• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.76-88
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• 2024

A significant cause of fall or overturning accidents in the construction industry, including landscaping construction and management, is work at heights using portable ladders. Portable ladders are classified as A-type or triangular support ladders depending on the number of supporting leg and support conditions. The tripod mobile ladder, which supports itself with only three supporting legs, is unstable and more prone to overturning compared to the A type ladders. Therefore, using the specifications of the tripod mobile ladder and the stability regulations of EN131-Part 7, overturning and resistance moment calculation formulas were derived for all directions in which overturning could occur. The moments calculated using these equations, and the overturning stability in each direction were evaluated. According to the calculation results, although there are differences depending on the direction, most are unstable for overturning at 8 or more steps. Based on these results, this study proposed measures to increase the moment of resistance by changing the weight, depth, and width, and using outriggers to ensure stability against the overturning of ladder. However, when changing the specifications of these measures, the size increases are excessive and the applicability is insufficient. On the other hand, outriggers are an applicable measure as they can ensure stability against overturning with only a minimum expansion length.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.165-187
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• 2023

The continuous increase in life expectancy and high interest in health has brought about significant changes in the use of health information by the public according to the development of information technology represented by the Internet and smartphones. As the medical market expands to the mobile health environment, many health-related apps have been created and distributed, but the acceptance rate is slow as it has become challenging to provide services due to various regulations. In this study, perceived value, perceived risk factors (psychological risk, risk of time-loss, legal risk), and perceived benefits (usefulness, interaction, autonomy) were derived and verified as factors that affect the acceptance resistance of personal health record apps based on the privacy calculation model. In addition, by analyzing the moderating effect of trust in the manufacturer, how the perceived risk and perceived benefit affect the perceived value was verified. A survey was conducted on Korean college students who recognized the personal health record apps but did not use them, and 127 samples were analyzed using structural equations. As a result of hypothesis verification, perceived value has a negative effect on acceptance resistance, perceived risk (risk of time-loss) has a negative effect on perceived value, and perceived benefits (usefulness, interaction, autonomy) were found to have a positive effect on perceived value. Trust in manufacturers has weakened the impact of perceived risks (legal risk) on perceived values. This study is expected to play an important role in maintaining a competitive advantage in the personal health record app market environment by identifying and proposing detailed criteria for reducing the acceptance resistance of personal health record apps.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.70-81
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• 2024

In this study, Tridimensional Hybrid Isolation System(THIS) was proposed as a vibration isolator for traffic loads, combining vertical and horizontal isolation systems. Its efficacy in improving serviceability for vertical vibration was analytically evaluated. Firstly, for the analysis, the major vibration modes of the existing apartment were identified through eigenvalue analysis for the system and pulse response analysis for the bedroom slab using commercial structural analysis software. Subsequently, a 16-story model with horizontal, vertical and rotational degrees of freedom for each slab was numerically organized to represent the achieved modes. The dynamic analysis for the measured acceleration from an adjacent ground to high-speed railway was performed by state-space equations with the stiffness and damping ratio of THIS as variables. The result indicated that as the vertical period ratio increased, the threshold period ratio where the slab response started to be suppressed varied. Specifically, when the period ratio is greater than or equal to 5, the acceleration levels of all slabs decreased to approximately 70% or less compared to the non-isolated condition. On the other hand, it was ascertained that the influence of damping ratios on the response control of THIS is inconsequential in the analysis. Finally, the improvement in vertical vibration performance of THIS was evaluated according to design guidelines for floor vibration of AIJ, SCI and AISC. It was confirmed that, after the application of THIS, the residential performance criteria were met, whereas the non-isolated structure failed to satisfy them.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.267-276
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• 2024

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of susceptibility map-weighted imaging (SMwI) taken in different acquisition planes for discriminating patients with neurodegenerative parkinsonism from those without. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, observational, single-institution study enrolled consecutive patients who visited movement disorder clinics and underwent brain MRI and ¹⁸F-FP-CIT PET between September 2021 and December 2021. SMwI images were acquired in both the oblique (perpendicular to the midbrain) and the anterior commissure-posterior commissure (AC-PC) planes. Hyperintensity in the substantia nigra was determined by two neuroradiologists. ¹⁸F-FP-CIT PET was used as the reference standard. Inter-rater agreement was assessed using Cohen;s kappa coefficient. The diagnostic performance of SMwI in the two planes was analyzed separately for the right and left substantia nigra. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with generalized estimating equations was applied to compare the diagnostic performance of the two planes. Results: In total, 194 patients were included, of whom 105 and 103 had positive results on ¹⁸F-FP-CIT PET in the left and right substantia nigra, respectively. Good inter-rater agreement in the oblique (κ = 0.772/0.658 for left/right) and AC-PC planes (0.730/0.741 for left/right) was confirmed. The pooled sensitivities for two readers were 86.4% (178/206, left) and 83.3% (175/210, right) in the oblique plane and 87.4% (180/206, left) and 87.6% (184/210, right) in the AC-PC plane. The pooled specificities for two readers were 83.5% (152/182, left) and 82.0% (146/178, right) in the oblique plane, and 83.5% (152/182, left) and 86.0% (153/178, right) in the AC-PC plane. There were no significant differences in the diagnostic performance between the two planes (P > 0.05). Conclusion: There are no significant difference in the diagnostic performance of SMwI performed in the oblique and AC-PC plane in discriminating patients with parkinsonism from those without. This finding affirms that each institution may choose the imaging plane for SMwI according to their clinical settings.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.38.1-38.10
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• 2023

Background: Hearing loss (HL) is linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The pathogeneses of HL and CVD commonly involve inflammatory responses. Previous studies investigated elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers in subjects with HL, however, their findings did not demonstrate statistical significance. In our cross-sectional and longitudinal study, we investigated the correlation between HL and increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels to determine how HL is associated with CVDs. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with workers aged over 18 years who underwent health check-ups at our institution between 2012 and 2018 (n = 566,507), followed by conducting a longitudinal study of workers aged > 18 who underwent health checkups at least twice at our institution between 2012 and 2018 (n = 173,794). The definition of HL was as an average threshold of ≥ 20 dB in pure-tone air conduction at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz in both ears. The incidence of increased hsCRP levels throughout the follow-up period was defined as a level exceeding 3 mg/L. Logistic regression and generalized estimating equations were performed to estimate the risk of increased hsCRP levels according to the occurrence of HL in groups stratified by age. Results: In the cross-sectional study, the multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.34); the OR was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.80-1.22) in those under 40 and 1.28 (1.08-1.53) in those over 40. In the longitudinal study, the multivariable-adjusted OR was 1.05 (95% CI: 0.92-1.19); the OR was 1.10 (95% CI: 0.90-1.35) in those under 40 and 1.20 (1.01-1.43) in those over 40. Conclusions: This cross-sectional and longitudinal study identified an association between HL and increased hsCRP levels in workers aged over 40 years.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.170-178
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• 2024

This study proposes a hybrid composite where a thin copper film (Cu film) is embedded in carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), and quantum annealing is applied to derive the combination of Cu film placement that maximizes the through-thickness thermal conductivity. The correlation between each ply of CFRP and the Cu film is analyzed through finite element analysis, and based on the results, a combination optimization problem is formulated. A formalization process is conducted to embed the defined problem into quantum annealing, resulting in the formulation of objective functions and constraints regarding the quantity of Cu films that can be inserted into each ply of CFRP. The formulated equations are programmed using Ocean SDK (Software Development Kit) and Leap to be embedded into D-Wave quantum annealer. Through the quantum annealing process, the optimal arrangement of Cu films that satisfies the maximum through-thickness thermal conductivity is determined. The resulting arrangements exhibit simpler patterns as the quantity of insertable Cu films decreases, while more intricate arrangements are observed as the quantity increases. The optimal combinations generated according to the quantity of Cu film placement illustrate the inherent thermal conductivity pathways in the thickness direction, indicating that the transverse placement freedom of the Cu film can significantly affect the results of through-thickness thermal conductivity.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1474-1482
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• 2024

Objective: The experiment aimed to determine the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in 10 brown rice samples fed to pigs, and to construct predictive models for SID of CP and AA based on the physical characteristics and chemical composition of brown rice. Methods: Twenty-two cannulated pigs (initial body weight: 42.0±1.2 kg) were assigned to a replicated 11×3 incomplete Latin square design, including an N-free diet and 10 brown rice diets. Each period included 5 d adaptation and 2 d ileal digesta collection. Chromic oxide was added at 0.3% to all the diets as an indigestible marker for calculating the ileal CP and AA digestibility. Results: The coefficients of variation of all detected indices for physical characteristics and chemical composition, except for bulk weight, dry matter (DM) and gross energy, in 10 brown rice samples were greater than 10%. The SID of CP, lysine (Lys), methionine, threonine (Thr), and tryptophan (Trp) in brown rice was 77.2% (62.6% to 85.5%), 87.5% (80.3% to 94.3%), 89.2% (78.9% to 98.9%), 55.4% (46.1% to 67.6%) and 92.5% (86.3% to 96.3%), respectively. The best prediction equations for the SID of CP, Lys, Thr, and Trp were as following, SID_CP = -664.181+8.484×DM (R² = 0.40), SID_Lys = 53.126+6.031×ether extract (EE)+0.893×thousand-kernel volume (R² = 0.66), SID_Thr = 39.916+7.843×EE (R² = 0.41), and SID_Trp = -361.588+4.891×DM+0.387×total starch (R² = 0.85). Conclusion: Overall, a great variation exists among 10 sources of brown rice, and the thousand-grain volume, DM, EE, and total starch can be used as the key predictors for SID of CP and AA.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2024

This study aims to analyze low-performing high school students' difficulties in constructed response (CR) mathematics assessments and explore ways to use writing activities to support student learning. The participants took CR assessments, engaged in guided writing activities across 15 lessons, and provided responses to our interviews. The study identified 20 types of student difficulties, which were sorted into two main categories: "mathematical difficulties" and "CR difficulties." The difficult nature of mathematics as a school subject included a lack of understanding of mathematical concepts, students' difficulty with mathematical symbols and notations, and struggles with word problems. Challenges specific to CR assessments included students' difficulties arising from the testing conditions unlike those of multiple-choice items, and included issues related to constructing appropriate responses and psychological barriers. To address these challenges in CR assessments, the study conducted guided writing activities as an intervention, through which six themes were identified: (1) internalization of mathematical concepts, (2) mathematical thinking through relational understanding, (3) diverse problem-solving methods, (4) use of mathematical symbols, (5) reflective thinking, and (6) strategies to overcome psychological barriers.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2024

In this study, physical property tests and standard consolidation tests were conducted on the marine clay of Busan New Port and North Port, the middle and lower reaches of the Nakdong River including Gimhae and Yangsan, and Ulsan regions. The moisture content, a property unrelated to sample disturbance with small individual test errors, was used for regression analysis with the compression index, virgin compression index, consolidation coefficient, expansion index, and secondary compression index, among others. Subsequently, the correlation and accuracy were evaluated. Upon analyzing the correlation between the moisture content, void ratio, and liquid limit commonly used physical properties for calculating compression indexes, it was confirmed that the liquid limit had the lowest correlation. Through a linear regression analysis of the consolidation constants using the current moisture content in the natural state, a high correlation was demonstrated. Relationship equations were then presented to determine settlement and settlement time. This study suggests that moisture content can be utilized as an alternative for evaluating and calculating consolidation constants when examining ground settlement in sedimentary clays distributed in the Busan and Gyeongnam regions.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.196-206
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• 2024

Background: Most of the biomass equations were developed using sample trees collected mainly from pan-tropical and tropical regions that may over- or underestimate biomass. Site-specific models would improve the accuracy of the biomass estimates and enhance the country's measurement, reporting, and verification activities. The aim of the study is to develop site-specific biomass estimation models and validate and evaluate the existing generic models developed for pan-tropical forest and newly developed allometric models. Total of 140 trees was harvested from each diameter class biomass model development. Data was analyzed using SAS procedures. All relevant statistical tests (normality, multicollinearity, and heteroscedasticity) were performed. Data was transformed to logarithmic functions and multiple linear regression techniques were used to develop model to estimate aboveground biomass (AGB). The root mean square error (RMSE) was used for measuring model bias, precision, and accuracy. The coefficient of determination (R² and adjusted [adj]-R²), the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and the Schwarz Bayesian information Criterion was employed to select most appropriate models. Results: For the general total AGB models, adj-R² ranged from 0.71 to 0.85, and model 9 with diameter at stump height at 10 cm (DSH₁₀), ρ and crown width (CW) as predictor variables, performed best according to RMSE and AIC. For the merchantable stem models, adj-R² varied from 0.73 to 0.82, and model 8) with combination of ρ, diameter at breast height and height (H), CW and DSH₁₀ as predictor variables, was best in terms of RMSE and AIC. The results showed that a best-fit model for above-ground biomass of tree components was developed. AGB_Stem = exp {-1.8296 + 0.4814 natural logarithm (Ln) (ρD²H) + 0.1751 Ln (CW) + 0.4059 Ln (DSH₃₀)} AGB_Branch = exp {-131.6 + 15.0013 Ln (ρD²H) + 13.176 Ln (CW) + 21.8506 Ln (DSH₃₀)} AGB_Foliage = exp {-0.9496 + 0.5282 Ln (DSH₃₀) + 2.3492 Ln (ρ) + 0.4286 Ln (CW)} AGB_Total = exp {-1.8245 + 1.4358 Ln (DSH₃₀) + 1.9921 Ln (ρ) + 0.6154 Ln (CW)} Conclusions: The results demonstrated that the development of local models derived from an appropriate sample of representative species can greatly improve the estimation of total AGB.