• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.770-775
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• 2006

Biofilters packed with various materials commonly show problems such as low performance and clogging in a long-term operation. Recently, a bioactive foam reactor(BFR) using surfactants has been suggested to ensure efficient and stable VOCs removal performance. This study was mainly conducted to investigate the feasibility of the BFR system using styrene as a model compound. An abiotic md a biotic tests were conducted to estimate a mass transfer coefficient($K_La$) and a specific substrate utilization coefficient(k) for the BFR, showing the rate of mass transfer was greater in the BFR than in other diffuser systems. A dynamic loading test also indicated that the performance of the BFR was stable under a shock loading condition. Furthermore, the maximum elimination capacity of the BFR was determined to be 109 $g/m^3/hr$ for styrene, which was much higher than those for biofilter systems generally reported in the literature. Overall, the experimental results suggest that the BFR be a potential alternative to the conventional packed-bed biofilters.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.103-114
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• 2024

Objective : Decompressive craniectomy (DC) with duroplasty is one of the common surgical treatments for life-threatening increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Once ICP is controlled, cranioplasty (CP) with reinsertion of the cryopreserved autologous bone flap or a synthetic implant is considered for protection and esthetics. Although with the risk of autologous bone flap resorption (BFR), cryopreserved autologous bone flap for CP is one of the important material due to its cost effectiveness. In this article, we performed conventional statistical analysis and the machine learning technique understand the risk factors for BFR. Methods : Patients aged >18 years who underwent autologous bone CP between January 2015 and December 2021 were reviewed. Demographic data, medical records, and volumetric measurements of the autologous bone flap volume from 94 patients were collected. BFR was defined with absolute quantitative method (BFR-A) and relative quantitative method (BFR%). Conventional statistical analysis and random forest with hyper-ensemble approach (RF with HEA) was performed. And overlapped partial dependence plots (PDP) were generated. Results : Conventional statistical analysis showed that only the initial autologous bone flap volume was statistically significant on BFR-A. RF with HEA showed that the initial autologous bone flap volume, interval between DC and CP, and bone quality were the factors with most contribution to BFR-A, while, trauma, bone quality, and initial autologous bone flap volume were the factors with most contribution to BFR%. Overlapped PDPs of the initial autologous bone flap volume on the BRF-A crossed at approximately 60 mL, and a relatively clear separation was found between the non-BFR and BFR groups. Therefore, the initial autologous bone flap of over 60 mL could be a possible risk factor for BFR. Conclusion : From the present study, BFR in patients who underwent CP with autologous bone flap might be inevitable. However, the degree of BFR may differ from one to another. Therefore, considering artificial bone flaps as implants for patients with large DC could be reasonable. Still, the risk factors for BFR are not clearly understood. Therefore, chronological analysis and pathophysiologic studies are needed.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.30-37
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• 2020

[Purpose] The present study investigated the effect of endurance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) performed at either 25% maximal oxygen uptake (${\dot{V}}O_2$ max) or 40% ${\dot{V}}O_2$ max) on muscle oxygenation, energy metabolism, and endocrine responses. [Methods] Ten males were recruited in the present study. The subjects performed three trials: (1) endurance exercise at 40% ${\dot{V}}O_2$ max without BFR (NBFR40), (2) endurance exercise at 25% ${\dot{V}}O_2$ max with BFR (BFR25), and (3) endurance exercise at 40% ${\dot{V}}O_2$ max with BFR (BFR40). The exercises were performed for 15 min during which the pedaling frequency was set at 70 rpm. In BFR25 and BFR40, 2 min of pressure phase (equivalent to 160 mmHg) followed by 1 min of release phase were repeated five times (5 × 3 min) throughout 15 minutes of exercise. During exercise, muscle oxygenation and concentration of respiratory gases were measured. The blood samples were collected before exercise, immediately after 15 min of exercise, and at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after completion of exercise. [Results] Deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) level during exercise was significantly higher with BFR25 and BFR40 than that with NBFR40. BFR40 showed significantly higher total-hemoglobin (total-Hb) than NBFR40 during 2 min of pressure phase. Moreover, exercise-induced lactate elevation and pH reduction were significantly augmented in BFR40, with concomitant increase in serum cortisol concentration after exercise. Carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation was significantly higher with BFR40 than that with NBFR40 and BFR25, whereas fat oxidation was lower with BFR40. [Conclusion] Deoxy-Hb and total Hb levels were significantly increased during 15 min of pedaling exercise in BFR25 and BFR40, indicating augmented local hypoxia and blood volume (blood perfusion) in the muscle. Moreover, low-and moderate-intensity exercise with BFR facilitated CHO oxidation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.749-754
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• 2017

Objective : To quantitatively measure the degree of bone flap resorption (BFR) following autologous bone cranioplasty and to investigate factors associated with BFR. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 29 patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy and subsequent autologous bone cranioplasty between April 2005 and October 2014. BFR was defined as : 1) decrement ratio ([the ratio of initial BF size/craniectomy size]-[the ratio of last BF/craniectomy size]) >0.1; and 2) bone flap thinning or geometrical irregularity of bone flap shape on computed tomographic scan or skull plain X-ray. The minimal interval between craniectomy and cranioplasty was one month and the minimal follow-up period was one year. Clinical factors were compared between the BFR and no-BFR groups. Results : The time interval between craniectomy and cranioplasty was $175.7{\pm}258.2$ days and the mean period of follow up was $1364{\pm}886.8$ days. Among the 29 patients (mean age 48.1 years, male : female ratio 20 : 9), BFR occurred in 8 patients (27.6%). In one patient, removal of the bone flap was carried out due to severe BFR. The overall rate of BFR was $0.10{\pm}0.11$ over 3.7 years. Following univariate analysis, younger age ($30.5{\pm}23.2$ vs. $54.9{\pm}13.4$) and longer follow-up period ($2204.5{\pm}897.3$ vs. $1044.1{\pm}655.1$) were significantly associated with BFR (p=0.008 and 0.003, respectively). Conclusion : The degree of BFR following autologous bone cranioplasty was 2.7%/year and was associated with younger age and longer follow-up period.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.468-475
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• 2005

Biofilters packed with various materials have emerged as a sustainable technology for the treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); however, problems including low performance and clogging are commonly encountered. Recently, a bioactive foam reactor (BFR) using surfactants has been suggested to ensure efficient and stable VOCs removal performance. This study was mainly conducted to investigate the feasibility of BFRs using toluene as a model compound. Prior to bioreactor studies, a series of bottle tests were used to select a suitable surfactant for the BFR application. Experimental results of the batch bottle tests indicated that TritonX-100 was the most appropriate one among the surfactants tested, since it showed a minimal effect on the toluene biodegradation rate while the other surfactants lowered the toluene biodegradation rate significantly. Using the selected surfactant, the BFR performance was determined by changing operating parameters including gas residence time and toluene loading. As the gas residence time increased from 0.5 minutes to 2 minutes, the toluene removal efficiency increased from approximately 50% to 80%. In addition, an increase of the toluene loading from $38\;g/m^3/hr$ to $454\;g/m^3/hr$ resulted in a decrease of toluene removal efficiency from approximately 70% to 20%. The BFR had a maximum elimination capacity of $108\;g/m^3/hr$ for toluene, which was much higher than those generally reported in the literature. The high toluene-elimination performance indicates that the BFR be a potential alternative to the conventional, packed-type biofilters. However, the limitation of toluene solubilization and foam stability at either high or low gas flow rate are still problems to be challenged.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.6B
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• pp.689-694
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• 2006

The system performance of a bioactive foam reactor (BFR), that consists of a foam column using a surfactant and a biodegradation basin containing suspended bacteria, was investigated for the treatment of gaseous toluene or a mixture of four volatile organic compounds (VOCs, benzene, toluene, p-xylene, and styrene). Overall, the BFR achieved stable VOC removal efficiencies, indicating that it can be used as a potential alternative over conventional packed-bed biofilters. Furthermore, a dynamic loading test showed that relatively constant removal was maintained at the elevated loading due to a high mass transfer rate in the foam column. However, as the inlet concentration of VOCs increased, a portion of the VOCs mass-transferred to the liquid phase was stripped out from the biodegradation basin, resulting in a decrease in the overall removal efficiency. In the BFR, the removal efficiency of the individual VOC was mainly determined depending on the biodegradation rate (styrene > toluene > benzene > p-xylene), rather than the mass transfer rate. Consequently, increases in the microbial activity and the volume of the basin could improve the overall performance of the BFR system. Further investigation on microbial activity and community dynamics is required for the BFR when subjected to high loadings of VOC mixtures.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.104-109
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• 2003

Enhancement of the production of benzoylformate reductase (BFR) was attempted under oxidative stress established by natural electron carriers. -lipoic acid (LA), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and ubiquinone (UQ) did not inhibit growth of E. faecalis when their concentrations were as high as $10{\mu}M$, while $H_2O_2$ and methyl viologen ($MV^2+$) inhibited the bacterial growth. BFR activity in the bacterial extract had increased rapidly after 1 h of cultivation after the addition of $4{\mu}M$ of natural electron carriers, and the activity was maintained during further cultivation. BFR activity of the cells treated with the natural electron carriers was $40\%$ higher than that of the control. In the presence of $4{\mu}M\;H_2O_2\;and\;MV^2+$, BFR activity increased, reaching the highest activity at about 5 h cultivation, and then decreased with further cultivation. It seems that natural electron carriers not only stimulate the induction of BFR, but also stabilize the enzyme. BFR was hardly affected by LA, FAD, and UQ, while $H_2O_2\;and\;MV^2+$ inactivated the crude enzyme. The decrease of BFR activity in the presence of $H_2O_2\;and\;MV^2+$ might be ascribed to inactivation of the enzyme by the oxidants.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.362-370
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate effects of 12 weeks of combined exercise training with blood flow restriction (BFR) on body composition (weight, %body fat, lean body mass, body mass index (BMI)) and cardiovascular responses (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba PWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI)) in elderly women. Participants (N = 43, Females) were randomly assigned into a combined exercise with BFR (n = 14, BFR), only combined exercise (n =14, EX) or non-exercise control group (n = 15, CON). Two-way repeated measures ANOVA with contrast testing was utilized for data analysis. Alpha was set at p < 0.05. Body composition (weight, %body fat, BMI) in BFR was significantly changed, and %body fat in EX was significantly decreased, but there was no change in the CON. In addition, the right and left ba PWV values in the BFR were significantly decreased, while only the left side ba PWV in EX was significantly decreased and there was no change in the CON. Moreover, the % change and effect size of most variables in the BFR were higher than the EX. Taken together, the results indicate that even though BFR and EX groups performed the same combined exercise training, BFR had additional stimulations of the sympathetic nerve system due to blood flow restriction. Thus, BFR training is more beneficial and has greater effects on body composition and cardiovascular responses in elderly females.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.363-371
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• 2021

The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of exercise training with or without blood flow restriction (BFR) on physical performance and balance in elderly females. Participants (N = 43) were randomly divided into combined exercise with BFR group (n = 14, EX-BFR), only combine exercise group (n =14, EX) or a non-exercise control group (n = 15, CON). Both EX-BFR and EX groups had completed exercise training for 12 weeks. During the training period, the CON group maintained their normal lives. After baseline tests, two-way repeated measures ANOVA with contrast testing was conducted using SPSS 22.0. Study results found that physical performance and balance in both EX-BFR and EX groups were significantly improved, and fall index in both EX-BFR and EX groups were significantly decreased. There were no changes in the CON group. In addition, the % change and effect size of all variables in the EX-BFR group were larger than the EX group. So, the results showed that the EX-BFR group had performed more intense exercise caused by restricted blood flow during the training period compared to the EX group. Thus, exercise with BFR training may additionally influence physical performance and balance in elderly females.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea TC
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• v.43 no.8 s.350
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• pp.1-14
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• 2006

Multi-constraint QoS routing has been seen as crucial network property in the next generation optical Internet based on DWDM Networks. This paper proposes a new QoS routing algorithm based on flooding method, called bounded flooding routing (BFR) algorithm which can meet multi-constraint QoS requirements. Primarily, the BFR algorithm tries to reduce network overhead by accomplishing bounded-flooding to meet QoS requirements, and improve blocking probability and wavelength utilization. Also, as one effort to improve routing performance, we introduce a new concept, ripple count, which does not need any link-state information and computational process. For extensive analysis and simulation study, as a critical concern, in DWDM-based networks we deploy limited wavelength conversion capability within DWDM nodes. And the simulation results demonstrate that the BFR algorithm is superior to other predominant routing algorithms (both original flooding method and source-directed methods) in terms of blocking probability, wavelength channels required and overhead.