• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.223-231
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• 2021

In order to address many issues associated with large volume changes of silicon, which has very low electrical conductivity but offers about 10 times higher theoretical capacity than graphite (Gr), a silicon nanoparticles/hollow carbon (SiNP/HC) composite having bimodal-mesopores was prepared using silica nanoparticles as a template. A control SiNP/C composite without a hollow structure was also prepared for comparison. The physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of SiNP/HC were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements for surface area and pore size distribution, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, galvanostatic cycling, and cyclic voltammetry tests to compare them with those of the SiNP/C composite. The SiNP/HC composite showed significantly better cycle life and efficiency than the SiNP/C, with minimal increase in electrode thickness after long cycles. A hybrid composite, SiNP/HC@Gr, prepared by physical mixing of the SiNP/HC and Gr at a 50:50 weight ratio, exhibited even better cycle life and efficiency than the SiNP/HC at low capacity. Thus, silicon/carbon composites designed to have hollow spaces capable of accommodating volume expansion were found to be highly effective for long cycle life of silicon-based composites. However, further study is required to improve the low initial coulombic efficiency of SiNP/HC and SiNP/HC@Gr, which is possibly because of their high surface area causing excessive electrolyte decomposition for the formation of solid-electrolyte-interface layers.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.555-566
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• 2018

Two rhizobacteria Bacillus aryabhattai H26-2 and B. siamensis H30-3 were evaluated whether they are involved in stress tolerance against drought and high temperature as well as fungal infections in Chinese cabbage plants. Chinese cabbage seedlings cv. Ryeokgwang (spring cultivar) has shown better growth compared to cv. Buram-3-ho (autumn cultivar) under high temperature conditions in a greenhouse, whilst there was no difference in drought stress tolerance of the two cultivars. In vitro growth of B. aryabhattai H26-2 and B. siamensis H30-3 were differentially regulated under PEG 6000-induced drought stress at different growing temperatures (30, 40 and $50^{\circ}C$). Pretreatment with B. aryabhattai H26-2 and B. siamensis H30-3 enhanced the tolerance of Chinese cabbage seedlings to high temperature, but not to drought stress. It turns out that only B. siamensis H30-3 showed in vitro antifungal activities and in planta crop protection against two fungal pathogens Alternaria brassicicola and Colletotrichum higginsianum causing black spots and anthracnose on Chinese cabbage plants cv. Ryeokgwang, respectively. B. siamensis H30-3 brings several genes involved in production of cyclic lipopeptides in its genome and secreted hydrolytic enzymes like chitinase, protease and cellulase. B. siamensis H30-3 was found to produce siderophore, a high affinity iron-chelating compound. Expressions of BrChi1 and BrGST1 genes were up-regulated in Chinese cabbage leaves by B. siamensis H30-3. These findings suggest that integration of B. aryabhattai H26-2 and B. siamensis H30-3 in Chinese cabbage production system may increase productivity through improved plant growth under high temperature and crop protection against fungal pathogens.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.5-17
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• 2022

A pile is a type of medium for constructing superstructures in weak geotechnical conditions. A pretensioned spun high-strength concrete (PHC) pile is composed of high-strength concrete with a specified strength greater than 80 MPa. Therefore, it has advantages in resistance to axial and bending moments and quality control and management since it is manufactured in a factory. However, the skin friction of a pile, which accounts for a large portion of the pile bearing capacity, is only approximated using empirical equations or standard penetration test (SPT) N-values. Particularly, there are some poor research results on the pile-soil interface under the seismic loads in Korea. Additionally, some studies do not consider geoenvironmental elements, such as groundwater pH values. This study performs sets of cyclic simple shear tests using submerged concrete specimens for 1 month to consider pH values of groundwater and clay specimens composed of kaolinite to generate a pile-soil interface. 0.2 and 0.4 MPa of normal stress conditions are considered in the case of pH values. The disturbed state concept is employed to express the dynamic behavior of the interface, and the disturbed function parameters are newly suggested. Consequently, the largest disturbance increase under basic conditions is observed, and an early approach to the failure under low normal stress conditions is presented. The disturbance function parameters are also suggested to express this disposition quantitatively.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to experimentally evaluate the stiffness and strength reduction according to the reinforcing bar details of the vertically divided reinforced concrete shear walls. To confirm the effect of reducing strength and stiffness according to vertical division, four real-scale specimens were fabricated and repeated lateral loading tests were performed. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the strength and stiffness were decreased according to the vertical division. In particular, as the stiffness reduction rate is greater than the strength reduction rate, it is expected that safety against extreme strength can be secured when the load is redistributed according to vertical division. As a result of checking the crack pattern, a diagonal crack occurred in the wall subjected to compression control among the divided walls. It was confirmed that two neutral axes occurred after division, and the reversed strain distribution appeared in the upper part, showing the double curvature pattern. In future studies, it is necessary to evaluate the stiffness reduction rate considering the effective height of the wall, to evaluate additional variables such as wall aspect ratio, and to conduct analytical studies on various walls using finite element analysis.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2022

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in retention and wear pattern of Locator^® and ADD-TOC attachments on a digital milled bar by performing chewing simulation and repeated insertion/removal of prostheses in fully edentulous models. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Locator (Locator^®; Zest Anchors Inc., Escondido, CA, USA) was selected as the control group and ADD-TOC (ADD-TOC; PNUAdd Co., Ltd., Busan, Republic of Korea) as the experimental group. A CAD-CAM milled bar was mounted on a master model and 3 threaded holes for connecting a bar attachment was formed using a tap. Locator and ADD-TOC attachments were then attached to the milled bar. Simulated mastication and repeated insertion/removal were performed over 400,000 cyclic loadings and 1,080 insertions/removals, respectively. Wear patterns on deformed attachment were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS. For the ADD-TOC attachments, chewing simulation and repeated insertion/removal resulted in a mean initial retentive force of 24.43 ± 4.89 N, which were significantly lower than that of the Locator attachment, 34.33 ± 8.25 N (P < .05). Amounts of retention loss relative to baseline for the Locator and ADD-TOC attachments were 21.74 ± 7.07 and 8.98 ± 5.76 N (P < .05). CONCLUSION. CAD-CAM milled bar with the ADD-TOC attachment had a lower initial retentive force than the Locator attachment. However, the ADD-TOC attachment might be suitable for long-term use as it showed less deformation and had a higher retentive force after simulated mastication and insertion/removal repetitions.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.196-201
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• 2023

In this study, a CNT fiber flexible electrode grafted with CuO nanoparticles (CuO NPs) and polyaniline (PANI) was developed and applied to a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor for H₂O₂ detection. CuO NPs/PANI/CNT fiber electrode was fabricated through the synthesis and deposition of PANI and CuO NPs on the CNT fiber surface using an electrochemical method. Surface morphology and elemental composition of the CuO NPs/PANI/CNT fiber electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. And its electrochemical characteristics were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and chronoamperometry (CA). Compared with a bare CNT fiber as a control group, the CuO NPs/PANI/CNT fiber electrode showed a 4.78-fold increase in effective surface area and a 8.33-fold decrease in electron transfer resistance, which leads to excellent electrochemical properties such as a good electrical conductivity and an efficient electron transfer. These improved characteristics were due to the synergistic effect through the grafting of CNT fiber, PANI and CuO NPs. As a result, this electrode enhanced the H₂O₂ sensing performance.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.402-407
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• 2023

The regulation of platelet aggregation is crucial for maintaining normal hemostasis, but abnormal or excessive platelet aggregation can contribute to cardiovascular disorders such as stroke, atherosclerosis, and thrombosis. Therefore, identifying substances that can control or suppress platelet aggregation is a promising approach for the prevention and treatment of these conditions. Artemisinin, a compound derived from Artemisia or Scopolia plants, has shown potential in various areas such as anticancer and Alzheimer's disease research. However, the specific role and mechanisms by which artemisinin influences platelet activation and thrombus formation are not yet fully understood. This study investigated the effects of artemisinin on platelet activation and thrombus formation. As a result, cAMP production were increased significantly by artemisinin, as well as phosphorylated VASP and IP₃R which are substrates to cAMP-dependent kinase by artemisinin in a significant manner. The Ca²⁺ normally mobilized from the dense tubular system was inhibited due to IP₃R phosphorylation from artemisinin, and phosphorylated VASP by artemisinin aided in inhibiting platelet activity via αIIb/β3 platelet membrane inactivation and inhibiting fibrinogen binding. Finally, artemisinin inhibited thrombin-induced thrombus formation. Therefore, we suggest that artemisinin has importance with cardiovascular diseases stemming from the abnormal platelets activation and thrombus formation by acting as an effective prophylactic and therapeutic agent.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.05a
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• pp.27-28
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• 2014

Beauveria bassiana (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota) is an anamorphic fungus having a potential to be used as a biological control agent because it parasitizes a wide range of arthropod hosts including termites, aphids, beetles and many other insects. A number of bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs) have been isolated from B. bassiana and functionally verified. Among them, beauvericin and bassianolide are cyclic depsipeptides with antibiotic and insecticidal effects belonging to the enniatin family. Non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) play a crucial role in the synthesis of these secondary metabolites. NRPSs are modularly organized multienzyme complexes in which each module is responsible for the elongation of proteinogenic and non-protein amino acids, as well as carboxyl and hydroxyacids. A minimum of three domains are necessary for one NRPS elongation module: an adenylation (A) domain for substrate recognition and activation; a tholation (T) domain that tethers the growing peptide chain and the incoming aminoacyl unit; and a condensation (C) domain to catalyze peptide bond formation. Some of the optional domains include epimerization (E), heterocyclization (Cy) and oxidation (Ox) domains, which may modify the enzyme-bound precursors or intermediates. In the present study, we analyzed genomes of B. bassiana and its allied species in Hypocreales to verify the distribution of NRPS-encoding genes involving biosynthesis of beauvericin and bassianolide, and to unveil the evolutionary processes of the gene clusters. Initially, we retrieved completely or partially assembled genomic sequences of fungal species belonging to Hypocreales from public databases. SM biosynthesizing genes were predicted from the selected genomes using antiSMASH program. Adenylation (A) domains were extracted from the predicted NRPS, NRPS-like and NRPS-PKS hybrid genes, and used them to construct a phylogenetic tree. Based on the preliminary results of SM biosynthetic gene prediction in B. bassiana, we analyzed the conserved gene orders of beauvericin and bassianolide biosynthetic gene clusters among the hypocrealean fungi. Reciprocal best blast hit (RBH) approach was performed to identify the regions orthologous to the biosynthetic gene cluster in the selected fungal genomes. A clear recombination pattern was recognized in the inferred A-domain tree in which A-domains in the 1st and 2nd modules of beauvericin and bassianolide synthetases were grouped in CYCLO and EAS clades, respectively, suggesting that two modules of each synthetase have evolved independently. In addition, inferred topologies were congruent with the species phylogeny of Cordycipitaceae, indicating that the gene fusion event have occurred before the species divergence. Beauvericin and bassianolide synthetases turned out to possess identical domain organization as C-A-T-C-A-NM-T-T-C. We also predicted precursors of beauvericin and bassianolide synthetases based on the extracted signature residues in A-domain core motifs. The result showed that the A-domains in the 1st module of both synthetases select D-2-hydroxyisovalerate (D-Hiv), while A-domains in the 2nd modules specifically activate L-phenylalanine (Phe) in beauvericin synthetase and leucine (Leu) in bassianolide synthetase. antiSMASH ver. 2.0 predicted 15 genes in the beauvericin biosynthetic gene cluster of the B. bassiana genome dispersed across a total length of approximately 50kb. The beauvericin biosynthetic gene cluster contains beauvericin synthetase as well as kivr gene encoding NADPH-dependent ketoisovalerate reductase which is necessary to convert 2-ketoisovalarate to D-Hiv and a gene encoding a putative Gal4-like transcriptional regulator. Our syntenic comparison showed that species in Cordycipitaceae have almost conserved beauvericin biosynthetic gene cluster although the gene order and direction were sometimes variable. It is intriguing that there is no region orthologous to beauvericin synthetase gene in Cordyceps militaris genome. It is likely that beauvericin synthetase was present in common ancestor of Cordycipitaceae but selective gene loss has occurred in several species including C. militaris. Putative bassianolide biosynthetic gene cluster consisted of 16 genes including bassianolide synthetase, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, and putative Gal4-like transcriptional regulator genes. Our synteny analysis found that only B. bassiana possessed a bassianolide synthetase gene among the studied fungi. This result is consistent with the groupings in A-domain tree in which bassianolide synthetase gene found in B. bassiana was not grouped with NRPS genes predicted in other species. We hypothesized that bassianolide biosynthesizing cluster genes in B. bassiana are possibly acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from distantly related fungi. The present study showed that B. bassiana is the only species capable of producing both beauvericin and bassianolide. This property led to B. bassiana infect multiple hosts and to be a potential biological control agent against agricultural pests.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2017

This experiment was carried out to analyze the effects of substrate reuse on the growth and yield of summer paprika in cyclic hydroponics. The test group was divided into a new coco slab, one year reused coco slab two year reused coco slab based on 30% nutrient solution reuse, and was performed from April 18 to November 31, 2016 for 30 weeks. As a result, plant height of early growth was that the 2 year reused slab was longer than the new slab but the final growth period was 56.58 cm shorter. First group flower position was that reused slab was shorter by 2.92 cm than the new slab and the second group flower position was 0.31 cm long. The relative internode length of early growth, when the reused slab was used, the imbalance in the late growth stage was increased compared with the use of the new slab. The number of growth nodes in the 1 and 2 year reused slab was the smallest with 27.4 nodes. However, the number of harvested nodes did not show the difference in the test group, and the ratio of harvested that the 2 year reused slab was the highest at 26.8%. The ratio of unmarketable fruit tended to increase as the growth progressed. Fresh weight was 227.7g for new slab, 219.2g for 2 year reused slab and 21.2g for 1 year reused slab. The dry weight of the new slab increased with the reuse of the slab. It was 17.13g for new slab, 18.26g for 1 year reused, and 19.28g for 2 year reused. The average water content of the entire growth period was smaller as the slab was reused, and the 1 year reused slab was about 20g less than the 2 year reused slab. This trend was steadily occurring throughout the entire growing season. Especially, the reused slab for 1 year was less than 60g after 3 groups compared to other test groups. In conclusion, If will control seriously occurrence of unmarketable fruits by weakening after medium growth in summer-cultivated paprika in EC-based recycling hydroponic cultivation with reused cocopeat substrate, It is not what I have to worry that decrease of the yield and deterioration of the quality due to the change of physical and chemical properties of the slab and the pathogenic bacteria infection.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.174-180
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• 2002

Purpose: Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is known to decrease hepatic injury by promoting the biliary secretion of retained toxic endogenous bile acids in hepatobiliary diseases complicated by total parenteral nutrition (TPN). However, most studies have focused on treatment for complications after TPN. We investigated the preventive role of early administration of UDCA in TPN-induced hepatobiliary complications by a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Methods: Between May 2000 and May 2002, thirteen patients, who were given TPN more than 10 days in the hospital, were assigned randomly to two groups. One was the case group (7 patients) who were given UDCA simultaneously with TPN regimen, and the other, the control group (6 patients) who were given placebo. Their age ranged from 1 day to 13 years. They were affected with diseases impossible for enteral nutrition, such as prematurity, cerebral palsy, chronic diarrhea, anorexia nervosa, pancreatitis, and cyclic vomiting. The duration of TPN ranged from 10 to 70 days. Hematologic parameters including liver function test were measured at regular intervals, and the duration, composition, administration rate, total calorie of TPN were recorded. The serum levels of total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase were compared between groups after cessation of the study. Results: The autoregressive coefficient of the control group was 0.4419 (p=0.0651) in bilirubin, -0.0431 (p=0.7923) in AST, 0.2398 (p=0.2416) in ALT, and 0.2459 (p=0.1922) in alkaline phosphatase by mixed procedure model when the parameters were referred to the case group. Conclusion: The serum level of total bilirubin did not increase in comparison with that of the control group, but statistically insignificant, when both TPN and UDCA were administered simultaneously from the beginning.