• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.917-929
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• 2019

Denitrification in streams is of great importance because it is essential for amelioration of water quality and accurate estimation of $N_2O$ budgets. Denitrification is a major biological source or sink of $N_2O$, an important greenhouse gas, which is a multi-step respiratory process that converts nitrate ($NO_3{^-}$) to gaseous forms of nitrogen ($N_2$ or $N_2O$). In aquatic ecosystems, the complex interactions of water flooding condition, substrate supply, hydrodynamic and biogeochemical properties modulate the extent of multi-step reactions required for $N_2O$ flux. Although water flow in streambed and residence time affect reaction output, effects of a complex interaction of hydrodynamic, geomorphology and biogeochemical controls on the magnitude of denitrification in streams are still illusive. In this work, we built a two-dimensional water flow channel and measured $N_2O$ flux from channel sediment with different bed geomorphology by using static closed chambers. Two independent experiments were conducted with identical flume and geomorphology but sediment with differences in dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The experiment flume was a circulation channel through which the effluent flows back, and the size of it was $37m{\times}1.2m{\times}1m$. Five days before the experiment began, urea fertilizer (46% N) was added to sediment with the rate of $0.5kg\;N/m^2$. A sand dune (1 m length and 0.15 m height) was made at the middle of channel to simulate variations in microtopography. In high- DOC experiment, $N_2O$ flux increases in the direction of flow, while the highest flux ($14.6{\pm}8.40{\mu}g\;N_2O-N/m^2\;hr$) was measured in the slope on the back side of the sand dune. followed by decreases afterward. In contrast, low DOC sediment did not show the geomorphological variations. We found that even though topographic variation influenced $N_2O$ flux and chemical properties, this effect is highly constrained by carbon availability.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.653-661
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• 2019

The first small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics have recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S., and the demand for a new RNA therapeutics bioanalysis method-which is essential for pharmacokinetics, including the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of siRNA therapeutics-is rapidly increasing. The stem-loop real-time qPCR (RT-qPCR) assay is a useful molecular technique for the identification and quantification of small RNA (e.g., micro RNA and siRNA) and can be applied for the bioanalysis of siRNA therapeutics. When the anti-HPV E6/E7 siRNA therapeutic was used in preclinical trials, the established stem-loop RT-qPCR assay was validated. The limit of detection was sensitive up to 10 fM and the lower limit of quantification up to 100 fM. In fact, the reliability of the established test method was further validated in three intra assays. Here, the correlation coefficient of $R^2$>0.99, the slope of -3.10 ~ -3.40, and the recovery rate within ${\pm}20%$ of the siRNA standard curve confirm its excellent robustness. Finally, the circulation profiles of siRNAs were demonstrated in rat serum, and the pharmacokinetic properties of the anti-HPV E6/E7 siRNA therapeutic were characterized using a stem-loop RT-qPCR assay. Therefore, the stemloop RT-qPCR assay enables accurate, precise, and sensitive siRNA duplex quantification and is suitable for the quantification of small RNA therapeutics using small volumes of biological samples.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.21-29
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• 2018

The contents of total nitrogen(T-N), phosphate($T-P_2O_5$), and potash($T-K_2O$) are important factors to determine the application rate of the livestock compost to prevent nutrients accumulation and maintain their appropriate levels in arable lands. The concentrations of nutrient, organic matter, salt, water content, heavy metal in livestock compost in circulation were investigated with 659 samples from 2016 to 2017. In order to investigate the fluctuation nutrient contents of livestock composts with the same product name, 19 samples were collected and analyzed T-N, and $T-P_2O_5$, and $T-K_2O$ concentration during two years. The mean levels of T-N, $T-P_2O_5$, and $T-K_2O$ in livestock composts of from 2016 to 2017 were 1.73%, 1.88%, and 1.66%, respectively. The average contents of organic matter, water, and salt were 38.9%, 40.9%, and 1.2%, respectively. There were found that the maximum concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn in some livestock composts were exceeded the criteria of the official standard of commercial fertilizer. The maximum variation coefficient of T-N, $T-P_2O_5$ and $T-K_2O$ content of livestock composts was found to be 24%, 27%, and 50% on average, respectively. In order to manage the nutrients in agricultural soils, it will be reasonable that the error range of T-N and $T-P_2O_5$ content in livestock composts should be recommended to be 27% in mean as variation coefficient in case of displaying the nutrient element in liverstock compost.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.170-177
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentrations of chlorine dioxide ($ClO_2$) on sterilization and deodorization of food-holding cabinets under different exposure times. For the measuring sterilization and deodorization, a 6.5 L chamber and a 625 L cabinet with circulation systems were used. Two bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus KCTC1916 and Escherichia coli KCTC 1682) that were artificially inoculated in the plate respectively were put into the 6.5 L chamber and the 625 L cabinet. The $ClO_2$ gas was produced by ampules. In the 6.5 L chamber, neither of the two bacteria was detected after 24 hours treatment by $ClO_2$ gas. Moreover, the deodorization rate against ammonia and phenol was 94% and 70%, respectively, but deodorization against formaldehyde was not effective. When the concentration reached maximum (6 ampule, 4.6 ppm) levels in the cabinet, it lasted for approximately 2 h and then decreased slowly. When a circulator was used, the gas concentration was very low (6 ampule, 0.8 ppm) and the antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli was low. The level of reduction against S. aureus and E. coli was 2.98 log CFU/plate and 6.06 log CFU/plate, respectively, in the cabinet after 24 h without a circulator. The reduction against S. aureus KCTC1916 and E. coli KCTC1682 was 2.69 log CFU/plate and 4.41 log CFU/plate for 24 h, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.591-603
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• 2022

The color and optical properties of seawater are determined by the interaction between dissolved organic and inorganic substances and plankton contained in it. The Ieodo - Ocean Research Institute (I-ORS), located in the East China Sea, is affected by the low salinity of the Yangtze River in the west and the Tsushima Warm Current in the south. Thus, it is a suitable site for analyzing the fluctuations in circulation and optical properties around the Korean Peninsula. In this study, seawater surrounding the I-ORS was classified according to its optical characteristics using the satellite remote reflectance observed with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Aqua and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) bio-Optical Marine Algorithm Dataset (NOMAD) from January 2016 to December 2020. Additionally, the variation characteristics of optical water types (OWTs) from different seasons were presented. A total of 59,532 satellite match-up data (d ≤ 10 km) collected from seawater surrounding the I-ORS were classified into 23 types using the spectral angle mapper. The OWTs appearing in relatively clear waters surrounding the I-ORS were observed to be greater than 50% of the total. The maximum OWTs frequency in summer and winter was opposite according to season. In particular, the OWTs corresponding to optically clear seawater were primarily present in the summer. However, the same OWTs were lower than overall 1% rate in winter. Considering the OWTs fluctuations in the East China Sea, the I-ORS is inferred to be located in the transition zone of seawater. This study contributes in understanding the optical characteristics of seawater and improving the accuracy of satellite ocean color variables.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.254-267
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Although the shortage of donor is a common problem worldwide, a significant portion of unutilized hearts are classified as marginal donor (MD) hearts. However, research on the correlation between the MD and the prognosis of heart transplantation (HTx) is lacking. This study was conducted to investigate the clinical impact of MD in HTx. Methods: Consecutive 73 HTxs during 2014 and 2021 in a tertiary hospital were analyzed. MD was defined as follows; a donor age >55 years, left ventricular ejection fraction <50%, cold ischemic time >240 minutes, or significant cardiac structural problems. Preoperative characteristics and postoperative hemodynamic data, primary graft dysfunction (PGD), and the survival rate were analyzed. Risk stratification by Index for Mortality Prediction after Cardiac Transplantation (IMPACT) score was performed to examine the outcomes according to the recipient state. Each group was sub-divided into 2 risk groups according to the IMPACT score (low <10 vs. high ≥10). Results: A total of 32 (43.8%) patients received an organ from MDs. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was more frequent in the non-MD group (34.4% vs. 70.7, p=0.007) There was no significant difference in PGD, 30-day mortality and long-term survival between groups. In the subgroup analysis, early outcomes did not differ between low- and high-risk groups. However, the long-term survival was better in the low-risk group (p=0.01). Conclusions: The outcomes of MD group were not significantly different from non-MD group. Particularly, in low-risk recipient, the MD group showed excellent early and long-term outcomes. These results suggest the usability of selected MD hearts without increasing adverse events.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.473-479
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• 2009

Background: Retrograde autologous priming (RAP) is known to be useful in decreasing the need of transfusions in cardiac surgery because it prevents excessive hemodilution due to the crystalloid priming of cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. However, there are also negative side effects in terms of blood conservation. We analyzed the intraoperative blood-conserving effect of RAP and also investigated the efficacy of autotransfusion and ultrafiltration as a supplemental method for RAP. Material and Method: From January 2005 to December 2007, 117 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass operations using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were enrolled. Mean age was 63.9$\pm$9.1 years (range 36$\sim$83 years) and 34 patients were female. There were 62 patients in the RAP group and 55 patients in he control group. Intraoperative autotransfusion was performed via the arterial line. RAP was done just before initiating CPB using retrograde drainage of the crystalloid priming solution. Both conventional (CUF) and modified (MUF) ultrafiltrations were done during and after CPB, respectively. The transfusion threshold was less than 20% in hematocrit. Result: Autotransfusions were done in 79 patients (67.5%) and the average amount was 142.5$\pm$65.4 mL (range 30$\sim$320 mL). Homologous red blood cell (RBC) transfusion was done in 47 patients (40.2%) and mean amount of transfused RBC was 404.3$\pm$222.6 mL. Risk factors for transfusions were body surface area (OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00 $\sim$ 0.63, p=0.030) and cardiopulmonary bypass time (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 $\sim$ 1.08, p=0.019). RAP was not effective in terms of the rate of transfusion (34.5% vs 45.2%, p=0.24). However, the amount of transfused RBC was significantly decreased (526.3$\pm$242.3ml vs 321.4$\pm$166.3 mL, p=0.001). Autotransfusion and ultrafiltration revealed additive and cumulative effects decreasing transfusion amount (one; 600.0$\pm$231.0 mL, two; 533.3$\pm$264.6 mL, three; 346.7$\pm$176.7 mL, four; 300.0$\pm$146.1 mL, p=0.002). Conclusion: Even though RAP did not appear to be effective in terms of the number of patients receiving intraoperative RBC transfusions, it could conserve blood in terms of the amount transfused and with the additive effects of autotransfusion and ultrafiltration. If we want to maximize the blood conserving effect of RAP, more aggressive control will be necessary - such as high threshold of transfusion trigger or strict regulation of crystalloid infusion, and so forth.