• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.118-138
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• 2022

This study was conducted to identify the vegetation structure of major vegetation by region and elevation in the subalpine zone of Seoraksan National Park and prepare an inventory of flora. We reviewed the results of the previous subalpine studies and, through a preliminary survey, determined that the first appearance point of subalpine vegetation was about 800 m based on the south. Then we conducted a site survey by installing a total of 77 plots, including 12 plots on the northern Baekdamsa-Madeungnyeong trail (BD), 13 plots on the west Hangyeryeong-Kkeutcheong trail (HG), 13 plots on the east side of Sinheungsa-Socheongbong trail (SA), and 39 plots in the southern Osaek-Kkeutcheong, Osaek-Daecheongbong trail (OS), in an interval of 50 m above sea level. The analysis classified 7 communities, including Qercus mongolica-Abies holophylla-Acer pseudosieboldianumcommunity, Q. mongolica-Tilia amurensiscommunity, Q. mongolica-Pinus koraiensiscommunity, Q. mongolica-A. pseudosieboldianumcommunity, Betula ermanii-A. nephrolepiscommunity, P. koraiensis-A. nephrolepiscommunity, and mixed deciduous broad-leaf tree community according to the species composition based on the appearance of the major subalpine plants such as Quercus mongolica, Betula ermanii, and Abies nephrolepis, region, and elevation. 10.68±2.98 species appeared per plot (100 m²), and 110.87±63.89 individuals were identified. The species diversity analysis showed that the subalpine vegetation community of Seoraksan National Park was a mixed forest in which various species appeared as important species. Although there was a difference in the initial elevation for the appearance of major subalpine plants by region, they were distributed intensively in the elevation range of 1,100 to 1,300 m. In the Seoraksan National Park, 322 taxa, 83 families, 193 genera, 196 species, 1 subspecies, 26 varieties, and 4 forms of vascular plants were identified. One taxon of Trientalis europaeavar.arcticawas identified as the protected species. The endemic plants were 19 taxa, and 58 taxa were identified as subalpine plants.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.903-913
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• 2021

In the flood season, the measurement of the river discharge has many restrictions due to reasons such as budget, manpower, safety, convenience in measurement and so on. In particular, when heavy rain events occur due to typhoons, etc., it is difficult to measure the amount of flood due to the above problems. In order to improve this problem, in this study, a method was developed that can measure the river discharge in a flood season simply and safely in a short time with minimal manpower by combining the functions of a drone and a surface velocity doppler radar. To overcome the mechanical limitations of drones caused by weather issues such as wind and rainfall derived from the measurement of the river discharge using the conventional drone, we developed a drone with P56 grade dustproof and waterproof performance, stable flight capability at a wind speed of up to 36 km/h, and a payload weight of up to 10 kg. Further, to eliminate vibration which is the most important constraint factor in the measurement with a surface velocity doppler radar, a damper plate was developed as a device that combines a drone and a surface velocity Doppler radar. The velocity meter DSVM (Dron and Surface Veloctity Meter using doppler radar) that combines the flight equipment with the velocity meter was produced. The error of ±3.5% occurred as a result of measuring the river discharge using DSVM at the point of Geumsan-gun (Hwangpunggyo) located at Bonghwang stream (the first tributary stream of the Geum River). In addition, when calculating the mean velocity from the measured surface velocity, the measurement was performed using ADCP simultaneously to improve accuracy, and the mean velocity conversion factor (0.92) was calculated by comparing the mean velocity. In this study, the discharge measured by combining a drone and a surface velocity meter was compared with the discharge measured using ADCP and floats, so that the application and utility of DSVM was confirmed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2022

Background and Objectives Globus pharyngeus is one of the most common symptoms of patients visiting otorhinolaryngology out-patient clinic, and usually long-lasting, difficult to treat, and frequently recurrent. Mucomyst^®, N-acetyl cysteine is an inhalation agent mainly used for mucolysis and reducing inflammation in airway via antioxidative effect. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of inhaled Mucomyst^® treatment in patients with globus pharyngeus refractory to proton pump inhibitor (PPI). Materials and Method We prospectively evaluated the efficacy of Mucomyst^® in relieving symptoms of globus pharyngeus refractory to PPI in nine medical centers. Three hundred and three patients enrolled and finally 229 patients finished the inhaled Mucomyst^® therapy for 8 weeks. We analyzed the change of Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), Reflux Finding Score (RFS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for globus, and Globus Pharyngeus Symptom Scale (GPS) after use of Mucomyst^® for 4 and 8 weeks. Results The GPS, RSI, RFS, and VAS score significantly decreased serially in patients who finished 8 week-inhalation treatment. The GPS improvement gap was significantly correlated with initial GPS (p<0.001) in multiple regression analysis. Conclusion Inhaled Mucomyst^® therapy was effective for the reduction of both subjective and objective findings in refractory globus patients. This study might suggest new treatment option for patients with globus. However, further thorough studies would be needed to assess the real effect of inhaled Mucomyst^® treatment as a standard treatment for globus.

• Maritime Security
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.141-185
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• 2021

The growing U.S.-China rivalry has placed the countries of Southeast Asia in exceedingly precarious positions. The Republic of Korea (ROK) likewise has been tasked with the challenge of "navigating the waters" between deepening geopolitical divides. It is in this context that the "New Southern Policy" (hereafter NSP) has become a key word in Korea's foreign policy circles. Through NSP, ROK aims to diversify its economic and security interests by strengthening ties with its southern partners, focusing on three key areas (termed as the "3 Ps"): People, Prosperity, and Peace. At the same time, the NSP seeks cooperation with other key diplomatic agendas such as the U.S.'s "Free and Open Indo-Pacific," rendering it crucial for the overall stability of the region. Considering such strategic significance, deeper analysis of the policy is more timely than ever. A brief assessment of the policy's outcome so far, however, reveals that relatively, the "Peace" pillar has been insufficient in achieving satisfactory outcomes. Here, this paper asks the question of: 1) How can the "Peace" pillar of South Korea's New Southern Policy be strengthened? Based on an analysis on the causes of the "Peace" pillar's weakness, this paper identifies counter-piracy cooperation as a solution. This paper then proceeds to answer the next question of: 2) How can ROK and ASEAN cooperate on counter-piracy, and how can these efforts be integrated into ROK's NSP? To answer the above question, this paper conducts in-depth case studies on ASEAN's and ROK's approaches to counter-piracy and identifies specific mechanisms of cooperation. In Chapter I, the paper begins with an overview of the NSP's strategic significance and an evaluation of its "Peace" pillar. Chapter II conducts a literature review on the causes of, and prescriptions for, the weakness of the "Peace" pillar. The paper then justifies why counter-piracy may be a solution. Chapter III examines ASEAN's and ROK's approaches to counter-piracy. By analyzing the general framework and each region's cases, the paper displays the strengths and weaknesses of each region's piracy responses. Based on this analysis, Chapter IV suggests ways to incorporate counter-piracy cooperation into the "Peace" pillar of the NSP. This research bears significance in that it identifies a specific area of cooperation (counter-piracy) to strengthen the "Peace" pillar of ROK's NSP. Such identification is based on a comprehensive study into the two parties' past and current experience in counter-piracy, making it contextual in nature. Furthermore, the study suggests practical mechanisms of cooperation, and considers ways of incorporation into the existing framework of NSP. This approach differs from existing literature that failed to generate case-specific, policy-oriented solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated piracy issues and deepened geopolitical divides. Turbulent seas such as these call for careful navigation. When it comes to promoting "peace," the key lies in combating the pirates that sail those very waters.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2022

Background: Although respiratory tract infection is one of the most important factors triggering acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD), limited data are available to suggest an epidemiologic pattern of microbiology in South Korea. Methods: A multicenter observational study was conducted between January 2015 and December 2018 across 28 hospitals in South Korea. Adult patients with moderate-to-severe acute exacerbations of COPD were eligible to participate in the present study. The participants underwent all conventional tests to identify etiology of microbial pathogenesis. The primary outcome was the percentage of different microbiological pathogens causing AE-COPD. A comparative microbiological analysis of the patients with overlapping asthma-COPD (ACO) and pure COPD was performed. Results: We included 1,186 patients with AE-COPD. Patients with pure COPD constituted 87.9% and those with ACO accounted for 12.1%. Nearly half of the patients used an inhaled corticosteroid-containing regimen and one-fifth used systemic corticosteroids. Respiratory pathogens were found in 55.3% of all such patients. Bacteria and viruses were detected in 33% and 33.2%, respectively. Bacterial and viral coinfections were found in 10.9%. The most frequently detected bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.8%), and the most frequently detected virus was influenza A (10.4%). Multiple bacterial infections were more likely to appear in ACO than in pure COPD (8.3% vs. 3.6%, p=0.016). Conclusion: Distinct microbiological patterns were identified in patients with moderate-to-severe AE-COPD in South Korea. These findings may improve evidence-based management of patients with AE-COPD and represent the basis for further studies investigating infectious pathogens in patients with COPD.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.45-53
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• 2022

In order to improve the emission of diesel engines, natural gas-diesel dual fuel combustion compression ignition engines are in the spotlight. In particular, a reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion strategy is investigated comprehensively due to its possibility to improve both efficiency and emissions. With advanced diesel direct injection timing earlier than TDC, it achieves spontaneous reaction with overall lean mixture from a homogeneous mixture in the entire cylinder area, reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) and improving braking heat efficiency at the same time. However, there is a disadvantage in that the amount of incomplete combustion increases in a low load region with a relatively small amount of fuel-air. To solve this, sensitive control according to the diesel injection timing and fuel ratio is required. In this study, experiments were conducted to improve efficiency and exhaust emissions of the natural gas-diesel dual fuel engine at low load, and evaluate combustion stability according to the diesel injection timing at the operation point for power generation. A 6 L-class commercial diesel engine was used for the experiment which was conducted under a 50% load range (~50 kW) at 1,800 rpm. Two injectors with different spray patterns were applied to the experiment, and the fraction of natural gas and diesel injection timing were selected as main parameters. Based on the experimental results, it was confirmed that the brake thermal efficiency increased by up to 1.3%p in the modified injector with the narrow-angle injection added. In addition, the spray pattern of the modified injector was suitable for premixed combustion, increasing operable range in consideration of combustion instability, torque reduction, and emissions level under Tier-V level (0.4 g/kWh for NOx).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

Natural products have gained increasing attention due to their advantage of long-term safety and low toxicity for a very long time. Torreya nucifera is widespread in southern Korea and Jeju Island and its seeds are commonly used as edible food. Oriental ingredients have often been reported for their insecticidal, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, but there have not yet been any studies on their antidiabetic effect. In this study, we investigated several biological activities of T. nucifera pericarp (TNP) and seeds (TNS) extracts and proceeded to characterize the antidiabetic compounds of TNS. The initial results suggested that TNS extract at 15 and 10 ㎍/ml concentration has inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, that is 14.5 and 4.35 times higher than TNP, respectively. Thus, the stronger antidiabetic TNS was selected for the subsequent experiments to characterize its active compounds. Ultrafiltration was used to determine the apparent molecular weight of the active compounds, showing 300 kDa or more. Finally the mixture was then partially purified using Diaion HP-20 column chromatography by eluting with 50~100% methanol. Therefore we concluded that the active compounds of TNS have potential as therapeutic agents in functional food or supplemental treatment to improve diabetic diseases.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.155-163
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• 2022

The application of fungicides is indispensable to global food security, and their use has increased in recent times. Fungicides, directly or indirectly, have impacted insects, leading to genetic and molecular-level changes. Various detoxification mechanisms allow insects to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) toxicity induced by agrochemicals including fungicides. In the present study, we analyzed the mRNA expression levels of detoxifying enzymes in Tenebrio molitor larvae following exposure to non-lethal doses (0.2, 2, and 20 ㎍/µL) of a fungicide captan. Transcripts of peroxidases (POXs), catalases (CATs), superoxide dismutases (SODs), and glutathione-s-transferases (GSTs) were screened from the T. molitor transcriptome database. RT-qPCR analysis showed that TmPOX5 mRNA increased significantly 24 h post-captan exposure. A similar increase was noticed for TmSOD4 mRNA 3 h post-captan exposure. Moreover, the expression of TmCAT2 mRNA increased significantly 24 h post-treatment with 2 ㎍/µL captan. TmGST1 and TmGST3 mRNA expression also increased noticeably after captan exposure. Taken together, these results suggest that TmPOX5 and TmSOD4 mRNA can be used as biomarkers or xenobiotics sensors for captan exposure in T. molitor, while other detoxifying enzymes showed differential expression.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.535-543
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• 2022

A CPFD (Computational particle fluid dynamics) model of solar fluidized bed receiver of silicon carbide (SiC: average d_p=123 ㎛) particles was established, and the model was verified by comparing the simulation and experimental results to analyze the effect of particle behavior on the performance of the receiver. The relationship between the heat-absorbing performance and the particles behavior in the receiver was analyzed by simulating their behavior near bed surface, which is difficult to access experimentally. The CPFD simulation results showed good agreement with the experimental values on the solids holdup and its standard deviation under experimental condition in bed and freeboard regions. The local solid holdups near the bed surface, where particles primarily absorb solar heat energy and transfer it to the inside of the bed, showed a non-uniform distribution with a relatively low value at the center related with the bubble behavior in the bed. The local solid holdup increased the axial and radial non-uniformity in the freeboard region with the gas velocity, which explains well that the increase in the RSD (Relative standard deviation) of pressure drop across the freeboard region is responsible for the loss of solar energy reflected by the entrained particles in the particle receiver. The simulation results of local gas and particle velocities with gas velocity confirmed that the local particle behavior in the fluidized bed are closely related to the bubble behavior characterized by the properties of the Geldart B particles. The temperature difference of the fluidizing gas passing through the receiver per irradiance (∆T/I_DNI) was highly correlated with the RSD of the pressure drop across the bed surface and the freeboard regions. The CPFD simulation results can be used to improve the performance of the particle receiver through local particle behavior analysis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.784-791
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• 2022

This study observed changes in the body composition of Protaetia brevitarsis sinulensis larvae when reared with feed that included noni and nipa palm. Compared to the control group, the death rate and product yield of the treatment group were improved after the larval fasting process. The brightness of the larval powder of the treatment group increased, but the redness decreased. The crude fat content of the treated group was slightly increased according to the assays of the general components, but the mineral content was significantly increased. The total structural amino acids of the treatment group decreased, but the total free amino acids increased. The structural amino acids generally tended to decrease in the treatment group. However, the free amino acids showed no specific differences. Among the free amino acids, tryptophan, phosphoserine, and methylhistidine were highly increased in the treatment group, whereas threonine, methionine, and asparagine showed the opposite results. Among the polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n3) of omega-3 was increased in the treatment group, but the omega-6 series was decreased. Since minerals, total free amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment group were increased compared to the control group, we suggest that noni and nipa palm can potentially be applied to the production of functionally improved substances as additional sources of feed for Protaetia brevitarsis sinulensis larvae.