• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.221-231
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• 2022

Adiponectin (Ad), a 30 kDa molecule, is an anti-diabetic adipokine; although derived from adipose tissue, it performs numerous activities in various other tissues. It binds to its own receptors, namely adiponectin receptor 1(AdipoR1), adiponectin receptor 2 (AdipoR2), and T-cadherin (CDH13). Ad plays several roles, especially as a regulator. It modulates lipid and glucose metabolism and promotes insulin sensitivity. This demonstrates that Ad has a robust correlation with fat metabolism. Furthermore, although Ad is not in direct contact with other tissues, including the skin, it can be delivered to them by diffusion or secretion via the endocrine system. Recently it has been reported that Ad can impact skin cell biology, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic biomarker of skin diseases. In the present review, we have discussed the association between skin cell biology and Ad. To elaborate further, we described the involvement of Ad in the biology of various types of cells in the skin, such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts, melanocytes, and immune cells. Additionally, we postulated that Ad could be employed as a therapeutic target to maintain skin homeostasis.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.344-346
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• 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread worldwide, leading the World Health Organization to declare coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic. To curb the unchecked spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection, most countries have enforced travel restrictions. However, it is debatable whether such restrictions are effective in containing infections and preventing pandemics. Rather, they may negatively impact economies and diplomatic relationships. Each government should conduct an extensive and appropriate analysis of its national economy, diplomatic status, and COVID-19 preparedness to decide whether it is best to restrict entering travelers. Even if travelers from other countries are allowed entry, extensive contact tracing is required to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition, governments can implement "travel bubbles," which allow the quarantine-free flow of people among countries with relatively low levels of community transmission. An accurate evaluation of the benefits and losses due to entry restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic would be helpful in determining whether entry restrictions are an effective measure to reduce the spread of infection in future pandemics.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.471-478
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• 2022

Creep of soils has a significant impact on mechanical properties. The one-dimensional consolidation creep test, thermal analysis test, scanning electron microscope (SEM) test, and mercury compression test were performed on Guilin red clay to study the changes in bound water and microstructure during the creep process of Guilin red clay. According to the results of the tests, only free and weakly bound water is discharged during the creep of Guilin red clay. When the consolidation pressure p is in the 12.5-400.0 kPa range, it is primarily the discharge of free water; when the consolidation pressure p is in the 800.0-1600.0 kPa range, the weakly bound water is converted to free water and discharged. After consolidation creep, the microstructure of soil changes from granular overhead contact structure to flat sheet-like stacking structure, with a decrease in the number of large and medium pores, an increase in the number of small and micro pores, and a decrease in the fractal dimension of pores. The creep process of red clay is the discharge of weakly bound water as well as the compression of large pores into small pores and the transition of soil particles from loose to dense.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.321-331
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the quality of life (QoL) of children with glycogen storage disease (GSD) and their parents and to determine the impact of myopathies. Methods: A prospective case-control study was conducted at the Cairo University Children's Hospital and National Liver Institute, Menoufia University. A promising new style of questionnaire called the Stark Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. Results: Fifty-two children diagnosed with GSD (cases) and 55 age- and sex-matched healthy children (controls) were included. A statistically significant difference was found between cases and controls regarding food intake; mental behavior parameters such as mood, energy, and social contact; and physical behavior parameters such as running and tying shoelaces. Children with myopathies had significantly lower QoL scores in most of the parameters. Conclusion: GSDs alter children and their parents' mental and physical abilities. Lower QoL scores were detected in children with both skeletal myopathy and cardiomyopathy, but the difference was not statistically significant when compared with the children without myopathies.

• 로봇학회논문지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.322-333
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• 2022

The Avatar robot, which is one of the teleoperation robots, aims to enable users to feel the robot as a part of the body to intuitively and naturally perform various tasks. Considering the purpose of the avatar robot, an end-effector identical to a human hand is advantageous, but a robotic hand with human hand level performance has not yet been developed. In this paper we propose a new 3-finger robotic hand with human-avatar hand posture mapping algorithm which were integrated with TOCABI-AVATAR, one of the teleoperation system. Due to the flexible rolling contact joints and tendon driven mechanism applied to the finger, the finger could implement adaptive grasping and absorb the impact force caused by unexpected contacts. In addition, human-avatar hand mapping algorithm using five calibration hand postures propose to compensate physical differences between operators. Using the TOCABI-AVATAR system with the robotic hands and mapping algorithm, the operator can perform 13 out of 16 hand postures of grasping taxonomy and 4 gestures. In addition, using the system, we participated in the ANA AVATAR XPRIZE Semi-final and successfully performed three scenarios which including various social interactions as well as object manipulation.

• 로봇학회논문지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.48-57
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• 2022

In this paper, we propose a legged landing platform for the quadcopter taking off and landing in the ship environment. In the ship environment with waves and winds, the aircraft has risks being overturned by contact impact and excessive inclination during landing on the ship. This landing platform has four landing legs under the quadcopter for balancing and shock relief. In order to make the quadcopter balanced on ships, the position of each end effector was controlled by PID control. And shocks have mainly happened when quadcopter contacts the ship's surface as well as legs move fast. Hence, impedance control was used to cope with the shocks. The performance of the landing platform was demonstrated by a simulation and a prototype in three sea states based on a specific size of a ship. During landing and tracking the slope of the ship's surface, oscillations of rotation and translation from the shock were mitigated by the controller. As a result, it was verified that transient response and stability got better by adding impedance control in simulation models and prototype experiments.

• 한국심리학회지 : 문화 및 사회문제
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.231-248
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• 2019

긍정정서의 확장 및 수립이론에 따르면 긍정정서가 다양한 삶의 영역에서 긍정적 결과를 가져온다고 주장한다. 이를 바탕으로 대학생의 긍정정서가 대학생활 만족도를 향상시키고 진로준비에 정적 영향을 미치는지 검토했다. 그리고 이 관계에 소명의식이 매개역할을 하는지 알아보았다. 이를 위해서 대학생 473명을 대상으로 긍정정서, 대학생활 만족도, 진로준비 및 소명의식을 측정하였다. 분석 결과, 긍정정서는 대학생활 만족도와 진로준비를 증진시키는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 대학생의 소명의식은 긍정정서와 대학생활 만족도 및 진로준비 사이에서 유의미한 매개역할을 하였다. 이러한 연구 결과를 바탕으로 대학생의 행복과 개인의 자원, 그리고 대학생활에 관한 시사점을 논의하였다.

• 한국IT서비스학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.1-19
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• 2023

This study is a study on the effect of technical readiness factors on counselors' intention to use when applying AICC. AICC counselors experience improved customer service and emotional stability by receiving various monitor notification window services based on artificial intelligence algorithms such as customer counseling history, prohibited word control system, and customized counseling system. Accordingly, this study tried to verify using factors derived from technology readiness theory and technology acceptance theory among the factors affecting the intention to continue using AICC provided to counselors. To verify the research hypothesis, the causal relationship between variables such as Optimism, Innovativeness, Discomfort, Insecurity, and Technology Acceptance Theory, such as Team Support, Ease of Usage, and Innovation Resistance, was verified. As a result of empirical analysis, first, it was verified that Optimism has a positive (+) effect on Team Support and Ease of Usage, and Discomfort and Insecurity have a negative (-) effect on Ease of Usage and Team Support. Second, it was confirmed that Team Support and Ease of Usage had a positive effect on the Intention to use AICC. Based on the above empirical analysis results, the concepts of Technical Readiness were clearly proved, and in practical terms, AICC helped inquiry, quality evaluation, recording, and management of counseling history, ultimately increased corporate work efficiency.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.5.1-5.13
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• 2023

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative aerobic diplococcus bacterium that primarily causes sexually transmitted infections through direct human sexual contact. It is a major public health threat due to its impact on reproductive health, the widespread presence of antimicrobial resistance, and the lack of a vaccine. In this study, we used a bioinformatics approach and performed subtractive genomic methods to identify potential drug targets against the core proteome of N. gonorrhoeae (12 strains). In total, 12,300 protein sequences were retrieved, and paralogous proteins were removed using CD-HIT. The remaining sequences were analyzed for non-homology against the human proteome and gut microbiota, and screened for broad-spectrum analysis, druggability, and anti-target analysis. The proteins were also characterized for unique interactions between the host and pathogen through metabolic pathway analysis. Based on the subtractive genomic approach and subcellular localization, we identified one cytoplasmic protein, 2Fe-2S iron-sulfur cluster binding domain-containing protein (NGFG RS03485), as a potential drug target. This protein could be further exploited for drug development to create new medications and therapeutic agents for the treatment of N. gonorrhoeae infections.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 재33권6호
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• pp.529-542
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• 2023

Wave propagation with high transverse deflection could affect the stability of the ball in its trajectory. For low stiffness balls similar to soccer and volleyball balls, the waves are more noticeable in comparison to other balls like ping-pong ball. On the other hand, the soccer balls are under heavy impact loads from shoots and contacting different objects in the field. The maximum recorded speed of a soccer ball after kicking is the 211 km/hr and the average maximum speed is around 112 km/hr. Therefore, in such speeds the aerodynamic forces become important which are directly related to geometrical shape of the ball. In this regard, the wave propagation in soccer ball is examined in the current study using large deformation shear deformable formulations. Classical relations of stress-strain components are taken into consideration along with minimum total energy principle. The final derived relations were solved by using harmonic differential quadrature method. The results are generally presented ion term of phase velocity as function of different influencing parameters of the materials, geometry and mass of the ball.