• Title/Summary/Keyword: Natural variability

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Characterization of Particulates Containing Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in Phosphate Processing Facility (인광석 취급 산업체에서 발생하는 천연방사성물질 함유 입자의 특성 평가)

  • Lim, HaYan;Choi, Won Chul;Kim, Kwang Pyo
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.39 no.1
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    • pp.7-13
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    • 2014
  • Phosphate rock, phosphogypsum, and products in phosphate processing facility contain naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). Therefore, they may give rise to enhanced radiation dose to workers due to inhalation of airborne particulates. Internal dose due to particle inhalation varies depending on particle properties. The objective of the present study was to characterize particle properties at the largest phosphate processing facility in Korea. A cascade impactor was employed to sample airborne particulates at various processing areas in the plant. The collected samples were used for characterization of particle size distribution, particle concentration in the air, and shape analysis. Aerodynamic diameters of airborne particulates ranged 0.03-100 ${\mu}m$ with the highest concentration at the particle size range of 4.7-5.8 ${\mu}m$ (geometric mean = 5.22 ${\mu}m$) or 5.8-9.0 ${\mu}m$ (geometric mean = 7.22 ${\mu}m$). Particle concentrations in the air varied widely by sampling area up to more than two orders of magnitude. The large variation resulted from the variability of mechanical operations and building ventilations. The airborne particulates appeared as spheroids or rough spherical fragments across all sampling areas and sampled size intervals. Average mass densities of phosphate rocks, phosphogypsums, and fertilizers were 3.1-3.4, 2.1-2.6, and 1.7 $gcm^{-3}$, respectively. Radioactivity concentration of uranium series in phosphate rocks varied with country of origin, ranging 94-866 $Bqkg^{-1}$. Among the uranium series, uranium was mostly concentrated on products, including phosphoric acid or fertilizers whereas radium was concentrated on byproducts or phosphogypsum. No significant radioactivity of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{228}Ra$ were found in fertilizer. However, $^{40}K$ concentration in fertilizer was up to 5,000 Bq $g^{-1}$. The database established in this study can be used for the accurate risk assessment of workers due to inhalation of airborne particles containing NORM. In addition, the findings can be used as a basic data for development of safety standard and guide and for practical radiation safety management at the facility.

Shade Comparative Analysis of Natural tooth Measured by Visual and Two Colorimeters(ShadeEye®,Shadepilot®) (2종 측색기와 시각을 이용한 자연치아의 색조 비교 분석)

  • An, Jin-Hee;Choi, Mee-Ra;Shim, Hye-Won
    • Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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    • v.29 no.1
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    • pp.81-93
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    • 2013
  • The objectives were to evaluate the accuracy of shade selection by human visual system(VS) and 2 different colorimeters ($ShadeEye^{(R)}$(SE) and Shadepilot (SP)). Maxillary anterior teeth of 30 volunteers which had no caries or restorations were included in the study. Firstly, the accordance in shade selection by 3 dentists and 2 colorimeters was investigated. Secondly, the color of the teeth were measured by 1 observer's naked eye and 2 colorimeters under different illumination conditions (Sunny versus cloudy day). Additionally testing of inter-observer variability selected colors by 2 novice and 2 experienced dentists were compared. For comparing visual and 2 different colorimeters, SP(60%) showed significantly highest rate of accordance than the visual (23.3%) or SE (16.7%) and lowest mean ${\Delta}E$ ($2.62{\pm}0.74$ versus $3.83{\pm}1.38$;SE or $4.04{\pm}1.61$;VS)(p<0.001). If accuracy of shade selection were measured using VS, the mean ${\Delta}E$ value of cloudy day was higher than that of sunny day ($4.35{\pm}1.70$ versus $3.53{\pm}1.31$; p<0.001). There were no significant difference of the mean ${\Delta}E$ value between sunny and cloudy day in both SE and SP. Inter- observer repeatability was higher in 2 experienced group (73.3%) than novice group (36.7%). The mean ${\Delta}E$ of experienced group was lower than that of novice group ($3.60{\pm}1.47$ versus $4.70{\pm}1.67$; p<0.001). Colorimeters (SE or SP) is more accurate and more reproducible compared with human shade assessment. Using visual system may be limited by cloudy and inexperience of tester, then more experience and using colorimeters may be helpful of raising the accurate repeatability of shade selection.

Improvement of Mid-and Low-flow Estimation Using Variable Nonlinear Catchment Wetness Index (비선형 유역습윤지수를 이용한 평갈수기 유출모의개선)

  • Hyun, Sukhoon;Kang, Boosik;Kim, Jin-Gyeom
    • KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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    • v.36 no.5
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    • pp.779-789
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    • 2016
  • The effective rainfall is calculated considering the soil moisture. It utilizes observed data directly in order to incorporate the soil moisture into the rainfall-runoff model, or it calculates indirectly within the model. The rainfall-runoff model, IHACRES, used in this study computes the catchment wetness index (CWI) first varying with temperature and utilize it for estimating precipitation loss. The nonlinear relationship between the CWI and the effective rainfall in the Hapcheondam watershed was derived and utilized for the long-term runoff calculation. The effects of variable and constant CWI during calibration and validation were suggested by flow regime. The results show the variable CWI is generally more effective than the constant CWI. The $R^2$ during high flow period shows relatively higher than the ones during normal or low flow period, but the difference between cases of the variable and constant CWI was insignificant. The results indicates that the high flow is relatively less sensitive to the evaporation and soil moisture associated with temperature. On the other hand, the variable CWI gives more desirable results during normal and low flow periods which means that it is crucial to incorporate evaporation and soil moisture depending on temperature into long-term continuous runoff simulation. The NSE tends to decrease during high flow period with high variability which could be natural because NSE index is largely influenced by outliers of underlying variable. Nevertheless overall NSE shows satisfactory range higher than 0.9. The utilization of variable CWI during normal and low flow period would improve the computation of long-term rainfall-runoff simulation.

Biaxial Strain Analysis of Various Fixation Models in Porcine Aortic and Pulmonary Valves (돼지 대동맥 판막과 폐동맥 판막의 고정 방법에 따른 양방향 압력-신장도의 비교분석)

  • Cho, Sung-Kyu;Kim, Yong-Jin;Kim, Soo-Hwan;Choi, Seung-Hwa
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.42 no.5
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    • pp.566-575
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    • 2009
  • Background: The function of a bioprosthetic heart valve is determined largely by the material properties of the valve cusps. The uniaxial tensile test has been studied extensively. This type of testing, however, does not replicate the natural biaxial loading condition. The objective of the present study was to investigate the regional variability of the biaxial strain versus pressure relationship based on the types of fixation liquid models. Material and Method: Porcine aortic valves and pulmonary valves were assigned to three groups: the untreated fresh group, the fixed with glutaraldehyde (GA) group, and the glutaraldehyde with solvent (e.g., ethanol) group. For each group we measured the radial and circumferential stretch characteristics of the valve as a function of pressure change. Result: Radial direction elasticity of porcine aortic and pulmonary valves were better than circumferential direction elasticity in fresh, GA fixed and GA+solvent fixed groups (p=0.00). Radial and circumferential direction elasticity of pulmonary valves were better than aortic valves in GA fixed, and GA+solvent fixed groups (p=0.00). Radial and circumferential direction elasticity of aortic valves were decreased after GA and GA+solvent fixation(p=0.00), except for circumferential elasticity of GA+solvent fixed valves (p=0.785). The radial (p=0.137) and circumferential (p=0.785) direction of elasticity of aortic valves were not significantly different between GA fixed. and GA+solvent fixed groups. Radial (p=0.910) and circumferential (p=0.718) direction of elasticity of pulmonary valve also showed no significant difference between GA fixed and GA+solvent fixed groups. Conclusion: When fixing porcine valves with GA, adding a solvent does not cause a loss of mechanical properties, but, does not improve elasticity either. Radial direction elasticity of porcine aortic and pulmonary valves was better than circumferential direction elasticity.

A Study on Wearable Emotion Monitoring System Under Natural Conditions Applying Noncontact Type Inductive Sensor (자연 상태에서의 인간감성 평가를 위한 비접촉식 인덕티브 센싱 기반의 착용형 센서 연구)

  • Hyun-Seung Cho;Jin-Hee Yang;Sang-Yeob Lee;Jeong-Whan Lee;Joo-Hyeon Lee;Hoon Kim
    • Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.149-160
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    • 2023
  • This study develops a time-varying system-based noncontact fabric sensor that can measure cerebral blood-flow signals to explore the possibility of brain blood-signal detection and emotional evaluation. The textile sensor was implemented as a coil-type sensor by combining 30 silver threads of 40 deniers and then embroidering it with the computer machine. For the cerebral blood-flow measurement experiment, subjects were asked to attach a coil-type sensor to the carotid artery area, wear an electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode and a respiration (RSP) measurement belt. In addition, Doppler ultrasonography was performed using an ultrasonic diagnostic device to measure the speed of blood flow. The subject was asked to wear Meta Quest 2, measure the blood-flow change signal when viewing the manipulated image visual stimulus, and fill out an emotional-evaluation questionnaire. The measurement results show that the textile-sensor-measured signal also changes with a change in the blood-flow rate signal measured using the Doppler ultrasonography. These findings verify that the cerebral blood-flow signal can be measured using a coil-type textile sensor. In addition, the HRV extracted from ECG and PLL signals (textile sensor signals) are calculated and compared for emotional evaluation. The comparison results show that for the change in the ratio because of the activation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems due to visual stimulation, the values calculated using the textile sensor and ECG signals tend to be similar. In conclusion, a the proposed time-varying system-based coil-type textile sensor can be used to study changes in the cerebral blood flow and monitor emotions.

Wind and Flooding Damages of Rice Plants in Korea (한국의 도작과 풍수해)

  • 강양순
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.34 no.s02
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    • pp.45-65
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    • 1989
  • The Korean peninsular having the complexity of the photography and variability of climate is located within passing area of a lots of typhoon occurring from the southern islands of Philippines. So, there are various patterns of wind and flooding damages in paddy field occuring by the strong wind and the heavy rain concentrated during the summer season of rice growing period in Korea. The wind damages to rice plants in Korea were mainly caused by saline wind, dry wind and strong wind when typhoon occurred. The saline wind damage having symptom of white head or dried leaves occurred by 1.1 to 17.2 mg of salt per dry weight stuck on the plant which was located at 2. 5km away from seashore of southern coastal area during the period(from 27th to 29th, August, 1986) of typhoon &Vera& accompanying 62-96% of relative humidity, more than 6 m per second of wind velocity and 22.5 to 26.4$^{\circ}C$ of air temperature without rain. Most of the typhoons accompanying 4.0 to 8. 5m per second of wind and low humidity (lesp an 60%) with high temperature in the east coastal area and southen area of Korea. were changed to dry and hot wind by the foehn phenomenon. The dry wind damages with the symptom of the white head or the discolored brownish grain occurred at the rice heading stage. The strong wind caused the severe damages such as the broken leaves, cut-leaves and dried leaves before heading stage, lodging and shattering of grain at ripening stage mechanically during typhoon. To reduce the wind damages to rice plant, cultivation of resistant varieties to wind damages such as Sangpoongbyeo and Cheongcheongbyeo and the escape of heading stage during period of typhoon by accelerating of heading within 15th, August are effective. Though the flood disasters to rice plant such as earring away of field, burying of field, submerging and lodging damage are getting low by the construction of dam for multiple purpose and river bank, they are occasionally occurred by the regional heavy rain and water filled out in bank around the river. Paddy field were submerged for 2 to 4 days when typhoon and heavy rain occurred about the end of August. At this time, the rice plants that was in younger growing stage in the late transplanting field of southern area of Korea had the severe damages. Although panicles of rice plant which was in the meiotic growing stage and heading stage were died when flooded, they had 66% of yield compensating ability by the upper tilling panicle produced from tiller with dead panicle in ordinary transplanting paddy field. It is effective for reduction of flooding damages to cultivate the resistant variety to flooding having the resistance to bacterial leaf blight, lodging and small brown planthopper simultaneously. Especially, Tongil type rice varieties are relatively resistant to flooding, compared to Japonica rice varieties. Tongil type rice varieties had high survivals, low elongation ability of leaf sheath and blade, high recovering ability by the high root activity and photosynthesis and high yield compensating ability by the upper tillering panicle when flooded. To minimize the flooding and wind damage to rice plants in future, following research have to be carried out; 1. Data analysis by telemetering and computerization of climate, actual conditions and growing diagnosis of crops damaged by disasters. 2. Development of tolerant varieties to poor natural conditions related to flooding and wind damages. 3. Improvement of the reasonable cropping system by introduction of other crops compensating the loss of the damaged rice. 4. Increament of utilization of rice plant which was damaged.

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