• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.331-336
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• 2012

Red tide is a temporary natural phenomenon involving harmful algal blooms (HABs) in company with a changing sea color from normal to red or reddish brown, and which has a bad influence on coast environments and sea ecosystems. The HABs have inflicted massive mortality on fin fish and shellfish, damaging the economies of fisheries for almost every year from 1990 in South Korea. There have been many studies on red tide due to increasing damage from red tide on fishing and aquaculture industry. However, internal study of automatic red tide image classification is not enough. Especially, extraction of matching center features for recognizing algae image object is difficult because over 200 species of algae in the world have a different size and features. Previously studies used a few type of red tide algae for image classification. In this paper, we proposed the red tide image recognition method using NMF and revison of rotation angle for enhancing of recognition of red tide algae image.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.66-74
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• 2015

Background : Saam acupuncture were composed by applying the elemental concepts from the Five Phase theory - the relationships between the cycles such as Saeng(Sheng, 'nourishing' or 'creating') and Geuk(Ke, 'suppressing' or 'controlling') - onto the Five Phase points and 12 channels to compensate for the imbalance in each of the 12 main energy traits. Objective : The present study is aimed to find out the characteristics of Five Phase points pattern in Saam acupuncture. Methods : We analysed the characteristics of five elements of the Five Phase points in Korean medical texts such as Saamdoinchimguyogyeol, Dongeuibogam and Chimgugyeongheombang in mid Chosun Dynasty. Using non-negative factorization(NNMF) methods, we extracted the feature matrix of five elements of Five Phase points in each classic medical text. Results : In Saam acupuncture, two characteristics were most prominent: (1) "Self" component of Five elements, (2) "Mother" and "Grandmother" component of Five elements. Conclusions : Saam acupuncture used the combination of Five-Shu acupoint based on ZangFu pattern identification. Our findings suggest that grasping the characteristics of Five Phase points combinations can improve the understanding the selection of the relevant acupoints based on the ZangFu pattern identifications.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.45-52
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• 2012

This paper proposes a new enhancing document clustering method using the important terms of cluster and the wikipedia. The proposed method can well represent the concept of cluster topics by means of selecting the important terms in cluster by the semantic features of NMF. It can solve the problem of "bags of words" to be not considered the meaningful relationships between documents and clusters, which expands the important terms of cluster by using of the synonyms of wikipedia. Also, it can improve the quality of document clustering which uses the expanded cluster important terms to refine the initial cluster by re-clustering. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves better performance than other document clustering methods.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.39C no.6
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• pp.497-502
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• 2014

In general, all physicians have some standardized diagnosis and treatment methods. However, there are differences in the precise order and examination depending on the hospital size, system, medical equipment, etc. To reduce this difference, the interest about standardized guidelines recently increased and a variety of research is being conducted. The uniform guideline cannot reflect the differences of each situation and environment to meet the hospitals. Therefore, standardized medical guidelines(=clinical pathway) should provide customized guidelines based on the relevant medical data to ensure the quality of the medical service and the doctor's autonomy. In this paper, we will analyze medical data made by two thyroid specialists in the same hospitals. Moreover, this paper mentions the implement of automatic generating clinical pathway system which consider its real hospital situation and result.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 2009

The present paper briefly describes the space frame element and the fundamental strategies in computational elastic bifurcation theory of geometrically nonlinear, single load parameter conservative elastic spatial structures. A method for large deformation(rotation) analysis of space frame is based on an eulerian formulation, which takes into consideration the effects of large joint translations and rotations with finite deformation(rotation). The local member force-deformation relationships are based on the beam-column approach, and the change in member chord lengths caused by axial strain and flexural bowing are taken into account. and the derived geometric stiffness matrix is unsymmetric because of the fact that finite rotations are not commutative under addition. To detect the singular point such as bifurcation point, an iterative pin-pointing algorithm is proposed. And the path switching mode for bifurcation path is based on the non-negative eigen-value and it's corresponding eigen-vector. Some numerical examples for bifurcation analysis are carried out for a plane frame, plane circular arch and space dome structures are described.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2015

TGF-${\beta}$ regulates pleiotropic cellular responses including cell growth, differentiation, migration, apoptosis, extracellular matrix production, and many other biological processes. Although non-Smad signaling pathways are being increasingly reported to play many roles in TGF-${\beta}$-mediated biological processes, Smads, especially receptor-regulated Smads (R-Smads), still play a central mediatory role in TGF-${\beta}$ signaling for epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Thus, the biological activities of R-Smads are tightly regulated at multiple points. Inhibitory Smad (I-Smad also called Smad7) acts as a critical endogenous negative feedback regulator of Smad-signaling pathways by inhibiting R-Smad phosphorylation and by inducing activated type I TGF-${\beta}$ receptor degradation. Roles played by Smad7 in health and disease are being increasingly reported, but the molecular mechanisms that regulate Smad7 are not well understood. In this study, we show that E3 ubiquitin ligase Itch acts as a positive regulator of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling and of subsequent EMT-related gene expression. Interestingly, the Itch-mediated positive regulation of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling was found to be dependent on Smad7 ubiquitination and its subsequent degradation. Further study revealed Itch acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase for Smad7 polyubiquitination, and thus, that Itch is an important regulator of Smad7 activity and a positive regulator of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling and of TGF-${\beta}$-mediated biological processes. Accordingly, the study uncovers a novel regulatory mechanism whereby Smad7 is controlled by Itch.

• Geosciences Journal
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.975-987
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• 2018

Stable isotope ratios of $^{18}O/^{16}O$ and $^{13}C/^{12}C$ and rare earth elements geochemistry of the Upper Triassic carbonates from the Baluti Formation in Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq were studied in two areas, Sararu and Sarki. The aim of the study is to quantify the possible diagenetic processes that postdated deposition and the paleoenvironment of the Baluti Formation. The replacement products of the skeletal grains by selective dissolution and neomorphism probably by meteoric water preserved the original marine isotopic signatures possibly due to the closed system. The petrographic study revealed the existence of foraminifers, echinoderms, gastropods, crinoids, nodosaria and ostracods as major framework constituents. The carbonates have micritic matrix with microsparite and sparry calcite filling the pores and voids. The range and average values for twelve carbonate rocks of ${\delta}^{18}O$ and ${\delta}^{13}C$ in Sararu section were -5.3‰ to -3.16‰ (-4.12‰) and -2.94‰ to -0.96‰ (-1.75‰), respectively; while the corresponding values for the Sarki section were -3.69‰ to -0.39‰ (-2.08‰) and -5.34‰ to -2.70‰ (-4.02‰), respectively. The bivariate plot of ${\delta}^{18}O$ and ${\delta}^{13}C$ suggests that most of these carbonates are warm-water skeletons and have meteoric cement. The average ${\Sigma}REE$ content and Eu-anomaly of the carbonates of Sararu sections were 44.26 ppm and 1.03, respectively, corresponding to 22.30 ppm and 0.93 for the Sarki section. The normalized patterns for the carbonate rocks exhibit: (1) non-seawater-like REE patterns, (2) positive Gd anomalies (average = 1.112 for Sararu and 1.114 for Sarki), (3) super chondritic Y/Ho ratio is 31.48 for Sararu and 31.73 for Sarki which are less than the value of seawater. The presence of sparry calcite cement, negative $^{13}C$ and $^{18}O$ isotope values, the positive Eu anomaly in the REE patterns (particularly for Sararu), eliminated Ce anomaly ($Ce/Ce^{\ast}$: 0.916-1.167, average = 0.994 and 0.950-1.010, average = 0.964, respectively), and Er/Nd values propose that these carbonates have undergone meteoric diagenesis. The REE patterns suggest that the terrigenous materials of the Baluti were derived from felsic to intermediate rocks.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1382-1389
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• 2022

Asterias pectinifera, a species of starfish and cause of concern in the aquaculture industry, was recently identified as a source of non-toxic and highly water-soluble collagen peptides. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant and anti-photoaging functions of compounds formulated using collagen peptides from extracts of Asterias pectinifera and Halocynthia roretzi (AH). Our results showed that AH compounds have various skin protective functions, including antioxidant effects, determined by measuring the scavenging activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals, as well as anti-melanogenic effects, determined by measuring tyrosinase inhibition activity. To determine whether ethosome-encapsulated AH compounds (E(AH)) exert ultraviolet (UV)-protective effects, human dermal fibroblasts or keratinocytes were incubated with E(AH) before and after exposure to UVA or UVB. E(AH) treatment led to inhibition of photoaging-induced secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and interleukin-6 and -8, which are associated with inflammatory responses during UV irradiation. Finally, the antibacterial effects of AH and E(AH) were confirmed against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Our results indicate that E(AH) has the potential for use in the development of cosmetics with a range of skin protective functions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.510-518
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• 2010

Purpose : Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis, a leading cause of pediatric acquired heart disease. Histopathological findings of coronary artery lesion (CAL) in KD indicate destruction of the coronary artery wall with diffuse vasculitis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their endogenous tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) might play central roles in this process. Special attention to MMP-9 has recently been emerging. This study was performed to investigate the clinical significance of MMP-9 and its inhibitors, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, in KD. Methods : We compared 47 KD patients with 14 febrile controls. Serum MMP-9 and TIMP-1, TIMP-2 were measured by ELISA and compared according to clinical stages and coronary involvement. Results : In acute stage, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were significantly higher, whereas TIMP-2 was lower, in KD than those in febrile controls ($P$<0.05). The elevated MMP-9 levels in acute phase significantly decreased during the subacute and convalescent phases ($P$<0.05). During acute phase, the MMP-9, TIMP-1, and MMP-9/TIMP-2 levels in the CAL group were lower than those in the non-CAL group, but they increased significantly in the subacute phase ($P$<0.05). MMP-9 has a positive correlation with TIMP-1 in the acute and subacute phases, and negative correlation with TIMP-2 in the subacute and convalescent phases ($P$<0.05). Conclusion : These results suggest that MMP-9, TIMP-1, and the imbalance in MMP-9 and TIMP-2 might play important roles on the pathophysiology of KD and especially on the development of CAL. However, further larger studies are needed.