• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1131-1141
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• 2023

Objective: Cortical iron deposition has recently been shown to occur in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate how cortical gray matter iron, measured using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), differs in the clinical cognitive impairment spectrum. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 73 participants (mean age ± standard deviation, 66.7 ± 7.6 years; 52 females and 21 males) with normal cognition (NC), 158 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 48 patients with AD dementia. The participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging using a three-dimensional multi-dynamic multi-echo sequence on a 3-T scanner. We employed a deep neural network (QSMnet+) and used automatic segmentation software based on FreeSurfer v6.0 to extract anatomical labels and volumes of interest in the cortex. We used analysis of covariance to investigate the differences in susceptibility among the clinical diagnostic groups in each brain region. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to study the association between susceptibility values and cognitive scores including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results: Among the three groups, the frontal (P < 0.001), temporal (P = 0.004), parietal (P = 0.001), occipital (P < 0.001), and cingulate cortices (P < 0.001) showed a higher mean susceptibility in patients with MCI and AD than in NC subjects. In the combined MCI and AD group, the mean susceptibility in the cingulate cortex (β = -216.21, P = 0.019) and insular cortex (β = -276.65, P = 0.001) were significant independent predictors of MMSE scores after correcting for age, sex, education, regional volume, and APOE4 carrier status. Conclusion: Iron deposition in the cortex, as measured by QSMnet+, was higher in patients with AD and MCI than in NC participants. Iron deposition in the cingulate and insular cortices may be an early imaging marker of cognitive impairment related neurodegeneration.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.403-415
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• 2023

This study aimed to isolate and identify L-(+)-lactic acid-producing bacteria from tree barks collected in Thailand and evaluate the potential strain as probiotics. Twelve strains were isolated and characterized phenotypically and genotypically. The strains exhibited a rod-shaped morphology, high-temperature tolerance, and the ability to ferment different sugars into lactic acid. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, all strains were identified as belonging to Weizmannia coagulans. Among the isolated strains, BKMTCR2-2 demonstrated exceptional lactic acid production, with 96.41% optical purity, 2.33 g/l of lactic acid production, 1.44 g/g of lactic acid yield (per gram of glucose consumption), and 0.0049 g/l/h of lactic acid productivity. This strain also displayed a wide range of pH tolerance, suggesting suitability for the human gastrointestinal tract and potential probiotic applications. The whole-genome sequence of BKMTCR2-2 was assembled using a hybridization approach that combined long and short reads. The genomic analysis confirmed its identification as W. coagulans and safety assessments revealed its non-pathogenic attribute compared to type strains and commercial probiotic strains. Furthermore, this strain exhibited resilience to acidic and bile conditions, along with the presence of potential probiotic-related genes and metabolic capabilities. These findings suggest that BKMTCR2-2 holds promise as a safe and effective probiotic strain with significant lactic acid production capabilities.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.215-229
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• 2024

Because of the various patterns of deep-water inrush and complicated mechanisms, accurately predicting mine water inflows is always a difficult problem for coal mine geologists. In study presented in this paper, the water inrush channels were divided into four basic water diversion structures: aquifer, rock fracture zone, fracture zone and goaf. The fluid flow characteristics in each water-conducting structure were investigated by laboratory tests, and multistructure and multisystem coupling flow analysis models of different water-conducting structures were established to describe the entire water inrush process. Based on the research of the water inrush flow paths, the analysis model of different water inrush space structures was established and applied to the prediction of mine water inrush inflow. The results prove that the conduction sequence of different water-conducting structures and the changing rule of permeability caused by stress changes before and after the peak have important influences on the characteristics of mine water-gushing. Influenced by the differences in geological structure and combined with rock mass RQD and fault conductivity characteristics and other mine exploration data, the prediction of mine water inflow can be realized accurately. Taking the water transmitting path in the multistructure as the research object of water inrush, breaking through the limitation of traditional stratigraphic structure division, the prediction of water inflow and the estimation of potentially flooded area was realized, and water bursting intensity was predicted. It is of great significance in making reasonable emergency plans.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2000

Purpose : To evaluate the side effects, pattern of failure, and survival rate according to the sequence of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy, patients with stages II and III rectal cancer who had undergone curative resection were randomized to 'early radiotherapy group (arm I)' or' late radiotherapy group (arm II)', then we intend to determine the most effective sequence of the radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Materials and Methods . From January 1996 to March 1999, 313 patients with curatively resected stages II and III rectal cancer have been randomized to' early' or' late' radiation therapy group and received combined chemotherapy (5-FU 375 mg/m$^{2}$/day, ieucovorin 20 mg/m$^{2}$, IV bolus daily Dl-5, 8 cycles) and radiation therapy (whole pelvis with 45 Gy/25 fractions/s weeks). Arm I received radiation therapy from day 1 with first cycle of chemotherapy and arm II received radiation therapy from day 57 with third cycle of chemotherapy after completion of first two cycles. Preliminary analysis was peformed with 228 patients registered up to Jun 1998. Two out of the 228 patients were excluded because of double primary cancer. Median follow-up period was 23 months. Results :Local recurrence occurred in 11 patients (9.7$\%$) for arm I and 9 patients (8$\%$) for arm 11. There was no significant difference between both groups ( p=0.64). However, distant metastasis was found in 22 patients (19.5$\%$) for arm I and 35 patients (31.0$\%$) for arm II and which showed statistically significant difference between the two groups ( p=0.046). And neither 3-year disease-free survival (70.2$\%$ vs 59.2$\%$, p=0.2) nor overall survival (89.4$\%$ vs 88.0$\%$, p=0.47) showed significant differences. The incidence of leukopenia during radiation therapy and chemotherapy was 78.3$\%$ and 79.9$\%$ respectively but leukopenia more than RTOG grade 3 was only 2.1$\%$ and 6.0$\%$ respectively. The incidence of diarrhea more than 10 times per day was significantly higher in the patients for arm I than for arm II (71.2$\%$ vs 41.6$\%$, p=0.02) but this complication was controlled with supportive cares. Conclusion : Regardless of the sequence of postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy after curative resection for rectal cancer, local recurrence rate was low with combined chemoradlotherapy. But distant metastasis rate was lower in early radiation therapy group than in late radiation therapy group and the reason is unclear. Most patients completed these treatments without severe complication, so these were thought to be safe treatments but the treatment compliance should be improved.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.366-373
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• 2011

To analyze the genetic relationships among Korean potato cultivars and to develop cultivar identification method using DNA markers, we carried out genotyping using simple sequence repeats (SSR) analysis and developed multiplex-SSR set. Initially, we designed 92 SSR primer combinations reported previously and applied them to twenty four Korean potato cultivars. Among the 92 SSR markers, we selected 14 SSR markers based on polymorphism information contents (PIC) values. PIC values of the selected 14 markers ranged from 0.48 to 0.89 with an average of 0.76. PIC value of PSSR-29 was the lowest with 0.48 and PSSR-191 was the highest with 0.89. UPGMA clustering analysis based on genetic distances using 14 SSR markers classified 21 potato cultivars into 2 clusters. Cluster I and II included 16 and 5 cultivars, respectively. And 3 cultivars were not classified into major cluster group I and II. These 14 SSR markers generated a total of 121 alleles and the average number of alleles per SSR marker was 10.8 with a range from 3 to 34. Among the selected markers, we combined three SSR markers, PSSR-17, PSSR-24 and PSSR-24, as a multiplex-SSR set. This multiplex-SSR set used in the study can distinguish all the cultivars with one time PCR and PAGE (Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) analysis and PIC value of multiplex-SSR set was 0.95.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.1-15
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• 2004

In this paper, we explain the design and implementation of GWB(Gene WorkBench), which is a web-based, integrated system for efficiently managing and analyzing genomic sequences, Most existing software systems handling genomic sequences rarely provide both managing facilities and analyzing facilities. The analysis programs also tend to be unit programs that include just single or some part of the required functions. Moreover, these programs are widely distributed over Internet and require different execution environments. As lots of manual and conversion works are required for using these programs together, many life science researchers suffer great inconveniences. in order to overcome the problems of existing systems and provide a more convenient one for helping genomic researches in effective ways, this paper integrates both managing facilities and analyzing facilities into a single system called GWB. Most important issues regarding the design of GWB are how to integrate many different analysis programs into a single software system, and how to provide data or databases of different formats required to run these programs. In order to address these issues, GWB integrates different analysis programs byusing common input/output interfaces called wrappers, suggests a common format of genomic sequence data, organizes local databases consisting of a relational database and an indexed sequential file, and provides facilities for converting data among several well-known different formats and exporting local databases into XML files.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.45-55
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• 2013

Thereby using smartphone and mobile device be more popular the more people utilize mobile device in many area such as education, news, financial. In January, 2007 Apple release i-phone it touch off rapid increasing in user of smartphone and it create new market and these broaden its utilization area. Smartphone use WiFi or 3G mobile radio communication network and it has a feature that can access to internet whenever and anywhere. Also using smartphone application people can search arrival time of public transportation in real time and application is used in mobile banking and stock trading. Computer's function is replaced by smartphone so it involves important user's information such as financial and personal pictures, videos. Present smartphone security systems are not only too simple but the unlocking methods are spreading out covertly. I-phone is secured by using combination of number and character but USA's IT magazine Engadget reveal that it is easily unlocked by using combination with some part of number pad and buttons Android operation system is using pattern system and it is known as using 9 point dot so user can utilize various variable but according to Jonathan smith professor of University of Pennsylvania Android security system is easily unlocked by tracing fingerprint which remains on the smartphone screen. So both of Android and I-phone OS are vulnerable at security threat. Compared with problem of password and pattern finger recognition has advantage in security and possibility of loss. The reason why current using finger recognition smart phone, and device are not so popular is that there are many problem: not providing reasonable price, breaching human rights. In addition, finger recognition sensor is not providing reasonable price to customers but through continuous development of the smartphone and device, it will be more miniaturized and its price will fall. So once utilization of finger recognition is actively used in smartphone and if its utilization area broaden to financial transaction. Utilization of biometrics in smart device will be debated briskly. So in this thesis we will propose fingerprint numbering system which is combined fingerprint and password to fortify existing fingerprint recognition. Consisted by 4 number of password has this kind of problem so we will replace existing 4number password and pattern system and consolidate with fingerprint recognition and password reinforce security. In original fingerprint recognition system there is only 10 numbers of cases but if numbering to fingerprint we can consist of a password as a new method. Using proposed method user enter fingerprint as invested number to the finger. So attacker will have difficulty to collect all kind of fingerprint to forge and infer user's password. After fingerprint numbering, system can use the method of recognization of entering several fingerprint at the same time or enter fingerprint in regular sequence. In this thesis we adapt entering fingerprint in regular sequence and if in this system allow duplication when entering fingerprint. In case of allowing duplication a number of possible combinations is $\sum_{I=1}^{10}\;{_{10}P_i}$ and its total cases of number is 9,864,100. So by this method user retain security the other hand attacker will have a number of difficulties to conjecture and it is needed to obtain user's fingerprint thus this system will enhance user's security. This system is method not accept only one fingerprint but accept multiple finger in regular sequence. In this thesis we introduce the method in the environment of smartphone by using multiple numbered fingerprint enter to authorize user. Present smartphone authorization using pattern and password and fingerprint are exposed to high risk so if proposed system overcome delay time when user enter their finger to recognition device and relate to other biometric method it will have more concrete security. The problem should be solved after this research is reducing fingerprint's numbering time and hardware development should be preceded. If in the future using fingerprint public certification becomes popular. The fingerprint recognition in the smartphone will become important security issue so this thesis will utilize to fortify fingerprint recognition research.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2008

This experiment was conducted to determine the development of mixed organic fertilizer using photosynthetic bacteria and mass production of mixed microbial compound for the environment-friendly agriculture. Photosynthetic bacteria, Rhodobacter sp. SA16 was isolated from soil collected by plastic film house. The SA16 strain was identified based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis and it is closely related to Rhodobacter sp.(100% similarity). The mixed organic fertilizer using SA16 was made of $N-P_2O_5-K_2O=60-10-20\;g\;kg^{-1}$ with combined soybean cake, sesame cake, powdered blood, fish meal, powdered bones and red-yellow soil. The mixed organic fertilizer 0.45, 0.90 and 1.35 Mg $ha^{-1}$ application in Ihyeon series was treated based on soil testing for lettuce cultivation in plastic film house. These results showed that the yield was increased the 18 and 19%over control by the mixed organic fertilizer application 0.45 and 0.90 Mg $ha^{-1}$, respectively. In the physical properties of the soil, the porosity of mixed organic fertilizer 1.35 Mg $ha^{-1}$ treatment was highest at 58.8%. Our results clearly revealed that the organic fertilizer using Rhodobacter sp. SA16 and mass production of mixed strains could be a useful technology in pursuing environment-friendly agriculture.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.453-459
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• 1999

Astrovirus is frequently associated with diarrhea in children. It can not be readily isolated by cell culture, and an electronmicroscope is usually used for detection of this agent. Recently in 1995 a combined method of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was designed for easier detection of astrovirus, which is based on the conserved sequence in 3'-end of genomes of the 7 known serotypes of human astrovirus. As of yet there has not been any report of astrovirus data in Korea using the RT-PCR methods. The purpose of this study was to detect astrovirus incidence, severity of symptoms, seasonal variation and co infection rate with rotavirus in Korean children inpatients with diarrhea. Fecal specimens from 61 young children hospitalized with gasteroenteritis Korea from Jan. 1996 through Mar. 1997. They were examined for astroviurs infection by RT-PCR method. Results are as follows:1. Astrovirus was detected at 9.8% (6/61) from fecal specimens of children with severe diarrhea by EIA using monoclonal antibody coated plates. 2. Astorvirus was detected at 29.5% (18/61) from fecal specimens of children with severe diarrhea by RT-PCR. 3. The age of the 18 children affected by astrovirus ranged from 2 monthes to 7 years with mean of 3.0 years. 4. Mean hospital stay of the 18 children was 6.1 days. 5. Five (27.8%) astrovirus RT-PCR positive strains were confirmed in November and in December, respectively out of 18 specimens in total. 6. Astrovirus coinfection with rotavirus type G1 was confirmed in 15/16 specimens (93.8%), and with type G2 was in 1/16 specimens (6.3%).

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.22-29
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• 2018

Incorporation of unique barcodes into fission yeast gene deletion collections has enabled the identification of gene functions by growth fitness analysis. For fine tuning, it is important to examine barcode sequences, because mutations arise during strain construction. Out of 8,708 barcodes (4,354 strains) covering 88.5% of all 4,919 open reading frames, 7,734 barcodes (88.8%) were validated as high-fidelity to be inserted at the correct positions by Sanger sequencing. Sequence examination of the 7,734 high-fidelity barcodes revealed that 1,039 barcodes (13.4%) deviated from the original design. In total, 1,284 mutations (mutation rate of 16.6%) exist within the 1,039 mutated barcodes, which is comparable to budding yeast (18%). When the type of mutation was considered, substitutions accounted for 845 mutations (10.9%), deletions accounted for 319 mutations (4.1%), and insertions accounted for 121 mutations (1.6%). Peculiarly, the frequency of substitutions (67.6%) was unexpectedly higher than in budding yeast (~28%) and well above the predicted error of Sanger sequencing (~2%), which might have arisen during the solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis and PCR amplification of the barcodes during strain construction. When the mutation rate was analyzed by position within 20-mer barcodes using the 1,284 mutations from the 7,734 sequenced barcodes, there was no significant difference between up-tags and down-tags at a given position. The mutation frequency at a given position was similar at most positions, ranging from 0.4% (32/7,734) to 1.1% (82/7,734), except at position 1, which was highest (3.1%), as in budding yeast. Together, well-defined barcode sequences, combined with the next-generation sequencing platform, promise to make the fission yeast gene deletion library a powerful tool for understanding gene function.