• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.124-133
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• 2018

We tried to investigate the changes in cortical activities according to emotional valence states during watching video clips. We examined the neural basis of two emotional states (positive and negative) using spectral power analysis and brain functional connectivity analysis of cortical current density time-series reconstructed from high-density electroencephalograms (EEGs). Fifteen healthy participants viewed a series of thirty-two 2 min emotional video clips. Sixty-four channel EEGs were recorded. Distributed cortical sources were reconstructed using weighted minimum norm estimation. The temporal and spatial characteristics of spectral source powers showing significant differences between positive and negative emotion were examined. Also, correlations between gamma-band activities and affective valence ratings were determined. We observed the changes of cortical current density time-series according to emotional states modulated by video clip. Gamma-band activities showed significant difference between emotional states for thirty seconds at the middle and the latter half of the video clip, mainly in prefrontal area. It was also significantly anti-correlated with the self-ratings of emotional valence. In addition, the gamma-band activities in frontal and temporal areas were strongly phase-synchronized, more strongly for negative emotional states. Cortical activities in frontal and temporal areas showed high spectral power and inter-regional phase synchronization in gamma-band during negative emotional states. It is inferred that the higher amygdala activation induced by negative stimuli resulted in strong emotional effects and caused strong local and global synchronization of neural activities in gamma-band in frontal and temporal areas.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 1988

This study aimed to investigate the autonomic innervations of human vas deferens and the effect of diazepam, a benzodiazepine sedative antianxiety drug, on the smooth muscle contractility of vas deferens. The specimens were obtained from healthy volunteers undergoing elective vasectomy with local anesthesia. The muscle preparation did not show any spontaneous contraction, but showed a good contraction induced by norepinephrine exerting the strongest response at $33^{\circ}C$. Phentolamine inhibited the norepinephrine-induced contraction concentration-dependently. Isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic agonist evoked a considerable extent of contraction, and this contractile activity was antagonized by propranolol, a beta-adrenergic blocking agent. Acetylcholine induced a dashing contraction of the human vas deferens, and atropine, a muscarinic receptor blocking agent abolished the acetylcholine-induced contraction. Diazepam inhibited the norepinephrine-induced contraction in a concentration dependent manner. These results suggest that the smooth muscle of human vas deferens has cholinergic muscarinic and beta adrenergic receptors as well as the predominant alpha adrepergic receptor. Diazepam inhibits the motility, especially norepinephrine-induced contraction of human vas deferens.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.449-453
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• 2017

A 3-year-old castrated male Maltese dog, weighing 4.8 kg was referred with hindlimb ataxia and right forelimb proprioceptive deficits were shown for 20 months. Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia diagnosed through MRI at a local animal hospital and Knuckling of right forelimb and reluctance to walk were managed with steroid. The medical management was getting ineffective to manage for the symptoms one month before referred. Physical and neurological examinations, radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging were performed and diagnoses of caudal occipital malformation syndrome (COMS) and subsequent syringomyelia (SM) were made. Given that pharmacological treatment was previously ineffective, surgical intervention was recommended. Foramen magnum decompression with duraplasty using $Lyoplant^{(R)}$ was performed. Three days post-surgery, the dog showed improved gait and activity. After 2 months, the dog received no additional prescription medications. At the 12-month follow-up after surgery, the dog showed no clinical problems or recurrences, despite complete cessation of pharmacological treatment. In present report, we applied $Lyoplant^{(R)}$ as a dural graft has been carried out in a dog with COMS. Surgical decompression with $Lyoplant^{(R)}$ was an effective long-term (12-month) treatment for COMS without the need for any pharmacological treatment.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.spc
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• pp.20-28
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• 2009

The sustainability of conventional agriculture which is characterized by input dependent and ecologically simplified food production system is vague. Chemicals and present practices used in agriculture are not only costly but also have widespread implications on human and animal health, food quality and safety and environmental quality. Thus there is a need for alternative farming practices to sustain food production for the escalating population and conserve environment for future generations. The present research scenario in the area of plant microbe interactions for maintaining sustainable agriculture suggests that the level of internal regulation in agro-ecosystems is largely dependent on the level of plant and microbial diversity present in the soil. In agro-ecosystems, biodiversity performs a variety of ecological services beyond the production of food, including recycling of nutrients, regulation of microclimate and local hydrological processes, suppression of undesirable organisms and detoxification of noxious chemicals. Controlling the soil microflora to enhance the predominance of beneficial and effective microorganisms can help improve and maintain soil chemical and physical properties. The role of beneficial soil microorganisms in sustainable productivity has been well construed. Some plant bacteria referred to as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can contribute to improve plant growth, nutrient uptake and microbial diversity when inoculated to plants. Term PGPR was initially used to describe strains of naturally occurring non-symbiotic soil bacteria have the ability to colonize plant roots and stimulate plant growth PGPR activity has been reported in strains belonging to several other genera, such as Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Arthrobacter Bacillus, Burkhokderia, Methylobacterium, and Pseudomonas etc. PGPR stimulate plant growth directly either by synthesizing hormones such as indole acetic acid or by promoting nutrition, for example, by phosphate solubilization or more generally by accelerating mineralization processes. They can also stimulate growth indirectly, acting as biocontrol agents by protecting the plant against soil borne fungal pathogens or deleterious bacteria. Present review focuses on some recent developments to evolve strategies for better biotechnological exploitation of PGPR's.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.57-66
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• 2016

The study aims to examine the impact of Start-Up Business Incubator System on Performance of the Start-up Graduated from the Business Incubator. This has analyzed 813 startups which had supported by Seoul Metropolitan City in particular from 2009 to 2010. Empirical analysis has choosed business room for free, startup grant for operation, education & coaching support, consulting support by practitioner, promotion & new market opening support and collaboration support among startups in the business incubator as independent variables and also implemented startup success satisfaction degree as a depentent variable. The results shows that the degree of satisfaction on start-up activity support fund for entrepreneur and the degree of satisfaction on collaboration support among firms in the business incubator have statistical significant impact on start-up success satisfaction degree. The study has an implication that it provides a basic data on policy support strategies by central and local autonomous governments that facilitate entrepreneurs to achieve start-up business goals by understanding the factors that affect the business performance of entrepreneurs. In addition, the study offers new directions for entrepreneurs in a way that promotes the start-up performance by business room for free, education & coaching support, consulting support by practitioner, promotion & new market opening support which were investigated as statistical insignificant constructs, so that the author expects new studies about more effective business incubator system to enhance the performanc of start-up in business incubator.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.58-70
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• 2015

Injectable RGD-bioconjugated Mussel Adhesive Proteins (RGD-MAPs) composite hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) hydrogels provide local periodontal tissue for bone filling in periodontal surgery. Previously we developed a novel type of injectable self-supported hydrogel (2 mg/ml of RGD-MAPs/HPMC) based porcine nano hydroxyapatite (MPH) for dental graft, which could good handling property, biodegradation or biocompatibility with the hydrogel disassembly and provided efficient cell adhesion activity and no inflammatory responses. Herein, the aim of this work was to evaluate bone formation following implantation of MPH and collagen membrane in rabbit calvarial defects. Eight male New Zealand rabbits were used and four circular calvarial defects were created on each animal. Defects were filled with different graft materials: 1) collagen membrane, 2) collagen membrane with MPH, 3) collagen membrane with bovine bone hydroxyapatite (BBH), and 4) control. The animals were sacrificed after 2 and 8 weeks of healing periods for histologic analysis. Both sites receiving MPH and BBH showed statistically increased augmented volume and new bone formation (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in new bone formation between the MPH, BBH and collagen membrane group at all healing periods. Within the limits of this study, collagen membrane with MPH was an effective material for bone formation and space maintaining in rabbit calvarial defects.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.469-483
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• 1999

Two different types of deep groundwaters occur together in the Jungwon area: $CO_2$-rich water and alkali water. Each water shows distrinct hydrogeochemical and environmental isotopic characteristics. The $CO_2$-rich waters are characterized by lower pH(6.0~6.4), higher Eh (25~85mV) and higher TDS content (up to 3,300 mg/l), whereas the alkali type waters have higher pH (9.1~9.5), lower Eh (-136~-128mV) and lower TDS content (168~254 mg/l). The CO2-rich waters ($Pco_2$=up to 1atm) were probably evolved by the local supply of deep $CO_2$ during the deep circulation, resulting in enhanced dissolution of surrounding rocks to yield high concentrations of $Ca^{2+}, Na^+, Mg^{2+}, K^+\; and \;HCO_3\;^-$ under low pH conditions. On the other hand, the alkali type waters ($Pco_2$=about 10-4.6 atm) were evolved through lesser degrees of simple wate/rock (granite) interaction under the limited suppy of $CO_2$. The alkali waters are relatively enriched in F- (up to 14mg/l), whereas the F- concentration of$CO_2$-rich water is lower (2.2~4.8 mg/l) due to the buffering by precipitation of fluorite. The oxygen-hydrogen isotopes and tritium data indicate that compared to shaltion ($\delta$18O=-9.5~-7.8$\textperthousand$),two different types fo deep groudwaters (<1.0TU)were both derived from pre-thermonuclear (more than 40 years old) meteoric waters with lighter O-H isotopic composition ($\delta$18O=-9.5~-7.8$\textperthousand$) and have evolved through prolonged water/rock interaction. The $CO_2$-rich waters also show some degrees of isotopic re-equilibration with $CO_2$ gas. The $\delta^{34}S$ values of dissolved sulfates (+24.2~+27.6$\textperthousand$) in the $CO_2$-rich waters suggest the reduction of sulfate by organic activity at depths. The carbon isotope data show that dissolved carbon in the $CO_2$-rich waters were possibly derived either from dissolution of calcite or from deep $CO_2$ gas. However, strontium isotope data indicate Ca in the $CO_2$-rich waters were derived mainly from plagioclase in granite, not from hydrothermal calcites.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.698-702
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• 2008

Purpose: Basal cell carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in the western population and the annual incidence rate is still on an increasing course. In Asian countries such as Korea, the incidence of basal cell carcinoma is reported to be remarkably low but is estimated to be in a steep increase nowadays. This study was to analyze the recent clinical trends of basal cell carcinoma in Korea by reviewing a single institution's experience. Methods: Throughout an 11-year period, the surgical excision of 143 cases of basal cell carcinoma was performed in our department. General data of these cases such as the primary site of cancer, age and sex of the patient, operative methods, recurrence rate were reviewed retrospectively. Results: Among the 143 patients included in this study, 82 patients were men and 61 patients were women. The ages ranged from 27 to 89 years with a mean age of 64.0 years. The head and neck region was the most frequently involved primary site for the cancer as 95.1% of the total cases occurred in this area. Especially the nose and perinasal area were the most frequent region, which was followed by the periorbital area, cheek, and perioral area. During this study period, 9 cases showed recurrence of the cancer as the overall recurrence rate was 6.3%. Conclusion: Gradual increase in the incidence of basal cell carcinoma was demonstrated in this study. Basal cell carcinoma showed high incidence in the old-age population as 68.5% of the total patients were more than 60 years of age. High recurrence rate was noted in the nasal region especially after local flap reconstruction. A more cautious approach is to be required when handing such high risk lesions. Multiple factors such as extended life span, increased outdoor leisure activity and exposure to sunlight, higher accessibility to medical services and increased understanding of the public about skin cancer are assumed to be the main reasons for this increase of basal cell carcinoma.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.381-389
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• 2009

Confined spaces are inherently dangerous workplace and many fatal and nonfatal accidents have been reported. Even though these accidents occur in various kinds of confined spaces, there has rarely been reported on the health hazard agent, i.e., the types of gases and their concentration ranges. Therefore in this study, we evaluated several toxic and asphyxiating gas concentrations in various confined spaces. We surveyed 57 manholes, 3 sewage treatment plants, 2 yellow radish manufacturing companies and 7 barges to measure the concentrations of oxygen($O_2$), hydrogen sulfide($H_2S$), carbon monoxide(CO), ammonia($NH_3$). Lower Explosion Limits(LEL) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Those four types of confined spaces occupies 56% of accidents during last 9 years in Korea. In 57 manholes, the concentration varied according to the types of manholes; rainfall and sewage, and by location; residential and industrial areas. Sewage manhole in industrial area was evaluated as the most hazardous than other types of manhole like rainfall manholes, residential sewage manholes. The highest $H_2S$ concentration and the lowest $O_2$ concentration at sewage manhole in industrial area were 300 ppm, 8.7% respectively. In 3 sewage treatment plants, $H_2S$ and $NH_3$ concentrations were reached up to the 500 ppm and 200 ppm respectively. Two yellow radish manufacturing companies showed the concentrations of 316 ppm, 505.2 ppm, 90 ppm and 15.7% for $H_2S$, CO, VOCs and $O_2$, respectively. Seven barges showed 15.9%~20.9% oxygen concentration. Gas species and concentration ranges varied by the types and location of confined spaces; CO, $H_2S$, $O_2$ could be hazardous in manhole, especially manhole connected to sewage plants. CO, $H_2S$, LEL, $O_2$, $NH_3$ should be controlled in sludge silo and sluge pumping confined spaces in sewage treatment plant. The activity of lifting out radish from the storage tank was evaluated more hazardous rather than the other activities in yellow radish manufacturing industry. The employers must conduct the survey to identify all possible confined spaces in their local workplace prior to performing the tasks. At the national level to reduce the accidents in the confined spaces, we suggest that systemic approach and active education program including possible hazards, standard operation procedures, ventilation plan, and personal protective equipment in confined spaces should be implemented.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.523-532
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• 2017

A field survey studying intestinal parasites in humans and microbial pathogen contamination at environment was performed in a Laotian rural village to identify potential risks for disease outbreaks. A parasitological investigation was conducted in Ban Lak Sip village, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR involving fecal samples from 305 inhabitants as well as water samples taken from 3 sites of the local stream. Water analysis indicated the presence of several enteric pathogens, i.e., Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp., E. coli H7, E. coli O157: H7, verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC), Shigella spp., and enteric adenovirus. The level of microbial pathogens contamination was associated with human activity, with greater levels of contamination found at the downstream site compared to the site at the village and upstream, respectively. Regarding intestinal parasites, the prevalence of helminth and protozoan infections were 68.9% and 27.2%, respectively. Eight helminth taxa were identified in fecal samples, i.e., 2 tapeworm species (Taenia sp. and Hymenolepis diminuta), 1 trematode (Opisthorchis sp.), and 5 nematodes (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis, trichostrongylids, and hookworms). Six species of intestinal protists were identified, i.e., Blastocystis hominis, Cyclospora spp., Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, Entamoeba coli, and Giardia lamblia. Questionnaires and interviews were also conducted to determine risk factors of infection. These analyses together with a prevailing infection level suggested that most of villagers were exposed to parasites in a similar degree due to limited socio-economic differences and sharing of similar practices. Limited access to effective public health facilities is also a significant contributing factor.