• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.127-147
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• 2020

The world is suffering from numerous human and economic losses due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The Korean government established a strategy to overcome the national infectious disease crisis through research and development. It is difficult to find distinctive features and changes in a specific R&D field when using the existing technical classification or science and technology standard classification. Recently, a few studies have been conducted to establish a classification system to provide information about the investment research areas of infectious diseases in Korea through a comparative analysis of Korea government-funded research projects. However, these studies did not provide the necessary information for establishing cooperative research strategies among countries in the infectious diseases, which is required as an execution plan to achieve the goals of national health security and fostering new growth industries. Therefore, it is inevitable to study information services based on the classification system and classification model for establishing a national collaborative R&D strategy. Seven classification - Diagnosis_biomarker, Drug_discovery, Epidemiology, Evaluation_validation, Mechanism_signaling pathway, Prediction, and Vaccine_therapeutic antibody - systems were derived through reviewing infectious diseases-related national-funded research projects of South Korea. A classification system model was trained by combining Scopus data with a bidirectional RNN model. The classification performance of the final model secured robustness with an accuracy of over 90%. In order to conduct the empirical study, an infectious disease classification system was applied to the coronavirus-related research and development projects of major countries such as the STAR Metrics (National Institutes of Health) and NSF (National Science Foundation) of the United States(US), the CORDIS (Community Research & Development Information Service)of the European Union(EU), and the KAKEN (Database of Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research) of Japan. It can be seen that the research and development trends of infectious diseases (coronavirus) in major countries are mostly concentrated in the prediction that deals with predicting success for clinical trials at the new drug development stage or predicting toxicity that causes side effects. The intriguing result is that for all of these nations, the portion of national investment in the vaccine_therapeutic antibody, which is recognized as an area of research and development aimed at the development of vaccines and treatments, was also very small (5.1%). It indirectly explained the reason of the poor development of vaccines and treatments. Based on the result of examining the investment status of coronavirus-related research projects through comparative analysis by country, it was found that the US and Japan are relatively evenly investing in all infectious diseases-related research areas, while Europe has relatively large investments in specific research areas such as diagnosis_biomarker. Moreover, the information on major coronavirus-related research organizations in major countries was provided by the classification system, thereby allowing establishing an international collaborative R&D projects.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

Objectives: This study is to confirm the effect of combined extract and individual extract of Samjunghwan (SJH) in anti-oxidative and anti-obesity effect. Methods: Combined ethanol extract of readily made SJH and individual ethanol extract of Atractylodes japonica, Cortex lycii radicis, and Morus alba Linne was combined after the extraction. To evaluate the anti-oxidative effect of SJH, total phenol compound and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging ability were conducted. Real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction analysis of transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptror ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-${\alpha}1$, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ ($TNF{\alpha}$) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reducatase (HMG-CoA reductase) were done with 3T3-L1 cells to investigate the ant-obesity effect. Also, cell viability analysis were done to see to toxicity of SJH. Results: Individual extract of SJH showed significant decrease in $TNF{\alpha}$ and AMPK transcription while $PPAR{\gamma}$ showed significant increase. Combined extract and individual extract of SJH both showed decrease in HMG-CoA reductase. DPPH free radical scavenging ability and total phenol compound was analogous between two groups. Conclusions: Individual extract of SJH appears to be more effective in anti-oxidation and anti-obesity effect compared to combined extract of SJH.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.286-294
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of applying density current generator (hereafter referred to as DCG to large lakes on the operating conditions of DCG, de-stratification, water quality improvement and inhibition of algae occurrence. As a result of a survey conducted to derive the optimum operating parameters of DCG in a condition to minimize eco-toxicity, the following conclusions were obtained. During the survey period, a marked stratification appeared in September to October 2011 and May 2012. At this time, the average depth of water to form thermocline was found to be $5{\pm}2$ m, so the location of discharge port for the operation of DCG was determined to be about 5 m below from the surface. To minimize the adverse effects of benthos and obtain the effect of water mixture at the time of water circulation, the mixing ratio of surface water and deep water was designed to be 3:1 by means of ecotoxicological assessment on the DCG operating characteristics. To select the appropriate operating hours for DCG, DCG was operated by 12 hr, 24 hr, 36 hr and 48 hr. As its result, the formation of thermocline did not occur during the operation of 36 hr. Also, It was effected that start reoperating from 3rd day after stop 2days under the condition of operated during 36 hr with calculated power consumption. Under the above conditions, the results of DO and water temperature analysis during the operation of DCG showed that the stratification, which was distinct previously, appeared to be weak, and relatively lower levels than those before operation were found as a result of water quality analysis on COD and chlorophyll-a, which leads to the conclusion that the water body is maintained at a stable condition due to the circulation of water by the occurrence of density current resulting from the operation of DCG.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.149-159
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• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the results and prognostic factors for postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy in patients at stages I and II of endometrial cancer. Materials and Methods: Between January 1991 and December 2006, 35 patients with FIGO stages I and II disease, who received adjuvant radiation therapy following surgery for endometrial cancer at Ewha Womans University Hospital, were enrolled in this study. A total of 17 patients received postoperative pelvic external beam radiation therapy; whereas, 12 patients received vaginal brachytherapy alone, and 6 patients received both pelvic radiation therapy and vaginal brachytherapy. Results: The median follow-up period for all patients was 54 months. The 5-yr overall survival and disease-free survival rates for all patients were 91.4% and 81.7%, respectively. The 5-yr overall survival rates for low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 100%, 100% and 55.6%, respectively. In addition, the 5-yr disease-free survival rates were 100%, 70.0%, and 45.7%, respectively. Although no locoregional relapses were identified, distant metastases were observed in 5 patients (14%). The most common site of distant metastases was the lung, followed by bone, liver, adrenal gland, and peritoneum. A univariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between distant metastases and risk-group (p=0.018), pathology type (p=0.001), and grade (p=0.019). A multivariate analysis also revealed that distant metastases were correlated with pathology type (p=0.009). Papillary, serous and clear cell carcinoma cases demonstrated a poor patient survival rate compared to cases of endometrioid adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma. The most common complication of pelvic external beam radiation therapy was enteritis (30%), followed by proctitis, leucopenia, and lymphedema. All these complications were of RTOG grades 1 and 2; no grades 3 and 4 were observed. Conclusion: For the low-risk and intermediate-risk groups (stages 1 and 2) endometrial cancer, pelvic control, and overall survival rate was free of severe toxicity when pelvic radiation therapy or vaginal brachytherapy was performed. In the high-risk group, pelvic control rate was excellent, but the survival rate was poor due to distant metastases, in spite of the pelvic radiation therapy. The combined modality of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is recommended for high-risk groups. For the intermediate-risk group, a prospective randomized study is required to compare the efficacy between whole pelvic radiation therapy and vaginal brachytherapy.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.229-241
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• 2008

Changes of growth and histopathological feature in the mantle structure of the equilateral venus, Gomphina veneriformis exposed to tribultyltin chloride (TBTCl) for 36 weeks were observed. Concentrations of TBTCl were 0, 0.4, 0.6, and $0.8{\mu}g/L$. A regression analysis by power function of SPSS was shown that the growth of experimental groups was significantly decreased after 12 weeks of exposure. For histological analysis, mantle tissues were characterized using H-E stain, AB-PAS (pH 2.5) reaction and Masson's trichrome stain, and epidermal layer thickness and mucous cell distribution were analysed using the image analyser. The mantle had 4-folds (inner-inner, inner-outer, middle, and outer) and its epidermal layer consisted of simple epithlia. A periostracum was observed in the periostracal groove between middle and outer fold. Inner epidermal layer consisted of simple ciliated columnar epithelia, but the outer epidermal layer consisted of simple non-ciliated columnar epithelia. Alcian blue positive mucous cells showed blue color (7462c, 653c) in the inner fold, violet color (2583c) in the middle fold, and blue color (647c, 7455c) in inner epidermal layer (numbers in the parenthesis are codes of Pantone process coated color). Hemolymph sinus in the mantle was extended, and mucous cells in inner plica of the middle fold were stained as blue (7455c) and violet (2587c), after 12 weeks of TBTCI exposure. Cilia and striated border were disappeared, and number of mucous cells in the inner epidermal layer was reduced. Serious histopathological changes in middle and outer fold near the periostracum were observed after 36 weeks. Moreover, epidermal layer thickness and mucous cell distribution were showed decreasing tendency as exposure time to TBTCI was increased. Results of this study suggested that TBTCl induced growth disorder with histopathological changes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.1847-1855
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• 2015

Supercritical carbon dioxide ($SC-CO_2$) treatment has been becoming an important method for substituting the use of organic solvents for samples extraction prior to analysis due to its low toxicity, ease of handling, low cost of disposal etc. Freeze-dried bovine liver was treated with $SC-CO_2$ under different pressures (200, 300, and 450 bar) in order to investigate effects on physicochemical properties and reduction of microbial load. The yield of lipid extraction from bovine liver by $SC-CO_2$ treatment increased with increasing pressure, with values of 84, 86, and 90% in response to 200, 300, and 450 bar, respectively. Results of high performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that vitamin A and coenzyme $Q_{10}$ ($CoQ_{10}$), which is soluble in lipid, were almost removed from bovine liver by $SC-CO_2$ treatment. Saturated fatty acids ratio of bovine liver decreased with increasing pressure, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids increased with increasing pressure. Total content of amino acids in bovine liver treated by $SC-CO_2$ was less than that of the control sample without treatment. The number of aerobic bacteria in bovine liver, which was stored at $5^{\circ}C$ for 5 days and freeze-dried, decreased from 6.2 to 4.2 log CFU/g by $SC-CO_2$ treatment at 100 bar for 3 h. Interestingly, coliform bacteria were not found in the bovine liver sample by $SC-CO_2$ at 100 bar for 3 h under all storage conditions. This indicates that $SC-CO_2$ treatment can effectively reduce coliform bacteria in the food matrix even at low moisture. In conclusion, freeze-dried bovine liver by proper $SC-CO_2$ treatment may be used as a potential high protein source, with increasing microbial safety and stability of lipid oxidation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.989-996
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• 2005

Ultraviolet (UV) induces photo aging, erythema, sunburn, photo-toxicity, photo-allergy, and skin tumor, To investigate photo-protective effects of AmorePacific Beauty-03 (APB-03; mixture of red ginseng extract powder and soybean extract powder) on UV-induced damaged skins, 40 SKH hairless female mice were orally administered APB-03 or saline five times a week and irradiated with UV three times per week far up to 12 weeks. Visible skin changes and skin damage in dermis and epidermis by replica image analysis and histological analysis. In APB-03-treated group, better skin, negative replica appearance and less wrinkle formation were observed compared to the UV control group. These results demonstrate oral administration of APB-03 have photo-protective effects on UV-damaged hairless mouse skin.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.127-135
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• 2001

Purpose : This study is a prospective randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy and complication of anti-emetic drugs for prevention of nausea and vomiting after radiotherapy which has moderate emetogenic potential. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the anti-emetic efficacy of ondansetron $(Zofran^{\circledR})$ 8 mg bid dose (Group O) is better than the efficacy of metoclopramide 5 mg lid dose (Group M) in patients undergoing fractionated radiotherapy to the abdominal region. Materials and Methods : Study entry was restricted to those patients who met the following eligibility criteria: histologically confirmed malignant disease; no distant metastasis; performance status of not more than ECOG grade 2; no previous chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Between March 1997 and February 1998, 60 patients enrolled in this study. All patients signed a written statement of informed consent prior to enrollment. Blinding was maintained by dosing identical number of tablets including one dose of matching placebo for Group O. The extent of nausea, appetite loss, and the number of emetic episodes were recorded everyday using diary card. The mean score of nausea, appetite loss and the mean number of emetic episodes were obtained in a weekly interval. Results : Prescription error occurred in one patient. And diary cards have not returned in 3 patients due to premature refusal of treatment. Card from one patient was excluded from the analysis because she had a history of treatment for neurosis. As a result, the analysis consisted of 55 patients. Patient characteristics and radiotherapy characteristics were similar except mean age was $52.9{\pm}11.2$ in group M, $46.5{\pm}9.5$ in group O. The difference of age was statistically significant. The mean score of nausea, appetite loss and emetic episodes in a weekly interval was higher in group M than O. In group M, the symptoms were most significant at 5th week. In a panel data analysis using mixed procedure, treatment group was only significant factor detecting the difference of weekly score for all three symptoms. Ondansetron $(Zofran^{\circledR})$ 8 mg bid dose and metoclopramide 5 mg lid dose were well tolerated without significant side effects. There were no clinically important changes In vital signs or clinical laboratory parameters with either drug. Conclusion : Concerning the fact that patients with younger age have higher emetogenic potential, there are possibilities that age difference between two treatment groups lowered the statistical power of analysis. There were significant difference favoring ondansetron group with respect to the severity of nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. We concluded that ondansetron is more effective anti-emetic agents in the control of radiotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite without significant toxicity, compared with commonly used drug, i.e., metoclopramide. However, there were patients suffering emesis despite the administration of ondansetron. The possible strategies to improve the prevention and the treatment of radiotherapy-induced emesis must be further studied.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.345-351
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• 2006

This study investigates the toxic effects of $Cd^{2+}$on frog (Rana dybowskii) by the determination of oocyte maturation and development of embryo exposure to different concentrations of the toxicant. The results show that $Cd^{2+}$ concentration of 0.1ppm suppressed the maturation of the oocytes. To examine the reversibility of the inhibitory effects, the oocytes were exposed to the $Cd^{2+}$ only for 3 hours, and then transferred to plain medium and cultured further for 17 hours. The oocytes were recovered from the toxic effect of the $Cd^{2+}$ when they were exposed to 1ppm, but not to 2.5ppm of the $Cd^{2+}$. The development of 2 cell embryos to 32 cell was completely suppressed at 0.1ppm and the longer the embryos were exposed to the $Cd^{2+}$, the more damage appeared to the embryos and the cytolysis of the 32 cell was induced by $Cd^{2+}$ at 0.1ppm. On the other hand, the embryos of blastula stage were cultured 96 hours in presence of the $Cd^{2+}$ at various concentrations and were examined. The rates of mortality and malformed larvae were investigated by probit analysis. From the results of LC$_{50}$ of 0.1ppm and EC$_{50}$ of 0.08ppm, Tl of 5.0 was derived, which indicates $Cd^{2+}$ is to be considered a teratogenic compound. Such specific malformations occurred in 14.3% as spine deformations at the 0.05ppm, in 75.0% as tail deformations at the 0.1ppm, in 66.7% as abdominal deformations at the 0.01ppm and in 26.0% as profound deformations at the 0.1ppm of $Cd^{2+}$ concentration which living embryos were exposed to. $Cd^{2+}$ suppressed growth to head-tail length at 0.1ppm. In conclusion, The study results reveal that $Cd^{2+}$ must be considered highly toxic effect to oocyte maturation and embryonic development.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2015

Stabilization of heavy metals such as Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu was evaluated in contaminated soil treated with poultry manure (PM) as well as its biochars pyrolyzed at $300^{\circ}C$ (PBC300) and $700^{\circ}C$ (PBC700) at the application rates of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 wt% along with the control, prior to 21-days incubation. After incubation, soil pH was increased from 6.94 (control) to 7.51, 7.24, and 7.88 in soils treated with PM 10 wt%, PBC300 10 wt%, and PBC700 10 wt% treatments, respectively, mainly due to alkalinity of treatments. In the soil treated with PM, the concentrations of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP)-extractable Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu were increased by up to 408, 77, 24, and 955%, respectively, compared to the control. These increases may possibly be associated with an increased dissolved organic carbon concentration by the PM addition. However, in the soil treated with PBC700, TCLP-extractable Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu concentrations were reduced by up to 23, 38, 52, and 36%, respectively, compared to the control. Thermodynamic modelling using the visual MINTEQ was done to predict the precipitations of $Pb(OH)_2$, $Cu(OH)_2$ and P-containing minerals, such as chloropyromorphite [$Pb_5(PO_4)_3Cl$] and hydroxypyromorphite [$Pb_5(PO_4)_3OH$], in the PBC700 10 wt% treated soil. The SEM-elemental dot mapping analysis further confirmed the presence of Pb-phosphate species via dot mapping of PBC700 treated soil. These results indicate that the reduction of Pb concentration in the PBC700 treated soil is related to the formations of chloropyromorphite and hydroxypyromorphite which have very low solubility.