The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of fresh-cut lettuce after a washing treatment with aqueous thyme extracts of differing concentration. Four different concentrations of thyme extract were employed: 0.001% (w/v, TEA), 0.005% (w/v, TEB), 0.01% (w/v, TEC), 0.05% (w/v, TED), while distilled water was used as a control. Measurements of O2 concentration, CO2 concentration, total aerobic bacteria, CIE L*, a*, b*, browning index, total phenolic contents and enzymatic activities were investigated on day 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 at 10 . The O2 concentration in TEB were higher than those in other samples during storage, and the CO2 concentration in TEB and TEC were significantly lower than in other samples on day 7. There was no significant difference in the total aerobic bacteria counts between treatments (p<0.05). The samples treated with TEB and TEC showed higher L* (lightness) values, but lower browning indexes, total phenolic compound levels, and enzymatic activities (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase) than other samples during storage. Specifically, on day 7, the browning index of Cont reached 0.25, while those in the TEB and TEC were about 0.15. The L* in Cont decreased from 69.50 to 58.92, while TEB and TEC were values of 65.61 and 63.20, respectively. These results reveal that 0.005-0.01% thyme extract was effective as a washing treatment inhibited the browning of fresh-cut lettuce and is thus expected to be a useful natural extract for maintaining the quality of fresh-cut lettuce.

Patients with type II diabetes mellitus are more susceptible to colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence than non-diabetics. The anti-diabetic drug metformin is most commonly prescribed for the treatment of this disease and has recently shown antitumor effect in preclinical studies. The aberrant mutational activation in the components of RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is very frequently observed in CRC. We previously reported that metformin inhibits the phosphorylation of ERK and BEZ235, a dual inhibitor of PI3K and mTOR, has anti-tumor activity against HCT15 CRC cells harboring mutations of KRAS and PIK3CA. Therefore, we hypothesized that simultaneous inhibition of two pathways by combining metformin with BEZ235 could be more effective in the suppression of proliferation than single agent treatment in HCT15 CRC cells. Here, we investigated the combinatory effect of metformin and BEZ235 on the cell survival in HCT15 CRC cells. Our study shows that both of the two signaling pathways can be blocked by this combinational strategy: metformin suppressed both pathways by inhibiting the phosphorylation of ERK, 4E-BP1 and S6, and BEZ235 suppressed PI3K/AKT/ mTOR pathway by reducing the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and S6. This combination treatment synergistically reduced cell viability. The combination index (CI) values ranged from 0.44 to 0.88, indicating synergism for the combination. These results offer a preclinical rationale for the potential therapeutic option for the treatment of CRC.

The study investigated the efficacy of four different essential oils on the repellent responses of large black chafer (Holotrichia parallela) Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in organic pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) orchards. Cinnamon, pine, peppermint, and eucalyptus oils were used, and the behavioral responses and repellent effects against H. parallela were investigated under laboratory and field conditions. Adult beetle responses to different oils were examined using a Y-tube olfactometer in the laboratory and four absorbent blocks with each oil in the field. The repellent responses rates of H. parallela were 100% for cinnamon oil; however, only 67% of adult beetles avoided peppermint and eucalyptus oil in the Y-tube olfactometer bioassay. In the field tests, the least damage to leaves was observed on trees treated with cinnamon oil, whereas the most damage was observed in the control (non-treated) trees and those treated with peppermint oil, followed by eucalyptus and pine oil. Therefore, cinnamon oil can be used as a repellent to avoid damage form large black chafers in organic pear orchards.

The efficacy of different control techniques against the large black chafer, Holotrichia parallela Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in organic pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) orchards was evaluated. In this study, field trials were conducted in three locations in Korea—Naju, Hampyeong, and Boseong—to evaluate different techniques to suppress these beetles. Pheromone traps, bio-insecticides (Hongmengye and Melchungdaejang), and a combination of the two were applied as treatments. In Naju, Hampyeong, and Boseong, the highest number of adult H. parallela were caught in the control plots (n=45, n=39, and n=20, respectively), while the fewest were caught in the pheromone plus bio-insecticide plot (n=19) in Naju and in the combined treatment plot in Hampyeong (n=10). In Naju, the greatest leaf damage was observed in the control (66%), and in all locations (Naju, Boseong, and Hampyeong), the least damage occurred in the combined treatment plots (42%, 36%, and 24%, respectively). Regarding the tree canopy, the greatest leaf damage was observed in the upper canopy, and less damage was observed in the lower canopy. These results demonstrate that the combination of sex pheromone traps and bio-insecticides can be used to manage H. parallela in organic pear orchards.

The aim of this project was to explore the potential of the torrefaction treatment for upgrading sewage sludge into valuable product. An ancillary investigation on the cold fluidization and the behavior of sewage sludge was analyzed. The effects of the main torrefaction variables, temperature and residence time, on the performance parameters such as fixed carbon, calorific value; molar ratios, ultimate and proximate analysis, chemical exergy etc. were investigated for torrefied sewage sludge. Results for both the reactors showed that the thermochemical transformations that sewage sludge underwent, as a results of the release of volatile matter due to thermal decomposition of its organic constituents, resulted in significant improvement of their chemical and physical properties. Results obtained from this study showed that despite the leverage that fluidized bed offers (heat and mass transfer) fixed bed configuration was more pronounced for torrefaction of sewage sludge. However, a decisive conclusion cannot be made at this stage as more detail study would be required to draw a definitive conclusion over the preference of reactor for torrefaction.

현재 국내 도시 생활쓰레기 및 산업쓰레기의 처리 시, 매립지 부족과 침출수 등으로 인한 2차 오염문제로 매립처리 방법은 우리나라에서는 적절치 않다. 하지만 쓰레기의 소각처리의 경우, 소각으로 인한 열작감량이 매우 크고 폐에너지 회수의 장점도 있기에 국내 쓰레기의 처리는 소각에 많이 의존하고 있다. 또한 국내 대체에너지의 목표치가 높아지는 상황에서 폐기물의 대체 에너지가 큰 역할을 해 주어야 한다. 폐기물 고형연료를 연소하는 과정 중에는 여러 문제점이 있는데, 설비의 고온 부식의 영향 및 연소로 내 국부적인 가열로 인한 설비의 파손, 연소로 내 불규칙적 유동현상으로 인한 연소 장애 등이 있다. 따라서 앞에서 말한 문제점들을 보안하며 보일러의 안정적인 운전 및 열효율 향상을 위해서는 기본적으로 연소로 내 유동현상을 정확히 예측할 수 있어야 한다. 이를 위해 우리는 상용화 되고 있는 50ton/day 이상 Stoker 보일러 현장 운전조건을 대입, Ansys CFD Fluent.18을 사용하여 시뮬레이션을 진행하였다. 연소로 내 열의 유동해석, 배출가스의 흐름 등을 예측하여 연소장애의 원인을 찾아보고 이에 맞는 대안을 찾기 위한 연구를 하였다.

국내 남성에게서 많이 발생하는 전립선암을 대상으로, 근접치료 시 나노입자 사용에 따른 선량을 평가하여 기초자료를 제시하고자 하였다. 선량평가는 몬테카를로 시뮬레이션 기법인 MCNPX 프로그램을 이용하였다. 선원은 국내 HDR장비에 다용하는 192Ir으로 선정하고 나노입자는 금, 가돌리늄, 산화철, 요오드를 사용하였다. 그 결과 표적장기인 전립선은 나노입자를 사용 시, 사용하지 않은 경우에 비해 모두 흡수선량이 높게 나타났다. 특히 금 나노입자가 3.13E-03 J/kg·e의 값으로 가장 높았다. 주변장기 및 주변인에 대한 선량은 나노입자 사용에 따른 차이가 크지 않은 것으로 나타났다. 나노입자 사용은 치료가능비를 상승시켜 치료효율을 증가시킬 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

The analysis of the high-resolution spectra of 31 Magellanic Clouds Cepheid variables enabled the identification of thorium lines. The abundances of thorium were found with spectrum synthesis method. The calculated thorium abundances exhibit correlations with the abundances of other chemical elements and atmospheric parameters of the program stars. These correlations are similar for both Clouds. The correlations of iron abundances of thorium, europium, neodymium, and yttrium relative to the pulsational periods are different in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), namely the correlations are negative for LMC and positive or close to zero for SMC. One of the possible explanations can be the higher activity of nucleosynthesis in SMC with respect to LMC in the recent several hundred million years.

The reanalysis of the previously published abundance pattern of mild barium star HD202109 (ζ Cyg) and the chemical compositions of 129 thin disk barium stars facilitated the search for possible correlations of different stellar parameters with second ionization potentials of chemical elements. Results show that three valuable correlations exist in the atmospheres of barium stars. The first is the relationship between relative abundances and second ionization potentials. The second is the age dependence of mean correlation coefficients of relative abundances vs. second ionization potentials, and the third one is the changes in correlation coefficients of relative abundances vs. second ionization potentials as a function of stellar spatial velocities and overabundances of s-process elements. These findings demonstrate the possibility of hydrogen and helium accretion from the interstellar medium on the atmospheres of barium stars.

AUDIT-K(한국형 알코올 중독 간이선별 검사법)을 이용하여 일상적으로 생활하고 있는 상당수의 잠재적인 위험 음주자들을 선별 할 수 있었으며 연령, 종교, 결혼여부, 직업, 소득음주사망 가족력, 음주시작 연령, 흡연, BMI(체질량지수)는 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었으며, 학력, 음주기간만 통계적으로 유의하였다. 이러한 결과는 교육을 더 받은 사람의 남성이 알코올 소비가 더 높다고 한 선행연구와 부합하는 결과를 나타내었으며 교육수준 또한 무엇을 어떻게 배웠는가에 따른 차이를 살펴 볼 필요가 있음을 시사하며, 교육에 따른 알코올 소비도 각각 다른 결과를 나타냄을 알 수 있다. 또한 나이가 적을수록 술을 많이 마시면 음주기간이 길어질 것이고 기존의 음주시작 연령에 대한 연구와 일치하는 결과가 나타났다. 본 연구에서는 음주 기간이 알코올 사용 장애의 가장 큰 요인이었으며 음주 기간을 단축하기 위한 방법으로는 음주 시작연령을 최대한 늦출 수 있는 국가 정부 제도의 대책 및 교육이 필요하다고 생각된다.

The purpose of this study is to present the results as basic data for establishing proper storage conditions and distribution conditions of actual farms at point of increasing concern about hygiene and palatabiltiy of consumers to food. In this study, three farmhouses of dried persimmons prepared using different storage conditions were selected in Sangju (Korea). The dried persimmons were stored for 90 days. Changes in temperature and humidity were measured with a temperature and humidity recorder under each storage condition, and physicochemical analysis and sensory evaluation were performed. The average temperatures of farmhouse A, B and C were approximately -22--23℃, -19--18℃ and -25℃ respectively. The humidities of A, B and C were 62-63%, 59-60%, and 66-67%, respectively, and the moisture contents of all farmhouses increased during the storage period, with farmhouse B showing the most rapid increase. Free sugars increased, except for those from farmhouse C. Persimmons from farmhouse B showed the greatest changes in chewiness and hardness. The values of a* and b* were significantly decreased in persimmons from farmhouse B, and the color difference value of farmhouse B was dramatically increased. Sensory evaluation showed that the color preference tended to decrease compared with the initial value. Only farmhouse B showed decreased overall acceptability. Moreover, farmhouse B had the highest storage temperature and lowest humidity. Therefore, our results showed that storage at a low temperature and high humidity was important for manufacturing high-quality dried persimmons.

These days, corporate risk management has become a major concern in the corporate world. Companies in the global environment are exposed to diverse kinds of risks that are affecting the decisions of investors and other stakeholders. Therefore, companies are expected to not only identify and manage risks but also voluntarily report the same to the stakeholders. Increasingly, standard setters and regulators are requiring firms to disclose such information. On the contrary, there also exists a perception that risk reporting can create a negative impression among the stakeholders about the future of the company. In line with such growing dilemma for risk disclosures, the issue of corporate risk reporting (CRR) has been receiving immense emphasis from the accounting academicians. The main objective of this article is to conduct a comprehensive literature review on corporate risk disclosures. In order to fulfill this objective, at first, a summary of the relevant available literature is presented to identify the current regulations on risk reporting, existing trends of CRR research and theories applied in research. Then, through analysis, several research avenues are identified. It is expected that if these dimensions are explored by the future researchers, a better and broader understanding of the risk reporting practices can be achieved.

In this study, a lab-scale experiment was conducted to derive the optimal torrefaction conditions for upscaling food waste torrefaction to generate solid fuel. Basic characteristic analyses (a proximate analysis, elemental analysis, calorific value and thermogravimetric analysis) were conducted and further used to develop experimental conditions during upscaling. Based on the characteristics analysis, the experiments were conducted by varying the heating rates by 5, 10 and 15oC/min, varying the torrefaction temperature from 200 to 550oC at an interval of 50oC and varying the torrefaction residence time from 0 to 50 minutes at an interval of 10 minutes. The heating rates were varied and only carried out for the combustion experiments of the torrefied product at a temperature range of 50 to 800oC. The results show that the optimal torrefaction temperature and residence time of food waste torrefaction were 250 ~ 350oC and 30 ~ 40 minutes, respectively.

Rubia cordifolia has been used to treat diseases for many years in China and India. Although the biological properties and major compounds of R. cordifolia have been extensively studied, the underlying mechanisms of its biological effects remain elusive. In terms of immunological effects, anti-inflammation effect of macrophage (Raw 264.7) simply has been reported. In this study, R. cordifolia was extracted in 70% ethanol and the extract did not affect to macrophage (Raw 264.7) pro-inflammation and T cell (Molt-4). However, in mast cell (RBL-2H3), it showed inhibition of degranulation. The inducing inhibitory effect on degranulation was related to concentration dependent variation in phosphorylation of ERK-1/2 and upregulating the JNK phosphorylation in RBL-2H3 cells. Based on these data, we concluded that R. cordifolia newly have anti-allergenic effects in RBL-2H3 and might be used as a therapeutic agent to treat or prevent allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis.

In the present study, we investigated the role of binding immunoglobulin protein/glucose-regulated protein, 78-kDa (BIP/GRP78)-regulated endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress on meiotic maturation and cumulus cells expansion in porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). Previously, it has been demonstrated that unfolded protein response (UPR)- related genes, such as molecules involved in ER-stress defense mechanisms, were expressed in matured oocytes and cumulus cells during in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine oocytes. However, BIP/GRP78-mediated regulation of ER stress in porcine oocytes has not been reported. Firstly, we observed the effects of knockdown of BIP/GRP78 (an UPR initiation marker) using porcine-specific siRNAs (#909, #693, and #1570) on oocyte maturation. Among all siRNAs, siRNA #693 significantly reduced the protein levels of UPR marker proteins (BIP/GRP78, ATF4, and P90ATF6) in porcine COCs observed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis. We also observed that the reduction of BIP/GRP78 levels by siRNA#693 significantly inhibited the meiotic maturation of oocytes (siRNA #693: 32.5±10.1% vs control: 77.8±5.3%). In addition, we also checked the effect of ER-stress inhibitors, tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA, 200 μM) and melatonin (0.1 μM), in BIP/ GRP78-knockdown oocytes. TUDCA and melatonin treatment could restore the expression levels of ER-stress marker proteins (BIP/GRP78, p-eIF2α, eIF2α, ATF4, and P90ATF6) in siRNA #693-transfected matured COCs. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that BIP/GRP78-mediated regulation of UPR signaling and ER stress plays an important role in in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes.

The key risk analysis technologies for the re-entry of space objects into Earth’s atmosphere are divided into four categories: cataloguing and databases of the re-entry of space objects, lifetime and re-entry trajectory predictions, break-up models after re-entry and multiple debris distribution predictions, and ground impact probability models. In this study, we focused on reentry prediction, including orbital lifetime assessments, for space situational awareness systems. Re-entry predictions are very difficult and are affected by various sources of uncertainty. In particular, during uncontrolled re-entry, large spacecraft may break into several pieces of debris, and the surviving fragments can be a significant hazard for persons and properties on the ground. In recent years, specific methods and procedures have been developed to provide clear information for predicting and analyzing the re-entry of space objects and for ground-risk assessments. Representative tools include object reentry survival analysis tool (ORSAT) and debris assessment software (DAS) developed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), spacecraft atmospheric re-entry and aerothermal break-up (SCARAB) and debris risk assessment and mitigation analysis (DRAMA) developed by European Space Agency (ESA), and semi-analytic tool for end of life analysis (STELA) developed by Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES). In this study, various surveys of existing re-entry space objects are reviewed, and an efficient re-entry prediction technique is suggested based on STELA, the life-cycle analysis tool for satellites, and DRAMA, a re-entry analysis tool. To verify the proposed method, the re-entry of the Tiangong-1 Space Lab, which is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere shortly, was simulated. Eventually, these results will provide a basis for space situational awareness risk analyses of the re-entry of space objects.

This study presents the application of satellite laser ranging (SLR) to orbit determination (OD) of high-Earth-orbit (HEO) satellites. Two HEO satellites are considered: the Quasi-Zenith Satellite-1 (QZS-1), a Japanese elliptical-inclinedgeosynchronous- orbit (EIGSO) satellite, and the Compass-G1, a Chinese geostationary-orbit (GEO) satellite. One week of normal point (NP) data were collected for each satellite to perform the OD based on the batch least-square process. Five SLR tracking stations successfully obtained 374 NPs for QZS-1 in eight days, whereas only two ground tracking stations could track Compass-G1, yielding 68 NPs in ten days. Two types of station bias estimation and a station data weighting strategy were utilized for the OD of QZS-1. The post-fit root-mean-square (RMS) residuals of the two week-long arcs were 11.98 cm and 10.77 cm when estimating the biases once in an arc (MBIAS). These residuals were decreased significantly to 2.40 cm and 3.60 cm by estimating the biases every pass (PBIAS). Then, the resultant OD precision was evaluated by the orbit overlap method, yielding three-dimensional errors of 55.013 m with MBIAS and 1.962 m with PBIAS for the overlap period of six days. For the OD of Compass-G1, no station weighting strategy was applied, and only MBIAS was utilized due to the lack of NPs. The post-fit RMS residuals of OD were 8.81 cm and 12.00 cm with 49 NPs and 47 NPs, respectively, and the corresponding threedimensional orbit overlap error for four days was 160.564 m. These results indicate that the amount of SLR tracking data is critical for obtaining precise OD of HEO satellites using SLR because additional parameters, such as station bias, are available for estimation with sufficient tracking data. Furthermore, the stand-alone SLR-based orbit solution is consistently attainable for HEO satellites if a target satellite is continuously trackable for a specific period.

양파의 관행 수확과 저장 방식을 개선하여 벌크 상태로 수확하여 수송, 하역, 보관 및 저장할 수 있도록 톤백 및 와이어철제파렛트를 개발한 후 관행저장 방식과 벌크저장 후 저장성을 비교하고 그에 따른 노동투입시간 및 소요비용을 비교하여 양파의 산지물류비 절감 효과를 비교 분석하고자 하였다. 본 연구를 통해 개발된 톤백이 관행 톤백보다 길이방향 인장강도가 16% 높았으며, 개발한 와이어철제파렛트가 관행철제파렛트보다 약 10% 더 저장가능하고 차량 적재 효율도 2배 이상 향상되었다. 개발된 500 kg용 와이어 철제파렛트의 벌크저장과 관행 그물망 저장의 감모율에는 차이가 없었으나, 1,000 kg 이상 많은 양을 저장할 경우 와이어철제파렛트 벌크저장은 관행저장보다 감모율이 3.7% 높아 적합하지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 톤백을 이용한 벌크 수확이 관행 망 수확보다 노동시간이 50.1% 그리고 총 투입비용은 46.1% 감소할 수 있는 것으로 나타났다. 와이어철제파렛트를 적용한 벌크저장이 관행저장보다 총 저장비용이 28.8% 감소하였으며, 2016년 양파생산량 (1,298,749톤)의 30%를 와이어철제파렛트 벌크저장으로 대체할 경우 연간 183억 원을 절감할 것으로 추정된다. 따라서 현재 산지업체들의 와이어철제파렛트를 조기 도입하여 정착시키면 전국적으로 노동력 및 비용 절감에 상당한 효과가 있을 것으로 판단된다.