• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.341-350
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• 2014

Landsat images can monitor the snow-covered Earth surface variations with the ground resolution of 30m and the multi-spectral bands in the visible, NIR, SWIR and TIR spectral regions for the last 30 years. The Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ) of Chile consists of many volcanoes, and all of the volcanoes are covered with snow at the top of mountain. Snow cover area in southern province of the SVZ of Chile (37 to $46^{\circ}S$) have been influenced by significant frontal retreats as well as eruptive activities. In this study, we have investigated the changes of the snow-cover area and snow-line elevation at Mt. Villarrica and Mt. Llaima, Chile from three Landsat images acquired on Feb. 1990, 2005 and 2011. The snow-cover areas are 13.42, 26.75 and $21.60km^2$ at Mt. Villarrica in 1990, 2005 and 2011, respectively, and 3.82, 25.12 and $8.89km^2$ at Mt. Llaima in 1990, 2005 and 2011, respectively. The snow-line elevations are 1871, 1738 and 1826m at Mt. Villarrica in 1990, 2005 and 2011, respectively, and 2007, 1822 and 1818m at Mt. Llaima in 1990, 2005 and 2011, respectively. The results indicate that both of the snow-cover and snow-line changes are strongly related with the volcanic activity change. The results demonstrate that the snow-cover area and snow-line elevation changes can be used as an indicator of the volcanic activity at Mt. Villarrica and Mt. Llaima, Chile.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5829-5834
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• 2012

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Although different metabolic factors have been implicated in breast cancer development, the relationship between hypertension and breast cancer has not been elucidated. Aim: To evaluate hypertension as a risk factor for breast cancer in Chilean women of low and middle socio-economic status. Methods: We conducted an age-matched (1:1) case-control study in 3 hospitals in Santiago, Chile. Breast cancer cases (n=170) were histopathologically confirmed. Controls had been classified as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System I (negative) or II (benign findings) within 6 months of recruitment. Blood pressure was measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer and standardized procedures. We used 2 hypertension cut-off points: blood pressures of ${\geq}140/90$ mmHg and ${\geq}130/85$ mmHg. Fasting insulin and glucose levels were assessed, and anthropometric, sociodemographic, and behavioral information were collected. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated for the entire sample and restricted to postmenopausal women using multivariable conditional logistic regression models. Results: Hypertension (${\geq}140/90$ mmHg) was significantly higher in cases (37.1%) than controls (17.1%) for the entire sample and in postmenopausal pairs (44.0% compared to 23.8%). In crude and adjusted models, hypertensive women had a 4-fold increased risk of breast cancer (adjusted odds ratio: 4.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.8; 9.6) compared to non-hypertensive women in the entire sample. We found a similar association in the postmenopausal group (adjusted odds ratio: 2.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.1; 7.4). A significant effect was also observed when hypertension was defined as blood pressure of ${\geq}130/85$ mmHg. Conclusion: A significant association was found between hypertension and breast cancer over the entire sample and when restricted to postmenopausal women. Hypertension is highly prevalent in Latin America and may be a modifiable risk factor for breast cancer; therefore, a small association between hypertension and breast cancer may have broad implications.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1485-1488
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• 2016

Background: Chile is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of cholelithiasis worldwide, considering the Mapuche ethnicity as a risk factor for developing this pathology. Moreover, cholelithiasis is the main risk factor for developing gallbladder cancer, being the fifth cause of cancer death in Chile. The purpose of this study was to compare the frequency of cholelithiasis and biliary pathology among the population belonging to Rapanui ethnicity and non-Rapanui population living on Easter Island. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, a total of 609 abdominal ultrasonographs performed consecutively in Hanga Roa Hospital during the period August 2012 to January 2015 were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of cholelithiasis and biliary pathology, adjusting for age, gender and referral diagnostic hypothesis. Results: In the Rapanui population the frequency for cholelithiasis and biliary pathology was 6.4% and 13%, meanwhile for the non-Rapanui population it was 13% and 22% respectively. Compared to the non-Rapanui Chilean population, the Rapanui ethnicity presented an OR of 0.53 (95% CI: 0.29-0.95) for cholelithiasis and OR of 0.52 (95% CI: 0.33-0.82) for biliary pathology. Conclusions: We found statistically significant ethnic differences in the frequency of cholelithiasis and biliary disease among the population of Rapanui and non-Rapanui ethnicity, so that this could be a protective factor for the development of biliary pathology, given the Chilean population context. Other studies including community population to determine the real prevalence of cholelithiasis and analyze the protective role of Rapanui ethnicity on this disease are necessary.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.418-427
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• 2005

When inoculated into sensitive tobacco Xanthi-nn plants, the crucifer and garlic-infecting Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-Cg) induces local necrotic lesions that resemble those seen in the hypersensitive response (HR) of resistant tobacco plants. However, unlike these, tobacco Xanthi-nn plants do not become resistant to infection and the virus spreads systemically causing a severe disease characterized by necrotic lesions throughout the plant. To identify the viral protein that elicits this necrotic response, we used a set of hybrid viruses constructed by combination of TMV-Cg and the tobacco mosaic virus strain U1 (TMV-U1). In this study we present evidence that the coat protein of TMV-Cg (CPCg) is the elicitor of the necrotic response in tobacco Xanthi-nn plants. Local and systemic necrotic lesions induced by TMV-Cg and by the hybrid U1-CPCg -that carries CPCg in a TMV-U1 context- are characterized by cell death and by the presence of autoflorescent phenolic compounds and $H_2O_2$, just like the HR lesions. In addition, defense-related genes and detoxifying genes are induced in tobacco Xanthi-nn plants after TMV-Cg and U1-CPCg inoculation. We postulate that in our system, CPCg is recognized by sensitive tobacco plants that mount an incomplete defense response. We call this an HR-like since it is not enough to induce plant resistance.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.284-288
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• 2018

Dynamic infrared thermography (DIRT) has been used for the preoperative mapping of cutaneous perforators. This technique has shown a positive correlation with intraoperative findings. Our aim was to evaluate the accuracy of perforator mapping with DIRT and augmented reality using a portable projector. For this purpose, three volunteers had both of their anterolateral thighs assessed for the presence and location of cutaneous perforators using DIRT. The obtained image of these "hotspots" was projected back onto the thigh and the presence of Doppler signals within a 10-cm diameter from the midpoint between the lateral patella and the anterior superior iliac spine was assessed using a handheld Doppler device. Hotspots were identified in all six anterolateral thighs and were successfully projected onto the skin. The median number of perforators identified within the area of interest was 5 (range, 3-8) and the median time needed to identify them was 3.5 minutes (range, 3.3-4.0 minutes). Every hotspot was correlated to a Doppler sound signal. In conclusion, augmented reality can be a reliable method for transferring the location of perforators identified by DIRT onto the thigh, facilitating its assessment and yielding a reliable map of potential perforators for flap raising.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.883-900
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• 2014

Shape memory alloys (SMA) can dissipate energy through hysteresis cycles without significant residual deformation. This paper describes the fabrication and testing of copper-based SMA hourglass-shaped plates for use in energy dissipation devices and the development of a numerical model to reproduce the experiments. The plates were tested under cyclic flexural deformations, showing stable hysteresis cycles without strength degradation. A detailed nonlinear numerical model was developed and validated with the experimental data, using as input the constitutive relationship for the material determined from cyclic tests of material coupons under tension loading. The model adequately reproduces the experimental results. The study is focused on the exploitation of SMA in the martensite phase.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.397-414
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• 2015

Three different applications for monitoring displacements in underground structures using a BOTDR-based distributed optical fiber strain sensing system are presented. These applications are related to the strain measurements of (1) instrumented PVC tube designed to be attached to tunnel side wall and ceiling as a sensor; (2) rock bolts for tunnels; and (3) shotcrete lining under loading. The effectiveness of using the proposed strain sensing system is evaluated by carrying out laboratory tests, in-situ measurements, and numerical simulations. The results obtained from this validation process provide confidence that the optical fiber is able to quantify strain fields under a variety of loading conditions and consequently use this information to estimate the behavior of rock mass during mining activity. As the measuring station can be located as far as 1 km of distance, these alternatives presented may increase the safety of the mine during mining process and for the personnel doing the measurements on the field.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.225-245
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• 2023

In the present paper, a numerical and experimental analysis for a wave energy converter under extreme environmental conditions is carried out. After the definition of design waves, including a 100-year return period stochastic sea state and a deterministic rogue wave condition, a numerical analysis using potential theory and a RANS equations solver are compared with experiments carried out at the Seakeeping Basin at the Technical University of Berlin. Results are discussed with special emphasis on the limits of potential theory methods for the evaluation of extreme wave conditions and the use of the presented methodology for early design stages.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.88 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1999

The dynamic relationships among import prices of roundwood are analyzed using the time series approach. A vector autoregression(VAR) model is estimated for six import prices(New Zealand, Chile, Russia, U.S.A., PNG, and Malaysia). Then Granger's causality test, variance decomposition analysis, and impulse response function analysis are also conducted. The major results are summarized as follows : (1) The prices of New Zealand and Russia are caused by only own lagged prices. (2) The prices of Chile and PNG are effected by New Zealand, the price of PNG is effected by New Zealand and Russia, and the price of U.S.A. is effected by those of Chile and PNG, respectively. (3) An exogenous shock in New Zealand will affect the prices of New Zealand, PNG, U.S.A., Chile, Russia. (4) An exogenous shock in Chile may also affect the prices of Chile, U.S.A., Russia.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2001

The objectives of this study were to explain market structures of logs imported to Korea from U.S.A., New Zealand. Chile. The demand for imported logs is modeled as a function of output of wood manufacturing in Korea and log prices of competing suppliers. It is hypothesized that the quantity of log impaled in a period is determined by its own and competing prices and the output of wood corresponding manufacturing sector in the current period. Import demand functions of logs imported to Korea from U.S.A., New Zealand and Chile were estimated by SURE(Seemingly Unrelated Regression Equations). Elasticities of amounts of logs imported to Korea from U.S.A., New Zealand and Chile with respect to price of imported log from U.S.A. were -2.88, 1.36 and 3.17, respectively. Elasticities of amounts of logs imported to Korea from U.S.A., New Zealand and Chile with respect to price of imported log from New Zealand were 0.71, -1.65 and 1.44, respectively, Elasticities of amounts of logs imported to Korea from U.S.A., New Zealand and Chile with respect to price of imported log from Chile was -2.88. 1.36 and 3.17.