• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.976-988
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• 2002

The aim of this study was to examine the memory and attention enhancement effect of YMG-1 and YMG-2, which are modified herbal extracts from Yukmijihwang-tang (YMJ). YMJ, composing six herbal medicine, has been used for restoring the normal functions of the body to consolidate the constitution, nourishing and invigorating the kidney functions for hundreds years in Asian countries. A series of studies reported that YMJ and its components enhance memory retention, protects neuronal cell from reactive oxygen attack and boost immune activities. Recently the microarray analysis suggested that YMG-1 protects neurodegeneration through modulating various neuron specific genes. A total of 55 subjects were divided into three groups according to the treatment of YMG-1 (n=20), YMG-2 (n=20) and control (C; n=15) groups. Before treatments, all of subjects were subjected to the assessments on neuropsychological tests of K-WAIS test, Rey-Kim memory test, and psychophysiological test of Event-Related Potential (ERP) during auditory oddball task and repeated word recognition task. They were repeatedly assessed with the same methods after drug treatment for 6 weeks. Although no significant effect of drug was found in Rey-Kim memory test, a significant interaction (P = .010, P < 0.05) between YMG-2 and C groups was identified in the scores digit span and block design, which are the subscales of K-WAIS. The very similar but marginal interaction (P = .064) between YMG-1 and C groups was found too. In ERP analysis, only YMG-1 group showed decreasing tendency of P300 latency during oddball task while the others tended to increase, and it caused significant interaction between session and group (p= .004). This result implies the enhancement of cognitive function in due to consideration of relationship between P300 latency and the speed of information processing. However, no evidence which could demonstrate the significant drug effect was found in neither amplitude or latency. These results come together suggest that YMG-1, 2 may enhance the attention, resulting in enhancement of memory processing. For elucidating detailed mechanism of YMG on learning and memory, the further studies are necessary.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.103-113
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study with 4-12 years of follow-up was to compare the marginal bone loss (MBL) between external-connection (EC) and internal-connection (IC) dental implants in posterior areas without periodontal or peri-implant disease on the adjacent teeth or implants. Additional factors influencing MBL were also evaluated. Methods: This retrospective study was performed using dental records and radiographic data obtained from patients who had undergone dental implant treatment in the posterior area from March 2006 to March 2007. All the implants that were included had follow-up periods of more than 4 years after loading and satisfied the implant success criteria, without any peri-implant or periodontal disease on the adjacent implants or teeth. They were divided into 2 groups: EC and IC. Subgroup comparisons were conducted according to splinting and the use of cement in the restorations. A statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test for comparisons between 2 groups and the Kruskal-Wallis test for comparisons among more than 2 groups. Results: A total of 355 implants in 170 patients (206 EC and 149 IC) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this study. The mean MBL was 0.47 mm and 0.15 mm in the EC and IC implants, respectively, which was a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). Comparisons according to splinting (MBL of single implants: 0.34 mm, MBL of splinted implants: 0.31 mm, P=0.676) and cement use (MBL of cemented implants: 0.27 mm, MBL of non-cemented implants: 0.35 mm, P=0.178) showed no statistically significant differences in MBL, regardless of the implant connection type. Conclusions: IC implants showed a more favorable bone response regarding MBL in posterior areas without peri-implantitis or periodontal disease.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2005

Ceruloplasmin (CP) is the major plasma antioxidant and copper transport protein. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against human CP were produced and characterized. A total of five hybridoma cell lines were established (CP2, CP10, CP20, CP25, CP30). From the epitope mapping analysis, two subgroups of mAbs recognize different peptide fragments were identified. When the purified CP was incubated with the mAbs, the ferroxidase activity of CP was inhibited up to a maximum 57%. Immunoblotting with various tissue homogenates indicated that all the mAbs specifically recognize a single protein band of 130 kDa. They also appear to be extensively cross-reactive among different mammalian including human and avian sources. These results demonstrated that only one type of immunologically similar CP is present in all of the mammalian tissues including human. The CP mAbs could be of great benefit to design the diagnostic kit for CP-related diseases such as Wilson's disease.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.42-52
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• 2010

Purpose: This report aims to administer methodologic issues around recently conducted multicenter study for evaluating the effects of acupuncture on menopusal hot flashes and discuss practical issues for further implementation of acupuncture clinical trial for hot flashes. Methods: Study process were mentioned, and issues related to avoiding risk of bias, designing appropriate control group, optimal outcome measurement, potential different effects of menopausal status on study outcomes, and suggestions for developing future clinical trials are discussed. Results: Shortcomings of our multicenter study include lack of allocation concealment and assessor blinding, subjective outcome measurement, short-term follow-up, and fixed acupuncture regimen despite pragmatic purpose of this study. Improving trial design, using objective or validated outcomes, assessing long-term effects of acupuncture, and individualizing acupuncture regimen are needed in future clinical trials. Conclusion: We expect these practical discussions to enable researchers to plan and develop future well-designed clinical trials for evaluating the effects of acupuncture on hot flashes or other women's health issues.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.34-51
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• 2006

In knowledge based society of 21c, engineers require not only their own speciality but also engineering basic competency such as creative thinking, the ability of working together, the ability of communication. Engineering colleges responsible for educating engineers consider developing curriculum including Engineering Basic Competency which is reflecting the needs of the times. By utilizing the accreditation programs of engineering education, UK-SPEC of UK Engineering Council, EA(Engineering Australia) standards/handbook of the Institute of Engineers Australia, O*NET of U.S. Occupational Network, this study generates core elements of engineering basic competency to prove the capability of engineering basic competency required to desired engineers. Core constituents derived from the study were categorized into 3 major areas of the basic engineering literacy in Humanities and Social Sciences(HSS), the ability of Creativity Engineering Design, Career development and each category and constituents were surveyed and checked by engineers in the field to deduce engineering basic competency that should be educated in the engineering college.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.61-67
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• 2015

Purpose - Exports have long been regarded as significant drivers of sustainable competitive advantage and growth among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The export activities of SMEs are particularly important in the context of export-oriented economies such as Korea. Although many studies have examined the determinants of exports, it is difficult to find empirical studies about the determinants of the export performance of regional SMEs. This study investigates the determinants of export performance in the regional SME context based on an integrated approach that combines the environment factor of industrial organization theory, competitive strategy theory, and the competences of the resource-based view. Research design, data, and methodology - To empirically analyze the determinants of export performance in the regional SMEs, data were collected from firms in the Daegu metropolitan area. Data were collected directly through questionnaire surveys; in addition, secondary financial data were also taken from the KIS-VALUE database. Out of the 175 responses that were received, 143 were considered to be worth examining. After testing the reliability and validity of the variables through multiple items such as environmental turbulence and competitive strategy, hypotheses were verified by using five multi-regression models. These models were: a control model with organizational size and age, an environmental model with technology and market turbulence, a competency model with R&D and foreign distribution channels, a strategy model with product and market differentiation, and an integrated model including all of these variables. Results - First, as a control variable, the organization size has significant positive effects on export performance. Second, technology turbulence based on industrial organization theory has significant positive effects on export performance, but market turbulence does not affect export performance. Third, the foreign market distribution competency of the resource-based view has strong positive effects on export performance, but the R&D competency does not affect export performance. Fourth, the product differentiation strategy from competitive strategy theory positively impacts export performance, but market differentiation does not affect export performance. Finally, in the integrated model, only the foreign distribution competency of the resource-based view has a significant effect on export performance. Conclusions - The empirical results of this study verified the usefulness of the rationales behind the three theories to explain the export performance of the regional SMEs, especially the importance of the foreign market distribution competency from the resource-based view. With regard to practical considerations, this study's implications suggest that the use of technological environmental changes by industries is better than the use of market changes. Further, the use of the product differentiation strategy is more effective than the use of the market-driving strategy, and the distribution channel competency plays a stronger role than the technology-oriented competency with regard to the export performance position of regional SMEs. Future studies should examine relational perspectives, such as trust among channel partners. Therefore, the configuration approach is more useful in enhancing pragmatism by comparing high- and low-export companies.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.11
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• pp.39-54
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• 2018

Purpose - To success, in spite of deficient resources, a start-up company has to check various circumstances. Many researchers proposed different appraisal methods for technology commercialization. But everybody agrees Merrifield is the first one, who is a pioneer of an appraisal model of technology commercialization. After he proposed it, many researchers and field workers developed a more complicated model, which called a BMO model. In this research, considering the circumstances of start-ups that lack available resources, it proposes a new appraisal method for technology commercialization, which is named a weighted-BMO model. Research design, data, and methology - For the new BMO-model, it studied the preceding studies. And it found that the success factors for start-ups were correlated with technology commercialization. After comparing the success factors for technology commercialization of start-ups with BMO appraisal factor, it withdraws the net BMO appraisal model: which we are calling the weighted-BMO model. Results - This study found a few things. First, actually, the BMO appraisal factors related with the success factors of technology commercialization. Second, the weighted-BMO model, which included the entrepreneur ability factor, was more accurately estimated the success of technology-based start-ups than the BMO model. Third, it overcame the weakness of the BMO-model, which did not include quantitative factors. In addition to evaluating the feasibility of the BMO model, we also presented a strategy for the future direction. But, still, it included a few shortcomings, which we are calling the arbitrage of weighted value. Sometimes, the intentional weighted value can deliberate the different valuation. Conclusitons - Due to this study, the weighted-BMO model included appraisal factors related with the success factors of technology commercialization and the entrepreneur ability factor, and quantitative factors. When evaluating the combined score of the existing Merrified BMO components, 35 points of the first pass criterion accounted for 29.17% of the total score, and 80 points of the merit score of the second rank criterion were 66.67% Considering that the weighted sum is taken into account, the baseline score of the weighted summing method for each component of the modified BMO model is 2.92 points, which is 29.17% of the weighted sum total of 10 points. The evaluation score was 6.67 points, 66.67% of the weighted total score of 10 points.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.447-454
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• 2019

In order to improve and supplement the shielding method for electron beam treatment, we designed a patient-specific shielding method using a 3D printer, and evaluated the usefulness by comparing and analyzing the distribution of electron beam doses to adjacent organs. In order to treat 5 cm sized superficial tumors around the lens, a CT Simulator was used to scan the Alderson Rando phantom and the DICOM file was converted into an STL file. The converted STL file was used to design a patient-specific shield and mold that matched the body surface contour of the treatment site. The thickness of the shield was 1 cm and 1.5 cm, and the mold was printed using a 3D printer, and the patient customized shielding block (PCSB) was fabricated with a cerrobend alloy with a thickness of 1 cm and 1.5 cm. The dosimetry was performed by attaching an EBT3 film on the surface of the Alderson Rando phantom eyelid and measuring the dose of 6, 9, and 12 MeV electron beams on the film using four shielding methods. Shielding rates were 83.89%, 87.14%, 87.39% at 6, 9, and 12 MeV without shielding, 1 cm (92.04%, 87.48%, 86.49%), 1.5 cm (91.13%, 91.88% with PSCB), 92.66%) The shielding rate was measured as 1 cm (90.7%, 92.23%, 88.08%) and 1.5 cm (88.31%, 90.66%, 91.81%) when the shielding block and the patient-specific shield were used together. PCSB fabrication improves shielding efficiency over conventional shielding methods. Therefore, PSCB may be useful for clinical application.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.305-324
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• 2000

This study compared the short-term(4 months) clinical results of regenerative therapy with bioabsorbable membranes($BioMesh^{(R)}$) and bone allograft for the treatment of periodontal(intrabony and furcation) defects in smokers and nonsmokers.(16 smokers) 32 subjects with 92 defects participated in the study(46 in smokers and 46 in non-smokers). This study also evaluated a bioresorbable barrier with and without decalcified freeze-dried bone allograft(DFDBA). The 92 periodontal defects were randomly treated with either the resorbable barrier alone or resorbable barrier in combination with DFDBA following thorough defect debridement and root preparation with tetracycline. Each patient received both types of treatment modalities. Clinical examinations(probing depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, plaque index and gingival index) were carried out immediately before and 4 months after surgery. Significant(p<0.001) gains in mean attachment level were observed for both smokers(2.93mm) and non-smokers(3.30mm) but there were not significant difference between two groups. Similarly, significant reductions in mean probing depthshowed for smokers(4.52mm) and non-smokers(4.26mm). However, when comparing gingival recession, smokers were found to exhibit significantly poorer treatment results(1.59mm vs 0.96mm, p<0.05). Using the split-mouth-design, no statistically significant difference between the two modalities could be detected with regard to pocket depth reduction, gingival recession, or attachment gain. These results illustrate that the attachment gain is better in the non-smoker and the best in the non-smoker with the combination therapy of resorbable barrier and DFDBA than with resorbable barrier alone but smoking had no significant effect on clinical treatment outcome, even though smokers show more significant gingival recession. In addition, both treatments, either resorbable barrier plus DFDBA or resorbable barrier alone, promoted significant resolution of periodontal defects but the addition of DFDBA with a bioabsorbable membrane appears to add no extra benefit to the only membrane treatment.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.123-127
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• 2014

This study was conducted for SNPs in the 5'-regions of estrogen receptor-${\alpha}$ (ESR-${\alpha}$), and association with calving interval (CI), service per conception (SPC) and 305 days milk yield in Hanwoo and Holstein dairy cattle. The genetic improvement was incurred low reproduction performance. The objective of this study was to investigate connections between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of Estrogen receptor-${\alpha}$ (ESR-${\alpha}$) with reproduction performance (calving interval, service per conception, and 305 d milk yield) in Hanwoo and Holstein dairy cattle. Hanwoo and Holstein blood samples were collected from 183 and 124 dam of breeding farms and DNA was extracted. Primer design was based on NCBI GenBank (Accession No. AY340579). The PCR-RFLP method with Bgl I was used to genotype the cattle. The result showed two variants of the ESR-${\alpha}$ gene. The Bgl I cut the 492 bp amplification product into 322 bp and 170 bp fragments for allele G, while allele A remained uncut, resulting in two restriction fragments for homozygote G/G and three fragments for heterozygote A/G. We found two of different genotypes in these breeds, A/G and G/G. In Hanwoo, the A/G genotype frequency was 0.13, and G/G was 0.87. The CI of A/G was $382.18{\pm}10.03$ days, and G/G was $381.69{\pm}5.22$ days. The SPC of A/G was $1.62{\pm}0.16$, and G/G was $1.32{\pm}0.04$. While CI showed no significance difference, SPC exhibited significant difference (p<0.05). In Holstein cattle, the frequency of genotype A/G was 0.02 and G/G was 0.98. The 305 days milk yield of A/G was $7,253.00{\pm}936.00kg$ and of G/G was $8,747.51{\pm}204.88kg$, showing no significant difference.