• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.637-648
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• 2010

The Songbong Formation (so-called Bangrim Group), correated to the lower part of Choseon Supergroup, unconformably overlies the Precambrian Gyeonggi massif at northeastem tip of the Ogcheon belt The contact relationship between the Choseon Supergroup and the Yeongnam massif is also known as an unconformity at northeastem part of the Ogcheon belt. lt implies that the Gyeonggi and Yeongnam massifs were probably connected each other before the Early Paleozoic. Three deformational phases are recognized in the study area, The first phase is the north-northeastward ductile thrusting, which places Precambrian granite of the Gyeonggi massif over the Paleozoic rocks of the Ogcheon belt. The second phase is characterized by the southeastward thrusting and deformation partitioning along the Nuruhaji compartment fault. The third phase is the reactivation of the Nuruhaji Fault into dextral strike-slip fault with over a few kilometers displacement.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.320-326
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• 2015

The clinical benefits of oncogenic BRAF inhibitor therapies are limited by the emergence of drug resistance. In this study, we investigated the role of a negative regulator of the MAPK pathway, Spry2, in acquired resistance using BRAF inhibitor-resistant derivatives of the BRAF-V600E melanoma (A375P/Mdr). Real-time RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of Spry2 was higher in A375P cells harboring the BRAF V600E mutation compared with wild-type BRAF-bearing cells (SK-MEL-2) that are resistant to BRAF inhibitors. This result suggests the ability of BRAF V600E to evade feedback suppression in cell lines with BRAF V600E mutations despite high Spry2 expression. Most interestingly, Spry2 exhibited strongly reduced expression in A375P/Mdr cells with acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. Furthermore, the overexpression of Spry2 partially restored sensitivity to the BRAF inhibitor PLX4720 in two BRAF inhibitor-resistant cells, indicating a positive role for Spry2 in the growth inhibition induced by BRAF inhibitors. On the other hand, long-term treatment with PLX4720 induced pERK reactivation following BRAF inhibition in A375P cells, indicating that negative feedback including Spry2 may be bypassed in BRAF mutant melanoma cells. In addition, the siRNA-mediated knockdown of Raf-1 attenuated the rebound activation of ERK stimulated by PLX4720 in A375P cells, strongly suggesting the positive role of Raf-1 kinase in ERK activation in response to BRAF inhibition. Taken together, these data suggest that RAF signaling may be released from negative feedback inhibition through interacting with Spry2, leading to ERK rebound and, consequently, the induction of acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2014

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are capable of unlimited self-renewal and can give rise to all three germ layers, thereby providing a new platform with which to study mammalian development and epigenetic reprogramming. However, iPSC generation may result in subtle epigenetic variations, such as the aberrant methylation of the Dlk1-Dio3 locus, among the clones, and this heterogeneity constitutes a major drawback to harnessing the full potential of iPSCs. Vitamin C has recently emerged as a safeguard to ensure the normal imprinting of the Dlk1-Dio3 locus during reprogramming. Here, we show that vitamin C exerts its effect in a manner that is independent of the reprogramming kinetics. Moreover, we demonstrate that reprogramming cells under 2i conditions leads to the early upregulation of Prdm14, which in turn results in a highly homogeneous population of authentic pluripotent colonies and prevents the abnormal silencing of the Dlk1-Dio3 locus.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.2982-2989
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• 2021

One of the consequences of the 475 ℃ embrittlement of duplex stainless steels is the reduction of the resistance to localized corrosion. Therefore, the detection of this type of embrittlement before the material exhibits significant loss in toughness, and corrosion resistance is important to ensure the structural integrity of critical components under corrosion threats. In this research, conductivity measurements are performed using the alternating current potential drop (ACPD) technique with using a portable four-point probe as a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method for detecting the embrittlement in a 2507 (UNS S32750) super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) aged at 475 ℃ from as-received condition to 300 h. The electric conductivity results were compared against two electrochemical tests namely double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) and critical pitting temperature (CPT). Mechanical tests and the microstructure characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging are conducted to track the progress of embrittlement. It is shown that the electric conductivity correlates with the changes in impact energy, microhardness, and CPT corrosion tests result demonstrating the feasibility of the four-point probe as a possible field-deployable method for evaluating the 475 ℃ embrittlement of 2507 SDSS.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.183-195
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• 2022

Hydrothermal gold deposits are evidence of intensive fluid flow through fault zones, and the resultant vein structures and textures reflect the fluid redistribution mechanism. This review introduces the suction pump and fault valve models as fluid circulation mechanisms causing hydrothermal gold deposits in the frameworks of the concepts of fault mechanics. The suction pump and fault valve models describe faulting-driven heterogeneous fluid flow and related vein formation mechanisms, accompanied by the cycles of (1) stress accumulation and fluid pressure build-up and (2) seismic rupture and stress/fluid pressure release. The models are available under different geological environments (stress conditions), and the vein structures and textures representing the mechanisms have similarities and differences. The suction pump and fault valve models must help better to interpret the origins of hydrothermal gold deposits in Korea and improve the efficiency of further exploration.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.230-241
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• 2022

Austenitic stainless steel has been widely used because of its good corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. However, intergranular corrosion can occur if the alloy is welded or aged. The objective of this study was to determine intergranular corrosion behaviors of austenitic medium carbon (0.05 wt%) and low carbon (0.02 wt%) stainless steel aged at several conditions. Alloys were evaluated according to ASTM A262 Practice A, ISO 12732 DL-EPR (double loop-electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation) test, and ASTM A262 Practice C. The degree of sensitization and intergranular corrosion rate were obtained. The relationship between the degree of sensitization and the intergranular corrosion rate showed a very large fluctuation. Such behavior might be related to whether two-dimension tests or three-dimension tests were performed. On the other hand, regardless of carbon content of alloys, when the intergranular corrosion rate increased, the degree of sensitization also increased. However, the DL-EPR test showed a higher sensitivity than the Huey test for differentiating the intergranular corrosion property at a low intergranular corrosion rate, while the Huey test had a higher sensitivity than the DL-EPR test for distinguishing the intergranular corrosion property at a high intergranular corrosion rate.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.283-298
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• 2022

Landslides triggered by the combination of heavy precipitation and anthropological disturbance in hilly areas cause severe damage to human lives, properties, and infrastructure constructions. A comprehensive investigation of the influencing factors and failure mechanisms of landslides are significant for disaster mitigation and prevention. This paper utilized the combination of detailed geological investigation, physical experimental testing as well as numerical modelling to determine the failure mechanism, and proposed a countermeasures of the Lantian landslide occurred on 2, July 2017. The results reveal that the Lantian landslide is a catastrophic reactivated slide which occurred in an active tectonic region in Southwest China. Because of the unique geological settings, the fully to highly weathered basalts in the study area with well-developed fractures favored the rainwater infiltration, which is the beneficial to slide reactivation. Engineering excavation and heavy precipitation are the main triggering factors to activate the slide motion. Two failure stages have been identified in the landslide. The first phase involves a shallow mass collapse originated at the upper slopes, which extends from the road to platform at rear part, which is triggered by excavation in the landslide region. Subjected to the following prolonged rainfall from 19 June to 2 July, 2017, the pore water pressure of the slope continually increased, and the groundwater table successively rise, resulting in a significant decrease of soil strength which leads to successive large-scale deep slide. Thereinto, the shallow collapse played a significant role in the formation of the deep slide. Based on the formation mechanisms of the landslide, detailed engineering mitigation measures, involving slope cutting, anchor cable frame, shotcrete and anchorage, retaining wall and intercepting ditch were suggested to reduce the future failure risk of the landslide.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 2022

Herpes zoster (HZ) has been reported in immunocompetent children who received the varicella vaccine. In vaccinated children, HZ can be caused by vaccine-strain or by wild-type varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Like wild-type VZV, varicella vaccine virus can establish latency and reactivate as HZ. We report two cases of HZ in otherwise healthy 16- and 14-month-old boys who received varicella vaccine at 12 months of age. They presented with a vesicular rash on their upper extremities three to four months after varicella vaccination. In one case, a swab was obtained by abrading skin vesicles and VZV was detected in skin specimens by polymerase chain reaction. The VZV open-reading frame 62 was sequenced and single nucleotide polymorphism analysis confirmed that the virus from skin specimen was vaccine-strain. This is the first HZ case following varicella vaccination confirmed to be caused by vaccine-strain VZV in the immunocompetent children in Korea. Pediatricians should be aware of the potential for varicella vaccine virus reactivation in vaccinated young children.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.172-181
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• 2022

Pubertal onset is known to result from reactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which is controlled by complex interactions of genetic and nongenetic factors. Most cases of precocious puberty (PP) are diagnosed as central PP (CPP), defined as premature activation of the HPG axis. The cause of CPP in most girls is not identifiable and, thus, referred to as idiopathic CPP (ICPP), whereas boys are more likely to have an organic lesion in the brain. ICPP has a genetic background, as supported by studies showing that maternal age at menarche is associated with pubertal timing in their offspring. A gain of expression in the kisspeptin gene (KISS1), gain-of-function mutation in the kisspeptin receptor gene (KISS1R), loss-of-function mutation in makorin ring finger protein 3 (MKRN3), and loss-of-function mutations in the delta-like homolog 1 gene (DLK1) have been associated with ICPP. Other genes, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-1 (GABRA1), lin-28 homolog B (LIN28B), neuropeptide Y (NPYR), tachykinin 3 (TAC3), and tachykinin receptor 3 (TACR3), have been implicated in the progression of ICPP, although their relationships require elucidation. Environmental and socioeconomic factors may also be correlated with ICPP. In the progression of CPP, epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation, histone posttranslational modifications, and non-coding ribonucleic acids may mediate the relationship between genetic and environmental factors. CPP is correlated with short- and long-term adverse health outcomes, which forms the rationale for research focusing on understanding its genetic and nongenetic factors.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.121-136
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• 2023

Microstructural characterization, identification of mineral assemblages, and K-Ar age dating of fault gouges from five Quaternary fault sites segmented along the northern Yangsan Fault, SE Korea were performed to understand formation condition and multiple activity of faults. The mean and median sizes of particles of bulk gouges vary among the studied faults: 1.75 ㎛ and 1.43 ㎛ for the Danguri Fault, 1.94 ㎛ and 1.79 ㎛ for the Yukjae Fault, 5.57 ㎛ and 4.16 ㎛ for the Yugye Fault, and 5.55 ㎛ and 2.31 ㎛ for the Bogyeongsa Fault. Fault gouges contain abundant secondary minerals, including smectite, chlorite, illite, kaolinite, laumontite, and mordenite, which are found in association with quartz and feldspar. K-Ar dating of the fault gouges (both bulk samples and separate size fractions) yields ages ranging from 59.1 to 18.8 Ma, with bulk ages of 47.6 Ma for the Yukjae Fault, 59.1 Ma for the Ansim Fault, 39.4 Ma for the Yugye Fault, and 22.6 Ma for the Bogyeongsa Fault. The finer fractions generally have younger K-Ar ages compared with the coarser fractions, and the finest fraction (<0.2 ㎛) is the youngest for each fault. Hydrothermal alteration of the gouges is considered to have occurred under low-temperature (100~200℃) conditions during faulting. Microstructural features and clay mineral assemblages of fault gouges and brecciated rocks should be considered when interpreting fault events and reactivation, in addition to age dating of faulting.