• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.54-63
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• 2022

Background: Low back and neck pain are two of the most common medical problems in the adult population. It is estimated that between 70% and 80% adults experience an episode of low back pain at least once during their lifetime. Objects: This study aimed to compare the effects of various stretching exercises and muscle energy techniques used for treatment of iliopsoas, quadratus lumborum, and hamstrings of patients with low back pain. Methods: A total of 52 subjects were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 17), the muscle energy technology group (METG, n = 19), and the stretching exercise group (SEG, n = 16). Interventions were performed twice a week for 4 weeks. Outcomes were measured before and after 4 weeks of treatment in the three groups, using the Korean version of the Oswestry Disability Index, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Fear Avoidance Belief Questionnaire (FABQ), the Finger to Floor test (FTF), the Modified-Modified Schober Test (MMS), and the Trunk Flexion Range of Motion test. Results: This study showed significant reduction in the pre-test and post-test KODI, VAS, and FABQ scores in all the three groups (p < 0.05). The KODI, VAS, FABQ and FTF assessed in this study showed interactions between the groups and the measurement time point (p < 0.01). After intervention, the KODI, VAS, FABQ and FTF in the SEG and METG were significantly higher (p < 0.05), and there was no difference between the METG and SEG. MMS and HFROM test showed no difference between the three groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: KODI, VAS, FABQ and FTF showed significant improvement after basic physical therapy, muscle energy technique, and stretching exercise intervention. And there was no significant difference in the intervention effect between the muscle energy group and the stretching exercise group.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.318-326
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• 2024

Black ice, a thin and nearly invisible ice layer on roads and pavements, poses a significant danger to drivers and pedestrians during winter due to its transparency. We propose an efficient black ice detection system and technique utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS)-reflected signals. This system consists of a GPS antenna and receiver configured to measure the power of GPS L1 band signal strength. The GPS receiver system was designed to measure the signal power of the Right-Handed Circular Polarization (RHCP) and Left-Handed Circular Polarization (LHCP) from direct and reflected signals using two GPS antennas. Field experiments for GPS LHCP and RHCP reflection measurements were conducted at two distinct sites. We present a Normalized Polarized Reflection Index (NPRI) as a methodological approach for determining the presence of black ice on road surfaces. The field experiments at both sites successfully detected black ice on asphalt roads, indicated by NPRI values greater than -0.1 for elevation angles between 45° and 55°. Our findings demonstrate the potential of the proposed GPS-based system as a cost-effective and scalable solution for large-scale black ice detection, significantly enhancing road safety in cold climates. The scientific significance of this study lies in its novel application of GPS reflection signals for environmental monitoring, offering a new approach that can be integrated into existing GPS infrastructure to detect widespread black ice in real-time.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2016

The autoignition temperature (AIT) of a material is the lowest temperature at which the material will spontaneously ignite. The AIT is important index for the safe handling of flammable liquids which constitute the solvent mixtures. This study measured the AITs of n-hexanol+p-xylene system by using ASTM E659 apparatus. The AITs of n-hexanol and p-xylene system which constituted binary system were $275^{\circ}C$ and $557^{\circ}C$, respectively. The experimental AITs of n-hexanol+p-xylene system system were a good agreement with the calculated AITs by the proposed equations with a few A.A.D.(average absolute deviation).

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.195-200
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• 2014

The chances of accidental exposure are augmented as the application of ionizing radiation increases in various fields. Such accidental exposures may occur at nuclear power plants, laboratories, and hospitals. Cytogenetic assays have been used for estimating radiation dose in the situation of the accidents. The micronucleus assay has several advantages over the other cytogenetic methods as it is simple and fast. The present study aimed at investigation of the micronuclei frequencies in cytokinesis-block cells in human blood lymphocytes after ${\gamma}$-irradiation and at establishment of a standard dose response relationship. The samples of peripheral blood were obtained from 6 different donors aged between 24 and 30 years old. The bloods were irradiated in vitro with 0-5 Gy. A linear quadratic dose-response equation was obtained by scoring the micronuclei in binucleated cells; $y=27.87x^2+46.13x+2.08$ ($r^2=0.99$). Irradiation caused a significant decrease in the nuclear division index. Necrotic and apoptotic cells increased in number after irradiation in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the conventional cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay has proven to be the great technique in biological dosimetry. Dose-response calibration curve derived from CMBN assay could be used to estimate the exposure dose during a radiological emergency.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.10-20
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• 2018

Due to cheap electricity tariff on agricultural use, electricity consumption in agricultural sector has grown dramatically. We evaluated the negative effects of the cheap electricity tariff such as electricity over-consumption, increased dependency on electricity, decreased electricity productivity, and unequal distribution of the benefit. We also estimated the effects of agricultral output growth, structural change, and electricity intensity change on sharp electricity consumption increase in agricultural sector between 1998 and 2016 using the Log Mean Divisia Index decomposition method. The findings reinforce the necessity of raising the electricity tariff for agricultural use.

• IE interfaces
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.351-361
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• 2011

Forecasting of electricity demand have difficulty in adapting to abrupt weather changes along with a radical shift in major regional and global climates. This has lead to increasing attention to research on the immediate and accurate forecasting model. Technically, this implies that a model requires only a few input variables all of which are easily obtainable, and its predictive performance is comparable with other competing models. To meet the ends, this paper presents an energy demand forecasting model that uses the variable selection or extraction methods of data mining to select only relevant input variables, and employs support vector regression method for accurate prediction. Also, it proposes a novel performance measure for time-series prediction, shift index, followed by description on preprocessing procedure. A comparative evaluation of the proposed method with other representative data mining models such as an auto-regression model, an artificial neural network model, an ordinary support vector regression model was carried out for obtaining the forecast of monthly electricity demand from 2000 to 2008 based on data provided by Korea Energy Economics Institute. Among the models tested, the proposed method was shown promising results than others.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.19-28
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• 2014

PURPOSES : This paper evaluates, using LS/DYNA-3D software, the vehicle impact performance of flexible barriers made of steel W-Beam supported by four different types of post configurations. These types include circular post, H-shape post, C-shape post, and square post. METHODS : The post-soil interaction has been investigated according to different impact angles. For this purpose, energy absorption, maximum displacements of post and rail, and occupant risk index of THIV have been compared each other. The three dimensional soil material model, instead of the conventional spring model based on Winkler and p-y curve, has been used to increase the correctness of computational model. RESULTS : It is noted the crash energy absorption has been increased with respect to the increase of impact angle. CONCLUSIONS : In particular, a post with open section(H-shape, C-shape) shows the greater crash energy absorption capability as compared with a post with closed section under the same level of impact conditions.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.437-443
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• 2009

In recent years, electric power systems have been experiencing a rapid change due to the increasing electricity market. For the effective use of power system under the deregulated environment, it is important to make a fast and accurate calculation of the maximum available transfer capability (ATC) from a supply point to a demand point. In this paper, the purpose of this research is to calculate ATC fast and accurately for securing the stability of system and raising the efficiency as a result of anticipating transmission congestion according to transmission open access progressed in the future under the regulated environment of electricity market. In this paper, a study utilized a relation of the potential energy and energy function by which calculated CCT and then utilized a relation of PEBS for transient stability ATC calculation. In this paper, ATC was calculated as RPF and Energy Function method and calculation results of each method was compared. Contingence ranking method decided the weak bus by the Eigenvalues of Jacobian matrix and overloading branches by PI-index. As a result, a study proved the fast and accurate ATC calculation method considering transient stability suggested in this paper. Through the case study using New England 39 bus system, it is confirmed that the proposed method can be used for real time operation and the planning of electric market.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.751-760
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• 2018

Damages in concrete structures due to aging and other factors could be a serious and immense matter. Making the best selection of the most viable and practical repairing and strengthening techniques are relatively difficult tasks using traditional methods of structural analyses. This is due to the fact that the traditional methods used for assessing aging structure are not fully capable when considering the randomness in strength, loads and cost. This paper presents a reliability-based methodology for assessing reinforced concrete members. The methodology of this study is based on probabilistic analysis, using statistics of the random variables in the performance function equations. Principles of reliability updating are used in the assessment process, as new information is taken into account and combined with prior probabilistic models. The methodology can result in a reliability index ${\beta}$ that can be used to assess the structural component by comparing its value with a standard value. In addition, these methods result in partial safety factor values that can be used for the purpose of strengthening the R/C elements of the existing structure. Calculations and computations of the reliability indices and the partial safety factors values are conducted using the First-order Reliability Method and Monte Carlo simulation.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.102-106
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• 1999

Changes in nutritional and health status brought on by a two-year balanced diet were assessed with anthropometric measurements as well as hematological and lipid profiles in 56 healthy young men. Recommended dietary allowances (RDA) were adjusted with estimated daily weighted activity factor. The weighted resting energy expenditure factor of the subjects was 2.37 $\pm$ 0.05. Compared with RDA, all nutrient intakes were adequate and 56% of energy was supplied by carbohydrates, 18% by protein and 26% by fat. The vitamin and mineral intakes except vitamin B-2 were higher (26.46-129.88%) than RDA. Vitamin B-2 intake was 92.15 \ulcorner 14.16% of RDA. There was no seasonal variation on nutrient intakes. Height was increased and systolic blood pressure was decreased by balanced diet for two years. Body weight, diastolic blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were unchanged. The level of hemoglobin and hematocrit was not changed, the level of plasma protein was decreased and the level of plasma total cholesterol and albumin was increased. These results suggest that a balanced diet can increase height and complement health status achieved through vigorous exercise, even in adults, and that the level of Korean RDA for energy is adequate to maintain existing body weight.