• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제33권7호
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• pp.2320-2324
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• 2012

A novel approach for metabolite extraction and fingerprinting was introduced based upon the nano-baskets and emulsion liquid membrane-nuclear magnetic resonance (ELM-NMR) technique. The objective of this method is optimizing the fingerprints, minimizing the metabolic variation from analysis, increasing the likelihood differences, and obtaining the maximum extraction yield. Low molecular weight metabolites in rat serum were recovered by ELMs using 12 nano-baskets of calixarene, as both emulsifier and carrier. The yields of ELMs were optimized by the method of one-at-a-time. According to NMR data, the maximum metabolic variation was achieved using scaffold 4 (4 wt %), n-decane membrane, stirring rate of 300 rpm, treat and phase ratios of 0.3 and 0.8, respectively. The results revealed that some calixarenes tend to extract non-specific macromolecules; and repeatability of fingerprints for 7-mediated ELM was maximum and for 3-mediated ELM was minimum. The yield of extractions was obtained to be higher for n-decane and lower for carbon tetrachloride. Among different membranes, the fingerprints by chlorinated liquid membranes were more repeatable than using toluene or n-decane.

• 한국음향학회지
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.298-308
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• 2012

This study was designed to examine the phoneme recognition errors of hearing-impaired (HI) listeners on a consonant-by-consonant basis, to show (1) how each HI ear perceives individual consonants differently and (2) how standard clinical measurements (i.e., using a tone and word) fail to predict these differences. Sixteen English consonant-vowel (CV) syllables of six signal-to-noise ratios in speech-weighted noise were presented at the most comfortable level for ears with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. The findings were as follows: (1) individual HI listeners with a symmetrical pure-tone threshold showed different consonant-loss profiles (CLPs) (i.e., over a set of the 16 English consonants, the likelihood of misperceiving each consonant) in right and left ears. (2) A similar result was found across subjects. Paired ears of different HI individuals with identical pure-tone threshold presented different CLPs in one ear to the other. (3) Paired HI ears having the same averaged consonant score demonstrated completely different CLPs. We conclude that the standard clinical measurements are limited in their ability to predict the extent to which speech perception is degraded in HI ears, and thus they are a necessary, but not a sufficient measurement for HI speech perception. This suggests that the CV measurement would be a useful clinical tool.

• Journal of Communications and Networks
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.333-339
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• 2016

A multi-stage turbo equalization scheme based on the bit-level combining (BLC) is proposed for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems with hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ). In the proposed multi-stage turbo equalization scheme, the minimum mean-square-error equalizer at each iteration calculates the extrinsic log-likelihood ratios for the transmitted bits in a subpacket and the subpackets are sequentially replaced at each iteration according to the HARQ rounds of received subpackets. Therefore, a number of iterations are executed for different subpackets received at several HARQ rounds, and the transmitted bits received at the previous HARQ rounds as well as the current HARQ round can be estimated from the combined information up to the current HARQ round. In addition, the proposed multi-stage turbo equalization scheme has the same computational complexity as the conventional bit-level combining based turbo equalization scheme. Simulation results show that the proposed multi-stage turbo equalization scheme outperforms the conventional BLC based turbo equalization scheme for MIMO systems with HARQ.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.923-928
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• 2018

We developed a compact gamma camera based on a modified uniformly redundant array coded aperture to investigate the position of a $UO_2$ pellet emitting characteristic X-rays (98.4 keV) and ${\gamma}-rays$ (185.7 keV). Experiments using an only-mask method and an antimask subtractive method were conducted, and the maximum-likelihood expectation maximization algorithm was used for image reconstruction. The images obtained via the antimask subtractive method were compared with those obtained using the only-mask method with regard to the signal-to-noise ratio. The reconstructed images of the antimask subtractive method were superior. The reconstructed images of the characteristic X-rays and the ${\gamma}-rays$ were combined with the obtained image using the optical camera. The combined images showed the precise position of the $UO_2$ pellet. According to the self-absorption ratios of the nuclear material and the minimum number of effective events for image reconstruction, we estimated the minimum detection time depending on the amount of nuclear material.

• 보건의료산업학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.15-26
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• 2018

Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate the factors related to the experience of unqualified dental practice. Methods : We interviewed 19,961 adults aged 30 years and over using the 2013 Community Health Survey data. To determine the independent factors related to experience of unqualified dental practice, odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results : The experience of dental treatment by unqualified dentists was significantly higher in women, older people, families with less than 1 million won household income. It was lower scores in diabetes health education while The worse the subjective oral health and the required dental care was significantly higher in those who did not experience dental treatment. Conclusions : The likelihood of experiencing unqualified dental practice was higher in diabetes patients from vulnerable classes, such as women, the elderly, and those with poor educational background or low income.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.787-798
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to assign weights for subscales and items of the Post-Intensive Care Syndrome questionnaire and suggest optimal cut-off values for screening unplanned hospital readmissions of critical care survivors. Methods: Seventeen experts participated in an analytic hierarchy process for weight assignment. Participants for cut-off analysis were 240 survivors who had been admitted to intensive care units for more than 48 hours in three cities in Korea. We assessed participants using the 18-item Post-Intensive Care Syndrome questionnaire, generated receiver operating characteristic curves, and analysed cut-off values for unplanned readmission based on sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratios. Results: Cognitive, physical, and mental subscale weights were 1.13, 0.95, and 0.92, respectively. Incidence of unplanned readmission was 25.4%. Optimal cut-off values were 23.00 for raw scores and 23.73 for weighted scores (total score 54.00), with an area of under the curve (AUC) of .933 and .929, respectively. There was no significant difference in accuracy for original and weighted scores. Conclusion: The optimal cut-off value accuracy is excellent for screening of unplanned readmissions. We recommend that nurses use the Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Questionnaire to screen for readmission risk or evaluating relevant interventions for critical care survivors.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• 제8권8호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2021

Altman's Z-score is used to measure a company's financial health and to predict the probability that a company will collapse within 2 years. It is proven to be very accurate to forecast bankruptcy in a wide variety of contexts and markets. The goal of this study is to use Altman's Z-score model to forecast insolvency in non-financial publicly traded enterprises. Non-financial firms are a significant industry in Malaysia, and current trends of consolidation and long-term government subsidies make assessing the financial health of such businesses critical not just for the owners, but also for other stakeholders. The sample of this study includes 84 listed companies in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. Of the 84 companies, 52 are considered high risk, and 32 are considered low-risk companies. Secondary data for the analysis was gathered from chosen companies' financial reports. The findings of this study show that the Altman model may be used to forecast a company's financial collapse. It dispelled any reservations about the model's legitimacy and the utility of applying it to predict the likelihood of bankruptcy in a company. The findings of this study have significant consequences for investors, creditors, and corporate management. Portfolio managers may make better selections by not investing in companies that have proved to be in danger of failing if they understand the variables that contribute to corporate distress.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.461-470
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• 2021

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of low physical activity (PA) in Peruvian adults and to identify associated factors. Methods: An analytical study was performed using data from the 2017-2018 Nutritional Food Surveillance by Life Stages survey. The outcome variable was low PA (yes or no), assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form. Prevalence ratios were estimated as a measure of association. Results: Among the 1045 persons included in the analysis, the age-standardized prevalence of low PA was 61.9%. The adjusted model showed that being female and migrating from a rural to an urban area in the last 5 years were associated with a higher probability of having low PA than males and individuals who had not migrated, while residing in rural highlands and jungle areas was associated with a reduced probability of having low PA compared to people residing in other geographic domains. Conclusions: Being a female and migration from a rural to an urban area in the last 5 years were associated with a higher likelihood of having low PA. Therefore, promotion and prevention strategies related to PA are required, especially in the female and migrant populations.

• 한국초지조사료학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.223-232
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• 1998

곁뿌림 산지초지의 조성, 수량, 식생 및 목초품질 등에 미치는 3요소($N-P_2O_5-K_20$:0-0-0; 0-10-10; 6-15-15; 12-20-20; 24-25-20 kg/l0a/year)와 소석회 (0, 250kg/10a; 조성시만 시용)의 시용효과를 구명하는 10년간 시험후, 별도로 사심별 토괴의 화학성 등을 조사하였으며, 본보에서는 치환성 체기간 다양한 상호비율 및 사괴 보존성의 가시적 변화를 검토하였다. 1. 사괴비옥도 특성 및 grass tetany 임계수준과 연관하여, 치환성 고기관화비 Ca:Mg:K(% of CEC)와 Ca:Mg:K(K=I), $K/\sqrt{Ca+Mg}$, Mg/K, K/Mg 및 Ca/Mg 당량비를 처리별 및 사심별로 검토하였다. 시험전, 후 이들 비율은 대체로 불균형 및 부적합 하였으며, Mg 시용이 없는 석회 및 3요소 시비는 이틀 고기비를 더욱 부적합하게 하였다. 대체로 Mg>Ca>K 순으로 불량한 요인을 보였다. 2. 석회 시용은 Ca 관화비, Ca/Mg 및 Ca:K 당량비를 상승시켰고, $K/\sqrt{Ca+Mg}$ 당량비는 하락시 켰으나 적정비 수준에는 크게 미흡하였다. 3요소 수준에서 무비구 및 다비구(질소다비)는 소비구와 보비구에 비해 K 관화비 및 $K/\sqrt{Ca+Mg}$가 더 낮았다. 3. 사괴 보존성은 시비관리에 따른 수량성/식생율 과 밀접한 연관성을 보였다. 3요소 무시용구는 수량/ 식생의 불량으로 심한 침식(3등급), 심사의 노출, 척 갈색 사색, 석진의 노출(피복율 18.8%)을 보였다. 시복량의 중가에 따라 토양 보존성이 향상되었고, 3요소 보비구 및 다비구에서는 침식이 거의 없고(1등급), 지표면에 유기질/잔해물의 퇴척충이 형성되었으며, 표사는 암갈색을 띄었고, 석력의 지표 피복율은 모두 0.1% 이하로 거의 노출되지 않했다. 석회 시비로 인한 두과목초의 수량/식생의 양호는 토양 보존성을 증대시켰다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.5427-5432
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• 2012

Background and Purpose: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecologic cancers because of the lack of effective early detection methods. Accuracies of the human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and mesothelin in detecting ovarian cancer have never been systematically assessed. The current systematic review aimed to tackle this issue. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched (September 1995-November 2011) for studies on the diagnostic performances of HE4 and mesothelin in differentiating ovarian cancer from other benign gynecologic diseases. QUADAS items were used to evaluate the qualities of the studies. Meta-DiSc software was used to handle data from the included studies and to examine heterogeneity. All included studies for diagnostic performance were combined with sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves, and areas under the SROC curves (AUC). Results: A total of 18 studies and 3,865 patients were eligible for the final analysis. The pooled sensitivity estimates for HE4 (74.4%) were significantly higher than those for mesothelin (49.3%). The pooled specificity estimates for mesothelin (94.5%) were higher than those for HE4 (85.8%). The pooled DOR estimates for HE4 (26.22) were higher than those for mesothelin (24.01). The SROC curve for HE4 showed better diagnostic accuracy than that for mesothelin. The PLR and NLR of HE4 were 6.33 (95% CI: 3.58 to 11.18) and 0.27 (95% CI: 0.21 to 0.34), respectively. The PLR and NLR for mesothelin were 11.0 (95% CI: 6.21 to 19.59) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.42 to 0.62), respectively. The combination of the two tumor markers or their combination with CA-125 increased sensitivity and specificity to different extents. Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of HE4 in differentiating ovarian cancer from other benign gynecologic diseases is better than that of soluble mesothelin-related protein. Combinations of two or more tumor markers show more sensitivity and specificity.