• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.170-189
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• 2021

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a genetic material derived from organisms in various environments (water, soil, and air). eDNA has many advantages, such as high sensitivity, short investigation time, investigation safety, and accurate species identification. For this reason, it is used in various fields, such as biological monitoring and searching for harmful and endangered organisms. To collect eDNA from a freshwater ecosystem, it is necessary to consider the target organism and gene and a wide variety of items, such as on-site filtration and eDNA preservation methods. In particular, the method of collecting eDNA from the environment is directly related to the eDNA concentration, and when collecting eDNA using an appropriate collection method, accurate (good quality) analysis results can be obtained. In addition, in preserving and extracting eDNA collected from the freshwater ecosystem, when an accurate method is used, the concentration of eDNA distributed in the field can be accurately analyzed. Therefore, for researchers at the initial stage of eDNA research, the eDNA technology poses a difficult barrier to overcome. Thus, basic knowledge of eDNA surveys is necessary. In this study, we introduced sampling of eDNA and transport of sampled eDNA in aquatic ecosystems and extraction methods for eDNA in the laboratory. In addition, we introduced simpler and more efficient eDNA collection tools. On this basis, we hope that the eDNA technique could be more widely used to study aquatic ecosystems and help researchers who are starting to use the eDNA technique.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.349-357
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of ultrasonographic classification of fatty liver in three grades. From June 2018 to April 2019, 1047 patients (818 males and 229 females) diagnosed as fatty liver among 3607 patients who underwent abdominal ultrasonography at Busan screening center. Ultrasonography was classified into three grades: Grade I (mild fatty liver), Grade II (moderate fatty liver), and Grade III (severe fatty liver) according to the degree of parenchyma texture, acoustic attenuation, Obesity index, hematological test, and metabolic syndrome. The average age of men in each sex increased with the increase of the fatty liver. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were significantly increased in both men and women (p=.000). hematological analysis showed that AST, ALT, ${\gamma}-GTP$, TG, fasting blood sugar, and glycated hemoglobin were significantly different from each other (p<.05). In women, ALT, ${\gamma}-GTP$ and TG showed a significant difference with increasing fatty liver (p<.05). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was significantly increased in both sexes as the grade of fatty liver increased (p=.000). Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that the use of ultrasound - guided fatty liver according to severity may be useful for the treatment and follow - up of fatty liver if the liver grade is divided in consideration of hematological variables and metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.203-215
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• 2022

The study is to investigate research trends and knowledge structures in the Smart Farm field. To achieve the research purpose, keywords and the relationship among keywords were analyzed targeting 104 Korean academic journals related to the Smart Farm in KCI(Korea Citation Index), and topics were analyzed using the LDA Topic Modeling technique. As a result of the analysis, the main keywords in the Korean Smart Farm-related research field were 'environment', 'system', 'use', 'technology', 'cultivation', etc. The results of Degree, Betweenness, and Eigenvector Centrality were presented. There were 7 topics, such as 'Introduction analysis of Smart Farm', 'Eco-friendly Smart Farm and economic efficiency of Smart Farm', 'Smart Farm platform design', 'Smart Farm production optimization', 'Smart Farm ecosystem', 'Smart Farm system implementation', and 'Government policy for Smart Farm' in the results of Topic Modeling. This study will be expected to serve as basic data for policy development necessary to advance Korean Smart Farm research in the future by examining research trends related to Korean Smart Farm.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.173-183
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• 2011

Gabensis village is one of the biggest village In the Wampar Local Level Government area within the Huon Gulf District of Morobe Province with a population of around 3,000. The major staple food is banana which is well complemented by minor staples yam, cassava, Singapore/Chinese taro and sweet potato. Apart from gardening for own consumption, the villagers engage in selling of vegetables, garden staples, cocoa beans, coconuts, timber, chicken, fish and pig meat to supplement their livelihood. Livestock like pigs and chickens are also kept for meat and for commercial purpose. Bettlenut which was once one of the main cash crops has now been overtaken by cocoa due to a disease that had attacked almost the entire bettlenut tree population in the area. Even though the Wau-Bulolo highway cuts through the village and all have access to transport infrastructure, the majority of the population still encounter problems in communication due to poor telecommunication coverage. On average most people earn not more than K50 per week due to constrains in production and marketing among others. Gabensis village has the potential to develop a tourism industry given its natural attraction of Lake Wanam. Beside there is also the natural eel farming and the fish pond at the nearby Potsie village. These natural attractions pose huge tourism potential for the community. As part of government services delivery and development, education and health issues is very much important in the community however there is lack of infrastructural development and poor service delivery especially in the area of health. However, the responsibility is on the community to organize themselves to realize that potential. A well developed agro-ecotourism investments would have positive spillover effects to the community thus contributing towards improving the livelihoods of the many farming families.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2011

The effects of organic calcium agent(ECa) tree-spray on the mineral nutrition concentration of petiole and fruit skin and quality in grapevines were studied. The calcium concentration of petiole and fruit skin at harvest in 'Campbell Early' by tree-spray after flowering 14days of calcium agent were increased significantly in calcium chloride 0.4%, ECa 250X and MCa 500X compared to control. The calcium concentration of petiole and fruit skin at harvest by ECa tree-spray after 7 days and 14 days flowering were increased significantly compared to control and 21 days after flowering treatment. Also, The calcium concentration of petiole and fruit skin at harvest by tree-spray of ECa 250X and 125X after flowering were increased significantly compared to control and 500X treatment. Fruit quality, fruit cluster weight, cracking fruit and Bitter rot occurrence by ECa tree-spray of treatment time and concentration different showed no difference between control. Phytotoxicity by tree-spray of ECa concentration different not occur to leaf and fruit.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.258-267
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• 2023

In this study, to investigate the possibility of using ethanol extract of Petasites japonicus (PJE) as a functional material, we investigated the activity of improving skin barrier and inflammation through UVB-induced human keratinocyte (HaCaT cell). As a result of confirming the antioxidant effect through DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS⁺ radical scavenging activity, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, it was confirmed that it had an antioxidant effect similar to that of ascorbic acid, a control, at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. As a result of confirming the mRNA expression of the production ability of filaggrin and aquaporin-3 in HaCaT cells induced by UVB, it was confirmed that the reduced expression level by UVB stimulation increased in a concentration-dependent manner when the PJE was treated. It was confirmed that the mRNA expression of TNF-𝛼 and IL-1𝛽 were increased by UVB stimulation and decreased when the PJE was treated. As a result of the migration assay, it was confirmed that the proliferation of skin keratinocytes and the recovery rate of wounds were increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Based on the experimental results, it suggests that Petasites japonicus can be used as a functional cosmetic product that can improve skin moisturizing and skin barrier function.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1057-1065
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• 2023

Non-invasive liver fibrosis diagnosis is crucial for patients with chronic liver diseases. Many patients cannot undergo liver tissue biopsy, so predicting the degree of liver fibrosis early through meaningful methods can reduce complications related to chronic liver diseases, such as liver cell carcinoma and cirrhosis. This study compared and analyzed the quantitative measurement of liver fibrosis using shear wave elastography in conjunction with liver ultrasound findings and their associations with serum biomarkers (p<0.05). The results showed that the shear wave elastography measurement in the normal group was 4.55 ± 0.69 kPa, while the abnormal contrast group with echogenic patterns had a measurement of 8.27 ± 1.83 kPa. The hepatitis B carrier group exhibited higher shear wave elastography measurements, and among serum biomarkers, AST, ALT, GGT, and PT showed statistically significant positive correlations with fibrosis severity according to SWE categories (p<0.05), while ALP and TB did not demonstrate statistically significant differences (p=0.163, p=0.567). Conversely, Albumin and PLT showed significant negative correlations (p<0.05). Clinically, utilizing shear wave elastography measurements through liver ultrasound in the tracking and repeat testing of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients without cirrhosis can assist in achieving more objective diagnoses among healthcare providers.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.259-267
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• 2023

This study analyzed the relationship between distribution of Bolboschoenus planiculmis which is main food source of swans (national monument species) with environmental factors, discharge, rainfall, and salinity in Eulsuk-do from 2020 to 2023. The distribution area of B. planiculmis in Eulsuk tidal flat was 103,672m² in 2020, 95,240 m² in 2021, 88,163 m² in 2022, and 110,879 m² in 2023, and represents a sharp decrease compared to the 400,925 m² area recorded in 2004. From 2020 to 2023, the growth densities of B. planiculmis were 243.6±12.5 m^-2, 135.45±7.38 m^-2, 51.10±2.54 m^-2, and 238.20±16.36 m^-2, respectively, and the biomass was 199.89±28.01 gDW m^-2, 18.57±5.12 gDW m^-2, 6.55±1.12 gDW m^-2, and 153.53±25.43 gDW m^-2 in 2020, 2023, 2021, and 2022, respectively. Based on discharge during May~July, which affects plant growth, the left gate discharge of the estuary barrage from 2020 to 2023 was 62,322 m³ sec^-1, 33,329 m³ sec^-1, 6,810 m³ sec^-1, and 93,641 m³ sec^-1, respectively; rainfall was 1,136 mm, 799 mm, 297 mm, and 993 mm, respectively; and average salinity was 14.7±9.4 psu, 21.1±4.7 psu, 26.1±2.7 psu, and 14.5±11.1 psu, respectively. In 2022, cumulative rainfall (978 mm, about 70% of the 30-year average) and discharge (43,226 m³ sec^-1) decreased sharply, resulting in the highest mean salinity (25.46 psu), and the distribution area, density, and biomass of the B. planiculmis decreased sharply. In 2023, there was a rise in discharge with an increase in rainfall, leading to a decrease in salinity. Consequently, this environmental change facilitated the recovery of B. planiculmis growth.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.30-37
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• 2024

In this study, we investigated the separability of vanadium and tungsten from spent SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) catalyst leach solution by reduction of vanadium and solvent extraction using Alamine 336 and conducted experiments to optimize process conditions. It is difficult to separate vanadium and tungsten due to their similar chemical behavior, but tungsten can be selectively extracted from acidic solution when vanadium extraction is prevented by reducing anionic pentavalent vanadium to cationic tetravalent vanadium. The results showed that NaHSO₃ was most suitable as a reducing agent, and the extraction efficiency of vanadium decreased and the separation efficiency increased as the amount of reducing agent added, reaction time, and temperature increased. When reducing NaHSO₃ 1.5 eq, 60 min, and 60℃, which are optimal conditions of reduction, vanadium and tungsten were effectively separated with vanadium extraction efficiency of 5.8%, tungsten extraction efficiency of 99%, and separation factor of vanadium and tungsten of 7,564.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2004

Purpose : The quantization noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems is analyzed. The signal-to-quantization noise ratio (SQNR) in the reconstructed image is derived from the level of quantization in the signal in spatial frequency domain. Based on the derived formula, the SQNRs in various main magnetic fields with different receiver systems are evaluated. From the evaluation, the quantization noise could be a major noise source determining overall system signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in high field MRI system. A few methods to reduce the quantization noise are suggested. Materials and methods : In Fourier imaging methods, spin density distribution is encoded by phase and frequency encoding gradients in such a way that it becomes a distribution in the spatial frequency domain. Thus the quantization noise in the spatial frequency domain is expressed in terms of the SQNR in the reconstructed image. The validity of the derived formula is confirmed by experiments and computer simulation. Results : Using the derived formula, the SQNRs in various main magnetic fields with various receiver systems are evaluated. Since the quantization noise is proportional to the signal amplitude, yet it cannot be reduced by simple signal averaging, it could be a serious problem in high field imaging. In many receiver systems employing analog-to-digital converters (ADC) of 16 bits/sample, the quantization noise could be a major noise source limiting overall system SNR, especially in a high field imaging. Conclusion : The field strength of MRI system keeps going higher for functional imaging and spectroscopy. In high field MRI system, signal amplitude becomes larger with more susceptibility effect and wider spectral separation. Since the quantization noise is proportional to the signal amplitude, if the conversion bits of the ADCs in the receiver system are not large enough, the increase of signal amplitude may not be fully utilized for the SNR enhancement due to the increase of the quantization noise. Evaluation of the SQNR for various systems using the formula shows that the quantization noise could be a major noise source limiting overall system SNR, especially in three dimensional imaging in a high field imaging. Oversampling and off-center sampling would be an alternative solution to reduce the quantization noise without replacement of the receiver system.