• PNF and Movement
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) applied to the unilateral upper extremity on the muscle activation of contralateral lower extremity. Twenty-two healthy subjects (mean age of 23.7 years) participated in this study. Method : PNF patterns applied on the unilateral upper extremity in all subjects were the flexion/abduction/external rotation and lifting pattern. The hold and appoximation techniques for the irradiation were applied to end range of both patterns. Muscle activations in four patterns were measured in vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, rectus femoris, and gastrocnemius medial muscles of contralateral lower extremity using surface EMG system. Each EMG value in individual muscle was normalized for maximal voluntary contraction. The data were analyzed by one factor analysis of variance with repeated measure test. Result : There were significant differences in the between-subject effect (muscles) and within-subject effect (patterns) in comparison of muscle activation by application of PNF patterns (p<.05). The irradiation led to higher activation in the flexion/abduction/external rotation pattern than that of lifting pattern in all muscles (p<.05). The approximation techniques revealed more activations than these of hold technique in all muscles (p<.05). Conclusion : These results suggest that the application of PNF patterns to the unilateral upper extremity affect on the muscle activation of contralateral lower extremity and increase according to the intensity of resistance. This mechanism of contralateral effect might provide a help to the development of treatment method for the affected side and functional improvement for the patients who have damages of central nervous system or musculoskeletal problems by orthopedic injury.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.379-389
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• 2007

This paper presents an attempt to determine natural background levels of heavy metals which could be used for assessing heavy metal contamination. For this study, a large archive dataset of heavy metal concentration (Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn) for more than 900 surface sediment samples from various Korean coastal environments was newly compiled. These data were normalized for aluminum (grain-size normalizer) concentration to isolate natural factors from anthropogenic ones. The normalization was based on the hypothesis that heavy metal concentrations vary consistently with the concentration of aluminum, unless these metals are of anthropogenic origin. So, the samples (outliers) suspected of receivingany anthropogenic input were removed from regression to ascertain the "background" relationship between the metals and aluminum. Identification of these outliers was tested using a model of predicted limits at 95%. The process of testing for normality (Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test) and selection of outliers was iterated until a normal distribution was achieved. On the basis of the linear regression analysis of the large archive (please check) dataset, background levels, which are applicable to heavy metal assessment of Korean coastal sediments, were successfully developed for Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn. As an example, we tested the applicability of this baseline level for metal pollution assessment of Masan Bay sediments.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2014

In this paper, we propose an improved numeric character recognition method which can recognize numeric characters well under low-illuminated and shade-illuminated environment. The LN(Local Normalization) preprocessing method is used in order to enhance low-illuminated and shade-illuminated image quality. The reading area is detected using line segment information extracted from the illumination-normalized meter images, and then the three-phase procedures are performed for segmentation of numeric characters in the reading area. Finally, an efficient hybrid classifier is used to classify the segmented numeric characters. The proposed numeric character classifier is a combination of multi-layered feedforward neural network and template matching module. Robust heuristic rules are applied to classify the numeric characters. Experiments using meter image database were conducted. Meter image database was made using various kinds of meters under low-illuminated and shade-illuminated environment. The experimental results indicates the superiority of the proposed numeric character recognition method.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.242-246
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• 2014

Spectral induced polarization (SIP) is a useful technique, which uses electrochemical properties, for exploration of metallic sulfide minerals. Equivalent circuit analysis is commonly conducted to calculate IP parameters from SIP data. An equivalent circuit model, which indicates the SIP response of rock, has a non-uniqueness problem. For this reason, it is very important to select the proper model for accurate analysis. Thus, this study focused on suggesting a new model, which suitable for the analysis of an anomalous SIP response, such as ore. A suitability of the new model was verified by comparing it with the existing Dias model and Cole-Cole models. Analysis errors were represented as a normalized root mean square error (NRMSE). The analysis result using the Dias model was the NRMSE of 10.50% and was the NRMSE using the Cole-Cole model of 17.03%. Howerver, because the NRMSE of the new model is 0.87%, it is considered that the new model is more useful for analyzing the anomalous SIP data than other models.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.208-215
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• 1998

Ginseng has been used in maintaining physical vitality all over the East Asian countries and recently its metabolism and actions on neurologic, cardiovascular and endocrinologic systems are being elucidated. Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been used in various aliments, and to prove its efficacy icy erectile dysfunction an international study on Asians other than Korean was performed. Patients with borderline organic and psychogenic erectile dysfunction were included. KRG were given daily, and placebos were given as controls. Treatment lasted a total of 3 months. Surveys including libido, erectile potency, the sexual satisfactions were given. Serum testosterone and erectile function study were taken. Among the 23 patients with KRG, 18 patients were followed. Four had diabetes, 2 hypertension, 3 hyperchole, iterolemia, 1 low testosterone,4 psychogenic, and 4 idiopathic. In 10 patients with placebo, 7 were followed for more than three months. The clinical efficacy of KRG was 66.7% on objective Questionnaire and 72.2% on subjective analysis. When KRG were given, all parameters surveyed have shown improvements compared to the controls. Serum testosterone Bevels were normalized in 2 patients with KRG, whose serum testosterone levels were reduced from prestudy. When the erectile functions after audiovisual stimuli evaluated using Rigiscan in 6 patients with KRG,4 showed rigidity move than 70oyc. One patient reported constipation, and 2 gastric up-sets in the KRG group. In conclusion, KRG has beneficiary action on male erectile capabilities with minimal side effects. Thus KRG has been proven effective in Koreans, and a result on other Asians is pending. The exact action mechanism and the active ingredients in KRC need to be itudied.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.195-201
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• 2020

There have been many developments and innovations in the educational environments in line with the rapidly evolving information age. E-Learning is a representative example of this rapid evolution. However, E-Learning is challenging to maintain students' concentration because of the low engagement level and limited interactions between instructors and students. Additionally, instructors have limitations in identifying learners' concentration. This paper proposes a system that can measure E-learning users' concentration levels by detecting the users' eyelid movement and the top of the head. The system recognizes the eyelid and the top of the head and measures the learners' concentration level. Detection of the eyelid and the top of the head triggers an event to assess the learners' concentration level based on the users' response. After this process, the system provides a normalized concentration score to the instructor. Experiments with experimental groups and control groups were conducted to verify and validate the system, and the concentration score showed more than 90% accuracy.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.79-85
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• 2009

In this study, the effects of psychosocial stress (box color and precision demand) on muscle activity were evaluated in laboratory setting. Eight subjects performed sagittally symmetric lifting tasks. Box color (yellow, black), precision demand (yes, no), and box weight (5%MVC, 10%MVC, 15 %MVC) were varied and surface EMG signals from seven muscles(medial deltoid right, biceps brachii right, lateral triceps right, latissimus dorsi right, erector spinae right, external oblique right, internal oblique right) were recorded. EMG signals were band-pass filtered($10{\sim}400\;Hz$), rectified, RMS smoothed and normalized (NEMG). Analysis of variance tests were conducted on the total NEMG (TNEMG: the sum of the seven muscles' NEMGs) and on the individual muscle's NEMGs. Box color had no effect on the TNEMG and on the seven muscles activities(p>0.05). When precision demand was required at the end point of lifts, the mean NEMG showed higher values than no precision demand conditions: TNEMG (14% increase) and medial deltoid(40% increase), biceps brachii(10% increase), lateral triceps(26% increase), latissimus dorsi(25% increase) muscles. Those increases showed more conspicuous as the box weight increased in the muscles of medial deltoid, lateral triceps, and latissimus dorsi.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2012

In this paper, we present an image enhancement method for atmospherically degraded images using atmospheric light and transmission based on color analysis. We first generate a normalized image using maximum value of each RGB color channel. Then, each atmospheric light is estimated from RGB color channel respectively by calculating reflectance of an image. We also, generate a transmission using gamma coefficients from the Y channel of the image. We can significantly enhance the visibility of an image by using the estimated atmospheric light and the transmission. The proposed algorithm can remove atmospheric degradation components better than existing techniques because the color prevents color distortion which is common problem of existing techniques. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can improve visibility be removing fog, smoke, and dust.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1779-1786
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• 2014

Artificial Intelligence-based techniques have been applied to problems where mathematical relations can not be presented due to complicatedness of the physical process. A representative example in hydraulics is the local scour around bridge piers. This study presents a GEP model for predicting the local scour around bridge piers. The model is trained by 64 laboratory data to build the regression equation, and the constructed model is verified against 33 laboratory data. Comparisons between the models with dimensional and normalized variables reveals that the GEP model with dimensional variables predicts better. The proposed model is now applied to two field datasets. It is found that the MAPE of the scour depths predicted by the GEP model increases compared with the predictions of local scours in laboratory scale. In addition, the model performance increases significantly when the model is trained by the field dataset rather than the laboratory dataset. The findings suggest that apart from the ANN model, GEP model is a sound and reliable model for predicting local scour depth.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.23-29
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• 2006

The purpose of the present study was to examine gaze effects on spatial and kinematic characteristics during a pointing task. Subjects were asked to watch and point to an aimed target (2 mm in diameter) displayed on a vertically mounted board. Four gaze conditions were developed as combinations of "seeing-aiming" in terms of the eye movements: Focal-Focal (F-F), Focal-Fixing (F-X), Fixing-Focal (X-F), and Fixing-Fixing (X-X). Both the home target and an aimed target were presented for 1 second and then were disappeared in F-F and X-F. In X-F and X-X, only an aimed target disappeared after 1 second. Subjects were asked to point (with index finger tip) to an aimed target accurately as soon as the aimed target was removed. A significant main effect of gaze was found (p<.01) for normalized movement time. Peripheral retina targets had significantly larger absolute error compared to central retina targets on the x (medio-lateral) and z (superior-inferior) axes (p<.01). A significant undershooting to peripheral retina targets on the x axis was found (p<.01). F-F and X-F had larger peak velocities compared to F-X and X-X (p<.01). F-F and X-F were characterized by more time spent in the deceleration phase compared to F-X and X-X (p<.01). The present study demonstrates that central vision utilizes a form of on-line visual processing to reach to an object, and thus increases spatial accuracy. However, peripheral vision utilizes a relatively off-line visual processing with a dependency on proprioceptive information.