• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.177-180
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• 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to examine whether the effects of acupotomy therapy were beneficial for the treatment of protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disc. Methods: The number of patients (n = 80) were equally assigned into treatment group and control group. Treatment group was given acupotomy therapy twice a week, and control group was given acupuncture 3 times a week, for 4 weeks. The beneficial effect and changes in score of the Japan Orthopedic Association (JOA) for low back pain were observed. Results: Among 40 cases in the treatment group, there were 25 (62.5%) with an excellent effect, 13 (32.5%) with good effect, 1 (2.5%) with a medium effect and 1 (2.5%) with poor effect, with the total experiencing an excellent/good effect of 95.0%. Among 40 cases in the control group, there were 11 (27.5%) with an excellent effect, 17 (42.5%) with good effect, 10 (25.0%) with a medium effect, and 2 (5.0%) with poor effect, with an excellent/good rate of 70.0%. The result of the rank sum test showed Z = -4.923, p < 0.05 in the comparison, indicating a significantly better outcome following acupotomy compared with acupuncture. JOA scores increased in both groups after treatment (p < 0.05), which was more significant in the acupotomy treatment group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Acupotomy therapy has a beneficial effect on protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disc.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.161-166
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and direction of treatment for peripheral facial palsy (PFP) based on medical collaboration between Western and Korean medicine departments. Methods: There were 195 outpatients with PFP identified retrospectively by examining electronic medical records. These patients were treated with Korean and Western medicine from January 1^st, 2018 to December 31^st, 2018 at the Kyung Hee University hospital. Records were analyzed according to the patients' demographic characteristics and clinical features of the collaborative combined treatment. Results: According to the collaborative treatment pathway, the number of patients consulted from Western medicine departments was more than consulted from Korean department for the first time. The time taken by the Western medicine departments to consult with the patients at the Korean center for the first time was 14.9 days from the onset of symptoms. Acupuncture was the most frequently used Korean medicine treatment. The total treatment period for Korean medicine sessions and intervals were 91.9 days, 23 times and 3.6 days, respectively. When the Korean medicine center consulted with Western medicine departments, the time taken until the first consultation was 8.5 days from the onset of symptoms. Medication was the most used treatment, prescribed after 3.1 days. The most frequently used clinical test was an electromyogram, and this was performed after 20.5 days. The total treatment period, sessions and intervals were 21.2 days, 2.8 times and 5 days, respectively. Conclusion: The clinical status of collaborative treatment for PFP was determined including the timing and interval of consultation according to treatments.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2006

The removal of protozoa in the coagulation process was evaluated under the different pH and turbidity using the jar test after the addition of polyaluminium chloride (PAC) as a coagulant. Two well-known protozoa of Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia were tested at the same time with turbidity, the critical water quality parameter of the water treatment process. Both protozoa were removed about 1log (and up to 2log) at the optimum injection of PAC. The source water turbidity and pH affected the removal of protozoa and turbidity. At neutral and alkaline pH, 1.3-1.7log removal of protozoa for low turbid water with 5NTU, and 1.6-2.3log removal for high turbid water with 30NTU were achieved. However, at acidic pH, maximum 0.8-1.0log and 1.1-1.2log were removed for low and high turbid water, respectively, at the optimum PAC injection of 15mg/L. The relation of protozoa and turbidity removals were expressed as the 1st order equation (significantly positive relation) in the most of the tested conditions. In addition, the relation of protozoan removals with residual turbidity were also expressed the 1st order equation (significantly negative relation), although the significance of the equations were reduced at acidic pH. Therefore, residual turbidity could be a good index of efficient protozoan removal in the coagulation process, probably except at the low pH condition.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.505-511
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• 2012

While the existing sewage treatment facilities are mainly being operated by biological processes, winter-time efficiency improvement and additional phosphorus treatment equipment using chemicals have been required to follow the effluent criteria of TP (0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 mg/L for the zone of I, II and III respectively) and $BOD_5$ (5.0 mg/L) which is intensified from 2012 in Republic of Korea. We made an investigation into actual condition of biological treatment process and calculated the optimal chemical input amount by jar test of supernatant of secondary sedimentation tank to evaluate the process improvement for the intensified criteria. Ejector BAF system for removing TP, $BOD_5$ of sewage effluent was suggested. The concentration of TP from biological process is 0.3-0.8 mg/L, and the input amount of optimal chemical coagulant was above Al/P ratio of 3(1.9 mg/L as Al) to meet the criteria of TP for secondary treatment effluent. From the results of this experiment, the best Al/P ratio for Ejector BAF system was about Al/P ratio of 1, and LV of BAF process for intensified criteria of $BOD_5$ and TP was below 1.97m/hr.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.9 no.7
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• pp.1588-1593
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• 2005

In coagulant control of water treatment plants, rule extraction, one of datamining categories, was performed for coagulant control of a water treatment plant. Clustering methods were applied to extract control rules from data. These control rules can be used for fully automation of water treatment plants instead of operator's knowledge for plant control. To perform fuzzy clustering, there are some coefficients to be determined and these kinds of studies have been performed over decades such as clustering indices. In this study, statistical indices were taken to calculate the number of clusters. Simultaneously, seed points were found out based on hierarchical clustering. These statistical approaches give information about features of clusters, so it can reduce computing cost and increase accuracy of clustering. The proposed algorithm can play an important role in datamining and knowledge discovery.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.150-153
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• 2016

This study evaluates the efficacy of titanium tetrachloride ($TiCl_4$) on phosphorus (P) removal in synthetic wastewater. Jar test experiments were performed at various $TiCl_4$ concentration (0.25-0.59 mM), and intensities of slow (30-60 rpm) and rapid (100-250 rpm) mixings to determine the conditions at which P removal was most efficient. The P-removal efficiency was highest (about 99%) at $TiCl_4$ concentration $([TiCl_4])=0.39mM$ with rapid-mixing intensity=100 rpm and slow-mixing intensity=30 rpm. The slow-mixing intensity was more sensitive than the rapid-mixing intensity to the P removal efficiency when [$TiCl_4$] was low ($0.25{\leq}[TiCl_4]{\leq}0.27mM$).

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.20 no.3 s.57
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• pp.36-43
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• 2005

Prior to the study of the sewage treatment methods, water quality for Gwangju sewage of fluent was investigated from January to December, 2004 for sewage water reuse. Monthly mean values of BOD, SS, turbidity, total phosphorus and color were 4.1 mg/L, 2.9 mg/L, 0.8 NTU, 1.3 mg/L, and 27 unit, respectively. Jar-test was performed to investigate the removal efficiency of pollutants under the coagulation conditions of fast mixing for 5 min, slow mixing for 15 min and precipitation for 1hr. Here, alum and polyaluminium chloride (PAC) were used as coagulants to reduce color, turbidity, total phosphorus (TP) and total organic carbon (TOC) in sewage effluents. The results showed that PAC gave better efficiency in removing turbidity and dissolved phosphorus than alum. It was also found from the relative molecular weight (RMW) distribution analysis that organic matter over 1,000 Dalton (Da) was easily removed by coagulation and subsequently MF treatment, while it was not effective for less than 500 Da. Based on tis result, Natural organic matter (NOM) with lower molecular weight (< 500 Da) may cause harmful disinfectant by-product (DBP) after chlorine treatment. Thus, activated carbon adsorption seems to be required for the complete removal of DBP in the hybrid system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.243-252
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• 2007

Effects of alum dosage on the particle growth were investigated by monitoring particle counts in a rapid mixing process. Kaolin was used for turbid water sample and several other chemicals were added to adjust pH and ionic strength. The range of velocity gradient and mixing time applied for rapid mixing were $200{\sim}300sec^{-1}$ and 30~180 sec, respectively. Particle distribution in the synthetic water sample was close to the natural water where their turbidity was same. The number of particles in the range of $10.0{\sim}12.0{\mu}m$ increased rapidly with rapid mixing time at alum dose of 20mg/L, however, the number of $8.0{\sim}9.0{\mu}m$ particles increased at alum dose of 50mg/L. The number of $14.0{\sim}25.0{\mu}m$ particles at alum dose of 20mg/L was 10 times higher than them at alum dose of 50mg/L. Dominant particle growth was monitored at the lower alum dose than the optimum dose from a jar test at an extended rapid mixing time(about 120 sec). The number of $8.0{\sim}14.0{\mu}m$ particles was lower both at a higher alum doses and higher G values. At G value of $200sec^{-1}$ and at alum dose of 10-20mg/L, residual turbidity was lower as the mixing time increased. But at alum dose above 40mg/L and at same G value, lower residual turbidity occurred in a short rapid mixing time. Low residual turbidity at G value of $300sec^{-1}$ occurred both at lower alum doses and at shorter mixing time comparing to the results at G value of $200sec^{-1}$.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2018

Background: The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of acupuncture treatment for the management of subacute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain in patients with traumatic multiple rib fractures. Methods: A total of 30 participants who have undergone thoracotomy after traumatic multiple rib fractures will be recruited. Participants will be invited and equally randomised into acupuncture plus usual care and usual care alone groups. A computer-generated random number sequence will be used and concealed using opaque, sealed, sequentially numbered envelopes. Twelve sessions of manual and electrical acupuncture performed by Korean medicine doctors will be provided over a span of 3 months to participants allocated to the acupuncture group. Participants in the usual care group will continue pain medication, exercise and physical therapy as required. Study feasibility will be measured based on the proportion of patients who complete the measurement of pain at 12 or 24 weeks after baseline. The clinical outcomes will include; the average pain intensity over the recent week at rest, movement and cough, quality of life, patient's global assessment of recovery, respiratory function measured by the pulmonary function test and use of pain medication at 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks after enrolment. Adverse events will be recorded for all participants. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The local ethics committee has approved the study. This pilot trial will inform further studies investigating the potential role of acupuncture for subacute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain in patients with traumatic multiple rib fractures.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 2020

Background: Parkinson's disease(PD) affects not only motor symptoms, but also nonmotor symptoms. This study is a clinical trial to determine whether Qigong and acupuncture affect nonmotor symptoms of PD. Methods: A 2-arm parallel and randomized trial was performed with 21 participants who had received either Qigong meditation only [control group (CG)] or acupuncture and Qigong meditation [experimental group (EG)]. The participants' levels of the discomfort in nonmotor symptoms from Parkinson's disease were evaluated by using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scales (UPDRS 1) and Test of Smell Identification (TSI) before and after 12 treatments at baseline and 1 month after 12 treatments. Results: The both CG and EG showed improvements in the UPDRS 1 score after treatment by 5.6 ± 5.15 (p= 0.003; 74%) and 4.8 ± 3.80 (p = 0.004; 79%), respectively. The both CG and the EG did improvements in the TSI after treatment by 10.3 ± 4.37 (p < 0.001; 84%) and 12.6 ± 1.77 (p = 0.022; 100%), respectively. However, statistical differences were not observed between the CG and the EG using the UPDRS 1 and the TSI scores. Conclusion: The combination of Qigong and acupuncture and Qigong alone was shown to improve the nonmotor symptoms and olfactory function of PD. In the future, large-scale clinical studies on alternative treatment for PD and studies on mechanisms affecting nonmotor symptoms of acupuncture and Qigong are needed.