• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.392-400
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• 2009

In this paper, we propose an effective speech reinforcement technique base on ITU-T G.729A CS-ACELP codec under the near-end background noise environments. In general, since the intelligibility of the far-end speech for the near-end listener is significantly reduced under near-end noise environments, we require a far-end speech reinforcement approach to avoid this phenomena. In contrast to the conventional speech reinforcement algorithm, we reinforce the excitation signal of the codec's parameters received from the far-end speech signal based on the G.729A speech codec under various background noise environments. Specifically, we first estimate the excitation signal of ambient noise at the near-end through the encoder of the G.729A speech codec, reinforcing the excitation signal of the far-end speech transmitted from the far-end. we specially propose a novel approach to directly reinforce the excitation signal of far-end speech signal based on the decoder of the G.729A. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by the CCR (Comparison Category Rating) test of the method for subjective determination of transmission quality in ITU-T P.800 under various noise environments and shows better performances compared with conventional SNR Recovery methods.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• 제82권1호
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• pp.173-181
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• 2021

Purpose To evaluate the ability of the Hounsfield unit (HU) measurement of the femoral neck during multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) for assessing osteoporosis compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Materials and Methods Forty-two patients with femoral neck fractures who underwent MDCT and DXA from July to December 2016 were included in this study. HU measurements were made of the cancellous portions of the normal contralateral femoral neck on MDCT. Bone mineral density (BMD) and T-scores were obtained at the femur DXA. Correlations of HU values with BMD and T-scores were analyzed using Spearman's correlation test. Results The mean BMD and T-score of the femoral neck were 0.650 g/cm² and -2.4, respectively. The mean HU values for the normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis groups were 131.9, 98.9, and 41.3, respectively. HU values at the femoral neck were positively correlated with BMD (r² = 0.670; p < 0.001) and T-scores (r² = 0.676; p < 0.001). Conclusion The HU values of the femoral neck on MDCT are significantly correlated with BMD and T-scores of femur DXA. The HU values may serve as a diagnostic tool for the screening of regional bone quality when MDCT is performed for other reasons.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.251-257
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• 2024

Background Plastic surgery has developed to benefit in a variety of challenging areas formerly handled by other disciplines. Medical students do not have a clear picture of plastic surgery as a career due to lacking scope, clinical practice, and understanding of plastic surgery as a clinical area of expertise, including general practitioners, nursing staff, medical trainees, and the general public, and misconceptions about the extent of reconstructive and plastic surgery. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on Kuwait University Medical students (2nd-7th Years) over a period of 1 month. A questionnaire and a consent form were provided to eligible students. The inclusion criteria were Kuwait University Medical students from 2nd to 7th Years with signed consent form. The response was collected via email sent in coordination with the Vice Dean of Student Affairs in the Faculty of Medicine. Using statistical package for the social sciences, responses were statistically analyzed. Pearson's chi-square test was used to calculate p-values, where p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 244 eligible medical students, 121 males and 123 females, were included in the study, with a mean age of 21 (±2) years. Similarly, 126 (51.6%) were preclinical students (2nd-4th-year students), while 118 (48.4%) were clinical students (5th-7th-year students). About 79.8% of medical students believed that plastic surgery plays an essential role in trauma management, whereas 9.2% did not consider plastic surgery significant for trauma management. This study found that only 15.5% of medical students were interested in enrolling in plastic surgery residency after graduation, while 47.1% of students did not consider plastic surgery residency after graduation. However, 37.4% were uncertain. The two most driving factors in deciding on plastic surgery residency were expected income (61.8%) and lifestyle (14.3%). Conclusion Improving medical students' education quality can enhance their perception and awareness of plastic surgery. Students should be taught the broader scope of plastic surgery. The inclusion of formal training during undergraduation is the essence of time and should be added to or improved during plastic surgery rotations with more emphasis on reconstructive and hand/peripheral nerve surgery. Student-led interest groups can be a useful tool for educating students about their specialty.

• Composites Research
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.219-225
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• 2024

It is essential to develop a light-weight, high-performance structure for the deployable reflector antenna, which is the payload of a reconnaissance satellite, considering launch and orbital operation performance. Among them, the composite main reflector is a key component that constitutes a deployable reflector antenna. In particular, the development of a high-performance main reflector is required to acquire high-quality satellite images after agile attitude control maneuvers during satellite missions. To develop main reflector, the initial design of the main reflector was confirmed considering the structural performance according to the laminate stacking design and material properties of the composite main reflector that constitutes the deployable reflector antenna. Based on the initial design, four types of composite main reflectors were manufactured with the variable for manufacturing process. As variables for manufacturing process, the curing process of the composite structure, the application of adhesive film between the carbon fiber composite sheet and the honeycomb core, and the venting path inside the sandwich composite were selected. After manufacture main reflector, weight measurement, non-destructive testing(NDT), surface error measurement, and modal test were performed on the four types of main reflectors produced. By selecting a manufacturing process that does not apply adhesive film and includes venting path, for a composite main reflector with light weight and structural performance, we developed and verified a main reflector that can be applied to the SAR(Synthetic Aperture Rader) satellite.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.129-143
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• 2024

Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare a nutritionally balanced soft blend diet (SBD) with a soft fluid diet (SFD) on the health of inpatients who have undergone oral and maxillofacial (OMF) surgery, ultimately aiming to enhance care outcomes, improve health-related quality of life (QOL), and increase satisfaction with the hospital. Methods: Thirty-two patients were randomized into two groups: sixteen received SFD and sixteen received SBD. Anthropometric, laboratory evaluations were conducted upon admission and discharge. Patients filled out questionnaires on demographics, diet satisfaction, food intake amount, and health-related QOL on the day of discharge, assessed using the EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 3 Level and EuroQoL Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) instruments. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, χ² tests for group differences, and paired nonparametric t-tests for within-group comparisons. The Mann-Whitney U test evaluated inter-group differences in preoperative weight and body mass index (BMI), postoperative changes, meal satisfaction, intake, health-related QOL, and self-assessed health status. P-values were set at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The SBD group had higher dietary intake (63.2% vs. 51.0%) and greater diet satisfaction (80.6 vs. 48.1, P < 0.0001) compared to SFD group. Health-related QOL, measured by EQ-VAS, was better in SBD group (70.3 vs. 58.8, P < 0.05). Postoperative weight and BMI decreased in SFD group but increased in SBD group (P < 0.01). Changes in laboratory results showed more stability in the SBD group. No postoperative infections were reported in SBD group, whereas SFD group had a 31.25% complication rate. Conclusions: While SFD is often recommended after OMF surgery to protect oral wound healing process, our study reveals that SBD not only enhances physical and psychological outcomes but also, somewhat unexpectedly, supports wound healing and reduces complications. Essentially, SBD promotes physical recovery and enhances health-related QOL than SFD by supporting both somatic and mental healing aspects.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.17-23
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• 2024

Background: Honey bees play a crucial role in pollination and ecological balance. Apis mellifera L. colonies, especially those located in specific geographic regions, such as the palm garden in Eastern Thailand, are susceptible to potential threats from microbial contaminants. Understanding and detecting microbial organisms in these beehives is essential for the preservation of bee health, honey production, and the broader ecosystem. However, the problem of microbial infection and antibiotic-resistant bacteria is more severe and continuously increasing, resulting in a health, economic, and social crisis. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of microorganisms in A. mellifera beehives in palm gardens in Rayong province, Eastern Thailand. Results: Ten swabs in transport media were swabbed and obtained from different parts of each beehive (1 swab per beehive), for a total of 10 hives. Traditional microbial culture-based methods, biochemical tests, and antimicrobial susceptibility (disc-diffusion) tests were used to detect microbial organisms and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The swab tests from nine beehives resulted in the detection of Gram-positive bacteria (63.64%), Gram-negative bacteria (27.27%), and fungi/yeast (9.09%). These microorganisms are classified as a group of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. and made up 40.91% of the bacteria discovered. Other bacteria found were Coryneform bacteria (13.64%), Pantoea spp. (13.64%), Bacillus spp. (9.09%), yeast (9.09%), glucose non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli (9.09%), and Pseudomonas spp. (4.55%). However, due to the traditional culture-based and 0biochemical tests usually used to identify the microbial organisms in clinical specimens and the limitation of identifying some environmental microbial species, the results of the antimicrobial susceptibility test cannot reveal if the organism is resistant or susceptible to the drug. Nevertheless, drug-sensitive inhibition zones were formed with each antibiotic agent. Conclusions: Overall, the study supports prevention, healthcare, and public health systems. The contamination of microorganisms in the beehives may affect the quality of honey and other bee products or even the health of the beekeeper. To avoid this kind of contamination, it is therefore necessary to wear personal protective equipment while harvesting honey and other bee products.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.37-47
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• 2024

Purpose : Cancer survivors often suffer from postoperative sequelae. the diagnosing and provision of manual therapy using spiral taping significantly improves the quality of life of cancer patients. The aim of this case study is to investigate the immediate effects of spiral taping on pain, range of motion (ROM), chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), and lymphedema following breast cancer surgery. Methods : The taping techniques were performed as follows by spiral taping. The measurements were taken before, in the middle, and after taping using a mobile phone camera, tape measure, and a numerical rating score (NRS). The evaluation employed a single-group pre-post design based on a primitive experimental design. Results : Out of four patients, all four exhibited Reverse circle flow energy (RCFE), Passive cervical right (Rt) rotation test, anterior-posterior movement pattern, nerve type (+), cold energy (CE), sangcho acupuncture point, blood clot, hwal point. Comparing before and after treatment, almost all values were reduced to zero after treatment in terms of pain complaints. The lack of range of motion (ROM) caused by the shortened tissue after surgery did not increase. The range of motion (ROM) lost due to pain returned to normal. The circumference of lymphedema did not show a tendency. The symptoms of CIPN improved. Conclusion : There was a significant change in joint range of motion, with pain decreasing, but there were structural limitations in the tissue due to total resection, and the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy scale. It was effectively treated surgical site pain, axillary membrane syndrome-induced pain, and unexplained pain. While there was a treatment effect for lymphedema in the evaluation of circumference values, there was no significant change in circumference. There was a significant effect on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, particularly in treating numbness in the feet, which is a side effect of TC anticancer drugs. This case study found that spiral balance taping provides a rapid therapeutic effect for most side effects in patients who have undergone total breast cancer resection. However, the generalization is limited due to the small sample size, and further research is needed to determine the extent to which the effects of one treatment are maintained.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.115-123
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• 2013

A microbial insecticide "Bt-Plus" has been developed to enhance an insecticidal efficacy of an entomopathogenic bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). However, its wettable powder formulation is not preferred by farmers and industry producers due to relatively high cost. This study aimed to develop a soluble concentrate formulation of Bt-Plus. To this end, an optimal mixture ratio of two bacterial culture broths was determined to be 5:4 (v/v) of Bt and Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn) along with 10% ethanol preservative. In addition, Bt broth was concentrated by 10 times to apply the mixture at 1,000 times fold dilution. The resulting liquid formulation was sprayed on cabbage crop field infested by late instar larvae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. The field assay showed about 77% control efficacy at 7 days after treatment, which was comparable to those of current commercial biopesticides targeting P. xylostella. For storage test in both low and room temperatures, the liquid formation showed a relatively stable control efficacy at least for a month. To develop a quality control technique to exhibit a stable control efficacy of Bt-Plus, Bt spore density ($5{\times}10^{11}$ spores/mL) and eight active component concentrations of Xn bacterial metabolites in the formulation products have been proposed in this study.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.199-206
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• 2014

Purpose: The present study was aimed to investigate the correlation between higher-order aberration and myopic degree by the analysis of fluctuation of high-order aberration according to the change of myopic degree in certain ranges of myopia and astigmatism. Methods: The high-order aberration in a total of 992 eyes was analyzed by using a LADARWave device employing Hartmann-Shack system, and the relation between high-order aberration and myopia by the change of myopic degree through manifest refraction test. Results: In all subjects, spherical aberration and total coma aberration were significantly increased by the increase of myopic degree, however, trefoil aberration and astigmatic aberration and tetrafoil aberration were decreased. With the group of lower myopic degree, the change of coma aberration was greater by myopic degree and its change was significantly different. The change of spherical aberration by myopic degree was greatly large in the a group of -3.00 D or more and the group of -6.00 D or more where as its change was not large in the group of lower than -3.00 D. The significant decrease of coma aberration was observed only in the group of astigmatic degree of -1.00 D or less when analyzing the correlation between the higher-order aberrations and myopia in the certain groups of astigmatic degree. In the case of spherical aberration, the significant change was shown in all astigmatic groups, however, its increase was larger with the increase of myopic degree in lower degree of astigmatism. The consistent relationship in variations of horizontal and vertical coma aberration in certain myopic and astigmatic groups was neither established nor statistically significant. Conclusions: It is concluded that the correlation between the higher-order aberration and low-order aberration obtained from the results of the present study can help the understanding related to vision quality and the improvement of vision quality.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제57권4호
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• pp.307-312
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• 2014

Chocolate is restricted for obese and diabetic patients due to high in sugar contents. We investigated shell-chocolate fillings with low calorie content and low glycemic indexes using alternative sweeteners such as tagatose and xylose and adding coffee grounds. Chocolate filling was made with sugar, cacao and butter in the original recipe. Sugar was substituted with tagatose or xylose and 3% coffee ground was added in each chocolate filling and substituted for 3% of the cocoa. Water retention and spreadability of the chocolate filling was significantly higher in the tagatose+coffee ground group in comparison to the sugar. In the chromaticity test, chocolate filling made with tagatose was darker in comparison to that made with sugar: brightness (L) was lower and redness (a) and yellowness (b) were higher than the sugar filling. Sensory evaluation revealed that chocolate filling made with tagatose had high score in 4 categories such as taste, smell, texture of foreign substance, overall acceptance. After consuming 60 g of the chocolate with different fillings, blood glucose levels of subjects at 1 and 2 h were significantly lower in the tagatose and tagatose+coffee ground groups than the other groups. In conclusion, using tagatose as the sweetener in chocolate filling has a beneficial effect on lowering blood glucose levels and increasing water retention, spreadability and sensory scores. Coffee ground did not have additive effect on quality of chocolate filling and blood glucose levels. These results indicate that shell chocolate made with tagatose can be used as a snack for diabetic patients.