• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2014

In this paper, a scheme to evaluate the response variability for functionally graded material (FGM) beam with varying sectional area is presented. The randomness is assumed to appear in a spatial domain along the beam axis in the elastic modulus. The functionally graded material categorized as composite materials, however without the drawbacks of delamination and occurrence of cracks due to abrupt change in material properties between layers in the conventional composite materials. The functionally graded material is produced by the gradual solidification through thickness direction, which endows continuous variation of material properties, which makes this material performs in a smooth way. However, due to difficulties in tailoring the gradients, to have uncertainty in material properties is unavoidable. The elastic modulus at the center section is assumed to be random in the spatial domain along the beam axis. Introducing random variables, defined in terms of stochastic integration, the first and second moments of responses are evaluated. The proposed scheme is verified by using the Monte Carlo simulation based on the random samples generated employing the spectral representation scheme. The response variability as a function of correlation distance, the effects of material and geometrical parameters on the response variability are investigated in detail. The efficiency of the proposed scheme is also addressed by comparing the analysis time of the proposed scheme and MCS.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.406-414
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• 2013

The influence of a gradual increase in salinity on the diversity of aquatic bacterial in rivers was demonstrated. The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was used to analyze the bacterial community shift downstream in the Hyeongsan River until it joins the open ocean. Four water samples were taken from the river showing the salinity gradients of 0.02%, 1.48%, 2.63%, and 3.62%. The samples were collected from four arbitrary stations in 2.91 km intervals on average, and a DGGE analysis was performed. Based on the results of this analysis, phylogenetic similarity identification, tree analysis, and a comparison of each station were performed. The results strongly suggested that the response of the bacterial community response was concomitant to gradual changes in salinity, which implies that salt concentration is a major factor in shifting the microbiota in aquatic habitats. The results also imply a huge diversity in a relatively small area upstream from the river mouth, compared to that in open oceans or coastal regions. Therefore, areas downstream towards a river mouth or delta are could be good starting points in the search for new bacterial species and strains ("biotypes").

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2014

The effect of elevated $CO_2$ and temperature on ecological characteristics of Cicuta virosa L., the endangered plant were examined under ambient $CO_2$+ambient temperature(AC-AT), ambient $CO_2$+elevated temperature(AC-ET) and elevated $CO_2$+elevated temperature for two years. Shoot length and the number of umbels were not different in three environmental gradients. The number of tillers was high in the order of EC-ET, AC-ET and AC-AT. The number of compound umbel was the lowest in the EC-ET. Fruit set rate was the highest in the AC-AT. These results mean that unsexual propagation of C. virosa may increase by promoting growth of tillers, rather than seed production under future global warming. This population growth study will be used as the important data for the research of Korean endangered species.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.25-31
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• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate knee muscle strength, balance, and proprioception by walking while giving weight to the ankle joint at a load of 0%, 10%, and 15% gradient on a treadmill. Methods : Twenty-four subjects were divided into three groups. Group A walked on a 0% gradient while giving weight to the ankle joint as a load. Group B walked on a 10% gradient while giving weight to the ankle joint as a load. Group C walked on a 15% gradient while giving weight to the ankle joint as a load. This was performed three times per week for four weeks. The walking speed was set at 4km/hour and the walking time was set at 20 minutes. Measurements were performed before and after the experiment. Biodex medical system and Balance system SD were used as measuring instruments. Results : There was no significant difference between the gradients in muscle strength, balance and proprioception. However, there were differences in pretest and posttest measurements for muscle strength, balance and proprioception in each gradient. In particular, the gradient of 10% showed a significant difference. Conclusion : According to the results of this study, to use a 10% gradient is effective when walking while giving weight to the ankle joint as a load.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.177-186
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• 2004

Introduction : Recent studies Suggested that there is a strong correlation between acupuncture stimulation and its related cortical activation. Anther study showed that either positive or negative BOLD effects could be observed depending on anatomical structure in acupuncture stimulation. In ttis study, we investigated a new acupoint $KI_6$ (照海), which was known as motor-related acupoint and obtained an evidence that the stimulation of $KI_6$ resulted in either negative or positive BOLD response to stimulation. Methods & Results : 1. Subjects and paradigms : Two separate stimulation paradigms were performed on five healthy (aged 22-23 yrs) in this study. First, the paradigm of acupuncture stimulation was that the acupuncture needle was inserted in acupoints $KI_6$, which is located in lateral side of the foot and then continuously twisted(補瀉를 除外한 捻轉法) for 70 seconds for 10 cycles of activation. During rest period (70 seconds), the needle was completed removed from acupoint. Total 60 cycles were performed and 10 images were obtained per cycle. Second, nonacupoint was randomly selected and the same paradigm was performed as acupoint stimulation. The stimulation protocol comprised 10 cycles of alternating. activation and rest (10 images per cycle). Total 60 cycles were performed and each cycle take about 1.5 sec for motor task. Subjects take an at least 15 minutes break before starting anther paradigm. 2. fMRI mapping : Multi-slice functional images were obtained on a 1.5T Magnetom Vision MRI scanner (Simens Medical, Erlangen, Germany) equipped with high performance whole-body gradients. The BOLD T2 * - weighted images were acquired with acho planar imaging sequence (TR = 1.2 sec, TE = 60 msec, and flip angle = $90_{\circ}$). The other sequence parameter are : FOV = 210 mm, matrix=$64{\times}128$ or $64{\times}64$, slice number=10 and slice thickness = 5 or 8 mm. the anatomic images were obtained with Spin-echo T1-weighted images. The resulting images were then anaiyzed with STIMULATE (CMRR, U. of Minnesota) to generate functional maps using a student T-test (p < 0.005) and cluster analysis. Both positive and negative response were evaluated. Conclusions : We have observed the activation of the motor cortex by stimulating motor-related acupoint ($KI_6$). Among five subjects, negative BOLD response was shown in four and positive response in one. All subjects showed positive response to conventional finger flexion-extension task. To understand the detailed mechanisms of correlation between acupuncture stimulation and BOLD fMRI changes and two typs of response, further study strongly required.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.183-190
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• 2013

In this paper, we propose an improved anisotropic diffusion model for micro-crack detection in heterogeneously textured surface of polycrystalline solar wafers. Due to the nature of the image sensor, the gray-level of the diagonal micro-crack is non-uniform. Thus, the conventional algorithms can't fully detect diagonal micro-cracks when the number of iteration is not enough. However, the increasing of the iteration number leads to increase computation time and detects micro-crack thicker than the original micro-crack. In order to overcome this drawback, we use the gradient of north, south, east, and west directions as well as extended directions. To calculate the diffusion coefficients, we compare the gradients of conventional directions and extended directions and apply the larger gradient values to the coefficient function. This is because the proposed method reflects the information of diagonal micro-crack. Comparing to Tsai et al.'s and Ko and Rheem's, the proposed algorithm shows superior efficiency in detecting the diagonal micro-cracks with less iterations in the images of polycrystalline solar wafers. In addition, it also shows that the thickness of segmented micro-crack is similar to the orignal micro-crack.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2018

Background: In the study, the effects of elevated $CO_2$ and temperature on the nitrogen content, carbon content, and C:N ratio of seven rare and endangered species (Quercus gilva, Hibiscus hambo, Paliurus ramosissimus, Cicuta virosa, Bupleurum latissimum, Viola raddeana, and Iris dichotoma) were examined under control (ambient $CO_2$ + ambient temperature) and treatment (elevated $CO_2$ + elevated temperature) for 3 years (May 2008 and June 2011). Results: Elevated $CO_2$ concentration and temperature result in a decline in leaf nitrogen content for three woody species in May 2009 and June 2011, while four herb species showed different responses to each other. The nitrogen content of B. latissimum and I. dichotoma decreased under treatment in either 2009 and 2011. The leaf nitrogen content of C. virosa and V. raddeana was not significantly affected by elevated $CO_2$ and temperature in 2009, but that of C. virosa increased and that V. raddeana decreased under the treatment in 2011. In 2009, it was found that there was no difference in carbon content in the leaves of the six species except for that of P. ramosissimus. On the other hand, while there was no difference in carbon content in the leaves of Q. gilva in the control and treatment in 2011, carbon content in the leaves of the remaining six species increased due to the rise of $CO_2$ concentration and temperature. The C:N ratio in the leaf of C. virosa grown in the treatment was lower in both 2009 and 2011 than that in the control. The C:N ratio in the leaf of V. raddeana decreased by 16.4% from the previous year, but increased by 28.9% in 2011. For the other five species, C:N ratios increased both in 2009 and 2011. In 2009 and 2011, chlorophyll contents in the leaves of Q. gilva and H. hamabo were higher in the treatment than those in the control. In the case of P. ramosissimus, the ratio was higher in the treatment than that in the control in 2009, but in 2011, the result was the opposite. Among four herb species, the chlorophyll contents in the leaves of C. virosa, V. raddeana, and I. dichotoma did not show any difference between gradients in 2009, but decreased due to the rise of $CO_2$ concentration and temperature in 2011. Leaf nitrogen and carbon contents, C:N ratio, and chlorophyll contents in the leaves of seven rare and endangered species of plant were found to be influenced by the rise and duration of $CO_2$ concentration and temperature, species, and interaction among those factors. Conclusions: The findings above seem to show that long-term rise of $CO_2$ concentration, and temperature causes changes in physiological responses of rare and endangered species of plant and the responses may be species-specific. In particular, woody species seem to be more sensitive to the rise of $CO_2$ concentration and temperature than herb species.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.159-167
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• 2010

To provide a basis for studying the pharmacological actions of tetracaine HCl, we analyzed the membrane activities of this local anesthetic. The n-(9-anthroyloxy) stearic and palmitic acid (n-AS) probes (n = 2, 6, 9, 12 and 16) have been used previously to examine fluorescence polarization gradients. These probes can report the environment at a graded series of depths from the surface to the center of the membrane bilayer structure. In a dosedependent manner, tetracaine HCl decreased the anisotropies of 6-AS, 9-AS, 12-AS and 16-AP in the hydrocarbon interior of synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles isolated from bovine cerebral cortex (SPMV), and liposomes derived from total lipids (SPMVTL) and phospholipids (SPMVPL) extracted from the SPMV. However, this compound increased the anisotropy of 2-AS at the membrane interface. The magnitude of the membrane rotational mobility reflects the carbon atom numbers of the phospholipids comprising SPMV, SPMVTL and SPMVPL and was in the order of the 16, 12, 9, 6, and 2 positions of the aliphatic chains. The sensitivity of the effects of tetracaine HCl on the rotational mobility of the hydrocarbon interior or surface region was dependent on the carbon atom numbers in the descending order 16-AP, 12-AS, 9-AS, 6-AS and 2-AS and on whether neuronal or model membranes were involved in the descending order SPMV, SPMVPL and SPMVTL.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 1995

Growth rate, first reproductive age, life span and total offspring numbers were measured to study the effects of water temperature and salinity on the propagation of rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis. Three types of rotifer, Large (L), Small (S) and Thailand Small (TS)-types, were cultured in the $4\times4$ factorial culture conditions with four different salinities (5, 15, 25 and $35\%o$) at each of four different water temperatures (15, 20, 25 and $29^{\circ}C$). The results are as follows; Under the 4 different salinity gradients %$(5\%o,\;15\%o,\;25\%o,\;and\;35\%o)\;at\;29^{\circ}C$, the mean growth rates of L, Sand TS-type were 0.60, 0.84 and 0.96, respectively. The first reproductive age of three types rotifer appeared to be early at high water temperature. The total offspring numbers of the three types were higher at $25^{\circ}C\;and\;29^{\circ}C$, with the maximum value of 28.3 on the average at $29^{\circ}C$ for TS-type, and the minimum value at $15^{\circ}C$ for S-type. Life span decreased with high water temperature and increased with low water temperature. L-type and TS-type rotifer showed the longest life span of 13.5 days on the average at $15^{\circ}C$, and S-type showed shortest 6.2 days on the average at $29^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.395-409
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• 1998

The purpose of this paper is to determine the atmospheric conditions in whih urban areas affect the precipitation processes and to evaluate whether certain weather types show more apparent urban effect on precipitation modification over five cities in the southem United States. Each heavy rainstorm is classified into one of three synoptic weather types (frontal storm, airmass storm or tropical disturbance storm). Heavy rainstorm day is defined as day producing rainfall totals that equal o exceed 2 inches (50.08 mm). Houston, Dallass and San Antonio show possible urban effects on rainfall totals and frequencies of heavy rainstorms by airmass storm type while New Orleans and Memphis do not reveal any distinct precipitation enhancements through the synoptic analysis. The results of TSA (Trend Surface Analysis) show that frontal and tropical disturbance storm types have stronger climatic gradients than airmass types and the patterns of rainfall totals have stronger trends than those of rainfall frequencies for the five cities. The results suggest that airmass type events may well reveal possible precipitation enhancements due to urban effects since they are less influenced by a strong climate gradient and they provide favorable conditions for development of urban heat islands. Residual analysis confirms that rainfall totals and frequencies of heavy rainstorms by airmass storm type have positive residuals over the city or the major effect area.