• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2024

This study aims to compare the role of the public sector in the U.S. and Korean medical security systems and study response measures in the social risk situation of the COVID-19 virus. The COVID-19 pandemic was a typical case of a 'disaster' that spread across the world across borders in a short period of time and caused serious social welfare losses by increasing the annual number of deaths by approximately 4% in 2020. Threats to health security, such as changes in social order, unpredictable endings, prolonged control of daily life, and deepening inequality, affected the economy, politics, and environment as a whole, and people had to experience anxiety and confusion due to mental and physical stress. Furthermore, developed countries failed to provide help to low-income countries in the face of global disasters. In this situation, the country's disaster management capacity to minimize harm and secure resilience, especially disaster response capacity in the health and medical field, is inevitably very important. Therefore, this study compares how the health insurance system, which is a system to guarantee citizens' right to life, differs from the United States, a liberal health care country, and raises the need to strengthen the role of the public sector.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.275-284
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• 2024

Monitoring crop growth changes and water content is crucial in the agricultural sector. This study utilized drones equipped with Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) sensors, sensitive to moisture changes, to observe soybeans' growth and water content variations. We confirmed that as soybeans grow more vigorously, their water content increases and differences in irrigation levels lead to decreases in vegetation and moisture indices. This suggests that waterlogging slows down soybean growth and reduces water content, highlighting the importance of detailed monitoring of vegetation and moisture indices at different growth stages to enhance crop productivity and minimize damage from waterlogging. Such monitoring could also preemptively detect and prevent the adverse effects of moisture changes, such as droughts, on crop growth. By demonstrating the potential for early diagnosis of moisture stress using drone-based SWIR sensors, this research suggests improvements in the efficiency of large-scale crop management and increases in yield, contributing to agricultural production.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.63-85
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• 2017

Recent information technology achieves remarkable progress in almost all areas where it can be applied. However, this technology also causes technostress, such as fear and pressure to individuals, due to events, such as the threat of job loss. This technostress is becoming an important factor that can affect user performance and productivity in future society where information technology will be the focus. This kind of stress should be studied considerably in academic and practical applications. The effects of technostress on individual performance remain ambiguous. Therefore, academic research is needed to prove these effects. This study aimed to clarify the direct and indirect effects of technostress on information technology end-users. We developed a research model that integrates innovation resistance and technostress theory through previous studies and analyzed the questionnaire of 317 people. The PLS structural equation model and the study results of Baron and Kenny (1986) indicated that rapid change, connectivity, reliability, and complexity are crucial factors affecting the technostress of information technology. Technostress was analyzed indirectly only through innovation resistance, which affected the performance of end-users. This study will provide new implications for the relationship between technostress and performance or productivity in the IS field.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2024

Objective: Recently, oral antioxidants in combined forms have been used to treat men with idiopathic infertility. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of treatment with vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, arginine, L-carnitine, and coenzyme Q10 on sperm quality parameters, DNA integrity, reproductive hormones, and pregnancy rates in men with infertility and idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 420 men with infertility and idiopathic OAT who took an oral supplement of antioxidant SP-Power tablets twice daily for 6 months. Semen quality, reproductive hormones, and the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were evaluated at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after supplementation, using the World Health Organization 2021 guidelines. Results: No significant difference was observed in volume or the percentage of typical morphology during treatment. A significant improvement in sperm concentration was observed after supplementation (8.67±1.41, 12.17±1.91, and 19.01±0.86 at baseline, 3, and 6 months respectively, p<0.01). The total motility, progressive motility, and total motile sperm count also increased significantly (p<0.01), whereas the DFI decreased after 6 months. There was an increase in normal FSH levels and testosterone levels after 6 months of supplementation of antioxidant SP-Power but these differences were not statistically significant (p=not significant and p=0.06, respectively). Conclusion: Supplementation with SP-Power tablets improved sperm quality parameters, sperm DFI, some reproductive hormones, and pregnancy rates in men with infertility and idiopathic OAT, which could be attributed to the supplement's synergistic antioxidant action. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of supplementation on oxidative stress markers.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.358-371
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• 2020

As climate change is expected to lead to a severe reduction of biodiversity, studies to investigate the reasons for habitat loss, growth decline, and death of Korean fir (Abies koreana Wilson), endangered alpine/subalpine species in Korea, have been conducted for years but found no clear answer yet. This study reviewed previous studies on Korean fir published in the journals in the past 40 years, 1980 through 2020, into 10-year units, examined the study trend by period, region, and subject with a focus on ecological studies, and analyzed the study results. The ecological studies were categorized into evolutionary ecology, physiological ecology, population ecology, and landscape ecology. Based on the results, we suggested the required research fields in the future. We found a total of 73 papers published in the past 40 years and 48 (65.8%) of them published in the past 10 years. In terms of region, Mt. Halla accounted for the most as 41 papers were on it. In terms of ecological subjects, the physiological ecology accounted for the most with 38, and the evolutionary ecology accounted for the least with 10. The review of the study results showed that many studies identified water stress caused by the water resource imbalance due to temperature increase and spring precipitation reduction following climate change as the main reason for the decline and habitat loss of Korean fir. However, recent studies suggested other factors, such as soil environment, disturbing organisms, and climatic events. The cause of the decline and death of the Korean fir not yet being clearly identified is that most of the studies dealt with the basic content, were carried out intermittently, and were concentrated in some regions. Therefore, we need long-term studies with advanced technology in each study subject at a local scale to find the cause of Korean fir decline and present sustainable management and conservation. Moreover, it is necessary to extend our study subjects to ecosystem ecology and systems ecology to integrate the results from various study subjects for a comprehensive understanding of the reason for Korean fir declines. The results of comprehensive studies could provide clearer answers for Korean fir's declines and the alternatives of conservation management and practices.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.465-473
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• 2016

This study was carried out to evaluate restoration process of a few wetlands in the National Institute of Ecology (NIE). Wetlands were composed of the former rice paddies that passive restoration was led through only natural process and by creating waterway, and an ecological pond, a reservoir that restorative treatment was practiced. As the result of analysis on landscape change in the current wetland space, existing wetland in NIE was usually from the former rice field and some parts were from the residential area or forest. Change of species composition was progressed from crops or ruderals resistant to human interferences to plant species, which has removed artificially for cultivation and grow usually in the typical wetland. Both species diversity and occurrence of exotic plants were the highest when restoration project is in progress and stages after and before restoration were followed. In an ecological pond that restorative treatment was done, vegetation introduced as riparian buffer was established successfully and thereby it was expected that it could contribute to buffer environmental stress comming from the outside. Synthesized the above mentioned results, change of wetland vegetation established in NIE resembled the typical trend of early successional stage occurring in the abandoned rice paddy and consequently, it was estimated that successful restoration is under progress. Restoration under progress in an ecological pond where artificial aid in the least level was added, could be evaluated in successful as well. In particular, successful establishment of buffering vegetation, which can play diverse ecological functions, could be evaluated as significant restoration effect. But adaptive management to improve ecological quality for the section that buffering vegetation is insufficient, is required.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to examine how medical personnels in the field of dentistry perceived the introduction of the yearly income system in an effort to determine some of the right directions for that and find out in which way that could be vitalized. For that purpose, literature concerned and relevant materials were reviewed, and a survey was conducted on 95 medical personnels, who were working at dental hospitals and clinics throughout the nation, for approximately five months from April through August 2002. After the collected data were analyzed, the following findings were acquired; (1) Regarding their awareness of the yearly income system by the type of institute, the workers from the dental hospitals found the yearly income system, more than the others from the dental clinics did, to enlarge their sense of involvement in management (p<.001), further work productivity(p<.01), awake their target-oriented sense of mission(p<.01) and make them feel uneasy about their future(p<.05). (2) As to differences between the dentists and dental hygienists, the former group had a higher opinion about that system(p<.01) and its effect on impartial performance appraisal(p<.01), encouraging medical personnels to deploy their abilities(p<.01), furthering work productivity(p<.001), intensifying a target-oriented sense of mission(p<.001). (3) Concerning their perception by career, those who had longer experience to work in that field considered it to strengthen work severity(p<.05) more than the others who had shorter experience did, and the former group thought that system was more likely to concentrate on a short-term achievement (p<.05). The workers who had been working for three to five years were more conscious of change in office hours (p<.01), and those who had been working for two or less years viewed that system most favorably(p<.05). (4) In order for that system to be successful, impartial performance appraisal was most widely called for(31.6%), followed by trust between labor and management(26.3%), worker's positive attitude toward that system(16.8%), CEO's firm belief in that(12.3%), and setting up a feasible target. The workers from the dental hospitals put more stress on medical personnel's favorable attitude toward that system(p<.05) than the others from the dental clinics did. And the dentists placed more stock in setting up a feasible target, which was a criteria of determining the amount of annual income, than the dental hygienists did.

• Journal of Applied Tourism Food and Beverage Management and Research
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• v.8
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• pp.89-121
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• 1997

Many of the measures and policies advocated by supply-siders, such as lower taxation, less government intervention, more freedom from restrictive legislation and regulation, and the need for increased productivity can be found in writing the classical economist. Nor is supply-side economics a complete divorcement from Keynesian analysis. In both camps the objectives are the same-high level employment, stable prices and healthy economic growth, the means or suggestions for attaining the objectives, however, differ. Consequently, recommended economic policies and measures are different. keynesians rely primarily on the manipulation of effective demand to increase output and employment and to combat inflation. They assume ample resources to be available in order that supply will respond to demand. The supply-siders emphasize the need to increase savings, investment, productivity and output as a means of increasing income. Supply-siders assume that the increase in income will lead to an increase in effective demand. Keynesians suggest that savings, particularly those not invested, dampen economic activity. Supply-siders hold that savings, or at least an increase in after-tax income, stimulates work effort and provides funds for investment. Perhaps keynesians are guilty of assuming that most savings are not going to be invested, whereas supply-siders may erroneously assume that almost all savings will flow into investment and/ or stimulate work effort. In reality, a middle ground is possible. The supply-siders stress the need to increase supply, but Keynes did not preclude the possibility of increasing economic activity by working through the supply side. According to Keynes' aggregate demand-aggregate supply framework, a decrease in supply will increase output and employment. It must be remembered, however, that Keynes' aggregate supply is really a price. Lowering the price or cost of supply would there by result in higher profit and/ or higher output. This coincides with the viewpoint of supply-siders who want to lower the cost of production via various means for the purpose of increasing supply. Then, too, some of the means, such as tax cuts, tax credits and accelerated depreciation, recommended by suply-siders to increase productivity and output would be favored by Keynesians also as a means of increasing investment, curbing costs, and increasing effective demand. In fact, these very measures were used in the early 1960s in the United State during the years when nagging unemployment was plaguing the economy. Keynesians disagree with the supply-siders' proposals to reduce transfer payments and slow down the process of income redistribution, except in full employment inflationary periods. Keynesians likewise disagree with tax measures that favored business as opposed to individuals and the notion of shifting the base of personal taxation away from income and toward spending. A frequent criticism levied at supply-side economics is that it lacks adequate models and thus far has not been quantified to any great extent. But, it should be remembered that Keynesian economics originally was lacking in models and based on a number of unproved assumptions, such as, the stability of the consumption function with its declining marginal propensity to consume. Just as the economic catastrophe of the great depression of the 1930s paved the way for the application of Keynesian or demand-side policies, perhaps the frustrating and restless conditions of the 1970s and 1980s is an open invitation for the application of supply-side policies. If so, the 1980s and 1990s may prove to be the testing era for the supply-side theories. By the end of 1990s we should have better supply-side models and know much more about the effectiveness of supply-side policies. By that time, also, supply-side thinking may be more crystallized and we will learn whether it is something temporary that will fade away, be widely accepted as the new economics replacing Keynesian demand analysis, or something to be continued but melded or fused with demand management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.3
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• pp.259-270
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• 2020

Extreme weather events, such as heat and drought, have occurred frequently over the past two decades. This has led to continuous reports of cases of forest damage due to physiological stress, not pest damage. In 2014, pine trees were collectively damaged in the forest genetic resources reserve of Sogwang-ri, Uljin, South Korea. An investigation was launched to determine the causes of the dieback, so that a forest management plan could be prepared to deal with the current dieback, and to prevent future damage. This study aimedto 1) understand the topographic and structural characteristics of the area which experienced pine tree dieback, 2) identify the main causes of the dieback, and 3) predict future risk areas through the use of machine-learning techniques. A model for identifying risk areas was developed using 14 explanatory variables, including location, elevation, slope, and age class. When three machine-learning techniques-Decision Tree, Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were applied to the model, RF and SVM showed higher predictability scores, with accuracies over 93%. Our analysis of the variable set showed that the topographical areas most vulnerable to pine dieback were those with high altitudes, high daily solar radiation, and limited water availability. We also found that, when it came to forest stand characteristics, pine trees with high vertical stand densities (5-15 m high) and higher age classes experienced a higher risk of dieback. The RF and SVM models predicted that 9.5% or 115 ha of the Geumgang Pine Forest are at high risk for pine dieback. Our study suggests the need for further investigation into the vulnerable areas of the Geumgang Pine Forest, and also for climate change adaptive forest management steps to protect those areas which remain undamaged.

• Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2017

The current study was performed to investigate the effect of recycling coir substrates on the growth, fruit yield, and quality of strawberry plants. Analysis of physical properties revealed that the pH of a fresh coir substrate was 5.04 while those of substrates reused for one and two years were 5.20 and 5.33, respectively. The electrical conductivity (EC) of a new substrate was as high as $4.58dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. This can cause salt stress after transplanting. The EC tended to decrease as the substrate was recycled, and the EC of a two-year recycled substrate was $1.48dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. The fresh substrate had lower nitrogen and calcium concentrations, but higher phosphate, potassium, and sodium concentrations than the recycled coir substrate. The coir substrates recycled for one or two years maintained better chemical properties for plant growth than the fresh substrate. Strawberry growth varied depending on the number of years that the coir substrate was recycled. In general, strawberries grown in substrates that had been reused for two years did better than those grown in substrates that had been reused once or were fresh. Ninety days after transplanting, a plant grown in a substrate that had been reused for two years contained 25 leaves, which was 3.6 more than with a fresh substrate. In addition, the plants grown in a substrate that had been reused for two years exhibited larger leaf areas than those grown in other substrates. Coir substrates that had been reused for one year increased the number and area of leaves, but not as much as the substrate that had been reused for two years. One- and two-year reused coir substrates increased the weight of strawberries produced relative to the unused substrate, but the difference was not statistically significant. The plants grown in two-year reused substrates were longer and wider, as well. Also, the number of fruits per plant was higher when substrates were reused. Specifically, the number of fruits per plant was 28.7 with a two-year reused substrate, but only 22.2 with a fresh substrate. The fruit color indices (as represented by their Hunter L, a, b values) were not considerably affected by recycling of the coir substrate. The Hunter L value, which indicates the brightness of the fruit, did not change significantly when the substrate was recycled. Neither Hunter a (red) nor b (yellow) values were changed by recycling. In addition, there were no significant changes in the hardnesses, acidities, or soluble solid-acid ratios of fruits grown in recycled substrates. Thus, it is thought that recycling the coir substrate does not affect measures of fruit quality such as color, hardness, and sugar content. Overall, reuse of coir substrates from hydroponic culture as high-bed strawberry growth substrates would solve the problems of new substrate costs and the disposal of substrates that had been used once.