. The oxides formed on Alloy 600 and Alloy 690 in aqueous solutions with and without lead were examined by using a transmission electron microscopy (TEM), an energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), an x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.551-559
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• 1997

The stability of liquid membrane in the extraction process was investigated through the extraction of the Zn component by using W/O/W emulsion type liquid surfactant membrane which was $D_2EHPA-Kerosene-Span$ $80-H_2SO_4$ system. The highest stability for liquid membrane through the Zn extraction process was obtained under the following conditions. That conditions were that span 80 concentration, as surfactant, of 2~3 vol.%;$D_2EHPA$ concentration, as extractant, of 5~7 vol.%;paraffin oil concentration, as membrane strengthening agent, of 10 vol.%;emulsion volume ratio to the external aqueous phase volume of 0.1, and internal aqueous phase volume ratio to the organic phase volume of 1.0.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was carried out to examine whether the apparent photolysis with or without sensitizers [NaOH and humic acid (HA)] was prompted photodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in aqueous solution. Methods: PCBs photodegradation occurred using fluorescence black lamps at ${\lambda}_{max}=300nm$. PCB congeners were exposed in 10 ppm HA or 0.05N NaOH solutions, to investigate the decreasing profile of PCB concentration with time. The PCBs were then analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Reductive degradation profile of PCB congeners in the presence of both sensitizers under oxygen-saturated protic conditions was described using the wind-rose diagrams. Results: Use of HA or NaOH decreased PCB concentration with time in the dark and on irradiation, indicating that photolysis underwent through reductive dechlorination through energy transfer and possibly with reactive oxygens. The dechlorination was marked by a chromatographic shift, observed in the GC-MS plots. Therefore it is logical to assume that increasing the dose of sensitizers would increase the photodegradation rates of PCBs. The half-lives of pentachloro-PCB (penta-3) in 0.05N NaOH and 10 ppm HA were estimated at about 47 hours and 39 hours, respectively, under the same experimental conditions of photolysis. It was found that the rate of photolysis of pentachloro-PCB in aqueous solution followed apparent first-order kinetics compared to other congeners. Conclusion: Photochemical degradation (using 328 nm UV light) of penta- and hexa-PCBs in HA or alkaline solution is a viable method for pretreatment method. The results are helpful for the further comprehension of the reaction mechanism for photolytic dechlorination of PCBs in aquatic system.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.661-664
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• 1999

Proteins were extracted from an aqueous phase with reversed micelles. The effect of pH, and salt concentration on the solubilization of lysozyme in AOT/isooctane solution was studied to explore the potential for employing this solvent system in the large-scale recovery and concentration of proteins using liquid extraction. For pH values below the isoelectric point, pl of the protein, solubilization was high, probably owing to strong electrostatic interactions between the positively charged proteins and the anionic surfactant heads forming the inner micelle wall. At low ionic strength complete solubilization of the protein was observed. A pH higher than the pl of lysozyme and a salt concentration lower than that of the water pool were required for the recovery aqueous phase to ensure the back extraction of lysozyme from the AOT reversed micelles.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.489-498
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• 1998

Among the heat/mass exchange units composing an absorption system, the absorber, where the refrigerant vapor is absorbed into the liquid solution is the one least understood. In the present study, the effects of non-absorbable gas on the absorption process of aqueous lithium bromide solution falling film inside a vertical tube were experimentally investigated. In the range of film Reynolds number of 30 ~ 195, heat and mass transfer characteristics were investigated as a function of non-absorbable gas volumetric concentration, 0.2 ~ 20%. An increase of non-absorbable gas volumetric concentration degraded the mass transfer rate dramatically in the absorption process. The reduction of mass transfer rate was significant for the addition of small amount of non-absorbable gas to the pure vapor. At film Reynolds number of 130, an increase of non-absorbable gas concentration from 0.2 to 6.0% resulted in the decrease of mass transfer rate by 36% and 20% of non-absorbable gas by 59%. However the decrease of film Nusselt number with the increase of volumetric concentration of non absorbable gas was relatively smaller than the decrease of Sherwood number. Critical film Reynolds number was identified to exist for the maximum heat and mass transfer regardless of the volumetric concentration of non-absorbable gases.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.431-439
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• 2012

Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) was carried out to study the nucleation and crystal growth process of $CeO_2$ nanoparticles in different alcohol aqueous solutions. The results showed that the nucleation and crystal growth process of $CeO_2$ can be classified into three stages: nuclei growth, crystal stabilization and crystal aggregation except the initial induction stage, which could be reproduced by collecting simulation results after different simulation time. Properly selecting the sizes of $CeO_2$ and water bead was crucial in the simulation system. The influence of alcohol type and content in solutions, and precipitation temperature on the particle dimension were investigated in detail and compared with the experimental results. The consistency between simulation results and experimental data verify that the simulation can reproduce the macroscopic particle aggregation process. The effect of solvent on the nucleation and crystal growth of $CeO_2$ nanoparticles are different at three stages and can not be simply described by Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory or nucleation thermodynamics theory. Our work demonstrated that DPD methods can be applied to study nanoparticle forming process.