• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 2020

The deep neural networks (DNN) that can replicate the behavior of the human expert who recognizes the characteristics of ECG waveform have been developed and studied to analyze ECG. However, although the existing DNNs can not provide the explanations for their decisions, those trials have attempted to determine whether patients have certain diseases or not and those decisions could not be accepted because of the absence of relating theoretical basis. In addition, these DNNs required a lot of training data to obtain sufficient accuracy in spite of the difficulty in the acquisition of relating clinical data. In this study, a small-sized continuous data processing DNN (C-DNN) was suggested to determine the simple characteristics of ECG wave that were not required additional explanations about its decisions and the C-DNN can be easily trained with small training data. Although it can analyze small input data that was selected in narrow region on whole ECG, it can continuously scan all ECG data and find important points such as start and end points of P, QRS and T waves within a short time. The star and end points of ECG waves determined by the C-DNNs were compared with the results performed by human experts to estimate the accuracies of the C-DNNs. The C-DNN has 150 inputs, 51 outputs, two hidden layers and one output layer. To find the start and end points, two C-DNNs were trained through deep learning technology and applied to a parameter acquisition algorithms. 12 lead ECG data measured in four patients and obtained through PhysioNet was processed to make training data by human experts. The accuracy of the C-DNNs were evaluated with extra data that were not used at deep learning by comparing the results between C-DNNs and human experts. The averages of the time differences between the C-DNNs and experts were 0.1 msec and 13.5 msec respectively and those standard deviations were 17.6 msec and 15.7 msec. The final step combining the results of C-DNN through the waveforms of 12 leads was successfully determined all 33 waves without error that the time differences of human experts decision were over 20 msec. The reliable decision of the ECG wave's start and end points benefits the acquisition of accurate ECG parameters such as the wave lengths, amplitudes and intervals of P, QRS and T waves.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.397-402
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of alendronate and pamidronate on proliferation and the alkaline phosphatase activity of human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells and to relate the results with bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaw(BRONJ). With the consent of patients with no systemic disease and undergoing iliac bone graft, cancellous bone was collected to obtain human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells through cell culture. 96 well plate were prepared with a concentration of $10^4$cell/ well. Alendronate and pamidronate were added to each well with the concentration of $10^{-6}M$, $10^{-8}M$ and $10^{-10}M$, respectively. Then proliferation capacity of each well was evaluated with the cell counting kit. 24 well plates were prepared with a concentration of $10^5$cell/ml/well and with the bone supplement, alendronate and pamidronate were added with the concentration of $10^{-6}M$, $10^{-8}M$ and $10^{-10}M$, respectively on each plate. The plates were cultured for either 24 or 72 hours. Then the cells were sonicated to measure the alkaline phosphatase activity and protein assay was done to standardize the data for analysis. As the concentration of alendronate or pamidronate added to the culture increased, the proliferation capacity of the cells decreased. However, no statistical significance was found between the group with $10^{-10}M$ of bisphophonate and the control group. Pamidronate was not capable of increasing the alkaline phosphatase activity in all trials. However, alkaline phosphatase activity increased with 24 hours of $10^{-8}M$ of alendronate treatment and with 48 hours of $10^{-10}M$ of alendronate treatment. Cell toxicity increased as the bisphosphonate concentration increased. This seems to be associated with the long half life of bisphosphonate, resulting in high concentration of bisphosphonate in the jaw and thus displaying delayed healing after surgical procedures. Alendronate has shown to increase the alkaline phophatase activity of human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. However, this data is insufficient to conclude that alendronate facilitates the differentiation of human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. Further studies on DNA level and animal studies are required to support these results.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.491-505
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• 2017

This study investigated the development and core mechanism of subitizing in children and adults as well as provides related theoretical and practical discussions. This study was conducted to determine if subitizing changed with the age of participants and if there were differences in subitizing according to the spacing, color, and shape of the stimuli. The subitizing task set (including forty main trials) was prepared. Forty-five children (fifteen each in groups of 3, 4, and 5-year-olds) and fifteen adults were recruited to perform the subitizing tasks. The results demonstrated that the subitizing speed and accuracy of children improved abruptly between age 3 and age 4. Furthermore, there were significant differences in children's subitizing speed according to the spacing and color of the objects. The children's response time decreased when the objects were fully apart or were of diverse colors. In addition, there were partial significant differences in the subitizing speed of children related to the shape of the objects. The subitizing speed of children decreased in a condition (subitizing 5 objects of diverse colors in fixed spacing) when the shapes of the objects were diverse. The subitizing speed of adults only differed according to the space of the objects. The results demonstrate the development of subitizing in early childhood along with the presence of object individuation processing stages underlying subitizing. This study also provides practical information and suggestions for educational curricula that can strengthen the competency of children in systematic and diverse activities.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The anti-obesity effect of quercetin-rich onion peel extract (OPE) was suggested in rats, but information from human studies is limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of OPE on the body composition of overweight and obese subjects. MATERIALS/METHODS: In this 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, parallel clinical trials were performed in overweight and obese Korean subjects. Randomly assigned subjects were instructed to take daily either the placebo (male, 6 and female, 30) or OPE capsules containing 100 mg of quercetin (male, 5 and female, 31). Body composition was measured by using bioimpedance and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Resting energy expenditure (REE) and respiratory quotient (RQ) were evaluated by using indirect calorie measurement methods. Fasting blood levels of glucose, insulin, lipids, and leptin were determined. RESULTS: Quercetin-rich OPE supplementation significantly reduced the weight and percentage of body fat as measured by DXA (P = 0.02). These effects were not shown in the control group. Levels of blood glucose (P = 0.04) and leptin (P = 0.001 for placebo, P = 0.002 for OPE) decreased in both groups. Significant increases in REE and RQ were observed in both groups (P = 0.003 for placebo, P = 0.006 for OPE) and in the OPE group alone (P = 0.02), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Quercetin-rich OPE supplementation changed the body composition of the overweight and obese subjects. This result suggests a beneficial role of the anti-obesity effect of OPE human subjects.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2014

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are approximately 22 nucleotides of small noncoding RNAs that control gene expression at the posttranscriptional level through translational inhibition and destabilization of their target mRNAs. The miRNAs are phylogenetically conserved and have been shown to be instrumental in a wide variety of key biological processes including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, metabolism, imprinting, and differentiation. Recently, a paper has shown that expression of the miRNA-302/367 cluster expressed abundantly in mouse and human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can directly reprogram mouse and human somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) efficiently in the absence of any of the four factors, Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4. To apply this efficient method to porcine, we analyzed porcine genomic sequence containing predicted porcine miRNA-302/367 cluster through ENSEMBL database, generated a non-replicative episomal vector system including miRNA-302/367 cluster originated from porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEF), and tried to make porcine iPSCs by transfection of the miRNA-302/367 cluster. Colonies expressing EGFP and forming compact shape were found, but they were not established as iPSC lines. Our data in this study show that pig miRNA-302/367 cluster could not satisfy requirement of PEF reprogramming conditions for pluripotency. To make pig iPSC lines by miRNA, further studies on the role of miRNAs in pluripotency and new trials of transfection with conventional reprogramming factors are needed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.539-547
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• 2018

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) research has recently focused on the use of rat and mouse models for in vivo SCI experiments. Such small rodent SCI models are invaluable for the field, and much has been discovered about the biologic and physiologic aspects of SCI from these models. It has been difficult, however, to reproduce the efficacy of treatments found to produce neurologic benefits in rodent SCI models when these treatments are tested in human clinical trials. A large animal model may have advantages for translational research where anatomical, physiological, or genetic similarities to humans may be more relevant for pre-clinically evaluating novel therapies. Here, we review the work carried out at the University of British Columbia (UBC) on a large animal model of SCI that utilizes Yucatan miniature pigs. The UBC porcine model of SCI may be a useful intermediary in the pre-clinical testing of novel pharmacological treatments, cell-based therapies, and the "bedside back to bench" translation of human clinical observations, which require preclinical testing in an applicable animal model.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.169-191
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• 2012

This study is to investigate the strategy on forming a long term relationship between logistics service provider and demander including maintaining strategy of it. For these purposes, effect on the organization and human factor of Logistics service companies and also, impact on the customer trust and relational commitment against service recovery are analysed. Literature review and empirical study are used to modify research model and to develop questionnaire for logistics service companies. Reliability for measuring procedure yields the same result on repeated trials and validity for identifying the accuracy of the accrual measuring instrument are also used. Suggested hypothesis are verified through multiple regression method and the testing results are shown as follows; First, organization and human factor have a positive effect to the service recovery satisfaction against the service failure of logistics service providing company. Second, the service recovery satisfaction also leads a positive effect on the customer trust and relational commitment.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.545-550
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• 2020

Combination therapy using chloroquine (CQ) and azithromycin (AZM) has drawn great attention due to its potential anti-viral activity against SARS-CoV-2. However, clinical trials have revealed that the co-administration of CQ and AZM resulted in severe side effects, including cardiac arrhythmia, in patients with COVID-19. To elucidate the cardiotoxicity induced by CQ and AZM, we examined the effects of these drugs based on the electrophysiological properties of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) using multi-electrode arrays. CQ treatment significantly increased the field potential duration, which corresponds to prolongation of the QT interval, and decreased the spike amplitude, spike slope, and conduction velocity of hESC-CMs. AZM had no significant effect on the field potentials of hESC-CMs. However, CQ in combination with AZM greatly increased the field potential duration and decreased the beat period and spike slope of hESC-CMs when compared with CQ monotherapy. In support of the clinical data suggesting the cardiovascular side effects of the combination therapy of CQ and AZM, our results suggest that AZM reinforces the cardiotoxicity induced by CQ in hESC-CMs.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2004

Radioiodide uptake in thyroid follicular epithelial cells, mediated by a plasma membrane transporter, sodium iodide symporter (NIS), provides a first step mechanism for thyroid cancer detection by radioiodide injection and effective radioiodide treatment for patients with invasive, recurrent, and/or metastatic thyroid cancers after total thyroidectomy. NIS gene transfer to tumor cells may significantly and specifically enhance internal radioactive accumulation of tumors following radioiodide administration, and result in better tumor control. NIS gene transfers have been successfully performed in a variety of tumor animal models by either plasmid-mediated transfection or virus (adenovirus or retrovirus)-mediated gene delivery. These animal models include nude mice xenografted with human melanoma, glioma, breast cancer or prostate cancer, rats with subcutaneous thyroid tumor implantation, as well as the rat intracranial glioma model. In these animal models, non-invasive imaging of in vivo tumors by gamma camera scintigraphy after radioiodide or technetium injection has been performed successfully, suggesting that the NIS can serve as an imaging reporter gene for gene therapy trials. In addition, the tumor killing effects of I-131, ReO4-188 and At-211 after NIS gene transfer have been demonstrated in in vitro clonogenic assays and in vivo radioiodide therapy studies, suggesting that NIS gene can also serve as a therapeutic agent when combined with radioiodide injection. Better NIS-mediated imaging and tumor treatment by radioiodide requires a more efficient and specific system of gene delivery with better retention of radioiodide in tumor. Results thus far are, however, promising, and suggest that NIS gene transfer followed by radioiodide treatment will allow non-invasive in vivo imaging to assess the outcome of gene therapy and provide a therapeutic strategy for a variety of human diseases.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.322-331
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• 2005

Graduated compression stockings (GCS) have been widely used for the prophylaxis and treatment of venous diseases. Their gradient pressure function largely related to their fabric structure and material properties. By combing fabric physical testing and wear trials, this study investigated the GCSs fabric structure and material properties at different locations along the stocking hoses, and quantitatively analyzed the effects of fabrics on skin pressure longitudinal and transverse distributions. We concluded that, Structural characteristics and material properties of stocking fabrics were not uniform along the hoses, but a gradual variation from ankle to thigh regions, which significantly influenced the corresponding skin pressure gradient distributions; Tensile (WT, EM) and shearing properties (G) generated most significant differences among ankle, knee and thigh regions along the stocking hose, which significantly influenced the skin pressure lognitudinal gradient distribution. More material indices generating significant gradual changes occurred in the fabric wale direction along stocking hose, meaning that materials properties in wale direction would exert more important impact on the skin pressure gradient performances. And, the greater tensibility and smoother surface of fabric in wale direction would contribute to put stocking on and off, and facilitate wearers' leg extension-flexion movements. The indices of WT and EM of stocking fabrics in series A have strong linear correlations with skin pressure lognitudinal distribution, which largely related to their better performances in gradual changes of material properties. Skin pressure applied by fabric with same material properties produced pronounced differences among four different directions around certain cross-sections of human leg, especially at the ankle region; and, the skin pressure magnitudes at ankle region were more easily influenced by the materials properties, which were considered to be largely related to the anatomic structure of human leg.