• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.21.1-21.14
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• 2022

The influenza A viruses have high mutation rates and cause a serious health problem worldwide. Therefore, this study focused on genome characterization of the viruses isolated from Thai patients based on the next-generation sequencing technology. The nasal swabs were collected from patients with influenza-like illness in Thailand during 2017-2018. Then, the influenza A viruses were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and isolated by MDCK cells. The viral genomes were amplified and sequenced by Illumina MiSeq platform. Whole genome sequences were used for characterization, phylogenetic construction, mutation analysis and nucleotide diversity of the viruses. The result revealed that 90 samples were positive for the viruses including 44 of A/H1N1 and 46 of A/H3N2. Among these, 43 samples were successfully isolated and then the viral genomes of 25 samples were completely amplified. Finally, 17 whole genomes of the viruses (A/H1N1, n=12 and A/H3N2, n=5) were successfully sequenced with an average of 232,578 mapped reads and 1,720 genome coverage per sample. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the A/H1N1 viruses were distinguishable from the recommended vaccine strains. However, the A/H3N2 viruses from this study were closely related to the recommended vaccine strains. The nonsynonymous mutations were found in all genes of both viruses, especially in hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes. The nucleotide diversity analysis revealed negative selection in the PB1, PA, HA, and NA genes of the A/H1N1 viruses. High-throughput data in this study allow for genetic characterization of circulating influenza viruses which would be crucial for preparation against pandemic and epidemic outbreaks in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.77-100
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• 2022

In the era of low growth, many provincial cities are experiencing population decline and aging. Population decline phenomena such as reduction of productive manpower, reduction of finances, deterioration of quality of life, and collapse of the community base are occurring in a chain and are being pushed to the brink of extinction of the cities. This study aims to propose a methodology to objectively estimate the employment creation centers and setting the basic unit of industrial-centered zoning by applying spatial statistical techniques and GIS for the application of the compact city plan as an efficient spatial management policy in a city with a declining population. In details, based on reviewing previous studies on compact city, 'employment complex index(ECI)' were defined considering the number of workers, the number of settlers, and the area of development land, the employment creation center was estimated by applying the 'Local Moran's I' and 'Getis-Ord's Hot-Spot Analysis'. As a case study, changes in the four years of 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019 were compared and analyzed for Changwon City. As a result, it was confirmed that the employment creation center is becoming compacted and polycentric, which is a significant result that reflects the actual situation well. This results provide the basic data for functional and institutional territorial governance for the regional revitalization platform, and provide meaningful information necessary for spatial policy decision-making, such as population reduction, regional gross domestic product, and public facility arrangement that can respond to energy savings, transportation plans, and medical and health plans.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.155-164
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• 2023

In this paper, we examine the influence of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-related content on the success of online crowdfunding proposals. Along with the increasing significance of ESG standards in business, investment proposals incorporating ESG concepts are now commonplace. Due to the ESG trend, conventional wisdom holds that the majority of proposals with ESG concepts will have a higher rate of success. We investigate by analyzing over 9000 online business presentations found in a Kickstarter dataset to determine which characteristics of these proposals led to increased investment. We first utilized lexicon-based measurement and Feature Engineering to determine the relationship between environment and society scores and financial indicators. Next, Logistic Regression is utilized to determine the effect of including environmental and social terms in a project's description on its ability to obtain funding. Contrary to popular belief, our research found that microentrepreneurs were less likely to succeed with proposals that focused on ESG issues. Our research will generate new opportunities for research in the disciplines of information science and crowdfunding by shedding new light on the environment of online micro-entrepreneurship.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.647-659
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• 2023

Objective: The study was conducted to investigate the effect of correct occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAA) on intracardiac blood flow and thrombus formation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) using four-dimensional (4D) flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and three-dimensional (3D)-printed phantoms. Materials and Methods: Three life-sized 3D-printed left atrium (LA) phantoms, including a pre-occlusion (i.e., before the occlusion procedure) model and correctly and incorrectly occluded post-procedural models, were constructed based on cardiac computed tomography images from an 86-year-old male with long-standing persistent AF. A custom-made closed-loop flow circuit was set up, and pulsatile simulated pulmonary venous flow was delivered by a pump. 4D flow MRI was performed using a 3T scanner, and the images were analyzed using MATLAB-based software (R2020b; Mathworks). Flow metrics associated with blood stasis and thrombogenicity, such as the volume of stasis defined by the velocity threshold ($\left|\vec{V}\right|$ < 3 cm/s), surface-and-time-averaged wall shear stress (WSS), and endothelial cell activation potential (ECAP), were analyzed and compared among the three LA phantom models. Results: Different spatial distributions, orientations, and magnitudes of LA flow were directly visualized within the three LA phantoms using 4D flow MRI. The time-averaged volume and its ratio to the corresponding entire volume of LA flow stasis were consistently reduced in the correctly occluded model (70.82 mL and 39.0%, respectively), followed by the incorrectly occluded (73.17 mL and 39.0%, respectively) and pre-occlusion (79.11 mL and 39.7%, respectively) models. The surfaceand-time-averaged WSS and ECAP were also lowest in the correctly occluded model (0.048 Pa and 4.004 Pa^-1, respectively), followed by the incorrectly occluded (0.059 Pa and 4.792 Pa^-1, respectively) and pre-occlusion (0.072 Pa and 5.861 Pa^-1, respectively) models. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a correctly occluded LAA leads to the greatest reduction in LA flow stasis and thrombogenicity, presenting a tentative procedural goal to maximize clinical benefits in patients with AF.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.350-358
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• 2017

The hemolysis index (HI) is semi-quantitative marker for hemolysis. Because the characteristics of the HI vary from one commercial platform to another, no standardization or harmonization of the HI is currently available. Specimens (N=40) randomly selected from clinical patients were artificially hemolyzed in vitro. The serum of the specimens was then diluted with a 20 mg/dL difference between 0~300 mg/dL based on serum hemoglobin measured using the XE-2100 hematology automation equipment (Sysmex, Japan). Diluted serum was measured using the Hitachi-7600 biochemical automation equipment (Hitachi, Japan) to differentiate between HI and serum hemoglobin. The data showed linearity between HI and serum hemoglobin and that HI 1 contained approximately 20 mg/dL of serum hemoglobin. To determine the blood rejection threshold, the HI was divided into three groups: HI 0~1, HI 4~6, HI 9~15. After another batch of clinical specimens (N=40) was measured using a Hitachi-7600 (Hitachi, Japan), each specimen was moved forward and backward with the piston of the syringe to induce an artificial in vitro hemolysis, then measured again with a Hitachi-7600 (Hitachi, Japan). The percentage difference between the three groups was analyzed by ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis test. In the post-test, there were significant differences between the HI 0~1 and the HI 5~6: Glucose, creatinine, total protein, AST, direct bilirubin, uric acid, phosphorus, triglyceride, LDH, CPK, Magnesium, and potassium levels. Because many clinical tests differed significantly, the threshold for hemolysis could be appropriate for HI 5 (serum hemoglobin 100 mg/dL).

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.488-500
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a mobile app-based program to reduce the dietary sugar intake according to the stages of the behavioral change in dietary sugar reduction in female college students. Methods: The program used in this study can monitor the dietary sugar intake after recording the dietary intake and provide education message for the reduction of dietary sugar intake. In an eight-week pre-post intervention study, 68 female college students were instructed to record all the food they consumed daily and received weekly education information. At pre-post intervention, the subjects were asked to answer the questionnaire about sugar-related nutrition knowledge, sugar-intake behavior, and sugar-intake frequency. For statistical analysis, ANOVA and a paired t-test were used for comparative analysis according Precontemplation (PC), Contemplation Preparation (C P), and A M (Action Maintenance) stage. Results: Significant differences were observed in the frequency of snacking, experience of nutrition education, and preference for sweetness according to the stages of behavior change in dietary sugar reduction. After finishing an intervention, the sugar-related nutrition knowledge score was increased significantly in the stages of Precontemplation (PC) and Contemplation Preparation (C P). The score of the sugar intake behavior increased significantly in all stages. The intake frequency of chocolate, muffins or cakes, and drinking yogurt decreased significantly in the PC stage and the intake frequency of biscuits, carbonated beverages, and fruit juice decreased significantly in the C P stage. Subjects in the PC and C P stages had an undesirable propensity in nutrition knowledge, sugar-intake behavior, and sugar-intake frequency compared to the A M stage, but this intervention improved significantly their nutrition knowledge, sugar-intake behavior, and sugar-intake frequency. Conclusion: This program can be an effective educational tool in the stages of PC and C P, and is expected to further increase the usability and sustainability of mobile application if supplemented appropriately to a health platform program.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.257-269
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• 2021

This study aimed to secure basic data for the development and operation of well-aging education programs by analyzing the physical, mental, and socio-economic needs of well-aging education for successful aging. The research tool was developed as a questionnaire to investigate the perception of well aging and the needs of well-aging education in terms of physical, mental, and socio-economic aspects. In February 2021, 1949 adults over the age of 19 were surveyed through an online and mobile survey by Gallup Korea. Descriptive statistics analysis, variance analysis, Borich needs analysis, and IPA analysis were conducted to analyze the needs of well-aging education. The results revealed economic power, exercise, and chronic disease management to be high in terms of the overall priority of the education needs for well-aging, and infectious disease management, independence, and social responsibility were surveyed in the order of low education needs. In terms of economic power, education needs were highest among all age groups except for the middle-age group (35-49 years old), 82.4% of all respondents, and education needs for exercise and chronic disease management were highest in the middle-age group. Therefore, it is necessary to develop well-aging education programs for each life cycle. These results are expected to be used as empirical data in establishing a platform for developing and operating educational programs for well aging.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.127-147
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• 2020

The world is suffering from numerous human and economic losses due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The Korean government established a strategy to overcome the national infectious disease crisis through research and development. It is difficult to find distinctive features and changes in a specific R&D field when using the existing technical classification or science and technology standard classification. Recently, a few studies have been conducted to establish a classification system to provide information about the investment research areas of infectious diseases in Korea through a comparative analysis of Korea government-funded research projects. However, these studies did not provide the necessary information for establishing cooperative research strategies among countries in the infectious diseases, which is required as an execution plan to achieve the goals of national health security and fostering new growth industries. Therefore, it is inevitable to study information services based on the classification system and classification model for establishing a national collaborative R&D strategy. Seven classification - Diagnosis_biomarker, Drug_discovery, Epidemiology, Evaluation_validation, Mechanism_signaling pathway, Prediction, and Vaccine_therapeutic antibody - systems were derived through reviewing infectious diseases-related national-funded research projects of South Korea. A classification system model was trained by combining Scopus data with a bidirectional RNN model. The classification performance of the final model secured robustness with an accuracy of over 90%. In order to conduct the empirical study, an infectious disease classification system was applied to the coronavirus-related research and development projects of major countries such as the STAR Metrics (National Institutes of Health) and NSF (National Science Foundation) of the United States(US), the CORDIS (Community Research & Development Information Service)of the European Union(EU), and the KAKEN (Database of Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research) of Japan. It can be seen that the research and development trends of infectious diseases (coronavirus) in major countries are mostly concentrated in the prediction that deals with predicting success for clinical trials at the new drug development stage or predicting toxicity that causes side effects. The intriguing result is that for all of these nations, the portion of national investment in the vaccine_therapeutic antibody, which is recognized as an area of research and development aimed at the development of vaccines and treatments, was also very small (5.1%). It indirectly explained the reason of the poor development of vaccines and treatments. Based on the result of examining the investment status of coronavirus-related research projects through comparative analysis by country, it was found that the US and Japan are relatively evenly investing in all infectious diseases-related research areas, while Europe has relatively large investments in specific research areas such as diagnosis_biomarker. Moreover, the information on major coronavirus-related research organizations in major countries was provided by the classification system, thereby allowing establishing an international collaborative R&D projects.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.47-79
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• 2019

The Korean Society of Law and Medicine has faithfully played the role of professional academic organizations last 20 years in terms of academic activities, accumulated achievements, diversity, professionalism, and influence on academic circles. The Korean Society of Law and Medicine and the Journal of Medical Law serve as a platform for academic information and exchange of opinions on medical law. Medical law began in the midst of increasing conflicts and disputes caused by medical malpractice and the enactment and legal coercion of medical care as pressure on medical workers. It tried to find a way to coexist with each other through the encounter and convergence of medicine and law. Medical criminal law extends from traditional crimes in the realm of life and body protection to bioethics violations caused by the development of biomedical technology, corruption and economic crime in the medical field. Medical law has evolved into a comprehensive legal area dealing with legal issues raised in medical treatment, healthcare, bioethics, and life sciences technology. On the legal side, medical law is not independent legal areas. It is overlapping with traditional law areas such as civil law, administrative law, criminal law, social law, civil and criminal procedure law. However, it is now established as a convergence study in medicine, bioethics, life science, as well as in various fields of law. It has become an area where collaboration is needed with the field of law, medicine, ethics, sociology and economics. Medical criminal law has undergone a dynamic development over the last two decades. The development of medicine and medical technology provides new and innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment. The achievements and risks of revolutionary developments in biotechnology, genetic engineering and medicine coexist. While there is a dazzling achievement that mankind has hoped for: combating disease and improving health, it also creates unwanted side effects and risks to humans. There is a need to reconsider ethical and legal principles. The discovery and development of patient identity and autonomy has changed the medical doctor-patient relationship. Furthermore, it was complicated by the triangle relationship of patients, medical doctors and insurance. Legal matters are also complicated. This is why the necessity of legislation is emerging. Criminal punishment provisions are also required. The Medical Law and Biomedical Law are systematically and coherently deformed as mosaic-based legislation that takes place whenever there are social issues, citizens' needs, and medical organizations' interests, rather than sufficient enactment and revision procedures. It needs a complete overhaul, and this is possible through interdisciplinary collaboration which is the strength of The Korean Society of Law and Medicine.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.547-561
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was conducted to segment the delivery food market and to develop customized products and services. Methods: This study analyzed 636 responses collected from customers who ordered delivery food. Statistical analyses were conducted using the SPSS program (ver. 25.0) for frequency analysis, χ²-test, one-way analysis of variance, factor analysis, and cluster analysis. Results: Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (safety-orientation, convenience-orientation, taste-orientation, and economy-orientation) to explain the consumers' food-related lifestyles. The results of cluster analysis indicated that the 'low-interest group', 'convenience and economy-oriented group', and 'gourmet and economy-oriented group' should be regarded as the target segments. Characteristic analysis of each cluster showed that lowinterest group had higher rates of married (67.1%) and living with family (85.4%) than other clusters. The convenience and the economy-oriented group had higher rates of living alone (28.9%) than others. The gourmet and the economy-oriented group had a higher percentage of unmarried (62.0%) than the others. In addition, the average age of convenience and economy-oriented group (32.3 years) and gourmet and economy-oriented group (32.5 years) were significantly lower than the safety seeker (40.0 years) (p < 0.001). Difference analysis of the consumption practice according to the cluster, revealed significant differences in the order frequency (p < 0.001), main day to order (p < 0.05), source of information about delivery food (p < 0.001), order method (p < 0.001), and co-consumer (p < 0.01). In addition, the convenience and the economy-oriented group had significantly higher overall satisfaction than the others (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that customer segmentation based on a food-related lifestyle can be used to build a successful marketing strategy. Therefore, restaurant managers and delivery platform operators should consider developing products and services according to the segmentation to maximize customer satisfaction.