• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2011

We compared three EDTA-based phenotypic screening methods for detecting IMP-1 and VIM-2 type metallo-${\beta}$- lactamase (MBL)-producing isolates of Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas spp., EDTA-double disk synergy test (EDTADDST), Etest MBL, and imipenem (IPM)-EDTA disk test. A total of 183 isolates (65 Acinetobacter spp. and 118 Pseudomonas spp. showing IPM resistance), confirmed to MBL genes by PCR, were used. The criteria for MBL production were (i) presence of a synergistic zone between IPM and EDTA disks in EDTA-DDST, (ii) reduction of IPM minimal inhibitory concentration by ${\geq}$ 3 twofold dilutions in the presence of EDTA in the Etest MBL, and (iii) ${\geq}$ 7 mm increase in the inhibition zone around the IPM plus EDTA disks compared with a sole IPM disk in the IPM-EDTA disk test. In this study using 87 MBL-producing and 96 MBL-nonproducing isolates, the sensitivities/specificities of EDTA-DDST, Etest MBL and IPM-EDTA disk tests were 94.3/78.1%, 89.7/91.7%, and 97.7/95.8%, respectively. When the threshold for the increase of the inhibition zone around the IPM plus EDTA disk over a sole IPM disk was altered to ${\geq}$ 5 mm and ${\geq}$ 8 mm for Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp., respectively, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were 98.9% and 96.9%, respectively. Of the three EDTA-based phenotypic tests, the IMP-EDTA disk test was superior for detection of MBL-producing isolates.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.468-475
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• 2011

[ $LaMeO_3$ ](Me = Cr, Co) powders were prepared using the polymeric precursor method. The effects of the chelating agent and the polymeric additive on the synthesis of the $LaMeO_3$ perovskite were studied. The samples were synthesized using ethylene glycol (EG) as the solvent, acetyl acetone (AcAc) as the chelating agent, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the polymer additive. The thermal decomposition behavior of the precursor powder was characterized using a thermal analysis (TG-DTA). The crystallization and particle sizes of the $LaMeO_3$ powders were investigated via powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and particle size analyzer, respectively. The as-prepared precursor primarily has $LaMeO_3$ at the optimum condition, i.e. for a molar ratio of both metal-source (a : a) : EG (80a : 80a) : AcAc (8a) inclusive of 1 wt% PVP. When the as-prepared precursor was calcined at $700^{\circ}C$, only a single phase was observed to correspond with the orthorhombic structure of $LaCrO_3$ and the rhombohedral structure of $LaCoO_3$. A solid-electrolyte impedance-metric sensor device composed of $Li_{1.5}Al_{0.5}Ti_{1.5}(PO_4)_3$ as a transducer and $LaMeO_3$ as a receptor has been systematically investigated for the detection of NOx in the range of 20 to 250 ppm at $400^{\circ}C$. The sensor responses were able to divide the component between resistance and capacitance. The impedance-metric sensor for the NO showed higher sensitivity compared with $NO_2$. The responses of the impedance-metric sensor device showed dependence on each value of the NOx concentration.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2010

This paper presents the practical implementation of an over-temperature protection system for power semiconductor devices. In the proposed system, temperature variation is provided with just using $R_{ds(on)}$ characteristics of power MOSFET, while extra device such as a temperature sensor or an over-temperature detection transistor is needed to monitor the temperature in the conventional method. The proposed protection technique is experimentally tested on IRF840 power MOSFET. The PIC microcontroller PIC16F877A is used for the implementation of the proposed protection algorithm. The built-in 10-bit A/D converter is utilized for detecting voltage variance between a drain and a source of IRF840. The induced temperature-resistance relationship based on the measured drain-source voltage, supplies a gate signal to the power MOSFET. If detected temperature's voltage exceeds any a protection temperature's voltage, the microcontroller removes the trigger signal from the power MOSFET. These test results showed satisfactory performances of the proposed protection system in term of accuracy within 1.5%.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.422-426
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• 2008

Background: Mycobacterium abscessus is the most pathogenic and drug-resistant rapid-growing mycobacterium. Clarithromycin or azithromycin are the only regular oral antimycobacterial agents that have an effect on M. abscessus. We tried to detect the clarithromycin-resistant strains from the clinical isolates of M. abscessus. Methods: We tried to isolate the clarithromycin-resistant strains from 220 clinical isolates of M. abscessus by performing using reverse hybridization assay (RHA) and the broth microdilution test (BMT). Results: Seven resistant strains (3.2%) from all the tested clinical isolates were detected by BMT. Three of these resistant strains were also detected by RHA and it was confirmed that they had point mutants. Conclusion: These results showed that clarithromycin resistance in M. abscessus clinical isolates is related to a point mutation and other unknown mechanisms.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.404-409
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• 2011

An amorphous $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ thin film is one of the most commonly used materials for phase-change data storage. In this study, $Au_x(Ge_2Sb_2Te_5)_{1-x}$ thin film amorphous-to-crystalline phase-change rate were evaluated in using 658 nm laser beam. The focused laser beam with a diameter <10 ${\mu}m$ was illuminated in the power (P) and pulse duration (t) ranges of 1-17 mW and 10-460 ns, respectively, with subsequent detection of the responsive signals reflected from the film surface. We also evaluated the material characteristics, such as optical absorption and energy gap, crystalline phases, and sheet resistance of as-deposited and annealed films. The result of experiments showed that the thermal stability of the $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ film is largely improved by adding Au.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.225-238
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• 2010

We report on the development of a new technology for the fabrication of Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS) strain sensors to realize a novel type of crackmeter for health monitoring of ageing civil infrastructures. The fabrication of micromachined silicon MEMS sensors based on a Silicon On Insulator (SOI) technology, designed according to a Double Ended Tuning Fork (DETF) geometry is presented, using a novel process which includes a gap narrowing procedure suitable to fabricate sensors with low motional resistance. In order to employ these sensors for crack monitoring, techniques suited for bonding the MEMS sensors on a steel surface ensuring good strain transfer from steel to silicon and a packaging technique for the bonded sensors are proposed, conceived for realizing a low-power crackmeter for ageing infrastructure monitoring. Moreover, the design of a possible crackmeter geometry suited for detection of crack contraction and expansion with a resolution of $10{\mu}m$ and very low power consumption requirements (potentially suitable for wireless operation) is presented. In these sensors, the small crackmeter range for the first field use is related to long-term observation on existing cracks in underground tunnel test sections.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.186-192
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• 2014

Purpose: The prevalence of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MRMP) has increased worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of MRMP in a tertiary hospital in Korea, and to find potential laboratory markers that could be used to predict the efficacy of macrolides in children with MRMP pneumonia. Methods: A total of 95 patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia were enrolled in this study. Detection of MRMP was based on the results of specific point mutations in domain V of the 23S rRNA gene. The medical records of these patients were reviewed retrospectively and the clinical course and laboratory data were compared. Results: The proportion of patients with MRMP was 51.6% and all MRMP isolates had the A2063G point mutation. The MRMP group had longer hospital stay and febrile period after initiation of macrolides. The levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-18 in nasopharyngeal aspirate were significantly higher in patients who did not respond to macrolide treatment. CRP was the only significant factor in predicting the efficacy of macrolides in patients with MRMP pneumonia. The area under the curve for CRP was 0.69 in receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, indicating reasonable discriminative power, and the optimal cutoff value was 40.7 mg/L. Conclusion: The proportion of patients with MRMP was high, suggesting that the prevalence of MRMP is rising rapidly in Korea. Serum CRP could be a useful marker for predicting the efficacy of macrolides and helping clinicians make better clinical decisions in children with MRMP pneumonia.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.270-276
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• 2016

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), particularly those of the CTX-M types, are the predominant resistance determinants of Escherichia coli that are rapidly spreading worldwide. To determine CTX-M types, E. coli isolates were collected from retail chickens (n = 390) and environmental samples from chicken farms (n = 32) and slaughterhouses (n = 67) in Korea. Fifteen strains harboring bla_CTX-M genes were isolated from 358 E. coli isolates. The most common CTX-M type was eight of CTX-M-15, followed by six of CTX-M-1 and one of CTX-M-14. The bla_CTX-M genes were identified in the isolates from retail chickens (n = 9), followed by feces, water pipes, floors, and walls. Conjugations confirmed the transferability of the plasmids carrying bla_CTX-M genes to the recipient E. coli J53 strain. Furthermore, eight addiction systems carried by the replicons in CTX-M types were confirmed. The dominant system was identified as ccdAB, vagCD, and pndAC in donor strains and transconjugants. The clonal relationship between the two strains carrying bla_CTX-M genes indicates that E. coli may transmit from the farm to retail chickens, suggesting a possible public health risk. Our findings demonstrate that the detection of CTX-M types in E. coli isolates is important for tracking ESBL production in animals, and suggest linkage of multiple addiction systems in plasmids bearing bla_CTX-M genes.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.54-61
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• 2003

$SnO_2$ gas sensor for the detection DMMP, simulant of nerve gas was fabricated and its characteristics were examined. Sensing materials were $SnO_2$ added by TEX>$\alpha$-$Al_{2}O_{3}$ with 0∼20wt.% and $In_{2}O_{3}$ with 0∼3wt.% and were physically mixed each material. They were deposited by screen printing method on alumina substrate. The sensor was consisted of sensing electrode with interdigit(IDT) type in front and a heater in back side. Its dimension was 7$\times$10$\times$0.6$\textrm{mm}^2$. Crystallite size 8t phase identification, specific surface area and morphology of fabricated $SnO_2$ powders were analyzed by X-ray diffraction(XRD), surface area analyzer(BET) and by a scanning electron microscope(SEM), respectively. Sensor was measured as flow type and sensor resistance change was monitored as real time using LabVIEW program. The best sensitivities were 75% at adding 4wt.% TEX>$\alpha$-$Al_{2}O_{3}$, operating temperature $300^{\circ}C$ and 87% at adding 2wt.% $In_{2}O_{3}$, operating temperature $350^{\circ}C$ to DMMP 0.5ppm. Response and recovery times were about 1 and 3 min., respectively. Repetition measurement was very good with $\pm$3% in full scale. As a result, operating temperature was lower TEX>$\alpha$-$Al_{2}O_{3}$ than $In_{2}O_{3}$, but sensitivity was higher $In_{2}O_{3}$ than $\alpha$-$Al_{2}O_{3}$.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1998.07c
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• pp.1166-1169
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• 1998

The Load characteristic of electric railway requires the power demand of the high capacity which amplitude is spacial-temporally fluctuated due to frequent starting and stopping with large tractive force. The conventional electric railway mainly consists of the resistance controlled and the thyristor controlled locomotives, are compensated for their bad characteristics of the power factor$(70\sim80%)$ with installation of another capacitor improving power factor at the substation. Since 1994, VVVF train car with good characteristics of power factor(100%) have been introduced and operated in Kwa-Chon Line. From the present technical tendency, it is judged that introduction of the locomotive with various controlled methods is necessary. The protective equipments installed at the substation are complicated and various aspects to detect faults and reduce their extension, so the universal countermeasures are required. Specially in the case of the fault occurrence it is difficult to calculate the fault location because of the change in the contactline constant according to modifying the characteristics of the contactline (the dualized catenary wire and extension, etc), so much time is required for the detection of fault location. In BT-fed method distance-relays and fault-locators are not installed, we have so many difficulties in the quick accident recovery.