• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.254-259
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• 2011

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess variations in caudate volume according to dopamin receptor D2/ankyin repeat and kinase domain containing 1 (DRD2/ANKK1) Taq 1a polymorphisms in young healthy adults and to evaluate the relationship between caudate volumes and psychiatric symptoms as measured by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Methods Genetic information regarding DRD2/ANKK1 Taq 1a and T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance images were acquired from 30 young healthy adults. Automatic segmentation of caudate was performed using the FreeSurfer program. Results Individuals with A2 homozygotes of DRD2/ANKK1 Taq 1a polymorphisms (n = 10) had greater right caudate volumes compared to those with A1 allele (s)(18.4% greater ; p = 0.019). Right caudate volumes were negatively associated with total scores of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (${\beta}$=-0.50 ; p = 0.016). Conclusions Our findings suggest the possibility that DRD2/ANKK1 Taq 1a polymorphisms may underlie the psychiatric symptoms by influencing the structure of the right caudate.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.129-136
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• 2021

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between brain structure and empathy in early adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Nineteen early adolescents with ADHD and 20 healthy controls underwent 3T MRI. All the participants were assessed for different aspects of empathy using measures including the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and Empathy Quotient. Cortical thickness and subcortical structural volume based on T1-weighted scans were analyzed using FreeSurfer. Results: Cognitive empathy (t=-2.52, p=0.016) and perspective taking (t=-2.10, p=0.043) were impaired in the ADHD group compared with the control group. The cluster encompassing the left posterior insular, supramarginal, and transverse temporal cortices [cluster-wise p-value (CWP)=0.001], which are associated with emotional empathy, was significantly smaller in the ADHD group, and the volume of the left nucleus accumbens was greater than that of the control group (F=10.12, p=0.003, effect size=0.22). In the control group, the left superior temporal (CWP=0.002) and lingual cortical (CWP=0.035) thicknesses were positively associated with cognitive empathy, while the right amygdala volume was positively associated with empathic concern (Coef=14.26, t=3.92, p=0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between empathy and brain structure in the ADHD group. Conclusion: The ADHD group had a smaller volume of the cortical area associated with emotional empathy than the control group, and there was no brain region showing significant correlation with empathy, unlike in the control group.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.381-387
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• 2023

Background: Frailty is defined as a condition of being weak and delicate, and it represents a state of high vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. Recent studies have suggested that the cingulate gyrus is associated with frailty in the elderly population. However, few imaging studies have explored the relationship between frailty and the cingulate gyrus in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: Eighteen right-handed patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis were enrolled in the study. We used the FreeSurfer software package to estimate the cortical thickness of the regions of interest, including the rostral anterior, caudal anterior, isthmus, and posterior cingulate gyri. The Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and laboratory tests were also conducted. Results: The cortical thickness of the right rostral anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) was significantly correlated with the Fried frailty index, age, and creatinine level. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the cortical thickness of the right rostral ACG was associated with frailty after controlling for age and creatinine level. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the cortical thickness of the rostral ACG may be associated with frailty in patients with ESRD on hemodialysis and that the rostral ACG may play a role in the frailty mechanism of this population.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1131-1141
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• 2023

Objective: Cortical iron deposition has recently been shown to occur in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate how cortical gray matter iron, measured using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), differs in the clinical cognitive impairment spectrum. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 73 participants (mean age ± standard deviation, 66.7 ± 7.6 years; 52 females and 21 males) with normal cognition (NC), 158 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 48 patients with AD dementia. The participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging using a three-dimensional multi-dynamic multi-echo sequence on a 3-T scanner. We employed a deep neural network (QSMnet+) and used automatic segmentation software based on FreeSurfer v6.0 to extract anatomical labels and volumes of interest in the cortex. We used analysis of covariance to investigate the differences in susceptibility among the clinical diagnostic groups in each brain region. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to study the association between susceptibility values and cognitive scores including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results: Among the three groups, the frontal (P < 0.001), temporal (P = 0.004), parietal (P = 0.001), occipital (P < 0.001), and cingulate cortices (P < 0.001) showed a higher mean susceptibility in patients with MCI and AD than in NC subjects. In the combined MCI and AD group, the mean susceptibility in the cingulate cortex (β = -216.21, P = 0.019) and insular cortex (β = -276.65, P = 0.001) were significant independent predictors of MMSE scores after correcting for age, sex, education, regional volume, and APOE4 carrier status. Conclusion: Iron deposition in the cortex, as measured by QSMnet+, was higher in patients with AD and MCI than in NC participants. Iron deposition in the cingulate and insular cortices may be an early imaging marker of cognitive impairment related neurodegeneration.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.3677-3688
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• 2011

The patent information retrieval system can serve a variety of purposes. In general, the patent information is retrieved using limited key words. To identify earlier technology and priority rights repeated effort is needed. This study proposes a method of content-based retrieval using text mining. Using the proposed algorithm, each of the documents is invested with characteristic value. The characteristic values are used to compare similarities between query documents and database documents. Text analysis is composed of 3 steps: stop-word, keyword analysis and weighted value calculation. In the test results, the general retrieval and the proposed algorithm were compared by using accuracy measurements. As the study arranges the result documents as similarities of the query documents, the surfer can improve the efficiency by reviewing the similar documents first. Also because of being able to input the full-text of patent documents, the users unacquainted with surfing can use it easily and quickly. It can reduce the amount of displayed missing data through the use of content based retrieval instead of keyword based retrieval for extending the scope of the search.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 1988

A coiled nematode, which was removed surgically from a Thai woman, was consulted to the authors in July, 1987. She was known to surfer from meningoencephalitis since she was in Thailand. Numerous eosinophils were detected from her CSF. The worm was 12.3mm long and 0.9mm wide. It had a head bulb beset with eight rows of spines, a cervical constriction, esophagus, cervical sacs, dark intestine and testis, Cuticle of anterior half of the worm was covered with numerous spines. The spines at anterior part was stout and had 3∼4 tips, but they became slender, shorter, single tipped and sparser and finally they disappeared posteriorly. Cuticular spines reappeared at tail which had 4 pairs of pedunculated papillae. By above morphological characteristics, the worm was identified as an adult male of Gnathostcma spinigerum. The Present case is the first authentic case of imported intracranial gnathostomiasis in Korea, although clinical informations of the case were obtained limitedly.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.186-193
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• 2010

In order to examine the traits of sluice gate water control, halophyte community formation and their inter-relations in Saemangeum, both water level condition and halophyte community formation were analyzed periodically and spatially on the topographic map with Surfer, Saemageum Spatial Analysis System, and related field reports. The traits of water level condition are that average water level in the growing period of halophytes was similar to annual average water level, annual low level and high level appeared in the growing period, and water level was usually maintained within a range of -1.0m~0.5m above mean sea level, but it has changed more frequently year by year. Routine water level control, natural disaster prevention, construction, and civil appeal took major percentages of the reasons for sluice gate's opening and shutting. Since 2007, not only the overall control frequency of sluice gate but also its control frequency for construction and natural disaster prevention have increased outstandingly. Halophyte community had formed at a rate of 1,209ha/year in the 4,315 ha land in 2008, 6.3 times larger than in 2005, and 2,382 ha above around 1.0m was estimated to be artificially vegetated, 89.1 % of the 2,673ha-size sown area. High water level was found to be a more possible determinant than average water level or low water level in halophyte community formation and it was thought to be secondary factors whether tillage was conducted or/and whether surface sealing formed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.590-590
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• 2015

본 연구는 집중호우에 의한 홍수예측 및 소유역의 유출거동에 대한 수문학적 민감성(susceptibility) 규명을 목적으로 강우강도, 지속기간 및 토양포화도 변화에 따른 홍수유출특성을 분석하여 유역의 유출거동 민감성을 표출할 수 있는 노모그래프를 개발하였다. 개별 홍수사상에 대한 유출거동 특성 분석을 위하여 한국건설기술연구원의 대표 시험유역인 설마천 유역의 과거 17년간(1996 ~ 2012)의 10분 간격의 강우량 및 유출량 자료를 수집하여 홍수유출해석을 수행하였다. 설마천 시험유역의 일누가강우량 100mm 이상, 50개 홍수사상에 대한 홍수유출해석은 유역 물순환 해석모형인 CAT(Catchment hydrological cycle Assessment Tool)을 이용하였으며 모의결과를 바탕으로 홍수사상별 지체시간, 강우강도, 지속기간 및 토양포화도 변화에 따른 홍수유출특성을 상세히 분석하였다. 이 중에서도 지체시간은 유역반응을 나타내는 시간변수로서 수문모델링 및 홍수량예측에 매우 중요한 요소이다. 특히, 강우량에 대한 홍수량의 반응이 빠른 소유역의 경우에 홍수량예측에 큰 영향을 미친다. 따라서 강우강도, 지속기간, 토양포화도의 변화량에 대한 지체시간의 거동을 R 프로그래밍 언어 및 3D Surfer를 이용하여 분석한 후 최종적으로 소유역의 홍수유출 특성을 나타내는 3차원 홍수 유출특성 노모그래프를 개발하였다. 분석에 사용된 R 프로그래밍 언어는 통계 계산과 그래픽을 위한 프로그래밍 언어이자 소프트웨어 환경으로 데이터의 조작 및 수치연산, 시각화를 수행할 수 있는 기능을 여러 패키지를 통해 구현할 수 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 R을 이용하여 10분 단위의 강우 및 유출량 자료를 1시간 및 1일 자료로 구축하고 17년간의 과거 홍수사상을 분리하여 추출하는 R 홍수유출해석 시스템을 개발하였으며 추출된 홍수사상을 관측 유출량 및 관측 토양수분을 포함하여 시각화함으로써 강우 및 토양수분 변화에 따른 소유역의 유출거동 민감성을 확인할 수 있었다. 분석 결과, 지체시간은 강우지속기간 및 토양포화도에 민감한 거동특성을 나타냈으며 토양포화도는 첨두홍수량의 변화에 민감한 영향을 주는 것으로 확인되었다. 개발된 3차원 홍수유출특성 노모그래프는 유역의 규모 및 지형물리학적 특성에 따라 다양하게 나타날 것으로 판단되며 여러 계측유역에 적용함으로써 유역별 홍수유출 반응특성을 정량화할 필요가 있다. 즉, 강우강도, 지속기간, 지체시간, 포화도 등의 변화에 따른 유역의 홍수유출 반응특성을 규명함으로써 미계측 유역의 홍수량예측 실무에 활용할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2019

Objectives Previous studies have revealed inconsistent results on amygdala volume in adult bipolar disorder (BD) patients compared to healthy controls (HC). Since the amygdala encompasses multiple subregions, the subtle volume changes in each amygdala nucleus might have not been fully reflected in the measure of the total amygdala volume, causing discrepant results. Thus, we aimed to investigate volume changes in each amygdala subregion and their association with subtypes of BD, lithium use and clinical status of BD. Methods Fifty-five BD patients and 55 HC underwent T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging. We analyzed volumes of the whole amygdala and each amygdala subregion, including the anterior amygdaloid area, cortico-amygdaloid transition area, basal, lateral, accessory basal, central, cortical, medial and paralaminar nuclei using the atlas in the FreeSurfer. The volume difference was analyzed using a one-way analysis of covariance with individual volumes as dependent variables, and age, sex, and total intracranial volume as covariates. Results The volumes of whole right amygdala and subregions including basal nucleus, accessory basal nucleus, anterior amygdaloid area, and cortico-amygdaloid transition area in the right amygdala of BD patients were significantly smaller for the HC group. No significant volume difference between bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder was found after the Bonferroni correction. The trend of larger volume in medial nucleus with lithium treatment was not significant after the Bonferroni correction. No significant correlation between illness duration and amygdala volume, and insignificant negative correlation were found between right central nucleus volume and depression severity. Conclusions Significant volume decrements of the whole amygdala, basal nucleus, accessory basal nucleus, anterior amygdaloid area, and cortico-amygdaloid transition area were found in the right hemisphere in adult BD patients, compared to HC group. We postulate that such volume changes are associated with altered functional activity and connectivity of amygdala nuclei in BD.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.118-130
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) using dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and automatic whole brain segmentation. Materials and Methods: Forty-two consecutive mTBI patients with PCS who had undergone post-traumatic MR imaging, including DCE MR imaging, between October 2016 and April 2018, and 29 controls with DCE MR imaging were included in this retrospective study. After performing three-dimensional T1-based brain segmentation with FreeSurfer software (Laboratory for Computational Neuroimaging), the mean K^trans and v_p from DCE MR imaging (derived using the Patlak model and extended Tofts and Kermode model) were analyzed in the bilateral cerebral/cerebellar cortex, bilateral cerebral/cerebellar white matter (WM), and brainstem. K^trans values of the mTBI patients and controls were calculated using both models to identify the model that better reflected the increased permeability owing to mTBI (tendency toward higher K^trans values in mTBI patients than in controls). The Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman rank correlation test were performed to compare the mean K^trans and v_p between the two groups and correlate K^trans and v_p with neuropsychological tests for mTBI patients. Results: Increased permeability owing to mTBI was observed in the Patlak model but not in the extended Tofts and Kermode model. In the Patlak model, the mean K^trans in the bilateral cerebral cortex was significantly higher in mTBI patients than in controls (p = 0.042). The mean v_p values in the bilateral cerebellar WM and brainstem were significantly lower in mTBI patients than in controls (p = 0.009 and p = 0.011, respectively). The mean K^trans of the bilateral cerebral cortex was significantly higher in patients with atypical performance in the auditory continuous performance test (commission errors) than in average or good performers (p = 0.041). Conclusion: BBB disruption, as reflected by the increased K^trans and decreased v_p values from the Patlak model, was observed throughout the bilateral cerebral cortex, bilateral cerebellar WM, and brainstem in mTBI patients with PCS.