• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.81-112
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• 1998

This study reviews the industrialization process of the United States-Mexico Borderlands and the economic relations between the U.S. and Mexico and examines their impact on the borderlands. Main factor in the industrialization of the borderlands was the U.S. investment on the maquiladora program of Mexico since 1965. It contributed to the increase in employment and population of borderlands and the development of service industries. Low wage level of Mexico induced not only standardized labor-intensive industries but also the high-tech automated industries because they still use a lot of labor in manufacturing and assembly process, while the functions of management. R & D, and distribution remained in the U.S. This is a typical case of international division of labor and satellite industrial district. The rules of origin in NAFTA, however forced branch Plants of multinational companies to form the local linkages between firms.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.343-351
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• 2019

Background: Preterm labor and miscarriage may occur in stressful situations, such as a surgical operation or infection during pregnancy. Pharyngeal and buccal abscess and facial bone fractures are inevitable dental surgeries in pregnant patients. Remifentanil is an opioid analgesic that is commonly used for general anesthesia and sedation. Nonetheless, no study has investigated the effects of remifentanil on amniotic epithelial cells. This study evaluated the effects of remifentanil on the factors related to uterine contraction and its mechanism of action on amniotic epithelial cells. Methods: Amniotic epithelial cells were preconditioned at various concentrations of remifentanil for 1 h, followed by 24-h lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure. MTT assays were performed to assess the cell viability in each group. The effects of remifentanil on factors related to uterine contractions in amniotic epithelial cells were assessed using a nitric oxide (NO) assay, western blot examinations of the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂), and RT-PCR examinations of the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Results: Remifentanil did not affect viability and nitric oxide production of amniotic epithelial cells. Western blot analysis revealed that remifentanil preconditioning resulted in decreased expressions of NF-κB and PGE2 in the cells in LPS-induced inflammation, and a tendency of decreased COX2 expression. The results were statistically significant only at high concentration. RT-PCR revealed reduced expressions of IL-1β and TNF-α. Conclusions: Preconditioning with remifentanil does not affect the viability of amniotic epithelial cells but reduces the expression of factors related to uterine contractions in situations where cell inflammation is induced by LPS, which is an important inducer of preterm labor. These findings provide evidence that remifentanil may inhibit preterm labor in clinical settings.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.9-21
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• 2024

Static-electricity-induced fires and explosions persistently occur every year, averaging approximately 80 and 20 cases annually according to fire statistics provided by the National Fire Agency and industrial accident statistics provided by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, respectively. Despite the relatively low probabilities of these accidents, their potential risks are high. Consequently, effective risk assessment methodologies and accident investigation strategies are essential for efficiently managing static-electricity hazards in fire- and explosion-prone areas. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify the causal variables essential for accident investigations, thereby facilitating risk assessments and the implementation of effective recurrence prevention measures to mitigate static-electricity hazards in fire-and explosion-prone regions. To this end, industrial accident statistics recorded over the past decade (2012 to 2021) by the Ministry of Employment and Labor were analyzed to identify major fire and explosion incidents and related industrial accidents wherein static electricity was identified as a potential ignition source. Subsequently, relevant investigation reports (63 cases) were thoroughly analyzed. Based on the results of this analysis, existing electrostatic fire and explosion risk assessment techniques were refined and augmented. Moreover, factors essential for investigating electrostatic fire and explosion disasters were delineated, and the primary causal variables necessary for effective risk assessments and scientific investigations were derived.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.37-52
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• 2022

Purpose - The objective of this study is to investigate what motivates global FDI inflows in the different economic development level and to clarify the FDI motivation type in the level of qualitative economic growth. Design/methodology/approach - Major macroscopic social·economic factors induced FDI inflows were analyzed using fixed-effect panel regression with 30-year panel data of 28 countries from 1985 to 2014. For analysis in the stage of economic growth, two category of developed and developing countries was used. And to analyze FDI motivation type in the level of qualitative economic growth, 4 shares of GDP; consumption·government·investment expenditure and export, was used as explanatory variable. Findings - In developed country, TFP(total factor productivity) and GDP have a great influence on FDI inflows, and consumption and labor compensation have a slight effect. This result indicates that the market seeking-driven, horizontal type investment is shown along with efficiency seeking investment. In developing country, human capital and TFP is shown to have greater impact on FDI inflows and labor compensation, exports, investment and government expenditures also have impacts. Thus it has confirmed that not only efficiency-seeking vertical investment for using low cost well educated laborer, but also government-driven economic growth and export policies could affect the FDI inflows. Research implications or Originality - The FDI investment decision making of multinational companies is decided by their own purpose. But, in the concept of as follows; 1) FDI is a long-term capital flowing for maximization of economic utility with limited global resource, 2) Thus FDI could be affected by macro socio·economic factors of host country. 3) Also such macro factors is different by each economic growth qualitative level. Therefore macro socio·economic factors of each country could be affected by the qualitative level of their own economic growth. To attract FDI inflows, it is desirable to implement differentiated incentive policies in the qualitative level of economic growth. Furthermore in developing countries it is recommended to implement government driven economic growth policies as follows; fostering well educated human resources, improving technology productivity in the relative lower cost labor market compared to developed countries and boosting international export volume.

• Perinatology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.170-174
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• 2018

Objective: Progesterone is used to prevent recurrent preterm delivery, however the molecular mechanisms of its effect are incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of progesterone on tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity in human choriodecidual (CD) membranes. Methods: We collected CD membranes from women with uncomplicated term pregnancies who were scheduled for elective cesarean delivery (n=10). CD membranes ($1{\times}1cm$) were incubated in tissue culture media at $37^{\circ}C$. We pre-treated the CD membranes with progesterone (P4), $17{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P), promegestone (R5020), or vehicle (ethanol) for 24 hours. The CD membranes were subsequently treated with $TNF-{\alpha}$ (with continued progesterone treatment) for 48 hours, then media was harvested for measuring MMP-9 activity by zymography and total protein was isolated from CD membrane tissues for MMP-9 expression by western blot analysis. Results: P4, 17P, and R5020 significantly reduced $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced MMP-9 activity in fetal membrane tissue samples (P=0.0078, P=0.0156, and P=0.0391, respectively) by zymography. Western blot analysis also showed decreased expression of MMP-9 in progesterone pretreated groups (P=0.0313). Conclusion: Progesterone reduces $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced MMP-9 activity in human CD membranes. These findings may provide further support for the role of progesterone in preventing preterm birth.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2015

In-situ measurements are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and limited in their ability to observe currents with spatial variations in the surf zone. This paper proposes an optical image-based method of measurement of currents in the surf zone. This method measures nearshore currents by tracking in time wave breaking-induced foam patches from sequential images. Foam patches in images tend to be arrayed with irregular pixel intensity values, which are likely to remain consistent for a short period of time. This irregular intensity feature of a foam patch is characterized and represented as a keypoint using an image-based object recognition method, i.e., Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT). The keypoints identified by the SIFT method are traced from time sequential images to produce instantaneous velocity fields. In order to remove erroneous velocities, the instantaneous velocity fields are filtered by binding them within upper and lower limits, and averaging the velocity data in time and space with a certain interval. The measurements that are obtained by this method are comparable to the results estimated by an existing image-based method of observing currents, named the Optical Current Meter (OCM).

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.02a
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• pp.37-40
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• 2007

Although masonry buildings fell into disfavour in the 1990's because of factors such ac bricklayers' high labor costs, bad reputation of poorly constructed masonry, masonry face wall is still preferred in korea as well as in other countries for its decorative value. Recently may problems with masonry face wall with opening have been reported, including cracks, deflection, swelling and even wall collapse in old masonry buildings, that mainly induced from the corrosion of connecting materials. So, it is necessary to develop the effective and uncorrosion connector. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the structural performance of masonry face walls with opening constructed by new connectors, spiral stainless anchors and to provide basic data for the field application of this method. The specimen reinforced bed joint has maximum load and displacement any other specimens.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1989.07a
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• pp.432-435
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• 1989

This paper presents an algorithm for electric field analysis which is essential to insulation design of extra-high voltage oil-filled cable accessories using finite element method. Governing equation is induced by electromagnetic equation. Variational method is adopted for FEN formulation. Automatic mesh generation which saves time and labor is introduced for the input data. The application results of proposed algorithms were used for insulation design to develop 345kV cable joint.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1989.11a
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• pp.211-215
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• 1989

This paper presents the thermal analysis of EHV OF cable accessories using FEM. The governing equation about the temperature in the cable accessories is induced by the energy balance equation. Since the temperature distribution is a function of space and time, the weighted residual method is adopted for FEM formulation. The difference approximation is used to treat the time differential term in the element equation. Automatic mesh generation which save time and labor is introduced for the data input process. It will be expected that the following thermal analysis result will be very useful to cable accessories design.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2000.06a
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• pp.921-926
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• 2000

Recently, in construction field, large construction equipment are used to reduce the construction schedule and labor cost. Therefore, construction vibration has caused much annoyance and that induced from operating of large construction equipment, has become a major problem for a number of dwellers in nearby construction field and it has become a very serious issue in our living environment. In this point, this study attempts to survey on the characteristics of piling vibration by oil pressure method in construction field. And this study intends to get the basic data to establish a standard about construction vibration.