• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.334-342
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• 2016

Conventional eco-design has been implemented based only on the environmental aspects of a product. Key components of a product identified from the analysis of the environmental aspects have been the target for improvement in the conventional eco-design. The use of eco-design index (EDI) considering both the environmental and economic aspects, and utility value (UV) of a product can be envisaged as an alternative way of implementing and assessing the eco-design. The objective of this study was to propose the logic of the EDI and apply it to the components for performing printing function of the multi-function printer. The EDI was formulated by quantifying the UV, life cycle environmental impact (LCE) and life cycle cost (LCC) of the components of a product, here components of the printer. Of the eight components investigated, roller was identified as the best performing consumable in both the environmental and economic aspects. However, its UV was the lowest among the eight. The EDI of the roller was mere $4^{th}$ in ranking out of the eight. Transfer belt ranked $8^{th}$ and $5^{th}$ in the environmental and economic aspects, respectively, while $2^{nd}$ in the utility value with its EDI ranked $3^{rd}$. This indicates that not only the environmental aspects but also economic and utility value aspects should be considered when identifying the key components for improvement in the eco-design.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.73-84
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• 1993

In this research, configuration design optimization of plane truss structure has been tested by using decomposition technique. In the first level, the problem of transferring the nonlinear programming problem to linear programming problem has been effectively solved and the number of the structural analysis necessary for doing the sensitivity analysis can be decreased by developing stress constraint into member stress approximation according to the design space approach which has been proved to be efficient to the sensitivity analysis. And the weight function has been adopted as cost function in order to minimize structures. For the design constraint, allowable stress, buckling stress, displacement constraint under multi-condition and upper and lower constraints of the design variable are considered. In the second level, the nodal point coordinates of the truss structure are used as coordinating variable and the objective function has been taken as the weight function. By treating the nodal point coordinates as design variable, unconstrained optimal design problems are easy to solve. The decomposition method which optimize the section areas in the first level and optimize configuration variables in the second level was applied to the plane truss structures. The numerical comparisons with results which are obtained from numerical test for several truss structures with various shapes and any design criteria show that convergence rate is very fast regardless of constraint types and configuration of truss structures. And the optimal configuration of the truss structures obtained in this study is almost the identical one from other results. The total weight couldbe decreased by 5.4% - 15.4% when optimal configuration was accomplished, though there is some difference.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.320-326
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• 2017

Multistage deep-drawing technology is used widely in the production of mobile phone battery cases to improve productivity and economy. To ensure adequate capacity and rigidity, such cases are fabricated as a rectangular cup with a high slender ratio. The multistage deep-drawing of a rectangular cup entails a high slender ratio, and the heights of the product sides may be non-uniform because of the complicated deformation mechanisms. This causes problems in product assembly that affects the surface quality of the case. This study examined a blank shape that minimizes the height variations of the product to resolve the aforementioned problems. Optimization design and analysis were performed to identify the shape that yields the least variation. The long and short sides of an oval blank were set as the design variables. The objective function was set to yield the lowest height difference, and the thickness reduction rate of the product was set to the target range. In addition, the height of the final shape was set as a constraint. The height difference was minimized successfully using the optimized design. The design process of the initial blank for all rectangular shapes can be automated in the future.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.127-145
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• 1998

Unlike water or air quality standards that have been established by legislation using potential human health impact as the primary criterion, soil quality depends on the soils primary function and its relevant environmental factors, which is much more site- and soil specific. A properly characterized soil quality assessment system should serve as an indicator of the soil capacity to produce safe and nutritious food, to enhance human and animal health, and to overcome degrative processes. For our proposed example, a high quality soil with regard to maintaining an adequate soil productivity as a food production resources must accommodate soil and water properties, food chain, sustainability and utilization, environment, and profitability, that (i) facilitate water transfer and absorption, (ii) sustain plant growth, (iii) resist physical degradation of soil, (iv) produce a safe food resources, (v) cost-effective agricultural management. Possible soil quality indicators are identified at several levels within the framework for each of these functions. Each indicator is assigned a priority or weight that reflects its relative importance using a multi-objective approach based on principles of systems to be considered. To do this, individual scoring system is differentiated by the several levels from low to very high category or point scoring ranging from 0 to 10, And then weights are multiplied and products are summed to provide an overall soil quality rating based on several physical and chemical indicators. Tlne framework and procedure in developing the soil quality assessment are determined by using information collected from an alternative and conventional farm practices in the regions. The use of an expanded framework for assessing effects of other processes, management practices, or policy issues on soil quality is also considered. To develop one possible form for a soil quality index, we should permit coupling the soil characteristics with assessment system based on soil properties and incoming and resident chemicals. The purpose of this paper is to discuss approaches to defining and assessing soil quality and to suggest the factors to be considered.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1217-1228
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• 2005

Recently, since DNA computing has been widely studied for various applications, DNA sequence design which is the most basic and important step for DNA computing has been highlighted. In previous works, DNA sequence design has been formulated as a multi-objective optimization task, and solved by elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II). However, NSGA-II needed lots of computational time. Therefore, we use an $\varepsilon$- multiobjective evolutionarv algorithm ($\varepsilon$-MOEA) to overcome the drawbacks of NSGA-II in this paper. To compare the performance of two algorithms in detail, we apply both algorithms to the DTLZ2 benchmark function. $\varepsilon$-MOEA outperformed NSGA-II in both convergence and diversity, $70\%$ and $73\%$ respectively. Especially, $\varepsilon$-MOEA finds optimal solutions using small computational time. Based on these results, we redesign the DNA sequences generated by the previous DNA sequence design tools and the DNA sequences for the 7-travelling salesman problem (TSP). The experimental results show that $\varepsilon$-MOEA outperforms the most cases. Especially, for 7-TSP, $\varepsilon$-MOEA achieves the comparative results two tines faster while finding $22\%$ improved diversity and $92\%$ improved convergence in final solutions using the same time.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.62-72
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• 2020

This study presents a methodology of history matching to evaluate the productivity of shale gas reservoir with high reliability and predict future production rate in the Horn-River basin, Canada. Sensitivity analysis was performed to analyze the effect of physical properties of shale gas reservoir on productivity. Based on the results, reservoir properties were classified into 4 cases and history matching were performed considering the classified 4 cases as objective function. The blind test was conducted using additional field production data for 3 years after the history matching period. The error of gas production rate in Case 1(all reservoir parameters), Case 2(influenced parameters for productivity), Case 3(controllable parameters), and Case 4(uncontrollable parameters) were 7.67%, 7.13%, 17.54%, and 10.04%, respectively. This means that it seems to be effective to consider all reservoir parameters in early period for 4 years but Case 2 which considered influenced parameters for productivity shows the highest reliability in predicting future production. The estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) of production well predicted using the Case 2 model was estimated to be 17.24 Bcf by December 2030 and the recovery factor compared to original gas in place (OGIP) was 32.2%.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 2021

Objectives: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is condition of cognitive decline shown in transition from normal aging to dementia. Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture (HPP) is a treatment that combines effects of medication and acupuncture by injecting Hominis placenta into acupoints. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HPP for MCI. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-center clinical trial. Eligible patients were randomly allocated to either the HPP group or the placebo group. HPP or saline as placebo was administered to participants for eight weeks. Changes in symptoms were observed. The primary outcome was difference in mean change of Korean Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) score between the HPP group and the placebo group. Cognitive function, overall status of mood and sleep, and quality of life (QoL) were also assessed. Safety assessment and economic analysis were then conducted. Results: Thirty participants were enrolled. One participant in the placebo group dropped out. The score of MoCA-K increased after treatment. Its mean change was smaller in the HPP group than in the control group. HPP ameliorated Global Deterioration Scale and Korean Dementia Rating Scale subtests for attention, organization, and memory compared to the placebo. However, none of them was significantly different between the two groups. Mood, sleep, and QoL all improved more in the HPP group than in the placebo group, although differences between the two groups were not statistically significant. There was no adverse event probably related to the drug. HPP treatment needed KRW 345,000 more than the placebo group in improving Geriatric Quality of Life scale-Dementia score by one point for one year. Conclusions: Although HPP treatment did not significantly improve cognition, it changed behavioral and psychological symptoms in MCI.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.1787-1799
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• 2022

Objective: Choline deficiency, one main trigger for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is closely related to lipid metabolism disorder. Previous study in a choline-deficient model has largely focused on gene expression rather than gene structure, especially sparse are studies regarding to alternative splicing (AS). In modern life science research, primary hepatocytes culture technology facilitates such studies, which can accurately imitate liver activity in vitro and show unique superiority. Whereas limitations to traditional hepatocytes culture technology exist in terms of efficiency and operability. This study pursued an optimization culture method for duck primary hepatocytes to explore AS in choline-deficient model. Methods: We performed an optimization culture method for duck primary hepatocytes with multi-step digestion procedure from Pekin duck embryos. Subsequently a NAFLD model was constructed with choline-free medium. RNA-seq and further analysis by rMATS were performed to identify AS events alterations in choline-deficency duck primary hepatocytes. Results: The results showed E13 (embryonic day 13) to E15 is suitable to obtain hepatocytes, and the viability reached over 95% by trypan blue exclusion assay. Primary hepatocyte retained their biological function as well identified by Periodic Acid-Schiff staining method and Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity assay, respectively. Meanwhile, genes of alb and afp and specific protein of albumin were detected to verify cultured hepatocytes. Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate purity of hepatocytes, presenting up to 90%. On this base, choline-deficient model was constructed and displayed significantly increase of intracellular triglyceride and cholesterol as reported previously. Intriguingly, our data suggested that AS events in choline-deficient model were implicated in pivotal biological processes as an aberrant transcriptional regulator, of which 16 genes were involved in lipid metabolism and highly enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism. Conclusion: An effective and rapid protocol for obtaining duck primary hepatocytes was established, by which our findings manifested choline deficiency could induce the accumulation of lipid and result in aberrant AS events in hepatocytes, providing a novel insight into various AS in the metabolism role of choline.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.887-901
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• 2022

Estimation of the parameters for individual rainfall-rainfall events can lead to a different set of parameters for each event which result in lack of parameter identifiability. Moreover, it becomes even more ambiguous to determine a representative set of parameters for the watershed due to enhanced variability exceeding the range of model parameters. To reduce the variability of estimated parameters, this study proposed a parameter optimization framework with the simultaneous use of multiple rainfall-runoff events based on NSE as an objective function. It was found that the proposed optimization framework could effectively estimate the representative set of parameters pertained to their physical range over the entire watershed. It is found that the difference in NSE value of optimization when it performed individual and multiple rainfall events, is 0.08. Furthermore, In terms of estimating the observed floods, the representative parameters showed a more improved (or similar) performance compared to the results obtained from the single-event optimization process on an NSE basis.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1658-1670
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• 2021

Objective: To assess the two-year treatment outcomes of chemoembolization with drug-eluting embolics (DEE) for nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective, multicenter, registry-based, single-arm trial conducted at five university hospitals in Korea. Patients were recruited between May 2011 and April 2013, with a target population of 200. A DC Bead loaded with doxorubicin was used as the DEE agent. Patients were followed up for two years. Per-patient and per-lesion tumor response analysis, per-patient overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) analysis, and per-lesion tumor control analysis were performed. Results: The final study population included 152 patients, with 207 target lesions for the per-lesion analysis. At one-month, six-month, one-year, and two-year per-patient assessments, complete response (CR) rates were 40.1%, 43.0%, 33.3%, and 19.6%, respectively. The objective response (OR) rates were 91.4%, 55.4%, 35.1%, and 19.6%, respectively. The cumulative two-year OS rate was 79.7%. The cumulative two-year PFS rate was 22.4% and the median survival was 9.3 months. In multivariable analysis, the Child-Pugh score (p = 0.019) was an independent predictor of OS, and tumor multiplicity (p < 0.001), tumor size (p = 0.020), and Child-Pugh score (p = 0.006) were independent predictors of PFS. In per-lesion analysis, one-month, six-month, one-year and two-year CR rates were 57.5%, 58.5%, 45.2%, and 33.3%, respectively, and the OR rates were 84.1%, 65.2%, 46.6%, and 33.3%, respectively. The cumulative two-year per-lesion tumor control rate was 36.2%, and the median time was 14.1 months. The Child-Pugh score (p < 0.001) was the only independent predictor of tumor control. Serious adverse events were reported in 11 patients (7.2%). Conclusion: DEE chemoembolization for nodular HCCs in the Korean population showed acceptable survival, tumor response, and safety profiles after a two-year follow-up. Good liver function (Child-Pugh score A5) was a key predictor of per-patient OS, PFS, and per-lesion tumor control.