• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.305-316
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• 2022

Bordetella (B.) bronchiseptica, Mycoplasma (M.) felis, and Chlamydia (C.) felis are considered as main bacterial pathogens of feline upper respiratory tract disease (URTD). In this study, a new triplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (tqPCR) assay was developed for the rapid and differential detection of these bacteria in a single reaction. The assay specifically amplified three bacterial genes with the detection limit of below 10 copies/reaction. The assay showed high repeatability and reproducibility, with coefficients of intra-assay and inter-assay variation of less than 1%. Based on the diagnostic results of the assay using 94 clinical samples obtained from cats with URTD signs, prevalence of B. bronchiseptica, M. felis, or C. felis was 10.6%, 36.2%, or 6.4%, respectively, indicating that the diagnostic sensitivity was comparable to those of previously reported monoplex qPCR assays. The dual infection rates for B. bronchiseptica and M. felis or M. felis and C. felis was 2.1% or 3.2%, respectively. These results indicated that M. felis has been widely spread, and its co-infection with B. bronchiseptica or M. felis has been frequently occurred in Korean cat population. The developed tqPCR assay will serve as a promising tool for etiological and epidemiological studies of these three bacterial pathogens and the prevalence data obtained in this study will contribute to expanding knowledge about the epidemiology of feline URTD in Korea.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.789-800
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• 2021

Objective: Conservation and genetic improvement of cattle breeds require information about genetic diversity and population structure of the cattle. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and population structure of the three cattle breeds in the Korean peninsula. Methods: Jeju Black, Hanwoo, Holstein cattle in Korea, together with six foreign breeds were examined. Genetic diversity within the cattle breeds was analyzed with minor allele frequency (MAF), observed and expected heterozygosity (HO and HE), inbreeding coefficient (FIS) and past effective population size. Molecular variance and population structure between the nine breeds were analyzed using a model-based clustering method. Genetic distances between breeds were evaluated with Nei's genetic distance and Weir and Cockerham's FST. Results: Our results revealed that Jeju Black cattle had lowest level of heterozygosity (HE = 0.21) among the studied taurine breeds, and an average MAF of 0.16. The level of inbreeding was -0.076 for Jeju Black, while -0.018 to -0.118 for the other breeds. Principle component analysis and neighbor-joining tree showed a clear separation of Jeju Black cattle from other local (Hanwoo and Japanese cattle) and taurine/indicine cattle breeds in evolutionary process, and a distinct pattern of admixture of Jeju Black cattle having no clustering with other studied populations. The FST value between Jeju Black cattle and Hanwoo was 0.106, which was lowest across the pair of breeds ranging from 0.161 to 0.274, indicating some degree of genetic closeness of Jeju Black cattle with Hanwoo. The past effective population size of Jeju Black cattle was very small, i.e. 38 in 13 generation ago, whereas 209 for Hanwoo. Conclusion: This study indicates genetic uniqueness of Jeju Black cattle. However, a small effective population size of Jeju Black cattle indicates the requirement for an implementation of a sustainable breeding policy to increase the population for genetic improvement and future conservation.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-59
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• 2014

Cut-off sampling has been widely used for a highly skewed population like a business survey by discarding a part of the population, so called a take-nothing stratum. For a more accurate estimate of the population total, Hwang and Shin (2013) suggested a composite estimator of a take-nothing stratum total that combined the survey results of a take-nothing stratum and a take-some sub-stratum (a part of take-some stratum). In this paper we propose a new cut-off sampling scheme by considering a cost function and a composite estimator based on the proposed sampling scheme. Small simulation studies compared the performances of known composite estimators and the new composite estimator suggested in this study. We also use Briquette Consumption Survey data for real data analysis.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.621-636
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• 2018

Research on the application of informative sampling technique has been conducted in order to reduce the influence of non-response. Chung and Shin (Korean Journal of Applied Statistics, 30, 993-1004, 2017) showed that the estimation accuracy improved when using exponential response rate information for the parameter estimation if the distribution of errors included in the super population model follows normal distribution. However this method divides the stratum into equally spaced substrata to obtain the sample weight of the informative sampling technique and shows that the accuracy of the estimation improves as the number of substrata increases. In this study, with the given number of total sample size, the optimal substratum boundary points are calculated using equal space, quantile, and LH algorithm; consequently, the results using those methods are compared through simulation. We also studied the criteria to determine the number of substrata and substratum boundaries that can be used in practice with various types of auxiliary variable distributions.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.11-23
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• 2020

Sampling design should provide statistics to meet a given accuracy while saving cost and time. However, a large number of non-responses are occurring due to the deterioration of survey circumstances, which significantly reduces the accuracy of the survey results. Non-responses occur for a variety of reasons. Chung and Shin (2017, 2019) and Min and Shin (2018) found that the accuracy of estimation is improved by removing the bias caused by non-response when the response rate is an exponential or linear function of variable of interests. For that case they assumed that the error of the super population model follows normal distribution. In this study, we proposed a non-response bias adjusted estimator in the case where the error of a super population model follows the gamma distribution or the log-normal distribution in a business survey. We confirmed the superiority of the proposed estimator through simulation studies.

• 한국사회정책
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.247-278
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• 2018

Anti-oppressive practice (AOP) is a form of social work practice that has developed in the UK. In South Korea, Anti-oppressive social work has not been widely studied / explored unlike in other countries in the world. Its main principles, social justice and human rights, have become commonplace. AOP includes transformational practice because its orientation emphasizes social change through celebrating diverse identities and rejecting hierarchies of oppression and prestige. Recently, a growing body of literature on social work with foreign workers has resulted in an increased understanding of its population and its needs. It needs a theoretical and practical framework for foreign workers necessary to inform effective models of service delivery, reflecting cultural competence, and changing oppressive social structure. In this paper, we will introduce the main principles of AOP, analyse written texts reflected by foreign workers and social work practitioners' opinion, and suggest the implications on possibilities and constraints of applicability to foreign workers in South Korea.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.83-97
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• 2022

Purpose - In this paper, we, taking South Korea's foreign direct investment in RCEP partners as an example, will examine its investment efficiency in these countries and analyze the main influencing factors, making suggestions for further liberalizing and facilitating its investment in and even for promoting its trade and economic cooperation with them. Design/methodology - In this study, we look at the panel data of South Korea and the other 13 RCEP countries (Brunei excluded) from 2000 to 2019 and apply the stochastic frontier analysis to measure its foreign direct investment efficiency and explore the influencing factors in RCEP countries. We examine the investment potential of South Korea in these places. Findings - We find that South Korea's average investment efficiency in RCEP countries reached 0.62, indicating large investment potential. We also find that its investment efficiency in RCEP partners was heterogeneous. Our study reveals that South Korea's foreign direct investment is significantly positively correlated with the market size and population of the two countries, as well as with whether the host country has a coastline and rich natural resources, while negatively with geographic distance. It shows that free trade agreements, economic freedom, and regulatory quality play significant roles in improving investment efficiency. Originality/value - Through theoretical and empirical analysis, we deal with the efficiency and influencing factors of South Korea's direct investment in RCEP partners, proposing new drivers for facilitating its trade and investment in these countries and comprehensively evaluating the efficiency and revealing the trend of its FDI in these countries. In this paper, we put forward a solid theoretical basis for empirical analysis of the future economic and trade development between South Korea and its RCEP partners and give objective insights for further improving its foreign direct investment efficiency and tapping its investment potential.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1525-1535
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• 2020

Synthetic dyes are widely used in various industries and their wastage causes severe environmental problems while being hazardous to human health, leading to the need for eco-friendly degradation techniques. The split-gill fungus Schizophyllum commune, which is found worldwide, has the potential to degrade all components of the lignocellulosic biomass and is a candidate for the treatment of synthetic dyes. A systematic molecular analysis of 75 Korean and 6 foreign S. commune strains has revealed the high genetic diversity of this population and its important contribution to the total diversity of S. commune. We examined the dye decolorization ability of this population and revealed 5 excellent strains that strongly decolorized 3 dyes: Crystal Violet, Congo Red and Methylene Blue. Finally, comparison of dye decolorization ability and the phylogenetic identification of these strains generalized their genetic and physiological diversity. This study provides an initial resource for physiological and genetic research projects as well as the bioremediation of textile dyes.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.77-85
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• 2022

Today's universities have a keen interest in educational reform. The issue of population decline in college-age due to population decline is not new. Universities have been developing quantitatively for a long time and are now considering ways to survive rather than qualitative growth. Since the sharp decline in the school-age population due to the population decline has no clear solution immediately, universities are overcoming this crisis by creating many alternatives. Attracting international students is one of them. In this study, the effectiveness of photovoice was examined through the analysis of the case of the Korean-Japanese convergence cartoon class. The photo-voice method has sufficient potential as a teaching method for foreign convergence classes and can be expected to play a role as a teaching method suitable for students participating in convergence classes with different social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. In particular, in the convergence class, since participating students generate research materials through photo production, it can be a tool for inner exploration necessary for webtoon production and a tool for narrative inquiry for storytelling. It is expected that expanding the understanding and use of photo voice will have the methodological value of convergence classes. In addition, the teaching method using photo voice produced in the composition of photos and stories is likely to be used as an appropriate tool for convergence classes for students with different social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.155-187
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• 1999

The East Asian Region has experienced remarkable economic growth and transformation of interurban networking over the past three decades, and urban competiti veness for a networking hub in this region has become a critical issue confronting cities. Competitiveness of the Seoul capital region for a networking hub in Northeast Asia is outstripped by other competing cities in East Asia, notwithstanding its geo-politically and geo-economically advantageous location in this region. In this paper, we aim to appraise the Seoul capital region's competitiveness in terms of logistics distribution, financial function and logistics distribution, financial function and agglomeration of transnational corporations (especially of RHOs and other managerial functions), and to advance the networking strategies of the region for a Northeast Asia hyb. As a result of analysis, we suggest that the Seoul capital region be developed as a Northeast Asian center for regional headquarters or leading global corporations and financial services for being a strategic nodal point in Northeast Asia in the 21st century. A recent survey shows that where to locate an RHQ is influenced by various factors, such as potential market and manufacturing site in the city's hinterland, quality of life, such things as culture, health, safety, education, a well-educated, English-speaking population, reliable air transport, state-of-the-art communications, and an active policy to offer foreign companies generous incentives. The Seoul capital region, which is located at a strategic nodal point advantageous as a springboard for its Northeast Asian hinterland, cannot meet the other conditions mentioned above. To overcome these drawbacks in attracting transnational capital and to create competitiveness as a strategic hub of RHQs in Northeast Asia, it is urgent to initiate a structural reform of the Korean economy, politics, and overall society, to minimize the regulation of FDI, and to provide various incentives for foreign investment. Moreover, we propose the construction of an 'International Business Town' in the Seoul capital region, as a medium to intermediate these strategies and to shape them in a spatial scale. The projected 'International Business Town(IBT)' will be a 'free city' open to international business in which liberal economic activities are guaranteed by special legislation and administration, infrastructures needed for international and improved accessibility to the airport are furnished, and the preference of foreign high-income investors for cultural and living environment are satisfactorily met. IBT is conspicuously differentiated from a raft of other cities' incentives in that it combines deregulation and incentive programs to attract the investment of transnational capital, with a spatial program of offering an urban environment preferred by the high-income investors for cultural and living environment are satisfactorily met. IBT is conspicuously differentiated from a raft of other cities' incentives in that it combines deregulation and incentive programs to attract the investment of transnational capita, with a spatial program of offering an urban environment preferred by the high-income and managerial class. Furthermore, it can be an excellent way of overcoming the xenophobia that has spread among the Korean population by concentrating foreign businesses and their lifestyles in a specific foreign businesses and their lifestyles in a specific zone. In conclusion, 'International Business Town', in line with other legislative and administrative incentive programs, will function as a driving force to make the Seoul capital regional more competitive as a regional business hub in Northeast Asia.