• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.216-224
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• 2009

$^{131}I$ is a radiological isotope being used widely for treatment of cancer as emitting gamma-ray and it is also applied to estimate the function of thyroid for its accumulation in thyroid. However, $^{131}I$ is more difficult to quantitate comapred to $^{99m}Tc$, because $^{131}I$ has multiple energy gamma-ray emissions compared to $^{99m}Tc$ which is a mono energetic gamma-ray source. Especially, scattered ray and septal penetration resulted by high energy gamma ray have a bad influence upon nuclear medicine image. The purpose of this study was to estimate scatter components depending on the different source locations within a phantom using Monte Carlo simulation (GATE). The simulation results were validated by comparing with the results of real experiments. Dual-head gamma camera (ECAM, Chicago, Illinois Siemens) with high energy, general-purpose, and parallel hole collimators (hole radius: 0.17 cm, septal thickness: 0.2 cm, length: 5.08 cm) was used in this experiment. The NaI crystal is $44.5{\times}59.1\;cm$ in height and width and 0.95 cm in thickness. The diameter and height of PMMA phantom were 16 cm and 15 cm, respectively. The images were acquired at 5 different locations of $^{131}I$ point source within the phantom and the images of $^{99m}Tc$ were also acquired for comparison purpose with low energy source. The simulation results indicated that the scattering was influenced by the location of source within a phantom. The scattering effects showed the same tendency in both simulation and actual experiment, and the results showed that the simulation was very adequate for further studies. The results supported that the simulation techniques may be used to generalize the scattering effects as a function of a point source location within a phantom.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.10-12
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• 2000

Members of the glycoprotein family, which includes CG, LH, FSH and TSH, comprise two noncovalently linked $\alpha$- and $\beta$-subunits. Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), known as PMSG, has a number of interesting and unique characteristics since it appears to be a single molecule that possesses both LH- and FSH-like activities in other species than the horse. This dual activity of eCG in heterologous species is of fundamental interest to the study of the structure-function relationships of gonadotropins and their receptors. CG and LH $\beta$ genes are different in primates. In horse, however, a single gene encodes both eCG and eLH $\beta$-subunits. The subunit mRNA levels seem to be independently regulated and their imbalance may account for differences in the quantities of $\alpha$ - and $\beta$ -subunits in the placenta and pituitary. The dual activities of eCG could be separated by removal of the N-linked oligosaccharide on the $\alpha$-subunit Asn 56 or CTP-associated O-linked oligosaccharides. The tethered-eCG was. efficiently secreted and showed similar LH-like activity to the dimeric eCG. Interestingly, the FSH-like activity of the tethered-eCG was increased markedly in comparison with the native and wild type eCG. These results also suggest that this molecular can implay particular models of FSH-like activity not LH-like activity in the eCG/indicate that the constructs of tethered molecule will be useful in the study of mutants that affect subunit association and/or secretion. A single-chain analog can also be constructed to include additional hormone-specific bioactive generating potentially efficacious compounds that have only FSH-like activity. The LH/CG receptor (LH/CGR), a membrane glycoprotein that is present on testicular Leydig cells and ovarian theca, granulosa, luteal, and interstitial cells, plays a pivotal role in the regulation of gonadal development and function in males as well as in nonpregnant and pregnant females. The LH/CGR is a member of the family of G protein-coupled receptors and its structure is predicted to consist of a large extracellular domain connected to a bundle of seven membrane-spanning a-helices. The LH/CGR phosphorylation can be induced with a phorbol ester, but not with a calcium ionophore. The truncated form of LHR also was down-regulated normally in response to hCG stimulation. In contrast, the cell lines expressing LHR-t63I or LHR-628, the two phosphorylation-negative receptor mutant, showed a delay in the early phase of hCG-induced desensitization, a complete loss of PMA-induced desensitization, and an increase in the rate of hCG-induced receptor down-regulation. These results clearly show that residues 632-653 in the C-terminal tail of the LHR are involved in PMA-induced desensitization, hCG-induced desensitization, and hCG-induced down-regulation. Recently, constitutively activating mutations of the receptor have been identified that are associated with familial male-precocious puberty. Cells expressing LHR-D556Y bind hCG with normal affinity, exhibit a 25-fold increase in basal cAMP and respond to hCG with a normal increase in cAMP accumulation. This mutation enhances the internalization of the free and agonist-occupied receptors ~2- and ~17-fold, respectively. We conclude that the state of activation of the LHR can modulate its basal and/or agonist-stimulated internalization. Since the internalization of hCG is involved in the termination of hCG actions, we suggest that the lack of responsiveness detected in cells expressing LHR-L435R is due to the fast rate of internalization of the bound hCG. This statement is supported by the finding that hCG responsiveness is restored when the cells are lysed and signal transduction is measured in a subcellular fraction (membranes) that cannot internalize the bound hormone.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.357-364
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• 2000

Members of the glycoprotein family, which includes CG, LH, FSH and TSH, comprise two noncovalently linked $\alpha$- and $\beta$-subunits. Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), known as PMSG, has a number of interesting and unique characteristics since it appears to be a single molecule that possesses both LH- and FSH-like activities in other species than the horse. This dual activity of eCG in heterologous species is of fundamental interest to the study of the structure-function relationships of gonadotropins and their receptors. CG and LH $\beta$ genes are different in primates. In horse, however, a single gene encodes both eCG and eLH $\beta$ -subunits. The subunit mRNA levels seem to be independently regulated and their imbalance may account for differences in the quantities of $\alpha$ - and $\beta$-subunits in the placenta and pituitary. The dual activities of eCG could be separated by removal of the N-linked oligosaccharide on the $\alpha$-subunit Asn 56 or CTP-associated O-linked oligosaccharides. The tethered-eCG was efficiently secreted and showed similar LH-like activity to the dimeric eCG. Interestingly, the FSH-like activity of the tethered-eCG was increased markedly in comparison with the native and wild type eCG. These results also suggest that this molecular can implay particular models of FSH-like activity not LH-like activity in the eCG/indicate that the constructs of tethered molecule will be useful in the study of mutants that affect subunit association and/or secretion. A single-chain analog can also be constructed to include additional hormone-specific bioactive generating potentially efficacious compounds that have only FSH-like activity. The LH/CG receptor (LH/CGR), a membrane glycoprotein that is present on testicular Leydig cells and ovarian theca, granulosa, luteal, and interstitial cells, plays a pivotal role in the regulation of gonadal development and function in males as well as in nonpregnant and pregnant females. The LH/CGR is a member of the family of G protein-coupled receptors and its structure is predicted to of a large extracellular domain connected to a bundle of seven membrane-spanning a-helices. The LH/CGR phosphorylation can be induced with a phorbol ester, but not with a calcium ionophore. The truncated form of LHR also was down-regulated normally in response to hCG stimulation. In contrast, the cell lines expressing LHR-t631 or LHR-628, the two phosphorylation-negative receptor mutant, showed a delay in the early phase of hCG-induced desensitization, a complete loss of PMA-induced desensitization, and an increase in the rate of hCG-induced receptor down-regulation. These results clearly show that residues 632~653 in the C-terminal tail of the LHR are involved in PMA-induced desensitization, hCG-induced desensitization, and hCG-induced down-regulation. Recently, constitutively activating mutations of the receptor have been identified that are associated with familial male-precocious puberty. Cells expressing LHR-D556Y bind hCG with normal affinity, exhibit a 25-fold increase in basal cAMP and respond to hCG with a normal increase in cAMP accumulation. This mutation enhances the internalization of the free and agoinst-occupied receptors ~2- and ~17- fold, respectively. We conclude that the state of activation of the LHR can modulate its basal and/or agonist-stimulated internalization. Since the internalization of hCG is involved in the termination of hCG actions, we suggest that the lack of responsiveness detected in cells expressing LHR-L435R is due to the fast rate of internalization of the bound hCG. This statement is supported by the finding that hCG responsiveness is restored when the cells are lysed and signal transduction is measured in a subcellular fraction (membranes) that cannot internalize the bound hormone.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.390-400
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• 2018

Studies have revealed that miR-103a-3p contributes to tumor growth in several human cancers, and high miR-103a-3p expression is associated with poor prognosis in advanced gastric cancer (GC) patients. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis has shown that miR-103a-3p is upregulated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) stomach cancer cohort. These results suggest that miR-103a-3p may function as an oncogene in GC. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-103a-3p in human GC. miR-103a-3p expression levels were increased in 33 clinical GC specimens compared with adjacent nontumor stomach tissues. Gain- and loss-of-function studies were performed to identify the correlation between miR-103a-3p and tumorigenesis in human GC. Inhibiting miR-103a-3p suppressed GC cell proliferation and blocked the S-G2/M transition in MKN-45/SGC-7901 cells, whereas miR-103a-3p overexpression improved GC cell proliferation and promoted the S-G2/M transition in vitro. Bioinformatics and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed that ATF7 is a direct target of miR-103a-3p. Analysis of the TCGA stomach cancer cohort further revealed that miR-103a-3p expression was inversely correlated with ATF7 expression. Notably, silencing ATF7 showed similar cellular and molecular effects as miR-103a-3p overexpression, namely, increased GC cell proliferation, improved CDK2 expression and decreased P27 expression. ATF7 overexpression eliminated the effects of miR-103a-3p expression. These findings indicate that miR-103a-3p promotes the proliferation of GC cell by targeting and suppressing ATF7 in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-59
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• 2009

This research presents the effect of Asian dust on the derived sea surface temperature (SST) from measurements of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) instrument flown onboard NOAA polar orbiting satellites. To analyze the effect, A VHRR infrared brightness temperature (TB) is estimated from simulated radiance calculated from radiative transfer model on various atmospheric conditions. Vertical profiles of temperature, pressure, and humidity from radiosonde observation are used to build up the East Asian atmospheric conditions in spring. Aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and size distribution are derived from skyradiation measurements to be used as inputs to the radiative transfer model. The simulation results show that single channel TB at window region is depressed under the Asian dust condition. The magnitude of depression is about 2K at nadir under moderate aerosol loading, but the magnitude reaches up to 4K at slant path. The dual channel difference (DCD) in spilt window region is also reduced under the Asian dust condition, but the reduction of DCD is much smaller than that shown in single channel TB simulation. Owing to the depression of TB, SST has cold bias. In addition, the effect of AOT on SST is amplified at large satellite zenith angle (SZA), resulting in high variance in derived SSTs. The SST depression due to the presence of Asian dust can be expressed as a linear function of AOT and SZA. On the basis of this relationship, the effect of Asian dust on the SST retrieval from the conventional daytime multi-channel SST algorithm can be derived as a function of AOT and SZA.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-39
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• 2024

Purpose : Smoking is a major factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the effect of electrical cigarette smoking on COPD development is still uncertain. This study aimed to compare the functions of airways and lungs exposed to combustible cigarettes and electrical cigarettes based on the pulmonary function test (PFT) results from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods : This study used data from 8,942 participants with PFT results out of 47,309 total subjects from the 6th to 8th Korean NHANES (2014-2015, 2016-2018, and 2019, respectively). Individuals with diseases such as cancer, ex-smokers, and dual tobacco users were excluded. The PFT results were analyzed according to the COPD diagnostic criteria. After adjusting for confounding variables, a complex sample generalized linear model ANOVA test was performed to investigate the association between PFT results and combustible smoker or electrical cigarette user groups. Results : In an analysis based on the obstructive ventilatory disorders (forced expiratory volume in 1 second[FEV₁]/forced vital capacity[FVC]<.7), combustible cigarette smokers showed a 3.46 times higher risk of COPD compared to non-smokers, while electrical cigarette smokers exhibited no significant difference in terms of COPD-related risks compared to non-smokers. FEV₁ showed a negative relation with combustible cigarette smokers as reported elsewhere (B=-.07, p<.001). FEV₁/FVC was negatively related to both combustible cigarette smokers (B=-.03, p<.001) and electrical cigarette smokers (B=-.02, p<.001). Conclusion : FEV₁/FVC decreases were observed in the long-term exposure to both combustible and electrical cigarettes. The lower FEV₁ in the combustible cigarette group implies the worsening of the severity of COPD, suggesting more damage to the airways and lungs in the short term. Therefore, the temporary electrical cigarettes use for the transition period in order to smoking cessation potentially aids to reduce the harmful effect of combustible cigarettes in COPD development.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.146
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• pp.137-162
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• 2018

Zen Psychology refers to the psychology of Zen Buddhism as a field of Buddhist psychology. This paper examines the psychology of human beings, focusing on the "Platform Sutra" written by Huineng, the founder of Patriarchal Zen, and the southern Zen school. According to the classification of Buddhist psychology, Zen psychology is divided into theory of Zen mind, theory of Zend mind function, and Zen psychotherapy. In theory of Zen mind, Huineng explains the mind based on self-nature, and explains the theory of dharma, theory of humanity, theory of dependent origination, and worldview though self-nature. Every human mind has its own original character of self-nature. When one's own mind with self-nature is revealed, it is the basic mind. When it is covered, it is the mind of common people. Self-nature is characterized by dharma construction, incompetence, non-naming, cleanliness, equality, and self-Buddhahood. In the theory of dharma, dharma is non-dual and is equal. The theory of humanity is divided into two groups according to the sharpness and dullness or capacity of the human being. From theory of dependent origination, you can see the mobility of cover and revealment, enlightment and delusion, sacred and common. In the worldview, the world and phenomena are the functions of self-nature and one's own mind. The theory of Zen mind function deals with wisdom and defilement of common people. The function of wisdom is to know the whole and one at the same time, and is intangible. Defilement of common people is an inner common people that cover the functions of wisdom. In Zen psychotherapy, in order to eliminate the gap between human and dharma, seeing into self-nature is suggested and the goal. In teleology, the goal is to reveal and see the self-nature covered by defilements. As a methodology from cover to revealment, Huineng interprets the traditional methodology as a new interpretation from the viewpoint of the mind, and presents Sammu as its own methodology. Based on the absence of attachment, Huineng proposed a methodology of No-abiding, No-thought and No-form, to gather mind on reality and treat all things equally. Based on this, Huineng proposed a new methodology for dealing with karma through repentance and vows, and a methodology for edification. In view of the Four Noble Truth, it is the phenomenon that self-nature is covered, the cause of defilement and the mind, the aim of seeing the self-nature which is covered, and the way of revealing the covered self-nature is presented. In this sense, the Zen Psychology of Platform Sutra is psychology of self-nature.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.60-81
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• 2010

Jeju Island, in Korea, shows many characteristics that are differentiated from the rest of Korea. Its culture is rooted in mythology which advocates a egalitarian, rather than hierarchical, social structure, the place of women in the home is relatively high, and the formation of buildings, the separation of cooking and heating facilities, and the living format of residential homes is dissimilar. These disparities in culture indicate that Jeju Island's heritage was not formed only from influences from the North, but also from other places as well. To fill in the blanks, residential homes in Jeju Island were compared with those scattered throughout the East China Sea, which connect the southern coastline of the Korean peninsula and Jeju Island. The regions encompassed by the East China Sea, sharing the Kuroshio current and a seasonal wind, can be considered as one cultural region integrating cultural aspects from the continental North and the oceanbound South. The unique characteristics of southern culture as seen in southern residences was examined through an investigation of the sacred places in which gods were considered to dwell. First, the myths of these areas usually concerned with the ocean, and a sterile environment made sustenance impossible without a dual livelihood, usually taking on the forms of half-farming and half-fishing, or half-farming, half-gardening. Although family compositions were strongly matricentric or collateral thanks to southern influence, a patriarchical system like those found in the North were present in the upper classes and in the cities. Therefore, residential spaces were not divided based on age or gender, as in hierarchical societies, but according to family and function. Second, these areas had local belief systems based on animism and ancestor worship, and household deities were closely related to women, agriculture and fire. The deities of the kitchen, the granary and the toilet were mostly female, and the role of priest was often filled by a woman. After Buddhism and Confucianism were introduced from mainland Korea, China and Japan, the sacred areas of the household took on a dual form, integrating the female-focused local rites with male-centered Buddhist and Confucian rites. Third, in accordance with worship of a kitchen deity, a granary deity, and a toilet deity led to these areas of the home being separated into disparate buildings. Eventually, these areas became absorbed into the home as architectural technology was further developed and lifestyles were changed. There was also integration of northern and southern cultures, with rites concerning granary and toilet deities coming from China, and the personality of the kitchen deity being related to the southern sea. In addition, the use of stone in separate kitchens, granaries, and toilets is a distinguishing characteristic of the East China Sea. This research is a part of the results gained from a project funded by the Korea Research Foundation in 2006.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.187-194
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• 2023

Purpose: A mismatched size in the post and post space is a common problem during post-fixation. Since this discordance affects the bonding strength of the fiber-reinforced composite resin post (FRC Post), a corresponding luting agent is required. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bonding strength of the FRC post according to the fitness of the fiber post and the type of luting agent. Materials and Methods: Thirty mandibular premolar were endodontic-treated and assigned to two groups according to their prepared post space: Fitting (F) and Mismatching (M). These groups were further classified into three subgroups according to their luting agent: RelyX Unicem (ReX), Luxacore dual (Lux), and Duolink (Duo). A push-out test was performed to measure the push-out bond strengths. The fractured surfaces of each cross-section were then examined, and the fracture modes were classified. Results: In the ReX and Duo subgroups, the F group had a higher mean bond strength; however, the Lux subgroup had no significant difference between the F and M groups. In the analysis of the failure modes, the ReX subgroup had only adhesive failures between the cement and dentin. Conclusion: The result of this study showed that the bond strength of an FRC post was influenced by the type of luting agent and the mismatch between the diameter of the prepared post space and that of the post.

• Atmosphere
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2005

Extending the success of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), the spaceborne measurement of precipitation by Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) is initiated. The GPM consists of a core satellite which will have a dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) and a constellation of small satellites equipped with microwave radiometers. The GPM is inherently a global program. Responding to the GPM plan, many other nations are much interested in participating in the GPM team or simply utilizing GPM products aiming at the development of meteorological technology. Korea can fully function its role if Korea is selected as a CAL/VAL site for the GPM because Korea maintains a well-established dense rain gauge network (AWS), precipitation radars, and the Haenam super site for surface observation. In this feasibility study, the necessities of the GPM project in the context of academical and social backgrounds and associated international and domestic activities are investigated. And GPM-related core technologies and application areas are defined. As a result, it is found that GPM will represent a great opportunity for us because of its ability to provide not only much enhanced three-hourly global rain products but also very useful tools for the enhancement of weather forecasting capabilities, management of water resources, development and implementation of monitoring techniques for severe weather phenomena, agricultural managements and climate application. Furthermore, rain retrieval and CAL/VAL technologies obtained during the involvement in the international GPM project will serve as basic knowledges to run our own geostationary satellite program.