• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.413-420
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• 2008

Over the past decade, there have been significant advancement in the field of electrospinning area. This study has focused on preparing yarn using polycarbonate (PC) nanofibers including modified multi-walled carbon nanotube (mMWNT) by solution electrospinning process using the mixture of solvents consisting of tretrahydronfuran (THF) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). In order to enhance the dispersion, MWNT was chemically modified. TEM analysis for the prepared PC/mMWNT nanofibers reveals that mMWNT was well-dispersed into the PC nanofiber matrix. Also with increasing contents of mMWNT, thermal stability of PC/mMWNT nanofibers was improved than that of PC nanofibers. Moreover when 3 to 5 wt% of mMWNT was added, the nanofibers showed good electrical properties expecting antistatic effect, ranging 109.1~109.5 ${\Omega}$. It was confirmed that the multi-filament fibers using PC/mMWNT had $60{\sim}100{\mu}m$ in diameter and 4~5 cm in length.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2005

This study was carried out to investigate the changes of nitrifying bacterial populations including Nitrosomonas sp. and Nitrobacter sp. in $A^2/O$ pilot plant with the configuration of anaerobic-anoxic-oxic reactors. The suspended nitrifying bacterial populations in mixed liquor and those of attached populations on granular carrier surface made by molded waste tire were analyzed by Fluorescent in situ Hybridization(FISH) method. The nitrification rate of a pilot plant showed the value of $1.97{\sim}2.98\;mg\;N/g$ MLVSS hr. The ratios of suspended ammonia oxidizer including Nitrosomonas sp. (NSO) to total bacteria in each reactor were oxic < anoxic < anaerobic. On the contrary, the ratios of suspended nitrite oxidizer including Nitrobacter sp. (NIT) were anaerobic < anoxic < oxic. The thickness, dry density and mass of the attached biomass on granular carriers were $180{\sim}188\;{\mu}m$, $38.5{\sim}43.9\;mg/cm^3$, $29.4{\sim}32.5\;mg/g$, respectively. Also, the ratios of attached nitrifier to total bacteria on granular carriers were similar regardless of ammonia/nitrite-oxidizer (NSO; 3.2%, NIT; 2.8%) and very low compared to those(NSO; $22.8{\sim}28.4%$, NIT; $17{\sim}26%$) of suspended nitrifier.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2020

Northern pipevine (Aristolochia contorta) commonly inhabits marginal areas between waterside and terrestrial vegetation. In particular, A. contorta is ecologically important in the marginal areas as a food plant of dragon swallowtail butterfly (Sericinus montela), which is designated as vulnerable species in the Republic of Korea. For long-term sustainability of the plant population, assessment of the genetic diversity of exist populations should be conducted. Genomic DNA of A. contorta leaf samples were extracted from four populations where the vigorous growth were observed in the South Korea. Intra-population genetic diversity and inter-population genetic distance were assessed using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) with five polymorphic random primers. Overall genetic diversity was lower, compared to other wetland species (h: 0.0607 ~ 0.1401; I: 0.0819 ~ 0.1759), while GP showed the highest intra-population genetic diversity. Despite of the geographical distance, GP showed the larger genetic distance from other populations. This result seemed to be caused by the fragmented habitat and lower sexual reproduction of A. controta. Mixture of the different source populations and construction of the proper environmental condition such as shade and physical support for sexual reproduction should be considered for conservation of A. contorta population.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2020

Three-dimensional microscopic approaches in histopathology display multiplex properties that present puzzling questions for specimens as related to their comprehensive volumetric information. This information includes spatial distribution of molecules, three-dimensional co-localization, structural formation and whole data set that cannot be determined by two-dimensional section slides due to the inevitable loss of spatial information. Advancement of optical instruments such as two-photon microscopy and high performance objectives with motorized correction collars have narrowed the gap between optical theories and the actual reality of deep tissue imaging. However, the benefits gained by a prolonged working distance, two-photon laser and optimized beam alignment are inevitably diminished because of the light scattering phenomenon that is deeply related to the refractive index mismatch between each cellular component and the surrounding medium. From the first approaches with simple crude refractive index matching techniques to the recent cutting-edge integrated tissue clearing methods, an achievement of transparency without morphological denaturation and eradication of natural and fixation-induced nonspecific autofluorescence out of real signal are key factors to determine the perfection of tissue clearing and the immunofluorescent staining for high contrast images. When performing integrated laboratory workflow of tissue for processing frozen and formalin-fixed tissues, clear lipid-exchanged acrylamide-hybridized rigid imaging/immunostaining/in situ hybridization-compatible tissue hydrogel (CLARITY), an equipment-based tissue clearing method, is compatible with routine procedures in a histopathology laboratory.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.691-696
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• 2001

The first bloom of Cochlodinium polykrikoides was observed in the estuary of Nak-dong river near Pusan in Korea in 1982. Since then, there have been irregular blooms, sometimes spread over the adjoining .to Jinhae Bay even though it was confined to the bay and its vicinites until 1988. It had been outbroken frequently in the adjacent to Tongyeong, Geoje, Namhae and Yeosu coast since 1989. It became widespread along the coast of the South Sea to the East Sea of Korea in 1995. And in October in 1998 and 1999, the bloom had been taken place in Kunsan coast of Yellow Sea. According to the observations in situ, the frequency of occurrence has been increased year by year. The prevailing bloom season was from July to October with peak in September. The duration of the bloom became longer with the year, and sometimes lasted more than one month. The density of the bloom did not exceed 5,000 cells $mL^{-1}$until 1991, but it increased year by year to the highest of 43,000 cells $mL^{-1}$ in 1999. With respect to the assembleges of species in dinoflagellate blooms, C. polykrikoides was one of the important species with diatoms and the other dinoflagellates in 1980s. But since then, C. polykrikoides made an almost monospecific bloom. Based on two decadal observations of C. polykrikoides blooms, it became widespread throughout whole coast of the Korea, persistent for about one or two month long in some year, and monospecisc high density blooms. It was reported that significant fish mortalities were caused by this harmful dinoflagellate blooms especially in the fishfarms accomodating intensive fish cages such as Tongyeong, Namhae-do, Geoje, Yeosu and Geomun-do fishfarming yards. This widespread and persistent harmful algal blooms impede the development of marine aquaculture industries.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.3 s.172
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• pp.237-245
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• 2005

The batch tests were performed to evaluate the applicability of the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) to in-situ treatment of groundwater with high concentration of heavy metals. The lead\chates used in this study were collected from waste rock dump of the Imgy mine, and have a low pH and high metal concentration. The acidity loading was 65kg as $CaCO_3/day$, metal loading of Fe+Al+Mn was 11.6kg/day. This type of water could be treated with biological-mediated sulfate reduction using the organic carbon mixture as a reactive media. The batch tests were carried out with five mixtures that were composed with different mixing ratios of mushroom compost, pine-tree bark, and limestone cheep. Results indicated that the PRB could reduce the acidity loading $CaCO_3/day$ to 12.3kg and reduce the metal loading to 3.3kg/day. Considering about the low pH and high metal loading, the contaminated water may be ameliorated by passing it through the buffering PRB composed with inorganic carbonate materials and then through the PRB composed with the organic carbon mixture which can induce sulfate reduction.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.375-388
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• 2019

Accurate evaluation of sea-to-air $CO_2$ flux and its variability is crucial information to the understanding of global carbon cycle and the prediction of atmospheric $CO_2$ concentration. $fCO_2$ observations are sparse in space and time in the East Sea. In this study, we derived high resolution time series of surface $fCO_2$ values in the southwest East Sea, by feeding sea surface temperature (SST), salinity (SSS), chlorophyll-a (CHL), and mixed layer depth (MLD) values, from either satellite-observations or numerical model outputs, to three machine learning models. The root mean square error of the best performing model, a Random Forest (RF) model, was $7.1{\mu}atm$. Important parameters in predicting $fCO_2$ in the RF model were SST and SSS along with time information; CHL and MLD were much less important than the other parameters. The net $CO_2$ flux in the southwest East Sea, calculated from the $fCO_2$ predicted by the RF model, was $-0.76{\pm}1.15mol\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$, close to the lower bound of the previous estimates in the range of $-0.66{\sim}-2.47mol\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$. The time series of $fCO_2$ predicted by the RF model showed a significant variation even in a short time interval of a week. For accurate evaluation of the $CO_2$ flux in the Ulleung Basin, it is necessary to conduct high resolution in situ observations in spring when $fCO_2$ changes rapidly.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2010

Surface particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration was measured in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico on 9 cruises from November 1997 to August 2000 to investigate the seasonal and spatial variability related to synchronous remote sensing data (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), and sea surface wind (SSW)) and recorded river discharge data. Surface POC concentrations have higher values (>100 $mg/m^3$) on the inner shelf and near the Mississippi Delta, and decrease across the shelf and slope. The inter-annual variations of surface POC concentrations are relatively higher during 1997 and 1998 (El Nino) than during 1999 and 2000 (La Nina) in the study area. This phenomenon is directly related to the output of Mississippi River and other major rivers, which associated with global climate change such as ENSO events. Although highest river runoff into the northern Gulf of Mexico Coast occurs in early spring and lowest flow in late summer and fall, wide-range POC plumes are observed during the summer cruises and lower concentrations and narrow dispersion of POC during the spring and fall cruises. During the summer seasons, the river discharge remarkably decreases compared to the spring, but increasing temperature causes strong stratification of the water column and increasing buoyancy in near-surface waters. Low-density plumes containing higher POC concentrations extend out over the shelf and slope with spatial patterns and controlled by the Loop Current and eddies, which dominate offshore circulation. Although river discharge is normal or abnormal during the spring and fall seasons, increasing wind stress and decreasing temperature cause vertical mixing, with higher surface POC concentrations confined to the inner shelf.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.636-642
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• 2013

In order to overcome drawbacks (i.e., filtration and recovery) of conventional powder type photocatalysts, nano-ZnO/Laponite/PVA (ZLP) photocatalyzed adsorption balls were developed by using in situ mixing of nanoscale ZnO as a photocatalyst, and Laponite as both adsorbent and supporting media in deionized water, followed by the poly vinyl alcohol polymerization with boric acid. The optimum mixing ratio of nano-ZnO:Laponite:PVA:deionized water was found to be 3:1:1:16 (by weight), and the mesh and film produced by PVA polymerization with boric acid might inhibit both swelling of Laponite and detachment of nanoscale ZnO from ZLP balls. Drying ZLP balls with microwave (600 watt) was found to produce ZLP balls with stable structure in water, and various sizes (55~500 ${\mu}m$) of pore were found to be distributed based on SEM and TEM results. In the initial period of reaction (i. e., 40 min), adsorption through ionic interaction between methylene blue and Laponite was the main removal mechanism. After the saturation of methylene blue to available adsorption sites for Laponite, the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue occurred. The effective removal of methylene blue was attributed to adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. Based on the results from this study, synthesized ZLP photocatalyzed adsorption balls were expected to remove recalcitrant organic compounds effectively through both adsorption and photocatalytic degradation, and the risks of environmental receptors caused by detachment of nanoscale photocatalysts can be reduced.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.846-860
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• 1998

Background: Endotoxin (LPS : lipopolysaccharide), a potent activator of immune system, can induce acute and chronic inflammation through the production of cytokines by a variety of cells, such as monocytes, endothelial cells, lymphocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils and fibroblasts. LPS stimulate the mononucelar cells by two different pathway, the CD14 dependent and independent way, of which the former has been well documented, but not the latter. LPS binds to the LPS-binding protein (LBP), in serum, to make the LPS-LBP complex which interacts with CD14 molecules on the mononuclear cell surface in peripheral blood or is transported to the tissues. In case of high concentration of LPS, LPS can stimulate directly the macrophages without LBP. We investigated to detect the generation of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ and fibrogenic cytokine, TGF-$\beta$, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) after LPS stimulation under serum-free conditions, which lacks LBPs. Methods : PBMC were obtained by centrifugation on Ficoll Hypaque solution of peripheral venous bloods from healthy normal subjects, then stimulated in the presence of LPS (0.1 ${\mu}g/mL$ to 100 ${\mu}g/mL$ ). The activities of IL-1, IL-6, TNF, and TGF-$\beta$ were measured by bioassaies using cytokines - dependent proliferating or inhibiting cell lines. The cellular sources producing the cytokines was investigated by immunohistochemical stains and in situ hybridization. Results : PBMC started to produce IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ in 1 hr, 4 hrs and 8hrs, respectively, after LPS stimulation. The production of IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ continuously increased 96 hrs after stimulation of LPS. The amount of production was 19.8 ng/ml of IL-6 by $10^5$ PBMC, 4.1 ng/mL of TNF by $10^6$ PBMC and 34.4 pg/mL of TGF-$\beta$ by $2{\times}10^6$ PBMC. The immunoreactivity to IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ were detected on monocytes in LPS-stimulated PBMC. Some of lymphocytes showed positive immunoreactivity to TGF-$\beta$. Double immunohistochemical stain showed that IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ expression was not associated with CD14 postivity on monocytes. IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$mRNA expression were same as observed in immunoreactivity for each cytokines. Conclusion: When monocytes are stimulated with LPS under serum-free conditions, IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ are secreted in early stage of inflammation. In contrast, the secretion of TGF-$\beta$ arise in the late stages and that is maintained after 96 hrs. The main cells releasing IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ are monocytes, but also lymphocytes can secret TGF-$\beta$.