• Advances in environmental research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.79-94
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• 2016

In order to evaluate the contamination and health risk, levels of six hazardous elements i.e., Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb in soils of 12 different land-uses were measured. The average concentration of Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, As and Cd in soils were 267, 239, 206, 195, 58 and 16 mg/kg, respectively. Levels of each metal exceeded the environmental action level for soils, which could pose significant risk to human. The metal concentrations were subsequently used to establish hazard indices (for adults and children) where the 5th and 95th percentile values were used to derive the hazard index through different exposure pathways (ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation). Considering the total exposure through each of the three pathways, the hazard index elucidates that there was a potency of non-cancer risk at most of the sites for both the adults and children. The findings of this study suggested that different land-use soils were severely contaminated with hazardous elements and attention is needed on the potential health risks to the exposed inhabitants.

• Proceedings of the Korea Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.45-53
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• 2005

A novel method for evaluating the anisotropy of the deterministic features in a stochastic 2D data is introduced. The ability of the wavelet transform for the identification of the abrupt discontinuities could be used to characterize the boundary of the deterministic area in a 2D stochastic data, such as flocs in paper structure. The one-dimensional wavelet transform with a small-scale range in MD and CD could quantify the amount of the edge in both directions, depending on the intensity of each floc. The flocs that are aligned in the MD direction result in a higher value of local wavelet energy in the CD direction. Therefore, the ratio of the total wavelet energy in CD and MD directions can be used as a new anisotropy index. This index is a measure of the floc-orientation and can provide an excellent tool to obtain the orientation distribution and the major oriented angle of flocs. Various simulated images and real stochastic data such as local gloss variation of printed image and formation image, have been tested and the results show this analysis method is very reliable to measure the anisotropy of the deterministic features.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1590-1598
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• 2003

In this paper we have presented the results for viscosity and self-diffusion constants of model systems for four liquid n-alkanes ($C_{12}, C_{20}, C_{32}, and C_{44}$) in a canonical ensemble at several temperatures using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The small chains of these n-alkanes are clearly $<{R_{ee}}^2>/6<{R_g}^2>>1$, which leads to the conclusion that the liquid n-alkanes over the whole temperatures considered are far away from the Rouse regime. Calculated viscosity ${\eta}$ and self-diffusion constants D are comparable with experimental results and the temperature dependence of both ${\eta}$ and D is suitably described by the Arrhenius plot. The behavior of both activation energies, $E_{\eta}$ and $E_D$, with increasing chain length indicates that the activation energies approach asymptotic values as n increases to the higher value, which is experimentally observed. Two calculated monomeric friction constants ${\zeta}$ and ${\zeta}_D$ give a correct qualitative trend: decrease with increasing temperature and increase with increasing chain length n. Comparison of the time auto-correlation functions of the end-to-end vector calculated from the Rouse model for n-dodecane ($C_{12}$) at 273 K and for n-tetratetracontane ($C_{44}$) at 473 K with those extracted directly from our MD simulations confirms that the short chain n-alkanes considered in this study are far away from the Rouse regime.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.241-248
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate empirical evidences of productivity of life insurance institutions in Malaysia. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the productivity of the life insurance institutions in Malaysia. The overall findings show that the total factor productivity (TFP) has progressed by 2.5% per year during the study period from 2012 to 2016 in the Malaysian insurance industry. However, TFP change has declined from 2012 to 2015 and observed a negative growth in 2015-16 (3.3%). The highest productivity progress was documented during 2012-13 at a rate of 11.7% while the minimum productivity progress was during 2014-15 (only 0.2%). The results also indicate that the decomposition of TFP found that overall progress could mainly be attributed to technological change (TC). However, technical efficiency change (TEC) and pure technical efficiency change (PTE) have negative impact on TFP. The findings also show that most of the insurance companies have a steady growth. Therefore, this study will contribute new insights for the policy makers and insurance institutions to take appropriate steps in developing relevant policies for increasing productivity of insurance institutions in Malaysia.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.497-503
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• 2021

The aim of this study is to determine the factors that affect customer satisfaction in the banking sector of Bangladesh because the economic growth and stability of a country depends on the soundness of its banking sector. The study tries to investigate and assess the quality of service on customer satisfaction in the banking sector. As a sample, data were collected from 382 respondents who were customers of 32 selected commercial banks of Bangladesh. A pre-structured questionnaire was used to collect the required data and information. OLS regression model and descriptive statistical tools were used to analyze data. The results of this study reveal that the quality of service (e.g., tangibility, reliability, and empathy) has a statistically significant impact on customer satisfaction. The results also show that there is a positive correlation between the customer satisfaction and service quality dimensions in the banking sector of Bangladesh. The present study finds that in the domestic banking industry the service quality dimensions (i.e., tangibility, reliability, and empathy) have significant positive impact on customer satisfaction. The findings of the present study suggest that Bank Supervisory Authority, Central Bank of Bangladesh, and Bank Management should give special emphasis to ensure maximum satisfaction of banks' customers.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.336-351
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• 2022

Background: Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder. To improve the health deterioration of PWS, investigating optimal treatment options for PWS is required. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacotherapies compared with supportive care or placebos in patients with PWS. Methods: PubMed and EMBASE databases were used to search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in PWS patients. Only RCTs that evaluating the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in PWS patients were retrieved. Results: A total of 26 studies were included to evaluate body composition, hormones, glucose levels and hyperphagia behavioral status. Pharmacological treatment group showed a significant decrease of body fat (mean difference (MD): -6.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): -10.58 to -2.06, p=0.004), a significant increase of lean body mass (LBM) (MD: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.43 to 2.30, p<0.00001) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels (MD: 241.62, 95% CI: 68.59 to 414.64, p=0.006) compared with the control group. Nevertheless, based on other outcomes evaluated by the current systematic review, pharmacological options showed different efficacy in treating PWS. Conclusion: Pharmacological therapies were effective to decrease significantly in body fat and increase significantly on LBM and IGF-1 levels in patients with PWS. However, still, individualized therapies should be considered in real-world practice in PWS treatment.

• Current Applied Physics
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1352-1358
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• 2018

In recent years, one-dimensional (1D) magnetic nanostructures, such as magnetic nanorods and chains of magnetic nanoparticles have received great attentions due to the breadth of applications. Especially, magnetic nanorods has been opened an area of active research and applications in medicine, sensors, optofluidics, magnetic swimming, and microrheology since they possess the unique magnetic and geometric features. This study focuses on the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of an infinitely long crystal ${\beta}-Fe_2O_3$ nanorod. To elucidate the structural properties and dynamics behavior of ${\beta}-Fe_2O_3$ nanorods, MD simulation is a powerful technique. The structural properties such as equation of state and radial distribution function of bulk ${\beta}-Fe_2O_3$ are performed by lattice dynamics (LD) simulations. In this work, we consider three main mechanisms affecting on deformation characteristics of a ${\beta}-Fe_2O_3$ nanorod: 1) temperature, 2) the rate of mechanical compression, and 3) the rate of mechanical torsion.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.12 no.S1
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• pp.95-99
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• 2003

We successfully grew InN/GaN single quantum well structures by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition and confirmed their formation by optical and structural measurements. We speculate that relatively high growth temperature ($730^{\circ}C$) of InN layer enhanced the formation of 2-dimensional quantum well structures, presumably due to high adatom mobility. As the growth interruption time increased, the PL emission efficiency from InN layer improved with peak position blue-shifted and the dislocation density decreased by one order of magnitude. The high resolution cross-sectional TEM images clearly showed that the InN layer thickness reduced from 2.5 nm (without GI) to about I urn (with 10 sec GI) and the InN/GaN interface became very flat with 10 sec GI. We suggest that decomposition and mass transport processes on InN during GI is responsible for these phenomena.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2020

Aim of the study: The objective of this systematic review is to critically evaluate the evidence of the effectiveness and safety of external application of herbal medicines (EAHM) for acne vurgalis (AV). Methods: English, Chinese and Korean language databases were searched up to May 2018. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that reported the effects of EAHM for AV were included and analysed. Results: A total of 10 randomized trials with 656 AV patients were identified. A meta-analysis of two RCTs indicated that EAHM had a significant effect on improving primary outcome 'global assessment' compared with placebo (mean difference (MD) = -2.62, confidence interval (CI) = -4.84 to -0.40, p = 0.02). Furthermore, data extracted from two RCTs showed that EAHM significantly reduce primary outcome 'inflammatory lesion count of acne' (MD = -1.25, CI = -1.68 to -0.83, p < 0.00001) and 'non-inflammatory lesion count of acne' (MD = -1.32, CI = -1.75 to -0.90, p < 0.00001). No significant difference was observed between groups in secondary outcome 'sebum of skin' (MD = -0.21, CI = -0.53 to 0.11, p = 0.20) and 'patient-reported changes in symptom' (relative risk (RR) = 2.56, CI = 0.43 to 15.22, p = 0.30). No severe adverse events (AEs) were found and no treatment was stopped due to AEs of EAHM. Conclusions: EAHM seems to have affirmative effects, but quality of evidence, and non-standardized use of EAHM make our conclusion weak. Our suggestion is rigorously designed RCTs and standardization of EAHM are required in the future.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.53-59
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• 2015

In developing countries threat of cholera is a significant health concern whenever water purification and sewage disposal systems are inadequate. Vibrio cholerae is one of the responsible bacteria involved in cholera disease. The complete genome sequence of V. cholerae deciphers the presence of various genes and hypothetical proteins whose function are not yet understood. Hence analyzing and annotating the structure and function of hypothetical proteins is important for understanding the V. cholerae. V. cholerae O139 is the most common and pathogenic bacterial strain among various V. cholerae strains. In this study sequence of six hypothetical proteins of V. cholerae O139 has been annotated from NCBI. Various computational tools and databases have been used to determine domain family, protein-protein interaction, solubility of protein, ligand binding sites etc. The three dimensional structure of two proteins were modeled and their ligand binding sites were identified. We have found domains and families of only one protein. The analysis revealed that these proteins might have antibiotic resistance activity, DNA breaking-rejoining activity, integrase enzyme activity, restriction endonuclease, etc. Structural prediction of these proteins and detection of binding sites from this study would indicate a potential target aiding docking studies for therapeutic designing against cholera.