• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.125-136
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• 2017

Reverse osmosis technology is being used on large scale for treatment of ground water, brackish water, wastewater and sea water. The most challenging issue in RO process is carbonate scaling which is directly linked with the efficiency and economy. Considering the natural phenomena of carbonate scaling different adaptations have been made to control scaling on the surface of RO membrane including acid dosage and antiscalant addition. As carbonate scaling is directly related with pH level of feed water, present study describes an experimental approach to reduce scaling on RO membrane by lowering the feed water pH by purging $CO_2$. In this comparative study four different conditions including control process (without any scale inhibitor), with dosage of antiscalant, with purging of $CO_2$ and with co addition of antiscalant and $CO_2$ in a feed stream line; it was established that $CO_2$ is a better appliance to reduce carbonate scaling on the membrane surface by reduce pH of feed stream. It was also observed that $CO_2$ and antiscalant mutually function better for scale control.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2021

The resistance of soil to the tractive force of flowing water is one of the essential parameters for the stability of the soil when directly exposed to the movement of water such as in rivers and ocean beds. Biopolymers, which are new to sustainable geotechnical engineering practices, are known to enhance the mechanical properties of soil. This study addresses the surface erosion resistance of river-sand treated with several biopolymers that originated from micro-organisms, plants, and dairy products. We used a state-of-the-art erosion function apparatus with P-wave reflection monitoring. Experimental results have shown that biopolymers significantly improve the erosion resistance of soil surfaces. Specifically, the critical shear stress (i.e., the minimum shear stress needed to detach individual soil grains) of biopolymer-treated soils increased by 2 to 500 times. The erodibility coefficient (i.e., the rate of increase in erodibility as the shear stress increases) decreased following biopolymer treatment from 1 × 10-2 to 1 × 10-6 times compared to that of untreated river-sands. The scour prediction calculated using the SRICOS-EFA program has shown that a height of 14 m of an untreated surface is eroded during the ten years flow of the Nakdong River, while biopolymer treatment reduced this height to less than 2.5 m. The result of this study has demonstrated the possibility of cross-linked biopolymers for river-bed stabilization agents.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.254-277
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• 2019

Inflammation can be a causative factor for carcinogenesis or can result from a consequence of cancer progression. Moreover, cancer therapeutic interventions can also induce an inflammatory response. Various inflammatory parameters are used to assess the inflammatory status during cancer treatment. It is important to select the most optimal biomarker among these parameters. Additionally, suitable biomarkers must be examined if there are no known parameters. We briefly reviewed the published literature for the use of inflammatory parameters in the treatment of patients with cancer. Most studies on inflammation evaluated the correlation between host characteristics, effect of interventions, and clinical outcomes. Additionally, the levels of C-reactive protein, albumin, lymphocytes, and platelets were the most commonly used laboratory parameters, either independently or in combination with other laboratory parameters and clinical characteristics. Furthermore, the immune parameters are classically examined using flow cytometry, immunohistochemical staining, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. However, gene expression profiling can aid in assessing the overall peri-interventional immune status. The checklists of guidelines, such as STAndards for Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy and REporting recommendations for tumor MARKer prognostic studies should be considered when designing studies to investigate the inflammatory parameters. Finally, the data should be interpreted after adjusting for clinically important variables, such as age and cancer stage.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.39-41
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• 2019

In the indeterminate chronic period of Chagas disease (ChD) the treatment has not been conclusive, because the serological negativization requires many years. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of nifurtimox (NF) in the treatment of chronic ChD in prolonged follow-up by serological techniques of indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) IgG comparing 2 groups of patients, treated and non treated. Mann-Whitney test was performed for ELISA and IFA, with significant difference between the groups (P<0.05). IgG levels were lower in individuals treated compared with untreated patients, indicating chemotherapeutic efficacy in prolonged follow-up.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.137-165
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• 2021

Objectives :The Korean Medical concept Gak-Gi(脚氣) is understood as being identical to Beriberi and Vitamin B1 deficiency, without the necessary investigation that is required in such identification. Therefore this study aims to systematically compare these two concepts for thorough investigation. Methods : Research was carried out in two directions. First, the cause, symptoms, treatment principles of Gak-Gi(脚氣) in the medical texts were analyzed. Second, the process of the Beriberi theory development and its identification with Gak-Gi(脚氣), medical information on Beriberi, and the basis of various diseases that have been linked to Gak-Gi(脚氣) were studied. Results of the two directions were used to compare Gak-Gi(脚氣) and Beriberi. Results : Gak-Gi(脚氣) and Beriberi overlap in many aspects. However, unlike Beriberi which is understood as nutrient deficiency essentially, Gak-Gi(脚氣) can be caused by exterior pathogens such as wind toxin, while its different manifestations and treatment principles cannot be fully explained by nutrient deficiency. Conclusions : Gak-Gi(脚氣) could be understood as a type of syndrome in which causes and symptoms are connected, where symptoms start in the legs, moving upwards. It cannot be identified with Beriberi, which has been interpreted as a single disease.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2021

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental genomic imprinting disorder involving a lack of gene expression from the paternal chromosome 15q11-q13 region. This is typically due to paternal 15q11-q13 deletions (in approximately 60% of cases), maternal uniparental disomy 15, or when both 15s are from the mother (about 35% of cases). An imprinting center controls the expression of imprinted genes in the chromosome 15q11-q13 region. PWS is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by mental retardation and distinct physical, behavioral, and psychiatric features. Characteristic behavioral disturbances in PWS include excessive interest in food, skin picking, difficulty with a change in routine, temper tantrums, obsessive and compulsive behaviors, and mood fluctuations. Individuals with PWS typically have intellectual disabilities (borderline to mild/moderate mental retardation) and exhibit a higher overall level of behavior disturbances compared to individuals with similar intellectual disabilities. This condition severely limits social adaptations and quality of life. Different factors have been linked to the intensity and form of these behavioral disturbances, but there is no consensus regarding the cause. Consequently, there is still controversy surrounding management strategies and there is a need for new data. PWS is a multisystem disorder. Family members, caregivers, physicians, dieticians, and speech-language pathologists all play an important role in the management and treatment of symptoms in an individual with PWS. Here we analyze behavioral problems in children and adults with PWS by age and review appropriate management and treatment strategies for these symptoms.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2023

With the recent development of IT technology, medical image processing technology is also widely used in the dental field, and the treatment effect is enhanced by using 3D data such as CT. In this paper, open source libraries such as ITK and VTK are introduced to develop dental medical image processing software, and how to use them to develop dental medical image processing software centering on 3D CBCT. In ITK, basic algorithms for medical image processing are implemented, so the image processing pipeline can be quickly implemented, and the desired algorithm can be easily implemented as a filter by the developer. The developed algorithm is linked with VTK to implement the visualization function. The developed SW can be used for dental diagnosis and treatment that overcomes the limitations of 2D images..

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

This study analyzed user experience elements with healing game characteristics in eight horticultural games based on Lazro's theory of four fun elements, aiming to use horticultural treatment effects as basic data for horticultural game design. The games were found to be developed around "Serious Fun" and "Easy Fun," with "Hard Fun" and "People Fun" also included. Healing games including horticultural activities were highly linked to actual horticultural activities, resulting in horticultural treatment effects. Future studies will design horticultural healing games and verify their effects based on these results.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.353-358
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• 2023

Sepsis and septic shock affect millions of people worldwide each year with high clinical mortality rates. At present, basic research on sepsis has emerged in an endless stream, but there are few effective clinical translation results. Ginseng, a medicinal and edible representative of Araliaceae plants, contains a variety of biologically active compounds including ginsenosides, alkaloids, glycosides, polysaccharides, and polypeptides. Neuromodulation, anticancer activity, blood lipid regulation, and antithrombotic activity have been linked to ginseng treatment. At present, basic and clinical research have suggested various applications of ginseng in sepsis. In view of the different effects of various ginseng components on the pathogenesis of sepsis, and in order to further understand and develop the possible value of ginseng in sepsis, this manuscript reviews the application of various components of ginseng in the treatment of sepsis in recent years.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.648-654
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• 2023

Oxidative stress-induced melanocyte apoptosis is linked to the immune system and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Aquaporin-3 (AQP3), which is downregulated in vitiligo keratinocytes, regulates intracellular H₂O₂ accumulation. However, the role of AQP3 in oxidative stress is uncertain in vitiligo. This study investigated the effect of downregulated AQP3 on oxidative stress in vitiligo using lesional and non-lesional skin specimen sets from vitiligo patients and primary cultured adult normal human epidermal keratinocytes, with or without downregulation and overexpression of AQP3 in the presence or absence of H₂O₂ treatment. The levels of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and/or its main target, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO-1), were lower in the lesional keratinocytes and cultured keratinocytes with AQP3 knockdown, but were increased in keratinocytes upon AQP3 overexpression. Ratios of NRF2 nuclear translocation and NQO-1 expression levels were further reduced in AQP3-knockdown keratinocytes following H₂O₂ treatment. The conditioned media from AQP3-knockdown keratinocytes treated with H₂O₂ contained higher concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, the number of viable melanocytes was reduced when the conditioned media were added to the culture media. Overall, AQP3 downregulation in the keratinocytes of patients with vitiligo can induce oxidative stress in neighboring melanocytes, leading to melanocyte death.