• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.737-743
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• 1995

Background: Pneumonia is a frequent complication in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation, Quantitative culture of protected specimen brush(PSB) have shown satisfactory diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia. However PSB method is invasive, expensive, and require a bronchoscopic procedure. But endotracheal aspiration(EA) is simple and less expensive. The purpose of our study was to investigate the diagnosic value of EA quantitative cultures. Method: We studied 15 cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia(for >72h of mechanical ventilation) patients. Patients were divided into two diagnostic categories. Group I was the patients who were suspicious of clinical pneumonia, Group II was the patients for control. The obtained samples by EA and PSB were homogenized for quantitative culture with a calibrated loop method in all patients. Result: Using $10^3cfu/ml$, $10^5cfu/ml$ as threshold in quantitative culture of PSB, EA respectively, we found that EA quantitative cultures represented a relatively sentive(70%) and relatively specific (60%) method to diagnose the ventilator-associated pneumonia. Conclusion: Although EA quantitative cultures are less specific than PSB for diagnosing ventilator-associated pneumonia. EA quantitative cultures correlated with PSB quantitative culture in patients with clinical pneumonia and may be used to treat these patients when bronchoscopic procedures are not available.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2018

Background: Radon contributing about 42% of annual average dose, mainly comes from soil. In this paper, standard measurement procedures for soil radon exhalation rate are suggested and their measurement uncertainties are analyzed. Materials and Methods: We used accumulation method for estimating surface exhalation rate. The closed-loop measurement system was made up with a RAD7 detector and a surface chamber. Radon activity concentrations in the system were observed as a function of time, with data collection of 5 and 15-minute and the measurement time of 4 hours. Linear and exponential fittings were used to obtain radon exhalation rates from observed data. Standard deviations of measurement uncertainties for two approaches were estimated using usual propagation rules. Results and Discussion: The exhalation rates (E) from linear approach, with 30 minutes measurement time were $44.8-48.6mBq{\cdot}m^{-2} {\cdot}s^{-1}$ or $2.14-2.32atom{\cdot}cm^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ with relative measurement uncertainty of about 10%. The contributions of fitting parameter A, volume (V) and surface (S) to the estimated measurement uncertainty of E were 59.8%, 30.1% and 10.1%, in average respectively. In exponential fitting, at 3-hour measurement we had E ranged of $51.6-69.2mBq{\cdot}m^{-2} {\cdot}s^{-1}$ or $2.46-3.30atom{\cdot}cm^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ with about 15% relative uncertainty. Fitting with 4-hour measurement resulted E about $51.3-68.2mBq{\cdot}m^{-2} {\cdot}s^{-1}$ or $2.45-3.25atom{\cdot}cm^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ with 10% relative uncertainty. The uncertainty contributions in exponential approach were 75.1%, 13.4%, 8.7%, and 2.9% for total decay constant k, fitting parameter B, V, and S, respectively. Conclusion: In obtaining exhalation rates, the linear approach is easy to apply, but by saturation feature of radon concentrations, the slope tends to decrease away from the expected slope for extended measurement time. For linear approach, measurement time of 1-hour or less was suggested. For exponential approach, the obtained exhalation rates showed similar values for any measurement time, but measurement time of 3-hour or more was suggested for about 10% relative uncertainty.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

In order to select a suitable bioreactor type for the submerged cultivation of Ganoderma applanatum, both growth characteristics and polysaccharides production were compared among four different types of bioreactor. These include an external-loop type air-lift bioreactor (ETAB), a balloon type air bubble bioreactor (BTBB), a column type air bubble bioreactor (CTBB) and a stirrer type bioreactor (STB). The mycelial biomass produced from the reactors were in decreasing order: ETAB ($7\;g/{\ell}$) > BTBB ($6.2\;g/{\ell}$) > STB ($6\;g/{\ell}$) > CTBB ($5\;g/{\ell}$). Maximal soluble exopolysaccharides ($1\;g/{\ell}$) and endopolysaccharides (2.7%) were also obtained from ETAB. Thus, the ETAB was most suitable for submerged culture of G applanatum mycelium. Based on the results, ETAB was chosen for further detailed study. The most effective aeration rate for the mycelial growth in ETAB ranged from 0.05 to 0.1 vvm. For the maximal production, the mycelium at the initial growth stage needed low aeration rate to reduce cell damages by fluid flow. However, as the mycelia grew, the culture became viscous and thus needed higher aeration. The molecular weight of exopolysaccharides obtained from the culture grown in ETAB was higher than that from the culture grown in other bioreactors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.290-301
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• 1985

600MW(e) CANDU Primary Heat Transport System (PHTS) is composed of the two “figure-of-eight” loops and is designed to operate with the 4% Reactor Outlet Header (ROH) quality at its rated power. This existence of the two compressible regions and the positive flow-qualitly-void feedbacks are the sources of the PHTS flow instability. To ensure the PHTS stability, ROH-ROH interconnect pipes are installed as passive systems. This paper describes the investigation of the PHTS flow instability at its design full power condition. Also studied are the interconnect effect and the inherent system damping effect on the system stability. The time domain stability analyses are accessed by using the ATHER/MOD-I code which is the improved version of the KAERI developed ATHER code. Under the most adverse system modelling, the “figure-of-eight” symmetric loop shows divergent flow oscillations. Under with the interconnect, the PHTS stability is remarkably enhanced so that the system becomes stable. However, even under the conservative pressurizer modelling, the PHTS shows the more convergent flow oscillations. With the interconnect and the pressurizer modelling, its stability is highly credited. Conclusively, the inherent system damping by pressurizer itself can credit the PHTS stability without the interconnect.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.31-39
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• 2012

In this paper, we propose a microprocessor-based automatic voltage regulator(AVR) to reduce consumers' electric energy consumption and to help controlling peak demanding power. Hybrid Switching Automatic Voltage Regulator (HS-AVR) consist of a toroidal core, several tap control switches, display and command control parts. The coil forms an autotransformer which has a serial main winding and four parallel auxiliary windings. It controls the output voltage by changing the combination of the coils and the switches. Relays are adopted as the link switches of the coils to minimize the loss. To make connecting and disconnecting time accurate, relays of the circuit have parallel TRIACs. A software phase locked loop(PLL) has been used to synchronize the timings of the switches to the voltage waveform. The software PLL informs the input voltage zero-crossing and positive/negative peak timing. The traditional voltage transformers and AVRs have a disadvantage of having a large mandatory capacity to accommodate maximum inrush current to avoid the switch contact damage. But we propose a suitable AVR for every purpose in smart grid with reduced size and increased efficiency.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2006.11b
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• pp.802-810
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• 2006

For a thorough train control, the precise train position detection is necessarily required. The widely used current way for train position detection is the one of using track circuits. The track circuit has a simple structure, and has a high level of reliability. However trains can be detected only on track circuits, which have to be installed on all ground sections, and much amount of cost for its installation and maintenance is needed. In addition, for the track circuit, only discontinuous position detection is possible because of the features of the closed circuit loop configuration. As the recent advances in telecommunication technologies and high-tech vehicle-based control equipments, for the train position detection, the method to detect positions directly from on trains is being studied. Vehicle-based position detection method is to estimate train positions, speed, timing data continuously, and to use them as the control information. In this paper, the features of GPS navigation and DR navigation are analyzed, and the navigation filters are designed by constructing vehicle-based train position detection method by combining GPS navigation and DR navigation for their complementary cooperation, and by using kalman filter. The position estimation performance of the proposed method is also confirmed by simulations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1517-1522
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• 2007

Gap junction channels formed by two adjacent cells allow the passage of small molecules up to ${\sim}\;1\;kDa$ between them. Hemichannel (connexon or half of gap junction) also behaves as a membrane channel like sodium or potassium channels in a single cell membrane. Among 26 types of connexin (Cx), $Cx32^*43E1$ (a chimera in which the first extracellular loop of Cx32 has been replaced with that of Cx43), Cx38, Cx46, and Cx50 form functional hemichannels as well as gap junction channels. Although it is known that Xenopus oocytes express endogenous connexin 38 (Cx38), its biophysical characteristics at single channel level are poorly understood. In this study, we performed single channel recordings from single Xenopus oocytes to acquire the biophysical properties of Cx38 including voltage-dependent gating and permeation (conductance and selectivity). The voltage-dependent fast and slow gatings of Cx38 hemichannel are distinct. Fast gating events occur at positive potentials and their open probabilities are low. In contrast, slow gatings dominate at negative potentials with high open probabilites. Based on hi-ionic experiments, Cx38 hemichannel is anion-selective. It will be interesting to test whether charged amino acid residues in the amino terminus of Cx38 are responsible for voltage gatings and permeation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.157-168
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• 2014

From a complex systems perspective, ecohydrological systems in forests may be characterized with (1) large networks of components which give rise to complex collective behaviors, (2) sophisticated information processing, and (3) adaptation through self-organization and learning processes. In order to demonstrate such characteristics, we applied the recently proposed 'process networks' approach to a temperate deciduous forest in Gwangneung National Arboretum in Korea. The process network analysis clearly delineated the forest ecohydrological systems as the hierarchical networks of information flows and feedback loops with various time scales among different variables. Several subsystems were identified such as synoptic subsystem (SS), atmospheric boundary layer subsystem (ABLS), biophysical subsystem (BPS), and biophysicochemical subsystem (BPCS). These subsystems were assembled/disassembled through the couplings/decouplings of feedback loops to form/deform newly aggregated subsystems (e.g., regional subsystem) - an evidence for self-organizing processes of a complex system. Our results imply that, despite natural and human disturbances, ecosystems grow and develop through self-organization while maintaining dynamic equilibrium, thereby continuously adapting to environmental changes. Ecosystem integrity is preserved when the system's self-organizing processes are preserved, something that happens naturally if we maintain the context for self-organization. From this perspective, the process networks approach makes sense.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2020

In order to produce accurate initial condition of soil moisture for global Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), spin-up experiment is carried out using Noah Land Surface Model (LSM). The model is run repeatedly through 10 years, under the atmospheric forcing condition of 2008-2017 until climatological land surface state is achieved. Spin-up time for the equilibrium condition of soil moisture exhibited large variability across Koppen-Geiger climate classification zone and soil layer. Top soil layer took the longgest time to equilibrate in polar region. From the second layer to the fourth layer, arid region equilibrated slower (7 years) than other regions. This result means that LSM reached to equilibrium condition within 10 year loop. Also, spin-up time indicated inverse correlation with near surface temperature and precipitation amount. Initialized from the equilibrium state, LSM was spun up to obtain land surface state in 2018. After 6 months from restarted run, LSM simulates soil moisture, skin temperature and evaportranspiration being similar land surface state in 2018. Based on the results, proposed LSM spin-up system could be used to produce proper initial soil moisture condition despite updates of physics or ancillaries for LSM coupled with NWP.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2011

Background: Adaptive support ventilation (ASV), an automated closed-loop ventilation mode, adapts to the mechanical characteristics of the respiratory system by continuous measurement and adjustment of the respiratory parameters. The adequacy of ASV was evaluated in the patients with acute lung injury (ALI). Methods: A total of 36 patients (19 normal lungs and 17 ALIs) were enrolled. The patients' breathing patterns and respiratory mechanics parameters were recorded under the passive ventilation using the ASV mode. Results: The ALI patients showed lower tidal volumes and higher respiratory rates (RR) compared to patients with normal lungs ($7.1{\pm}0.9$ mL/kg vs. $8.6{\pm}1.3$ mL/kg IBW; $19.7{\pm}4.8$ b/min vs. $14.6{\pm}4.6$ b/min; p<0.05, respectively). The expiratory time constant (RCe) was lower in ALI patients than in those with normal lungs, and the expiratory time/RCe was maintained above 3 in both groups. In all patients, RR was correlated with RCe and peak inspiratory flow ($r_s$=-0.40; $r_s$=0.43; p<0.05, respectively). In ALI patients, significant correlations were found between RR and RCe ($r_s$=-0.76, p<0.01), peak inspiratory flow and RR ($r_s$=-0.53, p<0.05), and RCe and peak inspiratory flow ($r_s$=-0.53, p<0.05). Conclusion: ASV was found to operate adequately according to the respiratory mechanical characteristics in the ALI patients. Discrepancies with the ARDS Network recommendations, such as a somewhat higher tidal volume, have yet to be addressed in further studies.