• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.61-68
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• 2016

This study was focused to examine the effects of pre- or post-harvest Ca-chitosan treatment on the shelf-life of 'Daesung' hardy kiwifruit. In the preharvest treatment, Ca-chitosan at 200 mg/L was intensively sprayed to the fruit three times on August 20, 25, and 28 in an order whereas harvested fruits were dipped for 10 sec. at the same concentration of chitosan as the postharvest treatment. Fruits were stored at 17℃ for 9 days and 1℃ for 40 days, respectively. Soluble solid contents, titratable acidity, firmness, respiration rate, and weight loss were examined to configure the qualities of fruits during storage. The changes of fruit quality parameters occurred more rapidly in calcium-chitosan treatment compared to untreated control when fruit were stored at 17℃. Both pre- or post-harvest Ca-chitosan treatment, however, effectively decreases the weight and firmness of fruit stored at 1℃. Fruit respiration rate was also reduced, indicating the increase of shelf-life throughout ripening of the fruit.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.449-458
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• 2023

As an adsorption technology for dissolved organic matter, the adsorption capacity of granular activated carbon, GAC, can be applied, but activated carbon whose adsorption capacity is significantly reduced by use is inevitably replaced or regenerated. However, due to the economics of replacement cost, thermal regeneration method is used commercially, but high energy cost and loss of activated carbon occur under high temperature conditions above 800℃. In this study, the Sono-Fenton method, a multi-oxidation technology that combines Fenton oxidation and ultrasonic oxidation, was applied to improve the regeneration efficiency of spent GAC used to treat dissolved organic matter in combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and the regeneration efficiency of spent GAC by oxidant and ultrasonic frequency was investigated. In the applied Sono-Fenton treatment, the highest regeneration efficiency of 68.5% was obtained under the regeneration conditions of Fe²⁺ 10 mmol/L, H₂O₂ concentration 1,000 mmol/L, ultrasonic treatment time of 120 min, and ultrasonic frequency of 40 kHz. And similar efficiency was also obtained at 750 kHz, while ultrasonic waves of other frequencies had poor regeneration efficiency, and the magnitude of frequency and GAC regeneration efficiency did not show a linear relationship. In the case of continuous operation of the GAC adsorption tower with CSOs prepared by diluting raw sewage, about 700 hours of operation without regeneration was possible, and as a result of applying one Sono-Fenton treatment, 40-70% COD_cr removal efficiency was obtained during a total of 1,000 hours of GAC adsorption operation.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1616-1627
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• 2022

Objective: This work was conducted to investigate the effects of oxidative stress on meat quality, mitochondrial function, calcium metabolism and ferroptosis of broilers. Methods: In this study, a total of 144 one-day-old male Ross 308 chicks were divided into 3 groups (control group, saline group, and hydrogen peroxide [H₂O₂] group) with 6 replicates of 8 broilers each. The study lasted for 42 d. The broilers in the saline and H₂O₂ groups were intraperitoneally injected with 0.75% saline and 10.0% H₂O₂ on the 16th and 37th day of the experimental period respectively, the injection volumes were 1.0 mL/kg of broiler body weight. On the 42nd day of the experimental period, two chicks were randomly selected from each cage, a total of thirty-six chicks were stunned by electric shock and slaughtered to collect breast muscle samples. Results: The H₂O₂ exposure reduced pH value, increased drip loss and shear force of breast meat (p<0.05), impaired the ultrastructure and function of mitochondria. The H₂O₂ exposure damaged the antioxidant system in mitochondria, excessive reactive oxygen species carbonylation modified calcium channels on mitochondria, which impaired the activities of key enzymes on calcium channel, resulted in the increased calcium concentration in cytoplasm and mitochondria (p<0.05). In addition, the H₂O₂ exposure increased the iron content and lipid peroxidation (p<0.05), which induced ferroptosis. Conclusion: Oxidative stress could impair meat quality by causing mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in calcium metabolism disorder and ferroptosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1115-1122
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• 2023

This study aimed to present reasonable reception bandwidth application standards for the purpose of suppressing metal objects during MRI examinations. For this purpose, T2 contrast images were acquired using high-speed spin echo technology on a phantom made of screws for spinal surgery, and metal objects were detected. In addition, images were obtained by increasing the reception bandwidth from 100 Hz/PX to 800 Hz/PX by 100 Hz/PX. The metal artifacts were determined as the sum of the areas of the signal attenuation area and the signal accumulation area. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis was performed to analyze the pattern of metal artifacts according to imaging variables. As a result, the signal accumulation area did not change significantly as the reception bandwidth increased (p>0.05), but the signal loss area and the area of metal artifacts decreased as the reception bandwidth increased (p<0.05). Interestingly, the area of metal objects decreased to a maximum in the section where the reception bandwidth was increased from 100 Hz/PX to 200 Hz/PX, consistent with the section where the echo spacing was reduced to a maximum due to the increase in reception bandwidth. In addition, the correlation analysis results also showed that the eco spacing was more related to the signal attenuation area and the area of metal objects than to the reception bandwidth. Therefore, if the reception bandwidth is increased for the purpose of reducing metal objects, it is reasonable to set it based on a value that minimizes the echo spacing in consideration of image quality factors.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2024

Among the electrode manufacturing processes for lithium-ion batteries, the drying process is crucial for production speed and process cost. Particularly, as the loading level of the electrode increases to enhance the energy density of the battery, optimizing process conditions for electrode drying becomes more critical. In this study, we compared the drying time and electrochemical performance of the positive electrode prepared at different drying temperatures. LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ (NCM622) was used as the active material and manufactured under various drying temperature conditions ranging from 120 ℃ to 210 ℃ at loading levels of 2.5 and 4.5 mAh cm^-2. The physical and electrochemical properties of the electrodes were compared. As the loading level of the electrode increases, the drying time of the electrode also increases, but this time can be reduced by increasing the drying temperature. The drying temperature used in manufacturing the NCM622 positive electrode does not significantly affect the electrochemical performance but drying above 210 ℃ resulted in an increase in the volume resistivity of the electrode and a decrease in electrochemical performance. Accordingly, in the manufacture of high-loading electrodes, the drying temperature was increased to 190 ℃ to shorten the electrode manufacturing time without a loss of performance.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.127-140
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• 2024

Upon direct/indirect exposure to flame or heat, composite structures may burn or thermally buckle. This issue becomes more important in the natural fiber-based composite structures with higher flammability and lower mechanical properties. The main goal of the present study was to obtain an optimal eco-friendly composite system with low flammability and high thermal buckling resistance. The studied composite consisted of polypropylene (PP) and short abaca fiber (AF) with eggshell powder (ESP) and halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) additives. An optimal base composite, consisting of 30 wt.% AF and 70 wt.% PP, abbreviated as OAP, was initially introduced based on burning rate (BR) and the Young's modulus determined by horizontal burning test (HBT) and tensile test, respectively. The effects of adding ESP to the base composite were then investigated with the same experimental tests. The results indicated that though the BR significantly decreased with the increase of ESP content up to 6 wt.%, it had a very destructive influence on the stiffness of the composite. To compensate for the damaging effect of ESP, small amount of HNT was used. The performance of OAP composite with 6 wt.% ESP and 3 wt.% HNT (OAPEH) was explored by conducting HBT, cone calorimeter test (CCT) and tensile test. The experimental results indicated a 9~23 % reduction in almost all flammability parameters such as heat release rate (HRR), total heat released (THR), maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE), total smoke released (TSR), total smoke production (TSP), and mass loss (ML) during combustion. Furthermore, the combination of 6 wt.% ESP and 3 wt.% HNT reduced the stiffness of OAP to an insignificant amount by maximum 3%. Moreover, the char residue analysis revealed the distinct differences in the formation of char between AF/PP and AF/PP/ESP/HNT composites. Afterward, dilatometry test was carried out to examine the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of OAP and OAPEH samples. The obtained results showed that the CTE of OAPEH composite was about 18% less than that of OAP. Finally, a theoretical model was used based on first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) to predict the critical bucking temperatures of the OAP and OAPEH composite plates. It was shown that in the absence of mechanical load, the critical buckling temperatures of OAPEH composite plates were higher than those of OAP composites, such that the difference between the buckling temperatures increased with the increase of thickness. On the contrary, the positive effect of CTE reduction on the buckling temperature decreased by raising the axial compressive mechanical load on the composite plates which can be assigned to the reduction of stiffness after the incorporation of ESP. The results of present study generally stated that a suitable combination of AF, PP, ESP, and HNT can result in a relatively optimal and environmentally friendly composite with proper flame and thermal buckling resistance with no significant decline in the stiffness.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.276-286
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• 2024

In the present study, we investigated whether a mixture of fucoidan and Crepidiastrum denticulatum extract (FCE) had the potential to improve the therapeutic efficacy of cancer treatment. The results demonstrated that FCE significantly reduced cell viability and induced the release of LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) and DNA fragmentation in HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, FCE treatment also increased the protein expression level of p53, the release of cytochrome c, and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Moreover, FCE dose-dependently increased protein expression levels of Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 and -9. However, FCE decreased the protein expression level of Bcl-2. These results suggest that FCE inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic pathway. The present study demonstrates that FCE can be used as an anti-cancer agent for liver cancer based on apoptosis mechanism.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-40
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• 2024

Objectives: In the present study, we investigated the effects of clean-diabetes mellitus 3 (C-DM3), a herbal formula with Trichosanthis Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma, Crataegi Fructus, and Cinnamomi Cortex, on the pathological and serological symptoms of diabetes and its related molecular mechanisms in diet-induced obese mice. Methods: We prepared an obese mouse model using a high-fat diet for 8 weeks and then administered the C-DM3 extract for 4 weeks. The changes of pathological and serological biomarkers for diabetes assessment were measured in the mice and histological changes were observed in the liver and pancreas tissues. We also identified the main compounds in the C-DM3 extract using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and analyzed the molecular mechanism of the disease condition by network pharmacological analysis. Results: In the in vivo, the administration of C-DM extract to obese mice significantly reduced body weight gain, fatty liver symptoms, and muscle loss, and decreased the levels of fasting blood glucose, insulin, aspertate aminotransferase, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In addition, C-DM extract significantly increased the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1, protein kinase b (AKT), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, and glucose transporter 4 in all pancreatic and liver tissues, with inhibition of histopathological changes in obese mice. HPLC analysis identified hyperoside, berberine, epiberberine, columbamin, coptisine, coumarin, jatrorrhizine, and citric acid as the main compounds. In the network pharmacological analysis, the molecular targets of C-DM3 extract on obesity and diabetes were shown as the insulin, AKT, PI3K, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways with the regulation of inflammatory molecules interleukin 6 (IL-6), jun proto-oncogene, and IL-1β, which matched our in vivo targets. Conclusions: Based on these results, C-DM3 extract is expected to be effective in improving obesity and preventing diabetic progression.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.193-206
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• 2024

This study aimed to quantify changes in forest cover and carbon storage of Korean Peninsular during the last two decades by integrating field measurement, satellite remote sensing, and modeling approaches. Our analysis based on 30-m Landsat data revealed that the forested area in Korean Peninsular had diminished significantly by 478,334 ha during the period of 2000-2019, with South Korea and North Korea contributing 51.3% (245,725 ha) and 48.6% (232,610 ha) of the total change, respectively. This comparable pattern of forest loss in both South Korea and North Korea was likely due to reduced forest deforestation and degradation in North Korea and active forest management activity in South Korea. Time series of above ground biomass (AGB) in the Korean Peninsula showed that South and North Korean forests increased their total AGB by 146.4Tg C (AGB at 2020=357.9Tg C) and 140.3Tg C (AGB at 2020=417.4Tg C), respectively, during the last two decades. This could be translated into net AGB increases in South and North Korean forests from 34.8 and 29.4 Mg C ha^-1 C to 58.9(+24.1) and 44.2(+14.8) Mg C ha^-1, respectively. It indicates that South Korean forests are more productive during the study period. Thus, they have sequestered more carbon. Our approaches and results can provide useful information for quantifying national scale forest cover and carbon dynamics. Our results can be utilized for supporting forest restoration planning in North Korea

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.166-184
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• 1979

In order to prevent the water loss in the irrigation canal constructed on the sandy gravel layer or on the other highly permeable ground layer, lining has been practiced. Many studies have been done so far on the lining method to prevent the water loss in the irrigation canal and recently studies on the lining with plastic film or polyethylene film were also reported. However, the plastic film or polyethylene film has low strength and is liable to break, and water loss from pin hole caused by contacting with sand or gravel is highly predicted. This study was then conducted to find proper lining and buring method in canal construction of polypropylene mat after coated with vinyl, as one way to overcome the shortcoming frequently observed when plastic or usual polyehtylene film were used. Eventhough rather longer periods of experiments are needed to attain reliable and accurate results on the variation of durability, the durability of asphalt coated area, or on the damage due to freeze after burial or exposure of polypropylene mat, the experiemental results obtained during one year of period are summarized as follows: 1. The curvature at the area between canal bottom and side slope had increased stability and saved consruction cost. The relationship among the variation of curvature, the reduction of polypropylene mat and the reduced amount of soil cutting at each side slope was presented in Fig. 7 through 9. 2. The depth of covering material to protect polypropylene mat was desired to be over 30cm, considering the water depth, side slope, canal cleaning practices, traffic, or back pressure of irrigation period. 3. In order to increase the canal stability and to prevent slope erosion, sandy soil was required, to be placed under ground, and coarse gravel should cover the surface area of canal. 4. The studies on the stability of side slope in the canal should consider the passive area on the bottom and the slope should be about 1 to 2, considering the slope stability, allowable velocity and tractive force. 5. When compared with earth lining, the lining with polypropylene mat coated with vinyl was responsible to save 28% and 37% of canal lining cost, when the soil carrying distances were 500 and 700m. respectively. 6. The water interception was almost completely attained when the polypropylene mat coated with vinyl was used for lining. But further studies were assumed to be necessary for the use of asphalt since the strength of polypropylene mat connected with asphalt will vary with duration.