• IEMEK Journal of Embedded Systems and Applications
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.163-172
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• 2012

A driver assistance system is critical to improve a convenience and stability of vehicle driving. Several systems have been already commercialized such as adaptive cruise control system and forward collision warning system. Efficient vehicle detection is very important to improve such driver assistance systems. Most existing vehicle detection systems are based on a radar system, which measures distance between a host and leading (or oncoming) vehicles under various weather conditions. However, it requires high deployment cost and complexity overload when there are many vehicles. A camera based vehicle detection technique is also good alternative method because of low cost and simple implementation. In general, night time vehicle detection is more complicated than day time vehicle detection, because it is much more difficult to distinguish the vehicle's features such as outline and color under the dim environment. This paper proposes a method to detect vehicles at night time using analysis of a captured color space with reduction of reflection and other light sources in images. Four colors spaces, namely RGB, YCbCr, normalized RGB and Ruta-RGB, are compared each other and evaluated. A suboptimal threshold value is determined by Otsu algorithm and applied to extract candidates of taillights of leading vehicles. Statistical features such as mean, variance, skewness, kurtosis, and entropy are extracted from the candidate regions and used as feature vector for SVM(Support Vector Machine) classifier. According to our simulation results, the proposed statistical feature based SVM provides relatively high performances of leading vehicle detection with various distances in variable nighttime environments.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.199-203
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• 2008

With recent trend in domestic and global market requiring architectures' conversion into skyscrapers seasoned with the features of landmarks, structural problems in relation with explosive spatting during fire emergencies are arising as controversial issues. Accordingly, many productive researches have been made in relation to the reinforcement techniques for improving fire resistance and the number of applications in the field is gradually increasing. In this study, a ductile outline form using ECC (Engineered Cementations Composites) was made with improvements on the structure and fire resistance to examine its applicability. Also, currently in Japan, the number of studies and applications is increasing focusing on reduction of construction time and improvement of workability with application of Half-PCa method. However, using such method of construction, large structural members decrease the utilization of space and architecture-wise, there is a disadvantage of the weight increase. Therefore, in such context, it would be worth reducing the weight of the structural members by reducing the size using ECC. In addition, its excellent pseudo strain-hardening due to fiber may have great effects on seismic designs. In the mean time, this study planned 3 equal conditions for mix water, PVA fiber and additives excluding binder and refractory to evaluate the mechanical properties of resistance against pressure and internal force. Finally, an evaluation was executed on the fire resistance of the newly made ductile outline form. As a result, from ECC-I to ECC-III, all showed excellent mechanical properties due to pseudo strain-hardening and in the fire resistance test conducted with ISO 834 heating curve, most of them tended to be in the range of the reference temperature (538℃-180min), so there was no occurrence of any explosive spatting.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.24 no.12B
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• pp.2369-2381
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• 1999

In this paper, we propose an iterative algorithm for reducing the blocking artifact in block transform-coded images by using a wavelet transform. In the proposed method, an image is considered as a set of one-dimensional horizontal and vertical signals and one-dimensional wavelet transform is utilized in which the mother wavelet is the first order derivative of a Gaussian like function. The blocking artifact is reduced by removing the blocking component, that causes the variance at the block boundary position in the first scale wavelet domain to be abnormally higher than those at the other positions, using a minimum mean square error (MMSE) filter in the wavelet domain. This filter minimizes the MSE between the ideal blocking component-free signal and the restored signal in the neighborhood of block boundaries in the wavelet domain. It also uses local variance in the wavelet domain for pixel adaptive processing. The filtering and the projection onto a convex set of quantization constraint are iteratively performed in alternating fashion. Experimental results show that the proposed method yields not only a PSNR improvement of about 0.56-1.07 dB, but also subjective quality nearly free of the blocking artifact and edge blur.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.42 no.6 s.144
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• pp.619-630
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• 2005

A two-frame PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) technique is used to investigate the wake characteristics behind a marine propeller with 4 blades at high Reynolds number. For each of 9 different blade phases from $ 0^{\circ} $ to $ 80^{\circ} $, one hundred and fifty instantaneous velocity fields are measured. They are ensemble averaged to study the spatial evolution of the propeller wake in the region ranging from the trailing edge to one propeller diameter (D) downstream location. The phase-averaged mean velocity shows that the trailing vorticity is related to radial velocity jump, and the viscous wake is affected by boundary layers developed on the blade surfaces and centrifugal force. Both Galilean decomposition method and vortex identification method using swirling strength calculation are very useful for the study of vortex behaviors En the propeller wake legion. The slipstream contraction occurs in the near-wake region up to about X/D : 0.53 downstream. Thereafter, unstable oscillation occurs because of the reduction of interaction between the tip vortex and the wake sheet behind the maximum contraction point.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.419-430
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• 2022

In wind-resistant designs, wind velocity is assumed to be a Gaussian process; however, local complex topography may result in strong non-Gaussian wind features. This study investigates the non-Gaussian wind features over complex terrain under atmospheric turbulent boundary layers by the large eddy simulation (LES) model, and the turbulent inlet of LES is generated by the consistent discretizing random flow generation (CDRFG) method. The performance of LES is validated by two different complex terrains in Changsha and Mianyang, China, and the results are compared with wind tunnel tests and onsite measurements, respectively. Furthermore, the non-Gaussian parameters, such as skewness, kurtosis, probability curves, and gust factors, are analyzed in-depth. The results show that the LES method is in good agreement with both mean and turbulent wind fields from wind tunnel tests and onsite measurements. Wind fields in complex terrain mostly exhibit a left-skewed Gaussian process, and it changes from a softening Gaussian process to a hardening Gaussian process as the height increases. A reduction in the gust factors of about 2.0%-15.0% can be found by taking into account the non-Gaussian features, except for a 4.4% increase near the ground in steep terrain. This study can provide a reference for the assessment of extreme wind loads on structures in complex terrain.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.188-201
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• 2020

Objective : The purpose of this study was to suggest that computed tomography angiography (CTA) is valuable as the only preliminary examination for mechanical thrombectomy (MT). MT after single examination of CTA including noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) and maximum intensity projection (MIP) improves door-to-puncture time as well as results in favorable outcomes. Methods : A total of 157 patients who underwent MT at Dong Kang Medical Center from April 2015 to March 2019 were divided into two groups based on the examination performed prior to MT : CTA group who underwent CTA with NCCT and MIP, and NCCT+magnetic resonance image (MRi) group who underwent MRI including perfusion images after NCCT. In the two groups, time to CTA imaging or NCCT+MRi imaging after symptom onset, and time to arterial puncture and reperfusion were characterized as time-related outcomes. The evaluation of vascular recanalization after MT was defined as a modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTICI) scale. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was assessed at the time of the visit to the emergency room and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was assessed after 90 days. Results : Typically, there were 34 patients in the CTA group and 33 patients in the NCCT+MRi group. A significantly shorter delay for door-to-puncture time was observed (mean, 86±22.1 vs. 176±47.5 minutes; <0.01). Also, a significantly shorter door-to-imege time in the CTA group was observed (mean, 13±6.8 vs. 93±30.8 minutes; p<0.01). Moreover, a significantly shorter onset-to-puncture time was observed (mean, 195±128.0 vs. 314±157.6 minutes; p<0.01). Reperfusion result of mTICI ≥2b was 100% (34/34) in the CTA group and 94% (31/33) in the NCCT+MRi group, and mTICI 3 in 74% (25/34) in the CTA group and 73% (24/33) in the NCCT+MRi group. Favorable functional outcomes (mRS score ≤2 at 90 days) were 68% (23/34) in the CTA group and 60% (20/33) in the NCCT+MRi group. Conclusion : A single-phase CTA including NCCT and MIP images was performed as a single preliminary examination, which led to a reduction in the time of the procedure and resulted in good results of prognosis. Consequently, it is concluded that this method is of sufficient value as the only preliminary examination for decision making.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2024

Background: Dental fear and anxiety are significant challenges in managing behavior in children. Oral administration of sucrose or sweet-tasting solutions has shown effectiveness in reducing procedural pain in infants and neonates. This study aimed to investigate whether pre-application of sucrose solution had an effect on minimizing pain perception during injection and to assess the potential impact of the child's age and sweet preference. Methods: A randomized control clinical trial was conducted on 60 children aged 3-9 years requiring buccal infiltration injections. Following parental consent, demographic data of the children were recorded. Sweet preferences was assessed using a modified forced-choice test. Children were equally and randomly allocated into study (sucrose) and control groups using a lottery method. Sucrose solution or distilled water, respectively, was applied to the lateral surface of the tongue for 2 min. Topical anesthetic was applied at the site of injection, followed by local anesthesia administration. The children rinsed their mouths thrice with water immediately after anesthetic injection. A video was recorded during injection which was then scored by three blinded examiners on the Sound Eye Motor (SEM) scale. The children also self-evaluated using Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPS). Results: The mean SEM scores and WBFPS scores were analyzed using the Kruskall-Wallis test. The mean SEM score in the study group was 1.37 ± 0.61, compared to 3.17 ± 0.87 in the control group, showing a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). Mean pain scores assessed by WBFPS in the study group were 0.60 ± 1.4, while in the control group, they were 6.27 ± 2.33, also showing a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). Children with a sweet preference demonstrated a subjective reduction in pain perception. Conclusion: Application of sucrose before dental injections in children helps to minimize pain upon injection across all age groups.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.377-392
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• 2017

A set of BFM (Brute Force Method) simulations with the CMAQ (Community Multiscale Air Quality) model were conducted in order to estimate self-contributions and conversion rates of PPM (Primary $PM_{2.5}$), $NO_x$, $SO_2$, $NH_3$, and VOC emissions to $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations over the SMA (Seoul Metropolitan Area). CAPSS (Clean Air Policy Support System) 2013 EI (emissions inventory) from the NIER (National Institute of Environmental Research) was used for the base and sensitivity simulations. SCCs (Source Classification Codes) in the EI were utilized to group the emissions into area, mobile, and point source categories. PPM and $PM_{2.5}$ precursor emissions from each source category were reduced by 50%. In turn, air quality was simulated with CMAQ during January, April, July, and October in 2014 for the BFM runs. In this study, seasonal variations of SMA $PM_{2.5}$ self-sensitivities to PPM, $SO_2$, and $NH_3$ emissions can be observed even when the seasonal emission rates are almost identical. For example, when the mobile PPM emissions from the SMA were 634 TPM (Tons Per Month) and 603 TPM in January and July, self-contributions of the emissions to monthly mean $PM_{2.5}$ were $2.7{\mu}g/m^3$ and $1.3{\mu}g/m^3$ for the months, respectively. Similarly, while $NH_3$ emissions from area sources were 4,169 TPM and 3,951 TPM in January and July, the self-contributions to monthly mean $PM_{2.5}$ for the months were $2.0{\mu}g/m^3$ and $4.4{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Meanwhile, emission-to-$PM_{2.5}$ conversion rates of precursors vary among source categories. For instance, the annual mean conversion rates of the SMA mobile, area, and point sources were 19.3, 10.8, and $6.6{\mu}g/m^3/10^6TPY$ for $SO_2$ emissions while those rates for PPM emissions were 268.6, 207.7, and 181.5 (${\mu}g/m^3/10^6TPY$), respectively, over the region. The results demonstrate that SMA $PM_{2.5}$ responses to the same amount of reduction in precursor emissions differ for source categories and in time (e.g. seasons), which is important when the cost-benefit analysis is conducted during air quality improvement planning. On the other hand, annual mean $PM_{2.5}$ sensitivities to the SMA $NO_x$ emissions remains still negative even after a 50% reduction in emission category which implies that more aggressive $NO_x$ reductions are required for the SMA to overcome '$NO_x$ disbenefit' under the base condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.696-703
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• 2009

Background: A Comprehensive Aortic Root and Valve Reconstruction (CARVAR) procedure is comprised of aortic root wall reconstruction and corrections of the leaflets for treating various aortic valve diseases. We evaluated our recent early clinical experience with the CARVAR procedure. Material and Method: From October 2007 to September 2008, 114 cases (66 males) of CARVAR procedures were performed, The mean patient age was 53 years (range: 14~84) The patients were divided into 4 groups: 1) the AAR group: aortic regurgitation with aortic root wall deformity such as annulo-aortic ectasia or ascending aortic aneurysm (n=18), 2) the IAR group: isolated AR with leaflet abnormality (n=42), 3) the IAS group: isolated aortic stenosis (n=51) and 4) the PAVR group: previous aortic valve replacement (n=3). Sinotubular junction (STJ) reduction was done in all the patients, leaflet correction was done in 10 of the AAR group patients and in all the patients of the other groups, annulus reduction was done in 14 of the MR group patients and in 6 of the IAR group patients. Aortic dissection was excluded from this analysis. Result: There was no mortality or follow-up death. The diameter of the aortic sinus decreased from $54.6{\pm}8.4$ mm to $38.3{\pm}3.8$ mm in the AAR group, the mean AR grade decreased from 3.2 to 0.2 in the IAR group, the mean aortic valve pressure gradient decreased from $47.1{\pm}24.4$ mmHg to $15.1{\pm}11.7$ mmHg in the IAS group and the mean AR grade decreased to 0 in the PAVR group. Balloon type coronary perfusion cannula-related coronary ostial stenosis developed in 4 patients and this was treated with OPCAB in three patients and with PTCA in one patient. Two patients developed postoperative infectious endocarditis. All the patients were discharged and followed up in a stable condition. Conclusion: The CARVAR procedure showed excellent short term results, but a good further follow up result is required to apply this procedure to most kinds of aortic valve diseases.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.531-544
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to identify the barrier factors of health behaviors of urban and rural elderly and to compare the health behaviors and level of barriers between two groups, and finally to get the basic informations about the adequate nursing strategies to promote the health state of urban and rural elderly. The subjects of this study were 177 over the age of 65, 81 elderly lived in Seoul and 96 elderly lived in rural areas. The instruments for this study were the health behavior scale(14 items) and the barrier scale (118 items) developed by Gu et al(2003). For the data analysis, SPSS PC program was utilized for descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$- test, t-test, Pearson correlation. The results of this study were ; 1. The mean score of health behaviors (range 1-4) was 2.69 in urban elderly and 2.33 in rural elderly ; there was significant difference(t=5.03, P=.00). 2. There were significant differences in levels of barriers(range 1-3) between the two groups, such as calcium intake(t=-3.16, P=.00), regular exercise(t=-3.80, P=.00), exercise time(t=-5.54, P=.00), use of stress reduction method(t=-3.45, P=.00), regular check up(t=-3.89, P=.00), vaccination(t=-3.83, P=.00). Higher levels of barriers were found in rural elderly than in urban elderly. 3. Lack of habituation, lack of will power and lack of knowledge in calcium intake; lack of time, lack of habituatuion, lack of family support, lack of will power and lack of environment in exercise; lack of perceived benefit, lack of time, lack of will power and lack of knowledge in use of stress reduction method; lack of time, lack of interest, lack of habituation and lack of will power in disease prevention were significantly higher in rural elderly than in urban elderly. In the conclusion, nursing interventions should be planned based on the social environment of elderly. To promote the health state of elderly, interventions to decrease the barrier levels and to reduce the barrier factors to health behaviors should be implemented.