• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.320-327
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• 2022

Neurodevelopmental disorders are complex conditions that pose difficulty in the modulation of proper motor, sensory and cognitive function due to dysregulated neuronal development. Previous studies have reported that an imbalance in the excitation/inhibition (E/I) in the brain regulated by glutamatergic and/or GABAergic neurotransmission can cause neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric behavioral deficits such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). NMDA acts as an agonist at the NMDA receptor and imitates the action of the glutamate on that receptor. NMDA however, unlike glutamate, only binds to and regulates the NMDA receptor subtypes and not the other glutamate receptors. This study seeks to determine whether NMDA administration in mice i.e., over-activation of the NMDA system would result in long-lasting behavioral deficits in the adolescent mice. Both gender mice were treated with NMDA or saline at early postnatal developmental period with significant synaptogenesis and synaptic maturation. On postnatal day 28, various behavioral experiments were conducted to assess and identify behavioral characteristics. NMDA-treated mice show social deficits, and repetitive behavior in both gender mice at adolescent periods. However, only the male mice but not female mice showed increased locomotor activity. This study implies that neonatal exposure to NMDA may illicit behavioral features similar to ASD. This study also confirms the validity of the E/I imbalance theory of ASD and that NMDA injection can be used as a pharmacologic model for ASD. Future studies may explore the mechanism behind the gender difference in locomotor activity as well as the human relevance and therapeutic significance of the present findings.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.53-60
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• 2020

Evaluating the operational efficiency of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs) is important to understand charging network evolution and the charging behavior of electric vehicle users. However, aggregation of efficiency performance metrics poses a significant challenge to practitioners and researchers. In general, the operational efficiency of EVCSs can be measured as a complicated function of various factors with multiple criteria. Such a complex aspect of managing EVCSs becomes one of the challenging issues to measure their operational efficiency. Considering the difficulty in the efficiency measurement, this paper suggests a way to measure the operational efficiency of EVCSs based on data envelopment analysis (DEA). The DEA model is formulated as constant returns of output-oriented model with five types of inputs, four of them are the numbers of floating population and nearby charging stations, distance of nearby charging stations and traffic volume as desirable inputs and the other is the traffic speed in congestion as undesirable one. Meanwhile, the output is given by the charging frequency of EVCSs in a day. Using real-world data obtained from reliable sources, we suggest operational efficiencies of EVCSs in Seoul and discuss implications on the development of electric vehicle charging network. The result of efficiency measurement shows that most of EVCSs in Seoul are inefficient, while some districts (Nowon-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Dongjak-gu, Songpa-gu, Guro-gu) have relatively more efficient EVCSs than the others.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9427-9432
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• 2014

Background: Delayed presentation of symptomatic breast cancer is a public health issue in Iran, making a major contribution to low survival. Despite the importance of this problem, current knowledge is insufficient to inform interventions to shorten patient delay. The aim of this study was to explore factors influencing patient delay in Iranian women with self-discovered breast cancer symptom. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted during 2012-2013. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 20 Iranian women with self-discovered symptoms of breast cancer who attended the Cancer Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth audiotaped interviews, which were transcribed and analyzed using conventional content analysis with MAXqda software version 10. Findings: Content analysis of the data revealed four main themes related to the delay in seeking medical help including: 1) attributing symptoms to the benign conditions; 2) conditional health behavior; 3) inhibiting emotional expression; and 4) barriers to access to health care systems. Conclusions: These results suggest that patient delay is influenced by complex and multiple factors. Effective intervention to reduce patient delay for breast cancer should be developed by focusing on improvement of women's medical knowledge, managing patients' emotional expression and reform of the referral system.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.190-200
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• 2019

The flyback converter, which can be regarded as a nonlinear time-varying system, has complex dynamics and nonlinear behaviors. These phenomena can affect the stability of the converter. To simplify the modeling process and retain the information of the output capacitor branch, a special sampled-data model of a peak current-mode (PCM) controlled flyback converter is established in this paper. Based on this, its dynamic behaviors are analyzed, which provides guidance for designing the circuit parameters of the converter. With the critical stability boundary equation derived by a Jacobian matrix, the stable operation range with a varied output capacitor, proportional coefficient of error the amplifier, input voltage, reference voltage and slope of the compensation ramp of a PCM controlled flyback converter are investigated in detail. Research results show that the duty ratio should be less than 0.5 for a PCM controlled flyback converter without ramp compensation to operate in a stable state. The stability regions in the parameter space between the output capacitor and the proportional coefficient of the error amplifier are enlarged by increasing the input voltage or by decreasing the reference voltage. Furthermore, the ramp compensation also can extend to the stable region. Finally, time-domain simulations and experimental results are presented to verify the theoretical analysis results.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.408-415
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• 2019

Electroplating is a widely used surface treatment method in the manufacturing process of electronic parts and uniformity of the electrodeposition thickness is very crucial for these applications. Since many variables including fluid flow influence the uniformity of the film, it is difficult to conduct efficient research only by experiments. So many studies using simulation have been carried out. However, the most popular simulation technique, which calculates secondary current distribution, has a limitation on the considering the effects of fluid flow on the deposition behavior. And modified method, which is calculating a tertiary current distribution, is limited to a two-dimensional study of simple shapes because of the massive computational load. In the present study, we propose a new electroplating simulation method that can be applied to complex shapes considering the effect of flow. This new model calculates the electroplating process with three steps. First, the thickness of boundary layers on the surface of the cathode plane and velocity magnitudes at the positions are calculated from the simulation of fluid flow. Next, polarization curves of different velocities are obtained by calculations or experiments. Finally, both results are incorporated into the electroplating simulation program as boundary conditions at the cathode plane. The results of the model showed good agreements with the experimental results, and the effects of fluid flow of electrolytes on the uniformity of deposition thickness was quantitatively predicted.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9495-9498
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• 2014

Background: The difference in prognosis of adult and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can be attributed largely to variation in cytogenetic abnormalities with age groups. Cytogenetic analysis in acute leukemia is now routinely used to assist patient management, particularly in terms of diagnosis, disease monitoring, prognosis and risk stratification. Knowing about cytogenetic profile at the time of diagnosis is important in order to take critical decisions in management of the patients. Aim and Objectives: To determine the frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities in Pakistani adult patients with ALL in order to have insights regarding behavior of the disease. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of all the cases of ALL (${\geq}15$years old) diagnosed at Aga Khan University from January 2006 to June 2014 was performed. Phenotype (B/T lineage) was confirmed in all cases by flow cytometry. Cytogenetic analysis was made for all cases using the trypsin-Giemsa banding technique. Karyotypes were interpreted using the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature (ISCN) criteria. Results: A total of 166 patients were diagnosed as ALL during the study period, of which 151 samples successfully yielded metaphase chromosomes. The male to female ratio was 3.4:1. The majority (n=120, 72.3%) had a B-cell phenotype. A normal karyotype was present in 51% (n=77) of the cases whereas 49% (n=74) had an abnormal karyotype. Of the abnormal cases, 10% showed Philadelphia chromosome; t(9;22)(q34;q11.2). Other poor prognostic cytogenetic subgroups were t(4;11)(q21;q23), hypodiploidy (35-45 chromosomes) and complex karyotype. Hyperdiploidy (47-57 chromosomes) occurred in 6.6%; all of whom were younger than 30 years. Conclusions: This study showed a relatively low prevalence of Philadelphia chromosome in Pakistani adults with ALL with an increase in frequency with age (p=0.003). The cumulative prevalence of Philadelphianegative poor cytogenetic aberrations in different age groups was not significant (p=0.6).

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 1996

In cementless total hip arthroplasty(THA), an initial stability of the femoral component is mandatory to achieve bony inyowth and secondary long term fixation. Primary stability of the femoral component can be obtained by minimizing the magnitude of relative micromotions at bone stem interface. An accurate evaluation of interf'ace micromotion and stress/strain fields in the bone-implant system may be relevant for better understanding of clinical situations and improving THA design. Recently finite element method(FEM) was introduced in'orthopaedic research field due to its unique capacity to evaluate stress in structure of complex shape, loading and material behavior. The authors developed the 3-dimensional finite element model of proximal femur with $Multilock^{TM}$ stem of 1179 blick elements to analyse the micromotions and mechanical behaviors at the bone-stem inteface in early post-operative period for the load simulating single leg stance. The results indicates that the values of relative motion for this well fit stem were $150{\mu}m$ in maximum $82{\mu}m$ in minimum and the largest relative motion was developed in medial region of Proximal femur and in anterior-posterior direction. The motion in the proximal bone was much greater than in the distal bone and the stress pattern showed high stress concentration on the cortex near the tip of the stem. These findings indicate that the loading on the hip joint in the early postoperative situation before achieving bony ingrowth could produce large micromotion of $150{\mu}m$ and clinicaly non-cemented THA patient should not be allowed weight bearing strictly early in the postoperative period.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.353-379
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• 2012

The accuracy of the 30% and SRSS rules, commonly used to estimate the combined response of structures, and some related issues, are studied. For complex systems and earthquake loading, the principal components give the maximum seismic response. Both rules underestimate the axial load by about 10% and the COV of the underestimation is about 20%. Both rules overestimate the base shear by about 10%. The uncertainty in the estimation is much larger for axial load than for base shear, and, for axial load, it is much larger for inelastic than for elastic behavior. The effect of individual components may be highly correlated, not only for normal components, but also for totally uncorrelated components. The rules are not always inaccurate for large values of correlation coefficients of the individual effects, and small values of such coefficients are not always related to an accurate estimation of the response. Only for perfectly uncorrelated harmonic excitations and elastic analysis of SDOF systems, the individual effects of the components are uncorrelated and the rules accurately estimate the combined response. In the general case, the level of underestimation or overestimation depends on the degree of correlation of the components, the type of structural system, the response parameter, the location of the structural member and the level of structural deformation. The codes should be more specific regarding the application of these rules. If the percentage rule is used for MDOF systems and earthquake loading, at least a value of 45% should be used for the combination factor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.49-58
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• 2009

Healthcare organizations need mutual cooperation among various medical professionals in order to carry out the performance of their duties spite of haying a strong job specialization and independence based on license. However, spite of the importance of leadership roles, there have not been enough researches dealt with leadership effect under the complex duties' relationship of a healthcare organization. This study suggested a new model by combining characteristics of leadership style, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment using Structural Equation Model (SEM). The data were self-administered questionnaires collected in 2006 from 437 employees (nurses, medical technicians, and administrative staffs) of 5 hospitals located in Seoul. The items of questionnaire were composed as a method of choosing new leadership style based on the Bass's standardized questionnaire on a Iransactionaljtransformational leadership combining the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire-XII (LBDQ-XII) of the Ohio State University and Graen and Uhl-Bien's LMK scale through simulation techniques responding to organizational commitment. As a result, the leadership style increasing employees' self-confidence and having continuous response relationship between managers and employees improved their discretion and empowerment as well as worthwhileness and pride. However, the leadership style emphasizing reward and a sense of duty brought about a bed result that was not able to effectively respond to employees' discretion and empowerment and even weakened their worthwhileness and pride. After all, the leadership style based on vision and change had an effect on organizational commitment but the other one based on reward and a sense of duty seemed to be unsuccessful in organizational commitment. Therefore, the desirable leadership in a healthcare organization should be based on employees' self-confidence and continuous response relationship between managers and employees.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.6-12
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• 2014

We reviewed literature focusing on the amounts of domestic production, distribution, and consumption of strong acids and their spill cases. In particular, we investigated the chemistry and toxicity of four strong acids classified as "accident preparedness substances," including hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric, and hydrofluoric acid. We recommend sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid as the chemicals of priority control based on the amounts used and toxicity. An advanced prevention/response system needs to be established along with an improved human and social infrastructure to prevent and efficiently respond to chemical accidents. Understanding the behavior and transport of spilled strong acids in the soil and groundwater environments requires a multi-disciplinary approach since they go through a variety of chemical and biogeochemical reactions with complex geomedia. However, no such research has been done in this area in Korea to the best of our knowledge. We expect the results of this study to contribute as basic data to future research.