• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 2015

Objectives: This study is aimed at assessing the reliability of a standard instrument of diagnosis and assessment for Spleen Qi deficiency pattern questionnaire (SQDQ) and examining the validity of the SQDQ by comparing the pattern identification scores of different groups. Methods: We conducted a survey of 72 participants (60 patients with chronic dyspepsia and 12 healthy subjects) using self-reported questionnaire. Participants were given written consent and this study was performed under the permission of institutional review board of Kyung-Hee university Korean medicine hospital. Results: The reliability and the validity of the questionnaire were inspected. Internal consistency of the SQDQ was excellent. Construct validity analyzed by exploratory factor analysis produced 4 factors, which were selected from eigenvalues that are greater than 1.0. The factor 1, 2, 3 and 4 showed 'fatigue', 'meal', 'diagnosis' and 'figure' respectively. For most of SQDQs' items, there were significant differences observed between the Spleen Qi and the non-Spleen Qi groups. However, the 'emaciation', 'tongue diagnosis' and 'pulse diagnosis' showed no significant differences. Conclusions: The SQDQ restructured in this study may provide a fundamental questionnaire and a further study is required for a more advanced, standardized and statistically proven questionnaire.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2009.09a
• /
• pp.993-1000
• /
• 2009

In general, a drilled shaft embedded in weathered rock has a large load bearing capacity. Therefore, most of the load tests are performed only up to the load level that confirms the pile design load capacity, and stopped much before the failure load of the pile is attained. If a reliable failure load value can be extracted from the premature load test data, it will be possible to greatly improve economic efficiency as well as pile design quality. The main purpose of this study is to propose a standard for judging the reliability of the failure load of piles that is obtained from extrapolated load test data. To this aim, eleven static load test data of load-displacement curves were obtained from testing of piles to their failures from 3 different field sites. For each load-displacement curve, loading was assumed as 25%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, and 90% of the actual pile bearing capacity. The limited known data were then extrapolated using the hyperbolic function, and the failure load was re-determined for each extrapolated data by the ASCE 20-96 method (1997). Statistical analysis was performed on the reliability of the re-evaluated failure loads. The results showed that if the ratio of the maximum-available displacement to the failure-load displacement exceeds 0.6, the extrapolated failure load may be regarded as reliable, having less than a conservative 20% error on average. The applicability of the proposed standard of judgment was also verified with static load test data of driven piles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.174-183
• /
• 2023

Background: Office workers experience neck or back pain due to poor posture, such as flexed head and forward head posture, during long-term sedentary work. Posture correction is used to reduce pain caused by poor posture and ensures proper alignment of the body. Several assistive devices have been developed to assist in maintaining an ideal posture; however, there are limitations in practical use due to vast size, unproven long-term effects or inconsistency of maintaining posture alignment. We developed a headphone and necklace posture correction system (HANPCS) for posture correction using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor that provides visual or auditory feedback. Objects: To demonstrate the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of neck and upper trunk flexion measurements using a HANPCS, compared with a three-dimensional motion analysis system (3DMAS). Methods: Twenty-nine participants were included in this study. The HANPCS was applied to each participant. The angle for each action was measured simultaneously using the HANPCS and 3DMAS. The data were analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = [3,3] with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The angular measurements of the HANPCS for neck and upper trunk flexions showed high intra- (ICC = 0.954-0.971) and inter-day (ICC = 0.865-0.937) values, standard error of measurement (SEM) values (1.05°-2.04°), and minimal detectable change (MDC) values (2.92°-5.65°). Also, the angular measurements between the HANPCS and 3DMAS had excellent ICC values (> 0.90) for all sessions, which indicates high concurrent validity. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that the HANPCS is as accurate in measuring angle as the gold standard, 3DMAS. Therefore, the HANPCS is reliable and valid because of its angular measurement reliability and validity.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2009

Objectives : As depression falls into the category of Wuljeung, Gamiguibi-Tang(Jiaweiguipitang) is the standard prescription to cure Wuljeung. This study develops a questionnaire for building the guidelines to administer Gamiguibi-Tang to depression and evaluates reliability and validity of questionnaire. Methods : With extracting the text related to depression and Gamiguibi-Tang through total 9 Korean medicine books and consulting the experts, the study selected 80 items and converted them into a questionnaire. It surveyed the neuropsychiatry professors and the medical specialists three times by Delphi method, and lastly selected 21 final items of a questionnaire. On the basis of the questionnaire, it collected total 216 samples and tested their reliability and validity. Results : 21 items all didn't reduce total Cronbach alpha coefficient and satisfied test-retest reliability. As a result of factor analysis, totally 5 factors were extracted such as mental state, sleep, accompaniment, fatigue and weakness. Finally, in comparing a depression group with a normal control group, two groups all showed meaningful difference in each 21 items' point, the sum of factor 1 to 5 items' points, and the sum of 21 items' points. Conclusions : The questionnaire on the updated depression prescription guideline of Gamiguibi-Tang satisfied both of reliability and validity. Later it can help objectifying to apply Gamiguibi-Tang to depression cure.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.271-279
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Probabilistic safety analysis was performed to enhance the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants because traditional deterministic approach has limitations in predicting the risk of failure by crack growth. The study introduces a probabilistic approach to establish a basis for probabilistic safety assessment of passive components. Methods: For probabilistic modeling of fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR), various FCGR tests were performed either under constant load amplitude or constant ${\Delta}K$ conditions by using heat treated X-750 at low temperature with adequate cathodic polarization. Bayesian inference was employed to update uncertainties of the FCGR model using additional information obtained from constant ${\Delta}K$ tests. Results: Four steps of Bayesian parameter updating were performed using constant ${\Delta}K$ test results. The standard deviation of the final posterior distribution was decreased by a factor of 10 comparing with that of the prior distribution. Conclusion: The method for developing a probabilistic crack growth model has been designed and demonstrated, in the paper. Alloy X-750 has been used for corrosion fatigue crack growth experiments and modeling. The uncertainties of parameters in the FCGR model were successfully reduced using the Bayesian inference whenever the updating was performed.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.124-129
• /
• 2015

Purpose: Salivary pH is an easily measurable biochemical marker and related to various intraoral and systemic conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the salivary pH measurement using pH paper. In addition, the normal values of salivary pH using pH paper were compared to those of pH meter to investigate the validity. Methods: Twenty healthy male participants attended this study (mean age, $24.5{\pm}1.47$ years). Unstimulated saliva and stimulated saliva were collected from each subject two times with the interval of a day and salivary pH was immediately measured by the two experienced examiners using pH paper and pH meter. The salivary pH was compared between the groups and inter- and intra-examiner reliability of pH paper was investigated. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to calculate variations. Results: All measurements had good to excellent inter-examiner (ICC 0.755 for unstimulated; 0.760 for stimulated saliva), intra-examiner (ICC 0.635 for unstimulated; 0.592 for stimulated saliva) reliability and two measurement methods using pH paper and pH paper also showed high reliability (ICC 0.852 for unstimulated; 0.640 for stimulated saliva). The values measured by pH paper were significantly lower than those measured by pH meter. Conclusions: pH paper showed adequate inter- and intra-examiner reliability and it presented the validity in terms of comparison with the pH meter as a standard in the salivary pH measurement.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.83-91
• /
• 2020

PURPOSE: Postural and structural asymmetry due to muscle imbalances around the lower back and pelvis are the causes of back pain. Muscle imbalances in patients with chronic low back pain affect the pelvic tilt and movement, and it is necessary to assess the pelvic movement ability using the appropriate tools to determine the mediating effects of lower back pain. This paper reports the reliability and validity of the Sensbalance Therapy Cushion (STC) for pelvic movement and proprioception. METHODS: In this study, the Wii balance board (WBB) was used as a golden standard for pelvic movement measurements. FABQ, KODI, Myovision, and Pelvic movement were measured in 50 patients with chronic low back pain. The correlation between the lower-back muscle activity and pelvic movement was checked. The pelvic movement parameter was measured twice to determine the intra-rater reliability. RESULTS: The STC showed high test-retest reliability in the pelvic tilt measurements (ICC = .672 - .809). The test-retest reliability of proprioception measurements (ICC = .588 - .859) and reaction time measurements (ICC = .542 - .836) were also high. The relationship between the WBB and STC showed a significant positive correlation with the pelvic tilt test (p < .01). The posterior pelvic tilt and lower-back muscle activity showed a significant negative correlation (p < .01). The pelvic left tilt and lower-back muscle activity showed a significant negative correlation (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The results revealed the high reliability and validity of the STC. Therefore, the STC can be used as an objective measuring device for evaluating pelvic tilt, proprioception, and reaction time in low back pain patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.218-224
• /
• 2019

Objective: This reliability study examined the effects of applying varying induced inward pressures using a transducer placed at 0° neutral ankle position (NEU) and 15° ankle dorsiflexion (DF) on tibialis anterior (TA) muscle thickness using a custom-made device with a force indicator during rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty-four healthy subjects were recruited in this study. Two examiners measured the muscle thickness of the TA at 0° NEU and 15° DF in 3 conditions of inward pressures (1.0 N, 2.0 N, and 4.0 N) using a custom-made holder. The muscle thickness was measured three times for each of the conditions arranged in random order. For intra- and inter-rater reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with 95% confidence intervals, standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change, and coefficient of variation were analyzed. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted for investigating changes of TA muscle thickness according to the inward pressures of the transducers. Results: The intra-rater reliability of TA muscle thickness measurement was excellent (ICC_3,1: 0.92-0.96) for all conditions (at both ankle joint angles per varying inward pressure). Likewise, the inter-rater reliability of TA muscle thickness measurement was excellent (ICC_2,1: 0.89-0.97) under same conditions. The mean of TA thickness showed the trend of decreasing significantly with increased inward pressures at all ankle joint angles (p<0.05). Conclusions: Use of this custom-made device with a force indicator is useful to accomplish the high intra- and inter-rater reliability of TA muscle thickness measurement at both ankle joint angles in reducing the measurement error.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2014

The purposes of the current study were to (1) estimate the inter-rater agreement for visual assessment of scapular downward rotation (SDR), (2) develop the scapular downward rotation index (SDRI) as a method to measure SDR objectively and quantitatively, and (3) analyze the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the SDRI. Twenty subjects with scapular downward rotation syndrome (SDRS) were recruited for this study. The visual assessment and the measurement for the SDRI were conducted by two examiners in two sessions each. The SDRI [$(a-b){\div}a{\times}100$] is calculated with the measurement of two linear distances: One is a perpendicular distance from the root of the scapular spine to the thoracic mid-line (a), and the other is a perpendicular distance from the inferior angle of the scapula to the thoracic mid-line (b). Cohen's kappa coefficient was calculated to estimate the inter-rater agreement for visual assessment. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI), the standard error of measurement, and minimal detectable differences were calculated to assess intra- and inter-rater reliability of SDR measurement using the SDRI. The results indicated that the kappa coefficient of inter-rater agreement for visual assessment was fair (${\kappa}=.21$). The intra-rater reliability of SDR measurement using the SDRI was excellent for examiner 1 (ICC=.92, 95% CI=.78~.97) and good for examiner 2 (ICC=.82, 95% CI=.55~.93). The inter-rater reliability was moderate (ICC=.73, 95% CI=.32~.89). These findings showed that SDR measurement using the SDRI for subjects with SDRS may be considered reliable and better than the visual assessment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.81-86
• /
• 2015

A deterministic stress-based methodology has traditionally been applied in pipeline design. Meanwhile, reliability based design and assessment (RBDA) methodology has been extensively applied in offshore or nuclear structures. Lately, the release of ISO standard on reliability based limit state methods for pipelines ISO16708 indicates that the RBDA methodology is one of the newest directions of natural gas pipeline design method. This paper presents a case study of the RBDA procedure for predicting the time-dependent failure probability of pipelines with corrosion defects, where separable Monte Carlo (SMC) method is applied in the reliability estimation for corroded pipeline instead of traditional, crude Monte Carlo(CMC) Method. The result shows the SMC method take advantage of improving accuracy in reliability calculation.