• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.343-349
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• 2010

Rapid on-site sensing of nitrate-nitrogen and potassium ions in hydroponic solution would increase the efficiency of nutrient use for greenhouse crops cultivated in closed hydroponic systems while reducing the potential for environmental pollution in water and soil. Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) are a promising approach because of their small size, rapid response, and the ability to directly measure the analyte. The capabilities of the ISEs for sensing nitrate and potassium in hydroponic solution can be affected by the presence of other ions such as calcium, magnesium, sulfate, sodium, and chloride in the solution itself. This study was conducted to investigate the applicability of two ISEs consisting of TDDA-NPOE and valinomycin-DOS PVC membranes for quantitative determinations of $NO_3$-N and K in hydroponic solution. Nine hydroponic solutions were prepared by diluting highly concentrated paprika hydroponic solution to provide a concentration range of 3 to 400 mg/L for $NO_3$-N and K. Two of the calibration curves relating membrane response and nutrient concentration provided coefficients of determination ($R^2$) > 0.98 and standard errors of calibration (SEC) of < 3.79 mV. The use of the direct potentiometry method, in conjunction with an one-point EMF compensation technique, was feasible for measuring $NO_3$-N and K in paprika hydroponic solution due to almost 1:1 relationships and high coefficients of determination ($R^2$ > 0.97) between the levels of $NO_3$-N and K obtained with the ion-selective electrodes and standard instruments. However, even though there were strong linear relationships ($R^2$ > 0.94) between the $NO_3$-N and K concentrations determined by the Gran's plot-based multiple standard addition method and by standard instruments, hydroponic $NO_3$-N concentrations measured with the ISEs, on average, were about 10% higher than those obtained with the automated analyzer whereas the K ISE predicted about 59% lower K than did the ICP spectrometer, probably due to no compensation for a difference between actual and expected concentrations of standard solutions directly prepared.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.74-85
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• 2013

Since the underground transportation system is a closed environment, indoor air quality problems may seriously affect many passengers' health. The purpose of this study was to understand $PM_{10}$ characteristics in the underground air environment and further to quantitatively estimate $PM_{10}$ source contributions in a Seoul Metropolitan subway station. The $PM_{10}$ was intensively collected on various filters with $PM_{10}$ aerosol samplers to obtain sufficient samples for its chemical analysis. Sampling was carried out in the M station on the Line-4 from April 21 to 28, July 13 to 21, and October 11 to 19 in the year of 2010 and January 11 to 17 in the year of 2011. The aerosol filter samples were then analyzed for metals, water soluble ions, and carbon components. The 29 chemical species (OC1, OC2, OC3, OC4, CC, PC, EC, Ag, Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Ti, V, Zn, $Cl^-$, $NO_3{^-}$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, $Na^+$, $NH_4{^+}$, $K^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$) were analyzed by using ICP-AES, IC, and TOR after proper pretreatments of each sample filter. Based on the chemical information, positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was applied to identify the $PM_{10}$ sources and then six sources such as biomass burning, outdoor, vehicle, soil and road dust, secondary aerosol, ferrous, and brakewear related source were classified. The contributions rate of their sources in tunnel are 4.0%, 5.8%, 1.6%, 17.9%, 13.8% and 56.9% in order.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2004

Basic properties of artificial lightweight aggregate by using waste dusts and strength properties of LWA concrete were studied. Bulk specific gravity and water absorption of artificial lightweight aggregates varied from 1.4 to 1.7 and 13 to 16%, respectively. Crushing ratio of artificial lightweight aggregate was above 10% higher than that of crushed stone or gravel. As a result of TCLP leaching test, the leaching amount of tested heavy metal element was below the leaching standard of hazardous material. Slump, compressive strength and stress-strain properties of LWA concrete made of artificial lightweight aggregate were tested. Concrete samples derived from LWA substitution ratio of 30 vol% and W/C ratio of 45 wt% showed the best properties overall. Thermal insulation and sound insulation characteristics of light weight concrete panel with the optimum concrete proportion were tested. Average overall heat transmission of 3.293W/㎡$^{\circ}C$ was observed. It was higher by about 15% than those of normal concrete made by crushed stone. Sound transmission loss of 50.9 ㏈ in frequency of 500 ㎐ was observed. It was higher by about 13% than standard transmission loss.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.510-518
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• 2016

Ethyl cellulose-g-poly(ethylene glycol) (EP) was synthesized by esterification of carboxylic acid functionalized methoxy polyethylene glycol (MPEG-COOH) with ethyl cellulose (EC) in order to develop a hydrophilic substrate for thin-film composite (TFC) membrane in a forward osmosis (FO) system. A porous EP substrate, fabricated by a non-solvent induced phase separation method, was found to be more hydrophilic than the EC substrate due to the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) side chains in the EP. Since the EP substrate exhibits smaller water contact angles and higher porosity, the structural parameter (S) of TFC-EP is smaller than that of TFC-EC, indicating that internal concentration polarization (ICP) within porous substrates can occur less when TFC-EP is used as a membrane. For example, the water flux value of the TFC-EP is 15.7 LMH, whereas the water flux value of the TFC-EC is only 6.6 LMH. Therefore, we strongly believe that the TFC-EP could be a promising candidate with good FO performances.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.553-561
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• 2018

Icariside II (ICA II) is used in erectile dysfunction treatment. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are efficient at improving erectile function. This study aimed to explore the action mechanism of ADSCs in improving erectile function. ADSCs were isolated from the adipose tissues of rats. Cell proliferation was determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The expressions of mRNA and protein were determined separately through qRT-PCR and western blot. The endogenous expressions of related genes were regulated using recombinant plasmids and cell transfection. A Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay was performed to determine the interaction between miR-34a and STAT3. Rat models with bilateral cavernous nerve injuries (BCNIs) were used to assess erectile function through the detection of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and intracavernosal pressure (ICP). ICA II promoted ADSCs' proliferation and differentiation to Schwann cells (SCs) through the inhibition of miR-34a. Suppressed miR-34a promoted the differentiation of ADSCs to SCs by upregulating STAT3. ICA II promoted the differentiation of ADSCs to SCs through the miR-34a/STAT3 pathway. The combination of ICA II and ADSCs preserved the erectile function of the BCNI model rats. ADSCs treated with ICA II markedly preserved the erectile function of the BCNI model rats, which was reversed through miR-34a overexpression. ICA II promotes the differentiation of ADSCs to SCs through the miR34a/STAT3 pathway, contributing to erectile function preservation after the occurrence of a cavernous nerve injury.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.47-58
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• 2011

Halogen free intumescent flame retardants(IFRS), such as the mixture of melamine phosphate(MP) and char forming agents(pentaerythritol(PER), di-pentaerythritol(DiPER), tris(2-hydroxyethyl) isocyanurate(THEIC)), were prepared and characterized. Polypropylene(PP)/$IFR_S$ composites were also prepared in the presence of ethylene diamine phosphate(EDAP) as a synergist and used into flame retardant PP powder coatings. Thermoplastic PP powder coatings at 20 wt% flame retardant loading were manufactured by extruded and then mechanical cryogenic crushed to bring them in fine powder form. These intumescent flame retardant powder coatings($IFRPC_S$) were applied on mild steel surface for the purpose of protection and decorative. It is a process in which a $IFRPC_S$ particles coming in contact with the preheated mild steel surface melt and form a thin coating layer. The obtained MP flame retardant was analyzed by utilizing FTIR, solid-state $^{31}P$ NMR, ICP, EA and PSA. The mechanical properties as tensile strength, melt flow index(MFI) and the thermal property as TGA/DTA and the fire safety characteristics as limiting oxygen index(LOI), UL94 test, SEM were used to investigate the effect of $IFRPC_S$. The experimental results show that the presence of $IFR_S$ considerably enhanced the fire retardant performances as evidenced by the increase of LOI values 17.3 vol% and 32.6 vol% for original PP and $IFRPC_S$-3(PP/MP-DiPER/EDAP), respectively, and a reduction in total flaming combustion time(under 15 sec) in UL94 test of $IFRPC_S$. The prepared $IFRPC_S$-3 have good comprehensive properties with fire retardancy 3.2 mm UL94 V-0 level, LOI value 32.6%, tensile strength $247.3kg/cm^2$, surface roughness Ra $0.78{\mu}m$, showing a better application prospect. Through $IFRPC_S$-2(PP/MP-PER/EDAP) and $IFRPC_S$-3 a better flame retardancy than that of the $IFRPC_S$-1(PP/MP/EDAP) was investigated which was responsible for the formed more dense and compact char layer, improved synergy effect of MP and PER/DiPER.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.839-843
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• 2011

ZnO nanostructures were developed on a Si (100) substrate from powder mixture of ZnO and 5 mol% Pd (ZP-5) as reactants by ${\times}$ sccm oxygen pressures(x= 0, 10, 20, 40). DTA (differential thermal analysis) result shows the Pd(5 mol%)+ZnO mixtured powder(PZ-5) is easily evaporated than pure ZnO powder. The PZ-5 mixtured powder was characterized by DTA to determine the thermal decomposition which was found to be at $800^{\circ}C$, $1,100^{\circ}C$. Weight loss(%) and ICP (inductively coupled plasma) analysis reveal that Zn vaporization is decreased by increased oxygen pressures from the PZ-5 at $1,100^{\circ}C$ for 30 mins. Needle-like ZnO nanostructures array developed from 10 sccm oxygen pressure, was well aligned vertically on the Si substrate at $1,100^{\circ}C$ for 30 mins. The lengths of the Needle-like ZnO nanostructures is about 2 ${\mu}m$ with diameters of about 65 nm. The developed ZnO nanostructures exhibited growth direction along [001] with defect-free high crystallinity. It is considered that Zn vaporization is responsible for the growth of Needle-like ZnO nanostructures by controlling the oxygen pressures. The photoluminescence spectra of ZnO nanostructures exhibited stronger 376.7 nm NBE (near band-edge emission) peak and 529.3 nm DLE (deep level energy) peak.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 2021

The waste etching solution for chip on film (COF) contained about 3.5% copper, and it was recovered through cementation using iron samples. The effect of cementation with plate, chip, and powder iron samples was investigated. The molar ratio (m/r) of iron to copper was used as a variable in order to increase the recovery rate of copper. As the molar ratio increased, the copper content in the solution rapidly decreased at the beginning of the cementation reaction. Before and after the reaction, the copper content of the solution was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) using copper concentration according to time. After cementation at room temperature for 1 hour, the recovery rate of copper had increased the most in the iron powder sample, having the largest specific surface area of the samples, followed by the chip and plate samples. The recovered copper powder was characterized for its crystalline phase, morphology, and elemental composition by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. Copper and unreacted iron were present together in the iron powder samples. The optimum condition for recovering copper was obtained using iron chips with a molar ratio of iron to copper of 4 giving a recovery rate of about 98.4%.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.530-539
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• 2021

Background: In South Korea, areas around abandoned metal mines are designated as regions with high arsenic (As) contamination. However, studies assessing urinary As exposure, As metabolism, and relevant genetic polymorphisms in residents of these metal mine areas are lacking. Objectives: To identify factors associated with As exposure and evaluate the effects of MTHFR, As3MT, and GSTO1 genetic polymorphisms on As metabolism in residents of abandoned metal mine areas by measuring urinary As species. Methods: Urinary As species (arsenite [As³⁺], arsenate [As⁵⁺], monomethyl arsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid) were isolated using high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). Four genetic polymorphisms (MTHFR A222V, MTHFR E429A, GSTO1 A140D, As3MT M287T) were analyzed in 144 residents of four areas around abandoned metal mines. Results: The study sample was comprised of 34.7% men and 65.3% women, with a mean age of 70.7±10.9 years. The urinary inorganic As concentration was higher among those consuming more than half locally produced rice (0.31 ㎍/L) than those consuming less than half such rice (0.18 ㎍/L). The urinary dimethylarsinic acid concentration was higher in the group that had consumed seafood in the past day (31.68 ㎍/L) than in those who had not (22.37 ㎍/L). Furthermore, individuals heterozygous in the MTHFR A222V and GSTO1 A140D polymorphism had higher urinary arsenic species concentrations than did individuals with a wild type or homozygous for the variant allele. Conclusions: Consumption of locally produced rice was associated with inorganic As exposure, whereas seafood consumption was associated with organic As exposure among residents of abandoned metal mine areas. There was no clear association between MTHFR A222V and GSTO1 A140D polymorphisms and As metabolism.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2021

⁸²Sr for ⁸²Rb generator was produced through the irradiation of the proton beam on the ^nat.RbCI target at the target irradiation facility installed at the end of the Rl-dedicated beamline of the 100 MeV proton linear accelerator of KOMAC (Korea Multi-purpose Accelerator Complex). The average current of the proton beam was 1.2 µA for irradiation time of 150 min. For the separation and purification of the ⁸²Sr from ^nat.RbCI irradiated, Chelex-100 resin was used. The activities of ⁸²Sr in the irradiated ^nat.RbCI target solution and after purification were 45.29 µCi and 43.4 µCi, respectively. The separation and purification yield was 95.8%. As an adsorbent to be filled in the generator for ⁸²Sr adsorption hydrous tin oxide was selected. The adsorption yield of ⁸²Sr into the generator adsorbent was > 99 %, and the total amount of ⁸²Sr adsorbed to the generator was 21.6 µCi as of the day of the ⁸²Rb elution experiment. When the elution amount was 22 mL, the maximum⁸²Rb elution yield was 93.3%, and the elution yield increased as the flow rate increased. After the eluted ⁸²Rb was filled in the correction phantom of the small PET for animals, a PET image was taken. The image scan time was set to 5 min, and the phantom PET image was successfully obtained. As results of impurity analysis on eluted ⁸²Rb using ICP-MS, ^nat.Rb stable isotopes that compete in vivo of ⁸²Rb were identified as undetected levels and were determined to be No-Carrier-Added (NCA).