• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2005

The occurrence and abundance of protozoa at advanced wastewater treatment plant were compared with operating parameters and effluent quality using statistical procedures. In correlation analysis between the distribution of protozoa and operating parameters, the distribution of protozoa was showed the operating condition of plant. Regression analysis between the distribution of protozoa and effluent quality up to 7 days, showed the R-square values of most regression equation were more than 0.6 and constant was higher than slope and could indicate effluent quality from sampling day to 7 days. Once enough data concerning protozoa, operating parameters and effluent has been gathered, the operator has a valuable tool for predicting plant performance and near-future effluent quality based on microscopic examination. Plant operator manipulates operating conditions if he knows near-future data of effluent is deteriorating. Perhaps more importantly it can be used to actually control the plant to adjust the operating conditions to obtain the protozoal populations that have been shown to provide the best effluent quality.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.179-193
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• 2015

This study examined the retirement adaptation process for middle-aged and elderly couples. Twelve couples who had experienced retirement were recruited by theoretical sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed through the grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin (1998). This study showed the results of 124 concepts, 41 sub-categories and 17 categories indicated through an open coding process. As a paradigm in axial coding, the causal conditions in the adjustment procedures of elderly couples whose spouses are retired were 'retirement preparation,' 'retirement acceptance,' and 'marital satisfaction.' A central phenomenon was 'crisis and conflicts of twilight couples.' The contextual conditions that correspond to this phenomenon were 'psychological separation from adult children,' 'division of household labor,' and 'economic status.' The action/interaction strategies to control the phenomenon were 'recognition of marital relationships,' 'conflicts coping,' 'resolution methods,' and 'self-reflection.' The intervening conditions that facilitate action/interaction strategies were 'attitudes of husbands,' 'mutual awareness of couple,' 'health status,' and 'support systems.' The consequences were 'readaptation of marital relationships,' and 'unresolved conflicts,' and 'trying alone.' This research classified middle-aged and elderly couples' adaptation into three types such as mutual effort, separation & resignation, and conflicts vestige. The findings provide basic information to develop a retirement adaptation program for the middle-aged and elderly.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.69-73
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• 2002

There have been few reports on the survey of pathological findings of cetaceans stranded on the coast of Japan. This is partly because of lack of the procedures and/or network of systemic sampling of fresh tissues for the pathological study of stranded marine mammals. In contrast, there are a numbers of reports on the cause of illness and death in wild, free-living cetaceans examined in other countries; the commonest cause of death was parasitic and bacterial pneumonia except for entanglement in fishing gear. Anthracosis, lung and hilar lymph nodes polluted by suspended particulate matter in the air, has been recently found in some cetaceans stranded on the coast of Japan. In addition to the data from the chemical analysis of tissues, scientific data obtained from pathological study of stranded marine mammals would be also one of the useful base for the assessment of global environment. Usefulness of metallothionein in the hepatopancreas of crabs as a biomarker of marine pollution monitoring was also discussed in this study.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2015

Recently, noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) has been adopted as a primary screening tool for fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. The principle of NIPT lies in isolating the fetal fraction of cell-free DNA in maternal plasma and analyzing it with bioinformatic tools to measure the amount of gene from the target chromosome, such as chromosomes 21, 18, and 13. NIPT will contribute to decreasing the need for unnecessary invasive procedures, including amniocentesis and chorionic villi sampling, for confirming fetal aneuploidy because of its higher positive predictive value than that of the conventional prenatal screening method. However, its greater cost than that of the current antenatal screening protocol may be an obstacle to the adoption of this innovative technique in clinical practice. Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is a novel approach for detecting and quantifying nucleic acid. dPCR provides real-time diagnostic advantages with higher sensitivity, accuracy, and absolute quantification than conventional quantitative PCR. Since the groundbreaking discovery that fetal cell-free nucleic acid exists in maternal plasma was reported, dPCR has been used for the quantification of fetal DNA and for screening for fetal aneuploidy. It has been suggested that dPCR will decrease the cost by targeting specific sequences in the target chromosome, and dPCR-based noninvasive testing will facilitate progress toward the implementation of a noninvasive approach for screening for trisomy 21, 18, and 13. In this review, we highlight the principle of dPCR and discuss its future implications in clinical practice.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.17-22
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• 2006

Shear modulus is directly linked to material's stiffness and is one of the most critical engineering parameters. Seismically, shear-wave velocity (Vs) is its best indicator. Although methods like refraction, down-hole, and cross-hole shear-wave surveys can be used, they are generally known to be tougher than any other seismic methods in field operation, data analysis, and overall cost. On the other hand, surface waves, commonly known as ground roll, are always generated in all seismic surveys with the strongest energy, and their propagation velocities are mainly determined by Vs of the medium. Furthermore, sampling depth of a particular frequency component of surface waves is in direct proportion to its wavelength and this property makes the surface wave velocity frequency dependent, i.e., dispersive. The multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) method tries to utilize this dispersion property of surface waves for the purpose of Vs profiling in 1-D (depth) or 2-D (depth and surface location) format. The active MASW method generates surface waves actively by using an impact source like sledgehammer, whereas the passive method utilizes those generated passively by cultural (e.g., traffic) or natural (e.g., thunder and tidal motion) activities. Investigation depth is usually shallower than 30 m with the active method, whereas it can reach a few hundred meters with the passive method. Overall procedures with both methods are briefly described.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.671-678
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• 1997

The objective was to evaluate method of feeding (free access or intubation), method of slaughter (carbon dioxide gas or barbiturate) and digesta flushing medium (distilled water or physiological saline), in the development of an ileal amino acid digestibility assay for 4 week-old broiler chickens. Three diets were used (commercial (C), semi-synthetic meat-and bone meal (MBM) or wheat (W)). For the coarser C and W diets but not for the MBM diet, feeding method had a significant effect on concentrations of chromium (Cr), nitrogen (N), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in the crop contents at a set time after a meal. There appeared to be a selection of food particles under free-access feeding. For birds receiving the wheat diet there was an effect (p < 0.05) of sampling time after feeding on the concentrations of Cr, N, ADF and NDF/Cr in the crop contents. Flushing ileal digesta with distilled water or saline led to similar apparent ileal N digestibility coefficients. Birds given the MBM diet, and killed by inhalation of $CO_2$, had significantly (p < 0.05) lower apparent ileal N digestibility coefficients (73 versus 80%) than those killed by barbiturate overdose.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.9
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• pp.811-824
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• 2020

The aim of this study is to explore the effect of injustice perception on work alienation and the mediating role played by the employee's cynicism between injustice perception and work alienation in the healthcare sector in Oman. By utilizing a simple random sampling technique, data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 306 nurses working in private healthcare providing organizations in Oman. The collected data was then analyzed using AMOS program through the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results of study show that the levels of perception of injustice and cynicism of nurses in the private healthcare centers were low, while the work alienation was found to be at moderate level in these healthcare organizations. The findings of the empirical study reveal that injustice perception and employee's cynicism significantly affect work alienation. The impact of injustice perception in creating employee's cynicism was also observed. The hypothesis that the mediating role played by employee's cynicism in injustice perception and work alienation relationship was partially supported. Moreover, injustice perception and cynicism directly affect work alienation, therefore, these hospitals should consider organizational policies and procedures to achieve equality and justice among nursing personnel, and to eliminate the factors that cause cynicism and work alienation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.153-158
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• 2006

To optimize the combustion system in a HSDI diesel engine, a new analysis technology was developed. The in-cylinder 3-D combustion analysis was carried out by the modified KIVA-3V, and the spray characteristics for the high pressure injection system were analyzed by HYDSIM. The combustion design parameters were optimized by coupling the KIVA-3V and the iSIGHT. The optimization procedure consists of 3 steps. The $1^{st}$ step is the sampling method by the Design of Experiment(DOE), the $2^{nd}$ step is the approximation using the Neural Network method, and the $3^{rd}$ step is the optimization using the Genetic Algorithm. The developed procedures have been approved as very effective and reliable, and the computational results agree well with the experimental data. The analysis results show that the optimized combustion system in a HSDI diesel engine is capable of reducing NOx and Soot emissions simultaneously keeping a same level of the fuel consumption(BSFC).

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.13-24
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• 2014

The objective of this research is to find out the factors affecting adoption of Internet banking in India. The data is based upon a survey of 150 bank customers using a convenience sampling technique with the aid of a structured self-administered questionnaire. The research model was analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis. The recommended procedures have been tested which is measurement model and structural model. Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Risk, Image, Results Demonstrability, Perceived Behavioral Control and Subjective Norm were influence intention to use Internet banking. However, Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Credibility and Computer Self Efficacy were not influence intention to use Internet banking. The findings of this study are expected to be of great use to the bank marketers. An understanding of the factors identified in this study allows bank managers to direct efforts and resources in the most effective and efficient way to increase bank business in the long run and encourage their bank customer's to adopt Internet banking. Moreover, this paper contributes to the empirical literature of diffusion of financial innovations, particularly Internet banking in a developing country, such as India.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.67-71
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• 2001

Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is a blind source separation method using unsupervised learning and mutual information theory created in the late eighties and developed in the nineties. It has already succeeded in separating eye movement artifacts from human scalp EEG recording. Several characteristic sleep waves such as sleep spindle, K-complex, and positive occipital sharp transient of sleep (POSTS) can be recorded during sleep EEG recording. They are used as stage determining factors of sleep staging and might be reflections of unknown neural sources during sleep. We applied the ICA method to sleep EEG for sleep waves separation. Eighteen channel scalp longitudinal bipolar montage was used for the EEG recording. With the sampling rate of 256Hz, digital EEG data were converted into 18 by n matrix which was used as a original data matrix X. Independent source matrix U (18 by n) was obtained by independent component analysis method ($U=W{\timex}X$, where W is an 18 by 18 matrix obtained by ICA procedures). ICA was applied to the original EEG containing sleep spindle, K-complex, and POSTS. Among the 18 independent components, those containing characteristic shape of sleep waves could be identified. Each independent component was reconstructed into original montage by the product of inverse matrix of W (inv(W)) and U. The reconstructed EEG might be a separation of sleep waves without other components of original EEG matrix X. This result (might) demonstrates that characteristic sleep waves may be separated from original EEG of unknown mixed neural origins by the Independent Component Analysis (ICA) method.