• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.51-69
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• 2006

This paper analyze the degree of competitiveness of the refining industry after price liberalization. We use two well-known methods: the first is Bresnahan (1982) and Lau (1982) method that estimates a structural model consisting of a demand relation and supply relation and the second is Panzar and Rosse (1987) method that estimates non structural model of the sum of elasticities of gross revenue with respect to input prices. Results from two models show mixed sign, however, our results indicate that price liberalization improved the degree of competitiveness.

• Composites Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.25-30
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• 2011

The studies on the non-destructive testing methods of the composite materials are very important for improving their reliability and safety. AE(Acoustic Emission) can evaluate the defects by detecting the emitting strain energy when elastic waves are generated by the generation and growth of a crack, plastic deformation, fiber breakage, matrix cleavage or delamination. In this paper, the AE signals of the filament wound composite cylinder and sandwich cylinder during the pressure test were measured and analyzed. The signal characteristics of PVDF sensors were measured, and an AE signal analyzer which had the band-pass filter and L-C resonance filter were designed and fabricated. Also, the crack detection capability of the fabricated AE signal analyzer wes evaluated during the pressure tests of the filament wound composite cylinder and the sandwich cylinder.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.195-204
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• 2020

This research examines four specific objectives: (1) identifying factors that affect Vietnamese consumer attitudes towards smartphone advertising, (2) measuring the level of impact of the factors, (3) testing the difference of attitudes among groups of consumers with different characteristics in terms of gender, age, income, and academic level, and (4) proposing some managerial implications to have better Vietnamese consumer attitudes towards smartphone advertising. The study uses the online survey form via e-mail and Facebook in a convenience sampling method; the subjects surveyed are between the ages of 18 and 35, and all are in urban areas in Vietnam, and are using smartphones and accessing the internet and other phone applications. A sample of 490 respondents were valid and used for processing. The study employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze exploratory factors and linear multiple regression. The results reveal that there are five main factors affecting Vietnamese consumer attitudes towards smartphone advertising positively, arranged by reduced importance: entertainment, informativeness, credibility, non-irritation, permission and control. From that, the study offers some managerial suggestions for smartphone advertisers to improve their strategies and tatics to enhance their customer service, so that the smartphone advertising can attract people and help Vietnamese consumer in their buying behavior.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.373-382
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• 2015

Purpose: In this paper, we developed a reliability index (RI) to efficiently compare reliability of products based on the design, development and production information such as reliability tests, quality, product life-cycle management. RI also can be applied to reliability prediction of a novel product as well as comparison evaluation among existing products. Methods: For evaluating RI, we proposed evaluation process which is composed of five steps. Target modules are selected based on warranty data and correlation analysis. Scores of selected target modules are calculated by scoring function. Finally, weights of RI model are determined by optimization method. Results: This paper presented an empirical analysis based on failure data of mobile devices. In this case study, we demonstrated that there is a direct correlation between evaluated RI and field failure probability of each product. Conclusion: We proposed the index for comprehensive and effective assessment of product reliability level. From the procedure of this study, we expected to be applied for reliability estimation of novel products and deduction of field failure-related factors.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.619-625
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• 2015

There is a large interest to find reliable and automatic methods for crack detection and quantification in the railway bogie frame. The non-destructive inspection of railway bogie frame has been performed by ultrasonic and magnetic particle testing in general inspection. The magnetic particle method has been utilized in the defect inspection of the bogie frame but the grinding process is required before inspection and the dust is developed resulting from the processing. The objective of this paper is to apply the inspection method of bogie frame using infra-red thermography. The infra-red thermography system using the excitation of eddy current was performed for the defect evaluation of weld specimen inserted artificial defects. The result shows that the infra-red thermography method can detect the surface and inner defects in weld specimen for bogie frame.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.136-139
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• 2014

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the severe nosocomial infectious agents. The traditional diagnostic methods including biochemical test, antibiotic susceptibility test and PCR amplification are time consuming and require much work. The Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) biosensor is a rapid and powerful tool for analyzing the chemical composition within a single living cell. To identify the biochemical and genetic characterization of clinical MRSA, all isolates from patients were performed with VITEK2 gram positive (GP) bacterial identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST). Virulence genes of MRSA also were identified by DNA based PCR using specific primers. All isolates, which were placed on a gold coated nanochip, were analyzed by a confocal Raman microscopy system. All isolates were identified as S. aureus by biochemical tests. MRSA, which exhibited antibiotic resistance, demonstrated to be positive gene expression of both femA and mecA. Furthermore, Raman shift of S. aureus and MRSA (n=20) was perfectly distinguished by a confocal Raman microscopy system. This novel technique explained that a SERS based confocal Raman microscopy system can selectively isolate MRSA from non-MRSA. The study recommends the SERS technique as a rapid and sensitive method to detect antibiotic resistant S. aureus in a single cell level.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.15-27
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• 2008

Objectives : The objective of the current study is to optimize an acupoint electrical property measurement system by using the procedures and strengths of the Taguchi method. Methods : Taguchi method was applied in the optimization of the acupoint electrical property measurement system, as in the following steps: (1) determine evaluation index; (2) execute the 1st gage R&R; (3) identify controllable and uncontrollable factors; (4) design Taguchi crossed array layout; (5) execute experiments according to trial conditions; (6) analyze testing results; (7) determine optimum run; (8) execute the 2nd gage R&R; (9) confirm optimum run. Results : The results showed that electrodes with larger diameter and efferent electric current, with music played, can produce the larger different electrical conductivity between the acupoints and the non-acupoints under various conditions. Taguchi process optimization improved repeatability and reproducibility of the acupoint electrical property measurement system. Conclusions : In the optimized condition, repeatability and reproducibility of the acupoint electrical property measurement system was acceptable.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of addition of fiber glass on the physical properties of silanized fiber mesh and non silanized mesh of denture base resins. Methods: The denture base resins were used in this study heat curing acrylic resins(Vertex Rs, Lucitone 199, $20{\times}80mm$) and fiber glass(SES, Green B&D co., Ltd, $20{\times}80mm$) were used as reinforcement. The specimens were stored in distilled water at $37{\pm}2^{\circ}C$ for 72 hours before test. Bending strength and tensile strength were measured by an universal testing machine(Instron 4301, Instron Corp.). Penetration distribution on fiber was observed by scanning electron microscopy(JSM 840A, Jeol Ltd). Results: The bending strength and modulus were increased by 30% after adding fiber glass on denture base resins. Tensile strength showed significant increasing by adding fiber glass on denture base resins. Conclusion: In this study, Addition of silanized fiber in denture base resins were improved physical properties. we confirmed the fiber glass possibility of the replacement about conventional materials.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.57-60
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• 2016

Non Destructive Testing (NDT) methods that are capable of detecting the wall thinning and defects through insulation and cladding sheets are necessary. In this study we developed a Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) system to detect wall thinning of ferro magnetic steel pipes covered with 95 mm thick fiber glass thermal insulator and shielded with aluminum plate of thickness 0.4 mm. In order to confirm the thickness change due to wall thinning, two different sensors, a hall sensor and a search coil sensor were used as a detecting element. In both the cases, the experimental data indicates a considerable change in the detected pulse corresponding to the change in sample thickness. The thickness of the tube was made to change such as 2.5 mm, 5 mm and 8 mm from the inner surface to simulate wall thinning. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was calculated using window approach and the results were summarized which shows a clear identification of thickness change in the test specimen by comparing the magnitude spectra.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.699-715
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• 2015

A modal parameter based damage sensitive feature (DSF) is defined to mimic the relative change in any diagonal element of the stiffness matrix of a model of a structure. The damage assessment is performed in a statistical pattern recognition framework using empirical complementary cumulative distribution functions (ECCDFs) of the DSFs extracted from measured operational vibration response data. Methods are discussed to perform probabilistic structural health assessment with respect to the following questions: (a) "Is there a change in the current state of the structure compared to the baseline state?", (b) "Does the change indicate a localized stiffness reduction or increase?", with the latter representing a situation of retrofitting operations, and (c) "What is the severity of the change in a probabilistic sense?". To identify a range of normal structural variations due to environmental and operational conditions, lower and upper bound ECCDFs are used to define the baseline structural state. Such an approach attempts to decouple "non-damage" related variations from damage induced changes, and account for the unknown environmental/operational conditions of the current state. The damage assessment procedure is discussed using numerical simulations of ambient vibration testing of a bridge deck system, as well as shake table experimental data from a 4-story steel frame.