• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.519-526
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• 2023

Panax ginseng is one of the most important herbal medicinal plants consumed as health functional food and can be fermented to achieve better efficacy. Lacticaseibacillus, one of the representative genera among lactic acid bacteria (LAB), has also been used as a probiotic material for health functional foods due to its beneficial effects on the human body. To achieve a synergistic effect by using these excellent dietary supplement ingredients together, a novel LAB strain was isolated from the root of 6-year-old ginseng. Through similarity analysis of 16S rRNAs and whole-genome sequences, the strain was confirmed as belonging to the genus Lacticaseibacillus and was named L. casei KGC1201. KGC1201 not only met all safety standards as food, but also showed excellent probiotic properties such as acid resistance, bile salt resistance, and intestinal adhesion. In particular, KGC1201 exhibited superior acid resistance through morphological observation identifying that the cell surface damage of KGC1201 was less than that of the L. casei type strain KCTC3109. Gene expression studies were conducted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of KGC1201's acid resistance, and the expression of the glycosyltransferase gene was found to be significantly elevated under acidic conditions. Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) biosynthesized by glycosyltransferase were also increased in KGC1201 compared to KCTC3109, which may contribute to better protection of KGC1201 cells from strong acidity. Therefore, KGC1201, with its increased acid resistance through molecular mechanisms and excellent probiotic properties, can be used in health functional foods to provide greater benefit to overall human health and well-being.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.69-85
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• 2024

Objectives : By analyzing articles on xerostomia and burning mouth syndrome, two representative diseases that cause various symptoms in oral cavity. Methods : We analyzed articles by dividing them into review articles, original articles, case reports. The subjects were 11 articles on xerostomia and 13 articles on burning mouth syndrome published in Korean medical journals. Results : 1. The subjects were 11 articles on xerostomia and 13 articles on burning mouth syndrome published in Korean medical journals. 2. The first article was published in 2007 and the most published articles were three each in 2013, 2018 and 2022. 3. Classification by type of article was as follows: 2 review articles(8.3%), 16 original articles(66.7%) and 6 case reports(25.0%). 4. The journal with the most published articles was journal of internal Korean medicine and the topics were xerostomia(72.7%), burning mouth syndrome(76.9%). 5. For both diseases, the number of female patients was higher than that of male patients. 6. The main symptom of xerostomia is dryness in the mouth and the main symptom of burning mouth syndrome is pain in the oral cavity. 7. Questionnaires, diagnosis based on dialectics and diagnostic devices were used to diagnose xerostomia and burning mouth syndrome. Conclusion : Diagnosis of xerostomia and burning mouth syndrome require overall consideration the entire hum an body along with the oral cavity. Since there are many different diagnostic methods, appropriate methods must be carefully selected and used.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.277-286
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• 2023

Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii, is a representative bony fish that belongs to the family Scorpaenidae and the order Scorpaeniformes. It has high ecological and economic value and is widely cultivated in many East Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan and China. One of streptococci, Streptococcus iniae, is Gram-positive cocci with a negative reaction for catalase and oxidase. The Korean rockfish shows clinical signs when infected with S. iniae, such as body darkening, bleeding, enlarged kidneys, blurred eyes, abdominal distension, etc., ultimately leading to death. The Korean rockfish causes significant economic losses every year in South Korea due to streptococcosis. In this study, we identified bacteria from the fish using polymerase chain reaction and conducted analyses of hemolytic activity and biochemical tests using API 20 STREP and API ZYM systems. Results of confirming the hemolytic activity (n=4) observed in alpha-type hemolysis (25%), beta-type hemol- ysis (50%), and gamma-type hemolysis (25%) of isolates. The biochemical test results exhibited sig- nificant variation among S. iniae. Additionally, we performed intraperitoneal injection with S. iniae in the fish and analyzed the phylogenetic tree using housekeeping genes of S. iniae, including cpsD, arcC, glnA, groEL, gyrB, mutS, pheT, prkC, rpoB, and tkt, via multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The lethal dose (LD₅₀) showed strong pathogenicity, such as 3.34 × 10 colony-forming unit (CFU)/ml for 23FBStr0601 strain and 7.16 × 10 CFU/ml for 23FBStr0602 strain. 23FBStr0603 strain showed relatively low pathogenicity at 1.73 × 10⁵ CFU/ml. The strains 23FBStr0601 and 23FBStr0602, which showed strong pathogenicity, clustered into one monophyletic group. The 23FBStr0603 strain showed weak pathogenicity and formed a monophyletic group with KCTC 3657.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2002

Cocoon production, which is a representative of traditional sericulture shifted into silkworm powder production in the spring of 1995. This, infect, signifies the change from the dress-centered textile business to the bio-industry and the functional resource industry. One of the most outstanding shifting is utilization of silkworm larvae for anti-diabetic agent. In Asian countries including Korea, silkworm powder derived from the domestic silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) has long been favored for anti-diabetic agent, but its efficacy was not tested until last decade by modern scientific methods. In this article, we reviewed the major researches on the silkworm powder as a blood glucose-lowering substance. After the beginning test of the efficacy of silkworm powder by a cooperative research between Department of Sericulture and Entomlogy, NIAST, RDA and Kyung Hee University, substantial data have been accumulated so far, In a serial experiment to select best condition, the fifth instar larvae prepared by freeze dry method turned out to have the best blood glucose-lowering effect. In the pharmacological experiment to understand the mechanism of silkworm powder in small intestine, the silkworm powder turned out to inhibit the activity of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, by competitively binding to $\alpha$-type disaccharides. The animal experiment showed that the extract of silkworm powder prevents a rapid increase of blood glucose level after meal and prevents hunger and law blood glucose level during empty stomach. In the experiment to isolate the major component of silkworm powder, which exerts blood glucose-lowering effect, 1-deoxynojirimy-cin (DNJ) was eventually mass-purified, and it turned out that DNJ isolated from silkworm powder was excellent in its blood glucose-lowering effect. In the experiment to understand the personal difference of the efficacy of the silkworm powder, clinical candidates were divided on the basis of the criterion of traditional Chinese medicine: Tae-Yang, Tae-Um, So-yang, and So-Um. The result showed that silkworm powder has a tendency to reduce blood glucose level at fasting and at 2 hours after meal, and this trend was somewhat obvious in the Tae-Um body type. In summary, we reviewed scientific papers on the efficacy of silkworm powder and its purified DNJ as a blood glucose-lowering agent. These suggest that silkworm powder truly possesses blood glucose-lowering effect as documented in the traditional Chinese medicine, although further researches will be required to develop them as "medical" resource instead of functional food.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.233-257
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• 2023

Asbestos minerals are found at rocks and soils of the Hongseong and Bibong serpentine mines, western part of Chungnam. The area consists of and metasediment, and Mesozoic igneous intrusives with minor age-known gneiss complexes and Mesozoic sediments. With detailed geological investigations, rock samples for the serpentinite and amphibolite areas are collected at sites containing asbestos. Representative asbestos and rock samples are analysed by PLM, XRD, SEM and EPMA. Serpentinites are found as steeply dipping faults with adjacent gneiss complex to the NNE direction. Repeated alteration, including serpenitization and talcification, is found at the emplacement direction for the serpentinite body. Amphibollites occur as intrusives and stratiforms within the Precambrian gneiss complex. Serpentinite and amphibolite (or amphibole schist) contain amphiboles either as asbestiform or non-asbestiform. Varying amounts of asbestos minerals, including chrysotile, tremolite asbestos and actinolite asbestos, are found within the serpentinites. The asbestos minerals are found near the cracks or fractures and along the bedding plane. They occur as cross fiber, slip fiber and mass fiber types. Varying amounts of amphibole asbestos minerals, such as tremolite and actinolite asbestos, are found within amphibolites and as a mass fiber type. Overall results suggest that rocks of the serpentine mines contain serpentine and amphibole type asbestos minerals originated from the hydrothermal alteration. Considering construction nearby the mines and environmental risks by the asbestos, additional land management plans are required.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.773-795
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• 2008

The major import minerals of South Korea are copper ore, lead-zinc ore, iron ore, manganese ore and molybdenum ore. Oversea resources development of South Korea have 92 projects in 14 nations of Asia, 29 projects in 10 nations of America and Europe, and 14 projects in 9 nations of Middle Asia and Africa. But, most projects of them are found in Australia, China, Mongolia and Indonesia. The most projects of the Australia, China and Indonesia are interested in coal and a little projects of them have manganese, iron, lead-zinc, nickel, copper, gold, molybdenum, rare earth elements and uranium. The most projects of the Mongolia are interested in gold and rare earth elements. Representative ore deposits models of metal resources are Orogenic lode deposits, Volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits, Porphyry deposits, Sedimentary exhalative deposits, Mississippi valley type deposits, Iron oxide copper-gold deposits and Magmatic nickel-copper-platinum group element deposits based on global distribution, reverses and grades of their deposits models. If oversea mineral resources will be examined the mineral reserves, mineral mine production and ore deposits models of nations and then survey and investigate of mineral resources, we may be maintained ore body of high grade at survey area and decrease the investment risk.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.767-785
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• 2021

World-class magnesite deposits are developed in the Dashiqiao mineralized district of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt in China. This belt extends to the northern side of the Korean Peninsula and hosts major magnesite deposits in the Dancheon region of North Korea. Magnesite ores from the Pailou deposits in the Dashiqiao district is classified into pure magnetite, chlorite-magnetite, chlorite-talc-magnetite, and dolomite groups depending on the constituent minerals. According to the result of petrographic study, magnesite was formed by the alteration of dolomite, and, talc, chlorite, and apatite were produced as late-stage alteration minerals that replaced the magnesite. Fluid inclusions observed in magnesite are a liquid-type inclusion, with a homogenization temperature of 121-250 ℃ and a salinity of 1.7-22.4 wt% NaCl equiv. The chlorite geothermometer, indicating the temperature of hydrothermal alteration, is 137~293 ℃, slightly higher than the homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions, and the pressure is calculated to be less than 3.2 kb. For magnesite mineralization in the study area, the initially formed-dolomite was subjected to replacement by Mg-rich fluid to form a magnesite ore body, and then it was enriched through regional metamorphism and hydrothermal alteration. It seems that altered minerals such as talc were crystallized by Si and Al-rich late-stage hydrothermal fluids. These results are similar to the genetic environments of the Daeheung deposit, a representative magnesite deposit in North Korea, and it is believed that the two deposits went through a similar geological and ore genetic process of magnesite mineralization.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2003

Because the MIRD phantom, the representative mathematical phantom was developed for the calculation of internal radiation dose, and simulated by the simplified mathematical equations for rapid computation, the appropriateness of application to external dose calculation and the closeness to real human body should be justified. This study was intended to modify the MIRD phantom according to the comparison of the organ absorbed doses in the two phantoms exposed to monoenergetic broad parallel photon beams of the energy between 0.05 MeV and 10 MeV. The organ absorbed doses of the MIRD phantom and the Zubal yokel phantom were calculated for AP and PA geometries by MCNP4C, general-purpose Monte Carlo code. The MIRD phantom received higher doses than the Zubal phantom for both AP and PA geometries. Effective dose in PA geometry for 0.05 MeV photon beams showed the difference up to 50%. Anatomical axial views of the two phantoms revealed the thinner trunk thickness of the MIRD phantom than that of the Zubal phantom. To find out the optimal thickness of trunk, the difference of effective doses for 0.5 MeV photon beams for various trunk thickness of the MIRD phantom from 20 cm to 36 cm were compared. The optimal thunk thickness, 24 cm and 28 cm for AP and PA geometries, respectively, showed the minimum difference of effective doses between the two phantoms. The trunk model of the MIRD phantom was modified and the organ doses were recalculated using the modified MIRD phantom. The differences of effective dose for AP and PA geometries reduced to 7.3% and the overestimation of organ doses decreased, too. Because MIRD-type phantoms are easier to be adopted in Monte Carlo calculations and to standardize, the modifications of the MIRD phantom allow us to hold the advantage of MIRD-type phantoms over a voxel phantom and alleviate the anatomical difference and consequent disagreement in dose calculation.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.553-564
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• 2012

Tangible user interfaces have been developed in the area of Human-Computer Interaction for the last decades, however, the applied domains recently have been extended into the product design and interactive art. Tangible User Interfaces are the combination of digital information and physical objects or environments, thus they provide tangible and intuitive interaction as input and output devices, often combined with Augmented Reality. The research developed a design guideline for tangible user interfaces based on key properties of tangible user interfaces defined previously in five representative research: Tangible Interaction, Intuitiveness and Convenience, Expressive Representation, Context-aware and Spatial Interaction, and Social Interaction. Using the guideline emphasizing user interaction, this research evaluated installation in a science museum in terms of the applied characteristics of tangible user interfaces. The selected 15 installations which were evaluated are to educate visitors for science by emphasizing manipulation and experience of interfaces in those installations. According to the input devices, they are categorized into four Types. TUI properties in Type 3 installation, which uses body motions for interaction, shows the highest score, where items for context-aware and spatial interaction were highly rated. The context-aware and spatial interaction have been recently emphasized as extended properties of tangible user interfaces. The major type of installation in the science museum is equipped with buttons and joysticks for physical manipulation, thus multimodal interfaces utilizing visual, aural, tactile senses etc need to be developed to provide more innovative interaction. Further, more installation need to be reconfigurable for embodied interaction between users and the interactive space. The proposed design guideline can specify the characteristics of tangible user interfaces, thus this research can be a basis for the development and application of installation involving more TUI properties in future.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.16-31
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• 2003

The granites in the southern Gimcheon area can be divided into two parts, marginal hornblende biotite granodiorite (Mgd) and central biotite granodiorite to granite (Cgd). Mgd and Cgd are gray in color and display gradational contact relations and are mainly composed of coarse-grained and medium-grained rocks, respectively. Mgd has more frequent and larger mafic enclaves than Cgd, and the two granites partly show parallel foliation at thire contact with gneisses. From representative samples of the granites, K-Ar biotite ages of 197∼207 Ma were obtained. Considering the blocking temperature of biotite, it is suggested that the emplacement age of the granitic magma was probably late Triassic. The anorthite contents of plagioclases in Mgd display less variation than those of Cgd, indicating that Mgd crystallized within a narrow range of temperatures. In the Al$\_$total/-Mg diagram, the biotites from the granites plot within the subalkaline field, and the smooth slope indicates differentiation from a single magma. All amphiboles from the granites belong to magnesio-hornblende. The linear trends of major oxides, AFM and Ba-Sr-Rb indicate that Mgd and Cgd were fractionally differentiated from a single granitic magma body crystallizing from the margin inwards. The relations of modal (Qz+Af) vs. Op, K$_2$O vs. Na$_2$O, Fe$_2$ $O_3$ vs. FeO, Fe$\^$+3/(Fe$\^$+3/+Fe$\^$+2/) and K/Rb vs. Rb/Sr show that they belong to I-type and magnetite-series granitic rocks developed by the progressive melting products of fixed sources. REE data, normalized to chondrite value, have trends of enriched LREE and depleted HREE together with weakly negative Eu anomalies.