• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.259-268
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• 2010

Breast cancer is the most prevalent woman cancer, and its prevalence rate is increasing rapidly. It is necessary to develop the breast-dedicated positron emission tomography (PET) or positron emission mammography (PEM) systems with high resolution and sensitivity to improve the accuracy of diagnosis of breast cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the high-end PET system technologies, such as the measurement of depth-of-interaction (DOI) and fully digitalized data acquisition, to establish high performance breast imaging systems. In this paper, recent technical advances in breast-dedicated PET imaging systems will be reviewed.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.459-473
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• 2000

Dental caries is the most common disease in the maxillofacial area. There are many factors contributing to its development, but complete understanding and prevention is not fully known. Since the structure of the coronal and root portion of the tooth is different, the remineralization and demineralization process is also known to be different. In this study, by using a partially saturated buffer solution, we created artificial enamel and dentin caries and evaluated mineral loss. A remineralization solution with four different degrees of saturation (degree of saturation ; group 1, 0.268, group 2, 0.309, group 3, 0.339, group 4, 0.390, PH 4.3, F-2ppm) was used on a demineralized specimen. The mineral precipitating quantity and depth was evaluated by using microradiography. Using an atomic force microscope (AFM), hydroxyapatite crystals of normal, demineralized, and remineralized enamel and dentin were evaluated. The results were as follows: 1. As the degree of saturation of the remineralizing solution increased, the mineral precipitation in the enamel was increased. In group 4, mineral precipitation was limited near the surface. 2. As the degree of saturation of the remineralizing solution increased, the mineral precipitation in the dentin was decreased and it occurred in a deeper portion. In group 4, however, mineral precipitation occurred on the surface and its quantity increased. 3. There was a statistically significant interaction between enamel and dentin mineral content changes on specimens treated with remineralization and demineralization solution (demineralization r=0.44, remineralization r=0.44, p<0.05). 4. Demineralized hydroxyapatite crystals showed central and peripheral dissolving and widening of intercrystal spaces under the AFM. 5. In dentin remineralization small crystal precipitation occurred between the large crystals. We conclude that by adjusting acidulated buffer solution's degree of saturation, we can control enamel and dentin remineralization. In addition, the AFM is highly useful in evaluating changes in remineralized and demineralized hydroxyapatite crystals.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.207-220
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to build a substantive theory about the experience of the maternal uncertainty in childhood chronic illness. The qualitative research method used was grounded theory. The interviewees were 12 mothers who have cared for a child who had chronic illness. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with audiotape recording done by the investigator over a period of nine months. The data were analyzed simutaneously by a constant comparative method in which new data were continuously coded into categories and properties according to Strauss and Corbin's methodology. The 34 concepts were identified as a result of analyzing the grounded data. Ten categories emerged from the analysis. The categories were lack of clarity, unpredictability, unfamiliarity, negative change, anxiety, devotion normalization and burn-out. Causal conditions included : lack of clarity, unpredictability, unfamiliarity and change ; central phenomena : anxiety, being perplexed ; context. seriousness of illness, support ; intervening condition : belief action/interaction strategies devotion, overprotection ; consequences : normalization, burn-out. These categories were synthesized into the core concept-anxiety. The process of experiencing uncertainty was 1) Entering the world of uncertainty, 2) Struggling in the tunnel of uncertainty, 3) Reconstruction of the situation of uncertainty. Four hypotheses were derived from the analysis : (1) The higher the lack of clarity, unpredictability, unfamiliaity, change, the higher the level of uncertainty (2) The more serious the illness and the less the support, the higher the level of uncertainty. (3) The positive believes will influence the devoted care and normalization of the family life. Through this substantive theory, pediatric nurses can understand the process of experiencing maternal uncertainty in childhood chronic illness. Further research to build substantive theories to explain other uncertainties may contribute to a formal theory of how normalization is achieved in the family with chronically ill child.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.289-304
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the illness experience of married Korean women with epilepsy. Methods: Data were collected during 2015~2016 through individual in-depth interviews with 12 married women with epilepsy. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological analysis to uncover the meaning of the illness experience of the participants. Results: The study results showed that the illness experience of married Korean women with epilepsy was clustered into a specific description of situated structure and a general description of situated structure. Six themes from 20 meaning units were identified: 1) Undermined self-esteem with stigma of being epileptic; 2) Limited social interaction; 3) Suffering sorrow as a 'disqualified being'; 4) Shuttling back and forth across the boundary between healthy and epileptic; 5) Desperate struggle to meet the expectation of given role; 6) Self-empowering through self-restriction and realization. Conclusion: The findings from this study show that both the enacted and felt stigma of epilepsy impact on the life of married Korean women with epilepsy. Although the participants face social and interpersonal restriction and prejudices, they try their best to fulfill their role rather than to be cared for as patients. As the stigma and hardships of the participants are related to lack of knowledge, health professionals should focus not just on clinical intervention but also on providing targeted educational programs and counseling for these women to dispel the stigma of the disease and to increase their quality of life.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.74-82
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• 2011

All the phenomena and subjects of nature and society are within correlation interconnection, and they are inseparably connected one another. The elements of this interaction can be found out through the concept of transparency in the space composition of Korean traditional architecture. This study is focusing on the access space, in other words, a gate-house that is a buffer zone playing a process role up to the main space among successive spaces. It was chosen to be the subject of the study since it strengthens convergence into the main building and with the effect connecting spaces, it could show well the spatial possibility of transparency. Besides, the subject of the study is limited to the Moonru Multi roofs that improves the functionality of spaces between gate-houses, and it is intended to progress contents by comparative analysis of two kinds such as Seo Won gate-house and temple gate-house. Korean traditional architecture places emphasis on harmony within the whole spaces. There are intimate relations between surrounding environment, external spaces and internal spaces, and it is important understand the spatial relations according to the shape appearing through interactions of parts in the whole spaces. In conclusion, the Moonru Multi roofs is analyzed with the method of extracting the concept that is contained in the frame of analysis and through ecological views through a visible and structural method. It can be understood what kinds of method for communication were used for ancestors to recognize and use spaces with the deduced concept through the analysis of the Moonru Multi roofs with different character.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.81-89
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• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of early revegetation by analyzing the characteristics of germination and growth of Chrysanthemum zawadskii using vegetation-plant in rock slopes. After making up a growing basis of approximately 20-cm depth and 10-cm diameter by using a boring machine, the surface of rock slopes was planted with vegetation-plant. The number of germinating populations by soil media was 41 in H.s, 4 in T.s, 3 in M.s, and 0 in M.g.s. The germination rate (%) by soil media was 20.0% in H.s, 3.3% in T.s, 2.5% in M.s and 0% in M.g.s. In monthly changes of growth rate, the aspect was northwest direction, the soil media was H.s, and the treatment was microorganism plot. The main factors affecting survivorship and growth of population were soil media and treatment plot. The interaction between each factor had a good effects in bearing x treatment plot, soil media x treatment plot. but, it is recommended that the mulching of vegetation plant is highly needed to help the germination of seed and growth of vegetation because of loss of seed and soil media occurred due to rainfall. Therefore, The result suggests that the revegetation technique using boring in rock slope was very efficient in respect of the early revegetation and the landscape.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.187-201
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• 2022

Purpose: This study discovered a substantive theory of the experience and process of peer support work among people with mental illness. Methods: The participants were members of community-based mental health facilities and had been working as peer supporters for more than six months. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with twelve participants and analyzed using Corbin and Strauss's grounded theory approach. Results: The core category was "becoming a healer going with patients in the journey of recovery," and the core phenomenon was "identity confusion as a peer supporter." The causal conditions were "starting peer support work without certainty" and "standing at the boundary between the therapist and patient." The intervening conditions were "willingness to become a successful peer supporter," "feeling a sense of homogeneity with the patient," "accepting the mental illness," and "support from people around." The action and interaction strategies were "letting go of greed," "being open about oneself," "developing professional skills," "maintaining wellness in the body and mind," and "being with the patient." The consequences were "becoming a useful person," "changing attitude toward life," "expansion of the sense of self-existence," "recovering from mental illness," and "discovering a role as peer supporter." Finally, the substantive theory of "becoming a healer going with patients in the journey of recovery" was derived. Conclusion: This study provides a holistic understanding of peer support work and the implications of interventions to help people with mental illness in a person-centered recovery process.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2023

By conducting three-dimensional simulation with consideration of small-strain characteristics of soil stiffness, the effects of excavation geometry and tunnel cover to diameter ratio on deformation mechanisms of an existing tunnel located either at a side of basement or directly underneath the basement were systematically studied. Field measurements were used to verify the numerical model and model parameters. For basement excavated at a side of an existing tunnel, the maximum settlement and horizontal displacement of the tunnel are always observed at the tunnel springline closer to basement and tunnel crown, respectively, regardless of basement geometry. By increasing basement length and width by five times, the maximum movements of tunnel located at the side of basement and directly underneath the basement increase by 450% and 186%, respectively. Obviously, tunnel movements are more sensitive to basement length rather than basement width. For basement excavated at a side of an existing tunnel, tunnel movements at basement centerline become stable when basement length reaches 10 H_e (i.e., final excavation depth). Moreover, tunnel heaves due to overlying basement excavation become stable when the normalized basement length (L/H_e) is larger than 8.0. As tunnel cover to diameter ratio varies from 2.5 to 3.0, the maximum heave and tensile strain of tunnel due to overlying basement excavation decrease by up to 41.0% and 44.5%, respectively. If basement length is less than 8 H_e, the assumption of plane strain condition of basement-tunnel interaction grossly overestimates tunnel movements, and ignores tensile strain of tunnel along its longitudinal direction. Thus, three-dimensional numerical analyses are required to obtain a reasonable estimation of tunnel responses due to adjacent and overlying basement excavations in clay.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.75-85
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• 2006

In recent geotechnical engineering, geothermal approach has been on the horizon to deal with geoenvironmental issues, freezing and thawing problems, and seepage phenomenon in dams and embankments. In this study, geothermal characteristic through inner body of dams and its influence on the seepage flow were experimented by lab test and field instrumentation. Also, one of up-to-date temperature monitoring technique, called as multi-channel thermal line sensing, was evaluated its availability. As a result of lab test, it is found that the seepage flow has influence on the geothermal characteristic and a potential of finding phreatic line and seepage fluctuation could be possible by continuous temperature monitoring using thermal line sensing skills. These kine of geothermal information could be available to the modelling of water geo-structure interaction. Out of short-term field tests, clear water table and temperature distribution of a dam were easily found through temperature monitoring in holes located near a reservoir and holes within a depth of constant temperature layer. However, it is also found that the geothermal flow and finding seepage line could not be easily understandable through multi-channel temperature monitoring because of the existence of constant temperature field, thermal conductivity of soils and rocks, and unsaturated characteristics of geo-material. In this case, long-term geothermal monitoring is recommended to find sudden fluctuation of seepage line and amount of leakage.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.20 no.6 s.73
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• pp.54-60
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• 2006

This study discusses characteristic of spatiotemporal changes of the sand barrier in the Nakdong estuarine for the last century, focusing on geomarphologic evolution and mobility of sand barriers in the view of coastal engineering. The Nakdong estuarine, the research subject, has a complexly changing natural environment by interaction between ground and marine elements such as ocean wave, tidal current, sediment, etc. Moreover, recently, unnatural geomorphologic changes (e.g., seaside reclamation, new harbor construction, etc.) has been radically increased in this area with increasing desire for coastal development. Because of this, its sand barrier has developed quite unstable condition. Therefore, to identify the development process of geomorphologic changes in this area, required is a close examination on historical characteristics of spatiotemporal changes of the sand barrier in relation to surrounding seaside reclamation and physical environmental changes. This study, based on the marine charts published in between 1927 and 1995 year, analyzes the length and area of the sand barrier for the last hundred years, and investigates the cause of the changes by looking into the change of water depth for the last two years and doing ocean-physical site observations. In conclusion, the sand barrier of the Nakdong estuarine expands toward the open sea by $7.4{\sim}26m$ in annual average, maintaining a fixed distance of $1,241{\sim}1.279m$, and its area is expected to increase about $2.8km^2$ annually. This is characterized by the wocean wave from the open sea and the discharge of Nakdong River.