• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.308-324
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• 2012

The aim of this study is to develop and construct the elements of a new evaluation tool to assess the effectiveness of a horticultural therapy. Delphi method was applied to classify the realms of evaluation and specify their components and constituting items. Delphi process was performed through three rounds and 24 professionals attended all the rounds as panel members. Some of the items were revised or removed according to the results of such tests as content validity ratio, agreement rate, convergency and stability of each item. On the contrary, a few new items were added by accepting the opinions of the professional panels. Previous to the Delphi, the realms of evaluation were classified into physical, cognitional, psycho-emotional and social ones on the basis of literature review, professionals' consultation and in-depth interview with practitioners. At the first round, 112 items constituting four realms were reviewed. The numbers of items to be reviewed were reduced to 107 at the second round and to 102 at the third round. As a result, 98 items in 4 realms were decided as proper evaluation points of horticultural therapy. The compositions of the four respective realms are as follows: 5 components and 27 items in physical realm; 4 components and 25 items in cognitional realm; 2 components and 24 items in psycho-emotional realm; and 4 components and 22 items in social realm. These realms, components and specific items derived from this study constitute indices to evaluate the effectiveness of horticultural therapy. In addition, they might be utilized as good guidelines for planning horticultural therapy programs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1605-1611
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• 2017

Objective: Following a previous report, an experiment was conducted to determine the effect of increasing level of dried stoned olives pomaces (DSOP) in the diet of lactating buffaloes on milk and mozzarella cheese yield and characteristics. Methods: Sixteen pluriparous buffaloes distributed into two groups were fed an isoenergetic (0.9 milk forage unit/kg) and isoprotein (149 g/kg dry matter [DM] of crude protein) diet, with or without DSOP. Each animal received 17 kg DM/d. Samples of forages and concentrates were weekly collected and used for duplicate chemical analyses. Individual milk samples from each control were analyzed for chemical and coagulating parameters and daily production of mozzarella cheese was estimated. At the end of the trial, bulk milk of each group was processed to produce mozzarella cheese and chemical (fat, protein, ash, pH) composition, fatty acids composition, carotenoids and tocopherols content were determined. A sensory test was also performed. The oxidative stability was measured on mozzarella cheese and on governing liquid. Results: No significant differences were observed, neither for milk yield and body condition score, nor for milk characteristics. The fat was higher (p<0.05) in mozzarella of DSOP fed group but, saturated fatty acids were lower and unsaturated higher (p<0.01). Furthermore, lower atherogenic (p<0.01), and thrombogenic (p<0.05) indices were found in mozzarella cheese of DSOP fed group. In addition, the administration of DSOP did not affect the mozzarella cheese oxidative stability and no negative effect was found in the sensory properties. Conclusion: No contraindications appeared for the inclusion of DSOP in the diet of lactating buffaloes. Besides, important effects on mozzarella cheese quality were obtained, such as a modification of fat content and attributes with an increment in the mono-unsaturated. Additionally, a lower saturated/unsaturated ratio and atherogenic and thrombogenic indices suggest an improvement of dietetic and nutritional characteristics of mozzarella cheese.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.95-106
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• 2016

Water Management Resilience Index (WMRI) was developed as a policy measure of adaptability to withstand water stresses and to set up water management strategies mainly in mid-small scale tributaries, and then evaluated on 117 sub-basins in South Korea. The index consists of 3 sub-indices such as vulnerability, robustness and redundancy sub-indices, each including indicators of 3 sectors: water use, flood mitigation, and river environment. Total number of indicators selected for the index was 31. Taking into account the stream order and control capability of river flow discharge, sub-basins were categorized into 3: 1 for mainstreams of lower large dams, 2 and 3 for tributaries, respectively without and with flow discharge regulation. As a result of the evaluation, resilience index scores in Category 2 and 3 are much lower than that of Category 1, especially with very poor score of redundancy. Although there was no significant difference between mainstream and tributaries in vulnerability and robustness sub-indices, results of redundancy sub-index in tributaries were lower than those in mainstream. Thus, it is conceived that the variety of water management schemes should be considered to improve their resilience in the face of future uncertainty. Addressing comprehensive stability of river basin against internal and external impacts, WMRI in this study can also be used for the prioritization of water management plans.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.307-322
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• 2023

Rock-mass grouting plays a crucial role in the construction of dams and deep caverns, effectively preventing seepage in the foundations, enhancing stability, and mitigating hazards. Most rock grouting is affected by hydrogeological and rock engineering indices such as rock quality designation (RQD), rock mass quality (Q-value), geological strength index (GSI), joint spacing (Js), joint aperture (Ap), lugeon value (Lu), secondary permeability index (SPI), and coefficient of permeability (K). Therefore, accurate geological analysis of basic rock properties and guidelines for grouting construction are essential for ensuring safe and effective grouting design and construction. Such analysis has been applied in dam construction sites, with a particular focus on the geological characteristics of bedrock and the development of prediction methods for grout take. In South Korea, many studies have focused on grout injection materials and construction management techniques. However, there is a notable lack of research on the analysis of hydrogeological and rock engineering information for rock masses, which are essential for the development of appropriate rock grouting plans. This paper reviews the current state of research into the correlation between the grout take with important hydrogeological and rock engineering indices. Based on these findings, future directions for the development of rock grouting research in South Korea are discussed.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3A
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• pp.193-200
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• 2010

Structural design requires simultaneously to ensure safety by considering quantitatively uncertainties in the applied loadings, material properties and fabrication error and to maximize economical efficiency. As a solution, system reliability-based design optimization (SRBDO), which takes into consideration both uncertainties and economical efficiency, has been extensively researched and numerous attempts have been done to apply it to structural design. Contrary to conventional deterministic optimization, SRBDO involves the evaluation of component and system probabilistic constraints. However, because of the complicated algorithm for calculating component reliability indices and system reliability, excessive computational time is required when the large-scale finite element analysis is involved in evaluating the probabilistic constraints. Accordingly, an algorithm for SRBDO exhibiting improved stability and efficiency needs to be developed for the large-scale problems. In this study, a more stable and efficient SRBDO based on the performance measure approach (PMA) is developed. PMA shows good performance when it is applied to reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) which has only component probabilistic constraints. However, PMA could not be applied to SRBDO because PMA only calculates the probabilistic performance measure for limit state functions and does not evaluate the reliability indices. In order to overcome these difficulties, the decoupled algorithm is proposed where RBDO based on PMA is sequentially performed with updated target component reliability indices until the calculated system reliability index approaches the target system reliability index. Through a mathematical problem and ten-bar truss problem, the proposed method shows better convergence and efficiency than other approaches.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2018

This study was carried out to estimate the effect of selected inoculants on chemical compositions and fermentation characteristics of rye silage. Rye was harvested at dough stage and divided into 5 treatments, following: No additives (CON); L. plantarum R48-27 (LP27); L. buchneri R4-26 (LB26); Mixture of LP27 and LB26 at 1:1 ratio (MIX); and L. buchneri (LB). The rye forage was ensiled into 10 L bucket silo for 100 days. The contents of NDF and ADF were lowest (P<0.05) in LB26. The pH in LB26, MIX, and LB were lower (P<0.05) than CON and LP27. Lactate content in LB was higher (P<0.05) than the others, while acetate content in LB26 and LB were higher (P<0.05) than that in CON and LP27. Lactate to acetate ratio was highest (P<0.05) in LB, but lowest in LB26. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count in LB was higher (P<0.05) than that in CON, while yeast count in CON was lower than in all silages applied inoculants. In conclusion, silages inoculated with LB26 could improve potentially the aerobic stability caused by increases of acetate and propionate concentrations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2027-2033
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• 2014

Background: We aimed to assess RET proto-oncogene polymorphisms in three different Iranian families with medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), and performed molecular dynamics simulations and free energy stability analysis of these mutations. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of 48 patients and their first-degree relatives with MTC confirmed by pathologic diagnosis and surgery. We performed molecular dynamics simulations and free energy stability analysis of mutations, and docking evaluation of known RET proto-oncogene inhibitors, including ZD-6474 and ponatinib, with wild-type and mutant forms. Results: The first family consisted of 27 people from four generations, in which nine had the C.G2901A (P.C634Y) mutation; the second family consisted of six people, of whom three had the C.G2901T (P.C634F) mutation, and the third family, who included 12 individuals from three generations, three having the C.G2251A (P.G691S) mutation. The automated 3D structure of RET protein was predicted using I-TASSER, and validated by various protein model verification programs that showed more than 96.3% of the residues in favored and allowed regions. The predicted instability indices of the mutated structures were greater than 40, which reveals that mutated RET protein is less thermo-stable compared to the wild-type form (35.4). Conclusions: Simultaneous study of the cancer mutations using both in silico and medical genetic procedures, as well as onco-protein inhibitor binding considering mutation-induced drug resistance, may help in better overcoming chemotherapy resistance and designing innovative drugs.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.573-584
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• 2021

Background and objective: This study was conducted with 10 men and women in their 50s-60s to investigate the effect of agro-healing activities on the improvement of mental health. Methods: The experimental group participated in total 8 sessions of agro-healing activities, once a week for 2 hours each, at a care farm in Wanju-gun. Physiological measurements were taken with an electroencephalogram (EEG), Salivettes samples, and blood pressure before and after the activities. Results: As a result of analyzing the changes in brainwaves of the experimental group before and after agro-healing activities, relative slow alpha (RSA), relative fast alpha (RFA), and ratio of alpha to high beta (RAHB), the indices of stability and relaxation, increased after the program with statistical significance. Also, the ratio of SMR to theta (RST) of the attention index increased on the right frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and left occipital lobes, and relative low beta (RLB) increasd on the frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and occipital lobes after the program with statistical significance. The sympathetic nervous system activity, which is a stress index, decreased after the program, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system activity, which is a relaxation index, increased, showing statistical significance (p < .05). As a result of analyzing the changes in blood pressure after the program, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure decreased from prehypertension to normal blood pressure, showing statistical significance. SThese results indicate that participating in agro-healing activities at a care farm for the 50-60s helps reduce stress and improve stability and relaxation as well as attention. Conclusion: Thus, developing and applying customized agro-healing programs for participants will have a positive effect on brain activity and psychophysiological improvement by relieving tension and stress. However, there are limitations in generalizing the results of this study since most of agro-healing farms have low accessibility that leads to a low level of participants.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.729-747
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• 2022

The critical buckling loads and buckling modes of bi-directional functionally graded porous unified higher order shear plate with elastic foundation are investigated. A mathematical model based on neutral axis rather than midplane is developed in comprehensive way for the first time in this article. The material constituents form ceramic and metal are graded through thickness and axial direction by the power function distribution. The voids and cavities inside the material are proposed by three different porosity models through the thickness of plate. The constitutive parameters and force resultants are evaluated relative to the neutral axis. Unified higher order shear plate theories are used to satisfy the zero-shear strain/stress at the top and bottom surfaces. The governing equilibrium equations of bi-directional functionally graded porous unified plate (BDFGPUP) are derived by Hamilton's principle. The equilibrium equations in the form of coupled variable coefficients partial differential equations is solved by using numerical differential integral quadrature method (DIQM). The validation of the present model is presented and compared with previous works for bucking. Deviation in buckling loads for both mid-plane and neutral plane are developed and discussed. The numerical results prove that the shear functions, distribution indices, boundary conditions, elastic foundation and porosity type have significant influence on buckling stability of BDFGPUP. The current mathematical model may be used in design and analysis of BDFGPU used in nuclear, mechanical, aerospace, and naval application.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-169
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• 2022

Hwapocheon stream is located in Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, and a part was declared a protected wetland area in 2017. In 2020 and 2021, we investigated the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates of the Hwapocheon stream to provide ecological information for the management of the wetland. As a result, 4 phyla, 6 classes, 20 orders, 51 families, 83 species, and 2,621 individuals of benthic macroinvertebrates were identified. The average indices of diversity, richness, and evenness were the highest in the midstream area, whereas the highest average index of dominance was observed upstream. Seven biological water quality evaluations based on the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates showed that the Biological Monitoring Working Party was an extremely suitable method for environmental evaluation of the Hwapocheon stream. Regarding functional feeding groups, the number of species of predators and gathering-collectors was the highest, and considering habitual dwelling groups, the number of species of clingers and sprawlers was the highest. The species number of Odonata, Hemiptera, and Coleoptera increased toward the downstream area, whereas the community loss index was the highest upstream. We also investigated relative resistance and resilience based on the distribution of aquatic insects and found that community stability was the highest downstream, whereas the lowest upstream.