• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.132-140
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• 2017

Objective: Correlations between semen parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were investigated to identify characteristics of sperm without DNA damage that could be used in selecting sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Pregnancy outcomes were compared to determine whether in vitro fertilization (IVF) or ICSI is a better choice for patients who have sperm with a high-DFI. Methods: Semen analysis was carried out in 388 patients who visited our IVF center for the first time to investigate correlations between sperm DFI and semen parameters. In addition, 1,102 IVF cycles in 867 patients were carried out in the present study; 921 cycles in the low-DFI group (DFI < 30%) and 181 cycles in the high-DFI group ($DFI{\geq}30%$). Both the low- and high-DFI groups were subdivided into IVF and ICSI cycle groups. Results: Sperm DFI showed significant inverse correlations with sperm motility (r = -0.435, p< 0.001) and morphology (r = -0.153, p< 0.05). Sperm DFI also showed significant correlations with rapid motility (r = -0.436, p< 0.001), and the kinetic parameters of average-path velocity (r = -0.403) and linearity (r = -0.412). Although there was no significant difference in the pregnancy rates between IVF (48.6%) and ICSI (44.8%) in the low-DFI group, the pregnancy rate of ICSI cycles (44.8%, p< 0.05) was significantly higher than IVF cycles (25.0%) in the high-DFI group. No significant difference was observed in the abortion rates between the low-DFI (52 of 921, 5.6%) and high-DFI groups (7 of 181, 3.8%). Conclusion: ICSI is a better choice than IVF for improving the pregnancy outcomes of patients who have sperm with a high DFI.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2014

Self-photoinitiating acrylate (SPIA) which can undergo self-initiation under UV irradiation was synthesized by a Michael addition in the presence of a base catalyst. The SPIA polymerizations were investigated by photo-differential scanning calorimeter (photo-DSC) and surface physical properties such as pendulum hardness and pencil hardness. The results showed that the SPIA can cure upon UV irradiation by itself without a photoinitiator. But we found out that both the curing rate and the conversion were too low for the self-curing reaction of SPIA. In order to improve the SPIA curing properties, we introduced the SPIA/cationic hybrid system and observed the effects of the addition of commercial free radical type monomer and photoinitiator on the curing behaviors. SPIA/cationic hybrid system was the best suitable to improve the SPIA curing properties. The kinetic analysis indicated that the cationic monomer and photoinitiator apparently accelerated the cure reaction and rate of the hybrid SPIA system, mostly due to the synergistic effect of cationic monomer and photoinitiator increasing the mobility of active species and the generation of reactive species (free radical, cation) during the photopolymerization process. The physical properties showed that, unlike typical free radical system, the hybrid systems did not show oxygen inhibition effect because of cationic reaction on the coating surface.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.109-114
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• 2021

Cr(VI)-quinoline compound[(C₉H₇NH)₂Cr₂O₇] was synthesized by the reaction between of quinoline and chromium(VI) trioxide, and structure was FT-IR, elemental analysis. The oxidation ability of benzyl alcohol greatly depends upon the dielectric constant of the used organic solvent, where carbon tetrachloride was worst and N,N'-dimethylformamide was best solvent. Noticeably, in N,N'-dimethylformamide solvent, Cr(VI)-quinoline compound oxidized substituted benzyl alcohols. The Hammett reaction constant(ρ)=-0.69(303K). As a resuit, Cr(VI)-quinoline compound was found as efficicent oxidizing agent that converted benzyl alcohol, allyl alcohol, primary alcohol and secondary alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes or ketones. Cr(VI)-quinoline compound was selective oxidizing agent of benzyl alcohol, allyl alcohol and primary alcohol in the presence of secondary alcohol ones.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2019

A major predictor of the efficacy of natural or synthetic cannabinoids is their binding affinity to the cannabinoid type I receptor ($CB_1$) in the central nervous system, as the main psychological effects of cannabinoids are achieved via binding to this receptor. Conventionally, receptor binding assays have been performed using isotopes, which are inconvenient owing to the effects of radioactivity. In the present study, the binding affinities of five cannabinoids for purified $CB_1$ were measured using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique as a putative non-isotopic receptor binding assay. Results were compared with those of a radio-isotope-labeled receptor binding assay. The representative natural cannabinoid ${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol and four synthetic cannabinoids, JWH-015, JWH-210, RCS-4, and JWH-250, were assessed using both the SPR biosensor assay and the conventional isotopic receptor binding assay. The binding affinities of the test substances to $CB_1$ were determined to be (from highest to lowest) $9.52{\times}10^{-3}M$ (JWH-210), $6.54{\times}10^{-12}M$ (JWH-250), $1.56{\times}10^{-11}M$ (${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol), $2.75{\times}10^{-11}M$ (RCS-4), and $6.80{\times}10^{-11}M$ (JWH-015) using the non-isotopic method. Using the conventional isotopic receptor binding assay, the same order of affinities was observed. In conclusion, our results support the use of kinetic analysis via SPR in place of the isotopic receptor binding assay. To replace the receptor binding affinity assay with SPR techniques in routine assays, further studies for method validation will be needed in the future.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced breast magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) variables, for axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis in the early stage of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: January 2011-April 2015, 787 patients with early stage of breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Only cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, were included in the patient population. Among them, 240 patients who underwent 3.0-T DCE-MRI, including DWI with b value 0 and $800s/mm^2$ were enrolled. MRI variables (adjacent vessel sign, whole-breast vascularity, initial enhancement pattern, quantitative kinetic parameters, signal enhancement ratio (SER), tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), peritumoral ADC, and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio) clinico-pathologic variables (age, T stage, multifocality, extensive intraductal carcinoma component (EIC), estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER-2 status, Ki-67, molecular subtype, histologic grade, and nuclear grade) were compared between patients with axillary lymph node metastasis and those with no lymph node metastasis. Multivariate regression analysis was performed, to determine independent variables associated with ALN metastasis, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), for predicting ALN metastasis was analyzed, for those variables. Results: On breast MRI, moderate or prominent ipsilateral whole-breast vascularity (moderate, odds ratio [OR] 3.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28-9.51 vs. prominent, OR = 15.59, 95% CI 2.52-96.46), SER (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.09-2.59), and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio (OR = 6.77, 95% CI 2.41-18.99), were independently associated with ALN metastasis. Among clinico-pathologic variables, HER-2 positivity was independently associated, with ALN metastasis (OR = 23.71, 95% CI 10.50-53.54). The AUC for combining selected MRI variables and clinico-pathologic variables, was higher than that of clinico-pathologic variables (P < 0.05). Conclusion: SER, moderate or prominent increased whole breast vascularity, and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio on breast MRI, are valuable in predicting ALN metastasis, in patients with early stage of breast cancer.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.167-173
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• 2011

Nickel cobalt ferrite($Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.5}Fe_2O_4$) powder was prepared through the ceramic route by the calcination of a stoichiometric mixture of NiO, CoO and $Fe_2O_3$ at $1100^{\circ}C$. The pressed pellets of $Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.5}Fe_2O_4$ were isothermally reduced in pure hydrogen at $800{\sim}1100^{\circ}C$. Based on the thermogravimetric analysis, the reduction behavior and the kinetic reaction mechanisms of the synthesized ferrite were studied. The initial ferrite powder and the various reduction products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, reflected light microscope and vibrating sample magnetometer to reveal the effect of hydrogen reduction on the composition, microstructure and magnetic properties of the produced Fe-Ni-Co alloy. The arrhenius equation with the approved mathematical formulations for the gas solid reaction was applied to calculate the activation energy($E_a$) and detect the controlling reaction mechanisms. In the initial stage of hydrogen reduction, the reduction rate was controlled by the gas diffusion and the interfacial chemical reaction. However, in later stages, the rate was controlled by the interfacial chemical reaction. The nature of the hydrogen reduction and the magnetic property changes for nickel cobalt ferrite were compared with the previous result for nickel ferrite. The microstructural development of the synthesized Fe-Ni-Co alloy with an increase in the reduction temperature improved its soft magnetic properties by increasing the saturation magnetization($M_s$) and by decreasing the coercivity($H_c$). The Fe-Ni-Co alloy showed higher saturation magnetization compared to Fe-Ni alloy.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.302-308
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• 2022

The PdO nanoparticle with large surface area was selected to solve the environmental pollution problem at fire range caused by high energy explosives research department explosive (RDX) and high melting explosive (HMX). By simulating water pollution, RDX and HMX nitramine explosives were dissolved in water, followed by the degradation reaction at 313 K by adding PdO. In order to measure the degradation reaction rate of explosives, ¹H NMR was used, which can monitor the reaction rate without losing sample during reaction, and observe the progress of the reaction through the spectrum. The results showed that the degradation of RDX and HMX by PdO nanoparticles are pseudo-first order reaction. The degradation of explosives compounds were observed via the chemical shift and peak intensity analysis of NMR peaks. The measured rate constants for these reactions of RDX and HMX were 2.10 × 10^-2 and 6.35 × 10^-4 h^-1, respectively. This study showed that the application of PdO nanoparticles for explosives degradation is a feasible option.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.98-105
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• 2022

In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/graphene oxide (GO)/iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) magnetic microgels were prepared using a microfluidic approach and the dye adsorption capacity of the microgels was confirmed. The adsorption capacity (q_e) of the gels was evaluated by varying the dye concentration, pH, and contact time with the microgels. The dyes used in this work were methylene blue (MB), crystal violet (CV), and malachite green (MG), and microgels showed the highest adsorption capacity (191.1 mg/g) in methylene blue. The microgels exhibited the highest adsorption capacity in the dye aqueous solution at pH 10 due to the presence of atomic nitrogen ions (N⁺) on the dye molecules. The adsorption isotherm studies revealed that the Langmuir isotherm is the best fit isotherm model for the dye adsorption on the microgels, indicative of monolayer adsorption. The kinetic analysis exhibited that the pseudo-second order model fits better than the pseudo-first order model, confirming that the adsorption process is chemisorption. In addition, the magnetic microgels showed good reusability and recovery efficiency. It was confirmed that the adsorption capacity of the gels maintains more than 70% of the initial capacity after 5 times of cycle experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.829-838
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• 2022

This study conducts Hypervelocity Impact(HVI) simulations considering space objects with various shapes and different impact angles. A commercial nonlinear structural dynamics analysis code, LS-DYNA, is used for the present simulation study. The Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic(SPH) method is applied to represent the impact phenomena with hypervelocity. Mie-Grüneisen Equation of State and Johnson-Cook material model are used to consider nonlinear structural behaviors of metallic materials. The space objects with various shapes are modeled as a sphere, cube, cylinder, and cone, respectively. The space structure is modeled as a thin plate(200 mm×200 mm×2 mm). HVI simulations are conducted when space objects with various shapes with 4.119 km/s collide with the space structures, and the impact phenomena such as a debris cloud are analyzed considering the space objects with various shapes having the same mass at the different impact angles of 0°, 30° and 45° between the space object and space structure. Although space objects have the same kinetic energy, different debris clouds are generated due to different shapes. In addition, it is investigated that the size of the debris cloud is decreased by impact angles.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.96-107
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• 2024

Purpose: Deproteinized bovine bone or synthetic hydroxyapatite are 2 prevalent bone grafting materials used in the clinical treatment of peri-implant bone defects. However, the differences in bone formation among these materials remain unclear. This study evaluated osteogenesis kinetics in peri-implant defects using 2 types of deproteinized bovine bone (Bio-Oss^® and Bio-Oss/Collagen^®) and 2 types of synthetic hydroxyapatite (Apaceram-AX^® and Refit^®). We considered factors including newly generated bone volume; bone, osteoid, and material occupancy; and bone-to-implant contact. Methods: A beagle model with a mandibular defect was created by extracting the bilateral mandibular third and fourth premolars. Simultaneously, an implant was inserted into the defect, and the space between the implant and the surrounding bone walls was filled with Bio-Oss, Bio-Oss/Collagen, Apaceram-AX, Refit, or autologous bone. Micro-computed tomography and histological analyses were conducted at 3 and 6 months postoperatively (Refit and autologous bone were not included at the 6-month time point due to their rapid absorption). Results: All materials demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. At 3 months, Bio-Oss and Apaceram-AX exhibited significantly greater volumes of formation than the other materials, with Bio-Oss having a marginally higher amount. However, this outcome was reversed at 6 months, with no significant difference between the 2 materials at either time point. Apaceram-AX displayed notably slower bioresorption and the largest quantity of residual material at both time points. In contrast, Refit had significantly greater bioresorption, with complete resorption and rapid maturation involving cortical bone formation at the crest at 3 months, Refit demonstrated the highest mineralized tissue and osteoid occupancy after 3 months, albeit without statistical significance. Conclusions: Overall, the materials demonstrated varying post-implantation behaviors in vivo. Thus, in a clinical setting, both the properties of these materials and the specific conditions of the defects needing reinforcement should be considered to identify the most suitable material.