• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.1146-1153
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• 2022

As the population is aging, accidents involving elderly people are also increasing (2014:11,667 persons; 2018: 11,797 persons). In the case of the elderly population, falling accidents are the primary direct or indirect causes of death; in particular, they face an elevated risk of staircase falls. This study proposes a method of evaluating the safety of staircases using Building Information Modeling (BIM)-based virtual simulation. By making a virtual user with the behavioral characteristics of the elderly respond to a staircase in a BIM model, its safety performance can be evaluated. The evaluation criteria were derived from regulations, elements, and characteristics relevant to the safety of staircases. To validate the proposed method, safety evaluation tests were simulated on actual staircases. The evaluation result of the test simulation shows the safety scores of 1.97 points for the elderly user and 2.95 points for the average male adult user against a required safety score of a minimum of 2 points. That is, safety is relative to users as the safety of the same staircase can be different depending upon the different behavioral characteristics of users. The study suggests that the risk of staircase-related fall accidents to the elderly can be reduced by improving staircase designs through the proposed method.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.107-117
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• 2007

The fatigue has been considered the most failure mode of metal, ceramic, and composite materials. In this paper, numerical experiments to asses the usefulness of two Dixon's methods(small and large samples) and 14 S-N methods on assumptions of lognormal fatigue limit distribution under RFL(Random Fatigue Limit) model are conducted for staircase(or up-and-down) test and compared by MSE(Mean Squared Error) and bias for estimates of mean log-fatigue limit. Also, guidelines for staircase test plans to choose initial stress level and step size are recommended from numerical experiments including sensitivity analyses. In addition, the parametric bootstrap method to construct a confidence interval for the mean of log-fatigue limit by the percentile method using a transition probability matrix of Markov chain is presented and illustrated with an example.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.571-581
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• 2014

In the present study, hollow precast concrete wall (PC Double Wall) for staircase construction was developed. Comparing the conventional walls, the PC Double Wall can be reduced the lift weight using hollow core and improves the integrity between the PC members. The cross-section and re-bar details of the PC Double Wall were developed considering precast concrete manufacturing, constructability, and the structural safety. Particularly, a form system was developed to manufacture thin and hollow core PC wall efficiently. A mock-up test for a staircase using the PC Double wall was performed to verify the constructability and integrity of the PC walls. The test result verified that joint deformation and cracking did not occur as showing good constructability.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.715-724
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• 1998

Frequency-force relationships (FFR) were studied in electrically field stimulated rat left atria (LA) by reducing the stimulation frequency from resting 3 Hz to test frequencies (0.1-1 Hz) for 5 minutes. The twitch amplitudes of LA elicited the typical negative staircases with 3-phased changes: the initial rapid increase, the second decrease and the following plateau at test frequencies. Verapamil $(3{\times}10^{-5}\;M)$ pretreatment elicited frequency-dependent suppression of the twitch amplitudes, exaggerating the negative staircase. Monensin pretreatment enhanced not the peak but the plateau amplitudes in a concentration-dependent manner. When the $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchange was blocked by $Na^+\;and\;Ca^{2+}$ depletion in the Krebs Hensleit buffer (0 $Na^+-0\;Ca^{2+}$ KHB), the twitch amplitudes increased in a frequency-dependent manner, changing the negtive staircase into the positve one. Meanwhile, the 0 $Na^+-0\;Ca^{2+}$ KHB applicationinduced enhancement was strongly suppressed by caffeine (5 mM) pretreatment. Only dibucaine among the local anesthetics increased the basal tone during frequency reduciton. There were no differences in $^{45}Ca$ uptakes between 0.3 Hz and 3 Hz stimulation except at 1 min when it was significantly low at 0.3 Hz than 3 Hz, illustrating net $Ca^{2+}$ losses. Monensin pretreatment enhanced the rate of this $Ca^{2+}$ loss. Taken together, it is concluded that $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchange extrudes more SR released $Ca^{2+}$ out of the cell in proportion to the frequency, resulting in the negative rate staircase in the rat LA.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.80-84
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• 2000

Parabolic almninium mlITOr of m.5('||'&'||'cent; 50 nun) was fabncated by a diamond tummg machine. Computer generated hologram (CGH) for the test of parabolic mirror was encoded by binary phase hologram Approximation of curved fringe to line was made by staircase encoding. After fringe data 1ransformed mto a Post Scnpt file. magnified master CGH was printed by a laser printer, and then it reduced to the photographIc film. Parabolic mirror was tested by Twyman-Green interferometer with CGH at VIewing arm. Its experimental result was compared with those of surface profile and auto-collimatIon test, and then the errors were analyzed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.751-757
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• 2016

The aim of this study is to estimate the reliability of fatigue limit of the material used for crank throw components according to the staircase method. The material used for crank throw components is forged S34MnV grade steel, which is heat treated by normalizing and tempering. In this work, to predict the reliability of the design fatigue strength, axially loaded constant amplitude fatigue testing was conducted. The test specimens were loaded with an axial push/pull load with a mean stress of 0 MPa, which corresponds to a stress ratio of R=-1. The fatigue test results were evaluated by Dixon-Mood formulas. The values of mean fatigue strength and standard deviation predicted by the staircase method were 296.3 MPa and 10.6 MPa, respectively. Finally, the reliability of the fatigue limit in some selected probability of failure is predicted. The proposed method can be applied for the determination of fatigue strength for design optimization of the forged steel.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1651-1658
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• 2001

It is necessary to evaluate fatigue strength and reliability of the connecting rod which is core part in automotive engine to assure the high level of durability of automobile. For this purpose, the loading conditions in automotive engine is obtained by the dynamic analysis. Based on these results, the critical section was identified by the finite element analysis. The fatigue strength under constant amplitude was evaluated and the mean of the fatigue limit at R = -2.27 derived from the staircase method was 311.2MPa. And the failure probability( F$\sub$p/ ) derived from the strength-stress interference model is 0.0003% at the 99.99% confidence level and the mean factor of safety was 4.2.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2005

Cnidii Rhizoma (CR) was subjected to extraction with 70% methanol and tested to determine whether it has anxiolytic activity in mouse by employing staircase and rotarod tests. In addition, to understand the mechanism of anxiolytic action, CR, picrotoxin, yohimbine, isoniazid and strychnine were utilized to deliniate the potential involvement of GABA and glycine receptors in the action of Cnidii Rhizoma. To gain insights into the safety of Cnidii Rhizoma extract, behavioral and MTT tests were carried out. The results were obtained as follows: 1. CR extract had little effect on climbing numbers in the stair case test. 2. CR extract had considerable anti-anxiety effects as evidenced by the reduction of rearing numbers in the stair case test. 3. CR extract had little effect on muscle relaxation. 4. Anxiolytic actions of CR extract appeared to be mediated by glycine receptor activation. 5. Cytotoxicity in the neuronal cell was not observed and no strange behaviors were found. In short, these results indicate that CR extract has the ability to exert anxiolytic activity, possibly by activating glycine receptor with little side effects in mouse.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.309-318
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• 2001

The purposes of the study were (1) to evaluate the olfactory identification ability in those who have bad breath, (2) to determine the olfactory detection threshold for methyl mercaptan in normal subjects and those who have bad breath, and (3) to evaluate the effect of oral hygiene care on the olfactory detection threshold for methyl mercaptan. Sixteen male subjects with bad breath (male odor group), 9 male subjects without bad breath (male non-odor group), and 10 female subjects without bad breath (female non-odor group) were included for the study. Olfactory identification ability was assessed by administrating the Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT), and the olfactory detection threshold for methyl mercaptan was measured by two-alternative forced-choice single-staircase detection threshold procedure in a double-blinded condition. The geometric mean of the last four staircase reversal points of a total of seven reversals is used as the threshold. For the male odor group, after 1 month of intensive oral hygiene care for reducing oral volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) concentration, the olfactory detection threshold for methyl mercaptan was measured again and compared to the initial value. The ANOVA was used to test the group difference of olfactory threshold and olfactory identification ability and the paired t-test was used to test the difference of olfactory threshold between before and after reduction of oral VSC in male odor group. The results were as follows : 1. There was no significant difference in olfactory identification ability among those who have bad breath and normal male or female subjects. 2. The olfactory detection threshold for methyl mercaptan was about 8.4 ppb in normal male and female. 3. There was a tendency that male subjects with bad breath showed a higher olfactory detection threshold for methyl mercaptan when compared to those of no bad breath. 4. The olfactory detection threshold for methyl mercaptan returned to a normal level after 1 month of intensive oral hygiene care for reducing oral VSC.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of balance ability improvement exercise program which applied to the elderly people for increasing balance, stability and range of motion. Ten elderly people and ten university students were recruited as the subjects. Kinematic data were collected by seven real-time infrared cameras while subjects walk stair descent as a pre-test. Korean folk dance exercise program was applied to the elderly for 12 weeks. Same experiment on stair descent walk was performed as post-test. Results indicated that CM movement and selected joint angle patterns of elderly group after treatment changed to the similar patterns of young group. However, ankle joint angle and vertical GRF of elderly group after treatment also increased compared to those of the elderly group before treatment. This might be explained by the fact that elderly used a different walking strategy which maximize support base for increasing stability. Overall, these results indicated that the exercise treatment may affect to adapt and improve the gait pattern of stair descent of elderly people.