• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.137-146
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• 2022

Seed disinfection is a necessary process to decrease Bakanae disease in rice and is carried out at 30℃ to increase disinfection efficiency. However, the length of sprout after seed disinfection is not suitable for sowing, so additional processes such as seed soaking is needed. For this reason, this study was conducted to develop the efficient and effective seed disinfection method. When the seed disinfection finished after soaking seeds in cold water for 2 days, length of sprout was about 1.0 mm and sowing can be done without additional processes. In addition, the incidence of Bakanae disease was greatly reduced by 64% compared to conventional method. In order to find out why the newly developed method (disinfection after soaking) is more efficient than conventional method, soaked and not soaked seeds were stained using methylene blue staining. It was found that soaked seeds were more easily stained with about 50% of internal and external endosperm stained. Therefore, pesticide can be absorbed easily into internal endosperm of soaked seeds and efficiently destroy the spore of pathogen. As a results of this study, newly developed method will be useful as it can improve efficiency of agricultural work and also effectively decrease Bakanae disease compared to conventional method.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.86-91
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• 2022

Pleurotus eryngii, a white rot fungus, produces two extracellular lignin-degrading enzymes, laccase and manganese peroxidase (MnP). Owing to these enzymes, P. eryngii efficiently degrades synthetic chemicals such as azo, phthalocyanine, and triphenyl methane dyes. In this study, we investigated the degradation processes of four aromatic dyes, congo red (CR), methylene blue (MB), crystal violet (CV), and malachite green (MG), by P. eryngii under solid and liquid culture conditions. CR and MG were the most quickly degraded under solid and liquid culture conditions, respectively. However, compared to CR, CV, and MG, MB was not degraded well under both culture conditions. The activities of ligninolytic enzymes (laccase and MnP) were also investigated. Laccase was identified to be the major enzyme for dye degradation. A positive relationship between decolorization and enzyme activity was observed for CR, MB, and CV degradation. In contrast, decolorization of MG ensued after high enzyme activity. These results indicate that the degradation process differs between MG and the other aromatic dyes. Therefore, P. eryngii could be a potential tool for the bioremediation of synthetic aromatic dye effluent.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.277-291
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• 2023

This study aimed to compare the effects of applying different types of dentin bonding agents (DBAs) on tooth and on the sealing ability of CSC in regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs). Specimens were made from 120 human first premolars and categorized into the following groups based on the presence and the type of DBA: Group I, no bonding; Group II, One-Step; Group III, Clearfil SE Bond; and Group IV, Single Bond Universal. Subsequently, the groups were categorized into Subgroup a and Subgroup b, in which Endocem MTA^® Premixed Regular and Biodentine were used, respectively. The CIE L^*a^*b^* on the photos taken prior to TAP placement (S0), 1 week after TAP placement (S1), 2 weeks after TAP placement (S2), 4 weeks after TAP placement (S3) and 2 weeks after CSC placement (S4) was used to assess discoloration. The samples were submerged in a 2% methylene blue solution and magnified by 30 times under a stereomicroscope to assess microleakage. The application of DBA during REP reduced crown discoloration, while Biodentine showed minimal discoloration with or without DBA and regardless of the DBA type. Additionally, the application of DBA did not increase microleakage.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.54.1-54.16
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to synthesize nanocrystals (NCs) of zinc oxide (ZnO) and calcium ion (Ca²⁺)-doped ZnO with different percentages of calcium oxide (CaO), to evaluate cytotoxicity and to assess the effects of the most promising NCs on cytotoxicity depending on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Materials and Methods: Nanomaterials were synthesized (ZnO and ZnO:xCa, x = 0.7; 1.0; 5.0; 9.0) and characterized using X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and methylene blue degradation. SAOS-2 and RAW 264.7 were treated with NCs, and evaluated for viability using the MTT assay. NCs with lower cytotoxicity were maintained in contact with LPS-stimulated (+LPS) and nonstimulated (-LPS) human dental pulp cells (hDPCs). Cell viability, nitric oxide (NO), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were evaluated. Cells kept in culture medium or LPS served as negative and positive controls, respectively. One-way analysis of variance and the Dunnett test (α = 0.05) were used for statistical testing. Results: ZnO:0.7Ca and ZnO:1.0Ca at 10 ㎍/mL were not cytotoxic to SAOS-2 and RAW 264.7. +LPS and -LPS hDPCs treated with ZnO, ZnO:0.7Ca, and ZnO:1.0Ca presented similar NO production to negative control (p > 0.05) and lower production compared to positive control (p < 0.05). All NCs showed reduced ROS production compared with the positive control group both in +LPS and -LPS cells (p < 0.05). Conclusions: NCs were successfully synthesized. ZnO, ZnO:0.7Ca and ZnO:1.0Ca presented the highest percentages of cell viability, decreased ROS and NO production in +LPS cells, and maintenance of NO production at basal levels.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

This research investigated the preparation of activated carbon derived from Krabok (Irvingia malayana) seed shells to improve the quality of crude glycerol obtained during biodiesel production. The activated carbon was prepared using a dry chemical activation method with NaOH, utilizing an innovative biomass incinerator. The results revealed that the resulting KC/AC-two-step exhibited favorable physicochemical adsorption properties, with a high surface area of 758.72 m²/g and an iodine number of 611.10 mg/g. These values meet the criteria of the industrial product standard for activated carbon No. TIS 900-2004, as specified by the Ministry of Industry in Thailand. Additionally, the adsorption efficiency for methylene blue reached an impressive 99.35 %. This developed activated carbon was then used to improve the quality of crude glycerol obtained from biodiesel production. The experimental results showed that the KC/AC-two-step increased the purity of crude glycerol to 73.61 %. In comparison, commercially available activated carbon (C/AC) resulted in a higher crude glycerol purity of 81.19 %, as analyzed by the GC technique. Additionally, the metal content (Zn, Cu, Fe, Pb, Cd, and Na) in purified glycerol using KC/AC-two-step was below the standards for heavy metals permitted in food and cosmeceuticals by the Food and Drug Administration of Thailand and the European Committee for Food Contact Materials and Articles. As a result, it can be inferred that Krabok seed shells have favorable properties for producing activated carbon suitable as an adsorbent to enhance crude glycerol purity. Furthermore, the improved crude glycerol from this research has potential for various industrial applications.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.118-126
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• 1986

Vibrio vulnificus is a recently recognized halophilic organism that nay cause serious human infections. Patients infected with V. vulnificus often have a history of exposure to the sea, suggesting that the organism may be common inhabitant of marine environment. The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the distribution and bacteriological characteristics of V. vulnificus. The strain used in this experiment was isolated from sea water and sea products such as common octopus (Octopus variabilis), ark shell (Anadara broughtonii), blue crab (Ericheir japonica), and sea squirt (Synthia roretzi) collected in Pusan area from July to October in 1985. V. vulnificus was frequently isolated in August when temperature of sea water was around $26^{\circ}C$ and rarely isolated in October when temperature of sea water was around $18.5^{\circ}C$. The distinctive biochemical characteristics of V. vulnificus were ONPG hydrolysis positive and fermented lactose and not grown in peptone water contained $8\%$ NaCl. The optical density at 660 nm of the growth of V. vulnificus was reached maximum level after 8 hours of culture at $35^{\circ}C$ in brain heart infusion broth but that of V. vulnificus was little increased at $15^{\circ}C$ for 14 hours. Optimum temperature and pH for the growth of V. vulnificus were around $35^{\circ}C$ and 8.0. The specific growth rate and the generation time of V. vulnificus isolated from the samples were $1.21\;hr^{-1}$, 34 min at $35^{\circ}C$ and $0.61\;hr^{-1}$, 69 min at $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. V. vulnificus did not grow on eosin-methylene-blue agar, salmonella-shigella agar, deoxycholate agar but grew well on Endo agar, xylose-lysine-deoxycholate agar and hektoen enteric agar. On Endo agar, the colonies of V. vulnificus were red and achieved a diameter of 2 to 4 mm as a feature enabling differentiation of V. vulnificus from other Vibrio spp. V. vulnificus grow well on TCBS agar forming green colonies. V. vulnificus refrigerated at $4^{\circ}C$ exhibited a linear decline of its viablity as 1 log cycle in every 16 hours storage, while V. vulnificus freezed at $-18^{\circ}C$ almost became extinct.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.263-272
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• 2001

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of four different light curing modes on the marginal leakage of Class V composite resin restoration. Eighty extracted human premolars were used. Wedge-shaped class Y cavities were prepared on the buccal surface of the tooth with high-speed diamond bur without bevel. The cavities were positioned half of the cavity above and half beyond the cemento-enamel junction. The depth, height, and width of the cavity were 2 mm, 3 mm and 2 mm respectively. The specimens were divided into 4 groups of 20 teeth each. All the specimen cavities were treated with Prime & Bond$^{R}$ NT dental adhesive system (Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Germany) according to the manufacturer's instructions and cured for 10 seconds except group VI which were cured for 3 seconds. All the cavities were restored with resin composite Spectrum$^{TM}$ TPH A2 (Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Germany) in a bulk. Resin composites were light-cured under 4 different modes. A regular intensity group (600 mW/${cm}^2$, group I) was irradiated for 30 s, a low intensity group (300 mW/${cm}^2$, group II) for 60 s and a ultra-high intensity group (1930 mW/${cm}^2$, group IV) for 3 s. A pulse-delay group (group III) was irradiated with 400 mW/${cm}^2$ for 2 s followed by 800 mW/${cm}^2$ for 10 s after 5 minutes delay. The Spectrum$^{TM}$ 800 (Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Germany) light-curing units were used for groups I, II and III and Apollo 95E (DMD, U.S.A.) was used for group IV. The composite resin specimens were finished and polished immediately after light curing except group III which were finished and polished during delaying time. Specimens were stored in a physiologic saline solution at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours. After thermocycling (500$\times$, 5-55$^{\circ}C$), all teeth were covered with nail varnish up to 0.5 mm from the margins of the restorations, immersed in 37$^{\circ}C$, 2% methylene blue solution for 24 hours, and rinsed with tap water for 24 hours. After embedding in clear resin, the specimens were sectioned with a water-cooled diamond saw (Isomet$^{TM}$, Buehler Co., Lake Bluff, IL, U.S.A.) along the longitudinal axis of the tooth so as to pass the center of the restorations. The cut surfaces were examined under a stereomicroscope (SZ-PT Olympus, Japan) at ${\times}$25 magnification, and the images were captured with a CCD camera (GP-KR222, Panasonic, Japan) and stored in a computer with Studio Grabber program. Dye penetration depth at the restoration/dentin and the restoration/enamel interfaces was measured as a rate of the entire depth of the restoration using a software (Scion image, Scion Corp., U.S.A.) The data were analysed statistically using One-way ANOVA and Tukey's method. The results were as follows : 1. Pulse-Delay group did not show any significant difference in dye penetration rate from other groups at enamel and dentin margins (p>0.05) 2. At dentin margin, ultra-high intensity group showed significantly higher dye penetration rate than both regular intensity group and low intensity group (p<0.05). 3. At enamel margin, there were no statistically significant difference among four groups (p>0.05). 4. Dentin margin showed significantly higher dye penetration rate than enamel margin in all groups (p<0.05).

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 1998

Digital hearing aids offer many advantages over conventional analog hearing aids. With the advent of high speed digital signal processing chips, new digital techniques have been introduced to digital hearing aids. In addition, the evaluation of new ideas in hearing aids is necessarily accompanied by intensive subject-based clinical tests which requires much time and cost. In this paper, we present an objective method to evaluate and predict the performance of hearing aid systems without the help of such subject-based tests. In the hearing impairment simulation(HIS) algorithm, a sensorineural hearing impairment medel is established from auditory test data of the impaired subject being simulated. Also, the nonlinear behavior of the loudness recruitment is defined using hearing loss functions generated from the measurements. To transform the natural input sound into the impaired one, a frequency sampling filter is designed. The filter is continuously refreshed with the level-dependent frequency response function provided by the impairment model. To assess the performance, the HIS algorithm was implemented in real-time using a floating-point DSP. Signals processed with the real-time system were presented to normal subjects and their auditory data modified by the system was measured. The sensorineural hearing impairment was simulated and tested. The threshold of hearing and the speech discrimination tests exhibited the efficiency of the system in its use for the hearing impairment simulation. Using the HIS system we evaluated three typical hearing aid algorithms.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2008

Hectorite was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and its physicochemical properties have been investigated in terms of temperature, pH, and organic agent to observe the change of doll basal spacing. The IR, CEC, MB, swelling volume and specific surface area of the hectorite were measured for the characterization. The solid/liquid ratio of hectorite to distilled water before mixing with other materials was also determined for its use as a multi-functional material. The $d_{001}$ basal spacing decreased from $12.63\;\AA$ at room temperature to $10.19\;\AA$ at $650^{\circ}C$ in the heating tests. As the pH of hectorite slurry increased. the $d_{001}$ basal spacing decreased. reaching the lowest value of $13.33\;\AA$ at pH 7 and afterward, increased. All the fool basal spacings of the hectorite increased when it was intercalated with the following solvents: $12.86\;\AA$ in diethyl ether, $13.31\;\AA$ in acetonitrile. $13.59\;\AA$ in methanol, $14.05\;\AA$ in ethanol, $15.69\;\AA$ in acetone, and $17.42\;\AA$ in ethylene glycol. Our IR analysis results were in good agreement with those of other researchers. The CEC, MB, swelling volume and specific surface area of hectorite were determined to be 105 cmol/kg, 80 cmol/kg, $68\sim74ml/2g$ and $213m^{2}/g$, respectively. Also, the hectorite to distilled water ratio of 2 to 100 was found to be most favorable for mixing with other materials such as the solvents mentioned above.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 2011

$TiO_2$-coated bamboo activated carbon has been prepared and utilized under UV irradiation as a pretreatment method for an effective biodegradation of the recalcitrant polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The anatase $TiO_2$ was successfully coated on the bamboo activated carbon (AC) and it showed the highest photoactivity against methylene blue. In the absence of the PAHs-degrading bacteria PAHs having low molecular weight (i.e., naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, and fluorene) were degraded by 9.8, 76.2, 74.1, and 40.5%, respectively. Higher molecular weight PAHs, however, maintained high residual concentrations of PAHs (400-1,000 ${\mu}g$/L) after the same treatment. On the other hand, the overall concentrations of PAHs became lower than 340 ${\mu}g$/L when the pretreated PAHs were subjected to biodegradation by a PAH-degrading consortium for a week. Herein, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, and pyrene were removed by 29.3, 61.4, 27.0, and 44.3%, respectively, indicating the facilitated potential biodegradation of PAHs. Activated carbon coated with $TiO_2$ appeared to inhibit growth of PAH degraders on the surface of AC, indicating planktonic degraders were dominantly involved in the PAH biodegradation in presence of the $TiO_2$-coated bamboo AC. It was proposed that an effective remediation technology for the recalcitrant PAHs could be developed when an optimum pretreatment process is further established.