• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.192-198
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• 2021

The battery's State of Health (SOH) is a critical parameter in the process of battery use, as it represents the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of the battery. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is a widely used technique in observing the state of the battery. The measured impedance at certain frequencies can be used to evaluate the state of the battery, as it is intimately tied to the underlying chemical reactions. In this work, a low-cost portable EIS instrument is developed on the basis of the ARM Cortex-M4 Microcontroller Unit (MCU) for measuring the impedance spectrum of Li-ion battery packs. The MCU uses a built-in DAC module to generate the sinusoidal sweep perturbation signal. Moreover, it performs the dual-channel acquisition of voltage and current signals, calculates impedance using a Digital Lock-in Amplifier (DLA), and transmits the result to a PC. By using LabVIEW, an interface was developed with the real-time display of the EIS information. The developed instrument was suitable for measuring the impedance spectrum of the battery pack up to 1000 V. The measurement frequency range of the instrument was from 1 hz to 1 Khz. Then, to prove the performance of the developed system, the impedance of a Samsung SM3 battery pack and a Bexel pouch module were measured and compared with those obtained by the commercial instrument.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A), onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for temporary improvement of glabellar lines in patients 65 years and younger in 2002, and has also been used widely for aesthetic purposes such as hyperhidrosis, body shape contouring, and other noninvasive facial procedures. BoNT-A inhibits presynaptic exocytosis of acetylcholine (ACh)-containing vesicles into the neuromuscular junction at cholinergic nerve endings of the peripheral nervous system, thereby paralyzing skeletal muscles. ACh is the most broadly used neurotransmitter in the somatic nervous system, preganglionic and postganglionic fibers of parasympathetic nerves, and preganglionic fibers or postganglionic sudomotor nerves of sympathetic nerves. The scientific basis for using BoNT-A in various cosmetic procedures is that its function goes beyond the dual role of muscle paralysis and neuromodulation by inhibiting the secretion of ACh. Although the major target organs for aesthetic procedures are facial expression muscles, skeletal body muscles, salivary glands, and sweat glands, which are innervated by the somatic or autonomic nerves of the peripheral cholinergic nerve system, few studies have attempted to directly explain the anatomy of the areas targeted for injection by addressing the neural physiology and rationale for specific aesthetic applications of BoNT-A therapy. In this article, we classify the various cosmetic uses of BoNT-A according to the relevant component of the peripheral nervous system, and describe scientific theories regarding the anatomy and physiology of the cholinergic nervous system. We also review critical physiological factors and conditions influencing the efficacy of BoNT-A for the rational aesthetic use of BoNT-A. We hope that this comprehensive review helps promote management policies to support long-term, safe, successful practice. Furthermore, based on this, we look forward to developing and expanding new advanced indications for the aesthetic use of BoNT-A in the future.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.205-212
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• 2022

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating chronic disorder characterized by suprapubic pain and urinary symptoms such as urgency, nocturia, and frequency. The prevalence of IC/BPS is increasing as diagnostic criteria become more comprehensive. Conventional pharmacotherapy against IC/BPS has shown suboptimal effects, and consequently, patients with end-stage IC/BPS are subjected to surgery. The novel treatment strategies should have two main functions, anti-inflammatory action and the regeneration of glycosaminoglycan and urothelium layers. Stem cell therapy has been shown to have dual functions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising therapeutic option for IC/BPS, but they come with several shortcomings, such as immune activation and tumorigenicity. MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) hold numerous therapeutic cargos and are thus a viable cell-free therapeutic option. In this review, we provide a brief overview of IC/BPS pathophysiology and limitations of the MSC-based therapies. Then we provide a detailed explanation and discussion of therapeutic applications of EVs in IC/BPS as well as the possible mechanisms. We believe our review will give an insight into the strengths and drawbacks of EV-mediated IC/BPS therapy and will provide a basis for further development.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.1255-1279
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• 2010

Much has already been learned about what goes on in the minds of second language writers as they compose, yet, oddly enough, until recently little in the L2 research literature has addressed writing and mental imagery together. However, images and imaging (visual thinking) play a crucial role in perception (the basis of mental imagery), in turn, affecting language, thinking, and writing. Many theorists of mental imagery also agree that more than just language accounts for how we think and that imagery is at least as crucial as language. All of these demands, to be sure, are compounded for EFL students, which is why I investigate EFL students' writing process, focusing on the use of mental imagery and its relationship to the writing. First I speculate upon some ways that imagery influences EFL students' composing processes and products. Next, I want to explore how and whether the images in a writer's mind can be shaped effectively into a linear piece of written English in one's writing. I studied two university undergraduate EFL students, L and J. They had fairly advanced levels of English proficiency and exhibited high level of writing ability, as measured by TOEFL iBT Test. Each student wrote two comparison and contrast essays: one written under specified time limitations and the other written without the pressure of time. In order to investigate whether the amount of time in itself causes differences within an individual in imagery ability, the students were placed under strict time constraints for Topic 1. But for Topic 2, they were encouraged to take as much time as necessary to complete this essay. Immediately after completing their essays, I conducted face-to-face retrospective interviews with students to prompt them for information about the role of imagery as they write. Both L and J have spent more time on their second (untimed) essays. Without time constraint, they produced longer texts on untimed essay (149 vs. 170; 186 vs 284 words). However, despite a relatively long period of time spent writing an essay, these students neither described their images nor detailed them in their essays. Although their mental imagery generated an explosion of ideas for their writings, most visual thinking must merely be a means toward an end-pictures that writers spent in purchasing the right words or ideas.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2020

Background: Prevention of osteoporosis and bone fracture is one of the important issues for liver transplant recipients because a long history of liver disease and lifelong use of immunosuppressants, including corticosteroids, may cause these diseases. In this study, we aimed to analyze liver recipient bone status, 10-year fracture risk, and medication history. Methods: The electronic medical records of adult patients aged >40 years who received liver transplantation at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between January 2009 and June 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. On the basis of their bone mineral density and fracture history, their fracture risks were analyzed using the Korean fracture risk assessment tool. Results: A total of 57 liver transplant recipients were treated with corticosteroids during a mean of 8.8 months after transplantation. 30 patients (52.6%) showed bone metabolism dysfunction such as osteopenia or osteoporosis. The 10-year femoral fracture risk was 2.1%, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry monitoring was performed, including right before liver transplantation every 27.5±19.2 months. The mean femoral bone mineral density decreased by -7.2%±7.3%. Four patients (7.0%) had a fracture after liver transplantation. Osteoporotic fracture occurred in 3 patients with osteoporosis (25.0%). Among the osteopenia patients with moderate fracture risk who were not treated with bisphosphonate, 1 patient (12.5%) had a history of bone fracture after liver transplantation. Conclusions: Considering the deterioration of bone density and moderate fracture risk, medication for osteoporosis should be prescribed to liver transplant recipients with regular monitoring of bone density after transplantation.

• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2013

We know that humans are able to live comfortably when there is a balance between the living environment that surrounds us and us. Clothing, one of the necessities of life, serves a dual purpose of functioning as protection for the body as well as providing visual satisfaction, and so is the most effective bonding mechanism. A different type of comfort that has been provided through industrialization and advancements in technology has resulted in pollution problems in the environment, and it has reached a point of seriously thinking about its effects. The biggest problems in environmental pollution are air pollution and waste disposal, and something that cannot be ignored is that environmental hormones and harmful heavy metals have been discovered in the synthetic dyes used in the clothing product, and not only are they harmful to the body, but they also have adverse effects on skin allergies such as atopic dermatitis. Its effects on clothing, especially underwear and baby products, can become a serious issue. The use of natural vegetable dye can be considered the basis for the traditional Korean dyeing process, however not all natural dyeing process can be thought of as traditional Korean dyeing. This is because natural dyeing used to be the most common method of dyeing before synthetic dyes came along and became the dye of choice for most clothing. Natural dyes are beneficial to the body, and the nature colors, achieved from the natural materials, relieve eye strains as well as have a healing effect for people who are suffering from psychological instability such as stress. However, the use of mordant in order to increase the fastness and get better color effects can lead to even more damage to the environment, and it cannot be a dyeing method that is good for the body. Traditional natural dyeing is different from regular natural dyeing because it uses colors that the Korean people can identify with and applies specific methods in order to achieve those colors. Even though experimental study with dyestuff and practical use of the dyeing methods for traditional Korean dyeing has been started(Soh, H., 1983) and has been ongoing, it is still not easy for regular people to use the method on their own. At the present time, natural dye materials are getting made and sold more than ever, but there is a lot of confusion among consumers regarding the difference between traditional Korean dyeing and natural dyeing, as companies are using the two terms interchangeably to market their natural dye products. So getting a better understanding of the characteristics of traditional Korean dyeing and traditional colors should be considered first priority at this time. The purpose of this thesis is to study the traditional Korean view of color, which developed the culture of traditional dyeing in Korea, and the characteristics of traditional Korean dyeing, a method that pursued achieving Korea's color through natural dyeing.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.427-432
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• 1999

For the development of a multifunctional biocontrol agent, the siderophore-producing strain GL7 was isolated from a rhizosphere on chrome azurol S agar. The GL7 was identified as a strain of Pseudomonas fluorescents on the basis of their reactions to standard physicochemcial tests from Bergey's manual, API diagnostic test, and fatty acid analysis. P. fluorescents GL7 considerably inhibited spore germination and hyphal growth of phytopathogenic fungus Funsarium solani in a dual culture. In pot trials of bean with P. fluorescens GL7, the disease incidence was significantly reduced down to 5% from 70% of incidence in the untreated control. P. fluorescens GL7 also enhanced plant growth to nearly 1.5 times than that of the untreated control, promoting elongation and development of the roots. These results suggest that the plant growth-promoting P. fluorescens GL7 can play an important role in the biological control of soil-borne plant disease in a rhizosphere.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.333-344
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• 2018

Selection of the optimal culture medium and evaluation of the antimicrobial activity against various phytopathogens were performed for four entomopathogenic fungal isolates with excellent insecticidal and antimicrobial activity against the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), and gray mold (Botrytis cinerea). The optimal medium was selected by measuring the amount of blastospore production and the antifungal activity of the culture medium. On the basis of these experiments, GY medium was selected for Beauveria bassiana 2R-3-3-1 and Metarhizium anisopliae 4-2, SD3, and PDB medium for B. bassiana SD15. The antimicrobial activity test against other phytopathogens indicated that all four isolates showed high antifungal activities against Colletotrichum acutatum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. However, for Phytophthora capsici and C. fructicola, only M. anisopliae SD3 showed a high antifungal activity against P. capsici, and the other three isolates had little activity. Antibacterial activity against Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis was high in two isolates of M. anisopliae but not in two isolates of B. bassiana. Thus, it was confirmed that entomopathogenic fungi effective for pest control could be effectively used as a control agent for various plant diseases.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.83-109
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• 1998

This study was carried out to identify the Important modifiable risk factors for reduced bone mass and to construct prediction model which can classify women with either low or high bone mass. Through the literature review, individual characteristics such as age, body weight, height, education level, family history, age of menarche, postmenopausal period, gravity, parity, menopausal status, and breast feeding period were identified and factors of life style such as past milk consumption, past physical activity, present daily activity, present calcium intake, alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, coffee consumption were identified as influencing factors of reduced bone mass in women. Four hundred and eighty women aged between 28 and 76 who had given measurement bone mineral density by dual energy x-ray absortiometry in lumbar vertebrae and femur from July to October, 1997 at 4 general hospitals in Seoul and Pusan were selected for this study. Women were excluded if they had a history of any chronic illness such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, hyperthroidism, & gastrointestinal disorder and any medication such as calcium supplements, calcitonin, estrogen, thyroxine, antacids, & corticosteroids known affect bone. As a result of these exclusion criteria, four hundred and seventeen women were used for analysis. Multiple logistic regression model was developed for estimating the likelihood of the presence or absence of reduced bone mass. A SAS procedure was used to estimate risk factor coefficient. The results are as follows For lumbar spine, the variables significant were age, body weight, menopause status, daily activity, past milk consumption, and past physical activity(p<0.01), while for femoral Ward's triangle, age, body weight, level of education, past milk consumption, past physical activity(p<0.001). Past physical activity, present daily activity and past milk consumption are the most powerful modifiable predictors in vertebrae and femur among the predictors. When the model performance was evaluated by comparing the observed outcome with predicted outcome, the model correctly identified 74.1% of persons with reduced bone mass and 84.5% of persons with normal bone mass in the lumbar vertebrae and 82.9% of persons with reduced bone mass and 75.0% of persons with normal bone mass in the femoral Ward's triangle. On the basis of these results, a number of recommendations for the management of reduced bone mass may be made : First, those woman who are classified as high risk group of the reduced bone mass in the prediction model should examine the bone mineral density to further examine the usefulness of this model. Second, the optimal amount of milk consumption and a regular weight bearing exercise in childhood, adolescence, and early adult should be ensured.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.9 no.1 s.17
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• pp.45-63
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• 1991

The purpose of this study was to develop Family Welfare Program for strengthening Family Life, especially focused on the Family Life Education. In order to perform the above research purpose, this study was organized three sections. First, conceptualizing strong family second, measurement the degree of strong family third, is about the Family Life Education. I defined that the concept of strong family is functional family that is family members(husbands & wives)perform successfully internal family functions. I measured the strong family by means of family function performance scale which is composed by 54 questionnaires. Through the survey study with the family function performance scale. I recognized the necessity of Family Life Education for strengthening family function. Family Life Education(FLE)is an educational specialty which was originated in reaction to changing social conditions, industrialization, and urbanization. It deals with the perceive inadequacies of families to cope with these changes, thereby reducing social problems involved with, and improving family life. With and assumption that the studies about FLE have not been so active in Korea, the present thesis examines the FLE in Korea : i.e., the defintion, the objectives, the scope, the approximation of family life education, and the necessity of marital education in Korea based upon the published theories of FLE in the United States of America. Also, it attemps to formulate tentative plan for the promotion of a FLE program in Korea. The concept of FLE in Korea was mainfested itn the social educational law and lifespan institutional, governmental attention. It is defined as "the family life education to enhance the quality of human life, to solve family problems, to develop and individual's potentiality, and to strengthen the family interaction." Of the FLE program, the marital education is considered one of the crucial subjects because it is the core of the family life. With this premise, FLE tries to support the healthy marital relations, subsequently helping to explore the family potentiality and to strengthen family ties. Considering the seemingly dual characteristics of the contents of marital educations, and effective expressions of mutual affection. In addition, reciprocal understanding and cooperation of the married couples to overcome the differences of value, personality, hobby, and religion, the educational methods in child rearing kids, and the effective management of home economics should be included. The objects of the FLE program are unmarried, pre-married, and married persons. For the married persons, the FLE program should be arranged in accordance with their marital status classified by the family life cycle so that they amy prevent possible family problems t each stages of the family life. Also, to prevent the problems incurred in the course of carrying out family functions, the FLE program should be provided with on the basis of a family unit, there by improving the quality of the family functions.