• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.231-236
• /
• 2009

Objectives : This study was conducted to determine the appropriate sampling time of the salivary stress markers, chromogranin A (CgA) and cortisol as objective indices of job stress assessment in adult females. Methods : The subjects were 20${\sim}$39-year-old women (13 office workers, 11 sales-service workers, and 11 college students) who were eligible for the study and free of acute and chronic medical conditions. Salivary CgA and cortisol levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Saliva samples were collected (2 $m{\ell}$ each) at 7:00, 8:00, 10:30, 12:00, 17:30, and 22:30 on a typical day. Salivary CgA and cortisol levels, according to sampling time, were compared among the three groups using general linear model. The full version of the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS), which includes socioeconomic characteristics, health behavior, workrelated characteristics, and BMI, was used to access the subjects' job stress. Multiple regression analysis of the job stressors identified by the KOSS was performed on salivary CgA and cortisol levels. Results : The salivary CgA level peaked at 7:00 (time of awakening), then decreased and were maintained at a low level throughout the day, and increased slightly at 17:30. The salivary cortisol level increased steeply within the 1st hour after awakening, followed by a gradual decrease by 12:00, and was then maintained at a low level throughout the day. The salivary cortisol levels of subjects who worked ${\leq}$5 days per week and graduated from the university were significantly lower at 8:00 (p=0.006). The salivary cortisol levels of non-smokers were significantly lower at 7:00 p=0.040) and 8:00 (p=0.003) compared to smokers. There were no significant differences in salivary CgA and cortisol levels at 10:30 and 12:00 in general characteristics. The regression coefficients on salivary CgA level were significant with interpersonal conflict at 17:30 and job insecurity at 22:30. Regression coefficients on salivary cortisol level were significant with organizational system and total job stressors at 17:30. Conclusions : We suggest that the appropriate sampling times for the salivary stress markers, CgA and cortisol, are at 7:00 (time of awakening), 8:00 (1 hour after awakening), 17:30 (early evening), and 22:30 (before sleep).

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.314-322
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the hot air drying characteristics of squash slices depending on the drying conditions (input air velocity, input air temperature, and sample thickness). Methods: The developed drying system was equipped with a controllable air blower and electric finned heater, drying chamber, and ventilation fan. Squash (summer squash called Korean zucchini) samples were cut into slices of two different thicknesses (5 and 10 mm). These were then dried at two different input air temperatures (60 and $70^{\circ}C$) and air velocities (5 and 7 m/s). Six well-known drying models were tested to describe the experimental drying data. A non-linear regression analysis was applied to determine model constants and statistical indices such as the coefficient of determination ($R^2$), reduced chi-square (${\chi}^2$), and root mean square error (RMSE). In addition, the effective moisture diffusivity ($D_{eff}$) was estimated based on the curve of ln(MR) versus drying time. Results: The results clearly showed that drying time decreased with an increase in input air temperature. Slice thickness also affected the drying time. Air velocity had a greater influence on drying time at $70^{\circ}C$ than at $60^{\circ}C$ for both thicknesses. All drying models accurately described the drying curve of squash slices regardless of slice thickness and drying conditions; the Modified Henderson and Pabis model had the best performance with the highest R2 and the lowest RMSE values. The effective moisture diffusivity ($D_{eff}$) changes, obtained from Fick's diffusion method, were between $1.67{\times}10^{-10}$ and $7.01{\times}10^{-10}m^2/s$. The moisture diffusivity was increased with an increase in input air temperature, velocity, and thickness. Conclusions: The drying time of squash slices varied depending on input temperature, velocity, and thickness of slices. The further study is necessary to figure out optimal drying condition for squash slices with retaining its original quality.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2008.10a
• /
• pp.51-56
• /
• 2008

The waveform inversion for isotropic media has ever been studied since the 1980s, but there has been few studies for anisotropic media. We present a seismic waveform inversion algorithm for 2-D heterogeneous transversely isotropic structures. A cell-based finite difference algorithm for anisotropic media in time domain is adopted. The steepest descent during the non-linear iterative inversion approach is obtained by backpropagating residual errors using a reverse time migration technique. For scaling the gradient of a misfit function, we use the pseudo Hessian matrix which is assumed to neglect the zero-lag auto-correlation terms of impulse responses in the approximate Hessian matrix of the Gauss-Newton method. We demonstrate the use of these waveform inversion algorithm by applying them to a two layer model and the anisotropic Marmousi model data. With numerical examples, we show that it's difficult to converge to the true model when we assumed that anisotropic media are isotropic. Therefore, it is expected that our waveform inversion algorithm for anisotropic media is adequate to interpret real seismic exploration data.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.19 no.4 s.74
• /
• pp.429-440
• /
• 2006

This paper comprises two specific objectives. The first is to examine the applicability of ordinary kriging interpolation(OK) to the p-adaptivity of the finite element method that is based on variogram modeling. The second objective Is to present the adaptive procedure by the hierarchical p-refinement in conjunction with a posteriori error estimator using the modified S.P.R. (superconvergent patch recovery) method. The ordinary kriging method that is one of weighted interpolation techniques is applied to obtain the estimated exact solution from the stress data at the Gauss points. The weight factor is determined by experimental and theoretical variograms for interpolation of stress data apart from the conventional interpolation methods that use an equal weight factor. In the p-refinement, the analytical domain has to be refined automatically to obtain an acceptable level of accuracy by increasing the p-level non-uniformly or selectively. To verify the performance of the modified S.P.R. method, the new error estimator based on limit value has been proposed. The validity of the proposed approach has been tested with the help of some benchmark problems of linear elastic fracture mechanics such as a centrally cracked panel, a single edged crack, and a double edged crack.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.32-44
• /
• 2002

The role of radiology department has been greatly increased in the past few years as the technology in the medical imaging devices improved and the introduction of PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) to the conventional film-based diagnostic structure is a truly remarkable factor to the medical history. In addition, the value of using digital information in medical imaging is highly expected to grow as the technology over the computer and the network improves. However, the current medical practice, using PACS is somewhat limited compared to the film-based conventional one due to a poor image quality. The image quality is the most important and inevitable factor in the PACS environment and it is one of the most necessary steps to more wide practice of digital imaging. The existing image quality control tools are limited in controlling images produced from the medical modalities, because they cannot display the real image changing status. Thus, the image quality is distorted and the ability to diagnosis becomes hindered compared to the one of the film-based practice. In addition, the workflow of the radiologist greatly increases; as every doctor has to perform his or her own image quality control every time they view images produced from the medical modalities. To resolve these kinds of problems and enhance current medical practice under the PACS environment, we have developed a program to display a better image quality by using the ROI optical density of the existing gray level values. When the LUT is used properly, small detailed regions, which cannot be seen by using the existing image quality controls are easily displayed and thus, greatly improves digital medical practice. The purpose of this study is to provide an easier medical practice to physicians, by applying the technology of converting the H-D curves of the analog film screen to the digital imaging technology and to preset image quality control values to each exposed body part, modality and group of physicians for a better and easier medical practice. We have asked to 5 well known professional physicians to compare image quality of the same set of exam by using the two different methods: existing image quality control and the LUT technology. As the result, the LUT technology was enormously favored over the existing image quality control method. All the physicians have pointed out the far more superiority of the LUT over the existing image quality control method and highly praised its ability to display small detailed regions, which cannot be displayed by existing image quality control tools. Two physicians expressed the necessity of presetting the LUT values for each exposed body part. Overall, the LUT technology yielded a great interest among the physicians and highly praised for its ability to overcome currently embedded problems of PACS. We strongly believe that the LUT technology can enhance the current medical practice and open a new beginning in the future medical imaging.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.404-412
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate postsurgical facial hard tissue stability after orthognathic surgery with/without posterior impaction in skeletal class III malocclusion patients, and to evaluate the horizontal relapse tendency, according to changes in anteroposterior discrepancy and occlusal planes. Methods: Ninety patients, who had undergone orthognathic surgery in Pusan National University Dental Hospital, were enrolled in this study. Three main groups were classified as follows: Thirty patients underwent mandibular setback bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) only (BSSRO group, BG); another thirty patients underwent mandibular setback BSSRO and Le Fort I osteotomy with posterior impaction (posterior impaction group, PG); and another thirty patients underwent mandibular setback BSSRO and Le Fort I osteotomy without posterior impaction (non-posterior impaction group, NPG). Preoperative (T0), immediate postoperative (T1) and six-month follow-up period (T2) lateral cephalograms were taken, and various parameters were measured. The analyses were done by linear and angular measurements between T0-T1 and T1-T2, to evaluate postsurgical facial hard tissue stability. Results: Mean horizontal relapse rates were distributed from 11.81% to 19.08%, and there were significant postsurgical changes (0.52 mm~2.44 mm) at the B point in all 3 groups. But, there were no statistical differences on relapse rate among BG, PG and NPG patients. Conclusion: In this study, the postsurgical stabilities of BSSRO and Le Fort I osteotomy with/without posterior impaction in skeletal class III malocclusion patients were acceptable. There were no significant statistical differences in mandibular stability according to changes in anteroposterior discrepancy and occlusal planes.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.555-562
• /
• 2016

Seismic design of braced frames that simultaneously considers economic issues and structural performance represents a rather complicated engineering problem, and therefore, a systematic and well-established methodology is needed. This study proposes a multi-objective seismic design method for an inverted V-braced frame with suspended zipper struts that uses the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II(NSGA-II). The structural weight and the maximum inter-story drift ratio as the objective functions are simultaneously minimized to optimize the cost and seismic performance of the structure. To investigate which of strength- and performance-based design criteria for braced frames is the critical design condition, the constraint conditions on the two design methods are simultaneously considered (i.e. the constraint conditions based on the strength and plastic deformation of members). The linear static analysis method and the nonlinear static analysis method are adopted to check the strength- and plastic deformation-based design constraints, respectively. The proposed optimal method are applied to three- and six-story steel frame examples, and the solutions improved for the considered objective functions were found.

• Spatial Information Research
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.101-109
• /
• 2011

Climate change affects all components of the global environment system and, in turn, all components mutually interact and affect climate change through non-linear feedback processes. It is thus necessary to study the interaction between the climate and the environment, in order to comprehensively understand and predict climate and environment change. However, current relevant systems are limited to particular areas and do not sufficiently support the mutual linking of research studies. Therefore, this study develops prototype a GIS based integrated DB management system for supporting the climate and environment data storage, management and distribution. The integrated DB management system was developed using VB.NET languages and ArcObjects component. First, considering the demands of climate environment experts, the study areas are selected and the methods of data management and utilization were defined. In addition, a location-based GIS DB was created in order to aid in understanding climate change through visual representation. Finally, the integrated DB management system provides an efficient data management and distribution data and it creates synergistic effect on climate and environment study. It also contributes significantly to the comprehensive diagnosis and prediction of climate change and environment systems.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.40-51
• /
• 2020

Objectives: We aimed to compare the quality of sleep, tongue diagnosis, oral microbiology differences in insomnia of Liver qi stagnation (LQS) and Non-Liver qi stagnation (NLQS). Methods: 56 patients were classified as LQS or NLSQ type insomnia through the insomnia differentiation questionnaire. The depression scores between the groups were compared through beck depression inventory (BDI), and the sleep quality was compared through Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). We analyzed the sleep efficiency, total sleep time, total awake frequency, total and average awake time through actigraph. For the tongue diagnosis, the distribution of tongue coating in six areas were measured through Winkel tongue coating index (WTCI). Linear discriminant analysis was performed to observe the differences in composition of microbial strains between the groups. Results: The scores of BDI, ISI and PSQI were significantly higher in LQS group. The total sleep time in LQS group was significantly less than that of NLQS group. Among the areas of tongue, according to the WTCI, the amount of tongue coating in zones A and C was significantly small. In oral microbial analysis, there was no significant difference between the groups at the phylum level. At the genus level, Prevotella, Veillonella, and Streptococcus were predominant in LQS group, whereas Prevotella, Neisseria, and Streptococcus in NLQS group. Conclusions: It was meaningful that insomnia was more likely in LQS group than in NLQS group, and the composition of oral microorganisms was significantly different, which could lead to the diseases caused by stress.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.749-754
• /
• 2011

In this study, we propose the design of optimized pRBFNNs-based face recognition system using two-dimensional Image and ASM algorithm. usually the existing 2 dimensional face recognition methods have the effects of the scale change of the image, position variation or the backgrounds of an image. In this paper, the face region information obtained from the detected face region is used for the compensation of these defects. In this paper, we use a CCD camera to obtain a picture frame directly. By using histogram equalization method, we can partially enhance the distorted image influenced by natural as well as artificial illumination. AdaBoost algorithm is used for the detection of face image between face and non-face image area. We can butt up personal profile by extracting the both face contour and shape using ASM(Active Shape Model) and then reduce dimension of image data using PCA. The proposed pRBFNNs consists of three functional modules such as the condition part, the conclusion part, and the inference part. In the condition part of fuzzy rules, input space is partitioned with Fuzzy C-Means clustering. In the conclusion part of rules, the connection weight of RBFNNs is represented as three kinds of polynomials such as constant, linear, and quadratic. The essential design parameters (including learning rate, momentum coefficient and fuzzification coefficient) of the networks are optimized by means of Differential Evolution. The proposed pRBFNNs are applied to real-time face image database and then demonstrated from viewpoint of the output performance and recognition rate.