In this study, we synthesized pH-controlled resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gels through the polymerization of two starting materials: resorcinol and formaldehyde. The prepared RF gels were dried using an acetone substitution method, and they were subsequently carbonized under nitrogen atmosphere to obtain carbon xerogels (CX_Y) prepared at different pH (Y). The carbon xerogels were utilized as active materials for coin-type organic supercapacitor electrodes to investigate the influence of pH on the electrochemical properties of the carbon xerogels. The carbon xerogels prepared at lower pH (CX_9.5 and CX_10) exhibited sufficient particle growth, with a three-dimensional network of particles during the RF gel formation, resulting in the development of abundant mesopores. Conversely, the carbon xerogels prepared at higher pH (CX_11 and CX_12) retained densely packed structures of small particles, leading to pore collapse and low specific surface areas. Consequently, CX_9.5 and CX_10 showed high specific surface areas, and provided ample adsorption sites for the formation of electric double layers with electrolyte ions. Moreover, the three-dimensional particle network in CX_9.5 and CX_10 significantly enhanced electrical conductivity. The presence of well-developed mesopores in these materials further facilitated the effective transport of electrolyte ions, contributing to their superior performance as organic supercapacitor electrodes. This study confirmed that pH-controlled carbon xerogels are one of the promising active materials for organic supercapacitor electrodes. Furthermore, we concluded that pH during RF gel formation is a crucial factor determining the electrode performance of the carbon xerogels, highlighting the need for precise pH control to obtain high-performance carbon xerogel electrodes.

두점박이사슴벌레(Prosopocoilus astacoides blanchardi)는 딱정벌레목(Coleoptera) 사슴벌레과(Lucanidae)에 속하는 종으로 국내에서는 제주도에만 분포하며, 2012년 5월 31일에 멸종위기 야생생물 Ⅱ급 보호종으로 지정되었다. 본 연구는 2014년 5월부터 2018년 8월까지 두점박이사슴벌레가 번식 및 개체군이 유지되는 기주목 12그루를 대상으로 번식지의 특성을 연구하였다. 기주목은 상수리나무(Quercus acutissima) 11그루, 떡갈나무(Q.dentata) 1그루로 분포 해발고도는 150m~355m이며, 기주목의 수고와 흉고는 각 4.5m~10m, 17cm~34cm였다. 특히, 기주목에는 두점박이사슴벌레가 은신할 수 있는 보리밥나무(Elaeagnus macrophylla), 송악(Hedera rhombea), 담쟁이덩굴(Parthenocissus tricuspidata), 마삭줄(Trachelospermum asiaticum), 청미래덩굴(Smilax china), 밀나물(S. riparia), 칡(Pueraria lobata), 으아리(Clematis mandshurica), 사위질빵(C. apiifolia), 며느리밑씻개(Polygonum senticosum), 줄사철나무(Euonymus fortunei), 남오미자(Kadsura japonica) 등의 덩굴성 식물이 기주목의 줄기를 잠식해 있었고, 잠식률은 5%~80%까지 다양했다. 하지만 덩굴성 식물의 줄기잠식률이 낮으면, 기주목에 갈라진 틈이 있거나 군락을 이루고 있어 은신처가 있었고, 단독으로 기주목이 있는 곳은 줄기잠식률이 40%~80% 매우 높았다. 본 연구를 통해 두점박이사슴벌레는 번식 및 개체군 유지를 위해 포식자를 피하고 먹이를 구하기 위해 덩굴성 식물이 줄기를 잠식하고 있는 참나무속(Quercus)의 기주목에 주로 서식하는 것으로 판단된다.

제주도내 소 방목지와 말 방목지에서 소똥구리류의 분포를 조사하였다. 본 조사는 2018년 5월부터 9월까지 소 방목지와 인접한 말 방목지 각 3곳(조천읍, 제1 산록도로, 안덕면)을 대상으로 월 3회 실시하였으며, 각 지역마다 함정덫(Pit-fall Trap)을 5m 간격으로 5개씩 설치하여 닭내장으로 유인하였다. 조사결과 소 방목지는 뿔소똥구리(Copris ochus) 21개체, 멸종위기Ⅱ급 보호종인 애기뿔소똥구리(C. tripartitus) 64개체, 렌지소똥풍뎅이(Onthophagus lenzii) 778개체, 모가슴소똥풍뎅이(O. fodiens) 31개체, 창뿔소똥구리(Liatongus phanaeoides) 2개체로 총 5종 896개체가 조사되었고, 종풍부도(Richness Index, RI)에서 다수종(Abundant)은 렌지소똥풍뎅이 1종 이었고, 나머지 종은 희소종(Rare)으로 나타내었다. 종다양도(H’)는 조천읍(0.29), 제 1산록도로(1.06), 안덕면(0.72)로 나타났다. 말 방목지는 각 14개체, 42개체, 205개체, 51개체, 1개체로 총 5종 313개체가 조사되었고, 다수종은 렌지소똥풍뎅이 1종, 보통종(Common)은 애기뿔소똥구리, 모가슴소똥풍뎅이 2종이었고, 나머지 종은 희소종(Rare)으로 나타내었다. 종다양도(H’)는 조천읍(0.76), 제 1산록도로(1.22), 안덕면(1.03)로 나타났다. 본 조사결과 소똥구리류의 종다양도는 말 방목지가 높았지만 조사기간 동안 안덕면에서는 4개체가 잡히면서 종다양도가 높았고, 소 방목지는 렌지소똥풍뎅이의 개체수가 대부분을 차지하면서 종다양도는 낮았지만, 소똥구리류는 소 방목지에 주로 서식하는 것으로 판단된다.

Various carbon aerogels (CAs) were prepared from polymerization of resorcinol and formaldehyde and applied as the electrode materials of an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) with the aim of controlling the textural and electrochemical properties of CAs by the type of base catalyst and the ratio of resorcinol to catalyst (R/C). The CAs from NaHCO3 and KHCO3 with H+ ions had higher specific surface areas but exhibited lower electrochemical properties than those from K2CO3 and Na2CO3, which had more uniform pore size distributions. The electrochemical properties of Na2CO3 were superior to those of K2CO3 probably because the polarizing power of Na+ ions was higher than K+ ions. With an increasing R/C ratio, the pore sizes of CA showed a tendency to increase but the uniformity of the pore size distribution got worse. For the four base catalysts, the highest electrochemical property was obtained at the R/C ratio of 500.

Ochratoxin A, which is frequently detected in cereals and infant diets worldwidely, is a mycotoxin to damage mainly the kidney and liver. Because ochratoxin A is highly thermostable compound. it is necessary to study ways of reducing level of ochratoxin A by controling processing steps. However, food processes, including extrusion, expansion, roasting, and steam cooking, which are used in order to mitigate the contents of ochratoxin A, are known to produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are generated from radicals decomposed by pyrolysis. Therefore, this study analyzed the levels of 4 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benz (a) anthracene, chrysene, benzo (b) fluoranthene and benzo (a) pyrene in rice-based products made in high pressure and heating process. Rice samples were finely ground, and homogenized samples were alkaline treatement with 1 M KOH/EtOH and extracted with liquid-liquid extraction method using n-hexane. The extracted solution was pretreated with a silica cartridge. The purified solution was dried with nitrogen gas and dissolved in 1 mL of dichloromethane and injected into GC/MSD. We had overall recoveries for 4 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons spiked into rice samples ranging from 92.8 to 110.2%. The limit of quantitations of benz (a) anthracene, chrysene, benzo (b) fluoranthene and benzo (a) pyrene in rice-based product were 0.19 ng/g, 0.38 ng/g, 0.51 ng/g, and 0.31 ng/g, respectively. However, these 4 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in all processed rice samples were not detected.

Activated carbons (ACs) have been used as electrode materials of electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC) due to their high specific surface areas (SSA), stability, and ecological advantages. In order to make high-energy-density ACs for EDLC, petroleum pitch (PP) precarbonized at 500–1000°C in N2 gas for 1 h was used as the electrode material of the EDLC after KOH activation. As the pre-carbonization temperature increased, the SSA, pore volume and gravimetric capacitance tended to decrease, but the crystallinity and electrode density tended to increase, showing a maximum volumetric capacitance at a medium carbonization temperature. Therefore, it was possible to control the crystalline structure, SSA, and pore structure of AC by changing the pre-carbonization temperature. Because the electrode density increased with increasing of the pre-carbonization temperature, the highest volumetric capacitance of 28.4 F/cc was obtained from the PP pre-carbonized at 700°C, exhibiting a value over 150% of that of a commercial AC (MSP-20) for EDLC. Electrochemical activation was observed from the electrodes of PP as they were pre-carbonized at high temperatures above 700°C and then activated by KOH. This process was found to have a significant effect on the specific capacitance and it was demonstrated that the higher charging voltage of EDLC was, the greater the electrochemical activation effect was.

In this study, we intensively investigated the effect of conductive additive amount on electrochemical performance of organic supercapacitors. For this purpose, we assembled coin-type organic supercapacitor cells with a variation of conductive additive(carbon black) amount; carbon aerogel and polyvinylidene fluoride were employed as active material and binder, respectively. Carbon aerogel, which is a highly mesoporous and ultralight material, was prepared via pyrolysis of resorcinolformaldehyde gels synthesized from polycondensation of two starting materials using sodium carbonate as the base catalyst. Successful formation of carbon aerogel was well confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and N2 adsorptiondesorption analysis. Electrochemical performances of the assembled organic supercapacitor cells were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Amount of conductive additive was found to strongly affect the charge transfer resistance of the supercapacitor electrodes, leading to a different optimal amount of conductive additive in organic supercapacitor electrodes depending on the applied charge-discharge rate. A high-rate charge-discharge process required a relatively high amount of conductive additive. Through this work, we came to conclude that determining the optimal amount of conductive additive in developing an efficient organic supercapacitor should include a significant consideration of supercapacitor end use, especially the rate employed for the charge-discharge process.

Activated carbons (ACs) have been used as EDLC (electric double-layer capacitor) electrode materials due to their high specific area, stability, and ecological advantages. In order to prepare ACs with high density and crystallinity, coal tar pitch (CTP) was activated by K2CO3 and the textural and electrochemical properties of the obtained ACs were investigated. Although the CTP ACs formed by K2CO3 activation had much smaller specific surface area and pore volume than did the CTP ACs formed by KOH activation, their volumetric specific capacitance (F/cc) levels as electrode materials for EDLC were comparable due to their higher density and micro-crystallinity. Structural characterization and EDLC-electrode performance were studied with different activation conditions of CTP/K2CO3 ratio, activation temperature, and activation period.

Pt@Cu/C core-shell catalysts were successfully prepared by impregnation of a carbon support with copper precursor, followed by transmetallation between platinum and copper. The Pt@Cu/C core-shell catalysts retained a core of copper with a platinum surface. The prepared catalysts were used for hydrogen production through catalytic dehydrogenation of decalin for eventual application to an onboard hydrogen supply system. Pt@Cu/C core-shell catalysts were more efficient at producing hydrogen via decalin dehydrogenation than Pt/C catalysts containing the same amount of platinum. Supported coreshell catalysts utilized platinum highly efficiently, and accordingly, are lower-cost than existing platinum catalysts. The combination of impregnation and transmetallation is a promising approach for preparation of Pt@Cu/C core-shell catalysts.

Activated carbons (ACs) were prepared by activation of coal tar pitch (CTP) in the range of 700°C-1000°C for 1-4 h using potassium hydroxide (KOH) powder as the activation agent. The optimal activation conditions were determined to be a CTP/KOH ratio of 1:4, activation temperature of 900°C, and activation time of 3 h. The obtained ACs showed increased pore size distribution in the range of 1 to 2 nm and the highest specific capacitance of 122 F/g in a two-electrode system with an organic electrolyte, as measured by a charge-discharge method in the voltage range of 0-2.7 V. In order to improve the performance of the electric double-layer capacitor electrode, various mixtures of CTP and petroleum pitch (PP) were activated at the optimal activation conditions previously determined for CTP. Although the specific capacitance of AC electrodes prepared from CTP only and the mixtures of CTP and PP was not significantly different at a current density of 1 A/g, the AC electrodes from CTP and PP mixtures showed outstanding specific capacitance at higher current rates. In particular, CTP-PP61 (6:1 mixture) had the highest specific capacitance of 132 F/g, and the specific capacitance remained above 90% at a high current density of 3 A/g. It was found that the high specific capacitance could be attributed to the increased micro-pore volume of ACs with pore sizes from 1 to 2 nm, and the high power density could be attributed to the increased meso-pore volume.

To improve its textural properties as a support for platinum catalyst, carbon aerogel was chemically activated with KOH as a chemical agent. Carbon-supported platinum catalyst was subsequently prepared using the prepared carbon supports(carbon aerogel(CA), activated carbon aerogel(ACA), and commercial activated carbon(AC)) by an incipient wetness impregnation. The prepared carbon-supported platinum catalysts were applied to decalin dehydrogenation for hydrogen production. Both initial hydrogen evolution rate and total hydrogen evolution amount were increased in the order of Pt/CA < Pt/AC < Pt/ACA. This means that the chemical activation process served to improve the catalytic activity of carbon-supported platinum catalyst in this reaction. The high surface area and the well-developed mesoporous structure of activated carbon aerogel obtained from the activation process facilitated the high dispersion of platinum in the Pt/ACA catalyst. Therefore, it is concluded that the enhanced catalytic activity of Pt/ACA catalyst in decalin dehydrogenation was due to the high platinum surface area that originated from the high dispersion of platinum.

The effects of the mixing of an active material and a conductive additive on the electrochemical performance of an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) electrode were investigated. Coin-type EDLC cells with an organic electrolyte were fabricated using the electrode samples with different ball-milling times for the mixing of an active material and a conductive additive. The ball-milling time had a strong influence on the electrochemical performance of the EDLC electrode. The homogeneous mixing of the active material and the conductive additive by ball-milling was very important to obtain an efficient EDLC electrode. However, an EDLC electrode with an excessive ball-milling time displayed low electrical conductivity due to the characteristic change of a conductive additive, leading to poor electrochemical performance. The mixing of an active material and a conductive additive played a crucial role in determining the electrochemical performance of EDLC electrode. The optimal ball-milling time contributed to a homogeneous mixing of an active material and a conductive additive, leading to good electrochemical performance of the EDLC electrode.

Interferon induced transmembrane protein-1 (Ifitm-1) has been reported to have an important role in primordial germ cell formation, and it has expressed in female reproductive organ. In the present study, Ifitm-1 gene expression was identified in testes and all part of epididymis using western immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. Interestingly, Ifitm-1 expression was observed on the head of spermatozoa. To investigate the role of Ifitm-1 gene expression in behavior of spermatozoa after acrosome reaction, fresh sperm was incubated with calcium ionophore to induce acrosome reaction, whereas the expression of Ifitm-1 was not altered after the acrosome reaction. Then to identify the effect of Ifitm-1 in sperm motility and other seminal parameters, different concentration of Ifitm-1 antibody was incubated with spermatozoa, and seminal parameters were assessed using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Interestingly, motility, progressive, and VAP were increased in the sperm with Ifitm-1 antibody treated compared to rabbit serum, however other parameters such as straightness were not changed. In order to identify the functional significance of Ifitm-1 in fertilization, capacitated spermatozoa were pre-incubated with anti- Ifitm-1 antibody and subsequently examined the ability to adhere to mouse oocytes. However, any defection or alteration in sperm-egg fusion was not found, Ifitm-1 antibody treated or non-treated spermatozoa showed a normal penetration. Although the precise role of Ifitm-1 in sperm motility and following fertilization need to be elucidated, this study suggests that the activation of Ifitm-1 on the sperm may enhance the motility of spermatozoa in mice.

Antioxidants partially ameliorated the detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on sperm characteristics during in vitro storage. The objective of the present study was to investigate the single or synergetic antioxidative effect of curcumin and Vit. E on the characteristics of fresh boar sperm during in vitro storage. The sperm viability in curcumin, Vit. E supplementation and curcumin+Vit. E+H2O2 groups remained over 85.0% in 3 hr incubation period, but in 6 hr incubation period, curcumin+Vit. E+H2O2 groups was sharply dropped than those of curcumin and Vit. E group. The membrane intergrity in all evaluated groups except for H2O2 group did not significantly difference in 3 hr incubation period. The viability in curcumin or Vit. E supplementation were significantly increased than in curcumin+H2O2 and Vit. E+H2O2 group in 6 hr incubation period. The percentage of mitochondrial activity and acrosome intergrity obtained similar trends within same incubation periods irrespective of treatment. The lipid peroxidation of spermatozoal plasma membrane ranged from 11.6∼17.5 nM/l×106 and 14.0∼ 19.0 nM/l×106 in 3 hr and 6 hr incubation periods. In conclusion, curcumin or Vit. E rpplementation alone or cooperatively improved sperm viability index (motility, membrane intergrity, viability and survival rates) and fertility index (mitochondria activity, acrosome intergrity and lipid peroxidation) of fresh boar sperm, indicating that curcumin and Vit. E have a antioxidative properties through its scavenging activity against hydrogen peroxide.

We assessed the environmental risk of herbicide resistant transgenic rice (Protox) on non-target herbivore, grasshoppers (Oxya japonica japonica Thunberg). We conducted life-history experiments of grasshoppers with measuring their body weight, body length, eating amount, and feces amount between non-transgenic rice (nTR; Dongjin rice) and transgenic rice (TR; Protox rice) under laboratory conditions (Temp. 25Ð, R.H. 50-70%, Photoperiod L16:D8) in 2007. The growth of grasshoppers appeared to increase at each measuring date. We also compared the growth rate of grasshoppers between nTR and TR to examine the transgenic impact on the herbivore and we found there was no statistically signifi cant difference between the two plant types (P>0.05). We found that body weight and body length for grasshoppers were highly correlated at each of the two types of plants, nTR (0.962) and TR (0.960). The correlation of eating amount and feces amount of grasshoppers were higher nTR (0.830) than TR (0.782). The energy effi ciency of the grasshopper was not a signifi cant between nTR and TR (P> 0.05). But the molt timing of the grasshoppers for TR difference was faster than for nTR. Conclusively life-history of the grasshoppers but molt timing was not a signifi cant difference between nTR and TR. Therefore, we could conclude there was not any environment risk on herbivore from our result.

The present paper study investigates the relationship between social exclusion and donation intention among specific social groups in Korea. Social exclusion refers to non-participation in social experiences by the socially disadvantaged. Data were analyzed using two sources; first was the evidence of behaviors arising from social exclusion of the university students and then socially excluded reactions of the elderly responses from the survey were compared with the first research findings. The reason of using multi-sources of data is that the outcome from the experimental design of the university student is imperative to clarify what the conclusions will be the same result with the other demographic characteristic of the elderly. The research design was three excluded elderly individuals of a self-excluded group and two other excluded groups divided such as “ignored” and “rejected” individuals to compare the differences among three groups of different sources of exclusion. The conclusion of this study is that those with high social exclusion exhibited a more negative donation intention than those with lower social exclusion, but that those who perceived themselves as self-excluded were more likely to give donations than those excluded by others, regardless of the level of their social exclusion.

Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) is known to interfere with viral replication and infection by limiting the viral infection of cells. Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) interferes with viral replication and infectivity by limiting viral infection in cells. It also plays an important role in the immune response. In this study, tissue-specific expression of ISG15 in healthy rock bream samples and spatial and temporal expression analysis of rock bream ISG15 (RbISG15) were performed following rock bream iridovirus (RSIV) infection. RbISG15 expression was significantly higher in the eye, gill, intestine, kidney, liver, muscle, spleen, and stomach, but low in the brain. There were particularly high levels of expression in the liver and muscle. RbISG15 expression was also examined in several tissues and at various times following RSIV infection. ISG15 expression increased within 3 h in the whole body and decreased at 24 h after infection. In addition, temporal expression of several tissues following RSIV infection showed a similar pattern in the muscle, kidney, and spleen, increasing at 3 h and decreasing at 72 h. These results suggest that ISG15 plays an important role in the immune response of rock bream. Overall, this study characterizes the response of RbISG15 following RSIV infection.

Lectins belong to the pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) class and play important roles in the recognition and elimination of pathogens via the innate immune system. Recently, it was reported that lily-type lectin-1 is involved when a pathogen attacks in the early immune response of fish. However, this study is limited to information that the lectin is involved in the innate immune response against viral infection. In the present study, the lily-type lectin-2 and -3 of Oplegnathus fasciatus (OfLTL-2 and 3) have been presented to be included B-lectin domain and two D-mannose binding sites in the amino acid sequence that an important feature for the fundamental structure. To investigate the functional properties of OfLTLs, the tissue distribution in the healthy rock bream and temporal expression during early developmental stage analysis are performed using quantitative real-time PCR. OfLTL-2 and 3 are predominantly expressed in the liver and skin, but rarely expressed in other organ. Also, the transcripts of OfLTLs are not expressed during the early developmental stage but its transcripts are increased after immune-related organs which are fully formed. In the challenge experiment with RBIV (rock bream iridovirus), the expression of OfLTLs was increased much more strongly in the late response than the early, unlike previously known. These results suggest that OfLTLs are specifically expressed in the immune-related tissues when those organs are fully formed and it can be inferred that the more intensively involved in the second half to the virus infection.

To successful molecular breeding, identification and functional characterization of breeding related genes and development of molecular breeding techniques using DNA markers are essential. Although the development of a useful marker is difficult in the aspect of time, cost and effort, many markers are being developed to be used in molecular breeding and developed markers have been used in many fields. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) markers were widely used for genomic research and breeding, but has hardly been validated for screening functional genes in olive flounder. We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from expressed sequence tag (EST) database in olive flounder; out of a total 4,327 ESTs, 693 contigs and 514 SNPs were detected in total EST, and these substitutions include 297 transitions and 217 transversions. As a result, 144 SNP markers were developed on the basis of 514 SNP to selection of useful gene region, and then applied to each of eight wild and culture olive flounder (total 16 samples). In our experimental result, only 32 markers had detected polymorphism in sample, also identified 21 transitions and 11 transversions, whereas indel was not detected in polymorphic SNPs. Heterozygosity of wild and cultured olive flounder using the 32 SNP markers is 0.34 and 0.29, respectively. In conclusion, we identified SNP and polymorphism in olive flounder using newly designed marker, it supports that developed markers are suitable for SNP detection and diversity analysis in olive flounder. The outcome of this study can be basic data for researches for immunity gene and characteristic with SNP.