• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2024

The significance of self-reported voice assessments concerning patients' chief complaints and quality of life has increased. Therefore, readability assessments of questionnaire items are essential. In this study, readability analyses were performed based on text grade and complexity, vocabulary frequency and grade, and lexical diversity of the 11 Korean versions of self-reported voice disorder questionnaires (KVHI, KAVI, KVQOL, K-SVHI, K-VAPP, K-VPPC, TVSQ, K-VDCQ, K-VFI, K-VTDS, and K-VoiSS). Additionally, a comparative readability assessment was conducted on the original versions of these questionnaires to discern the differences between their Korean counterparts and the questionnaires for children. Consequently, it was determined that voice disorder questionnaires could be used without difficulty for populations with lower literacy levels. Evaluators should consider subjects' reading levels when conducting assessments, and future developments and revisions should consider their reading difficulties.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.41.1-41.11
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• 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The viral genome encodes twelve genes for viral replication and infection. The third open reading frame is the spike (S) gene that encodes for the spike glycoprotein interacting with specific cell surface receptor - angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) - on the host cell membrane. Most recent studies identified a single point mutation in S gene. A single point mutation in S gene leading to an amino acid substitution at codon 614 from an aspartic acid 614 into glycine (D614G) resulted in greater infectivity compared to the wild type SARS-CoV2. We were interested in investigating the mutation region of S gene of SARS-CoV2 from Korean COVID-19 patients. New mutation sites were found in the critical receptor binding domain (RBD) of S gene, which is adjacent to the aforementioned D614G mutation residue. This specific sequence data demonstrated the active progression of SARS-CoV2 by mutations in the RBD of S gene. The sequence information of new mutations is critical to the development of recombinant SARS-CoV2 spike antigens, which may be required to improve and advance the strategy against a wide range of possible SARS-CoV2 mutations.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2007

Study for the effect of three different microbial feed additives(henceforth MA-A, MA-B, and MA-C) on feed coversion rate, and physical and chemical characteristics of swine finisher was conducted. MA-B had higher number of Lactobacillus spp. and yeast, compared to any other. The amylase activity of MA-B was also higher than any other. The daily feed intake rates of pigs fed control, MA-A, MA-B and MA-C were 3.15, 3.14, 3.31 and 3.42 kg, respectively. MA-C had the highest weight gain. However, there was no significant difference between treatments. The weights of feces daily excreted by pigs fed control, MA-A, MA-B, and MA-C were 2.14, 2.02, 2.18, and 2.23 kg/day, respectively. The volume of urine daily excreted by pigs fed control, MA-A, MA-B, and MA-C were 3.14, 3.26, 3.27, and $3.41\;{\ell}/day$, respectively. Water content, T-N, $P_{2}O_{5}$, and $K_{2}O$ in swine manure were not significantly different between treatments. The BOD were between 42,576 and $67,450\;mg/{\ell}$ for feces and were between 5,882.5 and $8,657.5\;mg/{\ell}$ for urine, respectively. The SS were between 138,000 and $180,000\;mg/{\ell}$ for feces and were between 875.0 and $1450.0mg/{\ell}$ for urine, respectively.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.318-327
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• 2017

Background: A typical sewage treatment plant is designed for organic and nutrient removal from municipal sewage water and not targeted to eliminate micropollutants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and nano-sized metals which become a big concern for sustainable human and ecological system and are mainly discharged from sewage treatment plant. Therefore, despite contaminant removal by wastewater treatment processes, there are still remaining environmental risks by untreated pollutants in STP (sewage treatment plant) effluents. This study performed aquatic toxicity tests of raw wastewater and treated effluents in two sewage treatment plants to evaluate toxicity reduction by wastewater treatment process and analyze concentration of contaminants to reveal potential toxic factors in STP effluents. Methods: Water samples were collected from each treatment steps of two STPs, and acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted following USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) guidelines. Endpoints were immobility for mortality and reproduction effect for estrogenicity. Results: Acute $EC_{50}s$ (median effective concentration) of influents for Seungki (SK) and Jungnang (JN) STPs are $54.13{\pm}32.64%$ and $30.38{\pm}24.96%$, respectively, and reduced to $96.49{\pm}7.84%$ and 100%. Acute toxicity reduction was clearly correlated with SS (suspended solids) concentration because of filter feeding characteristics of test organisms. Chronic toxicity tests revealed that lethal effect was reduced and low concentration of influents showed higher number of neonates. However, toxicity reduction was not related to nutrient removal. Fecundity effect positively increased in treated wastewater compared to that in raw wastewater, and no significant differences were observed compared to the control group in JN final effluent implying potential effects of estrogenic compounds in the STP effluents. Conclusions: Conventional wastewater treatment process reduced some organics and nutritional compounds from wastewater, and it results in toxicity reduction in lethal effect and positive reproductive effect but not showing correlation. Unknown estrogenic compounds could be a reason causing the increase of brood size. This study suggests that pharmaceutical residues and nanoparticles in STP effluents are one of the major micropollutants and underline as one of estrogenic effect factors.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.867-876
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• 1987

Corrosion fatigue fracture with change in the grain size of M.E.F. dual phase steel is investigated in 3.5% NaCI aqueous solution at pH 2, 4, 6, 9, and 11. Generally speaking, decrease in corrosion fatigue life is strongly dependent on decrease in pH and slightly on the grain size. For the B material with the big grain size, the fatigue life is small due to its large reduction ratio of corrosion fatigue life. The influence of grain size on the reduction ratio of corrosion fatigue life is large at pH 11-6. Whi9le at pH 4-2 the reduction ratio of corrosion fatigue life only depends on the corrosion effect. The larger grain size and the lass pH result in the greater influence on corrosion fatigue crack propagation rate. As pH decreases, the plateau portion in the crack propagation rate curves of the B material are distinct. Crack propagation rate curves become slow down at high .DELTA.K range because crack closure effect by minute corrosion products inside crack causes the oxidation corrosion action less effective for a certain period of time. In A material with small grain size, fatigue life is increased in proportion with increase of martensite intergranular which brings forth restraining the crack propagation decreases crack propagation rate. Corrosion pit which is created in the surface of specimen is found at pH 6,4 and 2 which is noticeable and the unevenness of the surface of the specimen becomes severe as pH decreases. The unevenness of corrosion fatigue fracture surface is severe as the effect of pH increases i.e. as pH decreases. In proportion with increase in the grain size and decrease in pH, the aspect of brittle fracture becomes evident.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.3 s.75
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• pp.73-80
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• 2006

Generally beam design depends on the yielding and maximum strength of each member varying with its section shape. Web plate of H-shape beam has not been substituted with glass plate, because it is known that its strength and heat properties are different and it is limited to substitute the existing steel web with glass element. Ceiling height of each room should be decreased with more than 60-80cm due to the beam. Differently from this condition, glass web beam has a good point to see through it and sunshine can be penetrate into the other size especially when it is installed as of outside wall. And also, it can be safer due to controlling room inside easier, if the strength is applicate. This study is to show some applicability after finding out the properties using the test. The test members with a size of $1,600{\times}200{\times}300{\times}9mm$ being SS41 rolled steel having THK 9mm flange while having 8,10mm and reinforced glass 12mm thickness is bonded with epoxy bond under the condition of temperature $28^{\circ}C$, humidity 50%, bonding power 24Mpa. It is show reinforced glass has 5 times of fracture stress more than the common glass but $50{\sim}150%$ difference between these 2 kinds of glass was shown. Reinforce glass did not support the original upper flange after fracture but the common glass did the upper flange after unloading. Generally reinforced glass is stronger than the common one but the common glass having a part of crack on it, compared with reinforced glass having the overall fracture could be more useful in case of needing ductility.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2010

Mammalian reproduction is regulated by a feedback circuit of the key reproductive hormones such as GnRH, gonadotropin and sex steroids on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. In particular, the onset of female puberty is triggered by gain of a pulsatile pattern and increment of GnRH secretion from hypothalamus. Previous studies including our own clearly demonstrated that genistein (GS), a phytoestrogenic isoflavone, altered the timing of puberty onset in female rats. However, the brain-specific actions of GS in female rats has not been explored yet. The present study was performed to examine the changes in the activities of GnRH neurons and their neural circuits by GS in female rats. Concerning the drug delivery route, intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection technique was employed to eliminate the unwanted actions on the extrabrain tissues which can be occurred if the testing drug is systemically administered. Adult female rats (PND 100, 210-230 g BW) were anaesthetized, treated with single dose of GS ($3.4{\mu}g$/animal), and sacrificed at 3 hrs post-injection. To determine the transcriptional changes of reproductive hormone-related genes in hypothalamus, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). ICV infusion of GS significantly raised the transcriptional activities of enhanced at puberty1 (EAP-1, p<0.05), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD67, p<0.01) which are known to modulate GnRH secretion in the hypothalamus. However, GS infusion could not change the mRNA level of nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS-2). GS administration significantly increased the mRNA levels of KiSS-1 (p<0.001), GPR54 (p<0.001), and GnRH (p<0.01) in the hypothalami, but decreased the mRNA levels of LH-$\beta$ (p<0.01) and FSH-$\beta$ (p<0.05) in the pituitaries. Taken together, the present study indicated that the acute exposure to GS could directly activate the hypothalamic GnRH modulating system, suggesting the GS's disrupting effects such as the early onset of puberty in immature female rats might be derived from premature activation of key reproduction related genes in hypothalamus-pituitary neuroendocrine circuit.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2020

Objectives: We noticed that hyperhidrosis can be differentiated by whether it is topical or systemic in both Korean medicine(KM) and Modern medicine(MM). Comparing between topical and systemic sweating, we will figure out similarity between KM and MM about stimuli on sweat. Methods: All research is done by finding information on text-book, article, books. Results: Hyperhidrosis is differentiated by whether it is topical or systemic in both Korean medicine(KM) and Modern medicine(MM). First, systemic sweating(SS) is affected by body temperature. In KM, Heat and Cold(plus yang deficiency) can make human sweat systemically. In MM, heat is also mentioned as stimulus. Second, topical sweating(TS) can occur on emotionally-stressed situation especially on palms-and-soles. In KM, this phenomenon is explained by heart spirit(心神) and disease transmitted by pericardium meridian(手厥陰心包經 是動病). In MM, anatomically hyperhidrosis on palms-and-soles is generated by adrenergic sympathetic nerve which is involved with stress. Third, sweating on palms-and-soles also can be generated by internal organ. In KM, hyperhidrosis on palms-and-soles is explained as illness on stomach meridian(足陽明胃經). The 70% of parasympathetic nerve is vagus nerve which is located at internal organs-usually gastrointestinal tract. In that point, stomach and parasympathetic nerve seem to be involved in hyperhidrosis on palms-and-soles. Conclusion: Hyperhidrosis is differentiated similarly by whether it is topical or systemic in both Korean medicine and Modern medicine. Conserving each perspective of KM and MM, one perspective can be useful to other by supplementing other's weak point.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.44-54
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• 1999

Agricultural water quality standards were reviewed through rice culture using treated sewage irrigation . The seqage from school building of Konkuk University was treated by a constructed wetland system, and theeffluent of the systeml was irrigated for rice culutre after nutrient concentration adjusted by dilution. Average concentration of COD, SS, T-N and T-P in irrigated water was 22.3mg/$\ell$, 6.5mg/$\ell$, 25.8 mg/$\ell$and 2.2mg/$\ell$, respectively. Treatment include irrigation of adjusted effluent with conventional fertilization (TWCF), adjusted effluent with no fertilization (TWNF). and effluent of the wetland system as it was with no fertilization (SWNF). These treatment plots were compared with control plot irrigated by tap water with conventional fertilization (CONTROL). Other environmentals for rice culture were identical for all the plots. Among them, TWCF showed the best growth rate and the highest yield, and constituents in the harvested rice showed not much difference among them. Which implies that irrigation with relatively high nutrient concentration compared to the current water quality standards may cause no adverse effect on rice culture and could be even beneficial . Although T-N for this study was 25 times greater than the current standards, rice culture wasnot adversely affected by irrigatino water quality and even beeter results were observed than the CONTROL. It could be mistakenly that clean irrigation water produces better agricultural product, however, it is not necessarily true. Irrigation water with moderate nutrient concentration can enhance the plant growth, and better result might be expected. Therefore, peer review and modification if necessary are needed to the current agricultural water quality standards, especially for the nutrient components.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.215-219
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• 2004

A vehicle structure needs to be more precisely analyzed because of complexities and varieties. Structural fatigue which is generated by fluctuations of stresses during the service life of a mechanical system is the primary concern in the structural design for safety. A fatigue life is difficult to obtain in structural components during the service life of mechanical systems since the fluctuating stress contributes to fatigue. This study introduces new procedures to measure the lethargy coefficient and to predict the fatigue life of a mechanical structure by using molecular dynamic simulation. A lethargy coefficient is the total defect-estimating coefficient, which was obtained by using the results of a simple tensile test in this study. With this lethargy coefficient, fatigue life was estimated. The proposed method will be useful in predicting the fatigue life of a structurally-modified vehicle design. The effectiveness of the proposed method using lethargy coefficient measurement to predict the fatigue life of a structure was examined by applying this method to predict the fatigue life of SS41 steel, used extensively as material of vehicle structures. Two types of specimen such as pre-cracked plate and simple plate is discussed. equation of fatigue life using the lethargy coefficient and failure time, both obtained from a simple tensile test, will be useful in engineering. This measurement and prediction technology will be extended for use in analysis of any geometric shapes of modified automotive structures.