• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2017

EtOAc fractions of Magnolia obovata (M. obovata) Bark extracts were studied for the potential ingredient as a safe and effective whitening cosmetic material. The concentration of active substances honokiol was determined by HPLC. In vitro, the fractions reduced the extracellular and intracellular melanin contents in B16F10 cells in dose dependently and inhibited extracellular melanin secretion ($IC_{50}=11.05{\mu}g/mL$). The $12.5{\mu}g/mL$ treatment of maximum concentration effectively inhibited up to about 60% to the amount of extracullular melanin. Also, the $12.5{\mu}g/mL$ treatment of maximum concentration effectively inhibited up to about 59% to the amount of intracullular melanin ($IC_{50}=10.85{\mu}g/mL$). The $IC_{50}$ value of ${\alpha}-arbutin$ used as a positive control was $59.99{\mu}g/mL$. So, EtOAc fractions of M. obovata Bark extracts showed whitening effect when compared with the non-treatment group. In case of in vivo study, Cosmetic cream with EtOAc fractions of M. obovata Bark extracts was approved by Ethics committee of KDRI (IRB number: KDRI-IRB-1537). As a result in progress for skin sensitization as well as assessment of skin irritation through repeated patch test, skin allergens was identified as non sensitizing agents. Also, cosmetic cream with EtOAc fractions of M. obovata Bark extracts showed significant topical whitening effect and reliable skin safety when compared with the non-treatment group. In conclusion, EtOAc fractions of M. obovata Bark extracts may be a useful cosmetic ingredient for effective skin whitening.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.7
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• pp.95-124
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• 2004

It can be said that 'the September 11th Terrorist Attacks' in 2001 were not only the indiscriminate attacks on innocent people but also the whole - political, economical and military - attacks on human life. Also, 'the September 11th Terrorist Attacks' can be regarded as the significant events in the history of world, which were on the peak of the super-terrorism or new-terrorism that had emerged from the 1980s. However, if one would have analysed the developments of terrorism from the 1970s, they could have been foreknown without difficulty. The finding from this study can be summarized as the followings, First, in spite that the USA responsive system against terrorism had been assessed as perfect before 'the September 11th Terrorist Attacks', the fragilities were found in the aspects of the response on the new-terrorism or super-terrorism. The previous responsive system before 'the September 11th Terrorist Attacks' had the following defects as the followings: (1) it was impossible to establish the integrated strategy, because the organizations related to the response against terrorism had not integrated; (2) there were some weakness to collect and diffuse the informations related to terrorism; (3) the security system for the domestic airline service in USA and the responsive system of air defense against terrors on aircraft were very fragile. For these reasons, USA government established the 'Department of Homeland Security' of which the President is the head so that the many organizations related to terrorism were integrated into a single management system. And, it legislated a new act to protect security from terrors, which legalized of the wiretapping in spite of the risk of encroachment upon personal rights, increased the jail terms upon terrorists, froze the bank related to terrorist organization, and could censor e-mails. Second, it seem that Korean responsive system against terrors more fragile than that of USA. One of the reasons is that people have some perception that Korea is a safe zone from terrors, because there were little attacks from international terrorists in Korea. This can be found from the fact that the legal arrangement against terrorism is only the President's instruction No. 47. Under this responsive system against terrorism dependent on only the President's instruction, it is expected that there would be a poor response against terrors due to the lack of unified and integrated responsive agency as like the case of USA before 'the September 11th Terrorist Attacks'. And, where there is no legal countermeasure, it is impossible to expect the binding force on the outside of administrative agencies and the performances to prevent and hinder the terrorist actions can not but be limited. That is to say, the current responsive system can not counteract effectively against the new-terrorism and super-terrorism. Third, although there were some changes in Korean government's policies against terrorism. there still are problems. One of the most important problems is that the new responsive system against terrorism in Korea, different from that of USA, is not a permanent agency but a meeting body that is organized by a commission. This commission is controled by the Prime Minister and the substantial tasks are under the National Intelligence Service. Under this configuration, there can be the lack of strong leadership and control. Additionally, because there is no statute to response against terrorism, it is impossible to prevent and counteract effectively against terrorism. The above summarized suggests that, because the contemporary super-terrorism or new-terrorism makes numerous casualties of unspecified persons and enormous nationwide damages, the thorough prevention against terrorism is the most important challenge, and that the full range of legal and institutional arrangements for the ex post counteraction should be established. In order to do so, it is necessary for the government to make legal and institutional arrangements such as the permanent agency for protection from terrorism in which the related departments cooperates with together and the development of efficient anti-terror programs, and to show its willingness and ability that it can counteract upon any type of domestic and foreign terrorism so that obtain the active supports and confidence from citizens.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1996

Background: The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) based on clinical findings is often elusive and therefore requires confirmative diagnostic method. Pulmonary angiography, though the gold standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, is an invasive method and requires trained personnel and special equipment. Lung V/Q scan, on the other hand, is a noninvasive method but the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity arc not satisfactory in case that the results are either intermediate or low probability scan. Plasma D-dimer is generated when a thrombus is fibrinolysed by plasmin and is known to be increased in various thrombotic disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of the determination of plasma D-dimer level in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Methods: Pulmonary angiography was performed in 17 patients who were clinically suspected to have pulmonary embolism. 9 patients(PE, $56{\pm}13.4$ yrs, M:F=8:1) were diagnosed to have pulmonary embolism by pulmonary angiography. The control group were the 8 patients with negative pulmonary angiography and 13 orthopedic patients with no evidence of pulmonary embolism on scintigraphic and impedance plethysmographic studies(n=21) (non-PE, $54.5{\pm}11.1$ yrs, M:F=11:10). Plasma D-dimer was measured by latex agglutination method in study subjects and the results were analyzed according to the presence or absence of pulmonary embolism. Results: 1) The increased level of plasma D-dimer was more frequently observed in the patients with pulmonary embolism than in the controls(>0.5 mg/L, 8 in PE, 10 in non-PE; <0.5 mg/L, 1 in PE, 11 in non-PE, p=0.049). 2) The diagnostic value of plasma D-dimer level higher than 0.5 mg/L were as follows: sensitivity 88.9%(8/9), specificity 52.4%(11/21), positive predictive value 44.4%(8/18), and negative predictive value 91.7%(11/12). Conclusion: Plasma D-dimer determination showed high sensitivity and negative predictive value in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and is therefore thought to be useful in excluding the possibility of pulmonary embolism.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.586-597
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• 1999

Background: Many diagnostic tests have developed to diagnose tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases but the diagnosis of tuberculosis relies largely on radiological findings and acid-fast staining of sputum and/or culture. Recently, new serologic diagnostic methods, which are safe and easy to use have been introduced into Korea. In this study, the usefulness of serologic diagnosis for tuberculosis and the disease pattern induced variation of the test were evaluated. Methods: Serological assay was performed upon 108 patients with two test kits, the ICT tuberculosis and the BioSign$^{TM}$TB, which are based upon a rapid immunochromatographic assay technique, capable of being interpreted within 15 minutes. The case groups consisted of 61 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis(36 patients), extrapulmonary tuberculosis(3 patients), or both(22 patients). Control groups consisted of 47 patients with inactive old pulmonary tuberculosis(17 patients), nontuberculous pulmonary disease(16 patients) and nonpulmonary cardiac disease(14 patients). Results : The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value(PPV) and negative predictive value(NPV) of the ICT tuberculosis were 64.3%, 91.5%, 90.0% and 68.3% respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the BioSign$^{TM}$TB were 76.5%, 95.3%, 94.1 % and 78.8% respectively. Differences in sensitivity were not significant between patients with previous history of tuberculosis or patients without prior history of tuberculosis. The ICT tuberculosis test showed higher sensitivity in pulmonary tuberculosis patients(76.5%) than extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients(33.3%). There was no difference in sensitivity between patients with or without cavitary lesion by chest X-ray. Conclusion: Considering high specificity and PPV, serologic diagnosis using a rapid immunochromatographic assay device is another helpful diagnostic method in the diagnosis of tuberculosis, when combined with previous diagnostic methods such as chest X-ray, microbiologic study but it has limitation in terms of confirming the diagnosis for tuberculosis as the only diagnostic method because of relatively low sensitivity and NPV.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2001

Background : The eosinophil chemotactic and activating effects of eotaxin and the known association of eosinophils with asthma suggest that eotaxin expression is increased during an asthma attack. This study was aimed to determine whether the plasma eotaxin levels are higher in patients during an asthma attack and to correlate the eotaxin levels with the disease activity, severity and response to therapy. Method : A case-control study of the plasma eotaxin levels was performed in 100 patients with exacerbated asthma and 48 age- and sex-matched subjects with stable asthma. Results : The plasma eotaxin levels were significantly higher in the 100 patients with exacerbated asthma($233{\pm}175\;pg/mL$) than in the 48 subjects with stable asthma($169{\pm}74\;pg/mL$). A trend toward higher eotaxin levels was observed in asthmatic subjects who were taking oral steroids ($332{\pm}225\;pg/mL$) than in those who were not ($214{\pm}159\;pg/mL$) and higher levels were found in those admitted to the hospital ($275{\pm}212\;pg/mL$) than in those discharged after receiving only emergency treatment ($190{\pm}115\;pg/mL$). The eotaxin levels inversely correlated with the $FEV_$ (r=-0.25, p<0.01). The eotaxin levels were higher in moderate persistent ($323{\pm}256\;pg/mL$) and severe persistent asthmatics ($276{\pm}170\;pg/mL$) than in mild intermittent asthmatics ($l60{\pm}60\;pg/mL$). Conclusion : Eotaxin expression is directly associated with asthma exacerbation, impaired pulmonary function and the disease severity.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.382-394
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to analyze temporal trends of water chemistry and spatial heterogeneity between the dam site (Daecheong Reservoir, S1) and the downstream (S2$\sim$S4) using water quality dataset (obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea) during 2000$\sim$2007. Water quality, based on eight physical and chemical parameters, varied largely depending on the years, sampling sites, and the discharge volume. Conductivity and nutrients (TN and TP) showed a decreasing trend in the downstream (S4) rather than the dam site during the monsoon. Spatial variation increased toward downstream (S4) from Daecheong Reservoir (S1). Also, BOD and COD increased toward downstream. Because of input of nutrient and pollutant nearby S1, lentic ecosystem in monsoon, BOD and COD were slightly increased. whereas relatively decreased in S4, lotic ecosystem in monsoon, by dilution effect of nutrient and pollutant by discharge from upper dam, S1. Spatial variation of SS increased toward downstream (S4) by the side of Daecheong Reservoir (S1). Based on the dataset, efficient water quality management in the point source tributary streams is required for better water quality of downstream. Monthly characteristics of DO showed the lowest value in the monsoon that tend to increase water temperature. DO was lowest in October at S1 because turbid water, input to the Daecheong Reservoir in the monsoon affect to the postmonsoon period. In contrast, water temperature increased toward summer monsoon, in spite of some differences showed between S1 and S4 environment. Overall, the characteristics of water quality in downstream region have close correlation with discharge amount of Daecheong Reservoir. Thus, those characteristics can explain that discharge control of upper dam mainly affect to the water quality variation in downstream reach.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 2003

Objectives: Traffic accidents often occur to power tillers without reflective light in the dawn, evening and night. Because of this reason, there has been a 'campaign to attach reflective lights' to power-tillers in recent years. Therefore, the authors investigated the relationship between reflective light and traffic accidents involving power-tillers. Methods: We defined traffic accidents of power tillers as those cases of rear-end collision by a car in the dawn, evening or night. According to our definition, four cases were confirmed in Hyungok-myeon, Gyeongju and five cases in Gigye-myeon, Pohang. We selected a control group from people in the same village with similar age, sex, driving history and education. Results: The study group contained 9 accidents and 36 non-accidents. Power tillers with reflective light were 32 cases (72.7%) of 44 cases (excluded one case due to death). Of those, the status of reflective light was 'clean' in 18 cases (56.3%). The recognition that reflective light can prevent accidents was 'Yes' in 26 cases of 44 cases (59.1%). The recognition of the 'campaign to attach reflective lights' to power tillers was 'Yes' in 38 cases of 44 cases (86.4%). The recognition about the safety regulation of driving power-tillers was 'Yes' in 32 cases of 44 cases (72.7%). Odds ratio of traffic accidents for no reflective light was 7.00 (95% CI: 1.06-58.37). Conclusions: Although the 'campaign to attach reflective lights' to power tillers are going on, its effectiveness may unknown. Therefore, more extensive epidemiologic study is needed into the relationship between reflective light and power tiller traffic accidents, with effective administration of the government and the attention of medical persons.

• Journal of forensic and investigative science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.5-19
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• 2006

Data mining is an information extraction activity to discover hidden facts contained in databases. Using a combination of machine learning, statistical analysis, modeling techniques and database technology, data mining finds patterns and subtle relationships in data and infers rules that allow the prediction of future results. Typical applications include market segmentation, customer profiling, fraud detection, evaluation of retail promotions, and credit risk analysis. Law enforcement agencies deal with mass data to investigate the crime and its amount is increasing due to the development of processing the data by using computer. Now new challenge to discover knowledge in that data is confronted to us. It can be applied in criminal investigation to find offenders by analysis of complex and relational data structures and free texts using their criminal records or statement texts. This study was aimed to evaluate possibile application of data mining and its limitation in practical criminal investigation. Clustering of the criminal cases will be possible in habitual crimes such as fraud and burglary when using data mining to identify the crime pattern. Neural network modelling, one of tools in data mining, can be applied to differentiating suspect's photograph or handwriting with that of convict or criminal profiling. A case study of in practical insurance fraud showed that data mining was useful in organized crimes such as gang, terrorism and money laundering. But the products of data mining in criminal investigation should be cautious for evaluating because data mining just offer a clue instead of conclusion. The legal regulation is needed to control the abuse of law enforcement agencies and to protect personal privacy or human rights.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.157-178
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• 2009

Corporate credit rating is a very important factor in the market for corporate debt. Information concerning corporate operations is often disseminated to market participants through the changes in credit ratings that are published by professional rating agencies, such as Standard and Poor's (S&P) and Moody's Investor Service. Since these agencies generally require a large fee for the service, and the periodically provided ratings sometimes do not reflect the default risk of the company at the time, it may be advantageous for bond-market participants to be able to classify credit ratings before the agencies actually publish them. As a result, it is very important for companies (especially, financial companies) to develop a proper model of credit rating. From a technical perspective, the credit rating constitutes a typical, multiclass, classification problem because rating agencies generally have ten or more categories of ratings. For example, S&P's ratings range from AAA for the highest-quality bonds to D for the lowest-quality bonds. The professional rating agencies emphasize the importance of analysts' subjective judgments in the determination of credit ratings. However, in practice, a mathematical model that uses the financial variables of companies plays an important role in determining credit ratings, since it is convenient to apply and cost efficient. These financial variables include the ratios that represent a company's leverage status, liquidity status, and profitability status. Several statistical and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have been applied as tools for predicting credit ratings. Among them, artificial neural networks are most prevalent in the area of finance because of their broad applicability to many business problems and their preeminent ability to adapt. However, artificial neural networks also have many defects, including the difficulty in determining the values of the control parameters and the number of processing elements in the layer as well as the risk of over-fitting. Of late, because of their robustness and high accuracy, support vector machines (SVMs) have become popular as a solution for problems with generating accurate prediction. An SVM's solution may be globally optimal because SVMs seek to minimize structural risk. On the other hand, artificial neural network models may tend to find locally optimal solutions because they seek to minimize empirical risk. In addition, no parameters need to be tuned in SVMs, barring the upper bound for non-separable cases in linear SVMs. Since SVMs were originally devised for binary classification, however they are not intrinsically geared for multiclass classifications as in credit ratings. Thus, researchers have tried to extend the original SVM to multiclass classification. Hitherto, a variety of techniques to extend standard SVMs to multiclass SVMs (MSVMs) has been proposed in the literature Only a few types of MSVM are, however, tested using prior studies that apply MSVMs to credit ratings studies. In this study, we examined six different techniques of MSVMs: (1) One-Against-One, (2) One-Against-AIL (3) DAGSVM, (4) ECOC, (5) Method of Weston and Watkins, and (6) Method of Crammer and Singer. In addition, we examined the prediction accuracy of some modified version of conventional MSVM techniques. To find the most appropriate technique of MSVMs for corporate bond rating, we applied all the techniques of MSVMs to a real-world case of credit rating in Korea. The best application is in corporate bond rating, which is the most frequently studied area of credit rating for specific debt issues or other financial obligations. For our study the research data were collected from National Information and Credit Evaluation, Inc., a major bond-rating company in Korea. The data set is comprised of the bond-ratings for the year 2002 and various financial variables for 1,295 companies from the manufacturing industry in Korea. We compared the results of these techniques with one another, and with those of traditional methods for credit ratings, such as multiple discriminant analysis (MDA), multinomial logistic regression (MLOGIT), and artificial neural networks (ANNs). As a result, we found that DAGSVM with an ordered list was the best approach for the prediction of bond rating. In addition, we found that the modified version of ECOC approach can yield higher prediction accuracy for the cases showing clear patterns.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2008

Purpose: The image processing method due to the algorism which is various portion nuclear medical image decision is important it makes holds. The purpose of this study is it applies hereupon new image processing method SIEMENS (made by Pixon co.) Onco. flash processing reconstruction and the comparison which use the image control technique of existing the clinical usefulness it analyzes with it evaluates. Materials & Methods: 1. Whole body bone scan-scan speed 20 cm/min, 30 cm/min & 40 cm/min blinding test 2. Bone static spot scan-regional view 200 kcts, 400 kcts for chest, pelvis, foot blinding test 3. 4 quadrant-bar phantom-20000 kcts visual evaluation 4. LSF-FWHM resolution comparison ananysis. Results: 1. Raw data (20 cm/min) & processing data (30 cm/min)-similar level image quality 2. Low count static image-image quality clearly improved at visual evaluation result. 3. Visual evaluation by quadrant bar phantom-rising image quality level 4. Resolution comparison evaluation (FWHM)-same difference from resolution comparison evaluation Conclusion: The study which applies a new method Onco. flash processing reconstruction, it will be able to confirm the image quality improvement which until high level is clearer the case which applies the method of existing better than. The new reconstruction improves the resolution & reduces the noise. This enhances the diagnostic capabilities of such imagery for radiologists and physicians and allows a reduction in radiation dosage for the same image quality. Like this fact, rising of equipment availability & shortening the patient waiting move & from viewpoint of the active defense against radiation currently becomes feed with the fact that it will be the useful result propriety which is sufficient in clinical NM.