• Title/Summary/Keyword: Development research

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Imaging Neuroreceptors in the Living Human Brain

  • Wagner Jr Henry N.;Dannals Robert F.;Frost J. James;Wong Dean F.;Ravert Hayden T.;Wilson Alan A.;Links Jonathan M.;Burns H. Donald;Kuhar Michael J.;Snyder Solomon H.
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.17-23
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    • 1984
  • For nearly a century it has been known that chemical activity accompanies mental activity, but only recently has it been possible to begin to examine its exact nature. Positron-emitting radioactive tracers have made it possible to study the chemistry of the human mind in health and disease, using chiefly cyclotron-produced radionuclides, carbon-11, fluorine-18 and oxygen-15. It is now well established that measurable increases in regional cerebral blood flow, glucose and oxygen metabolism accompany the mental functions of perception, cognition, emotion and motion. On May 25, 1983 the first imaging of a neuroreceptor in the human brain was accomplished with carbon-11 methyl spiperone, a ligand that binds preferentially to dopamine-2 receptors, 80% of which are located in the caudate nucleus and putamen. Quantitative imaging of serotonin-2, opiate, benzodiazapine and muscarinic cholinergic receptors has subsequently been accomplished. In studies of normal men and women, it has been found that dopamine and serotonin receptor activity decreases dramatically with age, such a decrease being more pronounced in men than in women and greater in the case of dopamine receptors than serotonin-2 receptors. Preliminary studies in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders suggests that dopamine-2 receptor activity is diminished in the caudate nucleus of patients with Huntington's disease. Positron tomography permits quantitative assay of picomolar quantities of neuro-receptors within the living human brain. Studies of patients with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, acute and chronic pain states and drug addiction are now in progress. The growth of any scientific field is based on a paradigm or set of ideas that the community of scientists accepts. The unifying principle of nuclear medicine is the tracer principle applied to the study of human disease. Nineteen hundred and sixty-three was a landmark year in which technetium-99m and the Anger camera combined to move the field from its latent stage into a second stage characterized by exponential growth within the framework of the paradigm. The third stage, characterized by gradually declining growth, began in 1973. Faced with competing advances, such as computed tomography and ultrasonography, proponents and participants in the field of nuclear medicine began to search for greener pastures or to pursue narrow sub-specialties. Research became characterized by refinements of existing techniques. In 1983 nuclear medicine experienced what could be a profound change. A new paradigm was born when it was demonstrated that, despite their extremely low chemical concentrations, in the picomolar range, it was possible to image and quantify the distribution of receptors in the human body. Thus, nuclear medicine was able to move beyond physiology into biochemistry and pharmacology. Fundamental to the science of pharmacology is the concept that many drugs and endogenous substances, such as neurotransmitters, react with specific macromolecules that mediate their pharmacologic actions. Such receptors are usually identified in the study of excised tissues, cells or cell membranes, or in autoradiographic studies in animals. The first imaging and quantification of a neuroreceptor in a living human being was performed on May 25, 1983 and reported in the September 23, 1983 issue of SCIENCE. The study involved the development and use of carbon-11 N-methyl spiperone (NMSP), a drug with a high affinity for dopamine receptors. Since then, studies of dopamine and serotonin receptors have been carried out in over 100 normal persons or patients with various neuropsychiatric disorders. Exactly one year later, the first imaging of opitate receptors in a living human being was performed [1].

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Soil Characteristics of the Saprolite Piled Upland Fields at Highland in Gangwon Province (강원도 고랭지의 석비레 성토지 토양 특성)

  • Park, Chol-Soo;Jung, Yeong-Sang;Joo, Jin-Ho;Yang, Jae-E
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.37 no.2
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    • pp.66-73
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    • 2004
  • As one of the typical farming practices in the sloped upland in Pyeongchang and Hongcheon area, application of piling with coarse saprolite materials has been practiced by farmers for several reasons such as reduction of damage by monocropping, better development of plant roots, and better drainage. However, adverse effect on application of coarse saprolite soil materials to environmental aspects should not be ignored. Therefore, this research was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical properties of coarse saprolite materials in upland fields in Pyeongchang area. According to particle size distribution of coarse saprolite materials, averaged gravel contents for Pyeongchang and Hongcheon county were 16.7 and 25.3%, respectively. There was no significant difference in gravel contents by soil depth, and CV values for each particle size ranged from 20 to 40%, which implied that application of coarse material with similar properties. When we compared CEC values of dressed soil with or without considering gravel content, CEC values decreased as increasing gravel contents. The penetration resistances were 0.04-7.48 MPa at the 0 to 10 cm surface soil, and 0.10 to 8.80 MPa at the depth below 11 cm. The bulk density of the soil was $1.15g\;cm^{-3}$ at the surface soil and 1.29 to $1.35g\;cm^{-3}$ at the soil depth below 10 cm. The organic matter content, cation exchange capacity, and avaliable $P_2O_5$ concentrations of soil in upland where piling with saprolite materials of Pyeongchang area applied were $12.4g\;kg^{-1}$, $7.1cmol_c\;kg^{-1}$, and $526mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Cation exchange capacity was lower than that of averaged Korean upland soil, while available $P_2O_5$ concentration was relatively higher than that of averaged Korean upland, which indicated high input of various fertilizers.

A Study on the Characteristics of a Reclaimed Marine Soils (Gupo Series) distributed on the Southern Coastal Area of Korea (우리나라 남해안(南海岸)에 분포(分布)된 간척지(干拓地) 토양(土壤)의 특성(特性)에 관(關)한 조사연구(調査硏究)(구포통(鳩浦統)에 관(關)하여))

  • Juug, Yeon-Tae;Um, Ki-Tae;Shin, Yong-Hwa
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.99-105
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    • 1976
  • After investigation of soil characteristics the properties of a reclaimed marine soil (Gupo series) distributed along the southern coastal areas of Korea are summarized as follows: 1. Gupo soils distributed in the southern Ria coastal area are derived from rolling to hilly materials and are poorly sorted with less influences of river fluvial action. These soils have high content of sand compared with the broad fluvio-marine soils in the western coastal areas. 2. The morphological features of the poorly drained Gupo soils are greyish brown sandy loam with a few yellowish mottles in the surface horizon and are grey sandy loam with a few gravel in the sub-strata. The ground water table remains around 10-30cm below the surface. These soils, recently reclaimed younger deposits, do not show any evidence of illuviation. 3. The "n" value (about 0.8) of the Gupo soils indicates physically unripened soils. 4. pH value of these soils shows more than 8.0 throughout the profile. Organic matter contents are extremely low (around 0.5%) except 1.2 percent in the surface horizon. C.E.C. ranges from 7 to 9m.e/100g which is lower than average in the country. The ratios of extractable cations such as Ca, Mg, Na and K of the surface horizon are 20:7:4:1. Base saturation is more than 60%. Available phosphate content is very low that is less than 25 ppm. Electric conductivity of the soils at $25^{\circ}C$ ranges 7 to 12 mmhos/cm and increased with depth. 5. According to classification of soil based on physical ripening, the Gupo soils can be classified into "Unripe soils with half-ripe sub-soils". The soils could be classified into "Hydric Haplaquents" in the original of the 7th Approximation (1960), but into "Typic Haplaqents in the supplement of 7th approximation which the physical ripening condition is not clearly expressed. Soil Taxonomy, apparently the final version of the 7th approximation, defines the soils as "Haplic Hydraquents" that clearly show the condition of physical ripening as well as other properties. Other several classification systems applied do not describe physical ripening condition of the soils.

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Effect of Long-Term Application of Ammonium Sulfate, Urea, Composts, and Calcium Silicate on Macroelements and Rice Yields in Paddy Soil (논토양(土壤)에서 황산(黃酸)암모늄, 요소(尿素), 퇴비(堆肥) 및 규산질비료(珪酸質肥料)의 연용(連用)이 다량원소(多量元素)의 행동(行動)과 벼 수량(收量)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Park, Jun-Kyu;Oh, Wang-Keun;Kim, Weon-Chul
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.23 no.4
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    • pp.287-292
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    • 1990
  • A study has been conducted since 1954 to elucidate the effects of longterm application of ammonium sulfate (AS), urea, compost, and calcium silicate(CS) fertilizers on major soil nutrients and rice yields in wetland soil. The soil pH in the AS plot become lower than that in the urea plot but had little influence on rice yield. Continuous application of AS and urea with compost and CS raised the soil pH compared with single applications of AS or urea. Soil organic matter content increased yearly in plot with no fertilizer and in those with AS and urea, and increased considerably in plots with compost and CS. Application of compost and CS promoted rice top growth as well as root growth, resulting in increased dry matter. Soil contents of N, $P_2O_5$, Ca, Mg, and $SiO_2$ in the NPK with composts plot increased considerably compared with the NPK plot; however. the exchangeable K content was rather low. Rice growth increased with compost application. which enhanced K uptake, and the coarse texture promoted K leaching. With compost and CS addition, con tents of exchangeable Ca and Mg in the AS plot decreased considerably more than in the urea plot. Probably this was the result of higher Ca and Mg precipitation by sulfate in the AS plot. The re are no significant differences in rice yield between AS and urea plots. With compost and CS treatments, rice yields increased in the AS plot compared with the urea plot. The increase in yield is considered to be the effect of S. which is a constituent of AS.

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Development of Educational Science Magic Program in Elementary Science Education and Effects of its Application (초등과학 수업에서 과학교육마술 프로그램의 개발 및 적용에 따른 효과)

  • Yoon, Jung-Hyun;Choi, Sun-Young
    • Journal of Science Education
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.52-67
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    • 2013
  • The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of educational science magic program on creative problem solving ability, inquiry skill, and scientific attitude in elementary school science. For this, two classes of 3th grade were chosen in the J elementary school located in Suwon city as the experimental class(30 students) and the comparative class(30 students). The two groups were selected through a diagnostic examining program. Instruction using educational science magic program was applied to the experimental class. The results of this study were as follows. 1. the creative problem solving ability of the experimental class has statistically meaningful differences and improved, compared with the comparative class(p<.05). 2. the scientific inquiry skill was improved, but it has no meaningful difference statistically. However, science tasks applied educational science magic program had valuable significance to ability of measure(p<.05). 3. the scientific attitude score also was improved, but it has no meaningful difference statistically. However, science tasks applied educational science magic program had valuable significance to endurance(p<.05). 4. the results of survey showed that educational science magic program influence students' interests and concerns in science, class participation, pleasure in class, and comprehension of what is said in class positively. Therefore, a educational science magic program applied in this study might be useful to improve the creative problem solving ability, interests and concerns in science, class participation, pleasure in class, and comprehension of what is said in class.

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Development and Application of Scientific Inquiry-based STEAM Education Program for Free-Learning Semester in Middle School (중학교 자유학기제에 적합한 과학 탐구 중심의 융합인재교육 프로그램 개발 및 적용)

  • Jeong, Hyeondo;Lee, Hyonyong
    • Journal of Science Education
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    • v.41 no.3
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    • pp.334-350
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    • 2017
  • The purposes of this study are to develop scientific-inquiry based on STEAM education program and to investigate the effects of the program on middle-school students' interests, self-efficacy, and career choice about science, technology/engineering, and mathematics. In order to develop this program, the literature investigation and previous studies were conducted, so that finally the developmental direction was based on scientific inquiry and the developmental theme and model were selected. A total 92 first-graders in G middle-school of Daegu city were participated in this study. A single group pre-post test paired t-test was conducted to figure out changes of students' interest, self-efficacy, and career choices before or after applying this program. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 students to find their specific responses. The results of this study were as follows. First, STEAM education program on the theme of 'RC Airplane' was developed on the basis of the 'ADBA' model. Second, the developed STEAM educational program not only results a decisive difference statistically but also has significant effects on middle-school students' interests, self-efficacy, and career choice in science, technology/engineering, and mathematics, who are involved in the free-semester program, across the overall affective domain. In conclusion, the STEAM educational program in this study could affect significant meanings to middle-school students during the free-semester. It could contribute to facilitate middle-school students' education for happiness and to grow the creative STEAM talents.

Criteria of Evaluating Clothing and Web Service on Internet Shopping Mall Related to Consumer Involvement (인터넷 쇼핑몰 이용자의 소비자 관여에 따른 의류제품 및 웹 서비스 평가기준에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Kyung-Hoon;Park, Jae-Ok
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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    • v.30 no.12 s.159
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    • pp.1747-1758
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    • 2006
  • Rapid development of the information technology has influenced on the changes in every sector of human environments. One prominent change in retail market is an increase of electronic stores, which has prompted practical and research interest in the product and store attributes that include consumer to purchase products from the electronic shopping. Therefore many marketers are paying much attention to the criteria of evaluating clothing and web service on internet shopping malls. The purpose of this study is to examine differences of clothing and web service criteria of consumer groups (High-Involvement & High-Ability, Low-Involvement & High-Ability, High-Involvement & Low-Ability, and Low-Involvement & Low-Ability) who are classified into consumer involvement and internet use ability. The subjects of this study were 305 people aged between 19 and 39s, living in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do area, and having experiences in buying products on the internet shopping. Statistical analyses used for this study were the frequency, percentage, factor analysis, ANOVA and Duncan test. The results of this study were as follows: Regarded on the criteria of evaluating clothing, the low different groups had significant differences in the esthetic, the quality performance and the extrinsic criterion. Both HIHA group and HILA group showed the similar results. They considered every criterion of evaluating clothing more important, compared with other groups. Regarded on the criteria of evaluating web service related to the low different groups, there were significant differences in the factors related to the shopping mall reliance, the product, the satisfaction after purchase, and the promotion and policy criterion. Both HIHA group and HILA group showed the similar results as well. They considered every criterion of evaluating web service more important, compared with other groups. In conclusion, HI groups perceive relatively more dangerous factors which can be occurred during internet shopping. Therefore, internet shopping malls need to provide clothing that can satisfy the HI groups as well as make efforts to remove the dangerous factors on the internet.

Diversity and Geographical Relationships by SSR Marker in Subgenus Soja Originated from Korea (SSR 마커에 의한 한국 원산 Soja 아속의 다양성과 지리적 유연관계)

  • Cho Yang-Hee;Yoon Mun-Sup;Lee Jeong-Ran;Baek Hyung-Jin;Kim Chang-Yung;Kim Tae-San;Cho Eun-Gi;Lee Hee-Bong
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.51 no.3
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    • pp.239-247
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    • 2006
  • This study was carried out to investigate polymorphism, gene diversity, and geographical relationships of 81 Korean wild (Glycine soja) and 130 cultivated soybeans (G. max) using seven simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A total of 144 alleles were observed in 211 accessions with an average of 20.6. Each SSR loci showed 13 (Satt532) to 41 (Sat_074) multialleles. The range of alleles within the loci was wider in wild soybean than the cultivated soybeans. The average genetic diversity values were 0.88 and 0.69 in wild and cultivated soybeans, respectively. In a scatter diagram of wild and cultivated soybeans based on canonical discriminant analysis, CAN1 accounted for 84.2% while CAN2 did 8.5%. Two species were grouped into three: group I (G. max), group II (G. soja), and group III (complex of G. max and G. soja). The geographical relationships of wild soybean were distinguished into two groups: Gyeonggi for Group I, and Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Gangwon, and Chungcheong for Group II. Those of cultivated soybeans were distinguished into Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Gyeongsang for Group I, and Jeolla and Chungcheong for Group II. Therefore, the geographical relationships of wild soybeans were well typified based on the ecosystems of the Korean peninsula.

Age-related Changes in Luteinizing Hormone and Testosterone Levels in Korean Men (한국 남성의 혈중 Luteinizing Hormone과 Testosterone 수준의 연령-관련 변화)

  • Lee, Sung-Ho;Ahn, Ryun-Sup;Kwon, Hyuk-Bang
    • Development and Reproduction
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.57-66
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    • 2008
  • Changes in luteinizing hormone (LH), serum testosterone (T), and salivary T levels with age were examined in Korean men. Serum was obtained from 167 Korean men of different ages ($20{\sim}69\;y$), and the serum LH and T levels were measured. Saliva samples were also obtained, and the salivary T level was determined. The LH levels did not change considerably until 40 y of age (20s, $2.5{\pm}1.0$; 30s, $2.7{\pm}1.5$; and 40s, $2.5{\pm}1.8\;mIU/mL$) but increased significantly around 50 y (50s, $3.7{\pm}1.8$ and 60s, $3.1{\pm}1.7\;mIU/mL$). Further, the serum T levels also did not change until 40 y of age (20s, $5.3{\pm}2.6$, 30s, $4.4{\pm}1.4$, 40s, $4.1{\pm}1.5\;ng/mL$) but decreased significantly at 50 y (50s, $3.4{\pm}1.5$; 60s, $2.6{\pm}0.8\;ng/mL$). The salivary T levels also showed small changes until the age of 40 y ($20s{\sim}40s$, $0.11{\pm}0.015\;ng/mL$) but decreased significantly at 50 y ($0.08{\pm}0.03\;ng/mL$). Thus, the relative ratio of salivary T to serum T levels did not change significantly in all the ages examined ($2.4{\pm}0.9%$). Linear regression analysis predicted that the LH levels increased 1.5%/y while the serum and salivary T levels decreased 1%/y and 0.8%/y, respectively. The serum T/LH ratio did not change considerably until the age of 40 y ($20s{\sim}40s$, $2.27{\pm}0.14$) but decreased significantly ($1.2{\pm}1.0$) at 50 y. Age-related changes in the salivary T/LH ratio were very similar to those in the serum T/LH ratio. These results demonstrated that LH and T levels in serum or saliva did not change considerably until 40 y of age; instead, in Korean men, from 50 y of age, the LH level increased, while the T level decreased. This suggests that primary testicular failure that occurred due to aging (approximately 50 y) and caused this phenomenon. The present study also shows that the salivary T level can be an indicator of the free T level in serum although the salivary T level correlates weakly with the total T level in serum (r=0.53). Thus, information regarding salivary T levels may be useful for studying the age-related changes occurring in male testicular physiology.

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Expression of Nesfatin-1/NUCB2 and Its Binding Site in Mouse Ovary (생쥐 난소 내 Nesfatin-1/NUCB2 발현과 결합 부위 확인)

  • Kim, Jin-Hee;Youn, Mi-Ra;Bang, So-Young;Sim, Ji-Yeon;Kang, Hee-Rae;Yang, Hyun-Won
    • Development and Reproduction
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.287-295
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    • 2010
  • It was recently reported that nesfatin-1/NUCB2, which is secreted from the brain, controls appetite and energy metabolism. The purpose of this research was to confirm whether or not the protein and its binding site should have been expressed in the mouse reproductive organs and to know the possible effects of nesfatin-1 on the reproductive function. Using the ICR female mouse ovary and uterus, the expression of NUCB2 mRNA was confirmed with the conventional PCR and the relative amount of NUCB2 mRNA in the tissues was analyzed with real-time PCR. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using the nesfatin-1 antibody to investigate the nesfatin-1 protein expression and the biotin conjugated nesfatin-1 to confirm the binding site for nesfatin-1 in the ovary. Furthermore, in order to examine if the expression of NUCB2 mRNA in the ovary and uterus is affected by gonadotropin, its mRNA expression was analyzed after PMSG administration into mice. As a result, the expression level of NUCB2 mRNA in the ovary and the uterus was as much as the expression level in hypothalamus. As a result of the immunohistochemical staining, nesfatin-1 proteins were localized at the theca cells, the interstitial cells, and some of the luteal cells. However, the granulosa cells in the follicles did not stain. Interestingly, the oocytes in the some follicles were stained with nesfatin-1. On the other hand, nesfatin-1 protein binding sites were displayed at the theca cells and the interstitial cells near the tunica albuginea. After PMSG administration the expression level of NUCB2 mRNA was increased in the ovary and the uterus. These results demonstrate that for the first time the nesfatin-1 and its binding site were expressed in the ovary and NUCB2 mRNA expression was controlled by gonadotropin, suggesting an important role in the reproductive organs as a local regulator. Therefore, further study is needed to elucidate the functions of nesfatin-1 on the reproductive organs.