• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.145-174
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• 2024

Addressing climate change necessitates evidence-based policies grounded in science. The use of forest biomass for energy production is based on a broad scientific consensus at the international level. However, some environmental groups in South Korea are opposing this system of energy production. Through this study, the authors aim to reduce unnecessary confusion and foster an atmosphere conducive to meaningful evidence-based policies. We have classified the issue into eight categories: biological carbon cycle, carbon debt, nature-based solutions, air emissions, cascading principles and sustainability certification, forest environmental impacts, climate change litigation, and the behavior of environmental groups and public perception. Consequently, the following key points were derived: (1) the actions of some environmental groups seem to follow a similar pattern to denialist behavior that denies climate change and climate science; (2) the quality of evidence for campaigns that oppose the use of forest biomass for energy production is low, with a tendency to overgeneralize information, high uncertainty, and difficulty in finding new claims.; (3) most of the public believes that forest biomass energy is necessary, and the governments of major countries are aware of its importance. Significantly, Forest biomass for energy is based on an overwhelming level of scientific consensus recognized internationally.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.163-173
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• 2011

This paper, as a case study on the evaluation of nationwide-unit forest functions, targeting the entire Gyeongsangnam-do region, examined the integration measures for the evaluation of national, public and private forest functions, as well as GIS data problems and GIS data building methods. Also, the distribution and characteristics of Gyeongsangnam-do's forest functions were examined. First, as integration measures for forest function evaluation, evaluation unit was proposed as watershed unit, and GIS techniques were proposed to correct some patterns of errors shown in the watershed maps. Also, of GIS data used for forest function evaluation, maps of locations of saw mills to be revised, expressway interchange location maps, and population distribution maps were built nationwide. Based on watershed units, the forest functions of 20 cities and counties in Gyeongsangnam-do were evaluated, revealing that wood production function and forest recreation function potentials, high-ranking was high distributed throughout the site, while most functions potentials, low-ranking was low distributed. In forest function maps with the application of priority by city and gun, the area size was ranked in the order of forest recreation, timber production, natural conservation, water yield, living environment conservation, and prevention of natural disaster. Case analysis results for large areas can be used in evaluating nationwide forest functions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.218-224
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• 2018

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of different levels of protein concentrate supplementation on the growth performance of yak calves, and correlated the growth rate to changes occurring in the plasma- amino acids, -insulin profile, and signaling activity of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) cascade to characterize the mechanism through which the protein synthesis can be improved in early weaned yaks. Methods: For this study, 48 early (3 months old) weaned yak calves were selected, and assigned into four dietary treatments according to randomized complete block design. The four blocks were balanced for body weight and sex. The yaks were either grazed on natural pasture (control diet) in a single herd or the grazing yaks was supplemented with one of the three protein rich supplements containing low (17%; LP), medium (19%; MP), or high (21%; HP) levels of crude proteins for a period of 30 days. Results: Results showed that the average daily gain of calves increased (0.14 vs 0.23-0.26 kg; p<0.05) with protein concentrates supplementation. The concentration of plasma methionine increased (p<0.05; 8.6 vs $10.1-12.4{\mu}mol/L$), while those of serine and tyrosine did not change (p>0.05) when the grazing calves were supplemented with protein concentrates. Compared to control diet, the insulin level of calves increased (p<0.05; 1.86 vs $2.16-2.54{\mu}IU/mL$) with supplementation of protein concentrates. Addition of protein concentrates up-regulated (p<0.05) expression of mTOR-raptor, mammalian vacuolar protein sorting 34 homolog, the translational regulators eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1, and S6 kinase 1 genes in both Longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus. In contrast, the expression of sequestosome 1 was down-regulated in the concentrate supplemented calves. Conclusion: Our results show that protein supplementation improves the growth performance of early weaned yak calves, and that plasma methionine and insulin concentrations were the key mediator for gene expression and protein deposition in the muscles.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1700-1703
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• 2007

Microorganisms capable of degrading crude oil were isolated and grown in soybean oil as a sole carbon source. The microbial cultures were used to control green peach aphids in vitro. Approximately 60% mortality of aphids was observed when the cultures were applied alone onto aphids. To examine the cultures as a pesticide formulation mixture, the cultures were combined with a low dose of the insecticide imidacloprid (one-fourth dose of recommended field-application rate) and applied onto aphids. The cultures enhanced significantly the insecticidal effectiveness of imidacloprid, which was higher than imidacloprid alone applied at the low dose. The isolated microorganisms exhibited high emulsifying index values and decreased surface tension values after being grown in soybean oil media. GC/MS analyses showed that microorganisms degraded soybean oil to fatty acids. The cultures were suggested to play the roles of wetting, spreading, and sticking agents to improve the effectiveness of imidacloprid. This is the first report on the control of aphids by using oil-degrading microbial cultures.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.589-596
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• 2021

Nitrogen applied to soil is highly prone to leaching and volatilization leading to gaseous emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and ammonia (NH₃) which are of great environmental concern. Usage of biochar to reduce the discharge of nitrogen to the environment has attracted much interest in the recent past. Biochar is produced by pyrolyzing various biomasses under oxygen-limited conditions. Biochar is a carbonized material with high adsorptive powers for not only plant nutrients but also heavy metals. The objective of this study was to investigate the adsorption characteristics of NH₄-N onto biochar made from pine needles. The biochar was produced at various pyrolysis temperatures including 300, 400 and 500℃ and holding times of 30 and 120 minutes. The Langmuir isotherm was used to evaluate the adsorption test results. The chemical properties of the biochar varied with the pyrolysis conditions. In particular, the pH, EC and total carbon content increased with the increasing pyrolysis conditions. The rate of adsorption of NH₄-N by the biochar decreased with the increasing pyrolysis conditions. Of these conditions, biochar that was pyrolyzed at 300℃ for 30 minutes showed the highest adsorption rate of approximately 0.071 mg·g^-1. Thus, the use of biochar pyrolyzed at low temperatures with a short holding time can most efficiently reduce ammonia emissions from agricultural land.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.244-249
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• 1982

In order to reduce malic acid in low-alcohol content appel wine $(6{\sim}9%)$ malate-decomposing yeast, Schzosaccharomyces japonicus var. japonicus St-3 was used. Fallen apples before the harvesting season were collected and extraction was made. The apple extract was fortified with sucrose to make final sugar concentration of 18% in case of 9% base wine. High acid content in the primarily fermented apple wine could be reduced by following with malo-alcoholic fermentation using Schizosaccharomyces japonicus var. japonicus St-3 in second half of alcoholic fermentation using Saccharomyces sp. R-11. Secondary fermentation was proceeded at low temperature $(7{\sim}8^{\circ}C)$ for 130 days using Saccharomyces sp. R-11. Prior to the secondary fermentation, two percent of sugar was added to the base wine in order to produce carbon dioxide gas. And each five percent of specially prepared malt extract and hop extract were added to the base wine in order to increase foam stability. Better shelf-life was observed by keeping high carbon dioxide pressure$(2.3{\sim}2.5kg/cm^2)$ in the bottle. It was assured that the better low-alcohol content apple wine could be brewed by the method which we used above.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Most of the researches on the dye removal using ozonation have been focused on the removal efficiency. However, the research on their removal characteristics and mechanism according to the reaction time has been still insufficient. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, the effects of initial pH and dye concentration with reaction time on the degradation characteristics of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) by ozonation were evaluated. The degradation efficiency of MB by ozonation increased with increasing pH. On the other hand, the degradation efficiency of MO by ozonation did not show a significant difference with varing pH. The both MO and MB by ozonation were decomposed within 30 min irrespective of the dye concentration, but the decomposition rates of dyes were faster at lower initial dye concentration. The decomposition efficiency of total organic carbon (TOC) in each dye solution by ozonation was low, which was found to be effective for partial decomposition such as decolorization rather than complete degradation of the dye. CONCLUSION: Overall, ozonation was an effective method for removing nondegradable dyes. However, it is necessary to study the optimization of dye degradation under various environmental conditions for ozonation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 1995

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of activated carbon (AC) on growth, ruminal charateristics, blood profiles and feed digestibility in sheep, using roughage-based or concentrate-based diets. Twelve Suffolk breed of sheep of similar age and weight were distributed into 4 groups in a $2{\times}2$ factorial design. Two groups were fed a roughage-based diet with (R + AC) and without AC (R - AC), while the other two were fed a concentrate-based diet with (C + AC) and without AC (C - AC), respectively. The addition of 0.3% AC was based on dry matter of feed offered to animals. The incorporation of AC in roughage and concentrate based diets had no marked effects on feed intake, daily gain and feed conversion of the animals within experimental diets. The results obtained might be due to the low level of AC added in the diet. The animal on both concentrate-based diets were higher than the roughage-based diets in terms of daily gain and feed conversion ratio. However, it was observed that the animals provided with AC in the concentrate-based diet did not suffer from diarrhea and easily adjusted to high concentrate feeding. Further, the pH value for all diets before feeding was noted to be similar. After feeding, however, pH was shown to be higher in R + AC (p < 0.05) than in C + AC diet. Rumen protozoa number was decreased after feeding for both + AC diets, but in C - AC diet it was higher than in the roughage-based diets. For ammonia-nitrogen, C - AC was found to be higher than C + AC diet and the roughage-based diets before feeding. Total volatile fatty acid concentration, propionate and valerate molar ratios for both diets and time of collection were not affected. However, acetate, butyrate and valerate molar ratios were observed to be affected by diets and time of collections. The diets with AC increased (p < 0.05) before feeding for acetate molar ratio, but not different within diet, however, the roughage diets were found to be higher (p < 0.05) in acetate than the concentrate diet. In the blood parameters, the glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), red and white blood cell (RBC, WBC) counts and packed cell volume (PCV) did not differ within and among the diets. Likewise, the WBC differential count in both diets with either - AC or + AC were similar in trend. However, lymphocyte count was noted to be increased in R + AC than the R - AC diet. The addition of AC in both diets did not affect nutrient digestibilities within diets.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.477-482
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• 2008

A variety of bacterial strains were isolated from waste disposal sites of Uttaranchal, India, and some from artificially developed soil beds containing maleic anhydride, glucose, and small pieces of polyethylene. Primary screening of isolates was done based on their ability to utilize high- and low-density polyethylenes (HDPE/LDPE) as a primary carbon source. Thereafter, a consortium was developed using potential strains. Furthermore, a biodegradation assay was carried out in 500-ml flasks containing minimal broth (250ml) and HDPE/LDPE at 5mg/ml concentration. After incubation for two weeks, degraded samples were recovered through filtration and subsequent evaporation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTG-DTA) were used to analyze these samples. Results showed that consortium-treated HDPE (considered to be more inert relative to LDPE) was degraded to a greater extent (22.41% weight loss) in comparison with LDPE (21.70% weight loss), whereas, in the case of untreated samples, weight loss was more for LDPE than HDPE (4.5% and 2.5%, respectively) at $400^{\circ}C$. Therefore, this study suggests that polyethylene could be degraded by utilizing microbial consortia in an eco-friendly manner.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2016

Purpose: In-situ water quality monitoring based on ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) is a promising technique because ISEs can be used directly in the medium to be tested, have a compact size, and are inexpensive. However, signal drift can be a major concern with on-line management systems because continuous immersion of the ISEs in water causes electrode degradation, affecting the stability, repeatability, and selectivity over time. In this study, a computer-based nitrate monitoring system including automatic electrode rinsing and calibration was developed to measure the nitrate concentration in water samples in real-time. Methods: The capabilities of two different types of poly(vinyl chloride) membrane-based ISEs, an electrode with a liquid filling and a carbon paste-based solid state electrode, were used in the monitoring system and evaluated on their sensitivities, selectivities, and durabilities. A feasibility test for the continuous detection of nitrate ions in water using the developed system was conducted using water samples obtained from various water sources. Results: Both prepared ISEs were capable of detecting low concentrations of nitrate in solution, i.e., 0.7 mg/L $NO_3-N$. Furthermore, the electrodes have the same order of selectivity for nitrate: $NO_3{^-}{\gg}HCO_3{^-}$ > $Cl^-$ > $H_2PO_4{^-}$ > $SO{_4}^{2-}$, and maintain their sensitivity by > 40 mV/decade over a period of 90 days. Conclusions: The use of an automated ISE-based nitrate measurement system that includes automatic electrode rinsing and two-point normalization proved to be feasible in measuring $NO_3-N$ in water samples obtained from different water sources. A one-to-one relationship between the levels of $NO_3-N$ measured with the ISEs and standard analytical instruments was obtained.