• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.27-32
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• 2005

Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites were isolated from an ocular patient in the Republic of Korea and maintained in the laboratory (designated KI-1). In the present study, its genotype was determined by analyzing dense granule antigen 6 (GRA6) gene and surface antigen 2 (SAG2) gene as typing markers. Digestion of the amplification products of GRA6 and of the 5' and 3' ends of SAG2, respectively, with Mse I, Sau3A I, and Hha I, revealed that KI-1 is included in the genotype I, which includes the worldwide virulent RH strain. In addition, when the whole sequences of the coding regions of SAG1, rhoptry antigen 1 (ROP1), and GRA8 genes of KI-1 were compared with those of RH, minor nucleotide polymorphisms and amino acid substitutions were identified. These results show that KI-1 is a new geographical strain of T. gondii that can be included in the genotype I.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.301-308
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• 2011

The diametral creep of pressure tubes (PTs) in CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) reactors is one of the principal aging mechanisms governing the heat transfer and hydraulic degradation of the heat transport system (HTS). PT diametral creep leads to diametral expansion, which affects the thermal hydraulic characteristics of the coolant channels and the critical heat flux (CHF). The CHF is a major parameter determining the critical channel power (CCP), which is used in the trip setpoint calculations of regional overpower protection (ROP) systems. Therefore, it is essential to predict PT diametral creep in CANDU reactors. PT diametral creep is caused mainly by fast neutron irradiation, temperature and applied stress. The objective of this study was to develop a bundle position-wise linear model (BPLM) to predict PT diametral creep employing previously measured PT diameters and HTS operating conditions. The linear model was optimized using a genetic algorithm and was devised based on a bundle position because it is expected that each bundle position in a PT channel has inherent characteristics. The proposed BPLM for predicting PT diametral creep was confirmed using the operating data of the Wolsung nuclear power plant in Korea. The linear model was able to predict PT diametral creep accurately.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제25권9호
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• pp.1314-1320
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• 2004

The adsorption and configuration of CO molecules adsorbed on W (110) and W (100) surfaces have been calculated by the atomic superposition and electron delocalization molecular orbital (ASED-MO) method. Referred to as the ASED-MO method, it has been used in the present study to calculate the geometries, binding energies, vibrational frequencies, orbital energies, reduced overlap population (ROP), and charges. From these results adsorption properties of ${\alpha}$-state and ${\beta}$-state were deduced. The calculated binding energies are in good agreement with the experimental result. On the W (110), the calculated average binding energies are 2.56 eV for the end-on configuration and 3.20 eV for the lying-down configuration. Calculated vibrational frequency is 1927 $cm^{-1}$ at a 1-fold site and 1161 $cm^{-1}$ at a long-bridge (2) site. These results are in reasonable agreement with experimental values. On the W(100) surface, calculated average binding energies of the end-on and the lying-down are 2.54 eV and 4.02 eV respectively. The differences for binding energy and configuration on the surfaces are explained on the basis of surface-atom coordination and atom-atom spacing. In the favored lyingdown CO configuration on the W(110) and W(100) surfaces, 4 ${\sigma}$ and 1 ${\pi}$ donation interactions, coupled with the familiar 5 ${\sigma}$ donation to the surfaces and back-donations to the CO 2 ${\pi}^{\ast}$ orbital, are responsible for adsorption to the surface.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제41권8호
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• pp.771-780
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• 2018

Angiogenesis must be precisely controlled because uncontrolled angiogenesis is involved in aggravation of disease symptoms. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) signaling is a key pathway leading to angiogenic responses in vascular endothelial cells (ECs). Therefore, targeting VEGF/VEGFR-2 signaling may be effective at modulating angiogenesis to alleviate various disease symptoms. Oleanolic acid was verified as a VEGFR-2 binding chemical from anticancer herbs with similar binding affinity as a reference drug in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) entry 3CJG of model A coordination. Oleanolic acid effectively inhibited VEGF-induced VEGFR-2 activation and angiogenesis in HUVECs without cytotoxicity. We also verified that oleanolic acid inhibits in vivo angiogenesis during the development and the course of the retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) model in the mouse retina. Taken together, our results suggest a potential therapeutic benefit of oleanolic acid for inhibiting angiogenesis in proangiogenic diseases, including retinopathy.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.66-75
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• 2020

Drilling operation is the most important and costly essential work in oil and gas exploration and development. Therefore, the studies about rate of penetration have been carried out continuously to improve drilling efficiency. In recent years, data-driven models have been developed by various researchers to overcome disadvantages of traditional mathematical models. For the data-driven models, selecting proper algorithms and parameters is very important. In addition, data-driven models should be retrained in real-time during continuous drilling operations in order to improve the model performance. In this paper, the latest studies are investigated to provide information about algorithms, drilling parameters and model retraining intervals that used in drilling optimization.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제52권8호
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• pp.881-887
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• 2009

Purpose : The survival rate of very low birth weight infant (VLBWI) had increased as a result of advances in neonatal intensive care. We evaluated the changes in outcomes of VLBWI who admitted to the neonatal care unit of Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital. Methods : Retrospective review of 339 VLBWI who were born from 1st January 1997 to 31th December 2008 were performed. Outcomes including survival rate, birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), morbidities, and mortality between period I (1997- 2003) and period II (2004-2008) were compared. Results : Overall incidence of VLBWI was 2.3% and it was significantly higher in period II(3.3%). Mean BW and GA were significantly decreased in period II (P<0.001, P=0.01). The survival rate increased from period I (59.1%) to period II (74.2%). BW-specific survival rate increased in 1,000-1,249 gm and GA-specific survival rate significantly increased in 27-28 weeks and 29-30 weeks. The incidences of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), sepsis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and necorotizing enterocolitis were same except patent ductus arteriosus. Conclusion : The survival rate of VLBWI was increased in period II, especially in less than 1,000 gm and below 27 weeks. This may be due to recent dramatic improvement of neonatal care. But more efforts are needed to improve outcome during initial phase and to reduce long term complication such as BPD and ROP.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.228-233
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy and safety of ibuprofen and indomethacin in the prophylaxis of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants and to determine whether ibuprofen could be an alternative agent in prophylactic use. Methods: A retrospective study including 37 preterm infants <1,500 g of birth weight, <34 weeks of gestation, whom were administrated indomethacin (n=17; January 2009-December 2009) or ibuprofen (n=20; January 2010-February 2011) within 24 hr after birth was conducted. The rate of ductal closure, need for surgical ligation, clinical outcomes such as necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and death rate were compared. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in mean gestational age, mean birth weight, Apgar score, sex, type of delivery, maternal dexamethasone treatment, frequency and duration of ventilator and surfactant treatment. The closure of PDA on day 7 of life was in 19 of 20 infants of the ibuprofen group and 13 of 17 infants of the indomethacin group (P=0.159). Between the two groups, there were no significant differences with respect to clinical outcomes. Conclusion: Ibuprofen has similar effects to indomethacin in the rate of PDA closure. Our study demonstrates that prophylactic ibuprofen is relatively effective without significant differences with respect to clinical outcomes compared with indomethacin. Therefore, ibuprofen may be used as an alternative agent in the prophylaxis of PDA in preterm infants.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• 제9권5호
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• pp.1334-1343
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• 2008

Growing needs for efficient management of water resources urge the joint operation of dams and integrated management of whole basin. As one of the tools for supporting above tasks, this study aims to constitute a hydrologic model that can simulate the streamflow discharges at some control points located both upper and down stream of dams. One of the currently available models is being studied to be applied with a least effort in order to support the ongoing project of KWATER (Korea Water Resources Corporation), "Establishment of integrated operation scheme for the dams in Han River Basin". On this study, following works have been carried out : division of Han River Basin into 24 sub-basins, use of rainfall data of 151 stations to make spatial distribution of rainfall, selection of control points such as Soyanggang Dam, Chungju Dam, Chungju Release Control Dam, Heongseong Dam, Hwachun Dam, Chuncheon Dam, Uiam Dam, Cheongpyung Dam and Paldang Dam, selection of SSARR (Streamflow Synthesis and Reservoir Regulation) model as a hydrologic model, preparation of input data of SSARR model, sensitivity analysis of parameter using hydrologic data of 2002. The sensitivity analysis showed that soil moisture index versus runoff percent (SMI-ROP), baseflow infiltration index versus baseflow percent (BII-BFP) and surface-subsurface separation (S-SS) parameters are higher sensitive parameters to the simulation result.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.52-59
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• 2011

L-PLA or D-PLA was synthesized in bulk at $140^{\circ}C$ by ring opening polymerization(ROP) of L-lactide or D-lactide as a monomer using tin(II) octoate and lauryl alcohol as a catalyst and an initiator with changing the amounts of catalyst(0.25~1.0 wt%) and initiator(0.l~0.5 wt%). And stereocomplex-PLA was prepared by L-PLA/D-PLA having a wide range of molecular weight(30000~90000 g/mol) and L-PLA/D-PLA blends having different mixing ratio ($X_D$). The melting temperature. thermal degradation temperature and thermal stability of stereocomplex-PLA were higher than those of homopolymers(L-PLA, D-PLA). We supposed that these improvements arose from a strong interaction between L-PLA and D-PLA. The improved mechanical properties and changes in morphology of LPLA/D-PLA blends were compared to those of homopolymers(L-PLA, D-PLA).

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.135-147
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• 2017

We, for the first time, estimated daily and monthly surface nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$) volume mixing ratio (VMR) using three regression models with $NO_2$ tropospheric vertical column density (OMIT-rop $NO_2$ VCD) data obtained from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) in Seoul in South Korea at OMI overpass time (13:45 local time). First linear regression model (M1) is a linear regression equation between OMI-Trop $NO_2$ VCD and in situ $NO_2$ VMR, whereas second linear regression model (M2) incorporates boundary layer height (BLH), temperature, and pressure obtained from Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and OMI-Trop $NO_2$ VCD. Last models (M3M & M3D) are a multiple linear regression equations which include OMI-Trop $NO_2$ VCD, BLH and various meteorological data. In this study, we determined three types of regression models for the training period between 2009 and 2011, and the performance of those regression models was evaluated via comparison with the surface $NO_2$ VMR data obtained from in situ measurements (in situ $NO_2$ VMR) in 2012. The monthly mean surface $NO_2$ VMRs estimated by M3M showed good agreements with those of in situ measurements(avg. R = 0.77). In terms of the daily (13:45LT) $NO_2$ estimation, the highest correlations were found between the daily surface $NO_2$ VMRs estimated by M3D and in-situ $NO_2$ VMRs (avg. R = 0.55). The estimated surface $NO_2$ VMRs by three modelstend to be underestimated. We also discussed the performance of these empirical modelsfor surface $NO_2$ VMR estimation with respect to otherstatistical data such asroot mean square error (RMSE), mean bias, mean absolute error (MAE), and percent difference. This present study shows a possibility of estimating surface $NO_2$ VMR using the satellite measurement.