• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.522-535
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• 2024

Objective: Transition period is considered from 3 weeks prepartum to 3 weeks postpartum, characterized with dramatic events (endocrine, metabolic, and physiological) leading to occurrence of production diseases (negative energy balance/ketosis, milk fever etc). The objectives of our study were to analyze the periodic concentration of serum beta-hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA), glucose and oxidative markers along with identification, and validation of the putative markers of negative energy balance in buffaloes using in-silico and quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay. Methods: Out of 20 potential markers of ketosis identified by in-silico analysis, two were selected and analyzed by qRT-PCR technique (upregulated; acetyl serotonin o-methyl transferase like and down regulated; guanylate cyclase activator 1B). Additional two sets of genes (carnitine palmotyl transferase A; upregulated and Insulin growth factor; downregulated) that have a role of hepatic fatty acid oxidation to maintain energy demands via gluconeogenesis were also validated. Extracted cDNA (complementary deoxyribonucleic acid) from the blood of the buffaloes were used for validation of selected genes via qRTPCR. Concentrations of BHBA, glucose and oxidative stress markers were identified with their respective optimized protocols. Results: The analysis of qRT-PCR gave similar trends as shown by in-silico analysis throughout the transition period. Significant changes (p<0.05) in the levels of BHBA, glucose and oxidative stress markers throughout this period were observed. This study provides validation from in-silico and qRT-PCR assays for potential markers to be used for earliest diagnosis of negative energy balance in buffaloes. Conclusion: Apart from conventional diagnostic methods, this study improves the understanding of putative biomarkers at the molecular level which helps to unfold their role in normal immune function, fat synthesis/metabolism and oxidative stress pathways. Therefore, provides an opportunity to discover more accurate and sensitive diagnostic aids.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.644-655
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• 2024

Objective: To develop and validate a preoperative risk score incorporating carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, CT, and fluorine18-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) PET/CT variables to predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) after upfront surgery in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Materials and Methods: Patients with resectable PDAC who underwent upfront surgery between 2014 and 2017 (development set) or between 2018 and 2019 (test set) were retrospectively evaluated. In the development set, a risk-scoring system was developed using the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, including variables associated with RFS. In the test set, the performance of the risk score was evaluated using the Harrell C-index and compared with that of the postoperative pathological tumor stage. Results: A total of 529 patients, including 335 (198 male; mean age ± standard deviation, 64 ± 9 years) and 194 (103 male; mean age, 66 ± 9 years) patients in the development and test sets, respectively, were evaluated. The risk score included five variables predicting RFS: tumor size (hazard ratio [HR], 1.29 per 1 cm increment; P < 0.001), maximal standardized uptake values of tumor ≥ 5.2 (HR, 1.29; P = 0.06), suspicious regional lymph nodes (HR, 1.43; P = 0.02), possible distant metastasis on ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT (HR, 2.32; P = 0.03), and CA 19-9 (HR, 1.02 per 100 U/mL increment; P = 0.002). In the test set, the risk score showed good performance in predicting RFS (C-index, 0.61), similar to that of the pathologic tumor stage (C-index, 0.64; P = 0.17). Conclusion: The proposed risk score based on preoperative CA 19-9, CT, and ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT variables may have clinical utility in selecting high-risk patients with resectable PDAC.

• Korean Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
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• v.78 no.9
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• pp.2657-2675
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• 2021

A new k-distribution scheme of longwave radiation without the correlated-k-distribution assumption is developed. Grouping of spectral points is based on the line-by-line (LBL)-calculated absorption coefficient k at a few sets of reference pressure p_r and temperature θ_r, where the cooling rate is substantial in a spectral band. In this new scheme, the range of k(p_r, θ_r) of a band is divided into a number of equal intervals, or g groups, in log₁₀(k_r). A spectral point at the wavenumber ν is identified with one of the g groups according to its k_ν(p_r, θ_r). For each g group, a Planck-weighted k-distribution function H_g and a nonlinearly averaged absorption coefficient ${\bar{k}}_g(p,{\theta})$ are derived. The function H_g and the absorption coefficient ${\bar{k}}_g(p,{\theta})$ constitute the new k-distribution scheme. In this k-distribution scheme, a spectral point can only be identified with a g group regardless of pressure and temperature, which is different from the correlated-k distribution scheme. The k-distribution scheme is applied to the H₂O, CO₂, O₃, N₂O, and CH₄ absorption bands, and results are compared with LBL calculations. To balance between the accuracy and the computational economy, the number of g groups in a band of a given gas is chosen such that 1) the difference in cooling rate is <0.1 K day^-1 in the troposphere and <1.0 K day^-1 in the stratosphere and 2) the difference in fluxes is <0.5 W m^-2 at both the top of the atmosphere and the surface. These differences are attained with 130 g groups, which is the sum of the g groups of all five gases.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2015

As information technology fusion is accelerated, the researches to improve the quality and productivity of crops inside a plant factory actively progress. Advanced growth environment management technology that can provide thermal environment and air flow suited to the growth of crops and considering the characteristics inside a facility is necessary to maximize productivity inside a plant factory. Currently running plant factories are designed to rely on experience or personal judgment; hence, design and operation technology specific to plant factories are not established, inherently producing problems such as uneven crop production due to the deviation of temperature and air flow and additional increases in energy consumption after prolonged cultivation. The optimization process has to be set up in advance for the arrangement of air flow devices and operation technology using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) during the design stage of a facility for plant factories to resolve the problems. In this study, the optimum arrangement and air flow of air circulation fans were investigated to save energy while minimizing temperature deviation at each point inside a plant factory using CFD. The condition for simulation was categorized into a total of 12 types according to installation location, quantity, and air flow changes in air circulation fans. Also, the variables of boundary conditions for simulation were set in the same level. The analysis results for each case showed that an average temperature of 296.33K matching with a set temperature and average air flow velocity of 0.51m/s suiting plant growth were well-maintained under Case 4 condition wherein two sets of air circulation fans were installed at the upper part of plant cultivation beds. Further, control of air circulation fan set under Case D yielded the most excellent results from Case D-3 conditions wherein air velocity at the outlet was adjusted to 2.9m/s.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.121-131
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• 2008

This study was conducted to delineate temporal and spatial patterns of potential risk of cold injury by combining the short-term cold hardiness of Campbell Early grapevine and the IPCC projected climate winter season minimum temperature at a landscape scale. Gridded data sets of daily maximum and minimum temperature with a 270m cell spacing ("High Definition Digital Temperature Map", HD-DTM) were prepared for the current climatological normal year (1971-2000) based on observations at the 56 Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) stations using a geospatial interpolation scheme for correcting land surface effects (e.g., land use, topography, and elevation). The same procedure was applied to the official temperature projection dataset covering South Korea (under the auspices of the IPCC-SRES A2 and A1B scenarios) for 2071-2100. The dormancy depth model was run with the gridded datasets to estimate the geographical pattern of any changes in the short-term cold hardiness of Campbell Early across South Korea for the current and future normal years (1971-2000 and 2071-2100). We combined this result with the projected mean annual minimum temperature for each period to obtain the potential risk of cold injury. Results showed that both the land areas with the normal cold-hardiness (-150 and below for dormancy depth) and those with the sub-threshold temperature for freezing damage ($-15^{\circ}C$ and below) will decrease in 2071-2100, reducing the freezing risk. Although more land area will encounter less risk in the future, the land area with higher risk (>70%) will expand from 14% at the current normal year to 23 (A1B) ${\sim}5%$ (A2) in the future. Our method can be applied to other deciduous fruit trees for delineating geographical shift of cold-hardiness zone under the projected climate change in the future, thereby providing valuable information for adaptation strategy in fruit industry.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.426-436
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• 2001

Background : Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) is one of the major contributors to morbidity and mortality among the adult population. Cigarette smoking(CS) is undoubtedly the single most important factor in the pathogenesis of COPD. However, its mechanism is unclear. The current hypothesis regarding the pathogenesis of COPD postulates that an imbalance between proteases and antiproteases leads to the destructive changes in the lung parenchyma. This study had two aims. First, to evaluate the effect of CS exposure on histologic changes of the lung parenchyme, and second, to evaluate the effect of CS exposure on the expression of the gelatinolytic enzymes in BAL fluid cells in guinea pigs. Methods : Two groups of five guinea pigs were exposed to the whole smoke of 20 commercial cigarettes per day, 5 hours/day, 5 days/week, for 6weeks, and 12 weeks, respectively, using a smoking apparatus. Five age-matched guinea pigs exposed to room air were used as controls. Five or more sections were microscopically extamined(${\times}400$) and the number of cellular infiltration of the alveolar wall was measured in order to evaluate the effect of CS exposure on the histologic changes of lung parenchyme. The statistical significance was analyzed by a linear regression method. To evaluate the expression of the gelatinolytic enzymes in intraalveolar cells, BAL fluid was obtained and the intraalveolar cells were separated by centrifugation (500 g for 10 min at $4^{\circ}C$). Two sets of culture plates were loaded with $1{\times}10^6$ intraalveolar cells. One plate, contained O.1mM EDTA, a inhibitor of matrix metalloproteases(MMPs), and the other plate had no EDTA. Both plates were incubated for 48 hours at $37^{\circ}C$. After incubation, gelatinolytic protease expression in the supernatants was analyzed by gelatin zymography. Results : At the end of CS exposure, the level of blood carboxy Hb had increased significantly(4.1g/dl in control group, 24g/dl immediately after CS exposure, 18g/dl 30 min after CS exposure, 15g/dl 1 hour after CS exposure). Alveolar inflammatory cells were identified in the CS exposed guinea pigs. The number of alveolar cellular cells observed in a microscopic field ($400{\times}$) was $121.4{\pm}7.2$, $158.0{\pm}20.2$, $196.8{\pm}32.8$, in the control, the 6 weeks, and the 12 weeks group, respectively. The increased extent of inflammatory cellular infiltration of the lung parenchema showed a statistically significant linear relationship with the duration of CS exposure(p=0.001, $r^2=0.675$). Several types of gelatinolytic enzymes in the intraalveolar cells of CS exposed guinea pigs were expressed, of which some were inhibited by EDT A. However, the gelatinolytic enzymes were not expressed in the control groups. Conclusion : CS exposure increases inflammatory cellular infiltration of the alveolar wall and the expression of gelatinolytic proteases in guinea pigs. EDTA inhibits some of the gelatinolytic proteases. These findings suggest a possibility that CS exposure may increase MMP expression in the lungs of guinea pigs.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2013

The isotope ratios of $^{13}C/^{12}C$ and $^{18}O/^{16}O$ for a sample in a mass spectrometer are measured relative to those of a pure $CO_2$ reference gas (i.e., laboratory working standard). Thus, the calibration of a laboratory working standard gas to the international isotope scales (Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB) for ${\delta}^{13}C$ and Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (V-SMOW) for ${\delta}^{18}O$) is essential for comparisons between data sets obtained by other groups on other mass spectrometers. However, one often finds difficulties in getting well-calibrated standard gases, because of their production time and high price. Additional difficulty is that fractionation processes can occur inside the gas cylinder most likely due to pressure drop in long-term use. Therefore, studies on laboratory production of pure $CO_2$ isotope standard gas from stable solid calcium carbonate standard materials, have been performed. For this study, we propose a method to extract pure $CO_2$ gas without isotope fractionation from a solid calcium carbonate material. The method is similar to that suggested by Coplen et al., (1983), but is better optimized particularly to make a large amount of pure $CO_2$ gas from calcium carbonate material. The $CaCO_3$ releases $CO_2$ in reaction with 100% pure phosphoric acid at $25^{\circ}C$ in a custom designed, evacuated reaction vessel. Here we introduce optimal procedure, reaction conditions, and samples/reactants size for calcium carbonate-phosphoric acid reaction and also provide the details for extracting, purifying and collecting $CO_2$ gas out of the reaction vessel. The measurements for ${\delta}^{18}O$ and ${\delta}^{13}C$ of $CO_2$ were performed at Seoul National University using a stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer (VG Isotech, SIRA Series II) operated in dual-inlet mode. The entire analysis precisions for ${\delta}^{18}O$ and ${\delta}^{13}C$ were evaluated based on the standard deviations of multiple measurements on 15 separate samples of purified $CO_2$. The pure $CO_2$ samples were taken from 100-mg aliquots of a solid calcium carbonate (Solenhofen-ori $CaCO_3$) during 8-day experimental period. The multiple measurements yielded the $1{\sigma}$ precisions of ${\pm}0.01$‰ for ${\delta}^{13}C$ and ${\pm}0.05$‰ for ${\delta}^{18}O$, comparable to the internal instrumental precisions of SIRA. Therefore, we conclude the method proposed in this study can serve as a way to produce an accurate secondary and/or laboratory $CO_2$ standard gas. We hope this study helps resolve difficulties in placing a laboratory working standard onto the international isotope scales and does make accurate comparisons with other data sets from other groups.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.262-269
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• 2005

Since the buried cultural relics are three-dimensional (3-D) objects in nature, 3-D survey is more preferable in archeological exploration. 3-D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey based on very dense data in principle, however, might need much higher cost and longer time of exploration than other geophysical methods commonly used for the archeological exploration, such as magnetic and electromagnetic methods. We developed a small-scale continuous data acquisition system which consists of two sets of GPR antennas and the precise positioning device tracking the moving-path of GPR antenna automatically and continuously. Since the high cost of field work may be partly attributed to establishing many profile lines, we adopted a concept of data acquisition at arbitrary locations not along the pre-established profile lines. Besides this hardware system, we also developed several software packages in order to effectively process and visualize the 3-D data obtained by the developed system and the data acquisition concept. Using the developed system, we performed 3-D GPR survey to investigate the possible historical remains of Baekje Kingdom at Buyeo city, South Korea, prior to the excavation. Owing to the newly devised system, we could obtain 3-D GPR data of this survey area having areal extent over about $17,000m^2$ within only six-hours field work. Although the GPR data were obtained at random locations not along the pre-established profile lines, we could obtain high-resolution 3-D images showing many distinctive anomalies, which could be interpreted as old agricultural lands, waterways, and artificial structures or remains. This cast: history led us to the conclusion that 3-D GPR method is very useful not only to examine a small anomalous area but also to investigate the wider region of the archeological interests.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.337-348
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• 2005

Jurassic granite from Pocheon area were tested to investigate the effect of microcracks on mechanical properties of the granite. Three oriented core specimens were used for uniaxial compressive tests and each core specimen are perpendicular to the axes'R'(rift plane),'c'(grain plane) and'H'(hardway plane), respectively Among vacious elastic constants, the variation of Poisson's ratio as function of the directions was examined. From the related chart between ratio of failure strength and Poisson's ratio, H-specimen shows the highest range in Poisson's ratio and Poisson's ratio decreases in the order of C-specimen and R-specimen. The curve pattern is nearly linear in stage $I\simIII$ but the slope increases abruptly in stage H-3. As shown in the related chart, diverging point of a curve is formed when ratio of failure strength is $0.92\sim0.96$ Stage IV -3 is out of elastic region. The behaviour of rock in the four fracturing stages was analyzed in term of the stress-volumetric strain me. From the stress increment-volumetric strain equations governing the behaviour of rock, characteristic material constants, a, n, Q, m and $\varepsilon_v^{mcf}$, were determined. Among these, inherent microcrack porosity$(a, 10^{-3})$ and compaction exponent(n) in the microcrack closure region(stage I ) show an order of $a^R(3.82)>a^G(3.38)>a^H(2.32)\;and\;n^R(3.69)>n^G(2.79)>n^H(1.99)4, respectively. Especially, critical volumetric microcrack strain($\varepsilon_v^{mcf}$) in the stage W is highest in the H-specimen, normal to the hardway plane. These results indicate a strong correlation between two major sets of microcracks and mechanical properties such as Poisson's ratio and material constants. Correlation of strength anisotropy with microcrack orientation can have important application in rock fracture studies.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to analyze translational and rotational adjustments during automatic rigid image-registration by using different control parameters for a total of five groups on TomoTherapy (Accuray Inc, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). We selected a total of 50 patients and classified them in five groups (brain, head-and-neck, lung, abdomen and pelvic) and used a total of 500 megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) image sets for the analysis. From this we calculated the overall mean value(M) for systematic and random errors after applying the different control parameters. After randomization of the patients into the five groups, we found that the overall mean value varied according to three techniques and resolutions. The deviation for the lung, abdomen and pelvic groups was approximately greater than the deviation for the brain and head-and-neck groups in all adjustments. Overall, using a "full-image" produces smaller deviations in the rotational adjustments. We found that rotational adjustment has deviations with distinctly different control parameters. We concluded that using a combination of the "full-image" technique and "standard" resolution will be helpful in assisting with patients' repositioning and in correcting for set-up errors prior to radiotherapy on TomoTherapy.