• Communications of the Korean Mathematical Society
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.321-328
• /
• 2004

In this paper, we will prove the following: Let D be a nonempty of a normed linear space X and T : D -> X be a nonexpansive mapping. Let ${x_n}$ be a sequence in D and ${t_n}$, ${s_n}$ be real sequences such that (i) $0\;{\leq}\;t_n\;{\leq}\;t\;<\;1\;and\;{\sum_{n=1}}^{\infty}\;t_n\;=\;{\infty},\;(ii)\;(a)\;0\;{\leq}\;s_n\;{\leq}\;1,\;s_n\;->\;0\;as\;n\;->\;{\infty}\;and\;{\sum_{n=1}}^{\infty}\;t_ns_n\;<\;{\infty}\;or\;(b)\;s_n\;=\;s\;for\;all\;n\;{\geq}\;1\;and\;s\;{\in}\;[0,1),\;(iii)\;x_{n+1}\;=\;(1-t_n)x_n+t_nT(s_nTx_n+(1-s_n)x_n)\;for\;all\;n\;{\geq}\;1.$ Then, if the sequence {x_n} is bounded, then $lim_{n->\infty}\;$\mid$$\mid$x_n-Tx_n$\mid$$\mid$\;=\;0$. This result improves and complements a result of Deng [2]. Furthermore, we will show that certain conditions on D, X and T guarantee the weak and strong convergence of the Ishikawa iterative sequence to a fixed point of T.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.195-201
• /
• 2003

Aromatic hydrocarbons are of major concern among genotoxic chemicals due to their toxicity and persistence. Some microorganisms can utilize aromatic hydrocarbons as carbon and energy sources by inducing expression of catabolic operon(s). The XylR regulatory protein activates transcription of the catabolic enzymes to degrade BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) from its cognate promoters, Pu and Ps upon exposure of the cells to the aromatic hydrocarbons. The activity of XylR on the promoters was previously monitored using luciferase luc reporter system. The xylR, its promoter Pr and the promoter Po for the phenolic compound catabolic operon were introduced upstream of firefly luciferase luc in the pGL3b vector to generate about 7.1 kb of pXRBTEX. Here E. coli harboring the plasmid was freeze-dried under various conditions to fin,d optimal conditions for storage and transport. The cell viability and luciferase activity were maintained better, when the cells were freeze-dried at -7$0^{\circ}C$ in the addition of the 10% skim milk or 12% sucrose. However, coaddition of protectants such as 10% skim milk plus 10% glucose or 12% sucrose plus 10% glucose, resulted in much better viability and bioluminescence activity compared with the effect of single addition of each protectant. In addition, it was shown that the freeze-dried cells maintained almost intact bioluminescent activities and cell viability for at least 1 week after freeze-drying. This work demonstrated that the properly freeze-dried recombinant bacterial cells could be utilized as a whole-cell biosensor for simple and rapid monitoring of BTEX in the environment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.10
• /
• pp.3849-3854
• /
• 2022

The present work aims to optimize the radiation protection efficiency for ion-selective containers used in the liquid treatment for the nuclear power plant (NPP) cooling cycle. Some naturally occurring rocks were examined as filler materials to reduce absorbed dose and equivalent dos received from the radioactive waste container. Thus, the absorbed dose and equivalent dose were simulated at a distance of 1 m from the surface of the radioactive waste container using the Monte Carlo simulation. Both absorbed dose and equivalent dose rate are reduced by raising the filler thickness. The total absorbed dose is reduced from 7.66E-20 to 1.03E-20 Gy, and the equivalent dose is rate reduced from 183.81 to 24.63 µSv/h, raising the filler thickness between 0 and 17 cm, respectively. Also, the filler type significantly affects the equivalent dose rate, where the redorded equivalent dose rates are 24.63, 24.08, 27.63, 33.80, and 36.08 µSv/h for natural rocks basalt-1, basalt-2, basalt-sill, limestone, and rhyolite, respectively. The mentioned results show that the natural rocks, especially a thicker thickness (i.e., 17 cm thickness) of natural rocks basalt-1 and basalt-2, significantly reduce the gamma emissions from the radioactive wastes inside the modified container. Moreover, using an outer cementation concrete wall of 15 cm causes an additional decrease in the equivalent dose rate received from the container where the equivalent dose rate dropped to 6.63 µSv/h.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.34-37
• /
• 1999

Cymbidium mosaic virus (CyMV) was purified from CyMV infected orchid plant leaves by Sephacryl S-500 HR column chromatography. Partial purification was done by solubilization with Triton X-100 (alkylphenoxypolyethoxy ethanol) and precipitation with polyethylene glycol (PEG 6,000) followed by ultracentrifugation on 30% sucrose cushion. Based on the spectrophotometric analysis, 33 mg of CyMV could be obtained form 100 g of CyMV-infected orchid plant leaves. The purified CyMV represented one distinct homogeneous band by SDS-PAGE, and electron microscopy revealed that it was highly homogeneous and not fragmented. Bioassay demonstrated that the purified CyMV had a normal infectivity to Chenopodium amaranticolor and orchid plants. Based on these results, the purification method in this work could be served as an improved method for the purification of CyMV and similar viruses with good yield, high purity and native integrity.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.139-144
• /
• 2003

Since water borne infection causes acute diseases and results in spread of diseases by secondary infection, the prevention is very important. Therefore, it is necessary to have a method that is rapid and effective to monitor pathogenic bacteria in drinking water. In this study, we employed a systematic method, Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis, to develop an effective monitoring system for possible bacterial contaminants in drinking water. For this purpose, PCR primers were derived from 992 bp region of the 16s rRNA gene that is highly conserved through the different species of prokaryotes. To test whether the PCR primers designed are indeed useful for detecting all the possible microbial contaminants in the water, the primers were used to amplify 16s rRNA regions of different microbial water-borne pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, Yersinia, Listeria, and Staphylococcus. As expected, all of tested microorganisms amplified expected size of PCR products indicating designed PCR primers for 16s rRNA indeed can be useful to amplify all different microbial water-borne pathogens in the water. Furthermore, to test whether these 16s rRNA based PCR primers can detect bacterial populations present in the water, water samples taken from diverse sources, such as river, tap, and sewage, were used for amplification. PCR products were for then subjected for cloning into a T-vector to generate a library containing 16s rRNA sequences from various bacteria. With cloned PCR products, RFLP analysis was done using PCR products digested with restriction enzyme such as Hae III to obtain species-specific RFLP profiles. After PCR-RFLP, the bacterial clones which showed the same RFLP profiles were regarded as the same ones, and the clones which showed distinctive RFLP profiles were subsequently subjected for sequence analysis for species identification. By this PCR-RFLP analysis, we were able to reveal diverse populations of bacteria living in water. In brief, in unsterilized natural river water, over 60 different species of bacteria were found. On the other hand, no PCR products were detected in drinking tap-water. The results from this study clearly indicate that the PCR-RFLP-sequence analysis can be a useful method for monitoring diverse, perhaps pathogenic bacteria contaminated in water in a rapid fashion.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.164-171
• /
• 1985

The salicylic acid-formaldehyde condensed copolymer (SAF) and the 3-carboxy-4-hydroxy benzyl methacrylate divinylbenzene copolymer (CHBM-DVB) were synthesized. The capacities of SAF and CHBM-DVB ion exchangers were 4.6meq/g and 3.9 meq/g, respectively. The adsorption of several heavy metal ions on these weakly acidic ion exchangers and the property of ion exchanger were discussed. The distribution coefficients in hydrochloric acid solution and the elution behavior of several heavy metal ions were also discussed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.2
• /
• pp.707-714
• /
• 2024

Different degrees of natural radioactivity found in quartz can have negative consequences on health. Quartz vein along the investigated Abu Ramad area, Egypt, had its natural radioactivity assessed. The HPGe spectrometer was used to determine the role played by the radionuclides ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in the gamma radiation that was emitted, and the results showed that these concentrations are 484.64 ± 288.4, 36.8 ± 13.1 and 772.2 ± 134.6 Bq kg^-1 were higher than the corresponding reported global limits of 33, 45, and 412 Bq kg^-1 for each radionuclide (²³⁸U, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K). Among the radiological hazard parameters, the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) is estimated and it's mean value of ELCR (1.2) is higher than the permissible limit of 0.00029. The relationship between the radionuclides and the associated radiological hazard characteristics was investigated based on multivariate statistical methods including Pearson correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). According to statistical research, the radioactive risk of quartz is primarily caused by the ²³⁸U, ²³²Thand ⁴⁰K. Finally, applying quartz to building materials would pose a significant risk to the public.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.273-279
• /
• 1992

Polymerized vesicles were prepared from monomeric cholesterol-containing surfactant. These vesicles were used to extract the free cholesterol. A polymerized vesicle was formed both monomeric cholesterol-containing surfactant and monomeric surfactant containing two alkyl chain(50 : 50 weight ratio). This vesicle got the better extracting capacity compared with the vesicle which got the other weight ratio of the surfactants. This vesicle also exhibited the fastest substrate permeability. These all results showed that considerable vacant room is necessary in polymerized vesicles in order to extract more cholesterols.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.67-73
• /
• 2023

Oxidative stress brings about apoptosis through various mechanisms. In particular, oxidative stress in neuronal cells can causes a variety of brain diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Bidens tripartita on oxidative stress in neuronal cells. B. tripartita has traditionally been used in Russia as a medicine for diseases such as rhinitis, angina and colitis. Over-production of glutamate induces oxidative stress. When the oxidative stress occurs in the cells, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca²⁺ increase. In addition, the abrupt decline of mitochondrial membrane potential and the decrease of glutathione related enzymes such as glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) are also observed. The samples used in the experiment showed cytoprotective effect in the MTT assay. It also lowered the ROS and Ca²⁺ level, and increased degree of mitochondrial membrane potential, GR and GPx. As a result, B. tripartita had a positive effect against oxidative stress. Thus, it is expected to have potential for treatment and prevention of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.357-366
• /
• 2011

BACKGROUND: Mathematical model such as GLEAMS have been developed and successfully applied to upland fields to estimate the level of pesticide residues in soil. But, the GLEAMS model rarely applied to the Korean conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: To evaluate pesticide transport in soil residue using the GLEAMS model from pepper plot, Alachlor, Endosulfan, Cypermethrin and Fenvalerate were applied for standard and double rate. Soil sampling was conducted and decaying patterns of pesticides were investigated. Observed climate data such as temperature and irrigation amount were used for hydrology simulation. The observed pesticide residue data of 2008 were used for parameter calibration, and validation of GLEAMS model was conducted with observed data of 2009. After calibration, the $K_{oc}$ (Organic carbon distribution coefficient) and WSHFRC (Washoff fraction) parameters were identified as key parameters. The simulated concentrations of the pesticides except Fenvalerate were sensitive to $K_{oc}$ parameter. Overall, soil residue concentrations of Alachlor, Cypermethrin and Fenvalerate were fairly simulated compared to those of Endosulfan. The applicability of the GLEAMS model was also confirmed by statistical analysis. CONCLUSION(s): GLEAMS model was eligible for evaluation of pesticide soil residue for Alachlor, Cypermethrin and Fenvalerate.