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Literary Text and the Cultural Interpretation - A Study of the Model of 「History of Spanish Literature」 (문학텍스트와 문학적 해석 -「스페인 문학사」를 통한 모델 연구)

  • Na, Songjoo
    • Cross-Cultural Studies
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    • v.26
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    • pp.465-485
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    • 2012
  • Instructing "History of Spanish Literature" class faces various types of limits and obstacles, just as other foreign language literature history classes do. Majority of students enter the university without having any previous spanish learning experience, which means, for them, even the interpretation of the text itself can be difficult. Moreover, the fact that "History of Spanish Literature" is traced all the way back to the Middle Age, students encounter even more difficulties and find factors that make them feel the class is not interesting. To list several, such factors include the embarrassment felt by the students, antiquated expressions, literature texts filled with deliberately broken grammars, explanations written in pretentious vocabularies, disorderly introduction of many different literary works that ignores the big picture, in which in return, reduces academic interest in students, and finally general lack of interest in literate itself due to the fact that the following generation is used to visual media. Although recognizing such problem that causes the distortion of the value of our lives and literature is a very imminent problem, there has not even been a primary discussion on such matter. Thus, the problem of what to teach in "History of Spanish Literature" class remains unsolved so far. Such problem includes wether to teach the history of authors and literature works, or the chronology of the text, the correlations, and what style of writing to teach first among many, and how to teach to read with criticism, and how to effectively utilize the limited class time to teach. However, unfortunately, there has not been any sorts of discussion among the insructors. I, as well, am not so proud of myself either when I question myself of how little and insufficiently did I contemplate about such problems. Living in the era so called the visual media era or the crisis of humanity studies, now there is a strong need to bring some change in the education of literature history. To suggest a solution to make such necessary change, I recommended to incorporate the visual media, the culture or custom that students are accustomed to, to the class. This solution is not only an attempt to introduce various fields to students, superseding the mere literature reserch area, but also the result that reflects the voice of students who come from a different cultural background and generation. Thus, what not to forget is that the bottom line of adopting a new teaching method is to increase the class participation of students and broaden the horizon of the Spanish literature. However, the ultimate goal of "History of Spanish Literature" class is the contemplation about humanity, not the progress in linguistic ability. Similarly, the ultimate goal of university education is to train students to become a successful member of the society. To achieve such goal, cultural approach to the literature text helps not only Spanish learning but also pragmatic education. Moreover, it helps to go beyond of what a mere functional person does. However, despite such optimistic expectations, foreign literature class has to face limits of eclecticism. As for the solution, as mentioned above, the method of teaching that mainly incorporates cultural text is a approach that fulfills the students with sensibility who live in the visual era. Second, it is a three-dimensional and sensible approach for the visual era, not an annotation that searches for any ambiguous vocabularies or metaphors. Third, it is the method that reduces the burdensome amount of reading. Fourth, it triggers interest in students including philosophical, sociocultural, and political ones. Such experience is expected to stimulate the intellectual curiosity in students and moreover motivates them to continues their study in graduate school, because it itself can be an interesting area of study.

A Study on Improvement of Vital Registration and Statistics System in Korea (인구동태신고 및 통계조사의 개선방안)

  • 신윤재
    • Korea journal of population studies
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.58-75
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    • 1988
  • 1.Objectives of the Study It is a well known fact that a prompt and reliable data on demographic information is essential in a proper planning and evaluation of any program of national or community level. Especially vital statistics are an important demographic component among demographic information. Realizing the importance of vital statistics, the government has made some efforts for years to improve the vital registration system which has a close relationship with the production of vital statistics. However, it is still observed that there are some limitations in utilizing vital registration data due to considerable amount of vital events which are never registered and registered but not in time or inaccurately, even though vital registration system in Korea has sound legal basis. In this connection, the objectives of the study is as follows :(1) To examine some problems of the vital registration system in various aspects, (2) To make improvement programme of continuous Demographic Survey as a supplementary source of vital statistics, and (3) To find out some alternatives for making it possible to produce and utilize the reliable vital statistics by developing analytical methodologies on that. 2. Current Situation of Vital Registration System All the vital events, i.e. births, deaths, marriages and divorces, are to be registered in time under the Civil Registration Law, Statistics Law and Regulation on Vital Statstics as a duty of people. Some recent tendencies in each of recent registration are summarized as below: (1) The completeness of vital registration .Out of all births which are occurred during a year, around 75% of those compared to the estimates are registered in the year of occurrence. .In case of death registration, the percentage of registration in the year of occurrene has been gradually increased from 86.2% in the year of 1980, but it is still below the level of 90% compared to the estimates. .The percentage of registration for marriages and divorces in the year of occurrence out of total registered numbers was revealed to be 69% and 73% respectively in 1985. (2) Continuous Demographic Survey .It is a kind of sample survey for the purpose of producing reliable vital statistics which could not be provided by the vital registration. .It covers about 17, 000 sample households at national level and important information for vital events are collected in every month by 323 expertized enumerators who are regular staff of the government. .Although the result of the survey seems to be more reliable than of vital registration, the reliability of the data is still bellow the acceptable level if compared with relevant information from other sources such as population census or special surveys. 3. Problems of Vital Registration System There are four major obstacles in improving vital registration system in Korea; (1) In general, policy priority is not given on any programme of improving vital registration system. It is, therefore, very difficult to formulate comprehensive programme through having cooperation from related authorities and sufficient financial assistance. (2) In all the laws related and system itself, there is substantial degree of overlap and irrationality. Registration of each vital event is maintained according to several laws and regulation such as Civil Registration Law, Statistics Law, Resident Registration Law and Regulation on Vital Statistics. However they are mutually overlapped and overall supervision can not be done systematically due to lack of co-operation among the authorities concerned. (3) The administration of vital registration system seems to be working inefficiently, because of most of civil servants who are in charge of vital registration are lacking of conception on vital statistics and also there is a certain extent of regidity in handling the works. Therefore, they are doing their jobs in a passive way. (4) A substantial proportion of vital events occurred is not registered within the legal time limit (i.e. within one month after the occurrence in case of birth and death) or not registered forever. Some of social customs and superstitution seem to be the potential causes especially in case of births and deaths. 4. Recommendations for the Improvement of Vital Statistics (1) Reporting systems such as civil registration, vital statistics and resident registration should be integrated under the single law. Also, administrative supervision, personnel and budget with regard to the registration system should be under the control of a single ministry. (2) It is necessary to simplify the procedures and methods of reporting vital events, i.e., reducing number of sheets of the form, making corrections easily, reducing registration items, etc. (3) Continuous Demographic Survey as a supplementary source of vital registration should be improved and special ad-hoc surveys should be conducted wth regular interval. (4) In-depth analysis should be done using various sources of data on vital statistics. 5. Concluding Remarks From this study, we can notice that temporary campaign and motivation programs are not sufficient to improve the quality of vital statistics. Strong intentions and continuous efforts of the government are needed for the improvement of the vital registration system. Furthermore, most of the data collected through the registration are not properly analyzed and utilized, partly due to the lack of appreciation among high-level governmental officials of the need for vital statistics. It is, therefore, requested that long-term improvement programs of vital statistics be implemented with policy priority and continuous efforts be given to this purpose as a long-term goal of development in Korea.

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A Study on A Phase of Denotation Expansion of Oriental Medicine in the late Joseon Dynasty (조선(朝鮮) 후기(後期) 한의학(韓醫學) 외연확대(外延擴大)의 일국면(一局面))

  • Park, Sang-Young;Oh, Jun-Ho;Kwon, Oh-Min
    • Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.1-8
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    • 2011
  • In the late Joseon Dynasty, a bulky volume of books, which had rarely been seen, poured out including "Imwongyeongjeji", "Japdongsani", "Songnamjapsik" and "Ohjuyeonmunjaangjeonsango". such sorts of books have a characteristic that an author collected various pieces of information, which were scatter away at that time, in one's own way and compiled them into a book rather than an author's own remarks or ideas. Most authors of such books were known to have made not a few book beside bulky books. Such a trend of the times doubled its revitalization with the influx of that books in a series that were popular especially in the period of Ming State & Ching State in China. The research work on such a trend once showed not a little progress by a few faithful researchers even under the circumstances where they were overwhelmed by the bulkiness of a book in a series itself and its target volume. However, in spite of not a little fruition of such studies, there has been no comments at all on the new factors of change faced by Oriental medicine in the climate of the intellect history in the late Joseon Dynasty. Thus, this study aimed at looking at the significance of medical-history-based studies on this matter on the basis of Park, Jiwon's "Keumryosocho", and Lee, Deokmu's "Iemokgushimseo", and suggesting the further task. The conclusions obtained from the analysis of "Keumryosocho" and "Iemokgusimseo" are as follows: 1.The prescriptions cited from the sorts of writings excluded entirely the medical theories on the principles of prescription, and they are composed of a single-medicine prescription or so, which made it easier even for those who lacked a special knowledge of medicine to use it; in addition, it was easy to get medicinal ingredients in most cases. It's presumed that such a composition of medicinal ingredients had a close relation with the difficulty in the supply of medicinal ingredients, which issue became a serious issue in the late Joseon Dynasty. 2. The prescriptions originating from the sorts of writings sometimes are mixed with the ones whose medical efficiency are doubted. This means the inherence of obstacles to delivering accurate medical knowledge couldn't be avoided because the initial purpose of such sorts of writings lay in popularity than practicality. 3. In spite of such problems, the prescriptions originating from writings seems to have not a few influences on the intellectuals in the late Joseon Dynasty, and it's possible for us to take a glance on the traces of their use of these prescriptions in an actual daily life. This fact is fully confirmed by the contents in the preface of "Keumryosocho" that Park-jiwon personally tried to write a prescription. Moreover, such facts can be also confirmed from the fact that the writings of China or our country are seen quite often among the writings which were incited by Seo, Yugu's "Injeji." Like this, the fact that the information of orthodox medicine and the one originating from general books other than medicine books were integrated at one place is plainly showing a phase of the intellect history in the late Joseon Dynasty deluged with information; because of such a characteristic, we can say that Oriental medicine became plentiful in the aspect of diversity with its expansion of denotation, but Oriental medicine could not but additionally assume the problem of having to distinguish good from bad in the midst of such a situation.

A Research on the Development Initiative for Public Practices of Local Governmentsin Korea - Focused on the Local Adaptation Planning in Ecosystem Sector - (지자체 기후변화 적응실무 발전방향 연구 - 생태계 분야 기후변화 적응 시행계획 수립 및 이행을 중심으로 -)

  • Yeo, Inae;Hong, Seungbum
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.79-92
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    • 2020
  • This study aimed at analyzing the current status and further needs of ecological information which is provided with the civil servants in the process of climate change adaptation planning in ecosystem sector and at providing suggestions for future development of ecological knowledge on climate change. Therefore, we conducted a questionary survey titled as "the knowledge-base and information needs for climate change adaptation in ecosystem sector" with the civil servants who are engaged with adaptation practices in the ecology related divisions in 17 regional local governments (RLG) and the affiliated basic local governments (BLG) in Korea. As a result, the characteristics of ecological information which is applied in public practices was analyzed and strategies for improved utilization was suggested. 75% of the respondents (RLG 85% and BLG 72%) were aware of the relativeness between the existence and utilization of ecological information and the execution of climate adaptation practices in ecosystem sector. They were agreed with the necessity of ecological information not only in adaptation practices but also overall affairs in the ecological related division in the local government (RLG 82% and BLG 72%). The current situation of utilizing ecological information which is produced from central orlocal government to civil affairs were only represented as 64 persons (28%) in RLG and 42 persons (18%) in BLG. One of the major obstacles that the respondents confront with when applying ecological information to public practices was deficit of prior knowledge on the ecological information itself, such as awareness of the characteristics of ecological information and the link with public affairs for adaptation plans. Therefore, delivering current knowledge and ecological information on climate change by educational and promotional method is an urgent priority to the civil servant. The future needs on ecological information for local government servants were deduced as basic information on local ecosystem and applied knowledge on local development to meet the biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services at the same time. The respondents expected not only the specific guidelines for using ecological information to apply on the adaptation plans in the relevant divisions of the local governments but also the institution where the usage activation of ecological information would be operated and managed to enhance the information utilizing structure in the local government. In the nation-wide, the capacity of local governments should be enhanced with adaptation knowledge and the application of appropriate information to the public practices by central government's aiding with the better quality of information, its public promotion, and the applicability to civil affairs.

CT Simulation Technique for Craniospinal Irradiation in Supine Position (전산화단층촬영모의치료장치를 이용한 배와위 두개척수 방사선치료 계획)

  • Lee, Suk;Kim, Yong-Bae;Kwon, Soo-Il;Chu, Sung-Sil;Suh, Chang-Ok
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.165-171
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    • 2002
  • Purpose : In order to perform craniospinal irradiation (CSI) in the supine position on patients who are unable to lie in the prone position, a new simulation technique using a CT simulator was developed and its availability was evaluated. Materials and Method : A CT simulator and a 3-D conformal treatment planning system were used to develop CSI in the supine position. The head and neck were immobilized with a thermoplastic mask in the supine position and the entire body was immobilized with a Vac-Loc. A volumetrie image was then obtained using the CT simulator. In order to improve the reproducibility of the patients' setup, datum lines and points were marked on the head and the body. Virtual fluoroscopy was peformed with the removal of visual obstacles such as the treatment table or the immobilization devices. After the virtual simulation, the treatment isocenters of each field were marked on the body and the immobilization devices at the conventional simulation room. Each treatment field was confirmed by comparing the fluoroscopy images with the digitally reconstructed radiography (DRR)/digitally composite radiography (DCR) images from the virtual simulation. The port verification films from the first treatment were also compared with the DRR/DCR images for a geometrical verification. Results : CSI in the supine position was successfully peformed in 9 patients. It required less than 20 minutes to construct the immobilization device and to obtain the whole body volumetric images. This made it possible to not only reduce the patients' inconvenience, but also to eliminate the position change variables during the long conventional simulation process. In addition, by obtaining the CT volumetric image, critical organs, such as the eyeballs and spinal cord, were better defined, and the accuracy of the port designs and shielding was improved. The differences between the DRRs and the portal films were less than 3 mm in the vertebral contour. Conclusion : CSI in the supine position is feasible in patients who cannot lie on prone position, such as pediatric patienta under the age of 4 years, patients with a poor general condition, or patients with a tracheostomy.

A Quantification Method for the Cold Pool Effect on Nocturnal Temperature in a Closed Catchment (폐쇄집수역의 냉기호 모의를 통한 일 최저기온 분포 추정)

  • Kim, Soo-Ock;Yun, Jin-I.
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.176-184
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    • 2011
  • Cold air on sloping surfaces flows down to the valley bottom in mountainous terrain at calm and clear nights. Based on the assumption that the cold air flow may be the same as the water flow, current models estimate temperature drop by regarding the cold air accumulation at a given location as the water-like free drainage. At a closed catchment whose outlet is blocked by man-made obstacles such as banks and roads, however, the water-like free drainage assumption is no longer valid because the cold air accumulates from the bottom first. We developed an empirical model to estimate quantitatively the effect of cold pool on nocturnal temperature in a closed catchment. In our model, a closed catchment is treated like a "vessel", and a digital elevation model (DEM) was used to calculate the maximum capacity of the cold pool formed in a closed catchment. We introduce a topographical variable named "shape factor", which is the ratio of the cold air accumulation potential across the whole catchment area to the maximum capacity of the cold pool to describe the relative size of temperature drop at a wider range of catchment shapes. The shape factor is then used to simulate the density profile of cold pool formed in a given catchment based on a hypsometric equation. The cold lake module was incorporated with the existing model (i.e., Chung et al., 2006), generating a new model and predicting distribution of minimum temperature over closed catchments. We applied this model to Akyang valley (i.e., a typical closed catchment of 53 $km^2$ area) in the southern skirt of Mt. Jiri National Park where 12 automated weather stations (AWS) are operational. The performance of the model was evaluated based on the feasibility of delineating the temperature pattern accurately at cold pool forming at night. Overall, the model's ability of simulating the spatial pattern of lower temperature were improved especially at the valley bottom, showing a similar pattern of the estimated temperature with that of thermal images obtained across the valley at dawn (0520 to 0600 local standard time) of 17 May 2011. Error in temperature estimation, calculated with the root mean square error using the 10 low-lying AWSs, was substantially decreased from $1.30^{\circ}C$ with the existing model to $0.71^{\circ}C$ with the new model. These results suggest the feasibility of the new method in predicting the site-specific freeze and frost warning at a closed catchment.

A Study of Iljiam Tea Garden of Daeheung-sa at Mt. Dooryun - Focusing on the Comparison between Poetry and Current State - (두륜산 대흥사 일지암 다정(茶庭)의 일고찰(一考察) - 시문과 현황 비교를 중심으로 -)

  • Rho, Jae-Hyun
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.97-110
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    • 2012
  • This study aimed at considering the original shape of Iljiam Tea Garden at Mt. Daedun. In order to accomplish our goal, we tried to strengthen the authenticity of construction of Iljiam by comparing its space structure depicted in the poetry of Choeui(艸衣) the monk with its current restored state. According to the clues and situation in the poetry along with symbolic words like 'Choeui' and 'Ilji(一枝)', Iljiam seemed to be a tea garden with elegant and celestial beauties, and with a nice view where Choeui the famous monk searched for the highest state of enlightenment by enjoying and living in nature. When we compared the plural aspects of Iljiam like Dacheon(茶泉), Dajo, Mulhwak, Darim(茶林), Chaewon(菜園), and Yeonji(蓮池) with those of Dasan Tea Garden[茶山草堂], we could see that the basic components of tea-culture space of both gardens are the same, showing the organizational principle of the top and bottom area to stress reading and studying. When it is restored, the authenticity of Iljiam should be pursued by linking spatial, historical, and landscaping characteristics as the space of which Choeui the monk carried out Zen meditation and mastered tea. However, the recent grand scale Buddhist business like the expansion of access road and construction of Buddhist sanctuary and Seolimdang became the biggest threat to the authenticity. Especially, it was emphasized many times in various poetry that the view from Iljiam and its surroundings is extraordinary, so it is critical to get rid of obstacles to the view from Iljiam and its surroundings in order to restore Iljiam as its genuine form. The current Iljiam should be re-made because it is like a leaf-roofed garden, not like a hermitage. However, the opinion that Jawoohongryeon-sa(紫芋紅蓮社) is somewhat a Taoistic and Taoist hermit space with a special shape adopted the pattern of building of the Joseon period rather than a Buddhist building can be accepted as long as other convincing historical evidences are found out, considering the ideology of uniting Confucianism and Buddhism and the spirit of Taoist hermit found out from poetry of Choeui and his friends. In conclusion, the restoration of Iljiam in 1979 was carried out to restore the place of Iljiam rather than to restore the originality of Iljiam by combining and referring domestic cases of tea gardens. However, there is not much material for restoration even though the main frame of Iljiam was distorted. Nevertheless, the top and bottom ponds should be constructed as a rectangle shape. In addition, it can be improved much in terms of plants and trees. It is necessary to restore bamboo forest, which was razed in order to make a tea plantation around Seolimdang, to set vines of arbors above the upper limbs, to plant pine trees and willow trees inside of the garden, and to put Dajeolgu under the corner of the eaves. Especially, the bamboo forest emphasized in poetry and took care of by Choeui himself should be restored inside of the garden.

The Bibliographical Investigation of Sasang Constitution Diagnosis (사상체질(四象體質) 진단법(診斷法)의 문헌적(文獻的) 고찰(考察) - 외형(外形), 심성(心性), 증(證)을 위주(爲主)로 -)

  • Jung, Won-gyo;Kim, Jong-weon
    • Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.95-117
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    • 1999
  • 1. Purpose of study There are many Constitution theories. But, In the Sasang Constitutional medicine, the theory and the practice are connected systematically. So it has been used in Korea popularly. Lee Je-Ma suggested that the external form, the mind, the symptom are the criteria of Sasang constitution diagnosis at the Discourse on the Four Principle and the Discourse on the Identifying Four Constitutions. But The clinical importance study of three diagnostic criteria - the external form, the mind, the symptom - has never been studied. Therefore, there are many obstacles of using the three diagnostic criteria totally. And I think that it needs a study which we apply the three diagnostic criteria to practice and approve the clinical importance of one another. I classify and investigate the previous methods of Sasang constitution diagnosis by the three diagnostic criteria in this study. 2. Method of study I investigate the previous methods of Sasang constitution diagnosis bibliographically by Dongyi Soose Bowon, Journal of Constitutional medicine and other books. 3. Result of study (1) Study of the external form The Study of Ki-sang(氣像) and Sa-ki(詞氣) by experience and intuition was done previously, and study of imaginay formulation of each constitution by measuring Chae-hyung(體形) and yong-mo(容貌) has being done recently. (2) Study of the mind For the objectification of study and diagnosis, self-reporting questionnaire has been used. The ideal choice to determine an indivisual constitution, as far as questionnaire go, is to take results from both the modified version Sasang Pattern Identification Questionnaire and QSCCII. (3) Study of the symptom For the study of the symptom - constitution symptom and constitution symptom of disease - the study of principles, the clinical study of the type of disease and symptom, the study which the pathologic view of Oriental medicine apply the view of Sasang Constitutional medicine have been done. We must try to objectfy Sasang Constitutional disease.

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A Study on the Shinmoongo System: Issues of the Origin and Changes of Function and Institution (신문고 제도에 대한 몇 가지 쟁점: 기원과 운영, 기능.제도의 변천을 중심으로)

  • Kim, Young-Ju
    • Korean journal of communication and information
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    • v.39
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    • pp.250-283
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    • 2007
  • The Shinmoongo (Shinmoon-drum) system is known as the last means of petition, appeal, and, denunciation during the Chosun dynasty. The purpose of this study is first to examine the system's origin and changes of its function and operation. The study further looks at several issues around the striking gong system, an alternative appealing method, and its background and transition. Introduced by King Taejong, the Shinmoongo was a kind of the press (or communication) system which was intended to deliver various cases of personal appeal, social petition, national denunciation, etc. Since the 2nd year of King Sejong, the system had been changed into the legal system which mainly to settle personal mortifying problem. Originally, the system was institutionalized for the common people who were hard to appeal their mortifying affairs to the supervisory administration. This reporting system to a superior was utilized as an institutional device to remedy abuses from 'complaint to the King near his sedan chair' and 'direct complaint out of order' during the early disordered years of Chosun dynasty. The system was often abused for the devices of private interest by illustrious officials. Meanwhile, it carried out a role of checking power abuses of provincial governors and magistrates. There were many obstacles for the common people and lowly people to turn to the means. The drum was located at the palace of capitol, less accessible for most people at the time. The petition had to be processed through several steps in written forms. The punishment on a false drummer was heavy. It inhibited any appeal concerning the superior under the rigorous caste system. The Shinmoongo system is regarded as a legitimate press system. Also, it is taken as informal or semi-official press system such as 'document to send around', 'document for agitation', 'joint petition', 'striking gong to complain', 'complaint to the King near his sedan chair', 'scream to complain', etc. Connecting together, the tools resulted in the increase of regal power and decrease of divine authority.

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3-D Conformal Radiotherapy for CNS Using CT Simulation (입체조준장치를 이용한 중추신경계의 방사선 입체조형치료 계획)

  • 추성실;조광환;이창걸
    • Progress in Medical Physics
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.90-98
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    • 2003
  • Purpose : A new virtual simulation technique for craniospinal irradiation (CSI) that uses a CT-simulator was developed to improve the accuracy of field and shielding placement as well as patient positioning. Materials and Methods : A CT simulator (CT-SIM) and a 3-D conformal radiation treatment planning system (3D-CRT) were used to develop CSI. The head and neck were immobilized with a thermoplastic mask while the rest of the body was immobilized with a Vac-Loc. A volumetric image was then obtained with the CT simulator. In order to improve the reproducibility of the setup, datum lines and points were marked on the head and body. Virtual fluoroscopy was performed with the removal of visual obstacles, such as the treatment table or immobilization devices. After virtual simulation, the treatment isocenters of each field were marked on the body and on the immobilization devices at the conventional simulation room. Each treatment fields was confirmed by comparing the fluoroscopy images with the digitally reconstructed radiography (DRR) and digitally composited radiography (DCR) images from virtual simulation. Port verification films from the first treatment were also compared with the DRR/DCR images for geometric verification. Results : We successfully performed virtual simulations on 11 CSI patients by CT-SIM. It took less than 20 minutes to affix the immobilization devices and to obtain the volumetric images of the entire body. In the absence of the patient, virtual simulation of all fields took 20 min. The DRRs were in agreement with simulation films to within 5 mm. This not only reducee inconveniences to the patients, but also eliminated position-shift variables attendant during the long conventional simulation process. In addition, by obtaining CT volumetric image, critical organs, such as the eyes and the spinal cord, were better defined, and the accuracy of the port designs and shielding was improved. Differences between the DRRs and the portal films were less than 3 m in the vertebral contour. Conclusion : Our analysis showed that CT simulation of craniospinal fields was accurate. In addition, CT simulation reduced the duration of the patient's immobility. During the planning process. This technique can improve accuracy in field placement and shielding by using three-dimensional CT-aided localization of critical and target structures. Overall, it has improved staff efficiency and resource utilization by standard protocol for craniospinal irradiation.

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