• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.46-57
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• 2022

Background Adherence to healthy diet acts as a key role to modify sedentary lifestyle in real life setting. Constitution type of traditional Korean medicine has been prediagnosed to risk factors of cardiometabolic diseases. This study aims to evaluate the associations between body composition and healthy eating status in Korean adults by their constitution type. Methods Of 4046 participants from Korean Medicine Daejeon Citizen Cohort study, Korean Medicine Daejeon Citizen Cohort (KDCC) study were included for analysis. Demographic, health-related behaviors and Korean Medicine (KM) type were surveyed based on a general health-related questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements and dietary factors by using Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) were assessed only in the half of the original participants. Results 50.8% of Taeeum was observed from eligible 1967 participants (66.7%, women). The highest KHEI score was observed in soyang group (52.0±0.3, p=0.006) compared to other two groups. In taeeum group, lower appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM)(%)(Taeeum: 38.7±0.1 vs. Soeum/Soyang: 39.2±0.1, p < 0.05), and higher percent of body fat (PBF)(%) (Taeeum: 32.9±0.2 vs. Soeum/Soyang: 29.0±0.2, p < 0.05) by the lowest tertile (T1) of the KHEI score, respectively. When the KHEI score increased by 1 point in taeeum group, a positive relationship was observed, which increased by 0.015% of ASM, however, a negatively related to in which body fat mass (BFM) decreased by 0.022 kg and PBF decreased by 0.024%. Conclusion Customized nutritional management is required that could help maintaining physical health and diet by their constitution type.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.401-408
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• 2023

Thyroid uptake measurements can be subject to measurement errors due to the scoping and positioning of the thyroid gland. To compensate for these limitations, the clinical utility of the thyroid simultaneous counting method as an alternative to thyroid uptake measurement was analyzed and evaluated experimentally through quantitative analysis of images acquired after thyroid scanning. Experimental data were obtained using a Gamma camera (GE infinia), a thyroid uptake system (KOROID 1), and a thyroid neck phantom. Based on the thyroid uptake rate of 1-5% according to the protocol of thyroid scan test (^99mTcO₄ - , 370 MBq) in normal results, ^99mTcO₄ - was set in the range of 3.7-18.5 MBq (Matrix: 256×256, Scan time: 1 min, collimator: pin hole, phantom-collimator distances: 7 cm). The acquired images were corrected for the attenuation of isotopes due to the set-up time and half-life by applying the Auto Region of interest (ROI) drawing system, and the significance of the experimental results was evaluated by Multiple linear regression analysis (SPSS, ver. 22, IBM). The thyroid uptake rate showed a significant correlation between the dose and the measured counts when using the thyroid uptake system equipment. Meanwhile, the quantitative analysis counts of phantom images using Gamma camera also showed a significant correlation. Thus confirmed that the correlation between these two experiments was statistically significant (P<0.05). The simultaneous counting protocol, which indirectly measures thyroid uptake from thyroid scans, is likely to be clinically relevant if complemented by additional studies with different variables in patients with thyroid disease.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.91-97
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• 2023

Aging construction machinery and vehicles with old diesel engines usually have a long life span, so they continue to emit harmful emissions. Therefore, replacing these older diesel engines with engines that meet the latest emisstion standard is expected to help improve air quality, and engines with propane fuels, which are easily available at construction sites, can be an appropriate alternative. In this study, a propane fueled engine was developed based on a 6.8-liter CNG engine, and technologies such as gas injectors, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and enhanced catalysts were applied. As a result, nitrogen oxides achieved half of the emission performance at the Stage-V level, the latest emission standard, while securing diesel engine output and torque in the same class.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1785-1790
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• 2006

A novel kinetic method for determination of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ in ozone decomposition in water is described. In this study, potential interferences of $O_3$ and the hydroxyl radicals, $^{\cdot}OH_{(O3)}$, are suppressed by $HSO_3{^-}/SO_3{^{2-}}$. $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ formed in ozone decomposition reduces $Fe^{3+}$-EDTA into $Fe^{2+}$-EDTA and subsequently the well-known Fenton-like (FL) reaction of $H_2O_2$ and $Fe^{2+}$-EDTA produces the hydroxyl radicals, $^{\cdot}OH_{(FL)}$. Benzoic acid (BA) scavenges $^{\cdot}OH_{(FL)}$ to produce OHBA, which are analyzed by fluorescence detection (${\lambda}_{ex}=320nm$ and ${\lambda}_{ex}=400nm$). The concentration of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ in ozone decomposition has been determined by the novel kinetic method using the experimentally determined half-life ($t_{1/2}$). The steady-state concentration of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ is proportional to the $O_3$ concentration at a given pH. However, the steady-state concentration of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ in ozone decomposition is inversely proportional to pH values. This pH dependence is due to significant loss of $O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ by $O_3$ at higher pH conditions. The steady-state concentrations of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ are in the range of $2.49({\pm}0.10){\times}10^{-9}M(pH=4.17){\sim}3.01({\pm}0.07){\times}10^{-10}M(pH=7.59)$ at $[O_3]_o=60{\mu}M$.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.167-176
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• 2023

Background: A breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide and among different types of breast cancers, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor prognosis. Methods: We investigated the potential of ginsenoside compound K (CK), an active ingredient in the bio-transformed ginsenoside, to be used as a therapeutic ingredient by examining the effects of CK on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cancer-related gene expressions in breast cancer cells. Results: From the results of treating MCF-7, an ER and PR-positive breast cancer cells, and MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) with CK at a concentration of 0-100 µM, the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values for each cell were 52.17 µM and 29.88 µM, respectively. And also, it was confirmed that cell migration was inhibited above the IC50 concentration. In addition, fluorescence analysis of Apoptosis/Necrosis showed that CK induced apoptosis rather than necrosis of breast cancer cells. Through qPCR, it was confirmed that the expression of genes related to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest was increased in CK-treated breast cancer cells, and it acted more effectively on TNBC. However, the expression of genes related to tumor invasion and metastasis is also increased, so it is necessary to consider the timing of application of CK as a potential therapeutic anticancer compound. Conclusions: CK showed a stronger inhibitory effect in TNBC with poor prognosis but considering the high tumor invasion and metastasis-related gene expression, the timing of application of CK should be considered.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.131-143
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• 2023

Background: This study examined the detection limit of thyroid screening monitoring conducted at the time of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in 2011 using a Monte Carlo simulation. Materials and Methods: We calculated the detection limit of a NaI(Tl) survey meter to measure ¹³¹I accumulation in the thyroid gland of children. Mathematical phantoms of 1- and 5-year-old children were developed in the simulation of the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System code. Contamination of the body surface with eight radionuclides found after the FDNPP accident was assumed to have been deposited on the neck and shoulder area. Results and Discussion: The detection limit was calculated as a function of ambient dose rate. In the case of 40 Bq/cm² contamination on the body surface of the neck, the present simulations showed that residual thyroid radioactivity corresponding to thyroid dose of 100 mSv can be detected within 21 days after intake at the ambient dose rate of 0.2 µSv/hr and within 11 days in the case of 2.0 µSv/hr. When a time constant of 10 seconds was used at the dose rate of 0.2 µSv/hr, the estimated survey meter output error was 5%. Evaluation of the effect of individual differences in the location of the thyroid gland confirmed that the measured value would decrease by approximately 6% for a height difference of ±1 cm and increase by approximately 65% for a depth of 1 cm. Conclusion: In the event of a nuclear disaster, simple measurements carried out using a NaI(Tl) scintillation survey meter remain effective for assessing ¹³¹I intake. However, it should be noted that the presence of short-half-life radioactive materials on the body surface affects the detection limit.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.147-159
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• 2024

Plutonium-238 has always been considered as the one of the promising radioisotopes for space nuclear power supply, which has long half-life, low radiation protection level, high power density, and stable fuel form at high temperatures. The industrial-scale production of ²³⁸Pu mainly depends on irradiating solid ²³⁷NpO₂ target in high flux reactors, however the production process faces problems such as large fission loss and high requirements for product quality control. In this paper, a conceptual design study of producing ²³⁸Pu in a multi-purpose high flux reactor was evaluated and analyzed, which includes a sensitivity analysis on ²³⁸Pu production and a further study on the irradiation scheme. It demonstrated that the target structure and its location in the reactor, as well as the operation scheme has an impact on ²³⁸Pu amount and product quality. Furthermore, the production efficiency could be improved by optimizing target material concentration, target locations in the core and reflector. This work provides technical support for irradiation production of ²³⁸Pu in high flux reactors.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.44.1-44.15
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• 2021

Tumor peptides associated with MHC class I molecules or their synthetic variants have attracted great attention for their potential use as vaccines to induce tumor-specific CTLs. However, the outcome of clinical trials of peptide-based tumor vaccines has been disappointing. There are various reasons for this lack of success, such as difficulties in delivering the peptides specifically to professional Ag-presenting cells, short peptide half-life in vivo, and limited peptide immunogenicity. We report here a novel peptide vaccination strategy that efficiently induces peptide-specific CTLs. Nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated from a biodegradable polymer, poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid), attached to H-2K^b molecules, and then the natural peptide epitopes associated with the H-2K^b molecules were exchanged with a model tumor peptide, SIINFEKL (OVA_257-268). These NPs were efficiently phagocytosed by immature dendritic cells (DCs), inducing DC maturation and activation. In addition, the DCs that phagocytosed SIINFEKL-pulsed NPs potently activated SIINFEKL-H2K^b complex-specific CD8⁺ T cells via cross-presentation of SIINFEKL. In vivo studies showed that intravenous administration of SIINFEKL-pulsed NPs effectively generated SIINFEKL-specific CD8⁺ T cells in both normal and tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, intravenous administration of SIINFEKL-pulsed NPs into EG7.OVA tumor-bearing mice almost completely inhibited the tumor growth. These results demonstrate that vaccination with polymeric NPs coated with tumor peptide-MHC-I complexes is a novel strategy for efficient induction of tumor-specific CTLs.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2024

Purpose: Pycnodysostosis (PYCD), an autosomal recessive syndrome, is characterized by an imbalance in bone remodeling that produces various clinical and radiographic craniofacial manifestations. This review represents a systematic examination of these manifestations, as well as oral features associated with PYCD. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted across 8 databases from February to March 2023. The search strategy focused on studies reporting cases of PYCD that examined the clinical and radiographic craniofacial and oral characteristics associated with this syndrome. Results: The review included 84 studies, encompassing a total of 179 cases of PYCD. More than half of the patients were female (55.3%), and the mean age was 14.7 years. Parental consanguinity was reported in 51.4% of the cases. The most common craniofacial clinical manifestation was a prominent nose, observed in 57.5% of cases. Radiographically, the most frequently reported craniofacial characteristics included the presence of an obtuse mandibular angle (84.3%) and frontal cranial bosses(82.1%). Clinical and radiographic examinations revealed oral alterations, with micrognathia present in 62.6% of patients and malocclusion in 59.2%. Among dental anomalies, tooth agenesis was the most commonly reported, affecting 15.6% of patients. Conclusion: Understanding the clinical and radiographic craniofacial features of PYCD is crucial for dental professionals. This knowledge enables these clinicians to devise effective treatment plans and improve patient quality of life.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.436-456
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• 2024

Several thermostable proteases have been identified, yet only a handful have undergone the processes of cloning, comprehensive characterization, and full exploitation in various industrial applications. Our primary aim in this study was to clone a thermostable alkaline protease from a thermophilic bacterium and assess its potential for use in various industries. The research involved the amplification of the SpSKF4 protease gene, a thermostable alkaline serine protease obtained from the Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius SKF4 bacterium through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The purified recombinant SpSKF4 protease was characterized, followed by evaluation of its possible industrial applications. The analysis of the gene sequence revealed an open reading frame (ORF) consisting of 1,206 bp, coding for a protein containing 401 amino acids. The cloned gene was expressed in Escherichia coli. The molecular weight of the enzyme was measured at 28 kDa using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The partially purified enzyme has its highest activity at a pH of 10 and a temperature of 80℃. In addition, the enzyme showed a half-life of 15 h at 80℃, and there was a 60% increase in its activity at 10 mM Ca²⁺ concentration. The activity of the protease was completely inhibited (100%) by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF); however, the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) resulted in a 20% increase in activity. The enzyme was also stable in various organic solvents and in certain commercial detergents. Furthermore, the enzyme exhibited strong potential for industrial use, particularly as a detergent additive and for facilitating the recovery of silver from X-ray film.