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Purpose: Increasing attention has been paid to low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for its potential therapeutic effects in Alzheimer's disease (AD). While preclinical studies have shown promising therapeutic effects of low-intensity tFUS in AD models, its efficacy and safety remain unclear in humans. In this pilot study, we investigated the effects of low-intensity tFUS on blood-brain barrier opening, the regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglu), and cognition in patients with AD.Methods: After receiving institutional review board approval, four patients with AD received tFUS to the hippocampus immediately after an intravenous injection of a microbubble ultrasound contrast agent. Sonication was delivered at low-intensity, at a pressure level below the threshold for blood-brain barrier opening. Patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging, 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography, and neuropsychological assessments before and after the tFUS procedure. A whole-brain voxel-wise paired t test was conducted to compare rCMRglu before and after tFUS.Results: The sonication, as anticipated, did not show evidence of active blood-brain barrier opening on T1 dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. rCMRglu in the superior frontal gyrus (P

Preclinical studies have suggested that low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) may have therapeutic potential for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by opening the blood–brain barrier (BBB), reducing amyloid pathology, and improving cognition. This study investigated the effects of tFUS on BBB opening, regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglu), and cognitive function in AD patients. Eight patients with AD received image-guided tFUS to the right hippocampus immediately after intravenous injection of microbubble ultrasound contrast agents. Patients completed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET), and cognitive assessments before and after the sonication. No evidence of transient BBB opening was found on T1 dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. However, immediate recall (p = 0.03) and recognition memory (p = 0.02) were significantly improved on the verbal learning test. PET image analysis demonstrated increased rCMRglu in the right hippocampus (p = 0.001). In addition, increases of hippocampal rCMRglu were correlated with improvement in recognition memory (Spearman’s ρ = 0.77, p = 0.02). No adverse event was observed. Our results suggest that tFUS to the hippocampus of AD patients may improve rCMRglu of the target area and memory in the short term, even without BBB opening. Further larger sham-controlled trials with loger follow-up are warranted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tFUS in patients with AD.

BACKGROUND: Although single or multiple sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the prefrontal cortex over a few weeks improved cognition in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), effects of repeated tDCS over longer period and underlying neural correlates remain to be elucidated. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated changes in cognitive performances and regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRglc) after administration of prefrontal tDCS over 6 months in early AD patients. METHODS: Patients with early AD were randomized to receive either active (n = 11) or sham tDCS (n = 7) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) at home every day for 6 months (anode F3/cathode F4, 2 mA for 30 minutes). All patients underwent neuropsychological tests and brain (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scans at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Changes in cognitive performances and rCMRglc were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared to sham tDCS, active tDCS improved global cognition measured with Mini-Mental State Examination (p for interaction = 0.02) and language function assessed by Boston Naming Test (p for interaction = 0.04), but not delayed recall performance. In addition, active tDCS prevented decreases in executive function at a marginal level (p for interaction < 0.10). rCMRglc in the left middle/inferior temporal gyrus was preserved in the active group, but decreased in the sham group (p for interaction < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Daily tDCS over the DLPFC for 6 months may improve or stabilize cognition and rCMRglc in AD patients, suggesting the therapeutic potential of repeated at-home tDCS.

Background and purpose Despite accumulating evidence for the clinical efficacy and neuroprotective properties of rasagiline in Parkinson's disease (PD), effects of rasagiline on brain perfusion in PD patients have not been elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of rasagiline on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in patients with PD using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods A total of 44 PD patients were recruited and treated with dopamine agonist, either alone or in combination with levodopa. Twenty-two of these patients (referred to as the rasagiline group) additionally received rasagiline (1 mg/day). All patients underwent brain SPECT scans and clinical assessments at baseline and follow-up visits. The mean follow-up period was 2.2 years. Changes in rCBF were compared between the rasagiline group and the comparison group in a voxel-wise manner. Results Annual change in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score was lower in the rasagiline group compared to the comparison group (P = .01). A significant group-by-time interaction effect on rCBF was found in the right precuneus (P = .001), where rCBF was decreased in the comparison group and remained stable in the rasagiline group. Conclusions Our results show that adjunctive rasagiline treatment had beneficial effects on perfusion in the precuneus of PD patients, suggesting potential neuroprotective effects.

Background Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is highly likely to progress to dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). One of the most frequently reported symptoms in aMCI and DAT patients is memory impairment. This study compared the levels of beliefs about memory efficacy and control, cognitive activity, and depression among healthy older adults (OA), patients with aMCI, and patients with DAT. Methods This study included 21 OA (11 males, 10 females), 16 aMCI patients (6 males, 10 females), and 18 DAT patients (10 males, 8 females). The memory efficacy questionnaire, memory control questionnaire, cognitive activity questionnaire, depression questionnaire, and Seoul Verbal Learning Test were administered to all subjects. Results DAT patients showed significantly lower scores on the recognition test than did the OA and aMCI patients, and no difference in these scores was observed between the OA and aMCI patients. Regarding the memory efficacy, memory control, and cognitive activity questionnaires, DAT and aMCI patients showed significantly lower scores than did OA. However, there were no differences in these scores between aMCI and DAT patients. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that aMCI patients experienced impairment in memory beliefs and memory control in the same way as DAT patients did. These results suggest that the early application of cognitive rehabilitation therapy for patients with aMCI may be effective in preventing or alleviating memory deterioration.

Background: In preparation for 131I ablation, temporary withdrawal of thyroid hormone is commonly used in patients with thyroid cancer after total thyroidectomy. The current study aimed to investigate brain glucose metabolism and its relationships with mood or cognitive function in these patients using 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET). Method: A total of 40 consecutive adult patients with thyroid carcinoma who had undergone total thyroidectomy were recruited for this cross-sectional study. At the time of assessment, 20 patients were hypothyroid after two weeks of thyroid hormone withdrawal, while 20 received thyroid hormone replacement therapy and were euthyroid. All participants underwent brain 18F-FDG-PET scans and completed mood questionnaires and cognitive tests. Multivariate spatial covariance analysis and univariate voxel-wise analysis were applied for the image data. Results: The hypothyroid patients were more anxious and depressed than the euthyroid participants...

Background and purpose Although subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) is often accompanied by Parkinson's disease (PD) and may predict the development of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, longitudinal brain perfusion changes in PD patients with SCI remain to be elucidated. The current prospective study examined cerebral perfusion changes in PD patients with SCI using technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods Among 53 PD patients at baseline, 30 patients were classified into the PD with SCI group and 23 patients were assigned to the PD without SCI group. The mean follow-up interval was 2.3±0.9 years. The Mini-Mental State Examination, Clinical Dementia Rating, and Global Deterioration Scale were used to assess impairments in cognitive function. Brain SPECT images were acquired at baseline and follow-up. Results Significant differences between the two groups were not found for demographic variables, PD severity, or cognitive function at either baseline or follow-up. At baseline, the PD with SCI group showed decreased perfusion in the left angular gyrus compared to the PD without SCI group. Longitudinal analysis revealed widespread perfusion reductions primarily in the bilateral temporo-parieto-occipital areas and cerebellum in the PD with SCI group. Relative to the PD without SCI group, an excessive decrease of perfusion was found in the left middle frontal gyrus of the PD with SCI patients. Conclusions Our findings suggest that perfusion deficits in the middle frontal area may play an important role in the pathophysiology of SCI in PD.

This paper presents the damage assessment of a free-fall dropped object on the seabed. The damage to a dropped object totally depends on the relationship between the impact energy and the soil strength at the mudline. In this study, unexpected dropping scenarios were first assumed by varying the relevant range of the impact velocity, structure geometry at the moment of impact, and soil strength profile along the penetration depth. Theoretical damage assessments were then undertaken for a free-fall dropping event with a fixed final embedment depth for the structure. This paper also describes the results of a three-dimensional large deformation finite element analysis undertaken for the purpose of validation. The analyses were carried out using the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian approach, modifying the simple elastic-perfectly plastic Tresca soil model. The validation exercises for each dropping scenario showed good agreement, and the present numerical approach was capable of predicting the behavior of a free-fall dropped object.

Background and Purpose Apathy is one of the most common neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). It may have adverse impacts on the progression of AD. However, its neurobiological underpinnings remain unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate differences in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) between AD patients with apathy and those without apathy. Methods Sixty-six apathetic AD patients and 66 AD patients without apathy completed Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and underwent technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans. Voxel-wise differences in rCBF between the 2 groups were examined. Association between rCBF and levels of apathy in the apathetic group was also assessed. Results AD patients with apathy showed lower rCBF in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex, left putamen, left nucleus accumbens, left thalamus, and bilateral insula than those without (all p

We have developed high throughput and scalable space divided atomic layer deposition (ALD) system for thin filmencapsulation (TFE) of flexible OLEDs display. In this paper, we report high moisture barrier properties of Al2O3 films deposited by our new developed high throughput (70 A/min) spatial ALD with 2G glass substrate size (370 × 470 mm2). The WVTR on flexible substrate could achieve ∼10−5 g/m2-day under tritium test.

In preparation forA total of 40 consecutive adult patients with thyroid carcinoma who had undergone total thyroidectomy were recruited for this cross-sectional study. At the time of assessment, 20 patients were hypothyroid after two weeks of thyroid hormone withdrawal, while 20 received thyroid hormone replacement therapy and were euthyroid. All participants underwent brainThe hypothyroid patients were more anxious and depressed than the euthyroid participants. The multivariate covariance analysis showed increases in glucose metabolism primarily in the bilateral insula and surrounding areas and concomitant decreases in the parieto-occipital regions in the hypothyroid group. The level of thyrotropin was positively associated with the individual expression of the covariance pattern. The decreasedThese results suggest that temporary hypothyroidism, even for a short period, may induce impairment in glucose metabolism and related affective symptoms.

Atomized slag is a residual waste product of steel manufacturing. The use of atomized slag as a recycled material is widespread in Korea, especially for filter media, ceramic filters, coagulate, construction materials, abrasives, and desulfurizing agents. The absorptivity of atomized slag as a reactive media for a permeable reactive barrier to eliminate pollutants inflowing from landfills was investigated in this study. Physical tests were performed to analyze the engineering properties of the atomized slag. The absorptive performance of the atomized slag against heavy metals and organics was examined in batch and column tests. Pilot-scaled and field tests were performed and monitored to evaluate the absorptivity of the atomized slag in the permeable reactive barrier against heavy metals and organics. The pilot-scaled test results showed the removal efficiencies of more than 94.9% for organics and more than 99.9% for heavy metals passing into the atomized media. The field test results indicated that the removal efficiencies of the atomized slag applied in the permeable reactive barrier were measured to be from 82 to 85% for organics and from 90 to 95% for heavy metals. The implications of the results are discussed.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is one of the most important disease viruses in cattle that can cause severe economical losses due to decreased fertility, abortion, diarrhea, and respiratory symptoms. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate prevalence of BVDV infection (Transiently infection, Persistently infection) in dairy cattle in Gyeongnam southern area, Korea and use this data as the basis for establishing an eradication program and policy. A total of 44 bulk-tank milk samples (farms) col-lected in milk collecting center were tested for BVDV antibody using an ELISA. As the result, out of a total of 44 bulk-tank milk samples (farms), 38 (86.4%) samples were BVDV antibody positive. Blood samples (17 farms, n=543) were collected from BVDV antibody positive farms in bulk-tank milk, tested for BVDV antigen with ELISA and PCR. BVDV infected farms were 47% (8/17) and BVDV infected head were 2.2% (12/543). Persistently infected cattle (PI) were detected at 6 (35.3%) farms out of 17 farms and a total of 6 (1.1%) out of 543 head of cattle were identified as PI. The seropositive of BVDV antibody at farms and head were 100% (17/17) and 49.45% (91/184), respectively. The seroprevalence of BVDV antibody in PI infected farms (67.35%) much higher than that of BVDV antibody in tran-siently infected cattle (TI) infected farms (45%) and uninfected farms (34.48%). For eradication of BVDV infection in cattle populations, First of all, we should remove PI and need vaccination.

The interaction between a spudcan and an existing footprint is one of the major concerns during jack-up rig installation, especially in the surface clay layer. No guidance was provided in the recently finalised version of ISO guidelines 19905-1 [1] in regards to mitigating spudcan-footprint interaction issues except some proposed considerations due to the lack of detailed investigations. This paper reports a measure for easing spudcan-footprint interaction issues, with the efficiency of a novel spudan shape tested through 3D large deformation finite element (LDFE) analyses. The LDFE analyses using the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) approach in the commercial finite element package ABAQUS. The soil conditions tested simulate soft seabed strength profiles close to the mudline. A critical reinstallation locations of 0.55D (D = spudcan diameter) and existing footprint depth (of 0.33D) were investigated. The main aim was to investigate if the spudcan shape itself can be used to mitigate potential footprint interaction when compared to a conventional spudcan. The results from this study indicated that the novel spudcan had the potential to ease spudcan-footprint interaction issues.

Background and Purpose Although the treatment efficacy of memantine in Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) has been reported after several weeks of administration, the long-term effects on brain perfusion and clinical symptoms remain unclear. The current study aimed to follow-up PDD patients after 18 months of memantine treatment using 99mTc hexamethylpropylene amine oxime single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods A total of 15 patients with PDD and 11 healthy participants were recruited into this study and they were assessed with brain SPECT, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Differences in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) between the two groups were evaluated at baseline. After 18 months of memantine administration, changes in brain perfusion, severity of dementia, cognition, and neuropsychiatric disturbances were examined in the patients with PDD. Results The PDD group showed hypoperfusion in most of the cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar areas compared to healthy controls at baseline. At the follow-up, changes in rCBF, CDR (p=0.32), sum of box of CDR (p=0.49), MMSE (p=0.61), GDS (p=0.79), and NPI (p=0.23) were not significant in the PDD patients. Conclusions Our findings implicate that memantine may delay the progression of brain perfusion deficits and clinical symptoms of PDD in the long term.

This paper provides the design basis and case study of soil improvement to secure the stability of jack up rig under operation and fabrication condition to effectively mitigate the risk associated with unexpected spudcan penetration. The two penetration curves of spudcan foundation are presented to confirm soil improvement influence using DMM (Deep Mixing Method) with native soil material. The results from 3D large deformation finite element (LDFE) analyses are reported on vertical penetration of skirted spudcan into multilayer clays. The LDFE analyses were carried out using the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) approach and the modified simple elastic-perfectly plastic Tresca soil model. The seabed sediments were simulated as single layer soft clay with undrained shear strength increasing linearly with depth, two-layer stiff clayey sand overlying soft clay and sandy gravel. The circular block of soil improvement is partially located in the third sandy clay layer under the spudcan penetration path with specific thickness. The result with native soil condition is validated against ISO recommendation and the penetration curve for reinforced section is also overlaid concurrently. The punch-through phenomeneon predicted in the assessement by ISO method is replicated in the numerical analysis. The validation exercise of the original case shows a good agreement and the present numerical approach is capable of predicting the behavior of a spudcan penetration in multi-layered soil. The partially reinforced layer shows the load distribution during spudcan penetration. It provides the reduction of penetration depth under a given preload and seabed conditions efficiently. To ensure the structural stability of jack up rig, the uncertainties of site condition during installation should be removed such as partially trapped soft soil or soft thin layer at the footing location. The presented numerical approach can provide reasonable design basis for soil treatment to mitigate stability risk.

This paper proposes a 16×16 and 32×32 inverse transform architecture for HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding). HEVC large transform of 16×16 and 32×32 suffers from huge computational complexity. To resolve this problem, we proposed a new large inverse transform architecture based on hardware reuse. The processing element is optimized by exploiting fully recursive and regular butterfly structure. To achieve low area, the processing element is implemented by shifters and adders without multiplier. Implementation of the proposed 2-D inverse transform architecture in 0.18 ㎛ technology shows about 300 ㎒ frequency and 287 Kgates area, which can process 4K (3840×2160)@ 30 fps image.

This study investigated the effect of styrene–butadiene latex (latex) content on the pullout behavior of structural polypropylene fibers (SPF) in hybrid fiber-reinforced latex-modified cement-based composite made with a blend of SPF and nonstructural polypropylene fiber. Bond tests were performed in accordance with JCI SF-8. NSPF was incorporated at 9.10 kg/m3 and SPF at 0.45 kg/m3. Latex was added at 0–20% of the binder weight. The experimental results demonstrated that latex improved the pullout properties of the load–displacement curve in the debonded zone. Also, the bond strength and interface toughness increased with latex content up to 15% but decreased when the latex content reached 20%. Microstructure analysis showed increased scratching on the SPF surface. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013

As sensor technology grows up in fields such as environmental hazards detecting system, ubiquitous sensor network, intelligent robot, the sensing and detecting system for sensor is increasing. The sensor data is measured by change of chemical and physical status. Because of decrepit sensor or various sensing environment, it is problem that sensor data is inaccurate result. So the reliability of sensor data is essential. In this paper, we proposes a reliable sensor signal processing platform for various sensor. To improve reliability, we use same sensors in multiple array structure. As sensor data is corrected by spatial and temporal relation signal processing algorithm for measured sensor data, reliability of sensor data can be improved. The exclusive protocol between platform components is designed in order to verify sensor data and sensor state in various environment.

In the present study, we carried out a seropositive survey of Neospora (N) caninum and Toxoplasma (T) gondii in cattle at northern area of Gyeongnam province, Korea. Serum sample was obtained from Holstein cattle (n=248, 44 farms in 5 counties) and Korean indigenous cattle (n=120, 23 farms in 4 counties). All 368 sera were tested for antibodies to N. caninum and T. gondii by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Seropositive of N. caninum at farm and heads were 41.8% (28/67) and 12.8% (47/368), respectively. Twenty-five cattle (6.8%) were seropositive to T. gondii, and eighteen (26.9%) of 67 studied farms had cows seropositive to T. gondii. The seroprevalence of Holstein cattle was much higher than that of Korean indigenous cattle. There was no apparent association of T. gondii seropositivity with age, while the seropositivity for N. caninum was associated with cattle age. The farm of cattle above the age of 5 years (16.8%) was more infective than less than 4 years (9.3%). This is the first report on seroprevalence of N. canium and T. gondii in Holstein and Korean indigenous cattle in Gyeongnam, Korea.

The prevention of porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) is very important because of its high infection-rates in the swine farms and the economic impact in swne industry in Korea. To control the prevalence of PRDC, it is important to know about infection patterns of it. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the infection patterns of PRDC in the northern area of Gyeongsangnam-do. To this end, the infection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine circovirus type 2(PCV2), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MH), and Swine in-fluenza virus (SIV) were examined using 120 pig lung tissues by PCR analysis. As a result, single pathogen positive specimens were 25.0% and the others (75.0%) were turned out to be PRDC with at least two pathogens. Among PRDCs, 50 specimens (41.7%) was infected with PRRSV, PCV2, MH and SIV. Ten specimens (8.3%) showed triple infections of PRRSV, PCV2 and MH. Double infected specimens for PRRSV and PCV2 were 10 (8.3%), and for PCV2 and APP were 20 (16.7%).

Auto exposure (AE) in image signal processor (ISP) controls brightness of input image to the proper brightness when it is too dark or bright. But conventional AEs often fail to get proper brightness since AE controls only average brightness of image. Especially in applications that require object recognition, it cannot be solved the problem by AE of ISP. In this paper proposes Histogram Equalization (HE) processes that is the alternative of AE. It also proposes proper method to realize hardware and compensate HE problems conventional by using simple calculation.

The Image sensor needs various image processing to improve image quality. ISP(Image Signal Processor) performs various image processing. Conventional vision cameras have own software ISP functions and perform in PC instead of using commercial ISP chips. However these methods have problems such as large computation for image processing. In this paper, we proposed ISP that significantly reduced chip area by efficient sharing of hardware and software. Large operation blocks are designed to hardware for high performances, and we used hardware simultaneously with software considering the size of the hardware. The implemented ISP can process VGA(640*4800) images and has 91450 gate sizes in 0.35um process.

Aim: To assess the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (Flt-1), and soluble Flt-1 (sFlt-1) genes in healthy normotensive and pre-eclamptic placentas of Korean women. Methods: We investigated 12 healthy normotensive pregnant women and 10 pre-eclamptic pregnant women at Eulji University Hospital. The obtained placental tissues were analyzed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: The sFlt-1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) level was elevated 2.6 times more in pre-eclamptic placentas than in normal control placentas. However, the VEGF mRNA level of pre-eclamptic placentas was decreased. There was no difference in the Flt-1 mRNA level between control and pre-eclamptic placentas. Conclusions: Our study showed that expressions of genes relating to angiogenesis were altered in Korean pre-eclamptic placentas. These results suggest that the alteration in expressions of sFlt-1 and VEGF genes might be associated with the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.

This study aims to evaluate a porous concrete using hwang-toh, blast furnace slag and blast furnace slag (BFS) cement instead of type I cement. The tests that were carried out to analysis the properties of porous hwang-toh BFS cement concrete included compressive strength, continuous void ratio, absorption rate, and pH value, repeated freezing and thawing test were conducted. Test results indicated that the performance in porous hwang-toh concrete are effective on the kaoline based binder materials. The pH value were shown in about 9.5 ~ 8.5. The compressive strength was increased and void ratio was decreased with increasing the kaoline based binder materials, respectively. The void ratio and compressive strength were in the range of about 21 ~ 30 %, 8 ~ 13 MPa, respectively. The increased in void ratio of more than 25 % is showed to reduce the resistance of repeated freezing and thawing. Also, the resistance of repeated freezing of thawing and the compressive strength of porous hwang-toh BFS cement concrete are independent with hwang-toh content and BFS cement amount. But, the void ratio was decreased with increasing the high volume hwang-toh contents (more than 15 %).

The hydromorphological structure assessment of the urban streams of Anyang stream, Yangjae stream, Osan stream, Jangsu stream, and Hakui stream 5 years the after close to nature stream restoration work was performed using LAWA (Laenderarbeitsgemeinschaft Wasser) for the investigation of the ecology of streams in urban areas. Based on the results, the effectiveness of stream restoration in urban areas was least in spite that existing various types of stream improvements were applied. Significantly, the grade of the longitudinal, the waterfront, and the use of land nearby waterfront was poorly evaluated. It would be estimated that this trend was due to the discontinuity of the longitudinal, the lack of diversity in waterfront, the installation of facilities nearby waterfront, and was due to the use of hard materials as like stones, blocks, frames, and mats in waterfront. The further studies on the implementation of structural diversity in waterfront should be performed for the improvement of the ecology of urban streams.

This study discusses the new earth retention system with prestressed wales. The prestressed wale provides a high flexural stiffness that resists bending caused by lateral earth pressures. The prestressed wale system consists of wales, steel wires, H-beam support legs, and hydraulic jacks. The system allows for a wider spacing between supports and is more economically efficient than conventional systems. In addition, the construction process is relatively simple and the system demonstrates excellent performance. This paper explains the basic principles, mechanisms, and design procedure, as well as the advantages and limitations of this new earth retention system. It also presents the results for the performance of the field application and the measured performance is investigated and discussed. These results demonstrated that this new earth retention system with prestressed wales performed successfully in an urban excavation.

A procedure of finite-element modeling and beam-column modeling of ground anchors was proposed in this study to investigate the load transfer mechanism in ground anchors. The procedure included the modeling of soil, grout, and strand tendon and the interface modeling of soil–grout and grout–strand in ground anchors. A series of finite element analyses and beam-column analyses were performed using the proposed models on ground anchors. The numerical predictions were compared with observed measurements in a field load test. The results indicated that the numerical simulation of load transfer mechanism on ground anchors can provide reasonable predictions.

An automotive bushing is a device used in automotive suspension systems to reduce the load transmitted from the wheel to the frame of the vehicle. A bushing is a hollow cylinder, which is bonded to a solid steel shaft at its inner surface and a steel sleeve at its outer surface. The relation between the force applied to the shaft and the relative deformation of a bushing is nonlinear and exhibits features of viscoelasticity. In this paper, an automotive bushing is regarded as nonlinear viscoelastic incompressible material. Instron 8801 equipment was used for experimental research and ramp-to-constant displacement control test was used for data acquisition. Displacementdependent force relaxation function was obtained from the force extrapolation method and expressed as the explicit combination of time and displacement. Pipkin-Rogers model, which is the direct relation of force and displacement, was obtained and comparison studies between the experimental results and the Pipkin-Rogers results were carried out.

Thermal deformation of cast iron exhaust manifold for turbo diesel engine is investigated by finite element analysis (FEA). The FE model includes the temperature dependent material properties as well as the interactions between exhaust manifold, cylinder head and fasteners. It also considers the sliding behavior of the flanges of exhaust manifold on cylinder head when either expansion or contraction of the exhaust manifold exceeds the fastener pretension. The result of analysis revealed that remarkable thermal deformation occurred along the longitudinal direction. The amount of deformation was predicted and compared with experimental results. The new design of fastener hole, which allows sliding behavior, is expected to reduce thermal stress in turbo diesel engine exhaust manifold.

In this paper, we proposed calibration techniques to improve measurement accuracy in the characteristic analysis system for semiconductor devices. Systematic errors can be reduced using proposed calibration techniques. Also, error current reduction procedures including leakage current and offset current are proposed to measure low-level current in pA level. Calibration parameters are calculated and stored by microprocessor using least-square fitting with measured sample data. During measurement time microprocessor corrects measured data using stored calibration parameters. Experimental results show that current measurement error above nA level is less than 0.02%. And they also show that current measurement in pA level can be performed with about 0.2% accuracy.

Background and purpose Although sleep disturbances are common and considered a major burden for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the fundamental mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of sleep disturbance in AD patients have yet to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and sleep disturbance in AD patients using technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods A total of 140 AD patients were included in this cross-sectional study. Seventy patients were assigned to the AD with sleep loss (SL) group and the rest were assigned to the AD without SL group. SL was measured using the sleep subscale of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. A whole-brain voxel-wise analysis of brain SPECT data was conducted to compare the rCBF between the two groups. Results The two groups did not differ in demographic characteristics, severity of dementia, general cognitive function, and neuropsychiatric symptoms, with the exception of sleep disturbances. The SPECT imaging analysis displayed decreased perfusion in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral temporal pole, and right precentral gyrus in the AD patients with SL group compared with the AD patients without SL group. It also revealed increased perfusion in the right precuneus, right occipital pole, and left middle occipital gyrus in the AD with SL group compared with the AD without SL group. Conclusions The AD patients who experienced sleep disturbance had notably decreased perfusion in the frontal and temporal lobes and increased rCBF in the parietal and occipital regions. The findings of this study suggest that functional alterations in these brain areas may be the underlying neural correlates of sleep disturbance in AD patients.

Background and purpose Nicergoline is an ergoline derivative that is used to treat cognitive deficits in cerebrovascular disease and various forms of dementia. Although therapeutic effects of nicergoline have been established, little is known about its effects on cerebral perfusion in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study was to examine the role of nicergoline in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of AD patients using technetium-99m hexa-methyl-propylene-amine-oxime single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods Sixteen patients with early AD underwent a comprehensive clinical assessment including cognitive testing and SPECT scans before and after nicergoline treatment. Nicergoline (30 mg twice daily) was administered for an average duration of 1.5 years. Clinical and cognitive functioning was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), CDR-Sum of Boxes, Global Deterioration Scale, Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Results Nicergoline treatment induced changes in the severity of dementia, cognitive function, activities of daily living, and depressive symptoms, which were not statistically significant. During the follow-up, the patients showed significant increases in their relative rCBF in the superior frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, and postcentral gyrus. Conclusions Nicergoline treatment improves perfusion of the frontal and parietal regions in early AD patients. It is possible that the increased perfusion in the superior frontal gyrus may be related to the mechanisms that delay or prevent progressive deterioration of cognitive functions in AD.

The solid solutions xSrO + (1−x)Eu2O3 were synthesized at 1050 °C in air. Their phases were investigated by XRD and IR spectroscopy. Through XRD, we observed that the lattice parameters increased with increasing amount of SrO. In particular, effective replacement of Eu by Sr for all solid solutions was identified by the peak shifts of the IR spectra. With the addition of SrO, the vibration of pure Eu2O3, which is normally observed at 528 cm−1, is shifted to 532 cm−1. The solid solutions show electronic n-type conductivity at oxygen partial pressures lower than 2 × 10−3 atm above 720 °C owing to the singly and doubly effectively ionized oxygen vacancies. At oxygen partial pressures higher than 2 × 10−3 atm above 720 °C, the electrical conduction is p-type, owing to the triply effectively ionized europium vacancies.

To assess the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (Flt-1), and soluble Flt-1 (sFlt-1) genes in healthy normotensive and pre-eclamptic placentas of Korean women.We investigated 12 healthy normotensive pregnant women and 10 pre-eclamptic pregnant women at Eulji University Hospital. The obtained placental tissues were analyzed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The sFlt-1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) level was elevated 2.6 times more in pre-eclamptic placentas than in normal control placentas. However, the VEGF mRNA level of pre-eclamptic placentas was decreased. There was no difference in the Flt-1 mRNA level between control and pre-eclamptic placentas.Our study showed that expressions of genes relating to angiogenesis were altered in Korean pre-eclamptic placentas. These results suggest that the alteration in expressions of sFlt-1 and VEGF genes might be associated with the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.

CuxNb2 − xO5 − 1.5x solid solutions containing 1, 4 and 8mol% CuO were synthesized. XRD showed that all had the monoclinic structure, i.r. spectroscopy revealed that some i.r. bands were simplified with increasing amounts of CuO doping, but other bands at 510 and 750 cm−1 did not change. These results indicate that in the CuxNb2 − xO5 − 1.5x solid solutions, Cu atoms occupy octahedral sites in the lattice. The defect structure and transport property were studied by measuring electrical conductivity as a function of temperature from 600 to 1100°C and of P02 from 1 × 10−6 to 2 × 10−1 atm. The doubly ionized oxygen vacancy and the electronic conduction mechanism are suggested from the P02 dependence of order − 1 4 and the activation energies, 1.70–1.80 eV.

CoO-doped Y 2 O 3 systems containing 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mol% CoO were found to be solid solutions using XRD methods. From the Nelson-Riley method, the lattice parameters ( a ) for the 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mol% CDY systems were obtained to be 10.606, 10.598, 10.602, 10.604 and 10.605, respectively. Thermal analysis showed that no phase transition occurred in the temperature range of 500–1000°C. The electrical conductivity was measured as a function of temperature from 500 to 1000°C, and at oxygen partial pressures from 1 × 10 −5 to 2 × 10 −1 aim. Electrical conductivity increased with temperature, and the activation energy decreased with increases in dopant content. The activation energies ( E a ) for the CDY systems were 0.98−1.07 eV. The exponential dependence of conductivity on oxygen pressure (σ ∝ Po 1 n 2 ) gave 1 n = 1 4 , and the main defects are doubly negatively charged oxygen vacancies.

A theory of the geological magnetic filter for improvement of the signal to noise ratio of the magnetic detection system has been developed. The geological magnetic filter takes two sequences of magnetic fields measured from the reference sensor and the detector sensor and calculates the correlations between them in the frequency domain. Using the filter, we can remove the coherent noises in the time domain and improve the signal to noise ratio of the magnetic anomaly detecting system. We show the ability of the geological magnetic filter under various circumstances through computer simulations. Numerical simulation results show that the geological magnetic filter can remove sensor misalignment effects and regular short range local noise as well as coherent noise.