• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.295-301
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• 2022

The medicines for treating osteoporosis currently in use have minor to severe side effects, and can be financially burdensome. Thus, there is a need for prevention and alternative supplement that is relatively inexpensive, and can be easily consumed daily as an alternative dietary therapy. In this study, bone marrow density of the spine and femur of osteoporosis patients were checked before and after consuming complex composed of calcium and magnesium, considered to be the core of bone mineral content. November 2017-November 2021, patients with T-score of less than -2.5 or -1.0 < T-score < -2.5 with history of fractures or recent fractures were enrolled. The data of 60 patients who orally administered Ionized Cal/Mag^TM Complex were reviewed retrospectively, and it was significantly confirmed that the average value of T-score was up-regulated by 0.5. Additionally, the cumulative dose was observed to have a positive effect, on the improvement of BMD in the 2nd Lumbar and Femur neck. It is expected that better results will be achieved if use of the supplement is continued.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2022

An intelligent distributed multi-agent system (IDMS) using reinforcement learning (RL) is a challenging and intricate problem in which single or multiple agent(s) aim to achieve their specific goals (sub-goal and final goal), where they move their states in a complex and cluttered environment. The environment provided by the IDMS provides a cumulative optimal reward for each action based on the policy of the learning process. Most actions involve interacting with a given IDMS environment; therefore, it can provide the following elements: a starting agent state, multiple obstacles, agent goals, and a cluttered index. The reward in the environment is also reflected by RL-based agents, in which agents can move randomly or intelligently to reach their respective goals, to improve the agent learning performance. We extend different cases of intelligent multi-agent systems from our previous works: (a) a proposed environment-clutter-based-index for agent sub-goal selection and analysis of its effect, and (b) a newly proposed RL reward scheme based on the environmental clutter-index to identify and analyze the prerequisites and conditions for improving the overall system.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.249-261
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• 2023

Aerodynamic force coefficients are generally prescribed by an ensemble average of ten and/or twenty 10-minute samples. However, this makes it difficult to identify the exact probability distribution and exceedance probability of the prescribed values. In this study, 12,600 10-minute samples on three tall buildings were measured, and the probability distributions were first identified and the aerodynamic force coefficients corresponding to the specific non-exceedance probabilities (cumulative probabilities) of wind load were then evaluated. It was found that the probability distributions of the mean and fluctuating aerodynamic force coefficients followed a normal distribution. The ratios of aerodynamic force coefficients corresponding to the specific non-exceedance probabilities (C_f,Non) to the ensemble average of 12,600 samples (C_f,Ens), which was defined as an adjusting factor (C_f,Non/C_f,Ens), were less than 2%. The effect of coefficient of variation of wind speed on the adjusting factor is larger than that of the annual non-exceedance probability of wind load. The non-exceedance probabilities of the aerodynamic force coefficient is between P_C,nonex = 50% and 60% regardless of force components and aspect ratios. The adjusting factors from the Gumbel distribution were larger than those from the normal distribution.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.79-90
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• 2023

Existing reinforced concrete (RC) frame buildings have seismic vulnerabilities because of seismically deficient details. In particular, since cumulative damage caused by successive earthquakes causes serious damage, repair/retrofit rehabilitation studies for successive earthquakes are needed. This study investigates the repair effect of fiber-reinforced polymer jacketing system for the seismically-vulnerable building structures under successive earthquakes. The repair modeling method developed and validated from the previous study was implemented to the building models. Additionally, the main parameters of the FRP jacketing system were selected as the number of FRP layers associated with the confinement effects and the installation location. To define the repair effects of the FRP jacketing system with the main parameters, this study conducted nonlinear time-history analyses for the building structural models with the various repairing scenarios. Based on this investigation, the repair effects of the damaged building structures were significantly affected by the damage levels induced from the mainshocks regardless of the retrofit scenarios.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.186-186
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• 1996

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia, has an ample polysaccharide(PS) capsule that is highly antigenic and is the source of PS vaccine. This investigation was undertaken to optimize the culture conditions for the production of capsular PS by type 1 pneumococcus. Among several culture media, brain heart infusion (BHI) and Casitone based media were found to support luxuriant growth of pneumococcus type 1 at the same level. Because BHI medium is rather expensive and more complex than the Casitone based media, the Casitone based media was used to study optimization of the culture condition. The phase of growth which accomodated maximum PS production was logarithmic phase. Concentrations of glucose greater than 0.2% did not enhance growth or PS production. Substitution of nitrogen sources with other resources or supplemention of various concentrations of metal ion (with the exception of calcium ion) had adverse effects on growth and PS production. On the other hand, low level aeration was beneficial for increased PS production. Addition of 3 mg/I concentration of methionine, phenylalanine, and threonine were found to enhance growth and PS production. The synergistic effect of all the favorable conditions observed in pneumococcal growth assays provided a two-fold cumulative increase in capsular PS production.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.269-283
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• 2022

In this paper, a particular type of all-steel HSS brace members with a locally reduced cross-sectional area was experimentally and numerically investigated. The brace member was strengthened against local buckling with inner and outer boxes in the reduced area. Four single-span braced frames were tested under cyclic lateral loadings. Specimens included a simple steel frame with a conventional box-shaped brace and three other all-steel reduced section buckling-restrained braces. After conducting the experimental program, numerical models of the proposed brace were developed and verified with experimental results. Then the length of the proposed fuse was increased and its effect on the cyclic behavior of the brace was investigated numerically. Eventually, the brace was detailed with a fuse-to-brace length of 30%, as well as the cross-sectional area of the fuse-to-brace of 30%, and the cyclic behavior of the system was studied numerically. The study showed that the proposed brace is stable up to a 2% drift ratio, and the plastic cumulative deformation requirement of AISC (2016) is easily achieved. The proposed brace has sufficient ductility and stability and is lighter, as well as easier to be fabricated, compared to the conventional mortar-filled BRB and all-steel BRB.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.93-106
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• 2024

The present paper investigates the spatial variability effect of soil property on the three-dimensional probabilistic characteristics of the bearing capacity factor (i.e., mean and coefficient of variation) of a circular footing resting on clayey soil where both mean and standard deviation of undrained shear strength increases with depth, keeping the coefficient of variation constant. The mean trend of undrained shear strength is defined by introducing the dimensionless strength gradient parameter. The finite difference method along with the random field and Monte Carlo simulation technique, is used to execute the numerical analyses. The lognormal distribution is chosen to generate random fields of the undrained shear strength. In the study, the potential failure of the structure is represented through the failure probability. The influences of different vertical scales of fluctuation, dimensionless strength gradient parameters, and coefficient of variation of undrained shear strength on the probabilistic characteristics of the bearing capacity factor and failure probability of the footing, along with the probability and cumulative density functions, are explored in this study. The variations of failure probability for different factors of safety corresponding to different parameters are also illustrated. The results are presented in non-dimensional form as they might be helpful to the practicing engineers dealing with this type of problem.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.497-505
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• 2023

This study evaluated the impact of rain shelters made of plastic film on spring frost damage and fruit quality in Asian pears ('Niitaka') over two years. In 2021, during the coldest spring days (between 0:00 am and 7:00 am), temperatures dropped to -1.20 - 0.43℃ at 120 cm and -1.33 - 0.57℃ at 200 cm above ground level in the control. Conversely, the rain shelter treatment maintained higher temperatures, -0.40 - 0.87℃ at 120 cm and -0.43 - 0.77℃ at 200 cm. Flower damage was significantly lower in the rain-sheltered group, with incidences of 1.3 and 6.9% at 120 and 200 cm, respectively, compared with 18.1 and 22.6% in the control group. Visual observations verified the prevention of frost adhesion on flower organs in the sheltered group, compared with noticeable pistil death and petal browning in the control group. In 2022, when temperatures remained above 0℃, fruitlet stalk length was 5 - 6 mm longer in the sheltered group. The cumulative impact of rain shelters was evident in the improved fruit quality over the two years. This study suggests resilient cultivation strategies in the face of climate change to reduce frost damage, increase productivity, improve fruit quality, and potentially increase incomes of the farmers.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.665-673
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• 2022

Background/Aims: In patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), calcineurin activates zymogen, which results in pancreatitis. In this study, we aimed to determine the efficacy of tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, in preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). Methods: This was a prospective pilot study in which patients who underwent ERCP received tacrolimus (4 mg in two divided doses); this was the Tac group. A contemporaneous cohort of patients was included as a control group. All patients were followed-up for PEP. PEP was characterized by worsening abdominal pain with an acute onset, elevated pancreatic enzymes, and a duration of hospital stay of more than 48 hours. Serum tacrolimus levels were measured immediately before the procedure in the Tac group. Results: There were no differences in the baseline characteristics between the Tac group (n=48) and the control group (n=51). Only four out of 48 patients (8.3%) had PEP in the Tac group compared to eight out of 51 patients (15.7%) who had PEP in the control group. The mean trough tacrolimus level in patients who developed PEP was significantly lower (p<0.05). Conclusions: Oral tacrolimus at a cumulative dose of 4 mg safely prevents PEP. Further randomized controlled studies are warranted to establish the role of tacrolimus in this context.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.286-293
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• 1983

The glucose application remarkably increased the heterotrophic acetylene reducing activities during one month incubation. The amount of the increases varied between the soils. Application of rice straw brought about the significant increases during incubation time. Compost contained the largest amount of available-N among the C-sources, and thereby brought the smallest increase in all soils. The cumulative fixed nitrogen with application of rice straw at 30 days incubation in the three experimented soils were highest in Hwadong clay soil, i.e, $2.2mg^N/100g$, intermediate in Ratchaburi soil $0.85mg^N$, and least in Konosu soil $0.80mg^N/100g$. On the other hand, nitrogen fixing heterotrophic, bacteria, such as Clostridia, aerobes and anaerobes, were remarkably increased by application of rice straw while Azotobacter and Beijerinkia were not. The cumulative fixed nitrogen was more pronounced in the clay soil than in the coarse loamy soil. More pronounced nitrogen fixing activities in light condition(heterotrophic + photosynthetic) than that in dark(heterotrophic) condition have been observed both in the coarse loamy and clay soils. The nitrogen fixing ability of photosynthetic microbes in paddy soil is probably higher in coarse loamy soil than in clay soil.