• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.168-175
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• 2024

Purpose: The presence of alcoholic stool in biliary atresia (BA) patients is the basis of a stool color card (SCC), a screening tool that has led to more patients receiving Kasai portoenterostomy earlier. This study aimed to evaluate the color image processing of stool images captured using smartphones. We propose that measuring digital color parameters is a more objective method for identifying BA stools and may improve the sensitivity of BA screening. Methods: A prospective study was conducted in five hospitals in Thailand between October 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. Stools from infants presenting with jaundice, acholic stool, or dark-colored urine were photographed. Digital image color analysis was performed, and software was developed based on the color on the original SCC. Sensitivity and specificity for predicting BA stools were compared between the SCC and the software. Results: Of 33 infants eligible for data collection, 19 were diagnosed with BA. Saturation and blue were two potential digital color parameters used to differentiate BA stools. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimum cutoff point of both values, and when saturation ≤56 or blue ≥61 was set as a threshold for detecting BA stool, high accuracy was achieved at 81.8% and 78.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Digital image processing is a promising technology. With appropriate cutoff values of saturation in hue, saturation, value and blue in red, green, blue color models, BA stools can be identified, and equivocal-colored stools of non-BA patients can be differentiated with acceptable accuracy in infants presenting with jaundice.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.589-599
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• 2017

Objective: The objective of this study was to measure the upper-limb motions and postures of grapes-harvesting tasks using electrical goniometers and analyze the upper-limb motions in a kinematic way to assess the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Background: Grapes farmers are exposed to various risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as repetitive upper-limb motions, non-neutral postures, and manual handling of heavy items. The farmers have to use scissors repetitively while harvesting grapes with their being arms elevated over the shoulder height, which presumed to increase the physical workload. It has been reported that the grapes farmers feel the harvesting task as the one of the hardest work in cultivating grapes. We tried measure the wrist and elbow angles while the farmers were carrying out harvesting tasks to understand how much workload the work impose on the farmers, which can be helpful in making interventions of preventing musculosksletal disorders among grapes farmers. Method: We measured joint angles at the right wrist and elbow with a wireless measuring system with two electrical goniometers from five grape farmers. The grapes-harvesting task was classified into 6 different subtasks: 1) searching, 2) picking, 3) cleaning, 4) carrying, 6) storing, and 7) miscellaneous tasks. The subtasks were compared by mean angles, 10%, 50%, and 90% APDF values of wrist flexion/extension, ulnar/radial deviation, and elbow flexion. Results: The Kruskal-Wallis tests showed that the 10th percentiles of APDF of ulnar/radial deviation and flexion/extension of the wrist significantly differs among subtasks (p<0.05). It was found that the farmers assumed more deviated wrist postures in the ulnar direction when they picking and adjusting the grapes. The use of scissors seemed to force the farmers to severely bend their wrist in the directions of ulnar deviation and flexion. The grapes-harvesting task showed similar wrist postures and motion with poultry deboning and milking tasks. Conclusion: The grapes harvesting tasks make the farmers take ulnar deviated and extended postures in the wrist. The use of scissors makes them take more severely deviated postures in the wrist. Safety guidelines including use of ergonomic scissors can be provided to the farmers to improve their work conditions. Application: The results of this study can be used as a basic data for the development of safety guidelines for agricultural work.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.704-723
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• 2000

This study was undertaken to evaluate the tensile bond strength of In-Ceram alumina core treat-ed by ion assisted reaction(IAR). Ion assisted reaction is a prospective surface modification technique without damage by a keV low energy ion beam irradiation in reactive gas environments or reactive ion itself. 120 In-Ceram specimens were fabricated according to manufacturer's directions and divided into six groups by surface treatment methods of In-Ceram alumina core. SD group(control group): sandblasting SL group: sandblasting + silane treatment SC group: sandblasting + Siloc treatment IAR I group: sandblasting + Ion assisted reaction with argon ion and oxygen gas IAR II group: sandblasting + Ion assisted reaction with oxygen ion and oxygen gas IAR III group: sandblasting + Ion assisted reaction with oxygen ion only For measuring of tensile bond strength, pairs of specimens within a group were bonded with Panavia 21 resin cement using special device secured that the film thickness was $80{\mu}m$. The results of tensile strength were statistically analyzed with the SPSS release version 8.0 programs. Physical change like surface roughness of In-Ceram alumina core treated by ion assistad reaction was evaluated by Contact Angle Measurement, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy; chemical surface change was evaluated by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The results as follows: 1. In tensile bond strength, there were no statistically significant differences with SC group, IAR groups and SL group except control group(P<0.05). 2. Contact angle measurement showed that wettability of In-Ceram alumina core was enhanced after IAR treatment. 3. SEM and AFM showed that surface roughness of In-Ceram alumina core was not changed after IAR treatment. 4. XPS showed that IAR treatment of In-Ceram alumina core was enabled to create a new functional layer. A keV IAR treatment of In-Ceram alumina core could enhanced tensile bond strength with resin cement. In the future, this ion assisted reaction may be used effectively in various dental materials as well as in In-Ceram to promote the bond strength to natural tooth structure.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.5 no.6 s.22
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• pp.90-100
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• 2004

The importance of information management has been emphasized in Korean construction industry, Both public and private have invested to establish and operate construction CALS, construction management (CM), computer integrated construction(CIC), and earned value management system(EVMS). A standard construction information classification system is essential to operate the systems mentioned above. Therefore, Korean government released Integrated Construction Information Classification System(ICICS) in 2001. However, the ICICS is not widely used in construction due to: 1) difficulty of changing existing system, 2) insufficient publicity of the ICICS, and 3) no legal binding force. Especially, participants in construction do not recognize applicability of the ICICS. This research surveyed the degree of recognition and utilization of the ICICS. This survey includes both customized classification systems used by companies and the ICICS and investigates the degree of utilization and drawbacks. The results show some construction companies use their own classification systems and the others use the ICICS prepared by the government. Furthermore, the degree of recognition is in sufficient. The degree of use in design management, specifications, cost and schedule management is very limited. The publicity and education are critical to induce the utilization of the ICICS. The necessity of revision was recommended based on pilot project study that is performed to measure the degree of application of ICICS on the projects. Therefore, this research proposes the measurement model for information application and analyzes the degree of utilization of the ICICS in different phases of construction.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.436-441
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• 2009

A fiber optic sensor is prospective to be applied to structural health monitoring. Especially, a fiber Bragg grating(FBG) sensor is one of the most popular sensors for the structural health monitoring. The FBG sensor has several demodulation systems for tracking the shift of the Bragg wavelength. The dynamic bandwidth is dependent on the demodulation system. In this paper, the sensing mechanism is that the slope of the optical spectrum of FBG could be used as its sensitivity when the tunable laser shot the monochromatic laser wavelength at the highest slope point. In this technique, the high sensitivity is guaranteed even though the sensing range is limited. In an example of the application, the composite plate embedding a FBG sensor was manufactured by using an autoclave method and the above sensing mechanism was applied to the composite plate. Firstly, the natural frequencies of the plate were successfully measured by the FBG sensor during the impact hammer test. Secondly, a high-power speaker was used to force the plate to be vibrated at the specific frequency that was one of the natural frequencies. During the shaking, the FBG sensor measures the dynamic characteristics and ESPI was also used to measure the mode shape. From the two dynamic tests, the availability of the FBG sensor system and the ESPI was proven as a technique for measuring the dynamic characteristics of composite structure.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.136-149
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• 1996

The effects of various All-Etching Agents (10% phosphoric acid, 10% maleic acid and 10 % citric acid) and 32 % phosphoric acid and varied etching time were evaluated by observing the morphology of the etched enamel surfaces using Scanning electron microscopy and by measuring the shear bond strength of a composite resin to human enamel. A total of 156 extracted premolar and molar teeth free of irregularities were employed in this study. Specimens for the observation of enamel morphology were divided into 12 groups of 3 teeth each, based on the type of etchant used and application time. After exposure to the etching agent specimens were washed air-dried and then glued to aluminum stubs and coated with a layer of gold for examination in the scanning electron microscope. Specimens for the evaluation of bond strength were divided into 12 groups of 10 teeth each also based on the type of etchant used and application time. After exposure to the etching agent the specimens were washed, air-dried and a thin layer of bonding agent was applied using a brush. Z 100 composite resin was light cured to the surface and stored at $37^{\circ}C$, 100% humidity for 7 days. An Instron Universal Testing Machine was used to apply a shearing force at $90^{\circ}$ angle from the enamel surface. It is concluded from this study that commercial All-etching agents can be used with a 15-second etching without adversely affecting retention of dental resin materials. At the same time, the acid concentration is probably a suitable compromise regarding the acid's function as a dentin demineralizing all-etch conditioning agent. The following results were obtained. 1. Specimens etched with 10 % citric acid showed a random superficial etching pattern which could not be related to prism morphology. 2. Specimens etched with 10 % and 32 % phosphoric acid and 10 % maleic acid showed a type I pattern in which core material was preferentially removed leaving the prism peripheries relatively intact or a type II pattern in which prism peripheries were preferentially removed. This delineation became more distinguished as etching time was increased. 3. All-Etching Agents and 32 % phosphoric acid showed a statistically significant higher shear bond strength at 15 seconds etching time.(p<0.05) 4. 10 % maleic acid and 32 % phosphoric acid exhibited a statistically significant higher shear bond strength than 10 % phosphoric and citric acid at 15 seconds etching time.(p<0.05).

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.635-643
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• 2018

This paper propose a method to identify the motor parameters and improve input voltage error which affect the low speed position error of the back-emf(back electromotive force) based sensorless algorithm and to secure the operation reliability and stability even in the case where the load fluctuation is severe and the start and low speed operation frequently occurs. In the model-based observer used in this paper, stator resistance, inductance, and input voltage are particularly influential factors on low speed performance. Stator resistance can cause resistance value fluctuation which may occur in mass production process, and fluctuation of resistance value due to heat generated during operation. The inductance is influenced by the fluctuation due to the manufacturing dispersion and at a low speed where the change of the current is severe. In order to find stator resistance and inductance which have different initial values and fluctuate during operation and have a large influence on sensorless performance at low speed, they are commonly measured through 2-point calculation method by 2-step align current injection. The effect of voltage error is minimized by offsetting the voltage error. In addition, when the command voltage is used, it is difficult to estimate the back-emf due to the relatively large distortion voltage due to the dead time and the voltage drop of the power device. In this paper, we propose a simple circuit and method to detect the voltage by measuring the PWM(Pulse Width Modulation) pulse width and compensate the voltage drop of the power device with the table, thereby minimizing the position error due to the exact estimation of the back-emf at low speed. The suitability of the proposed algorithm is verified through experiment.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.127.1-127.1
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• 2011

In this paper, ZnO:Al thin films with c-axis preferred orientation were prepared on Soda lime glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering technique. AZO thin film were prepared in order to clarify optimum conditions for growth of the thin film depending upon process, and then by changing a number of deposition conditions and substrate temperature conditions variously, structural and electrical characteristics were measured. For the manufacture of the AZO were vapor-deposited in the named order. It is well-known that post-annealing is an important method to improve crystal quality. For the annealing process, the dislocation nd other defects arise in the material and adsorption/decomposition occurs. The XRD patterns of the AZO films deposited with grey theory prediction design, annealed in a vacuum ambient($2.0{\times}10-3$Torr)at temperatures of 200, 300, 400 and $500^{\circ}C$ for a period of 30min. The diffraction patterns of all the films show the AZO films had a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferential orientation along the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate surface. As can be seen, the (002)peak intensities of the AZO films became more intense and sharper when the annealing temperature increased. On the other hand, When the annealing temperature was $500^{\circ}C$ the peak intensity decreased. The surface morphologies and surface toughness of films were examined by atomic force microscopy(AFM, XE-100, PSIA). Electrical resistivity, Gall mobility and carrier concentration were measured by Hall effect measuring system (HL5500PC, Accent optical Technology, USA). The optical absorption spectra of films in the ultraviolet-visibleinfrared( UV-Vis-IR) region were recorder by the UV spectrophotometer(U-3501, Hitachi, Japan). The resistivity, carrier concentration, and Hall mobility of ZnS deposited on glass substrate as a function of post-annealing.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.360-366
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• 2011

The Elasto-magnetic sensor is applied to detect the local cross-sectional loss of steel cables in this study while it was originally developed for measuring the tensile force in the previous works. To verify the feasibility of the proposed damage detection technique, steel bars which have 4-different diameters were fabricated and the output voltage value was measured at each diameter by the E/M sensor. Optimal input voltage and working point are chosen so that the linearity and resolution of results can ensure through repeated experiments, and then the E/M sensor was measured the output voltage values at the damage points of steel bar specimen that was applied the 4 types of damage condition based on the selected optimal experimental condition. This proposed approach can be an effective tool for steel cable health monitoring.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2005

Potential for measuring mobile cadmium concentration in sandy soil using polymer magnetic beads with carboxyl groups was investigated. Experiments for extracting cadmium were performed with contaminated soils, de-ionized water and magnetic beads. In this neutral experimental condition, reacting cadmium with magnetic beads indicate total amount of cadmium that can be moved in soil. The results showed that the mobile fraction of cadmium in soil could be combined with magnetic beads in short time. After binding between cadmium and magnetic beads, the beads were separated from soil suspension by outer magnetic force. The bound cadmium was dissolved from magnetic beads by acid solutions, which were then analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). This method can determine mobile heavy metals in sandy soil effectively than existing method which use pollutant chemicals to environments such as EDTA.