• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.423-429
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• 2008

Currently, Ash-free clean coal producing process by solvent extraction is under development. The produced ash-free clean coal can be directly combusted in a gas turbine which results in substantial improvement of power generation efficiency. However, the clean coal produced by the solvent extraction still contain trace amount of alkali metal which may cause corrosion on turbine blades during the direct combustion. In present work ${\alpha},{\beta}$-metal (Zr and Ti) phosphates and H-Y zeolite were synthesized and their ion exchange characterizations were investigated for the application on alkali metal removal for clean coal production. $Na^+$ ion removal capacities of the metal phosphates and H-Y zeolite were measured and compared in both aqueous solution (100 ppmw, $Na^+$) and coal dissolved N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP, 12 ppmw $Na^+$) at elevated temperature. In aqueous solution, the ${\beta}$ form metal phosphates showed very high ion exchange capacities compared to ${\alpha}$ form. ${\beta}$ form metal phosphates also showed higher $Na^+$ removal capacities than H-Y zeolite. In ion exchange medium of NMP, all the ${\alpha}$ form metal phosphates showed over 90% of $Na^+$ ion removal efficiency in the temperature range of 200 to 400 while that of H-Y zeolite decreased as a half when the temperature was over 350. In addition, the regenerated metal phosphates by acid treatment showed no sign of degradation in $Na^+$ removal efficiency. Among the metal phosphates used, $Zr_{0.75}Ti_{0.25}(HPO_4)_2$ showed the best performance in $Na^+$ removal and is expected to be the most suitable inorganic ion exchanger for the alkali metal removal process.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2012

Feasibility of co-digestion was investigated by a series of anaerobic batch experiments using sewage sludge, swine waste, and food waste leachate as substrates. The organic solid wastes were collected from M city, where the daily productions of sewage sludge, swine waste, and food waste leachate were 178 ton/d, 150 ton/d, and 8 ton/d, respectively. Both swine waste and food waste leachate showed superior methane yields, methane productivities, and organic pollutant removal efficiencies compared to sewage sludge. Co-digestion of the total amounts of organic solid wastes would enhance methane production by 5.60 times $(530\;m^{3}\;CH_{4}/d\;{\rightarrow}\;2,968\;m^{3}\;CH_{4}/d)$. However, it also increase the amount of digestate by 1.88 times with 3.79 to 4.92 times higher pollutants (chemical oxygen demands total nitrogen, and total phosphorus) loading rates. Co-digestion of organic solid wastes is a valid strategy to enhance the performance of an anaerobic sludge digester and the energy independence of a wastewater treatment plant. Anyhow,the increment of digestate with higher pollutant loading would need a careful counterplan in the operation of the main stream of the treatment plant.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.141-153
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to analyze the correlation between ecotoxicity and water quality items using Daphnia magna in public sewage treatment plant process and to obtain operational data to control ecotoxicity through research on removal efficiency. The average value of ecotoxicity was 1.39 TU in the influent, 1.50 TU in the grit chamber, and 0.84 TU in the primary settling tank and it was found that most organic matters, nitrogen, and phosphorus were removed through biological treatment in the bioreactor. Using Pearson's correlation analysis, the positive correlation was confirmed in the order of ecotoxicity and water quality items TOC, BOD, T-N, NH3-N, SS, EC, and Cu. As a result of conducting a multilinear regression analysis with items representing positive correlation as independent variables, the regression model was found to be statistically significant, and the explanatory power of the regression model was about 81.6%. TOC was found to have a significant effect on ecotoxicity with B=0.009 (p<.001) and Cu with B=16.670 (p<.001), and since the B sign is positive (+), an increase of 1 in TOC increases the value of ecotoxicity by 0.009 and an increase in Cu by 1 increases the value of ecotoxicity by 16.670. TOC (β=0.789, p<.001) and Cu (β=0.209, p<.001) were found to have a significant positive effect on ecotoxicity. TOC and Cu have a great effect on ecotoxicity in the sewage treatment plant process, and it is judged that TOC and Cu should be considered preferentially and controlled in order to efficiently control ecotoxicity.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.667-674
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• 2020

The adsorption of reactive orange 16 (RO 16) dye by activated carbon was investigated using the amount of adsorbent, pH, initial concentration, contact time and temperature as adsorption variables. The investigated process parameters were separation coefficient, rate constant, rate controlling step, activation energy, enthalpy, entropy, and free energy. The adsorption of RO 16 was the highest at pH 3 due to the electrostatic attraction between the cations (H⁺) on the surface of the activated carbon and the sulfonate ions and hydroxy ions possessed by RO 16. Isotherm data were fitted into Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models by applying the evaluated separation factor of Langmuir (RL=0.459~0.491) and Freundlich (1/n=0.398~0.441). Therefore, the adsorption operation of RO 16 by activated carbon was confirmed as an appropriate removal method. Temkin's adsorption energy indicated that this adsorption process was physical adsorption. The adsorption kinetics studies showed that the adsorption of RO 16 follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and that the rate controlling step in the adsorption process was the intraparticle diffusion step. The positive enthalpy change indicated an endothermic process. The negative Gibbs free energy change decreased in the order of -3.16 <-11.60 <-14.01 kJ/mol as the temperature increased. Therefore, it was shown that the spontaneity of the adsorption process of RO 16 increases with increasing temperature.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1732-1740
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• 2021

Tobacco etch virus protease (TEVp) is a useful tool for removing fusion tags, but wild-type TEVp is less stable under oxidized redox state. In this work, we introduced and combined C19S, C110S and C130S into TEVp variants containing T17S, L56V, N68D, I77V and S135G to improve protein solubility, and S219V to inhibit self-proteolysis. The solubility and cleavage activity of the constructed variants in Escherichia coli strains including BL21(DE3), BL21(DE3)pLys, Rossetta(DE3) and Origami(DE3) under the same induction conditions were analyzed and compared. The desirable soluble amounts, activity, and oxidative stability were identified to be reluctantly favored in the TEVp. Unlike C19S, C110S and C130S hardly impacted on decreasing protein solubility in the BL21(DE3), but they contributed to improved tolerance to the oxidative redox state in vivo and in vitro. After two fusion proteins were cleaved by purified TEVp protein containing double mutations under the oxidized redox state, the refolded disulfide-rich bovine enterokinase catalytic domain or maize peroxidase with enhanced yields were released from the regenerated amorphous cellulose via affinity absorption of the cellulose-binding module as the affinity tag.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.580-586
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• 2017

The fractionation characteristics of organic matter were investigated in inflow and effluent of each other pollution sources and river. While the DOC/TOC ratio in the influent of public sewage treatment plant and livestock disposal facilities was above 0.58, the POC/TOC ratio of human livestock Night soil treatment plant and stormwater runoff was more than 0.7. The TOC removal efficiency of public sewage treatment plant and human livestock Night soil treatment plant were 88.5 % and 99.6 %, respectively. Although the concentration distribution of organic matter pollution most of total organic carbon (TOC) in effluent of pollution sources accounted for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) type (DOC/TOC ratio >0.89) and Refractory-DOC (RDOC)/TOC ratio was higher (>0.65). The fractionation characteristics of organic matter in river were similar with that of sewage treatment plant and TOC concentration showed the positive correlation with DOC ($r^2=0.93$) and RDOC ($r^2=0.89$) concentration. The decay rate of Labile DOC (LDOC) (avg. $0.128day^{-1}$) was higher than labile particulate organic carbon (LPOC) ($0.082day^{-1}$), while that of DOC ($0.008day^{-1}$) was lower than POC ($0.039day^{-1}$) (paired t-test, p < 0.001, n = 5). These study results suggested that it should consider important both TOC and DOC as the target indicator to control refractory organic matter in pollution sources.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.27 no.6 s.122
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• pp.375-381
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• 2004

We investigate the biological treatment of processed-leachate from SUDOKWON landfill site in Korea by the reed (Phragmites australis)-bed with a continuous flow system. The reed individuals showing superior growth in processed-leachate experiment were selected among the reeds of thirteen natural habitats by means of the comparisons between the removal rates of nutrient salts, eco-physiological responses and growth. The reed-beds (combination of the reed individuals showing superior growth with helper microorganisms) were continuously supplied with processed-leachate. We monitored the effluents that passing through the reed-beds during the experiment period. After five weeks, analysis results of effluent from each reed-bed were as follows; chromaticity, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solid and salinity decreased $29.5{\sim}36.9\%,\;49.4{\sim}67.2\%,\;42.1{\sim}94.6\%,\;74.5{\sim}88.8\%,\;15.6{\sim}20.8\%,\;17.5{\sim}35.4\%\;and\;15.3{\sim}34.7\%$, respectively. These results represented the substantial improvement of water-quality after passing through reed-bed in a continuous flow system.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2022

Background: Postoperative analgesia (POA) is an important determinant of successful treatment. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has recently gained attention as a promising adjuvant to local anesthetics (LA). The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of levobupivacaine (LB) as an adjuvant during inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in the extraction of lower impacted third molars (LITM). Methods: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blind, parallel-arm, and clinical study was performed on 50 systemically healthy participants who required removal of an asymptomatic LITM. Using a 1:1 distribution, the participants were randomized into two groups (n = 25). Group L (control group) received 1.8 mL of 0.5% LB and 0.2 mL normal saline (placebo) and Group D (study group) received a blend of 1.8 mL of 0.5% LB and 0.2 mL (20 ㎍) DEX. The primary outcome variable was the duration of POA and hemodynamic stability, and the secondary variable was the total number of analgesics required postoperatively for up to 72 h. The participants were requested to record the time of rescue analgesic use and the total number of rescue analgesics taken. The area under the curve was plotted for the total number of analgesics administered. The pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale. Data analysis was performed using paired students and unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, and receiver operating characteristic analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The latency, profoundness of anesthesia, and duration of POA were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The differences between mean pain scores at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h were found to be significant (each P = 0.0001). Fewer analgesics were required by participants in group D (2.12 ± 0.33) than in L (4.04 ± 0.67), with a significant difference (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Perineurally administered LA with DEX is a safe, effective, and therapeutic approach for improving latency, providing profound POA, and reducing the need for postoperative analgesia.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2001

Purpose : To assess the tolerance, complete response rate, bladder preservation rate and survival rate in patients with muscle-invading bladder cancer treated with selective bladder preservation protocol. Method and Materials : From October 1990 to June 1998, twenty six patients with muscle-invading bladder cancer (clinical stage T2-4, N0-3, M0) were enrolled for the treatment protocol of bladder preservation. They were treated with maximal TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumor) and 2 cycles of MCV chemotherapy (methotrexate, crisplatin, and vinblastine) followed by $39.6\~45\;Gy$ pelvic irradiation with concomitant cisplatin. After complete urologic evaluation (biopsy or cytology), the patients who achieved complete response were planed for bladder preservation treatment and treated with consolidation cisplatin and radiotherapy (19.8 Gy). The patients who had incomplete response were planed to immediate radical cystectomy. If they refused radical cystectomy, they were treated either with TURBT followed by MCV or cisplatin chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The median follow-up duration is 49.5 months. Results : The Patients with stage T2-3a and T3b-4a underwent complete removal of tumor or gross tumor removal by TURBT, respectively. Twenty one out of 26 patients $(81\%)$ successfully completed the protocol of the planned chemo-radiotherapy. Seven patients had documented complete response. Six of them were treated with additional consolidation cisplatin and radiotherapy. One patient was treated with 2 cycles of MCV chemotherapy due to refusal of chemo-radiotherapy. Five of 7 complete responders had functioning tumor-free bladder. Fourteen patients of incomplete responders were further treated with one of the followings : radical cystectomy (1 patient), or TURBT and 2 cycles of MCV chemotherapy (3 patients), or cisplatin and radiotherapy (10 patients). Thirteen patients of them were not treated with planned radical cystectomy due to patients' refusal (9 patients) or underlying medical problems (4 patients). Among twenty one patients, 12 patients $(58\%)$ were alive with their preserved bladder, 8 patients died with the disease, 1 patient died of intercurrent disease. The 5 years actuarial survival rates according to CR and PR after MCV chemotherapy and cisplatin chemoradiotherapy were $80\%\;and\;14\%$, respectively (u=0.001). Conclusion : In selected patients with muscle-invading bladder cancer, the bladder preservation could be achieved by MCV chemotherapy and cisplatin chemo-radiotherapy. All patients tolerated well this bladder preservation protoco. The availability of complete TURBT and the responsibility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy were important predictors for bladder preservation and survival. The patients who had not achieved complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy should be immediate radical cystectomy. A randomized prospective trial might be essential to determine more accurate indications between cystectomy or bladder preservation.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.206-214
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• 2014

This study is to evaluate how different bearing surface angles of abutment screw affect the mechanical stability of the joint in the conical seal design implant system. Materials and Methods: Internal connection type regular implants, two-piece cemented type abutments and tungsten carbide/carbon-coated titanium alloy abutment screws were selected. Titanium alloy screws with conical ($45^{\circ}$) and flat ($90^{\circ}$) head designs which fit on to abutment were fabricated. The abutments were tightened to implants with 30 Ncm by digital torque gauge. The loading was applied once to the central axis of abutment. The mean axial displacement was measured using micrometer before and after the tightening and loading (n = 5). The abutment was tightened to implants with 30 Ncm and T-shape stainless steel crown was cemented. Then the change in the amount of reverse-torque was measured after the repeated loading to the central axis, and the place 5 mm away from the central axis. Compressive bending and fatigue strength were measured at the place 5 mm away from the central axis (n = 5). Results: Both groups showed the largest axial displacement when abutment screw tightening and total displacement was greater in the flat head group compared to conical head group (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in reverse torque value, compressive bending and fatigue strength (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the abutment screw head design had no effect on two groups regarding the joint stability, however the conical head design affected the settlement of abutment resulting in the reduced total displacement.