• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.273-288
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• 2023

Although many studies have been conducted on techniques and effects that can be applied to forest meditation in domestic forest healing meditation research, there has been little research on the space where forest meditation takes place. Nevertheless, a meditation space is not just a place concept but a forest environment element responsible for the healing function of a forest, i.e., a place containing healing factors, and can be an essential clue to the healing mechanism. Therefore, to determine whether a healing forest meditation space is suitable for meditation, this study selected the attribute items of the meditation space using the Delphi expert survey and then surveyed the user satisfaction of the healing forest meditation space using the IPA (Importance Performance Analysis) technique. The survey was conducted from August to November 2022, targeting 315 adults who used the forest meditation space at the National Center for Forest Therapy, the Saneum Healing Forest, and the Jathyanggi Pureunsup Arboretum in Gyeonggi Province. The result of the IPA analysis showed the average satisfaction with the forest meditation space was relatively high at 4.33 points on a 5-point Likert scale (4.33 points for the National Center for Forest Therapy, 4.34 points for the Saneum Healing Forest, and 4.37 points for the Jathyanggi Pureunsup Arboretum), indicating that the three healing forest meditation spaces were suitable for forest meditation. Satisfaction with the "Sounds of nature" was high in all three forests. On the other hand, all three forests showed a relatively low satisfaction with "Quietness," indicating it to be a priority problem to be addressed. Also, an open-ended questionnaire survey showed that the mediation space's natural elements, such as natural sounds, scenery, air, forest spaces, and scents, had a higher positive impact on meditation satisfaction than artificial elements, such as facilities. Therefore, it is essential to secure sound resources such as the sound of water and birds around the meditation space, and it is also necessary to consider ways to create a meditation forest in an independent area to avoid encounters with visitors and allow only participants in the forest healing meditation program to enter to increase satisfaction with forest meditation.

• Journal of International Area Studies (JIAS)
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.77-106
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• 2010

As for the matter of guardianship-benefit network which has been at the heart of the discussion of power elites and clan politics in Kazakhstan, it has been often maintained that it is basically formed by the framework of the regional and descent connection net called Zhuz or at least it has been heavily under Zhuz's influence. But it is pointed out that the controversy of Zhuz suffers from a lot of limitations in explaining the surface of power elites in the recent process of political changes and the rearrangement of power relations. Consequently, this paper tried to take a closer look at the matter focusing on the social backgrounds of elites from Junior zhuz, who have been estimated to be relatively pushed back in terms of the advancement into the central power. As a result, it was found that the backgrounds of clan and tribe origin within Zhuz couldn't have any foundation to be seen as a decisive element through which they could grow into power elites. The phenomenon of Kazakhstani elites is a legacy of concrete historic situations. The important consideration points for analyzing the emergence of elites which could be applied to a nomadic and traditional society can hardly be an invariable framework for analyzing modern elites since independence. Since 2000, Kazakhstan has experienced economic changes including privatization due to the absolute strengthening of presidential influence which turned into a foundation for a new authoritarian system, the rearrangement of the inner circle of power, and their decisions. These changes in situations have had profound effects on the character of power elites. The phenomenon that clandestine connections have shown their appearances as they have gotten intertwined with various factors, in particular, in the economic field which has been heavily under Junior zhuz makes us convinced that the elite organization in Kazakhstan has always been the product of political and economic changes. In reality, the behaviors of elites were the outcome continuously reflecting environmental situations surrounding them, and those situations lie in a complicated and multiple-layered connection net. Therefore, it is believed that having interests in elites' social backgrounds and maintaining many pieces of information on them will be able to be a more useful approach to analyzing the elite society in the future in that interests in their social backgrounds become an informant of various network formation nets which reflect real situations.

• Economic Analysis
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.84-132
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• 2020

A central bank infers market expectations of future yields based on yield curves. The central bank needs to precisely understand the changes in market expectations of future yields in order to have a more effective monetary policy. This need explains why a range of models have attempted to produce yield curves and market expectations that are as accurate as possible. Alongside the development of bond markets, the interconnectedness between them and macroeconomic factors has deepened, and this has rendered understanding of what macroeconomic variables affect yield curves even more important. However, the existence of various theories about determinants of yields inevitably means that previous studies have applied different macroeconomics variables when estimating yield curves. This indicates model uncertainties and naturally poses a question: Which model better estimates yield curves? Put differently, which variables should be applied to better estimate yield curves? This study employs the Dynamic Nelson-Siegel Model and takes the Bayesian approach to variable selection in order to ensure precision in estimating yield curves and market expectations of future yields. Bayesian variable selection may be an effective estimation method because it is expected to alleviate problems arising from a priori selection of the key variables comprising a model, and because it is a comprehensive approach that efficiently reflects model uncertainties in estimations. A comparison of Bayesian variable selection with the models of previous studies finds that the question of which macroeconomic variables are applied to a model has considerable impact on market expectations of future yields. This shows that model uncertainties exert great influence on the resultant estimates, and that it is reasonable to reflect model uncertainties in the estimation. Those implications are underscored by the superior forecasting performance of Bayesian variable selection models over those models used in previous studies. Therefore, the use of a Bayesian variable selection model is advisable in estimating yield curves and market expectations of yield curves with greater exactitude in consideration of the impact of model uncertainties on the estimation.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.203-212
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• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of peanut shell, a by-product of peanut, as a functional cosmetic ingredient. Peanut shell extract showed high antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values of 75.00, 46.33, and 472.83 ㎍/mL for DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging and SOD-like activity, respectively. Furthermore, peanut shell extract was efficiently decreased the MMP-1 and MMP-3 protein level in the UVB treated-HaCaT cell and maintained procollagen protein level similar to normal control. Similar to anti-wrinkle related protein expression assay, the IC₅₀ value of elastase and collagnease inhibition in peanut shell extract was lower as 0.30 and 0.09 mg/mL, respectively, than that of the positive control. Additionally, eriodictyol and luteolin, which are isolated from peanut shell extract, showed 53.8 and 98.0% elastase inhibition rate, respectively, and 60.1 and 72.5% collagenase inhibition rate, respectively, at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL. Thus, luteolin was assumed to be the effective ingredient for wrinkle inhibition in peanut shell extract. As a result of stability evaluation of lotion and cream formulations containing peanut shell extract, it was confirmed to be a stable formulation with no significant changes. Therefore, it is considered that peanut shell extract can be applied as a cosmetic ingredient for wrinkle inhibition.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2023

The fine particulate structure of biochar limits its use as a heavy metal adsorbent, and makes separation of the biochar from the solution technically challenging, thereby reducing recovery of the heavy metals. To address this issue, this study prepared biochar beads under various mixing conditions and investigated their efficiency in removing Pb from aqueous solutions using adsorption models. The biochar beads were produced by mixing alginate and biochar at different ratios: alginate bead (AB), 1% biochar + bead (1-BB), 2.5% biochar + bead (2.5-BB), and 5% biochar + bead (5-BB). The results revealed that the Freundlich isothermal adsorption pattern of the biochar beads to Pb was of the L-type. The highest Langmuir isothermal adsorption capacity (28.736 mg/g) was observed in the 2.5-BB treatment. The dominant mechanism among the kinetic adsorption characteristics of biochar beads for Pb was chemical adsorption. Additionally, the optimal pH range for Pb adsorption was found to be between 4 and 5.5. The highest Pb removal efficiency (97.9%) was achieved when 26.6 g/L of biochar beads were used. These findings suggest that biochar beads are an economical and highly efficient adsorbent that enables separation and recovery of fine biochar particles.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.42
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• pp.109-141
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• 2022

As many perhaps already know, in East Asian thought there are two aspects of all things such as light and darkness coexist and are called Yin-Yang (陰陽). The initial concept of Yin-Yang was just a simple expression meant to depict natural phenomena, but it gradually became the central concept in explanations of creation and the changes that undergo all things in the universe. The study of the ordering principle of nature that was known as Myeongli (命理) also examined the interrelation between the sky and the earth and divided the two into Ten Celestial Stems (天干 cheongan) and the Twelve Earth Branches (地支 jiji) based on Yin-Yang theory. This thesis analyzed contents of the relationship between Ten Celestial Stems and the Twelve Earth Branches in terms of the patterns of Mutual Aid (相助 sangjo) and Mutual Contention (相剋 sanggeuk) through a literature review and exploration of their common features and differences. Different categorized phenomena under the pattern of Mutual Aid include Tonggeun (通根 root downward) and Tugan (透干 appearance of the upward). Tonggeun means that signs in the Celestial Stems took root in their counterparts of the Earthly Branches. In the Celestial Stems, there is also Tonggeuncheo (通根處 a place to root downward) which in relation to the Earthly Branches show that the same five phases become Samhap (三合 combined three ways to gain power) and Banghap (方合 gathering in the same season). The methods of seeing Tonggeunryeok (通根力 power of a downward root) are as follows: First, it is seen by the places where Tonggeun takes hold. Ilgan (日干 the Celestial Stem of a birthday) is ordered as month (月 wol) > day (日 il) > hour (時 shi) > year (年 nyeon), and other Celestial Stems appear ordered as month > sitting > close place. Second, it can be seen by the characteristics of Earthly Branches that Tonggeun has taken hold. The Earthly Branches are ordered as Rokwangji (祿旺支 vigorous land) and Jangsaengji (長生支 newborn land) > Yeogi (餘氣 remaining energy) > Myogo (墓庫 storage and burial grounds). Tugan is the concept that the main agent was changed to Tonggeun, which means that the spirit of the Earthly Branches is manifested in the Celestial Stems. And the five phases hidden in the Earthly Branches will be able to play their roles as they are revealed. There are also the phenomena of Gaedu (蓋頭 the heavenly destroying the earthly) and Jeolgak (截脚 the earthly destroying the heavenly) which are concepts that convey that the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches can mutually destroy one another. There are different opinions on Gaedu because some adopt viewpoints of just focusing on the Celestial Stems and considering it only in terms the Celestial Stems destroying the Earthly Branches. But, the vast majority of scholars think that the Celestial Stems weakens the role of the roots by destroying the Earthly Branches. Jeolgak, the reverse concept of Gaedu, weakens the spirit of the Celestial Stems as the Earthly Branches destroy them, and this is associated with the strong possibility that one is fated to experience disharmony.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.239-247
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• 2023

The FIDIC Red Book is an international standard contract condition in which the Employer designs and the Contractor performs the construction. The Engineer of FIDIC Red Book shall agree or determine any matter or Claim in accordance with Sub-Clause 3.7 neutrally, not as an agent of the Employer. This study aimed to derive Key Risk Sub-Clauses out of 49 Sub-Clauses that the Engineer of FIDIC Red Book recently revised in 18 years shall agree or determine according to Sub-Clause 3.7 using the Delphi method. A panel of 35 experts with more than 10 years of experience and expertise in international construction contracts was formed, and through total three Delphi surveys, errors and biases were prevented in the judgment process to improve reliability. As for the research method, 49 Sub-Clauses that engineers shall agree on or determine according to Sub-Clause 3.7 of the FIDIC Red Book were investigated through the analysis of contract conditions. In order to evaluate the probability and impact of contractual risk for each 49 Sub-Clause, the Delphi survey conducted repeatedly a closed-type survey three times on a Likert 10-point scale. The results of the first Delphi survey were delivered during the second survey, and the results of the second survey were delivered to the third survey, which was re-evaluated in the direction of increasing the consensus of experts' opinions. The reliability of the Delphi 3rd survey results was verified with the COV value of the coefficient of variation. The PI Risk Matrix was applied to the average value of risk probability and impact of each of the 49 Sub-Clauses and finally, 9 Key Risk Sub-Clauses that fell within the extreme risk range were derived.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2023

This study was established to investigate the site environment of mixed forests in Korea and to estimate the growth and yield of stands using national forest resources inventory data. The growth of mixed forests was derived by applying the Chapman-Richards model with diameter at breast height (DBH), height, and cross-sectional area at breast height (BA), and the yield of mixed forests was derived by applying stepwise regression analysis with factors such as cross-sectional area at breast height, site index (SI), age, and standing tree density per ha. Mixed forests were found to be growing in various locations. By climate zone, more than half of them were distributed in the temperate central region. By altitude, about 62% were distributed at 101-400 m. The fitness indexes (FI) for the growth model of mixed forests, which is the independent variable of stand age, were 0.32 for the DBH estimation, 0.22 for the height estimation, and 0.18 for the basal area at breast height estimation, which were somewhat low. However, considering the graph and residual between the estimated and measured values of the estimation equation, the use of this estimation model is not expected to cause any particular problems. The yield prediction model of mixed forests was derived as follows: Stand volume =-162.6859+6.3434 ∙ BA+9.9214 ∙ SI+0.7271 ∙ Age, which is a step- by-step input of basal area at breast height (BA), site index (SI), and age among several growth factors, and the determination coefficient (R²) of the equation was about 96%. Using our optimal growth and yield prediction model, a makeshift stand yield table was created. This table of mixed forests was also used to derive the rotation of the highest production in volume.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.603-614
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• 2022

This study investigated the characteristics of fish communities in the Bangtaecheon Stream in Korea from April to October 2020. The survey collected 4,640 fish of 26 species in 9 families from 11 survey stations. The dominant and subdominant species were Rhynchocypris kumgangensis(relative abundance at 31.5%) and Zacco koreanus(27.8%), respectively. The next most abundant species were Ladislavia taczanowskii(15.9%), Pungtungia herzi(4.0%), Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis(3.7%), Microphysogobio longidorsalis(2.4%), and Zacco platypus(2.3%). Among the collected fish species, 17 (65.4%) were Korean endemic species, 4 (15.4%), including Acheilognathus signifer, Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa, Gobiobotia brevibarba, and B. l. tsinlingensis,were class II endangered wildlife as designated by the Ministry of Environment, and 1 species, Hemibarbus mylodon, was a natural monument. Moreover, two landlocked species (B. l. tsinlingensisand C. koreanus) were also collected. Additionally, four cold-water species (R. kumgangensis, L. taczanowskii, B. l. tsinlingensis,and Cottus koreanus) were collected, and all of them mainly inhabited the upper and middle streams. Fish community analysis showed a tendency for dominance and uniformity to decrease and abundance and diversity to increase from upstream to downstream and that the community structure was divided into upstream and downstream groups. The river health was rated as excellent (9 stations) and good (2 stations). Compared to the previous studies, three species (Carassius auratus, Leiocassis ussuriensis,and Siniperca scherzeri) appeared in the past but did not appear in this survey, and three species (Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, Microphysogobio yaluensis,and Orthrias nudus) that did not appear in the past appeared in this survey. Bangtaecheon Steam is well-preserved, and climate-sensitive species, endangered wildlife, and natural monuments inhabit the stream. Therefore, continuous attention and systematic conservation measures are required.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2023

This study was conducted to apply with an air duct for the cooling and a utilizing cultivating method that uses the fruiting node and the defoliation to the high-temperature vertical and hydroponic cultivation of the oriental melon. The lower fruiting node (LF) was to remove all third vines generated from 5 nodes of a secondary vine. The higher fruiting node (HF) was fruiting on the third vine generated from a first node of the third vine. The direction of the stem string; upward (UW), downward (DW). Four treatment conditions were applied with the LF-UW, LF-DW, HF-UW (control), and HF-DW. The leaf age of melon leaves was measured for photosynthesis at 3 days intervals, and the fruit characteristic was conducted on 79 fruits in each treatment. The photosynthesis rate steadily increased after leaf development, reaching 20.8 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1 on the 10 days, gradually increasing to 21.3 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1 on the 19 days, and reaching 23.4 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1 on the 32 days. After that, it lowered to 16.8 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1 on the 38 days and dropped significantly to 7.6 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1 on the 47 days. As a result of the fruit characteristics by fruiting nodes, the treatments of the fruit length was 12.6-13.4 cm, respectively, which was significant, and the fruit width was 7.9- 8.6 cm, respectively, was not significant. The soluble content ranged from 12.9 to 15.7°Brix, and the significance of all treatments, and higher than of LF-DW and HF-UW. The photosynthesis rate of melon leaves was good until 32 days after leaf development, but after that, the rate decreased. As for fruit quality, it was conformed that melons can be cultivated at the LF because the fruit enlargement and soluble content dose not decrease even when set at the LF. Results indicated that those can be used for LF and defoliation in the development of vertical and hydroponic cultivation method in high-temperature season.