• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2003

The objective of this study is to investigate the waste recycling possibility, practicability, economic efficiency and acid gas sorbent use of the hard-shelled mussel. This study is to investigate the hydration/calcination reaction and fixed bed reactor. The physical-chemical characteristics of the hard-shelled mussel were analyzed by ICP SEM-EDX, BET and pore volume. Thus, the results could be summarized as follows; Hard-shelled mussel can be used as iron-manufacture and chemical sorbents considering more than 53.7% of the mussel is lime content. The SO$_2$removal efficiency of the hard-shelled mussel after calcined hydration increased thirty times as a result of the higher pore size, specific surface area and pore volume. Also, the CaO content, pore volume, pore size distribution and specific surface area greatly influenced the SO$_2$ and NOx removal reactivity. The optimum particle diameter average of hard-shelled mussel was $\pm$100 mesh, which was applied to the sorbent on the medium/small scale waste incinerator and flue gas desulfurization processes.

• Carbon letters
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• v.2 no.3_4
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• pp.176-181
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• 2001

A series of activated carbons were prepared from coconut shells and coal-tar pitch binder by physical activation with steam in this study. The effect of variable processes such as activation temperature, activation time and ratio of mixing was investigated for optimizing those preparation parameters. The activation processes were carried out continuously. The nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K on pellet-shaped activated carbons show the same trend of Type I by IUPAC classification. The average pore sizes were about 19-21${\AA}$. The specific surface areas ($S_{BET}$) of pellet typed ACs increased with increasing the activation temperature and time. Specific surface area of AC treated for 90 min at temperature $900^{\circ}C$ was 1082 $m^2/g$. The methylene blue numbers continuously increased with increasing the activation temperature and time. On the other hand, iodine numbers highly increased till activation time of 60 min, but the rate of increase of iodine numbers decreased after that time. This indicates that new micropores were created and the existing micropores turned into mesopores and macropores because of increased reactivity of carbon surface and $H_2O$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1044-1049
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• 2008

In order to study functional nucleotides in prototype foamy virus (PFV) DNA on specific recognition by PFV integrase (IN), we designed chimeric U5 long terminal repeat (LTR) DNA substrates by exchanging comparative sequences between human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) and PFV U5 LTRs, and investigated the 3'-end processing reactivity using HIV-1 and PFV INs, respectively. HIV-1 IN recognized the nucleotides present in the fifth and sixth positions at the 3'-end of the substrates more specifically than any other nucleotides in the viral DNA. However, PFV IN recognized the eighth and ninth nucleotides as distinctively as the fifth and sixth nucleotides in the reactions. In addition, none of the nucleotides present in the twelfth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth positions were not differentially recognized by HIV-1 and PFV INs, respectively. Therefore, our results suggest that the functional nucleotides that are specifically recognized by its own IN in the PFV U5 LTR are different from those in the HIV-1 U5 LTR in aspects of the positions and nucleotide sequences. Furthermore, it is proposed that the functional nucleotides related to the specific recognition by retroviral INs are present inside ten nucleotides from the 3'-end of the U5 LTR.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.612-619
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• 2004

A competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cdELISA) was developed for selective and rapid detection of a glycopeptide antibiotic, teicoplanin (TP). TP was conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) for use as an immunogen. Repeated subcutaneous injections of 0.5 mg of the conjugate was effective in generating specific polyclonal antibody (PAb) toward TP in rabbits, as determined by cdELISA. TP-horseradish peroxidase conjugate (TP-HRP) was used as an enzyme marker. The cdELISA was developed based on a competition reaction between TP-BSA PAb and TP-HRP conjugate. The TP-BSA PAb was highly sensitive (detection limit, 0.3 ng/ml and specific toward teicoplanin, showing no cross-reactivity to other glycopeptide antibiotics including vancomycin. There were good correlations ($r^2$=0.84 and 0.76, respectively) between cdELISA and microbiological assay, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The cdELISA system developed in this work is expected to be useful not only for selective and rapid monitoring of TP but also for study of TP pharmacokinetics.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.993-1001
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• 2007

The technique of serological analysis of antigens by recombinant cDNA expression library (SEREX) uses autologous patient sera as a screening probe to isolate tumor-associated antigens for various tumor types. Isolation of tumor-associated antigens that are specifically reactive with patient sera, but not with normal sera, is important to avoid false-positive and autoimmunogenic antigens for the cancer immunotherapy. Here, we describe a selection methodology to isolate patient sera-specific antigens from a yeast surface-expressed cDNA library constructed from 15 patient lung tissues with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Several rounds of positive selection using patient sera alone as a screening probe isolated clones exhibiting comparable reactivity with both patient and normal sera. However, the combination of negative selection with allogeneic normal sera to remove antigens reactive with normal sera and subsequent positive selection with patient sera efficiently enriched patient sera-specific antigens. Using the selection methodology described here, we isolated 3 known and 5 unknown proteins, which have not been isolated previously, but and potentially associated with NSCLC.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.922-926
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• 2013

3,3',4,4'-Tetrachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC PCB77) is one of seven indicative polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the surface sediments. The current study presents a novel polyclonal antibody for the determination of the PCB77 using indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Under optimum conditions, PCB77 was determined within the concentration range of 0.01-100 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, with a detection limit of 0.057 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$. The assays were tested for their cross-reactivity profiles using 3 selected congeners and 4 Aroclor products. The assays were highly specific for coplanar PCB congeners, but less specific for Aroclor1248. The spiked recoveries from five sediment samples were 86%-114% for PCB77 from ELISA, which were satisfactory. The current study demonstrated that the developed antiserum and immunoassay procedure can be used to detect PCB77 in environmental samples. The results of the sediment analysis were confirmed by conventional GC/ECD.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.1131-1136
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• 2020

Xenon behaves differently in molten salt reactors (MSRs) compared to solid fuel reactors. This behavior needs exploring due to the large reactivity effect of the ¹³⁵Xe isotope, given the current interest in MSR power plant development for commercial deployment. This paper focuses on select topics in xenon transport, reviews relevant past works, and proposes specific research questions to advance the state of the art in each of the focus areas. Specifically, the paper discusses the issue of xenon solubility in MSRs, the behavior of particulates circulating in MSR fuel salt and its influence on the xenon transport, the possibility of ionization of xenon atoms which changes its effective size and thus affects its mass transport, and finally the issue of circulating void fraction and how it is measured. This work presents specific recommendations for MSR designers to research the limits of Henry's law validity, circulating particulate scrubbers, validity of mass transport coefficients in high radiation fields, and the effects of pump speed on circulating void fraction.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2013

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the potential role of the 27-Kilodalton (KDa) antigen versus Fasciola gigantica adult worm regurge antigens in a DOT-Blot assay and to assess this assay as a practical tool for diagnosis fascioliasis in Egyptian patients. Fasciola gigantica antigen of an approximate molecular mass 27- (KDa) was obtained from adult worms by a simple elution SDS-PAGE. A Dot-Blot was developed comparatively to adult worm regurge antigens for the detection of specific antibodies from patients infected with F. gigantica in Egypt. Control sera were obtained from patients with other parasitic infections and healthy volunteers to assess the test and compare between the antigens. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of Dot-Blot using the adult worm regurge were 80%, 90%, 94.1%, and 69.2% respectively, while those using 27-KDa were 100% which confirms the diagnostic potential of this antigen. All patients infected with Fasciola were positive, with cross reactivity reported with Schistosoma mansoni serum samples. This 27-KDa Dot-Blot assay showed to be a promising test which can be used for serodiagnosis of fascioliasis in Egyptian patients especially, those presenting with hepatic disease. It is specific, sensitive and easy to perform method for the rapid diagnosis particularly when more complex laboratory tests are unavailable.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.255-267
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• 2017

Malaria is an infectious disease affecting humans, which is transmitted by the bite of Anopheles mosquitoes harboring sporozoites of parasitic protozoans belonging to the genus Plasmodium. Despite past achievements to control the protozoan disease, malaria still remains a significant health threat up to now. In this study, we cloned and characterized the full-unit Plasmodium yoelii genes encoding merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), circumsporozoite protein (CSP), and Duffy-binding protein (DBP), each of which can be applied for investigations to obtain potent protective vaccines in the rodent malaria model, due to their specific expression patterns during the parasite life cycle. Recombinant fragments corresponding to the middle and C-terminal regions of PyMSP1 and PyCSP, respectively, displayed strong reactivity against P. yoelii-infected mice sera. Specific native antigens invoking strong humoral immune response during the primary and secondary infections of P. yoelii were also abundantly detected in experimental ICR mice. The low or negligible parasitemia observed in the secondary infected mice was likely to result from the neutralizing action of the protective antibodies. Identification of these antigenic proteins might provide the necessary information and means to characterize additional vaccine candidate antigens, selected solely on their ability to produce the protective antibodies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.686-692
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• 2004

To develop the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the analysis of N-acetylehitooligosaccharides (NACOS) and chitooligosaccharides (COS), specific antibodies (Abs) were produced, and their properties were compared. N-acetylehitohexaose (NACOS6), chitohexaose (COS6), and COS mixture (COSM) conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used to immunize rabbits. By the use of specific Abs and NACOS6-horseradish peroxidase (HRP), COS6-HRP, and COSM-HRP conjugates, competitive direct ELISA (cdELISA) was developed. The detection limits of NACOS6 by the anti-NACOS6 Ab and COS6 by the anti-COS6 and the anti-COSM Abs in the cdELISAs were about 0.2, 2, ana 2 ng/ml (ppb), respectively. In the cdELISA, the anti-NACOS6 Ab was found to recognize NACOS3-NACOS6, but not N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc), NACOS2, and COSs; the anti-COS6 Ab recognized COS2-COS6 and COSM, but not glucosamine (GlcN) and NACOSs. The recognition pattern of the anti-COSM Ab was almost the same as that of the anti- COS6 Ab, except that the former recognized COS2 and COS3 slightly better than the latter.