• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.428-435
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• 1999

A method for measuring Rn-222 and Ra-226 in aqueous sample using liquid scintillation counting technique has been studied. The Rn-222 was extracted easily from the water sample (10 mL) by 12 mL of xylene based organic scintillant. After radioactive equilibrium between Rn-222 and its alpha emitting decay products for three hours, the alpha activity from Rn-222 and its decay products were measured in a scintillation vial using the Wallae $1220^{TM}$ Quantulus liquid scintillation counter. Ra-226 concentration in aqueous sample was determined, after isolation of Ra-226 from the sample matrix, by extraction the ingrowth of the Rn-222 and its alpha emitting decay products with xylene based organic scintillant. The optimum pulse-shape analysis (PSA) value was evaluated by the figure of merit (FM) criterion. Minimum detectable activity (MDA) is about 0.14 Bq/L (3.78 pCi) for the region of Rn-222 and its alpha emitting decay products and 0.06 Bq/L (1.63 pCi) for the region of Po-214 respectively, with 200 min, counting time at PSA level 100 in the low-diffusion polyethylene vial and xylene based cocktail solution. Experiment on the optimum sample-cocktail volume ratio, the influence of agitation and the diffusion of radon from vial were carried out.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.49-63
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• 2008

The Bayesian MCMC(Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo) and the MLE(Maximum Likelihood Estimation) methods using a quadratic approximation are applied to perform the at-site low flow frequency analysis at the 4 stage stations (Nakdong, Waegwan, Goryeonggyo, and Jindong). Using the results of two types of the estimation method, the frequency curves including uncertainty are plotted. Eight case studies using the synthetic flow data with a sample size of 100, generated from 2-parmeter Weibull distribution are performed to compare with the results of analysis using the MLE and the Bayesian MCMC. The Bayesian MCMC and the MLE are applied to 36 years of gauged data to validate the efficiency of the developed scheme. These examples illustrate the advantages of the Bayesian MCMC and the limitations of the MLE based on a quadratic approximation. From the point of view of uncertainty analysis, the Bayesian MCMC is more effective than the MLE using a quadratic approximation when the sample size is small. In particular, the Bayesian MCMC is a more attractive method than MLE based on a quadratic approximation because the sample size of low flow at the site of interest is mostly not enough to perform the low flow frequency analysis.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2018

During early pregnancy, before the development of a functioning thyroid gland, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is a very sensitive marker of thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy. Normal values have been modified during gestation with a downward shift. The fetus is influenced by the TSH supplied by the mother. TSH and free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations vary during pregnancy and conventional units can vary between laboratories. A downward shift of the TSH reference range occurs during pregnancy, with a decrease in both the lower and upper limits of maternal TSH, relative to the typical non-pregnant TSH reference range. Each laboratory produces its own reference TSH and FT4 concentrations because there are many different assays that yield different results in pregnancy. Therefore, automated immunoassays used for serum FT4 analysis are still used widely, but the important considerations discussed above must be noted. The use of population-based, trimester-specific reference ranges remains the best way to handle this issue The slight downward shift in the upper reference range of TSH occurring in the latter first trimester (7~12 weeks) of pregnancy, typically not observed prior to 7 weeks. Their use indicates high or low levels in a quantitative manner independent of the reference ranges. These data highlight the importance of calculating population-based pregnancy-specific thyroid parameter reference intervals. A precision medicine initiative in this area will require the collection and analysis of a large number of genetic, biological, psychosocial, and environmental variables in large cohorts of individuals. Large prospective randomized controlled trials will be needed to resolve these controversies.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.585-597
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to find an analytic solution to the problem of determining the optimal capacity (lot-size) of a batch-storage network to meet demand for a finished product in a system undergoing random failures of operating time and/or batch material. The superstructure of the plant considered here consists of a network of serially and/or parallel interlinked batch processes and storage units. The production processes transform a set of feedstock materials into another set of products with constant conversion factors. The final product demand flow is susceptible to short-term random variations in the cycle time and batch size as well as long-term variations in the average trend. Some of the production processes have random variations in product quantity. The spoiled materials are treated through regeneration or waste disposal processes. All other processes have random variations only in the cycle time. The objective function of the optimization is minimizing the total cost, which is composed of setup and inventory holding costs as well as the capital costs of constructing processes and storage units. A novel production and inventory analysis, the PSW (Periodic Square Wave) model, provides a judicious graphical method to find the upper and lower bounds of random flows. The advantage of this model is that it provides a set of simple analytic solutions while also maintaining a realistic description of the random material flows between processes and storage units; as a consequence of these analytic solutions, the computation burden is significantly reduced.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.312-317
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• 1999

Quality control was carried out the three analytes, BOD, COD, TN, TP of high and low concentration for thirteen laboratories. Evaluation values of Quality control was determined from average value which were made by six times test, repeatedly and periodically. This value had not only error ratio of within 5% from prepared sample value but also high precision of standard deviation, 0.44 (BOD, low concentration), 2.15 (BOD, high concentration), 0.12 (COD, low concentration), 1.63 (COD, high concentration), 0.35 (TN, low concentration), 1.99 (TN, high concentration), 0.05 (TP, low concentration), 0.14 (TP, high concentration). Upper (Lower) Warning Limit (ULWL) and Upper (Lower) Acceptance Limit (ULAL) values made from quality control chart. Three (5.30, 9.70, 5.30 mg/L) and five laboratories were over ULAL value in low and high BOD concentration, respectively. Two (41.00, 30.60 mg/L) and four laboratories were over ULAL value in low and high COD concentration, respectively. while, other eleven laboratories appeared reliable data. One laboratory (0.70 mg/L) was over ULAL at low TN concentration, while other eleven laboratories had reliable values. In case of high TN concentration, eleven laboratories were over ULAL value, it should be focuced for improvement of reliability about measurement and analysis of TN. Four (1.14, 0.45, 0.64, 1.49mg/L) and seven laboratories were over ULAL in low and high TP concentration, respectively.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.329-334
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• 2006

The depth distributions of total $^3H$ and $^{14}C$ activities were characterized for the activated shielding concrete from a decommissioning of KRR-2 using the commercially available tube furnace and a liquid scintillation counter. The correlation of measurement results between $^3H,\;^{14}C$ and gammer emitter was evaluated to apply for estimating radionuclide inventory of the concrete waste generated from decommissioning KRR-2. The detection limits for $^3H$ and $^{14}C$ are 0.048 and 0.028 Bq/g respectively. The specific activities of the $^3H$ and $^{14}C$ tend to decrease exponentially as the depth of the concrete becomes deeper from the surface. In addition, the $^3H$ and $^{14}C$ activities were in good correlation with the $^{60}CO$ activities analysed for the shielding concrete of KRR-2.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.425-437
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• 2013

This study performed the bivariate drought frequency analysis for duration and severity of drought, using copula functions which allow considering the correlation structure of joint features of drought. We suggested the confidence intervals of duration-severity-frequency (DSF) curves for the given drought duration using stochastic scheme of monthly rainfall generation for 57 sites in Korea. This study also investigated drought risk via illustrating the largest drought events on record over 50 and 100 consecutive years. It appears that drought risks are much higher in some parts of the Nakdong River basin, southern and east coastal areas. However, such analyses are not always reliable, especially when the frequency analysis is performed based on the data observed over relatively short period of time. To quantify the uncertainty of drought frequency curves, the droughts were filtered by different durations. The 5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 95% confidence intervals of the drought severity for a given duration were estimated based on the simulated rainfall time series. Finally, it is shown that the growing uncertainties is revealed in the estimation of the joint probability using the two marginal distributions since the correlation coefficient of two variables is relatively low.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.51-60
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• 2014

Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) is one of the limit state design methods, and has been used worldwide, especially in North America. Also, the study for LRFD has been actively conducted in Korea. However, the data for LRFD in Korea were not sufficient, so resistance factors suggested by AASTTO have been used for the design in Korea. But the resistance factors suggested by AASHTO represent the characteristics of bedrocks defined in the US, therefore, it is necessary to determine the resistance factors for designs in Korea, which can reflect the characteristics of bedrocks in Korea. Also, the calculated probabilities of failure from conventional reliability analyses which commonly use log-normal distribution are not realistic because of the lower tail that can be extended to zero. Therefore, it is necessary to calibrate the resistance factors considering the lower-bound resistance. Thus, this study calculates the resistance factors using thirteen sets of drilled shaft load test results, and then calibrates the resistance factors considering the lower-bound resistance corresponding to a target reliability index of 3.0. As a result, resistance factors from conventional reliability analyses were determined in the range of 0.13-0.32 for the shaft resistance, and 0.19-0.29 for the base resistance, respectively. Also, the lower bounds of resistance were determined based on the Hoek-Brown failure criteria (2002) and GSI downgrading. Considering the lower-bound resistances, resistance factors increased by 0~8% for the shaft, and 0~13% for the base, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 2000

Applicability of crack arrest load measured from the Charpy V-notch impact test has been investigated to predict the fracture toughness of nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels (ASME SA508 Cl.3). The temperature dependence of the crack arrest load was well described by the type of exponential function characterized by an index temperature at which the crack arrest load is 2kN. The specific index temperature, which also well correlated with $T_{NDT}\;and\;T_{41J}$ is expected to be representative index temperature characterizing the crack arrest fracture toughness of RPV steels. Also, the crack arrest load correlated well with the stable crack length measured from the fracture surface. From the measurements of the crack arrest load and the stable crack length, the lower bound fracture toughness, $K_{Ia}$ of RPV steels could be predicted with sufficient accuracy.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2003

The measurement of radium ($^{226}Ra$) in the groundwater was established using ${\gamma}$-ray spectroscopy without sample preparation. The background interference by air borne radon daughter nuclides was reduced by $N_2$ gas flow into the counting chamber. Leakage of radon gas produced in the radioactive equilibrium with radium and its daughter nuclides was prevented by use of the air-tighted aluminium container. We investigated the effect of air layer in the counting container. Radioactivity variation due to emanation of radon into the air layer was within the counting error range 5%. When the nitrogen gas was flowed around the detector, peak counts of ${\gamma}$-rays from the daughters of airborne radon was decreased and detection limit was decreased to 0.02 Bq/L. The detection limit of detector was lower than 0.74 Bq/L, the $^{226}Ra$ Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) in the groundwater proposed by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It was confirmed that $^{226}Ra$ radioactivity in the groundwater could be determined by the ${\gamma}$-ray spectroscopy.