• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.255-263
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• 1999

Blends of two thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers, HX2000 and Vectra A950, were prepared by melt blending. Effects of transesterification on these blends are investigated by comparing properties of the blends with and without the addition of an inhibitor, in terms of blend miscibility and rheology. Both the uninhibited and inhibited blends are found to be largely immiscible with very limited miscibility in HX2000-rich phase. No strong evidence indicates the occurrence of transesterification in the blends in the solid state. Dynamic rheological behaviour, such as shear storage modulus (G') and shear loss modulus (G") as a function of frequency, of the blends are interpreted by a three-zone model. HX2000 shows terminal-zone and plateau-zone behaviour, whilst Vectra A950 shows plateau-zone and transition-zone behaviour. The un- inhibited blends show plateau-zone behaviour up to 50% Vectra A950 content and the inhibited blends show plateau-zone behaviour up to 60% Vectra A950 content. Compositional dependence of the complex viscosities of the uninhibited and inhibited blends displayed positive deviations from additivity, which is a characteristic feature for the immiscible thermoplastic blends. When under steady shear, both the uninhibited and inhibited blends show shear thinning behaviour and their viscosities decrease monotonically with the addition of Vectra A950. Compositional dependence of the steady shear viscosities of the two sets of blends displayed negative deviations from additivity and the uninhibited blends were more viscous than the inhibited blends for the full composition range. Although limited agreement with the Cox-Merz rule is found for the inhibited blends, these two sets of blends, in general, do not follow the rule due to their liquid crystalline order and two-phase morphology. Despite being immiscible blends, transesterification, such as polymerization, in the blends might occur during the rheological characterization, supported by the facts that uninhibited blends show HX2000-dominant behaviour at lower Vectra A950 content and are more viscous than the inhibited blends. The addition of transesterification inhibitor in such blends is advised if only physical mixing is desired.ired.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.74-82
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• 2010

Curtain stability without curtain contraction is critical for a successful operation in curtain coating, and this can be influenced by the change in particle dynamics and rheological properties of coating colors. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were added to control the rheology of GCC based curtain coating colors. Surface tension was increased slightly with increasing content of cobinder. Shear-thinning of viscosity was more pronounced for the CMC containing GCC coating colors. Complex modulus decreased when small amount of PVA was used as a cobinder, but it increased in other coating colors. Extensional viscosity was increased with increasing of the cobinder content, but CMC was more effective. Results indicate that pigment interaction with PVA is different from that with CMC. Dispersibility of coating colors was improved due to steric stabilization when small amounts of PVA was used, but flocculation occurred by bridging when the amount of PVA was increased. Dispersibility of coating colors was improved when small amount of CMC was added, while flocculation was observed by depletion effect when the concentration of CMC was increased in coating colors. Addition of cobinders at proper levels gave positive effects both in rheological properties and curtain stability. On the other hand, excessive amount of cobinders caused particle flocculation and this resulted in rheological and curtain stablity problems.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

In order to determine the effects of thinning on mushroom fruiting, microclimate and air temperature in Quercus mongolica forests, this study investigated changes in crown density, soil temperature, air temperature and throughfall in the natural Q. mongolica forest which was thinned by approximately 45% four years ago. The results showed that crown density was smaller than control by 6% from April to October, The soil temperature and air temperature in the thinned stands were significantly higher than those of the control by $1{\sim}2^{\circ}C$ until August and differences in air and soil temperature. The average daily temperature difference was higher than control by $0.2{\sim}0.7^{\circ}C$ until October. Throughfall from July to September in the thinned was approximately 135 mm higher than in the control. The maximum difference in throughfall per unit time was 3.5 mm/h. Soil moisture in the thinned site increased by approximately 5% compared with the control and reduced to the normal moisture after 4 days in both sites. 55 mushroom species were found in the thinned area between July and September. The thinned site contained 10 mycorrhizal mushrooms more than the control and 1 saprophytic mushroom species more than the control. Shannon-Wiener Index was 3.2, approximately 0.5 higher than the control. Tylopilus neofelleus, etc., occurred in the thinned site more quickly, but Aaricus subrutilescens, Clitocybe sp, occurred later. In the thinned site, the dominance of Tylopilus neofellelus and Armillaria sp. increased approximately 6% and 30% and yield about 1.5 times and 20 times, respectively. In conclusion, thinning in the Q. mongolica forest increased the soil and air temperature, soil moisture, throughfall and the diversity of mushroom species, and advanced the period of occurrence, and increased dominance and yield of some mycorrhizal mushrooms and Amillaria sp.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2008

The objectives of this study were to compare nutrient natural input between thinned and unthinned natural hardwood stands at Mt. Joongwang, Pyongchang-gun, Gangwon-do. Throughfall, stemflow, A-layer and B-layer soil water as well as litterfall were sampled at two-week intervals during the period of June to October from 2002 to 2004. The amount of rainfall interception in thinned and unthinned natural hardwood stands was as 12% and 18%, respectively. The results indicated that there was no difference in annual nutrient input by rainfall between thinned and unthinned stands. $Na^+$, $Cl^-$ and $SO_4{^{2-}}$ concentrations of A-layer soil water in the unthinned stand were higher than those in the thinned stand. In the B-layer soil water, $Ca^{2+}$, $Cl^-$, $NO_3{^-}$ and $SO_4{^{2-}}$ concentrations in the unthinned stand were higher than those in thinned stand. Mean annual litterfall input was $2,706kg\;ha^{-1}$ in unthinned stand and $2,589kg\;ha^{-1}$ in thinned stand. Total-N input from litterfall was $50.28kg\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ in the unthinned stand and $36.81kg\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ in the thinned stand, while there was no difference in exchangeable cation input from litterfall between thinned and unthinned stands. Thus, the difference in nutrient inputs except for N by throughfall, stemflow and litterfall between the two stands was not influenced by thinning.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.2
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• pp.173-187
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• 2023

The forest protection policies implemented in South Korea have resulted in the significant accumulation of forest. Moreover, the associated public interest has also been closely evaluated. As forests mature, there arises a need for forest management (FM) practices, such as thinning and harvesting. It is therefore essential to perform a scientific analysis of the long-term effects of FM. In this study, conducted in Mt. Gariwang, the effect of FM on forest succession and wood production (WP) were evaluated based on changes in aboveground biomass (AGB) using the LANDIS-II model. The FM consists of three scenarios (Selection, Shelterwood, and Two-stories), characterized based on the harvest intensity, frequency, and period. The model was applied to changes in the forest over 200 years. All scenarios show that the total AGB decreased immediately after thinning and harvesting. However, AGB recovery time differed among scenarios, with recovery to preharvest level occurring from 15 to 50 years after harvest; further, after 200 years, harvested forests had a greater total AGB than forests without FMs In particular, the changes in AGB of each species was different depending on its shade tolerance. The AGB of currently dominant shade-intolerant and mid-tolerant species decreased dramatically after harvesting. However, shade-tolerant species, dominant in the understory, continued to grow but were not harvested due to their small size. The cumulative WP for each scenario was estimated at 545.6, 141.6, and 299.9 tons/ha in Selection, Shelterwood, and Two-stories, respectively. The composition of WP differed according to harvest intensity and period. Most WP originated from shade-intolerant and mid-tolerant species in the early period. Later, most WP was from shade-tolerant species, which became dominant. The modeling approach used in this study is capable of analyzing the long-term effects of FM on changes in forests and WP. This study can contribute to decision making to guide FM methods for a variety of purposes, including WP and controlling forest composition and structure.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Background: Though the biomass of floral vegetation in understory plant communities in a forested ecosystem only accounts for less than 1% of the total biomass of a forest, they contain most of the floral resources of a forest. The diversity of understory honey plants determines visitation rate of pollinators such as honey bee (Apis mellifera) as they provide rich food resources. Since the flower visitation and foraging activity of pollinators lead to the provision of pollination service, it also means the enhancement of plant-pollinator relationship. Therefore, an appropriate management scheme for understory vegetation is essential in order to conserve pollinator population that is decreasing due to habitat destruction and disease infection. This research examined the diversity of understory honey plant and studied how it is related to environmental variables such as (1) canopy density, (2) horizontal heterogeneity of canopy surface height, (3) slope gradient, and (4) distance from roads. Vegetation survey data of 39 plots of mixed forests in Chuncheon, Korea, were used, and possible management practices for understory vegetation were suggested. Results: This study found that 113 species among 141 species of honey plant of the forests were classified as understory vegetation. Also, the understory honey plant diversity is significantly positively correlated with distance from the nearest road and horizontal heterogeneity of canopy surface height and negatively correlated with canopy density. Conclusions: The diversity of understory honey plant vegetation is correlated to vegetation structure and human impact. In order to enhance the diversity of understory honey plant, management of density and height of canopy is necessary. This study suggests that improved diversity of canopy cover through thinning of overstory vegetation can increase the diversity of understory honey plant species.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.210-221
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• 1998

In the period from the year 1500 to 1980. at least 14 large earthquake with epicenters in the northeastern China and Yellow Sea were felt or destructive in the Korean Peninsula. The most sigmificant events among them were the 1668 July 25 Tancheng earthquake of mamnitude 8.5, and the 1975 Feb. 4 Haicheng earthquake of magnitude 7.3. The Haicheng earthquake of the year 1975 in am extraordinary one among those occurred in the northeastern China in the 20th century in the sense the Shake of the event affected all over the Korean Peninsula. The tremor was felt even at the southeastern tip of the Korea and northern part of Kyushu 700km far away from the epicenter. In order to see the variation and trend of the effect of the Haicheng earthquake on the Korean Peninsula, the two data sets of the northern and southern parts of the peninsula were merged into one combined data set. The spatial variation of intensity shows smooth decrease from the value 4 of the northwestern region near the source to the value 1 of the Cheju Island and Kjushu. However, there are four regions of locally high intensity value. They are the region along downstream of Abrok(Yalu) River with intensity 5, the region around Shinpo of intensity 4, the area comprising Seoul and Chuncheon Cities of intensity 4, and Pohang-Pusan area of intensity 3. We suppose that there might be three types of possible mechanisms. The first one is concerned with the lateral inhomogeneity of velocity in the crust caused by wide distribution of relatively fractured rock. The second one is related with reflections of surface waves caused by the crestal thinning effect at border regions of the Peninsular in contact with the Ulleung Basin and the Japan Basin. The third possibility is local site effect caused by thick Tertiary or Quaternary rocks and soil layers.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.183-192
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• 2019

Objective : The objective of this study was to analyze patient-specific blood flow in ruptured aneurysms using obtained non-Newtonian viscosity and to observe associated hemodynamic features and morphological effects. Methods : Five patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms were included in the study. Patients' blood samples were measured immediately after enrollment. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was conducted to evaluate viscosity distributions and wall shear stress (WSS) distributions using a patient-specific geometric model and shear-thinning viscosity properties. Results : Substantial viscosity change was found at the dome of the aneurysms studied when applying non-Newtonian blood viscosity measured at peak-systole and end-diastole. The maximal WSS of the non-Newtonian model on an aneurysm at peak-systole was approximately 16% lower compared to Newtonian fluid, and most of the hemodynamic features of Newtonian flow at the aneurysms were higher, except for minimal WSS value. However, the differences between the Newtonian and non-Newtonian flow were not statistically significant. Rupture point of an aneurysm showed low WSS regardless of Newtonian or non-Newtonian CFD analyses. Conclusion : By using measured non-Newtonian viscosity and geometry on patient-specific CFD analysis, morphologic differences in hemodynamic features, such as changes in whole blood viscosity and WSS, were observed. Therefore, measured non-Newtonian viscosity might be possibly useful to obtain patient-specific hemodynamic and morphologic result.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.677-684
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• 2017

Postmenopausal atrophic vagina (PAV) is the thinning of the walls of the vagina and decreased lugae of the vagina. PAV is caused by decreased estrogen levels in postmenopausal women. However, the harmful effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have resulted in considerable caution in its use. Various estrogen agonist treatment options are available. Vitamin D is influences the regulation of differentiation and proliferation of various cells, especially tissues lining stratified squamous epithelium, such as the vaginal epithelium. In this study, we hypothesized that vitamin D could provide an alternative and a safe treatment option for PAV by promoting the proliferation and differentiation of the vaginal epithelium. Thirty six patients were enrolled in this case-control study. Vitamin D associated proteins in a vitamin D and sex hormone treated vaginal epithelial cell line as well as normal and PAV tissues were measured. To confirm of cell-to-cell junction protein expression, cell line and tissue studies included RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry staining, and immunoblot analyses. The expression of cell-to-cell junction proteins was higher in women with symptoms of atrophic vagina tissue compared to women without the symptoms. Vitamin D stimulated the proliferation of the vaginal epithelium by activating p-RhoA and Erzin through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). The results suggest that vitamin D positively regulates cell-to-cell junction by increasing the VDR/p-RhoA/p-Ezrin pathway. This is the first study to verify the relationship of the expression of RhoA and Ezrin proteins in vaginal tissue of PAV.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.969-975
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• 2009

This article describes the topical delivery and localization of budesonide through the hairless mouse skin. Two poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PCL-PEO) triblock copolymers (T 222 and T 252) having different CL:EO ratios were added in the preparation of budesonide particles stabilized with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and Tween 80 under ultrasonication. For comparison, a commercial PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer (F68) was studied under the same condition. To demonstrate the effects of the triblock copolymer, the particle size of budesonide emulsion, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro release were measured and compared. The budesonide particles stabilized by the triblock copolymers had a diameter of ca. 350 nm with entrapment efficiencies of 66-76%. The In vitro release profiles of all samples showed an initial burst followed by sustained release. The skin penetration and permeation of budesonide were analyzed by using a Frantz diffusion cell. T 222 and T 252 exhibited higher total permeation amounts, but lower budesonide penetration amounts, than F68. The results suggest that the partitioning of budesonide in each skin layer can be adjusted in order to avoid skin thinning and negative immune response arising from the penetration of budesonide in blood vessels.