• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.95-110
• /
• 2016

Uncanny valley refers to the condition where the affinity of a human-like object decreases dramatically if the object becomes extremely similar to human, and has been hypothesized to derive from the cognitive load of categorical conflict against an uncanny object. According to the hypothesis, the present study ran an oddball task consisting of trials each displaying one among a non-human, human and uncanny face, and measured event-related potentials (ERPs) for each trial condition. In Experiment 1, a non-human face was presented in 80% of the trials (standard) whereas a human face for another 10% trials (target) and an uncanny face for the remaining 10% trials (uncanny). Participants' responses were relatively inaccurate and delayed in both the target and uncanny oddball trials, but neither P3 nor N170 component differed across the three trial conditions. Experiment 2 used 3-D rendered realistic faces to increase the degree of categorical conflict, and found the behavioral results were similar to Experiment 1. However, the peak amplitude of N170 of the target and uncanny trials were higher than the standard trials while P3 mean amplitudes for both the target and uncanny trials were comparable but higher than the amplitude for the standard trials. P3 latencies were delayed in the order of the standard, target, and uncanny trials. The changes in N170 and P3 patterns across the experiments appear to arise from the categorical conflict that the uncanny face must be categorized as a non-target according to the oddball-task requirement despite its perceived category of a human face. The observed increase of cognitive load following the added reality to the uncanny face also indicates that the cognitive load, supposedly responsible for the uncanny experience, would depend on the increase of categorical conflict information subsequent to added stimulus complexity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
• /
• 1998.10a
• /
• pp.2-4
• /
• 1998

Proliferation of Nocardia amarae cells in activated sludge has often been associated with the generation of nuisance foams. Despite intense research activities in recent years to examine the causes and control of Nocardia foaming in activated sludge, the foaming continued to persist throughout the activated sludge treatment plants in United States. In addition to causing various operational problems to treatment processes, the presence of Nocardia may have secondary effects on the fate of heavy metals that are not well known. For example, for treatment plants facing more stringent metal removal requirements, potential metal removal by Nocardia cells in foaming activated sludge would be a welcome secondary effect. In contrast, with new viosolid disposal regulations in place (Code o( Federal Regulation No. 503), higher concentration of metals in biosolids from foaming activated sludge could create management problems. The goal of this research was to investigate the metal sorption property of Nocardia amarae cells grown in batch reactors and in chemostat reactors. Specific surface area and metal sorption characteristics of N. amarae cells harvested at various growth stages were compared. Three metals examined in this study were copper, cadmium and nickel. Nocardia amarae strain (SRWTP isolate) used in this study was obtained from the University of California at Berkeley. The pure culture was grown in 4L batch reactor containing mineral salt medium with sodium acetate as the sole carbon source. In order to quantify the sorption of heavy metal ions to N amarae cell surfaces, cells from the batch reactor were harvested, washed, and suspended in 30mL centrifuge tubes. Metal sorption studies were conducted at pH 7.0 and ionlc strength of 10-2M. The sorption Isotherm showed that the cells harvested from the stationary and endogenous growth phase exhibited significantly higher metal sorption capacity than the cells from the exponential phase. The sequence of preferential uptake of metals by N. amarae cells was Cu>Cd>Ni. The specific surFace area of Nocardia cells was determined by a dye adsorption method. N.amarae cells growing at ewponential phase had significantly less specific surface area than that of stationary phase, indicating that the lower metal sorption capacity of Nocardia cells growing at exponential phase may be due to the lower specific surface area. The growth conditions of Nocardia cells in continuous culture affect their cell surface properties, thereby governing the adsorption capacity of heavy metal. The comparison of dye sorption isotherms for Nocardia cells growing at various growth rates revealed that the cell surface area increased with increasing sludge age, indicating that the cell surface area is highly dependent on the steady-state growth rate. The highest specific surface area of 199m21g was obtained from N.amarae cell harvested at 0.33 day-1 of growth rate. This result suggests that growth condition not only alters the structure of Nocardia cell wall but also affects the surface area, thus yielding more binding sites of metal removal. After reaching the steady-state condition at dilution rate, metal adsorption isotherms were used to determine the equilibrium distributions of metals between aqueous and Nocardia cell surfaces. The metal sorption capacity of Nocardia biomass harvested from 0.33 day-1 of growth rate was significantly higher than that of cells harvested from 0.5- and 1-day-1 operation, indicatng that N.amarae cells with a lower growth rate have higher sorpion capacity. This result was in close agreement with the trend observed from the batch study. To evaluate the effect of Nocardia cells on the metal binding capacity of activated sludge, specific surface area and metal sorption capacity of the mixture of Nocardia pure cultures and activated sludge biomass were determined by a series of batch experiments. The higher levels of Nocardia cells in the Nocardia-activated sludge samples resulted in the higher specific surface area, explaining the higher metal sorption sites by the mixed luquor samples containing greater amounts on Nocardia cells. The effect of Nocardia cells on the metal sorption capacity of activated sludge was evaluated by spiking an activated sludge sample with various amounts of pre culture Nocardia cells. The results of the Langmuir isotherm model fitted to the metal sorption by various mixtures of Nocardia and activated sludge indicated that the mixture containing higher Nocardia levels had higher metal adsorption capacity than the mixture containing lower Nocardia levels. At Nocardia levels above 100mg/g VSS, the metal sorption capacity of activate sludge increased proportionally with the amount of Noeardia cells present in the mixed liquor, indicating that the presence of Nocardia may increase the viosorption capacity of activated sludge.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.640-658
• /
• 1996

The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanism of improving acid resistance of Nd-YAG laser irradiated tooth enamel and determine the most effective energy density for improving acid resistance. The bovine tooth enamel were lased with a pulsed Nd-YAG laser. The energy densities of exposed laser beam were varied from 10 to $70\;J/cm^2$. To investigate the degree of improving acid resistance by irradiation, all the samples were submerged to demineralize in 0.5 N $HClO_4$ solution for 1 minute. After 1 minute, 0.05 % $LaCl_3$ was added to the solution for interrupting the demineralization reaction. The amounts of dissolved calcium and phosphate in the solution were measured by using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer and the UV/VIS spectrophotometer, respectively. To examine the mechanism of improving acid resistance, X-ray diffraction analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were taken. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the samples were obtained in the $10^{\circ}{\sim}80^{\circ}2{\theta}$ range with $Cu-K{\alpha}$ radiation using M18HF(Mac Science Co.) with X-ray diffractometer operating at 40 KV and 300 mA. The infra-red spectra of the ground samples in 300 mg KBr pellets 10 mm diameter were obtained in the $4000cm^{-1}\;to\;400cm^{-1}$ range using JASCO 300E spectrophotometer. The scanning electron microscopy was carried out using JSM6400(JEOL Co.) with $500{\sim}2000$ times magnification. The results were as follow 1. The concentration of calcium dissolved from laser irradiated enamel with $50J/cm^2$ was significantly lesser than that of unlased control group (p<0.05) 2. From the result of the X-ray diffraction analysis, $\beta$-TCP, which increases acid solubility, was identified in lased enamel but the diffraction peaks of (002) and (004) became sharp with increasing energy density of laser irradiation. This means that the crystals in lased samples were grown through the c-axis and subsequently, the acid solubility of enamel decreased. 3. The a-axis parameter was slightly increased by laser irradiation, whereas the c-axis parameter was almost constant except for a little decrease at $50J/cm^2$. 4. In the infra-red spectra of lased enamels, phosphate bands ($600{\sim}500cm^{-1}$), B-carbonate bands (870, $1415{\sim}1455cm^{-1}$), and A-carbonate band ($1545cm^{-1}$) were observed. The amounts of phosphate bands and the B-carbonate bands were reduced, on the other hand, the amount of the A-carbonate band was increased by increase the energy density. 5. The SEM experiments reveal that the surface melting and recrystallization were appeared at $30J/cm^2$ and the cracks were observed at $70J/cm^2$. From above results, It may be suggested that the most effective energy density for improving acid resistance of tooth enamel with the irradiation of Nd-YAG laser was $50J/cm^2$. The mechanism of improving acid resistance were reduction of permeability due to surface melting and recrystallization of lased enamel and reduction of acid solubility of enamel due to decrease of carbonate content and growth of crystal.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.117-131
• /
• 1995

In order to improve the present running seawater system for seedling production of marine fishes, rearing experiments with the juveniles of black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegeli) and oblong rockfish (Sebastes oblongus) were conducted. The recirculating seawater system (F) equipped with the rotating biological contactors and the running seawater system (R) were used. Environmental factors, growth, survival rate and rearing density of the fish were compared between two systems during the experimental period. In the rearing experiment of black seabream, water temperature in F was fluctuated with surrounding air temperature and was higher than that in R. Specific gravity of the rearing seawater in F was relatively stable in the range of 1.0252 to 1.0266, while that in R was greatly fluctuated. pH in F turned out to be 7.51, but pH in R was similar to that in the natural seawater. Dissolved nitrite and nitrate in F were higher than those in R. While no significant differences in the growth of black seabream juveniles were recognized between two systems, survival rates of fishes in F were higher than those of fishes in R. In the rearing experiment of oblong rockfish, water temperature in F was higher than that in R. Specific gravity in F was slightly higher than that in R which showed relatively less fluctuation in the range of 1.0253 to 1.0270. pH in F turned out to be 7.96, but pH in R was similar to that in the natural seawater. Dissolved nitrite and nitrate in F were higher than those in R, but ammonia was lower in F. The juveniles of oblong rockfish reared in F grew significantly faster in their total length and body weight than those in R (P<0.05). However, survival rates of fishes between two systems showed no significant differences.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.213-220
• /
• 2001

To study the effect of salinity on maturation and spawning, two series of experiments were carried out during November, 1998- July, 1999 and January, 1999- March 2000. In the first series, the control group (C) was reared at 14.3$^{\circ}C$ and 35.1$\textperthousand$ S, but the experimental group was reared at 33.8$\textperthousand$ S. In the second series, they were also exposed to approximately the same temperature but the experimental group was reared at still lowered salinity of 2p.6$\textperthousand$. Survival, food intake and growth of the experimental groups in either series reared at lower salinities were higher than those of their respective control groups. At lower salinity, larger number of females attained spontaneous sexual maturity and successfully spawned. Hatching success of the eggs spawned by the experimental females reared at lower salinities was also higher (54-56$\textperthousand$) than that (~19%) of the control group reared at higher salinity.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.206-216
• /
• 1988

In order to set up a predictive model for effective spat collection of pen shell, Atrina (Servatrina) pectinata, the survival rate and time required at each developmental stage of drifting larvae were surveyed during the period from June 8 to October 16 in 1986 at the Yongku inlet Chilchon Is., Chinhae Bay, the southern part of Korea. And also the experiments of spat collection were carried out In Yongku inlet during the period from July 6 to November 23 in 1987 and In Yoja Bay during the period from July 9 in 1987 to February 15 in 1588. The advent of D-shape larvae ca. $135\times144um $ long had three peaks in that area: August 1, 12 and 25. Umbo shape larvae ca. $300\times317um$ and full grown larvae ca. $455\times450um$ long also sowed three peaks: August 9, August 22 and September 4 for the former, and August 23, September 3 and September 16 for the latter. Nine to ten days was required for D-shape larvae to develop to umbo shape larvae. The instantaneous survival rate was 0.94 with a total survival rate if $54\%$ at this intermorphological stage. The required time of umbo to full grown larvae varied from twelve to fourteen days with a instantaneous survival rate of 0.88 and total survival rate of $19\%$. Twenty-two to twenty-three days was required for each group of the D-shape larvae to reach a fullgrown stage, and their total survival rate was $10\%$ during this developmental period. The number of the spat attached to the spat collector is 0.16 inds. per $m^2$ vertical spat collector in Yongku inlet and 0.48 inds. per $m^2$ horizontal spat collector in Yoja Bay. The average shell length of spat attached was $0.51({\pm}0.15)\;mm$ on September $27,\;38.52({\pm}6.98)\;mm$ on November 21 in 1987 and $49.00({\pm}10.77)mm$ on February 15 in 1988.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.13-28
• /
• 2012

Objectives : The present study aimed to investigate the pharmacological activity of water and ethanol (EtOH) extracts from Socheongnyong-tang (SCNT) on inflammation and its related disease. Methods : The cells were treated with nontoxic concentrations of water and EtOH extract from SCNT in BEAS-2B, HaCaT, RAW 264.7 and 3T3-L1 cells. These cells were stimulated by tumor necrosis facter (TNF)-${\alpha}$, TNF-${\alpha}$/interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), respectively. 3T3-L1 cells were differentiated by insulin. After incubation, supernatant were collected and biological indicator measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results : Our results indicate that the water and EtOH extract of SCNT significantly inhibited the production of regulated on activation normal T-cell expression and secreted (RANTES) by treatment of TNF-${\alpha}$ in BEAS-2B cell, and significantly reduced the production of RANTES and macrophage-derived chemokine increased by treatment of TNF-${\alpha}$/IFN-${\gamma}$ in HaCaT cell. Moreover, those extracts significantly decreased the activity of nitric oxide and prostaglandin $E_2$ in LPS-induced RAW 264.7, and significantly inhibited the increased activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and expression of leptin induced by differentiation in 3T3-L1 cell. Conclusions : These results indicate that both water and EtOH extract of SCNT has powerful effects on inflammation and its related disease. Therefore, SCNT can be developed as a potential pharmacological agent related various diseases. Although the significant effects were observed in both SCNT water and EtOH extract, the EtOH extract was more effective on most experiments than its water extract. Taken together, these findings indicate that the SCNT EtOH extract may have more potential pharmacological agent.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.812-813
• /
• 1995

Lactococcal cells are nutritionally fastidious and thus, generally cultured either in milk or M17 medium (Terzaghi and Sandine, 1975). In this study, Lactococcus cremoris wild-type (KH) and its less­proteolytic mutant (KHA1) cells were grown on the M17 medium or with modified M17 medium by replicated parallel experiments. The modified M17 medium had the same composition as M17 medium, except that lactose was replaced by glucose. Analyses of culture-broth samples, in which the M17 and the modified M17 media were used, were conducted by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). But, working with these media created noisy problems in analyses of samples. Therefore, a new semi-synthetic medium was developed on the basis of nutritional requirements (Morishita et al., 1981). The composition of the semi-synthetic medium determined on the basis of the nutritional requirements and the composition of milk, is presented in Table 1. The composition of M17 medium is also presented and compared in the table. L. cremoris KH and KHA1 cells were grown again on the new synthetic medium containing glucose or lactose. The broth samples were then drawn and analyzed by HPLC. Clearer separations of fermented products were achieved from the new medium than those with the M17 and the modified M17 media. In comparison with the M17 or the modified M17 media, growth on the new medium was good (Kim et al, 1993). Additional fermentations were also carried out at a controlled pH of 7.0, where enhanced growth of lactococcal cells was obtained. In the fermentations, samples were also analyzed for the concentrations of sugar and lactic acid. The results showed that the new synthetic medium was as good as or better than the M 17 and the modified M 17 media. This is because casein hydrolysate in the synthetic medium provided a ready supply of amino acids and peptides for L. cremoris KH and KHA1 cells. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) including Lactococcal cells have been known to be an effective means of preserving foods, at the same time as giving particular tastes in fields of dairy products. LAB also have always occupied an important place in the technology of sea products, and marine LAB have known to be present in traditional fermented products (Ohhira et al, 1988). To apply the new synthetic medium to marine LAB, two different LAB were isolated from pickled anchovy and pollacks caviar and were grown on the new media in which various concentrations of NaCl $(3, 5, 7 and 10\%)$ added. They were also grown on the medium solution in natural seawater $(35\%o\;salinity)$ and on the solution of natural seawater itself, too. As seen in Fig. 1, Marine LAB were grown best on the synthetic medium solution in natural seawater and the higher concentrations of NaCl were added to the medium, the longer lag-phase of growth profile appeared. Marine LAB in natural seawater were not grown well. From these results, the synthetic medium seems good to cultivate cells which are essential to get salted fish aged. In this study, it showed that the new synthetic medium provided adequate nutrition for L. cremoris KH and KHA1 cells, which have been used as cheese starters (Stadhouders et al, 1988). Using this new medium, the acid production capability of starter cultures could be also measured quantitatively. Thus, this new medium was inferior to the M17 or the modified M17 medium in culturing the cheese starters and in measuring fermentation characteristics of the starter cells. Moreover, this new medium found to be good for selected and well-identified marine LAB which are used in rapid fermentations of low-salted fish.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.104-113
• /
• 2002

The sorption of Cd$^{2+}$ on calcite was studied in aqueous solutions of several electrolytes. The Cd$^{2+}$ concentration, 10$^{-8}$ M, was kept well below saturation with respect to CdCO$_3$(s). Sorption behavior of Cd$^{2+}$ in different ionic strengths of NaClO$_4$solutions shows that sorption is independent of ionic strength. This result suggests that Cd$^{2+}$ sorption on calcite surface is of a specific nature, and adsorption is controlled by an inner-sphere type of surface complex. Two stages in the sorption behavior could be identified: an initial rapid uptake, followed by slower uptake reaching a maximum steady state by 145 hrs. No evidence was observed for surface precipitation, although it can not be entirely ruled out. Desorption of Cd$^{2+}$ from the calcite surface after resuspension into Cd-free solution is initially very rapid, but depends partly on the previous sorption history. Desorption behavior of Cd$^{2+}$ show that an initial rapid desorption followed either by slow uptake reaching a maximum, as in the adsorption experiments, or slowing desorption to reach a steady state minimum. This irreversible behavior of Cd$^{2+}$ sorption and desorption may act as one of the controls for regulating the mobility of dissolved Cd$^{2+}$ natural aqueous systems. Calculated adsorption partition coefficients suggest that overall sorption and desorption process in the concentration range are controlled by d single mechanism.ingle mechanism.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.285-296
• /
• 2014

Although the problems of the algal blooms have been world-widely observed in freshwater, estuary, and marine throughout the year, it is not yet certain what are the basic causes of such blooms. Consequently, it is very difficult to predict when and where algal blooms occur. The constituents of the Asian dust are in a good agreement with the elements required for the algal growth, which suggests some possible relationship between the algal blooms and the Asian dust. There have been frequently algal blooms in drinking water from rivers or lakes. However, there is no any algal blooms in upwelling waters where the Asian dust cannot penetrate into the soil due to its relatively weak settling velocity (size of particles, $4.5{\pm}1.5{\mu}m$), which implies the possible close relationship of the Asian dust with algal blooms. The present initiative study is thus intended firstly in Korea to illustrate such a relationship by reviewing typical previous studies along with 12 years of weekly iron profiles (2001~2012) and two slant culture experiments with the dissolved Asian dust. The result showed bacterial suspected colonies in the slant culture experiment that are qualitatively in a good agreement with the recent Japanese studies. Since the diatoms require cheap energy (8%) compared to other phytoplankton (100%) to synthesize their cell walls by silicate, the present results can be used to predict algal blooms by diatoms if the concentrations of iron and silicate are available during spring and fall. It can be postulated that the algal blooms occur only if the environmental factors such as light, nutrients, calm water surface layer, temperature, and pH are simultaneously satisfied with the requirements of the micronutrients of mineral ions supplied by the Asian dust as enzymatic cofactors for the rapid bio-synthesis of the macromolecules during algal blooms. Simple eco-friendly methods to regulate the algal blooms are suggested for the initial stage of blooming with limited area: 1) to cover up the water surface with black curtain and inhibit photosynthesis during the day time, 2) to blow air (20.9%) or pure oxygen into the bottom of the water and inhibit rubisco for carbon uptake and nitrate reductase for nitrogen uptake activities in algal growth during the night, 3) to eliminate the resting spores or cysts by suction of bottom sediments as deep as 5 cm to prevent the next year germinations.