• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.486-491
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• 2004

Purpose: factor analysis and independent component analysis (ICA) has been used for handling dynamic image sequences. Theoretical advantages of a newly suggested ICA method, ensemble ICA, leaded us to consider applying this method to the analysis of dynamic myocardial $H_2^{15}O$ PET data. In this study, we quantified patients' blood flow using the ensemble ICA method. Materials and Methods: Twenty subjects underwent $H_2^{15}O$ PET scans using ECAT EXACT 47 scanner and myocardial perfusion SPECT using Vertex scanner. After transmission scanning, dynamic emission scans were initiated simultaneously with the injection of $555{\sim}740$ MBq $H_2^{15}O$. Hidden independent components can be extracted from the observed mixed data (PET image) by means of ICA algorithms. Ensemble learning is a variational Bayesian method that provides an analytical approximation to the parameter posterior using a tractable distribution. Variational approximation forms a lower bound on the ensemble likelihood and the maximization of the lower bound is achieved through minimizing the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the true posterior and the variational posterior. In this study, posterior pdf was approximated by a rectified Gaussian distribution to incorporate non-negativity constraint, which is suitable to dynamic images in nuclear medicine. Blood flow was measured in 9 regions - apex, four areas in mid wall, and four areas in base wall. Myocardial perfusion SPECT score and angiography results were compared with the regional blood flow. Results: Major cardiac components were separated successfully by the ensemble ICA method and blood flow could be estimated in 15 among 20 patients. Mean myocardial blood flow was $1.2{\pm}0.40$ ml/min/g in rest, $1.85{\pm}1.12$ ml/min/g in stress state. Blood flow values obtained by an operator in two different occasion were highly correlated (r=0.99). In myocardium component image, the image contrast between left ventricle and myocardium was 1:2.7 in average. Perfusion reserve was significantly different between the regions with and without stenosis detected by the coronary angiography (P<0.01). In 66 segment with stenosis confirmed by angiography, the segments with reversible perfusion decrease in perfusion SPECT showed lower perfusion reserve values in $H_2^{15}O$ PET. Conclusions: Myocardial blood flow could be estimated using an ICA method with ensemble learning. We suggest that the ensemble ICA incorporating non-negative constraint is a feasible method to handle dynamic image sequence obtained by the nuclear medicine techniques.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 2014

According to the 2013 construction market outlook report, the liquidation of construction companies is expected to continue due to the ongoing residential construction recession. Bankruptcies of construction companies have a greater social impact compared to other industries. However, due to the different nature of the capital structure and debt-to-equity ratio, it is more difficult to forecast construction companies' bankruptcies than that of companies in other industries. The construction industry operates on greater leverage, with high debt-to-equity ratios, and project cash flow focused on the second half. The economic cycle greatly influences construction companies. Therefore, downturns tend to rapidly increase the bankruptcy rates of construction companies. High leverage, coupled with increased bankruptcy rates, could lead to greater burdens on banks providing loans to construction companies. Nevertheless, the bankruptcy prediction model concentrated mainly on financial institutions, with rare construction-specific studies. The bankruptcy prediction model based on corporate finance data has been studied for some time in various ways. However, the model is intended for all companies in general, and it may not be appropriate for forecasting bankruptcies of construction companies, who typically have high liquidity risks. The construction industry is capital-intensive, operates on long timelines with large-scale investment projects, and has comparatively longer payback periods than in other industries. With its unique capital structure, it can be difficult to apply a model used to judge the financial risk of companies in general to those in the construction industry. Diverse studies of bankruptcy forecasting models based on a company's financial statements have been conducted for many years. The subjects of the model, however, were general firms, and the models may not be proper for accurately forecasting companies with disproportionately large liquidity risks, such as construction companies. The construction industry is capital-intensive, requiring significant investments in long-term projects, therefore to realize returns from the investment. The unique capital structure means that the same criteria used for other industries cannot be applied to effectively evaluate financial risk for construction firms. Altman Z-score was first published in 1968, and is commonly used as a bankruptcy forecasting model. It forecasts the likelihood of a company going bankrupt by using a simple formula, classifying the results into three categories, and evaluating the corporate status as dangerous, moderate, or safe. When a company falls into the "dangerous" category, it has a high likelihood of bankruptcy within two years, while those in the "safe" category have a low likelihood of bankruptcy. For companies in the "moderate" category, it is difficult to forecast the risk. Many of the construction firm cases in this study fell in the "moderate" category, which made it difficult to forecast their risk. Along with the development of machine learning using computers, recent studies of corporate bankruptcy forecasting have used this technology. Pattern recognition, a representative application area in machine learning, is applied to forecasting corporate bankruptcy, with patterns analyzed based on a company's financial information, and then judged as to whether the pattern belongs to the bankruptcy risk group or the safe group. The representative machine learning models previously used in bankruptcy forecasting are Artificial Neural Networks, Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost) and, the Support Vector Machine (SVM). There are also many hybrid studies combining these models. Existing studies using the traditional Z-Score technique or bankruptcy prediction using machine learning focus on companies in non-specific industries. Therefore, the industry-specific characteristics of companies are not considered. In this paper, we confirm that adaptive boosting (AdaBoost) is the most appropriate forecasting model for construction companies by based on company size. We classified construction companies into three groups - large, medium, and small based on the company's capital. We analyzed the predictive ability of AdaBoost for each group of companies. The experimental results showed that AdaBoost has more predictive ability than the other models, especially for the group of large companies with capital of more than 50 billion won.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.3 s.260
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• pp.184-193
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• 2006

Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) has been proven to result in less morbidity. The patients who have left ventricular dysfunction may have benefits by avoiding the adverse effects of the cardiopulmonary bypass. The present study compared early and midterm outcomes of off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (On pump CABG) in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction. Material and Method: Ninety hundred forth six patients underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting by one surgeon between January 2001 and Febrary 2005.. Data were collected in 100 patients who had left ventricular ejection fraction (L VEF) less than $35\%$ (68 OPCAB; 32 On pump CABG). Mean age of patients were 62.9$\pm$9.0 years in OPCAS group and 63.8$\pm$8.0 years in On pump CABG group. We compared the preoperative risk factors and evaluated early and midterm outcomes. Result: In OPCAB and On pump CABG group, mean number of used grafts per patient were 2.75$\pm$0.72, 2.78$\pm$0.55 and mean number of distal anastomoses were 3.00$\pm$0.79, 3.16$\pm$0.72 respectively. There was one perioperative death in OPCAB group ($1.5\%$). The operation time, ventilation time, ICU stay time, CK-MB on the first postoperative day, and occurrence rate of complications were significantly low in OPCAB group. Mean follow-up time was 26.6$\pm$12.8 months (4${\~}$54 months). Mean LVEF of OPCAB and On pump CABG group improved significantly from $27.1\pm4.5\%$ to $40.7\pm13.0\%$ and $26.9\pm5.4\%$ to $33.3\pm13.7\%$. The 4-year actuarial survival rate of OPCAB and On pump CABG group were $92.2\%,\;88.3\%$ and the 4-year freedom rates from cardiac death were $97.7\%,\;96.4\%$ respectively. There were no significant differences between two groups in 4 year freedom rate from cardiac event and angina. Conclusion: OPCAS improves myocardial function and favors early and mid-term outcomes in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction compared to On pump CABG group. Therefore, OPCAB is a preferable operative strategy even in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction.

• Korea Science and Art Forum
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• v.32
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• pp.319-334
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• 2018

This research is a case study to make sure the enhancement of students' imagination and creativity through developing and applying the Literature-Art-Science Integrated Education Program. Its research object was totally 25 persons of 29 students of the 1st to the 4 th Grades from Gunsan Sulsan Elementary School. Its research period lasted for 4 months from September to December, 2017, and I, as the research place, used the art room at Gunsan Sulsan Elementary School. The programs were totally 10 sessions with a unit of 1 session per each grade for 2 hours from 1:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon from Monday through Friday. I fixed ten themes of this program-eight plane modeling, and two solid modeling, and finished the work of storytelling during summer vacation. And I arranged their levels as low:middle:high(3:5:2) ones. The former was 'A Film of Monster Gorilla'(L), 'Learning the Spirit of Gyeongju Choi's Family'(M), 'A Tale of My Friend Made of Natural Materials'(L), 'The Reading of My Dream'(M), 'Gathering the Objects in My Mobile'(M), 'A Mock Trial of Marrying Off'(M), 'Painting My Favorite Children's Poem'(H), and 'Painting My Favorite Children's Song'(H), and the latter was 'Seeking for a Bluebird in My Mind'(L), and 'Making My Cherished Object' (M). Then I used the unique art expression technique per each theme, which were in sequence marbling, Korean paper art, combine painting, collage, imaginary painting, imaginary painting, play dough art, imaginary painting techniques. And I delivered to the students the scientific knowledge in terms of growing or manufacturing processes of materials used for making artworks. Prior to and after the processing this program, I surveyed about the students' ability of integrated thinking and emotional experience by 'Figure B Type' and 'Figure A Type' of The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, and took statistics with the resultant data. And I executed a paired t-test in order to verify the significance of mean difference in the result of investigation with those data. From the analyzed result according to the elements of creativity and the mean quotients of creativity, there showed a significant difference (t=3.47, p<.01) in 'fluency', and also a significant difference(t=3.59, p<.01) in 'creativity.' Judging from the statistic values of two fields such as the student's ability of integrated thinking and emotional experience, I estimate that over the majority of the students showed the enhancement in self-confident creative expression as well as higher interest and concern through this program. The result that I arranged and analyzed the making process of artworks, the photos of the resultant, etc. as such is as follows : Firstly, from this program being proceeded as art-centered STEAM class, the student's systematic problem-solving ability was improved in his ability of integrated thinking to transform the literary contents into artistic one. Secondly, the student obtained the emotional experience such as interest in the class, self-confidence, intellectual satisfaction, self-fulfillment, etc. through art-centered STEAM class using ten art expression techniques. Thirdly, the student's mind willing to cooperate, communicate with his friends, and care for them was ripened in the process of problem-solving. Fourth, the student's self-confidence was further instilled when presenting famous artists and their artworks in the introduction and finale of ten art expression techniques. Likewise, the statistic values on the fields of student's ability of integrated thinking and emotional experience illustrate that over the majority of the students showed improvement in the ability of creative expression with confidence as well as higher interest and concern upon this program.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.485-496
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• 2002

Background : The NF-${\kappa}B$ transcription factors control various biological processes including the immune response, acute phase reaction and cell cycle regulation. NF-${\kappa}B$ complexes are retained in the cytoplasm in the basal state and various stimuli cause a translocation of the NF-${\kappa}B$ complexes into the nucleus where they bind to the ${\kappa}B$ elements and regulate the transcription of the target genes. Recent reports also suggest that NF-${\kappa}B$ proteins are involved in oncogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis. High expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ expression was reported in many cancer cell lines and tissues. The constitutive activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ was also reported in several cancer cell lines supporting its role in cancer development and survival. The anti-apoptotic action of NF-${\kappa}B$ is important for cancer survival. NF-${\kappa}B$ also controls the expression of several proteins that are important for cellular adhesion (ICAM-1, VCAM-1) suggesting a role in cancer metastasis. In lung cancer, high expression levels of the NF-${\kappa}B$ subunit p50 and c-Rel were reported. In fact, high expression does not mean a high activity, and the activation pattern of NF-${\kappa}B$ in lung cancer has not been reported. Materials and Methods : In this study, the NF-${\kappa}B$ nuclear binding activity in the basal and TNF-${\alpha}$ stimulated states were exmined in various lung cancer cell lines and compared with the normal bronchial epithelial cell line. Twelve lung cancer cell lines including the non-small cell and small cell lung cancer cell lines (A549, NCI-H358, NCI-H441, NCI-H552, NCI-H2009, NCI-H460, NCI-H1229, NCI-H1703, NCI-H157, NCI-H187, NCI-H417, NCI-H526) and BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cell line were used. To evaluate the NF-${\kappa}B$ expression and DNA binding activity, western blot analysis and an electrophoretic mobility shift assay with the nuclear protein extracts. Results : The basal expressions of the p65 and p50 subunits were observed in the BEAS-2B cell line and all lung cancer cell lines except for NCI-H358 and NCI-H460. The expression levels of p65 and p50 were increased 30 minutes after stimulation with TNF-${\alpha}$ in BEAS-2B and in 10 lung cancer cell lines. In the NCI-H358 and NCI-H460 cell lines, p65 expression was not observed in the basal and stimulated states and the two p50 related protein levels were higher after stimulation with TNF-${\alpha}$ These new proteins were smaller than p50 and are thought to be variants of p50. In the basal state, NF-${\kappa}B$ was nearly activated in the BEAS-2B and all lung cancer cell lines. The DNA binding activity of the NF-${\kappa}B$ complexes was markedly higher after stimulation with TNF-${\alpha}$ In the BEAS-2B and all lung cancer cell line except for NCI-H358 and NCI-H460, the activated NF-${\kappa}B$ complex was a p65/p50 heterodimer. In the NCI-H358 and NCI-H460 lung cancer cell lines, the NF-${\kappa}B$ complex was variant of a p50/p50 homodimer. Conclusion : The NF-${\kappa}B$ activation pattern in the lung cancer cell lines and the normal bronchial epithelial cell lines was similar except for the activation of a variant of the p50/p50 homodimer in some lung cancer cell linse.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.66-80
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• 1977

This research was carried as a part of the basic study, in which the aptitude of theKorean oak varieties as barrels for aging apple fine spirits was investigated, and thefollowing results were obtained. 1. Following was the result of the chemical analysis of the fruits which are now mass-produced and can be used as a substitute for raw materials for wine production. Apple (Malus pumila Miller var. domestica Schneider) : Total sugar. total acid, volatile acid and pectin of Jonathan (Hong-og) were 13.95%, 0.46%, 0.012%, 0.20% respectively. Total sugar, total acid, volatile acid and pectin of Ralls (Koog-kwang) were 13.35%, 0.43%, 0.011%, 0.45% respectively. 2. Because of low yield of apple juice due to cellulose, pectin, hemicellulose which are present besides sugars, acids in apples, the apple juice were treated with xylanase of Aspergillus niger SUAFM-430, cellulase and pectinase of Aspergillus niger SUAFM-6. This treatment increased the yield of apple juice. And the apple juice was sterilized by adding potassium metabisulfite $(K_2S_20_5)$ and Saccharomyces cerevisae var. ellipsoideus Rasse Johannisberg II (SUAFM-1018) as a cultivation yeast, which has a strong fermentation power was used to ferment. The yield of apple wine based on raw material was 86-87%. The amount of ethanol, extract and methanol obtained from Jonathan and Ralls were 13.5%, 5.4%, 0.04-0.05% respectively. 3. Wines were distilled for two times by the pot still method to make fine spirits. The yield of fine spirits from apple wine mash was 86.6%, and the pH of fine spirits from Jonathan and Ralls were 4.1, 4.2 respectively. 4. The oak chips made of inner part or outer part of 24 Korean oak varieties were used to select the barrel for aging fine spirits. Two oak chips (one oak chip: $1{\times}1{\times}5cm$) of the inner part or of the outer part of each oak variety were dipped into 300 ml of fine spirits, which was bottled in 640ml beer bottle, and followed aging. The colors, flavors and tastes of the fine spirits were checked during 6 months. A. As a criterion for the first screening of oak barrels for aging fine spirits, the rate five of color extraction was determined. The oak chips showed good results in their order as follows and the best 5 varieties were selected. Gal-cham: Quercus aliena Blume (Inner part), Gul-cham: Quercus variabilis Blume (Outer part), Gal-chain: Quercus aliena Blume (Outer part), Jol-cham: Quercus serrata Thumb (Inner and Outer part). Sin-gal-cham: Quercus mongolica Fisher (Outer and Inner part) Sang-su-ri: Quercus acutissima Carruthers (Outer and Inner part) B. To find out the influence of aging temperature on aging, apple fine spirits were aged by dipping each oak chip at room temperature $(24-25^{\circ}C)$) and $45^{\circ}C$. Aging at $45^{\circ}C$ gave the best result followed aging at $30^{\circ}C$ and then at room temperature. C. Apple fine spirits was aged for six months by dipping oak chips in Erlenmeyer flasks and was irradiated with U.V light. The U.V irradiation enhanced the aging effect by nearly two times, compared with the aging without U.V irradiation. D. In aging apple fine spirits by dipping two oak chips, it was observed that the extent of the extraction of most components of oak chips were strongly dependent upon the pH of fine spirits. E. Oak chips of five selected oak varieties and a Limousin white oak from France as a control were used. Each apple fine spitits was dipped by two oak chips, and was aged at room temperature $(24-25^{\circ}C)$, $30^{\circ}C$, $45^{\circ}C$, and with the U.V irradiation at room temperature shaking every week. After six months of aging, the panel test of these aged fine spirits (Young Brandy) showed the following result. Young brandy of apples aged at $45^{\circ}C$ by dipping oak chips of Gal-chain was almost as the fine spirits which were aged at room temperature by dipping Limousin white oak chips from France. Young brandy of with U.V. irradiation at room temperature which were aged by dipping oak chips of Gal-chain was a little worse than that from the fine spirits aged at room temperature by dipping Limousin white oak chips from France. And so, Korean oak varieties are thought to be able to be used for aging every apple fine spirit which was here investigated.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1972.03a
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• pp.6-7
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• 1972

The air pollutants can be classified into the irritant gas and the asphixation gas, and the irritant gas is closely related to the otorhinolaryngological diseases. The common irritant gases are nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, hydrogen carbon compounds, and the potent and irritating PAN (peroxy acyl nitrate) which is secondarily liberated from photosynthesis. Those gases adhers to the mucous membrane to result in ulceration and secondary infection due to their potent oxidizing power. 1. Sulfur dioxide gas Sulfur dioxide gas has the typical characteristics of the air pollutants. Because of its high solubility it gets easily absorbed in the respiratory tract, when the symptoms and signs by irritation become manifested initially and later the resistance in the respiratory tract brings central about pulmonary edema and respiratory paralysis of origin. Chronic exposure to the gas leads to rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, and olfactory or gustatory disturbances. 2. Carbon monoxide Toxicity of carbon monoxide is due to its deprivation of the oxygen carrying capacity of the hemoglobin. The degree of the carbon monoxide intoxication varies according to its concentration and the duration of inhalation. It starts with headache, vertigo, nausea, vomiting and tinnitus, which can progress to respiratory difficulty, muscular laxity, syncope, and coma leading to death. 3. Nitrogen dioxide Nitrogen dioxide causes respiratory disturbances by formation of methemoglobin. In acute poisoning, it can cause pulmonary congestion, pulmonary edema, bronchitis, and pneumonia due to its strong irritation on the eyes and the nose. In chronic poisoning, it causes chronic pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary edema. 4. Ozone It has offending irritating odor, and causes dryness of na sopharyngolaryngeal mucosa, headache and depressed pulmonary function which may eventually lead to pulmonary congestion or edema. 5. Smog The most outstanding incident of the smog occurred in London from December 5 through 8, 1952, because of which the mortality of the respiratory diseases increased fourfold. The smog was thought to be due to the smoke produced by incomplete combustion and its byproduct the sulfur oxides, and the dust was thought to play the secondary role. In new sense, hazardous is the photochemical smog which is produced by combination of light energy and the hydrocarbons and oxidant in the air. The Yonsei University Institute for Environmental :pollution Research launched a project to determine the relationship between the pollution and the medical, ophthalmological and rhinopharyngological disorders. The students (469) of the "S" Technical School in the most heavily polluted area in Pusan (Uham Dong district) were compared with those (345) of "K" High School in the less polluted area. The investigated group had those with subjective symptoms twice as much as the control group, 22.6% (106) in investigated group and 11.3% (39) in the control group. Among those symptomatic students of the investigated group. There were 29 with respiratory symptoms (29%), 22 with eye symptoms (21%), 50 with stuffy nose and rhinorrhea (47%), and 5 with sore thorat (5%), which revealed that more than half the students (52%) had subjective symptoms of the rhinopharyngological aspects. Physical examination revealed that the investigated group had more number of students with signs than those of the control group by 10%, 180 (38.4%) versus 99 (28.8%). Among the preceding 180 students of the investigated group, there were 8 with eye diseases (44%), 1 with respiratory disease (0.6%), 97 with rhinitis (54%), and 74 with pharyngotonsillitis (41%) which means that 95% of them had rharygoical diseases. The preceding data revealed that the otolaryngological diseases are conspicuously outnumbered in the heavily polluted area, and that there must be very close relationship between the air pollution and the otolaryngological diseases, and the anti-pollution measure is urgently needed.