• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제59권4호
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• pp.487-492
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• 2021

본 연구에서는 피치가 코팅된 실리콘 시트/흑연 음극복합소재의 전기화학적 특성을 조사하였다. NaCl을 주형으로 하여 스토버 법 및 마그네슘 열 환원법을 통해 실리콘 시트를 제조하고, 양친성 물질인 SDBS로 흑연과 결합시켜 실리콘 시트/흑연을 합성하였다. THF를 용매로 석유계 피치가 코팅된 실리콘 시트/흑연 음극복합소재를 제조하였고, 음극복합소재의 물리적 특성은 XRD, SEM, EDS와 TGA를 통해 분석하였다. 전기화학적 특성은 LiPF₆ (EC:DMC:EMC=1:1:1 vol%)의 전해액을 사용해 전지를 제조하여, 충·방전 사이클, 율속, 순환전압전류, 전기화학적 임피던스 테스트를 통해 조사하였다. 실리콘 조성이 증가함에 따라 방전 용량이 증가하였고, 장기 안정성은 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 30 wt% 실리콘 조성을 갖는 실리콘 시트/흑연 복합소재에 피치를 코팅한 음극복합소재는 1228.8 mAh/g의 높은 초기 방전 용량을 보였으며, 50사이클 이후 용량 유지율은 77%로 실리콘 시트/흑연 복합소재에 비해 안정성이 개선됨을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.561-571
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• 2022

Background: Ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1) is capable of regulating lipid and glucose metabolism through its action on adipocytes. However, the beneficial role of GRb1-induced up-regulation of adiponectin in liver steatosis remains unelucidated. Thus, we tested whether GRb1 ameliorates liver steatosis and insulin resistance by promoting the expression of adiponectin. Methods: 3T3-L1 adipocytes and hepatocytes were used to investigate GRb1's action on adiponectin expression and triglyceride (TG) accumulation. Wild type (WT) mice and adiponectin knockout (KO) mice fed high fat diet were treated with GRb1 for 2 weeks. Hepatic fat accumulation and function as well as insulin sensitivity was measured. The activation of AMPK was also detected in the liver and hepatocytes. Results: GRb1 reversed the reduction of adiponectin secretion in adipocytes. The conditioned medium (CM) from adipocytes treated with GRb1 reduced TG accumulation in hepatocytes, which was partly attenuated by the adiponectin antibody. In the KO mice, the GRb1-induced significant decrease of TG content, ALT and AST was blocked by the deletion of adiponectin. The elevations of GRb1-induced insulin sensitivity indicated by OGTT, ITT and HOMA-IR were also weakened in the KO mice. The CM treatment significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of AMPK in hepatocytes, but not GRb1 treatment. Likewise, the phosphorylation of AMPK in liver of the WT mice was increased by GRb1, but not in the KO mice. Conclusions: The up-regulation of adiponectin by GRb1 contributes to the amelioration of liver steatosis and insulin resistance, which further elucidates a new mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of GRb1 on obesity.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제60권3호
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• pp.446-451
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• 2022

본 연구에서는 용량 및 장기 안정성을 개선하기 위하여 나노 실리콘 시트와 CNT를 정전기적 결합을 통해 피치가 코팅된 나노 실리콘 시트/CNT 복합체를 합성하였다. NaCl의 결정면에 스토버 법을 통해 제조된 나노 실리카 시트를 마그네슘 열 환원법을 사용하여 나노 실리콘 시트로 환원하였다. 산 처리를 통해 음으로 도전된 CNT와 APTES 표면처리를 통한 양으로 도전된 나노 실리콘 시트를 결합하여 나노 실리콘 시트/CNT 복합소재를 합성하였으며, 석유계 피치를 코팅하기 위하여 THF를 용매로 사용하였다. 제조된 음극복합소재의 물리적 특성은 FE-SEM, XRD, EDS를 통하여 분석하였고, LiPF₆ (EC:DMC:EMC = 1:1:1 vol%)를 전해액으로 사용하여 전지를 제조하였으며, 전기화학적 특성을 충·방전 사이클, 율속, differential capacity, EIS 테스트를 통해 조사하였다. 높은 조성의 실리콘과 전도성이 좋은 CNT를 사용할 경우 고용량 및 안정성이 우수한 음극소재를 제조할 수 있음을 알 수 있었다. 피치가 코팅된 나노 실리콘 시트/CNT 음극복합소재는 초기 방전 용량이 2344.9 mAh/g을 보였으며, 50 사이클 이후 용량 유지율이 81%로 피치가 코팅되지 않은 복합소재에 비해 개선된 전기화학적 성능을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제24권12호
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• pp.1718-1728
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• 2011

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the in vitro ability of keratinase to hydrolyze soybean glycinin and ${\beta}$-conglycinin and to evaluate the in vivo effects of keratinase when included in corn-soybean diets with different levels of crude protein and fed to nursery pigs. In experiment 1, a saturated keratinase solution (1 ml) was added to two blank controls of either glycinin or ${\beta}$-conglycinin resulting in the hydrolysis of 94.74% glycinin and 88.89% ${\beta}$-conglycinin. In experiment 2, 190 pigs (8.3${\pm}$0.63 kg BW) were allotted to one of four treatments in a 2${\times}$2 factorial arrangement on the basis of body weight, and sex was balanced among the pens. The effects of crude protein (19 vs. 22%) and keratinase (0 vs. 0.05%) were studied. Each treatment was applied to six pens with seven (two pens) or eight pigs per pen. Pigs were fed the experimental diets for 21 d. Weight gain and feed conversion ratio were improved (p<0.05) with keratinase supplementation while feed intake was reduced (p<0.05). Keratinase supplementation increased (p<0.05) the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, energy, crude protein and phosphorus. Keratinase supplementation also increased n-butyric acid in the cecum and colon, lactobacilli and total anaerobe counts in the colon as well as the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the ileum. Additionally, fecal score, ammonia nitrogen and branch chain volatile fatty acids in the colon, E. coli and total aerobe counts in the colon, crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum as well as serum interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 concentrations were also decreased (p<0.05) by keratinase supplementation. A reduction in dietary crude protein decreased (p<0.05) colon ammonia nitrogen concentration and cecal propionic acid and branch chain volatile fatty acid concentrations. In addition, cecal E. coli counts, colon total anaerobe counts, ileal crypt depth, and serum interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 concentrations were also decreased (p<0.05) with the reduction of dietary crude protein. With the exception of fecal scores, there were no significant interactions between crude protein and keratinase. This study provides evidence that dietary keratinase supplementation improved nursery pig performance by improving intestinal morphology and ecology, thus improving nutrient digestibility and alleviating the inflammatory response.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제20권6호
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• pp.537-546
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• 2020

Oil and natural gas reserves have been recognised abundantly in clayey rich rock formations in deep costal reservoirs. It is necessary to understand the sedimentary history of those reservoir rocks to well explore these natural resources. This work designs a group of laboratory experiments to mimic the physical process of the sedimentary clay-rich rock formation. It presents characterisation results of the physical properties of the artificial clayey rocks synthesized from illite clay, quartz sand and brine water by high-pressure consolidation tests. Special focus is given on the effects of illite clay content and high-stress consolidation on the physical properties. Multi-step loaded consolidation experiments were carried out with stress up to 35 MPa on mixtures constituting of the illite clay, quartz sand and brine water with five initial illite clay contents (w=85%, 70%, 55%, 40% and 25%). Compressibility and void ratio were characterised throughout the physical compaction process of the mixtures constituting of five illite clay contents and their water permeability was measured as well. Results show that the applied stress induces a great reduction of clayey rock void ratio. Illite clay contents has a significant influence on the compressibility, void ratio and the permeability of the physically synthesized clayey rocks. There is a critical illite clay content w=70% that induces the minimum void ratio in the physically synthesised clayey rocks. The SEM study indicates, in the high-pressure synthesised clayey rocks with high illite clay contents, the illite clay minerals are located in layers and serve as the material matrix, and the quartz minerals fill in the inter-mineral pores or are embedded in the illite clay matrix. The arrangements of the minerals in microscale originate the structural anisotropy of the high-pressure synthesised clayey rock. The test findings can give an intuitive physical understanding of the deep-buried clayey rock basins in energy reservoirs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권8호
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• pp.3257-3265
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• 2015

Background: Radiotherapy is an important treatment of choice for breast cancer patients after breast-conserving surgery, and we compare the feasibility of using dual arc volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT2), single arc volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT1) and Multi-beam Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (M-IMRT) on patients after breast-conserving surgery. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients with breast cancer (half right-sided and half left-sided) treated by conservative lumpectomy and requiring whole breast radiotherapy with tumor bed boost were planned with three different radiotherapy techniques: 1) VMAT1; 2) VMAT2; 3) M-IMRT. The distributions for the planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risk (OARs) were compared. Dosimetries for all the techniques were compared. Results: All three techniques satisfied the dose constraint well. VMAT2 showed no obvious difference in the homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) of the PTV with respect to M-IMRT and VMAT1. VMAT2 clearly improved the treatment efficiency and can also decrease the mean dose and V5Gy of the contralateral lung. The mean dose and maximum dose of the spinal cord and contralateral breast were lower for VMAT2 than the other two techniques. The very low dose distribution (V1Gy) of the contralateral breast also showed great reduction in VMAT2 compared with the other two techniques. For the ipsilateral lung of right-sided breast cancer, the mean dose was decreased significantly in VMAT2 compared with VMAT1 and M-IMRT. The V20Gy and V30Gy of the ipsilateral lung of the left-sided breast cancer for VMAT2 showed obvious reduction compared with the other two techniques. The heart statistics of VMAT2 also decreased considerably compared to VMAT1 and M-IMRT. Conclusions: Compared to the other two techniques, the dual arc volumetric modulated arc therapy technique reduced radiation dose exposure to the organs at risk and maintained a reasonable target dose distribution.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.707-712
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• 2014

Purpose: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, high reoperation rates, and increased hospital length of stay. Here we investigated the risk factors for AL after anterior resection for rectal cancer with a double stapling technique. Patients and Methods: Data for 460 patients who underwent primary anterior resection with a double stapling technique for rectal carcinoma at a single institution from 2003 to 2007 were prospectively collected. All patients experienced a total mesorectal excision (TME) operation. Clinical AL was defined as the presence of leakage signs and confirmed by diagnostic work-up according to ICD-9 codes 997.4, 567.22 (abdominopelvic abscess), and 569.81 (fistula of the intestine). Univariate and logistic regression analyses of 20 variables were undertaken to determine risk factors for AL. Survival was analysed using the Cox regression method. Results: AL was noted in 35 (7.6%) of 460 patients with rectal cancer. :Median age of the patients was 65 (50-74) and 161 (35%) were male. The diagnosis of AL was made between the 6th and 12th postoperative day (POD; mean 8th POD). After univariate and multivariate analysis, age (p=0.004), gender (p=0.007), tumor site (p<0.001), preoperative body mass index (EMI) (p<0.001), the reduction of TSGF on 5th POD less than 10U/ml (p=0.044) and the pH value of pelvic dranage less than or equal to 6.978 on 3rd POD (p<0.001) were selected as 6 independent risk factors for AL. It was shown that significant differences in survival of the patients were AL-related (p<0.001), high ASA score related (p=0.036), high-level EMI related (p=0.007) and advanced TNM stage related

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.3337-3343
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• 2013

This systematic review was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of bisphosphonates for prevention and treatment of osteopenia or osteoporosis in men with non-metastatic prostate cancer receiving androgendeprivation therapy. We searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of bisphosphonates compared with placebo from Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ISI - Science Citation Index. Meta-analyses of prespecified outcomes (bone mineral density, fractures, and adverse events) were performed using Review Manager. Ten RCTs with a total patient population of 1,017 were identified. There was generally more improvement in bone mineral density of the lumbar spine for patients who received bisphosphonate treatment than placebo or other medical treatment at 12 months (WMD 6.02,95%CI 5.39 to 6.65). Similar effects were also observed for total hip, trochanter or femoral neck bone mineral density. However, there was no significant reduction in fractures. Fever and gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common adverse events (10.4% vs. 1.2%; 0.10% vs. 0.03%). Currently, our meta-analysis suggested that oral and intravenous bisphosphonates caused a rapid increase in spine and hip or femoral BMD in non-metastatic prostate cancer patients receiving androgen-deprivation therapy. Fever and gastrointestinal symptoms were common with the use of bisphosphonates. These short-term trials (maximum of 12 months) did not show fracture reduction. In future, more efficient performance of higher quality, more rigorous, large sample, long-term randomised controlled trials (>12 months) are needed where outcomes are detailed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권12호
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• pp.2159-2170
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• 2016

Many plant-pathogenic bacteria are dependent on quorum sensing (QS) to evoke disease. In this study, the population of QS and quorum quenching (QQ) bacteria was analyzed in a consecutive monoculture system of Pseudostellaria heterophylla. The isolated QS strains were identified as Serratia marcescens with SwrIR-type QS system and exhibited a significant increase over the years of monoculture. Only one QQ strain was isolated from newly planted soil sample and was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis, which secreted lactonase to degrade QS signal molecules. Inoculation of S. marcescens to P. heterophylla root could rapidly cause wilt disease, which was alleviated by B. thuringiensis. Furthermore, the expression of lactonase encoded by the aiiA gene in S. marcescens resulted in reduction of its pathogenicity, implying that the toxic effect of S. marcescens on the seedlings was QS-regulated. Meanwhile, excess lactonase in S. marcescens led to reduction in antibacterial substances, exoenzymes, and swarming motility, which might contribute to pathogensis on the seedlings. Root exudates and root tuber extracts of P. heterophylla significantly promoted the growth of S. marcescens, whereas a slight increase of B. thuringiensis was observed in both samples. These results demonstrated that QS-regulated behaviors in S. marcescens mediated by root exudates played an important role in replanting diseases of P. heterophylla.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.140-151
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• 2015

Bacillus subtilis B006 strain effectively suppresses the cucumber fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (Foc). The population dynamics of Foc, strain B006 and its surfactin over-producing mutant B841 and surfactin-deficient mutant B1020, in the rhizosphere were determined under greenhouse conditions to elucidate the importance of the lipopeptides excreted by these strains in suppressing Foc. Results showed that B. subtilis strain B006 effectively suppressed the disease in natural soil by 42.9%, five weeks after transplanting, whereas B841 and B1020 suppressed the disease by only 22.6% and 7.1%, respectively. Quantitative PCR assays showed that effective colonization of strain B006 in the rhizosphere suppressed Foc propagation by more than 10 times both in nursery substrate and in field-infected soil. Reduction of Foc population at the cucumber stems in a range of $0.96log_{10}ng/g$ to $2.39log_{10}ng/g$ was attained at the third and the fifth weeks of B006 treatment in nursery substrate. In field-infected soil, all three treatments with B. subtilis suppressed Foc infection, indicated by the reduction of Foc population at a range of $2.91log_{10}ng/g$ to $3.36log_{10}ng/g$ at the stem base, one week after transplanting. This study reveals that the suppression of fusarium wilt disease is affected by the effective colonization of the surfactin-producing B. subtilis strain in the rhizosphere. These results improved our understanding of the biocontrol mechanism of the B. subtilis strain B006 in the natural soil and facilitate its application as biocontrol agent in the field.