• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.163-173
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• 2022

Research and development of biofuels as one of the means to mitigate global warming and to avoid fossil fuel depletion has occurred for more than 30 years. However, there has only been limited distribution of a few first- and second-generation biofuels, and widespread supply and consumption of biofuels is still far from a reality. Although a relatively recently studied third-generation biofuel derived from seaweed biomass has been shown to have many advantages, it is yet to be deployed in commercial-scale seaweed biorefineries. This review paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of seaweed biorefineries for the entire value chain covering from seaweed and its cultivation to biofuel production based on an extensive literature search and the author's experience of conducting feasibility studies pertaining to seaweed biorefineries for over 10 years. For this purpose, the literature survey will cover the current status of seaweed production and its research and development worldwide, conversion technologies for biofuel production from seaweed based on bench-scale experiments, and large-scale techno-economic feasibility studies for seaweed conversion to biofuels and bioenergy. In addition, the main problems expected with the commercialization of seaweed-based biofuels will be identified. Finally, the current status of seaweed biorefinery technology and the author's views on its promising future will be summarized.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

Objectives: Noni fruit juice (NFJ) is liquor extracted from Morinda citrifolia (noni) fruit and has been used as an herbal remedy in many countries. However, the NFJ's anti-adipogenic and anti-inflammatory effects on adipocytes are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the commercially standardized NFJ effects on lipid accumulation throughout 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiation and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-mediated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Methods: Cellular lipid accumulation and triglyceride (TG) content in differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were assessed subsequently via the Oil Red O staining and AdipoRed assay. MTS assay was used to examine NFJ cytotoxicity in (differentiating) 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Immunoblotting and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis were used to measure the expression levels of target protein and mRNA in (differentiating) 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, respectively. Results: NFJ treatment at 150 μL/mL led to a substantial reduction of fat accumulation and TG content during 3T3-L1 adipogenesis with no discernable impact on the cell viability. Of note, while NFJ treatment (150 μL/mL) largely inhibited the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBP-α) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β (PPAR-β) protein expressions, it did not influence PPAR-γ in differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Of interest, treatment with IL-1β at 20 ng/mL for 4 hours elicited in firm induction of iNOS mRNA expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. However, NFJ treatment at 100 or 200 μL/mL greatly attenuated the IL-1β-induced iNOS mRNA expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Conclusions: NFJ has anti-adipogenic and anti-inflammatory effects on (differentiating) 3T3-L1 preadipocytes which are in part intervened via control of the expression of C/EBP-α, PPAR-β, and iNOS.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.437-444
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• 2009

${\gamma}-Aminobutyric$ acid (GABA) producing lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus RMK567 was cultivated in 50 L of sterilized MRS broth using a fermenter at $40^{\circ}C$ for 24 h. The cell number was increased to $10.04{\pm}0.13$ Log CFU/mL with a growth rate constant (k) of 0.454 generation/h and a generation time (g) of 2.303 h after a lapse of a lag phase (L) of 5.16 h. A total of 487 g of cell paste with 40.5% moisture was harvested with viable cell number of 12.48 Log CFU/g cell paste. The cell pastes after preparation with glycerol, glucose, and polydextrose as cryo-protectants were lyophilized under a vacuum of 84 m torr. A total of 408 g of freeze dried (FD) cell powders were mixed with a commercial strain of Streptococcus thermophilus to prepare of three types FD starter cultures with the viable cell numbers of 12.42 (FDA-GY), 12.60 (FDBGG) and 12.91 (FDC-GP) Log CFU/g. During preservation the FD cultures at -$18^{\circ}C$, the cell viability of the FD starter cultures were rapidly dropped to below 3.24% of the day of storage. No significant difference was found in the cell viabilities among three types of FD starters cultures, but significant difference (p<0.01) was found in storage periods. Yoghurts fermented through FD starter culture of L. acidophilus RMK567 were determined to contain $155.16{\pm}8.53$ ppm, $243.82{\pm}4.27$ ppm, and $198.64{\pm}23.46$ ppm of GABA, respectively. This study shows that GABA production activity of L. acidophilus RMK567 is not affected during the freeze drying process and would be available for commercial production of yoghurt containing high GABA content.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.283-295
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• 1979

A new Farmland Expansion and Development Promotion Law was enacted in 1975. This law authorizes the Government to undertake development within a declared "reclamation area", wherever the land owners are unable to do so. In order to give additional impetus to conversion of waste hilly land into productive farmland, these hilly land development projects were conducted as large scale scheme which include soil fertility improvements such as the application of lime and phosphate. Farmland Expansion and Development Promotion Corps has attempted to undertake annual farm surveys in order to obtain some information about hilly land agriculture and farming operations within the reclamation project areas since 1976. As survey data accumulates, more and more clear picture of hilly land farming come to appear and enable us to conduct in-depth study. Effects of such upland reclamation include converting of previously unproductive slopeland into cultivable farmland for lucrative and commercial farming or food production. Furthermore, idle or marginal resources such as farm labor, equipment and compost would be fully employed. Socio-economic effects would include increases in land value and attitude change of farmers. On the other hand the preservation of natural environments might be damaged to the some extend by the projects. As shown in Table 7, the average farm size increased from 3,156 pyeong($3.3m^2$) to 5,562 pyeong, a 76.2% increase. The proportion of small farms with less than I ha dropped from 59.8% to 34.4%, but that of the large farms over 2 ha rose from 13.1% to 32.0% (See Table 8). The survey results indicate that as the farming on reclaimed uplands become time-honored, the acreage devoted for food crop production decreases against the economic crop growing acreage (see Table 6). For example, in the case of uplands reclaimed in 1972, the ratio of food crop acreages decreased from 99.7% in 1972 to 62.5% in 1977, whereas that of economic crop acreages increased from 0.3% in 1972 to 37.5% in 1977. The government used to actively encourage the farmers to carry out food crop production in the reclaimed upland targting toward the realization of self-sufficiency in food grains. It is, however, apparent that the farmers did hardly take the government advises as far as their economic interest were concerned. Yield per 10a. of various crops from the reclaimed uplands by year were surveyed as seen in Table 12. On the average, barley production in the reclaimed areas achieved 83.3% of the average unit yield from the existing upland in its 5 th year. Soybean yields showed a modest increase from 64% in the first year to 95%, in the 5 th year. In contrast, economic crops such as red pepper, totacco and radish achieved their maximum target yields in 3 years from starting to cultivate on the reclaimed farms. In order to test the post economic viability, an economic analysis was performed for each of selected subprojects on the basis of the data obtained through survey. The average actual internal economic rate of return on upland reclamation investments was found to be 20.3% which exceeded other types of projects of land and water development such as tidal land reclamation, irrigation or paddy rearrangement. The actual IRRs of subcategories of upland reclamation projects varied from 17.9% to 21.4% depending upon the kinds of cropping system adopted in each reclaimed areas such as food, economic, fruit or forage crops.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.929-935
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• 2014

Two types of nanosized titanium dioxide, anatase ($anTiO_2$) and rutile ($rnTiO_2$), are widely used in industry, commercial products and biosystems. $TiO_2$ has been evaluated as a Group 2B carcinogen. Previous reports indicated that $anTiO_2$ is less toxic than $rnTiO_2$, however, under ultraviolet irradiation $anTiO_2$ is more toxic than $rnTiO_2$ in vitro because of differences in their crystal structures. In the present study, we compared the in vivo and in vitro toxic effects induced by $anTiO_2$ and $rnTiO_2$. Female SD rats were treated with $500{\mu}g/ml$ of $anTiO_2$ or $rnTiO_2$ suspensions by intra-pulmonary spraying 8 times over a two week period. In the lung, treatment with $anTiO_2$ or $rnTiO_2$ increased alveolar macrophage numbers and levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG); these increases tended to be lower in the $anTiO_2$ treated group compared to the $rnTiO_2$ treated group. Expression of $MIP1{\alpha}$ mRNA and protein in lung tissues treated with $anTiO_2$ and $rnTiO_2$ was also significantly up-regulated, with $MIP1{\alpha}$ mRNA and protein expression significantly lower in the $anTiO_2$ group than in the $rnTiO_2$ group. In cell culture of primary alveolar macrophages (PAM) treated with $anTiO_2$ and $rnTiO_2$, expression of $MIP1{\alpha}$ mRNA in the PAM and protein in the culture media was significantly higher than in control cultures. Similarly to the in vivo results, $MIP1{\alpha}$ mRNA and protein expression was significantly lower in the $anTiO_2$ treated cultures compared to the $rnTiO_2$ treated cultures. Furthermore, conditioned cell culture media from PAM cultures treated with $anTiO_2$ had less effect on A549 cell proliferation compared to conditioned media from cultures treated with $rnTiO_2$. However, no significant difference was found in the toxicological effects on cell viability of ultra violet irradiated $anTiO_2$ and $rnTiO_2$. In conclusion, our results indicate that $anTiO_2$ is less potent in induction of alveolar macrophage infiltration, 8-OHdG and $MIP1{\alpha}$ expression in the lung, and growth stimulation of A549 cells in vitro than $rnTiO_2$.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.189-198
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• 2017

This study was conducted to develop a new synthetic breed of Korean native chicken. The combining ability and reciprocal effects for production traits were estimated on 1,157 hens from a $5{\times}5$ diallel cross-mating design using grand parent stock (GPS) lines of Korean native chicken. Body weight, viability, age at first egg laying, egg weight, and hen-day egg production were measured and analyzed. The results showed that the general combining ability (GCA) of the survival rate during laying periods was -9.6 to 11.1, with the highest value obtained in the W strain. Additionally, the GCA of the body weight at 12 weeks was -209.7 to 162.2, with the highest value obtained in the F strain. The GCA for age at fist egg laying was estimated to be -2.8 to 3.7, while the GCA of egg weight was -0.91 to 0.96, and the GCA of hen-day egg production was -4.9 to 6.0. In the estimation of specific combining ability, the YW combination showed the highest survival rate, FW showed the highest body weight at 12 weeks, and GW showed the highest hen-day egg production. The reciprocal effects were significantly different among crosses for almost all productivity traits. In identical breeding combinations, differences in ability were observed when the maternal or paternal breeds were switched. The mean value based on combining ability was higher in WY, WF, and GW combinations for survival rate; GF, HG, and HF combinations for body weight at 12 weeks; and GW, YW, and FW combinations for hen-day egg production. It is concluded that the GF and HF combinations, which have excellent growth performance and moderate survival rate, are the most desirable paternal parent stock (PS) strains, and the GW and FW combinations, which have great laying performance and moderate body weight, are the most desirable maternal PS strains.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.414-420
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• 2012

In an effort to commercialization of energy saving aeration apparatus, panel-type aeration membranes were prepared from polyurethane sheet of J company in Korea having tensile strength higher than $400kg_f/cm^2$ with thickness of 0.5mm. Micropores of 100 m size were made by poring technique utilizing needles. From lab-tests in 450 L water tank at temperature of $20^{\circ}C$, the performance of aeration panels at 40 L/min aeration rate showed 5 mg/L DO in less than 3 minutes approaching saturation point of 8 mg/L within 8 minutes. The results show very high efficiency with $K_{La(15)}$ ($16.34hr^{-1}$), Standard oxygen transfer efficiency (SOTE 54.7%) and Standard aeration efficienct (SAE 7.88 kg/kwh). Other pilot scale test in a $2m^3$ water tank with water temperature ($19^{\circ}C$) and aeration rate (30 L/min) showed DO exceeding 5 mg/L within 8 minutes along with $K_{La(15)}$ ($5.8hr^{-1}$), SOTE (42.1%) and SAE (6.41 kg/kwh). These efficiencies represent 2~2.5 times higher than conventional aeration devices. Especially, the achievement of higher Oxygen Transfer Rate indicate higher commercial viability. Conventional aeration devices when applied to clean water and wastewater frequently cause problems due to differences in actual Oxygen Transfer Rate. Our actual tests with $40^{\circ}C$ animal farm wastewater resulted very high efficiencies with Oxygen transfer efficiency ($OTE_f$ 22.1%) and $OTE_{pw40}$ (39.6%).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.56-74
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to draw an implication regarding "Han-jeong-rok" as the proposal on modern lifestyle. This study classified the behavioral patterns pursued in "Han-jeong-rok" in addition to the 'psychological method of practice' and the 'practical method of practice' for the realization of such behavioral patterns pursued in conducting the study. The outcome of this study can be summed up as follows. The result of reviewing the mainstream modern lifestyle indicated that in the well-being craze, practical and selfish tendency were prominent and the side effect of distorted culture of consumerism were also evident. Lohas faced the limitations of lifestyle led by marketing. The slow movement can be differentiated in that it takes even immaterial aspects into consideration including the value of life and etc. However it faces the limitation of being led by community. In the healing craze, modern day people thirst for something that can heal them. All of these people have strong tendency of relying on the external factors for their personal health and well being, and it possesses a weak point in that it can easily be linked to commercial viability. Compared to the same, the implication that Heo Gyun can gain from "Han-jeong-rok" can be summed up as follows. First, "Han-jeong-rok" emphasizes the point that the agent of life is one's self. The modern lifestyle is practical and relies on the external factors, where as Heo Gyun emphasizes that it should start with a serious introspection of life itself. Second, it emphasizes the psychological aspects in leading a leisurely life. Starting with elegant scenic beauty to reading and sophisticated hobbies among others, it indicates that internal satisfaction can be gained and that self-contentment free from cares, is possible. Third, it proposes standardized 'psychological method of practice' and the 'practical method of practice' for the leisurely life. Materialistic and psychological balance is also emphasized in 'practical method of practice'. The limitations of this study is that it was not a clear comparison with "Han-jeong-rok" between contemporary lifestyle and it had stayed in a review study for implications. Furthermore, there is a need for additional study regarding the concept related to landscape and cases included in the "Han-jeong-rok".

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.160-169
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of a toothbrush with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on periodontitis-associated dental biofilm attached to a zirconia surface by static and dynamic methods. Materials and Methods: Zirconia disks (12 mm diameter, 2.5 mm thickness) were inserted into a 24-well plate (static method) or inside a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) biofilm reactor (dynamic method) to form dental biofilms using Streptococcus gordonii and Fusobacterium nucleatum. The disks with biofilm were subdivided into five treatment groups-control, commercial photodynamic therapy (PDT), toothbrush alone (B), brush with LED (BL), and brush with LED+erythrosine (BLE). After treatment, the disks were agitated to detach the bacteria, and the resulting solutions were spread directly on selective agar. The number of viable bacteria and percentage of bacterial reduction were determined from colony counts. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to visualize alterations in bacterial morphology. Results: No significant difference in biofilm formation was observed between dynamic and static methods. A significant difference was observed in the number of viable bacteria between the control and all experimental groups (P < 0.05). The percentage of bacterial reduction in the BLE group was significantly higher than in the other treated groups (P < 0.05). SEM revealed damaged bacterial cell walls in the PDT, BL, and BLE groups, but intact cell walls in the control and B groups. Conclusion: The findings suggest that an LED toothbrush with erythrosine is more effective than other treatments in reducing the viability of periodontitis-associated bacteria attached to zirconia in vitro.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.56-65
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• 2022

Copper is one of the non-ferrous metals used in the electrical/electronic manufacturing industries due to its superior properties particularly the high conductivity and less resistivity. The effluent generated from the surface finishing process of these industries contains higher copper content which gets discharged in to water bodies directly or indirectly. This causes severe environmental pollution and also results in loss of an important valuable metal. To overcome this issue, continuous R & D activities are going on across the globe in adsorption area with the purpose of finding an efficient, low cost and ecofriendly adsorbent. In view of the above, present investigation was made to compare the performance of a plant root (Datura root powder) as a bio-adsorbent to that of the synthetic one (Tulsion T-42) for copper adsorption from such effluent. Experiments were carried out in batch studies to optimize parameters such as adsorbent dose, contact time, pH, feed concentration, etc. Results of the batch experiments indicate that 0.2 g of Datura root powder and 0.1 g of Tulsion T-42 showed 95% copper adsorption from an initial feed/solution of 100 ppm Cu at pH 4 in contact time of 15 and 30 min, respectively. Adsorption data for both the adsorbents were fitted well to the Freundlich isotherm. Experimental results were also validated with the kinetic model, which showed that the adsorption of copper followed pseudo-second order rate expression for the both adsorbents. Overall result demonstrates that the bio-adsorbent tested has a potential applicability for metal recovery from the waste solutions/effluents of metal finishing units. In view of the requirements of commercial viability and minimal environmental damage there from, Datura root powder being an effective material for metal uptake, may prove to be a feasible adsorbent for copper recovery after the necessary scale-up studies.