• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.106-111
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• 2015

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) survives in acidic and fluctuating pH conditions of the stomach. The pH effect on H. pylori proteins is important for the advanced understanding of its evolution and viability, although this bacterium has the molecular machinery that neutralizes the acidic condition. HP1492 is known as a conserved NifU-like protein from H. pylori. NifU is a nitrogen fixation protein that mediates the transfer of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster to iron-sulfur proteins like ferredoxin. Commonly, the monomeric reduced state of NifU can be converted to the dimeric oxidized state by intermolecular disulfide bond formation. Because it remains unclear that HP1492 actually behaves as known NifU protein, we first found that this protein can adopt both oxidized and reduced forms using size exclusion chromatography. Circular dichroism experiment showed that HP1492 is relatively well-structured at pH 6.5, compared to other pH conditions. On the basis of the backbone resonance assignment of HP1492, we further characterized the residues that are sensitive to pH using NMR spectroscopy. These residues showing large chemical shift changes could be mapped onto the secondary structure of the protein. Our results could provide the foundation for structural and biophysical studies on a wide spectrum of NifU proteins.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.552-561
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• 2010

This study investigates the solubility of neptunium (Np) in the deep natural groundwater of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute Underground Research Tunnel (KURT). According to a Pourbaix diagram (pH-$E_h$ diagram) that was calculated using the geochemical modeling program PHREEQC 2.0, the redox potential and the carbonate ion concentration both control the solubility of neptunium. The carbonate effect becomes pronounced when the total carbonate concentration is higher than $1.5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}$ M at $E_h$ = -200 mV and the pH value is 10. Given the assumption that the solubility-limiting stable solid phase is $Np(OH)_4(am)$ under the reducing condition relevant to KURT, the soluble neptunium concentrations were in the range of $1\;{\times}\;10^{-9}$ M to $3\;{\times}\;10^{-9}$ M under natural groundwater conditions. However, the solubility of neptunium, which was calculated with the formation constants of neptunium complexes selected in an OECD-NEA TDB review, strongly deviates from the value measured in natural groundwater. Thus, it is highly recommended that a prediction of neptunium solubility is based on the formation constants of ternary Np(IV) hydroxo-carbonato complexes, even though the presence of those complexes is deficient in terms of the characterization of neptunium species. Based on a comparison of the measurements and calculations of geochemical modeling, the formation constants for the "upper limit" of the Np(IV) hydroxo-carbonato complexes, namely $Np(OH)_y(CO_3)_z^{4-y-2z}$, were appraised as follows: log $K^{\circ}_{122}\;=\;-3.0{\pm}0.5$ for $Np(OH)_2(CO_3)_2^{2-}$, log $K^{\circ}_{131}\;=\;-5.0{\pm}0.5$ for $Np(OH)_3(CO_3)^-$, and log $K^{\circ}_{141}\;=\;-6.0{\pm}0.5$ for $Np(OH)_4(CO_3)^{2-}$.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.283-289
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• 2016

In this study, electrochemical characterizations of PdCu/C catalysts that are synthesized by modified polyol method are investigated. Most of all, amount of ethylene glycol (EG) that is used as main component for catalyst synthesis is mainly modulated to optimize synthetic condition of the PdCu/C catalyst, For evaluations about catalytic activity and performance of direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC), half cell and full cell tests are implemented. As a result, when amount of EG is 4M, catalytic activities of the PdCu/C catalyst such as peak current of formic acid oxidation and active surface area are best, while maximum power density of DFAFC using the optimized PdCu/C catalyst is better than that using commercial Pd/C (30 wt%) by 6%. Based on that, PdCu/C catalyst synthesized by modified polyol method plays a critical role in improving (i) catalytic activity for formic acid oxidation and (ii) DFAFC performance by employing as anodic catalyst.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.160-166
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• 2019

Cerium oxide ($CeO_2$, often called as Ceria) is one of the valuable rare earth oxide materials, which has been widely used for high temperature applications such as solid oxide fuel cells, automotive three-way catalysts and oxygen storage capacity. Considering those application, it is important to improve high redox and thermal stability with high surface morphology because the high surface area of $CeO_2$ could improve the catalytic reactivity at high temperature conditions. Herein we successfully fabricated hierarchical flower-like $CeO_2$ deposited via controlling pathway of precipitation reaction to supply carbonate ion lead to the flower-like morphology. The hexagonal lattice system of precipitated precursor shows better thermal stability then orthorhombic one during thermal cycling condition.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.511-520
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• 2019

This study was investigated to improve the phosphorus release and water quality by transformation of sedimentary P fraction for application of $CaO_2$. For the experiment, 0.5% (w/w) of $CaO_2$ was homogenized in the sediment and incubated with the control for 20 days. The analytical results showed that pH increased with $CaO_2$ and redox potential (ORP) was improved in the sediment of the reactor. The growth rate of chlorophyll-a was lower in the $CaO_2$ reactor and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) of overlying water maintained higher than that of the control. Total phosphorus (T-P) concentration in the overlying water increased from the initial concentration to 0.304mg/L in the control at 20 days. The reactor of $CaO_2$ was lowered by 29.3%. Ex-P, Fe-P and Ca-P in sediment P fraction were increased with the $CaO_2$. The formation of bound Fe-P and Ca-P in the sediments seemed to control the release of P by removing the Soluble Reactive Phosphorus (SRP) presented in the pore water. From the result, this indicated that the reduction of P release from the sediments seems to be effective in suppressing the eutrophication of P and improving the oxygen condition in the water quality with the application of $CaO_2$.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2024

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by neuronal cell death and memory impairment. Corticosterone (CORT) is a glucocorticoid hormone produced by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to a stressful condition. Excessive stress and high CORT levels are known to cause neurotoxicity and aggravate various diseases, whereas mild stress and low CORT levels exert beneficial actions under pathophysiological conditions. However, the effects of mild stress on AD have not been clearly elucidated yet. In this study, the effects of low (3 and 30 nM) CORT concentration on Aβ_25-35-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells and underlying molecular mechanisms have been investigated. Cytotoxicity caused by Aβ_25-35 was significantly inhibited by the low concentration of CORT treatment in the cells. Furthermore, CORT pretreatment significantly reduced Aβ_25-35-mediated pro-apoptotic signals, such as increased Bim/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-3 cleavage. Moreover, low concentration of CORT treatment inhibited the Aβ_25-35-induced cyclooxygenase-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions, including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. Aβ_25-35 resulted in intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, which were effectively reduced by the low CORT concentration. As a molecular mechanism, low CORT concentration activated the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2, a redox-sensitive transcription factor mediating cellular defense and upregulating the expression of antioxidant enzymes, such as NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, glutamylcysteine synthetase, and manganese superoxide dismutase. These findings suggest that low CORT concentration exerts protective actions against Aβ_25-35-induced neurotoxicity and might be used to treat and/or prevent AD.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2009

This experiment was performed to understand the relationship between uptake of Fe and Mn by plants, red pepper and tomato, and soil physico-chemical properties under different soil conditions at an environmentally controlled chamber in NAAS(National Academy of Agricultural Science) in 2008. After the dipping for 3 days, four treatments, dipping, dipping+aeration, drainage, drainage+aeration, were set up to investigate the changes in soil redox potential and moisture content. Drainage+aeration changed soil to the oxidation condition from 72 hrs of treatment, and soil moisture content was immediately reduced after treatment. Uptake of Fe and Mn of red pepper was investigated with two treatments, soil only and the mixed[soil(50%) : bed soil(35%) : bark(15%)]. Red pepper leaves taken at 30 days after treatment absorbed excessively Mn from the treatment of soil only and the mixed, and thus uptake of iron was strongly reduced. Also, uptake pattern of Fe and Mn of tomato was examined with four treatment, soil only, soil(50%) + rice straw(50%), soil(50%) + compost(50%) and soil + aeration. Contents of Fe and Mn in tomato leaves was measured at 60 days after treatment. Fe content was the greatest in soil(50%) + compost(50%) whereas Mn content was the highest in soil only. As a result of this experiment, plant growth was stronger influenced by soil moisture content than redox potential or porosity, and the oxidation status of soil was likely to promote that plant predominantly absorbed Mn from soil and thus resulted in Fe deficiency.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.772-777
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• 2018

To understand the adaptability of Leymus chinensis forage grass to environmental stresses, we analyzed the $H_2O_2$ scavenging activity based on several antioxidant enzymes and total phenolics content, including peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT), in shoots and roots subjected to salt and dehydration stresses during seedling growth. After NaCl or PEG treatment, plants showed reduced seedling growth under over 200 mM NaCl or 30% PEG treatment condition in shoots and roots compared with the control condition. In addition, plants showed high enzymatic activity of CAT in the shoots, whereas they exhibited high activity levels of APX and POD in the roots in both the NaCl and PEG treatment conditions. These results seem to indicate that Leymus chinensis seedlings responding to salt and dehydration stresses during initial growth is associated with enhanced activity of $H_2O_2$ scavenging antioxidant enzymes in the shoots or roots. The plants also showed high levels of total phenolics under NaCl treatment, with a high concentration in both the shoots and roots. Our results showed that the induced activity patterns of APX in the roots and CAT in the shoots indicate that low $H_2O_2$ levels were mainly maintained through tissue-specific redox homeostasis involving enzymes such as APX and CAT during salt and dehydration stresses. This study highlights the importance of antioxidant enzymes in the establishment of Leymus chinensis seedlings under high salinity conditions, such as typical desertification.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.133-143
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• 2007

This study was performed to evaluate the co- and sequential separation of Tc, Np and U from the simulated multi-component HLW solution by a TBP (tributyl phosphate)-TOA (tri- octyl amine)/NDD $(n-dodecane)-HNO_3$ extraction system. An optimal condition of (30% TBP-0.5% TOA)/NDD-1 M $HNO_3$ was selected by taking account of a prevention of the 3rd phase and effects of concentration of TBP, TOA and nitric acid on the co-extraction of Tc, Np and U. In that condition, the extraction yields were 81% (Tc), 85% (Np), less than 9% (Am and RE elements), about 8% (Pd), and less than 5% (other elements) so that the system developed for the co-extraction of Tc, Np and U was proved to be available. For that, however, more than 99% of Zr was found to be pre-removed. The co-extracted Tc, Np and U were sequentially separated in order of Tc(stripping agent : 5 M $HNO_3$)${\rightarrow}Np$ by reductive stripping (reductive-stripping agent : 0.1 M AHA)${\rightarrow}U$ (stripping agent : 0.01 M $HNO_3$), and then their separation factors were evaluated. At these conditions, 95% of Tc, 98% of Np and 99% of U could be recovered in each step.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.321-326
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• 2006

Thermal degradation of styrene dimer fraction (SDF, main compound: 47 wt% of 1,3-diphenylpropane), 5~15% of total products produced during decomposition of waste expanded polystyrene (WEPS) was investigated. Reaction condition of $360^{\circ}C$, and 152 kPa to 202 kPa was an optimum for high pressure degradation. Under this operating condition, the yield of oil was 73.8% and the selectivities to Ben, Tol, EB, SM, and AMS were 0.4, 30.9, 15.0, 19.6, and 4.2%, respectively. Non-catalytic fixed bed continuous degradation was conducted at reaction temperatures of $510{\sim}610^{\circ}C$ and contact time ranges of 2~24 min, where the yield was increased by increasing of reaction temperature and contact time. A $Cr_2O_3$ catalyst showed the highest activity and SM yield among acid, base, and redox catalysts. The conversion of 74.6% and the yield of Ben, Tol, EB, SM, and AMS were 0.4, 21.6, 9.7, 17.9, and 3.5%, respectively at $560^{\circ}C$ and contact time of 24 min. It is thought that styrene is converted to EB and other secondary products throughout the formation of diradicals of styrene.