• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.69-82
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate and compare the effects of 640 nm LED irradiation and aromatherapy on the skin condition of the neck. Twenty female participants were divided into Group A (640 nm LED irradiation + aromatherapy) and Group B (640 nm LED irradiation only). Total of 8 experiments were conducted on the 2 groups twice a week. As a result of the experiment, moisture content was significantly improved in both group A (p<0.01) and group B (p<0.001), and wrinkle index was significantly improved in both group A (p<0.01) and group B (p<0.05). Additionally, the change in skin density was significantly improved in both group A (p<0.001) and group B (p<0.05), and the change in elasticity was significantly improved in both group A (p<0.001) and group B (p<0.001) as well. However, the change in skin tone was not significant in group A (p>0.05), but the change was drastically improved in group B (p<0.05). Blemishes and pigmentation changes were significantly improved in group A (p<0.05), but was not significant in group B (p>0.05). These results conclude that combining aromatherapy with 640 nm LED irradiation can be highly effective in improving skin condition of the neck.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1055-1064
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• 2020

Objective: To assess the incremental prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in comparison to a clinical risk model (Framingham risk score, FRS) and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) for future cardiac events in ischemic stroke patients without chest pain. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 1418 patients with acute stroke who had no previous cardiac disease and underwent CCTA, including CACS. Stenosis degree and plaque types (high-risk, non-calcified, mixed, or calcified plaques) were assessed as CCTA variables. High-risk plaque was defined when at least two of the following characteristics were observed: low-density plaque, positive remodeling, spotty calcification, or napkin-ring sign. We compared the incremental prognostic value of CCTA for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) over CACS and FRS. Results: The prevalence of any plaque and obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) (stenosis ≥ 50%) were 70.7% and 30.2%, respectively. During the median follow-up period of 48 months, 108 patients (7.6%) experienced MACE. Increasing FRS, CACS, and stenosis degree were positively associated with MACE (all p < 0.05). Patients with high-risk plaque type showed the highest incidence of MACE, followed by non-calcified, mixed, and calcified plaque, respectively (log-rank p < 0.001). Among the prediction models for MACE, adding stenosis degree to FRS showed better discrimination and risk reclassification compared to FRS or the FRS + CACS model (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, incorporating plaque type in the prediction model significantly improved reclassification (integrated discrimination improvement, 0.08; p = 0.023) and showed the highest discrimination index (C-statistics, 0.85). However, the addition of CACS on CCTA with FRS did not add to the prediction ability for MACE (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Assessment of stenosis degree and plaque type using CCTA provided additional prognostic value over CACS and FRS to risk stratify stroke patients without prior history of CAD better.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.20-31
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• 2024

This study was conducted to investigate the changes in the structure of benthic communities resulting from aquaculture activities and to assess the benthic health status of surface sediment in Gangjin Bay, a region known for concentrated shellfish aquaculture on the southern coast of Korea. Survey stations were divided into longline culture, bottom culture, and non-cultivation areas. The spatiotemporal distribution of physiochemical factors such as the grain size, water temperature, salinity, and total organic carbon in Gangjin Bay showed no significant differences between sampling stations. However, the species number, density, and diversity were relatively lower at the sampling stations in the bottom culture areas than at the other stations throughout the entire survey period. Cluster analysis and principal coordinates analysis also clearly distinguished the benthic communities in the bottom culture areas from those in the other sampling areas. At the sampling stations in the longline culture and non-cultivation areas, Scolectoma longifolia and Sigambra tentaculata, which are indicator species of organically enriched areas, appeared as dominant species. However, excluding some stations influenced by physical factors such as the water depth and current speed, the occupancy rate was not high. The health assessment results, conducted using the fisheries environment assessment method, revealed good conditions with Grades 1 and 2 across the entire area. However, an examination of the spatiotemporal changes in benthic communities and the benthic health index indicated that the benthic environment in the bottom culture areas was affected by physical disturbances.

• Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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• v.489 no.3
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• pp.4389-4417
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• 2019

We study the dust properties of 192 nearby galaxies from the JINGLE survey using photometric data in the 22-850 ㎛ range. We derive the total dust mass, temperature T, and emissivity index β of the galaxies through the fitting of their spectral energy distribution (SED) using a single modified blackbody model (SMBB). We apply a hierarchical Bayesian approach that reduces the known degeneracy between T and β. Applying the hierarchical approach, the strength of the T-β anticorrelation is reduced from a Pearson correlation coefficient R = -0.79 to R = -0.52. For the JINGLE galaxies we measure dust temperatures in the range 17-30 K and dust emissivity indices β in the range 0.6-2.2. We compare the SMBB model with the broken emissivity law modified blackbody (BMBB) and the two modified blackbody (TMBB) models. The results derived with the SMBB and TMBB are in good agreement, thus applying the SMBB, which comes with fewer free parameters, does not penalize the measurement of the cold dust properties in the JINGLE sample. We investigate the relation between T and β and other global galaxy properties in the JINGLE and Herschel Reference Survey (HRS) sample. We find that β correlates with the stellar mass surface density (R = 0.62) and anticorrelates with the H i mass fraction (M_{H i}/M_*, R = -0.65), whereas the dust temperature correlates strongly with the star formation rate normalized by the dust mass (R = 0.73). These relations can be used to estimate T and β in galaxies with insufficient photometric data available to measure them directly through SED fitting.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.322-331
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• 2024

Background: The increase in population density and human activities due to urbanization and industrialization has led to the release of environmental pollutants through various pathways. These include air, water, and soil and result in environmental contamination. Objectives: This study aimed to conduct exposure and risk assessments for five non-carcinogenic and three carcinogenic heavy metals in indoor dust and sought to propose dust exposure limits for children and adults. Methods: The study collected and analyzed indoor dust from 20 households in Myeodo-dong, Yeosu, between June 28 and 30, 2023. The exposure scenario for indoor dust was assessed for children and adults, calculating inhalation, dermal, and ingestion exposures, followed by a risk assessment categorized into non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic substances. Exposure limits for heavy metals in indoor dust were determined by calculating concentrations where the hazard index (HI) for non-carcinogenic substances remains below 1 and the total cancer risk (TCR) for carcinogenic substances stays below 1×10^-6. Results: The highest concentration of heavy metals in indoor dust was found for Zn, with a maximum value of 4912.01 ㎍/g, while Cd had the lowest concentration at 0.001 ㎍/g. There were strong positive correlations observed between Cu-Ni (0.590), Mn-Ni (0.706), Co-Zn (0.601), Co-Pb (0.930), Co-Cr (0.961), Zn-Pb (0.728), Zn-Ni (0.611), Zn-Cr (0.709), and Pb-Cr (0.982) (p<0.01). The assessment revealed no significant health risks for the five non-carcinogenic metals, as the HI remained below 1. However, two of the carcinogenic metals (Cd, Ni) exceeded the recommended exposure limits (TCR>1×10^-6). The exposure limits for carcinogenic substances were found to be relatively lower compared to those for non-carcinogenic substances, and children had lower exposure limits than adults. Conclusions: This study focused on Myeodo-dong in Yeosu, a region vulnerable to environmental pollution, assessing the potential health risks and proposing exposure standards for eight heavy metals found in indoor dust. The results showed no significant health risk for the five non-carcinogenic metals (HI<1), while three of the two carcinogenic metals (Cd, Ni) exceeded safe exposure limits (TCR>1×10^-6).

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.883-890
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• 2015

The soilborne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lilii (Fol) is a serious threat to all lily cultivars, especially infecting bulbs and flowers. It has become increasingly important to develop varieties resistant against the bulb rot disease. Genetic diversity of cultivars and reliable screening methods are required for this purpose. Here, an efficient in vitro screening system for evaluating resistance to Fol in 38 in vitro-grown lily plants was investigated. Various factors including culture conditions of Fol, inoculum density, appropriate plant materials, inoculation method and duration, and incubation period of plant materials after inoculation were combined to optimize the screening method. As a result, we suggest optimal conditions for an in vitro screening system for the selection of Fol-resistant lily cultivars as follows. Fol was grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium for 6 days at $25^{\circ}C$ in darkness and used as working inoculation. Spore suspensions were prepared (inoculum density: $1.0{\times}10^4$ $spores{\cdot}mL^{-1}$), and then leaf segments $1.5{\times}2.0cm^2$ were inoculated by dipping for 22 hours at $25^{\circ}C$ in dark. Later, leaves were cultured on 0.6% agar plates at $25^{\circ}C$ and 50% humidity with a photoperiod of 16 hours light/8 hours dark (fluence rate of $40{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$) to examine the progress of bulb rot. After 7 days, disease levels were classified into indices 1 (no symptom) to 6 (serious bulb rot). Soil inoculation of Fol carried out with resistant or susceptible lily cultivars that had been selected through in vitro screening confirmed the reproducibility of results. Therefore, the in vitro screening method established in this study is efficient and reliable for selection of lily cultivars resistant against bulb rot disease.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.515-526
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• 1993

In order to study the ecotypic variation of Rohinia pseudo-acacia L. distributed in southern area of Korean peninsula, 15 local populations(Daejin, Sokcho, Kangneung, Mt. Surak, Hongcheon, Kwangneung, Namhansanseong, Chungju, Yesan, Andong, Jeonju, Dalseong, Changweon, Mokpo and Wando), located from $34^{\circ}18'N\;to\;38^{\circ}36'N$, were selected based on the latitudes and geographical distances. Seeds of these populations were collected and protein contents of seeds and their band patterns were investigated. The seed proteins of all populations were electrophoresed on SDS-polyacrylamide gel. Total number of protein bands were 35, whose molecular weights ranged from 17, 258 daltons to 142, 232 daltons. The number of bands of seed proteins was 23 in Dalseong and Hongcheon and was 32 in Daejin and Sokcho, showing an increasing tendency in the number of bands as the latitude goes high. The local populations were classified into 3 local types based on protein analysis: the middle north east coastal type(Daejin, Sokcho. Kangneung), the central type (Mt. Surak, Hongcheon, Kwangneung, Namhansanseong, Chungju) and the southern type(Yesan, Andong, Jeonju, Dalseong, Changweon, Mokpo, Wando). According to the results of cluster analysis by UPGMA based on the similarity index(c0efficient of Jaccard) of the patterns, 3 local types were subdivided further into 6 types: the middle north east coastal type(Sokcho, Kangneung), the north central type I (Mt. Surak, Hongcheon), the north central type II (Narnhansanseong, Chungju, Daejin), the north central type III (Kwangneung), the south central type (Yesan, Dalseong, Jeonju) and the southern type(Andong, Changweon, Mokpo, Dalseong, Wando). The No. 12 band of the separated seed proteins showed the highest colored density in the preparations from all the populations. The No. 11~13 and No. 23~28 bands also showed high densities. As a whole, southern type populations (Changweon, Mokpo, Wando) showed high protein contents and high colored density. Total protein contents of the seeds in each population were variable from 9. 68mg / g (Mt. Surak) to 17.30mg/g (Jeonju), showing an increasing trends toward low latitudes.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.484-489
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• 2003

It is well known that root distribution of rice is a crucial factor for nutrient absorbtion and affect by soil fertility management. However, the findings on root distribution are limited due to laborious and tedious work. The characteristics of root distribution were investigated in long-term fertilizer experiment plots that were established in paddy soil, a fine silty family of typic Hal-paqueps (Pyeongtaeg series) in 1967. fertilizer experiment plots of no fertilizer, compost, NPK and NPK+compost plot have been maintained consistently for the past thirty six year and Npk+silicate plot for the past twenty two years. In NPK plot, 150kg N (urea), 100kg -$\textrm{P}_2\textrm{O}_5$ (fused phosphate) and 100kg $\textrm{K}_2\textrm{O}$(potassium chloride) per hectare have been applied. For NPK+silicate plot, 500kg $\textrm{Si}\textrm{O}_2$ (silicate) was applied in addition to fertilizer in NPK plot. For the compost plot, 10,000kg rice straw compost per hectare were applied. Root samples were taken from the positions of hill-center (below hill) and mid-point of four adjacent rice hills at heading stage by cylinder monolith (CM) method. The soil cores were sampled 20cm depth from the soil surface and partitioned four into layers at an interval of 5cm. The soil particles surrounding roots were washed out with tap water, Length and weight of the roots in each soil layer were measured and root length density (RLD), root weight density (RWD), specific root length(SRL) and rooting depth index (RDI) were calculated. Total root length was measured by intersection method. Plant height, tiller and shoot dry weight were the highest in NPK+compost plot. But RLD of hill-center soil cores was the highest in no-fertilizer plots. In the soil cores from mid-point position of four adjacent hills, RLD at 15-20cm soil depth was higher in compost plot than NPK plot. RLD in compost plots showed even distribution compared to those in chemical- fertilizer plots. RWD was the highest in the NPK+compost plot. SRL was the lowest in the NPK+silicate plot. RDI was the highest in the compost plot. Also, in this experiment it was found that the distribution of roots was closely related to the physical properties of the soil as affected by fertilization management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 1981

In order to elucidate the process of plant succession of the Japanese red pine forests caused by pine gall midge, Thecodoplosis japonensis, in the area of Chungbuk and Kyongbuk, 12 study plots, 4 plots from each three districts, were set up. Districts A (Cheongwon)not attacked by this insect, as the check, District B(Gumi) in which the insect outbreak occured 5 years ago, and District C(Yeongdong)in which the insect outbreak occured 10 years ago, were sampled. The surveyed were some environmental factors, the number of woody plants, relative density, relative dominance values, species composition of plots by layer(upper, middle and ground), importance values, species diversity, similarity and dissimilarity index, etc. The results obtained are summarized as follows: The accumulation of litter on the ground was increased with the lengthening the insect damage duration. Through the crown opening and litter accumulation, the light intensity, temperature condition and soil moisture and nutrient content might be altered. According to the changes of species composition were forced. In general, the Genus Quercus, as a compensation species, has sprung up. The relative importance values for Q.aliena, Q.serrata, and Q.variabilis were significantly increased in the insect infested forests. 2. the stand structure and species composition of the insect attacked forest about 5 years later after the outbreak become complex and diverse. However, since this time, the simplicity of these regards become restored up to 10 years after the outbreak. 3. As the synthetic analysis of plant succession process, the relative values calculated from the relative density and the relative dominance values shown the dominant status of Genus Quercus in the heavily damaged forests. In addition, Genus Rhododendron and Genus Lespedeza with higher frequency become the ground vegetation components. They were gradually increased along the time elapsing after the insect out-break. 4. The differences in connection with the soil moisture contents, the organic matter contents which might give some influences to the vegetation change were hardly recognizable statistically among the studied plots by three district groups. We estimated that the annual mean precipitation and the annual mean temperature did not operated any meaningful effects on the vegetation alteration among plots between districts.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.289-298
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• 2009

Effects of Nattokinase fibrinol (NKF), defined as a fibrinolytic product, on fibrinolytic and atherogenetic markers were studied for healthy adults (20-31 years old), who is smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day. Subjects were divided into 29 for NKF group and 10 for placebo group in a short term study. They were given 2 tablets of NKF (4,000 unit) or placebo tablet and thereafter blood samples were collected at 0, 2, 4 hr prerid. For a 4-week long term study, 15 subjects for NFK group and 10 subjects for placebo group were supplemented one tablet of each NKF (2,000 unit) and placebo per day, respectively. Blood samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 4 weeks later. The short-term experimental trial showed that NKF remarkably increased fibrinolytic activity at 2hr after consumption, which was maintained up to 4 hr, relative to that of placebo, while NKF reduced the euglobulin clot lysis time (ECLT) and retarded the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), as compared to placebo group. NKF supplementation for 4 weeks elevated fibrinolytic activity, shortened ECLT and retarded aPTT. Furthermore, NKF supplementation increased anti-atherogenic index by decreasing triglyceride (TG) and elevating high-density lipiprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. These results indicate that NKF supplementation for short term or long term might have beneficial effects on preventing and treating cardiovascular disease by increasing fibrinolytic activity and improving atherogenic markers such as hyperlipidemia.