• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.42.1-42.23
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• 2023

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis, one of the most deadly infections in humans. The emergence of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant Mtb strains presents a global challenge. Mtb has shown resistance to many frontline antibiotics, including rifampicin, kanamycin, isoniazid, and capreomycin. The only licensed vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guerin, does not efficiently protect against adult pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to develop new vaccines to prevent infections caused by these strains. We used a subtractive proteomics approach on 23 virulent Mtb strains and identified a conserved membrane protein (MmpL4, NP_214964.1) as both a potential drug target and vaccine candidate. MmpL4 is a non-homologous essential protein in the host and is involved in the pathogen-specific pathway. Furthermore, MmpL4 shows no homology with anti-targets and has limited homology to human gut microflora, potentially reducing the likelihood of adverse effects and cross-reactivity if therapeutics specific to this protein are developed. Subsequently, we constructed a highly soluble, safe, antigenic, and stable multi-subunit vaccine from the MmpL4 protein using immunoinformatics. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the stability of the vaccine-bound Tolllike receptor-4 complex on a nanosecond scale, and immune simulations indicated strong primary and secondary immune responses in the host. Therefore, our study identifies a new target that could expedite the design of effective therapeutics, and the designed vaccine should be validated. Future directions include an extensive molecular interaction analysis, in silico cloning, wet-lab experiments, and evaluation and comparison of the designed candidate as both a DNA vaccine and protein vaccine.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.126-139
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• 2014

In order to estimate the influence of sources on $PM_{2.5}$ in the industrial area of Japan, we carried out a source analysis using chemical component data of $PM_{2.5}$. $PM_{2.5}$ samples were collected intermittently at an industrial area in Japan from July 2010 to November 2012. Water soluble ions ($Cl^-$, $NO_3{^-}$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $Na^+$,$NH_4{^+}$, $K^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$), elements (Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, Pb), and carbonaceous species (OC, EC) of the $PM_{2.5}$ (a total of 198 samples) were analyzed. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model was applied to the data of those chemical components to identify the source of $PM_{2.5}$. At this observation site, nine factors were extracted. The major contributors of $PM_{2.5}$ were secondary sulfate 1, in which loading factors of $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NH_4{^+}$ were large (percentage source contribution: 20.9%), traffic, in which loading factors of OC (organic carbon) and EC (elemental carbon) were large (20.8%), secondary sulfate 2, in which loading factors of K and $SO{_4}^{2-}$ were large (8.0%), steel mills (7.8%), secondary chloride and nitrate (7.0%), soil (5.0%), heavy oil combustion (3.8%), sea salt (3.8%), and coal combustion (2.3%). The conditional probability function (CPF) and the potential source contribution function (PSCF) were carried out to examine the influence of a regional source and a broad-based source, respectively. CPF results supported local source influences such as steel mills, sea salt, traffic, coal combustion, and heavy oil combustion. PSCF results suggested that ships in the East China Sea, an industrial area of the east coastal region of China, and an active volcano in the Kyushu region of Japan were potential regional sources of secondary sulfate 1. Secondary sulfate 2 was affected by the burning of biomass fields and by coal combustion in Chinese urban areas such as Beijing, Hebei, and western Inner Mongolia. Source characterization using continuous data from one site showed a potential source representing fossil fuel combustion is affected both by regional and broad-based sources.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.2461-2476
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• 2013

To assess environmental contamination with carcinogens, carbonaceous compounds, water-soluble ionic species and trace gaseous species were identified and quantified every three hours for three days st three different atmospheric layer at the heart of chiang-Mai, bangkok and hat-Yai from December 2006 to February 2007. A DRI model 2001 Themal/Optical Carbon Analyzer with the IMPROVE thermal/optical reflectance (TOR) protocol was used to quantify the organic carbon(OC) and elemental carbon content in $PM_{10}$. Diurnal and vertical variability was also carefully investigated. In general, OC and EC contenttration shoeed the highest values at the monitoring period o 21.00-00.00 as consequences of human activities at night bazaar coupled with reduction of mixing layer, decreased wind speed and termination of photolysis nighttime. Morning peaks of carboaceous compounds were observed during the sampling period of 06:00 -09:00, emphasizing the main contribution of traffic emission in the three cities. The estimation of incremental lifetime partculate matter exposure (ILPE) raises concern of high risk of carbonaceous accumulation over workers and residents living close to the observatory sites. The average values of incremental lifrtime particulate matter exposure (ILPE) of total carbon at Baiyoke Suit Hotel and Baiyoke Sky Hotel are approsimately ten time shigher then those air sample collected at prince of songkla University Hat-Yai campus corpse incinerator and fish-can maufacturing factory but only slightly higher than those of rice straw burnig in Songkla province. This indicates a high risk of developing lung cancer and other respiratory diseases across workers and residents living in high buildings located in Pratunam area. Using knowledge of carbonaceous fractions in $PM_{10}$, one can estimate the gas-particle partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Dachs-Eisenreich model highlights the crucial role of adsorption in gas-particle partitioning of low molecular weight PAHs, whereas both absorption and adsorption tend to account for gas-particle partitioning of high molecular weight PAHs in urban residential zones of Thailand. Interestingly, the absorption mode alone plays a minor role in gas-partcle partitiining of PAHs in Chiang-Mai, Bangkok and hat-Yai.

• 한국환경농학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.343-347
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: Control of alternate bearing satsuma mandarin in Jeju is very important to maintain the optimum price of fruit and get the sustainable income of farmers. Unlike orange, Satsuma mandarin is well known to sensitive on alternate bearing. We carried out the experiment to know the effect of foliar application of $GA_3$ on the flowering and fruit quality of satsuma mandarin (C. unshiu Marc. cv. Miyagawa). METHODS AND RESULTS: To experiment, the treatments consist of control, different concentration of $GA_3$ (25, 50 and 100 mg/L), machine oil emulsion 100 times and mixture of various concentration of $GA_3$ (25 and 50 mg/L) with machine oil emulsion 100 times which it was applied on 15 year-old Miyagawa satsuma mandarin at December 29, 2011. Foliar application of $GA_3$ in winter reduced the flowering of satsuma mandarin. Flower-leaf ratio was significantly reduced at 100 mg/L $GA_3$, while no differences observed in low concentration of $GA_3$ (25 and 50 mg/L). However, it was significantly decreased to 0.19 in application of $GA_3$ 25 and 50 mg/L with machine oil emulsion 100 times mixture. Number of leaves per fruit was significantly increased as foliar application of $GA_3$ also it reduced the fruits remarkably. Soluble solid contents and Hunter's a of peel color ratio showed no difference among $GA_3$ single treatments, but it was reduced in $GA_3$ 25 and 50 mg/L with machine oil emulsion 100 times mixtures significantly. From the results, it has been found that higher $GA_3$ concentration can reduce the number of flowers on the alternate bearing of satsuma mandarin. However, it was found that lower concentration of $GA_3$ with machine oil emulsion mixture 100 times can reduce flowering. CONCLUSION(S): The foliar application of $GA_3$ (100 mg/L) can alleviate alternate beraring. Also, mixture of lower concentration of $GA_3$ with machine oil emulsion 100 times can retard flowering more significantly while it needs further confirmation.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.743-753
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• 2014

The number concentrations and the water soluble ionic concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$ have measured at Gosan site in Jeju, Korea, from March 2010 to December 2010, to clarify their characteristics. $PM_{2.5}$ number concentrations vary from 22.57 to $975.65particles/cm^3$ with an average value of $240.41particles/cm^3$, which have been recorded evidently high in spring season as compared with those in other season. And the concentrations in small size ranges are greatly higher than those in large size ranges, so the number concentration in the size range $0.25{\sim}0.45{\mu}m$ has more than 94% of the total number concentration of $PM_{2.5}$. The major ionic components in $PM_{2.5}$ are $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $NH_4{^+}$ and $NO_3{^-}$, which are mainly originated from anthropogenic sources, on the other hand, the concentrations of $Cl^-$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$ are recorded relatively lower levels. The concentrations of the major ionic components are very high in spring season, but the concentration levels of the other components are recorded significantly high in winter season. On the other hand, in summer season, the lowest concentration levels are observed for overall components as well as the sum of them. The concentration ratios of nss-$SO{_4}^{2-}/SO{_4}^{2-}$ and nss-$Ca^{2+}/Ca^{2+}$ are 98.1% and 88.9%. And the concentration ratio of $SO{_4}^{2-}/NO_3{^-}$(3.64) is greatly higher than the value in urban area due to no large $NO_x$ emission sources in the measurement. In addition, the correlation and the factor analysis for the number and the ionic concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$ are performed to identify their sources. From the Pearson correlation analysis and the factor analysis, it can be suggested that the smaller parts(< $0.5{\mu}m$) of $PM_{2.5}$ is contributed by anthropogenic sources, but the sources of the remaining larger parts of $PM_{2.5}$ are not able to be specified sources in this study.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.66-77
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• 2015

In order to survey the seasonal variation of the chemical composition of particulate matter of $2.5{\mu}m$ or less ($PM_{2.5}$), $PM_{2.5}$ was sampled from 8 February 2013 to 31 March 2014 in an industrial area of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Chemical measurements of the sample included: ionic components ($Na^+$, $NH_4{^+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $K^+$, $Cl^-$, $NO_3{^-}$ and $SO_4{^{2-}}$), carbonaceous components - organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Also, secondary organic carbon (SOC) was measured based using the EC tracer method, and char-EC and soot-EC were calculated from the analytical results. The data obtained were interpreted in terms of temporal variation. Of the overall mean value of $PM_{2.5}$ mass concentration obtained during the study period, ionic components, OC and EC accounted for 45.3%, 19.7%, and 8.0%, respectively. $NO_3{^-}$ showed a unique seasonal distribution pattern due to a dependence on temperature and absolute humidity. It was estimated that an approximate temperature of $14^{\circ}C$, and absolute humidity of $7g/m^3$ were critical for the reversible reaction of $NH_4NO_3(p){\leftrightharpoons}NH_3(g)+HNO_3(g)$. The amount of OC and EC contributing to the monthly $PM_{2.5}$ mass concentration was higher in autumn and winter compared to spring and summer. This result could be attributed to the impact of burning biomass, since WSOC and the ratio of char-EC/soot-EC showed a similar pattern during the corresponding period. From the comparison of monthly WSOC/OC values, a maximum ratio of 83% was obtained in August (summer). The WSOC and estimated SOC levels derived from the EC tracer method correlated (R=0.77) in summer. The high occurrence of WSOC during summer was mainly due to the formation of SOC by photochemical reactions. Through long-term observation of $PM_{2.5}$ chemical components, we established that the degree to which the above-mentioned factors influence $PM_{2.5}$ composition, fluctuates with seasonal changes.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제32권6호
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• pp.864-869
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• 2003

방사선 조사식품의 수용성 비타민에 대한 안정성을 확인하기 위하여 방사선 조사에 가장 민감하다고 알려져 있는 수용성 비타민 B$_1$과 비타민 C를 택해 닭 가슴살과 딸기와 감귤에 방사선을 조사한 후 닭 가슴살에서 비타민 B$_1$과 딸기와 감귤에서 비타민 C의 함량변화를 조사하였다. 닭가슴살 부위의 경우 감마선 조사시 온도를 냉장과 냉동 상태로 달리 하여 조사한 후 조리 방법을 가열조리와 마이크로웨이브 조리로 달리한 결과 티아민 함량의 손실은 감마선 조사선량에 따른 영향도 관찰되었지만 냉장, 냉동 등과 같은 조사시의 온도 상태도 크게 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 귤의 비타민 C 함량은 5 kGy까지는 조사에 의한 손실이 나타타지 않았고, 딸기의 비타민 C 함량은 3 kGy의 낮은 조사선량 범위 내에서는 조사선량에 의한 영향보다는 딸기의 품종에 따른 함량이 최종비타민 함량을 더 좌우하는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 감마선 조사시 비타민의 함량의 변화에는 일정 범위의 조사선량하에서는 조사시의 온도나 식품의 조성 등이 더 큰 인자로 작용할 수 있으며, 가열에 의한 손실도 냉장보다는 냉동 처리 후 조사함에 의해 감소시킬 수 있는 가능성을 보였다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.91-99
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• 2020

Objective: This study investigated the effects of oral administration of rumen-protected L-tryptophan (RPL-T) on duodenal starch digestion and gastrointestinal hormones (GIH) secretions using Hanwoo beef steers as the animal models. Methods: Four steers (423±24 kg) fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were employed in a crossover design replicated twice. Treatments were control (basal diet) and RPL-T (basal diet+191.1 mg/kg body weight [BW]) group. Blood and duodenal samples were collected to measure serum GIH levels and pancreatic α-amylase activity at day 0, 1, 3, and 5 (-30, 30, 90, 150, and 210 min) of the study. Samples from each segment of the gastrointestinal tract were collected via ruminal and duodenal cannulas and were used to determine soluble protein and the starch digestion rate at days 6 (-30, 180, 360, and 540 min) and 8 (-30, 90, 270, and 450 min) of the experiment. Results: No significant difference in ruminal pH, NH₃-N, and total volatile fatty acid including the levels of acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, isovalerate, and the acetate-to-propionate ratio was observed between groups (p>0.05). Crude protein uptake was higher and feces starch content was lower in RPL-T group than the control group (p<0.05). The D-glucose contents of feces in RPL-T group decreased at day 5 compared to those in the control group (p<0.05), however, no change was found at day 0, 1, or 3 compared to the control group (p>0.05). Serum cholecystokinin (CCK), melatonin, duodenal pancreatic α-amylase activity, and starch digestion were significantly higher in RPL-T group than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Taken together, oral administration of RPL-T at the rate of 191.1 mg/kg BW consistently increased CCK concentration, pancreatic α-amylase activity in duodenal fluids, and starch digestion rate in the small intestine and thus found to be beneficial.

• 유기물자원화
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.70-76
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• 2003

소화슬러지를 열처리한 혼합 배양 미생물을 식종균으로, 자당을 기질로 사용하는 혐기성 수소 생산 공정을 운전하면서 pH 조절, 반복 열처리, 기질 농도 변화 등을 통해 지속적인 수소 생산 방법을 고찰하였다. 유입 기질의 농도가 5g COD/L인 경우 운전 초기에는 $0.5mole\;H_2/mole\;hexose$ 이상의 수소가 발생하지만 9일 이상 지속되지 못하였다. 이러한 현상의 원인은 수소 생성균이 공정 내에서 고농도로 존재하지 못하기 때문인 것으로 판단되며 pH를 5.3으로 유지하는 것만으로는 극복될 수 없었다. 반복 열처리를 적용할 경우 별도의 식종균 재주입 없이 효율이 감소된 수소 생성 공정을 원상태로 복구할 수 있음을 확인할 수 있었으나, 수소 생성 효율이 시간에 따라 감소하므로 열처리를 자주 해야 하는 문제가 발생했다. 유입 기질의 농도가 30g COD/L인 경우에는 24일간 지속적인 수소 생성이 가능하였으며, CSTR의 경우 $1.0-1.4mole\;H_2/mole\;hexose$, ASBR의 경우에는 $0.2-0.3mole\;H_2/mole\;hexose$의 생성 효율을 보였다. 수소 생성 시 유출수 내 용존성 유기물의 90% 이상은 유기산이었으며 그 중 n-butyrate가 가장 많은 양을 차지하였다.

• 청정기술
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.366-372
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• 2012

펜던트기가 tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum ($AlQ_3$)으로 된 아크릴 단량체(HEMA-p-$AlQ_3$) (HEMA = 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)를 각각 메틸메타크릴레이트(MMA), 아크릴로니트릴(AN), 순수 HEMA와 공중합하여 3가지 아크릴 공중합체[MMA-co-HEMA-p-$AlQ_3$ (공중합체 1), AN-co-HEMA-p-$AlQ_3$ (공중합체 2), HEMA-co-HEMA-p-$AlQ_3$ (공중합체 3)]를 라디칼 공중합법으로 합성하였다. 25 wt%의 HEMA-p-$AlQ_3$를 함유한 공중합체 1,2,3의 유리전이온도($T_g$)는 각각 158, 150, $126^{\circ}C$로 나타났으며, 이는 유기발광다이오드(organic light emitting diodes, OLED)로써 지녀야 하는 우수한 열 안정성을 만족하였다. 그리고 이들 공중합체는 테트라하이드로퓨린, 디메틸포름아미드, 톨루엔 및 클로로포름 등과 같은 용매에 잘 용해되었으며, 자외선-가시광선의 흡수 및 발광 거동이 순수 $AlQ_3$와 거의 동일함을 알 수 있었다. 또한 이들 공중합체를 스핀 코팅하여 녹색의 OLED 디바이스를 제조한 후 전류 밀도-전압 곡선을 비교하였다. 공중합체 3을 사용한 OLED 디바이스의 on-set 전압은 약 2 볼트로써 다른 두 공중합체 OLED 디바이스의 전압(공중합체 1: 약 3 볼트, 공중합체 2: 약 4 볼트) 보다 낮음을 알 수 있었다.