• Title/Summary/Keyword: synergy

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The effect of lower limb muscle synergy analysis-based FES system on improvement of the foot drop of stroke patient during walking: a case study (하지 근육 시너지 분석 기반의 FES 시스템이 보행 시 뇌졸중 환자의 족하수 개선에 미치는 영향: 사례 연구)

  • Lim, Taehyun
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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    • v.23 no.3
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    • pp.523-529
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    • 2020
  • Foot drop is a common symptom in stroke patients due to central nervous system (CNS) damage, which causes walking disturbances. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is an effective rehabilitation method for stroke patients with CNS damage. Aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of 6 weeks FES walking training based lower limb muscle synergy of stroke patients. Lower limb muscle synergies were extracted from electromyography (EMG) using a non-negative matrix factorization algorithm (NMF) method. Cosine similarity and cross correlation were calculated for similarity comparison with healthy subjects. In both stroke patients, the similarity of leg muscle synergy during walking changed to similar to that of healthy subjects due to a decrease in foot drop during. FES walking intervention influenced the similarity of muscle synergies during walking of stroke patients. This intervention has an effective method on foot drop and improving the gait performance of stroke patients.

Antifungal Synergy of Theaflavin and Epicatechin Combinations Against Candida albicans

  • Betts, Jonathan W.;Wareham, David W.;Haswell, Stephen J.;Kelly, Stephen M.
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.23 no.9
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    • pp.1322-1326
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    • 2013
  • New antifungal agents are required to compensate for the increase in resistance to standard antifungal agents of Candida albicans, which is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes minor infections in many individuals but very serious infections in those who are immune-compromised. In this study, combinations of theaflavin and epicatechin are investigated as potential antifungal agents and also to establish whether antifungal synergy exists between these two readily accessible and cost-effective polyphenols isolated from black and green tea. The results of disc diffusion assays showed stronger antibacterial activity of theaflavin:epicatechin combinations against C. albicans NCTC 3255 and NCTC 3179, than that of theaflavin alone. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 1,024 ${\mu}g/ml$ with theaflavin and 128-256 ${\mu}g/ml$ with theaflavin:epicatechin combinations were found. The fractional inhibitory concentration indexes were calculated, and the synergy between theaflavin and epicatechin against both isolates of C. albicans was confirmed. Theaflavin:epicatechin combinations show real potential for future use as a treatment for infections caused by C. albicans.

Fabrication of $(La, Sr)MO_3$ (M=Mn or Co)/YSZ Nanocomposite Thin Film Electrodes for the Exhaust Gas Purification by a Chemically-Modified Sol-Gel Process

  • Hwang, H.J.;Moon, J.W.;Awano, M.;Maeda, K.
    • Journal of Powder Materials
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.201-206
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    • 2001
  • $>LaMnO_3$$(La, Sr)MO_3$, and $(La, Sr)MO_3/YSZ$ gel films were deposited by spin-coating technique on scandium-doped zirconia (YSZ) substrate using the precursor solution prepared from $La(O-i-C_3H_7)_3$, $Co(CH_3COO)_2$or $Mn(O-i-C_3H_7)_2$,2-methoxyethanol, and polyethylene glycol. By heat-treating the gel films, the electrochemical cells, $(La, Sr)MnO_3{\mid}ScSZ{\mid}Pt$ were fabricated. The effect of polyethylene glycol on the microstructure evolution of $$LaCoO_3and $LaMnO_3$thin films was investigated, and NOx decomposition characteristics of the electrochemical cells were investigated at $500^{\circ}C$ to $600^{\circ}C$. By applying a direct current to the $(La, Sr)MnO_3{\mid}ScSZ{\mid}Pt$ electrochemical cell, good NOx conversion rate could be obtained relatively at low current value even if excess oxygen is included in the reaction gas mixture.

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Synergy Effect of Chlorhexidine and Essential Oils on Antimicrobial Activity in Dental Impression Materials (치과용 인상재에서의 클로르헥시딘과 에센셜 오일의 항균성능에 대한 상승효과)

  • Lee, Kwang-Rae
    • Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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    • v.56 no.2
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    • pp.240-244
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    • 2018
  • There is growing concern about cross infection among the patients to patients, patients to staffs, and tools to patients in healthcare facilities, especially in dentistry. In this study, the most widely used dental impression materials were prepared and the synergy effect of Chlorhexidine and essential oil on antimicrobial activity was examined in the impression materials. Chlorhexidine concentration of 0.1 wt% and 0.5 wt% showed no antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Candida albicans. At 1.0 wt% Chlorhexidine, 0% of E. coli and 34.7% of Candida albicans were survived. Bergamot (Essential oil) concentration of 0.5 wt% and 1.0 wt% showed no antimicrobial activity on E. coli. At 2.0 wt% Bergamot oil, 71.9% of E. coli were survived. Tea tree oil (Essential oil) of 0.5 wt% showed no antimicrobial activity on E. coli. At 1.0 wt% Tea tree oil, 11.2% of E. coli was survived. At 2.0 wt% Tea tree oil, no E. coli was survived. However, no E. coli was survived at the concentration of 0.8 wt% Bergamot with 0.3 wt% Chlorhexidine. At the concentration of 0.8 wt% Tea Tree oil with 0.3 wt% Chlorhexidine, 1.3% of E. coli were survived. The experimental results showed that the synergy effects between Chlorhexidine and essential oils on antimicrobial activity were prominent.

Theoretical Conception of Synergistic Interactions

  • Kim, Jin-Kyu;Vladislav G. Petin
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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    • v.20 no.4
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    • pp.277-286
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    • 2002
  • An increase in the overall biological effect under the combined action of ionizing radiation with another inactivating agent can be explained in two ways. One is the supposition that synergism may attribute to a reduced cellular capacity of damn-ge repair after the combined action. The other is the hypothesis that synergism may be related to an additional lethal or potentially lethal damage that arises from the interaction of sublesions induced by both agents. These sublesions ave considered to be in-effective when each agent is applied separately. Based on this hypothesis, a simple mathematical model was established. The model can predict the greatest value of the synergistic effect, and the dependence of synergy on the intensity of agents applied, as well. This paper deals with the model validation and the peculiarity of simultaneous action of various factors with radiation on biological systems such as bacteriophage, bacterial spores, yeast and mammalian cells. The common rules of the synergism aye as follows. (1) For any constant rate of exposure, the synergy can be observed only within a certain temperature range. The temperature range which synergistically increases the effects of radiation is shifted to the lower temperature fer thermosensitive objects. Inside this range, there is a specific temperature that maximizes the synergistic effect. (2) A decrease in the exposure rate results in a decrease of this specific temperature to achieve the greatest synergy and vice versa. For a constant temperature at which the irradiation occurs, synergy can be observed within a certain dose rate range. Inside this range an optimal intensity of the physical agent may be indicated, which maximizes the synergy. As the exposure temperature reduces, the optimal intensity decreases and vice versa. (3) The recovery rate after combined action is decelerated due to an increased number of irreversible damages. The probability of recovery is independent of the exposure temperature for yeast cells irradiated with ionizing or UV radiation. Chemical inhibitors of cell recovery act through the formation of irreversible damage but not via damaging the recovery process itself.

Effect of Kinetic Degrees of Freedom on Hierarchical Organization of Multi-element Synergies during Force Production and Releasing Tasks

  • Kim, Kitae;Song, Junkyung;Park, Jaebum
    • Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.131-144
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    • 2020
  • Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of degrees of freedom on the multi-synergies in two hierarchies of human hand system during force production and releasing tasks. Method: In this study, the constrained movements of the aiming and releasing actions using both hands and fingers during archery-like shooting were implemented as experimental tasks. The participants produced a pulling force holding the customized frame (mimicking an archery bow, with a set of force transducers) and kept it consistently for about 5 seconds, and released fingers as quickly as possible in a self-paced manner within the next 5 seconds. An analytical method based on the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis was used to quantify the stability index (synergy index) in two hierarchies including two hands (upper hierarchy) and individual fingers (lower hierarchy). Results: The results confirmed that the positive synergy pattern showed simultaneously at the upper and lower hierarchies, and the kinetic degrees of freedom were associated with the increment of hierarchical synergy indices and the performance indices. Also, the synergy indices of both hierarchies showed significant positive correlations with the performance accuracy during the task. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the human control system actively uses extra degrees of freedom to stabilize task performance variables. Further increasing the degree of freedom at one level of hierarchy induces positive interactions across hierarchical control levels, which in turn positively affects the accuracy and precision of task performance.

Synergy: An Overlay Internetworking Architecture and Implementation

  • Kwon, Min-Seok;Fahmy, Sonia
    • Journal of Communications and Networks
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.181-190
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    • 2010
  • A multitude of overlay network designs for resilient routing, multicasting, quality of service, content distribution, storage, and object location have been proposed. Overlay networks offer several attractive features, including ease of deployment, flexibility, adaptivity, and an infrastructure for collaboration among hosts. In this paper, we explore cooperation among co-existing, possibly heterogeneous, overlay networks. We discuss a spectrum of cooperative forwarding and information sharing services, and investigate the associated scalability, heterogeneity, and security problems. Motivated by these services, we design Synergy, a utility-based overlay internetworking architecture that fosters overlay cooperation. Our architecture promotes fair peering relationships to achieve synergism. Results from Internet experiments with cooperative forwarding overlays indicate that our Synergy prototype improves delay, throughput, and loss performance, while maintaining the autonomy and heterogeneity of individual overlay networks.

An Empirical Study on the Change in Market Power after Mergers & Acquisition (합병과 시장지배력의 관계분석)

  • Chung Bhum-Suk;Lee Jin
    • Management & Information Systems Review
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    • v.4
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    • pp.327-348
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    • 2000
  • There are three major motives for M&A, financial synergy effect, operating & managerial synergy effect, and tax effect. The purpose of this study is to prove the operating & managerial synergy effect of M&A. To do this, we analyze the market-ripple effect of M&A, focusing on the increase in market power. Specifically we use cross-sectional data from 1985 to 1998 to show whether a market power of mergers is higher than that of a matched non-merging control group. we use time series data to show whether a market power of merger is higher than that of pre-merger. Also we use the event study using market model to show the stock price movement after mergers. The result is that although revenue increase after mergers, profit of the firms does not improve after mergers. Also there is sufficient evidence to say that there is a cumulative abnormal return for the firms after mergers.

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A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONDENSABLE COMPOSITE RESINS (응축형 복합레진의 기계적 성질에 관한 비교연구)

  • 정지아;문주훈;조영곤
    • Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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    • v.26 no.6
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    • pp.485-491
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    • 2001
  • The purpose of this study was to compare the mechanical properties of three condensable composite resins and one hybrid composite resin. The compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, Vicker's microhardness were tested for mechanical properties of condensable composite resins (SureFil, Ariston pHc, Synergy compact), and hybrid composite resin (Z 100). The tested materials were divided into four groups: control group Z 100 (3M Co. USA), experimental group I Ariston pHc, (Vivadent, Co., Liechtenstein) experimental group II SureFil (Dentsply, Co., U.S.A.), experimental group III Synergy Compact (Coltene, Co., Swiss). According to the above classification, we made samples of SureFil, Ariston pHc, Synergy Compact, Z 100 with separable cylindrical metal mold. And then, we measured and compared the value of compressive strength, diametral tensile strength and Vicker's microhardness of each sample. (omitted)

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The Synergy Effect of a Corporate-Level Loyalty Program Integration on Customer Equity

  • Park, Dae-Yun;Yoo, Shijin
    • Asia Marketing Journal
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    • v.20 no.4
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    • pp.21-47
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    • 2019
  • This study empirically examines the synergy effect of a corporate-level loyalty program on customer equity (CE) known as the lifetime value of current and future customers (Blattberg et al. 2009). A corporate-level loyalty program refers to a company-wide integration loyalty program at the corporate-level in which subsidiaries (multi-divisions) participate as program members. It does not merely examine whether there is an integration effect of a corporate-level loyalty program from the CE perspective, but it provides practical implications for a firm's strategic focus by identifying which value creation channels (i.e., acquisition, retention, and cross-selling), brand characteristics (i.e., size of the customer base before integration, diversity of products, and sales channel type), and consumer characteristics (i.e., customer relationship stage, transaction amount before integration, transaction period, and number of purchased brands) are affected the most by the synergy effect.