• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.823-829
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• 2014

In the present study, simple models were proposed to predict the capillary-driven flow length in a surfactant-added poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) rectangular microchannel. Owing to the hydrophobic nature of PDMS, it is difficult to transport water in a conventional PDMS microchannel by means of the capillary force alone. To overcome this problem, microchannels with a hydrophilic surface were fabricated using surfactant-added PDMS. By measuring the contact angle change on the surfactant-added PDMS surface, the behavior was investigated to establish a simple model. In order to predict the filling length induced by the capillary force, the Washburn equation was modified in the present study. From the investigation, it was found that the initial rate-of-change of the contact angle affected the filling length. Simple models were developed for three representative cases, and these can be useful tools in designing microfluidic manufacturing techniques including MIcroMolding In Capillaries (MIMIC).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1785-1787
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• 2016

Granular cell tumor (GCT) of the oral cavity is a benign lesion. Half of oral GCTs demonstrate pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia (PCH) of the mucosa which can mimic invasive islands of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Such similarity can be confusing when diagnosing or evaluating the two conditions, potentially leading to misdiagnosis or misclassification. Indeed, several misdiagnosed cases of oral GCT have been reported in the literature as OSCC or malignant oral GCT that resulted in unnecessary aggressive treatment for the affected patients. The aim of this study was to investigate if the cytokeratin pattern of the PCH can help in differentiating GCT from oral SCC. To distinguish between these two entities, we examined 12 patient specimens of oral GCT-PCH and oral SCC histologically and via immunohistochemistry (IHC) for CK13, CK17 and P75. The results suggest that the cytokeratin profile of PCH is similar to that of oral SCC. Therefore, consideration of IHC findings for epithelial markers alone may lead to erroneous diagnosis; thus, the presence of the granular tumor underneath the PCH and its immunopositivity for P75 or other neural definition markers can be essential to identify the underlying tumor and exclude oral SCC. Finally we recommend more studies on the molecular biology of PCH to understand how it can mimic oral SCC histologically without harboring its malignant phenotype clinically, which could have significant translational potential for understanding invasive oral SCC.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.573-583
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• 2015

B-32 is one of a panel of monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies to growth hormone (GH) that we developed. To characterize and identify its potential role as a novel growth hormone receptor (GHR) agonist, we determined that B-32 behaved as a typical $Ab2{\beta}$ based on a series of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay assays. The results of fluorescence-activated cell sorting, indirect immunofluorescence and competitive receptor binding assays demonstrated that B-32 specifically binds to the GHR expressed on target cells. Next, we examined the resulting signal transduction pathways triggered by this antibody in primary porcine hepatocytes. We found that B-32 can activate the GHR and Janus kinase (2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK2/STAT5) signalling pathways. The phosphorylation kinetics of JAK2/STAT5 induced by either GH or B-32 were analysed in dose-response and time course experiments. In addition, B32 could also stimulate porcine hepatocytes to secrete insulin-like growth factors-1. Our work indicates that a monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody to GH (B-32) can serve as a GHR agonist or GH mimic and has application potential in domestic animal (pig) production.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.531-544
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• 2012

This study suggested the parameter estimation method for given rainfall events to be properly expressed by the beta distribution. For this purpose, this study compared the characteristics of probability density function with the parameter proposed considering the cases with and without addition to the rainfall peak, and the cases of using the real hyetograph and the rearranged hyetograph about the rainfall peak. As an example, this study analyzed the independent rainfall events at Seoul in 2010 and the annual maximum independent rainfall events from 1961 to 2010. The results derived are as follows. First, this study confirmed the necessity of additional consideration on rainfall peak to mimic the real hyetograph of rainfall events by the beta distribution. Second, this study confirmed the case of using rearranged hyetograph about the rainfall peak derived a better beta distribution to well mimic the characteristics of real rainfall than the case using the real hyetograph.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2003

Numerous studies of short-term, beat-to-beat variability in cardiovascular signals have used linear analysis techniques. However, no study has been done about the appropriateness of linear techniques or the comparison between linearities and nonlinearities in short-term, beat-to-beat variability. This paper aims to verify the appropriateness of linear techniques by investigating nonlinearities in short-term, beat-to-beat variability. We compared linear autoregressive moving average(ARMA) with nonlinear neural network(NN) models for predicting current instantaneous heart rate(HR) and mean arterial blood pressure(BP) from past HRs and BPs. To evaluate these models. we used HR and BP time series from the MIMIC database. Experimental results indicate that NN-based nonlinearities do not play a significant role and suggest that 10 technique provides adequate characterization of the system dynamics responsible for generating short-term, beat-to-beat variability.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.122-126
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• 2020

In this study, we produced the micropatterned channel system using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC) technology and evaluated cellular polarity signals through high-resolved imaging at the single-cell level. In cells treated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), three types of key signals in cell migration; phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3 K), Rac, and Actin, were strongly activated in the front area compared to the rear region, whereas myosin light chain (MLC) showed no notable activity in the front and rear areas. Our results will, therefore, provide important information and methodology for studying the correlation between cell polarity signals and cell migration under the newly defined microenvironment.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.341-349
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• 2001

Dental caries is the most common oral disease. There are many factors contributing to its development, but complete understanding and prevention are not fully known. However, it is possible to remineralize the early enamel curious lesion by fluoride containing remineralization solution. Recently the pH-cycling model has been used to examine the effect of fluoride solution on remineralization of artificial caries in vitro as it can closely simulate the conditions encountered in vivo within a carefully controlled environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the remineralizing effects of supersaturated buffer solutions under pH-cycling model. The specimen with 3mm-diameter was made using mature bovine incisors which has no caries and has sound enamel surface. Early curious lesions were produced by suspending each specimens into demineralization solution at pH 5.0 for 33 hours and the specimen whose surface hardness value ranged from 25 to 45 VHN were used. The pH cycling treatment regimen consisted of 5 min soaks of three treatment solutions four times per days for 15 days and the continuous cycling of demineralization and remineralization were carried out for 15 days. Following the pH-cycling treatment regimen, the specimens' surface microhardness were measured by the Vickers hardness test (VHN) and analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan's multiple-range test. 1. The surface microhardness value of supersaturated solution, Senstime, and Gagline groups were increased after pH cycling, and that of supersaturated solution was significantly Increased compared to saline group(P<0.05). 2. The surface remineralization effect of fluoride containing solutions was accelerated by saliva under pH-cycling mode 3. The pH cycling model was considered appropriate to mimic the intra-oral pH changes when evaluating demineralization and remineralization in vitro. Under the results of above study, salivary remineralization effect can be improved by fluoride containing remineralization solution. The pH-cycling model was considered appropriate to mimic the intra-oral pH changes when evaluating demineralization and remineralization in vitro.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.20-33
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• 2020

Objective: The differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM) in terms of their adverse effects on male reproductive parameters have never been elucidated. This study aimed to distinguish between the effects of the DM types in mice treated with multiple low doses of streptozotocin (STZ) to mimic human T1DM and coadministered a high-fat diet (HFD) to mimic human T2DM. Methods: The T1DM mice were intraperitoneally injected with STZ (40 mg/kg body weight) for 5 days. The T2DM mice received an HFD for 14 days prior to STZ injection (85 mg/kg body weight), followed by continuous feeding of an HFD. Male reproductive parameters were evaluated. Results: The reproductive organs of the DM mice weighed significantly less than those of controls, and the seminal vesicles plus prostates of the T1DM mice weighed less than those of the T2DM mice. Increased sperm abnormalities and incomplete DNA packaging were observed in the DM groups. Sperm concentration and the proportion of normal sperm were significantly lower in the T1DM group. The seminiferous histopathology of DM mice was classified into seven types. The penises of the DM mice were smaller than those of the controls; however, tunica albuginea thickness and the amount of penile collagen fibers were increased in these mice. Round germ cells were abundant in the epididymal lumens of the mice with DM. Conclusion: T1DM adversely affected reproductive parameters to a greater extent than T2DM.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.2
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• pp.72-77
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• 2015

Background: Lung cancer is the most lethal type of cancer in the world. Several benign lung diseases may mimic lung carcinoma in its clinical and radiological presentation, which makes the differential diagnosis for granulomatous diseases more relevant in endemic regions like Brazil. This study was designed to describe the prevalence and the diagnostic work-up of benign diseases that mimic primary lung cancer in patients hospitalized at a university hospital from south of Brazil. Methods: This was a transversal study, which evaluated the medical records of 1,056 patients hospitalized for lung cancer treatment from September 2003 to September 2013 at University Hospital of Santa Maria. Results: Eight hundred and four patients underwent invasive procedures for suspected primary lung carcinoma. Primary lung cancer was confirmed in 77.4% of the patients. Benign disease was confirmed in 8% of all patients. Tuberculosis (n=14) and paracoccidioidomycosis (n=9) were the most frequent infectious diseases. The diagnosis of benign diseases was obtained by flexible bronchoscopy in 55.6% of the cases and by thoracotomy in 33.4%. Conclusion: Infectious diseases are the most frequent benign diseases mimicking lung cancer at their initial presentation. Many of these cases could be diagnosed by minimally invasive procedures such as flexible bronchoscopy. Benign diseases should be included in the differential diagnosis during the investigation for primary lung cancer in order to avoid higher cost procedures and mortality.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.510-518
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• 2014

In this study, in order to improve and optimize the performance of the turning mechanism for a fish robot in the fluid, we propose the tail joint trajectories using neural networks to mimic the CST(C-shape Sharp Turn) patterns of a real fish which is optimized in the natural environment. In order to mimic the CST patterns of a fish, we convert the sequential recording CST patterns into the coordinate data, and change the numerical coordinate data into a functions. We change the motion functions to the relative joint angles which is adapted to suit robot's shape and data. However, these relative joint trajectories obtained by the sequential recording of the carp have low-precision. It is difficult to apply to the control of a fish robot. Therefore, the relative joint trajectories are interpolated using neural networks with superior generalization ability and applied to the fish robot. we have found that the proposed method using neural networks is superior to ones using high-order polynomial equation through the computer simulations.