• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.221-229
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• 2009

This study develops the optimized operation program which enables effective and economic operation between individual and connected branch offices by analyzing the current status and influential indicators of district heating companies' capital branch offices. Accordingly, the study examines the efficiency of optimized operation program. In doing so, this study has diagnosed and analyzed various factors, such as boilers, pumps, and relevant tags (temperature, pressure, fuel amount) through investigation of individual branch offices, and finally succeeded in developing wide-ranging data base by factor covering one-year time period. Additionally, after running the optimized operation program, different branch offices, optimum preference has turned out "incinerator receiving heat from KEPCO>CHP >PLBs>PLBw." Meantime, except the connected offices, there has been no big difference between actual and optimum operation program in branch offices. Meanwhile, the integrated optimum operation program has made it possible the most optimal result only via the connecting supply and demand heat without changing received Heat from KEPCO which is the same as total productive heat. The result has showed that the reduction percentage per day is 2.45~6.80%, and the reduction cost per day is 22,727~60,077 thousand won given the randomly selected sample days. In particular, winter time shows the highest demand with the largest reduction cost whereas summer time illustrates the lowest demand with the smallest reduction cost. Given this result, reduction cost per year compared to actual heat production cost for one year theoretically would be 84 hundred million won. Also, the economic effect showed that the reduction cost percentage per year is more than 2.74% on heat production cost per year for all capital branch offices.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.303-308
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• 2019

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis in a wide range of warm-blooded animals including humans. In this study, we analyzed seroprevalence of T. gondii among 467 school children living in the rural areas of Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Myanmar. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii among school children was 23.5%; 22.5% of children were positive for T. gondii IgG, 0.4% of children were positive for T. gondii IgM, and 0.6% of children were positive for both T. gondii IgG and IgM. Geographical factors did not significantly affect the seroprevalence frequency between Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Myanmar. No significant difference was found between males (22.2%) and females (25.0%). The overall seroprevalence among school children differed by ages (10 years old [13.6%], 11-12 years old [19.8%], 13-14 years old [24.6%], and 15-16 years old [28.0%]), however, the result was not significant. Polymerase chain reaction analysis for T. gondii B1 gene for IgG-positive and IgM-positive blood samples were negative, indicating no direct evidence of active infection. These results collectively suggest that T. gondii infection among school children in Myanmar was relatively high. Integrated and improved strategies including reinforced education on toxoplasmosis should be implemented to prevent and control T. gondii infection among school children in Myanmar.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1002-1011
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• 2018

Background and Objectives: The prognostic impact of left axis deviation (LAD) on clinical outcomes in acute heart failure syndrome (AHFS) with left bundle branch block (LBBB) is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of axis deviation in acute heart failure patients with LBBB. Methods: Between March 2011 and February 2014, 292 consecutive AHFS patients with LBBB were recruited from 10 tertiary university hospitals. They were divided into groups with no LAD (n=189) or with LAD (n=103) groups according to QRS axis <-30 degree. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Results: The median follow-up duration was 24 months. On multivariate analysis, the rate of all-cause death did not significantly differ between the normal axis and LAD groups (39.7% vs. 46.6%, adjusted hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.66, 1.53; p=0.97). However, on the multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate the predictors of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), presence of LAD significantly predicted a worse LVEF (adjusted beta, -3.25; 95% confidence interval, -5.82, -0.67; p=0.01). Right ventricle (RV) dilatation was defined as at least 2 of 3 electrocardiographic criteria (late R in lead aVR, low voltages in limb leads, and R/S ratio <1 in lead V5) and was more frequent in the LAD group than in the normal axis group (p<0.001). Conclusions: Among the AHFS with LBBB patients, LAD did not predict mortality, but it could be used as a significant predictor of worse LVEF and RV dilatation (Trial registry at KorAHF registry, ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT01389843).

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2013

Objectives: Mental health has been shown to be linked with certain underlying physiological mechanisms. The objective of this cross sectional study was to investigate the relationship between depressive symptoms and brachial artery reactivity (BAR) in an understudied population: police officers. Methods: Participants were 351 police officers who were clinically examined in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Police Stress (BCOPS) study. BAR was performed using standard B-Mode ultrasound procedures. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Mean values of the difference between the baseline and maximum diameters of the brachial artery were determined across three categories of CES-D score using the analysis of variance and the analysis of covariance. p-values for linear trends were obtained from linear regression models. Results: The mean age (${\pm}$ standard deviation) of all officers was $40.9{\pm}7.2$ years. Women had a slightly higher mean CES-D score than men ($8.9{\pm}8.9$ vs. $7.4{\pm}6.4$) and a slightly higher percentage increase of BAR than men (6.90 vs. 5.26%). Smoking status significantly modified the associations between depressive symptoms and BAR. Among current smokers, mean absolute values of BAR significantly decreased as depressive symptoms increased after adjustment for age, gender, race/ethnicity, hypertension, and diabetes; the multivariate-adjusted p-values were 0.033 (absolute) and 0.040 (%). Associations between depressive symptoms and BAR were not statistically significant among former smokers or never smokers. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms were inversely associated with BAR among police officers who were current smokers and together may be considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease among police officers. Further prospective research is warranted.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1098-1102
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• 2002

Antioxidative activities of ethanol extracts of seed, branch, leaves, and aerial part of Crotalaria sessiflora L. were compared using in vitro experimental model. Solid contents of each extracts were 12.68, 16.28, 13.04, and 18.59 g/ 100 mL, and phenolic acid contents were $0.082{\pm}0.003,\;0.099{\pm}0.010,\;0.071{\pm}0.002,\;and\;0.094{\pm}0.011\;mg/mL$ in branch, aerial part, seed, and leaves, respectively. Extracts prepared from leaves showed highest electron-donating ability toward DPPH. SOD-liked activities were 78.95, 70.85, 74.65, and 87.49% in aerial part, branch, seed, an leaves respectively. Extracts prepared from leaves showed 59.39% inhibitory effect on peroxidation of egg yolk lecithin.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.1 no.1 s.1
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• pp.31-46
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• 1997

In this paper, a parallel Optimal Best-First search Branch-and-Bound(B&B) algorithm(pobs) is designed and evaluated for MIN-based multiprocessor systems. The proposed algorithm decomposes a problem into G subproblems, where each subproblem is processed on a group of P processors. Each processor group uses tile sub-Global Best-First search technique to find a local solution. The local solutions are broadcasted through the network to compute the global solution. This broadcast provides not only the comparison of G local solutions but also the load balancing among the processor groups. A performance analysis is then conducted to estimate the speed-up of the proposed parallel B&B algorithm. The analytical model is developed based on the probabilistic properties of the B&B algorithm. It considers both the computation time and communication overheads to evaluate the realistic performance of the algorithm under the parallel processing environment. In order to validate the proposed evaluation model, the simulation of the parallel B&B algorithm on a MIN-based system is carried out at the same time. The results from both analysis and simulation match closely. It is also shown that the proposed Optimal Best-First search B&B algorithm performs better than other reported schemes with its various advantageous features such as: less subproblem evaluations, prefer load balancing, and limited scope of remote communication.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.7-17
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• 2007

The left main descending artery (LMDA) of left coronary artery (LCA) in rats runs around the left side of conus arteriosus after arising from the aortic sinus and descends to the apex of heart with branching several branches into the wall of left ventricle (LV). The ligation site of LMDA for myocardial infarction (MI) is the 2~4 mm from LCA origin, between the pulmonary trunk and left auricle. The characteristics that rat heart has no interventricular groove on the surface and its coronary arteries run intramyocardially with branching several branches give the difficulty in surgery for MI which resulted in expected size. This study was aimed to elucidate the branching patterns of the left coronary artery for analysis of MI size and for giving the basic data to producing small MI intentionally in 2 male species that are widely used, Sprague-Dowley (SD) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), in the world. Red latex casting was followed by the microdissection in 27 and 28 hearts of SD and WKY male rats, respectively. The branching patterns of LMDA were classified into 3 major types and others based on the left ventricular branches (L). The Type I, Type II, Type III and others are shown in 55.6%, 22.2%, 14.8%, and 7.4% in SD, 60.7%, 10.7%, 7.1%, and 21.5% in WKY, respectively. The branching number of the first left ventricular branch (L1) that are distribute the upper one third of LV was 1.2~1.5, and its branching sites were ranging 0.9~2.1 ᒠfrom LCA origin. L2, the second left ventricular branch distributing middle one third of LV, was the number of 1.2~1.4 and branching out ranging 5.1~5.7 mm. L3, the third left ventricular branch of LMDA distributing lower one third of LV, was the number of 1~1.5 and branching out ranging 7.0~9.3 mm from LCA origin. The common branch of L1 and L2 was branched from LMDA with the number of 1.1, and its site was located in the distance of mean of 1.5 mm and 2.8 mm in SD and WKY, respectively. The common branch of L2 and L3 was branched from LMDA with the number of 1, and its site was located in the distance of mean of 7.2 mm and 2.9 mm in SD and WKY, respectively. The right ventricular branches (R) of LMDA were short and branched in irregularly compared with L. The number of 1~4 of R were branched from LMDA. With regarding to the distribution area of L and the ligation site for MI, moderate MI (25~35% of LV) might be resulted in 70.4% and 60.7% in SD and WKY rats. Small MI might be produced intentionally if the ligation would be located at the 4~6 mm from LCA origin in the left side of LMDA. These data wold be helpful to expect the size of MI and to reproduce of small MI, intentionally, in rat hearts.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.201-208
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• 2016

Ceramic pigments, which show good thermal and chemical stabilities, have been applied for various industry with development of digital printing technology. Ceramic inkjet printing has advantages of high efficiency of ink usage and eco-friendly process. Thus, the interest of the ceramic pigments with various function and color including CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) digital primary color is increasing. Here, we investigated the thermal and chemical stabilities of white ceramic pigment for digital inkjet printing process. The microstructure and crystal structure of MgO, $Al_2O_3$, $MgAl_2O_4$, $CeO_2$ were analyzed, and the stability with glaze were evaluated. In order to evaluate the applicability for digital inkjet printing, the chemical stability of white ceramic pigments at high temperature was investigated by characterization of the mixed color properties with CMYK ceramic pigments after firing process.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.23-27
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• 1987

Mass electrocardiographic (ECG) examination was performed on 13,801 children (male 7,526 and female 6,275) of elementary and middle school in Taegu from May 1. 1986. to April 30. 1987. We read their ECG according to the "Pediatric Electrocardiography." The results were as following; The Incidence of ECG abnormality was 1.05%(male 1.3% and female 0.75%). Fifty eight children (0.42%) had atrial and ventricular hypertrophy; two right atrial hypertrophy, five left atrial hypertrophy, thirty five fight ventricular hypertrophy and sixteen left ventricular hypertrophy respectively. Ectopic beats occurred in 25 children (0.18%) ; They were atrial in 12 children, ventricular in 8 children and junctional in 5 children. There were 62 children (0.45%) of conduction disturbance ; They were first degree atrioventricular (A-V) block in 21 children, type I second degree A-V block in 1 child, A-V dissociation in 1 child, right bundle branch block in 36 children, left bundle branch block in 1 child and WPW syndrome in 2 children. Nonspecific ST, T changes and sinus tachycardia were found in 3 and one children respectively.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2007

With the advent of microsurgery, perforator free flap is nowadays considered the first choice for reconstruction of the extensive defect of the extremities because of their moderate thickness. Among them, anterior (anterolateral and anteromedial) thigh perforator free flaps provide the first choice for reconstruction of various soft tissue defects of the extremities with many advantage such as its large, uniform thickness, long vascular pedicle with proper vessel size and minimal donor site morbidity. But, it has still some criticism of unreliable perforators which makes us very careful in elevating the flap. Between March of 2006 and February of 2007, we treated 7 patients of soft tissue defects in the hand and lower extremities with anterior thigh perforator free flap at Hallym and DongGuk University Hospital. We performed 6 anterolateral thigh perforator free flaps based on the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) and 1 anteromedial thigh perforator free flap based on the innominate branch of the LCFA. While approaching for the anterolateral thigh free flap, we happen to meet the cases which we should change into the anteromedial thigh free flap uneventfully on the operating field. In contrast to the original design of anterolateral thigh free flap, we had to harvest the anteromedial thigh perforator free flap in 1 case. All the anterior thigh perforator free flaps survived completely except 1 case of partial necrosis due to venous congestion. Donor sites were closed primarily and healed uneventfully within 2 weeks. Patients were satisfied with the functionally and aesthetically acceptable results. Although doppler sonography is strongly recommended preoperatively in planning the anterior thigh perforator free flaps, we should always remember the variation in vascular anatomy and be ready to change the flap choice from the anterolateral to anteromedial intraoperatively. we provide a review of the literature and present our series of anterior thigh perforator free flaps for reconstruction of the extremities.