• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.123-130
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• 2023

Purpose: "Hallux valgus" is a common disease encountered in clinical practice and is accompanied by foot deformities. Conservative treatment is commonly used in the early stages of hallux valgus. On the other hand, surgical treatment often becomes necessary as the deformity progresses. Surgical treatments involve various osteotomy methods or joint fusion procedures combined with soft tissue release, and outcomes from these surgical treatments are generally favorable. This study compared two soft tissue release techniques in the hallux region. Materials and Methods: This study conducted a retrospective cohort study on 48 participants who underwent surgical treatment for hallux valgus at a single institution from March 1, 2018, to March 31, 2023. A scarf osteotomy was performed in all cases, and the "Modified Mcbride procedure" or "Trans-articular approach" was done for soft tissue release. Hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and the degree of subluxation of the lateral sesamoid were measured through simple foot radiographs taken before surgery and one year after surgery. Results: In the Modified Mcbride procedure group, HVA, IMA, and the sesamoid position grade decreased from 34.94° to 9.98°, 15.64° to 5.44°, and 2.47 to 0.44, respectively. In the trans-articular approach group, HVA, IMA, and the sesamoid position grade decreased from 33.42° to 7.34°, 15.06° to 6.03°, and 2.17 to 0.58, respectively. There was no significant difference in these changes between the preoperative and one-year postoperative measurements for both techniques (p-value>0.05). Conclusion: A radiological assessment of soft tissue release through the Modified Mcbride procedure and trans-articular approach in hallux valgus did not show significant differences. Therefore, both surgical techniques can be considered in the distal soft tissue release for a hallux valgus correction.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.9-15
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• 2023

In this study, the lamination performance and strength characteristics of cement-based composite materials according to the laminated specimens manufacturing method were analyzed. As a result of evaluating the buildability according to the layer height, the highest dimensional stability was shown when the layer height was 10 mm in all parts. The mold casting specimen and the printing-Z specimen showed the same compressive strength performance at the age of 28 days. On the other hand, the compressive strength at 28 day of printing-X specimen was the lowest at 71.72 MPa, and 8% lower than that of the mold casting specimen and the printing-Z specimen. The split tensile strength of the laminated specimen may show similar performance to that of the mold casting specimen, but the strength performance may decrease by more than 10% depending on the direction of the layer and the number of layers in the specimen. As a result of the interface analysis of the laminated specimen through X-ray CT analysis, it was confirmed that pores of a certain size were distributed along the interface of the layer.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.41-54
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• 2024

Regular monitoring plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of geotechnical structures. Currently, nondestructive methods are employed to monitor such structures to minimize the impact, e.g., sensor-based accelerometers, displacement meters, image-based lasers, and drone imaging. These technologies can observe surface changes; however, they frequently suffer difficulties in terms of identifying changes in internal properties. To monitor changes in internal properties, in situ geotechnical investigations can be employed. A nondestructive test that can be used for this purpose is the spectral analysis of surface wave (SASW) test using geophones. The SASW test is a nondestructive method; however, due to the time required for data interpretation and the difficulty in analyzing the data, it is challenging to use the SASW test for monitoring applications that require frequent observations. However, it is possible to apply the first-step analysis, which yields the dispersion curve, for monitoring rather than the complete SASW analysis, which yields the shear wave velocity. Thus, this paper presents a fundamental study on the phase difference that derives the dispersion curve to utilize the SASW test for monitoring. The reliability of each phase difference interval is examined to determine the boundary to the subjected monitor. The study used phase difference data obtained using a geophone from a single-layered, homogeneous ground site to evaluate reliable boundaries. The findings of this study are expected to improve the utility of monitoring by identifying the ideal boundary for phase difference data.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2009

The macro tidal flat of the Gochanggun Myongsasipri, located on the southwestern coast of Korea, is studied in terms of seasonal variations of surface sediment and sedimentary environment. Surface sediments of 45 sites in the winter (February) and the summer (August) are sampled across three survey lines (15 sites in each survey line), respectively. The tidal flat of open-coast Myongsasipri is mainly composed of fine to medium sand, the distribution of which shows a coast-parallel trend. Grain-size distribution has a bi-modal trend, and grain size in the winter is coarser than that in the summer. During the winter, the upper tidal flat is dominated by medium sand, while the lower tidal flat is dominated by find sand. Such a feature is attributed to wave-dominated sedimentation in the winter. The finer grains of the summer rather than that of the winter and relationship between texture parameters suggest that tidal energy plays an important role in tidal-flat sedimentation during the summer. This study represents an environmental change from wave-dominated conditions in the winter to tide-dominated conditions in the summer as a result of the seasonal variation in the intensity of onshore-directed winds and waves in the Myongsasipri tidal flat.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.414-419
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• 2023

In 2023, a number of seeds suspected to be discolored black oat seeds on oat farms in Gangjin were observed and examined for fungal infection. The species Alternaria alternata was predominant, accounting for 84% of all fungal infections. The appearance and quality of seeds harvested in 2022 were compared with seeds harvested in 2023 from the same field. The lightness value was lower in the seeds harvested in 2023, while the electrical conductivity was higher in the seeds harvested in 2023. The content of avenanthramide was found to be 10 times higher in the 2023 seeds than in those harvested in 2022. The accumulated precipitation in Gangjin in May 2023 was 230 times higher than that in May 2022, and the average relative humidity was high. These conditions created an environment suitable for infection of A. alternata, which were thought to have caused discolored black oat seeds.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 2024

In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for predicting the number of apples on an apple tree using a deep learning-based object detection model and a polynomial regression model. Measuring the number of apples on an apple tree can be used to predict apple yield and to assess losses for determining agricultural disaster insurance payouts. To measure apple fruit load, we photographed the front and back sides of apple trees. We manually labeled the apples in the captured images to construct a dataset, which was then used to train a one-stage object detection CNN model. However, when apples on an apple tree are obscured by leaves, branches, or other parts of the tree, they may not be captured in images. Consequently, it becomes difficult for image recognition-based deep learning models to detect or infer the presence of these apples. To address this issue, we propose a two-stage inference process. In the first stage, we utilize an image-based deep learning model to count the number of apples in photos taken from both sides of the apple tree. In the second stage, we conduct a polynomial regression analysis, using the total apple count from the deep learning model as the independent variable, and the actual number of apples manually counted during an on-site visit to the orchard as the dependent variable. The performance evaluation of the two-stage inference system proposed in this paper showed an average accuracy of 90.98% in counting the number of apples on each apple tree. Therefore, the proposed method can significantly reduce the time and cost associated with manually counting apples. Furthermore, this approach has the potential to be widely adopted as a new foundational technology for fruit load estimation in related fields using deep learning.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.306-313
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• 2023

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response, with manifestations in multiple organs by pathogenic infection. Currently, there are no promising therapeutic strategies. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a cell signaling transcription factor. Niclosamide is an anti-helminthic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a potential STAT3 inhibitor. C57BL/6 mice were treated with an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Niclosamide was administered orally 2 hours after the LPS injection. This study found that Niclosamide improved the survival and lung injury of LPS-induced mice. Niclosamide decreased the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum. The effects of Niclosamide on phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), AKT, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and STAT3 signaling pathways were determined in the lung tissue by immunoblot analysis. Niclosamide reduced phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, NF-κB, and STAT3 significantly. Furthermore, it reduced the phosphorylation of STAT3 by LPS stimulation in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Niclosamide also reduced the LPS-stimulated expression of proinflammatory mediators, including IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β. Niclosamide provides a new therapeutic strategy for murine sepsis models by suppressing the inflammatory response through STAT3 inhibition.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.9-18
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• 2023

Climate change affects the safety of river revetments, especially those associated with external flooding. Research on slope reinforcement has been actively conducted to enhance revetment safety. Recently, technologies for producing embankment blocks using recycled materials have been developed. However, it is essential to analyze the impact of block shapes on the flow characteristics of exclusion zones for revetment safety. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of revetment block shapes on the hydraulic characteristics of revetment surfaces through 3D numerical simulations. Three block shapes were proposed, and numerical analyses were performed by installing the blocks in an idealized river channel. FLOW-3D was used for the 3D numerical simulations, and the variations in maximum flow velocity, bed velocity beneath the revetment, and maximum shear stress were analyzed based on the shapes of the revetment blocks. The results indicate that for irregularly sized and spaced revetment blocks, such as the natural stone-type vegetation block (Block A), when connected to the revetment in an irregular manner, the changes in flow velocity in the revetment installation zone are more significant than those for Blocks B and C. It is anticipated that considering the topographical characteristics of rivers in the future will enable the design of revetment blocks with practical applicability in the field.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.231-243
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• 2023

Objectives : Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum is used as a traditional or folk remedy in China to treat arthritis, hepatitis, duodenitis, conjunctivitis, gastritis, and diarrhea. In this study, we aimed to study the hepatocyte protective activity and molecular mechanism of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum aqueous extract (JGW) using HepG2 hepatocyte cell lines. Methods : HepG2 cells were pretreated with diverse concentrations of JGW, and then the cells were exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) for inducing oxidative stress. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production, glutathione (GSH) concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cell viability were measured to investigate hepato-protective effects of JGW. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPK), acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) and effects of compound C on cell viability were examined to observe the role of AMPK on JGW-mediated cytoprotection. Results : Pretreatment with JGW (10-300 ㎍/mL) significantly suppressed cytotoxicity induced by tBHP in a concentration dependent manner and reduced the expression of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase-3 proteins related to apoptosis in HepG2 cells. In addition, pretreatment with JGW significantly prevented the increase in H₂O₂ production, GSH depletion, and lower MMP induced by tBHP. Treatment with JGW (30 minutes of incubation and concentrations of 100 and 300 ㎍/mL) increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC and treatment with compound C, a chemical inhibitor of AMPK, inhibited the cytoprotective effect of JGW. Conclusions : Our results demonstrated that JGW may protect hepatocytes from oxidative stress via activation of AMPK.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.446-459
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• 2024

This study aims to examine the development and learning process of the argumentative abilities in elementary school students with regards to learning science. Toward this end, the SSI argumentation education program was implemented in conjunction with the science curriculum for sixth-grade students across 10 months. In this process, the scoring criteria in terms of formal and content aspects were developed and used to assess their argumentative text analysis and expression abilities. The results were as follows: First, the type of SSI influenced their ability to analyze argumentative texts. However, their formal and content aspects improved as learning progressed. Second, with regards to the formal aspect associated with the ability to express argumentative texts, reasons were initially most frequently cited. Over time, incorporating evidence to support these reasons and the use of rebuttal also increased. Third, in terms of content aspect, the level of use of all elements increased as learning progressed; however, level of acknowledgments and rebuttal elements exhibited a relatively slower progress. In summary, ability of the students to analyze and express argumentative texts improved as they increasingly gained experience in learning about argumentation. The study deduced that elementary school students can develop their argumentative abilities through appropriate learning support, such as teacher feedback, along with implementation of the SSI argumentation education program over an extended period. Based on these results, the study proposes the development of SSI materials and incorporation of SSI argumentative writing in the science curriculum.