• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.541-552
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• 2018

The implementation of drought measures in the upstream areas of river basins is seldom considered with respect to water supply. However, the demand for such measures is increasing rapidly owing to the occurrence of severe droughts, and interventions on streams and the water supply are needed. Physical interventions are an option to prevent streams from becoming dry and to maintain stream water flow, but dam construction is challenging because of environmental and ecological considerations. Here, a feasibility study was conducted to assess the potential effects of sand dams, which are widely used in arid regions in Africa. The SWAT-K model, which is a hydrologic model used for Korean watersheds, is used to estimate the flow rate of water in an ungauged watershed. The changes in water storage of the sand-dammed reservoir and in downstream flow rates are estimated for two types of sand dam (natural and dredged). The results show that sand dams are capable of increasing the downstream flow rate during normal conditions and of mitigating water supply problems caused by the withdrawal of water during drought periods.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2021

Purpose: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Brain atrophy in this disease spectrum begins in the medial temporal lobe structure, which can be recognized by magnetic resonance imaging. To overcome the unsatisfactory inter-observer reliability of visual evaluation, quantitative brain volumetry has been developed and widely investigated for the diagnosis of MCI and AD. The aim of this study was to assess the prediction accuracy of quantitative brain volumetry using a fully automated segmentation software package, NeuroQuant^®, for the diagnosis of MCI. Materials and Methods: A total of 418 subjects from the Korean Brain Aging Study for Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease cohort were included in our study. Each participant was allocated to either a cognitively normal old group (n = 285) or an MCI group (n = 133). Brain volumetric data were obtained from T1-weighted images using the NeuroQuant software package. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to investigate relevant brain regions and their prediction accuracies. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that normative percentiles of the hippocampus (P < 0.001), amygdala (P = 0.003), frontal lobe (P = 0.049), medial parietal lobe (P = 0.023), and third ventricle (P = 0.012) were independent predictive factors for MCI. In ROC analysis, normative percentiles of the hippocampus and amygdala showed fair accuracies in the diagnosis of MCI (area under the curve: 0.739 and 0.727, respectively). Conclusion: Normative percentiles of the hippocampus and amygdala provided by the fully automated segmentation software could be used for screening MCI with a reasonable post-processing time. This information might help us interpret structural MRI in patients with cognitive impairment.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 2021

According to International Associating for the Study of Pain (IASP) definition, neuropathic pain is a disorder characterized by dysfunction of the nervous system that, under normal conditions, mediates virulent information to the central nervous system (CNS). This pain can be divided into a disease with provable lesions in the peripheral or central nervous system and states with an incorporeal lesion of any nerves. Both conditions undergo long-term and chronic processes of change, which can eventually develop into chronic pain syndrome, that is, nervous system is inappropriately adapted and difficult to heal. However, the treatment of neuropathic pain itself is incurable from diagnosis to treatment process, and there is still a lack of notable solutions. Recently, several studies have observed the responses of CNS to harmful stimuli using image analysis technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and optical imaging. These techniques have confirmed that the change in synaptic-plasticity was generated in brain regions which perceive and handle pain information. Furthermore, these techniques helped in understanding the interaction of learning mechanisms and chronic pain, including neuropathic pain. The study aims to describe recent findings that revealed the mechanisms of pathological pain and the structural and functional changes in the brain. Reflecting on the definition of chronic pain and inspecting the latest reports will help develop approaches to alleviate pain.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.157-167
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• 2021

This study is a descriptive research study to find out the relationship between degree of Self-Esteem, Anger-Out, Anger-In, Anger-Control and SNS Addiction Tendency of high school students, and the factors that influence SNS addiction tendency. For a total of 10 days from May 18 to 28, 2020, a total of 100 people were collected using online questionnaires to those who were attending high schools in S and G regions and using SNS. As a result of the study, SNS addiction tendency and self-esteem(r=.385, p<.001), anger-control(r=-.354, p<.001) showed a normal inverse correlation, and an anger-out (r=.321, p=.001), anger-in (r=308, p=.002) showed a common net correlation. Factors affecting SNS addiction tendencies were self-esteem(β=-.297, p=.001), gender(β=.266, p=.003), and anger-out(β=.247, p=.007), with 27.7% explanatory power in the regression model(F=12.279, p<.001). Therefore, it is necessary to develop programs to increase high school students' self-esteem and lower their anger-out in order to reduce SNS addiction tendencies, especially for female high school students in gender.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.581-589
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• 2021

Using visible-near infrared(Vis-NIR) spectra combined with machine learning methods, the feasibility of quick and non-destructive classification of Convolvulaceae species was studied. The main aim of this study is to classify six Convolvulaceae species in the field in different geographical regions of South Korea using a handheld spectrometer. Spectra were taken at 1.5 nm intervals from the adaxial side of the leaves in the Vis-NIR spectral region between 400 and 1,075 nm. The obtained spectra were preprocessed with three different preprocessing methods to find the best preprocessing approach with the highest classification accuracy. Preprocessed spectra of the six Convolvulaceae sp. were provided as input for the machine learning analysis. After cross-validation, the classification accuracy of various combinations of preprocessing and modeling ranged between 43.4% and 98.6%. The combination of Savitzky-Golay and Support vector machine methods showed the highest classification accuracy of 98.6% for the discrimination of Convolvulaceae sp. The growth stage of the plants, different measuring locations, and the scanning position of leaves on the plant were some of the crucial factors that affected the outcomes in this investigation. We conclude that Vis-NIR spectroscopy, coupled with suitable preprocessing and machine learning approaches, can be used in the field to effectively discriminate Convolvulaceae sp. for effective weed monitoring and management.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.569-574
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• 2023

Aberrant DNA methylation plays a pivotal role in the onset and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), a disease with high incidence and mortality rates in Korea. Several CRC-associated diagnostic and prognostic methylation markers have been identified; however, due to a lack of comprehensive clinical and methylome data, these markers have not been validated in the Korean population. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to obtain the CRC methylation profile using 172 tumors and 128 adjacent normal colon tissues of Korean patients with CRC. Based on the comparative methylome analysis, we found that hypermethylated positions in the tumor were predominantly concentrated in CpG islands and promoter regions, whereas hypomethylated positions were largely found in the open-sea region, notably distant from the CpG islands. In addition, we stratified patients by applying the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) to the tumor methylome data. This stratification validated previous clinicopathological implications, as tumors with high CIMP signatures were significantly correlated with the proximal colon, higher prevalence of microsatellite instability status, and MLH1 promoter methylation. In conclusion, our extensive methylome analysis and the accompanying dataset offers valuable insights into the utilization of CRC-associated methylation markers in Korean patients, potentially improving CRC diagnosis and prognosis. Furthermore, this study serves as a solid foundation for further investigations into personalized and ethnicity-specific CRC treatments.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2024

In this study, we analyzed the water temperature variability in the sea area of the Korean Peninsula in August, before and after the typhoon inflow through Typhoon Soulik, the 19th in 2018 that turned right around the Korean Peninsula and passed through the East Sea, and Typhoon Bavi, the eighth in 2020 that advanced north and passed through the Yellow Sea. The data used in this study included the water temperature data recorded in the real-time information system for aquaculture environment provided by the National Institute of Fisheries Science, wind data near the water as recorded by the automatic weather system, and water temperature data provided by the NOAA/AVHRR satellite. According to the analysis, when typhoons with different movement paths passed through the Korean Peninsula, the water temperature in the East Sea repeatedly upwelled (northern winds) and downwelled (southern winds) depending on the wind speed and direction. In particular, when Typhoon Soulik passed through the East sea, the water temperature dropped sharply by around 10 ℃. When Typhoon Bavi passed through the center of the Yellow Sea, the water temperature rose in certain observed areas of the Yellow Sea and even in certain areas of the South Sea. Warmer water flowed into cold water regions owing to the movement of Typhoon Bavi, causing water temperature to rise. The water temperature appeared to have recovered to normal. By understanding the water temperature variability in the sea area of the Korean Peninsula caused by typhoons, this research is expected to minimize the negative effects of abnormal climate on aquaculture organisms and contribute to the formulation of damage response strategies for fisheries disasters in sea areas.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.561-571
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• 2019

The Hupo Basin, continental marginal basin, of the East Sea extends to Uljin-gun and Yeongdeok-gun. The Hupo Bank, a terrain that is higher than the surrounding seabed, is located at the eastern boundary of the Hupo Basin. KIOST(Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology) conducted detailed bathymetry surveys in the northern, central and southern areas of the Hupo Basin from 2011 to 2013. The Hupo Basin, bounded by steep slopes of the Hupo Bank, is deepened from the west coast to the east and deepest to a maximum depth of about 250 m. A narrow seafloor channel appears in the northern, central, and southern areas with the deepest depths. Numerous pockmarks appear on the seafloor at depths of about 150 ~ 250 m in all the three areas of the detailed bathymetry surveys. These pockmarks generally have diameters of about 20 to 50 m and depths of about 4 to 6 m, with craterlike submarine topography of various sizes. Seafloor sediments in the pockmark areas consist of fine silt. Comparing the shape and size of the pockmark of the Hupo Basin with that of other regions of the world, it is considered to be classified as a normal pockmark. There are about 7 pockmarks/1 ㎢ in the northern part of the three areas and about 8 pockmarks/1 ㎢ in the central part. The southern part has about 5 pockmarks/1 ㎢. If the area with the possibility of pockmarks is extended to the depth area of about 150 ~ 250 m in the entire Hupo Basin, the number of pockmarks is estimated to be more than about 4800. The pockmark of the Hupo Basin is more likely to be generated by a fluid such as a liquid than a gas. But it is necessary to scrutinize the cause and continuously monitor the pockmark.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 1973

During the last decade extensive studios on catecholamines have evolved new knowledge in the physiology and biochemistry of adrenergic mechanism. Cardiac muscle, receiving adrenergic fibres from the stellate, cervical and thoracic ganglia, has been repeatedly shown to have a specific capacity to uptake and to store catecholamines. The catecholamine stores in cardiac muscle have also been shown to be important sites for the action of numerous drugs. Under normal condition, a certain level of catecholamines is maintained in the stores and serves as the basis for studying the changes in the catecholamine content of the heart. Because myocardial catecholamines play such important role in the patho-physiology of the heart, it would be interesting to compare the normal level of myocardial catecholamines among various species of animals. An occasional study has dealt with myocardial catecholamines of several species add ages of animals but these have been insufficiently comprehensive to afford a basis for an understanding of the importance of these amines as related to species and ages. The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether or not there is any significance of myocardial catecholamines in the course of the evolution and development of animals. Seasonal changes, sex difference and regional and subcellular distribution of myocardial catecholamines were also examined. The concentration of cardiac catecholamines was determined by the spectrophotofluorometric procedure described by Shore and Olin. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. As animals phylogenetically progressed larger amounts of catecholamines were resent in their hearts. A negligibly small amount of catecholamine was present in the hearts of the clam, a non-vertebrate. Among the vertebrates, cold-blooded animals (snake, turtle, frog, eel and fish) had less myocardial catecholamines than warm-blooded animals, of which aves (fowl and duck) had less than mammalia (cat, dog, rabbit, rat, cow and pig). The ratio of norepinephrine to epinephrine also was greater as the animals progress phylogenetically. 2. Examination of the regional distribution of cardiac catecholamines in warm-blooded animals showed that the content of the auricle was generally higher than that of the septum and considerably than that of the ventricle, but the differences of contents among these regions were not so marked. 3. In the embryonic chick, cardiac catecholamines were firstly detected on the 4th day of incubation, the time before the cardiac innervation of sympathetic nerves. The concentrations of these catecholamines increased but not markedly on the 6th day of incubation, soon after the innervation of sympathetic nerves to the heart. The level of the cardiac catecholamines fluctuated throughout the remainder of embryonic development. 4. In newborn rat hearts, a considerable amount of catecholamines was present. With the development of the rats, the concentrations of myocardial catecholamines increased. The ratio of epinephrine and norepinephrine fluctuated within the range of 40 to 60 pervent. However, as development progressed, the percentage of norepinephrine continued to rise, attaining the adult value of $80{\sim}90%$ after $45{\sim}60$ days. In contrast, the total amount of epinephrine remained fairly constant throughout the animal's development. 5. No significant sexual differences were observed in the concentration of myocardial catecholamines in the developing rat. 6. The catecholamines in the rabbit hearts increased during the summer season (from May to August) and maintained a fairly constant level in the other seasons of the year. 7. The subcellular distribution of cardiac catecholamines was examined by differential centrifugation of homogenates of cardiac muscles in rabbits, cats and rats. The catecholamines were found to be present approximately 20% in particles of mitochondrial fraction, 45% in particles of microsomal fraction and 35% in soluble supernatant fraction. The particle containing catecholamines in cardiac muscle appears to be two different sizes.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2000

Purpose: We performed this study to evaluate the changes of gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) in diabetic patients with or without autonomic neuropathy. Materials and Methods: This study included 37 diabetic patients (25 women, 12 men, mean age 51 years) and 24 normal controls (10 women, 14 men, mean age 38 years). After intravenous injection of 185 MBq of $^{99m}Tc$-DISIDA, serial anterior abdominal images were acquired before and after fatty meal. Regions of interest were applied on gallbladder and right hepatic lobe on 60 and 90 minute images to calculate GBEF. Results: GBEF was significantly reduced in diabetes with autonomic neuropathy ($43{\pm}12.3%$) and without autonomic neuropathy ($57.5{\pm}13.2%$) compared with normal controls ($68{\pm}11.6%$, p<0.05). And also, GBEF was significantly reduced in diabetes with autonomic neuropathy compared with diabetes without autonomic neuropathy (p<0.05). Fasting blood glucose level, age, sex, hemoglobin Alc, body mass index, serum lipid level were not different in these two diabetic patient groups (p>0.05). When 50.2% of GBEF was used as the criteria for diabetic autonomic neuropathy, the sensitivity and specificity were 80%, 76.5%, respectively. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.846. Conclusion: GBEF of diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy was significantly reduced than that of diabetic patients without autonomic neuropathy.