• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권10호
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• pp.5177-5182
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• 2012

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitormonotherapy (EFGR-TKIs: gefitinib or erlotinib) with standard second-line chemotherapy (single agent docetaxel or pemetrexed) in previously treated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We systematically searched for randomized clinical trials that compared EGFR-TKI monotherapy with standard second-line chemotherapy in previously treated advanced NSCLC. The end points were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), 1-year survival rate (1-year SR) and grade 3 or 4 toxicities. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) or risk ratio (RR), with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated employing fixed- or random-effects models depending on the heterogeneity of the included trials. Results: Eight randomized controlled trials (totally 3218 patients) were eligible. Our meta-analysis results showed that EGFR-TKIs were comparable to standard second-line chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC in terms of overall survival (HR 1.00, 95%CI 0.92-1.10; p=0.943), progression-free survival (HR 0.90, 95%CI 0.75-1.08, P=0.258) and 1-year-survival rate (RR 0.97, 95%CI 0.87-1.08, P=0.619), and the overall response rate was higher in patients who receiving EGFR-TKIs(RR 1.50, 95%CI 1.22-1.83, P=0.000). Sub-group analysis demonstrated that EGFR-TKI monotherapy significantly improved PFS (HR 0.73, 95%CI: 0.55-0.97, p=0.03) and ORR (RR 1.96, 95%CI: 1.46-2.63, p=0.000) in East Asian patients, but it did not translate into increase in OS and 1-year SR. Furthermore, there were fewer incidences of grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, febrile neutropenia and neutrotoxicity in EGFR-TKI monotherapy group, excluding grade 3 or 4 rash. Conclusion: Both interventions had comparable efficacy as second-line treatments for patients with advanced NSCLC, and EGFR-TKI monotherapy was associated with less toxicity and better tolerability. Moreover, our data also demonstrated that EGFR-TKImonotherapy tended to be more effective in East Asian patients in terms of PFS and ORR compared with standard second-line chemotherapy. These results should help inform decisions about patient management and design of future trials.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• 제19권9호
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• pp.391-401
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of implementation of the healthcare accreditation system on patient safety, quality of medical care, organization culture and management performance of convalescent hospitals. Ten hospitals were selected at random from among 36 convalescent hospitals in Daegu that had obtained accreditation until September 2015. To accomplish this, hospital staff were surveyed from 15 February to 25 March, 2016 using a questionnaire with 253 objects. We investigated how the healthcare accreditation system has influenced patient safety, service quality, organization culture and performance of hospital management. The change in the treatment support system showed the highest score of 3.93 among quality change and medical service items, while that of personnel source culture showed the highest score of 3.78 points among organization culture items, and that of internal process view, study and growth view showed the highest score of 3.71 among management performance items. Multiple regression analysis revealed that factors positively changing hospital management performance were nurses, employees and managers, basic value systems, organization culture, personnel source culture, open system culture, hierarchical culture, and production oriented culture. The quality of patient safety and medical care was positively influenced by changes in the quality of convalescent hospitals after implementation of the healthcare accreditation system. However, among the four types of organizational culture, the financial perspective was relatively low compared to other perspectives.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.161-172
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• 2018

Purpose: During tillage operations, the selection of a working machine (tool) depends on the soil conditions as well as the type of tillage operation to be performed. The goal of this research was to ascertain the effects of varying working machine parameters of a compact disc harrow on tillage operations under various soil moisture content (SMC) conditions. Methods: The working machine parameters were the disc spacing and machine speed. The tillage parameters under investigation were the soil inversion ratio (SIR), tillage cutting depth (TCD), and soil clod breakage ratio (SCB). To determine the SIR, the areas of the white regions before and after tillage were obtained. The ratio of the difference of the areas of the white regions before and after tillage to the area of the white regions before tillage was considered as the SIR. The SCB was obtained as the ratio of the weight of soil clods after sieving with a mesh size of <0.02 m to the total weight of the soil clods before sieving. The soil TCD was measured using a tape measure at random points after the tillage operation. The resulting data were statistically analyzed in a one-way analysis of variance. Results: The highest soil inversion was achieved when the machine speed was 0.2 m/s with the disc spaced at 0.2 m in the 16.5% SMC. At a 0.4-m/s machine speed and 0.3-m disc spacing the highest soil breakage was achieved in the 26.5% SMC. The highest TCD was achieved at a 0.2-m/s machine speed and 0.2-m disc spacing in the 16.5% SMC. Conclusions: It was concluded that varying the working machine parameters, such as the disc spacing and machine speed, could significantly affect the soil inversion and soil clod breakage; however, it had no significant impact on the TCD.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.1-15
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of massive clinical research and to make a basic analysis on the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion treatment on knee osteoarthritis compared to usual care. Methods and Results : This study is a protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial. Forty participants are assigned to the moxibustion group (n=20) and usual care group (n=20). Participants assigned to the moxibustion group receive moxibustion treatment on the affected knee(s) at six standard acupuncture points (ST36, ST35, ST34, SP9, Ex-LE04 and SP10) three times per week for four weeks (total of 12 sessions). Participants in the usual care group don't receive moxibustion treatment during the study period and follow-up are made on the 5th, 9th and 13th weeks after random allocation. Both groups are allowed to use any kind of treatment, including surgery, conventional medication, physical treatment, acupuncture, herbal medicine, over-the-counter drugs and other active treatments. Education material that explains knee osteoarthritis and current management options and self-exercise is provided for each group. The pain scale of the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Questionnaire (K-WOMAC) is the primary outcome measurement used in this study. Other subscales of the K-WOMAC, the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Physical Function test, Patient Global Assessment, and Pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) are used as outcome variables to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture. Safety is assessed at every visit. Conclusions : The result of this trial will provide a basis for the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.99-126
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• 2009

1. Objective TS-QSCD (The Two-Step Questionnaire for the Sasang Constitution Diagnosis) is one of the self-reporting Sasang-Constitutional diagnosis questionnaires and one constituted by a two-step discriminant function. The process of TS-QSCD is as follows. During the first step, the testers are classified into two groups: the Yangin(陽人) group and Eumin(陰人) group. Following this, the Yangin group is divided into the Soyangin group and Taeyangin group likewise the Eumin group is divided into the Taeumin group and Soeumin group. This questionnaire has the merits of an ordinary questionnaire with four discriminant functions and a decision tree method. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and standardize TS-QSCD 2. Materials and Methods TS-QSCD was administered to 352 random informants who were examined by professionals. Reliability was tested by inter-item consistency using cronbach's ${\alpha}$, and validity was tested by a two step discriminant function. Cross tabulation Analysis was also used to look into the distribution of responses among the groups. 3. Result 1) The reliability of TS-QSCD was relatively valid. The internal consistency of TS-QSCD (AB) was cronbach's ${\alpha}$= 0.815, and TS-QSCD (AC) was cronbach's ${\alpha}$= 0.832. 2) There was a significant difference in points between Eumin group teens and other age groups, between those of Soeumin teens and other age groups. 3) TS-QSCD corresponded with the real Sasang constitution at the rate of 65.0%. When using 61 questions and four discriminant function as with ordinary methods, TS-QSCD corresponded with the real Sasang constitution at the rate of 74.9%. 4. Conclusion 1) TS-QSCD that complements the merits of existing questionnaires is effective in diagnosing Sasang constitutions. 2) Deleting duplicate questions is thought to be one of the reasons for the decreased validity rate. 3) The lower the validity of the first step, the more we should build up at each second steps a way to rescue the groups which were assigned wrongly during the first steps. 4) This standardization of TS-QSCD would be helpful in making a program for diagnosing the Sasang Constitution

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.143-148
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• 2020

In the case of a system that detects and controls the phase of an alternating voltage, the analog control method compensates the phase offset part by filtering for the detected phase and applies it to the control. However, in the digital control method, precise control cannot be achieved due to an error between the operating frequency of the microprocessor or the microcontroller and the input phase time when controlled using such phase detection. In general, when the method used is a certain time, the accumulated error is compensated and adjusted at random. To solve this problem, a method of detecting a zero point in real time and compensating for the operating frequency of the microprocessor is needed. Therefore, the research to be performed in this paper to reduce these errors and apply them to precise digital control is as follows. 1) Research on how to implement Zero Crossing Detection algorithm through simulation modeling to compensate the zero point to match the operating frequency through detection. 2) A study on the method of detecting zero points in real time through the Zero Crossing Detection design using a microcontroller and compensating for the operating frequency of the microprocessor. 3) A study on the estimation of the rotor position of BLDC motors using the Zero Crossing Detection circuit.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.1-19
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• 2006

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities and mechanisms of Acanthopanax senticosus (AS) herbal acupuncture. Methods : Anti-diabetic and anti-steatotic activity of the AS herbal acupuncture was investigated on C57BL/6J ob/ob mice. After random grouping at the age of 9 weeks, the herbal acupuncture groups were injected subcutaneously at the left and right Gansu (BL18) corresponding acupuncture points alternately on exactly the same time every day with 0.1ml of either 400 mg/kg or 800 mg/kg of AS (AS400 and AS800) for 8-week period. As a positive control, metformin was administrated at a dose of 300 mg/kg (MT300). Body weights were measured weekly, and on every other week blood was collected for blood glucose analysis. At the end of study, blood was also collected for determination of plasma insulin and lipid levels, after which they were killed and periepidydimal fat, liver, muscle, and pancreas were immediately removed. The removed tissues were instantly soaked in liquid nitrogen and stored at $-70^{\circ}C$ for morphological examination and mRNA analysis. Results : The AS herbal acupuncture significantly prevented weight gain on C57BL/6J ob/ob mice. The AS herbal acupuncture lowered blood glucose and improved glucose tolerance in C57BL/6J ob/ob mice. The increase of insulin response during the OGTT was inhibited by the AS herbal acupuncture. Insulin sensitivity of skeletal tissue was enhanced. Plasma lipid levels were significantly improved in the AS herbal acupuncture groups. The AS herbal acupuncture decreased hepatic lipogenesis and hepatic triglyceride production, and increased fatty acid (FA) transporter that involves in FA uptake. The AS herbal acupuncture inhibited the increase of liver mass by prevention of the accumulation of TG but did not inhibit weight gain of fat tissue on C57BL/6J ob/ob mice. Conclusion : In summary, we have demonstrated several unique properties of the AS herbal acupuncture in decreasing body weight, and reversing insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in ob/ob mice. This AS herbal acupuncture acts as an insulin sensitizer and specifically decreases circulating glucose and lipids, and suppresses hepatic lipogenesis.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.370-381
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• 2017

Objectives: The rate at which the nationwide highway is outsourcing the duties of toll gate cashiers to the public is increasing. The aim of this study is to conduct research on job stress for the rate at which the fares are collected by national highway toll gate cashiers. Methods: The population selected was a statistically significant group making up 10% of the total number of people surveyed in 2015, with a population of approximately 5,495 persons. The sample size is intended to cover the maximum sample size of 550 samples and the maximum number of samples that should be obtained. After allocating the number of samples by quota allocation, the qualitative function of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) was applied by random sampling. Results: Job stress ranked at $46.6{\pm}11.5$ points was found to be under the stress of 50% reported in other occupations. Job stress items showed higher for "job instability" compared to other types of tasks. Also, it appeared lower in "conflict in relationships." This is a result of the work characteristics of highway service operators. Conclusions: Time was found to have the highest influence on the workload (${\beta}=0.80$, p. 0.001), which calls for a reduction in time and workload. est influence on the workload (${\beta}=0.80$, p. 0.001), which requires a reduction in time and workload.

• Composites Research
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Low-speed impact was localized on a stiffened composite structure, using 4 FBG sensors with 100 kHz-sampling rate interrogator and devised localization algorithm. The composite specimen consists of a main spar and several stringers, and the overall size of the specimen's surface is about $0.8{\times}1.2m$. Pre-stored reference data for 247 grid locations and 36 stiffener locations are gathered and used as comparison target for a random impact signal. The proposed algorithm uses the normalized cross-correlation method to compare the similarities of the two signals; the correlation results for each sensor's signal are multiplied by others, enabling mutual compensation. 20 verification points were successfully localized with a maximum error of 43.4 mm and an average error of 17.0 mm. For the same experimental setup, the performance of the proposed method is evaluated by reducing the number of sensors. It is revealed that the mutual compensation between the sensors is most effective in the case of a two sensor combination. For the sensor combination of FBG #1 and #2, the maximum localization error was 42.5 mm, with average error of 17.4 mm.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.210-218
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• 2002

This paper proposes an efficient separation method of the composite images by using independent component analysis(ICA) based on neural networks of the approximate learning algorithm. The Proposed learning algorithm is the fixed point(FP) algorithm based on Secant method which can be approximately computed by only the values of function for estimating the root of objective function for optimizing entropy. The secant method is an alternative of the Newton method which is essential to differentiate the function for estimating the root. It can achieve a superior property of the FP algorithm for ICA due to simplify the composite computation of differential process. The proposed algorithm has been applied to the composite signals and image generated by random mixing matrix in the 4 signal of 500-sample and the 10 images of $512{\times}512-pixel$, respectively The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has better performance of the learning speed and the separation than those using the conventional algorithm based method. It also solved the training performances depending on initial points setting and the nonrealistic learning time for separating the large size image by using the conventional algorithm.