• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.11
• /
• pp.1339-1346
• /
• 2018

In Korea, edible mushrooms are produced largely on commercial artificial media, so the annual production of spent mushroom substrate (SMS), as a by-product of the mushroom industry, is estimated at over 200 million tons. This SMS is assumed to contain abundant fungal mycelia and pre-fruiting bodies, as well as various nutritive and bioactive compounds that are presently discarded. This study examined the physico-chemical, nutritional, and enzymatic characteristics of uninoculated sterilized medium (USM) and SMS of shiitake mushrooms with the aim of developing a high-value added product from SMS. The contents of crude protein, crude lipid, and ash were higher after the third SMS harvest ($SMS-A-3^{rd}$) than in USM or $SMS-A-1^{st}$. The contents of Ca, Mg, and P in $SMS-A-3^{rd}$ were 2.95, 2.35, and 2.1-fold higher compared than in USM. No As or Cd was detected in USM or SMS. The pH, Brix, and acidity were 4.6, 20.0, and 1.4, respectively in $SMS-A-3^{rd}$, but 5.6, 6.0, and 0.0, respectively, in USM. These results suggest a highly active production of soluble components and organic acids in $SMS-A-3^{rd}$. The distinct color differences noted for USM, $SMS-A-1^{st}$, and $SMS-A-3^{rd}$ could be used as a mycelial growth indicator. Enzyme activity assays using the APIZYM system showed that SMS is a potent source of hydrolysis-related enzymes, especially esterase (C4) and ${\beta}$-glucuronidase. Our results suggested that the SMS of shiitake has a high potential for use in environmental, agricultural, and stock-breeding industries, for example, as active ingredients for sewage treatment, waste-polymer degradation, and feed additives.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.398-408
• /
• 2015

Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication, arising from CO from an ignited charcoal briquette (ICB), is a popular means of committing suicide in Korea. Most CO intoxications are related to suicide attempts; however, the possibility of a homicide disguised as a suicide cannot be ruled out. Therefore, forensic investigation of the deceased and the crime scene is crucial to confirm that the deceased committed suicide. Detection of the components of an ICB on the objects suspected of being contacted by the deceased, such as the hands, nostrils, and doorknobs, is essential for linking the crime scene to the victim in the case of suicides by ignited ICBs. The traces from an ICB were analyzed by investigating the morphological characteristics and obtaining elemental compositions. The ICBs were completely different from blackened wood, as detected by discriminant analysis with the elements of carbon and oxygen. We analyzed one case of CO intoxication to demonstrate an excellent procedure for verifying whether a suicide occurred with an ICB. We employed SEM-EDX for the analysis of an ICB, microscope-FT/IR and pyrolysis-GC/MS for a partly burnt resin-type substance, GC/MS for diphenhydramine (a sleeping drug), and GC/TCD for the CO-Hb level. We detected traces of an ICB on the hands, nostrils, and doorknobs, which were all discriminated into an ICB group. Detection of ICB traces from the nostrils could indicate that the deceased started the fire themselves to commit suicide. The partially burnt black material was analyzed as an acrylronitrilestyrene polymer, which is normally used to make bags for carrying or wrapping and could be assumed to have been used to transport the ICB. Diphenhydramine, a sleeping drug, was detected at a level of 2.3 mg/L in the blood, which was lower than that in fatal cases (8-31 mg/L; mean 16 mg/L). A CO-Hb level of 79% was found in the blood, which means that the cause of death was CO intoxication. The steps shown here could represent an ideal method for reaching a verdict of suicide by CO intoxication produced by burning an ICB in a sealed room or a car.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.190-197
• /
• 2013

Three slime-forming lactic acid bacteria were isolated from traditional Korean fermented soy sauce and soybean paste and shown to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) in sucrose media. By isolating the strains, examining their morphological characteristics and determining their 16S rDNA sequences, N58-5 and K6-7 were identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides and N45- 10 as Leuconostoc citreum. The acid and bile tolerances of these three strains were investigated. Amongst the three lactic acid bacteria, Leuc. citreum N45-10 exhibited the highest viability ($10^5-10^6$ CFU/ml) in 0.05 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 0.3) for 2 h, in artificial gastric juice for 2 h and in 0.3%, 0.5% oxgall for 24h. Leuc. mesenteroides K6-7, N58-5 and Leuc. citreum N45- 10 were grown in sucrose liquid medium and 8.16 g/L, 3.65 g/L, 16.17 g/L of EPS was collected, respectively. The hydrolyzed EPS was analyzed by HPLC in order to determine the sugar composition of EPS. Leuc. mesenteroides K6-7 and N58-5 showed two peaks indicating glucose and fructose, thus they were determined to be hetero-type polysaccharides. Leuc. citreum N45-10 showed only the glucose polymer, indicating it to be a homo-type polysaccharide. In addition, all three lactic acid bacterial hemolysis did not demonstrate a clear zone in blood agar in the area surrounding a lactic acid bacteria colony.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.344-349
• /
• 2017

Alkaline fuel cells using polymer electrolyte membranes are expected to replace proton exchange membrane fuel cells, which have similar system configurations. In particular, in alkaline fuel cells, a low-cost non-platinium catalyst can be used. In this study, to fabricate high performance and high durability anion exchange membranes for alkaline fuel cell systems, two kinds of supports, polybenzoxazole and polyethylene supports, were impregnated with Fumion FAA ionomer, by which we tried to fabricate the support-impregnated membrane which has higher mechanical strength and higher ion conductivity than the Fumion series. Finally, the Pore-filling membranes were successfully fabricated and ionic conductivity and mechanical properties were different depending on the properties of the supports. In the pore-filling membranes with Fumion ionomer on the PE support, excellent mechanical properties were obtained, but ionic conductivity decreased. On the other hand, when the PBO support was impregnated with Fumion ionomer, high ionic conductivity was shown after impregnation due to high basicity of PBO, but the mechanical strength was relatively low as compared with Fumion-PE membrane. As a result, it was concluded that it is necessary to consider the characteristics of the support according to the operating conditions of the alkaline fuel cell during the preparation of the pore-filling membranes.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 2003

Purpose : To develop a theoretical model for magnetic relaxation behavior of the superparamagnetic nano-particle agent, which demonstrates multi-functionality such as liver- and lymp node-specificity. Based on the developed model, the computer simulation was performed to clarify the relationship between relaxation time and the applied magnetic field strength. Materials and Methods : The ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) was encapsulated with biocompatiable polymer, to develop a relaxation model based on outsphere mechanism, which was resulting from diffusion and/or electron spin fluctuation. In addition, Brillouin function was introduced to describe the full magnetization by considering the fact that the low-field approximation, which was adapted in paramagnetic case, is no longer valid. The developed model describes therefore the T1 and T2 relaxation behavior of superparamagnetic iron oxide both in low-field and in high-field. Based on our model, the computer simulation was performed to test the relaxation behavior of superparamagnetic contrast agent over various magnetic fields using MathCad (MathCad, U.S.A.), a symbolic computation software. Results : For T1 and T2 magnetic relaxation characteristics of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide, the theoretical model showed that at low field (<1.0 Mhz), $\tau_{S1}(\tau_{S2}$, in case of T2), which is a correlation time in spectral density function, plays a major role. This suggests that realignment of nano-magnetic particles is most important at low magnetic field. On the other hand, at high field, $\tau$, which is another correlation time in spectral density function, plays a major role. Since $\tau$ is closely related to particle size, this suggests that the difference in R1 and R2 over particle sizes, at high field, is resulting not from the realignment of particles but from the particle size itself. Within normal body temperature region, the temperature dependence of T1 and T2 relaxation time showed that there is no change in T1 and T2 relaxation times at high field. Especially, T1 showed less temperature dependence compared to T2. Conclusion : We developed a theoretical model of r magnetic relaxation behavior of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO), which was reported to show clinical multi-functionality by utilizing physical properties of nano-magnetic particle. In addition, based on the developed model, the computer simulation was performed to investigate the relationship between relaxation time of USPIO and the applied magnetic field strength.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.17-25
• /
• 2013

Thermal storage technology used for indoor heating and cooling to maintain a constant temperature for a long period of time has an advantage of raising energy use efficiency. This, the phase changing material, which utilizes heat storage properties of the substances, capsulizes substances that melt at a constant temperature. This is applied to construction materials to block or save energy due to heat storage and heat protection during the process in which substances melt or freeze according to the indoor or outdoor temperature. The micro-encapsulation method is used to create thermal storage from phase changing material. This method can be broadly classified in 3 ways: chemical method, physical and chemical method and physical and mechanical method. In the physical and chemical method, a wet process using the micro-encapsulation process utilized. This process emulsifies the core material in a solvent then coats the monomer polymer on the wall of the emulsion to harden it. In this process, a surfactant is utilized to enhance the performance of the emulsion of the core material and the coating of the wall monomer. The performance of the micro-encapsulation, especially the coating thickness of the wall material and the uniformity of the coating, is largely dependent on the characteristics of the surfactant. This research compares the performance of the micro-capsules and heat storage for product according to molecular mass and concentration of the surfactant, SSMA (sulfonated styrene-maleic anhydride), when it comes to micro-encapsulation through interfacial polymerization, in which Dodecan-1 is transformed to melamin resin, a heat storage material using phase changing properties. In addition, the thickness of the micro-encapsulation wall material and residual melamine were reduced by adjusting the concentration of melamin resin microcapsules.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
• /
• v.13 no.7
• /
• pp.667-678
• /
• 2002

In this paper, a new radiating structure with a multi-layered two-dimensional metallic disk array was proposed for shaping the flat-topped element pattern. It is an infinite periodic planar array structure with metallic disks finitely stacked above the radiating circular waveguide apertures. The theoretical analysis was in detail performed using rigid full-wave analysis, and was based on modal representations for the fields in the partial regions of the array structure and for the currents on the metallic disks. The final system of linear algebraic equations was derived using the orthogonal property of vector wave functions, mode-matching method, boundary conditions and Galerkin's method, and also their unknown modal coefficients needed for calculation of the array characteristics were determined by Gauss elimination method. The application of the algorithm was demonstrated in an array design for shaping the flat-topped element patterns of $\pm$20$^{\circ}$ beam width in Ka-band. The optimal design parameters normalized by a wavelength for general applications are presented, which are obtained through optimization process on the basis of simulation and design experience. A Ka-band experimental breadboard with symmetric nineteen elements was fabricated to compare simulation results with experimental results. The metallic disks array structure stacked above the radiating circular waveguide apertures was realized using ion-beam deposition method on thin polymer films. It was shown that the calculated and measured element patterns of the breadboard were in very close agreement within the beam scanning range. The result analysis for side lobe and grating lobe was done, and also a blindness phenomenon was discussed, which may cause by multi-layered metallic disk structure at the broadside. Input VSWR of the breadboard was less than 1.14, and its gains measured at 29.0 GHz. 29.5 GHz and 30 GHz were 10.2 dB, 10.0 dB and 10.7 dB, respectively. The experimental and simulation results showed that the proposed multi-layered metallic disk array structure could shape the efficient flat-topped element pattern.