• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2016

Nursing staffing is of major interest in hospital management, however, no practical method has been developed. The present study proposed a mathematical model based on the patient classification system for nursing staffing optimization. A few characteristic parameters possibly determined experimentally and/or empirically were introduced followed by systematic calculation of the required number of nurses. An essential concept of the model is the unit work load defined as the amount of nursing work performed on single patient per unit time, where the work load is defined as the number of nursing staffs multiplied by the working hours. The unit work load was considered to vary with the patient classification level as well as the working time during a day, both of which were represented by corresponding parameter values. The number of patients for each class and the number of working hours were multiplied to the unit work load, and added up to obtain the total required work load. As the next step, the averaged number of hours that a nurse could provide per day was formulated considering the degree of nursing practice experience into 3 levels. Finally, the appropriate number of nursing staffs was calculated as the total work load divided by the average working hours per nurse. The present technique has a great advantage that the number of nursing staffs to fulfill the required work load is systematically calculated once the characteristic parameters are appropriately determined, leading to instant and fast evaluation. A practical PC program was also developed to apply the present model to nursing practice.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.37-54
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• 2019

The groundwater quality through livestock excreta survey based on "Act of the management and use of livestock excreta" was investigated by selecting sampling sites within 1 km of the farmland without considering hydrogeological units. However, these sites can be affected by various pollution sources such as chemical fertilizers and livestock excretions. Additionally, the effects of pollution sources on groundwater quality in the sites cannot be clearly distinguished from naturally occurring backgrounds. In this study, a method was developed to select the sampling sites for groundwater quality through livestock excreta survey in order to understand the effects of pollution sources especially livestock excreta. First, the concentrations of nitrate within the radius of 200 m, 300 m, 500 m and 750 m, respectively, from the farms regarded as pollution sources in hydrogeological units were compared in 2016-2017. All the nitrate concentrations at 200 - 500 m from the farms exceeded a background concentration, 13.3 mg/L. Those at 750 m and the background concentrations measured by the Ministry of Environment were comparable. Therefore, the appropriate radius was suggested as 500 m for livestock excretions survey. In this study, the areas within 500 m from the farms could be considered under the influence of livestock excretions, while those beyond 500 from the pollution sources as background in hydrogeological units. The developed method was validated by applying it to the sites selected based on both administrative divisions and watersheds for livestock excretion survey. The average densities for the developed method were 0.82 and 0.39 points/km2, respectively, which were considered as appropriate levels according to those of the European Environmental Agency.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1013-1024
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• 2022

In addition to the assessment measure of electric quality levels, load loss are also a factor in hindering the financial profits of electrical sales companies. Therefore, accurate analysis of load losses generated from distributed power networks is very important. The accurate calculation of load losses in the distribution line has been carried out for a long time in many research institutes as well as power utilities around the world. But it is increasingly difficult to calculate the exact amount of loss due to the increase in the congestion of distribution power network due to the linkage of distributed energy resources(DER). In this paper, we develop smart grid big data infrastructure in order to accurately analyze the load loss of the distribution power network due to the connection of DERs. Through the preprocess of data selected from the smart grid big data, we develop a load loss analysis model that eliminated 'veracity' which is one of the characteristics of smart grid big data. Our analysis results can be used for facility investment plans or network operation plans to maintain stable supply reliability and power quality.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.243-250
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• 2024

We investigated organ specific Toxocara canis larval migration in mice infected with T. canis larvae. We observed the worm burden and systemic immune responses. Three groups of BALB/c mice (n=5 each) were orally administered 1,000 T. canis 2nd stage larvae to induce larva migrans. Mice were sacrificed at 1, 3, and 5 weeks post-infection. Liver, lung, brain, and eye tissues were collected. Tissue from 2 mice per group was digested for larval count, while the remaining 3 mice underwent histological analysis. Blood hematology and serology were evaluated and compared to that in a control uninfected group (n=5) to assess the immune response. Cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were also analyzed. We found that, 1 week post-infection, the mean parasite load in the liver (72±7.1), brain (31±4.2), lungs (20±5.7), and eyes (2±0) peaked and stayed constant until the 3 weeks. By 5-week post-infection, the worm burden in the liver and lungs significantly decreased to 10±4.2 and 9±5.7, respectively, while they remained relatively stable in the brain and eyes (18±4.2 and 1±0, respectively). Interestingly, ocular larvae resided in all retinal layers, without notable inflammation in outer retina. Mice infected with T. canis exhibited elevated levels of neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, and immunoglobulin E. At 5 weeks post-infection, interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13 levels were elevated in BAL fluid. Whereas IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and interferon-γ levels in BAL fluid were similar to that in controls. Our findings demonstrate that a small portion of T. canis larvae migrate to the eyes and brain within the first week of infection. Minimal tissue inflammation was observed, probably due to increase of anti-inflammatory cytokines. This study contributes to our understanding of the histological and immunological responses to T. canis infection in mice, which may have implications to further understand human toxocariasis.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.385-392
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• 2014

Reshoring makes slab deflect and support its own weight. The construction loads on the slabs in lower levels decrease using the reshoring. Simplified analysis proposed by ACI 347.2R-05 showed that if the reshoring is applied, construction loads on slabs and shores, and quantities of forms and shores decreased by 40%, 23%, 40%, and 50%, respectively. Shores' loads were comparatively measured on site. The measured reshore load was half of the load before removing the shores and was also lower than the measured shore load by 35%. To verify the safety of the reshoring, deflections of beams and strains of beam longitudinal bars were also measured. The maximum deflection was only L/5000 and the maximum bar strain was only 3.6% of the yield strain. Consequently, reshoring neither cause problems on the safety nor serviceability. In addition, the beam load was expected from the measured shores' loads and it coincides well with the predicted value by the simplified analysis of ACI 347.2R-05.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2018

The pullout test, a nondestructive testing(NDT), for pre-installed inserts is perhaps the most widely used technique to estimate the in-situ compressive strength of concrete. It measures the force needed to pullout a standardized metal insert embedded into concrete members. The pullout test was certified by the American Society for Testing and Materials(ASTM) and Canadian Standards Association(CSA) as a reliable method for determining the strength of concrete in concrete structures under construction. To easily estimate the strength of ultra-high-strength concrete, a simplified pullout tester, primarily composed of a standard 12mm bolt with a groove on the shaft as a break-off bolt, an insert nut, and a hydraulic oil pump without a load cell, was proposed. Four wall and two slab specimens were tested for two levels of concrete strength, 80MPa and 100MPa, using a simplified pullout tester with a load cell to verify the advantages of the pullout test and simplified pullout test. The compressive strength of concrete, pullout load, and the rupture of the break-off bolt were measured 11 times, day 1 to 7, 14, 21, 28, and 90. The correlation of the pullout load and the compressive strength of each specimen show a higher degree of reliability. Therefore, a simplified pullout test can be used to evaluate the in-place strength of ultra-high-strength concrete in structures. The prediction equation for the groove diameter of the break-off bolt(y) with the concrete strength(x) was proposed as y=0.0184x+5.4. The results described in this research confirm the simplified pullout's utility and potential for low cost, simplicity, and convenience.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2017

Nonlinear analysis for seismic performance evaluation of existing building usually takes 4~5 times more than linear analysis based on KBC code. To obtain accurate results from the nonlinear analysis, there are a lot of things to be considered for nonlinear analysis modeling. For example, reinforcing layout, applied load and seismic details affect behavior of structural members for the existing building. Engineer-oriented computerized system was developed for engineers to evaluate effective seismic performance of existing buildings with abiding by seismic design principles. Using the engineer-oriented program, seismic performance evaluation of reinforced concrete building was performed. Nonlinear hinge properties were applied with real time multiple consideration such as section layout, section analysis result, applied load and performance levels. As a result, the building was evaluated to satisfy LS(Life Safety) performance level. A comparison between engineer-oriented and program-oriented results is presented to show how important the role of structural engineer is for seismic performance evaluation of existing buildings.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.563-570
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• 2018

Ballast layer has an important role in vertical stiffness and stability of railway track. In most of the Middle East countries and some of the Asian ones, significant parts of railway lines pass through desert areas where the track (particularly ballast layer) is contaminated with sands. Despite considerable number of derailments reported in the sand contaminated tracks, there is a lack of sufficient studies on the influences of sand contamination on the ballast vertical stiffness as the main indicator of track stability. Addressing this limitation, the effects of sand contamination on the mechanical behavior of ballast were experimentally investigated. For this purpose, laboratory tests (plate load test) on ballast samples with different levels of sand contamination were carried out. The results obtained were analyzed leading to derive mathematical expressions for the strain modulus ($E_V$) as a function of the ballast level of contamination. The $E_V$ was used as an index for evaluation of the load-deformation characteristics and bearing capacity of track substructure. The critical limit of sand contamination, after which the $E_V$ of the ballast reduces drastically, was obtained. It was shown that the obtained research results improve the current track maintenance approach by providing key guides for the optimization of ballast maintenance planning (the timing of ballast cleaning or renewal).

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.517-527
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• 2017

In this paper, the effect of active confinement on the compressive behaviour of circular steel tube-confined concrete (STCC) and concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns is investigated. In STCC columns the axial load is only applied to the concrete core, while in CFST columns the load is carried by the whole composite section. A new method is introduced to apply confining pressure on fresh concrete by laterally prestressing steel tubes. In order to achieve different prestressing levels, short-term and long-term pressures are applied to the fresh concrete. Three groups of STCC and CFST specimens (passive, S-active and L-active groups) are tested under axial loads. The results including stress-strain relationships of composite column components, secant modulus of elasticity, and volumetric strain are presented and discussed. Based on the elastic-plastic theory, the behaviour of the steel tube is also analyzed during elastic, yielding, and strain hardening stages. The results show that using the proposed prestressing method can considerably improve the compressive behaviour of both STCC and CFST specimens, while increasing the prestressing level has insignificant effects. By applying prestressing, the linear range in the stress-strain curve of STCC specimens increases by almost twice as much, while the improvement is negligible in CFST specimens.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers B
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.376-383
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• 1999

The piezoelectric transformer (PT) is an electro-mechanical device that transfers electrical energy through a mechanical vibration. In this paper, a PT operating in the contour vibration mode is introduced for an application of fluorescent lamp ballast. Utilizing its inherent characteristics of the LC resonator and a high voltage gain to ignite the lamp in light load condition, an investigation of a power piezoelectric transformer as a potential component for a fluorescent lamp ballast is discussed. PT is easy to be produced in mass and reduces the cost of the ballast. The modified equivalent circuit model of the PT considering the operating current level is derived to design the fluorescent lamp ballast. This model describes the voltage gain of the PT in wide load variations and various input current levels. The experimental and simulation results are provided to verify theoretical analysis. The power capacity of the currently developed PT is relatively low (15W), but it can be increased by adopting a multi-layer structure and is currently under investigation. It is also possible to parallel the PT for higher power processing.