• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.167-174
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• 2004

This paper is to introduce an article published in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 2003. In this research, a fracture mechanics model is developed to illustrate the importance of time-dependence far brittle fractured rock. In particular a model is developed fer the time-dependent degradation of rock joint cohesion. Degradation of joint cohesion is modeled as the time-dependent breaking of intact patches or rock bridges along the joint surface. A fracture mechanics model is developed utilizing subcritical crack growth, which results in a closed-form solution for joint cohesion as a function of time. As an example, a rock block containing rock bridges subjected to plane sliding is analyzed. The cohesion is found to continually decrease, at first slowly and then more rapidly. At a particular value of time the cohesion reduces to value that results in slope instability. A second example is given where variations in some of the material parameters are assumed. A probabilistic slope analysis is conducted, and the probability of failure as a function of time is predicted. The probability of failure is found to increase with time, from an initial value of 5% to a value at 100 years of over 40%. These examples show the importance of being able to predict the time-dependent behavior of a rock mass containing discontinuities, even for relatively short-term rock structures.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.525-534
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• 2014

Environmental problems typically occurring in abandoned mine lands (AML) include: contaminated and acidic surface water and groundwater; stockpiled waste rock and mill tailings; and ground subsidences due to mining operations. This study examines the effectiveness of various geophysical techniques for mapping potential hazard and contaminated zones. Four AML sites with sedimentation contamination problems, acid mine drainage (AMD) channels, ground subsidence, manmade liner leakage, and buried mine tailings, were selected to examine the applicability of various geophysical methods to the identification of the different types of mine hazards. Geophysical results were correlated to borehole data (core samples, well logs, tomographic profiles, etc.) and water sample data (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and heavy metal contents). Zones of low electrical resistivity (ER) corresponded to areas contaminated by heavy metals, especially contamination by Cu, Pb, and Zn. The main pathways of AMD leachate were successfully mapped using ER methods (low anomaly peaks), self-potential (SP) curves (negative peaks), and ground penetrating radar (GPR) at shallow penetration depths. Mine cavities were well located based on composite interpretations of ER, seismic tomography, and well-log records; mine cavity locations were also observed in drill core data and using borehole image processing systems (BIPS). Damaged zones in buried manmade liners (used to block descending leachate) were precisely detected by ER mapping, and buried rock waste and tailings piles were characterized by low-velocity zones in seismic refraction data and high-resistivity zones in the ER data.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2016

Shoreline armoring is a globally used engineering strategy to prevent shoreline erosion along stream, lake and reservoir coastlines. Armoring alters the land-water interface and has the potential to affect shoreline vegetation by changing nearshore geomorphology, hydrology, sediment composition and water quality. We quantified the effects of the artificial disturbances and alternation of the land-water interface on the community structure and distribution of shoreline vegetation in a large reservoir, Uiam Reservoir, Korea. More than 60% of shorelines were disturbed by armoring with retaining wall of concrete block, riprap and gabion in the Uiam Reservoir. The results of detrended correspondence analysis showed that the vegetation structures of the shoreline modified by armoring changed from hydrophyte-dominated to hygrophyte-dominated ecosystems. The shoreline armoring caused the disruption of gradual continuity in the water-land interface and the biological invasion by alien plants. The changes in distribution area of shoreline vegetation showed that the area of hydrophytic vegetation decreased and that of hygrophytic vegetation increased from 2010 to 2013. In conclusion, the human disturbance such as armoring, road construction, recreation etc. could lead to terrestrialization, the loss of transverse continuity and biological invasion in the shoreline vegetation of the Reservoir Uiam. Our findings suggest that redesigning or removing shoreline armoring structures may benefit nearshore hydrophytic vegetation for the conservation of novel shoreline ecosystems.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.177-183
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• 2010

A focused ion beam (FIB) system produces a beam of positive ions (usually gallium) which are heavier than electrons and can be focused by electrostatic lenses into a spot on the specimen. With its ability milling of the specimen material by 10 to 100 nm with each pass of the beam, FIB is widely adopted in materials science, semiconductor industry, and ceramics research. Recently, FIB has been increasingly employed in the field of biomedical sciences. Here we provide a brief introduction to FIB and its applications for a wide variety of biomedical research. The surface of specimen can be in situ processed and quasi-real time visualized by two beam combination of FIB and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Due to its milling process, internal structures can be exposed and analyzed: yeast cells, fungus-inoculated wheat leaf, mannitol particles in inhalation aerosols, and oyster shell. Serial blockface tomography with the system kindles 3-dimensional reconstruction researches in the realm of nervous system and life sciences. Two-beam system of FIB/FESEM is a versatile tool to be utilized in the biomedical sciences, especially in 3-dimensional reconstruction studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.97-107
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• 2015

Research was initiated to investigate a vegetation characteristics of the species of ground cover plants mixed with herbeceous and woody plants on a cut slope. 4 different ground cover plants (Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens, Pennisetum alopecuroides, Festuca arundinacea and Zoysia japonica) were seeded at the same rate of $10.0g/m^2$ with herbaceous plants (Lotus corniculatus var. japonicus, Dianthus sinensis, Aster yomena, Chrysanthemum zawadskii and Coreopsis drummondii L) at the total seeding rate of $7.5g/m^2$ and native woody plants (Lespedeza bicolor Turcz, Indigofera pseudo-tinctoria and Albizzia julibrissin) at the total seeding rate of $7.5g/m^2$, respectively. This experiment was treated with 3 replications on a randomized block design. Data such as surface coverage rate(%), the germinating number, plant height and visual quality were analyzed. There were no statistic differences observed in the soil hardness and the soil moisture content while a significant difference was observed in the surface coverage rate and the germinating number. The surface coverage rate and the germinating number were significantly high in the Pennisetum alopecuroides plot when compared with the Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens plot, the Festuca arundinacea plot and the Zoysia japonica plot, respectively from the viewpoint of ground covers. Especially, the surface coverage rate was considerably low in the Festuca arundinacea plot. However, the surface coverage rate and the germinating number were no statistic differences observed in this treatment from the viewpoint of herbaceous and woody plants. Also, both of the plant height and visual quality were high in the Pennisetum alopecuroides plot when compared with the Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens plot, the Festuca arundinacea plot and the Zoysia japonica plot, respectively. We concluded that Pennisetum alopecuroides was the optimum plant from the treated ground covers mixed with native woody and herbaceous plants for the balanced emergence from the viewpoint of the ecological slope vegetation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.705-713
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• 2011

This study was conducted to assess the vibration capacity and the fire resistance capacity of a deck plate slab using an omega steel plate as the void deck plate. First, to evaluate the vibration capacity of the deck plate slab after the insertion of the omega steel plate, three 150mm specimens and three 200mm specimens were made using the slab depth as the main variable. Each specimen consisted of an existing deck plate and two specimens, using the topping depth as the variable according to the slab depth. Second, two real-size specimens were made to evaluate the fire resistance capacity. The results of the test showed that the steel-wire-integrated deck plate slab that was inserted in the omega steel plate did not have a vibration problem due to the void deck plate, because the natural frequency was 12.66-14.09 Hz in the vibration test, and each specimen satisfied the appraisal standards for the load capacity, heat block quality, and chloride inhibition for two hours in the fire resistance test. Consequently, the steel-wire-integrated deck plate slab that was inserted in the omega steel plate can be reduced using the concrete volume and can have higher vibration and fire resistance capacities, similar to the existing deck plate.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 1997

Purpose : The main Purpose of this study is to develop new payment rates for services of Radiation Oncology, considering costs of treating patients. Material and Methods : A survey of forty hospitals has been conducted in order to analyze the costs of treating patients. Before conducting the survey, we evaluated and reclassified the individual service items currently using as Payments units on the fee-for-service reimbursement system. This study embodies the analysis of replies received from the twenty four hospitals. The survey contains informations about the hospitals' costs of 1995 for the reclassified service items on Radiation Oncology. After we adjust the hospital costs by the operating rate of medical equipment, we compare the adjusted costs with the current Payment rates of individual services. Results : The current payment rates were 5.05-6.58 times lower than the adjusted costs in treatment planning services, 2.22 times lower in block making service, 1.57-2.86 times lower in external beam irradiation services, 3.82-5.01 times lower in intracavitary and interstitial irradiation and 1.12-2.55 times lower in total body irradiation. Conclusion : We could conclude that the current payment system on Radiation Oncology does not only reflect the costs of treating patients appropriately but also classify the service items correctly. For an example, when the appropriate costs and classification are applied to TBI, the payment rates of TBI should be increased five times more than current level.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.72-75
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• 2004

A ten months old, female Yorkshire terrier weighing 2.88 kg referred to veterinary leaching hospital of college of veterinary medicine, Konkuk University because of syncope, cough and dyspnea. First hematological and serum chemical test revealed thrombocytopenia, mild anemia, and increase of concentration of ALP (195 U/L). On 57 days later, second hematological and serum chemical test revealed polycythemia, increase of concentration of ALP (211 UR.), and Tchol (387 mg/dl). Right atrium enlargement, main pulmonary artery bulge and cardiomegaly (VHS = 11.5) were observed in radiographic findings. Ultrasohographic images showed both right and left ventricular dilation and turbulent flow between the descending aorta and the main pulmonary artery in color Doppler imaging. ECG showed left ventricular enlargement, SA block, and electrical alternant. Thoracotomy was performed through left fourth intercostal incision under isoflurane anesthesia. Patent ductus arteriosus was double ligated with 1-0 silk. Cough and dyspnea disappeared on 5 days after operation. Turbulent flow was not found in color doppler imaging of ultrasonography on 10 days after operation. Ten months later after the operation, syncope could not exist any more.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.320-327
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• 2020

In current study, we aimed to investigate whether the gentiopicroside (GPS) derived from Gentiana manshurica Kitagawa could block the progression of alcoholic hepatic steatosis to fibrosis induced by chronic ethanol intake. C57BL/6 mice were fed an ethanol-containing Lieber-DeCarli diet for 4 weeks. LX-2 human hepatic stellate cells were treated with GPS 1 h prior to transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) stimulation, and murine hepatocyte AML12 cells were pretreated by GPS 1 h prior to ethanol treatment. GPS inhibited the expression of type I collagen (collagen I), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and tissue inhibitor of metal protease 1 in ethanol-fed mouse livers with mild fibrosis. In addition, the imbalanced lipid metabolism induced by chronic ethanol-feeding was ameliorated by GPS pretreatment, characterized by the modulation of lipid accumulation. Consistently, GPS inhibited the expression of collagen I and α-SMA in LX-2 cells stimulated by TGF-β. Inhibition of lipid synthesis and promotion of oxidation by GPS were also confirmed in ethanol-treated AML12 cells. GPS could prevent hepatic steatosis advancing to the inception of a mild fibrosis caused by chronic alcohol exposure, suggesting GPS might be a promising therapy for targeting the early stage of alcoholic liver disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.281-288
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• 1979

For years, physicians and anatomists have been interested in the heart that has one functioning ventricle. Various terms have been suggested for this entity including single ventricle, common ventricle, double-inlet left ventricle, cor biatriatum triloculare, and primitive ventricle. In this report, the term "single ventricle" is utilized as suggested by Van Praagh, and is defined as that congenital cardiac anomaly in which a common or separate atrioventricular valves open into a ventricular chamber from which both great arterial trunks emerge. An outlet chamber, or infundibulum, may or may not be present and give rise to the origin of either of the great arteries. This definition excludes the entity of mitral and tricuspid atresia. An 11 year old cyanotic boy was admitted chief complaints of exertional dyspnea and frequent upper respiratory infection since 2 weeks after birth. He was diagnosed as inoperable cyanotic congenital heart disease, and remained without any corrective treatment up to his age of 11 year when he suffered from aggravation of symptoms and signs of congestive heart failure for 2 months before this admission. On 22nd of May 1979, he was admitted for total corrective operation under the impression of tricuspid atresia suggested by a pediatrician. Physical check revealed deep cyanosis with finger and toe clubbing, and grade V systolic ejection murmur with single second heart sound was audible at the left 3rd intercostal space. Development was moderate in height [135 cm] and weight[28Kg]. Routine lab findings were normal except increased hemoglobin [21.1gm%], hematocrit [64 %], and left axis deviation with left ventricular hypertrophy on EKG. Cardiac catheterization and angiography revealed 1-transposition of aorta, pulmonic valvular stenosis, double inlet of a single ventricle with d-loop, and normal atriovisceral relationship [Type III C solitus according to the classification of Van Praagh]. At operation, longitudinal incision at the outflow tract of right ventricle in between the right coronary artery and its branch [LAD from RCA] revealed high far anterior aortic valve which had fibrous continuity with mitral annulus, and pulmonic valve was stenotic up to 4 mm in diameter positioned posterolaterally to the aorta. Ventricular septum was totally defective, and one markedly hypertrophied moderator band originated from crista supraventricularis was connected down to the imaginary septum of the ventricular cavity as a pseudoseptum of the ventricle. Size of the defect was 3X3 cm2 in total. Patch closure of the defect with a Teflon felt of 3.5 x 4 cm2 was done with interrupted multiple sutures after cut off of the moderator band, which was resutured to the artificial septum after reconstruction of the ventricular septum. Pulmonic valvotomy was done from 4 mm to 11 mm in diameter thru another pulmonary arteriotomy incision, and right ventriculotomy wound was closed reconstructing the right ventricular outflow tract with pericardial autograft of 3 x 4 cm2. Atrial septal defect of 2 cm in diameter was closed with 3-0 Erdeck suture, and atrial wall was sutured also when rectal temperature reached from 24`C to 35.5`C. Complete A-V block was managed with temporary external pacemaker with a pacing rate of 110/min. thru myocardial wire, and arterial blood pressure of 80/50 mmHg was maintained with Isuprel or Dopamine dripping under the CVP of 25-cm saline. Consciousness was recovered one hour after the operation when his blood pressure reached 100 /70 mmHg, but vital signs were not stable, and bleeding from the pericardial drainage and complete anuria were persisted until his heart could not capture the pacemaker impulse, and patient died of low output syndrome 320 min after the operation.