• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.607-616
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• 2010

The methods developed to measure visual fatigue so far are quite few and lack of validity, and more importantly, they do not figure out the complex properties of the visual fatigue. The purpose of the research was to analyze the factors comprising the visual fatigue and to develop the method to measure it validly. The results are summarized as follows. First, we found that the 3D visual fatigue was comprised of four independent factors (visual stress, eye pain, body pain and image blurring factors). Second, we developed 29 items that measure four factors of 3D visual fatigue. Finally, the watching duration and binocular disparities affected the visual fatigue as had been expected. These results imply that the developed method does measure the three dimensional fatigue validly.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.449-460
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• 2005

This paper proposes a method to track persons robustly in illumination changes and partial occlusions in color video frames acquired from a fixed camera. To solve a problem of changing appearance by illumination change, a time-independent intrinsic image is used to remove noises in an frame and is adaptively updated frame-by-frame. We use a hierarchical human model including body color information in order to track persons in occlusion. The tracked human model is recorded into a persons' list for some duration after the corresponding person's exit and is recovered from the list after her reentering. The proposed method was experimented in several indoor and outdoor scenario. This demonstrated the potential effectiveness of an adaptive model-base method that corrected distorted person's color information by lighting changes, and succeeded tracking of persons which was overlapped in a frame.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.311-321
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• 2016

Chronic or acute alcohol abuse often leads to liver injury associated with alcoholic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. In addition to the liver, alcohol abuse also induces a variety of other tissue injuries including pancreatitis, cardiomyopathy, neurotoxicity and muscle loss. Chronic skeletal muscle myopathy, independent of peripheral neuropathy, is well recognised in alcoholic patients. Several mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic myopathy. Ethanol is a potent inhibitor of muscle protein synthesis. Gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles are Type II fiber-predominant and usually considered representative of the musculature as a whole. Whereas, soleus muscle is Type I fiber predominant. Shihosogan-san is a traditional Korean medicine that is widely employed to treat indigestion and liver diseases. Muscle diseases are often related to liver diseases and conditions. We therefore tested the hypothesis that treatment with Shihosogan-san could ameliorate the ethanol-induced changes in muscle protein synthesis. Young male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally given 25% ethanol (5ml/kg, body weight) daily with Ethanol for 28 days. Normal group was similarly administrated with saline. In Shihosogan-san treated group, rats were orally administrated Shihosogan-san extract, and rats of EtOH group were given with the vehicle only. After 4 week, the morphology of gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. For comparative purposes, liver function was also investigated. The muscles from rats of EtOH group displayed a significant reduction in average cross section area compared to Normal group. Shihosogan-san treated group had increased fiber compared to the EtOH group. Moreover, Shihosogan-san treated group compared with EtOH group showed significantly decreased pro-apoptotic BAX expression and increased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression. In conclusion, Shihosogan-san extract showed ameliorating effects on chronic alcohol toxicity in skeletal muscle.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.41-54
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze various forms of musculoskeletal pain during different stages such as antenatal, pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. The data for this study were collected through a self-administered survey with a structured questionnaire to 113 subjects. The survey was administered from May, 2003 to March, 2004 with subjects selected from postpartum centers in 3 different areas: Kangnam, Kangbook, and Bucheon. Analytical tools used for this study were frequency analysis, crosstabulation, percentage analysis, independent t-test, chi-square, and multiple response analysis. The findings of this study were as follows: 1. Comparison study of musculoskeletal pain according to variables including a pregnant woman's age, delivery techniques, different types of delivery such as primiparity, multiparity, dystocia, easy delivery, shows that these relationships are statistically not significant (p>0.05). 2. A total of 61.9% gave positive responses for the question about the relationship between musculoskeletal pain during postpartum and that in preparation of labor, but shows that this relationship was statistically not significant (p>0.05). 3. Relationships between forms of musculoskeletal pain in different phases are significant (p<0.05). The compared phases are: premarriage and pre-pregnancy, premarriage and antenatal, premarriage and postpartum, premarriage and lactiferous phase, pre-pregnancy and antenatal, pre-pregnancy and postpartum, and pre-pregnancy and lactiferous phase. However, results for the comparison between antenatal and postpartum, antenatal and lactiferous phase, and postpartum and lactiferous phase show that these relationships are statistically not significant (p>0.05). According to this study, musculoskeletal pain which occurred during antenatal is significantly related to the pain occurring during postpartum. Results produced from this study might be used as a helpful tool for developing educational programs aiming at teaching self pain-detection performable at home or at the workplace and body maintenance during the course of antenatal and postpartum.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.37-42
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of physical performance on bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly women. Methods: Twenty-one elderly women participated in this study. After testing functional ambulation category (FAC), they were classified into two groups: dependent walking group, those who could not walk independently (FAC 0~2, n=11) and independent walking group those who could walk independently (FAC 3~5, n=10). Outcome measures were: general characteristics, physical performance and BMD. General characteristics included age, body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio. Physical performance included the chair rise test (CRT) and the modified fall efficacy scale (MFES). BMD was represented in the osteoporosis index (OI), T-score and Z-score. BMD was evaluated in calcaneal bone, using OsteoPro. The data was analyzed using SPSS 12.0 software and the Mann-Whitney U test and the Spearman correlation. Results: Age, BMI and waist hip ratio, which all affect BMD, showed no significant differences between groups (p>0.05). But the FAC 3~5 group showed a significantly higher score for CRT, MFES and T-score, compared with the FAC 0~2 group (p<0.05). The T-score was correlated with CRT and MFES scores (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is a positive relationship between physical performance and BMD. Therefore, improved physical performance can have a beneficial effect by reducing osteoporosis in elderly women, considering a positive relationship between physical performance and BMD.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 2011

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease due to infection with Trichomonas vaginalis, and it can cause serious consequences for women's health. To study the virulence factors of this pathogen, T. vaginalis surface proteins were investigated using polyclonal antibodies specific to the membrane fractions of T. vaginalis. The T. vaginalis expression library was constructed by cloning the cDNA derived from mRNA of T. vaginalis into a phage ${\lambda}$ Uni-ZAP XR vector, and then used for immunoscreening with the anti-membrane proteins of T. vaginalis antibodies. The immunoreactive proteins identified included adhesion protein AP65-1, ${\alpha$-actinin, kinesin-associated protein, teneurin, and 2 independent hypothetical proteins. Immunofluorescence assays showed that AP65-1, one of the identified immunogenic clones, is prevalent in the whole body of T. vaginalis. This study led us to identify T. vaginalis proteins which may stimulate immune responses by human cells.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.18-28
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• 2017

Objectives: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major public health concern, especially in developing countries, and is frequently related to child morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify key determinants that influence the prevalence of LBW in selected developing countries. Methods: Secondary data analysis was conducted using 10 recent Demography and Health Surveys from developing countries based on the availability of the required information for the years 2010 to 2013. Associations of demographic, socioeconomic, community-based, and individual factors of the mother with LBW in infants were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of LBW in the study countries was 15.9% (range, 9.0 to 35.1%). The following factors were shown to have a significant association with the risk of having an LBW infant in developing countries: maternal age of 35 to 49 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 3.1; p<0.01), inadequate antenatal care (ANC) (aOR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.8; p<0.01), illiteracy (aOR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.7; p<0.001), delayed conception (aOR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4 to 2.5; p<0.001), low body mass index (aOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.1; p<0.001) and being in the poorest socioeconomic stratum (aOR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.8; p<0.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that delayed conception, advanced maternal age, and inadequate ANC visits had independent effects on the prevalence of LBW. Strategies should be implemented based on these findings with the goal of developing policy options for improving the overall maternal health status in developing countries.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term results of surgical treatment for native valve endocarditis (NVE) and to investigate the risk factors associated with mortality. Methods: Data including patients' characteristics, operative findings, postoperative results, and survival indices were retrospectively obtained from Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital. Results: A total of 29 patients underwent surgery for NVE (affecting the mitral valve in 20 patients and the aortic valve in 9) between 2003 and 2017. During the follow-up period (median, 46.9 months; interquartile range, 19.1-107.0 months), the 5-year survival rate was 77.2%. In logistic regression analysis, body mass index (p=0.031; odds ratio [OR], 0.574; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.346-0.951), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (p=0.026; OR, 24.0; 95% CI, 1.459-394.8), and urgent surgery (p=0.010; OR, 34.5; 95% CI, 2.353-505.7) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. Based on Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, the statistically significant predictors of long-term outcomes were hypertension, ESRD, and urgent surgery. Conclusion: Surgical treatment for NVE is associated with considerable mortality. The in-hospital mortality and 5-year survival rates of this study were 13.8% and 77.2%, respectively. Underlying conditions, including hypertension and ESRD, and urgent surgery were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.75-79
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• 2010

The Remote welding system(RWS) using $CO_2$ laser equipment has focusable distance of laser beam longer than 800 mm from workpiece and can deflect the laser beam by the scanner mirrors very rapidly. In the case of normal welding system based on robot, there is a limit to move the shortest path in short time and this causes interference between robot and workpiece. On the other hand, RWS is the optimized equipment to get big merits with advanced sequence of welding and short cycle time. However, there is still a pending task such as the control of plasma in the welding process of thick sheets therefore, it requires high power laser beam because of the absence of assist gas equipment in itself. In this study, high-tensile steel plates were overlap welded with $CO_2$ RWS for the production of car body and the influence of penetration depth according to the existence of assist gas was analyzed. Excellent tensile strength with enough width of molten zone independent to penetration depth was observed under welding condition with 3.6 kW laser power and 2.8 m/min welding speed without assist gas. Finally, the proto-type automotive parts were produced by applying the deduced optimal welding condition.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2009

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays an important role in angiogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. $Mg^{2+}$ is the most abundant intracellular divalent cation in the body and plays critical roles in many cell functions. We investigated the effect of bFGF on the intracellular $Mg^{2+}$ concentration ($[Mg^{2+}]_i$) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). bFGF increased ($[Mg^{2+}]_i$) in a dose-dependent manner, independent of extracellular $Mg^{2+}$. This bFGF-induced $[Mg^{2+}]_i$ increase was blocked by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (tyrphostin A-23 and genistein), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors (wortmannin and LY294002) and a phospholipase $C{\gamma}$ ($PLC{\gamma}$) inhibitor (U73122). In contrast, mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors (SB202190 and PD98059) did not affect the bFGF-induced $[Mg^{2+}]_i$ increase. These results suggest that bFGF increases the $[Mg^{2+}]_i$ from the intracellular $Mg^{2+}$ stores through the tyrosine kinase/PI3K/$PLC{\gamma}$-dependent signaling pathways.