• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.437-453
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• 2019

This study investigates a new optimal placement method for viscous dampers between structures in order to prevent pounding of adjacent structures with different dynamic characteristics under earthquake effects. A relative displacement spectrum is developed in two single degree of freedom system to reveal the critical period ratios for the most risky scenario of collision using El Centro earthquake record (NS). Three different types of viscous damper design, which are classical, stair and X-diagonal model, are considered to prevent pounding on two adjacent building models. The objective function is minimized under the upper and lower limits of the damping coefficient of the damper and a target modal damping ratio. A new algorithm including time history analyses and numerical optimization methods is proposed to find the optimal dampers placement. The proposed design method is tested on two 12-storey adjacent building models. The effects of the type of damper placement on structural models, the critical period ratios of adjacent structures, the permissible relative displacement limit, the mode behavior and the upper limit of damper are investigated in detail. The results of the analyzes show that the proposed method can be used as an effective means of finding the optimum amount and location of the dampers and eliminating the risk of pounding.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.94-104
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to develop a wearable systems that protect users, based on sensors that are easy to use, from accidents caused by harmful gases in the operator's poor working environment or the risk of ultraviolet rays during outdoor activities. By developing smart wappen with Light Emitting Diode (LED) light alarm function including UV sensor and gas sensor and central processing unit, systems that are applied to daily wear and work clothes to explore the possibility of user-centered, harmful environment monitoring products in real time were proposed. Each sensor was applied to sportswear and work clothes and the wappen system consisted of lightweight and thin form as a whole. Wappen to cover the device had one sheet cover on the front and another cover from the inside to form a sandwich like formation. Wappen was made in the same form as regular clothes that doesn't damage the exterior then a removable wappen system was developed using Velcro and snap methods to enable the separation of device or the exchange of batteries. De-adhesion method can occur in two ways, from the outside and from the inside, so the design is selected depending on the application. This study shows the significance of the development of sensor-based smart clothing, in that it presented a universal model for users.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.607-617
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• 2019

Global warming and climate change are increasing the intensity of typhoons and hurricanes and thus increasing the risk effects of typhoon and hurricane hazards on nuclear power plants (NPPs). To reflect these changes, a new NPP should be designed to endure design-basis hurricane wind speeds corresponding to an exceedance frequency of $10^{-7}/yr$. However, the short typhoon and hurricane observation records and uncertainties included in the inputs for an estimation cause significant uncertainty in the estimated wind speeds for return periods of longer than 100,000 years. A logic-tree framework is introduced to handle the epistemic uncertainty when estimating wind speeds. Three key parameters of a typhoon wind field model, i.e., the central pressure difference, pressure profile parameter, and radius to maximum wind, are used for constructing logic tree branches. The wind speeds of the simulated typhoons and the probable maximum wind speeds are estimated using Monte Carlo simulations, and wind hazard curves are derived as a function of the annual exceedance probability or return period. A logic tree decreases the epistemic uncertainty included in the wind intensity models and provides reasonably acceptable wind speeds.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the scientific literature demonstrating the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy (CMT) in the treatment of spinal scoliosis. Methods : A literature search was conducted using eight electronic databases to identify all randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) that investigated CMT as a treatment for spinal scoliosis. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of each RCT. Results : Five RCTs met our inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. These studies demonstrated positive results of CMT with respect to the reduction of Cobb's angle, vertebral rotation angle score, bending test score, and efficacy rate compared with brace treatment. Positive results were also assured, in terms of the reduction of Cobb's angle, pulmonary function, and efficacy rate when comparing CMT combined with other therapy with brace treatment, gymnastic training, or traction therapy. Conclusions : This review has identified encouraging and limited evidence of CMT for the treatment of spinal scoliosis. However, to obtain stronger evidence, without the disadvantages of study design and quality, we recommend that treatment effectiveness of CMT for spinal scoliosis is investigated further using a well-designed RCT.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.165-169
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• 2021

A burst fracture refers to the fracture of the anterior and middle vertebral columns which are moving into the spinal canal causing neurological impairments, generally requiring surgical treatment. We herein report a rare case of burst fracture with kissing spine in a 90-year-old man who had severe lower back pain that worsened during back extension. Considering the surgical treatment risk, he was hospitalized at a Korean medicine hospital for 85 days and underwent combined Korean medicine treatments including pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, chuna, deep-fascia meridian therapy, walking practice, and abdominal breathing. Based on patient-reported scales, his pain was alleviated, and his physical function improved. Furthermore, his range of motion and walking time increased. This case report suggests that combined Korean medicine treatments could be an effective alternative for patients with burst fracture who have surgery risks.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2021

Spinal dysraphism often causes neurological impairment from direct involvement of lesions or from cord tethering. The conus medullaris and lumbosacral roots are most vulnerable. Surgical intervention such as untethering surgery is indicated to minimize or prevent further neurological deficits. Because untethering surgery itself imposes risk of neural injury, intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) is indicated to help surgeons to be guided during surgery and to improve functional outcome. Monitoring of electromyography (EMG), motor evoked potential, and bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) is essential modalities in IONM for untethering. Sensory evoked potential can be also employed to further interpretation. In specific, free-running EMG and triggered EMG is of most utility to identify lumbosacral roots within the field of surgery and filum terminale or non-functioning cord can be also confirmed by absence of responses at higher intensity of stimulation. The sacral nervous system should be vigilantly monitored as pathophysiology of tethered cord syndrome affects the sacral function most and earliest. BCR monitoring can be readily applicable for sacral monitoring and has been shown to be useful for prediction of postoperative sacral dysfunction. Further research is guaranteed because current IONM methodology in spinal dysraphism is still deficient of quantitative and objective evaluation and fails to directly measure the sacral autonomic nervous system.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.153-162
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• 2020

Purpose: We aim to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of an automatically converted radiation therapy plan between Radixact machines by comparing the original plan with the transferred plan. Methods: The study involved a total of 20 patients for each randomly selected treatment site who received radiation treatment with Radixact. We set up the cheese phantom (Gammex RMI, Middleton, WI, USA) with an Exradin A1SL ion chamber (Standard Imaging, Madison, WI, USA) and GAFCHROMIC EBT3 film (International Specialty Products, Wayne, NJ, USA) inserted. We used three methods to evaluate an automatically converted radiation therapy plan using the features of the Plan transfer. First, we evaluated and compared Planning target volume (PTV) coverage (homogeneity index, HI; conformity index, CI) and organs at risk (OAR) dose statistics. Second, we compared the absolute dose using an ion chamber. Lastly, we analyzed gamma passing rates using film. Results: Our results showed that the difference in PTV coverage was 1.72% in HI and 0.17% in CI, and majority of the difference in OAR was within 1% across all sites. The difference (%) in absolute dose values was averaging 0.74%. In addition, the gamma passing rate was 99.64% for 3%/3 mm and 97.08% for 2%/2 mm. Conclusions: The Plan transfer function can be reliably used in appropriate situations.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.91-101
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• 2021

The paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the stock market prices. The vector autoregression model (VAR) has been used in this analysis to survey 341 stocks on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) for the period from January 23, 2020 to December 31, 2020. The empirical results obtained from the analysis of 11 economic sectors suggest that there is a statistically significant impact relationship between COVID-19 and the healthcare and utility industries. Additional findings show a statistically significant negative impact of COVID-19 on the utility share price at lag 1. Analysis of impulse response function (IRF) and forecast error variance decomposition (FEVD) show an inverse reaction of utility stock prices to the impact of COVID-19 and a gradual disappearing shock after two steps. Major findings show that there is a clear negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on share prices, and the daily increase in the number of confirmed cases, indicate that, in future disease outbreaks, early containment measures and positive responses are necessary conditions for governments and nations to protect stock markets from excessive depreciation. Utility stocks are among the most severely impacted shares on financial exchanges during a pandemic due to the high risk of immediate or irreversible closure of manufacturing lines and poor demand for basic amenities.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.83-95
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• 2020

"I think security is only trying to make it uncomfortable." "10% of my work is entering IDs and passwords, such as boot passwords, mobile phone authentication numbers, etc." As reflected in the complaint above, stress caused by information security among organizations' members is increasing. In order to strengthen information security, practical solutions to reduce stress are needed because the motivation of the members is needed in order for organizations to function properly. Therefore, this study attempts to suggest key factors that can enhance security while reducing information security stress among members of organizations. To this end, based on the theory of protection motivation, trust and security stress from information security policies are set as mediating factors to explain changes in security reinforcement behavior. Furthermore, risk, efficacy, and reaction costs of cyberattacks are considered as prerequisites. Our study suggests a solution to the security reinforcement problem by analyzing the factors that influence the behavior of members of organizations. In turn, this can raise protection motivation among members.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.449-453
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• 2021

The 2020 American College of Cardiology focused update on the mitral regurgitation (MR) pathway provides an excellent summary of the decision-making trees in the treatment of severe MR, in which 2 main branches of the flowchart are suggested depending on whether MR is primary or secondary. Surgery is suggested as preferable over transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) in primary MR that needs intervention. The decision-making for secondary MR generally prioritizes TEER over surgery according to the guidelines, but further stratification is necessary based on the pathophysiologic mechanisms of MR. TEER is probably the more suitable option in secondary MR caused by left ventricular dysfunction or dilatation, given the high perceived surgical risks, despite the lack of sufficient evidence in support of overt clinical benefits from surgical therapy in these patients. In atrial functional MR associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), however, concomitant ablation of AF seems to be a desirable option, as it has been demonstrated to be a key factor leading to improved survival, reduced stroke risk, and more durable mitral and tricuspid function in patients undergoing mitral surgery. Therefore, atrial functional MR requiring intervention may be best treated by surgical therapy that combines mitral repair and AF ablation in the majority of patients. This particular issue, however, needs further research to obtain scientific evidence to guide optimal management strategies.