• Title/Summary/Keyword: Critical region

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Balancing Water Supply Reliability, Flood Hazard Mitigation and Environmental Resilience in Large River Systems

  • Goodwin, Peter
    • Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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    • 2016.05a
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    • pp.1-1
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    • 2016
  • Many of the world's large ecosystems are severely stressed due to population growth, water quality and quantity problems, vulnerability to flood and drought, and the loss of native species and cultural resources. Consequences of climate change further increase uncertainties about the future. These major societal challenges must be addressed through innovations in governance, policy, and ways of implementing management strategies. Science and engineering play a critical role in helping define possible alternative futures that could be achieved and the possible consequences to economic development, quality of life, and sustainability of ecosystem services. Science has advanced rapidly during the past decade with the emergence of science communities coalescing around 'Grand Challenges' and the maturation of how these communities function has resulted in large interdisciplinary research networks. An example is the River Experiment Center of KICT that engages researchers from throughout Korea and the world. This trend has been complemented by major advances in sensor technologies and data synthesis to accelerate knowledge discovery. These factors combine to allow scientific debate to occur in a more open and transparent manner. The availability of information and improved communication of scientific and engineering issues is raising the level of dialogue at the science-policy interface. However, severe challenges persist since scientific discovery does not occur on the same timeframe as management actions, policy decisions or at the pace sometimes expected by elected officials. Common challenges include the need to make decisions in the face of considerable uncertainty, ensuring research results are actionable and preventing science being used by special interests to delay or obsfucate decisions. These challenges are explored in the context of examples from the United States, including the California Bay-Delta system. California transfers water from the wetter northern part of the state to the drier southern part of the state through the Central Valley Project since 1940 and this was supplemented by the State Water Project in 1973. The scale of these activities is remarkable: approximately two thirds of the population of Californians rely on water from the Delta, these waters also irrigate up to 45% of the fruits & vegetables produced in the US, and about 80% of California's commercial fishery species live in or migrate through the Bay-Delta. This Delta region is a global hotspot for biodiversity that provides habitat for over 700 species, but is also a hotspot for the loss of biodiversity with more than 25 species currently listed by the Endangered Species Act. Understanding the decline of the fragile ecosystem of the Bay-Delta system and the potential consequences to economic growth if water transfers are reduced for the environment, the California State Legislature passed landmark legislation in 2009 (CA Water Code SS 85054) that established "Coequal goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem". The legislation also stated that "The coequal goals shall be achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place." The challenges of integrating policy, management and scientific research will be described through this and other international examples.

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Flow blockage analysis for fuel assembly in a lead-based fast reactor

  • Wang, Chenglong;Wu, Di;Gui, Minyang;Cai, Rong;Zhu, Dahuan;Zhang, Dalin;Tian, Wenxi;Qiu, Suizheng;Su, G.H.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.53 no.10
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    • pp.3217-3228
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    • 2021
  • Flow blockage of the fuel assembly in the lead-based fast reactor (LFR) may produce critical local spots, which will result in cladding failure and threaten reactor safety. In this study, the flow blockage characteristics were analyzed with the sub-channel analysis method, and the circumferentially-varied method was employed for considering the non-uniform distribution of circumferential temperature. The developed sub-channel analysis code SACOS-PB was validated by a heat transfer experiment in a blocked 19-rod bundle cooled by lead-bismuth eutectic. The deviations between the predicted coolant temperature and experimental values are within ±5%, including small and large flow blockage scenarios. And the temperature distributions of the fuel rod could be better simulated by the circumferentially-varied method for the small blockage scenario. Based on the validated code, the analysis of blockage characteristics was conducted. It could be seen from the temperature and flow distributions that a large blockage accident is more destructive compared with a small one. The sensitivity analysis shows that the closer the blockage location is to the exit, the more dangerous the accident is. Similarly, a larger blockage length will lead to a more serious case. And a higher exit temperature will be generated resulting from a higher peak coolant temperature of the blocked region. This work could provide a reference for the future design and development of the LFR.

Characteristics of Cancer Stem Cells and Immune Checkpoint Inhibition (암줄기세포의 특성 및 면역관문억제)

  • Choi, Sang-Hun;Kim, Hyunggee
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.499-508
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    • 2019
  • Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are primarily responsible for metastasis and recurrence, have self-renewal, differentiation, therapeutic resistance, and tumor formation abilities. Numerous studies have demonstrated the signaling pathways essential for the acquisition and maintenance of CSC characteristics, such as WNT/${\beta}$-catenin, Hedgehog, Notch, B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (BMI1), Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), and TGF-${\beta}$ signals. However, few therapeutic strategies have been developed that can selectively eliminate CSCs. Recently, neutralizing antibodies against Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have shown promising outcomes in clinical trials of melanoma, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer, as well as in hematologic malignancies. ICIs are considered to outperform conventional anticancer drugs by maintaining long-lasting anti-cancer effects, with less severe side effects. Several studies reported that ICIs successfully blocked CSC properties in head and neck squamous carcinomas, melanomas, and breast cancer. Together, these findings suggest that novel and effective anticancer therapeutic modalities using ICIs for selective elimination of CSCs may be developed in the near future. In this review, we highlight the origin and characteristics of CSCs, together with critical signaling pathways. We also describe progress in ICI-mediated anticancer treatment to date and present perspectives on the development of CSC-targeting ICIs.

Feasibility of Scenic Site Protection Area on the Basis of the Concepts of Authenticity and Integrity (진정성과 완결성에 기초한 명승 보호구역의 타당성 검토)

  • Yi, Young-bae;Ryu, Je-hun
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.46 no.3
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    • pp.32-47
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    • 2013
  • The concepts of authenticity and integrity are very important standards to be satisfied in the conservation and utilization of Scenic Site (名勝), literally meaning the places of scenic beauty, as a public heritage. These concepts, which are frequently used in the conservation and utilization of the World Heritage inscribed by UNESCO, can be applied to all kinds of heritages. Recently, it has been widely recognized that the concepts of authenticity and integrity are not separable but interconnected. Accordingly, the maintenance of authenticity in Scenic Site should include not only the physical preservation but also the succession of historical tradition of enjoyment. The integrity in Scenic Site refers to the physical and social conditions under which authenticity can be satisfactorily protected. The aim of this study is to reconstruct the traditional ways of enjoying historical and cultural Scenic Site with emphasis on the Yeongnam Region and make a critical examination of cultural property protection areas that have been designated. Then, this study aims to find the ways to utilize Scenic Site to secure the standards of authenticity and integrity. As a result it was discovered that cultural property protection areas are not designated well enough to satisfy the standards of authenticity and integrity. Considering the fact that cultural property protection areas are the minimal institutional systems to maintain the original value of Scenic Site, it is necessary to pay more careful attention to the ways of securing the authenticity and integrity in Scenic Site.

Luminescence Properties of Europium-doped NaSr(PO3)3 Phosphor (Europium이 첨가된 NaSr(PO3)3형광체의 형광특성)

  • Yoon, Changyong;Park, Cheolwoo
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.645-652
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    • 2019
  • Phosphor with phosphorus doped with rare earth ions was investigated by searching Sr and Eu phosphors suitable for substitution of Eu ions with similar ionic radius to polyphosphate host. The $NaSr(PO_3)_3$ phosphor was synthesized by the solid state method and the $NaSr(PO_3)_3:Eu^{2+}$ phosphor was prepared by the carbon thermal reduction method. Both of the phosphors were identified by X - ray diffraction. The excitation and emission spectra of $NaSr(PO_3)_3:Eu^{3+}$ increased fluorescence intensity and intensity quenching with increasing $Eu^{3+}$ concentration. The higher the $Eu^{3+}$ concentration in the emission spectrum, the higher the local symmetry of $Eu^{3+}$ environment. The mechanism of concentration quenching, in which fluorescence decreases due to the energy transfer between $Eu^{2+}$ ions with the closest critical distance between $Eu^{2+}$ ions with increasing $Eu^{2+}$ ion concentration, was confirmed in the emission spectrum of $NaSr(PO_3)_3:Eu^{2+}$ concentration. It is possible to change the fluorescent region through the post-processing of single rare earth ion added phosphors, and it is possible to change the fluorescence by applying the energy transfer and concentration quenching mechanism according to the local symmetry of $Eu^{3+}$ will be used for high phosphor development.

The Effects of Social Support and Recovery Resilience on Self Care Behavior among the Elderly with Hypertension in the Senior Welfare Center (노인복지회관을 이용하는 고혈압 노인의 사회적 지지와 회복탄력성이 자가간호행위에 미치는 영향)

  • Park, Se Jung;Kim, Seonho
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.20 no.7
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    • pp.182-191
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    • 2019
  • The purpose of this study was to identify correlation among social support, recovery resilience, and self-care behavior among the elderly with hypertension, as well as to clarify factors that affect self-care behavior. This was a descriptive study conducted with 183 hypertensive seniors over age 65 from three different senior welfare centers in C region. Data of this study were collected from Aug 20-31, 2018. T-test, ANOVA, Pearson's coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression were used for analysis. As a result, the mean score of social support was $3.79{\pm}0.78$ out of 5, recovery resilience was $4.10{\pm}0.71$ out of 5, and self-care behavior was $3.93{\pm}0.51$ out of 5. Self-care behavior had a statistically significant positive correlation with social support(r=.204, p<.001) and recovery resilience(r=.405, p<.001). Factors influencing Self-care behavior were recovery resilience(${\beta}=.36$, p<.001) and regularity of exercise(${\beta}=.17$, p=.019). These factors explained 18.9% of self-care behavior(F=21.02, p<.001). The study results indicate that recovery resilience and regularity of exercise are critical factors affecting self-care behavior among the elderly with of hypertension. Therefore, to promote self-care behavior among the hypertensive seniors, regular exercise must be advised and the development and evaluation of nursing interventions that can improve recovery resilience may be necessary.

Phenophase Extraction from Repeat Digital Photography in the Northern Temperate Type Deciduous Broadleaf Forest (온대북부형 낙엽활엽수림의 디지털 카메라 반복 이미지를 활용한 식물계절 분석)

  • Han, Sang Hak;Yun, Chung Weon;Lee, Sanghun
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.109 no.4
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    • pp.361-370
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    • 2020
  • Long-term observation of the life cycle of plants allows the identification of critical signals of the effects of climate change on plants. Indeed, plant phenology is the simplest approach to detect climate change. Observation of seasonal changes in plants using digital repeat imaging helps in overcoming the limitations of both traditional methods and satellite remote sensing. In this study, we demonstrate the utility of camera-based repeat digital imaging in this context. We observed the biological events of plants and quantified their phenophases in the northern temperate type deciduous broadleaf forest of Jeombong Mountain. This study aimed to identify trends in seasonal characteristics of Quercus mongolica (deciduous broadleaf forest) and Pinus densiflora (evergreen coniferous forest). The vegetation index, green chromatic coordinate (GCC), was calculated from the RGB channel image data. The magnitude of the GCC amplitude was smaller in the evergreen coniferous forest than in the deciduous forest. The slope of the GCC (increased in spring and decreased in autumn) was moderate in the evergreen coniferous forest compared with that in the deciduous forest. In the pine forest, the beginning of growth occurred earlier than that in the red oak forest, whereas the end of growth was later. Verification of the accuracy of the phenophases showed high accuracy with root-mean-square error (RMSE) values of 0.008 (region of interest [ROI]1) and 0.006 (ROI3). These results reflect the tendency of the GCC trajectory in a northern temperate type deciduous broadleaf forest. Based on the results, we propose that repeat imaging using digital cameras will be useful for the observation of phenophases.

Analysis of the Recognition Effect of Smart Collection System Environmental Education for Jeju Residents (제주도민을 대상으로 한 스마트 수거 시스템 환경교육 인식 효과 분석)

  • Yoo, Hye-Young;Lee, Mi-Young;Park, Jung Kwan;Moon, Mi Sung;Kim, Ki-hong;Shin, Jaehyeon;Lee, Dongyeop;Jeong, Saebom;Chung, David
    • Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.85-99
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    • 2022
  • Recently, environmental issues have become serious, and Jeju Island is promoting a pilot project of a smart collection system(waste weight-based collection system) at clean houses in Yongdam 1-dong. However, the new system faced an opposition from elderly residents who were not accustomed to using machines or smart devices. In order to solve this problem, it was intended to suggest policies related to this by conducting environmental education and identifying problems with the effect of environmental education awareness through data analysis method. The results showed positive answers in most of the satisfaction and achievement evaluations, but it is also true that most of the residents need to be educated and more information should be given. In order to vitalize education, it is important to increase the number of instructors and support them to increase their expertise. It is also important to take a practical process that strengthens public relations, shares information, and links with the local community to increase the actual participation of local residents. In addition, it is critical to secure a budget from local governments to maintain education and public awareness, and it will be helpful to link with talent donation projects in the region.

Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, S-100 Protein and Synaptophysin Expression in Biliary Atresia Gallbladder Tissue

  • Gurunluoglu, Semra;Ceran, Canan;Gurunluoglu, Kubilay;Kocbiyik, Alper;Gul, Mehmet;Yildiz, Turan;Bag, Harika Gozukara;Gul, Semir;Tasci, Aytac;Bayrakci, Ercan;Akpinar, Necmettin;Cin, Ecem Serbest;Ates, Hasan;Demircan, Mehmet
    • Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.173-186
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    • 2021
  • Purpose: Biliary atresia (BA) is a disease that manifests as jaundice after birth and leads to progressive destruction of the ductal system in the liver. The aim of this study was to investigate histopathological changes and immunohistochemically examine the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), synaptophysin, and S-100 protein in the gallbladder of BA patients. Methods: The study included a BA group of 29 patients and a control group of 41 children with cholecystectomy. Gallbladder tissue removed during surgery was obtained and examined immunohistochemically and histopathologically. Tissue samples of both groups were immunohistochemically assessed in terms of GDNF, S-100 protein, and synaptophysin expression. Expression was classified as present or absent. Inflammatory activity assessment with hematoxylin and eosin staining and fibrosis assessment with Masson's trichrome staining were performed for tissue sample sections of both groups. Results: Ganglion cells were not present in gallbladder tissue samples of the BA group. Immunohistochemically, GDNF, synaptophysin, and S-100 expression was not detected in the BA group. Histopathological examination revealed more frequent fibrosis and slightly higher inflammatory activity in the BA than in the control group. Conclusion: We speculate that GDNF expression will no longer continue in this region, when the damage caused by inflammation of the extrahepatic bile ducts reaches a critical threshold. The study's findings may represent a missing link in the chain of events forming the etiology of BA and may be helpful in its diagnosis.

Synthesis and Characterization of Interfacial Properties of Glycerol Surfactant (글리세롤계 계면활성제 합성 및 계면 특성에 관한 연구)

  • Lim, JongChoo;Lee, Seul;Kim, ByeongJo;Lee, JongGi;Choi, KyuYong
    • Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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    • v.22 no.4
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    • pp.376-383
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    • 2011
  • The CMCs of LA and LA3 nonionic surfactants obtained from the reaction between glycidol and lauryl alcohol were found to be $0.97{\times}10^{-3}mol/L$ and $1.02{\times}10^{-3}mol/L$ respectively and the surface tensions for 1 wt% surfactant were 26.99 and 27.48 mN/m respectively. Dynamic surface tension measurements using a maximum bubble pressure tensiometer showed that the adsorption rate of surfactant molecules at the interface between the air and the surfactant solution was found to be relatively fast in both surfactant systems, presumably due to the high mobility of surfactant molecules. The contact angles of LA and LA3 nonionic surfactants were 27.8 and $20.9^{\circ}$ respectively and the dynamic interfacial tension measurement by a spinning drop tensiometer showed that interfacial tensions at equilibrium condition in both systems were almost the same. Also both surfactant systems reached equilibrium in 2~3 min. Both surfactant solutions showed high stability when evaluated by conductometric method and the LA nonionic surfactant system provided the higher foam stability than the LA3 nonionic surfactant system. The phase behavior experiments showed a lower phase or oil in water (O/W) microemulsion in equilibrium with an excess oil phase at all temperatures studied. No three-phase region was observed including a middle-phase microemulsion or a lamellar liquid crystalline phase.