• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.153-165
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• 2014

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology is recognizing one of method responding the climate change with reduction of carbon dioxide in atmosphere. In Korea, due to its geological characteristics, sub-seabed geological $CO_2$ storage is regarded as more practical approach than on-land storage under the goal of its deployment. However, concerns on potential $CO_2$ leakage and relevant acidification issue in the marine environment can be an important subject in recently increasing sub-seabed geological $CO_2$ storage sites. In the present study effect data from literatures were collected in order to conduct an effect assessment of elevated $CO_2$ levels in marine environments using a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) various marine organisms such as microbe, crustacean, echinoderm, mollusc and fish. Results from literatures using domestic species were compared to those from foreign literatures to evaluate the reliability of the effect levels of each biological group and end-point. Ecological effect guidelines through estimating level of pH variation (${\delta}pH$) to adversely affect 5 and 50% of tested organisms, HC5 and HC50, were determined using SSD of marine organisms exposed to the $CO_2$-induced acidification. Estimated HC5 as ${\delta}pH$ of 0.137 can be used as only interim quality guideline possibly with adequate assessment factor. In the future, the current interim guideline as HC5 of ${\delta}pH$ in this study will look forward to compensate with supplement of ecotoxicological data reflecting various trophic levels and indigenous species.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.942-948
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• 2010

To predict the potential reduction of $CH_4$ by recovering several types of wastes as of reusable energy sources like RDF, the $CH_4$ emission for each type of waste from Landfill Site 3 of SUDOKWON Landfill was estimated for the period of 2017 to 2024. Without any recovering effort on types of wastes being disposed of at the Landfill, there are producing a total of $526{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$ of $CH_4$; municipal waste of $337{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$, construction waste of $178{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$, and facility waste of $11{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$. It composed of 41.5% to that observed from 2002 to 2009. With properly retrieved by MT(Mechanical Treatment), it released a total of $158{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$ $CH_4$; $127{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$, $28{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$, and $4{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$, respectively. Additionally, when biologically degradable residues can be fully treated by MBT (Mechanical & Biological Treatment) system, the total amount of $CH_4$ emitted from the site will be lowered down as low as $115{\times}10^6\;Nm^3$, which is comparably lower showing only 21.8% to that for without any energy recovery practice. Futhermore, it is far less showing 9.1% to that obtained from 2002 to 2009. It can be decided that predictable amount of $CH_4$ emission reduced could be successfully accomplished and enhanced through ways of energy recovery efforts such as further scale adjustment of LFG treatment capacity in association with currently implemented practices in the landfill site.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.68-74
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• 2000

Penicillium oxalicum (PENOX) has shown the potential as a biocontrol agent(5CA) for control of a weed, clover(Trifolium repens L.) in grass plots. The bioherbicidal activity may be due to germinative and growth capacities and substrate availability of the agent over a range of environmental factors. The influences of different water activities($0.94{\sim}0.995\;a_w$) and temperatures($18{\sim}30^{\circ}C$) on mycelial growth, conidial germination, sporulation oil 2% MEA(malt extract agar) adjusted to different water activities with glycerol, and carbon source utilization using BIOLOG GN MicroPlate were determined in vitro. Decreases in $a_w$ on MEA caused a reduction in mycelial growth and conidial germination depending on temperature. The mycelial growth of PENOX was greatest at $30^{\circ}C/0.995\;a_w$. At some lowered water activity($0.97\;a_w$), the growth was similar between 25 and $30^{\circ}C$, and considerably decreased at lowered temperature($20^{\circ}C$). The germination rate was also greatest at $30^{\circ}C/0.995\;a_w$. Lag phase times for PENOX at $18^{\circ}C$ on MEA were >6hrs at tile whole $a_w$ level tested, and at 18 and $25^{\circ}C$ they were >18hrs and >12hrs at $0.94\;a_w$, respectively. However, its sporulation was some better at $0.97\;a_w$ than $0.995\;a_w$ or $0.94\;a_w$, and better at $20^{\circ}C$ than $30^{\circ}C$. In contrast, the number of carbon sources(niche size) utilized by PENOX varied with $a_w$ and temperature. Under some water stress condition($0.95\;a_w$), the agent utilized smaller number of carbon sources than $0.995\;a_w$ depending on temperature. The niche size at 0.995 and $0.95\;a_w$ were highest at $25^{\circ}C$, and showed 86 and 65, respectively. At $30^{\circ}C$, the niche size at 0.995 and $0.95\;a_w$ showed 84 and 50, respectively. There was no carbon source utilized by PENOX at $0.90\;a_w$ regardless of temperature. These information of tile fungal ecophysiology will be useful for the effective development of BCA.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 2017

This study evaluated the drought tolerance of Liriope platyphylla F.T.Wang & T.Tang, Dendranthema zawadskii var. lucidum (Nakai) J.H.Park, Hosta longipes (Franch. & Sav.) Matsum., Sedum sarmentosum Bunge and Zoysia japonica Steud. for an extensive green roof. In order to assess drought tolerance of green roof plants, several criteria were measured such as volumetric water content, leaf and soil moisture potential, chlorophyll a and b, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and antioxidants. The results of the drought tolerance measurement of green roof plants focused on the gradually withering of plants from lack of volumetric water content. D. zawadskii was the first to show an initial wilting point, followed by Z. japonica, H. longipes and L. platyphylla in order while S. sarmentosum showed no withering. It was concluded that H. longipes, L. platyphylla and S. sarmentosum were highly drought tolerant plants able to survive over three weeks. Furthermore, chlorophyll a and b were divided into two types: Type I, which kept regular content from the beginning to the middle of the period and suddenly declined, like H. longipes and Z. japonica; and Type II, which showed low content at the beginning, sharply increased at the middle stage and decreased, like D. zawadskii, L. platyphylla and S. sarmentosum. Volumetric water content and the amount of evapotranspiration consistently declined in all plant species. The analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence results that S. sarmentosum, which had relatively high drought tolerance, was the last to decline, while Z. japonica and S. sarmentosum withered after rapid reduction. At first, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate showed high activity, but they lowered as the plant body closed stomata owing to the decrease in volumetric water content. Measuring antioxidants showed that when drought stress increased, the amount of antioxidants grew as well. However, when high moisture stress was maintained, this compound was continuously consumed. Therefore, the variation of antioxidants was considered possible for use as one of the indicators of drought tolerance evaluation.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.232-239
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• 1997

Purpose: The incidence of hepatitis A virus(HAV) infection has markedly decreased in the last 20 years due to industrialization and improvements in the standard of living and hygiene in Korea. The reduction in seroprevalence rates indicates infection potential for young adult population, and a need for vaccinations in high-risk adults and children groups has been suggested. In this study we evaluated the seroprevalence rates and natural infection rates of hepatitis A in children and adolescent to obtain the basic data for vaccination of hepatitis A. Methods: A total of 334 children and adolescent subjects below 20 years old in Kyonggi-do province were examined for HAV antibody and seroprevalence rates in each age group was investigated. In 584 elementary school students residing in Kyonggi-do province, serum samples collected in 1993 and 1996 from the same subjects for investigation of natural seroconversion rates. Method of testing antibody was enzyme immunoassay. Results: 1) The seropositive rate of HAV in 334 subjects aged below 20 years old was 5.4%. According to age, the seropositive rates were 27.3% in infant group, 0.0% in 1~4 year-old group, 0.0% in 5~9 year-old group, 2.9% in 10~14 year-old group and 15.0% in 15~19 year-old group. 2) In the study of 584 elementary school children, only one subject showed seropositive in 1993, and in 1996 three different subjects showed seropositive results(0.5%); the natural seroconversion rate during 3 years was 0.5%. 3) The seroprevalence rates of below 20 year-old subjects reported in previous studies were 63.8% in 1979 and 47.3% in 1989 while the present study showed the rate at 5.4%. Conclusion: Since natural antibody formation is rarely occurring, there is a high risk for apparent hepatitis A infection in adults. Therefore vaccination in high risk groups is essential at present, and in order to reduce the chance for hepatitis A infection in adults, vaccination in children may be needed.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.567-573
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• 2001

Lactobacilli have been generally recognized as an important lactic acid bacteria present in the normal human intestinal flora. Fifty two Lactobacillus isolates were recovered from the feces of healthy Koreans whose age ranged from thirteen days after birth to 37 years. Among the isolates above, 17 isolates were tentatively identified as strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus and 3 isolates as strains of Lactobacillus casei. For their characterization, these twenty isolates were subjected to the experiments for the resistance to the artificial gastric juice, pH2.5 and bile salt. Interestingly, 3 strains survived pH 2.5 after 3 hour incubation in the artificial gastric juice with more than 75% of survival rate. L. acidophilus a-4 had the highest survival rate of 100%. Four strains including L. acidophilus a-3 grew gradually in MRS broth in the presence of the artificial bile salt. Cholesterol assimilation was also tested for the 20 isolates. The result showed that cholesterol concentration of the medium was reduced by 10 Lactobacillus isolates with more than 60%, as compared to the control. L. acidophilus a-2 had the highest reduction rate of 77%. Judging from these data obtained in vitro, some isolates ware likely to reach the lower small intestine after consumption without a significant loss of viability, suggesting that they had the potential to be developed as a probiotic culture which might lower the cholesterol level in human.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.874-882
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• 2017

As the interest on the air-pollution is gradually rising up at home and abroad, automotiv e and fuel researchers have been working on the exhaust emission reduction from vehicles through a lot of approaches, which consist of new engine design, innovative after-treatment systems, using clean (eco-friendly alternative) fuels and fuel quality improvement. This research has brought forward three main issues : evaporative, performance, air pollution. In addition, researcher studied the environment problems of the bio-ethanol, bio-butanol, bio-ETBE (Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether), MTBE (Methyl Tert iary Butyl Ether) fuel contained in the fuel as octane number improver. The researchers have many dat a about the health effects of ingestion of octane number improver. However, the data support the con clusion that octane number improver is a potential human carcinogen at high doses. Based on the bio-fuel and octane number improver types (bio-ethanol, bio-butanol, bio-ETBE, MTBE), this paper dis cussed the influence of gasoline fuel properties on the evaporative emission characteristics. Also, this p aper assessed the acceleration and power performance of gasoline vehicle for the bio-fuel property. As a result of the experiment, it was found that all the test fuels meet the domestic exhaust gas standards, and as a result of measurement of the vapor pressure of the test fuels, the bio - ethanol : 15 kPa and the biobutanol : 1.6 kPa. thus when manufacturing E3 fuel, Increasing the biobutanol content reduces evaporation gas and vapor pressure. In addition, Similar accelerating and powering performance was shown for the type of biofuel and when bio-butanol and bio-ethanol were compared accelerated perf ormance was improved by about 3.9% and vehicle power by 0.8%.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.33-44
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• 2009

Water curtain of an underground LPG storage cavern is a facility to prevent leakage of high pressure gases, for which groundwater should flow freely towards the cavern and groundwater level also must be stably maintained. In this study, in order to evaluate qualities of seepage water and surrounding groundwater of an underground LPG storage cavern in Yeosu, 4 rounds of samplings, field measurements and laboratory analyses (February, May, August, October of 2007) were conducted. According to field measurements, pH was weak acidic to neutral but it gradually increased with time. Electrical conductivity (EC) of groundwater near a salt stack showed very high values between 10.47 and 38.50 mS/cm. Dissolved oxygen (DO) showed a very wide range of 0.20~8.74 mg/L and a mean of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) was 159 mV, which indicated an oxidized condition. Levels of $Fe^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$ were mostly less than 3 mg/L. All of seepage waters showed a Na-Cl type while only groundwater near the salt stack showed a Na-Cl type with a high total dissolved solid. The other groundwaters exhibited typical $Ca-HCO_3$ types. Levels of aerobic bacteria were mostly very high (573-39,520 CFU/mL). Based on the analyses of these hydrochemistry and biological characteristics, it is concluded that there are no particular problems in groundwater and seepage water, which not causing a trouble in the cavern operation. However, both for control of bio-clogging and for sustainable operation of the water curtain system, a regular hydrochemical and microbiological monitoring is required for the seepage water and surrounding groundwater.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.404-412
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to prepare extruded rice flours suitable for baking rice cookies. The extruded rice flours were prepared at 100 and 130$^{\circ}C$ temperature and 25 and 27% moisture content in a co-rotating twin screw extruder. The rice extrudates were dried at 100$^{\circ}C$ for 18 hr and subsequently ground into the fine flour. Characteristics of the extruded rice flours were examined by rapid visco analysis, hydration property analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and in vitro digestion test. Water absorption, solubility, and swelling power of all extruded rice flours were higher than those of native rice flour. DSC analysis showed that native rice flour had a peak at about 65$^{\circ}C$ while all extruded rice flours did not show any peaks since they were already gelatinized during the extrusion proess. Viscosity of the extruded rice flours decreased with increasing temperature and lowering moisture content in the extrusion proess. The extruded rice flours prepared at 130$^{\circ}C$ exhibited lower viscosity than those prepared at 100$^{\circ}C$. The operating temperature of the extrusion proess was critical for the starch digestion in vitro. The extruded rice flours prepared at 130$^{\circ}C$ showed a rapid decrease in digestible starch content while an increased level of slowly digestible starch content was observed compared to those treated at 100$^{\circ}C$ in the extruder. Cookies were prepared with a mixture of wheat flour and extruded rice flours at the ratio of 7 to 3. The cookies made with the extruded rice flours had lower spread factor and darker yellow color than those prepared with wheat flour only. Hardness of the extruded rice flour-added cookies was similar to that of the wheat flour cookie whereas their overall acceptance was better. Therefore the rice cookies partially supplemented with extruded rice flours may have a potential as early childhood foods which require soft texture and allergy reduction.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.410-420
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• 2019

Citrus unshiu peel extracts possess a variety of beneficial effects, and studies on their anticancer activity have been reported. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this activity remain unclear. In the current study, the apoptotic effect of ethanol extract of C. unshiu peel (EECU) on human breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells and related mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that the survival rate of MDA-MB-231 cells treated with EECU was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis. EECU-induced apoptosis was associated with the activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9, which initiate extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, respectively, and caspase-3, a representative effect caspase. EECU suppressed the expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis family of proteins, leading to an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and proteolytic degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. EECU also enhanced the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol, along with truncation of Bid. In addition, EECU activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, significantly weakened EECU-induced apoptosis and cell viability reduction. Furthermore, EECU promoted the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which acted as upstream signals for AMPK activation as pretreatment of cells, with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine reversing both EECU-induced AMPK activation and apoptosis. Collectively, these findings suggest that EECU inhibits MDA-MB-231 adenocarcinoma cell proliferation by activating intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, which was mediated through ROS/AMPK-dependent pathways.