• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.12-22
• /
• 2020

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a promising water management strategy for securing stable water resources to overcome water shortage and water quality deterioration caused by global environmental changes. A MAR demonstration site was selected at Imgok-ri, Sangju-si, Korea, based on screening for the frequency of drought events and local water supply situations. The abundant groundwater discharging from a nearby abandoned coal mine is one of the potential recharge water sources for the MAR implementation. However, it has elevated levels of arsenic (~12 ㎍/L). In this study, the potential of the natural attenuation of arsenic by the field geological media was investigated using batch and column experiments. The adsorption and desorption parameters were obtained for two drill core samples (GM1; 21.8~22.8 m and GM2; 26.0~27.8 m depth) recovered from the potentially water-conducting fracture-zones in the injection well. The effluent arsenic concentrations were monitored during the continuous flow of the mine drainage water through the columns packed with the core samples. GM2 removed about 60% of arsenic in the influent (0.1 mg-As/L) while GM1 removed about 20%. The results suggest that natural attenuation is an acitive process occurring during the MAR operation, potentially lowering the arsenic level in the mine drainage water below the regulatory standard for drinking water. This study hence demonstrates that using the mine drainage water as the recharge water source is a viable option at the MAR demonstration site.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 2018

After the North-South Korean summit and PyeongChang Winter Olympics, it is recently expected that the North-South economic cooperation plan will be discussed in earnest. And it will be growing interest of the major infrastructure facilities such as roads and railways, and so on North-South Korean. Moreover, most of North Korean facilities have problems related to the safety and functionality of them such as aging, deterioration, and poor maintenance. This study asserts the necessity and importance of infrastructure maintenance in the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, Results of this study, it is appeared that very vulnerable to road, railroad, power/communication, water sewage and needed urgently for improvement. Accordingly, The purpose of this study is to investigate the current status for the whole facilities including the main infrastructure of the North Korean and to evaluate on the maintenance level of infrastructure based on face to face interview refugees of North Korean.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.631-639
• /
• 2011

There are problems in using existing fisheries maps, because of deterioration of paper maps, as well as various coordinate systems. In this study, accuracy of fishery maps in World Geodetic System are evaluated. Materials on fishery rights in the Jeollanam-do Province, a study area, used many kind of coordinate systems. During digitization, these coordinate systems have been converted and unified in one World Geodetic System, and one projection origin. In this research, the accuracy of the products of digitization is verified using DGPS surveying. The RMSEs are minimum of 4.62m(at the Younggwang Seas) to maximum of 17.47m(at the Jangheung Seas), and average of 11.97m. The results shows that the digitized fishery maps meet the accuracy standard of 1/25,000 digital topographic maps.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.75-81
• /
• 2016

Tendon corrosion reliability in KICT-ultra high performance concrete (K-UHPC) bridges is assessed and predicted considering uncertainties in flexural bending capacity and corrosion occurrence. In post-tensioning bridge systems, corrosion is a one of most critical failure mechanisms due to strength reduction by it. During the entire service life, those bridges may experience lifetime corrosion deterioration initiated and propagated in tendons which are embedded not only in normal concrete but also in K-UHPC. For this reason, the time-variant corrosion performance has to be assessed. In the absence of in-depth researches associated with K-UHPC tendon corrosion, a reliability-based prediction model is developed to evaluate lifetime corrosion performance of tendon in K-UHPC bridges. In 2015, KICT built a K-UHPC pilot bridge at 168/5~168/6 milestone on Yangon-Mandalay Expressway in Myanmar, by using locally produced tendons which post-tensioned in longitudinal and lateral ways of K-UHPC girders. For an illustrative purpose, this K-UHPC bridge is used to identify the time-variant corrosion performance.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.69-79
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of a group computerization cognitive rehabilitation program on cognitive function in patients with cognitive impairment. Methods: The subjects of this study comprised 34 patients with cognitive impairment (15 males and 19 females) who were randomized into two groups. The experimental group (n = 17) were trained with the group computerization cognitive rehabilitation program, while the control group (n=17) received traditional cognitive therapy. The interventions for both groups were performed for 1 hour per day, once a week for 12 weeks. The cognitive functions of the subjects before and after the experiment were measured using the Korean mini-mental state examination (K-MMSE), global deterioration scale (GDS), clinical dementia rating (CDR), and Lowenstein occupational therapy cognitive assessment (LOTCA). A paired t-test was conducted to examine the intragroup differences before and after the experiment, and ANCOVA was performed to check intergroup differences. Results: The intragroup comparison results showed that the cognitive function of the group that were trained with the group computerization cognitive rehabilitation program improved after the experiment more than for the group that received traditional cognitive therapy. The intergroup comparison results showed significant differences in orientation, visual perception, and visuomotor organization between the two groups. Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that the group computerization cognitive rehabilitation program was more effective in improving cognitive function than the traditional cognitive therapy in patients with cognitive impairment. Based on the results of this study, the group computerization cognitive rehabilitation program can be used as an effective intervention method for patients with cognitive impairment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.244-253
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study reports on the management of a patient with myasthenia gravis (MG) following myasthenic crisis (MC) using Korean medicine. Methods: A 77-year-old Class V MG patient was treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, and Korean herbal medicine. A manual muscle test was used to derive a Medical Research Council (MRC) score and the patient's subjective view of his dyspnea was measured to assess MG symptoms. Results: The MRC grade indicated significant deterioration after 65 days of treatment, although there was no change in the patient's subjective dyspnea assessment. But no other MG or MC complications occurred. Conclusion: This study suggests that Korean medicine could be used for the management of Class V MG patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.306-313
• /
• 2023

Background: As social problems due to the acceleration of the aging era and the increase in the elderly population are becoming serious, virtual reality (VR)-based healthcare is emerging as an approach for preventing and managing health issues. Objects: This study used validity and reliability analyses to examine the clinical efficacy that is, the clinical value and usability of a novel VR cognitive evaluation system index that we developed. Methods: We developed a VR cognitive evaluation system based on motion recognition analysis evaluation for individuals aged 65 to 85. After conducting the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Exam (K-MMSE) cognitive evaluation, the evaluation score was verified through correlation analysis in the VR cognitive evaluation system. To verify the construct validity of the two groups, the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) grades were categorized into a normal cognitive group (GDS grade 1) and a cognitive impairment group (GDS grades 2 and 3). The data were measured twice to determine the reliability between the two measurements and assess the stability and clinical value of the evaluation system. Results: Our evaluation system had a high correlation of 0.85 with the widely used K-MMSE cognitive evaluation. The system had strong criterion-related validity at the 95% confidence interval. Compared to the average score of GDS grade 1 in the VR cognitive evaluation system, the average score of GDS grades 2 and 3 in the VR cognitive evaluation system was statistically significantly lower while also having strong construct validity at the 95% confidence interval. To measure the reliability of the VR cognitive evaluation system, tests-retests were conducted using the intraclass correlation coefficient (3,1), which equaled 0.923 and was statistically significant. Conclusion: The VR cognitive evaluation system we developed is a valid and reliable clinical tool to distinguish between normal cognitive status and mild cognitive impairment.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.225-235
• /
• 2024

Objective: Hypothyroidism (HT) influences spermatogenesis and is associated with male infertility. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a biological product rich in growth factors, promotes tissue repair. In this study, the likely protective effects of PRP on testicular tissue damage in carbimazole (CBZ)-induced HT were evaluated. Methods: Forty male rats were divided into four groups. HT was induced by administering CBZ (1.35 mg/kg orally, for 45 days). Two doses of PRP (40 µL each, locally injected into the testis on days 15 and 30) were also given. After 45 days, blood samples were taken from the heart to measure triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and testosterone levels, and semen analysis was performed. For stereological assessment, the left testis was removed, fixed, embedded, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The right testis was excised to evaluate antioxidant levels. Results: CBZ was demonstrated to induce HT, characterized by significant reductions in T3 and T4. HT was associated with decreased testicular weight, impaired sperm parameters, reduced testosterone concentration, diminished antioxidant activity, reduced volumes of testicular components, and lower total numbers of testicular cells of various types. When HT samples were treated with PRP, improvement was observed for all of these changes. This protective effect could be attributed to the growth factors present in PRP. Conclusion: PRP appears to prevent the structural changes in the testes and the deterioration in sperm quality caused by CBZ-induced HT. This protective effect is likely due to mitigation of oxidative damage and elevation of testosterone levels.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.223-230
• /
• 2002

The main intent of this research was to determine the feasibility of utilizing recycling bottom ash as CLSM (controlled low-strength material). CLSM is a cementitious material, commonly a blend of portland cement, fly ash, sand, and water, that is usually flowable and self-leveling at the time of placement. The durability characteristics of mixtures made bottom ash we compared with those of fly ash CLSM in order to evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of bottom ash as material in CLSM. A comprehensive evaluation of the bottom ash in CLSM and mix proportions indicated that the bottom ash are capable of performing as CLSM mixtures. The durability characteristic of CLSM incorporating the bottom ash under various physical and chemical causes of deterioration were investigated. Test results indicated that CLSM using bottom ash has acceptable durability performance. CLSM incorporating with bottom ash were also found to be environmentally safe.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2016

Rehabilitation for low-yielding wells resulting in improvement on groundwater quantity and quality is considered to be the most economic and ecofriendly method against the increasing demand to groundwater due to frequent drought and the increase in numbers of agricultural complex for growing horticultural crops. This study suggests standard, stepwise diagnostic fuctions consisting of four steps (Basic inspection, Specific inspection, Rehabilitation, and Management) for an optimal management to the wells. Basic inspection can provide information on current groundwater quantity and quality compared with those on its initial stage. Specific-inspection based on hydrogeology can scientifically demonstrate causes of deterioration on groundwater quantity and quality. Results of specific inspection can suggest an optimal rehabilitation method to solve deteriorating problems including clogging and corrosion for the wells. After rehabiliating the wells, an assessment on groundwater quantity and quality would be conducted to identify the suitability of the applied method and improvement of the wells. A short-term, periodic management to the wells is considered as the key to save a public management budget. Suggested diagnostic functions can possibly induce sustainable supply of agricultural groundwater to the farm land and finally contribute the increase on rural household income.