• Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.643-655
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• 2018

Background/Aims Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disease characterized by intestinal dysmotility, the mechanism of which remains elusive. We aim to determine whether the high-affinity choline transporter 1 (CHT1), a determinant of cholinergic signaling capacity, modulates intestinal motility associated with stress-induced IBS. Methods A rat IBS model was established using chronic water avoidance stress (WAS). Colonic pathological alterations were evaluated histologically and intestinal motility was assessed by intestinal transit time and fecal water content (FWC). Visceral sensitivity was determined by visceromotor response to colorectal distension. RT-PCR, western blotting, and immunostaining were performed to identify colonic CHT1 expression. Contractility of colonic muscle strips was measured using isometric transducers. enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure acetylcholine (ACh). We examined the effects of MKC-231, a choline uptake enhancer, on colonic motility. Results After 10 days of WAS, intestinal transit time was decreased and fecal water content increased. Visceromotor response magnitude in WAS rats in response to colorectal distension was significantly enhanced. Protein and mRNA CHT1 levels in the colon were markedly elevated after WAS. The density of CHT1-positive intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal and myenteric plexus neurons in WAS rats was higher than in controls. Ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate partly reversed CHT1 upregulation and alleviated colonic hypermotility in WAS rats. Pharmacological enhancement of CHT1 activity by MKC-231 enhanced colonic motility in control rats via upregulation of CHT1 and elevation of ACh production. Conclusion Upregulation of CHT1 in intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal and myenteric plexus neurons is implicated in chronic stress-induced colonic hypermotility by modulation of ACh synthesis via nuclear factor-kappa B signaling.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.587-592
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• 2019

The importance of software technologies is becoming more prominent because of the competition to secure a competitive edge in software, which has been intensified since the emergence of smartphones and IoT. Thus, to assure the initiative in the global software industry and to foster superior human resources, there is a growing need for outstanding software development professionals. This paper analyzes the factors that affect the basic perception of software, the need for software development, and the enhancement of software coding ability based on a compulsory software class, which aims to increase the workforce of the converged software industry. The analysis shows that among other technical practices to enhance coding ability, learner-centered technical contents showed the most positive effect regarding the recognition and motive of development and are an essential factor in improving coding skills. The findings indicate that the need for program development and active involvement in the development of the program are the most important factors in improving the practical ability. The analysis presents meaningful results by suggesting a methodology for improving software development capabilities.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.301-307
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the lap time of K-1 sprint competition and compare the records of the best group and the other groups. Based on these data we are willing to provide them on pace control strategies for improving their performances. The analysis was conducted on 12 elite kayak players, measuring the lap time by every interval after dividing the entire 1,000-meter race into 10 sections of 100 meters. We divide the group A, B, C and D based on their final time records. Two-factor repeated measures ANOVA, One-way ANOVA, and correlation analysis were performed. There were no significant lap time differences in the section of first 200m and last 200m between A, B and C. But the C's lap time of 200m~600m were significantly later than group A and B. Non-superior athletes need to establish strategies to reduce lap time in the middle section.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.451-455
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• 2019

The electromagnetic and thermal properties of a heavy fermion $CeNi_2Ge_2$ are investigated using first-principle methods with local density approximation (LDA) and fully relativistic approaches. The Ce f-bands are located near the Fermi energy $E_F$ and hybridized with the Ni-3d states. This hybridization plays important roles in the characteristics of this material. The fully relativistic approach shows that the 4f states split into $4f_{7/2}$ and $4f_{5/2}$ states due to spin-orbit coupling effects. It can be found that within the LDA calculation, the density of states near the Fermi level are mainly of Ce-derived 4f states. The Ni-derived 3d states have high peaks around -1.7eV and spreaded over wide range around the Fermi level. The calculated magnetic of $CeNi_2Ge_2$ with LDA method does not match with that of experimental result because of strong correlation interaction between electrons in f orbitals. The calculations show that the specific heat coefficient underestimates the experimental value by a factor of 19.1. The discrepancy between the band calculation and experiment for specific heat coefficient is attributed to the formation of a quasiparticle. Because of the volume contraction, the exchange interaction between the f states and the conduction electrons is large in $CeNi_2Ge_2$, which increases the quasiparticle mass. This will result in the enhancement of the specific hear coefficient.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.229-238
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating effect of learners' learning flow in the effect of presence on academic achievement in web-based e-learning. For this purpose, this study analyzed the influencing relationship between the each factor based on the structural model with the learning flow as a mediator variable. Based on existing theoretical studies, learning satisfaction and academic achievement, which represent learning outcomes, are set as dependent variables, and teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence are set as independent variables. Data collected from a total of 256 e-learning learners were used in the analysis of this study. According to the results of the analysis, teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence were found to have a significant effect on academic achievement when a learning flow is a mediator variable. Concretely, teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence have a positive effect on the learning flow, while learning flow has a positive effect on learning satisfaction. On the other hand, learning flow has a negative effect on academic achievement. As a result of verifying the mediating effect of learning flow on the relationship between presence, learning satisfaction, and academic achievement, there was meditating effect in the aggregate. This study implies that in order to increase the level of learning satisfaction and academic achievement, it is necessary to make the teaching-learning design in the provision of contents and materials for e-learning so that the learner can feel the presence. The results of this study can be used as a basic data for seeking support and promotion strategies for enhancement of future learning flow and presence.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.585-594
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• 2019

In-situ leaching could be one of the promising mining methods to extract the minerals from deep fractured rock mass. Constrained by the low permeability at depth, however, the performance does not meet the expectation. In fact, the rock mass permeability mainly depends on the pre-existing natural fractures and therefore play a crucial role in in-situ leaching performance. More importantly, fractures have various characteristics, such as aperture, persistence, and density, which have diverse contributions to the promising method. Hence, it is necessary to study the variation of fluid rate versus fracture parameters to enhance in-situ leaching performance. Firstly, the subsurface fractures from the depth of 1500m to 2500m were mapped using the discrete fracture network (DFN) in this paper, and then the numerical model was calibrated at a particular case. On this basis, the fluid flow through fractured rock mass with various fracture characteristics was analyzed. The simulation results showed that with the increase of Fisher' K value, which determine the fracture orientation, the flow rate firstly decreased and then increased. Subsequently, as another critical factor affecting the fluid flow in natural fractures, the fracture transmissivity has a direct relationship with the flow rate. Sensitive study shows that natural fracture characteristics play a critical role in in-situ leaching performance.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2018

Neuronal excitotoxicity induces mitochondrial dysfunction and the release of proapoptotic proteins. Excitotoxicity, the process by which the overactivation of excitatory neurotransmitter receptors leads to neuronal cell death. Neuronal death by excitotoxicity was related to neuronal degenerative disorders and hypoxia, results from excessive exposure to excitatory neurotransmitters, such as glutamate. Glutamate acts at NMDA receptors in cultured neurons to increase the intracellular free calcium concentration. Therefore endogenous glutamate may be a key factor to regulate neuronal cell death via activating $Ca^{2+}$ signaling. For this issue, we tested some conditions to alter intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level in dissociated hippocampal neurons of rats. Cultured hippocampal neuron were treated by KCl (20 mM), $CaCl_2$ (3.8 mM) and glutamate ($5{\mu}M$) for 24 hrs. Interestingly, The Optical Density of hippocampal neurons was increased by high KCl application in MTT assay data. This enhanced response by high KCl was dependent on synaptic $Ca^{2+}$ influx but not on intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level. However, the number of neurons seemed to be not changed in Hoechst 33342 staining data. These results suggest that enhancement of synaptic activity plays a key role to increase mitochondrial signaling in hippocampal neurons.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.940-948
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate the immune activity of Ailantias altissima as an active ingredient on the immune enhancement by mixing ethanol extract with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The activity of $NF-{\kappa}B/AP1$ transcription factor increased by $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity when mixed with LAB samples rather than with the extract alone. Nitric oxide (NO) production was similar in ethanol extract alone group and LPS treatment group. Mixing Ailantias altissima extract and lactic acid bacteria led to low NO production. The cytokine productivity of $TNF-{\alpha}$ significantly increased in Ailantias altissima extract when treated with LPS, and increased even more when mixed with lactic acid bacteria. The $IL-1{\beta}$ cytokine production was high when the Ailantias altissima extract were treated alone, but no $IL-1{\beta}$ cytokine was produced in the mixtures with isolates. The combination of the ethanol extract of the Ailantias altissima and the lactic acid bacteria was found to be effective in the immune function. Consequently, the ingredient to combine Ailantias altissima extract and lactic acid bacteria can be effectively used for development of the health functional food on the prevention and treatment of hypoimmunities.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.317-328
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of ghrelin on memory impairment in a rat model of vascular dementia induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Methods: Randomized controlled groups and the posttest design were used. We established the representative animal model of vascular dementia caused by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion and administered $80{\mu}g/kg$ ghrelin intraperitoneally for 4 weeks. First, behavioral studies were performed to evaluate spatial memory. Second, we used molecular biology techniques to determine whether ghrelin ameliorates the damage to the structure and function of the white matter and hippocampus, which are crucial to learning and memory. Results: Ghrelin improved the spatial memory impairment in the Y-maze and Morris water maze test. In the white matter, demyelination and atrophy of the corpus callosum were significantly decreased in the ghrelin-treated group. In the hippocampus, ghrelin increased the length of hippocampal microvessels and reduced the microvessels pathology. Further, we confirmed angiogenesis enhancement through the fact that ghrelin treatment increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-related protein levels, which are the most powerful mediators of angiogenesis in the hippocampus. Conclusion: We found that ghrelin affected the damaged myelin sheaths and microvessels by increasing angiogenesis, which then led to neuroprotection and improved memory function. We suggest that further studies continue to accumulate evidence of the effect of ghrelin. Further, we believe that the development of therapeutic interventions that increase ghrelin may contribute to memory improvement in patients with vascular dementia.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.669-681
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• 2019

Bridge collapses may deliver a huge impact on our society in a very negative way. Out of many reasons why bridges collapse, poor maintenance is becoming a main contributing factor to many recent collapses. Furthermore, the aging of bridges is able to make the situation much worse. In order to prevent this unwanted event, it is indispensable to conduct continuous bridge monitoring and timely maintenance. Visual inspection is the most widely used method, but it is heavily dependent on the experience of the inspectors. It is also time-consuming, labor-intensive, costly, disruptive, and even unsafe for the inspectors. In order to address its limitations, in recent years increasing interests have been paid to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which is expected to make the inspection process safer, faster and more cost-effective. In addition, it can cover the area where it is too hard to reach by inspectors. However, this strategy is still in a primitive stage because there are many things to be addressed for real implementation. In this paper, a typical procedure of bridge inspection using UAVs consisting of three phases (i.e., pre-inspection, inspection, and post-inspection phases) and the detailed tasks by phase are described. Also, three major challenges, which are related to a UAV's flight, image data acquisition, and damage identification, respectively, are identified from a practical perspective (e.g., localization of a UAV under the bridge, high-quality image capture, etc.) and their possible solutions are discussed by examining recently developed or currently developing techniques such as the graph-based localization algorithm, and the image quality assessment and enhancement strategy. In particular, deep learning based algorithms such as R-CNN and Mask R-CNN for classifying, localizing and quantifying several damage types (e.g., cracks, corrosion, spalling, efflorescence, etc.) in an automatic manner are discussed. This strategy is based on a huge amount of image data obtained from unmanned inspection equipment consisting of the UAV and imaging devices (vision and IR cameras).