• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.301-308
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• 2024

Ceramic materials are being explored as alternatives to toxic lead sheets for radiation shielding due to their favorable properties like durability, thermal stability, and aesthetic appeal. However, crafting effective ceramics for radiation shielding entails complex processes, raising production costs. To investigate local viability, this study evaluated Malaysian ceramic tiles for shielding in diagnostic X-ray rooms. Different ceramics in terms of density and thickness were selected from local manufacturers. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) characterized ceramic compositions, while Monte Carlo Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (MC PHITS) simulations determined Linear Attenuation Coefficient (LAC), Half-value Layer (HVL), Mass Attenuation Coefficient (MAC), and Mean Free Path (MFP) within the 40-150 kV energy range. Comparative analysis between MC PHITS simulations and real setups was conducted. The C3-S9 ceramic sample, known for homogeneous full-color structure, showcased superior shielding attributes, attributed to its high density and iron content. Notably, energy levels considerably impacted radiation penetration. Overall, C3-S9 demonstrated strong shielding performance, underlining Malaysia's potential ceramic tile resources for X-ray room radiation shielding.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2021

This study sought to investigate the distribution, antimicrobial resistance rate, and bacterial co-infection frequency of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in a single center in Incheon, South Korea. A total of 8,258 specimens submitted for tuberculosis (TB)/NTM real-time PCR tests during the years 2015 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. In total, 296 specimens (3.6%) were NTM positive, and the positivity increased from 2.5% (30/1,209) in 2015 to 3.8% (66/1,740) in 2020. Of 296 NTM specimens, 54.7% (162/296) were identified as the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) followed by the Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) 20.9% (62/296), M. fortuitum 6.4% (19/296) and M. flavescens 3.4% (10/296). Of the NTM-positive specimens, 76.7% (227/296) were tested for drug resistance. The results showed multidrug-resistant NTM in 40.1% (91/227) and extensively drug-resistant NTM in 59.9% (136/227) of these specimens. Of the 145 isolates taken for bacterial culture, bacteria/fungi co-infection with NTM accounted for 43.4% (63/145), in which the most common bacterial species was Klebsiella pneumonia (23.8%, 15/63). This study is the first report on the distribution and antimicrobial resistance of NTM in Incheon. As the proportion of NTM infections increases, active treatment and thorough infection control are required for effective management.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.322-328
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• 2010

Fermented skate is a traditional Korean food popular in Southwestern area of Korea. It has a characteristic flavor and alkaline pH. In this study we tried to determine the microbial flora in fermented skate using two different approaches. In culture-independent method, we amplified V2 region of 16S rRNA gene by PCR and cloned them into pUC18 plasmid to construct 16S rDNA fragment library. BLAST searches for the sequences obtained from this library revealed that uncultured bacterium clone 054E11.b was the most dominant flora in this fermented fish. In culture-dependent method, we diluted suspension of skate and spreaded on MRS, PCA, and MacConkey plates. We identified colonies grown on those plates by using PCR amplification of V2 region of 16S rRNA and DNA sequencing. BLAST searches of those DNA sequences resulted in totally different species with the observations from the 16S rDNA library analysis. Discrepancies of results obtained from both approaches suggest that the agar plates used in culture-dependent method may be different from the real condition of fermented skate. Therefore, results from culture-independent approach using 16S rDNA fragment library analysis may reflect real microbial flora in fermented skate.

• Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.105-115
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• 2008

Judgement post-stratification is a new sampling method developed by MacEachern et al. (2004). This article suggests that the judgement post-stratification method can be a good alternative for the simple random sampling when analyzing real-world environmental data. It becomes an important task to accurately measure the output of a recycling facility since the EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) system takes effect on 2003. However, the total weight of materials processed in the recycling facility may not be a proper measure because the materials are frequently mingled with other non-recycling materials. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate the mixture ratio of non-recycling materials among the total materials admitted in the facility. Unfortunately, the size of sample in a recycling facility is restricted due to the inconvenience of sampling procedure such as safety, odor, time and classification of non-recycling materials. In this article, we showed the relative efficiency of the judgement post-stratification method over the simple random sampling method for equal sample sizes using Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, we applied the judgement post-stratification method on the 2004 recycling data and showed that it can replace the simple random sampling even with smaller observations.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.587-594
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• 2012

IEEE 802.15.6 standard technology is proposed for low-power wireless communication in, on and around body, where vital signs such as pulse, blood pressure, ECG, and EEG signals are transmitted as a type of data packet. Especially, these vital signs should be delivered in real time, so that the latency from slave node to hub node can be one of the pivotal performance requirements. However, in the case of IEEE 802.15.6 technology data retransmission caused by transmission failure can be done in the next superframe. In order to overcome this limitation, we propose an adaptive polling algorithm for IEEE 802.15.6 technology. The proposing algorithm makes the hub to look for an appropriate time period in order to make data retransmission within the superframe. Through the performance evaluation, the proposing algorithm achieves a 61% and a 73% latency reduction compared to those of IEEE 802.15.6 technology in the environment of 70% traffic offered load with 10ms and 100ms superframe period. In addition, the proposing algorithm prevents bursty traffic transmission condition caused by mixing retransmission traffic with the traffic reserved for transmission. Through the proposing adaptive polling algorithm, it will be possible to transmit time-sensitive vital signs without severe traffic delay.