• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.152-161
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• 2021

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is known as a key product for agriculture in several countries across the world. Beet soil-borne virus (BSBV) triggers substantial economic damages to sugar beet by reducing the quantity of the yield and quality of the beet sugars. We conducted the present study to report the complete genome sequences of two BSBV isolates in Turkey for the first time. The genome organization was identical to those previously established BSBV isolates. The tripartite genome of BSBV-TR1 and -TR3 comprised a 5,835-nucleotide (nt) RNA1, a 3,454-nt RNA2, and a 3,005-nt RNA3 segment. According to sequence identity analyses, Turkish isolates were most closely related to the BSBV isolate reported from Iran (97.83-98.77% nt identity). The BSBV isolates worldwide (n = 9) were phylogenetically classified into five (RNA-coat protein read through gene [CPRT], TGB1, and TGB2 segments), four (RNA-rep), or three (TGB3) lineages. In genetic analysis, the TGB3 revealed more genetic variability (Pi = 0.034) compared with other regions. Population selection analysis revealed that most of the codons were generally under negative selection or neutral evolution in the BSBV isolates studied. However, positive selection was detected at codon 135 in the TGB1, which could be an adaptation in order to facilitate the movement and overcome the host plant resistance genes. We expect that the information on genome properties and genetic variability of BSBV, particularly in TGB3, TGB1, and CPRT genes, assist in developing effective control measures in order to prevent severe losses and make amendments in management strategies.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2022

The diffusion of OTT service has brought the fundamental changes in the value chain of the existing media industry. OTT service based on the public Internet has increased the number of subscribers by using dominant marketing capability, making the pay TV platform player's ability to connecting users powerless. This study examined the changes in the media market and pay TV industry in the USA due to the diffusion of OTT service and analyzed the changing strategies of media firms. The number subscribers of the expensive pay TV service in the USA has diminished, experiencing cord cutting and cord shaving due the diffusion of OTT. OTT players are changing the media market, showing the dramatic excellence in making original contents and distributing the newly released movies. Examination of the recent merger and acquisition cases of media firms tells that the investment in making original contents has increased in order to have the competitiveness in OTT business. The future media industry will be rapidly reshaped mainly based OTT service and strategic judgement is important to maintain the competitiveness of all media firms in the existing value chain of media industry.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.46-60
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• 2022

The genetic variability and population structure of apple mosaic virus (ApMV) have been studied; however, synonymous codon usage patterns influencing the survival rates and fitness of ApMV have not been reported. Based on phylogenetic analyses of 52 ApMV coat protein (CP) sequences obtained from apple, pear, and hazelnut, ApMV isolates were clustered into two groups. High molecular diversity in GII may indicate their recent expansion. A constant and conserved genomic composition of the CP sequences was inferred from the low codon usage bias. Nucleotide composition and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis indicated that the ApMV CP gene is AU-rich, but G- and U-ending codons are favored while coding amino acids. This unequal use of nucleotides together with parity rule 2 and the effective number of codon (ENC) plots indicate that mutation pressure together with natural selection drives codon usage patterns in the CP gene. However, in this combination, selection pressure plays a more crucial role. Based on principal component analysis plots, ApMV seems to have originated from apple trees in Europe. However, according to the relative codon deoptimization index and codon adaptation index (CAI) analyses, ApMV exhibited the greatest fitness to hazelnut. As inferred from the results of the similarity index analysis, hazelnut has a major role in shaping ApMV RSCU patterns, which is consistent with the CAI analysis results. This study contributes to the understanding of plant virus evolution, reveals novel information about ApMV evolutionary fitness, and helps find better ApMV management strategies.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2022

The therapeutic approach for colon injury has changed continuously with the evolution of management strategies for trauma patients. In general, immediate laparotomy can be considered in hemodynamically unstable patients with positive findings on extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma. However, in the case of hemodynamically stable patients, an additional evaluation like computed tomography (CT) is required. Surgical treatment is often required if prominent mesenteric extravasation, free fluid, bowel infarction, and/or colon wall perforation are observed. However, immediate intervention in hemodynamically stable patients without indications for surgical treatment remains questionable. Three patients with colon and mesocolon injuries caused by blunt trauma were treated by nonoperative management. At the time of admission, they were alert and their vital signs were stable. Colon and mesocolon injuries, large hematoma, colon wall edema, and/or ischemia were revealed on CT. However, no prominent mesenteric extravasation, free fluid, bowel infarction, and/or colon wall perforation were observed. In two cases, conservative treatment was performed without worsening abdominal pain or laboratory tests. Follow-up CT showed improvement without additional treatment. In the third case, follow-up CT and percutaneous drainage were performed in considering the persistent left abdominal discomfort, fever, and elevated inflammatory markers of the patient. After that, outpatient CT showed improvement of the hematoma. In conclusion, nonoperative management can be considered as a therapeutic option for mesocolon and colon injuries caused by blunt trauma of selected cases, despite the presence of large hematoma and ischemia, if there are no clear indications for immediate intervention.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.625-645
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• 2023

This study examined newspaper articles from 2012 to the first quarter of 2021 to explore how interest in and response to veganism have evolved in the fashion and beauty industries over the past decade. By analyzing keywords and word correlations, we discovered a steady increase in veganism-related articles in both English- and Korean-language newspapers published in Korea, especially since 2019. Since 2012, consumer interest in vegan fashion materials has grown, with fashion and beauty emerging in 2018 as significant vegan-related keywords. As a result, brands have adopted vegan certification systems and introduced vegan product lines, and new vegan brands have emerged. Since 2020, companies have been promoting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management practices and working toward eco-management that reflects vegan trends in all areas, such as cruelty-free product/packaging materials, brands, policies, and services. It is also notable that fashion/beauty consumers have been more actively starting to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles and participate in vegan-related movements since that time. Our findings offer important insights into the evolution of veganism in Korea and can help researchers and industry practitioners to develop future business strategies in the vegan fashion and beauty industries.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.101-111
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• 2023

Structural health monitoring (SHM) covers a range of damage detection strategies for buildings. In real-time, SHM provides a basis for rapid decision making to optimise the speed and economic efficiency of post-event response. Previous work introduced an SHM method based on identifying structural nonlinear hysteretic parameters and their evolution from structural force-deformation hysteresis loops in real-time. This research extends and generalises this method to investigate the impact of a wide range of flag-shaped or pinching shape nonlinear hysteretic response and its impact on the SHM accuracy. A particular focus is plastic stiffness (K_p), where accurate identification of this parameter enables accurate identification of net and total plastic deformation and plastic energy dissipated, all of which are directly related to damage and infrequently assessed in SHM. A sensitivity study using a realistic seismic case study with known ground truth values investigates the impact of hysteresis loop shape, as well as added noise, on SHM accuracy using a suite of 20 ground motions from the PEER database. Monte Carlo analysis over 22,000 simulations with different hysteresis loops and added noise resulted in absolute percentage identification error (median, (IQR)) in K_p of 1.88% (0.79, 4.94)%. Errors were larger where five events (Earthquakes #1, 6, 9, 14) have very large errors over 100% for resulted K_p as an almost entirely linear response yielded only negligible plastic response, increasing identification error. The sensitivity analysis shows accuracy is reduces to within 3% when plastic drift is induced. This method shows clear potential to provide accurate, real-time metrics of non-linear stiffness and deformation to assist rapid damage assessment and decision making, utilising algorithms significantly simpler than previous non-linear structural model-based parameter identification SHM methods.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.377-383
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• 2023

Objectives: Korea and Japan have managed the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using markedly different policies, referred to as the "3T" and "3C" strategies, respectively. This study examined these differences to assess the roles of active testing and contact tracing as non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). We compared the proportion of unlinked cases (UCs) and test positivity rate (TPR) as indicators of tracing and testing capacities. Methods: We outlined the evolution of NPI policies and investigated temporal trends in their correlations with UCs, confirmed cases, and TPR prior to the Omicron peak. Spearman correlation coefficients were reported between the proportion of UCs, confirmed cases, and TPR. The Fisher r-to-z transformation was employed to examine the significance of differences between correlation coefficients. Results: The proportion of UCs was significantly correlated with confirmed cases (r=0.995, p<0.001) and TPR (r=0.659, p<0.001) in Korea and with confirmed cases (r=0.437, p<0.001) and TPR (r=0.429, p<0.001) in Japan. The Fisher r-to-z test revealed significant differences in correlation coefficients between the proportion of UCs and confirmed cases (z=16.07, p<0.001) and between the proportion of UCs and TPR (z=2.12, p=0.034) in Korea and Japan. Conclusions: Higher UCs were associated with increases in confirmed cases and TPR, indicating the importance of combining testing and contact tracing in controlling COVID-19. The implementation of stricter policies led to stronger correlations between these indicators. The proportion of UCs and TPR effectively indicated the effectiveness of NPIs. If the proportion of UCs shows an upward trend, more testing and contact tracing may be required.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.74-84
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• 2024

Background: Despite many environmental problems, plastic waste emissions have been a significant surge during last few decades in the Republic of Korea. Furthermore, the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has lead to an increased use and disposal of plastic waste worldwide. This paper tried to present summarized data related to the production and disposal of plastics especially before and after the COVID-19 pandemic with environmental impacts of plastics. Also, review of plastic waste reduction policies and feasible policies to promote an act for a safe, sustainable environment are presented. Results: Plastics cause many environmental problems due to their non-degrading properties and have a huge direct and indirect impact on Ecosystems and Public Health. Microplastics need a lot of attention because their environmental effects are not yet fully identified. Despite plastic's significant impact on climate change, the impact is not yet widely known to the public. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of plastic has surged and recycling has decreased due to the increase in delivery food and online shopping. Korea is introducing very active plastic and waste management policies, but it is necessary to implement more active policies by referring to the cases of other countries. Conclusions: In this article, we have scrutinized the evolution of plastic waste generation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and delved into policy frameworks adopted by other nations, which South Korea can draw valuable lessons from. The formidable challenges posed by plastic waste, the remarkable shifts witnessed during the COVID-19 era, and the multifaceted response strategies elucidated in this paper all play a pivotal role in steering South Korea toward a sustainable future.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1273-1300
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• 2024

In the complex virtual environment of cyberspace, comprised of digital and communication networks, ensuring the security of information is being recognized as an ongoing challenge. The importance of 'Cyber Situation Awareness (CSA)' is being emphasized in response to this. CSA is understood as a vital capability to identify, understand, and respond to various cyber threats and is positioned at the heart of cyber security strategies from a defensive perspective. Critical industries such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, and energy can be subjected to not just economic and societal losses from cyber threats but, in severe cases, national losses. Consequently, the importance of CSA is being accentuated and research activities are being vigorously undertaken. A systematic five-step approach to CSA is introduced against this backdrop, and a deep analysis of recent research trends, techniques, challenges, and future directions since 2019 is provided. The approach encompasses current situation and identification awareness, the impact of attacks and vulnerability assessment, the evolution of situations and tracking of actor behaviors, root cause and forensic analysis, and future scenarios and threat predictions. Through this survey, readers will be deepened in their understanding of the fundamental importance and practical applications of CSA, and their insights into research and applications in this field will be enhanced. This survey is expected to serve as a useful guide and reference for researchers and experts particularly interested in CSA research and applications.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.14
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• pp.517-534
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• 2007

Since the beginning of human society, there have always been struggles and competitions for survival and prosperity, terrorism is not a recent phenomenon, however in modern times it has progressed to reflect the advances in civilization and power structures. At the time of the 9.11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. A., a new world order was in the process of being established after the breakdown of the Cold War era. The attacks drove both the Western and the Islamic worlds into heightened fear of terrorism and war, which threatened the quality of life of the whole mankind. Through two war campaigns against the Islamic world, it seems the U.S. has been pushing its own militaristic security road map of the Greater Middle East democratic initiative, justifying it as a means to retaliate and eradicate the terrorist threats towards themselves. However, with its five-year lopsided victories that cost the nation almost four thousand military casualties, and the war expenses that could match the Vietnam war, the U.S. does not yet seem to be totally emancipated from the fears of terrorism. Terrorism, in itself, is a means of resisting forced rules a form of alternative competition by the weak against the strong, and a way of expressing a dismissive response against dictatorial ideas or orders which allow for no normal changes. Intrinsically, the nature of terrorism is a reaction opposing power logics. Confronted with the absolute military power of the U.S., the Islamic strategies of terrorism have begun to rapidly evolve into a new stage. The new strategies take advantage of their civilization and circumstances, they train and inspire their front-line fighters on the Internet, and issue their orders through the clandestine network of the Al Qaeda operatives. These spontaneously generated strategies have been gained speed among the second, and third Islamic generations, many of whom are now spread throughout western societies. This represents a failure of the power-driven, one-sided overseas security initiatives by the U.S., and is creating a culture of fear and distrust in western societies. It is feared that the U.S. war campaigns have made the clash of religions far worse than before, and may ever lead to global ethnic separations and large-scale population movements. Eventually, it may result in the terrorist groups, enlarged and secretly supported by the huge sums of oil money, driving all mankind into a series of irreparable catastrophes.