• BioChip Journal
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• v.16
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• pp.82-98
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• 2020

We report a quantitative and systematic method for determining 3D-printing and surface-treatment conditions that can help improve the optical quality of direct-printed microfluidic devices. Digital light processing (DLP)-stereolithography (SLA) printing was extensively studied in microfluidics owing to the rapid, one-step, cleanroom-free, maskless, and high-definition microfabrication of 3D-microfluidic devices. However, optical imaging or detection for bioassays in DLP-SLA-printed microfluidic devices are limited by the translucence of photopolymerized resins. Various approaches, including mechanical abrasions, chemical etching, polymer coatings, and printing on transparent glass/plastic slides, were proposed to address this limitation. However, the effects of these methods have not been analyzed quantitatively or systematically. For the first time, we propose quantitative and methodological determination of 3D-printing and surface-treatment conditions, based on optical-resolution analysis using USAF 1951 resolution test targets and a fluorescence microbead slide through 3D-printed coverslip chips. The key printing parameters (resin type, build orientation, layer thickness, and layer offset) and surface-treatment parameters (grit number for sanding, polishing time with alumina slurry, and type of refractive-index-matching coatings) were determined in a step-wise manner. As a result, we achieved marked improvements in resolution (from 80.6 to 645.1 lp/mm) and contrast (from 3.30 to 27.63% for 645.1 lp/mm resolution). Furthermore, images of the fluorescence microbeads were qualitatively analyzed to evaluate the proposed 3D-printing and surface-treatment approach for fluorescence imaging applications. Finally, the proposed method was validated by fabricating an acoustic micromixer chip and fluorescently visualizing cavitation microstreaming that emanated from an oscillating bubble captured inside the chip. We expect that our approach for enhancing optical quality will be widely used in the rapid manufacturing of 3D-microfluidic chips for optical assays.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.253-263
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• 2022

This study suggests a guideline for designing unit process of wastewater reuse in terms of a maintenance of the process based on critical parameters to draw a high quality performance of RO unit. Defining the parameters was done by applying membrane integrity test (MIT) in pretreatment process utilizing lab-scale MF. SDI is utilized for judging whether permeate is suitable to RO unit. However, result said TOC concentration matching with particle count analysis is better for judging the permeate condition. When membrane test pressure (P_test) was measured to derive log removal value in PDT, virgin state of membrane fiber was used to measure dynamic contact angle utilizing surface tension of the membrane fiber. Actually, foulant affects to the state of membrane surface, and it decreases the P_test value along with time elapsed. Consequently, LRV_DIT is also affected by P_test value. Thus, sensitivity of direct integrity test descends with result of P_test value change, so P_test value should be considered not the virgin state of the membrane but its current state. Overall, this study focuses on defining design parameters suitable to MF pretreatment for RO process in wastewater reuse by assessing its impact. Therefore, utilities can acknowledge that the membrane surface condition must be considered when users conduct the direct integrity test so that P_test and other relative parameter used to calculate LRV_DIT are adequately measured.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.744-755
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is considered a class I indication for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). However, there is little evidence regarding the potential benefits of early AVR in symptomatic patients diagnosed with normal-flow, low-gradient (NFLG) severe AS. Methods: Two-hundred eighty-one patients diagnosed with symptomatic NFLG severe AS (stroke volume index ≥35 mL/m², mean transaortic pressure gradient <40 mmHg, peak transaortic velocity <4 m/s, and aortic valve area <1.0 cm²) between January 2010 and December 2020 were included in this retrospective study. After performing 1:1 propensity score matching, 121 patients aged 75.1±9.8 years (including 63 women) who underwent early AVR within 3 months after index echocardiography, were compared with 121 patients who received conservative care. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death and heart failure (HF) hospitalization. Results: During a median follow-up of 21.9 months, 48 primary outcomes (18 in the early AVR group and 30 in the conservative care group) occurred. The early AVR group demonstrated a significantly lower incidence of primary outcomes (hazard ratio [HR], 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.93; p=0.028); specifically, there was no significant difference in all-cause death (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.23-1.16; p=0.110), although the early AVR group showed a significantly lower incidence of hospitalization for HF (HR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.19-0.95, p=0.037). Subgroup analyses supported the main findings. Conclusions: An early AVR strategy may be beneficial in reducing the risk of a composite outcome of death or hospitalization for HF in symptomatic patients with NFLG severe AS. Future randomized studies are required to validate and confirm our findings.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.87 no.2
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• pp.176-184
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• 2024

Background: Results of studies investigating the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have been conflicting. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective observational study, conducted between January 2020 and August 2021, evaluated the impact of obesity on outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19 in a Korean national cohort. A total of 1,114 patients were enrolled from 22 tertiary referral hospitals or university-affiliated hospitals, of whom 1,099 were included in the analysis, excluding 15 with unavailable height and weight information. The effect(s) of BMI on patients with severe COVID-19 were analyzed. Results: According to the World Health Organization BMI classification, 59 patients were underweight, 541 were normal, 389 were overweight, and 110 were obese. The overall 28-day mortality rate was 15.3%, and there was no significant difference according to BMI. Univariate Cox analysis revealed that BMI was associated with 28-day mortality (hazard ratio, 0.96; p=0.045), but not in the multivariate analysis. Additionally, patients were divided into two groups based on BMI ≥25 kg/m² and underwent propensity score matching analysis, in which the two groups exhibited no significant difference in mortality at 28 days. The median (interquartile range) clinical frailty scale score at discharge was higher in nonobese patients (3 [3 to 5] vs. 4 [3 to 6], p<0.001). The proportion of frail patients at discharge was significantly higher in the nonobese group (28.1% vs. 46.8%, p<0.001). Conclusion: The obesity paradox was not evident in this cohort of patients with severe COVID-19. However, functional outcomes at discharge were better in the obese group.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.19-26
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• 2023

Humans have adapted and evolved to natural light. However, as humans stay in indoor longer in modern times, the problem of biorhythm disturbance has been induced. To solve this problem, research is being conducted on lighting that reproduces the correlated color temperature(CCT) of natural light that varies from sunrise to sunset. In order to reproduce the CCT of natural light, multiple LED light sources with different CCTs are used to produce lighting, and then a control index DB is constructed by measuring and collecting the light characteristics of the combination of input currents for each light source in hundreds to thousands of steps, and then using it to control the lighting through the light characteristic matching method. The problem with this control method is that the more detailed the steps of the combination of input currents, the more time and economic costs are incurred. In this paper, an LED lighting control method that applies interpolation and combination calculation based on the minimum spectral power distribution information for each light source is proposed to reproduce the CCT of natural light. First, five minimum SPD information for each channel was measured and collected for the LED lighting, which consisted of light source channels with different CCTs and implemented input current control function of a 256-steps for each channel. Interpolation calculation was performed to generate SPD of 256 steps for each channel for the minimum SPD information, and SPD for all control combinations of LED lighting was generated through combination calculation of SPD for each channel. Illuminance and CCT were calculated through the generated SPD, a control index DB was constructed, and the CCT of natural light was reproduced through a matching technique. In the performance evaluation, the CCT for natural light was provided within the range of an average error rate of 0.18% while meeting the recommended indoor illumination standard.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.5-11
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• 2009

When using Image Guided Radiation Therapy, the patient is placed using skin marker first and after confirming anatomical location using OBI, the couch is moved to correct the set up. Evaluation for the error made at that moment was done. Through comparing $0^{\circ}$ and $270^{\circ}$ direction DRR image and OBI image with 2D-2D matching when therapy planning, comparison between patient's therapy plan setup and actual treatment setup was made to observe the error. Treatment confirmation on important organs such as head, neck and spinal cord was done every time through OBI setup and other organs such as chest, abdomen and pelvis was done 2 ~ 3 times a week. But corrections were all recorded on OIS so that evaluation on accuracy could be made through using skin index which was divided into head, neck, chest and abdomen-pelvis on 160 patients. Average setup error for head and neck patient on each AP, SI, RL direction was $0.2{\pm}0.2cm$, $-0.1{\pm}0.1cm$, $-0.2{\pm}0.0cm$, chest patient was $-0.5{\pm}0.1cm$, $0.3{\pm}0.3cm$, $0.4{\pm}0.2cm$, and abdomen was $0.4{\pm}0.4cm$, $-0.5{\pm}0.1cm$, $-0.4{\pm}0.1cm$. In case of pelvis, it was $0.5{\pm}0.3cm$, $0.8{\pm}0.4cm$, $-0.3{\pm}0.2cm$. In rigid body parts such as head and neck showed lesser setup error compared to chest and abdomen. Error was greater on chest in horizontal axis and in AP direction, abdomen-pelvis showed greater error. Error was greater on chest in horizontal axis because of the curve in patient's body when the setup is made. Error was greater on abdomen in AP direction because of the change in front and back location due to breathing of patient. There was no systematic error on patient setup system. Since OBI confirms the anatomical location, when focus is located on the skin, it is more precise to use skin marker to setup. When compared with 3D-3D conformation, although 2D-2D conformation can't find out the rolling error, it has lesser radiation exposure and shorter setup confirmation time. Therefore, on actual clinic, 2D-2D conformation is more appropriate.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.21-32
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• 2017

Motivated by the recent cases of negligent social responsibility as manifested by foreign luxury fashion brands in Korea, this study investigates whether agency costs depend on the sustainability of different types of corporate governance. Agency costs refer either to vertical costs arising from the relationship between stockholders and managers, or to horizontal costs associated with the potential conflicts between majority and minority stockholders. The firms with luxury fashion brand could spend large sums of money on maintenance of magnificent brand image, thereby increasing the agency cost. On the contrary, the firms may hold down wasteful spending to report a gaudily financial achievement. This results in mitigation of the agency cost. Agency costs are measured by the value of the principal component. First, three ratios are constructed: asset turnover, operating expense to sales, and earnings before interest, tax, and depreciation. Then, the scores of each of these ratios for individual firms in the sample are differenced from the ratios for the benchmark firm of S-OIL. S-OIL was designated as the best superior governance model firm for 2013 by CGS. We perform regression analysis of each agency cost index, luxury fashion brand dummy and a set of control variables. The regression results indicate that the agency costs of the firms with luxury fashion brand exceed those of control group in the fashion industry in the part of operating expenses, but the agency cost falls short of those of control group in the part of EBITD, thus the aggregate agency costs are not differential of those of the control group. In sensitivity test, the results are same that the agency cost of the firms are higher than those of the matching control group with PSM(propensity matching method). These results are corroborated by an additional analysis comparing the group of the companies with the best brands with the control group. The results raise doubts about the effectiveness of management of the firms with luxury fashion brand. This study has a limitation that the research has performed only for 2013 and this paper suggests that there is room for improvement in the current research methodology.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was to assess the status and awareness of excessive heat exposure among agricultural workers. Methods: We selected a total of 90 farmers from a villages of Gyeongju-si, during August, 2015. We carried out the temperature measurement for nine times and derived Health Index (HI) and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index. We compared the HI, WBGT and excessive heat warnings. Status of high temperature exposure, lifestyle, medical history, and awareness about excessive health related exposure illness assessed using survey questionnaires. Results: The matching rates between the WBGT and the HI during excessive heat warning were high, but when it was a non-excessive heat warning, there were days of excessive HI or WBGT. Out of 90 farmers surveyed, 78 cases (86.7%) were in their 60s and older age group. Slightly more than two third (71.1%) farmers were farming in the dawn-morning (71.1%), and the daily working hours were less than 4 hours (54.4 %), but only 23.3% among farmers took regular breaks. Of total, 14.4% farmers experienced excessive heat exposure related illness in order of tiredness, lethargy, dizziness, headaches, and sweating. Overall, the awareness of the danger for excessive heat and the heat wave warnings were high at 70.0% and 74.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Politically, the excessive heat warnings should not be taken into account the simple temperature measurement but, have to consider WBGT and HI standards at the same time. Farmers need to be promoted and educated to prevent the excessive heat related illness by periodically increasing their rest time during farming.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.669-678
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• 2018

This study developed information technology infrastructures for building a driving environment analysis platform using various big data, such as vehicle sensing data, public data, etc. First, a small platform server with a parallel structure for big data distribution processing was developed with H/W technology. Next, programs for big data collection/storage, processing/analysis, and information visualization were developed with S/W technology. The collection S/W was developed as a collection interface using Kafka, Flume, and Sqoop. The storage S/W was developed to be divided into a Hadoop distributed file system and Cassandra DB according to the utilization of data. Processing S/W was developed for spatial unit matching and time interval interpolation/aggregation of the collected data by applying the grid index method. An analysis S/W was developed as an analytical tool based on the Zeppelin notebook for the application and evaluation of a development algorithm. Finally, Information Visualization S/W was developed as a Web GIS engine program for providing various driving environment information and visualization. As a result of the performance evaluation, the number of executors, the optimal memory capacity, and number of cores for the development server were derived, and the computation performance was superior to that of the other cloud computing.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.2535-2540
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• 2010

In traditional Publish/Subscribe system, the first procedure to deliver event from publisher to subscriber is that publisher publishes publisher's event to broker. Next step is that broker checks simple binary notion of matching : an event either matches a subscription or it does not. Lastly, broker delivers the event matched with subscriptions to the corresponding subscribers. In this system, information delivery has been accomplished in one way only. However, current some applications require two way delivery between subscriber and publisher. Therefore, we initiate an extended Publish/Subscribe system that supports two way delivery. Extended Publish/Subscribe system requires additional functions of delivering subscription to publisher and especially deciding top-n subscriptions using priority because broker might has a number of subscriptions. In this paper, we propose two priority retrieval techniques based on SIF using IS-List with deciding priority among subscriptions and defining SIF(Specific Interval First). The performance measurements show that RSO(resulting set sorting) technique results in better performance in index creation time and ITS&IS(insertion time sorting and inverse search using stack) technique results in better performance in search time.