• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.36 no.6_2
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• pp.1605-1613
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• 2020

The tidal channel is a coastal sedimentary terrain that plays the most important role in the formation and development of tidal flats, and is considered a very important index for understanding and distribution of tidal flat sedimentation/erosion terrain. The purpose of this study is to understand the changes in tidal channels by a period after the opening of the floodgate of the seawall in the reclaimed land of Sihwa Lake using KOMPSAT high-resolution multispectral satellite image data and to evaluate the applicability and efficiency of high-resolution satellite images. KOMPSAT 2 and 3 images were used for extraction of the tidal channels' lineaments in 2009, 2014, and 2019 and were applied to supervised classification method based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Artificial Neural Net (ANN), Matched Filtering (MF), and Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and band ratio techniques using Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and MF/SAM. For verification, a numerical map of the National Geographic Information Service and Landsat 7 ETM+ image data were utilized. As a result, KOMPSAT data showed great agreement with the verification data compared to the Landsat 7 images for detecting a direction and distribution pattern of the tidal channels. However, it has been confirmed that there will be limitations in identifying the distribution of tidal channels' density and providing meaningful information related to the development of the sedimentary process. This research is expected to present the possibility of utilizing KOMPSAT image-based high-resolution remote exploration as a way of responding to domestic intertidal environmental issues, and to be used as basic research for providing multi-platform-image-based convergent thematic maps and topics.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2021

Objectives: We conducted a retrospective chart review to investigate the effects of Korean Medicine (KM) treatment on weight loss in patients with morbid obesity (body mass index [BMI]≥30 kg/m²) and to compare the effects of KM counseling and non-counseling on weight loss. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with morbid obesity who received KM treatment for at least 1 month. We evaluated the effects of KM treatment on body weight, BMI, body fat, fat mass, EuroQol-5D, and the Korean version of the obesity-related quality of life scale (KOQOL). We also assessed the liver and kidney functions, and adverse events. We performed a comparative analysis between the counseling and non-counseling groups. Results: A total of 37 patients who underwent 4 weeks of KM treatment involving Wolbi-tang, electroacupuncture, and KM counseling were included in this study. Twenty-one patients were assigned to the counseling group and sixteen patients to the non-counseling group. There was a significant decrease in weight, BMI, fat mass, and KOQOL (P<0.05) with improvements in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides. The counseling group had a greater reduction in body weight, BMI, body fat, and fat mass compared to the non-counseling group, although it was not significant. In the BMI below 35 (n=25), the reduction ratio of body weight, body fat mass, and body fat was higher in the counseling group than in the non-counseling group; additionally, body fat decreased significantly in counseling group (P<0.05). No severe adverse effects were observed. Conclusion: KM treatment could be effective for weight loss, especially in patients with morbid obesity, KM counseling could also be a good tool for weight loss, typically in patients with BMI<35 kg/m².

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.202-207
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• 2022

The study on electrode degradation of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) was mainly studied on the particle growth and active area reduction of Pt on the electrode. The degradation of the electrode catalyst Pt in contact with the membrane affects the deterioration of the polymer membrane, but there are not many studies related to this. In this study, the phenomenon of the deposition of deteriorated Pt inside the polymer membrane during the accelerated electrode catalyst degradation test and its effects were studied. The voltage change (0.6 V ↔ 0.9 V) was repeated up to 30,000 cycles to accelerate the platinum degradation rate. When the voltage change cycle was repeated while oxygen was introduced into the cathode, the amount of Pt deposited inside the film was larger than when nitrogen was introduced. As the number of voltage change cycles increased, the amount of Pt deposited inside the membrane increased, and Pt dissolved in the cathode moved toward the anode, showing a uniform distribution throughout the membrane at 20,000 cycles. In the process of the accelerated electrode catalyst degradation test, the hydrogen crossover current density of the membrane did not change, and it was confirmed that the deposited Pt did not affect the durability of the membrane.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

In this study, a model parameter evaluation method using relative density was proposed to utilize applicable UBC3D-PLM for liquefaction behavior. In addition, dynamic effective stress analysis, that is, liquefaction analysis, was performed on the case of the liquefaction occurrence region where acceleration and pore water pressure were measured, and compared with the actual measurement and the existing Finn analysis results. Through this study, it was found that the proposed method can easily evaluate the necessary parameters required by the related model and predict the pore water pressure behavior in the region where liquefaction occurs. In addition, in the case of the study area, both measurements and numerical analysis showed that liquefaction occurred when a certain amount of time elapsed after the earthquake acceleration reached the maximum value. In the case of UBC3D-PLM applied in this study, the excess pore water pressure behavior similar to the actual measurement was predicted, and the occurrence of liquefaction was evaluated in the same way as the actual measurement. In particular, although the excess pore water pressure in the sand layer was greater, the phenomenon in which liquefaction occurred in the silt layer was accurately realized. It is expected that the proposed model parameter evaluation method and finite element analysis applying UBC3D-PLM can be used to select the liquefaction reinforcement region in the future seismic design and reinforcement by evaluating the liquefaction occurrence region similarly to the real one.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.348-358
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• 2022

Purpose: Hyperglycemia accelerates the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), a group of compounds formed via non-enzymatic glycation/glycoxidation. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is related to oxidative stress, resulting in some overgeneration of AGEs. The accumulation of AGEs in T2DM patients leads to increased inflammation, DNA damage, tissue damage, progression of diabetic microvascular disease, and nephropathy. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an intracellular enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of heme. Expression of HO-1 in the endothelium and in muscle monocytes/macrophages was upregulated upon exposure to reactive oxygen species or oxidized low-density lipoprotein. Cells activated by oxidative stress are reported to release HO-1 in the serum. In the current study, we discuss the oxidative status according to the level of AGEs and the association of HO-1 with AGEs or urinary DNA damage marker in type 2 diabetic Korean patients. Methods: This study enrolled 36 diabetic patients. Subjects were classified into two groups by serum AGEs level (Low AGEs group: < 0.85 ng/mL serum AGEs; High AGEs group: ≥ 0.85 ng/mL serum AGEs). Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Blood and urinary parameters were measured using commercial kits. Results: No significant differences were observed in the general characteristics and body composition between the two groups. Serum HO-1 concentration was significantly higher in the High AGEs group than in the Low AGEs group. After adjustment of age and gender, a correlation was performed to assess the association between serum HO-1 and serum AGEs or urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Our results indicate that serum HO-1 is positively correlated with serum AGEs and urinary 8-OHdG. Conclusion: Taken together, our results indicate that in diabetes patients, a high level of HO-1 is associated with a high concentration of AGEs and 8-OHdG, probably reflecting a protective response against oxidative stress.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.136-146
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• 2022

In this study, it is intended to provide basic data that can help develop a cardiovascular simulator for performance evaluation of pulse wave detectors by identifying the development status of domestic and overseas cardiovascular simulators. A total of 119 papers were selected by excluding duplicate literature, gray literature, and literature not related to a cardiovascular simulator. Based on the selected literature, the research trend of cardiovascular simulators was analyzed. As a result of analyzing the purpose of the study, most of the simulators were developed to evaluate the hemodynamic properties of artificial hearts and valves. In addition, it was used for simulation evaluation or hemodynamic studies such as pulse wave studies. As a result of analyzing configurations of the simulators, a heart most often consisted of only one left ventricle. For blood vessels, the Windkessel model was most often constructed using chambers and valves. In most studies, blood was reproduced by mixing glycerin and water to reproduce both density and viscosity. In addition, as a result of analysis from the perspective of medical device performance evaluation, simulators for evaluating artificial heart and artificial valves have been studied a lot, whereas simulators for blood pressure, pulse wave, and blood flow devices have been relatively insignificant. Based on the review results, we suggested considerations when developing a simulator for performance evaluations of a pulse wave detector.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2022

This study was performed to determine carbon (C) storage of urban parks [Hadae park (established year: 1977), Songlim park (established year: 1990), Pyeonggeo park (1992), Chojeon park (2005)] in Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do. The soil at 0-30 cm depth was collected to measure soil C concentration. Bulk density in all soil depths was not significantly different among the four parks, whereas coarse fragments (>2 mm) were significantly higher in the Chojeon park than in the Pyeonggeo park. Soil pH and electrical conductivity were highest in Chojeon park among four parks. Soil C concentrations in all soil depths were significantly higher in the Hadae park established in 19 77 compared with the other parks established since 1990. Mean soil C concentration at 0-30 cm was the highest in the Hadae park (1.04%), followed by the Chojeon park (0.87%), the Songlim park (0.75%), and the Pyeonggeo park (0.57%). Soil C storage at 0-10 cm was not significantly different among the four urban parks, whereas soil C storage at 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm was higher in the Hadae parks than in the other parks. Total soil C storage was significantly higher in the Hadae park (28,425 kg C ha^-1) than in the Pyeonggeo park (15,622 kg C ha^-1). Mean soil C concentration and C storage were positively correlated with silt content and negatively correlated with sand content. The results suggest that soil C storage of urban parks in Jinju-si might be related to the established period of parks and silt contents.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.115-124
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to analyze and present keywords, trends, and language networks of keywords for each year of the pedagogical exam of the secondary teacher's employment exam for the 2019~2022 school year. The main research methods were text mining technique and language network analysis method, and analysis programs were KrKwic, Wordcloud Maker, Ucinet6, NetDraw, etc. The research results are as follows; First, keywords such as teacher, student, curriculum, class, and evaluation appeared in the top rankings, and keywords (online, wiki, discussion ceremony, information, etc.) that reflect the recent online class progress in the current COVID-19 situation also tended to appear. The keywords with high frequency of occurrence in the four-year integrated text were student(44), teacher(39), class(27), school(18), curriculum(16), online(10), and discussion method(8). Second, the overall language network of the keywords with high frequency of 4 years showed a significant level of density(0.566), total number of links(492), and average degree of links(16.4). The degree centrality was found in the order of teacher(199.0), class(197.0), student(185.0), and school(150.0). Betweenness centrality was found in the order of teacher(30.859), class(18.956), student(16.054), and school (15.745). It is expected that the results of this study will serve as data to be considered for preparatory teachers, institutions and related persons, and teachers and administrators of secondary school teacher training institutions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1154-1167
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• 2022

In this study, we investigated the anti-amnesic effect of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) bark extract (KRPBE) against amyloid beta_1-42 (Aβ_1-42)-induced neurotoxicity. We found that treatment with KRPBE improved the behavioral function in Aβ-induced mice, and also boosted the antioxidant system in mice by decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) content, increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, and reducing glutathione (GSH) levels. In addition, KRPBE improved the cholinergic system by suppressing reduced acetylcholine (ACh) content while also activating acetylcholinesterase (AChE), regulating the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), and synaptophysin. KRPBE also showed an ameliorating effect on cerebral mitochondrial deficit by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP levels. Moreover, KRPBE modulated the expression levels of neurotoxicity indicators Aβ and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, p-IκB-α, and IL-1β. Furthermore, we found that KRPBE improved the expression levels of neuronal apoptosis-related markers BAX and BCl-2 and increased the expression levels of BDNF and p-CREB. Therefore, this study suggests that KRPBE treatment has an anti-amnestic effect by modulating cholinergic system dysfunction and neuroinflammation in Aβ_1-42-induced cognitive impairment in mice.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.403-413
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• 2021

Background and objective: There is growing concern about the effects of modern society on mental health, coming with Covid-19-related caveats on depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS). This can be a subject to provide alternative methods which alleviate DAS. In line with this context, sensory gardens are widely acknowledged to stimulate the five major senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell) and can have a significant (positive) impact on mental health. However, there is limited empirical evidence on the effect of these gardens with regard to alleviating DAS - particularly with respect to urban society This is a gab in knowledge how such limits can be addressed. Accordingly, this present study is clearly needed in order to verify if there are any correlations between sensory gardens and (positive) effects on DAS. The aim of this study was therefore to understand current levels of DAS in a high density building with a sensory garden in a courtyard and determine correlations between experiences in the sensory courtyard and levels of DAS. Methods: The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was employed to test the level of DAS. Results: Additionally, 13 different factors associated with experiences in the building, including the stimulation of the five major senses in the sensory courtyard, were measured to reveal their contribution to mitigating depression, anxiety, and stress. It is noted that the average levels of DAS were 7.91, 7.77 and 9.01 respectively indicating that the mental health of participants requires mental health management. However, results show that factors associated with the sensory courtyard could improve mental health. For example, new social relationships, walking with colleagues, and the stimulation of each of the five major senses in the sensory garden could improve DAS. Conclusion: This illustrates that external experiences are more effective at mitigating depression, anxiety, and stress than internal ones. Factor analysis revealed four components: stimulating the five senses; internal and external facilities; internet-based device use; and new social relationships. There was a strong positive correlation between new social relationships and walking with colleagues. There were also strong positive correlations among the stimulation of each of the five senses. In conclusion, there are strong indications that sensory courtyards can help alleviate DAS and should therefore be promoted, particularly in the current Covid-19 situation wherein the physical and mental health of the public at large are threatened. Accordingly, courtyard design should be rethought in light of the relationship between the positive impact of sensory gardens and mental health.