• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.693-712
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• 2006

A pre-feasibility test is done for renewable energy hybrid power systems at off~grid islands in which the current power supply is provided only by diesel generation. We apply Homer (Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables) which was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the analysis to identify the cost-minimizing combination of power generating facilities for the given load profiles. Chuja-Do, Geomun-Do and Youngsan-Do have been selected for our analysis considering the wind resources data of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER). Information on wind speed, solar radiation and temperature is also used for the analysis. System component cost information from overseas market has been used due to the lack of domestic information. Site specific Load profile for electricity demand for those islands are reconstructed based on the partial survey results obtained form other sources. The LCOE of the least cost hybrid power systems for Chuja-Do, Geomun-Do and Youngsan-Do are $0.278/kWh, $0.234/kWh and $0.353/kWh, respectively Considering the fact that diesel generation is being subsidized at the price of $0.300/kWh by the government, first 2 cases are economically feasible for the introduction of renewable energy hybrid systems to those islands. But the third case of Youngsan-Do does not meet the criteria. The basic differences of these pre-feasibility test results are from the differences of the site specific renewable energy conditions, especially wind resources. In summary, promoting hybrid systems in the off-grid remote island should be based on the economic feasibility test results. Not all the off-grid islands are feasible for introducing this renewable energy hybrid system.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.362-369
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• 2008

There is developing interest in precision agriculture in Korea, despite the fact that typical Korean fields are less than 1 ha in size. Describing within-field variability in typical Korean production settings is a fundamental first step toward determining the size of management zones and the inter-relationships between limiting factors, for establishment of site-specific management strategies. Measurements of rice (Oriza Sativa L) yield, chlorophyll content, and soil properties were obtained in a small (100-m by 30-m) Korean rice paddy field. Yield data were manually collected on 10-m by 5-m grids (180 samples with 3 samples in each of 60 grid cells) and chlorophyll content was measured using a Minolta SPAD 502 in 2-m by 2-m grids. Soil samples were collected at 275 points to compare results from sampling at different scales. Ten soil properties important for rice production in Korea were determined through laboratory analyses. Variogram analysis and point kriging with and without median polishing were conducted to determine the variability of the measured parameters. Influence of variogram model selection and other parameters on the interpretation of the data was investigated. For many of the data, maximum values were greater than double the minimum values, indicating considerable spatial variability in the small paddy field, and large-scale spatial trends were present. When variograms were fit to the original data, the limits of spatial dependency for rice yield and SP AD reading were 11.5 m and 6.5 m, respectively, and after detrending the limits were reduced to 7.4 m and 3.9 m. The range of spatial dependency for soil properties was variable, with several having ranges as short as 2 m and others having ranges greater than 30 m. Kriged maps of the variables clearly showed the presence of both large-scale (trend) variability and small-scale variability in this small field where it would be reasonable to expect uniformity. These findings indicate the potential for applying the principles and technology of precision agriculture for Korean paddy fields. Additional research is needed to confirm the results with data from other fields and crops.d similar tendency with the result for the frequency less than 20 Hz, but the width of change was reduced highly.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2015

Purpose - This study aims to identify the effects of communication cues, anonymity, and social presence on group polarization in computer-mediated communication (CMC) settings. Extant literature has introduced some theoretical backgrounds of social presence and SIDE (Social Identity model of Deindividuation Effects) to explain the effects of communication cues and anonymity. The concept of social presence emphasized the mediating role on communication cues and anonymity. However, most literature did not measure social presence and compare group polarization of all condition groups. This does not sufficiently explain the result of group polarization. Research design, data, and methodology - We believe that the direct impact of anonymity on group polarization can provide a more admissible and clearer explanation for the results. In addition, this study categorizes anonymity into two levels, as anonymity of group and anonymity of self. To justify the anonymity view, a laboratory experiment was conducted. The experiment was conducted in communication cues settings (visual cue; without visual cue) and anonymity settings (identified; anonymous). Each of the four settings has 10 groups consisting of five subjects each (total 200 subjects). The subjects are undergraduates from a large university, majoring in business. All experimental procedures and calculations of choice shift and preference change follow the literature. Results - First, the removal of visual cues does not produce a significant impact on group polarization, which cannot be explained by the social presence view. Second, the anonymous condition does not significantly affect group polarization, which also cannot be explained by the social presence view. However, the anonymous condition directly affects group polarization. Specifically, anonymity of self has a stronger effect on group polarization than anonymity of group. The result explains about the leading factor affecting group polarization. This study examines another view of how computer-mediated communication may be associated with group polarization. The process and outcome data from the experiment reveal that group polarization is not affected by level of social presence, but by level of anonymity. Group discussions conducted with visual cue CMC setting and identified CMC setting result in weaker group polarization. Conversely, group discussions conducted without visual cue CMC setting and anonymous CMC setting lead to stronger group polarization. The results of the study have the following implications. First, they provide clues for business organizations to design the most appropriate media conditions and preemptive social conditions to implement when making group decisions through CMC, to maximize achievements, generate amicable agreements, or actively share information. Second, this study can be useful in analyzing different adverse effects generated through Internet use. Conclusions - This research can help explain discussions and decision-making actions on Internet forums, which have recently increased, as well as providing a foundational basis in newly establishing policies for the forums. Finally, it should be noted that many other factors such as group size, topics, and group history may affect group polarization. These should be examined in future studies.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.455-461
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• 2013

Retinoids regulate not only various cell functions including proliferation and differentiation but also glucose and lipid metabolism. After we observed a marked up-regulation of cellular retinol-binding protein-I (CRBP-I) in the liver of hepatitis B virus x antigen (HBx)-transgenic (HBx Tg) mice which are prone to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and fatty liver, we aimed to evaluate retinoid pathway, including genes for the retinoid physiology, CRBP-I protein expression, and retinoid levels, in the liver of HBx Tg mice. We also assessed the effect of chronic metformin treatment on HCC development in the mice. Many genes involved in hepatic retinoid physiology, including CRBP-I, were altered and the tissue levels of retinol and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) were elevated in the liver of HBx Tg mice compared to those of wild type (WT) control mice. CRBP-I protein expression in liver, but not in white adipose tissue, of HBx Tg mice was significantly elevated compared to WT control mice while CRBP-I protein expressions in the liver and WAT of high-fat fed obese and db/db mice were comparable to WT control mice. Chronic treatment of HBx Tg mice with metformin did not affect the incidence of HCC, but slightly increased hepatic CRBP-I level. In conclusion, hepatic CRBP-I level was markedly up-regulated in HCC-prone HBx Tg mice and neither hepatic CRBP-I nor the development of HCC was suppressed by metformin treatment.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.187-191
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• 2006

This research is about the optical characteristics of algae which is collected from Nam-Hae for basic research of red tide remote sensing technique development 21 kinds of red tide organisms were cultivated to investigate optical characteristics of them in the level of laboratory, and chlorophyll specific absorption coefficient $(a^*)$ and backscattering coefficient $(b_b^*)$ are estimated by using spectrophotometer. Absorption spectrums according to species appeared to range from 0.005 to 0.06 $(m^2/mg)$, and the shapes of spectrums were also different. The range of $b_b^*$ appeared to be $10^{-2}\sim10^{-4}m^2/mg$, which had about 100 times differences between species, and the shape of spectrum have significant difference between species. These results will input as an ocean color model input parameter from ocean color.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.163-166
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• 2018

Objective: Microminipigs are a novel animal model with extensive applications in laboratory studies owing, in part, to their extremely small body sizes. In this study, the relationship between swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class II haplotype and body weight was evaluated in the Microminipig population. Methods: A total of 1,900 haplotypes, covering SLA class II haplotypes Lr-0.7, Lr-0.23, Lr-0.17, Lr-0.37, Lr-0.16, Lr-0.11, Lr-0.13, and Lr-0.18, were analyzed in 950 piglets. Birth weights and weights on postnatal day 50 were examined in piglets with eight different SLA class II haplotypes. Results: The mean birth weight of piglets with the Lr-0.23 haplotype (0.415 kg, n = 702) was significantly lower than that of piglets with Lr-0.17 (0.445 kg, n = 328) and Lr-0.37 (0.438 kg, n = 383) haplotypes. At postnatal day 50, the mean body weight of piglets with the Lr-0.23 haplotype (3.14 kg) was significantly lower than that of piglets with the Lr-0.13 haplotype (3.46 kg, p<0.01). There were no significant differences in daily gains (DGs) among the eight haplotypes. However, piglets with the Lr-0.11 and -0.18 haplotype combination or any heterozygous haplotype combinations containing Lr-0.23 had significantly lower DGs than those of piglets with the Lr-0.18, 0.37 haplotype combination. Conclusion: Piglets with the Lr-0.23 haplotype had relatively low body weights at birth and on postnatal day 50 and slightly lower DGs than those of piglets with other haplotypes. Therefore, the Lr-0.23 SLA class II haplotype may be a suitable marker for the selective breeding of Microminipigs with small body sizes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10143-10149
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• 2015

Background and Aim: No firm evidence of HPV infection in esophageal cancer has been established to date. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the prevalence of HPV 16 in esophageal cancer in China, which had a high burden of the disease. Materials and Methods: Studies on HPV infection and esophageal cancer were identified and a random-effects model was used to pool the summary prevalence and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 3,429 esophageal cancer cases were evaluated from 26 eligible studies in this meta-analysis. The summary estimate for HPV16 prevalence was 0.381 (95% CI: 0.283, 0.479). The prevalence varied by geographical areas of the study, publication year, HPV detection method and types of specimen. In sensitivity analysis, HPV 16 prevalence ranged from 0.368 (95% CI: 0.276, 0.460) to 0.397 (95% CI: 0.286, 0.508). Conclusions: The results indicate a relatively high level of HPV 16 prevalence in esophageal cancer among Chinese population, although there was variation between different variables. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of HPV in esophageal carcinogenesis with careful consideration of study design and laboratory detection method, providing more accurate assessment of the HPV status in esophageal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10209-10215
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• 2015

To assess the contribution of tumor necrosis factor $(TNF){\beta}$ +252 polymorphisms to risk and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we enrolled 150 pairs of sex- and age-matched patients with HCC, patients with cirrhosis alone, and unrelated healthy controls. $TNF{\beta}$ +252 genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphism. Multivariate analysis indicated that $TNF{\beta}$ G/G genotype [odds ratio (OR), 3.64; 95%CI, 1.49-8.91], hepatitis B surface antigen (OR, 16.38; 95%CI, 8.30-32.33), and antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) (OR, 39.11; 95%CI, 14.83-103.14) were independent risk factors for HCC. There was an additive interaction between $TNF{\beta}$ G/G genotype and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)/HCV infection (synergy index=1.15). Multivariate analysis indicated that factors associated with $TNF{\beta}$ G/G genotype included cirrhosis with Child-Pugh C (OR, 4.06; 95%CI, 1.34-12.29), thrombocytopenia (OR, 6.55; 95%CI, 1.46-29.43), and higher serum ${\alpha}$-fetoprotein concentration (OR, 2.53; 95%CI, 1.14-5.62). Patients with $TNF{\beta}$ G/G genotype had poor cumulative survival (p=0.005). Cox proportional hazard model indicated that $TNF{\beta}$ G/G genotype was a biomarker for poor HCC survival (hazard ratio, 1.70; 95%CI, 1.07-2.69). In conclusion, there are independent and additive effects between $TNF{\beta}$ G/G genotype and chronic HBV/HCV infection on risk for HCC. It is a biomarker for poor HCC survival. Carriage of this genotype correlates with disease severity and advanced hepatic fibrosis, which may contribute to a higher risk and poor survival of HCC. Chronic HBV/HCV infected subjects with this genotype should receive more intensive surveillance for early detection of HCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2707-2711
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• 2014

Introduction: Smoking prevalence among the medical students is high in China. Therefore, understanding the smoking motivations of medical students is crucial for smoking control, but currently there are no scales questionnaires customized for probing the smoking motivations of medical students. This aim of study was to test and modify a questionnaire for investigating smoking motivations among medical students. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,125 medical students at Xuzhou Medical College in China in 2012.The model fit and validity was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the reliability was tested by single-item reliability, composite reliability, and item-total correlation. Results: The prevalence of smoking was 9.84 % among study population. In the modified scales, the global fit indices identified a CFI value of 0.96, TLI was 0.96, and the RMSEA was 0.063. CFA supported the two dimensional structure of the instrument. The average variance extracted ranged from 0.45 to 0.62. All single-item reliability scores were greater than 0.20, and the composite reliability ranged from 0.74 to 0.91. Conclusion: Modified scales could be the preliminary instrument used in evaluating the smoking motivations of medical students. However, it should be further assessed using other forms and methods of validity and reliability, additional motivations of smoking, and the survey of other medical colleges in China.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.378-386
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a major cause of abnormal overgrowth of the prostate mainly in the elderly. Corni Fructus has been reported to be effective in the prevention and treatment of various diseases because of its strong antioxidant effect, but its efficacy against BPH is not yet known. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Corni Fructus water extract (CF) in testosterone-induced BPH rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: To induce BPH, rats were intraperitoneal injected with testosterone propionate (TP). Rats in the treatment group were orally administered with CF with TP injection, and finasteride, which is a selective inhibitor of $5{\alpha}$-reductase type 2, was used as a positive control. RESULTS: Our results showed that the increased prostate weight and histopathological changes in BPH model rats were suppressed by CF treatment. CF, similar to the finasteride-treated group, decreased the levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone by TP treatment in the serum, and it also reduced $5{\alpha}$-reductase expression and concentration in prostate tissue and serum, respectively. In addition, CF significantly blocked the expression of the androgen receptor (AR), AR co-activators, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in BPH rats, and this blocking was associated with a decrease in prostate-specific antigen levels in serum and prostate tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CF may weaken the BPH status through the inactivation of at least $5{\alpha}$-reductase and AR activity and may be useful for the clinical treatment of BPH.