• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.265-281
• /
• 2022

A set of slurry shield test system capable of cutter cutting and slurry automatic circulation is used to investigate the deformation characteristics, the evolution characteristics of support resistance and the distribution and evolution process of earth pressure during excavating and collapsing of slurry shield tunneling in circular-gravel layer. The influence of cover-span ratio on surface subsidence, support resistance and failure mode of excavation face is also discussed. Three-dimensional numerical calculations are performed to verify the reliability of the test results. The results show that, with the decrease of the supporting force of the excavation face, the surface subsidence goes through four stages: insensitivity, slow growth, rapid growth and stability. The influence of shield excavation on the axial earth pressure of the front soil is greater than that of the vertical earth pressure. When the support resistance of the excavation face decreases to the critical value, the soil in front of the excavation face collapses. The shape of the collapse is similar to that of a bucket. The ultimate support resistance increase with the increase of the cover-span ratio, however, the angle between the bottom of the collapsed body and the direction of the tunnel excavation axis when the excavation face is damaged increase first and then becomes stable. The surface settlement value and the range of settlement trough decrease with the increase of cover-span ratio. The numerical results are basically consistent with the model test results.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.565-574
• /
• 2021

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe form of pain that affects the daily activities of a patient. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy is an emerging option for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TENS therapy as an adjunct to drug therapy for the treatment of TN. Methods: A total of 52 patients diagnosed with TN according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (version 3) were included. Each patient was randomized to either the TENS or placebo TENS groups. Intervention was given in continuous mode and 100-Hz frequency for 20 mins biweekly for 6 weeks. Parameters were measured at baseline, TENS completion and 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year of follow up. The parameters observed were mean carbamazepine dose, mean visual analog scale (VAS) score, mean present pain intensity (PPI) score, and functional outcome. Non-parametric analyses, one-way ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test were applied for intragroup comparisons, while the Mann-Whitney U test and independent t-test were used for intergroup comparisons of variables. The chi-square test was applied to analyze categorical data. Results: Compared to the placebo TENS group, the mean dose of carbamazepine in the TENS group was significantly reduced at TENS completion, as well as at 6 months and 1 year follow up. Changes in mean VAS score, mean PPI score, and functional outcome did not show significant differences between the groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: TENS therapy does not lead to any changes in pain levels but it may reduce the mean dose of carbamazepine when used as an adjunct treatment in patients with TN.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.3694-3722
• /
• 2022

In today's globalized world, there is no transparency in exchanging data and information between producers and consumers. However, these tasks experience many challenges, such as administrative barriers, confidential data leakage, and extensive time delays. To overcome these challenges, we propose a decentralized, secured, and verified smart chain framework using Ethereum Smart Contract which employs Inter Planetary File Systems (IPFS) and MongoDB as storage systems to automate the process and exchange information into blocks using the Tendermint algorithm. The proposed work promotes complete traceability of the product, ensures data integrity and transparency in addition to providing security to their personal information using the Lelantos mode of shipping. The Tendermint algorithm helps to speed up the process of validating and authenticating the transaction quickly. More so in this time of pandemic, it is easier to meet the needs of customers through the Ethermint Smart Chain, which increases customer satisfaction, thus boosting their confidence. Moreover, Smart contracts help to exploit more international transaction services and provide an instant block time finality of around 5 sec using Ethermint. The paper concludes with a description of product storage and distribution adopting the Ethermint technique. The proposed system was executed based on the Ethereum-Tendermint Smart chain. Experiments were conducted on variable block sizes and the number of transactions. The experimental results indicate that the proposed system seems to perform better than existing blockchain-based systems. Two configuration files were used, the first one was to describe the storage part, including its topology. The second one was a modified file to include the test rounds that Caliper should execute, including the running time and the workload content. Our findings indicate this is a promising technology for food supply chain storage and distribution.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.31-38
• /
• 2022

Background: To prepare for future work stoppages in the medical industry, this study aimed to identify the effects of healthcare worker strikes on the mortality rate of patients visiting the emergency department (ED) at six training hospitals in Daegu, South Korea. Methods: We used a retrospective, cross-sectional, multicenter design to analyze the medical records of patients who visited six training hospitals in Daegu (August 21-September 8, 2020). For comparison, control period 1 was set as the same period in the previous year (August 21-September 8, 2019) and control period 2 was set as July 1-19, 2020. Patient characteristics including age, sex, and time of ED visit were investigated along with mode of arrival, length of ED stay, and in-hospital mortality. The experimental and control groups were compared using t-tests, and Mann-Whitney U-test, chi-square test, and Fisher exact tests, as appropriate. Univariate logistic regression was performed to identify significant factors, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: During the study period, 31,357 patients visited the ED, of which 7,749 belonged to the experimental group. Control periods 1 and 2 included 13,100 and 10,243 patients, respectively. No significant in-hospital mortality differences were found between strike periods; however, the results showed statistically significant differences in the length of ED stay. Conclusion: The ED resident strike did not influence the mortality rate of patients who visited the EDs of six training hospitals in Daegu. Furthermore, the number of patients admitted and the length of ED stay decreased during the strike period.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.1706-1727
• /
• 2023

Under Water Sensor Networks (UWSN) has gained attraction among various communities for its potential applications like acoustic monitoring, 3D mapping, tsunami detection, oil spill monitoring, and target tracking. Unlike terrestrial sensor networks, it performs an acoustic mode of communication to carry out collaborative tasks. Typically, surface sink nodes are deployed for aggregating acoustic phenomena collected from the underwater sensors through the multi-hop path. In this context, UWSN is constrained by factors such as lower bandwidth, high propagation delay, and limited battery power. Also, the vulnerabilities to compromise the aquatic environment are in growing numbers. The paper proposes an Energy-Efficient standalone Intrusion Detection System (EEIDS) to entail the acoustic environment against malicious attacks and improve the network lifetime. In EEIDS, attributes such as node ID, residual energy, and depth value are verified for forwarding the data packets in a secured path and stabilizing the nodes' energy levels. Initially, for each node, three agents are modeled to perform the assigned responsibilities. For instance, ID agent verifies the node's authentication of the node, EN agent checks for the residual energy of the node, and D agent substantiates the depth value of each node. Next, the classification of normal and malevolent nodes is performed by determining the score for each node. Furthermore, the proposed system utilizes the sheep-flock heredity algorithm to validate the input attributes using the optimized probability values stored in the training dataset. This assists in finding out the best-fit motes in the UWSN. Significantly, the proposed system detects and isolates the malicious nodes with tampered credentials and nodes with lower residual energy in minimal time. The parameters such as the time taken for malicious node detection, network lifetime, energy consumption, and delivery ratio are investigated using simulation tools. Comparison results show that the proposed EEIDS outperforms the existing acoustic security systems.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.22.1-22.12
• /
• 2021

Objectives: This study evaluated and compared the effects of radiation therapy on the dislocation resistance of AH Plus and BioRoot RCS applied to dentin and the sealer-dentin interface. Materials and Methods: Thirty single-rooted teeth were randomly assigned to 2 groups (n = 15 each): AH Plus (Dentsply DeTrey) and BioRoot RCS (Septodont). Each group was subdivided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group was subjected to a total radiation dose of 60 Gy. The root canals of all samples were cleaned, shaped, and obturated using the single-cone technique. Dentin slices (1 mm) were sectioned from each root third for the push-out test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was done to examine the sealer-dentin interface. The failure mode was determined using stereomicroscopy. Bond strength data were analyzed by the independent t-test, 1-way analysis of variance, and the Tukey post hoc test (α = 0.05). Results: Significantly lower bond strength was observed in irradiated teeth than non-irradiated teeth in the AH Plus group (p < 0.05). The BioRoot RCS group showed no significant reduction in bond strength after irradiation (p > 0.05) and showed a higher post-irradiation bond strength (209.92 ± 172.26 MPa) than the AH Plus group. SEM revealed slightly larger gap-containing regions in irradiated specimens from both groups. Conclusions: The dislocation resistance of BioRoot RCS was not significantly changed by irradiation and was higher than that of AH Plus. BioRoot RCS may be the sealer of choice for root canal treatment in patients undergoing radiation therapy.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.72-79
• /
• 2022

Objective : Any traumatic event can be a risk factor, for subsequent mental disorder. However, childhood trauma, especially in interpersonal nature, is associated with later development of complex symptom patterns. This study examined the role of dissociation as a mediator between childhood trauma and symptom complexity. Methods : A pooled data of 369 psychiatric outpatients at a university-affiliated hospital was analyzed for descriptive statistics, group differences, and bivariate correlation analysis to verify a structural model. The questionnaires included the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Trauma History Screen, the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Abbreviated PTSD checklist. Results : When other trauma variables were controlled, childhood interpersonal trauma had significant correlation with symptom complexity (r=0.155, p=0.003). Among the paths analyzed, that of childhood interpersonal trauma and dissociation showed the greatest impact on symptom complexity (b=9.34, t=5.75, p<0.001). Based on the significance of the indirect impact, the results suggest a complete mediation impact of dissociation on symptom complexity. Conclusion : This study validated that childhood interpersonal trauma impacts symptom complexity, through the sequential mediating impact of dissociation. Thus, clinicians should understand childhood interpersonal trauma, dissociation, and symptom patterns in a complex and interacting mode, and develop effective pertinent treatment strategies.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.495-519
• /
• 2023

The drone serves the customers not served by vans. At the same time, considering the safety, policy and terrain as well as the need to replace the battery, the drone needs to be transported by truck to the identified station along with the parcel. From each such station, the drone serves a subset of customers according to a direct assignment pattern, i.e., every time the drone is launched, it serves one demand node and returns to the station to collect another parcel. Similarly, the truck is used to transport the drone and cargo between stations. This is somewhat different from the research of other scholars. In terms of the joint distribution of the drone and road vehicle, most scholars will choose the combination of two transportation tools, while we use three. The drone and vans are responsible for distribution services, and the trucks are responsible for transporting the goods and drone to the station. The goal is to optimize the total delivery cost which includes the transportation costs for the vans and the delivery cost for the drone. A fixed cost is also considered for each drone parking site corresponding to the cost of positioning the drone and using the drone station. A discrete optimization model is presented for the problem in addition to a two-phase heuristic algorithm. The results of a series of computational tests performed to assess the applicability of the model and the efficiency of the heuristic are reported. The results obtained show that nearly 10% of the cost can be saved by combining the traditional delivery mode with the use of a drone and drone stations.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.171-182
• /
• 2024

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate health college students' awareness and knowledge of the dementia policy and their attitudes toward dementia. Methods : In this study, 294 questionnaires were collected from 301 college students in the Department of Health of K College in Busan from November 7 to 29, 2022. The questionnaire consisted of 59 items, including 9 items on general characteristics, 10 on awareness of the dementia policy, 15 on attitudes toward dementia, and 25 on knowledge about dementia. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t test, and one-way analysis of variance with SPSS version 25. A post-analysis was performed using the Scheffe test. Dementia policy awareness, knowledge of dementia, and attitude toward dementia were analyzed with the Pearson correlation coefficient by factor. Results : The health students' dementia policy awareness and knowledge of dementia were high, and their attitudes toward dementia were positive. High knowledge of dementia was influenced by sex, interest in dementia, presence of dementia information, and related volunteer work experience. Positive attitudes toward dementia were related to sex, department, and mode of receiving dementia information. High dementia policy perceptions were associated with interest in dementia and the presence or absence of information on dementia. Positive correlations were found between dementia policy perception and knowledge and attitude toward dementia. Conclusion : According to our study, interest in dementia is increasing owing to the recent dementia safety system. As a result, the dementia policy awareness and knowledge of dementia among college students pursuing health studies were high, and their attitude toward dementia was positive. From these results, we can infer that systematic and continuous education on dementia should be conducted in universities.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.392-409
• /
• 2024

The present study aims to analyze the biological aspects and population dynamics of Indian mackerel in Barru waters. Data was collected in Barru for 11 months, from June 2022 to April 2023. The observed parameters of biological aspects included gonadal maturation stages (GMSs), size at first gonadal maturation, and length-weight relationship. Meanwhile, the aspects of population dynamics encompass age group, growth, mortality rate, and exploitation rate. Data analysis consisted of morphological selection of general maturation stages, Spearman-Kärber method in estimating gonadal first maturation size, Bhattacharya method in identifying age group, von Bertalanffy function through FISAT II to measure growth (L_∞ and K), Pauly Model to estimate mortality rate, Beverton & Holt Model to estimate Y/R, and virtual population analysis (VPA) analysis to estimate stock and fish yield. The results demonstrated that GMS I was observed to be dominant, followed by stages II and III. The initial gonadal maturation was estimated to be 17.98-19.28 cm (FL) for females and 17.98-19.27 cm (FL) for males. The length-weight relationship in male and female Indian mackerels indicated a positive allometric growth. The mode grouping analysis results from the fork length measurement revealed three age groups. It was also identified that the asymptotic length (L_∞) = 29.5 cm (fork length), growth rate coefficient (K) = 0.46 per year, and theoretical age at zero length (t₀) = -0.3576 per year. Total mortality (Z) = 2.67 per year, natural mortality (M) = 1.10 per year, fishing mortality (F) = 1.57 per year, and exploitation rate (E) = 0.59, the actual Y/R = 0.083 gram/recruitment, and optimal Y/R 0.03 gram/recruitment. Fishing mortality is higher than the natural mortality rate, and a high exploitation value (E > 0.5) also reflects over-exploitation. VPA analysis on fish yields and stock estimation reported a highly exploited rate between the 11.5 cm and 14.5 cm length classes and an exceeding current yield of 467.07 tons/year with a recommended yield of 233.53 tons/year to ensure population sustainability.