• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.409-416
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• 2015

ICP-AES has been used in many laboratories due to the advantages of wide calibration range and multi-element analysis, but it may give erroneous results and suffer from spectral interference due to the large number of emission lines associated with each element. In this study, certified reference materials (CRMs) and field samples were analyzed by ICP-AES and HG-AAS according to the official Korean testing method for soil pollution to investigate analytical problems. The applicability of HG-ICP-AES was also tested as an alternative method. HG-AAS showed good accuracies (90.8~106.3%) in all CRMs, while ICP-AES deviated from the desired range in CRMs with low arsenic and high Fe/Al. The accuracy in CRM030 was estimated as below 39% at the wavelength of 193.696 nm by ICP-AES. Significant partial overlaps and sloping background interferences were observed near to 193.696 nm with the presence of 50 mg/L Fe and Al. Most CRMs were quantified with few or no interferences of Fe and Al at 188.980 nm. ICP-AES properly assessed low and high level arsenic for field samples, at 188.980 nm and 193.696 nm, respectively. The importance of the choice of measurement wavelengths corresponding to relative arsenic level should be noted. Because interferences were affected by the sample matrix, operation conditions and instrument figures, the analysts were required to consider spectral interferences and compare the analytical performance of the recommended wavelengths. HG-ICP-AES was evaluated as a suitable alternative method for ICP-AES due to improvement of the detection limit, wide calibration ranges, and reduced spectral interferences by HG.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.65-88
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• 2004

In general, empowerment is defined as the motivational concept of autonomy and self-efficacy. Recently, the concept of empowerment is applied to improve organizational staff's job satisfaction and organizational commitment in many organizations. Empower-ment in service organizations, i.e., hospitals, has certainly generated more publicity than any other organizations. The objectives of this study are, first, to measure the degree of hospital employees' empowerment using Spreitzer(1995)'s empowerment theory, second, to analyze the causal relationship of organizational and job characteristics, a degree of empowerment, and organizational performance(job satisfaction and organizational commitment), and third, to offer the strategy for the improvement of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Spreitzer insists that the empowerment is composed of 4 dimensions(meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact). And he argues that various work-related characteristics is a direct cause of empowerment and the indirect cause of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, mediated by the empowerment latent variable. In order to perform this study, data were collected by self-administered questionnaires from hospital employees working in administrative department of 3 university hospitals in Inchon and Kyunggi-Do region. The number of cases is 181(response rate; 86%). The Collected data were analyzed with SPSS Ver. 10.0 and AMOSV Ver. 4.0. First, to test validity of variables, the factor analysis was used. Second, to test reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficients was calculated. Cronbach's alpha of empowerment variable is 0.8323 showing that there's no problem in regard to the internal consistency. Also the Cronbach's alpha of other variables are 0.8301 of the degree of perceived control, 0.6705 of job characteristics, O.8787 of compensation, 0.9254 of job satisfaction, and 0.8389 of organizational commitment, respectively. Among the questions of job characteristics, two survey questions are deleted due to lowering the reliability. Third, to test multicollinearity and correlation of variables, the correlation analysis was performed. There was no problem of multicollinearity. Finally structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was conducted to find the causal relationship of organizational and job Characteristics, empowerment, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The 16 variables are included for the SEM analysis. The major results of this study are as follows: First, in the case of model fitness, the condition of x$^2$ statistic(92.187) is not fully satisfied, but the indices of GFI(0.912), AGFI(0.863), NFI(0.917) and CFI(0.928) are partially satisfied, which needs to upper 0.90. Second, in the result of hypotheses testing, all hypotheses are accepted and have a positive effect in 95% or 99% confidence interval(P<0.05 or P<0.001) except the effect of compensation variable on empowerment(P=0.082). Third, in regard to the direct, indirect, and total effect of variables, the direct effect of perceived control, task characteristics, and compensation on job satisfaction are 0.728, 2.264, 0.328 and on organizational commitment are 0.094, 1.411, 0.418, respectively. Also the indirect effect of perceived control, task characteristics, and compensation on job satisfaction are 0.311, 0.196, 0.028 and on organizational commitment are 0.210, 0.132, 0.019, respectively. Thus, these findings imply that various work-related factors are direct effect of empowerment and indirect effect of result variables, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Also These results showed that the workplace empowerment is significant mediating factor of employee's job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.131-135
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• 2006

A commercial ion chamber matrix was examined the characteristics and its performance for radiotherapy qualify assurance. The device was the I'mRT 2D-MatriXX (Scanditronix-Wellhofer, Schwarzenbruck, Germany). The 2D-MatriXX device consists of a 1020 vented ion chamber array, arranged in $24{\times}24cm^2$ matrix. Each ion chamber has a volume of $0.08cm^3$, spacing of 0.762 cm and minimum sampling time of 20 ms. For the investigation of the characteristics, dose linearity, output factor, short-term reproducibility and dose rate dependency were tested. In the testing of dose linearity. It has shown a good signal linearity within 1% in the range of $1{\sim}800$cGy. Dose rate dependency was found to be lower than 0.4% (Range: 100-600 Mu/min) relative to a dose rate of 300 Mu/min as a reference. Output factors matched very well within 0.5% compared with commissioned beam data using a ionization chamber (CC01, Scanditronix-Wellhofer, Schwarzenbruck, Germany) in the range of field sizes $3{\times}3{\sim}24{\times}24cm^2$. Short-term reproducibility (6 times with a interval of 15 minute) was also shown a good agreement within 0.5%, when the temperature and the pressure were corrected by each time of measurement. in addition, we compared enhanced dynamic wedge (EDW, Varian, Palo Alto, USA) profiles from calculated values in the radiation planning system with those from measurements of the MatriXX. Furthermore, anon-uniform IMRT dose fluence was tested. All the comparison studies have shown good agreements. In this study, the MatriXX was evaluated as a reliable dosimeter, and it could be used as a simplistic and convenient tool for radiotherapy qualify assurance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1696-1702
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of body weight growth adjustment methods on genetic parameters of body growth and tissue among three pig breeds. Data collected on 101,820 Landrace, 281,411 Yorkshire, and 78,068 Duroc pigs, born in Korean swine breeder farms since 2000, were analyzed. Records included body weights on test day and amplitude (A)-mode ultrasound carcass measures of backfat thickness (BF), eye muscle area (EMA), and retail cut percentage (RCP). Days to 90 kg body weight (DAYS90), through an adjustment of the age based on the body weight at the test day, were obtained. Ultrasound measures were also pre-adjusted (ABF, EMA, AEMA, ARCP) based on their test day measures. The (co)variance components were obtained with 3 multi-trait animal models using the REMLF90 software package. Model I included DAYS90 and ultrasound traits, whereas model II and III accounted DAYS90 and pre-adjusted ultrasound traits. Fixed factors were sex (sex) and contemporary groups (herd-year-month of birth) for all traits among the models. Additionally, model I and II considered a linear covariate of final weight on the ultrasound measure traits. Heritability ($h^2$) estimates for DAYS90, BF, EMA, and RCP ranged from 0.36 to 0.42, 0.34 to 0.43, 0.20 to 0.22, and 0.39 to 0.45, respectively, among the models. The $h^2$ estimates of DAYS90 from model II and III were also somewhat similar. The $h^2$ for ABF, AEMA, and ARCP were 0.35 to 0.44, 0.20 to 0.25, and 0.41 to 0.46, respectively. Our heritability estimates varied mostly among the breeds. The genetic correlations ($r_G$) were moderately negative between DAYS90 and BF (-0.29 to -0.38), and between DAYS90 and EMA (-0.16 to -0.26). BF had strong $r_G$ with RCP (-0.87 to -0.93). Moderately positive $r_G$ existed between DAYS90 and RCP (0.20 to 0.28) and between EMA and RCP (0.35 to 0.44) among the breeds. For DAYS90, model II and III, its correlations with ABF, AEMA, and ARCP were mostly low or negligible except the $r_G$ between DAYS90 and AEMA from model III (0.27 to 0.30). The $r_G$ between AEMA and ABF and between AEMA and ARCP were moderate but with negative and positive signs, respectively; also reflected influence of pre-adjustments. However, the $r_G$ between BF and RCP remained non-influential to trait pre-adjustments or covariable fits. Therefore, we conclude that ultrasound measures taken at a body weight of about 90 kg as the test final should be adjusted for body weight growth. Our adjustment formulas, particularly those for BF and EMA, should be revised further to accommodate the added variation due to different performance testing endpoints with regard to differential growth in body composition.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.101-107
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• 2016

Due to the recent advancement in digital imaging technology, development of intervention equipment has become generalize. Video arbitration procedure is a process to insert a tiny catheter and a guide wire in the body, so in order to enhance the effectiveness and safety of this treatment, the high-quality of x-ray of image should be used. However, the increasing of radiation has become the problem. Therefore, the studies to improve the performance of x-ray detectors are being actively processed. Moreover, this intervention is based on the reference of the angiographic imaging and 3D medical image processing. In this paper, we propose a guidance system to support this intervention. Through this intervention, it can solve the problem of the existing 2D medical images based vessel that has a formation of cerebrovascular disease, and guide the real-time tracking and optimal route to the target lesion by intervention catheter and guide wire tool. As a result, the system was completely composed for medical image acquisition unit and image processing unit as well as a display device. The experimental environment, guide services which are provided by the proposed system Brain Phantom (complete intracranial model with aneurysms, ref H+N-S-A-010) was taken with x-ray and testing. To generate a reference image based on the Laplacian algorithm for the image processing which derived from the cerebral blood vessel model was applied to DICOM by Volume ray casting technique. $A^*$ algorithm was used to provide the catheter with a guide wire tracking path. Finally, the result does show the location of the catheter and guide wire providing in the proposed system especially, it is expected to provide a useful guide for future intervention service.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.613-620
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• 2008

The genetic parameters used in National Hanwoo Genetic Evaluation(NHGE) were needed to be monitored and updated periodically for accounting any possible changes in population parameters due to selection and environmental changes. Genetic parameters were estimated with single and two-trait models with MTDFREML package using 2,791 carcass records of steers collected from Hanwoo Progeny Test Program(HPTP). Single and two-trait models gave similar parameter estimates for all traits. The heritability estimates from single and two-trait models for carcass weight(CW), dressing percentage(DP), eye muscle area(EMA), back fat thickness(BFT) and marbling score(MS) were 0.30, 0.30, 0.37, 0.44 and 0.44, respectively. The heritability estimates for all the traits except BFT were slightly lower than those used in NHGE but seemed to be within the acceptable ranges. However, further monitoring is needed because the data might not have fully reflected the changes such as carcass grading standards in performance testing program. In order to shift statistical model of NHGE from single trait model to multiple-trait model, the genetic correlations between carcass traits were estimated with pairwise two-trait models. The genetic correlation coefficients between CW and DP, between CW and EMA, between CW and BFT and between CW and MS were 0.44, 0.63, 0.17 and 0.06, respectively. Those between DP and EMA, between DP and BFT and between DP and MS were 0.29, 0.40 and 0.20. Those between EMA and BFT and between EMA and MS were －0.24 and 0.15, respectively. The genetic correlation coefficient between BFT and MS was 0.03.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2017

In this paper, the applicability of a 1900mm-deep concrete-filled U-shaped composite beam to composite ordinary moment frames (C-OMFs) was investigated based on existing test results from smaller-sized specimens and supplemental numerical studies since full-scale seismic testing of such a huge sized beam is practically impossible. The key issue was the web local buckling of concrete-filled U section under negative bending. Based on 13 existing test results compiled, the relationship between web slenderness and story drift capacity was obtained. From this relationship, a 1900mm-deep mega beam, fabricated with 25mm-thick plate was expected to experience the web local buckling at 2% story drift and eventually reach a story drift over 3%, thus much exceeding the requirements of C-OMFs. The limiting width to thickness ratio according to the 2010 AISC Specification was shown to be conservative for U section webs of this study. The test-validated supplemental nonlinear finite element analysis was also conducted to further investigate the effects of the horizontal stiffeners (used to tie two webs of a U section) on web local buckling and flexural strength. First, it is shown that the nominal plastic moment under negative bending can be developed without using the horizontal stiffeners, although the presence of the stiffeners can delay the occurrence of web local buckling and restrain its propagation. Considering all these, it is concluded that the 1900mm-deep concrete-filled U-shaped composite beam investigated can be conservatively applied to C-OMFs. Finally, some useful recommendations for the arrangement and design of the horizontal stiffeners are also recommended based on the numerical results.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.893-905
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• 2020

This study is a study on solubilization and emulsifying power of tocopheryl acetate using vegetable surfactants. High purity polyglyceryl-10 isostearate and polyglyceryl-10 oleate were mixed to synthesize a vegetable surfactant with excellent solubilizing power and emulsifying power. The mixed raw material was named Solubil EWG-1100. The appearance of this raw material was a pale yellowish paste with a specific smell, specific gravity of 1.12, and acid value of 0.085. The HLB value of this surfactant was calculated by the Griffin's equation with an average value of 15.17. The behavior of this surfactant to solubilize tocopheryl acetate was mechanically verified. The performance of solubilization was evaluated by a method of visual evaluation and was measured by a transmittance rate at 650 nm using a UV spectrophotometer. As a result, in the formulation using 3% ethanol as a co-solvent, the concentration of surfactant was required to solubilize tocopheryl acetate was required about 5 times of natural surfactant. In the formulation without ethanol as a co-solvent, the concentration of surfactant was required to solubilize tocopheryl acetate required about 7 times of natural surfactant. In addition, the concentration of surfactant required to make an emulsifivation 10 % of tocopheryl acetate was 1 wt% of Solubil EWG-1100, and the emulsified particle size was 3.5 mm in cream formula. In order to obtain stable and fine emulsified particles, it was found that as the concentration of tocopheryl acetate increased, the concentration of Solubil EWG-1100 also was to increase. As a result of testing the solubilizing power of the surfactant according to the pH various change, it showed stable solubilizing power in the acidic region of pH=3.2, the neutral region of pH=7.0, and the alkaline region of pH=11.8. As application, based on these results, it is expected that it can be widely applied to the cosmetics field that develops skin care prescriptions, sensitive skin products, and heavy dry skin products.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.455-468
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• 1998

For the objective interpretation of cerebral metabolic patterns in epilepsy patients, we developed computer-aided classifier using artificial neural network. We studied interictal brain FDG PET scans of 257 epilepsy patients who were diagnosed as normal(n=64), L TLE (n=112), or R TLE (n=81) by visual interpretation. Automatically segmented volume of interest (VOI) was used to reliably extract the features representing patterns of cerebral metabolism. All images were spatially normalized to MNI standard PET template and smoothed with 16mm FWHM Gaussian kernel using SPM96. Mean count in cerebral region was normalized. The VOls for 34 cerebral regions were previously defined on the standard template and 17 different counts of mirrored regions to hemispheric midline were extracted from spatially normalized images. A three-layer feed-forward error back-propagation neural network classifier with 7 input nodes and 3 output nodes was used. The network was trained to interpret metabolic patterns and produce identical diagnoses with those of expert viewers. The performance of the neural network was optimized by testing with 5~40 nodes in hidden layer. Randomly selected 40 images from each group were used to train the network and the remainders were used to test the learned network. The optimized neural network gave a maximum agreement rate of 80.3% with expert viewers. It used 20 hidden nodes and was trained for 1508 epochs. Also, neural network gave agreement rates of 75~80% with 10 or 30 nodes in hidden layer. We conclude that artificial neural network performed as well as human experts and could be potentially useful as clinical decision support tool for the localization of epileptogenic zones.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.214-222
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• 2002

Purpose : The aim of this study was to evaluate myocardial injury in children treated with adriamycin by echocardiography, which is non-invasive and safe measurement for children. Methods : Left ventricular dimensions, wall stress, and contractile function were determined by echocardiographic methods in 17 patient recepients with adriamycin chemotherapy at rest(group 1) and during stress(group 2). Twenty age-matched normal subjects were established as control group. Results : End-diastolic dimension was decreased in both groups(group 1; $92{\pm}7%$ of normal, group 2; $87{\pm}8%$ of normal, P<0.05). Left ventricular end diastolic volume and wall mass were also decreased in both groups(group 1; $96{\pm}12mL/m^2$ and $145{\pm}18g/m^2$, group 2; $87{\pm}8mL/m^2$ and $137{\pm}16g/m^2$, respectively, P<0.05 and P<0.05) and group 2 showed lower values than group 1. Meridional end systolic stress(ESSm) was increased in both groups but there was no significant difference between the two groups(group 1; $52.6{\pm}6.2g/cm^2$, group 2; $63.5{\pm}8.5g/cm^2$, P<0.05, normal value $45.7{\pm}3.5g/cm^2$). The load-independent relation of rate-corrected circumferential fiber shortening velocity(Vcfc) to ESSm has a significant abnormal change in 7 out of 17(41%) in group 1 and 12 out of 17(71%) in group 2. Conclusion : The load-dependent systolic index, such as fractional shortening, may fail to show abnormality because of the compensatory changes in preload and afterload which can mask the impaired contractility. Therefore, systolic performance also should be monitored by a load-indepedent contractility index such as slope value of the end-systolic pressure-dimension relation and the position of the left ventricular stress-fiber shortening velocity after exercise.