• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.94-111
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• 2023

In order to establish an effective management strategy for invasive species early detection and regular monitoring are required to assess their introduction or dispersal. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is actively applied to evaluate the fauna including the presence of invasive species as it has high detection sensitivity and can detect multiple species simultaneously. In Korea, the applicability evaluation of metabarcoding is being conducted mainly on fish, and research on other taxa is insufficient. Therefore, this study identified the feasibility of detecting invasive species in Korea using eDNA metabarcoding. In addition, to confirm the possibility of detection by taxa, the detection of target species was evaluated using four universal primers (MiFish, MiMammal, Mibird, Amp16S) designed for fish, mammals, birds, and amphibians. As a result, target species (Trachemys scripta, 3 sites; Cervus nippon, 3 sites; Micropterus salmoides, 7 sites; Rana catesbeiana, 4 sites) were detected in 17 of the total 55 sites. Even in the selection of dense sampling sites within the study area, there was a difference in the detection result by reflecting the ecological characteristics of the target species. A comparison of community structures (species richness, abundance and diversity) based on the presence of invasive species focused on M.salmoides and T.scripta, showed higher diversity at the point where invasive species were detected. Also, 1 to 4 more species were detected and abundance was also up to 1.7 times higher. The results of invasive species detection through metabarcoding and the comparison of community structures indicate that the accumulation of large amounts of monitoring data through eDNA can be efficiently utilized for multidimensional ecosystem evaluation. In addition, it suggested that eDNA can be used as major data for evaluation and prediction, such as tracking biological changes caused by artificial and natural factors and environmental impact assessment.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.311-323
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• 2023

In order to reduce disaster damage by localized heavy rains, floods, and urban inundation, it is important to know in advance whether natural disasters occur. Currently, heavy rain watch and heavy rain warning by the criteria of the Korea Meteorological Administration are being issued in Korea. However, since this one criterion is applied to the whole country, we can not clearly recognize heavy rain damage for a specific region in advance. Therefore, in this paper, we tried to reset the current criteria for a special weather report which considers the regional characteristics and to predict the damage caused by rainfall after 1 hour. The study area was selected as Gyeonggi-province, where has more frequent heavy rain damage than other regions. Then, the rainfall inducing disaster or hazard-triggering rainfall was set by utilizing hourly rainfall and heavy rain damage data, considering the local characteristics. The heavy rain damage prediction model was developed by a decision tree model and a random forest model, which are machine learning technique and by rainfall inducing disaster and rainfall data. In addition, long short-term memory and deep neural network models were used for predicting rainfall after 1 hour. The predicted rainfall by a developed prediction model was applied to the trained classification model and we predicted whether the rain damage after 1 hour will be occurred or not and we called this as 1ST-Model. The 1ST-Model can be used for preventing and preparing heavy rain disaster and it is judged to be of great contribution in reducing damage caused by heavy rain.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.1155-1167
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of falls, fear of falling, perceived health status, and number of disease according to cognitive function in community-dwelling the elderly women. This study utilized a descriptive survey design. Data were collected for six months with 311 elderly women who visited in public health center at S city. After obtaining Institutional Review Board(IRB) approval, a face-to-face, and private interview was conducted with each participant who was eligible and agreed to participate in this study by trained graduate-level nursing students. The questionnaires consisted of MoCA-K, K-MMSE, Fall Efficacy Scale, PHS scale. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 17.0 program, which was used descriptive statistics, Chi-Square test and t-test, Correlation. The major findings of this study were as follows; 1) The average age of the subjects was 71.68±5.13 and cognitive function score was 22.14±4.32. approximately 35% of participants had fallen within one year. 2) there were significant differences in perceived health status according to cognitive function. 3) fear of fall and cognitive function, perceived health status and cognitive function were significant correlation. In conclusion, this study will contribute to establish strategies for preventing fall. Interventions for fall prevention and fear of fall enhancement should be developed with the consideration of the level of cognitive function in the elderly. Reducing the fear of falling through the comprehensive nursing intervention will ultimately improve the quality of life in the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

Most wetlands worldwide have suffered from extensive human exploitation. Unfortunately they have been less explored compared to river and lake ecosystems despite their ecological importance and economic values. This is the same case in Korea. This study was aimed to estimate the assemblage attributes and distribution characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates for fifty wetlands distributed throughout subtropical Jeju Island in 2021. A total of 133 taxa were identified during survey periods belonging to 53 families, 19 orders, 5 classes and 3 phyla. Taxa richness ranged from 4 to 31 taxa per wetland with an average of 17.5 taxa. Taxa richness and abundance of predatory insect groups such as Odonata, Hemiptera and Coleoptera respectively accounted for 67.7% and 68.2% of the total. Among them Coleoptera were the most diverse and abundant. Taxa richness and abundance did not significantly differ from each wetland type classified in accordance with the National Wetland Classification System. There were three endangered species (Clithon retropictum, Lethocerus deyrolli and Cybister (Cybister) chinensis) and several restrictively distributed species only in Jeju Island. Cluster analysis based on the similarity in the benthic macroinvertebrate composition largely classified 50 wetlands into two major clusters: small wetlands located in lowland areas and medium-sized wetlands in middle mountainous regions. All cluster groups displayed significant differences in wetland area, long axis, percentage of fine particles and macrophyte composition ratio. Indicator Species Analysis selected 19 important indicators with the highest indicator value of Ceriagrion melanurum at 63%, followed by Noterus japonicus (59%) and Polypylis hemisphaerula (58%). Our results are expected to provide fundamental information on the biodiversity and habitat environments for benthic macroinvertebrates in wetland ecosystems, consequently helping to establish conservation and restoration plans for small wetlands relatively vulnerable to human disturbance.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.249-260
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• 2024

Background: The Republic of Korea's aging population escalates medical and long-term care costs. While prior research has suggested that long-term care might reduce these costs, these studies had limitations in their subjects and duration, making it difficult to generalize the results. This study aims to evaluate cost changes between the long-term care group and the general older adults group after addressing these limitations. Methods: A cohort was derived from the 2015 national population using stratified sampling. Subsequently, 15,114 individuals (7,557 in each group) were identified through 1:1 propensity score matching. The study employed a difference-in-differences analysis to explore variances in medical costs and long-term care benefits post-utilization of long-term care services. Results: Compared to the general older adults group, the long-term care group experienced a reduction in monthly per capita total medical costs by 56,459 Korean won (KRW). Although costs at tertiary and general hospitals increased, those related to long-term care hospitals decreased by 90,687 KRW. Including long-term care benefits, overall expenditures increased by 948,038 KRW. Conclusion: The analysis reveals that the long-term care group faces higher medical costs in acute care than the general older adults group, emphasizing a greater need for medical services within this group. To meet the increasing medical demands of the long-term care group, a collaborative strategy linking community resources, healthcare, and long-term care facilities is imperative. Additionally, developing and implementing preventive health habit management strategies for middle-aged and older adults is essential to diminish the future requirement for long-term care.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 1962

Total area of bamboo groves in Korea which is limited to $37^{\circ}$ north latitude, i.e., to southern part of Chungchung-nam-do Province and Kangwon-do Province, is 3,235ha., but this country must import about 3,000 metric ton's bamboo culms from Japan every year. It may be true that the country is not so fit for economical cultivation of bamboo groves from the view point of climatic condition, but the author believes that self-sufficiency in bamboo is not impossible if some scientific method for improving bamboo groves is introduced to our primitive groves. Keeping this point in his mind the auther tried to study on the bamboo groves in the country, and as the first step set about to investigate the actual state of twenty good bamboo groves located in Cholla-nam-do Province from March, 1961 to January, 1962. This is a report on some characters of bamboo culms and growing stock with samples collected in the present investigation. 1) Numbers of bamboo culm per 0.1ha. are 1,183 in average, 1,840 in maximum and 87.5 in minimum before harvesting. 2) According to owners' saying, 1960 was such an off-year that they could hardly see any yearling bamboos in groves, but in 1961 very many new bamboos are produced as follows: the proportion of the number of yearling bamboos produced this year to that of mature bamboos (over 2 years old) is 58.7% in average; the highest 110.5% and the lowest 16.8%. 3) the average diameter of culms at eye height is 6.5cm, but the biggest diameter comes to 11.2 cm, and the average diameters of yearling and mature bamboos are 6.5cm and 6.6cm respectively. 4) Internode length records 29.4 cm in average, the shortest 21.3 cm and the longest 38.4 cm. Average internode lengths of new culms and mature culms are 27.6 cm and 29.4 cm respectively. This shows that the internode length of new culms is in the decrease to that of maturer's. 5) Through this investigation, it was found that internode length is in the influence of the exposure and density of bamboo groves, i. e., the more the dencity of bamboo groves is and the more the exposure nears the north-east, the longer the internode length becomes (see Table 7 and 8). 6) In the growing stock of bamboo groves, bundles per 0.1ha. amount to 271 sok (unit of bundle) in total average, 445 sok in maximum and 126 sok in minimum. 7) Among twenty typical bamboo groves, chosen in each County in Cholla-nam-do Province, only one passes perfectly by Veda's standard rule* prescribing the good bamboo grove, but the eight groves shown in Table 9 could be recommended as good ones in Cholla-nam-do Province, because the auther believes that those groves may be improved better, if we pay more attention to the management of them. 8) Considering that they have managed their groves carelessly and primitively, and that unfortunately their groves must have faced almost on clear felling over the entire area at the time of the Korean War, we can surely expect much more increments in bamboo groves, if we introduce some scientific methods in managing their groves.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.217-223
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to provide improvements and standards of trial lens, in a situation that there is a lack of standards of trial lens set that have been used for self-conscious refraction test after helm refraction test at about 5,000 opticians, ophthalmologic clinics and hospitals, and contact-lens shops, that there is a lot of discrepancies between refraction specified and the actual power, and that there is no regulation of optical tolerance error. For the study, opticians who have used Trial lens set were asked to participate in a questionnaire survey through continuing education, and divided into those who have used domestic lens and those who have used imported lens, 5 opticians each for less than 5 years, 5 to 10 years, more than 10 years. The measurement of both refraction specified and the actual diopter was compared to Japan Industrial Standards(JIS T4402). As a result of comparative analysis, more than 80% of respondents have had reliability on the refraction of trial lens they had used, indicating that they have never measured the refraction specified and the actual diopter after buying them. Besides, Korean Industrial Standards(KS P4402) has been imperfect in diopter range since it was legislated in 1979. More than 95% of respondents have been unsatisfied with optometry. Also, it has indicated that refraction error is more frequent in long-term-used trial lens. The conclusion is that it is necessary to standardize trial lens set and that it is required to add lens to lens set provided under KS P4402. Moreover, it is necessary to have supervisory agency for a standardization of trial lens. I hope that both domestic lens and imported lens, as in German and Japan, will be tested to find whether they meet optical tolerance error and standard trial lens will be distributed. Good optic inspection is required for the improvement and management of eye health and optical function, and the same standard trial lens set should be used. whoever is tested. Also, I hope that trial lens set will be specified within standards and tolerance error.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2012

Purpose: Those who access to the nuclear medicine department are classified as radiation workers, temporarily access group, and occasional access group as defined by the atomic energy law. The radiation workers and temporarily access people wear a personal radiation dosimeter for checking their own radiation absorbed dose periodically. However, because of the sanitation workers, classified as temporarily access group, who are working in the nuclear medicine department are moved in a cycle with other departments and their works are changeful, it is hard to control their radiation absorbed dose. Thus, this study is going to examine the state of the sanitation worker's radiation absorbed dose, and then make sure whether they are classified as temporarily access group or not. Materials and methods: In the first instance, the first sanitation worker who works in vitro laboratory and PET room and the second sanitation worker who works in gamma camera rooms (invivo room) wore radiation dosimeter-OSL(Optically Stimulated Luminescence)- to measure their own radiation absorbed dose during work time from May to June 2011. Secondly, this study was taken place 5 places in gamma camera rooms, 2 places in PET bed room, operating room, waiting room and cyclotron room in PET and 4 places in vitro laboratory. And then to measure the radiation space dose rate, it is measured 10 times each of places as sanitation worker's work flow by using radiation survey meter. Results: The radiation absorbed dose on OSL of the first c who works in vitro laboratory and PET room and the second one who works in gamma camera rooms are 0.04, 0.02 mSv per month respectively. That means the estimated annual radiation absorbed doses are less than 1mSv as 0.48, 0.24 mSv/yr respectively. The radiation space dose rates as sanitation worker's work flow using survey meter are 0.0037, 0.0019 mSv/day, so the estimated annual radiation absorbed dose are 0.93, 0.47 mSv/yr respectively. The weighted exposure dose of first sanitation worker of each places are 1.62% in cyclotron room, 3.88% in waiting room, 2.39% in operating room, 81.01% in bed room of PET and 11.01% in vitro laboratory. The weighted exposure dose of second sanitation worker of each places are 45.22% in radiopharmaceutical laboratory, gamma 30.64% in camera rooms, 15.65% in waiting room, 8.49% in reading room. Conclusion: The annual radiation absorbed doses on OSL of both sanitation workers are less than 1 mSv per year and the annual radiation absorbed doses by using survey meter are less than 1mSv either, but close up to 1 mSv. Thus, to clarify whether the sanitation workers are temporarily access group or not, and to be lessen their s radiation absorbed dose, they should be educated about management of radiation and modified their work flow or work time appropriately, their radiation absorbed dose would be lessen certainly.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.1
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• pp.38-58
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• 2013

The existence of endemism in many parts of the world is an important factor for conservationists. Conservation can only be carried out under national legislation, and national endemics, which have very limited ranges, fully depend on the effort and success of conservation. A total of 523 vascular plant taxa were listed in the latest national checklist by Ministry of Environment in 2005, while the 'Creation and Furtherance of Arboretums Act' including a national endemic list (appendix 4-1) was established by Korea Forest Service and was legislated as a law in late 2011. This legislation by Korea Forest Service on endemism of Korean vascular plants have required much attention because of discrepancies of nomenclature, taxonomic bias and inflation. Examining data for both lists proposed by Ministry of Environment and Korea Forest Service, of the total of 360 legislated taxa, around 286 taxa are shared with the list of Ministry of Environment, of which about 80% have been found as common taxa. Around 67(18.7%) are typographic errors, and 14 taxa (3.9%) are recorded as illegitimate and invalidly published names. Through this analysis 12 taxa (3.4%) were found in China as well as in Korea and these are thought to be non Korean endemic taxa. Taken together, the legislated list displayed 1/4 (24.9%) errors out of the total list. Only 59 taxa (16.5%) are identified as national endemic species. The remainder are either unresolved candidates (73 taxa, 20.4%) or synonyms (196 taxa, 54.7%) status. It must be noted, that the concept of endemism very much depends on the knowledge of the species concept, taxonomic bias and geographical range of a species. Also, the most major nomenclatural problem tend to be more stable if the information on database about Korea Plant Name, which is managed by Korea National Arboretum are well updated year to year. These exaggerated numbers underscore the urgency for regional conservation planning and implementing effective strategies to preserve these real endemic taxa into the future.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.6158-6167
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to perform comparative analysis of the duties of 7 new roles of HIMs in Malaysian and Korean hospitals of a similar scale. A Malaysian general hospital with a scale of 272 hospital beds was chosen. The researcher visited a Malaysian hospital in person and interviewed the staff in charge over a 2 week period from July 22nd 2013 to August 2nd 2013. For domestic hospitals, 13 general hospitals with 270 hospital beds, similar to the Malaysian general hospital, were chosen. Phone interviews with the department recorded the duty recording work. Regarding 7 new roles of Health Information Manager (HIM), although the role as a Health information manager and Security Officer in Malaysian general hospital was not defined, 30.8% performed their role in Korean general hospitals. The classification of disease & procedure within the role of Clinical data specialist was performed by both countries, and while the tumor registry was done in a Malaysian general hospital, only 15.4% of Korean general hospitals were operating. The statistics of the discharged patients were not measured in the Malaysian general hospital but 76.9% of Korean general hospitals recorded these statistics. Although 22.1% of Korean general hospitals operated registration work of special disease, Malaysian general hospital not only had a total legal contagious disease registration, but also took charge of information registration of hospital births and deceased ones. Other than these, the Patient Information Coordinator, Data Quality Manager, Document and Repository Manager, Research and Decision Support Analyst roles were not done by either country. The new role of HIM is operated in a low percentage in Korean middle and small hospitals. Therefore, to clearly establish the role of HIM in Korea, and have middle and small hospitals to operate such a role, it is essential for the related association to give continuous education and provide support to clarify the role within the hospital working environment. It is desirable to benchmark Malaysian general hospital's registration work on special diseases and others, and expand the work to improve overall.