• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.381-390
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• 2018

We have previously derived a novel antimicrobial peptide, LPcin-YK3(YK3), based on lactophoricin and have successfully studied and reported on the relationship between its structure and function. In this study, antimicrobial peptides with improved antimicrobial activity, less cytotoxicity, and shorter length were devised and characterized on the basis of YK3, and named YK5, YK8, and YK11. The peptide design was based on a variety of knowledge, and a total of nine analog peptides consisted of one to three amino acid substitutions and C-terminal deletions. In detail, tryptophan substitution improved the membrane perturbation, lysine substitution increased the net charge, and excessive amphipathicity decreased. The analog peptides were examined for structural characteristics through spectroscopic analytical techniques, and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were used to confirm their activity and safety. We expect that these studies will provide a platform for systematic engineering of new antibiotic peptides and generate libraries of various antibiotic peptides.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.375-381
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• 2011

Ionic polymer-metal composite(IPMC) consists of an ion conductive membrane plated by metallic electrodes on both surfaces. When it bends, a voltage is generated between two electrodes. Since IPMC is flexible and thin, it can be easily mounted on the various surfaces of a body. The present study investigates a sensor system using IPMC to effectively detect the bending angles applied on IPMC sensor. The paper evaluates several R and C circuit models that describe the physical composition of IPMC and selects the best model for the detection of angles. The circuit models implemented with a charge model describe the relationship between input bending angles and output voltages. The identification of R and C values was performed by minimizing the error between the real output voltages and the simulated output voltages from the circuit models of IPMC sensor. Then the output signal of a sensor was fed into the inverse model of the identified model to reproduce the bending angles. In order to support the validation of the model, the output voltages from an arbitrary bending motion were also applied to the selected inverse model, which successfully reproduced the arbitrary bending motion.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.838-843
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• 2008

Cause of struggling to escape from dependency of fossil fuels, the fuel cell and the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) draw attention in the all of the world. Especially, the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) systems have been anticipated for next generation's energy supplying system, and we can predict the PHEV will enlarge the market share in the next few years to reduce not only the air pollution in the metropolis but the fuel-expenses of commuters. This paper presents simulation results about the strategy of smart charging system for PHEV in the residential house which has 1 kW PEMFC cogeneration system. The smart charging system has a function of recommending the best time to charge the battery of PHEV by the lowest energy cost. The simulated energy cost for charging the battery based on the electricity demand data pattern in the house. The house which floor area is $132\;m^2$ (40 pyeong.). In these conditions, the annual gasoline, electricity, and total energy cost to fuel the PHEV versus Conventional Vehicle (CV) have been simulated in terms of cars' average life span in Korea.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2001

A conventional electrolyzing cell has been made by an ion exchange membrane inbetween parallel plate electrodes. A low dc voltage is applied to the electrodes for electrolyzing and the efficiency is remained in low. in this study, a novel electrolyzing cell with a pair of slit-type third electrodes installed inbetween parallel plate electrodes has been proposed and investigated experimentally. And pulse power wa supplied to between each electrodes. This slit type of third electrodes can concentrate the strong electric fields at the every its edges to accelerate the electrolyzing powers, and to generate oxygen bubble discharges for generating oxidants. And moreover the slits eliminate the space charge limiting action and the temperature of the water by leaking out through the slits from electrolyzing region to outside of the main electrode region. As a result, it was found that a strong electorzed water of pH 2.8 and pH 10.5 and oxidants dissolved water of 1 [ppm] in acidic water were obtained with a tap water fed at the electric current of 2 [A], which however were several times higher oxidant and ion concentration quantity compared with the conventional cell.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.3998-4002
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• 2012

With continuing progress of nanotechnologies and various applications of nanoparticles, one needs to develop a quick and fairly standard assessment tool to evaluate cytotoxicity of nanoparticles. However, much cytotoxicity studies on the interpretation of the interaction between nanoparticles and cells are non-mechanistic and time-consuming. Here, we propose a simple screening method for the analysis of the interaction between several AgNPs (5.3 to 64 nm) and fluorescence-dye containing vesicles ($12{\mu}m$) acting as a biomimetic cell-membrane. Fluorescence-dye containing vesicle was prepared using a fluorescence probe (1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatryene), which was intercalated into the lipid bilayer due to their hydrophobicity. Zeta potential of all materials except for bare-AgNPs (+32.8 mV) was negative (-26 to -54 mV). The morphological change (i.e., rupture and fusion of vesicle, and release of dye) after mixing of the vesicle and AgNPs was observed by fluorescence microscopy, and fluorescence image were different with coating materials and surface charge of x-AgNPs. In the results, we found that the surface charge of nanoparticles is the key factor for vesicle rupture and fusion. This proposed method might be useful for analyzing the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles with cell-membranes instead of in vitro or in vivo cytotoxicity tests.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.121-128
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• 2023

This study introduces a NaOH/Zn-assisted hydrothermal method for the synthesis of zeolites derived from coal ash (CA). A zeolite/Zn adsorbent is successfully prepared by the activation of CA with NaOH and Zn; it is characterized by a high surface area and a negative surface charge.Methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) are selected as dye pollutants, and their adsorption onto the zeolite/Zn adsorbent is investigated. Results show the high adsorption capacities of MB and MO and that the negative surface charge facilitates electrostatic interactions between the adsorbates and adsorbents. The zeolite/Zn adsorbents shows the selective adsorption of positively charged dye MB via electrostatic interactions between the =NH+ group (positive dipole) and the oxygen functional group of the adsorbents (negative dipole). The selectivity for the positively charged dye is sufficiently high, with the removal efficiency reaching 99.41% within 10 min. By contrast, the negatively charged dye MO exhibits negligible absorption. These findings confirm the role of electrostatic interactions in the adsorption of MB, in addition to the effect of a large surface area. The results of this study are expected to facilitate the development of simple, eco-friendly, and cost-effective zeolite-based adsorptive composites from CA residuals for the selective removal of dye pollutants from CA waste.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.2539-2545
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• 2012

In the present study, we suggest a new way to reactivate performance of direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) and explain its mechanism by employing electrochemical analyses like chronoamperometry (CA) and cyclic voltammogram (CV). For the evaluation of DFAFC performance, palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt) are used as anode and cathode catalysts, respectively, and are applied to a Nafion membrane by catalyst-coated membrane spraying. After long DFAFC operation performed at 0.2 and 0.4 V and then CV test, DFAFC performance is better than its initial performance. It is attributed to dissolution of anode Pd into $Pd^{2+}$. By characterizations like TEM, Z-potential, CV and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, it is evaluated that such dissolved $Pd^{2+}$ ions lead to (1) increase in the electrochemically active surface by reduction in Pd particle size and its improved redistribution and (2) increment in the total oxidation charge by fast reaction rate of the Pd dissolution reaction.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.554-557
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• 2005

Ultrafiltration has been performed to separate proteins, which is almost unique method of protein separation in mass production scale. The problems of its low selectivity and decline in permeation flux resulted from gel formation on the membrane surface have been greatly improved by an applied electric field across the membrane. The applied electric field promoted or hindered the permeation of protein through membranes depending on the electric charge of protein molecules in aqueous solution. With the effects of electric field, the permeation flux and the selectivity of the ultrafiltration could be improved significantly.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.507-516
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• 2005

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been isolated and characterized from tissues and organisms representing virtually every kingdom and phylum. Their amino acid composition, amphipathicity, cationic charge, and size allow them to attach to and insert into membrane bilayers to form pores by 'barrel-stave', 'carpet' or 'toroidal-pore' mechanisms. Although these models are helpful for defining mechanisms of AMP activity, their relevance to resolving how peptides damage and kill microorganisms still needs to be clarified. Moreover, many AMPs employ sophisticated and dynamic mechanisms of action to carry out their likely roles in antimicrobial host defense. Recently, it has been speculated that transmembrane pore formation is not the only mechanism of microbial killing by AMPs. In fact, several observations suggest that translocated AMPs can alter cytoplasmic membrane septum formation, reduce cell-wall, nucleic acid, and protein synthesis, and inhibit enzymatic activity. In this review, we present the structures of several AMPs as well as models of how AMPs induce pore formation. AMPs have received special attention as a possible alternative way to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. It may be possible to design synthetic AMPs with enhanced activity for microbial cells, especially those with antibiotic resistance, as well as synergistic effects with conventional antibiotic agents that lack cytotoxic or hemolytic activity.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2008

Carbon monoxide(CO) is one of the contamination source in reformed hydrogen fuel with an influence on performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell(PEMFC). The studies of CO injection presented here give information about poisoning and recovery processes. The aim of this research is to investigate cell performance decline due to carbon monoxide impurity in hydrogen. Performance of PEM fuel cell was investigated using current vs. potential experiment, long time(10 hours) test, cyclic feeding test and electrochemical impedance spectra. The concentrations of carbon monoxide were changed up to 10 ppm. Performance degradation due to carbon monoxide contamination in anode fuel was observed at high concentration of carbon monoxide. The CO gas showed influence on the charge transfer reaction. The performance recovery was confirmed in long time test when pure hydrogen was provided for 1 hour after carbon monoxide had been supplied. The result of this study could be used as a basis of various reformation process design and fuel quality determination.