• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 2018

Background Nipple-sparing mastectomies (NSMs) are increasingly performed to obtain the best aesthetic and psychological outcomes in breast cancer treatment. However, merely preserving the nipple-areolar complex (NAC) does not guarantee a good outcome. Darkly pigmented NACs and a tendency for poor scarring outcomes are particular challenges when treating Asian patients. Herein, we review the reconstructive outcomes following NSM at Singapore General Hospital. Methods All breasts reconstructed following NSM over an 11-year period from 2005 to 2015 were reviewed. Information was collected from the patients' records on mastectomy indications, operative details, and complications. Patient satisfaction, breast sensation, and aesthetic outcomes were evaluated in 15 patients. Sensation was quantified using the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test. Results A total of 142 NSMs were performed in 133 patients for breast cancer (n=122, 85.9%) or risk reduction (n=20, 14.1%). Of the procedures, 114 (80.2%) were autologous reconstructions, while 27 (19.0%) were reconstructions with implants. Complications occurred in 28 breasts (19.7%), with the most common complication being NAC necrosis, which occurred in 17 breasts (12.0%). Four breasts (2.8%) had total NAC necrosis. The overall mean patient satisfaction score was 3.0 (good). The sensation scores were significantly diminished in the skin envelope, areola, and nipple of breasts that had undergone NSM compared to non-operated breasts (P<0.05). Half of the subset of 15 patients in whom aesthetic outcomes were evaluated had reduced nipple projection. Conclusions Immediate reconstruction after NSM was performed with a low complication rate in this series, predominantly through autologous reconstruction. Patients should be informed of potential drawbacks, including NAC necrosis, reduced nipple projection, and diminished sensation.

• ALGAE
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.75-99
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• 2014

A small dinoflagellate, Ansanella granifera gen. et sp. nov., was isolated from estuarine and marine waters, and examined by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the identity of the sequences (3,663-bp product) of the small subunit (SSU), internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2), and D1-D3 large subunit (LSU) rDNA were determined. This newly isolated, thin-walled dinoflagellate has a type E eyespot and a single elongated apical vesicle, and it is closely related to species belonging to the family Suessiaceae. A. granifera has 10-14 horizontal rows of amphiesmal vesicles, comparable to Biecheleria spp. and Biecheleriopsis adriatica, but greater in number than in other species of the family Suessiaceae. Unlike Biecheleria spp. and B. adriatica, A. granifera has grana-like thylakoids. Further, A. granifera lacks a nuclear fibrous connective, which is present in B. adriatica. B. adriatica and A. granifera also show a morphological difference in the shape of the margin of the cingulum. In A. granifera, the cingular margin formed a zigzag line, and in B. adriatica a straight line, especially on the dorsal side of the cell. The episome is conical with a round apex, whereas the hyposome is trapezoidal. Cells growing photosynthetically are $10.0-15.0{\mu}m$ long and $8.5-12.4{\mu}m$ wide. The cingulum is descending, the two ends displaced about its own width. Cells of A. granifera contain 5-8 peripheral chloroplasts, stalked pyrenoids, and a pusule system, but lack nuclear envelope chambers, a nuclear fibrous connective, lamellar body, rhizocysts, and a peduncle. The main accessory pigment is peridinin. The SSU, ITS regions, and D1-D3 LSU rDNA sequences differ by 1.2-7.4%, >8.8%, and >2.5%, respectively, from those of the other known genera in the order Suessiales. Moreover, the SSU rDNA sequence differed by 1-2% from that of the three most closely related species, Polarella glacialis, Pelagodinium bei, and Protodinium simplex. In addition, the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequence differed by 16-19% from that of the three most closely related species, Gymnodinium corii, Pr. simplex, and Pel. bei, and the LSU rDNA sequence differed by 3-4% from that of the three most closely related species, Protodinium sp. CCMP419, B. adriatica, and Gymnodinium sp. CCMP425. A. granifera had a 51-base pair fragment in domain D2 of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA, which is absent in the genus Biecheleria. In the phylogenetic tree based on the SSU and LSU sequences, A. granifera is located in the large clade of the family Suessiaceae, but it forms an independent clade.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.123
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• pp.87-110
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• 2012

The kitsch was emerged from the people's cultural desire in the conditions of the various duplicating technology, the capital economy system, and the civil revolution in the western modern mass society. But it is underestimated constantly because of the conspicious consumption and the aesthetic inadequacy. Even though some kitsches are elevated to the 'kitsch arts' in the historical description of the modern arts, still the most of kitsches are remained as 'just kitsches' and excluded from the aesthetic research according to the double standard. In this essay, I research for whether anti-kitsch theory is convincing theoretically and practically. Anti-kitsch theory criticizes the kitsch on the basis of the modernist aesthetics, in which the 'fine art' provokes the aesthetic pleasure in the disinterested contemplation. But kitsch purposes for the sensual gratification and the sentimentality. So the anti-kitish theorists conclude that the kitsch is the bad taste. In critically analyzing the argumentation of Greenberg's. Kaplan's and $C{\tilde{a}}linescu^{\prime}s$, I refute the privileged prejudice of the ideal critic. They don't justify the criteria of the classification of 'art'/ 'kitsch'. They supplement the economical and the political grounds for the evaluative theory of the kitsch. But the argumentation of the kitsch is consumed conspicuously and results in the unlettered masses is not sufficient. People produce and enjoy the kitsches in the various ways. People envelope the genres, styles and media of the kitsches and they try to suggest the new horizon of the popular aesthetics. So anti-kitsch theories cannot be accepted because they adhere to the elitism and formalism. The exclusion of the kitsch is the derogation for people's taste. Also they didn't reflect the contemporary cultural practice and the aesthetic needs in the system of post-art. The alternative aesthetics of the kitsch is the topic of my next essay.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.21-28
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the efficiency of the policy direction to see if the government's purpose of relocating public institutions was achieved by analyzing the case of the Korea Housing Finance Corporation, which moved to Busan Metropolitan City in 2014. Based on the Korea Housing Finance Corporation's settlement management disclosure and public institution performance evaluation report from 2009 to 2019, efficiency was compared and analyzed using DEA analysis, work efficiency in management performance evaluation report, and financial ratio. The analysis results are as follows. First, in the case of DEA analysis, the difference in efficiency before and after fat transfer was not noticeable. Second, the efficiency analysis using the performance evaluation report and the financial ratio showed that the efficiency decreased after local relocation. Taken together, in the case of the Korea Housing Finance Corporation, efficiency decreased after local relocation, which can be attributed to sluggish business performance and inefficiency related to financial ratios. However, this study has limitations because it conducted an analysis on the Korea Housing Finance Corporation. To compensate for this, it is necessary to diversify the scope of research targeting all fund-managed quasi-governmental institutions in Korea. Nevertheless, this study is the first study to analyze before and after the relocation of fund-managed quasi-governmental institutions, and is expected to provide significant implications for future policies to be discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.358-367
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• 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as an international health emergency. Current diagnostic tests are based on the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method, which is the gold standard test that involves the amplification of viral RNA. However, the RT-qPCR assay has limitations in terms of sensitivity and quantification. In this study, we tested both qPCR and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to detect low amounts of viral RNA. The cycle threshold (CT) of the viral RNA by RT-PCR significantly varied according to the sequences of the primer and probe sets with in vitro transcript (IVT) RNA or viral RNA as templates, whereas the copy number of the viral RNA by ddPCR was effectively quantified with IVT RNA, cultured viral RNA, and RNA from clinical samples. Furthermore, the clinical samples were assayed via both methods, and the sensitivity of the ddPCR was determined to be equal to or more than that of the RT-qPCR. However, the ddPCR assay is more suitable for determining the copy number of reference materials. These findings suggest that the qPCR assay with the ddPCR defined reference materials could be used as a highly sensitive and compatible diagnostic method for viral RNA detection.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.895-906
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• 2018

The improvement project for school zone in Korea is occurring mostly in kindergartens and elementary schools in which children are mainly active, and is being promoted as part of measures to prevent children's traffic accidents. However, since the study on the essential installation facilities and proper level of safety facilities for School zone is lacking, this study relatively evaluated the efficiency of safety facility installation using DEA (Data Envelope Analysis) and suggested improvement plan. We built the facilities and incident data for 28 school zones in Hwaseong City. Six major facilities (Raised intersection, Raised crosswalk, Protective fence, Skid Proof, Speed hump, Speed cameras) that have proven to be effective in the preceding research were analyzed as input factors. As a result of the analysis, only 12 out of 28 showed efficiency and 16 out of efficiency. Effective groups of school zones were found to have fewer installed Protective fences, Skid Proof, and Speed cameras installations than school zones classified as ineffective groups. Protective fences were found to be efficient even if only 47% of the total extension of the school zone was installed, and the number of slip prevention facilities was 8.7 per square km. The number of subjects to be compared is 28, so this study is limited to use as a relative efficiency evaluation index, and it can be grouped into nationwide units and efficiency evaluation can be done for each group.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.297-309
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• 2020

Coronaviruses were originally discovered as enzootic infections that limited to their natural animal hosts, but some strains have since crossed the animal-human species barrier and progressed to establish zoonotic diseases. Accordingly, cross-species barrier jumps resulted in the appearance of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 that manifest as virulent human viruses. Coronaviruses contain four main structural proteins: spike, membrane, envelope, and nucleocapsid protein. The replication cycle is as follows: cell entry, genome translation, replication, assembly, and release. They were not considered highly pathogenic to humans until the outbreaks of SARS-CoV in 2002 in Guangdong province, China. The consequent outbreak of SARS in 2002 led to an epidemic with 8,422 cases, and a reported worldwide mortality rate of 11%. MERS-CoVs is highly related to camel CoVs. In 2019, a cluster of patients infected with 2019-nCoV was identified in an outbreak in Wuhan, China, and soon spread worldwide. 2019-nCoV is transmitted through the respiratory tract and then induced pneumonia. Molecular diagnosis based on upper respiratory region swabs is used for confirmation of this virus. This review examines the structure and genomic makeup of the viruses as well as the life cycle, diagnosis, and potential therapy.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 2021

Plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (PELNs) are known to include various biological activities and possess high biocompatibility. Because PELNs can influence immune responses, cell differentiation, and proliferation regulation, they can be applied in multiple industries. However, the studies on the skin physiological of exosome-like nanovesicles derived from plant callus are insignificant compared to nanovesicles derived from mammalian cells. In this study, callus was induced from apple fruit (Malus domestica), and exosome-like nanovesicles (ACELNs) were isolated for improving skin barrier and anti-aging. The yield of ACELNs was 6.42 × 10⁹ particles/mL, and the particle size was ranged from 100 to 200 nm. HDF cells and HaCaT cells were concentration-dependent, increased in cell, and decreased in cytotoxicity. The cornified envelope formation was significantly increased compared to the control group. The COL1A1 expression and the FBN1 expression in HDF cells were increased. In addition, the ACELNs promoted collagen biosynthesis in UVA-irradiated HDF cells. These results might be considered as potential materials that could improve skin barrier and prevent skin aging.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.361-369
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• 2020

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common and multifactorial inflammatory skin disease that is characterized by skin barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and chronic pruritus. AD has a complex etiology that includes genetic, immunological, and environmental factors that cause skin barrier abnormalities and immune dysfunctions. Sophora flavescens (SF) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine, but little research has been conducted on its anti-AD efficacy. In this study, we evaluated the effect of SF extract (SFE) on improving skin barrier function and immune abnormalities, which are the main symptoms of AD. SFE has the capacity to enhance the formation of cornified envelope (CE) that plays an important role in the skin barrier function. In addition, it was confirmed that SFE increased the expression of hyaluronic acid related to skin moisture. The effect of SFE against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which increases specifically in AD lesions, confirmed that SFE inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by S. aureus. Furthermore, SFE was shown to inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by substance P (SP), the cause of skin neurogenic inflammation. These results demonstrate that SFE could be one of potential candidate agent for the treatment of AD by improving the skin barrier function and immune responses.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.237-260
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• 2021

This study aims to make suggestions for more effective budget utilization and R&D project investment through verification of the efficiency of research results for the government's R&D projects. Efficiency was analyzed using Data Envelope Analysis(DEA) and 'Malmquist Index analysis' for the research results of convergence research projects organized by the National Science and Technology Research Association. The analysis targets were convergence research projects organized by the National Science and Technology Research Association and general entrusted research projects by government-funded research institutes, and dynamic analysis was conducted using DEA and Malmquist Index analysis. As a result of the analysis, the convergence research project showed high efficiency from the static perspective of DEA. On the other hand, from a dynamic perspective through the Malmquist Index analysis method, the efficiency of the general consignment project gradually declined, while the efficiency of the convergence research project improved every year. This suggests that convergence studies have higher results than general studies. Through the results of this study, we intend to present objective standards for performance evaluation of government R&D investment and provide objective implications for rational investment policies and research project planning of research personnel and research funds to improve efficiency for government-funded research institutes.