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Ecological Importance of Water Budget and Synergistic Effects of Water Stress of Plants due to Air Pollution and Soil Acidification in Korea (한국에서 수분수지의 생태적 중요성과 대기오염 및 토양 산성화로 인한 식물의 수분스트레스 증대 효과)

  • 이창석;이안나
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.143-150
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    • 2003
  • Korea has plentiful precipitation but rainfall events concentrate on several months of rainy season in her weather condition. Korea, therefore, experiences drought for a given period every year. Moreover the soil has usually low water holding capacity, as it is composed coarse particles originated from the granite. Response of several oaks and the Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) on water stress showed that water budget was significant factor determining vegetation distribution. In addition, dehydration level due to cold resistance mechanism of several evergreen plants during the winter season was closely related to their distribution in natural condition. Experimental result under water stress showed that the Korean red pine was very tolerant to desiccation but the seedlings showed high mortality during the dry season. The mortality tended to proportionate to soil moisture content of each site. A comparison between soil moisture content during June when it is severe dry season and moisture content of the culture soil when the pine seedlings reached the permanent wilting point due to water withheld proved that high mortality during the dry season was due to water deficit. Water potential of sample plants measured during the exposure experiment to the air pollutant showed a probability that water related factors would dominate the occurrence of visible damage and the tolerance level of sample plants. In both field survey and laboratory experiment, plants exposed to air pollution showed more rapid transpiration than those grown in the unpolluted condition. The result would due to injury of leaf surface by air pollutants. Aluminum (Al/sup 3+/) increased in the acid soil not only inhibits root growth but also leads to abnormal distribution of root system and thereby caused water stress. The water stresses due to air pollution and soil acidification showed a possibility that they play dominating roles in inducing forest decline additionally to the existing water deficit due to weather and soil conditions in Korea. Sludge, which can contribute to improve field capacity, as it is almost composed of organic matter, showed an effect ameliorating the retarded growth of plant in the acidified soil. The effect was not less than that of dolomite known in widely as such a soil ameliorator. Litter extract contributed also to mitigate the water stress due to toxic Al/sup 3+/. We prepared a model showing the potential interaction of multiple stresses, which can cause forest decline in Korea by synthesizing those results. Furthermore, we suggested restoration plans, which can mitigate such forest decline in terms of soil amelioration and vegetation restoration.

A Funding Source Decision on Corporate Bond - Private Placements vs Public Bond - (기업의 회사채 조달방법 선택에 관한 연구 - 사모사채와 공모사채 발행을 중심으로 -)

  • An, Seung-Cheol;Lee, Sang-Whi;Jang, Seung-Wook
    • The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.99-123
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    • 2004
  • We focus in this study on incremental financing decisions and estimate a logit model for the probability a firm will choose a private placement over a public bond issue. We hypothesize that information asymmetry, financial risk, agent cost, and proprietary information may affect a firm's choice between public debt and private placements. We find that as the size of firm increases, the probability of choosing a private placement declines significantly. The age of the firm, however, is not a significant factor affecting the firm's choice between public and privately-placed bond. The coefficients on the firm's leverage and non-investment grade dummy are significantly positive, meaning firms with high financial risk and credit risk select private placements. The findings regarding agency-related variables, PER and Tobin's Q, are somewhat complex. We find significant evidence that firms with high PER prefer private placements to public bonds, suggesting that borrowers with options to engage in asset substitution or underinvestment are more likely to choose private placements. The coefficient of Tobin's Q is negative, but not significant, which weakly support the hold-up hypothesis. When we construct an interaction term on the Tobin's Q with a non-investment rating dummy, however, the Tobin's Q interaction term becomes positive and significant. Thus, high Tobin's Q firms with a speculative rating are significantly more likely to choose a private placement, regardless of the potential hold-up problems. The ratio of R&D to sales, proxy for proprietary information, is positively significant. This result can be interpreted as evidence in favor of a role for proprietary information in the debt sourcing decision process for these firms.

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An Economic Analysis of the Effluent Heat Supply from Thermal Power Plant to the Farm Facility House (화력발전소 온배수열 활용 시설하우스 열공급 모형 경제성분석 연구)

  • Um, Byung Hwan;Ahn, Cha Su
    • Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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    • v.56 no.1
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    • pp.6-13
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    • 2018
  • Utilizing the heat of cooling water discharge of coal-fired power plant, pipeline investment costs for businesses that supply heat to agricultural facilities near power plants increase in proportion to installation distance. On one hand, the distance from the power plant is a factor that brings difficulties to secure economic efficiency. On the other, if the installation distance is short, there is a problem of securing the heating demands, facility houses, which causes economical efficiency to suffer. In this study, the economic efficiency of 1km length of standard heat pipeline was evaluated. The sensitivity of the heat pipe to the new length variation was analyzed at the level of government subsidy, amount of heating demand and the incremental rate of pipeline with additional government subsidy. As a result of the analysis, it was estimated that NPV 131 million won and IRR 15.73%. The sensitivity analysis showed that NPV was negative when the length of heat pipe facility exceeded 2.6 km. If the government supports 50% of the initial investment, the efficiency is secured within the estimated length of 5.3 km, and if it supports 80%, the length increases within 11.4 km. If the heat demand is reduced to less than 62% at the new length of the standard heat pipe, it is expected economic efficiency is not obtained. If the ratio of government subsidies to initial investment increases, the elasticity of the new bloc will increase, and the fixed investment, which is the cost of capital investment for one unit of heating demand, will decrease. This would result in a reduction in the cost of production per unit, and it would be possible to supply heat at a cheaper price level to the facility farming. Government subsidies will result in the increased economic availability of hot plumbing facilities and additional efficiencies due to increased demand. The greater government subsidies to initial investment, the less farms cost due to the decrease in the price per unit. The results of the study are significant in terms of the economic evaluation of the effectiveness of the government subsidy for the thermal power plant heat utilization project. The implication can be applied to any related pilot to come.

A Study on the Administration for the Han River Water Quality Control (漢江 水質保全 行政에 관한 硏究)

  • Kim, Kwang Hyop
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.10 no.2
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    • pp.9-40
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    • 1984
  • This thesis purports to overview the diverse administrative and organizational factors and plannings developed by the government organizations, municipal or otherwise, to tackle the Han River water pollution issues in the past years. This thesis also looks into the ever-worsening Han River water pollution problems, in particular, in terms of the various government plans ostensibly designed to reduce the pollution level but with little success. Also dealt with are the efficiencies with which the laws and decrees on water pollution the administrative organizations put to use in the prosecution of the diverse antiwater pollution projects involving the Han River basin. From the early 1960's up to the 1970's the government had concentrated on the growth-oriented economic policy with the result that little attention had been paid to the water pollution and other environmental issues that are bound to arise from the massive economic growth. Belatedly, the five-year Hah River Development Project was initiated in 1982 with emphasis on reducing the water pollution level at Hah River to the minimum. The following are the gists of the thesis and recommendations for the future antiwater pollution plans by the administrative organizations: 1. Documents to date indicate that the irrigation projects along the Han River area had been the main focus of attention during the Yi Dynasty and under the Japanese rule of the country. 2. Despite that the water pollution issue became the subject of many debates among the academic and research institutions in the 1960's and in the 1970's, the administrative organizations in charge of the Han River water quality control failed to come up with a concrete plan for the river's water quality control. 3. Nevertheless, the water pollution of the Han River area in fact began in the 1950's, with the unprecedented concentration into Seoul of population and the industrial facilities on a larger scale, in particular, enforced by the government's strong growthoriented policy in its Economic Development plans in the 1960's. 4. Starting in the 1960's, the Han River water pollution level dramatically increased, but the government was reluctant to promulgate or put into effect strong measures to curb the many factors contributing to the river water pollution, thus worsening the environmental issues along the Han River basin. 5. The environmental protection law and other laws and decrees relating to the antiwater and air pollution issues that were subsequently put into effect underwent so many changes that efficient anti-water pollution policies could not be effected for the Han River basin. The frequent organizational reshuffle within the administrative units concerned with environmental problems has resulted in the undue waste in personnel management and finance. 6. The administration on the environmental protection could not be efficiently carried out due to the organizational overlapping. Under the existing law, frequent organizational frictions and inefficiency are bound to occur among the central government offices themselves, as well as between the central government and the Seoul city administration, and among the city's administrative offices over the conservation of the Han River basin and over the river's anti-water pollution issue. 7. In the planning and prosecution of the Han River project, political influences from the president down to the lower-level politicious appear to have been involved. These political influences in the past had certainly had negative influence on the project, nevertheless, it appears that in the recent years, these political influences are not all that negative in view of the fact that they serve as a positive contributing factor in developing a better water quality control project along the Han River basin. The following are a few recommendations based on the data from the thesis: First, officials in charge of the Han River water quality control should pay attention to a careful screening of the opinions and recommendations from the academic circles and from the public should be made so that the government could better grasp the core issues in the environmental problems that require preventive and other necessary measures. Second, vigorous redistribution policies of population and industrial facilities away from the Seoul area should be pursued. Third, the government should refrain from revising or revamping too frequently the laws and decrees on the anti-water pollution, which is feared to cause undue inconveniences in the environmental administration. Fourth, a large-scale streamlining should be made to the existing administrative organization in an effort to do away with the inter- and intra-organizational friction. It is recommended that a secretariat for the Hah River basis conservation be established. Fifth, High-level administrative officials, with a thorough knowledge and vision on the Han River water quality control, should be prepared to better deal with the budgeting and personnel management for the Han River water pollution control not only at the control government, but also at the Seoul city municipal government levels. Environmental issues should be kept distinct from political issues. Environmental issues should not serve as a window-dressing for sheer political purposes. Sixth, the Hah River proiect should also include, along with the main Han River basin, those areas covering North Han River, South Han River, and the tributaries to the main river basin. The 'Han River Basin Water Quality Control Board' should be established immediately as a means of strengthening the current Han River basin water quality control policy. Seventh, in drawing up the Han River proiect, the administrative officials should be aware that Han River basin is a life line for those people in the region, providing them with not only a sheer physical space, but with a psychological living space for their everyday life.

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Development of an Adaptive Capacity Indicator to Climate Change in the Agricultural Water Sector (농업용수의 기후변화 적응능력 지표 개발 - 가뭄에 대한 적응을 중심으로 -)

  • Yoo, Ga-Young;Kim, Jin-Teak;Kim, Jung-Eun
    • Journal of Environmental Policy
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    • v.7 no.4
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    • pp.35-55
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    • 2008
  • Assessing vulnerability to climate change is the first step to take when setting up appropriate adaptation strategies. Adaptive capacity to climate change is the important factor comprising vulnerability. An adaptive capacity index in agricultural water management system was developed considering agricultural water supply and demand for rice production in Jeolla-do, Korea. The agricultural water supply was assumed to be equal to the amount of water stored in the major agricultural reservoirs, while data on the agricultural water demand was obtained from the dynamic simulation results by Korea Agriculture Corporation(KAC). The spatial unit for analysis was conducted at the county(Si, Gun, Gu) level and temporal scale was based on every month from 1991-2003. Adaptive capacity for drought stress index(ACDS index) was calculated as the percentage of data points where the irrigated water supply was greater than the crop water demand. The ACDS index was compared with SWSCI(Standard Water Storage Capacity Index) and the relationship showed high degree of fit($R^2$=0.84) using the exponential function, indicating that the developed ACDS index is useful for evaluating the status of the balance between agricultural water supply and demand, especially for the small sized agricultural reservoirs. This study provided the methodological basis for developing climate change vulnerability index in agricultural water system which is projected to be more frequently exposed to drought condition in the future due to climate change. Further research should be extended to the study on the water demand of the crops other than rice and to the projection of the change in ACDS index in the future.

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A Study on Impacts of Selection Attribute of Jeju Local Folklore Food on Customers' Behaviors -Focusing on Customer Satisfaction, Re-visit, and Word of Mouth of Jeju Tourists- (제주 향토음식 선택속성이 고객행동에 미치는 영향 -제주방문 관광객의 고객만족, 재방문, 구전을 중심으로-)

  • Yang, Tai-Seok;Oh, Myung-Cheol
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.38 no.5
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    • pp.636-643
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    • 2009
  • This research was to find out what impacts do selection attributes of Jeju local folklore food by Jeju tourists provide on their behaviors. Multiple regression analysis was carried out using statistics package of SPSS+/WIN 12.0 to find out impacts of selection attribute factors of Jeju local folklore food on customers' satisfaction, re-visit, and intention by word of mouth. As the results, for factors with statistically meaningful impacts at the level of meaningfulness (p<0.05); level of satisfaction showed regression coefficient of 0.476 and t value of 5.198 in essential factors; auxiliary factors showed regression coefficient of 0.232 and t value of 2.808; and sensual (five senses) factors showed regression coefficient of 0.165 and t-value of 2.013. Also, for re-visit, essential factors showed impacts with regression coefficient of 0.413 and t-value of 3.540; factors of menu composition showed regression coefficient of 0.228 and t-value of 3.118; and auxiliary factors showed regression coefficient of 0.218 and t-value of 2.643. In positive word of mouth factors, auxiliary factors showed impacts with regression coefficient of 0.273 and t-value of 2.555; sensual (five senses) factors showed regression coefficient of 0.264 and t-value of 2.238; essential factor showed regression coefficient of 0.237 and t-value of 2.230 and factors of menu composition showed regression coefficient of 0.161 and t-value of 2.167. Therefore, in customer behaviors (customer satisfaction, re-visit, and positive word of mouth) regarding Jeju local folklore food by tourists who visited Jeju, local folklore and cultures did not impact on customer behaviors; also, it can suggested this thesis is meaningful as a study proving that the best marketing is focus on essential substances of food as indicated in existing researches.

Fine Root Biomass in Pinus densiflora Stands using Soil Core Sampling and Minirhizotrons (토양 코어 및 미니라이조트론을 이용한 소나무 임분의 세근 바이오매스 연구)

  • Han, Seung Hyun;Yoon, Tae Kyung;Han, Saerom;Yun, Soon Jin;Lee, Sun Jeoung;Kim, Seoungjun;Chang, Hanna;Son, Yowhan
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.103 no.1
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    • pp.37-42
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    • 2014
  • Fine root distribution was investigated in Pinus densiflora stands using soil core sampling and minirhizotrons, and conversion factors and regression equations were developed for converting minirhizotron data into fine root biomass. Fine root biomass was measured by soil core sampling from October, 2012 to September, 2013 once a month except for the winter, and surface area of fine roots was estimated by minirhizotrons from May to August, 2013 once a month. Fine root biomass and surface area were significantly higher in the upper soil layers than in the lower soil layers. Fine root biomass showed seasonal patterns; the mean fine root biomass ($kg{\cdot}ha^{-1}$) in summer (3,762.4) and spring (3,398.0) was significantly higher than that in autumn (2,551.6). Vertical and seasonal patterns of fine root biomass might be related to the soil bulk density, nutrient content and temperature with soil depth, and seasonal changes of soil and air temperature. Conversion factors (CF) between fine root surface area from minirhizotron data and fine root biomass from soil core sampling were developed for the three soil depths. Then a linear regression equation was developed between the predicted fine root biomass using CF and the measured fine root biomass (y = 79.7 + 0.93x, $R^2=0.81$). We expect to estimate the long-term dynamics of fine roots using CF and regression equation for P. densiflora forests in Korea.

Evaluation of Diet Quality according to Self-Rated Health Status of Korean Middle-Aged Women -Based on 2008~2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey- (한국 중년 여성의 주관적 건강상태에 따른 식사의 질 평가 -2008~2009 국민건강영양조사 자료 활용-)

  • Lee, Hye-Jin;Lee, Kyung-Hea
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.42 no.9
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    • pp.1395-1404
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    • 2013
  • The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diet quality in Korean middle-aged women based on their self-rated health status (SRH) as well as to investigate the relationship between SRH and the diet quality. For the study, we obtained data for analysis from the combined 2008~2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The study subjects were divided into two groups-'Good' group (${\geq}3.06$, n=622) and 'Bad' group (<3.06, n=1,092)- on the basis of the average SRH value (3.06). The women in the 'Good' group had achieved a higher education level and had a significantly high monthly average income (P<0.05), whereas women in the 'Bad' group had a larger waist circumference (P<0.05). In addition, women in the 'Good' group engaged in more physical activities (P<0.01). In comparison with the women in 'Bad' group, women in the 'Good' group were found to have a superior nutritional status, with a nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) of protein (P<0.05), calcium (P<0.05), iron (P<0.05), vitamin A (P<0.05), vitamin $B_2$ (P<0.05), and niacin (P<0.01). The mean adequacy ratio (MAR) of women in the 'Good' group was also significantly higher than that of the women in the 'Bad' group. The index of nutritional quality (INQ) of protein (P<0.05), iron (P<0.05), vitamin $B_1$ (P<0.05), and niacin (P<0.05) in women belonging to the 'Good' group were also significantly higher than that in the women assigned the 'Bad' group. The results of regression analysis on the relevance between the diet quality and SRH, MAR, and INQ showed a significantly positive relevance (P<0.001), even after adjusting for disturbance factors. The results of this study show that diet quality seems to be the important factor for improving SRH of women. Therefore, we suggest that developing dietary guidelines and educating women about the guidelines would improve health of middle-aged women in Korea.

Effect of Rice Flour Prepared with Enzyme Treatment on Quality Characteristics of Rice Cookies (효소처리 쌀가루를 이용한 쌀 쿠키의 품질 특성)

  • Kim, Mi-Seon;Park, Jong Dae;Lee, Hyun Yu;Kum, Jun Seok
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.42 no.9
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    • pp.1439-1445
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    • 2013
  • The aim of this study was to investigate the quality characteristics of rice cookies specifically prepared with rice flour following enzyme treatment. In this study, three types of specific enzyme treatments, that is, ${\alpha}$-amylase, ${\beta}$-amylase, and cellulose+${\beta}$-glucanase were applied on the effect of rice flour with respect to desired quality characteristics of the rice cookies. Based on our study results, we have found that the density of dough in the rice cookies was not significantly different between that of the non-enzyme treated (control) and the enzyme treated group. However, we found that the spread factor of rice cookies, prepared with rice flour treated with ${\beta}$-amylase, was higher than that of the control. It was also found that the moisture content of rice cookies (with added enzyme-treated rice flour) was 3.20 to 3.90%; however, this range is much lower than that observed in the control. Further, we observed that Hunter color's L-values were significantly higher for the control than those of the enzyme-treated cookies. We also found that hardness of enzyme-treated cookies was comparatively better than that of the control. In addition, the sensory acceptability scores of the enzyme-treated cookies were found to be significantly higher than the control in decisive parameters such as aroma, appearance, flavor, taste, texture, and overall acceptability. Based on our findings, we suggest that ${\alpha}$-amylase treated rice flour is an effective ingredient for improving the overall quality of rice cookies.

Allium tuberosum Reverses PCSK9-Mediated LDLR Degradation by Inhibition of HNF1α (부추 추출물의 PCSK9 억제를 통한 LDL 콜레스테롤 저감 효능)

  • Choi, Hyo-Kyoung;Kim, Hyo Jin;Hwang, Jin-Taek;Chung, Min-Yu
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.46 no.11
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    • pp.1278-1285
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    • 2017
  • Accumulation of excess low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood can initiate and accelerate atherosclerosis. Statins mediate the transactivation of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which in turn limits their cholesterol-lowering effects via LDL receptor (LDLR) degradation. The objective of this study was to investigate whether or not Allium tuberosum (AT) regulates LDLR and PCSK9. Mice were fed a low fat control diet (LD) or Western diet (WD) supplemented with AT (1%, w/w). AT significantly attenuated total and LDL cholesterol levels in mice fed WD (P<0.05). AT also significantly inhibited hepatic PCSK9 gene expression (P<0.05) while AT maintained hepatic LDLR gene expression. To further investigate AT-mediated PCSK9 regulation, HepG2 cells were treated with 10% delipidated serum (DLPS) in the presence or absence of AT. Non-toxic level of AT dose-dependently increased the LDLR protein level, and AT at $400{\mu}g/mL$ markedly inhibited PCSK9 protein expression. Similarly, AT significantly increased LDLR gene expression, whereas it significantly down-regulated PCSK9 gene expression. AT-mediated reduction of PCSK9 gene expression is likely due to decreased hepatic nuclear factor $1{\alpha}$ ($HNF1{\alpha}$) expression, but not SREBP2 in HepG2 cells under lipid-depleted conditions. AT-mediated PCSK9 inhibition contributed to LDLR protein stabilization via protection against LDLR lysosomal degradation in HepG2 cells under lipid-depleted conditions. Further investigation is warranted to determine the active components of AT and whether or not these components are effective in reducing hypercholesterolemia.