• Title/Summary/Keyword: Critical levels

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Critical Evaluation of and Suggestions for the VOCs Measurement Method Established as the Korean Indoor Air Quality Standard Method (실내공기질 공정시험법 중 VOCs 측정방법의 문제점 고찰 및 개선방안에 관한 연구)

  • Ye, Jin;Jung, Dong-Hee;Baek, Sung-Ok
    • Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.30 no.6
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    • pp.586-599
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    • 2014
  • During the last two decades, indoor air quality and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been of concern in Korean society due to their nature of potential health impacts. In order to investigate the pollution levels of VOCss in indoor environments, establishment of a solid test method for monitoring the airborne VOCss is essential. In Korea, a method based on adsorbent sampling and GC analysis coupled with thermal desorption was proclaimed as the Korea Standard Method for Indoor Air Quality Test. This study was carried out to examine some inherent problems of the VOCs measurement method. The VOCs method does not describe in detail preparing the standard samples. The standard samples may be prepared by impregnation of either liquid standard solutions or a mixture of standard gases. In this study, we investigated the optimal temperature condition for transferring the liquid standards onto a standard adsorbent tube. As a result, keeping the impregnation temperature at $250^{\circ}C$ will be recommended in regard of the boiling points of multiple target analytes and the thermal stability of the adsorbent. We also demonstrated some problems associated with handling of a syringe used for transferring the standard solutions onto the adsorbent tubes, and a best way to get rid of the syringe problems was suggested. Finally, a number of field works were conducted to evaluate the performance of adsorbent sampling methods. Comparison of different adsorbent tubes, i.e. tube packed with single sorbent (Tenax) and double sorbents (Tenax with Carbotrap), revealed that 30 to 40% differences between the two groups, implying that sampling efficiency is depending on the volatility and the strength of adsorbents. However, duplicate precisions for VOCs sampling with a same type of adsorbent and at same flow rates appeared to be satisfactory to be all within 20%, which is a quality control guideline. Distributed volume precisions were also found to be within a guideline value, 25%, although the precision was in general inferior to the duplicate precision. The Korea indoor VOCs test method should be more refined and improved in many aspects, particularly procedure and instrumentation for preparing the standard samples and specification of quality control assessment.

The Variation of Serum Thyroglobulin Measured after Thyrogen Administration (Thyrogen 투여 후 측정된 Thyroglobulin 농도변화)

  • Kim, Ji-Na;An, Jae-seok;Won, Woo-Jae
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.80-83
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    • 2018
  • Purpose Assessment of Serum Thyroglobulin (sTg) value in total thyroidectomy patients having an ablation dose of radioactive iodine indicates remaining cancer or metastasis. Especially, sTg in patients on withdrawal thyroxine or thyrogen administration for radioiodine ablation is an important indicator to determine the direction of further treatment and prognosis. Current guidelines suggest measurement of sTg is performed at 72 hours after the last injection of thyrogen. and assumes that sTg reaches maximum serum levels at that time. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the variation of sTg measured after thyrogen administration. Materials and Methods We compared with sTg performed at 24hours(D0) and 72hours(D2) after the last injection of thyrogen. We reviewed D0 and D2 from 276 patients were divided them into three groups according to ablation dose of radioactive iodine, 5mCi(A group), 30~80mCi(B group) and 100~200mCi(C group). We used T-test for comparison between D0 and D2. sTg was measured in serum using immunoradiometric assay (Tg-plus RIA; BRAHMS, Berlin, Germany). Results There is no critical variation between D0 and D2 in A group(n=100)(P=0.32), The case of increase(D2>D0) is 45, no change(D2=D0) is 23, decrease(D2D0 is 91, D2=D0 is 28, D2D0 is 19, D2=D0 is 2. The biggest increase is 143.6 ng/mL from 98.4 to 242. Conclusion There was a significant difference in the group over 30mCi. and the case of D2>D0 is 45%, 58.7%, 90.5% for each group. therefore, D2 increased as the dose of radioactive iodine increased. Furthermore, the most sTg values of D0 and D2 are variation under 2.0 ng/mL, so reproducibility as well as sensitivity of sTg will be important at values below 2ng/mL.

Spatiotemporal Trends of Malaria in Relation to Economic Development and Cross-Border Movement along the China-Myanmar Border in Yunnan Province

  • Zhao, Xiaotao;Thanapongtharm, Weerapong;Lawawirojwong, Siam;Wei, Chun;Tang, Yerong;Zhou, Yaowu;Sun, Xiaodong;Sattabongkot, Jestumon;Kaewkungwal, Jaranit
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.58 no.3
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    • pp.267-278
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    • 2020
  • The heterogeneity and complexity of malaria involves political and natural environments, socioeconomic development, cross-border movement, and vector biology; factors that cannot be changed in a short time. This study aimed to assess the impact of economic growth and cross-border movement, toward elimination of malaria in Yunnan Province during its pre-elimination phase. Malaria data during 2011-2016 were extracted from 18 counties of Yunnan and from 7 villages, 11 displaced person camps of the Kachin Special Region II of Myanmar. Data of per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) were obtained from Yunnan Bureau of Statistics. Data were analyzed and mapped to determine spatiotemporal heterogeneity at county and village levels. There were a total 2,117 malaria cases with 85.2% imported cases; most imported cases came from Myanmar (78.5%). Along the demarcation line, malaria incidence rates in villages/camps in Myanmar were significantly higher than those of the neighboring villages in China. The spatial and temporal trends suggested that increasing per-capita GDP may have an indirect effect on the reduction of malaria cases when observed at macro level; however, malaria persists owing to complex, multi-faceted factors including poverty at individual level and cross-border movement of the workforce. In moving toward malaria elimination, despite economic growth, cooperative efforts with neighboring countries are critical to interrupt local transmission and prevent reintroduction of malaria via imported cases. Cross-border workers should be educated in preventive measures through effective behavior change communication, and investment is needed in active surveillance systems and novel diagnostic and treatment services during the elimination phase.

Prediction of Rock Fragmentation and Design of Blasting Pattern based on 3-D Spatial Distribution of Rock Factor (발파암 계수의 3차원 공간 분포에 기초한 암석 파쇄도 예측 및 발파 패턴 설계)

  • Shim Hyun-Jin;Seo Jong-Seok;Ryu Dong-Woo
    • Tunnel and Underground Space
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    • v.15 no.4 s.57
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    • pp.264-274
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    • 2005
  • The optimum blasting pattern to excavate a quarry efficiently and economically can be determined based on the minimum production cost which is generally estimated according to rock fragmentation. Therefore it is a critical problem to predict fragment size distribution of blasted rocks over an entire quarry. By comparing various prediction models, it can be ascertained that the result obtained from Kuz-Ram model relatively coincides with that of field measurements. Kuz-Ram model uses the concept of rock factor to signify conditions of rock mass such as block size, rock jointing, strength and others. For the evaluation of total production cost, it is imperative to estimate 3-D spatial distribution of rock factor for the entire quarry. In this study, a sequential indicator simulation technique is adopted for estimation of spatial distribution of rock factor due to its higher reproducibility of spatial variability and distribution models than Kriging methods. Further, this can reduce the uncertainty of predictor using distribution information of sample data The entire quarry is classified into three types of rock mass and optimum blasting pattern is proposed for each type based on 3-D spatial distribution of rock factor. In addition, plane maps of rock factor distribution for each ground levels is provided to estimate production costs for each process and to make a plan for an optimum blasting pattern.

Earthquake Simulation Tests of A 1:5 Scale Gravity Load Designed 3-Story Reinforced Concrete Frame (중력하중 설계된 1:5 축소 3층 철근콘크리트 골조의 지진모의실험)

  • 이한선;우성우
    • Magazine of the Korea Concrete Institute
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    • v.10 no.6
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    • pp.241-252
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    • 1998
  • The objective of the research stated herein is to observe the actual responses of a low-rise nonseismic moment-resisting reinforced concrete frame subjected to varied levels of earthquake ground motions. First, the reduction scale for the model was determined as 1 : 5 considering the capacity of the shaking table to be used and the model was manufactured according to the similitude law. This model was, then, subjected to the shaking table motions simulating Taft N21E component earthquake ground motions, whose peak ground accelations (PGAs) were modified to 0.12g, 0.2g, 0.3g, and 0.4g. The lateral accelerations and displacements at each story and local deformations at the critical reginos of the structure were measured. The base shear was measured by using self-made load cells. Before and after each earthquake simulation test, free vibration tests were performed to find the change in the natural period and damping ratio of the model. The test data on the global and local behaviors are interpreted. The model showed the linear elastic behavior under the Taft N21E motion with the PGA if 0.12g, which represents the design earthquake in Korea. The maximum base shear was 1.8tf, approximately 4.7 times the design base shear. The model revealed fairly good resistance to the higher level of earthquake simulation tests. The main components of its resistance to the high level of earthquakes appeared to be 1) the high overstrength, 2) the elongation of the fundamental period, and 3) the minor energy dissipation by inelastic deformations. The drifts of the model under these tests were approximately within the allowable limit.

Development of Collision Scenario-Based Evaluation System for the Cognitive Performance of Marine Officers (충돌시나리오 기반의 항해사 인지능력 평가시스템 개발)

  • Kim, Hong-Tae;Barentt, Mike;Yang, Won-Jae
    • Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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    • v.31 no.8
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    • pp.629-635
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    • 2007
  • Reduced crew performance is frequently cited as a major causal factor in maritime accident causation. Although considerable research has been conducted on the hours of work undertaken by seafarers through interviews and the analysis of records, experimental studies to observe the effects of factors such as high workload, shift patterns, stress, sleep deprivation and disturbance on the cognitive performance of mariners have been limited. Other safety-critical transport industries, such as aviation and rail, have developed fatigue management tools to help manage the work patterns of their operators. Such a tool for mariners would assist shipboard crew, marine pilots and shore management in planning and improving work schedules. The overall aim of this paper is to determine a fatigue factor, which can be applied to human performance data, as part of a software program that calculates total cognitive performance. This program enables us to establish the levels of cognitive performance of a group of marine pilots to test a decision-making task based on radar information. This paper addresses one of the factors that may contribute to the determination of various fatigue factors: the effect of different work patterns on the cognitive performance of a marine pilot.

Effect of Controlled Water Level for Irrigation Constraint on Growth of the Rice Plant (수위조절(水位調節)에 의(依)한 관개수(灌漑水)의 제한공급(制限供給)이 포트재배수도(栽培水滔)의 생육(生育)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Kim, Jai-Joung;Yuk, Chang-Soo;Jung, Kwang-Yong
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.23 no.4
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    • pp.268-274
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    • 1990
  • In order to understand the effect of irrigation constraint on the growth and yield of the rice plant. two rice cultivars. Samnambyeo and Chucheongbyeo. were cultured in the pot controlled with different water levels: + 2 cm-submergence, and -17cm, -37cm, -57cm, -77cm, -97cm, -120cm, and -145cm depth from soil surface. 1. Among differently irrigated conditions, submerged condition was the best in growth and yield of both Samnambyeo and Chucheongbyeo. Yield and growth of rice decreased linearly with lowering the water level in sequence. 2. Samnambyeo appeared to be more drought resistant cultivar than Chucheongbyeo. It was regarded that physiologically critical water level on rice yield was about 70cm depth in Samnambyeo and 50cm depth in Chucheongbyeo. 3. The earliest heading date of the rice plant was from submergence condition and the head ing date was linearly delayed with lowering water level in sequence. The heading date of Samnambyeo was about 10days earlier than that of Chucheongbyeo at the same water level.

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Seasonal Variation of PM2.5 Components Observed in an Industrial Area of Chiba Prefecture, Japan

  • Ichikawa, Yujiro;Naito, Suekazu;Ishii, Katsumi;Oohashi, Hideaki
    • Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.66-77
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    • 2015
  • In order to survey the seasonal variation of the chemical composition of particulate matter of $2.5{\mu}m$ or less ($PM_{2.5}$), $PM_{2.5}$ was sampled from 8 February 2013 to 31 March 2014 in an industrial area of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Chemical measurements of the sample included: ionic components ($Na^+$, $NH_4{^+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $K^+$, $Cl^-$, $NO_3{^-}$ and $SO_4{^{2-}}$), carbonaceous components - organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Also, secondary organic carbon (SOC) was measured based using the EC tracer method, and char-EC and soot-EC were calculated from the analytical results. The data obtained were interpreted in terms of temporal variation. Of the overall mean value of $PM_{2.5}$ mass concentration obtained during the study period, ionic components, OC and EC accounted for 45.3%, 19.7%, and 8.0%, respectively. $NO_3{^-}$ showed a unique seasonal distribution pattern due to a dependence on temperature and absolute humidity. It was estimated that an approximate temperature of $14^{\circ}C$, and absolute humidity of $7g/m^3$ were critical for the reversible reaction of $NH_4NO_3(p){\leftrightharpoons}NH_3(g)+HNO_3(g)$. The amount of OC and EC contributing to the monthly $PM_{2.5}$ mass concentration was higher in autumn and winter compared to spring and summer. This result could be attributed to the impact of burning biomass, since WSOC and the ratio of char-EC/soot-EC showed a similar pattern during the corresponding period. From the comparison of monthly WSOC/OC values, a maximum ratio of 83% was obtained in August (summer). The WSOC and estimated SOC levels derived from the EC tracer method correlated (R=0.77) in summer. The high occurrence of WSOC during summer was mainly due to the formation of SOC by photochemical reactions. Through long-term observation of $PM_{2.5}$ chemical components, we established that the degree to which the above-mentioned factors influence $PM_{2.5}$ composition, fluctuates with seasonal changes.

Assessment of Composite Material Flaws on the Type III Cylinders for Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles (압축천연가스자동차용 Type III 용기의 복합재 결함 평가)

  • Kim, Young-Seob;Kim, Lae-Hyun;Yang, Dong-Ju
    • Journal of Energy Engineering
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.90-95
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    • 2011
  • This study was conducted to judge requalification of cylinders by assessing composite flaws such as scratches, cuts, and gouges damaging on the composite of Type III cylinders for compressed natural gas vehicles. As a result of the flaw tolerance test, all specimens have satisfied with minimum requirement cycles according to damage levels based on ISO 19078 and cyclic performance for pressure showed beyond twenty thousands in damage level 1 and 2, and did eighteen thousands to twenty-one thousands in damage level 3. Eight of twelve specimens failed the test due to composite flaws and the rest of the cylinders failed regardless of flaws. The results of Finite Element Method followed by the computer simulation indicated that the stress of 79.5 MPa calculated on the flaw model of $1.25\;mm{\times}200\;mm$ and the stress of 66.6 MPa on the non-flaw model when the service pressure applied to inside of cylinder. The difference between the models is about 19.37%. We concluded that this difference influences fatigue life and this flaw model is a critical value affecting cyclic performance of cylinders.

A Study on the Characteristic of Indoor Green-Wall Design - With Focused on Preference of Emotional Image Language - (실내 벽면녹화디자인 특성 연구 - 감성이미지 언어에 따른 선호도를 중심으로 -)

  • Lee, Ji-Hyun;Jang, Young-Soon
    • Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.593-604
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    • 2011
  • This study examines potential growth and different perspectives on green-walls, which are being re-evaluated recently. The aim is to identify the viewer preferences concerning the walls by collecting a wide spectrum of information to create an interior design related comprehensive and intellectual database. Also based on this proposition, choosing a green surface of indoor wall as a specific example stimulus, identifying a relationship betweeationsviewer's preference factors. The relationship will formulate detailed and absolute qualities, which will reach potential areas that the green walls can be widely applied in. As a result of a factor analysis, the viewers classified into the 3 factors as is pleasant, gorgeous and rich about the stimulus. Preferred key factors, which are closely related to emotional image language, were; cool, tidy, comfortable and beautiful. The common factors in preferred design stimulus, in order of importance are color>elements>image/form/plants. Specific levels of design factors according to relevance are contrast>furniture> modern>central/creeper foliage plants. In the meantime, this study is leading the process of quantitative measurement of green-walls to a new design direction and it is critical to consistently experimenting to back up the theory with solid evidence.

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