• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 2019

Objectives: In this study, we investigated an assessment for exposure levels of hazardous substances to kids cafes that unregulated by law. Methods: Heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, pesticides and phthalate were measured at 20 kids cafes in Gyeonggi-do and Incheon. Samplings were conducted from April to July in 2018. Results: Heavy metals were detected over the standard mainly around the floor and walls in the 19 kids cafes. Pesticides were detected in 7 locations with chlorpyrifos, diazinon and cypermethrin, and showed the highest detection level of chlorpyrifos. The concentrations of DEHP in all kids cafes were exceeded with standard. The risk assessment results showed that HCHO as carcinogen had a safety level and DEHP as non-carcinogens had a safety level as assessed to be under than 0.1. Conclusions: Considering the exposure investigation results and the importance of child health protection, kids cafe should be included in the legal management list of children's activities zones.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2022

Marine fisheries resources face major anthropogenic threat from unregulated fishing activities; thus require precise detection for protection through marine surveillance. Korea developed an efficient land-based small fishing vessel monitoring system using real-time V-Pass data. However, those data directly do not provide information on fishing activities, thus further efforts are necessary to differentiate their activity status. In Korea, especially in Busan, longlining is practiced by many small fishing vessels to catch several types of fishes that need to be identified for proper monitoring. Therefore, in this study we have improved the existing fishing status classification method by applying Hidden Markov Model (HMM) on V-Pass data in order to further classify their fishing status into three groups, viz. non-fishing, longlining and other types of fishing. Data from 206 fishing vessels at Busan on 05 February, 2021 were used for this purpose. Two tiered HMM was applied that first differentiates non-fishing status from the fishing status, and finally classifies that fishing status into longlining and other types of fishing. Data from 193 and 13 ships were used as training and test datasets, respectively. Using this model 90.45% accuracy in classifying into fishing and non-fishing status and 88.23% overall accuracy in classifying all into three types of fishing statuses were achieved. Thus, this method is recommended for monitoring the activities of small fishing vessels equipped with V-Pass, especially for detecting longlining.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.2230-2243
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• 2022

The tin tailing processing industry in Malaysia has operated with minimal regard and awareness for material management and working environment safety, impacting the environment and workers in aspects of radiation and heavy metal exposure. RIA was conducted where environmental samples were analyzed, revealing concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K between the range of 0.1-10.0, 0.0-25.7, and 0.1-5.8 Bq/g respectively, resulting in the AED exceeding UNCEAR recommended value and regulation limit enforced by AELB (1 mSv/y). Ra_eq calculated indicates that samples collected pose a significant threat to human health from gamma-ray exposure. Assessment of heavy metal content via pollution indices of soil and sediment showed significant contamination and enrichment from processing activities conducted. As and Fe were two of the highest metals exposed both via soil ingestion with an average of 4.6 × 10^-3 mg/kg-day and 1.4 × 10^-4 mg/kg-day, and dermal contact with an average of 5.6 × 10^-4 mg/kg-day and 6.0 × 10^-4. mg/kg-day respectively. Exposure via accidental ingestion of soil and sediment could potentially cause adverse non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health effect towards workers in the industry. Correlation analysis indicates the presence of a relationship between the concentration of NORM and trace elements.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2022.05a
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• pp.509-509
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• 2022

Rice has always been the anchor of food security in the Philippines and the government is adamant about sustaining rice production by ensuring reliable irrigation water availability. Among the numerous irrigation schemes, the importance of the Pulangui River Irrigation System (PRIS) is undeniable, as it is the largest and primary irrigation source for rice production areas which are considered the food basket in Northern Mindanao. However, the ageing irrigation structures, unlined canals, long-standing water delivery systems, and climate change are compromising the performance of PRIS; and every year, during the dry and wet season, the maximum rice irrigable area is not achieved. From the field-scale water management perspective, untimely irrigation application, an unregulated roster of turn for irrigation among farmers, and the traditional practice of flooding the rice fields are the main causes of substantial water losses in conveyance, distribution, and farm application of irrigation water. Hence, proper irrigation scheduling is crucial to cultivate the maximum irrigable area by ensuring equity among the farmers and to increase the water use efficiency and yield. In this study, the FAO single crop coefficient approach was adopted to estimate rice water requirements, which were subsequently used to suggest appropriate irrigation schedules based on the recommended field-scale rice cultivation practices. The study results would improve the irrigation system management in the study area by facilitating in regulating the canal water flows and releases according to suggested irrigation schedules that could lead to increased benefited area, yield, and water efficiency without straining the available water resources.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.110-119
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• 2024

Background: The Mae Kha Canal is one of Chiang Mai's most important waterways. It supports local agriculture, irrigation, and transportation as well as provides stormwater drainage to prevent floods. Due to the unregulated rapid urbanization of the city and lack of efficient waste and wastewater management systems over the past few decades, the canal has become heavily polluted. This study aimed to evaluate the water quality of Mae Kha canal through assessment of the physico-chemical water quality and coliform bacteria. Moreover, benthic macroinvertebrates were samples and assessed using the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP^Thai) and Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT^Thai) as biological indices. Results: The physico-chemical showed low dissolved oxygen levels, high levels of ammonia and phosphates, and elevated levels of biochemical oxygen demand, indicating that the water quality had significantly deteriorated. The canal was found to be heavily polluted, with most sites falling into the polluted to very heavily polluted. Coliform bacteria analysis revealed alarmingly high levels of total coliform bacteria and fecal coliform bacteria in the canal. The BMWP^Thai and ASPT^Thai scores indicated poor to very poor water quality. Conclusions: The physico-chemical and coliform bacteria indicated that the water quality of the Mae Kha canal had significantly deteriorated. The biological indices also indicated the poor to very poor water quality. This study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive remediation efforts, emphasizing strategic planning, investment, and community engagement to revive the canal's ecological health and water quality.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.797-807
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• 2011

Phenomenon of vegetation recruitment on the sand bar is drastically rising in the streams and rivers in Korea. In the 1960s prior to industrialization and urbanization, most of the streams were consisted of sands and gravels, what we call, 'White River'. Owing to dam construction, stream maintenance, etc. carried out since the '70s, the characteristic of flow duration and sediment transport have been disturbed resulting in the abundance of vegetation in the waterfront, that is, 'Green River' is under progress. This study purposed to identify the correlation among water level, water temperature, rainfall, soil moisture and soil texture out of the factors which give an effect on the vegetation recruitment on the sand bar of unregulated stream. To this purpose, this study selected the downstream of Naeseong Stream, one of sand rivers in Korea, as the river section for test and conducted the monitoring and analysis for 289 days. In addition, this study analyzed the aerial photos taken from 1970 to 2009 in order to identify the aged change in vegetation from the past to the present. The range of the tested river section was 361 m in transverse length and about 2 km in longitudinal length. According to the survey analysis, the tested river section in Naeseong Stream was a gaining river showing the higher underground-water level by 20~30 m compared to Stream water level. The difference in the underground water temperature was less than $5^{\circ}C$ by day and season and the Stream temperature did not fall to $10^{\circ}C$ and less from May when the vegetation germination begins in earnest. The impact factor on soil moisture was the underground water level in the lower layer and the rainfall in the upper layer and it was found that all the upper and lower layer were influenced by soil particle size. The soil from surface to 1 m-underground out of 6 soil moisture-measured points was sand with the $D_{50}$ size of 0.07~1.37 mm and it's assumed that the capillary height possible in the particle size would reach around 14~43 cm. On the other hand, according to the result of space analysis on the tested river section of unregulated stream for 40 years, it was found that the artificial disturbance and drought promoted the vegetation recruitment and the flooding resulted in the frequency extinction of vegetation communities. Even though the small and large scales of recruitment and extinction in vegetation have been repeated since 1970, the present vegetation area increased clearly compared to the past. It's found that the vegetation area is gradually increasing over time.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.124-136
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• 2001

Heat shock protein (HSP) expression is unregulated in tumor cells and, HSP expression is likely marker of the malignant potential of oral epithelial lesion. Furthermore, the 70kDa HSP is implicated in the degree of tumor differentiation, the rate of tumor proliferation and the magnitude of the anti-tumor Immune response. Accordingly, the distribution and intensity of HSP70 and HSP47 expression was assessed in the DMBA induced oral carcinogenesis in hamster. Golden Syrian hamsters which were 3 months-age and $90{\sim}120g$ were collected. 9,10-dimethyl -1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA) in a 0.5% solution in mineral oil was painted on the buccal pouch mucosa 3 times per week in the study group. In each control and experimental groups of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 weeks, specimen were sectioned for immunohistochemical study with anti-HSP47 and anti-HSP70 antibody. The following results were obtained. 1. HSP47 positive cells were race or negative of normal oral mucosa, increased mildly in basal and suprabasal basal layer, and spinous cell layer after experimental 6 weeks (dysplastic or CIS stage). In CIS stage, HSP47 expression is prominent in dysplastic free or normal adjacent epithelium. 2. HSP47 positive cells in connective tissue were mainly inflammatory cells, which is gradually increased from control to precancerous and cancer stage. But HSP47 positive cells after 14 weeks were decreased, especially normal and cancer adjacent epithelium. 3. The positive staining cells of HSP70 in control, dysplastic, and CIS stage were not seen. But they were mild findings in basal layer and moderate findings in spinous layer after experimental 14 weeks (cancer stage). 4. HSP70 positive cells were increased in precancerous and cancer stage than control group in connective tissue. After experimental 16 weeks, we could not find the HSP expression in cancer cells according to cancer differentiation or cancer stage. It is concluded that HSP70 or HSP47 expression is not a definitive marker of oral malignancy or malignant potential. However, with further development, HSP immunoreactivity may be valuable as an adjunct to conventional histology for assessing the malignant potential of oral mucosal lesions.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.207-211
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• 2016

This study focuses on the categorization of the phenomenon of vegetative recruitment on riparian channels, so called, the phenomenon from "white river" to "green river", and proposes for the corresponding research direction. According to the literature review and research outputs obtained from the authors' previous research performed in Korea within a limited scope, the necessary and sufficient conditions for the recruitment and retrogression of riparian vegetation may be the mechanical disturbance (riverbed tractive stress), soil moisture (groundwater level, topography, composition of riverbed material, precipitation etc.), period of submergence, extreme weather, and nutrient inflow. In this study, two categories, one for the reduction in spring flood due to the change in spring precipitation pattern in unregulated rivers and the other for the increase in nutrient inflow into streams, both of which were partially proved, have been added in the categorization of the vegetative recruitment and retrogression on the riparian channels. In order to scientifically investigate further the phenomenon of the riparian vegetative recruitment and retrogression and develop the working riparian vegetative models, it is necessary to conduct a systematic nationwide survey on the "white to green" rivers, establishment of the categorization of the vegetation recruitment and retrogression based on the proof of those hypotheses and detailed categorization, development of the working mathematical models for the dynamic riparian vegetative recruitment and retrogression, and adaptive management for the river changes.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.461-480
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• 2003

This paper is to consider the new urbanization process of Daegu in the 1990s, especially with its economy, politics, social culture, environment and space. In the economic aspect, the industrial structure of Daegu has shifted from the manufacturing- centered economy to the service economy. But it has not yet overcome the linear frame of industrial structure still relying on the textile industry, though the degree of industrial specialization has increased in the part of the fabricated metal products and the precision and optical instrument. In the political situation that the implementation of the local self-government has made the relation between localities more competitive, the local government of Daegu has led a boom for boosting the regional economic growth, organizing private-public-research relations to improve the weakening regional investment and production function. In the social and cultural aspect of the new urbanization, the investment into the soft-ware facilities has been increased, and the urban festivals have been changed so as to revitalize the regional economy. In the environmental aspect, as the self-government system has launched, conflicts around values and interests of local governments have revealed frequently due to locations of infra-structures and of abhorrence facilities. Finally, seen from the spatial dimension of the city, the extension of residential areas and unregulated use of urban space have a result of inefficience of land-use, and this kind of unplanned outer expansion of the city has brought about with further separation of house and working place, and increasing distance of movements and the an urban spatial structure which requires more energy consumption.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.239-246
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• 2014

To cope with the potential risks associated with invasive alien species, the Korean Government implemented the Biodiversity Act in 2014. Among the alien species not yet introduced into that country, 24 have been designated as alert species. These include mammals, birds, fish, mollusks, insects, and plants that may invade and cause serious harm to the ecosystem. Approval from the Ministry of Environment is required to import or carry any of them. Although these measures are more advanced than those from the previous legal framework, several terms still need to be improved. First, the category of alert species should cover not only those not yet introduced but also those that are being raised or cultivated at aquariums, botanical gardens, and zoos. Second, for applicants who intend to import or carry alert species, the government must provide them with detailed standards for the ecological risk assessment of alert species as well as guidelines for their safe use in Korea to prevent their unregulated release from confinement facilities into natural environments. Third, tools and protocols should be developed for early detection and rapid responses to those escapes.