• Title/Summary/Keyword: natural background

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The use of natural remedies to treat osteoarthritis

  • Tan, Boon Hooi;Ong, Chin Eng
    • CELLMED
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.1.1-1.9
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    • 2016
  • Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading medical condition for which patients use alternative treatments including the natural remedies. The aim of this review is to describe the dietary supplements and herbal remedies most commonly used in patients with osteoarthritis with an emphasis on the efficacy and safety of these natural remedies. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, two of the molecular building blocks found in articular cartilage, are the most commonly used remedies in OA treatment. Most clinical researches suggest that glucosamine and chondroitin show efficacy in reducing or improving symptoms and their ability to arrest progression of the disease or regenerate damaged cartilage. Patented formulations of both remedies are recommended by several therapeutic guidelines for use as first line background OA treatment. Reliable evidence that the combination is more effective than either agent alone is however still lacking. Several other herbs or remedies are promoted for treating osteoarthritis such as S-adenosylmethionine, methylsulfonylmethane, Harpagophytum procumbens (devil's claw), Curcuma longa (turmeric), Zingiber officinale (ginger), and capsaicin but there is no reliable evidence on long-term efficacy or safety. The clinical usefulness of these remedies is therefore rather limited currently.

The Preference of the Environmental Sounds Suitable for Urban Public Spaces (도시 공공장소에 어울리는 환경음의 선호도 분석)

  • Jang, Gil-Soo;Shin, Hoon;Kook, Chan
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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    • 2003.05a
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    • pp.1010-1013
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    • 2003
  • It is said that the goal of the design of good acoustical environment is at first the reduction of undesirable sounds, and in addition the introduction of desirable sounds by which our minds are soothed. The task of creating the desirable sounds leads to the realization of a comfortable acoustic environment and the design of soundscape. It may be an important starting point of soundscape design to select suitable sounds for the target spaces, because each space has a different surrounding condition and requires a special ambient sound. This paper aims to survey preference of the environmental sounds suitable for the public spaces in urban areas such as parks, bus terminals. 35 kinds of natural sounds are rated by 26 pairs of adjectives. The results of psycho-acoustic experiments are as follows. 1. The proper adjectives for expressing the environmental sounds are classified into 6 groups of comfort, pleasure, fullness, variety, distinctness, naturalness. 2. Bird singing, murmuring of a stream, artificial sounds, singing of insects and animals are the affirmative order of preference. 3. Green musics consisted of music and natural sounds are preferred to the pure natural sounds. 4. Sound level relative to background noise causes various preferences to natural sounds in public spaces.

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Smart monitoring system with multi-criteria decision using a feature based computer vision technique

  • Lin, Chih-Wei;Hsu, Wen-Ko;Chiou, Dung-Jiang;Chen, Cheng-Wu;Chiang, Wei-Ling
    • Smart Structures and Systems
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    • v.15 no.6
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    • pp.1583-1600
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    • 2015
  • When natural disasters occur, including earthquakes, tsunamis, and debris flows, they are often accompanied by various types of damages such as the collapse of buildings, broken bridges and roads, and the destruction of natural scenery. Natural disaster detection and warning is an important issue which could help to reduce the incidence of serious damage to life and property as well as provide information for search and rescue afterwards. In this study, we propose a novel computer vision technique for debris flow detection which is feature-based that can be used to construct a debris flow event warning system. The landscape is composed of various elements, including trees, rocks, and buildings which are characterized by their features, shapes, positions, and colors. Unlike the traditional methods, our analysis relies on changes in the natural scenery which influence changes to the features. The "background module" and "monitoring module" procedures are designed and used to detect debris flows and construct an event warning system. The multi-criteria decision-making method used to construct an event warring system includes gradient information and the percentage of variation of the features. To prove the feasibility of the proposed method for detecting debris flows, some real cases of debris flows are analyzed. The natural environment is simulated and an event warning system is constructed to warn of debris flows. Debris flows are successfully detected using these two procedures, by analyzing the variation in the detected features and the matched feature. The feasibility of the event warning system is proven using the simulation method. Therefore, the feature based method is found to be useful for detecting debris flows and the event warning system is triggered when debris flows occur.

Expression of Anti-breast Cancer Monoclonal Antibody in Transgenic Plant

  • Kim, Deuk-Su;Shao, Yingxue;Lee, Jeong-Hwan;Yoon, Joon-Sik;Park, Se-Ra;Choo, Young-Kug;Hwang, Kyung-A;Ko, Ki-Sung
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.390-394
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    • 2011
  • BACKGROUND: Plant expression system for mass production of recombinant proteins has several advantages over other existing expression systems with economical and safety issues. Breast cancer is a cancer originating from breast tissue and comprises almost 25% of all cancers in women world widely. Lewis-Y antigen is difucosylated oligosaccharide and is carried by glycoconjugates at cancer cell surface. In this study, the anti-breast cancer mAb BR55, which recognizes the epitope Lewis-Y, was expressed in the plant expression system. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have developed plant system for production of mAb BR55 with or without KDEL (the ER retention signal). This ER retention signal was attached to C-terminus of protein to help retain the recombinant glycoprotein carrying oligomannose glycans and enhance glycoprotein accumulation. PCR analysis was performed and confirmed the presence of recombinant genes. Western blot validated that the recombinant proteins mAb BR55 with or without KDEL were expressed in transgenic plants, moreover, the expression level of the mAb BR55 with KDEL was higher compared to the mAb BR55 without KDEL. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that KDEL fusion is a good way to produce proteins and plant can be an ideal expression system to obtain proteins and enhance accumulation of proteins.

Radiotoxicity flux and concentration as complementary safety indicators for the safety assessment of a rock-cavern type LILW repository

  • Jo, Yongheum;Han, Sol-Chan;Ok, Soon-Il;Choi, Seonggyu;Yun, Jong-Il
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.50 no.8
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    • pp.1324-1329
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    • 2018
  • This study presents a practical application of complementary safety indicators, which can be applied in a safety assessment of a radioactive waste repository by excluding a biosphere simulation and comparing the artificial radiation originating from the repository with the background natural radiation. Complementary safety indicators (radiotoxicity flux from geosphere and radiotoxicity concentration in seawater) were applied in the safety assessment of a rock-cavern type low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) repository in the Republic of Korea. The natural radionuclide ($^{40}K$, $^{226,228}Ra$, $^{232}Th$, and $^{234,235,238}U$) concentrations in the groundwater and seawater at the Gyeongju LILW repository site were measured. Based on the analyzed concentrations of natural radionuclides, the levels of natural radiation were determined to be $8.6{\times}10^{-5}$ - $8.0{\times}10^{-4}Sv/m^2/yr$ and $6.95{\times}10^{-5}Sv/m^3$ for radiotoxicity flux from the geosphere and radiotoxicity concentration in seawater, respectively. From simulation results obtained using a Goldsim-based safety assessment model, it was determined that the radiotoxicity of radionuclides released from the repository is lower than that of the natural radionuclides inherently present in the natural waters. The applicability of the complementary safety indicators to the safety case was discussed with regard to reduction of the uncertainty associated with biosphere simulations, and communication with the public.

Biomass partitioning and physiological responses of four Moroccan barley varieties subjected to salt stress in a hydroponic system

  • Said Bouhraoua;Mohamed Ferioun;Srhiouar Nassira;Abdelali Boussakouran;Mohamed Akhazzane ;Douae Belahcen;Khalil Hammani;Said Louahlia
    • Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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    • v.50
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    • pp.115-126
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    • 2023
  • A hydroponics experiment was performed to study the physiological and biochemical changes in Moroccan barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties cultivated under salt stress conditions. Four barley varieties were grown under exposure to three salt concentrations, including 0, 200, and 300 mM NaCl. The ANOVA for both salt stress-sensitive and resistant varieties indicated that salt treatment represented the main source of variability in all studied traits. Salt treatment significantly reduced root and shoot dry weight (RDW and SDW), relative water content (RWC), and chlorophyll content (Chl a, Chl b, and Chl T). However, increases in electrolyte leakage (EL) along with proline and total soluble sugar (TSS) contents were recorded. In addition, large variations in all measured traits were found between varieties. The 'Massine' and 'Laanaceur' varieties displayed relatively higher RDW and SDW values. The 'Amira' and 'Adrar' varieties showed lower RWC values and Chl contents than those of the controls indicating their relative sensitivity to salt stress. Principal component analysis revealed that most of the variation was captured by PC1 (72% of the total variance) which grouped samples into three categories according to salt treatment. Correlation analyses highlighted significant associations between most parameters. Positive relationships were found between RDW, SDW, RWC, Chl content, and soluble proteins contents, while all of these parameters were negatively associated with EL intensity, proline content, and TSS content. The results from this study showed that the 'Massine' and 'Laanaceur' varieties were relatively salt-tolerant. These two salt-tolerant varieties present a good genetic background for breeding of barley varieties showing high salt tolerance.

A Study on the Creating and Prosperity Process of the Siheyuan in China (중국 사합원의 생성과 발전과정에 관한 연구)

  • Choi, Jang-Soon
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.112-120
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    • 2005
  • The object of this study is one of the traditional houses about Siheyuan(courtyard house) which is one of the most remarkable types of dwelling in China. The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyse the formation process of the Siheyuan. Its organizational formation process are based on historical and natural-geographical background. With the passage of time this house developed into one of the Chinese house style. The technique of Siheyuan's spatial composition goes so far back in the New Stone Age. The relics of this are the colony layout, the system of four sides, the layout type of a palace, the picture of lacquered ware, the picture of brick, the earthenware of house type, the painting of cave, the paintings of painters and others.

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Epistemoligical and psychological foundation for computer mathematics education (컴퓨터 수학교육론의 인식론적, 심리학적 기초)

  • 류희찬;조완영
    • Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.621-634
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    • 1998
  • Emthusiasm about the introduction of computers into mathematics education is widespred. But, the perspectives about the relationship between mathematics education and computer are diverse. The purpose of this study is to examine theoretical background for using computers in mathematics education. In spite of the pedagogical possibilities of computers. only a small minority of mathematics teachers are using computers in mathematics classroom. It is natural to seek this obstacles within theoretical background of the teachers who manage computers, In this study, We discuss the problems in the two sides. First, due to increased computer activity, relationship of mathematics in school with mathematics in society is changing. It is tension between academic mathematics and practical mathematics. School mathematics have to be changed toward stressing practical mathematics. Second problem is the dialectical relationship between the individual and the collective. While maintaining a respect for the individuality of student contributions. We take into account the social dimension of mathematical meaning-making. We discussed theoretical clarification of work collaborative learning. We propose the case study for the roles of computer in collaborative mathematics learning.

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우리나라 토양의 중금속 배경농도 및 특성 조사

  • Kim Dong-Ho;Kim Tae-Seung;Yun Jeong-Gi;Jeon Seong-Hwan;Jeong Il-Rok;Kim Jong-Ha
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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    • 2005.04a
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    • pp.6-8
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    • 2005
  • The forest soils of 92 sites in Korea were analyzed to survey heavy metal background levels using aqua regia digestion method and 0.1N HCl extraction method. From these results, the average natural contents of heavy metals were Cd 0.287, Cu 15.26, Pb 18.43, Cr 25.36, Zn 54.27, Ni 17.68mg/kg for aqua regia method, and Cd 0.040, Cu 0.48, Pb 3.06, Cr 0.09, Zn 1.54, Ni 0.27mg/kg for 0.1N HCl extraction method. The range of correlation coefficients between heavy metal contents obtained from two methods(aqua regia and 0.1N HCl) was significant as $0.24{\sim}0.88$, and the correlation coefficients were decreased in order of Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, Zn.

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Text Extraction Algorithm in Complex Images using Adaptive Edge detection (복잡한 영상에서 적응적 에지검출을 이용한 텍스트 추출 알고리즘 연구)

  • Shin, Seong;Kim, Sung-Dong;Baek, Young-Hyun;Moon, Sung-Ryong
    • Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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    • 2007.07a
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    • pp.251-252
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    • 2007
  • The thesis proposed the Text Extraction Algorithm which is a text extraction algorithm which uses the Coiflet Wavelet, YCbCr Color model and the close curve edge feature of adaptive LoG Operator in order to complement the demerit of the existing research which is weak in complexity of background, variety of light and disordered line and similarity of text and background color. This thesis is simulated with natural images which include naturally text area regardless of size, resolution and slant and so on of image. And the proposed algorithm is confirmed to an excellent by compared with an existing extraction algorithm in same image.

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