• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.39 no.5 s.104
• /
• pp.735-754
• /
• 2004

This paper provides an overview of political ecology, a body of theory that focuses on the links between political and economic inequality on the one hand, and environmental degradation on the other. Adopting a tripartite classification scheme that identifies three political ecology traditions -'classical', 'democratic' and 'poststructuralist'- the discussion shows the need for a move within the poststructuralist tradition away from a narrow and quasi-idealistic focus on discourse to a more robust philosophical engagement with ontological and epistemological issues grounded in Gilles Deleuze's development of Nietzschean materialism. From there. the author draws on numerous examples from Canada, and surveys the available literature on 'bioregionalism', a relatively new intellectual tradition evolved from the North American environmental social movements of the 1970s and 1980s. The so-called 'bioregional approach' stresses that administrative units need to reflect (rather than transect) eco-geographical and cultural features. Bioregionalism is described and assessed as a potential pragmatic research framework for geographers and other planners wishing to respond proactively to the call for a revamped, poststructuralist political ecology. The paper concludes that a bioregional approach to political ecology avoids the weaknesses identified by certain critics, provides scope for consideration of fundamental philosophical ideas, and as such, represents a practical development of a poststructuralist political ecology.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.503-513
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify a model based on f the learning objectives in adult health nursing curriculums. The model can be eventually reflected in Korean National Nurse's Licensing Examination (KNNLE). Methods: The model was developed through a series of practical analysis by the task force team from June to October, 2011. The research team conducted the data synthesis and analysis from the learning objectives of adult health nursing drawn from selected national and international universities, from the adult health nursing areas in KNNLE, and from the current disease prevalence from clinical data in the representative university hospitals in Korea. Results: The current disease prevalence and mortality rates are on the increase especially for malignant neoplasm, heart diseases, suicide and diabetes. The items on the KNNLE of adult nursing are categorized by body systems into digestive system (15%), introduction (13.8%), respiratory system (11.3%), and cardiac system (11.3%). While the current system-based learning objectives covers extensive areas of adult health nursing, the core items are required to be selected based on core competences and core learning objectives to restructure the items of KNNLE. The first revised model is to consolidate and restructure the items microscopically in the subjects of adult health nursing by system. The second proposed model from macroscopic perspective is to build a comprehensive scheme of nursing curriculum by encompassing 8 subjects under current KNNLE and adjust the number of items accordingly. Conclusion: The items of KNNLE need to be gradually redesigned by considering the intervention need at clinical practice and the modified learning objectives of adult health nursing. Based on the job analysis on core competences for newly employed nurses performed by the Korean Accreditation Board of Nursing, it is necessary to establish the core learning objectives of adult health nursing and set up standards for core items in KNNLE.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.134-144
• /
• 2010

In China, the enhancement of water services has become the most crucial issue confronted with the rapid urbanization and industrialization process. A huge financial gap to meet the demand for water infrastructure and need for adopting advanced operation technology precipitated the rapid growth of PPP over the last 10 years. Diverse schemes of PPP such as TOT, Divestiture, and Management Contract and Lease have been practiced. Local governments and private investors/operator have adjusted their objectives and strategies to avoid potential pitfalls behind BOT projects in China. However, current academic research outcomes do not properly reflect important issues of BOT projects or related case studies in China. This limitation has brought in the lack of assessment of important risks and success factors required for the improvement of the body of risk management. In this regard, this study uses the market analysis method to identify major schemes of PPP water projects and conducts case studies on five PPP projects to identify key risk and success factors in association with each different scheme. It is expected that the risk and success factors identified from the cases will be used as reference to Korean companies which plan to enter the Chinese water market.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.35-44
• /
• 2012

Most recent infrared (IR) sensors have a focal-plane array (FPA) structure. Spatial non-uniformity of a FPA structure, however, introduces unwanted fixed pattern noise (FPN) to images. This non-uniformity correction (NUC) of a FPA can be categorized into target-based and scene-based approaches. In a target-based approach, FPN can be separated by using a uniform target such as a black body. Since the detector response randomly drifts along the time axis, however, several scene-based algorithms on the basis of a video sequence have been proposed. Among those algorithms, the state-of-the-art one based on Kalman filter uses one-directional warping for motion compensation and only compensates for offset non-uniformity of IR camera detectors. The system model using one-directional warping cannot correct the boundary region where a new scene is being introduced in the next video frame. Furthermore, offset-only correction approaches may not completely remove the FPN in images if it is considerably affected by gain non-uniformity. Therefore, for FPN reduction in IR videos, we propose a joint correction algorithm of gain and offset based on bi-directional warping. Experiment results using simulated and real IR videos show that the proposed scheme can provide better performance compared with the state-of-the art in FPN reduction.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.84-92
• /
• 2002

In this study, the new modeling scheme has been developed for recently designed and tested electromagnetic survey, which adapts horizontal magnetic dipole with $1\;kHz\~1\;MHz$ frequency range as a source. The 2.5-D secondary field formulation in wavenumber domain was constructed using finite element method and verified through comparing results with layered-earth solutions calculated by integral equations. 2-D conductive- and resistive-block models were constructed for calculating electric field, magnetic field and impedance - the ratio of electric and magnetic fields which are orthogonal each other. This study showed that electric field and impedance are superior in identifying 2-D isolated-body model to magnetic field. In particular, impedance gives more stable results than electric field with similar spatial resolving power, because electric field is divided by magnetic field in impedance. Thus the impedance analysis which uses electric and magnetic fields together would give better result in imaging the shallow anomalies than conventional EM method.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.43-53
• /
• 2018

Laguna Lake is the largest inland fresh water body in the Philippines. It primarily serves as a site for aquaculture, hydropower, transportation, and water supply industries. Due to Laguna Lake's diverse functionalities, competition among water users became prominent. Water quality began to deteriorate due to various pollutant contributions in this process, thereby affecting the soundness of the aquatic ecosystem. This study was conducted to evaluate the current water quality management policy from the viewpoint of ecological environment through the evaluation of the water quality of Laguna Lake. Concentrations of water pollutants such as ammonia ($NH_3$), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chloride ($Cl^-$), pH, and total suspended solids (TSS) exceeded the water quality standards of the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The water quality of the lake was also affected by the pollutant load due to agriculture and urban stormwater runoff in the watershed. The salinity and contaminated water from Pasig River also affected the water quality of Laguna Lake. Long-term water quality analysis showed that the water quality of Laguna Lake is also influenced by rainfall-related seasonal variations. The results of the water quality analysis of Laguna Lake indicated that the environmental management techniques of the Philippines should be changed from the conventional water management into an integrated watershed management scheme in the future. It is therefore necessary to study and introduce advanced watershed management measures in the Philippines based from the policies of other developed countries.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2019

The medical environment, combined with IT technology, is changing the paradigm for medical services from treatment to prevention. In particular, as ICT convergence digital healthcare technology is applied to hospital medical systems, infrastructure technologies such as big data, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence are being used in conjunction with the cloud. In particular, as medical services are used with IT devices, the quality of medical services is increasingly improving to make them easier for users to access. Medical institutions seeking to incorporate IoT services into cloud health care environment services are trying to reduce hospital operating costs and improve service quality, but have not yet been fully supported. In this paper, a patient information collection model from hospital IoT system, which has established a cloud environment, is proposed. The proposed model prevents third parties from illegally eavesdropping and interfering with patients' biometric information through IoT devices attached to the patient's body at hospitals in cloud environments that have established hospital IoT systems. The proposed model allows clinicians to analyze patients' disease information so that they can collect and treat diseases associated with their eating habits through IoT devices. The analyzed disease information minimizes hospital work to facilitate the handling of prescriptions and care according to the patient's degree of illness.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.12
• /
• pp.1831-1841
• /
• 2023

Objective: This study was realized to evaluate the effects of supplementation with blends of water and fat-soluble vitamins on animal performance and carcass traits of young Nellore bulls. Methods: Forty-three Nellore bulls, with an initial weight of 261±27.3 kg and a mean age of 8±1.0 months, were used. Five animals were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment (reference group), to determine the initial empty body weight of the bulls that remained in the experiment. The remaining 38 bulls were fed ad libitum and distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2×2 factorial scheme, with or without supplementation of water-soluble (B-blend+ or B-blend-) and fat-soluble (ADE+ or ADE-) vitamin blends. Diets were isonitrogenous (120 g of crude protein/kg dry matter [DM] of total mixed ration) and consisted of a roughage:concentrate rate of 30:70 based on total DM of diet. The experiment lasted 170 days, with 30 days of adaptation and 140 days for data collection. At the beginning and end of the experimental period, the bulls were weighed to determine the average daily gain. To estimate the apparent digestibility of nutrients and microbial efficiency, spot collections of feces and urine were performed for five consecutive days. Results: DM, ashes, organic matter, crude protein, ethereal extract, neutral detergent fiber corrected for residual ash and residual nitrogenous, and N intake and apparent digestibility were not influenced by vitamin supplementation, but total digestible nutrients intake and non-fibrous carbohydrates digestibility were influenced by B complex vitamin supplementation. Nitrogen balance, microbial efficiency, and performance data were not influenced (p>0.05) by vitamin supplementation. Conclusion: Vitamin supplementation (a blend of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins or their combinations) does not influence the animal performance and carcass traits of young Nellore bulls.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.356-364
• /
• 2024

Lymph nodes (LNs) are crucial sites where immune responses are initiated to combat invading pathogens in the body. LNs are organized into distinctive compartments by stromal cells. Stromal cell subsets constitute special niches supporting the trafficking, activation, differentiation, and crosstalk of immune cells in LNs. Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRC) are a type of stromal cell that form the three-dimensional structure networks of the T cell-rich zones in LNs, providing guidance paths for immigrating T lymphocytes. FRCs imprint immune responses by supporting LN architecture, recruiting immune cells, coordinating immune cell crosstalk, and presenting antigens. During inflammation, FRCs exert both spatial and molecular regulation on immune cells through their topological and secretory responses, thereby steering immune responses. Here, we propose a model in which FRCs regulate immune responses through a three-part scheme: setting up, supporting, or suppressing immune responses. FRCs engage in bidirectional interactions that enhance T cell biological efficiency. In addition, FRCs have profound effects on the innate immune response through phagocytosis. Thus, FRCs in LNs act as gatekeepers of immune responses. Overall, this study aims to highlight the emerging roles of FRCs in controlling both innate and adaptive immunity. This collaborative feedback loop mediated by FRCs may help maintain tissue function during inflammatory responses.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.48 no.5
• /
• pp.504-510
• /
• 2024

Background: As a physiological function of body, immunity can maintain health by identifying itself and excluding others. With economic development and increasingly fierce social competition, the number of sub-healthy population is gradually increasing, and the most basic problem exposed is human hypoimmunity. Hypoimmunity can be manifested as often feeling tired, catching colds, mental depression, etc. In order to enhance immunity, eating healthy foods with the effect of enhancing immunity may become an effective choice. KRG has pharmacological effects of enhancing immunity. Because the screening and evaluation method of immune population are not unified, there are relatively few KRG immunity tests for sub-health population. It is of great significance to study the effect of KRG on people with hypoimmunity to improve sub-health status. Methods: This was a 180-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. According to the trial scheme design, 119 qualified subjects were included and randomly divided into the test group taking KRG and the placebo control group. Subjects need to check safety indicators (blood pressure and heart rate, blood routine, liver and kidney function, urine routine and stool routine) and efficacy indicators (main and secondary) inspection at baseline, efficacy indicators inspection during the mid-term of the test (90th days of administration), safety and efficacy indicators inspection after the test (180th days of administration). Results: After the test, the safety indicators of placebo control group and KRG test group were basically within the normal range, and there is no significant difference in fireness score between the two groups. Through follow-up interviews, it was found that the subjects in the test group and the control group had no adverse reactions and allergic reactions such as nausea, flatulence, diarrhea, and abdominal pain during the test period. Self-comparison of the test group, the results of the main efficacy indicators: (1) immune related health scores were significantly improved in the mid-term and after the test (P < 0.01), (2) CD3 and CD4/CD8 increased significantly after the test (P < 0.05), (3) IgG, IgA, IgM and WBC increased significantly in the mid-term and after the test (P < 0.01); the results of the secondary efficacy indicators: (1) TNF-α decreased significantly in the midterm (P < 0.05), IFN-γ decreased significantly in the mid-term (P < 0.01), (2) NK increased significantly in the mid-term and after the test (P < 0.05), (3) monocyte increased significantly in the mid-term and after the test (P < 0.01). Inter-group comparison of the test group and the control group, the results of the main efficacy indicators: (1) immune related health scores were higher than that of the control group in the mid-term and after the test (P < 0.01), (2) IgA of the test group was higher than that of the control group in the mid-term and after the test (P < 0.05); the results of the secondary efficacy indicators: (1) WBC of the test group was higher than that of the control group in the mid-term (P < 0.05); (2) monocytes of the test group were higher than that of the control group in the mid-term and after the test (P < 0.05), neutrophils of the test group were higher than that of the control group in the mid-term (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Taking KRG has no adverse effects on the health of the subjects. According to the standard of clinical trial scheme, the immune related health scores and IgA in the main efficacy indicators were positive, which shows that KRG is helpful in enhancing human immunity.