• Development and Reproduction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.107-115
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• 2022

Kisspeptins, products of KISS1 gene, are ligands of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPR54), and the kisspeptin-GPR54 signaling has an important role as an upstream regulator of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. Interestingly, extrahypothalamic expressions of kisspeptin/GPR-54 in gonads have been found in primates and experimental rodents such as rats and mice. Hamsters, another potent experimental rodent, also have a kisspeptin-GPR54 system in their ovaries. The presence of testicular kisspeptin-GPR54 system, however, remains to be solved. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the kisspeptin is expressed in hamster testis. To do this, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were employed. After the nest PCR, two cDNA products (320 and 280 bp, respectively) were detected by 3% agarose gel electrophoresis, and sequencing analysis revealed that the 320 bp product was correctly amplified from hamster kisspeptin cDNA. Modest immunoreactive (IR) kisspeptins were detected in Leydig-interstitial cells, and the weak signals were detected in germ cells, mostly in round spermatids and residual bodies of elongated spermatids. In the present study, we found the kisspeptin expression in the testis of Syrian hamster. Further studies on the local role(s) of testicular kisspeptin are expected for a better understanding the physiology of hamster testis, including photoperiodic gonadal regression specifically occurred in hamster gonads.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1054-1063
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• 2022

Trehalose is a non-conventional sugar with potent applications in the food, healthcare and biopharma industries. In this study, trehalose was synthesized from maltose using whole-cell Pseudomonas monteilii TBRC 1196 producing trehalose synthase (TreS) as the biocatalyst. The reaction condition was optimized using 1% Triton X-100 permeabilized cells. According to our central composite design (CCD) experiment, the optimal process was achieved at 35℃ and pH 8.0 for 24 h, resulting in the maximum trehalose yield of 51.60 g/g after 12 h using an initial cell loading of 94 g/l. Scale-up production in a lab-scale bioreactor led to the final trehalose concentration of 51.91 g/l with a yield of 51.60 g/g and productivity of 4.37 g/l/h together with 8.24 g/l glucose as a byproduct. A one-pot process integrating trehalose production and byproduct bioremoval showed 53.35% trehalose yield from 107.4 g/l after 15 h by permeabilized P. moteilii cells. The residual maltose and glucose were subsequently removed by Saccharomyces cerevisiae TBRC 12153, resulting in trehalose recovery of 99.23% with 24.85 g/l ethanol obtained as a co-product. The present work provides an integrated alternative process for trehalose production from maltose syrup in bio-industry.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.457-471
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• 2021

This study aims at providing a simple and effective methodology to define a meaningful characteristic period for special class of earthquake records named "pulse-like ground motions". In the proposed method, continuous wavelet transform is employed to extract the large pulse of ground motions. Then, Fourier amplitude spectra obtained from the original ground motion and the residual motion is simply compared. This comparison permits to define a threshold pulse-period (Tp∗) as the threshold period above which the pulse component has negligible contributions to the Fourier amplitude spectrum. The effect of pulse on frequency content of motions was discussed on the light of this definition. The advantage and superior features of the new definition were related to the inelastic displacement ratio (IDR) for single-degree-of-freedom systems with period equal to one half of the threshold period. Analyses performed for the proposed period at three ductility levels u=2,4,6 were compared with the results obtained at half of pulse period derived from wavelet analysis, peak-point method and the peak of product of the velocity and the displacement response spectra (Sv x Sd). According to the results, pulse effects on inelastic displacement ratio seem to be more important when $\frac{T_p^*}{T}=2$ (T is the fundamental vibration period of system). The results showed that utilizing of the proposed definition could facilitate an enhanced understanding of pulse-like records features.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.2844-2853
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• 2023

A sophisticated Bayesian multilevel model for estimating group bias was developed to improve the utility of the ASTM E900-15 embrittlement trend curve (ETC) to assess the conditions of nuclear power plants (NPPs). For multilevel model development, the Baseline 22 surveillance dataset was basically classified into groups based on the NPP name, product form, and notch orientation. By including the notch direction in the grouping criteria, the developed model could account for TTS differences among NPP groups with different notch orientations, which have not been considered in previous ETCs. The parameters of the multilevel model and biases of the NPP groups were calculated using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. As the number of data points within a group increased, the group bias approached the mean residual, resulting in reduced credible intervals of the mean, and vice versa. Even when the number of surveillance test data points was less than three, the multilevel model could estimate appropriate biases without overfitting. The model also allowed for a quantitative estimate of the changes in the bias and prediction interval that occurred as a result of adding more surveillance test data. The biases estimated through the multilevel model significantly improved the performance of E900-15.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.72-75
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• 2023

Carbon neutrality has been emerged as important mission for all the manufacturing industry to reduce energy usage and carbon emission equivalent. Korean semiconductor and display manufacturing industries are also in huge interest by minimize the energy usage as well as to find a less global warming product gases in both etch and cleaning. In addition, Korean government is also investing long term research and development plan for the safe environment in various ways. In this paper, we revisit previous research activities on carbon emission equivalent and current research activities performed in semiconductor process diagnosis research center at Myongji University with respect to the reduction of NF3 usage for the PECVD chamber cleaning, and we present the analytical result of the exhaust gas with residual gas analysis in both 6 inches and 12 inches PECVD equipment. The presented result can be a reference study of the development of new substitution gas in near future to compare the cleaning rate of the silicon oxide deposition chamber.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.244-248
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the residual characteristics and calculate processing factor of the environment friendly material matrine in fresh chilli pepper by drying. Spray solution of matrine was prepared by dilution of the commercial product (2% active ingredient) with water at 1 : 1000 (v/v) ratio and sprayed onto chilli pepper plants at seven day intervals. Samples were collected at 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after last application and then dried using a hot air dry oven at $60^{\circ}C$ for 36 hours until the water content was reduced to 14%. Recoveries and storage period stabilities of matrine in the samples ranged from 106.6 to 119.1% and 106.6 to 113.1%, respectively. The residual concentrations of matrine in fresh chilli pepper and dried chilli peppers treated only once were found to be from less than 0.01 to 0.11 and from 0.03 to 0.25 mg/kg, respectively. In case of plants sprayed twice with matrine, the residual concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 0.12 and from 0.04 to 0.4 mg/kg, respectively. Processing factor of matrine in the fresh chilli pepper by drying was found to be from 1.5 to 3.3, indicating that the residual concentration of matrine in dried chilli pepper increased about two or three times by drying.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2003

In order to know residual pattern of pesticides and to predict degradation period until below MRL, we experimented with procymidone and bifenthrin for perilla leaf which were the most detected pesticides by NAQS (National Agriculture-product Quality management Service) survey. In this experiment, we sprayed those pesticides 10 days before harvest and analyzed 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 day samples to establish logical equation and to calculate $DT_{50}$. Also degradation patterns of those samples were compared during storage at 4t and 20t. During cultivating period, procymidone residue amount was changed from 79.52 mg/kg (0 day) to 4.2 mg/kg, $DT_{50}$ was 2.65 days by logical-equation, and bifenthrin residue amount was changed from 5.03 mg/kg (0 day) to 0.17 mg/kg, $DT_{50}$ was 2.24 days. During storage period, $DT_{50}$ of procymidone and bifenthrin at $4^{\circ}C$ was 12.23 days and 10.57 days, and at $20^{\circ}C$ was 6.32 days and 8.2 days, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.232-237
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• 1998

This study was carried out to find the optimal operating conditions for separation of residual uranium from the simulated radwaste solution containing 19 elements, and to evaluate the validity of the process. The selected process was based on the solvent extraction with TBP(tributyl phosphate). As an extractor, two miniature mixer-settlers with a total of 18 stages were used. Extraction yield of U, Np and Tc was about 99.2%. 32.1%, and 99.9%, respectively. The other elements were coextracted in the range of 1~4%. Extraction yield of U exceeded those of the previous work performed with batch system, which resulted in the low extractability of U (about 80%) according to the coexisting element such as Nd and Fe. It was due to the characteristics of multi-stage extractor. On the other hand, low extractability of Np was caused by various oxidation states in the nitric acid medium. In the case of Tc, its high extractability may be attributed to the complex formation with Zr and U, which is not well proved yet. All elements extracted with TBP were stripped into aqueous phase more than 99% by 0.01M $HNO_3$. From the results, this process has no problem with respect to in the same step was required, because Np was distributed in the raffinate and U product, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2008

In order to know the residual pattern of some pesticides and predict to the degradation period until below MRL, we experimented chlorothalonil, indoxacarb, lufenuron, metalaxyl and methomyl for Chinese cabbage. They were frequently detected pesticides in Chinese cabbage by NAQS (National Agricultural product Quality management Service) monitoring survey. In this experiment, we sprayed those pesticides 10days before harvest and analyzed 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 day samples to establish logical equation and to calculate $DT_{50}0$. During the cultivating period, the residue amount of chlorothalonil was changed from $55.58\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (0 day) to $20.08\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (10 day), $DT_{50}$ was 7.45 days, indoxacarb was $7.85\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (0 day) to $1.46\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (10 day), and 4.2 days, lufenuron was $1.57\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (0 day) to $0.49\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (10 day), and 5.85 days, metalaxyl was $8.12\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (0 day) to $0.10\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (10 day), and 175 days, and methomyl was $11.51\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (0 day) to $0.80\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ (10 day), and 2.42 days at single dose application, respectively. The $DT_{50}$ of double amount in those pesticides were 9.05 days in chlorothatonil, 7.09 days in indoxacarb, 8.82 days in lufenuron, 3.32 days in metalaxyl, and 2.72 days in methomyl, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.249-264
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• 2011

A multi-Gaussian kriging approach extended to space-time domain is presented for uncertainty modeling as well as time-series mapping of environmental variables. Within a multi-Gaussian framework, normal score transformed environmental variables are first decomposed into deterministic trend and stochastic residual components. After local temporal trend models are constructed, the parameters of the models are estimated and interpolated in space. Space-time correlation structures of stationary residual components are quantified using a product-sum space-time variogram model. The ccdf is modeled at all grid locations using this space-time variogram model and space-time kriging. Finally, e-type estimates and conditional variances are computed from the ccdf models for spatial mapping and uncertainty analysis, respectively. The proposed approach is illustrated through a case of time-series Particulate Matter 10 ($PM_{10}$) concentration mapping in Incheon Metropolitan city using monthly $PM_{10}$ concentrations at 13 stations for 3 years. It is shown that the proposed approach would generate reliable time-series $PM_{10}$ concentration maps with less mean bias and better prediction capability, compared to conventional spatial-only ordinary kriging. It is also demonstrated that the conditional variances and the probability exceeding a certain thresholding value would be useful information sources for interpretation.