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Diagnostic Approach to a Patient with a Pleural Effusion Including Ultrasound-guided Paracentesis Performed by a Medical Resident (내과 전공의가 시행한 초음파 이용 흉수천자를 포함한 흉수의 진단적 접근)

  • Lee, Yun Young;Choi, Won Je;Yu, Chang Min;Suh, Seong O;Kim, Eun Sil;Ahn, Seok- in;Chung, Jun-Oh;Park, Sang Joon;Kim, Yun Kwon;Kim, Soyon;Kim, Young Jung;Lee, Se Han;Heo, Heon
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.64 no.6
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    • pp.439-444
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    • 2008
  • Background: A patient with a pleural effusion that is difficult to safely drain by a "blind" thoracentesis procedure is generally referred to a radiologist for ultrasound-guided thoracentesis. But such a referral increases the cost and the patient's inconvenience, and it causes delay in the diagnostic procedures. If ultrasound-guided thoracentesis is performed as a bedside procedure by a medical resident, then this will reduce the previously mentioned problems. So these patients with pleural effusions were treated by medical residents at our medical center, and the procedures included bedside ultrasound-guided thoracenteses. Methods: We studied 89 cases of pleural effusions from March 2003 to June 2005. A "blind" thoracentesis was performed if the amount of pleural effusion was moderate or large. Bedside ultrasound-guided thoracentesis was performed for small or loculated effusions or for the cases that failed with performing a "blind" thoracentesis. Results: "Blind" thoracenteses were performed in 79 cases that had a moderate or large amount of uncomplicated pleural effusions and the success rate was 93.7% (74/79 cases). Ultrasound-guided thoracentesis by the medical residents was performed in 15 cases and the success rate was 66.7% (10/15 cases). The 5 failedcases included all 3 cases with loculated effusions and 2 cases with a small amount of pleural effusion. All the failed cases were referred to one radiologist and they were then successfully treated. If we exclude the 3 cases with loculated pleural effusions, the success rate of ultrasound-guided thoracentesis by the medical residents increased up to 83% (10/12cases). Two cases of complications (1 pneumothorax, 1 hydrohemothorax) occurred during ultrasound-guided thoracentesis. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided thoracentesis performed as a bedside procedure by a medical resident may be relatively effective and safe. If a patient has a loculated effusion, then it would be better to first refer the patient to a radiologist.

The Effects of Female Wage on Fertility in Korea (여성의 임금수준이 출산율에 미치는 영향 분석)

  • Kim, Jungho
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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    • v.31 no.1
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    • pp.105-138
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    • 2009
  • Although the decline in fertility rate is generally observed along the history of economic development throughout the world, the continuing decline hitting below the replacement level in Korea over the recent years gathered serious social concerns on the ground that it accelerates the process of population aging. The total fertility rate in Koreareached 2.08 in 1983, and gradually fell to the levels of 1.08 in 2005 and 1.26 in 2007. The policy debate over the role of the government has been focused mainly on the level of theoretical discussion without substantial basis on firm empirical evidence and the determinants of fertility. The objective of the paper is to empirically investigate the fertility effect of the female wage, which is understood as one of the most important determinants of fertility in Koreasince 1980 focusing on one aspect of fertility, namely birth spacing. Using the Korean National Fertility Survey conducted in 2006, I estimate a duration model of first and second births taking into account individual heterogeneity, which turned out to be an important factor to control for. Compared with previous studies in the literature on the Korean fertility, the study has an advantage of using the complete pregnancy history of women in a more representative sample. Unlike the previous studies, the analysis also deals with the endogeneity of marriage by treating a certain age, rather than age at marriage, as the time in which a woman becomes exposed to the risk of pregnancy. The study shares the common problem in the literature on birth spacing of lacking relevant wage information for respondents in a retrospective survey. I estimate the wage series as a function of the basic characteristics using the annual Wage Structure Survey from 1980 to 2005, which is considered as a nationally representative sample for wage information of employees. The results suggest that the increase in female wage by 10 percent leads to a decrease in second birth hazard by 0.56~0.92 percentage points and that the increase in spouse's wage by the equal amount is accompanied by the increase in second birth hazard by 0.36~1.13 percentage points. These estimates are more precisely estimated and of smaller magnitude than those presented by the previous studies. The results are robust to the different specifications of the wage equation. The simulation analysis based on the predicted values shows that about 17% of the change in the second birth hazard over the period 1980 to 2005 was due to the change in the female wage. Although there is some limitation in data, the results can be viewed as one estimate of the role of female wage on the recent fertility decline in Korea. The question raised by the paper is not a normative one of whether a government should promote childbearing but a positive one thatexplains fertility decline. Therefore, if there is a wide consensus on promoting childbearing, the finding suggests that the policies designed to reduce the opportunity cost of women in the labor market would be effective. The recent movement of implementing a wide range of family-friendly policies including child care support, maternity leave, parental leave and tax benefit in developed countries should be understood in this context.

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Toward a Social Sciences Methodology for Electronic Survey Research on the Internet or Personal Computer check (사회과학 연구에 있어 인터넷 및 상업용 통신망을 이용한 전자설문 조사방법의 활용)

  • Hong Yong-Gee;Lee Hong-Gee;Chae Su-Kyung
    • Management & Information Systems Review
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    • v.3
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    • pp.287-316
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    • 1999
  • Cyberspace permits us to more beyond traditional face-to-face, mail and telephone surveys, yet still to examine basic issues regarding the quality of data collection: sampling, questionnaire design, survey distribution, means of response, and database creation. This article address each of these issues by contrasting and comparing traditional survey methods(Paper-and-Pencil) with Internet or Personal Computer networks-mediated (Screen-and-Keyboard) survey methods also introduces researchers to this revolutionary and innovative tool and outlines a variety of practical methods for using the Internet or Personal Computer Networks. The revolution in telecommunications technology has fostered the rapid growth of the Internet all over the world. The Internet is a massive global network and comprising many national and international networks of interconnected computers. The Internet or Personal Computer Networks could be the comprehensive interactive tool that will facilitate the development of the skills. The Internet or Personal Computer Networks provides a virtual frontier to expand our access to information and to increase our knowledge and understanding of public opinion, political behavior, social trends and lifestyles through survey research. Comparable to other technological advancements, the Internet or Personal Computer Networks presents opportunities that will impact significantly on the process and quality of survey research now and in the twenty-first century. There are trade-offs between traditional and the Internet or Personal Computer Networks survey. The Internet or Personal Computer Networks is an important channel for obtaining information for target participants. The cost savings in time, efforts, and material were substantial. The use of the Internet or Personal Computer Networks survey tool will increase the quality of research environment. There are several limitations to the Internet or Personal Computer Network survey approach. It requires the researcher to be familiar with Internet navigation and E-mail, it is essential for this process. The use of Listserv and Newsgroup result in a biased sample of the population of corporate trainers. However, it is this group that participates in technology and is in the fore front of shaping the new organizations of interest, and therefore it consists of appropriate participants. If this survey method becomes popular and is too frequently used, potential respondents may become as annoyed with E-mail as the sometimes are with mail survey and junk mail. Being a member of the Listserv of Newsgroup may moderate that reaction. There is a need to determine efficient, effective ways for the researcher to strip identifiers from E-mail, so that respondents remain anonymous, while simultaneously blocking a respondent from responding to a particular survey instrument more than once. The optimum process would be on that is initiated by the researcher : simple, fast and inexpensive to administer and has credibility with respondents. This would protect the legitimacy of the sample and anonymity. Creating attractive Internet or Personal Computer Networks survey formats that build on the strengths of standardized structures but also capitalize on the dynamic and interactive capability of the medium. Without such innovations in survey design, it is difficult to imagine why potential survey respondents would use their time to answer questions. More must be done to create diverse and exciting ways of building an credibility between respondents and researchers on the Internet or Personal Computer Networks. We believe that the future of much exciting research is based in the Electronic survey research. The ability to communicate across distance, time, and national boundaries offers great possibilities for studying the ways in which technology and technological discourse are shaped. used, and disseminated ; the many recent doctoral dissertations that treat some aspect of electronic survey research testify to the increase focus on the Internet or Personal Computer Networks. Thus, scholars should begin a serious conversation about the methodological issues of conducting research In cyberspace. Of all the disciplines, Internet or Personal Computer Networks, emphasis on the relationship between technology and human communication, should take the lead in considering research in the cyberspace.

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Potentials of Synbiotics for Pediatric Nutrition and Baby Food Applications: A Review (소아 영양 및 유아식 응용을 위한 신바이오틱스의 잠재력: 총설)

  • Jung, Hoo Kil;Kim, Sun Jin;Seok, Min Jeong;Cha, Hyun Ah;Yoon, Seul Ki;Lee, Nah Hyun;Kang, Kyung Jin
    • Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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    • v.33 no.2
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    • pp.111-118
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    • 2015
  • Probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic substances as well as microorganisms were added to infant formula in an attempt to influence the intestinal microflora with an aim to stimulate the growth of lactic acid bacteria, especially bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Over the last 10 years, new synbiotic infant formulas containing probiotics and prebiotics have been proposed in order to simulate the effect of breast-feeding on the intestinal microflora. Owing to their synergistic effect, the new synbiotics are expected to be more helpful than using probiotics and prebiotics individually. Maintenance of the viability of the probiotics during food processing and the passage through the gastrointestinal tract should be the most important consideration, since a sufficient number of bacteria ($10^8cfu/g$) should reach the intended location to have a positive effect on the host. Storage conditions and the processing technology used for the manufacture of products such as infant formula adversely affect the viability of the probiotics. When an appropriate and cost-effective microencapsulation methodology using the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status and substances with high biological value are developed, the quality of infant formulas would improve. The effect of probiotics may be called a double-effect, where one is an immunomodulatory effect, induced by live probiotics that advantageously alter the gastrointestinal microflora, and the other comprises anti-inflammatory responses elicited by dead cells. At present, a new terminology is required to define the dead microorganisms or crude microbial fractions that positively affect health. The term "paraprobiotics" (or ghost probiotics) has been proposed to define dead microbial cells (not damaged or broken) or crude cell extracts (i.e., cell extracts with complex chemical composition) that are beneficial to humans and animals when a sufficient amount is orally or topically administered. The fecal microflora of bottle-fed infants is altered when the milk-based infant formula is supplemented with probiotics or prebiotics. Thus, by increasing the proportion of beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, prebiotics modify the fecal microbial composition and accordingly regulate the activity of the immune system. Therefore, considerable attention has been focused on the improvement of infant formula quality such that its beneficial effects are comparable to those of human milk, using prebiotics such as inulin and oligosaccharides and potential specific probiotics such as bifidobacteria, which selectively stimulate the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the microflora and the indigenous intestinal metabolic activity of the microflora.

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Improvement on Management of Non-point Source Pollution for Reasonable Implementation of TMDL - Focusing on Selection of Non-point Source Pollution Management Region and Management of Non-point Source Pollutant - (수질오염총량관리제의 합리적인 시행을 위한 비점오염원관리 개선방안 - 비점오염원 관리지역 선정 및 비점오염물질 관리를 중심으로 -)

  • Yi, Sang-Jin;Kim, Young-Il
    • Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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    • v.36 no.10
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    • pp.719-723
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    • 2014
  • For effective implementation of total maximum daily load (TMDL), this study presented the improving plans of non-point source pollution management including the classification of non-point source pollution, calculation of non-point source pollution load (generated, discharged), selection of non-point source pollution management regions and management of non-point source pollutant. First of all, the definition of point source pollution and non-point source pollution based on the legal and scientific viewpoint should be precisely classified and managed. Especially, the forest, grassland and river without occurrence of environmental damage by activity of business and human should be separately classified natural background pollutants. The unit for generated and discharged non-point source pollution should be preferentially changed according to actual condition of watershed. The calculation methods of generated and discharged non-point source pollution should be corrected consideration on the amount and duration of rainfall. While the TMDL is implemented, non-point source pollution management regions should be selected in the watersheds exceed the targeted water quality standards by the rainfall. The non-point source pollution management regions should be selected in the minimal regions where have high values of discharged non-point source pollution density in the urban area, farmland and site area except forest, grassland in the whole watershed. The non-point source pollutant treatment facilities, which take into consideration non-point source pollution load per unit area, duration of the excess concentration, realizable possibility of treatment, effectiveness of treatment cost versus point source pollutant, should be established in the regions with a large generated non-point source pollution load and a high concentration of water quality exceed the targeted water quality standards by the rainfall.

On the Improvement of Precision in Gravity Surveying and Correction, and a Dense Bouguer Anomaly in and Around the Korean Peninsula (한반도 일원의 중력측정 및 보정의 정밀화와 고밀도 부우게이상)

  • Shin, Young-Hong;Yang, Chul-Soo;Ok, Soo-Suk;Choi, Kwang-Sun
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.205-215
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    • 2003
  • A precise and dense Bouguer anomaly is one of the most important data to improve the knowledge of our environment in the aspect of geophysics and physical geodesy. Besides the precise absolute gravity station net, we should consider two parts; one is to improve the precision in gravity measurement and correction of it, and the other is the density of measurement both in number and distribution. For the precise positioning, we have tested how we could use the GPS properly in gravity measurement, and deduced that the GPS measurement for 5 minutes would be effective when we used DGPS with two geodetic GPS receivers and the baseline was shorter than 40km. In this case we should use a precise geoid model such as PNU95. By applying this method, we are able to reduce the cost, time, and number of surveyors, furthermore we also get the benefit of improving in quality. Two kind of computer programs were developed to correct crossover errors and to calculate terrain effects more precisely. The repeated measurements on the same stations in gravity surveying are helpful not only to correct the drifts of spring but also to approach the results statistically by applying network adjustment. So we can find out the blunders of various causes easily and also able to estimate the quality of the measurements. The recent developments in computer technology, digital elevation data, and precise positioning also stimulate us to improve the Bouguer anomaly by more precise terrain correction. The gravity data of various sources, such as land gravity data (by Choi, NGI, etc.), marine gravity data (by NORI), Bouguer anomaly map of North Korea, Japanese gravity data, altimetry satellite data, and EGM96 geopotential model, were collected and processed to get a precise and dense Bouguer anomaly in and around the Korean Peninsula.

The Design and Application of Vibrator Type(AM) Combination Apparatus for Improving Police Equipment for Fugitive Prevention (도주방지용 경찰장구의 기능개선을 위한 진동자 방식(AM) 결속장치 설계 및 응용)

  • Choi, Ki-Nam;Lee, Seon-Jeh
    • Convergence Security Journal
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.13-24
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    • 2011
  • Policemen judge the situations rationally and use their equipment such as handcuffs and rope within the purview, finding them needed to arrest criminals in the act who commit crimes which conforms to death penalty, life imprisonment or long imprisonment for over 3 years in accordance with Clause 10-2, Article 1 of the Police Mandate Law and prevent fleeing from them, defend their and others' lives and bodies, or if there are probable causes to be recognized that using equipment is necessary to restrain the interference with government officials in the execution of their duties. However, as the cases which the criminals run away in handcuffs or with both hands tied occur, it results in the waste of police force, distrust and enormous trouble in the pursuit of their duties. Therefore, if the way to perceive fleeing of criminals who have already worn the police equipment by some simple assistive devices without developing other new equipment, it will be very effective for police duties. This study is about the combination apparatus for fugitive prevention attached to the existing handcuffs and rope whose alert sounds let the staffs working inside the office perceive the fleeing of wanted criminals and examined suspects who wear the handcuffs or are tied up with rope, providing that they go through the exit where a transmitter and a receiver were set. The combination apparatus for fugitive prevention which the study introduces contains the connecting parts which connect a flexible tube(cognition tags inside of the tube) of connector equipped with the police equipment with the ends of the tube and the part where these two meet and which connect them inside of the tube. The connecting parts are easy to be attached to the police equipment such as handcuffs and rope, but hard to be dismantled by the people tied up with the equipment. It enables watchers to perceive the fleeing of wanted criminals and examined suspects who wear the handcuffs or are tied up with rope, providing that they go through the exit where a transmitter and a receiver were set. Plus, if it is combined together with the portable receiver, it can be installed on the patrol cars and easily adopted to supervise illegally accessing of evidences. It is also avaliable to be adjunctively utilized for the handcuffs provided and the cost is so reasonable. Owing to its snap-on way to the cuffs, it can clear up any invasion of privacy and it can not be used as a self-injury tool because of the soft tube. Using AM Tag minimizes the lack of malfunction.

Uplift Capacity of Wood Pile for Greenhouse Foundation (온실 기초용 나무말뚝의 인발저항력 검토)

  • Yun, Sung Wook;Choi, Man Kwon;Lee, Si Young;Yu, Chan;Yoon, Yong Cheol
    • Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.123-127
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    • 2015
  • Wood piles are rarely used in the construction of a greenhouse in Korea, but they are relatively more often used in other countries, such as the Netherlands. There are several advantages associated with wood piles: they are more cost-effective, less time-consuming, and more ecofriendly than the steel pipes (SPs) and pre-stressed highstrength (PHC) piles. However, one of the limiting conditions is that they have to be installed below the groundwater level to prevent decay. Since the groundwater levels are generally high in the reclaimed lands in Korea, wood piles are expected to be used often as reinforcements for foundations of greenhouses in these areas. In this study, we measured the uplift capacities of wood piles through in-situ uplift capacity tests with an aim to provide basic design data for wood pile foundations. In order to test their applicability, we then compared these experimentally measured ultimate uplift capacities with the ones calculated through some of the existing theoretical equations. The wood piles used in the loading tests were made of softwood (pine wood), and the tests were performed using piles with different diameters (∅25cm and ∅30cm) and embedded depths (1m, 3m, and 5m). The test results revealed that the uplift capacity of the wood piles showed a clear linearly increasing tendency in proportion to the embedded depth, with the ultimate uplift capacities for the diameters 25cm and 30cm being 9.38 and 10.56tf, respectively, at the embedded depth of 5m; thus demonstrating uplift capacities of ${\geq}9tf$. The comparison between the actually measured values of the uplift capacity and the ones calculated through equations revealed that the latter, which were obtained using the ${\alpha}$ method, were generally in an approximate agreement with the in-situ measured values.

Trends of mushroom science and mushroom industry (버섯과학과 버섯산업의 동향)

  • Yoo, Young-Bok;Kong, Won-Sik;Oh, Se-Jong;Cheong, Jong-Chun;Jang, Kab-Yeul;Jhune, Chang-Sung
    • Journal of Mushroom
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.1-23
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    • 2005
  • World production of mushrooms has been increasing 10-20% every year. Recently, Pleurotus eryngii and P. nebrodensis are very popular as new mushroom species for cultivation. Two kinds of mushrooms, Gumji (Ganoderma) and Soji, were described in old book of Samguksagi (History of the three kingdoms; 1145) in Koryo-dynasty. Many kinds of mushrooms were also described in more than 16 kinds of old books during Chosun-dynasty in Korea. One hundred and sixty commercial strains of 25 species in mushrooms were distributed to cultivators. By the way, only 8 varieties of them have registered variety protection. Mushroom industry as important export products developed from 1960 to 1980. Production of mushrooms as food was 181,828 metric tons valued at 800 billion Korean won in 2003. Isolated and identified substances from mushrooms are promising antifungal, antiinflammatory, antitumor, antiviral (anti-HIV), antibacterial & antiparasitic, antidiabetic, immunomodulating, kidney tonic, hepatoprotective, nerve tonic, and sexual potentiator. These substances can also be used for blood pressure regulation and effective against cardiovascular disorders, hypocholesterolemia & hyperlipidemia, and chronicbronchitis. Mushroom products including pharmaceuticals, tonics, healthy beverages, functional biotransformants, and processed foods have also became available on the markets. Compost and feed can likewise be made from mushroom substrates after harvest. The mushroom industry is already one of the fastest growing investment sectors in Korea. By the way, there is a need to strain improvement for variety protection, advanced cultivation technology at low cost for growers, and control of demand and supply for marketing in order to more upgrade development of mushroom industry in the future.

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Recent Progress in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Research : A Review of Papers Published in the Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering in 2007 (설비공학 분야의 최근 연구 동향 : 2007년 학회지 논문에 대한 종합적 고찰)

  • Han, Hwa-Taik;Shin, Dong-Sin;Choi, Chang-Ho;Lee, Dae-Young;Kim, Seo-Young;Kwon, Yong-Il
    • Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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    • v.20 no.12
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    • pp.844-861
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    • 2008
  • The papers published in the Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering during the year of 2007 have been reviewed. Focus has been put on current status of research in the aspect of heating, cooling, ventilation, sanitation and building environments. The conclusions are as follows. (1) The research trends of fluid engineering have been surveyed as groups of general fluid flow, fluid machinery and piping, etc. New research topics include micro nano fluid, micropump and fuel cell. Traditional CFD was still popular and widely used in research and development. Studies about fans and pumps were performed in the field of fluid machinery. Characteristics of flow and fin shape optimization are studied in the field of piping system. (2) The research works on heat transfer have been reviewed in the field of heat transfer characteristics, heat exchangers, and desiccant cooling systems. The research on heat transfer characteristics includes thermal transport in pulse tubes, high temperature superconductors, ground heat exchangers, fuel cell stacks and ice slurry systems. For the heat 'exchangers, the research on pin-tube heat exchanger, plate heat exchanger, condensers and gas coolers has been cordially implemented. The research works on heat transfer augmenting tubes have been also reported. For the desiccant cooling systems, the studies on the design and operating conditions for desiccant rotors as well as performance index are noticeable. (3) In the field of refrigeration, many papers were presented on the air conditioning system using CO2 as a refrigerant. The issues on the two-stage compression, the oil selection, and the appropriate oil charge were treated. The subjects of alternative refrigerants were also studied steadily. Hydrocarbons, DME and their mixtures were considered and various heat transfer correlations were proposed. (4) Research papers have been reviewed in the field of building facilities by grouping into the researches on heat and cold sources, air conditioning and air cleaning, ventilation and fire research including tunnel ventilation, flow control of piping system, and sound research with drain system. Main focuses have been addressed to the promotion of efficient or effective use of energy, which helps to save energy and results in reduced environmental pollution and operating cost. (5) Studies were mostly focused on analyzing the indoor environment in various spaces like cars, old tombs, machine rooms, and etc. in an architectural environmental field. Moreover, subjects of various fields such as the evaluation of noise, thermal environment, indoor air quality and development of energy analysis program were researched by various methods of survey, simulation, and field experiment.