• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.27-34
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• 2024

This study was conducted to examine the feasibility of using Fe-activated wood-derived biochar as a conductive filler for manufacturing cement-based strain sensor. To evaluate the compressive and electrical properties of cement composite with 3% Fe-activated biochar, three cubic specimens of size 50 x 50 x 50mm³ and three prismatic cement-based sensors of size 40 x 40 x 80mm³ were prepared respectively. The four-probe method of electrical resistance measurement was used for cement-based sensors. For cement-based sensors with FE-activated biochar, the conductive performance such as electrical resistance and impedance under different water content and repeated compression was investigated. Results showed that the fractional changes in the DC electrical resistivity of cement-based sensors increase with increasing time and the maximum fractional changes in the resistivity decrease with increasing the moisture contents during 900s. At moisture content of 7.5% range, the conductive performance of cement composite including 3% Fe-activated biochar as a conductive filler showed the most stable, while the strain detection ability tended to decrease somewhat as the repeated compressive stress increased between repeated compressive strain and fractional change in resistivity (FCR).

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.270-277
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• 2023

Since its introduction in 1973, the bass, Micropterus salmoides, has spread to dams and rivers in Korea, adversely affecting native fish communities. In this study, after complete removal of bass from Bukchosan Reservoir, an farm reservoir that has lost its function, an attempt was made to indirectly confirm the adverse effects of bass on fish by comparing fish communities in reservoirs of a similar size where bass inhabit. The study was conducted three times a year from 2019 to 2022. As a result of the study, in Bukchosan Reservoir, where the species composition of fish was judged to be simplified due to the habitat of bass, only four species such as Carassius auratus and Rhinogobius brunneus that could be used as a food source for bass appeared before the removal of bass, but after the removal of bass. The appearance and increase of the population of the introduced small freshwater fish (Oryzias sinensis, Rhinogobius giurinus) were confirmed. When comparing Gangjeong Reservoir, Susim Reservoir, which are other reservoirs inhabited by bass investigated in this study, and Bukchosan Reservoir, this result is judged to show a trend of stabilization and recovery of fish species after removal of bass in small reservoirs with high predation pressure of bass.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2009

Muan Bay has extensively undertaken artificial influences through a series of construction of dams and dykes nearby resulting in a substantial increase in highest high water level. To unravel sedimentary responses to the water level rise, we collected a number of surface sediment samples and hydrodynamic data from in-situ observations of tidal currents in Muan Bay in 1998 and 2007. Comparison of the data between 1998 and 2007 shows that the relative content of coarse fractions, sand and gravel, in the sediment samples has increased with a decreased mean size, on average, from 6.2 to 5.8${\phi}$ at the expense of silt contents. Such a coarsening trend, which is more evident around high water level, particularly on the tidal flats of Dongam-ri, Guro-ri and Aphae-do, is most likely attributable to rising water level. On the other hand, an increase of fine fractions locally in the western entrance of the bay can be explained with changes in characteristics of tidal currents imposed by construction of bridges therein, such as decreased velocities and varied direction and phase of the tidal currents.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.401-410
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• 2009

Purpose : Pelvis and lumbar spine radiography, among various types of diagnostic radiography, include gonads of the human body and give patients high radiation dose. Nevertheless, diagnostic reference levels for patient radiation dose in pelvis and lumbar spine radiography has not yet been established in Korea. Therefore, the radiation dose that patients receive from pelvis and lumbar radiography is measured and the diagnostic reference level on patient radiation dose for the optimization of radiation protection of patients in pelvis and lumbar spine radiography was established. Methods : The conditions and diagnostic imaging information acquired during the time of the postero-anterior view of the pelvis and the postero-anterior and lateral view of the lumbar spine at 125 medical institutions throughout Korea are collected for analysis and the entrance surface dose received by patients is measured using a glass dosimeter. The diagnostic reference levels for patient radiation dose in pelvis and lumbar spine radiography to be recommended to the medical institutes is arranged by establishing the dose from the patient radiation dose that corresponds to the 3rd quartile values as the appropriate diagnostic reference level for patient radiation dose. Results : According to the results of the assessment of diagnostic imaging information acquired from pelvis and lumbar spine radiography and the measurement of patient entrance surface dose taken at the 125 medical institutes throughout Korea, the tube voltage ranged between 60~97 kVp, with the average use being 75 kVp, and the tube current ranged between 8~123 mAs, with the average use being 30 mAs. In the posteroanterior and lateral views of lumbar spine radiography, the tube voltage of each view ranged between 65~100 kVp (average use: 78 kVp) and 70~109 kVp (average use: 87 kVp), respectively, and the tube current of each view ranged between 10~100 mAs(average use: 35 mAs) and between 8.9~300 mAs(average use: 64 mAs), respectively. The measurements of entrance surface dose that patients receive during the pelvis and lumbar spine radiography show the following results: in the posteroanterior view of pelvis radiography, the minimum value is 0.59 mGy, the maximum value is 12.69 mGy and the average value is 2.88 mGy with the 1st quartile value being 1.91 mGy, the median being 0.59 mGy, and the 3rd quartile value being 3.43 mGy. Also, in the posteroanterior view of lumbar spine radiography, the minimum value is 0.64 mGy, the maximum value is 23.84 mGy, and the average value is 3.68 mGy with the 1st quartile value being 2.41 mGy, the median being 3.40 mGy, and the 3rd quartile value being 4.08 mGy. In the lateral view of lumbar spine radiography, the minimum value is 1.90 mGy, the maximum value is 45.42 mGy, and the average value is 10.08 mGy with the 1st quartile value being 6.03 mGy, the median being 9.09 mGy and the 3rd quartile value being 12.65 mGy. Conclusions : The diagnostic reference levels for patient radiation dose to be recommended to the medical institutes in Korea is 3.42 mGy for the posteroanterior view of pelvis radiography, 4.08 mGy for the posteroanterior view of lumbar spine radiography, and 12.65 mGy for the lateral view of lumbar spine radiography. Such values are all lower than the values recommended by 6 international organizations including World Health Organization, where the recommended values are 10 mGy for the posteroanterior view of pelvis radiography, 10 mGy for the posteroanterior view of lumbar spine radiography and 30 mGy for the lateral view of lumbar spine radiography.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.455-462
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• 2014

This work investigated the hydrophobic coating of silicate yellow phosphor powder in the form of divalent europium-activated strontium orthosilicate ($Sr_2SiO_4:Eu^{2+}$) by using an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma with argon as a carrier and hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), toluene and n-hexane as precursors. After the plasma treatment of the phosphor powder, the lattice structure of orthosilicate was not altered, as confirmed by an X-ray diffractometer. The coated phosphor powder was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometry and contact angle analysis (CAA). The CAA of the phosphor powder coated with the HMDSO precursor revealed that the water contact angle increased from $21.3^{\circ}$ to $139.5^{\circ}$ (max. $148.7^{\circ}$) and the glycerol contact angle from $55^{\circ}$ to $143.5^{\circ}$ (max. $145.3^{\circ}$) as a result of the hydrophobic coating, which indicated that hydrophobic layers were successfully formed on the phosphor powder surfaces. Further surface characterizations were performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, which also evidenced the formation of hydrophobic coating layers. The phosphor coated with HMDSO exhibited a photoluminescence (PL) enhancement, but the use of toluene or n-hexane somewhat decreased the PL intensity. The results of this work suggest that the DBD plasma may be a viable method for the preparation of hydrophobic coating layer on phosphor powder.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.110-123
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• 2008

The use of CCA as a wood preservative was recently inhibited due to its environmental pollution and human harmfulness. Instead of CCA, copper azole (CuAz) and alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) have been used as alternative wood preservatives, but the price of the preservatives is much more expensive than that of CCA. As a substitute for high-priced CuAz and ACQ, environmentally friendly wood preservatives were formulated with okara, which is an organic waste from the production of tofu. Prior to formulating the preservatives, okara was hydrolyzed by three levels of sulfuric acid concentration (1, 2.5 and 5%) to easily penetrate the effective components of the preservatives into wood blocks. Final preservative solutions were formulated with the hydrolyzed okara and metal salts, such as copper sulfate, copper chloride and borax. The preservatives were treated into wood blocks by vacuum-pressure method to measure the treatability of the preservatives, and the treated wood blocks were placed in hot water for three days to measure the leachability of the preservatives. The effective components of the preservatives might be successfully penetrated into wood blocks through the uses of hydrolyzed okara and ammonia water. However, the leached amount of effective components was increased as the concentration of acid used for the hydrolysis of okara increased. The treatability and leachability of the preservatives were not affected by hydrolysis temperature but negatively affected by the addition of borax. Based on the results above, the optimal conditions for formulating okara-based wood preservatives cost-effectively and environmentally might be 1% acid hydrolysis of okara and the use of $CuCl_2$ as a metal salt. In addition, the treatability and leachability of okara-based wood preservatives were superior or no differences comparing with those of CuAz. Therefore, it is concluded that okara-based wood preservatives might have a potential to be used as an environmentally friendly wood preservative.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.253-261
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• 1989

Responses of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), aldosterone and renin release to acute volume expansion were compared in normotensive Wistar and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) fed low or high-sodium diet (2 or 25 mmol Na/100 g diet). Experimental diets were fed for 6 weeks from 7-week-old and the growth rate was similar in all groups. In the morning of the experiment, catheters were inserted under ether anesthesia in femoral artery for pressure recording and blood collection, femoral vein for saline infusion, and bladder for urine collection. Then, the rats were placed in restraining cages. When the rats were recovered from anesthesia and the arterial pressure became stabilized, control urine and blood samples were collected. Then, 0.9% saline was infused for 30 min for volume expansion (3% BW). Arterial pressure was significantly higher in the high-sodium SHR but there was no difference between the two groups of Wistar rats. Control plasma levels of Na, K, ANP, renin activity, and hematocrit were not different among the 4 groups. However, plasma aldosterone level was significantly higher in the low-sodium groups. Wistar low-sodium rats showed approximately two times higher plasma aldosterone level than the SHR counterpart. Volume expansion produced a marked increase in plasma ANP level, especially in the high-sodium groups. The low-sodium groups of both strains showed approximately two-fold increase in plasma ANP level. Following a volume expansion plasma aldosterone level and renin activity decreased in all groups. There was a significant logarithmic positive correlation between plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration. The low-sodium rats produced a greater increase in aldosterone release by small increase in plasma renin than did the high-sodium rats. The low- and high-sodium rats produced a similar degree of diuresis and natriuresis after volume expansion. However, SHR produced a greater natriuresis than did the Wistar rats. The above results indicate that regulatory mechanisms of ANP, aldosterone and renin release are different between the normotensive and hypertensive rats, and between the low- and high-sodium groups.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.320-328
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• 2004

Background : Pulmonary vascular changes which occur early in the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prevalent manifestation and later cause pulmonary hypertension, which is a bad prognostic factor in COPD. Beraprost sodium (BPS), an orally active prostacyclin analogue, has been shown to improve survival in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. This study investigated the effect of BPS in the patients with COPD. Methods : This is a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled, two center clinical trial. Twenty one consecutive patients with COPD were enrolled from June 2003 to June 2004 (patients treated with BPS for 3 months, BPS group, n=11; those with placebo, placebo group, n=10). The baseline demographic, pulmonary function and hemodynamic data were not significantly different between two groups. Results : On echocardiographic examination, trans tricuspid valve pressure gradient has decreased significantly after 3 months with beraprost in the BPS group [17.7(${\pm}11.4$) to 8.2(${\pm}8.9$) mm Hg, p-value<0.05], while there was no significant change in the control group. Six-minute walking distance has decreased in the control group and increased in the BPS group, but there was no statistical significance. Conclusion : In patients with COPD oral administration of BPS reduced the pulmonary arterial pressure. The clinical significance of this finding, that is improving symptoms and natural course of the disease, needs further study.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.33 no.5_2
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• pp.721-732
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• 2017

With the increasing socio-economic importance of rice as a global staple food, several models have been developed for rice yield estimation by combining remote sensing data with carbon cycle modelling. In this study, we aimed to estimate rice yield in Korea using such an integrative model using satellite remote sensing data in combination with a biophysical crop growth model. Specifically, daily meteorological inputs derived from MODIS (Moderate Resolution imaging Spectroradiometer) and radar satellite products were used to run a light use efficiency based crop growth model, which is based on the MODIS gross primary production (GPP) algorithm. The modelled biomass was converted to rice yield using a harvest index model. We estimated rice yield from 2003 to 2014 at the county level and evaluated the modelled yield using the official rice yield and rice straw biomass statistics of Statistics Korea (KOSTAT). The estimated rice biomass, yield, and harvest index and their spatial distributions were investigated. Annual mean rice yield at the national level showed a good agreement with the yield statistics with the yield statistics, a mean error (ME) of +0.56% and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 5.73%. The estimated county level yield resulted in small ME (+0.10~+2.00%) and MAE (2.10~11.62%),respectively. Compared to the county-level yield statistics, the rice yield was over estimated in the counties in Gangwon province and under estimated in the urban and coastal counties in the south of Chungcheong province. Compared to the rice straw statistics, the estimated rice biomass showed similar error patterns with the yield estimates. The subpixel heterogeneity of the 1 km MODIS FPAR(Fraction of absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation) may have attributed to these errors. In addition, the growth and harvest index models can be further developed to take account of annually varying growth conditions and growth timings.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2018

Providing high-quality meteorological observation data at sites that represent actual farming environments is essential for useful agrometeorological services. The Automated Agricultural Observing System (AAOS) of the Korean Meteorological Administration, however, has been deployed on lawns rather than actual farm land. In this study, we show the inaccuracies that arise in AAOS data by analyzing temporal and vertical variation and by comparing them with data recorded by the National Center for AgroMeteorology (NCAM) tower that is located at an actual farming site near the AAOS tower. The analyzed data were gathered in August and October (before and after harvest time, respectively). Observed air temperature and water vapor pressure were lower at AAOS than at NCAM tower before and after harvest time. Observed reflected shortwave radiation tended to be higher at AAOS than at NCAM tower. Soil variables showed bigger differences than meteorological observation variables. In August, observed soil temperature was lower at NCAM tower than at AAOS with smaller diurnal changes due to irrigation. The soil moisture observed at NCAM tower continuously maintained its saturation state, while the one at AAOS showed a decreasing trend, following an increase after rainfall. The trend changed in October. Observed soil temperature at NCAM showed similar daily means with higher diurnal changes than at AAOS. The soil moisture observed at NCAM was continuously higher, but both AAOS and NCAM showed similar trends. The above results indicate that the data gathered at the AAOS are inaccurate, and that ground surface cover and farming activities evoke considerable differences within the respective meteorological and soil environments. We propose to shift the equipment from lawn areas to actual farming sites such as rice paddies, farms and orchards, so that the gathered data are representative of the actual agrometeorological observations.