• ALGAE
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.71-90
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• 2019

A new encrusting red alga was found growing abundantly on glass debris items that drifted ashore along the coasts of Oregon and Washington. These included discarded fluorescent tubes, incandescent light bulbs, capped liquor bottles, and ball-shaped fishing-net floats. Field collections and unialgal cultures of the alga revealed that it consisted of two morphological phases: a young loosely aggregated turf and a mature consolidated mucilaginous crust. The turf phase consisted of a basal layer of globose cells that produced erect, rarely branched, uniseriate to multiseriate filaments up to $500{\mu}m$ long with closely spaced cells lacking pit-plugs. These filaments expanded in size from their bases to their tips and released single cells as spores. At maturity, a second phase of growth occurred that produced a consolidated crust, up to $370{\mu}m$ thick. It consisted of a basal layer of small, tightly appressed ellipsoidal-to-elongate cells that generated a mucilaginous perithallial matrix containing a second type of filament with irregularly spaced cells often undergoing binary division. At the matrix surface, the original filaments continued to grow and release spores but often also eroded. Individual cells, examined using confocal microscopy and SYBR Green staining, were found to contain a central nucleus, a single highly lobed peripheral chloroplast without a pyrenoid, and numerous chloroplast nucleoids. Morphological data from field and culture isolates and molecular data (rbcL, psbA, and SSU) show that this alga is a new genus and species which we name Viator vitreocola, "a traveller on glass."

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.444-453
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• 2022

Background: Compound K (CK) is among the protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenoside group, which produces multiple pharmacological effects. Herein, we examined the effects of CK on muscle atrophy under hyperlipidemic conditions along with its pro-myogenic effects. Further, the molecular pathways underlying the effects of CK on skeletal muscle have been justified. Methods: C2C12 myotubes were treated with palmitate and CK. C2C12 myoblasts were differentiated using CK for 4-5 days. For the in vivo experiments, CK was administered to mice fed on a high-fat diet for 8 weeks. The protein expression levels were analyzed using western blotting analysis. Target protein suppression was performed using small interfering (si) RNA transfection. Histological examination was performed using Jenner-Giemsa and H&E staining techniques. Results: CK treatment attenuated ER stress markers, such as eIF2a phosphorylation and CHOP expression and impaired myotube formation in palmitate-treated C2C12 myotubes and skeletal muscle of mice fed on HFD. CK treatment augmented AMPK along with autophagy markers in skeletal muscle cells in vitro and in vivo experiments. AMPK siRNA or 3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor, abrogated the impacts of CK in C2C12 myotubes. CK treatment augmented p38 and Akt phosphorylation, leading to an enhancement of C2C12 myogenesis. However, AMPK siRNA abolished the effects of CK in C2C12 myoblasts. Conclusion: These findings denote that CK prevents lipid-induced skeletal muscle apoptosis via AMPK/autophagy-mediated attenuation of ER stress and induction of myoblast differentiation. Therefore, we may suggest the use of CK as a potential therapeutic approach for treating muscle-wasting conditions associated with obesity.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.187-197
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• 2022

The synthesis of organic and hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites directly from solution improves the cost- and energy-efficiency of processing. To date, numerous research efforts have been devoted to investigating the influence of the various solvent parameters for the synthesis of lead halide perovskites, focused on the effects of different single solvents on the efficiency of the resulting perovskites. In this work, we investigated the effect of solvent blends for the first time on the structure and phase of perovskites produced via the Lewis base vapor diffusion method to develop a new synthetic approach for water-stable CsPbBr₃ particles with nanometer-sized dimensions. Solvent blends prepared with DMF and water-miscible solvents with different Gutmann's donor numbers (D_N) affect the Pb ions differently, resulting in a variety of lead bromide species with various colors. The use of a DMF/isopropanol solvent mixture was found to induce the formation of the Ruddlesden-Popper perovskite based on lead bromide. This perovskite undergoes a blue color shift in the solvated state owing to the separation of nanoplatelets. In contrast, the replacement of isopropanol with DMSO, which has a high DN, induces the formation of spherical CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanoparticles that exhibit green emission. Finally, the integration of acetone in the solvent system leads to the formation of lead bromide complexes with a yellow-orange color and the perovskite CsPbBr₃.

• ALGAE
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.75-84
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• 2022

Intercellular nutrient and signal transduction are essential to sustaining multicellular organisms and maximizing the benefits of multicellularity. It has long been believed that red algal intercellular transport of macromolecules is prevented by the protein-rich pit plug within pit-connections, the only physical connection between cells. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran and recombinant green fluorescence protein (rGFP) of various molecular sizes were injected into vegetative cells of Griffithsia monilis using a micromanipulator, and intercellular transport of the fluorescent probes was examined. Pit-connections were found to provide intercellular transport of tracers at rates comparable to plasmodesmata in other organisms. The time necessary for the transport to an adjacent cell was dependent on the molecular size and the direction of the transport. Fluorescent dextran of 3 kDa was transported to adjacent cells in 1-2 h after injection and migrated to all cells of the filament within 24 h, but fluorescent dextran of 10-20 kDa took 24 h to transfer to neighboring cells. The migration occurred faster towards adjacent reproductive cells and to apical cells than basally. Fluorescent tracers above 40 kDa and rGFP was not transported to neighboring cells, but accumulated near the pit plug. Our results suggest that pit-connections are conduit for macromolecules between neighboring cells and that these size-specific conduits allow intercellular communication between the vegetative cells of red algae.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.489-504
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study examined socio-economic differences in diverse food consumption among children 6-23 months of age in South Asia and Southeast Asian countries. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Data from Demographic and Health Surveys in four countries in South Asia (n = 15,749) and four countries in Southeast Asia (n = 10,789) were used. Survey-design adjusted proportions were estimated for the following 10 food items: grains, legumes, dark green leafy vegetables (DGLV), vitamin A-rich fruits, vitamin A-rich vegetables, other fruits and vegetables (OFV), fish, meat, dairy, and eggs. An equity gap was defined as an arithmetic difference in the proportion of each food item consumed in the past 24-hours between the wealthiest and lowest quintiles and between rural and urban areas, denoted by percentage points (pp). RESULTS: The consumption of most of the 10 food items was higher in the wealthiest quintiles and urban areas across eight countries. The size of equity gaps was greater in Southeast Asia than in South Asia, particularly for vitamin A-rich fruits (3.3-30.0 pp vs. 0.3-19.6 pp), vitamin A-rich vegetables (12.1-26.7 pp vs. 2.4-5.9 pp), meat (17.7-33.4 pp vs. 3.4-13.4 pp), and dairy (14.7-32.5 pp vs. 3.3-11.4 pp). However, the size of equity gap in egg consumption was greater in Southeast Asia than South Asia (11.2-19.8 pp vs. 11.0-26.7 pp). Relatively narrower gaps were seen in the consumption of grains (0.3-12.9 pp), DGLV (0.6-12.4 pp), and fish (0.1-16.8 pp) across all countries. CONCLUSIONS: Equity gaps in food consumption differed by socio-economic status and region. Reducing equity gaps in nutrient-rich foods and utilizing regionally available food resources may increase child dietary quality.

• 농촌계획
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.95-109
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• 2022

This study attempted to suggest the factors that facilities that aim to exchange urban-rural coexistence base spaces with urban-rural areas should have. In order to derive factors, 15 literatures preceded by similar studies were investigated, and systematic classification was attempted. Finally, the factors for activating urban and rural base facilities were organized into 3 categories, 9 sectors, and 30 activation factors. The three major categories consisted of resources and facilities, content and programs, operational status. As a result of the AHP survey, in the survey area, which is a categories, resources and facilities composed of hardware factors originally possessed by the facility showed the highest score of 48.9. In the sectors, the convenience of facility use was 25.7 points, and the rich state of tangible and intangible resources was 13.3 points in order. In the sectors, income from paid experience programs at facilities was 8.3 points, physical accessibility to facilities was 8.2 points, and the type of areas where the facilities were located was 7.7 points in order. It showed high importance in the order of resources and facilities composed of hardware factors, content and programs composed of software factors, and manpower and operation composed of humanware factors. In general, it was shown that the physical factors of the place when using urban and rural base facilities were judged as the main factors.

• Advances in materials Research
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.179-192
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• 2023

We have studied the structural and optical properties of the non-doped and Co 0.08 at.%, Co 0.02 at.%, and Co 0.11 at.% doped ZnO nanorods (NRs) synthesized using the simple low-temperature chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at 95℃ for 2 hours. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images confirmed the morphology of the ZnO NRs are affected by Co incorporation. As observed, the Co 0.08 at.% doped ZnO NRs have a larger dimension with an average diameter of 153.4 nm. According to the International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD) number #00-036-1451, the x-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of non-doped and Co-doped ZnO NRs with the preferred orientation of ZnO NRs in the (002) plane possess polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure with the space group P63mc. Optical absorbance indicates the Co 0.08 at.% doped ZnO NRs have stronger and blueshift bandgap energy (3.104 ev). The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO NRs exhibited excitonicrelates ultraviolet (UV) and defect-related green band (GB) emissions. By calculating the UV/GB intensity, the Co 0.08 at.% is the proper atomic percentage to have fewer intrinsic defects. We predict that Co-doped ZnO NRs induce a blueshift of near band edge (NBE) emission due to the Burstein-Moss effect. Meanwhile, the redshift of NBE emission is attributed to the modification of the lattice dimensions and exchange energy.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.195-204
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• 2022

As a brittle failure mode, punching-shear failure can be widely found in traditional RC slab-column connections, which may lead to the entire collapse of a flat plate structure. In this paper, a novel RC slab-column connection with inner steel truss was proposed to enhance the punching strength. In the proposed connection, steel trusses, each of which was composed of four steel angles and a series of steel strips, were pre-assembled at the periphery of the column capital and behaved as transverse reinforcements. With the aim of exploring the punching behavior of this novel RC slab-column connection, a static punching test was conducted on two full-scaled RC slab specimens, and the crack patterns, failure modes, load-deflection and load-strain responses were thoroughly analyzed to explore the contribution of the applied inner steel trusses to the overall punching behavior. The test results indicated that all the test specimens suffered the typical punching-shear failure, and the higher punching strength and initial stiffness could be found in the specimen with inner steel trusses. The numerical models of tested specimens were analyzed in ABAQUS. These models were verified by comparing the results of the tests with the results of the analyzes, and subsequently the sensitivity of the punching capacity to different parameters was studied. Based on the test results, a modified critical shear crack theory, which could take the contribution of the steel trusses into account, was put forward to predict the punching strength of this novel RC slab-column connection, and the calculated results agreed well with the test results.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.35-57
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• 2023

Majority of the plastic produced each year is being disposed in land after single-use, which becomes waste and takes up a lot of storage space. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find alternative solutions instead of disposal. Recycling and reusing the PET plastic waste as aggregate replacement and fiber in concrete production can be one of the eco- friendly methods as there is a great demand for concrete around the world, especially in developing countries by raising human awareness of the environment, the economy, and Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a key development in concrete technology that offers a number of attractive features over traditional concrete applications. Recently, in order to improve its durability and prevent such plastics from directly contacting the environment, various kinds of plastics have been added. This review article summarizes the latest evident on the performance of SCC containing recycled PET as eco-friendly aggregates and fiber. Moreover, it highlights the influence of substitution content, shape, length, and size on the fresh and properties of SCC incorporating PET plastic. Based on the findings of the articles that were reviewed for this study, it is observed that SCC made of PET plastic (PETSCC) can be employed in construction era owing to its acceptable mechanical and fresh properties. On the other hand, it is concluded that owing to the lightweight nature of plastic aggregate, Reusing PET waste in the construction application is an effective approach to reduces the earthquake risk of a building.

• 한국응급구조학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.35-46
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the oxygen saturation measured at fingertips with unpolished and self-artificial nails (sticker, tip) using a portable pulse oximeter. Methods: The sample comprised 27 women who had used nail care services. Using a pulse oximeter, oxygen saturation was measured at fingertips with unpolished nails in a stable state. Self-fabricated sticker and tip nails were attached to the right and left hands, respectively, using five nail colors (black, blue, green, purple, and brown). Oxygen saturation was measured at fingertips with self-fabricated nails first in the usual manner and then measured again by rotating the oximeter by 90°. Values of oxygen saturation were compared and analyzed using the Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction using IBM SPSS 26.0. Results: Oxygen saturation values were significantly different among colors for both sticker nails (p=.036) and tip nails (p=.000), with black self-artificial nails tending to demonstrate lower oxygen saturation. Moreover, oxygen saturation values obtained by measuring the usual way on unpolished nails was significantly different than those obtained by rotating the oximeter by 90° on thumb with sticker (p=.001) and tip nails (p=.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that oxygen saturation should be measured on other fingers except for thumb instead of removing the self-artificial nails in emergency situations. For patients with black self-artificial nails, is the findings recommend measuring oxygen saturation at other body parts such as toes, earlobes, forehead, etc.