• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.895-906
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• 2015

Background: Mitigation of primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) is a significant issue in the nuclear industry. Advanced nickel-based alloys with lower susceptibility have been adopted, although they do not seem to be entirely immune from PWSCC during normal operation. With regard to structural integrity assessments of the relevant components, an accurate evaluation of crack growth rate (CGR) is important. Methods: For the present study, the extended finite element method was adopted from among diverse meshless methods because of its advantages in arbitrary crack analysis. A user-subroutine based on the strain rate damage model was developed and incorporated into the crack growth evaluation. Results: The proposed method was verified by using the well-known Alloy 600 material with a reference CGR curve. The analyzed CGR curve of the alternative Alloy 690 material was then newly estimated by applying the proven method over a practical range of stress intensity factors. Conclusion: Reliable CGR curves were obtained without complex environmental facilities or a high degree of experimental effort. The proposed method may be used to assess the PWSCC resistance of nuclear components subjected to high residual stresses such as those resulting from dissimilar metal welding parts.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.368-372
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• 2020

We report the terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) of transdermal drug delivery in human skin. The time evolution of transdermal nicotine delivery in nicotine patches was assessed by detecting the transmission coefficient of sub-picosecond THz pulses and using a semi-analytic model based on the single-layer effective medium approximation. Using commercial nicotine patches (Nicoderm CQ^®, 7 mg/24 h), THz transmission coefficients were measured to quantitatively analyze the cumulative amounts of nicotine released from the patches in the absence of their detailed specifications, including multilayer structures and optical properties at THz frequencies. The results agreed well with measurements by conventional in vitro and in vivo methods, using a diffusion cell with high-performance liquid chromatography and blood sampling respectively. Our study revealed the ability of the THz-TDS method to be an effective alternative to existing methods for noninvasive and label-free assessments of transdermal drug delivery, showing its high promise for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications.

• Healthcare Informatics Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.387-393
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• 2018

Objectives: This paper describes an experience of implementing seamless service trials online and offline by adopting Internet of Things (IoT) technology based on near-field communication (NFC) tags and Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) beacons. The services were provided for both patients and health professionals. Methods: The pilot services were implemented to enhance healthcare service quality, improve patient safety, and provide an effective business process to health professionals in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. The services to enhance healthcare service quality include healing tours, cancer information/education, psychological assessments, indoor navigation, and exercise volume checking. The services to improve patient safety are monitoring of high-risk inpatients and delivery of real-time health information in emergency situations. In addition, the services to provide an effective business process to health professionals include surveys and web services for patient management. Results: Considering the sustainability of the pilot services, we decided to pause navigation and patient monitoring services until the interference problem could be completely resolved because beacon signal interference significantly influences the quality of services. On the other hand, we had to continue to provide new wearable beacons to high-risk patients because of hygiene issues, so the cost increased over time and was much higher than expected. Conclusions: To make the smart connected hospital services sustainable, technical feasibility (e.g., beacon signal interference), economic feasibility (e.g., continuous provision of new necklace beacons), and organizational commitment and support (e.g., renewal of new alternative medical devices and infrastructure) are required.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2022

There is an increasing interest in monitoring of specific biomarker for determining progression of a disease or efficacy of a treatment. Conventional method for quantification of specific biomarkers as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has high material costs, long incubation periods, requires large volume of samples and involves special instruments, which necessitates clinical samples to be sent to a lab. This paper reports on the development of an electrochemical biosensor to measure total immunoglobulin E (IgE), a marker of asthma disease that varies with age, gender, and disease in concentrations from 0.3-1000 ng/mL with consuming 20 µL volume of whole blood sample. The sensor provides rapid, accurate, easy, point-of-care measurement of IgE, also, sequential monitoring of total IgE with ovalbumin (OVA) induced mice is another application of sensor. Taken together, these results provide an alternative way for detection of biomarkers in whole blood with low volumes and long-term ex-vivo assessments for understanding the progression of a disease.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2024

Recent amendments to regulatory frameworks have placed a greater emphasis on the utilization of in vitro testing platforms for preclinical drug evaluations and toxicity assessments. This requires advanced tissue models capable of accurately replicating liver functions for drug efficacy and toxicity predictions. Liver organoids, derived from human cell sources, offer promise as a reliable platform for drug evaluation. However, there is a lack of standardized quality evaluation methods, which hinders their regulatory acceptance. This paper proposes comprehensive quality standards tailored for liver organoids, addressing cell source validation, organoid generation, and functional assessment. These guidelines aim to enhance reproducibility and accuracy in toxicity testing, thereby accelerating the adoption of organoids as a reliable alternative or complementary tool to animal testing in drug development. The quality standards include criteria for size, cellular composition, gene expression, and functional assays, thus ensuring a robust hepatotoxicity testing platform.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.240-249
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• 2024

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate various research that have examined dynamic knee valgus and to pinpoint a straightforward, clinically practical 2D assessment method for dynamic knee valgus that is user-friendly. Design: A literature review Methods: This literature review was conducted in Pubmed, MEDLINE^® and Google Scholar with the following key words: Knee valgus angle, Knee valgus evaluation, Knee valgus assessment, Dynamic knee valgus. After removing duplicate studies, 53 articles were initially chosen using this method, with 17 studies ultimately meeting the selection criteria. Results: Based on the comprehensive review of various studies, the Single Leg Squat (SLS) was identified as the most popular test method, followed by the Single Leg Landing (SLL) as the next most common test method. The Frontal Plane Projection Angle (FPPA) method was the most representative method for measuring dynamic knee valgus (DKV) during these tests. SLS was found in a total of 10 studies, while SLL was found in 7 studies. Conclusions: The most commonly proposed test for assessing DKV is measuring the SLS using the FPPA method. However, when applied to individuals without knee pathology, the discriminative power of this method may be limited. This suggests the need for further research to explore alternative methods for assessing DKV in this population.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.749-755
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• 2024

The recent surge in the incidence of small papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs) has been linked to the widespread use of ultrasonography, thereby prompting concerns regarding overdiagnosis. Active surveillance (AS) has emerged as a less invasive alternative management strategy for low-risk PTCs, especially for PTCs measuring ≤1 cm in maximal diameter. Recent studies report low disease progression rates of low-risk PTCs ≤1 cm under AS. Ongoing research is currently exploring the feasibility of AS for larger PTCs (<20 mm). AS protocols include meticulous ultrasound assessment, emphasis on standardized techniques, and a multidisciplinary approach; they involve monitoring the nodules for size, growth, potential extrathyroidal extension, proximity to the trachea and recurrent laryngeal nerve, and potential cervical nodal metastases. The criteria for progression, often defined as an increase in the maximum diameter of the PTC, warrant a review of precision and ongoing examinations. Challenges exist regarding the reliability of volume measurements for defining PTC disease progression. Although ultrasonography plays a pivotal role, challenges in assessing progression and minor extrathyroidal extension underscore the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in disease management. This comprehensive overview highlights the evolving landscape of AS for PTCs, emphasizing the need for standardized protocols, meticulous assessments, and ongoing research to inform decision-making.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.7-18
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of telerehabilitation on stroke patients through remotely operated intervention and monitoring. Methods: Literature from 2000 to April 2018 was collected through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and RISS. We used telerehabilitation, telemedicine, and stroke as the search terms in regard to foreign literature, and the terms telerehabilitation, stroke, and CVA in regard to Korean literature. A total of 406 foreign and 15 Korean published studies were found. As a result, a total of seven documents was selected for the analysis. Results: As a result of the analysis, all the interventions applied through telerehabilitation were provided remotely, and significant effects were reported between pre-post assessments. In addition, the significant effects of telerehabilitation were reported through analyzing pre-post(n=7) and between groups(n=4) assessments. The monitoring used could be categorized according to purpose, that is, for checking (n=3) and as an intervention (n=4). Conclusions: This study confirmed, within limits, that the application of telerehabilitation could be a potential alternative for stroke patients with limited rehabilitation services. In order to apply telerehabilitation in Korea, it is necessary to study the cost effectiveness, according to the current domestic situation, and confirm the most effective monitoring method based on the intervention.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.384-395
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• 2000

Recently performance assessments have been recommended as an alternative to traditional assessment methods such as multiple-choice written test. Performance assessment is suggested to facilitate students' creativity, participation and learning motivations in science classes. In this study, performance assessment materials were developed for a biology unit of middle school science 1, 'Plants Around Us', and then the assessment materials were applied to assess students' understandings and attitudes related to each topic of the unit. A total of 186 7th grade students at a southern large city participated in this study. From the study, the following were obtained: 1. Various type of the performance assessment materials, such as observation report, peer evaluation, interview have been developed for the unit 'Plants around us.' 2. Students' understandings on the topics appeared to be sound, and the students' interest and cooperative problem-solving abilities have been cultivated through the small group activities. The science classes became more student-centered. 3. Teacher's burden has increased due to the practices of performance assessment, but it could be handled by teacher's commitment and management skills. 4. The students' responses to performance assessments were positive, in general.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.199-212
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• 2021

The Sebyeonggwan Hall (National Treasure No. 305) is located on the Naval Headquarter of Three Provinces in Tongyeong, and it has partly undergone with several rebuilding, remodeling, repairing and restorations since it's the first establishment in Joseon Dynasty (AD 1605) of ancient Korea. This study focuses on 50 foundation stones that comprise the Sebyeonggwan. These stones are made of six rock types and currently have various shapes of the surface damages. As the foundation stones, the dominant rock type was dacitic lapilli tuffs, and provenance-based interpretation was performed to supply alternative stones for conservation. Most of the provenance rocks for foundation stones showed highly homogeneity with their corresponding stones of petrography, mineralogy and magnetic susceptibility. According to surface deterioration assessments, the most serious damages of the stones were blistering and scaling. The deterioration mechanism was identified through the analysis of inorganic contaminants, and the primary reason is considered salt weathering caused by sea breeze and other combined circumstances. Based on the mechanical durability of the stones, there was no foundation stone that required the replacement of its members attributed to the degradation of the rock properties, but conservation treatment is considered necessary to delay superficial damage. The foundation stones are characterized by a combined outcome of multiple petrological factors that caused physical damage to surfaces and internal defects. Therefore, it's required to diagnosis and monitoring the Sebyeonggwan regularly for long-term preservation.