• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.327-340
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to propose a system predicting whether an electricity distribution system is abnormal by analyzing the temperature of the deteriorated system. Traditional electricity distribution system abnormality diagnosis was mainly limited to post-inspection. This research presents a remote monitoring system for detecting thermal images of the deteriorated electricity distribution system efficiently hereby providing safe and efficient abnormal diagnosis to electricians. Methods: In this study, an object detection algorithm (YOLOv5) is performed using 16,866 thermal images of electricity distribution systems provided by KEPCO(Korea Electric Power Corporation). Abnormality/Normality of the extracted system images from the algorithm are classified via the limit temperature. Each classification model, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, XGBOOST is performed to explore 463,053 temperature datasets. The process capability index is employed to indicate the quality of the electricity distribution system. Results: This research performs case study with transformers representing the electricity distribution systems. The case study shows the following states: accuracy 100%, precision 100%, recall 100%, F1-score 100%. Also the case study shows the process capability index of the transformers with the following states: steady state 99.47%, caution state 0.16%, and risk state 0.37%. Conclusion: The sum of caution and risk state is 0.53%, which is higher than the actual failure rate. Also most transformer abnormalities can be detected through this monitoring system.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.3
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• pp.234-244
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• 2023

Background: Effective treatment of fluoroquinolone-resistant multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (FQr-MDR-TB) is difficult because of the limited number of available core anti-TB drugs and high rates of resistance to anti-TB drugs other than FQs. However, few studies have examined anti-TB drugs that are effective in treating patients with FQr-MDR-TB in a real-world setting. Methods: The impact of anti-TB drug use on treatment outcomes in patients with pulmonary FQr-MDR-TB was retrospectively evaluated using a nationwide integrated TB database (Korean Tuberculosis and Post-Tuberculosis). Data from 2011 to 2017 were included. Results: The study population consisted of 1,082 patients with FQr-MDR-TB. The overall treatment outcomes were as follows: treatment success (69.7%), death (13.7%), lost to follow-up or not evaluated (12.8%), and treatment failure (3.9%). On a propensity-score-matched multivariate logistic regression analysis, the use of bedaquiline (BDQ), linezolid (LZD), levofloxacin (LFX), cycloserine (CS), ethambutol (EMB), pyrazinamide, kanamycin (KM), prothionamide (PTO), and para-aminosalicylic acid against susceptible strains increased the treatment success rate (vs. unfavorable outcomes). The use of LFX, CS, EMB, and PTO against susceptible strains decreased the mortality (vs. treatment success). Conclusion: A therapeutic regimen guided by drug-susceptibility testing can improve the treatment of patients with pulmonary FQr-MDR-TB. In addition to core anti-TB drugs, such as BDQ and LZD, treatment of susceptible strains with later-generation FQs and KM may be beneficial for FQr-MDR-TB patients with limited treatment options.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.16.1-16.9
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• 2022

Objectives: This study compared the cyclic fatigue resistance of One Curve (C wire) and F6 Skytaper (conventional austenite nickel-titanium [NiTi]), and 2 instruments with thermos-mechanically treated NiTi: Protaper Next X2 (M wire) and Hyflex CM (CM wire). Materials and Methods: Ten new instruments of each group (size: 0.25 mm, 6% taper in the 3 mm tip region) were tested using a rotary bending machine with a 60° curvature angle and a 5 mm curvature radius, at room temperature. The number of cycles until fracture was recorded. The length of the fractured instruments was measured. The fracture surface of each fragment was examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and the post hoc Tukey test. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: At 60°, One Curve, F6 Skytaper and Hyflex CM had significantly longer fatigue lives than Protaper Next X2 (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in the cyclic fatigue lives of One Curve, F6 Skytaper, and Hyflex CM (p > 0.05). SEM images of the fracture surfaces of the different instruments showed typical features of fatigue failure. Conclusions: Within the conditions of this study, at 60° and with a 5 mm curvature radius, the cyclic fatigue life of One Curve was not significantly different from those of F6 Skytaper and Hyflex CM. The cyclic fatigue lives of these 3 instruments were statistically significantly longer than that of Protaper Next.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.201-210
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• 2023

This study is to evaluate the ductility strengthening effect of aramid fiber sheets on piloti-type structures. Two piloti-type structure specimens were prepared and tested under statical cyclic lateral loads. The ductility strengthening effect was validated from the analysis of lateral load-displacement relationship, displacement ductility ratio, work damage index and torsion behavior. Test results showed that the post-peak behavior of piloti-type structures with columns strengthened with aramid fiber sheets tended to be ductile resulting from preventing shear failure and minimizing torsion due to the effective lateral confinement of column concrete by aramid fiber sheet. Consequently, the displacement ductility ratio and work damage index of piloti-type structures with columns with strengthened with aramid fiber sheets were 4.63 and 42.81 times higher than those of non strengthened piloti-type structures.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.343-349
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• 2013

Crashworthy fuel cells have a great influence on improving the survivability of crews. Since 1960's, the US army has developed a detailed military specification, MIL-DTL-27422, defining the performance requirements for rotorcraft fuel cells. In the qualification tests required by MIL-DTL-27422, the crash impact test should be conducted to verify the crashworthiness of fuel cell. Success of the crash impact test means the improvement of survivability of crews by preventing post-crash fire. But, there is a big risk of failure due to huge external load in the crash impact test. Because the crash impact test itself takes a long-term preparation efforts together with costly fuel cell specimens, the failure of crash impact test can result in serious delay of a entire rotorcraft development. Thus, the numerical simulations of the crash impact test has been required at the early design stage to minimize the possibility of trial-and-error with full-scale fuel cells. Present study performs the numerical simulation using SPH(smoothed particle hydro-dynamic) method supported by a crash simulation software, LS-DYNA. Test condition of MIL-DTL-27422 is reflected on analysis and material data is acquired by specimen test of fuel cell material. As a result, the resulting equivalent stresses of fuel cell itself are calculated and vulnerable areas are also evaluated.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.411-427
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• 2007

Reliability in tunnel analysis is necessary to accomplish technically sound design and economical construction. For this, a thorough understanding of the construction procedure including the ground-support interaction has to be obtained. This paper describes a proper modelling technique to simulate the behavior of the steel fiber reinforced shotcrete (SFRS) which maintain the supporting capability in post-failure regime. The additional supporting effect of the steel support was also verified by 3-D analyses and a new load distribution factor were proposed. The use of the plastic moment limit (PML) alone can eliminate the occurrence of the awkwardly high tensile stress in the shotcrete and can successfully model the post-peak ductile behavior of the SFRS. But with this method, moment is limited whenever the stress caused by moment reaches tensile strength of the shotcrete irrespective of the stress by axial force. Therefore, it was necessary to find a more comprehensive method which can reflect the influence of the moment and axial force. This can be accomplished by the proper use of "liner element" which is the built-in model in FLAC. In this model, the peak and residual strength as well as the uniaxial compressive strength of the SFRS can be specified. Analyses were conducted with these two models on the 2-lane road tunnels excavated in class IV and V rock mass and results were compared with the conventional elastic beam model. Results showed that both models can reflect the fracture toughness of the SFRS which could not be accomplished by the elastic beam model.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.166-175
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as prognostic factors in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 66 patients with locally advanced NSCLC treated with definitive CCRT. Among these patients, 95% received paclitaxel/carboplatin or docetaxel/cisplatin. The median radiation dose was 66 Gy in 33 fractions. The NLR and PLR before/after CCRT were evaluated. The maximally selected log-rank test was used to obtain the cutoff values related to the overall survival (OS). Results: Patients with high post-CCRT NLR (>3.12) showed worse OS, locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) than those with low NLR (2-year OS: 25.8% vs. 68.2%, p < 0.001; 2-year LRPFS: 12.9% vs. 33.8%, p = 0.010; 2-year DMFS: 22.6% vs. 38.2%, p = 0.030). Patients with high post-CCRT PLR (>141) showed worse OS and LRPFS than those with low PLR (2-year OS: 37.5% vs. 71.1%, p = 0.004; 2-year LRPFS: 16.5% vs. 40.3%, p = 0.040). Patients with high NLR change (>1.61) showed worse OS and LRPFS than those with low NLR change (2-year OS: 26.0% vs. 59.0%, p < 0.001; 2-year LRPFS: 6.8% vs. 31.8%, p = 0.004). The planning target volume (hazard ration [HR] = 2.05, p = 0.028) and NLR change (HR = 3.17, p = 0.025) were the significant factors for OS in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: NLR change after CCRT was associated with poor prognosis of survival in patients with locally advanced NSCLC. An elevated NLR after CCRT might be an indicator of an increased treatment failure risk.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.115-119
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• 2008

Purpose: Abrupt abstinence from alcohol in cause of chronic alcohol addiction can trigger alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The authors studied the effect of post-operative alcohol withdrawal syndrome in patients who require intensive care due to trauma. Methods: For the study group, we selected 70 patients who had undergone emergency surgery from May 2003 to March 2007 due to trauma and who had been treated with prophylactic thiamine. Data was collected retrospectively. We excluded those who extended their hospital stay for other than traumatic causes, those who died within 3 days of surgery after trauma, those who transferred to other institutions, and those who received a psychiatric diagnosis. Patient groups were determined by the existence or the non-existence of withdrawal syndrome. Age, sex, injury mechanism, mortality, complications, durations of hospital stay and intensive care, use of mechanical ventilator, and sedative use were investigated. A Chi-square test and The Mann-Whitney method were used for statistical analysis in this study. Results: Twenty-four (24) patients from the 58 who had an ISS of 16 or more showed alcohol withdrawal syndrome, and men were shown to be affected with the syndrome significantly more than women. Although ISS was higher in the group with alcohol withdrawal syndrome, statistically, the difference was not significant (P<0.08). The total hospital stay in the patient group with alcohol withdrawal syndrome was on average 10 days longer. However, the difference was not significant (P<0.054). The duration of intensive care in the patient group with alcohol withdrawal syndrome was significantly longer (P<0.029). The patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome showed no significant difference in the duration of mechanical ventilator use (P<0.783), or in the duration of sedative use (P<0.284). Respiratory distress, pneumonia, upper airway infection, sepsis, acute renal failure, and mortality in the alcohol withdrawal syndrome group were investigated, but no statistically significant difference were noted. Conclusion: We found that the duration of intensive care in chronic alcohol abusers was longer due to the development of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. We also discovered that, when the patients overcame the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome after intensive care, no difference was found in the frequency of developing complications, the morbidity, and the mortality. Therefore, we conclude that intensive care in trauma patients who are chronic alcohol abusers decreases the incidence of complications found in patients with post-operative alcohol withdrawal syndrome and does not adversely impact the prognoses for those patients.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.18-29
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• 2021

Purpose: Patients with hematologic malignancy (HM) typically have a high mortality rate when their condition deteriorates. The chronic progressive course of the disease makes it difficult to assess the effect of intervention on acute events. We investigated the effectiveness of a rapid response team (RRT) on in-hospital mortality in patients with HM. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with HM who admitted to the medical intensive care unit between 2006 and 2015. Clinical outcomes before and after RRT implementation were evaluated. Results: A total of 228 patients in the pre-RRT period and 781 patients in the post-RRT period were included. The overall in-hospital mortality was 55.4%. Patients in the post-RRT period had improved survival; however, they required more vasopressor therapy, continuous renal replacement therapy, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Multivariate analysis revealed that in-hospital mortality was associated with RRT activation (hazard ratio [HR], 0.634; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.498-0.807; p < .001), neurological disease (HR, 2.007; 95% CI, 1.439-2.800; p < .001), sequential organ failure assessment score (HR, 1.085; 95% CI, 1.057-1.112; p < .001), need for continuous renal replacement therapy (HR, 1.608; 95% CI, 1.206-1.895; p< .001), mechanical ventilation (HR, 1.512; 95% CI, 1.206-1.895; p< .001), vasopressor (HR, 1.598; 95% CI, 1.105-2.311; p = .013), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (HR, 1.728; 95% CI, 1.105-2.311; p = .030). Conclusion: RRT activation may be associated with improved survival in patients with HM.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.604-609
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• 2009

Background: Recently, percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) has been widely used to rescue patients in cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest. However, patients with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) weaning failure during open heart surgery still have very poor outcomes after PCPS. We investigated clinical results and prognostic factors for patients who underwent PCPS during open heart surgery. Material and Method: From January 2005 to December 2008, 10 patients with CPB weaning failure during open heart surgery underwent PCPS using the CAPIOX emergency bypass system ($EBS^{(R)}$, Terumo Inc, Tokyo, Japan). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of those 10 patients. Result: The average age of the patients was $60.2{\pm}16.5$ years (range, $19{\sim}77$ years). The mean supporting time was $48.7{\pm}64.7$ hours (range, $4{\sim}210$ hours). Of the 10 patients, 6(60%) were successfully weaned from the PCPS While 5 (50%) were able to be discharged from the hospital. Complications were noted in 5 patients (50%). In univariate analysis, long aortic cross clamp time during surgery, mediastinal bleeding during PCPS and high level of Troponin-I before PCPS were significant risk factors. All of the discharged patients are still surviving $34{\pm}8.6$ months (range, $23{\sim}48$ months) post-operatively. Conclusion: The use of PCPS for CPB weaning failure during open heart surgery can improve the prognosis. More experience and additional clinical studies are necessary to improve survival and decrease complications.