• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.326-331
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• 2008

Distribution coefficients (Kd) of uranyl ion onto divinylbenzene amidoxime resins were measured in sodium carbonate solution and the Kd values were increased up to about 70 as the resin bead size was decreased. At a condition of 0.0044 M $Na_2CO_3$, the adsorption capacity for uranium was $3.4{\mu}mole$ U/g-resin. The Kd values in the 0.5 M $Na_2CO_3-NaHCO_3$ solution, ranging from pH 9 to pH 11, revealed that they were increased as the pH increased and revealed lower values than those in the pure sodium carbonate solution. The amidoxime resins were characterized by FTIR-ATR showing the absorption bands of the amidoxime functional groups. A species of the uranyltricarbonate complex, $UO_2(CO_3)_3^{-4}$, was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, revealing four absorption peaks between 400 and 500 nm. Uranium was separated from some fission products by a column operation. However, most of the uranium and fission products were eluted before an adsorption and only a small amount of uranium was adsorbed onto the resin due to the low capacity of the resin.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2007

Purpose: Ingested foreign bodies are removed by endoscopy, surgery or spontaneous passage, however, the decision of therapeutic modality chosen depends on the type, size, shape and location of the ingested foreign bodies. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the rate and characteristics of foreign bodies that were passed spontaneously out of the intestine. Methods: One hundred and sixty patients who visited Samsung Medical Center for treatment of gastrointestinal foreign bodies between January 2001 to July 2007 were enrolled in this study. Related data was colleted by reviewing the medical records of patients with proven foreign bodies retrospectively, as well as by conducting phone interviews with the parents of the patients. All cases were classified based on the nature and location of the ingested foreign body, as well as whether it was treated by spontaneous passage. Results: Of the 160 cases involving the passage of foreign bodies in children were included in this study (95 boys and 65 girls), endoscopic removals, operative removals or spontaneous passages were conducted in 80, 3 and 77 patients, respectively. The spontaneous passage rates for each type of object were as follows; coins (36.5%), bead and baduk stones (83.3%), long and sharp materials (52.6%), magnets (69.2%) and disc batteries (50.0%). In cases involving round-shaped foreign bodies, such as coins, the diverse spontaneous passage rates were more diverse. When foreign bodies were stuck below esophagus, similar sized coins and baduk stones had spontaneous passage rates greater than 80% regardless of age. Conclusion: It is better for clinicians to wait for spontaneous passage to occur in cases involving coins or round-shaped foreign bodies that are located at or below the stomach.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.74-94
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• 1993

Metabasites and metapelites in the Mungyong area were intruded by Cretaceous granites with radius of 4-8 km. As the distance from granite body increases, the mineral assemblage of metabasite changes from amphibole + plagioclase through amphibole + plagioclase + epidote to amphibole + plagioclase + epidote + chlorite. The compositional variations of amphibole and plagioclase according to the change of metamorphic grade and bulk rock compositions are very complex. Towards the Mungyong Cretaceous granite body, the mineral assemblage of metapelite changes from chlorite+ muscovite(ch1orite zone) through biotite + chlorite + muscovite(biotite zone) to andalusite+biotite + muscovite${\pm}$chlorite or cordierite+ biotite+ muscovite${\pm}$chlorite(cordierite zone). The estimated metamorphic conditions of cordierite zone are 480~$580^{\circ}C$ 1.5-3.3 kb. The theoretical study on the thermal metamorphism caused by the Cretaceous granite with radius longer than 4 km in the Mungyong area suggests the followings: The degree of metamorphism is mainly determined not by the size of granite body but by the temperature of granite intrusion; The country rocks within 2 km from Cretaceous granite have undergone metamorphism with temperature higher than $500^{\circ}C$, which is consistent with the petrological study in the Mungyong area. Mungyong Cretaceous granite caused a low P/T thermal metamorphism to the country rocks; the amphibolite facies metamorphism to the country rocks within 1-2 km from the granite body and the epidote-amphibolite and greenschist facies metamorphism to the country rocks within 2-5 km.

• Clean Technology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.390-397
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• 2014

This study was performed to investigate the effects of fluidizing media on $N_2O$ production in fluidized bed incineration of sewage sludge. The fluidized media were prepared in a form of 2 mm bead by mixing zeolite powders in our lab. Sand having 0.4 mm of the mean size showed 0.44 m/s of minimum fluidization velocity ($U_{mf}$), while the prepared zeolite media 0.5 m/s. When the ratio of fluidizing media height to the inside diameter of the incinerator (bed aspect ratio) increased from 1.4 to 3.1, it was found that $U_{mf}$ of the zeolite media was varied from 0.5 m/s to 0.7 m/s. Under the operation conditions in 1.79 of excess air ratio, $909^{\circ}C$ of bed temperature and ca. 1.65 m/s of superficial velocity, as the weight of fluidizing meadia was increased, $O_2$ concentration in the flue gas was slightly decreased, and $CO_2$ increased. Above 6 kg of fluidizing media weight (1.98 of bed aspect ratio), it was observed that $N_2O$ concentration was significantly reduced, which might result from the decomposition of $N_2O$ on the zeolite media rather than transformation of $N_2O$ to NOx. On the other hand, in a variation of the zeolite media mixing ratio to sand and bed temperature at a constant total bed height, significant difference was exhibited in $N_2O$ emission concentration according to the temperature. Considering the operation temperature in the incineration, the effective calcination temperature of the zeolite media was suggested to be around $900^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2022

Thymosin β-4 (TB4) is a small peptide composed of 43 amino acids. To obtain sufficient biologically active mouse TB4 economically, we cloned and overexpressed this gene in an Escherichia coli system. With the isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside induction of the E. coli transformant, TB4 fusion protein with intein- and chitin-binding domain was successfully expressed in the soluble fraction within the E. coli cell. The TB4-intein - chitin-binding domain fusion protein was purified from the soluble fraction of E. coli cell lysate. The affinity chromatography with chitin beads and dithiothreitol-mediated intein self-cleavage reaction releases the TB4 peptide into the stripping solution. Sodium dodecyl sulphate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analyses were used to confirm that the recombinant TB4 peptide was produced with the expected size of 5 kDa. We found that the recombinant TB4 stimulated cell migration in the transwell plate chamber assay. After 18 hr of the treatment of the recombinant TB4 with 1 ng/ml concentration, the migration of the HT1080 cell was increased by 20% compared with that of the chemically synthesized TB4. The recombinant TB4 was also observed to promote the healing of a wound area in C57BL/6 mice by as high as 35% compared with that of the chemically synthesized TB4. These results suggest that the recombinant TB4 has better biological activity for cell migration and wound healing than that of the chemically synthesized TB4 peptide.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.104-114
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• 2023

As plastic usage increases globally, the amount of plastic waste entering the marine environment is steadily rising. Microplastics, in particular, can be ingested by marine organisms and accumulated in their digestive tracts, causing harmful effects on their growth and reproduction. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are known to metabolize various environmental pollutants as detoxification enzymes, but their role in crustaceans is not well understood. In this study, sequences of nine CYP genes (CYP370A4, CYP370C5 from clan 2; CYP350A1, CYP350C5, CYP361A1 from clan 3; CYP4AN-like, CYP4AP2, CYP4AP3, CYP4C33-like1 from clan 4) were analyzed using conserved domains in the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis. Additionally, after exposure to three different sizes of polystyrene beads (0.05-, 0.5-, 6-㎛ PS beads; 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L) for 48 hours, the expression of these nine CYP genes were investigated using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that all CYP genes possessed conserved motifs, indicating that D. celebensis CYP has evolutionarily conserved functions. Among these CYP genes, the expression of CYP370C5, CYP360A1, and CYP4C122 showed a significant increase after exposure to 0.05-㎛ PS beads, suggesting their involvement in PS metabolism. This research will contribute to understanding the molecular mode of actions of microplastics on marine invertebrates.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1658-1670
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• 2021

Objective: To assess the two-year treatment outcomes of chemoembolization with drug-eluting embolics (DEE) for nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective, multicenter, registry-based, single-arm trial conducted at five university hospitals in Korea. Patients were recruited between May 2011 and April 2013, with a target population of 200. A DC Bead loaded with doxorubicin was used as the DEE agent. Patients were followed up for two years. Per-patient and per-lesion tumor response analysis, per-patient overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) analysis, and per-lesion tumor control analysis were performed. Results: The final study population included 152 patients, with 207 target lesions for the per-lesion analysis. At one-month, six-month, one-year, and two-year per-patient assessments, complete response (CR) rates were 40.1%, 43.0%, 33.3%, and 19.6%, respectively. The objective response (OR) rates were 91.4%, 55.4%, 35.1%, and 19.6%, respectively. The cumulative two-year OS rate was 79.7%. The cumulative two-year PFS rate was 22.4% and the median survival was 9.3 months. In multivariable analysis, the Child-Pugh score (p = 0.019) was an independent predictor of OS, and tumor multiplicity (p < 0.001), tumor size (p = 0.020), and Child-Pugh score (p = 0.006) were independent predictors of PFS. In per-lesion analysis, one-month, six-month, one-year and two-year CR rates were 57.5%, 58.5%, 45.2%, and 33.3%, respectively, and the OR rates were 84.1%, 65.2%, 46.6%, and 33.3%, respectively. The cumulative two-year per-lesion tumor control rate was 36.2%, and the median time was 14.1 months. The Child-Pugh score (p < 0.001) was the only independent predictor of tumor control. Serious adverse events were reported in 11 patients (7.2%). Conclusion: DEE chemoembolization for nodular HCCs in the Korean population showed acceptable survival, tumor response, and safety profiles after a two-year follow-up. Good liver function (Child-Pugh score A5) was a key predictor of per-patient OS, PFS, and per-lesion tumor control.