• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.5
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• pp.1196-1206
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• 2021

Purpose To construct a standard dataset of contrast-enhanced CT images of liver tumors to test the performance and safety of artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms for clinical decision support systems (CDSSs). Materials and Methods A consensus group of medical experts in gastrointestinal radiology from four national tertiary institutions discussed the conditions to be included in a standard dataset. Seventy-five cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 75 cases of metastasis, and 30-50 cases of benign lesions were retrieved from each institution, and the final dataset consisted of 300 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 300 cases of metastasis, and 183 cases of benign lesions. Only pathologically confirmed cases of hepatocellular carcinomas and metastases were enrolled. The medical experts retrieved the medical records of the patients and manually labeled the CT images. The CT images were saved as Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files. Results The medical experts in gastrointestinal radiology constructed the standard dataset of contrast-enhanced CT images for 783 cases of liver tumors. The performance and safety of the AI algorithm can be evaluated by calculating the sensitivity and specificity for detecting and characterizing the lesions. Conclusion The constructed standard dataset can be utilized for evaluating the machine-learning-based AI algorithm for CDSS.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2023

Complete DiGeorge syndrome (cDGS) refers to DGS with profound T cell deficiency. Herein, we present the case of an infant with cDGS suffering from refractory cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and who was treated with CD45RA+ depleted lymphocyte infusion. The patient was diagnosed with cDGS by fluorescence in situ hybridization which verified 22q11.2 deletion and as well as by the observed profound T cell deficiency (CD3+ T cells 69/μL, CD4+ T cells 7/μL). On the 45th day of age, CMV viremia was first detected with a plasma viral load (VL) of 120,000 IU/mL. Ganciclovir treatment effectively reduced VL post 56 days of treatment; however, VL subsequently rebounded. A CMV UL97 phosphotransferase M460V mutation conferring ganciclovir resistance emerged and foscarnet was incorporated. Despite this, high titers of CMV viremia (VL 2,820,000 IU/mL) and CMV retinitis were complicated. To restore T cell immunity and treat refractory CMV infection, CD45RA+ depleted CMV-specific lymphocytes from the patient's father were infused twice on the 196th and 207th days after birth. After receiving the second infusion, a decline in CMV VL was observed, with a decrease to 87,100 IU/mL by the tenth day following infusion, despite the failure in maintaining T cell increase. The patient died of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia and Elizabethkingia meningoseptica sepsis on the 222nd day after birth. CD45RA+ depleted lymphocyte infusion may be a therapeutic option for refractory CMV disease in cDGS patients.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2024

In ecosystems within limited resources, interspecific competition is inevitable, often leading to the competitive exclusion of inferior species. This study aims to provide foundational information for the conservation and restoration management of Microphysogobio rapidus by evaluating species' ecological response to biological factors within its habitat. To understand this relationship, we collected food web organisms from site where M. rapidus coexist with Microphysogobio yaluensis, a specie ecologically similar to M. rapidus, and evaluated the trophic levels (TL), isotopic niche space (INS), and the overlap of INS among fishes within the habitat using stable isotope analysis. Our analysis revealed that the M. rapidus exhibited a higher TL than M. yaluensis, with TL of 2.6 and 2.4, respectively. M. yaluensis exhibited a broad INS, significantly influencing the feeding characteristics of most fish. Conversely, M. rapidus showed a narrow INS and asymmetric feeding relationships with other species, in habitats with high competition levels. This feeding characteristics of M. rapidus indicate that the increase in competitors sharing the similar resources lead to a decrease in available resources and, consequently, is expected to result in a decrease in their density.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.275-289
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• 2023

Since the implementation of the Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) Act in 2008, approximately 10 million tons of genetically modified corn, soybean, potato, canola, and other crops have been imported into South Korea. The import approval procedures have been completed for approximately 191 cases that include seven crops. Of these, approximately 90 cases, excluding crossbreeds of approved LMOs, were reviewed via consultation risk evaluation in four areas: human health, crop culture, natural ecology, and marine fishery environment. LMO developers in South Korea, who are major stakeholders in the import of LMO crops produced overseas, have raised concerns regarding procedural inefficiency in consultation reviews and the need of excessive reviews that are unsuitable for food-feed processing purposes. These procedures reflect the perspective of consultation agencies that deviate from the nature of risk assessment and demand specific supplementary data that do not reflect familiarity and substantial equilibrium. Based on frequent instances of unintentional environmental release of LMO crops imported into Korea, the ministries responsible for consultation insist on a review that considers the climate and natural environment of Korea. In addition, the ministries mandate that their reviews reflect the expertise of competent ministries and are based on risk assessment principles and methods in accordance with international guidelines. In this regard, considering that traits introduced into LMO crops involving familiar agricultural crops have been considered safe for more than two decades, we have suggested reasonable alternatives to several risk assessment items for agricultural LMOs. These alternatives can mitigate conflicts of interest among key stakeholders within the scope of the current LMO regulations.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2024

In 2023, symptoms like damping-off disease were observed in 74 paprika growing in greenhouses in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea. In this study, we tried to find the cause of the damping-off disease outbreak. We collected symptomatic seedlings and observed the typical crescent-shaped conidia of Fusarium oxysporum by microscope. To confirm the presence of F. oxysporum in the samples, polymerase chain reaction was performed using primers specific for F. oxysporum; the resulting sequence showed 99.11% identity with F. oxysporum. To confirm the pathogenicity of the F. oxysporum (CW) isolated from the samples, healthy paprika plants were inoculated with F. oxysporum CW and damping-off symptoms were observed 2 weeks later. To investigate whether the damping-off disease outbreak in Cheorwon-gun was caused by F. oxysporum-contaminated seeds, 100 paprika seeds were disinfected and placed in Murashige and Skoog medium. Typical pink F. oxysporum hyphae were found only in control non-disinfected seeds. An 18S rRNA-based and a TEF genebased phylogenetic analysis showed that the F. oxysporum CW isolate was not grouped with a F. oxysporum isolate reported from Cheorwon-gun in 2019. This study is the first report that an outbreak of damping-off disease in paprika in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea, was caused by contamination of F. oxysporum seeds.

• Studies in Philosophy East-West
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• no.93
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• pp.143-166
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• 2019

This essay reveals the ways of sympathy in music based of Kant's and Hegel's understanding of music. To do this, I first make an issue of Hegel's evaluation of Jesus Passion. We often think that the song sounds sad to us, because the composer wrote it sadly. According to Hegel, this means that there was a sympathy between the composer and the audience about the song. But we can feel the song with different emotions, even if the composer expresses sadness for it. In the case of a song that does not know whether it is the Passion of Jesus or in the case of a piece of music with only melody like a musical instrument, we can enjoy it with a variety of emotions that the composer didn't anticipate. And even if we don't have sympathy with the composer, our emotions can be shared with other listeners. I try to explain this singularity of sympathy in music through Kant's theory of music. His understanding of music in the end reminds us that sympathy is a universal emotion felt by a listener. The sympathy of music is the listener's feeling of subjective certainty that everyone, including the composer, will feel the same emotion as he felt about the music. In this regard, I suggest a way to empathize with specific emotions through the music theory of two philosophers. If lyrics are added in music, the music performances are combined with other genres, such as visual arts and its melodies are regularly repeated, the emotions of the listeners have specific details. Of course, Kant's and Hegel's arguments for musical sympathy are limited, but they help to understand the various musical cultures of communication today. Technology advances the way we listen to music. Kant's Aesthetics is criticized for formally investigating the influence of music, but it helps to understand the free sharing culture among the listeners. Hegel, on the other hand, deals only with sympathy between the composer and the listener, but he remind us that it is a sympathy for the content of the music. Through this, we can understand various performance cultures and social media activities of modern musicians who attempt to communicate with the public.

• The Korean Journal of Medicine
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• v.99 no.5
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• pp.243-252
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• 2024

Hematuria is a common manifestation caused by various factors such as infection, inflammation, trauma, urinary stone and malignancy. Hematuria reflects pathological state of urinary system. Isolated microscopic hematuria without any abnormalities besides of hematuria on urine microscopic examination usually presents a good clinical course or outcome. However, significant proteinuria or hypertension, which accelerates renal dysfunction, can often develop during follow-up period in patients with isolated microscopic hematuria. Compared with non-glomerular hematuria, glomerular hematuria shows several characteristic findings such as dysmorphic red blood cell (RBC) or RBC casts or significant proteinuria on urinalysis. If glomerular hematuria is strongly suspected, a kidney biopsy may be required to differentiate the cause of glomerulonephritis. In this review, we tried to review the differential diagnosis and diagnostic approach and treatment of hematuria.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.609-619
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• 2024

Neurodegenerative diseases are marked by the accumulation of toxic misfolded proteins in neurons. Therefore, strategies for the effective prevention and clearance of aggregates are crucial for therapeutic interventions. Cytoplasmic dynein plays a crucial role in the clearance of aggregates by transporting them to the cell center, where lysosomes are enriched and the aggregates undergo extensive autophagic degradation. Previously, we reported evidence for the activation of dynein by N-acetylglucosamine kinase (NAGK) and Reln. In the present study, we explored the effects of NAGK and Reln upregulation on the clearance of aggregates. To upregulate NAGK and Reln genes in HEK293T cells (a human embryonic kidney cell line), CRISPR/dCas9 activation systems (CASs) were used with specific plasmids encoding target-specific 20 nt guide RNA. The effects of this genetic modulation were analyzed in Huntington's disease cellular models, including HEK293T cells and primary mouse cortical cells, where external mutant huntingtin (mHtt, Q74) aggregates were induced. The results showed that the CAS activation of NAGK or Reln, or their combination, significantly reduced the proportion of cells with Q74 aggregates (aggresomes). This effect was reversed by Ciliobrevin D (a dynein inhibitor) and chloroquine (an autophagy inhibitor), indicating the role of dynein-mediated autophagy in aggregate clearance. These findings provide the basis for therapeutic strategies aimed at enhancing neuronal health through targeted gene activation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.356-369
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• 1985

In Korea, inevitable researches for the blast control exactly started from 1927 by the organization of Office of Rural Development with the local extensive outbreak of panicle blast at Jeonlla Buk-Do Province in 1926. At present, the rice blast is still one of the most destructive and widespread diseases in spite of considerable contributions by rice scientists, particularly plant pathologists during last 55 years in Korea. Rice blast control and management are very difficult because of the marked variability in pathogenicity of the blast fungus. From the results obtained through the disease surveys during last 70 years, different 3 prevalence type of blast such as bimodal leaf-blast type, bimodal panicle-blast type and bimodal continual blast type were recognized. In generally speaking, pattern of blast outbreak is said to be characterized by severe outbreak of panicle blast after slight outbreak of leaf blast with discontinuity between leaf and panicle blast. So we have to pay much attention for successful management of panicle blast giving direct influence to rice yield. Main factors induce blast epidemic were pointed out to be breakdown of the disease resistance, nutritional unbalance such as excess application of nitrogen, delay of transplantation and longspell of rain fall by extensive surveys and researches on blast during last 70 years in Korea. The fact some of Japonica varieties such as Kokuryomiyako, Tamanishiki, Ginbozu and Pungok belong to varietal group A had been cultivated with extensive acrage over 30 years in this country should be mentioned by Korean rice scientists. Differences in field resistance between varieties in the same group are detectable and apparently small but sometimes epidemiologically significant differential effects may be found out in case of blast. Much more attention should be payed to accumulate the knowledges on field resistance for successful management of blast. Excess application of nitrogen is more effective to outbreak of panicle blast than that of leaf blast of IR varieties. In comparatively low level application of nitrogen infection rate of panicle blast of IR varieties is considerably high. Low temperature effects on outbreak of blast is very great. It results in remarkable increase of the inoculum potential on the leaf lesions and infection of panicle blast in leaf sheathes of IR varieties during the booting stage. In economic point of view, it is concluded that 5 times sprays of effective fungicides including 3 times before and 2 times after heading is good enough to control blast. We have experienced no one of control measures for blast is superior to all others. The integrated control measures was established as guideline of blast control around 1950 in Korea. This guideline must be helpful for rice growers as long as rice growing continue.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 1999

A survey on the intestinal atresias was made among 34 members of Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons. The response rate was 82.4 %. Two hundred and fifteen patients from the January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1996 were analyzed. The lesions were 73 cases of duodenum(DA), 72 cases of jejunum(JA), 71 cases ileum(IA) and 2 cases cecum and sigmoid colon respectively. There were 2 cases of combined anomalies (DA + JA + IA and DA + JA). Male to female ratio was 1:1 in DA, and 1.8:1 in JA. Seventy four cases(34.3 %) were premature babies(DA 35.2 %, JA:48.6 %, IA:19.2 %), and 62 cases(28.7 %) had low birth weight (DA:39.4 %, JA 33.0 %, IA:13.7 %). Antenatal diagnosis was made in 92 cases(43.6 %). However 22 cases (23.9 %) of them were transferred to pediatric surgeon after delivery. Maternal polyhydramnios was observed in 63 cases(28.9 %). Seventy· five cases(34.4 %) were taken only simple abdominal film for diagnostic studies. The associated malformations were observed in 54 aresia and were observed more frequently in DA(35 cases, 47.9 %). Meconium peritonitis due to intrauterine bowel perforation was more frequently associated with IA compared to DA and JA. The overall mortality rate was 30 %. (Abbreuations: $P_{T}$;p-value in total, $P_{DJ,DI,JI}$;p value between two groups among duodenal, jejunal and ileal groups).