• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2019

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) causes morphological changes in muscles, reduces muscle strength, endurance and flexibility, negatively affects lumbar stability, and limits functional activity. Plank exercise strengthens core muscles, activates abdominal muscles, and improves intra-abdominal pressure to stabilize the trunk in patients with CLBP. Objects: We investigated the effect of plank exercise on abdominal muscle thickness and disability in patients with CLBP. Methods: We classified 33 subjects into 2 groups: An experimental (n1=17) and a control group (n2=16). Patients in the experimental group participated in plank exercise and those in the control group participated in stretching exercise. Patients in both groups attended 20-minute exercise sessions thrice a week for 4 weeks. Abdominal muscle thickness in each subject was evaluated ultrasonographically, and disabilities were assessed using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). Results: Four weeks later, abdominal muscle thickness showed a significant increase over baseline values in both groups (p<.05). Patients in the experimental group reported a more significant increase in the thickness of the external oblique muscle than that in the control group (p<.05). ODI scores in the experimental group were significantly lower after intervention than before intervention (p<.05). Conclusion: Plank exercise increases the thickness of the external oblique muscle and reduces disability secondary to mild CLBP. Therefore, plank exercise is needed to improve lumbar stability and functional activity in patients with mild CLBP.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.1974-1987
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• 2023

The load-following operation of small modular reactors (SMRs) requires accurate prediction of transient behaviors that can occur in the balance of plants (BOP) and the nuclear steam supply system (NSSS). However, 1-D thermal-hydraulics analysis codes developed for safety and performance analysis have conventionally excluded the BOP from the simulation by assuming ideal boundary conditions for the main steam and feed water (MS/FW) systems, i.e., an open loop. In this study, we introduced a lumped model of BOP fluid system and coupled it with NSSS without any ideal boundary conditions, i.e., in a closed loop. Various methods for coupling boundary conditions at MS/FW were tested to validate their combination in terms of minimizing numerical instability, which mainly arises from the coupled boundaries. The method exhibiting the best performance was selected and applied to a transient simulation of an integrated NSSS and BOP system of a SMART. For a transient event with core power change of 100-20-100%, the simulation exhibited numerical stability throughout the system without any significant perturbation of thermal-hydraulic parameters. Thus, the introduced boundary-condition coupling method and BOP fluid system model can expectedly be employed for the transient simulation and performance analysis of SMRs requiring daily load-following operations.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.105-110
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• 2009

The On Line Electric Vehicles(OLEV) that can pick up inductive power from underground coils on driving with high efficiency have been developed this year, and is now proposed in this paper. The IPS(Inductive Power Supply) system consists of power supply inverters, power supply rails, pick up modules, and a regulator. There are 3 generations of IPS have been developed so far, and the $4^{th}$ generation IPS is being developed. The $1^{st}$ generation has been demonstrated this Feb. 27, which is equipped with mechanically auto tracking pick-up module with 1cm air gap, and showed 80% power efficiency. The $2^{nd}$ generation IPS applied to an 120kW (average)/240kW(peak) motor powered electric bus has 17cm air gap with 72% power efficiency. For the $2^{nd}$ generation IPS, the Power supply inverter has 440V, 3phase input and 200A @ 20kHz output. The test power supply rail of 240m long is segmented by 60m each, where newly developed core structure and power cable are constructed under the road covered with asphalt of 5cm thickness. The pick-up modules which consist of core, winding wire, and rectifiers are fixed to the bottom of the bus which can carry more than 40 passengers and can pick up max. 60kW. To remove parasitic component and to transfer maximum power between them resonant circuit topology is applied to the primary and secondary sides. The EMF level is below 62.5mG at 1.75m from the center of the road to meet the regulation. Several effective ways of reducing EMF levels have been developed. In addition, effective ways to solve problems related high frequency power cables buried in ground and it's proof from soil have been studied also. This development shows that the IPS system is capable of supplying enough power to the pick-up of OLEV and can reduce battery size, weight and cost, which means the IPS with OLEV is one of the best candidate for EV.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.286-294
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to determine what children's rights to play are. For this purpose, we extracted the core contents of schools' play environments and we developed a checklist that schools can use to evaluate their own play environments. We reviewed the UN Committee on the Rights of Children and the General Comments No. 17. Through this process, we found 16 core contents that the play environment should have. We conducted focus group interviews with children, parents and teachers, who are principle people involved with school play. The focus group interviews discussed the basic elements of the school play environment. The contents' validity was reviewed by a group of professionals. Based on this, we created an evaluation checklist with 10 major areas of the school play environment. The 10 areas of the school play environment evaluation scale are as follows. The ten areas of the play environment assessment scale for the school environment to ensure children's right to play are sufficient play time, sufficient play space, a child's best interests and the child's participation, nondiscrimination, diversity and freedom, challenge and adventure, safety, school policy, the play has an educating component, and community cooperation.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.882-892
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• 2011

The influence of rhenium (Re) and ruthenium (Ru) addition on the solidification and solute redistribution behaviors in advanced experimental Ni-base superalloys has been investigated. A series of model alloys with different levels of Re and Ru were designed based on the composition of Ni-6Al-8Ta and were prepared by vacuum arc melting of pure metallic elements. In order to identify the influence of Re and Ru addition on the thermo-physical properties, differential scanning calorimetry analyses were carried out. The results showed that Re addition marginally increases the liquidus temperature of the alloy. However, the ${\gamma}^{\prime}$ solvus was significantly increased at a rate of $8.2^{\circ}C/wt.%$ by the addition of Re. Ru addition, on the other hand, displayed a much weaker effect on the thermo-physical properties or even no effect at all. The microsegregation behavior of solute elements was also quantitatively estimated by an electron probe microanalysis on a sample quenched during directional solidification of primary ${\gamma}$ with the planar solid/liquid interface. It was found that increasing the Re content gradually increases the microsegregation tendency of Re into the dendritic core and ${\gamma}^{\prime}$ forming elements, such as Al and Ta, into the interdendritic area. The strongest effect of Ru addition was found to be Re segregation. Increasing the Ru content up to 6 wt.% significantly alleviated the microsegregation of Re, which resulted in a decrease of Re accumulation in the dendritic core. The influence of Ru on the microstructural stability toward the topologically close-packed phase formation was discussed based on Scheil type calculations with experimentally determined microsegregation results.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.464-474
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• 2006

The paleoceanography since 14 ka was reconstructed based on the planktic foraminiferal assemblages of core sediments from the outer shelf of the Korea Strait. Planktic foraminifera in the core sediments can be divided into four assemblages: A, B, C, and D. Assemblage A consists mainly of Globigerinoides ruber group and Globigerinoides conglobatus with low abundance (less than 10%), indicating the tropical-subtropical water mass. Assemblage B is composed of Pulleniatina obliquiloculata and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, the indicator of Kuroshio Current, and shows the aspect of the inflow of the Tsushima Current into the Korea Strait. Assemblage C yields polar-subpolar species, mainly Neogloboquadrina incompta and N. pachyderma. It decreases upward of the core. Assemblage D contains coastal water species such as Globigerina bulloides and G. quinqueloba. It is abundant in the lower to middle region of the core. From the analysis of distributions of each assemblage and the result of age datings in the core, it is suggested that the Korea Strait played a role of channelling the East China Sea and the East Sea after the LGM (ca. 14 ka). During this time, the coastal water, affected by fresh waters originated from the river systems of China and/ or the Korean Peninsula, flourished around the Korea Strait and theses coastal water might entered to the East Sea. Around 8.5 ka, the effect of the Tsushima Current started to strengthen in this region, and the present current system seems to be formed at about $7{\sim}6ka$.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.142-149
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• 2017

This study targeted 123 dental hygienists working at the university and dental hospital as well as the dental clinic in Busan. The study ran for 5 months beginning July 23, 2016. The purpose of the study was to understand the relationship between core competencies and job performance for dental hygienists. The major core competencies of dental hygienists were interpersonal relation competency (3.61) was the highest, followed by management and educational competency (3.59), organizational relation competency (3.57), and basic dental hygiene management competency (3.56). Regarding the subjects' job performance, 'the task requested by a boss could be finished by the deadline' (3.93) was the highest, followed by 'there has been no case where others were harmed owing to carelessness' (3.76). 'The performance exceeding the targets set by the boss' (3.11) was relatively low. The group working for dental hospitals showed higher job performance than the group working for dental clinics (p=0.009) while there were high correlations between core competencies and job performance (p=0.733). Also, analysis for understanding relevant variables of core competencies that affected job performance revealed that the interpersonal relation competency (p=0.25), self-control competency (p=0.32), and basic dental hygiene competency (p=0.15) were significant. In summary, reinforcement of the dental hygienists' core competencies has a positive effect on job performance. Improved job performance in turn should improve patient care as well as the performance of the healthcare organization overall which will be eventually helpful to the provision of high-quality medical service to patients, and helpful for the hospital organization Helpful in making their performance better. Therefore, it would be necessary to establish administrative/educational support to facilitate dental hygiene education to develop major competencies and vocational basic abilities, as well as reinforce diverse competency educational programs for the current dental hygienists.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.548-552
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• 2004

Intracanal disinfection of infected root canal is one of important treatment procedure. This in vitro study aimed to evaluate whether the surface polymers of controlled release drug (CRD) can effectively control the release rate of chlorhexidine for root canal disinfection. Four CRD prototypes were prepared: Group A (n=12); The core device (absorbent paper point) was loaded with 40% CHX solution as control. Group B (n=12); same as group A, but the device was coated with chitosan. Group C (n=12); same as group A and then coated three times with 5% PMMA. Group D (n=12); same as group A and then coated three times with 3% PLGA. All CRD prototypes were soaked in 3 mL distilled water for experimental periods and the concentrations of released CHX from each CRD prototype were determined using a UV spectrophotometer. Results showed that release rate of CHX were the greatest in the non-coated group (control group), followed by the chitosan-coated group, the PLGA-coated group, and the PMMA-coated group (P < 0.05). This data indicate that surface polymers can control the release rate of CHX from the CRD prototypes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1723-1735
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• 2016

Pyrosequencing analysis of intestinal microflora from healthy Thai vegetarians and non-vegetarians exhibited 893 OTUs covering 189 species. The strong species indicators of vegetarians and non-vegetarians were Prevotella copri and Bacteroides vulgatus as well as bacteria close to Escherichia hermanii with % relative abundance of 16.9 and 4.5-4.7, respectively. Core gut microbiota of the vegetarian and non-vegetarian groups consisted of 11 and 20 different bacterial species, respectively, belonging to Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria commonly found in both groups. Two species, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Gemmiger formicilis, had a prevalence of 100% in both groups. Three species, Clostridium nexile, Eubacterium eligens, and P. copri, showed up in most vegetarians, whereas more diversity of Collinsella aerofaciens, Ruminococcus torques, various species of Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Escherichia, and different species of Clostridium and Eubacterium were found in most non-vegetarians. Considering the correlation of personal characters, consumption behavior, and microbial groups, the age of non-vegetarians showed a strong positive correlation coefficient of 0.54 (p = 0.001) to Bacteroides uniformis but exhibited a moderate one to Alistipes finegoldii and B. vulgatus. Only a positive moderate correlation of body mass index and Parabacteroides distasonis appeared. Based on the significant abundance of potential pathogens, the microbiota of the non-vegetarian group showed an abundance of potential pathogen varieties of Bilophila wadsworthia, Escherichia coli, and E. hermannii, whereas that of the vegetarian group served for only Klebsiella pneumoniae. These results implied that the microbiota of vegetarians with high abundance of P. copri and low potential pathogen variety would be a way to maintain good health in Thais.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.157-170
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• 2007

Purpose: This investigation was designed to determine the translucency and color stability of various core ceramics for all-ceramic restoration using the CIE $L^*a^*b^*$ system. Material and Methods: IPS e.max Press ceramic(Ivoclar-Vivadent, Liechtenstein), $LAVA^{TM}$ All Ceramic(3M-Espe, Germany), Cercon Smart Ceramic(Dentsply, Germany), and Z-match Ceramic(DentAim, Korea) were used for this study. For the specimens of zirconia oxide ceramics, the as-sintered cylindrical blanks($11.0{\times}25.0mm$) were machined into the shape of a disk(0.4, 0.8, 1.5 mm in thickness, 10 mm in diameters) with a diamond grind machine. The IPS e.max Press specimens ($0.8{\times}10mm$) were fabricated using the "lost wax" technique. CIE $L^*a^*b^*$ coordinates and light transmission were recorded for each specimen with a spectrophotometer(CM-2600d, Minolta, Japan). Color differences were calculated using the equation, ${\Delta}E^*ab=[({\Delta}L^*)2+({\Delta}a^*)2+({\Delta}b^*)2]1/2$. Results: The results were obtained as follows: 1. The most translucent group was IPS e.max Press ceramic that is a glass-ceramic, and $Lava^{TM}$ and Z-match ceramic were more translucent than Cercon Smart ceramic in zirconia ceramic group. 2. In the all groups, there was no significant translucent change after 6 times heat-treatments required to make a final restoration. 3. Colored zirconia was showed more yellowish and dark than uncolored zirconia. 4. After heat-pressing, IPS e.max Press ceramic was showed high ${\Delta}E^*ab$ value(4.1 of eM1, 6.8 of eM2) that means to be more whiter than before heat-pressing. However, there was no color change after additive heat treatments for final restoration. 5. In the colored zirconia groups, there was no significant color change after some heat-treatments required to make a final restoration.