• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 2010

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether findings on initial chest computed tomography (CT) of influenza pneumonia can help predict clinical outcome. Methods: We reviewed all adult patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) with a confirmed diagnosis of novel influenza A H1N1 virus (2009 H1N1) pneumonia, who underwent chest CT upon admission between Aug 26, 2009 and Jan 31, 2010. Radiologic findings were characterized by type and pattern of opacities and zonal distribution. Clinical outcome measures were intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, and inhospital death. Results: Of 59 patients diagnosed with 2009 H1N1 pneumonia, 41 (69.5%) underwent chest CT on admission into ED. Nine (22%) of these patients developed adverse clinical outcomes requiring the following treatments: 9 (22.0%) ICU admissions, 5 (12.2%) mechanical ventilation, and 3 (7.3%) inhospital deaths. Counting the number of patients with more than 4 involved lobes, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for detection of adverse clinical outcome were 67%, 84%, 55% and 80%, respectively. Conclusion: Extensive involvement of both lungs (over 4 lobes) is related to ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and inhospital death. Initial chest CT may help predict an adverse clinical outcome of patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza pneumonia.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.323-336
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• 2019

The Mesozoic activity on the Korean Peninsula is mainly represented by the Triassic post-collisional, Jurassic orogenic, and Cretaceous post-orogenic igneous activities. The diversity of mineralization by each geological period came from various geothermal systems derived from the geochemical characteristics of magma with different emplacement depth. The Cretaceous metallic mineralization has been carried out over a wide range of time periods from ca. 115 to 45 Ma (main stage; ca. 100 to 60 Ma) related to post-orogenic igneous activity, and spatial distribution patterns of most metal deposits are concentrated along small granitic stocks. The late Cretaceous metal deposits in the Gyeonggi and Yeongnam massifs are generally distributed along the boundary among the Gongju-Eumseong fault system and the Yeongdong-Gwangju fault system and the Gyeongsang Basin, most of them are in the form of a distal epithermal~mesothermal Au-Ag vein or a transitional mesothermal Zn-Pb-Cu vein. On the other hand, diverse metal commodities in the Taebaeg Basin, the Okcheon metamorphic belt and the Gyeongsang Basin are produced from various deposit types such as skarn, carbonate-replacement, vein, porphyry, breccia pipe, and Carlin type. In the late Cretaceous metallic mineralization, various mineral deposits and commodities were induced not only by the pathway of the hydrothermal solution, but also by the diversity of precipitation environment in the proximity difference of the granitic rocks. The diversity of these types of Cretaceous deposits is fundamentally dependent on the geochemical characteristics such as degree of differentiation and oxidation state of related igneous rocks, and ore-forming fluids generally exhibit the evolutionary characteristics of intermediate- to low-sulfur hydrothermal fluids.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.413-418
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• 2020

It is necessary to manage the prediction accuracy of the machine learning model to prevent the decrease in the performance of the grid network condition prediction model due to overfitting of the initial training data and to continuously utilize the prediction model in the field by maintaining the prediction accuracy. In this paper, we propose an automation technique for maintaining the performance of the model, which increases the accuracy and reliability of the prediction model by considering the characteristics of the power grid state data that constantly changes due to various factors, and enables quality maintenance at a level applicable to the field. The proposed technique modeled a series of tasks for maintaining the performance of the power grid condition prediction model through the application of the workflow management technology in the form of a workflow, and then automated it to make the work more efficient. In addition, the reliability of the performance result is secured by evaluating the performance of the prediction model taking into account both the degree of change in the statistical characteristics of the data and the level of generalization of the prediction, which has not been attempted in the existing technology. Through this, the accuracy of the prediction model is maintained at a certain level, and further new development of predictive models with excellent performance is possible. As a result, the proposed technique not only solves the problem of performance degradation of the predictive model, but also improves the field utilization of the condition prediction model in a complex power grid system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.5
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• pp.1246-1257
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• 2021

Purpose To assess the predictive factors and describe the imaging features of mediastinal lymph node (MLN) metastases in patients with head and neck cancer. Materials and Methods We compared the clinical features and disease characteristics (sex, age, site of primary tumor, histologic type, history of prior treatments, TNM stages, and metastasis in cervical LNs) of patients with head and neck cancers between the MLN metastasis and no MLN metastasis groups. We also evaluated the chest CT (distribution and maximum dimension of the largest LN) and PET/CT (maximum standardized uptake value) features of MLN metastases based on the MLN classification. Results Of the 470 patients with head and neck cancer, 55 (11.7%) had MLN metastasis, involving 150 mediastinal stations. Hypopharynx cancer, recurrent tumor, T4 stage, N2/N3 stages, and M1 stage were found to be significant predicting factors for MLN metastasis. The most common location of MLN metastasis was ipsilateral station 2 (upper paratracheal LNs, 36.4%), followed by ipsilateral station 11 (interlobar LNs, 27.3%) and ipsilateral station 10 (hilar LNs, 25.5%). Conclusion Metastasis to MLNs should be considered in patients with head and neck cancer, especially in cases that are associated with a hypopharyngeal cancer, recurrent tumor, and high TNM stages.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2001

Purpose: The C-14 urea breath test (C-14 UBT) is the most specific noninvasive method to detect Helicobacter (H) pylori infection. We investigated if the C-14 UBT can reflect the presence and degree of H. pylori detected by gastroduodenoscopic biopsies (GBx). Materials and methods: One hundred fifty patients (M:F=83:67, age $48.6{\pm}11.2$ yrs) underwent C-14 UBT, rapid urease test (CLO test) and GBx on the same day. For the C-14 UBT, a single breath sample was collected at 10 minutes after ingestion of C-14 urea (137 KBq) capsule and counting was done in a liquid scintillation counter for 1 minute, and the results were classified as positive (${\geq}200dpm$), Intermediate ($50{\sim}199dpm$) or negative (<50 dpm). The results of CLO tests were classified as positive or negative according to color change. The results of GBx on giemsa stain were graded 0 (normal) to 4 (diffuse) according to the distribution of H. pylori by the Wyatt method. We compared C-14 UBT results with GBx grade as a gold standard. Results: In the assessment of the presence of H. pylori infection, the C-14 UBT global performance yielded sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of 92.5%, 88.4%, 97.1%, 88.4% and 91.3%, respectively. However, the CLO test had sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of 83.2%, 81.4%, 91.8%, 81.4% and 82.7%, respectively. The quantitative values of the C-14 UBT were $45{\pm}27$ dpm in grade 0, $707{\pm}584dpm$ in grade 1, $1558{\pm}584dpm$ in grade 2, $1851{\pm}604dpm$ in grade 3, and $2719{\pm}892dpm$ in grade 4. A significant correlation (r=0.848, p<0.01) was found between C-14 UBT and the grade of distribution of H. pylori infection on GBx with giemsa stain. Conclusion: We conclude that the C-14 UBT is a highly accurate, simple and noninvasive method for the diagnosis of ongoing H. pylori infection and reflects the degree of bacterial distribution.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2008

Purpose: A urea breath test (UBT) using C-14 or C-13 has been developed for identifying Helicobacter (H) pylori infection on the basis of urease production with release of labeled $CO_2$. We investigated if the C-14 and C-13 UBT have the difference to reflect the presence and degree of H. pylori infection detected by gastro-duodenoscopic biopsies (CBx) in the same patients. Materials and methods: Thirty eight patients (M:F = 28:10, age $53.4{\pm}13.0$ yrs) with upper gastrointestinal symptoms such as indigestion, gastric fullness or pain consecutively underwent C-14 UBT, GBx and C-13 UBT within one week before medications. For the C-14 UBT, a single breath sample was collected at 10 minutes after ingestion of C-14 urea (37 KBq) capsule and counting was done in a liquid scintillation counter for 1 minute, and the results were classified as positive (${\ge}$ 200 dpm), intermediate (50-199 dpm) or negative (50 dpm). For the C-13 UBT, the results were classified as positive (${\ge}2.5\%_{\circ}$) or negative ($<2.5\%_{\circ}$). The results of GBx with Giemsa stain were graded 0 (normal) to 4 (diffuse) according to the distribution of H. pylori by the Wyatt method. We compared C-14 UBT and C-13 UBT results with GBx grade as a gold standard. Results: The prevalence of H. pylori infection by GBx with Giemsa stain was 25/38 (65.8%). In the assessment of the presence of H. pylori infection, the C-14 UBT global performance yielded sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of 92.0%, 92.3%, 95.8%, 91.7% and 92.1%, respectively. However, the C-13 UBT had sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of 96.0%, 84.6%, 92.3%, 91.7% and 92.1%, respectively. The more significant correlation in C-14 than C-13 UBT (r=0.948 vs r=0.819, p <0.001) was found between the value of UBT and the grade of distribution of H. pylori infection. Conclusion: We conclude that the diagnostic performance between C-14 and C-13 UBT to detect H. pylori infection is not significantly different, but the value of C-14 UBT more significantly reflects the degree of bacterial distribution.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2020

This study examined the braking characteristics of a heavy haul freight train with P4a distribution valves applied to domestic high-speed freight trains. A freight train was composed of 50 cars, which is twice the normal operation. A braking test was performed to confirm the characteristics of the braking of a heavy haul. The brake cylinder pressures were measured for emergency and service braking on the 1st, 10th, 20th, 30th, and 50th cars. Because the brake signal is transmitted to the pressure through the braking tube connected to the end of the train, the rear vehicle is braking later than the vehicle ahead. Therefore, it is necessary to predict the brake pressures in all cars in a train to supplement the results of the limited tests and calculate the braking distance. The pressure in each car was determined using empirical models of linear interpolation, stepwise, and exponential models, which provided reliable information. The predictive results of the empirical models were compared with the measured results, and the exponential model was predicted relatively accurately. These results are expected to contribute to the safe operation of heavy haul freight trains and can be used to predict the braking distance and calculate the level of impact between vehicles during braking.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.215-220
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• 2023

A recent discovery of drywood termites (Cryptotermes domesticus) in a residential facility in Seoul has raised significant concern. This exotic insect species, which can damage timber and wooden buildings, necessitates an immediate investigation of potential infestation. In this study, we assessed the climatic suitability for this termite species using a species distribution modeling approach. Global distribution data and bioclimatic variables were compiled from published sources, and predictive models for climatic suitability were developed using four modeling algorithms. An ensemble prediction was made based on the mean occurrence probability derived from the individual models. The final model suggested that this species could potentially establish itself in tropical coastal regions. While the climatic suitability in South Korea was generally found to be low, a careful investigation is still warranted due to the potential risk of colonization and establishment of this species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.802-811
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• 2023

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a crucial element for rational allocation and sustainable use of marine areas. Particularly, Fishing Activity Protected Areas constitute essential zones accounting for 45.6% designated for sustainable fishing activities. However, the current assessment of these zones does not adequately consider future demands and potential values, necessitating appropriate evaluation methods and predictive tools for long-term planning. In this study, we selected key fish species (Scomber japonicus, Trichiurus lepturus, Engraulis japonicus, and Larimichthys polyactis) within the Fishing Activity Protected Area to predict their distribution and compare it with the current designated zones for evaluating the ability of the prediction tool. Employing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report scenarios (SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5), we used species distribution models (such as MaxEnt) to assess the movement and distribution changes of these species owing to future variations. The results indicated a 30-50% increase in the distribution area of S. japonicus, T. lepturus, and L. polyactis, whereas the distribution area of E. japonicus decreased by approximately 6-11%. Based on these results, a species richness map for the four key species was created. Within the marine spatial planning boundaries, the overlap between areas rated "high" in species richness and the Fishing Activity Protected Area was approximately 15%, increasing to 21% under the RCP 2.6 scenario and 34% under the RCP 8.5 scenario. These findings can serve as scientific evidence for future evaluations of use zones or changes in reserve areas. The current and predicted distributions of species owing to climate change can address the limitations of current use zone evaluations and contribute to the development of plans for sustainable and beneficial use of marine resources.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.154-163
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• 2021

This study was carried out to present the habitat distribution status and the habitat distribution prediction of Sophora koreensis, which is the Korean Endemic Plant included in the EN (Endangered) class of the IUCN Red List. The habit distribution survey of Sophora koreensis confirmed 19 habitats in Gangwon Province, including 13 habitats in Yanggu-gun, 3 habitats in Inje-gun, 2 habitats in Chuncheon-si, and 1 habitat in Hongcheon-gun. The northernmost habitat of Sophora koreensis in Korea was in Imdang-ri, Yanggu-gun; the easternmost habitat in Hangye-ri, Inje-gun; the westernmost habitat in Jinae-ri, Chuncheon-si; and the southernmost habitat in Sungdong-ri, Hongcheon-gun. The altitude of the Sophora koreensis habitats ranged from 169 to 711 m, with an average altitude of 375m. The area of the habitats was 8,000-734,000 m², with an average area of 202,789 m². Most habitats were the managed forests, such as thinning and pruning forests. The MaxEnt program analysis for the potential habitat of Sophora koreensis showed the AUC value of 0.9762. The predictive habitat distribution was Yanggu-gun, Inje-gun, Hwacheon-gun, and Chuncheon-si in Gangwon Province. The variables that influence the prediction of the habitat distribution were the annual precipitation, soil carbon content, and maximum monthly temperature. This study confirmed that habitats of Sophora koreensis were mostly found in the ridge area with rich light intensity. They can be used as basic data for the designation of protected areas of Sophora koreensis habitat.