• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to point out that the Kaplan-Meier method is not valid to calculate the survival probability or failure probability (risk) in the presence of competing risks and to introduce more valid method of cumulative incidence function. Methods: Survival analysis methods have been widely used in biostatistics division. However the same methods have not been utilized in reliability division. Especially competing risks cases, where several causes of failure occur and the occurrence of one event precludes the occurrence of the other events, are scattered in reliability field. But they are not noticed in the realm of reliability expertism or they are analysed in the wrong way. Specifically Kaplan-Meier method which assumes that the censoring times and failure times are independent is used to calculate the probability of failure in the presence of competing risks, thereby overestimating the real probability of failure. Hence, cumulative incidence function is introduced and sample competing risks data are analysed using cumulative incidence function and some graphs. Finally comparison of cumulative incidence functions and regression type analysis are mentioned briefly. Results: Cumulative incidence function is used to calculate the survival probability or failure probability (risk) in the presence of competing risks and some useful graphs depicting the failure trend over the lifetime are introduced. Conclusion: This paper shows that Kaplan-Meier method is not appropriate for the evaluation of survival or failure over the course of lifetime. In stead, cumulative incidence function is shown to be useful. Some graphs using the cumulative incidence functions are also shown to be informative.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4141-4149
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• 2013

Background: Mammography is considered the gold standard of breast cancer mass screening and many countries have implemented this as an established breast cancer screening strategy. However, although the incidence of breast cancer and racial characteristics are different between Western and Asian countries, many Asian countries adopted mammography for mass screening. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine whether mammography mass screening is cost-effective for both Western and Asian countries. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was performed of 17 national mammography cost-effectiveness data sets. Per capita gross domestic product (GDP), breast cancer incidence rate, and the most optimal cost-effectiveness results [cost per life year saved (LYS)] of a mammography screening strategy for each data set were extracted. The CE/per capita GDP ratio is used to compare the cost-effectiveness of mammography by countries. Non-parametric regression was used to find a cut-off point which indicated the breast cancer incidence rate boundary line determining whether mammography screening is cost-effective or not. Results: We found that the cost-effective cut-off point of breast cancer incidence rate was 45.04; it exactly divided countries into Western and Asian countries (p<0.0014). Conclusions: Mammography screening is cost-effective in most of Western countries, but not in Asian countries. The reason for this result may be the issues of incidence rate or racial characteristics, such as dense breast tissue. The results indicate that mammography screening should be adopted prudently in Asian countries and other countries with low incidence rates.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2513-2518
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• 2016

Background: In 2008, non-Hodgkin lymphoma ranked tenth among other malignancies worldwide with an incidence of around 5 cases per 100,000 in both genders. The latest available rates in Tunisia are from 2006. Materials and Methods: This study aimed to provide an update about NHL incidence for 2009 and its trend between 1998 and 2009 as well as a projection until 2024, using data from the Salah Azaiz Institute hospital registry and the Noth Tunisia cancer registry. Results: In 2009, the NHL incidence in the north of Tunisia was 4.03 cases per 100,000, 4.97 for men and 3.10 for women. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) accounted for 63.2% of all NHL subtypes. Between 1998 and 2009, the overall trend showed no significant change. When we compared the trend between two periods (1998-2005 and 2005-2009), joinpoint regression showed a significant decrease of NHL incidence in the first period with an annual percentage change (APC) of -6.7% (95% CI:[-11.2%;-2%]), then the incidence significantly increased from 2005 to 2009 with an APC of 30.5% (95% CI: [16.1%; 46.6%]. The analyses of the different subtype trends showed a significant decrease in DLBCL incidence between 1998 and 2000 (APC:-21.5; 95% CI: [-31.4%;-10.2%]) then the incidence significantly increased between 2004 and 2007 (APC: 18.5; 95% CI: [3,6%;35.5%]). Joint point analysis of the age-period-cohort model projection showed a significant increase between 2002 and 2024 with an APC of 4.5% (%95 CI: [1.5%; 7.5%]). The estimated ASR for 2024 was 4.55/100 000 (95% CI: [3.37; 6.15]). Conclusions: This study revealed an overall steady trend in the incidence of NHL in northern Tunisia between 1998 and 2009. Projection showed an increase in the incidence in NHL in both genders which draw the attention to the national and worldwide burden of this malignancy.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1292-1301
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• 2002

An experimental study of turbine performance is conducted with various incidence angles on a rotating turbine rotor. 5 different incidence angles are applied from -17$^{\circ}$to 13$^{\circ}$with 7.5$^{\circ}$gaps. In order to precisely set up the incidence angles at the rotor inlet, 5 turbine discs are manufactured with the different fir tree section. Total-to-total efficiencies are obtained on the several off-design points with considering the exit total pressure, which is meas fred at 12 locations between the hub and casing using a pressure rake. The degree of reaction is 0.373 at the mean radius, and Reynolds number based on the rotor chord is 0.86$\times$10$^{5}$ at the turbine inlet on the design point experiment. The experiment on a single-stage turbine is conducted at the low-pressure and low-speed state, but it is sufficient to consider the blade loading effect due to the rotating apparatus even though the total pressure loss at the exit is increased proportionally to the turbine output power. The experimental results recommend 6$^{\circ}$as an optimum incidence angle on the turbine blade design. The total-to-total efficiency is steeply decreased when the incidence angle is over $\pm$9$^{\circ}$ from the optimum incidence angle. In the range of less than -10$^{\circ}$incidence angle, 7.5$^{\circ}$ reduction of incidence angle generates 15% decrease of total-to-total efficiency. This result is obtained on the same rotor blade by changing only the rotational speed to minimize the effect of profile and secondary flow loss in the passage. Experimental results show that the change rate of total-to-total efficiency according to the incidence angle change is unchanged although the turbine operates at the off-design condition.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.127-139
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• 1993

In order to obtain basic information for the extablishment of effectivce industrial safety programmes in heavy industries & construction companies, accident records for 366 injured workes were collected from January, 1989 to December 1991 and analyzed. The results were as follows : 1. The over-all incidence rate of industrial accidents was 2.98% per year 2. Accidents were common in the workers who are in thirties and twenties. 3. According to the duration of services, the workers with jobs on above than 3 years was the most frequent victims (64.2%) 4. According to the view point of working time, the highest incidence was observed just before the end of the work (17:00-19:00). 5. According to the month of year, the incidence was higher in August(14.0%) and May(14.2%), and lowest in January (3.3%) 6. The most common type of accidents was overexertion (24.9%). 7. According to the job, the highest incidence was observed fabrication. 8. According to the site of injuries, the incidence was higher the truck (27.0%) and fingers (25.1%).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2345-2348
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• 2012

Epidemiological studies of cancer incidence in Kazakhstan have revealed an uneven distribution for cervical cancer. Incidence and mortality rates were calculated for different regions of the republic, including the two major cities of Almaty and Astana, in 1999-2008. Defined levels for cartograms for incidence were low (up to 12.8/100,000), medium (12.8 to 15.9) and high (above 15.9) and for mortality were up to 7.1, 7.1 to 10.8 and more than 10.8, respectively. Basically high incidence rates were identified in the eastern, central and northern parts of the country and in Almaty. Such differences in cervical cancer data, and also variation in mortality/ incidence ratios, from a low of 0.4 in Almaty to a high of 0.71 in Zhambyl, point to variation in demographic and medical features which impact on risk and prognistic factors for cervical cancer in the country. Further research is necessary to highlight areas for emphasis in cancer control programs for this important cancer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.234-240
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• 2003

This study aims to investigate dynamic properties of express buses in the very low frequencies which affect motion sickness incidence. Since passengers often use express buses for long distance traveling, it is a critical point whether a give rise to motion sickness or not. In the study accelerations at the three points on the floor of the six test vehicles were measured during the driving at constant speeds. By applying frequency weighting curves suggested in ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-3, physical amount of accelerations were changed into perceptual amount which determines incidence of motion sickness. Motion sickness dose values were calculated from the frequency weighted time history of accelerations, and compared between the vehicles, driving conditions, and the seat positions in the bus. During the driving on public road and high ways for 50 minutes vomiting incidence ratios ranged 0.4 to 0.8%, which were equivalent to 2.4 to 4.8% for 5 hours' driving. The value of 4.8 % means two among 45 passengers may vomit after the traveling, which is very serious situation. Considering the very smooth driving condition at which the data were collected, motion sickness dose values will increase in real situations

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of curet fracture and its contributing factors. Material and Methods: Fifty-eight periodontal curets which were broken during periodontal treatment in Kangnung National University Dental Hospital for 1 year were used as study materials. The blade thickness of new curets and broken ones was measured using a digital micrometer. Types of treatment procedures, clinical experience of operators, point of breakage, and method of removal of broken fragments were recorded for each broken curet. Results: The incidence of curet fracture in root planing (16.4 curets per 1,000 procedures) was higher than those in flap surgery (7.5) or supragingival scaling (2.7). No curet was broken during supportive periodontal treatment. The incidence of fracture did not seem to be related with clinical experience of operators. The most frequent breakage point of the curets were upper 1/3 of blades. Fifty-six of 58 broken fragments were removed by non-surgical methods. Two broken tips which could not removed non-surgically were left in the pockets, and proved to be removed spontaneously 1 week later. Conclusion: Root planing showed higher incidence of curet fracture than any other type of periodontal treatment. Most of the fractured fragments were removed by non-surgical method. Further study is needed to develop methods of removal of the fragments which can not be removed non-surgically.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.149-162
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• 2024

Aiming at the current research on the dynamic response analysis of the vehicle-bridge system under earthquake, which fails to comprehensively consider the impact of seismic wave incidence angles, terrain effects and soil-structure dynamic interaction on the bridge structure, this paper proposes a multi-point excitation input method that can consider the oblique incidence seismic P Waves based on the viscous-spring artificial boundary theory, and verifies the accuracy and feasibility of the input method. An overall numerical model of vehicle-bridge-soil foundation system in valley terrain during oblique incidence of seismic P-wave is established, and the effects of seismic wave incidence characteristics, terrain effects, soil-structure dynamic interactions, and vehicle speeds on the dynamic response of the bridge are analyzed. The research results indicate that with an increase in P wave incident angle, the vertical dynamic response of the bridge structure decreased while the horizontal dynamic response increased significantly. Traditional design methods which neglect multi-point excitation would lead to an unsafe structure. The dynamic response of the bridge structure significantly increases at the ridge while weakening at the valley. The dynamic response of bridge structures under earthquake action does not always increase with increasing train speed, but reaches a maximum value at a certain speed. Ignoring soil-structure dynamic interaction would reduce the vertical dynamic response of the bridge piers. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for the seismic design of vehicle-bridge systems in complex mountainous terrain under earthquake excitation.

• Journal of health informatics and statistics
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.318-323
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• 2016

Objectives: Except the known risk factors for stroke, few studies have identified novel metabolic markers that could effectively detect stroke at an early stage. In this study, we explored the dose-response relationship between serum metabolites and the incidence of stroke. Methods: We studied 213 adults in the Korean Cancer Prevention Study-II (KCPS-II) biobank and estimated dose-response relationship between serum metabolites and stroke (42 cases and 171 controls). Three serum metabolites (Acetylcholine, HexadecylAcetylGlycerol, and 1-acetyl-2-formyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) were used in this study. The analysis included (1) exploratory nonlinear analysis, (2) estimation of flexion points and slopes at below and above the points. In the model to estimate risk of incidence of stroke, we controlled for conventional risk factors such as age, sex, systolic blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, triglyceride, and smoking status. Results: The relationship between incidence of stroke and log-transformed 1-acetyl-2-formyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine was non-linear with flexion point around intensity score of 8.8, whereas other metabolites, log-transformed Acetylcholine and HexadecylAcetylGlycerol, showed negative linear patterns. Conclusions: The study suggests that metabolic markers are associated with incidence of stroke, particularly, at or above the flexion point. The study result may contribute to developing a novel system for precise stroke prediction.