• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

Using stereo, light, and scanning electron microscopes, we researched the anatomical and histological structure of Chaenogobius gulosus's olfactory organ and compared it to those of sympatric gobies Luciogobius guttatus and Favonigobius gymnauchen. Results revealed the following common characteristics: i) tubular anterior nostril (AN) and flat posterior nostril (PN), ii) a single longitudinal lamella, iii) two accessory nasal sacs (ANS, ethmoidal and lacrimal), iv) abundant sensory epithelium lymphatic cells (LC), v) an eosinophil cell, and vi) a ciliary length a quarter of the knob diameter in the olfactory receptor neuron (ORN). Some characteristics are specific to C. gulosus and different from the other two gobies: i) 0.5~1.0 mm AN and 0.2~0.5 mm PN (vs. 0.2~0.3 mm and 0.2~0.3 mm in L. guttatus; 0.2~0.4 mm and 0.1~0.3 mm in F. gymnauchen), ii) two ANS (vs. absence in L. guttatus; two in F. gymnauchen), iii) abundant LC (vs. low in L. guttatus and F. gymnauchen), iv) low density non-sensory cilia on the lamellar surface (vs. high in L. guttatus; low in F. gymnauchen), and v) a quarter ciliary length to knob diameter ratio in the ORN (vs. mixture of a quarter to equal ratio in L. guttatus; two or three times in F. gymnauchen). From these results, we confirmed the C. gulosus olfactory organ has adapted anatomically and histologically to the sand-rock tidal zone.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.148-158
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• 2022

The electrochemical CO₂ reduction (ECR) to produce value-added fuels and chemicals using clean energy sources (like solar and wind) is a promising technology to neutralize the carbon cycle and reproduce the fuels. Presently, the ECR has been the most attractive route to produce carbon-building blocks that have growing global production and high market demand. The electrochemical CO₂ reduction could be extensively implemented if it produces valuable products at those costs which are financially competitive with the present market prices. Herein, the electrochemical conversion of CO₂ obtained from flue gases of a power plant to produce diesel and formic acid using a consistent techno-economic approach is presented. The first scenario analyzed the production of diesel fuel which was formed through Fischer-Tropsch processing of CO (obtained through electroreduction of CO₂) and hydrogen, while in the second scenario, direct electrochemical CO₂ reduction to formic acid was considered. As per the base case assumptions extracted from the previous outstanding research studies, both processes weren't competitive with the existing fuel prices, indicating that high electrochemical (EC) cell capital cost was the main limiting component. The diesel fuel production was predicted as the best route for the cost-effective production of fuels under conceivable optimistic case assumptions, and the formic acid was found to be costly in terms of stored energy contents and has a facile production mechanism at those costs which are financially competitive with its bulk market price. In both processes, the liquid product cost was greatly affected by the parameters affecting the EC cell capital expenses, such as cost concerning the electrode area, faradaic efficiency, and current density.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2022

Alkaline fuel cells using liquid fuels such as hydrazine and ammonia are gaining great attention as a clean and renewable energy solution possibly owing to advantages such as excellent energy density, simple structure, compact size in fuel container, and ease of storage and transportation. However, common shortcomings including cathode flooding, fuel crossover, side yield reactions, and fuel security and toxicity are still challenging issues. Real time monitoring of fuel concentrations integrated into a fuel cell device can help improving fuel cell performance via predicting any loss of fuels used at a cathode for efficient energy production. There have been extensive research efforts made on developing real-time sensing platforms for hydrazine and ammonia. Among these, recent advancements in electrochemical sensors offering high sensitivity and selectivity, easy fabrication, and fast monitoring capability for analysis of hydrazine and ammonia concentrations will be introduced. In particular, research trend on the integration of metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles and also their hybrids with carbon-based nanomaterials into electrochemical sensing platforms for improvement in sensitivity and selectivity will be highlighted.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2022

Lithium metal is the most promising anode for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its lowest reduction potential (-3.04 V vs. SHE) and high specific capacity (3860 mAh/g). However, the dendritic formation under high charging current density remains one of main technical barriers to be used for commercial rechargeable batteries. To address these issues, tremendous research to suppress lithium dendrite formation have been conducted through new electrolyte formulation, robust protection layer, shape-controlled lithium metal, separator modification, etc. However, Li/Li symmetric cell test is always a starting or essential step to demonstrate better lithium dendrite formation behavior with lower overpotential and longer cycle life without careful analysis. Thus, this review summarizes overpotential behaviors of Li/Li symmetric cells along with theoretical explanations like initial peaking or later arcing. Also, we categorize various overpotential data depending on research approaches and discuss them based on peaking and arcing behaviors. Thus, this review will be very helpful for researchers in lithium metal to analyze their overpotential behaviors.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.452-462
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• 2021

Pretilachlor (PRE) is a common acetanilide herbicide used worldwide. However, its effects on aquatic organisms, particularly marine photosynthetic life, are not sufficiently known. Herein, we evaluated the toxic effects of PRE by physiological and molecular parameters in the photosynthetic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum. The cell density, pigment content, and photosynthetic parameters (F_v/F_m and PI_ABS) were considerably decreased with increased PRE exposure time and doses. In addition, photosynthesis-related genes, PmpsbA, PmpsaA, and PmatpB, were significantly upregulated when exposed to 1.0 mg L^-1 of PRE for 24 h (p<0.001). In 72 h treatment, the relative gene expression was significantly increased (0.1 and 0.5 mg L^-1; p<0.01). In contrast, PmrbcL was decreased or little changed compared to the controls. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased after 24 h exposure (p<0.001). However, the transcriptional fold-changes in glutathione S-transferase (GST) were significantly increased (0.5 and 1.0 mg L^-1; p<0.001) at 72 h. These findings suggested that the PmGST might be involved in PRE detoxification in P. minimum. In addition, PRE may affect the photosystem function in phytoplankton similar to other acetanilides, causing severe damage or cell death.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.184-191
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• 2010

Epiphytic diatoms are very important organisms in the seagrass ecosystem because their colonization on leaves increases microtopography and provides attachment sites that make the leaves more hospitable for other epiphytes. Epiphytic diatoms were attached to the leaves in the following 3 manners: (1) parallel to the cells of the seagrass leaf or by molding the shape of the diatom along the cell shape of the leaf; (2) with increasing diatom density toward the leaf tip; (3) Cocconeis species as attaching species than the Naviculoid species as the second attaching species on the leaf tip. In addition, the epiphytic diatom communities on Zostera marina leaves differed from those on the Zostera japonica leaves, but were very similar to the epiphytic communities on Zostera caespitosa leaves. Our results suggest that the epiphytic community on seagrass leaves varied according to the leaf shape such as leaf length and width, but the leaf cell shape or size did not influence the dynamics of the diatom communities.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.325-332
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• 2008

To characterize the initiation, propagation and termination of Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooms in the southeast coastal waters of Korea, 2007, we have analyzed the data set of phytoplankton composition, physical and chemical water properties, and meterological data. The development of C. polykrikoides bloom in 2007 can be summarized in three steps. The first stage from middle of July to end of August was characterized by an unusually persistent and strong southerly wind. C. polykrikoides blooms established already by the strong wind in the middle of south coastal waters were advected intermittently into the study area. Accordingly, highly variable cell densities of C. polykrikoides were observed. At the second stage a favorable growing conditions for C. polykrikoides was developed, which was directed by changes in wind direction from south to northeast and thus enhanced transportation of offshore waters into inshore (August 8 to 30). C. polykrikoides bloom occurred through typical mechanism and showed high cell density. The last stage was represented by disappearance of C. polykrikoides. Typoon 'Nari' carrying heavy rain brought an unfavorable habitat to C. polykrikoides. Low saline condition formed in coastal water due to typoon effects continuously drove the dominant species to diatoms and flagellates which were prevailing over C. polykrikoides in this circumstances(from the middle of September). These stepwise processes could be the causative mechanism of the extraordinarily persistent C. polykrikoides bloom observed in southeast coastal water of Korea, 2007.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.317-324
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• 2024

We demonstrate a direct growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the surface of LiFePO₄ (LFP) powders for use in lithium-ion batteries (LIB). LFP has been widely used as a cathode material due to its low cost and high stability. However, there is a still enough room for development to overcome its low energy density and electrical conductivity. In this study, we fabricated novel structured composites of LFP and CNTs (LFP-CNTs) and characterized the electrochemical properties of LIB. The composites were prepared by direct growth of CNTs on the surface of LFP using a rotary chemical vapor deposition. The growth temperature and rotation speed of the chamber were optimized at 600 ℃ and 5 rpm, respectively. For the LIB cell fabrication, a half-cell was fabricated using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and carbon black as binder and conductive additives, respectively. The electrochemical properties of LIBs using commercial carbon-coated LFP (LFP/C), LFP with CNTs grown for 10 (LFP/CNTs-10m) and 30 min(LFP/CNTs-30m) are comparatively investigated. For example, after the formation cycle, we obtained 149.3, 160.1, and 175.0 mAh/g for LFP/C, LFP/CNTs-10m, and LFP/CNTs-30m, respectively. In addition, the improved rate performance and 111.9 mAh/g capacity at 2C rate were achieved from the LFP/CNTs-30m sample compared to the LFP/CNTs-10m and LFP/C samples. We believe that the approach using direct growth of CNTs on LFP particles provides straightforward solution to improve the conductivity in the LFP-based electrode by constructing conduction pathways.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.109-115
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• 2002

Submerged cultures of Ganoderma lucidum, a valuable mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine, were used for production of bioactive Banoderic acids and Ganoderma polysaccharides. The significant effects of oxygen supply were demonstrated in both shake flasks and bioreactors. By changing the medium loading volume in a shake flask, a different value of initial volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient ($K_L$a) was obtained, and a higher $K_L$a value led to a higher biomass density and a higher productivity of both intracellular polysaccharide and ganoderic acid. In a stirred bioreactor, at an initial $K_L$a of 78.2 $h^{-1}$, a maximal cell concentration of 15.6 g/L by dry weight was obtained, as well as a maximal intracellular polysarcharide (IPS) production of 2.2 g/L and its maximal productivity of 220 mg/(L.d). An increase of initial $K_L$a led to a higher production and productivity of GA, and the GA production and productivity at an initial $K_L$a of 96.0 $h^{-1}$ was 1.8-fold those at an initial $K_L$a of 16.4 $h^{-1}$. The fundamental information obtained in this study may be useful for efficient large-scale production of these valuable bioactive products by the submerged cultures.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.477-482
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• 2008

A variety of bacterial strains were isolated from waste disposal sites of Uttaranchal, India, and some from artificially developed soil beds containing maleic anhydride, glucose, and small pieces of polyethylene. Primary screening of isolates was done based on their ability to utilize high- and low-density polyethylenes (HDPE/LDPE) as a primary carbon source. Thereafter, a consortium was developed using potential strains. Furthermore, a biodegradation assay was carried out in 500-ml flasks containing minimal broth (250ml) and HDPE/LDPE at 5mg/ml concentration. After incubation for two weeks, degraded samples were recovered through filtration and subsequent evaporation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTG-DTA) were used to analyze these samples. Results showed that consortium-treated HDPE (considered to be more inert relative to LDPE) was degraded to a greater extent (22.41% weight loss) in comparison with LDPE (21.70% weight loss), whereas, in the case of untreated samples, weight loss was more for LDPE than HDPE (4.5% and 2.5%, respectively) at $400^{\circ}C$. Therefore, this study suggests that polyethylene could be degraded by utilizing microbial consortia in an eco-friendly manner.