• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.109-126
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• 2018

This paper presents seasonal variation of $PM_{10}$ over five urban sites in Sabah, Malaysia for the period of January through December 2012. The variability of $PM_{10}$ along with the diurnal and weekly cycles of CO, $NO_2$, $SO_2$, and $O_3$ at Kota Kinabalu site were also discussed to investigate the possible sources for increased $PM_{10}$ concentration at the site. This work is crucial to understand the behaviour and possible sources of $PM_{10}$ in the urban atmosphere of Sabah region. In Malaysia, many air pollution studies in the past focused in west Peninsular, but very few local studies were dedicated for Sabah region. This work aims to fill the gap by presenting the descriptive statistics on the variability of $PM_{10}$ concentration in the urban atmosphere of Sabah. To further examine its diurnal and weekly cycle pattern, its responses towards the variations of CO, $NO_2$, $SO_2$, and ozone were also investigated. The highest mean value of $PM_{10}$ for the whole study period is seen from Tawau ($35.7{\pm}17.8{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), while the lowest is from Keningau ($31.9{\pm}18.6{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$). The concentrations of $PM_{10}$ in all cities exhibited seasonal variations with the peak values occurred during the south-west monsoons. The $PM_{10}$ data consistently exhibited strong correlations with traffic related gaseous pollutants ($NO_2$, and CO), except for $SO_2$ and $O_3$. The analysis of diurnal cycles of $PM_{10}$ levels indicated that two peaks were associated during the morning and evening rush hours. The bimodal distribution of $PM_{10}$, CO, and $NO_2$ in the front and at the back of ozone peak is a representation of urban air pollution pattern. In the weekly cycle, higher $PM_{10}$, CO, and $NO_2$ concentrations were observed during the weekday when compared to weekend. The characteristics of $NO_2$ concentration rationed to CO and $SO_2$ suggests that mobile sources is the dominant factor for the air pollution in Kota Kinabalu; particularly during weekdays.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.202-225
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• 2017

Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) has gained a lot of significance over the years as a means of income generation. Forests are playing a vital role in the supply of these products, however, due to their continuous extraction, the population of many species might have depleted. Very little information is known about community structure and population status of NTFPs. No specific studies have been made to find out the occurrence, availability of species and population status in the forests, supplying the resources. The present study has been carried out in community forests of the naturally occurring NTFPs in the temperate forest of the Ziro valley of Arunachal Pradesh. The main aim is to determine community structure, species composition and population status of NTFPs. Three forest stands viz., Nyilii, Dura and Gyachi were selected which are used by the Apatani tribe for extraction of the NTFPs. For evaluation of species composition and community characteristics, the sampling of the vegetation was done using the quadrat method. A total 137 species representing 68 families and 116 genera were recorded. Herbs represent the maximum diversity with 71 species followed by 35 shrub species and 31 tree species. The families Asteraceae and Rosaceaeae exhibited maximum representation followed by Urticaceae. The species under Fagaceae, Lauraceae, Rosaceae and Rutaceae were found to be important NTFP yielding species. Highest species richness was recorded in Nyilii having 124 species, while lowest in Dura with 102 species. Density of tree, shrub and herb ranged between 376 to $456\;individuals\;ha^{-1}$, 2848 to $3696\;individuals\;ha^{-1}$ and 31.44 to $36.64\;individuals\;m^{-2}$, respectively. The total basal area was found to be highest ($51.64m^2\;ha^{-1}$) in Dura followed by Nyilii ($25.32m^2\;ha^{-1}$) and lowest in Gyachi ($22.82m^2\;ha^{-1}$). In all the three study stands the species diversity indices showed the trend, herbs > shrubs > trees while the evenness index showed the trend as shrubs > herbs > trees. The overall species similarity index was highest (82.35%) between Dura and Gyachi. About 80% of the total recorded species showed clumped distribution while, no regular distribution was shown by any species. The three selected stands harbor about 50 important NTFP yielding species which are being used commonly by the Apatani people in their day to day life. Among the three study sites, overall diversity of NTFP was found highest in the Nyilii stand while the density of population was found better in Dura and Gyachi stands. The population of many species was found to be low due to continue harvesting without any sustainable management by the communities. All the selected forest stands have the potentiality to grow the high value NTFP yielding species and if managed properly, they can support the livelihood and economy of the local communities.

• Journal of the HCI Society of Korea
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2006

We suggest a graphical representation of the tension flow in tonal music using a piecewise parametric curve, which is a function of time illustrating the changing degree of tension in a corresponding chord progression. The tension curve can be edited by using conventional curve editing techniques to reharmonize the original music with reflecting the user's demand to control the tension of music. We introduce three different methods to measure the tension of a chord in terms of a specific key, which can be used to represent the tension of the chord numerically. Then, by interpolating the series of numerical tension values, a tension curve is constructed. In this paper, we show the tension curve editing method can be effectively used in several interesting applications: enhancing or weakening the overall feeling of tension in a whole song, the local control of tension in a specific region of music, the progressive transition of tension flow from source to target chord progressions, and natural connection of two songs with maintaining the smoothness of the tension flow. Our work shows the possibility of controlling the perceptual factor (tension) in music by using numerical methods. Most of the computations used in this paper are not expensive so they can be calculated in real time. We think that an interesting application of our method is an interactive modification of tension in background music according to the user's emotion or current scenario in the interactive environments such as games.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.167-181
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• 2010

To predict changes in the marine environment of the Beolgyo Stream Estuary in Jeonnam Province, South Korea, where cohesive tidal flats cover a broad area and a large bridge is under construction, this study conducted numerical simulations involving tidal flow and cohesive sediment transport. A wetting and drying (WAD) technique for tidal flats from the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) was applied to a large-scale-grid hydrodynamic module capable of evaluating the flow resistance of structures. Derivation of the eddy viscosity coefficient for wakes created by structures was accomplished through the explicit use of shear velocity and Chezy's average velocity. Furthermore, various field observations, including of tide, tidal flow, suspended sediment concentrations, bottom sediments, and water depth, were performed to verify the model and obtain input data for it. In particular, geologic parameters related to the evaluation of settling velocity and critical shear stresses for erosion and deposition were observed, and numerical tests for the representation of suspended sediment concentrations were performed to determine proper values for the empirical coefficients in the sediment transport module. According to the simulation results, the velocity variation was particularly prominent around the piers in the tidal channel. Erosion occurred mainly along the tidal channels near the piers, where bridge structures reduced the flow cross section, creating strong flow. In contrast, in the rear area of the structure, where the flow was relatively weak due to the formation of eddies, deposition and moderated erosion were predicted. In estuaries and coastal waters, changes in the flow environment caused by artificial structures can produce changes in the sedimentary environment, which in turn can affect the local marine ecosystem. The numerical model proposed in this study will enable systematic prediction of changes to flow and sedimentary environments caused by the construction of artificial structures.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.350-359
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• 2011

Fast developments of broadcasting technologies since 1990s enabled not only High Definition Television service providing high quality audiovisual contents at home but also mobile broadcasting service providing audiovisual contents to high speed moving vehicle. Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (T-DMB) is one of the technologies developed for mobile broadcasting service, which has been successfully commercialized. One of the major technical breakthroughs achieved by T-DMB in addition to robust vehicular reception is an adoption of framework based on MPEG-4 System. It naturally enables integrated interactive data services by using Binary Format for Scene (BIFS) technology for scene description and representation of graphics object and Object Descriptor Framework representing multimedia service components as objects. T-DMB interactive data service has two fundamental limitations. Firstly, graphic data for interactive service should be always overlaid on top of a video not to be rendered out of it. Secondly, data for interactive service is only received by broadcasting channel. These limitations were considered as general in broadcasting systems. However, they are being considered as hard limitations for personalized data services using location information and user characteristics which are becoming widely used for data services of smart devices in these days. In this paper, the architecture of T-DMB hybrid data service is proposed which is utilizing broadcasting network, wireless internet and local storage for delivering BIFS data to overcome these limitations. This paper also presents hybrid BIFS technology to implement T-DMB hybrid data service while maintaining backward compatibility with legacy T-DMB players.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2015

Exposure to cold sea water can be life-threatening to the drowned individual. Although appropriate life jacket can be usually be provided for the buoyance at the drowning accident, heat loss can make the drowned individual experience the hypothermia. Inflatable life jackets filled with inflatable air pocket can increase the thermal protection as well as the buoyancy force. Because it is important to know how the human body behaves unde the different life jacket, present study compares the thermal insulation capacity of solid type life jacket with that of inflatable life jacket. In order to represent the insulation capacity of life jacket, thermal resistance is estimated based on the assumption of steady-state. Also, a transient three-dimensional thermal distribution of the thigh is analyzed by using finite element method implementing the Pennes bioheat equation. The finite element model is a segmental, multi-layered representation of the body section which considers the heat conduction within tissue, bone, fat and local blood flow rate.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2014

Objectives: Though there are many studies about sleep disorder, no research has been performed on the utilization of oriental medicine as a treatment. Therefore, the oriental medical treatment pattern of Korean patients with sleep disorders was examined herein using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRAS). Methods: The medical records of patients with sleep disorders (G47) or nonorganic sleep disorders (F51) as a main diagnosis were adopted from the HIRAS database from 2011 to 2013. Analysis was performed on the number of patients and cost per patient, with comparison between oriental and western medicine in terms of gender, age, patient care service type, and hospital type. Results: 1) Regarding sleep disorders, the medical visits and insurance charges have been increasing. Western medicine was utilized 8 times more often than oriental medicine during 3 years. 2) There were 2.5 times more women than men. 3) Among all ages, the 50~59 year group had the highest representation. 4) In comparison of average portions of patient care type over 3 years, outpatients were the majority, while the number of visits of outpatients and hospitalization has been increasing. 5) Comparison of average portion of oriental hospital type over 3 years revealed oriental clinics to be used most. The use of general hospitals was higher in western medicine treatment, while public health centers used oriental medicine more. 6) Regarding average oriental medical cost per patient over 3 years, the total was 88,000 won, with 353,000 won for hospitalization and 85,000 won for outpatients. The outpatient cost has been increasing. 7) In line with 6, oriental medical hospitals cost 126,000 won, local clinics were 85,000 won, and etc. was 95,000 won. Average costs of all types have increased during 3 years, except oriental medical hospitals in 2013. Conclusions: This study provided objective information about the epidemiologic characteristic of oriental medicine used for treatment of sleep disorder. For expansion of oriental medical demand for sleep disorder, this study would be helpful in understanding the recent status.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.283-309
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• 2021

Achieving profound anesthesia in mandibular molars with irreversible pulpitis is a tedious task. This review aimed at evaluating the success of buccal/lingual infiltrations administered with a primary inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) injection or as a supplemental injection after the failure of the primary injection in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with irreversible pulpitis in human mandibular molars. The review question was "What will be the success of primary and supplemental infiltration injection in the endodontic treatment of patients with irreversible pulpitis in human mandibular molars?" We searched electronic databases, including Pubmed, Scopus, and Ebsco host and we did a comprehensive manual search. The review protocol was framed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist. We included clinical studies that evaluated and compared the anesthetic outcomes of primary IANB with primary and/or supplementary infiltration injections. Standard evaluation of the included studies was performed and suitable data and inferences were assessed. Twenty-six studies were included, of which 13 were selected for the meta-analysis. In the forest plot representation of the studies evaluating infiltrations, the combined risk ratio (RR) was 1.88 (95% CI: 1.49, 2.37), in favor of the secondary infiltrations with a statistical heterogeneity of 77%. The forest plot analysis for studies comparing primary IANB + infiltration versus primary IANB alone showed a low heterogeneity (0%). The included studies had similar RRs and the combined RR was 1.84 (95% CI: 1.44, 2.34). These findings suggest that supplemental infiltrations given along with a primary IANB provide a better success rate. L'Abbe plots were generated to measure the statistical heterogeneity among the studies. Trial sequential analysis suggested that the number of patients included in the analysis was adequate. Based on the qualitative and quantitative analyses, we concluded that the infiltration technique, either as a primary injection or as a supplementary injection, given after the failure of primary IANB, increases the overall anesthetic efficacy.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.508-518
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• 2023

This paper presents a new approach for the automatic mapping of discontinuities in a tunnel face based on its 3D digital model reconstructed by LiDAR scan or photogrammetry techniques. The main idea revolves around the identification of discontinuity areas in the 3D digital model of a tunnel face by segmenting its 2D projected images using a deep-learning semantic segmentation model called U-Net. The proposed deep learning model integrates various features including the projected RGB image, depth map image, and local surface properties-based images i.e., normal vector and curvature images to effectively segment areas of discontinuity in the images. Subsequently, the segmentation results are projected back onto the 3D model using depth maps and projection matrices to obtain an accurate representation of the location and extent of discontinuities within the 3D space. The performance of the segmentation model is evaluated by comparing the segmented results with their corresponding ground truths, which demonstrates the high accuracy of segmentation results with the intersection-over-union metric of approximately 0.8. Despite still being limited in training data, this method exhibits promising potential to address the limitations of conventional approaches, which only rely on normal vectors and unsupervised machine learning algorithms for grouping points in the 3D model into distinct sets of discontinuities.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.705-720
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• 2024

Analyzing the collapse behavior of thin-walled steel structures holds significant importance in ensuring their safety and longevity. Geometric imperfections present on the surface of metal materials can diminish both the durability and mechanical integrity of steel shells. These imperfections, encompassing local geometric irregularities and deformations such as holes, cavities, notches, and cracks localized in specific regions of the shell surface, play a pivotal role in the assessment. They can induce stress concentration within the structure, thereby influencing its susceptibility to buckling. The intricate relationship between the buckling behavior of these structures and such imperfections is multifaceted, contingent upon a variety of factors. The buckling analysis of thin-walled steel shell structures, similar to other steel structures, commonly involves the determination of crucial material properties, including elastic modulus, shear modulus, tensile strength, and fracture toughness. An established method involves the emulation of distributed geometric imperfections, utilizing real test specimen data as a basis. This approach allows for the accurate representation and assessment of the diversity and distribution of imperfections encountered in real-world scenarios. Utilizing defect data obtained from actual test samples enhances the model's realism and applicability. The sizes and configurations of these defects are employed as inputs in the modeling process, aiding in the prediction of structural behavior. It's worth noting that there is a dearth of experimental studies addressing the influence of geometric defects on the buckling behavior of cylindrical steel shells. In this particular study, samples featuring geometric imperfections were subjected to experimental buckling tests. These same samples were also modeled using Finite Element Analysis (FEM), with results corroborating the experimental findings. Furthermore, the initial geometrical imperfections were measured using digital image correlation (DIC) techniques. In this way, the response of the test specimens can be estimated accurately by applying the initial imperfections to FE models. After validation of the test results with FEA, a numerical parametric study was conducted to develop more generalized design recommendations for the stainless-steel shell structures with the initial geometric imperfection. While the load-carrying capacity of samples with perfect surfaces was up to 140 kN, the load-carrying capacity of samples with 4 mm defects was around 130 kN. Likewise, while the load carrying capacity of samples with 10 mm defects was around 125 kN, the load carrying capacity of samples with 14 mm defects was measured around 120 kN.