• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.760-768
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• 2004

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography in early pregnancy diagnosis in goats. Ultrasonographic scanning with real time B-mode ultrasound machine having 5 MHz linear array transducer was performed on gravid uterus (n=24) obtained from slaughterhouse (Group I). Crown rump length (CRL) measured by ultrasound was found significantly different (p<0.05) with actual CRL measured after dissection in early pregnancy. However, age predicted by ultrasound through the measurement of CRL was found highly correlated (r=0.92) with age measured after dissection through CRL and the weight of fetus. Ages predicted by ultrasound through the measurement of trunk diameter (TD) and uterine diameter (UD) and ages measured after dissection were found highly and equally correlated (r=0.98) and did not differ significantly. Data from six does synchronized (Group II) with PGF2$\alpha$ (Estrumate) at 11 days apart were collected through ultrasound from 17 to 42 days post breding. The correlation between CRL and gestational age was high (r=0.97) in day 30 to 42 post breeding. A high coefficient of correlation (r=0.98) was also observed between predicated age by ultrasound and actual age calculated after kidding. The correlation between CRL and gestational age by the formula Y=(a+bX) i.e. Y=24.42+0.39 X where Y=gestational age and X=CRL, was recorded very high (r=0.99). Accuracy of ultrasonography was lowest on day 17 to 19 (66%) and reached 100% on day 34. Data from 30 does (group III) randomly subjected to only one time ultrasounds scanning to assess the accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis were also obtained. Ages predicted by TD and UD measurements were observed to be non-significantly different with actual age obtained after kidding and correlation between ages predicted by TD and UD measurement with actual age after kidding was found equally and highly correlated (r=0.98). The operator's accuracy in the whole experiment including all three groups was found to be 92%. The sensitivity was 93% and specificity was 86%. From the present study, it was observed that CRL was the most reliable parameter to find out gestational age in early pregnancy and the new formula derived was found very accurate to find out gestational age. TD and UD were also found to be equally reliable parameter to find out gestational age in mid and late stage of pregnancy through ultrasonography. It was concluded that ultrasonography by real time B mode with 5 MHz transrectal transducer was found to be reliable, safe and accurate and practicable means in diagnosing early pregnancy diagnosis as early as 25 days post breeding.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.379-388
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• 2012

Objective: This study developed a new shower carrier prototype to reduce caregivers' muscle burden and to increase use convenience by reflecting the needs of domestic long-term care institutions. Background: In the long-term care institutions, one of the ADL(Activities of Daily Life) factors is bathing/showering. Recently, bath/shower-assisting equipment is actively being introduced in care institutions to reduce the caregivers' care cost, but most of the domestic equipment was designed to imitate foreign products and rarely reflected the needs of care institutions. Method: Based on Korean elderly people's body information, the bed size(length: 1,900mm, width: 650mm) was set-up, and a variable headrest with a newly designed headform was developed to provide the comfort for the elderly and convenience for caregivers. To reduce caregivers' muscle burden on transferring and showering activities, a 3-step column lifting module equipped with dual actuators(lowest/highest levels from the ground: 600/1,100mm, Stroke: 500mm) was developed, and the wheelbase parameter(length: 1,250mm, width: 580mm) was defined securing the turn-over safety of the shower carrier. The drivability tests were performed for the prototype and foreign product, and the male and female subject's muscle activities were measured through the tests. Results: The structural stability of the shower carrier prototype was secured by finite element analysis, and the muscle activities of the subjects through the drivability tests largely decreased in the prototype, compared to the foreign product. Conclusion: In this study, a new shower carrier prototype was developed to possibly reduce caregivers' muscle burden and to increase use convenience based on the needs of long-term care institutions. It was expected that the drivability performance of the prototype could be relatively superior to that of the foreign product. Application: The results obtained from the study can be applied for the optimal development of a shower carrier including other equipment to effectively care for the elderly.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.260-266
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• 2009

The effects of ${\beta}$-glucosidase on the overall growth performance and a set of physiological parameters of broilers were investigated. 240 male, one-day old Avine broiler chickswere randomly allocated to four treatment groups and fed with a corn-soybean meal supplemented with 0% (control), 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% ${\beta}$-glucosidase. The 0.2% ${\beta}$-glucosidase group, but not the 0.4% and 0.6% ${\beta}$-glucosidase groups, showed a significantly increased average daily weight gain (p<0.05) over that of the control. All three ${\beta}$-glucosidase feed groups showed significantly higher feed conversion ratios than the control group (p<0.05). Feed supplementation of 0.2% ${\beta}$-glucosidase significantly raised the contents of serum isoflavone aglycones as shown by decreases of genistin and daizin (p<0.01) and an increase of daidzein (p<0.01). The 0.2% ${\beta}$-glucosidase feeding significantly increased the intestinal amylase activity while it had little effect on lipase and trypsin activities (p>0.05). 0.2% ${\beta}$-glucosidase feeding also significant elevated the levels of highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol and malate dehydrogenase while lowering the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Finally, ${\beta}$-glucosidase improved the anti-oxidative activities of the animals; the 0.2% ${\beta}$-glucosidase feed group had higher activities of superoxide dismutase (p<0.05), glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in the liver (p<0.05), and malondialdehyde level in the serum (p<0.05).

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.206-210
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• 2005

Objective : Our aim is to evaluate the early changes of biologic markers such as white blood cell[WBC] count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate[ESR] and C-reactive protein[CRP] in early diagnosis of postoperative infection and to differentiate infection from inflammatory reaction in lumbar spine surgery. Methods : We reviewed 330patients who had undergone spinal operations between May 1999 and October 2001. For this study, the patients were classified into two groups, which include a group that underwent spinal decompressive surgery without instrumentation[SD], and the other group that underwent fusion surgery with spinal instrumentation[SI]. And each group was also subdivided into two groups respectively, one with infection and the other without infection. We retrospectively analyzed the WBC count, ESR and CRP preoperatively and postoperatively, according to their operation type and postoperative infection history. Results : Inflammatory indices were physiologically affected by instrumentation itself. But ESR and CRP elevations were more prolonged and sustained under infection. In SD patients without infection, ESR and CRP were stabilized 5 days after surgery. In SI patients without infection, CRP was stabilized about 7days after surgery, but ESR showed sustained and variously elevated. In both SD and SI groups, the stabilization of CRP was the most reliable behavior of surgery without infection. Conclusion : C-reactive protein is most sensitive parameter for postoperative spine infection. The knowledge of the inflammatory indices and their relatively uniform patterns with or without infection offers surgeons the ability to infer the state of surgical wound.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.77-83
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• 2021

Background: Although symmetry of spatio-temporal parameter and center of pressure (COP) shift during walking is associated with knee adduction moment, research on clinical association with knee osteoarthritis (OA)-related knee pain and functional scores is lacking. Objects: The aims were 1) to compare symmetry of gait parameters and COP-shift in patients with unilateral knee OA and pain and matched controls, and 2) to investigate the relationship between symmetry of gait parameters and COP-shift, and clinical measures. Methods: Female subjects (n = 16) had with unilateral radiological knee OA and pain. Healthy controls (n = 15) were age-matched to OA group. Symmetry of foot rotation, step length, stance and swing phase, lateral symmetry of COP and anterior/posterior symmetry of COP during walking was assessed. To assess the clinical variables, pain intensity, pain duration and function using Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Survey (KOOS) subscales were collected. We compared symmetry between groups using Mann-Whitney U-test or independent t-test. Relationships between clinical measures and symmetry index measured using Spearman's correlation test. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: Knee OA group showed significantly greater values of only lateral symmetry of COP (p < 0.01) than healthy group. Values of lateral symmetry of COP had moderate or strong correlation significantly with the intensity of knee pain, pain duration, and scores of all KOOS subscales (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Patients with unilateral knee OA and pain showed more asymmetry of lateral COP-shift during walking compared with matched healthy controls. In addition, larger asymmetry of lateral COP-shift has the moderate or strong association with worse of knee pain, worse in KOOS scores and longer duration of knee pain. Asymmetry of lateral COP-shift during walking may be one of the characteristics of unilateral knee OA as the compensatory strategy response to unilateral OA of the knee.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.45-69
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• 2022

This paper investigates the shear behavior of reinforced concrete haunched beams (RCHBs) without stirrups. The research objective is to study the effectiveness of the ideal steel fiber (SF) ratio, which is used to resist shear strength, besides the influence of main steel reinforcement, compressive strength, and inclination angles of the haunched beam. The modeling and analysis were carried out by Finite Element Method (FE) based on a software package, called Atena-GiD 3D. The program of this study comprises two-part. One of them consists of nine results of experimental SF RCHBs which are used to identify the accuracy of FE models. The other part comprises 81 FE models, which are divided into three groups. Each group differed from another group by the area of main steel reinforcement (A_s) which are 226, 339, and 509 mm². The other parameters which are considered in each group in the same quantities to study the effectiveness of them, were steel fiber volumetric ratios (0.0, 0.5, and 1.0)%, compressive strength (20.0, 40.0, 60.0) MPa, and the inclination angle of haunched beam (0.0°, 10.0°, and 15.0°). Moreover, the parametric analysis was carried out on SF RCHBs to clarify the effectiveness of each parameter on the mechanical behavior of SF RCHBs. The results show that the correlation coefficient (R²) between shear load capacities of FE proposed models and shear load capacities of experimental SF RCHBs is 0.9793, while the effective inclination angle of the haunched beam is 10° which contributes to resisting shear strength, besides the ideal ratio of steel fibers is 1% when the compressive strength of SF RCHBs is more than 20 MPa.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.117-124
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• 2009

In the environment where various and complicated threat signals exist, RWR (Radar Warning Receiver), which can warn pilot of the existence of threats, has long been a necessary electronic warfare (EW) system to improve survivability of aircraft. The angle of arrival (AOA) information, the most reliable sorting parameter in the RWR, is measured by means of four-quadrant amplitude comparison direction finding (DF) technique. Each of four antennas (usually spiral antenna) of DF unit covers one of four quadrant zones, with 90 degrees apart with nearby antenna. According to the location of antenna installed in helicopter, RWR is subject to signal loss and interference by helicopter body and structures including tail bumper, rotor blade, and so on, causing a difficulty of detecting hostile emitters. In this paper, the performance degradation caused by signal interference by tail rotor blades has been estimated by measuring amplitude video signals into which RWR converts RF signals in case a part of antenna is screened by real tail rotor blade in anechoic chamber. The results show that corruption of pulse amplitude (PA) is main cause of DF error. We have proposed two algorithms for resolving the interference by tail rotor blades as below: First, expand the AOA group range for pulse grouping at the first signal analysis phase. Second, merge each of pulse trains with the other, that signal parameter except PRI and AOA is similar, after the first signal analysis phase. The presented method makes it possible to use RWR by reducing interference caused by blade screening in case antenna is screened by tail rotor blades.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.1945-1955
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• 2018

High frequency signal injection (HFI) is an alternative method for estimating rotor position of interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM). The general method of frequency and amplitude selection is based on error tolerance and experiments, and is usually set with only one group of HF parameters, which is not efficient for different working modes. This paper proposes a novel rotor position estimation scheme by HFI with optimized frequency and amplitude, based on the mathematic model of IPMSM. The requirements for standstill and low-speed operational modes are met by applying this novel scheme. Additionally, the effects of the frequency and amplitude of the injected HF signal on the position estimation results under different operating conditions are analyzed. Furthermore, an optimization method for HF parameter selection is proposed to make the estimation process more efficient under different working conditions according to error tolerance. The effectiveness of the propose scheme is verified by the experiments on an IPMSM motor prototype.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.33-42
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• 2004

목 적 : 소아 신증후군에서 스테로이드 장기투여에 따른 대사성 골질환은 흔한 합병증 중의 하나이다. 저자들은 성인에서의 스테로이드 유발성 골다공증 치료에 유효한 bisphosphonate(alendronate)를 투여하여 소아 신증후군에서 스테로이드 유발 대사성 골질환에 대한 치료효과에 대해 전향적으로 평가하고자 하였다. 방 법 : 신증후군 이환 기간이 2년된 5-8세의 환자 58명에게 DEXA로 골밀도를 측정하여 요추 골밀도가 Z-score -1 이하인 환아 30명(51.7%)을 대상으로 선정한 후 이들을 alendronate 주 1회 투여군, calcitriol 투여군, 약제 비투여군등의 세 군으로 분류하여 1년간 연구하였다. 치료 6개월, 1년에 요추 L1-L4 골밀도를 측정하였고 치료 전과 치료 1년 후 생화학적 검사를 측정하였다. 각 군간 평균 연령, 기저 요추 골밀도, 스테로이드 축적량, 골밀도% 변화율, 요추 골밀도 Z-score를 측정 분석하였다. 결 과 : 총 30명 환자에서 기본 요추 골밀도 측정시 환아의 나이는 $7.4{\pm}1.7$세였고 신증후군 이환기간은 $2.2{\pm}1.2$년이었다. Z-score로 진단된 골밀도 감소증은 23명(76.7%), 골다공증은 7명(23.3%)이었다. 각 생화학적 변수들은 치료 전후로 차이가 없었으며, 군 간에도 유의한 차이가 없었다(P>0.05). 빈번 재발형 신증후군과 스테로이드 의존형 신증후군은 22명(73.3%)으로 드문 재발형 신증후군 8명(26.6%)에 비해 대사성 골질환의 빈도가 높았다. 골밀도 변화율은 alendronate 군에서 치료 1년에 8.56%였고, calcitriol군은 5.79% 증가를 보였으며, 비투여군은 1.9%증가를 보였다. Z-socre 변화는 alendronate 군과 calcitriol 군에서만 호전되었고, 비투여군에서는 감소하였다. 골밀도 증가율은 각 군간 유의한 차이를 보였지만(P=0.0002), alendronate 군과 비투여군, calcitriol 군과 비투여군 간에 있었고(P<0.05), alendronate 군과 calcitriol 군간에는 유의한 차이가 없었다. Alendronate 투여시 약복용을 중단할 만큼의 심각한 부작용은 발현되지 않았다. 결 론 : 소아 신증후군 환자에서 고용량의 스테로이드를 투여해야 하는 경우 대사성 골질환의 발생 위험이 높기 때문에 정기적인 골밀도 측정이 필요하며, 그 평가 도구로는 요추 골밀도 Z-score가 유용함을 알 수 있었다. 또한 신증후군 환아의 스테로이드 유발 대사성 골질환에서 alendronate 주 1회 경구투여는 요추 골밀도를 증가시키는 효과적인 치료법이었다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제57권5호
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• pp.211-216
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• 2014

Asthma comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by airway inflammation, airway obstruction, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Airway inflammation, which induces AHR and recurrence of asthma, is the main pathophysiology of asthma. The fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level is a noninvasive, reproducible measurement of eosinophilic airway inflammation that is easy to perform in young children. As airway inflammation precedes asthma attacks and airway obstruction, elevated FeNO levels may be useful as predictive markers for risk of recurrence of asthma. This review discusses FeNO measurements among early-childhood wheezing phenotypes that have been identified in large-scale longitudinal studies. These wheezing phenotypes are classified into three to six categories based on the onset and persistence of wheezing from birth to later childhood. Each phenotype has characteristic findings for atopic sensitization, lung function, AHR, or FeNO. For example, in one birth cohort study, children with asthma and persistent wheezing at 7 years had higher FeNO levels at 4 years compared to children without wheezing, which suggested that FeNO could be a predictive marker for later development of asthma. Preschool-aged children with recurrent wheezing and stringent asthma predictive indices also had higher FeNO levels in the first 4 years of life compared to children with wheezing and loose indices or children with no wheeze, suggesting that FeNO measurements may provide an additional parameter for predicting persistent wheezing in preschool children. Additional large-scale longitudinal studies are required to establish cutoff levels for FeNO as a risk factor for persistent asthma.