• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.551-561
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• 2022

Geophysical exploration methods are very useful for generating high-resolution images of underground structures, and such methods can be applied to investigation of buried cultural properties and for determining their exact locations. In this study, image feature extraction and image segmentation methods were applied to automatically distinguish the structures of buried relics from the high-resolution ground-penetrating radar (GPR) images obtained at the center of Silla Kingdom, Gyeongju, South Korea. The major purpose for image feature extraction analyses is identifying the circular features from building remains and the linear features from ancient roads and fences. Feature extraction is implemented by applying the Canny edge detection and Hough transform algorithms. We applied the Hough transforms to the edge image resulted from the Canny algorithm in order to determine the locations the target features. However, the Hough transform requires different parameter settings for each survey sector. As for image segmentation, we applied the connected element labeling algorithm and object-based image analysis using Orfeo Toolbox (OTB) in QGIS. The connected components labeled image shows the signals associated with the target buried relics are effectively connected and labeled. However, we often find multiple labels are assigned to a single structure on the given GPR data. Object-based image analysis was conducted by using a Large-Scale Mean-Shift (LSMS) image segmentation. In this analysis, a vector layer containing pixel values for each segmented polygon was estimated first and then used to build a train-validation dataset by assigning the polygons to one class associated with the buried relics and another class for the background field. With the Random Forest Classifier, we find that the polygons on the LSMS image segmentation layer can be successfully classified into the polygons of the buried relics and those of the background. Thus, we propose that these automatic classification methods applied to the GPR images of buried cultural heritage in this study can be useful to obtain consistent analyses results for planning excavation processes.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.134-145
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• 2023

Currently, the floodplains of major rivers are transforming into various types of waterfront spaces according to the increase in leisure activities and improved accessibility. In general, waterfront activities in river channels tend to be concentrated in summer, and the waterfront activities during this period directly affect water quality. Accordingly, it is necessary to accurately compare and evaluate the characteristics and water quality of waterfront activities during the period when waterfront activities are concentrated. In this study, the following research was conducted to compare and analyze the current status of waterfront activities of users of waterfront areas and the water quality of waterfront areas. First, three waterfront areas were selected for investigation using the information from the Ministry of Environment's water quality measurement network. Second, a survey was conducted on the satisfaction and types of waterfront activities targeting users of waterfront areas. Third, water quality grades were calculated based on monthly water quality measurement factors and compared. Fourth, statistical analysis (one-way analysis of variance) was conducted to see if there was a significant difference in water quality characteristics between periods of high waterfront activity and periods of low waterfront activity using water quality measurement data for the last 5 years. As a result of this analysis, the following conclusions were drawn in this study. First, the use of waterfront activities was investigated in the order of camping, water skiing, fishing, swimming, and rafting. Second, satisfaction factors for waterfront activities were investigated in the order of activity convenience, water quality, waterlandscape, transportation access convenience, and temperature. Third, it was found that satisfaction with water quality in waterfront areas was generally unsatisfactory regardless of the water quality grade presented by the competent authority. Fourth, as a result of comparing the water quality measurement network data of the Ministry of Environment by water quality grade, generally good grades were found, and in particular, there was a difference in grade frequency by season in the BOD category. Fifth, as a result of statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) of water quality monitoring network data by season, there were statistically significant differences in COD, BOD, TP, and TOC except for DO. Considering the results of these studies, it is judged that it is necessary to prepare a comprehensive management system for water quality improvement in the waterfront zone and to improve water quality during periods of high waterfront activity, and to prepare a water quality forecasting system for waterfront areas in the future.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.80-98
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• 2023

This study explores the effectiveness of various data preprocessing algorithms for improving subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) climate predictions from six climate forecast models and their Multi-Model Ensemble (MME) using a deep learning-based postprocessing model. A pipeline of data transformation algorithms was constructed to convert raw S2S prediction data into the training data processed with several statistical distribution. A dimensionality reduction algorithm for selecting features through rankings of correlation coefficients between the observed and the input data. The training model in the study was designed with TimeDistributed wrapper applied to all convolutional layers of U-Net: The TimeDistributed wrapper allows a U-Net convolutional layer to be directly applied to 5-dimensional time series data while maintaining the time axis of data, but every input should be at least 3D in U-Net. We found that Robust and Standard transformation algorithms are most suitable for improving S2S predictions. The dimensionality reduction based on feature selections did not significantly improve predictions of daily precipitation for six climate models and even worsened predictions of daily maximum and minimum temperatures. While deep learning-based postprocessing was also improved MME S2S precipitation predictions, it did not have a significant effect on temperature predictions, particularly for the lead time of weeks 1 and 2. Further research is needed to develop an optimal deep learning model for improving S2S temperature predictions by testing various models and parameters.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.174-193
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• 2023

Korea is surrounded by the sea and has rivers connecting to it throughout the inland areas, which has been a geographical characteristic since ancient times. As a result, there have been exchanges and conflicts with various countries through the sea, and rivers have facilitated the transportation of ships carrying grain, goods paid for by taxes, and passengers. Since the past, the sea and rivers have had a significant impact on the lives of Koreans. Consequently, it is expected that there are many cultural heritages submerged in the sea and rivers, and continuous efforts are being made to discover and preserve them. Underwater cultural heritage is difficult to discover due to its location in the sea or rivers, making direct visual observation and exploration challenging. To overcome these limitations, various geophysical survey techniques are employed. Geophysical survey methods utilize the physical properties of elastic waves, including their reflection and refraction, to conduct surveys such as bathymetry, underwater topography and strata. These techniques detect the physical characteristics of underwater objects and seafloor formation in the underwater environment, analyze differences, and identify underwater cultural heritage located on or buried in the seabed. Bathymetry uses an echo sounder, and an underwater topography survey uses a side-scan sonar to find underwater artifacts lying on or partially exposed to the seabed, and a marine shallow strata survey uses a sub-bottom profiler to find underwater heritages buried in the seabed. However, the underwater cultural heritage discovered in domestic waters thus far has largely been accidental findings by fishermen, divers, or octopus hunters. This study aims to analyze and summarize the latest research trends in equipment used for underwater cultural heritage exploration, including bathymetric surveys, underwater topography surveys and strata surveys. The goal is to contribute to research on underwater cultural heritage investigation in the domestic context.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.161-175
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• 2024

Aggregate typically refers to sand and gravel formed by the transportation of rocks in rivers or artificially crushed, constituting a core resource in the construction industry. Gyeongsangbuk-do, the largest administrative area in South Korea, produces various sources of gravel, including forest, land (excluding other sources), river, and crushed stone. As of 2022, it has extracted approximately 6.96 million cubic meters of aggregate, with permitted production totaling around 4.07 million cubic meters and reported production of about 2.88 million cubic meters. The aggregate demand in Gyeongsangbuk-do is estimated to be 12.39 million cubic meters according to the estimation method in Ready-Mix Concrete. From the supply perspective, about 120 extraction sites are operational, with most municipalities maintaining an appropriate balance between aggregate demand and supply. However, in some areas, there is inbound and outbound transportation of aggregate to neighboring regions. Regions with significant inbound and outbound aggregate transportation in Gyeongsangbuk-do are areas connected to Daegu Metropolitan City and Pohang City along the Gyeongbu rail line, showing a high correlation with population distribution. Gyeongsangbuk-do faces challenges such as population decline, aging rural areas, and insufficient balanced regional development. Analysis using GIS reveals these trends in gravel demand and supply. Currently in this study, Gyeongsangbuk-do meets its demand for aggregate through the supply of various aggregate sources, maintaining stable aggregate procurement. River and terrestrial aggregates may be sustained as short-term supply strategies due to the difficulty of longterm development. Considering the reliance on raw material supply for selective crushing, it suggests the need for raw material management to maintain stability. Gyeongsangbuk-do highlights quarries in the forest as an important resource for sustainable aggregate supply, advocating for the development of large-scale aggregate quarries as a long-term alternative. These research findings are expected to provide valuable insights for formulating strategies for sustainable management and stable utilization of aggregate resources.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.3
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• pp.562-574
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• 2021

MRI has the advantages of having excellent soft-tissue contrast and providing functional information without any harmful ionizing radiation. Although previous technical limitations restricted the use of chest MRI, recent technological advances and expansion of insurance coverage are increasing the demand for chest MRI. Recognizing the need for guidelines on appropriate use of chest MRI in Korean clinical settings, the Korean Society of Radiology has composed a development committee, working committee, and advisory committee to develop Korean chest MRI justification guidelines. Five key questions were selected and recommendations have been made with the evidence-based clinical imaging guideline adaptation methodology. Recommendations are as follows. Chest MRI can be considered in the following circumstances: for patients with incidentally found anterior mediastinal masses to exclude non-neoplastic conditions, for pneumoconiosis patients with lung masses to differentiate progressive massive fibrosis from lung cancer, and when invasion of the chest wall, vertebrae, diaphragm, or major vessels by malignant pleural mesothelioma or non-small cell lung cancer is suspected. Chest MRI without contrast enhancement or with minimal dose low-risk contrast media can be considered for pregnant women with suspected pulmonary embolism. Lastly, chest MRI is recommended for patients with pancoast tumors planned for radical surgery.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 2024

Multi-family housing plays a crucial role as a living and experiencing space, and its environment has a direct impact on the well-being and stability of its residents. Therefore, Crime Prevention Design (CPTED) for multi-family housing is of utmost importance. However, crime-related data in China is not disclosed to the public because of its specificity, making it difficult for researchers to conduct further in-depth studies based on accurate crime data. As a result, the establishment and application of CPTED theory in terms of crime prevention is limited and delayed. This study aims to explore three aspects of CPTED in multi-family housing as perceived by home-buying consumers. It investigated consumer perception of the CPTED, the importance of each element and ways to increase awareness of CPTED in multifamily housing in order to effectively improve multifamily crime prevention design principles and further enhance public safety. This study examined the current state and future trends of CPTED in China by analyzing relevant research reports and literature, aiming to gain insights into the crime prevention awareness of Chinese homeowners. In addition, a survey was conducted on Chinese consumers to unravel the importance of CPTED and increase awareness of its various elements in multifamily-family. This study used a Likert scale and SPSS reliability analysis to determine the cognitive status of multi-family CPTED, the importance of each element, and proposed an improvement plan based on the analysis results. As this study was limited by the difficulty of implementation and the lack of validation of its practical effectiveness, it is recommended that future research needs to validate the effectiveness of crime prevention designs and produce more practical results. Furthermore, it is crucial to utilize this study to inform the implementation of security solutions that are tailored to the unique characteristics of each district. Additionally, it is important to offer guidance on how to enhance community safety by increasing residents' awareness of security through education and information dissemination. The author hopes that the representative multi-family CPTED awareness, the importance of each element, and plans for improvement shall be summarized from this study, and provide foundational data for the future development of CPTED based on the Chinese region.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.363-375
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• 2024

Waterbody change detection using satellite images has recently been carried out in various regions in South Korea, utilizing multiple types of sensors. This study utilizes optical satellite images from Landsat and Sentinel-2 based on Google Earth Engine (GEE) to analyze long-term surface water area changes in four monitored small and medium-sized water supply dams and agricultural reservoirs in South Korea. The analysis covers 19 years for the water supply dams and 27 years for the agricultural reservoirs. By employing image analysis methods such as normalized difference water index, Canny Edge Detection, and Otsu'sthresholding for waterbody detection, the study reliably extracted water surface areas, allowing for clear annual changes in waterbodies to be observed. When comparing the time series data of surface water areas derived from satellite images to actual measured water levels, a high correlation coefficient above 0.8 was found for the water supply dams. However, the agricultural reservoirs showed a lower correlation, between 0.5 and 0.7, attributed to the characteristics of agricultural reservoir management and the inadequacy of comparative data rather than the satellite image analysis itself. The analysis also revealed several inconsistencies in the results for smaller reservoirs, indicating the need for further studies on these reservoirs. The changes in surface water area, calculated using GEE, provide valuable spatial information on waterbody changes across the entire watershed, which cannot be identified solely by measuring water levels. This highlights the usefulness of efficiently processing extensive long-term satellite imagery data. Based on these findings, it is expected that future research could apply this method to a larger number of dam reservoirs with varying sizes,shapes, and monitoring statuses, potentially yielding additional insights into different reservoir groups.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.57 no.8
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• pp.509-518
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• 2024

Flash drought is a rapid-onset drought that occurs rapidly over a short period due to abrupt changes in meteorological and environmental factors. In this study, we utilized satellite-based soil moisture product from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2(AMSR2) ascending X-band to calculate the weekly Flash Drought Intensity Index (FDII). We also analyzed the characteristics of flash droughts on the Korean Peninsula over a 10-year period from 2013 to 2022. The analysis of monthly spatial distribution patterns of the irrigation period across the Korean Peninsula revealed significant variations. In North Korea (NK), a substantial increase in the rate of intensification (FD_INT) was observed due to the rapid depletion of soil moisture, whereas South Korea (SK) experienced a significant increase in drought severity (DRO_SEV). Additionally, regional time series analysis revealed that both FD_INT and DRO_SEV were significantly high in the Gangwon province of both NK and SK. The estimation of probability density by region revealed a clear difference in FD_INT between NK and SK, with SK showing a higher probability of severe drought occurrence primarily due to the high values of DRO_SEV. As a result, it is inferred that the occurrence frequency and damage of flash droughts in NK are higher than those in SK, as indicated by the higher density of large FDII values in the NK region. We analyzed the correlation between DRO_SEV and the Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) across the Korean Peninsula and confirmed a positive correlation ranging from 0.4 to 0.6. It is concluded that analyzing overall drought conditions through the average drought severity holds high utility. These findings are expected to contribute to understanding the characteristics of flash droughts on the Korean Peninsula and formulating post-event response plans.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.413-420
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• 2005

Purpose: Neuroreceptor PET studies require 60-120 minutes to complete and head motion of the subject during the PET scan increases the uncertainty in measured activity. In this study, we investigated the effects of the data-driven head mutton correction on the evaluation of endogenous dopamine release (DAR) in the striatum during the motor task which might have caused significant head motion artifact. Materials and Methods: $[^{11}C]raclopride$ PET scans on 4 normal volunteers acquired with bolus plus constant infusion protocol were retrospectively analyzed. Following the 50 min resting period, the participants played a video game with a monetary reward for 40 min. Dynamic frames acquired during the equilibrium condition (pre-task: 30-50 min, task: 70-90 min, post-task: 110-120 min) were realigned to the first frame in pre-task condition. Intra-condition registrations between the frames were performed, and average image for each condition was created and registered to the pre-task image (inter-condition registration). Pre-task PET image was then co-registered to own MRI of each participant and transformation parameters were reapplied to the others. Volumes of interest (VOI) for dorsal putamen (PU) and caudate (CA), ventral striatum (VS), and cerebellum were defined on the MRI. Binding potential (BP) was measured and DAR was calculated as the percent change of BP during and after the task. SPM analyses on the BP parametric images were also performed to explore the regional difference in the effects of head motion on BP and DAR estimation. Results: Changes in position and orientation of the striatum during the PET scans were observed before the head motion correction. BP values at pre-task condition were not changed significantly after the intra-condition registration. However, the BP values during and after the task and DAR were significantly changed after the correction. SPM analysis also showed that the extent and significance of the BP differences were significantly changed by the head motion correction and such changes were prominent in periphery of the striatum. Conclusion: The results suggest that misalignment of MRI-based VOI and the striatum in PET images and incorrect DAR estimation due to the head motion during the PET activation study were significant, but could be remedied by the data-driven head motion correction.