• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.568-571
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• 2001

The purpose of this work was to study the effect of storage time and temperature on the in vitro release kinetics of a commercial sustained-release dosage form of theophylline, at different pHs of the dissolution medium. The formulation was stored at $35^{\circ}C$ for 16 months and at $45^{\circ}C$ for 8 months, with a relative humidity of 60%. The in vitro release tests were performed at pHs 2, 4, 6 and 7.4. The mean values of the transport coefficient n, were close to 0.5 in all the conditions tested, which indicates that the transport system is not modified after storage of the formulation at $35^{\circ}C$ and $45^{\circ}C$. The mean values of the dissolution rate constant ranged from 0.036 to 0.043 $min^{-n}$, under all the conditions tested. Significant differences (${\alpha}=0.05$) were found between pHs 2, 4 and 6, 7.4 for all the model-independent parameters studied. When the formulation was kept at $35^{\circ}C$ for 16 months, the mean percentage of drug dissolved at 8 hours was 25.61% (pHs 2, 4) and, 36.12% (pHs 6, 7.4), representing a 26% and 24% reduction, respectively. Simitar results were obtained after storing the formulation at $45^{\circ}C$ for 8 months, corresponding to 33.3% (pHs 2, 4) and, 22.5% (pHs 6, 7.4) diminution, respectively. The values of the similarity factory $f_2$, obtained were lower than 50, which indicates the lack of similarity among the dissolution profiles, after storing the formulation under the experimental Conditions tested.

• KIPS Transactions on Computer and Communication Systems
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.155-162
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• 2021

n-step TD learning is a combination of Monte Carlo method and one-step TD learning. If appropriate n is selected, n-step TD learning is known as an algorithm that performs better than Monte Carlo method and 1-step TD learning, but it is difficult to select the best values of n. In order to solve the difficulty of selecting the values of n in n-step TD learning, in this paper, using the characteristic that overestimation of Q can improve the performance of initial learning and that all n-step returns have similar values for Q ≈ Q^*, we propose a new learning target, which is composed of the maximum and the mean of all k-step returns for 1 ≤ k ≤ n. Finally, in OpenAI Gym's Atari game environment, we compare the proposed algorithm with n-step TD learning and proved that the proposed algorithm is superior to n-step TD learning algorithm.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.86-92
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• 2019

Purpose: There is increasing interest in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) in critically ill patients. This study investigated the effects and outcomes of elevated IAP in a trauma intensive care unit (ICU) population. Methods: Eleven consecutive critically ill patients admitted to the trauma ICU at Pusan National University Hospital Regional Trauma Center were included in this study. IAP was measured every 8-12 hours (intermittently) for 72 hours. IAP was registered as mean and maximal values per day throughout the study period. IAH was defined as $IAP{\geq}12mmHg$. Abdominal compartment syndrome was defined as $IAP{\geq}20mmHg$ plus ${\geq}1$ new organ failure. The main outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Results: According to maximal and mean IAP values, 10 (90.9%) of the patients developed IAH during the study period. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was significantly higher in patients with $IAP{\geq}20mmHg$ than in those with IAP <20 mmHg (16 vs. 5, p=0.049). The hospital mortality rate was 27.3%. Patients with a maximum $IAP{\geq}20mmHg$ exhibited significantly higher hospital mortality rates (p=0.006). Non-survivors had higher maximum and mean IAP values. Conclusions: Our results suggest that an elevated IAP may be associated with a poor prognosis in critically ill trauma patients.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 2019

Background: Lead (Pb) exposure in shooting ranges has been reduced by various measures such as jacketed ammunition and lead-free primers. Nevertheless, this may lead to exposure to other metals, potentially resulting in adverse health effects. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 35 subjects from seven different shooting ranges were studied: four shooting instructors, 10 police officers, 15 Special Forces, and six maintenance staff members. Metals and metalloids were determined in blood and urine by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Results: The concentrations of most elements did not differ significantly between groups or compared to reference values, except for Sb and Pt in urine and Pb in blood. Mean values for Sb were considerably higher in urine from the Special Forces ($0.34{\mu}g/L$), the maintenance staff ($0.13{\mu}g/L$), and shooting instructors ($0.32{\mu}g/L$) compared to the police officers before shooting ($0.06{\mu}g/L$) and a Belgian reference value ($0.04{\mu}g/L$). For Pt, the Special Forces showed higher mean urinary concentrations ($0.078{\mu}g/L$) compared to a Belgian reference value (<$0.061{\mu}g/L$). Mean values for blood lead were markedly higher in the Special Forces ($3.9{\mu}g/dL$), maintenance staff ($5.7{\mu}g/dL$), and instructors ($11.7{\mu}g/dL$) compared to police officers ($1.4{\mu}g/dL$). One instructor exceeded the biological exposure index for blood Pb ($38.8{\mu}g/dL$). Conclusion: Since both Pb and Sb were found to be higher in shooting range employees, especially among frequent shooters, it is advisable to provide appropriate protective equipment, education, and medical follow-up for shooting range personnel in addition to careful choice of ammunition.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between psychological factors and symptoms of oral mucosal diseases by means of the revised version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2). Methods: Three hundred and eighteen college students in Gyeonggi-do completed the MMPI-2 and a questionnaire related to symptoms of oral mucosal diseases and collected data were analyzed by Student's t-test and one way ANOVA. Results: Subjects who have experienced herpetic stomatitis revealed significantly higher mean values of T-scores than subjects who have not on hypochondriasis (Hs) and hysteria (Hy) clinical scales of the MMPI-2 (p<0.05). In comparison with subjects who have had recurrent aphthous ulceration, subjects who have not had it manifested significantly higher elevations on the schizophrenia (Sc) clinical scale (p<0.05). Subjects who have suffered oral lichen planus (OLP) showed significantly higher mean values of T-scores than subjects who have not on paranoia (Pa) (p<0.05) and hypomania (Ma) (p<0.01) clinical scales. Mean values of T-scores on Ma clinical scale were significantly higher in subjects having experienced glossodynia than in subjects having not experienced (p<0.05). Subjects having felt taste disturbance exhibited significantly higher elevations on Hs (p<0.0001) and Hy (p<0.01) clinical scales compared to subjects having not. Conclusions: Symptoms of oral mucosal diseases such as herpetic stomatitis, taste disturbance, OLP, and glossodynia were found to be related to Hs, Hy, Pa, Ma clinical scales of the MMPI-2. Therefore, comprehensive psychological evaluations of those oral mucosal diseases may be beneficial in a therapeutic approach.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.179-179
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• 2023

This study suggests a new approach of water level forecasting for extended lead times using original data preprocessing with variational mode decomposition (VMD). Here, two machine learning algorithms including light gradient boosting machine (LGBM) and random forest (RF) were considered to incorporate extended lead times (i.e., 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 50 days) forecasting of water levels. At first, the original data at two water level stations (i.e., SW173 and SW269 in Bangladesh) and their decomposed data from VMD were prepared on antecedent lag times to analyze in the datasets of different lead times. Mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE), and mean squared error (MSE) were used to evaluate the performance of the machine learning models in water level forecasting. As results, it represents that the errors were minimized when the decomposed datasets were considered to predict water levels, rather than the use of original data standalone. It was also noted that LGBM produced lower MAE, RMSE, and MSE values than RF, indicating better performance. For instance, at the SW173 station, LGBM outperformed RF in both decomposed and original data with MAE values of 0.511 and 1.566, compared to RF's MAE values of 0.719 and 1.644, respectively, in a 30-day lead time. The models' performance decreased with increasing lead time, as per the study findings. In summary, preprocessing original data and utilizing machine learning models with decomposed techniques have shown promising results for water level forecasting in higher lead times. It is expected that the approach of this study can assist water management authorities in taking precautionary measures based on forecasted water levels, which is crucial for sustainable water resource utilization.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.291-302
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• 2023

Purpose: Early detection of carotid stenosis can reduce cardiovascular risk. In this study, the maximum-carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), the mean-CIMT, and the presence of plaque were examined in healthy young Thai adults. Additionally, correlations between CIMT and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed. Materials and Methods: Left and right carotid arteries of 302 participants(15-45 years old) were scanned, with CIMT measured at the far walls of the common carotid artery, carotid bulb, and internal carotid artery. Demographics and risk factors were assessed using a questionnaire. Ten random participants were re-scanned after 4 weeks. Results: The study included 123 (40.70%) male and 179 (59.30%) female participants. The max-CIMT, mean-CIMT, and plaque thickness were 0.400±0.100, 0.403±0.095 and 1.520±0.814 mm, respectively. Male participants had significantly higher CIMT values for nearly all locations and age groups. The right-sided CIMT values were higher for all locations. The carotid bulb had the greatest CIMT values(0.437±0.178 mm), followed by the common (0.403±0.095 mm) and internal(0.361±0.099 mm) carotid arteries. Plaque was present in 18 locations (1.00%), affecting 15 participants (4.97%). These plaques were found in the right carotid bulb (n=9; 0.50%), left carotid bulb (n=7; 0.39%), and right internal carotid artery (n=2; 0.11%). Adjusted multivariable regression revealed significant positive associations between CIMT and male, increased age and "other" occupation (P<0.05). Conclusion: Both max-CIMT and mean-CIMT were approximately 0.4 mm. Plaque was observed in 4.97% of patients, with an average thickness of 1.5 mm. The most influential risk factors for increased CIMT were sex, age, and occupation.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.83-97
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• 2004

Objective : This study was performed to evaluate the effect acupuncture on cerebral blood flow by Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography(TCD). Methods : Monitoring of TCD was examined in stroke patients before and after acupuncture on seven points of CVA. Mean Velocity, pulsatility index, systolic velocity, diastolic velocity values are analyzed from TCD at middle cerebral artery. Results : The results showed a insignificant(p>0.05: Paired T-test) decrease in mean velocity, pulsatility index, systolic velocity, diastolic velocity, which was measured at normal middle cerebral artery. The results showed a significant($p{\leq}0.05$: Paired T-test) decrease in mean velocity, pulsatility index, systolic velocity, which was measured at injuried middle cerebral artery, except diastolic velocity. Conclusion : These results suggest that acupuncture could have a specific effect on injuried cerebral artery.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.123-130
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• 1991

The mixed convection heat transfer from vertical inline plates has been studied numerically by the finite difference method and experimentally with Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The dimensionless spacing, $s/L_1$, the relative length, $L_2/L_1$ and the dimensionless temperature ratio, ${\Phi}_2/{\Phi}_1$ are varied parametically. The lower plate mean Nusselt numbers show same values as $s/L_1$, ${\Phi}_2/{\Phi}_1$ and $L_2/L_1$ increase. The upper plate mean Nusselt numbers increase as $s/L_1$ and ${\Phi}_2/{\Phi}_1$ increase, but $L_2/L_1$ decreases. The upper plate mean Nusselt number is higher than the lower plate mean Nusselt for $s/L_1$ 1.8 at Re=100, $Gr=10^4$, Pr=0.71, $L_2/L_1=0.5$ and ${\Phi}_2/{\Phi}_1=1.0$. A comparison between the experimental and numerical results show good agreement.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.421-436
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• 2006

Huang proposed a grey-based nearest neighbor approach to predict accurately missing attribute value in 2004. Our study proposes which way to decide the number of nearest neighbors using not only the deng's grey relational grade but also the wen's grey relational grade. Besides, our study uses not an arithmetic(unweighted) mean but a weighted one. Also, GRG is used by a weighted value when we impute missing values. There are four different methods - DU, DW, WU, WW. The performance of WW(Wen's GRG & weighted mean) method is the best of any other methods. It had been proven by Huang that his method was much better than mean imputation method and multiple imputation method. The performance of our study is far superior to that of Huang.