• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1829-1831
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• 2012

Background: The generalized gamma distribution statistics constitute an extensive family that contains nearly all of the most commonly used distributions including the exponential, Weibull and log normal. A saturated version of the model allows covariates having effects through all the parameters of survival time distribution. Accelerated failure-time models assume that only one parameter of the distribution depends on the covariates. Methods: We fitted both the conventional GG model and the saturated form for each of its members including the Weibull and lognormal distribution; and compared them using likelihood ratios. To compare the selected parameter distribution with log logistic distribution which is a famous distribution in survival analysis that is not included in generalized gamma family, we used the Akaike information criterion (AIC; r=l(b)-2p). All models were fitted using data for 369 women age 50 years or more, diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in BC during 1990-1999 and followed to 2010. Results: In both conventional and saturated parametric models, the lognormal was the best candidate among the GG family members; also, the lognormal fitted better than log-logistic distribution. By the conventional GG model, the variables "surgery", "radiotherapy", "hormone therapy", "erposneg" and interaction between "hormone therapy" and "erposneg" are significant. In the AFT model, we estimated the relative time for these variables. By the saturated GG model, similar significant variables are selected. Estimating the relative times in different percentiles of extended model illustrate the pattern in which the relative survival time change during the time. Conclusions: The advantage of using the generalized gamma distribution is that it facilitates estimating a model with improved fit over the standard Weibull or lognormal distributions. Alternatively, the generalized F family of distributions might be considered, of which the generalized gamma distribution is a member and also includes the commonly used log-logistic distribution.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2010

The setting parameters of ultrasound scanner give influences to change of image. Sonographers have used a Matlab program to make Low Contrast Sensitivity(LCS) value and compared original images in order to evaluate the use of the supersonic diagnosis machinery. We confirmed the change of image in Grayscale values using Photoshop program. Experiment equipment of our research used A Medison Accuvix V10, A Multi-Tissue Ultrasound Phantom(040 GSE) of CHRIS Company, A Adobe Photoshop CS4 Program, A Convex Probe, A USB memory stick, A Probe Fixation Equipment. The method used Gain, Dynamic Range(DR) of the setting parameters of ultrasound scanner and researched Gain and DR was set to 10 dB. We changed the different settings to see the changes of images using Grayscale values of a Photoshop program about tissue images of a phantom. This study evaluated DR and Gain whether it is an image controller to get the optimum contrast to produce an image to see the how effect on the images. We did not use Gateway in supersonic diagnosis machinery. We can easily open to open the files through Photoshop program before we get Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine(DICOM) files use USB memory stick in supersonic diagnosis machinery. When we diagnosed the lesion of the patient with ultrasound, the contrast and the Gray scale value of image are very important. In this research, we determined the optimum setting parameters that provided useful information to diagnose disease and evaluated the change of improved images.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2015

Background: The purposes of the study were to examine rotator cuff tendon degeneration with respect to harvesting location, to determine a rationale for debridement of the torn end, and thus, to determine adequate debridement extent. Methods: Twenty-four patients with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear were included in the study. Tendon specimens were harvested during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair from three locations; from torn ends after minimal regularization of fraying (native end group, NE group), from torn ends after complete freshening of the frayed end (freshened end group, FE group), and from the macroscopically intact portion just distal to the musculotendinous junction (musculotendinous junction group, MTJ group). Control samples were harvested from patients admitted for surgery for proximal humerus fracture. Harvested samples were evaluated using a semi-quantitative grading scale. Results: Mean total degeneration scores in the NE group ($13.3{\pm}3.21$), the FE group ($12.5{\pm}2.30$), and in the MTJ group ($10.8{\pm}3.10$) were significantly higher than those in the normal control group ($5.0{\pm}2.87$; all p<0.001). Mean total degeneration score in the NE group was significantly higher than that in the MTJ group (p=0.012), but was not from that of the FE group. Mean total degeneration score in the FE group was not significantly different from that of the MTJ group. Conclusions: Tendon degeneration exists throughout the entire tendon to the macroscopically intact portion of full-thickness rotator cuff tear. Therefore, aggressive debridement to grossly normal appearing, bleeding tendon is unnecessary for enhancing healing after repair.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.153-162
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• 2000

A field study was performed to test effectiveness of a bloluminescent genetically engineered microorganism (GEM) for bioremediation process monitoring and control. The study employed Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44 that was the first strain approved for field application in the U.S. for bioremediation purposes. HK44 contains lux gene fused within a naphthalene degradative pathway, allowing this GEM to bioluminesce as it degrades naphthalene as well as substituted naphthalenes and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) , Results showed that HK44 was maintained in both PAH-contarninated and uncontaminated soils even 660 days after inoculation. HK44 was able to produce bioluminescence in response to PAHs in soil. Although effectiveness of chemical remediation was not assessed due to heterogeneous distribution of contaminants, decreased concentration of naphthalene was shown in the soils, Taken together, HK44 was useful for in situ bioremediation process monitoring and control. This work is so far the only field release of a GEM for bioremediation purposes.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.225-232
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• 2016

We present an optical imaging survey of AKARI Deep Field South (ADF-S) using the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet), to find optical counterparts of dusty star-forming galaxies. The ADF-S is a deep far-infrared imaging survey region with AKARI covering around 12 deg², where the deep optical imaging data are not yet available. By utilizing the wide-field capability of the KMTNet telescopes (~4 deg²), we obtain optical images in B, R and I bands for three regions. The target depth of images in B, R and I bands is ~24 mag (AB) at 5σ, which enables us to detect most dusty star-forming galaxies discovered by AKARI in the ADF-S. Those optical datasets will be helpful to constrain optical spectral energy distributions as well as to identify rare types of dusty star-forming galaxies such as dust-obscured galaxy, sub-millimeter galaxy at high redshift.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2017

Mercury intrusion and nitrogen sorption porosimetry were employed to investigate the pore structure of calcium sulfoaluminate ($C{\bar{S}}A$) and portland cement pastes with cement-to-water ratio (w/c) of 0.40, 0.50, and 0.60. A unimodal distribution of pore size was drawn for $C{\bar{S}}A$ cement pastes, whereas a bimodal distribution was established for the portland cement pastes through analysis of mercury intrusion porosimetry. For the experimental results generated by nitrogen sorption porosimetry, the $C{\bar{S}}A$ cement pastes have a smaller and coarser pore volume than cement paste samples under the same w/c condition. The relative dynamic modulus and percentage weight loss were used for investigation of the concrete durability in freeze-thaw condition. When coarse aggregate with good freeze-thaw durability was mixed, air entrained portland cement concrete has the same durability in terms of relative dynamic modulus as $C{\bar{S}}A$ cement concrete in a freeze-thaw environment. The $C{\bar{S}}A$ cement concrete with poor performance of durability in a freeze-thaw environment demonstrates the improved durability by 300 % over portland cement concrete. The $C{\bar{S}}A$ concrete with good performance aggregate also exhibits less surface scaling in a freeze-thaw environment, losing 11 % less mass after 297 cycles.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.619-637
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• 2015

A field based non-destructive hardness method is being developed to determine plastic strain in steel elements subjected to seismic loading. The focus of this study is on the active links of eccentrically braced frames (EBFs). The 2010/2011 Christchurch earthquake series, especially the very intense February 22 shaking, which was the first earthquake worldwide to push complete EBF systems into their inelastic state, generating a moderate to high level of plastic strain in EBF active links for a range of buildings from 3 to 23 storeys in height. Plastic deformation was confined to the active links. This raised two important questions: what was the extent of plastic deformation and what effect does that have on post-earthquake steel properties? A non-destructive hardness test method is being used to determine a relationship between hardness and plastic strain in active link beams. Active links from the earthquake affected, 23-storey Pacific Tower building in Christchurch are being analysed in the field and laboratory. Test results to date show clear evidence that this method is able to give a good relationship between plastic strain and demand. This paper presents significant findings from this project to investigate the relationship between hardness and plastic strain that warrant publication prior to the completion of the project. Principal of these is the discovery that hot rolled steel beams carry manufacturing induced plastic strains, in regions of the webs, of up to 5%.

• Journal of Information Processing Systems
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.495-520
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• 2012

A secure Electronic Payment System (EPS) is essential for the booming online shopping market. A successful EPS supports the transfer of electronic money and sensitive information with security, accuracy, and integrity between the seller and buyer over the Internet. SET, CyberCash, Paypal, and iKP are the most popular Credit Card-Based EPSs (CCBEPSs). Some CCBEPSs only use SSL to provide a secure communication channel. Hence, they only prevent "Man in the Middle" fraud but do not protect the sensitive cardholder information such as the credit card number from being passed onto the merchant, who may be unscrupulous. Other CCBEPSs use complex mechanisms such as cryptography, certificate authorities, etc. to fulfill the security schemes. However, factors such as ease of use for the cardholder and the implementation costs for each party are frequently overlooked. In this paper, we propose a Web service based new payment system, based on ANSI X9.59-2006 with extra features added on top of this standard. X9.59 is an Account Based Digital Signature (ABDS) and consumer-oriented payment system. It utilizes the existing financial network and financial messages to complete the payment process. However, there are a number of limitations in this standard. This research provides a solution to solve the limitations of X9.59 by adding a merchant authentication feature during the payment cycle without any addenda records to be added in the existing financial messages. We have conducted performance testing on the proposed system via a comparison with SET and X9.59 using simulation to analyze their levels of performance and security.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 2018

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) stimulates cell proliferation and enhances matrix gene expression and synthesis. However, there have been no comparative study of the PRP effect on the normal and degenerative tenocytes. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of PRP on tenocytes from normal and degenerative tendon. Methods: Tendon tissues were obtained from patients undergoing arthroscopic repair (n=9) and from healthy donors (n=3). Tenocytes were cultured with 10% (vol/vol) platelet-poor plasma, PRP activated with calcium, and PRP activated with calcium and thrombin. The total cell number was assessed at days 7 and 14. The expressions of type I and III collagen, decorin, tenascin-C, and scleraxis were evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The total collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis was evaluated at days 7 and 14. Results: No differences were observed between the groups at day 7, but cell proliferation was remarkably increased in tenocytes from the degenerative tendon at day 14. In both tenocyte groups, the gene expressions of type I and III collagen were up-regulated. GAG synthesis was greater in the normal tendon, whereas the expressions of decorin and tenascin-C were increased in tenocytes from the degenerative tendon. Tenocytes from the degenerative tendon had higher fold-change of GAG synthesis and a lower collagen III/I ratio than normal tenocytes. Conclusions: PRP promoted the cell proliferation and enhanced the synthesis of tendon matrix in both groups. PRP has a greater positive effect on cell proliferation, matrix gene expression and synthesis in tenocytes from degenerative tendon.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4 s.100
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• pp.326-330
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• 2002

A wetland soil was sterilised by two methods and changes in microbial enzyme activities were assessed. The short-term effects were determined by toluene addition, while the longer-term effects of elimination was monitored by ${\gamma}$-radiation. The changes in ${\beta}$- glucosidase, ${\beta}$-xylosidase, cellobiohydrolase, phosphatase, arylsulphatase, and N-acetylglucosaminidase activities were determined by using methylumbelliferyl model substrates and comparing with the activities of control samples. Toluene addition induced different responses of enzymes. For example, phosphatase activity increased by the treatment while ${\beta}$-glucosidase and arylsulphatase activities decreased. In contrast, ${\gamma}$-radiation decreased all enzyme activities compared to control by 40-80%. The overall results of the toluene and ${\gamma}$-radiation experiments indicate that the large amounts of enzymes are stabilised outside of living cells, at least in the short term, but that the persistence of enzymes is maintained by de-novo synthesis of microbes.