• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.271-278
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• 2012

Worldwide trends in animal welfare have resulted in an increased interest in individual management of sows housed in groups within hog barns. Estrus detection has been shown to be one of the greatest determinants of sow productivity. Purpose: We conducted this study to develop a method that can automatically detect the estrus state of a sow by selecting optimal texture parameters from images of a sow's pudendum and by optimizing the number of neurons in the hidden layer of an artificial neural network. Methods: Texture parameters were analyzed according to changes in a sow's pudendum in estrus such as mucus secretion and expansion. Of the texture parameters, eight gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) parameters were used for image analysis. The image states were classified into ten grades for each GLCM parameter, and an artificial neural network was formed using the values for each grade as inputs to discriminate the estrus state of sows. The number of hidden layer neurons in the artificial neural network is an important parameter in neural network design. Therefore, we determined the optimal number of hidden layer units using a trial and error method while increasing the number of neurons. Results: Fifteen hidden layers were determined to be optimal for use in the artificial neural network designed in this study. Thirty images of 10 sows were used for learning, and then 30 different images of 10 sows were used for verification. Conclusions: For learning, the back propagation neural network (BPN) algorithm was used to successful estimate six texture parameters (homogeneity, angular second moment, energy, maximum probability, entropy, and GLCM correlation). Based on the verification results, homogeneity was determined to be the most important texture parameter, and resulted in an estrus detection rate of 70%.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.1071-1086
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• 2003

Reproductive biotechnologies continue to be developed for genetic improvement of both river and swamp buffalo. Although artificial insemination using frozen semen emerged some decades back, there are still considerable limitations. The major problem appears to be the lack of efficient methods for estrus detection and timely insemination. Controlled breeding experiments in the buffalo had been limited and similar to those applied in cattle. Studies on multiple ovulation and embryo transfer are essentially a replica of those in cattle, however with inherent problems such as lower number of primordial follicles on the buffalo ovary, poor fertility and seasonality of reproduction, lower population of antral follicles at all stages of the estrous cycle, poor endocrine status and a high incidence of deep atresia in ovarian follicles, the response in terms of transferable embryo recovery has remained low with 0.51 to 3.0 per donor and pregnancy rates between 15 to 30%. In vitro production of buffalo embryos is a valid alternative to recovery of embryos by superovulation. This aspect received considerable attention during the past decade, however the proportion of embryos that develops to the blastocyst stage is still around 25-30% and hence the in vitro culture procedures need substantial improvement. Embryo cryopreservation procedures for direct transfer post thaw need to be developed for bubaline embryos. Nuclear transfer and embryo cloning is a technique that has received attention in various species during recent years and can be of immense value in buffaloes as they have a low rate of embryo recoveries by both in vitro and in vivo procedures. Gender pre-selection, genome analysis, gene mapping and gene transfer are a few of the techniques that have been studied to a limited extent during recent years and are likely to be included in future studies on buffaloes. Very recently, reproductive biotechnologies have been applied to feral buffaloes as well, but the results obtained so far are modest. When fully exploited they can play an important role in the preservation of endangered species.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2011

Tetanus is fatal neurological disease caused by Clostridium tetani on contaminated wound that is characterised by muscle spasm, muscle pain, and autonomic dysfuction. C. tetani exist on contaminated wound frequently that developed clinical tetanus under low oxygen condition. Tetanus have four symptomatic form: generalized, localized, cephalic, and neonatal. The incubation period is about 7 days and mortality is high. The commonest presenting symptom is trismus and other is stiffness of neck and back(opisthotonos), muscle spasm, dysphagia, facial pain, risus sardonicus. Trismus is primary presenting symptom in 50~75% of the cases and this have high possibility of initial visit to dental office. This case report of a patient who visit in our department with trismus as chief complaint.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.91-99
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• 2010

There is a commonality between Frank Lloyd Wright and Charles Rennie Mackintosh in that they created the new patterns of geometric Art Nouveau from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This study compares the furniture of Wright and Mackintosh who had significant impacts on the development of modern design for each of the periods divided by their design feature to find the individualities and similarities of their design. It is an analytical approach with an accurate understanding of the design trends of the Art Nouveau era. The results of the furniture comparison are as follows: The finding is that Wright and Mackintosh designed creative furniture in harmony with a specific indoor space, Organic design was well expressed through the selection and use of wooden materials, Based on the understanding of tree characteristics, they did not use detailed decorations, but designed the simple and rigorous forms of furniture with highlighted interest in geometry. As for shape, Wright's furniture in his early days tend to be look largely formal and heavy. Since his debut in Japan in 1905, the furniture design became very sophisticated. On the other hand, Mackintosh's chairs are characterized by plenty of geometric patterns and long back. In many cases, his chairs were designed as part of formative elements in space, not for the purpose of furniture itself. As for materials and colors, Wright used mainly cherry wood. And he also utilized metals colored in olive green, red-brown and others for office furniture. The frames, fabrics and leather used for most of the furniture have natural colors, which are harmonious with spaces. Meantime, Mackintosh used primarily oak and ash trees. He used seat cushions and various colors to make the design of furniture have a sophisticated and simple image. The materials used for seat panel are horsehair, rush, silk and leather. He applied these materials to the furniture by weaving or cutting them.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartA
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• v.17A no.4
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• pp.197-202
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• 2010

The recorder at observatory can save the measured data from water gauge and rain gauge at an interval of five minutes. And then, the RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) in observatory sends the measured data in the recorder to the TM (Telemetering) in FCO (Flood Control Office) at an interval of ten minutes using VHF or satellite communication. But the transmitted data is not the stored data at the recorder, it is just data that is measured at an interval of ten minutes. In the FCO, the transmitted data is analyzed in order to forecast the flood. And also one of the most important things is the maintenance of an observatory. In this paper, an effective management system for the flood forecast is proposed. It uses the CDMA and the Blutooth technology on PDA. The proposed system is very portable, and also easily able to send the data stored at the recorder in observatory to TM in FCO without RTU. And it allows us to view remotely the data of other observatories by downloading from the FCO. Hence the system can do efficiently the maintenance of observatory without wasting manpower and time.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.259-267
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• 2012

Due to the oil spill incident in December 2007, every facility of oyster culture was removed in western coast especially in Taean and Seosan. To restore oyster resources in Taean and Seosan, we brought oyster seeds from southern area and monitored their growth. In addition we monitored the culture environment throughout the year, and observed the number of oyster larvae and attached spats on collectors during summer. The factors of water environment were appropriate for oyster culture in both study area. The growth of shell height was larger in Uihang-ri, Taean than Jungwang-ri, Seosan. Spawning was more intensive in a short time in Jungwang-ri, Seosan than Uihang-ri, Taean. The number of oyster larvae and spats of collectors were much more in Jungwang-ri, Seosan than Uihang-ri, Taean. This study showed that transplantation of healthy oyster seeds from southern area can be a way of restoration of oyster resources in western coast. In addition, systematic approaches are necessary by building a better understanding of regional characteristics to restore and enlarge the oyster culture farms in western coast. In summary Uihang-ri, Taean will be appropriate for cultivation farms and Jungwang-ri, Seosan for seedling grounds to increase oyster culture productivity.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.105-119
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• 2008

This study explored the status of free time activities among the dental technicians who are working at Seoul, Gyonggido, and Gangwondo. On the basis of this research, we aim to present needs and applicable solutions to improve the working conditions and enhance the quality of life through more effective time management in free time activities that lead to their self development and far more enriched life. 500 subjects were randomly chosen and the questionary sheets were provided. Among them, 305 sheets were returned to be analysed through SPSS Win 10.0 software and the results are as follows; First, mean in the satisfaction of leisure activities was 3.44(SD=.73). Mean in sub categories was as follows; psychological factor(M=3.65, SD=.71), social factor(M=3.54, SD=.75), rest factors(M=3.52, SD=.63), physical factor(M=3.43, SD=.88), other factors(M=3.40, SD=.66), circumstantial factor(M=3.33, SD=.63), educational factor(M=3.24, SD=.73). Second, the most relevant sub categories in the satisfaction of leisure activities were social, educational, physical, and other circumstantial factors by sequence. Factors that affect leisure activities satisfaction were career and status of health, which shows statistical significance(p<.001). That is to say, contention of this study is that the general characteristics are closely related with and affect the types and the level of satisfaction in leisure activities of the subjects. Considering these results, the dental businesses and the associations of dental technicians should recognize the needs to improve the time management through more efficient cooperations between dentists and back office dental team, systemized working time, and introduction of incentive system among others. On the basis of this appreciation, the dental business should provide more time and various opportunities with the dental technicians. Dental technicians also need to reconsider their appreciations of leisure activities, that is, leisure activities are not just spending time doing something but they refresh them and enable them to be more active and faithful to home and work.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.242-246
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• 2010

Background: The first sacral nerve root block (S1NRB) is a common procedure in pain clinic for patients complaining of low back pain with radiating pain. It can be performed in the office based setting without C-arm. The previously suggested method of locating the needle entry point begins with identifying the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS). Then a line is drawn between two points, one of which is 1.5 cm medical to the PSIS, and the other of which is 1.5 cm lateral and cephalad to the ipsilateral cornu. After that, one point on the line, which is 1.5 cm cephalad to the level of the PSIS, is considered as the needle entry point. The purpose of this study was to analyze the location of needle entry point and palpated PSIS in S1NRB. Methods: Fifty patients undergoing C-arm guided S1NRB in the prone position were examined. The surface anatomical relationships between the palpated PSIS and the needle entry point were assessed. Results: The analysis revealed that the transverse and vertical distance between the needle entry point and PSIS were $28.7{\pm}8.8mm$ medially and $3.5{\pm}14.0mm$ caudally, respectively. The transverse distance was $27.8{\pm}8.3mm$ medially for male and $29.5{\pm}9.3mm$ medially for female. The vertical distance was $1.0{\pm}14.1mm$ cranially for male and $8.1{\pm}12.7mm$ caudally for female. Conclusions: The needle entry point in S1NRB is located on the same line or in the caudal direction from the PSIS in a considerable number of cases. Therefore previous recommended methods cannot be applied to many cases.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.777-785
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• 2017

In the modern real world, we can extract and recognize some texts to get a lot of information from the scene containing them, so the techniques for extracting and recognizing text areas from a scene are constantly evolving. They can be largely divided into texture-based method, connected component method, and mixture of both. Texture-based method finds and extracts text based on the fact that text and others have different values such as image color and brightness. Connected component method is determined by using the geometrical properties after making similar pixels adjacent to each pixel to the connection element. In this paper, we propose a method to adaptively change to improve the accuracy of text region extraction, detect and correct the slope of the image using edge and image segmentation. The method only extracts the exact area containing the text by correcting the slope of the image, so that the extracting rate is 15% more accurate than MSER and 10% more accurate than EEMSER.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.615-621
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• 2011

This study was conducted to evaluate of the protection efficiency in each part of developed pesticide-proof clothes by repeated washings. We investigated the effect of repeated laundering on mechanical properties of pesticide-proof clothes (not washed vs 5 times washed). We also examined pesticide infiltration rate into the pesticide-proof clothes by repeated laundering. The patches(TCL paper, surface area 50cm2)were attached to the inside of pesticide-proof clothes(head, chest, right upper-arm, right forearm, left thigh, left calf, back) which subjects had dressed in during pesticide spraying. The patches were detached from working clothes after work. For the extraction of pesticide in pesticide-proof clothes, sonication was applied for 30 min with methanol. The gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was applied to identify the pesticide component. The results of this study are as follows: The force strength, water-vapour resistance and surface wetting resistance of pesticide-proof clothes decreased 5 times more in washed clothes. The concentration of pesticide was the highest in the head area of pesticide-proof clothes. In seven parts of TLC paper attached to the pesticide proof clothes, the concentration of pesticide was higher in the left thigh. The penetration part and concentration of pesticide increased as washing was repeated. Therefore the conclusion which can be drawn from this study is this: protection efficiency of pesticide-proof clothes decrease by repeated washings.