• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.111-119
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• 2014

Objectives This study aims to analyze a thermal distribution in biological living tissue during warm needling therapy by using a finite element method. The analysis provides an understanding of warm needling's efficacy and safety. Methods A model which consisted of four-layered tissue and stainless steel needle was adopted to analyze the thermal distribution in living tissue with a bioheat transfer analysis. The governing equation for the analysis was a Pennes' bioheat equation. A heat source characteristic of warm needling therapy was obtained by previous experimental measurements. The first analysis of the time-dependent temperature distribution was conducted through points on a boundary between the needle and the tissue. The second analysis was conducted to visualize the horizontal temperature distribution. Results When heat source's peak temperatures was above $500^{\circ}C$ and temperature rising rates were relatively slow, the peak temperature at skin surface exceeded a threshold of pain and tissue damage ($45^{\circ}C$), whereas when the peak temperature was around $400^{\circ}C$, the peak temperature at the skin surface was within a safe limit. In addition, the conduction of combustion energy from the moxa was limited to the skin layer around the needle. Conclusions The results suggest that the skin layer around the needle can be heated effectively by warm needling therapy, but it appears to have little effect at the deeper tissue. These findings enhance our understanding of the efficacy and the safety of the warm needling therapy.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 1996

An electrolytic enrichment technique was used to measure low levels of tritium in seawater around the Korean peninsula. Tritium concentrations were determined for surface seawater samples collected from the East Sea, the South Sea, and the Yellow Sea. The tritium concentrations in surface seawater samples from the study area ranged from $0.12 BqL^{-1}\;to\;1.50BqL^{-1}$ with a mean value of $0.60{\pm}0.35 BqL^{-1}$. The means of the tritium concentration were $0.54{\pm}0.30 BqL^{-1}$ for the East Sea, $0.48{\pm}0.35 BqL^{-1}$ for the South Sea, and $0.77{\pm}0.32 BqL^{-1}$ for the Yellow Sea. The tritium concentrations in the sea areas did not show much difference no matter where the samples were taken. Due to the limited number and distribution of sampling points, no systematic change in tritium levels with latitude was observed. Measured tritium levels were similar to those observed in other data collected near Japan, but higher than mid-Pacific Ocean measurements.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.911-918
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• 2010

With limitation of frequency bandwidth, the range accuracy of typical radars is limited. In this paper, for short distance measurements, the use of an AM(Amplitude Modulated) radar which provides improved range accuracy is proposed. The AM radar signal consists of a carrier frequency signal and double-sideband components. The fabricated AM radar operates with +10 dBm output power and 35 dB receiver gain at 24.128 GHz center frequency with 20 MHz bandwidth, and the range accuracy is measured as ${\pm}15\;cm$.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.325-333
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• 2012

An experimental study was carried out to determine the correlation between the internal flow in a circular nozzle and elliptical nozzles with the external flow. The flow rate, spray angle and drop size were measured under various conditions of the injection pressure. Numerical simulations were attempted to investigate the internal flow structure in the elliptical nozzles, because the experimental study was limited in its measurements of flow velocity and pressure distributions in the relatively small orifice. In the case of the elliptical nozzles, the disintegration characteristics of the liquid jet were significantly different from those of the circular nozzle. Surface breakup was observed at the jet issued from the elliptical nozzles with injection pressure. This is due to the internal flow structure, which is reattached to the orifice wall at the minor axis plane of the elliptical nozzle, unlike that observed with the circular nozzle.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.260-274
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• 2016

Objectives: Previous epidemiological studies about oxidative stress and depression are limited by hospital-based case-control design, single-time measurements of oxidative stress biomarkers, and the small number of study participants. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the association between biomarker of oxidative stress and depressive symptom scores using repeatedly measured panel data from a community-dwelling elderly population. Methods: From 2008 to 2010, a total of 478 elderly participants residing in Seoul, Korea, were evaluated three times. Participants underwent the Korean version of the Short Form Generic Depression Scale (SGDS-K) test for screening depression, and urinary malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured as an oxidative stress biomarker. We used a generalized estimating equation with a compound symmetry covariance structure to estimate the effects of oxidative stress on depressive symptom scores. Results: A two-fold increase in urinary MDA concentration was significantly associated with a 33.88% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.59% to 47.42%) increase in total SGDS-K scores. In subgroup analyses by gender, a two-fold increase in urinary MDA concentration was significantly associated with increased SGDS-K scores in both men and women (men: 30.88%; 95% CI, 10.24% to 55.37%; women: 34.77%; 95% CI, 20.09% to 51.25%). In bivariate analysis after an SGDS-K score ${\geq}8$ was defined as depression, the third and the fourth urinary MDA quartiles showed a significantly increased odds ratio(OR) of depression compared to the lowest urinary MDA quartile (third quartile OR, 6.51; 95% CI, 1.77 to 24.00; fourth quartile OR, 7.11; 95% CI, 1.99 to 25.42). Conclusions: Our study suggests a significant association between oxidative stress and depressive symptoms in the elderly population.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of dynamic balance measurements using a smartphone. METHODS: Thirty subjects were selected out of Y-university students without fractures, operation history, and inflammatory arthritis who had not started regular exercise during the past three months. Their dynamic balance ability was measured by the Biodex Balance System (Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., USA) using smartphones. The smartphone utilized in this study was the Galaxy Note4 LTE (SM-N910K, Samsung, Korea), and the application was the Sensor Kinetics pro (Ver.2.1.2, INNOVENTIONS Inc, US). The dynamic balance ability was measured in triplicate. RESULTS: With eyes closed, a low level of correlation (r>0.30, p<0.05) and low reliability (ICC>0.60) were determined between the roll value of the smartphone gyroscope versus the medial/lateral score of the Biodex Balance System. With eyes closed, a low level of correlation (r>0.30, p<0.05) and low reliability (ICC>0.60) were determined between the total value of the smartphone gyroscope versus the total score of the Biodex Balance System. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that using a smartphone can generate highly limited data regarding balance ability. They are unlikely to replace the existing more expensive devices entirely. However, smartphones may be highly useful in environments in which an expensive device is not available or when dynamic balance ability should be measured immediately or within a few hours.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.430-437
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• 2016

Aluminum oxide ($Al_2O_3$) thin films were grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using a new Al metalorganic precursor, dimethyl aluminum sec-butoxide ($C_{12}H_{30}Al_2O_2$), and water vapor ($H_2O$) as the reactant at deposition temperatures ranging from 150 to $300^{\circ}C$. The ALD process showed typical self-limited film growth with precursor and reactant pulsing time at $250^{\circ}C$; the growth rate was 0.095 nm/cycle, with no incubation cycle. This is relatively lower and more controllable than the growth rate in the typical $ALD-Al_2O_3$ process, which uses trimethyl aluminum (TMA) and shows a growth rate of 0.11 nm/cycle. The as-deposited $ALD-Al_2O_3$ film was amorphous; X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that its amorphous state was maintained even after annealing at $1000^{\circ}C$. The refractive index of the $ALD-Al_2O_3$ films ranged from 1.45 to 1.67; these values were dependent on the deposition temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the $ALD-Al_2O_3$ films deposited at $250^{\circ}C$ were stoichiometric, with no carbon impurity. The step coverage of the $ALD-Al_2O_3$ film was perfect, at approximately 100%, at the dual trench structure, with an aspect ratio of approximately 6.3 (top opening size of 40 nm). With capacitance-voltage measurements of the $Al/ALD-Al_2O_3/p-Si$ structure, the dielectric constant of the $ALD-Al_2O_3$ films deposited at $250^{\circ}C$ was determined to be ~8.1, with a leakage current density on the order of $10^{-8}A/cm^2$ at 1 V.

• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.523-540
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• 2016

The effects of satellite observations on large-scale atmospheric circulations in the reanalysis data are investigated by comparing the latest Japanese Meteorological Association's reanalysis data (JRA-55) and its family data, JRA-55 Conventional (JRA-55C). The latter is identical to the former except that satellite observations are excluded during the data assimilation process. Only conventional datasets are assimilated in JRA-55C. A simple comparison revealed a considerable difference in temperature and zonal wind fields in both the stratosphere and troposphere. Such differences are particularly large in the Southern Hemisphere and whole stratosphere where conventional ground-based measurements are limited. The effects of satellite observations on the zonal-mean tropospheric circulations are further examined in terms of the Hadley cell, eddy-driven jet, and mid-latitude storm tracks. In both hemispheres, JRA-55C exhibits slightly weaker and narrower Hadley cell than JRA-55. This is consistent with a weaker diabatic heating in JRA-55C. The eddy-driven jet shows a small difference in its latitudinal location only in the Southern Hemisphere. Likewise, while the Northern-Hemisphere storm tracks are quantitatively similar in the two datasets, Southern-Hemisphere storm tracks are relatively weaker in JRA-55C than in JRA-55. Their difference is comparable to the uncertainty between reanalysis datasets, indicating that satellite data assimilation could yield significant corrections in the zonal-mean circulation in the Southern Hemisphere.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.154-162
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• 2015

As there is no case study with current status, measurements or description on the state of actual site of rural area only, the delivery of actual conditions about such an area is significantly limited. The purpose of this study is to pinpoint issues with housing conditions of low-income family with disabled members in the rural area. For such a purpose, 25 households of disabled people have been visited for interview, on-site research and survey, of which results are summed up in this paper as following: First, average monthly income of such family turned out to be KRW 480,000, most of which is from the government subsidy. High ratio of such families has resided in a house with average size of approximately 56m2 for about 24 years. Secondly the most needed maintenance work with top priority was for the toilet, and many of the interviewees expressed their discomfort about small size of their bathrooms and inconvenient facilities therein. Thirdly, most of such houses had too high thresholds that posed danger and inconvenience. Such thresholds had average height of 13cm, which can be considered as completely inconsiderate of disabled users. Fourth issue was that these people needed safety handle that will enable them to stand up or to be in the standing posture in the living room and bedroom where they spend most of their time. Fifthly, they wanted finishing materials with waterproof functionality as well as replacement of finishing materials and wallpaper which were too old and caused hygiene issues. As these issues represent, current housing for disabled people in the rural area turned out to be poor and risky space rather than the place where difficulty of individual situation can be resolved or their disability can be complemented. Thus it can be determined that now is the time to arrange the solutions for such housing difficulties and to establish customized housing plan to ensure safety and convenience.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.507-515
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• 2015

This study was conducted to develop and verify a torque application device for use in a mechanical power-circulation test rig for 5.5 MW wind turbine gearboxes. The design and analysis of the torque application device was conducted. In addition, the torsional stiffness of the test rig was calculated using the rotational angle measurements for each of the components. The calculated stiffness of the test rig was $231.13kN{\cdot}m/rad$ for a clockwise torque application. The rated torque can be applied when the stiffness of the gearbox is greater than $1,064,400kN{\cdot}m/rad$ for a clockwise torque application. Because of the limited rotational angle of the test rig, the potential application of the rated torque is determined according to the torsional stiffness of the test gearbox.