• Title/Summary/Keyword: Assessment method

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PM2.5 Simulations for the Seoul Metropolitan Area: (II) Estimation of Self-Contributions and Emission-to-PM2.5 Conversion Rates for Each Source Category (수도권 초미세먼지 농도모사 : (II) 오염원별, 배출물질별 자체 기여도 및 전환율 산정)

  • Kim, Soontae;Bae, Changhan;Yoo, Chul;Kim, Byeong-Uk;Kim, Hyun Cheol;Moon, Nankyoung
    • Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.33 no.4
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    • pp.377-392
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    • 2017
  • A set of BFM (Brute Force Method) simulations with the CMAQ (Community Multiscale Air Quality) model were conducted in order to estimate self-contributions and conversion rates of PPM (Primary $PM_{2.5}$), $NO_x$, $SO_2$, $NH_3$, and VOC emissions to $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations over the SMA (Seoul Metropolitan Area). CAPSS (Clean Air Policy Support System) 2013 EI (emissions inventory) from the NIER (National Institute of Environmental Research) was used for the base and sensitivity simulations. SCCs (Source Classification Codes) in the EI were utilized to group the emissions into area, mobile, and point source categories. PPM and $PM_{2.5}$ precursor emissions from each source category were reduced by 50%. In turn, air quality was simulated with CMAQ during January, April, July, and October in 2014 for the BFM runs. In this study, seasonal variations of SMA $PM_{2.5}$ self-sensitivities to PPM, $SO_2$, and $NH_3$ emissions can be observed even when the seasonal emission rates are almost identical. For example, when the mobile PPM emissions from the SMA were 634 TPM (Tons Per Month) and 603 TPM in January and July, self-contributions of the emissions to monthly mean $PM_{2.5}$ were $2.7{\mu}g/m^3$ and $1.3{\mu}g/m^3$ for the months, respectively. Similarly, while $NH_3$ emissions from area sources were 4,169 TPM and 3,951 TPM in January and July, the self-contributions to monthly mean $PM_{2.5}$ for the months were $2.0{\mu}g/m^3$ and $4.4{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Meanwhile, emission-to-$PM_{2.5}$ conversion rates of precursors vary among source categories. For instance, the annual mean conversion rates of the SMA mobile, area, and point sources were 19.3, 10.8, and $6.6{\mu}g/m^3/10^6TPY$ for $SO_2$ emissions while those rates for PPM emissions were 268.6, 207.7, and 181.5 (${\mu}g/m^3/10^6TPY$), respectively, over the region. The results demonstrate that SMA $PM_{2.5}$ responses to the same amount of reduction in precursor emissions differ for source categories and in time (e.g. seasons), which is important when the cost-benefit analysis is conducted during air quality improvement planning. On the other hand, annual mean $PM_{2.5}$ sensitivities to the SMA $NO_x$ emissions remains still negative even after a 50% reduction in emission category which implies that more aggressive $NO_x$ reductions are required for the SMA to overcome '$NO_x$ disbenefit' under the base condition.

Dose Evaluation of Dental Artifacts Using MVCT in Head and Neck (두경부암 환자의 MVCT를 이용한 치아 인공물 보정에 따른 선량평가)

  • Shin, Chung Hun;Yun, In Ha;Jeon, Su Dong;Kim, Jeong Mi;Kim, Ho Jin;Back, Geum Mun
    • The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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    • v.31 no.2
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    • pp.25-31
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    • 2019
  • Purpose: Metals induce metal artifact during CT-image for therapy planning, and it occurs images distortion, which affects the volumetric measurement and radiation calculation. In the case of using megavoltage computed tomography(MVCT), the volume of metals can be measured as similar to true volume due to minimal metal artifact outcome. In this study, radiation assessment was conducted by comparing teeth volume from images of kVCT and MVCT of head and neck cancer patients, then assigning to kVCT image to calculate radiation after obtaining the similar volume of true teeth volume from MVCT. Also, formal IR image was able to verify the accuracy of radiation calculation. Material and method: 5 head and neck cancer patients who had intensity-modulated radiation therapy from Radixact® Series were of the subject in this study. Calculations of radiation when constraining true teeth volume out of kVCT image(A-CT) and when designated specific HU after teeth assigned using MVCT image were compared with formal IR image. Treatment planning was devised at the same constraints and mean dose was measured at the radiation assess points. The points were anterior of the teeth, between PTV and the teeth, the interior of PTV near the teeth, and the teeth where 5cm distance from PTV. Result: A difference of metals volume from kVCT and MVCT image was mean 3.49±2.61cc, maximum 7.43cc. PTV was limited to where the internal teeth were fully contained. The results of PTV dose evaluation showed that the average CI value of the kVCT treatment planning without the artifact correction was 0.86, and the average CI value of the kVCT with the artifact correction using MVCT image was 0.9. Conclusion: When the Treatment Planning was made without correction of metal artifacts, the dose of PTV was underestimated, indicating that dose uncertainty occurred. When the computerized treatment plan was made without correction of metal artifacts, the dose of PTV was underestimated, indicating that dose uncertainty occurred.

Differences in Ability to Predict the Success of Motor Action According to Dance Expertise - Focusing on Pirouette En Dehors (무용 숙련성에 따른 동작결과예측 능력의 차이: 삐루엣 앙 디올 동작을 중심으로)

  • Han, Siwan;Ryu, Je-Kwang;Yi, Woojong;Yang, Jonghyun
    • Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.121-135
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    • 2018
  • Dancers' motions are perceived by observers through visual processes with visual information forming the basis for the observers' appreciation and evaluation of the dancers' motions. There have been many discussions as to whether or not observers' personal athletic capabilities form an essential basis for accurate assessment of the motions of others but, so far, no valid conclusions have been reached. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the ability to predict motions of others varies depending on the athletic expertise of the observers. Participants of this research were ballet dancers of varying athletic expertise. Twenty seven participants were divided into three groups with nine in each: beginners, intermediate experts and experts. The participants watched the same dance video and then evaluated whether the motion would be successful or not. The movement related visual information required to evaluate the success of the motion was systematically adjusted by controlling the length of the video. Using the temporal occlusion method, this study measured the response accuracy of the participants by category of expertise. Under the circumstance with insufficient visual information to utilize, the experts showed higher rates of correct response than the intermediate experts and the beginners. The beginners showed higher rates of wrong response than the experts and the intermediate experts. These results showed that the ability to predict success or failure of a dance motion varied depending on motion expertise of the observers, although they had similar level of expertise in perception. Participants considered to have high athletic expertise showed high prediction ability on the result of the motion. In addition, high expertise in perception reduced the likelihood that participants would make hasty responses under the circumstance with insufficient information and helped to reduce wrong response rate. In conclusion, this study showed that motor expertise and perceptual expertise contribute to prediction accuracy of observed motions.

Assessment of the Breast-Firmming Effects of a Cosmetic Preparation with Moir$\acute{e}$ Tophography in Combination with 2D and 3D Digital Image Analyses (2D 및 3D 디지털 이미지 분석과 함께 Moir$\acute{e}$ Tophography 분석을 이용한 화장품의 가슴 탄력개선 효과 평가)

  • Seo, Young Kyoung;Yoo, Mi Ae;Ryu, Ja Hyun;Kim, So Jeong;Cho, Seong A;Nam, Gae Won;Cho, Jun-Cheol;Boo, Yong Chool;Koh, Jae-Sook
    • Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.289-296
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    • 2012
  • Cosmetic products which might augment the breast have attracted an attention and objective methods for the evaluation of such products are in high demand. This study was conducted to establish a method for assessing the breast-firmming effects of cosmetics. This study included a total of 30 healthy Korean females aged 20-50 years. A cosmetic product was applied by massaging it onto the breast twice a day for 8 weeks. Measurement of breast girth with a tape ruler, 2D and 3D digital image analyses, and Moir$\acute{e}$ topographic analysis were performed before and following the treatment. The application of a cosmetic onto the breast significantly increased breast girth at 2, 4 and 8 weeks without a significant change in underbreast girth, implicating the breast might be augmented. The 2D image analysis indicated that the arc length of the breast which represents the surface distance from the nipple to the periphery of the under-breast was significantly increased at 2, 4 and 8 weeks. The height of the breast which represents the perpendicular distance from the nipple to the periphery of the under-breast was also increased significantly at 4 and 8 weeks. The 3D image analysis of body surface also demonstrated a significant increase of breast volume at 2, 4 and 8 weeks. Moir$\acute{e}$ topographic analysis indicated that breast sagging was significantly reduced at 2, 4 and 8 weeks. The results of this study suggest that Moir$\acute{e}$ topography in combination with 2D and 3D digital image analyses may be useful for evaluating the breast-augmenting effects of cosmetics.

Effect of Simple VSD Repair on Doppler-Derived Right Ventricular Systolic Time Interval (심실중격결손 봉합이 우심실 수축기 시간 간격에 미치는 영향)

  • 정태은;이영환
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.32 no.2
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    • pp.124-129
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    • 1999
  • Background: Ventricular septal defect(VSD) that causes pulmonary hypertension increase right ventricular workload. Echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular systolic time interval (RVSTI) has been used to predict pulmonary artery pressure in various cardiopulmonary diseases. This study was undertaken in infants with simple VSD to observe the alteration of the right ventricular workload through the changes of RVSTI after repair of VSD. Material and Method: We evaluated heart rate, the ratio of the left atrium/aortic root diameter (LA/Ao), right ventricular pre-ejection period(RVPEP), right ventricular ejection time(RVET), and its ratio(RVPEP/RVET) as a predictor of right ventricular workload in 12 children with simple VSD. These were measured three times at the preoperative period, at the 3 month and between 6 month and 1 year(average 9.5${\pm}$1.8month) after repair of VSD by M-mode & Doppler echocardiograph from the pulmonic valve echogram. Result: Heart rate was decreased significantly after repair(137.1${\pm}$13.7 vs 114.4${\pm}$21.1 and 104.1${\pm}$10.2, p<0.01). LA/Ao ratio was decreased significantly after repair(1.71${\pm}$0.32 vs 1.47${\pm}$0.33 and 1.39${\pm}$0.23, p<0.05). RVPEP/RVET were decreased after repair (0.38${\pm}$0.09 vs 0.32${\pm}$0.08 and 0.29${\pm}$0.09, p<0.01). Heart rate corrected RVPEP/RVET were significantly decreased only after 6 months(0.32${\pm}$0.03 vs 0.30${\pm}$0.05 and 0.28${\pm}$0.06, p<0.05). Conclusion: We found elevated right ventricular workload was progressively decreased until more than 6 months after repair and the RVSTI may serve a useful guide in postoperative care for children with VSD.

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Assessment of Breast Cancer Knowledge among Health Workers in Bangui, Central African Republic: a Cross-sectional study

  • Balekouzou, Augustin;Yin, Ping;Pamatika, Christian Maucler;Nambei, Sylvain Wilfrid;Djeintote, Marceline;Doromandji, Eric;Gouaye, Andre Richard;Yamba, Pascal Gastien;Guessy, Elysee Ephraim;Ba-Mpoutou, Bertrand;Mandjiza, Dieubeni Rawago;Shu, Chang;Yin, Minghui;Fu, Zhen;Qing, Tingting;Yan, Mingming;Mella, Grace;Koffi, Boniface
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.8
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    • pp.3769-3776
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    • 2016
  • Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. High breast cancer mortality has been attributed to lack of public awareness of the disease. Little is known about the level of knowledge of breast cancer in Central African Republic. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of health professionals on breast cancer. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 158 health professionals (27 medical; 131 paramedical) in 17 hospitals in Bangui using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis, Person's ${\chi}^2$ test and ANOVA were applied to examine associations between variables with p < 0.05 being considered significant. Results: Data analyzed using SPSS version 20 indicates that average knowledge about breast cancer perception of the entire population was 47.6%, diagnosis method 45.5%, treatment 34.3% and risk factors 23.8%. Most respondents (65.8%) agreed that breast cancer is important in Central African Republic and that family history is a risk factor (44.3%). Clinical assessments and mammography were considered most suitable diagnostic methods, and surgery as the best treatment. The knowledge level was significantly higher among medical than paramedical staff with regard to risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. However the trainee group had very high significant differences of knowledge compared with all other groups. Conclusions: There is a very urgent need to update the various training programs for these professionals, with recommendations of retraining. Health authorities must create suitable structures for the overall management of cancer observed as a serious public health problem.

Assessment of Clinical Applicability of a New Plaque Scoring System Using Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence-Digital (Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence-Digital을 이용한 치면세균막 검사법의 임상적 활용 가능성 평가)

  • Hwang, Hye-Rim;Cho, Young-Sik;Kim, Baek-Il
    • Journal of dental hygiene science
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.150-157
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    • 2014
  • The aim of this study was to suggest a convenient method of monitoring the gingival state through plaque detection. Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence-Digital (QLF-D), which can assess mature plaque, can be used to assess the oral hygiene status of individuals and to establish an adequate intervention plans for them. The subjects of the study participated in the clinical training at Department of Dental Hygiene, N University. The subjects completed questionnaires on general characteristics and oral hygiene methods. Then, photographs of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth of the subjects were taken using the QLF-D. After the oral examinations, gingival state was recorded according to the $L{\ddot{o}}e$ & Silness's Gingival Index (GI). In addition, a plaque control record was calculated in percentage using disclosing agent. The analysis of the relation between the plaque control record and the QLF-D scores showed positive correlation (r=0.638, p<0.001), and the analysis of the relation between the QLF-D scores and the gingival bleeding index scores also showed positive correlation (r=0.562, p<0.001). Besides, the study classified the participants into healthy gingiva group and the gingivitis group according to the classification criteria of GI, and when the difference of QLF-D scores between the groups was analyzed, the QLF-D scores were statistically significantly higher (t=-2.785, p=0.007) in the gingivitis group ($1.71{\pm}1.545$) than the healthy gingiva group ($0.74{\pm}1.290$). When the differences in mean values of the QLF-D scores were analyzed against and the gingival bleeding index scores, the QLF-D scores of 0 and 1 belonged to the category of normal gingival state while the QLF-D scores of 2, 3 and 4 belonged to the category of gingivitis state. Therefore, it is deemed that the red fluorescence detected by the QLF-D from the mature supragingival plaque can be used for monitoring the state of gingivitis.

Study on the Evaluation CO2 Emission-Absorption of Concrete in the View of Carbonation (콘크리트의 탄산화 관점에서 CO2 배출량-흡수량 평가에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Sang-Hyun;Lee, Sung-Bok;Lee, Han-Seung
    • Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.85-92
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    • 2009
  • A concrete is considered unfriendly-environmental material because it uses cement which emits much $CO_2$ during producing process. However, a concrete absorbs $CO_2$ through carbonation process during service life. In this paper how much concrete absorbs $CO_2$ through carbonation was calculated using 1) concentration of carbonatable substances in concrete, 2) carbonated volume of concrete, 3) molecular weight of $CO_2$ based on references and the method was proposed. $CO_2$ emission from producing $1m^3$ concrete was calculated based on $CO_2$ emission datum of materials used in concrete. From using these methods that calculate $CO_2$ emission and absorption of concrete, assessment of $CO_2$ emission-absorption against a real apartment was conducted by subtracting absorption $CO_2$ according to service life from $CO_2$ emission in the process of making concrete. As a result, a ratio of absorption over emission of $CO_2$ through concrete carbonation according to service life 40, 60, 80 years was assessed about 3.65, 4.47, 5.18%. An objective of this study is to propose how to calculate emission - absorption of $CO_2$ from producing and using concrete. Although the result value, emission - absorption of $CO_2$, is 5.18% very low when the service life of an apartment is 80years, the value can be improved by reducing emission from using blended cement such as blast furnace slag or increasing replacement ratio of cement and increasing carbonated volume of concrete from expanding service life of a building. This study may be useful when $CO_2$ emission - absorption of concrete is evaluated in the further study.

($P16^{ink4}$ Methylation in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity. (구강 편평세포암종에서 $P16^{ink4}$ 유전자의 Methylation에 대한 연구)

  • Kang, Gin-Won;Kim, Kyung-Wook;Lyu, Jin-Woo;Kim, Chang-Jin
    • Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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    • v.22 no.2
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    • pp.164-173
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    • 2000
  • The p16 protein is a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor that inhibits cell cycle progression from $G_1$ phase to S phase in cell cycle. Many p16 gene mutations have been noted in many cancer-cell lines and in some primary cancers, and alterations of p16 gene function by DNA methylation have been noticed in various kinds of cancer tissues and cell-lines. There have been a large body of literature has accumulated indicating that abnormal patterns of DNA methylation (both hypomethylation and hypermethylation) occur in a wide variety of human neoplasma and that these aberrations of DNA methylation may play an important epigenetic role in the development and progression of neoplasia. DNA methylation is a part of the inheritable epigenetic system that influences expression or silencing of genes necessary for normal differentiation and proliferation. Gene activity may be silenced by methylation of up steream regulatory regions. Reactivation is associated with demethylation. Although evidence or a high incidence of p16 alterations in a variety of cell lines and primary tumors has been reported, that has been contested by other investigators. The precise mechanisms by which abnormal methylation might contribute to carcinogenesis are still not fully elucidated, but conceivably could involve the modulation of oncogene and other important regulatory gene expression, in addition to creating areas of genetic instability, thus predisposing to mutational events causing neoplasia. There have been many variable results of studies of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC). This investigation was studied on 13 primary HNSCC for p16 gene status by protein expression in immunohistochemistry, and DNA genetic/epigenetic analyzed to determine the incidence, the mechanisms, and the potential biological significance of its Inactivation. As methylation detection method of p16 gene, the methylation specific PCR(MSP) is sensitive and specific for methylation of any block of CpG sites in a CpG islands using bisulfite-modified DNA. The genomic DNA is modified by treatment with sodium bisulfate, which converts all unmethylated cytosines to uracil(thymidine). The primers designed for MSP were chosen for regions containing frequent cytosines (to distinguish unmodified from modified DNA), and CpG pairs near the 5' end of the primers (to provide maximal discrimination in the PCR between methylated and unmethylated DNA). The two strands of DNA are no longer complementary after bisulfite treatment, primers can be designed for either modified strand. In this study, 13 paraffin embedded block tissues were used, so the fragment of DNA to be amplified was intentionally small, to allow the assessment of methylation pattern in a limited region and to facilitate the application of this technique to samlples. In this 13 primary HNSCC tissues, there was no methylation of p16 promoter gene (detected by MSP and automatic sequencing). The p16 protein-specific immunohistochemical staining was performed on 13 paraffin embedded primary HNSCC tissue samples. Twelve cases among the 13 showed altered expression of p16 proteins (negative expression). In this study, The author suggested that low expression of p16 protein may play an important role in human HNSCC, and this study suggested that many kinds of genetic mechanisms including DNA methylation may play the role in carcinogenesis.

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The Effects of Grouping in Cooperative Learning Strategy (협동학습 전략에서 소집단 구성 방법의 효과)

  • Noh, Tae-Hee;Park, Soo-Youn;Lim, Hee-Jun;Cha, Jeong-Ho
    • Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.61-70
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    • 1998
  • This study investigated the effects of grouping (group composition) in cooperative learning strategy upon students' achievement, the attitude toward science instruction, the perception of learning environment, and the self-esteem. Three different groups were used in this study. For the two treatment groups with cooperative learning strategies, High-Medium-Low ability grouping (HML) and High-Low I Medium-Medium ability grouping (HL/MM) were used. For the control group, traditional instruction was used. Before the instructions, the short-version Group Assessment of Logical Thinking, the test of attitudes toward science instruction, the perception questionnaire of learning environment, and the questionnaire of self-esteem were administered, and their scores were used as covariates. Mid-term examination score was used as a blocking variable. After the instructions, a researcher-made achievement test consisting of three subtests (knowledge, understanding, and application), the test of attitude toward science instruction, the perception questionnaire of learning environment, and the questionnaire of self-esteem were administered. The ANCOVA results revealed that there were significant interactions between the instruction and the level of prior achievement although there were no significant differences in all subtest scores of the achievement test. The high-level students in the HL/MM cooperative group performed better than those in the control group and the HML cooperative group. The low-level students in the HL/MM cooperative group also performed better in the subtest of knowledge than those in the other groups. However, the medium-level students in the HML cooperative group scored better than those in the control group and the HL/MM cooperative group. Significant main effect was also found in the perception of learning environment but not in the attitude toward science instruction and self-esteem. The cooperative groups, regardless of grouping, exhibited more positive perception than the control group.

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