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Estimating the Global Inflow and Stock of Plastic Marine Debris Using Material Flow Analysis: a Preliminary Approach (물질흐름분석을 활용한 전세계 플라스틱 해양쓰레기의 유입량과 현존량 추정: 예비적 접근)

  • Jang, Yong Chang;Lee, Jongmyoung;Hong, Sunwook;Choi, Hyun Woo;Shim, Won Joon;Hong, Su Yeon
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.263-273
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    • 2015
  • We estimated the global inflow and stock of plastic marine debris. In South Korea, we estimated that the annual inflow of plastic marine debris (72,956 tons) was about 1.4% of annual plastics consumption (5.2 million tons) in 2012. By applying this 1.4% ratio to global plastics production from 1950 to 2013, we estimated that 4.2 million tons of plastic debris entered the ocean in 2013 and that there is a stock of 86 million tons of plastic marine debris as of the end of 2013, assuming zero outflow. In addition, with a logistic model, if 4% of petroleum is turned into plastics, the final stock of plastic marine debris shall be 199 million tons at the end. As the inflow and the stock are different units of measurement, better indicators to assess the effectiveness of inflow-reducing policies are needed. And, as the pollution from plastic marine debris is almost irreversible, countermeasures to prevent it should be valued more, and stronger preventive measures should be taken under the precautionary principle. As this is a preliminary study based on limited information, further research is needed to clarify the tendency of inflow and stock of plastic marine debris.

The Control System of a Medical Robot Bed for Prevention and Healing of Pressure Ulcer (욕창 예방 및 치유를 위한 의료용 로봇 침대 제어 시스템)

  • Lee, Youngdae;Kim, Changyoung;Chang, Changjun;Kim, Jung Ae;Lim, Jae-Young
    • The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.353-359
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    • 2020
  • In this study, the controller structure and control algorithm of medical robot bed developed for pressure ulcer prevention and healing are described. The existing pressure ulcer prevention mattress is operated manually and the remaining maximum body pressure exceeds the pressure of ulcer generation, so there is always room for pressure ulcers. However, the system developed in this study does not generate the pressure ulcers because the body pressure drops to zero when the keyboard of the bed descends using the active electric driving keyboard. In addition, even if the bed is raised and the pressure above the critical body ulcer pressure is abnormal, the device and the control algorithm are designed so that the lasting time is within the pressure ulcer generation critical time and the pressure ulcer itself is not generated. The bed key board motor is a motor designed with the BLDC servos suitable for medical use and these can communicate each other easily through CAN(Car Area Network). The system is new medical robot bed that is effective in preventing pressure ulcers and will be distributed to many patients suffering from pressure ulcers.

Genetic Parameters of Milk β-Hydroxybutyric Acid and Acetone and Their Genetic Association with Milk Production Traits of Holstein Cattle

  • Lee, SeokHyun;Cho, KwangHyun;Park, MiNa;Choi, TaeJung;Kim, SiDong;Do, ChangHee
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.29 no.11
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    • pp.1530-1540
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    • 2016
  • This study was conducted to estimate the genetic parameters of ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) and acetone concentration in milk by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy along with test-day milk production traits including fat %, protein % and milk yield based on monthly samples of milk obtained as part of a routine milk recording program in Korea. Additionally, the feasibility of using such data in the official dairy cattle breeding system for selection of cows with low susceptibility of ketosis was evaluated. A total of 57,190 monthly test-day records for parities 1, 2, and 3 of 7,895 cows with pedigree information were collected from April 2012 to August 2014 from herds enrolled in the Korea Animal Improvement Association. Multi-trait random regression models were separately applied to estimate genetic parameters of test-day records for each parity. The model included fixed herd test-day effects, calving age and season effects, and random regressions for additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. Abundance of variation of acetone may provide a more sensitive indication of ketosis than many zero observations in concentration of milk BHBA. Heritabilities of milk BHBA levels ranged from 0.04 to 0.17 with a mean of 0.09 for the interval between 4 and 305 days in milk during three lactations. The average heritabilities for milk acetone concentration were 0.29, 0.29, and 0.22 for parities 1, 2, and 3, respectively. There was no clear genetic association of the concentration of two ketone bodies with three test-day milk production traits, even if some correlations among breeding values of the test-day records in this study were observed. These results suggest that genetic selection for low susceptibility of ketosis in early lactation is possible. Further, it is desirable for the breeding scheme of dairy cattle to include the records of milk acetone rather than the records of milk BHBA.

The Effect of Control-Ownership Wedge on Stock Price Crash Risk (소유지배 괴리도가 주가급락위험에 미치는 영향)

  • Chae, Soo-Joon;Ryu, Hae-Young
    • The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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    • v.9 no.7
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    • pp.53-59
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    • 2018
  • Purpose - This study examines the effect of control-ownership wedge on stock crash risk. In Korea, controlling shareholders have exclusive control rights compared to their cash flow rights. With increasing disparity, controlling shareholders abuse their power and extract private benefits at the expense of the minority shareholders. Managers who are controlling shareholders of the companies tend not to disclose critical information that would prevent them from pursuing private interests. They accumulate negative information in the firm. When the accumulated bad news crosses a tipping point, it will be suddenly released to the market at once, resulting in an abrupt decline in stock prices. We predict that stock price crash likelihood due to information opaqueness increases as the wedge increases. Research design, data, and methodology - 831 KOSPI-listed firm-year observations are from KisValue database from 2005 to 2011. Control-ownership wedge is measured as the ratio (UCO -UCF)/UCO where UCF(UCO) is the ultimate cash-flow(control) rights of the largest controlling shareholder. Dependent variable CRASH is a dummy variable that equals one if the firm has at least 1 crash week during a year, and zero otherwise. Logistic regression is used to examine the relationship between control-ownership wedge and stock price crash risk. Results - Using a sample of KOSPI-listed firms in KisValue database for the period 2005-2011, we find that stock price crash risk increases as the disparity increases. Specifically, we find that the coefficient of WEDGE is significantly positive, supporting our prediction. The result implies that as controlling shareholders' ownership increases, controlling shareholders tend to withhold bad news. Conclusions - Our results show that agency problems arising from the divergence between control rights and cash flow rights increase the opaqueness of accounting information. Eventually, the accumulated bad news is released all at once, leading to stock price crashes. It could be seen that companies with high control-ownership wedge are likely to experience future stock price crashes. Our study is related to a broader literature that examined the effect of the control-ownership wedge on stock markets. Our findings suggest that the disparity is a meaningful predictor for future stock price crash risk. The results are expected to provide useful implications for firms, regulators, and investors.

Our Experience with Surgically Treated Epidural Hematomas in Children

  • Jung, Sang-Won;Kim, Dong-Won
    • Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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    • v.51 no.4
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    • pp.215-218
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    • 2012
  • Objective: Traumatic epidural hematomas (EDHs) in children are a relatively unusual occurrence. The cause and outcome vary depending on period and reg ion of study. The aims of this analysis were to review the cause and outcome of pediatric EDHs nowadays and to discuss outcome-related variables in a large consecutive series of surgically treated EDH in children. Methods: This is a retrospective review of 29 patients with surgically treated EDHs between Jan 2000 and February 2010. Patients' medical records, computed tomographic (Cl) scans, and, if performed, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were reviewed to define variables associated with outcome. Variables included in the analysis were age, associated severe intracranial injury, abnormal pupillary response, hematoma thickness, severity of head injury (Glasgow Coma Scale score), parenchymal brain injury, and diffuse axonal injury. Results: The mean (SO) age of the patients was 109 months (0-185 months). Most of the injuries with EDHs occurred in traffic accident (14 cases, 48.2%) and followed by slip down in 6 cases and falls in 6 cases. There were one birth injury and one unknown cause. EDHs in traffic accidents occurred in pedestrians hit by a motor vehicle, 9 cases; motorbike and car accidents, 5 cases and bicycle accidents, 1 case. The locations of hematoma were almost same in both sides (left side in 15 cases). Temporal lobe is the most common site of hematomas (13 cases, 44%). The mean size of the EDHs was 18 mm (range, 5-40 mm). Heterogeneous hematomas in CT scans were 20 cases (67%). Two patients were referred with unilateral or bilateral dilated pupil(s). There was enlargement of EDH in 5 patients (17%). All of them were heterogeneous hematomas in CT scans. Except for 4 patients, all EDHs were associated with skull fracture(s) (87%). There was no case of patient with major organ injury. CT or MRI revealed brain contusion in 5 patients, and diffuse axonal injury in one patient The mortality was zero, and the outcomes were excellent in 26 and good in 2 patients. None of the tested variables were found to have a prognostic relevance. Conclusion: Regardless of the EDH size, the clinical status of the patients, the abnormal pupillary findings, or the cause of injury, the outcome and prognosis of the patients with EDH were excellent.

Divalent Cation-dependent Inactivation of N-type Calcium Channel in Rat Sympathetic Neurons (쥐 교감신경 뉴론 N형 칼슘통로의 2가 양이온의존성 비활성화)

  • Goo Yong-Sook
    • Progress in Medical Physics
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.96-104
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    • 2006
  • Experiments from several groups Including ours have demonstrated that $Ca^{2+}$ can enhance the inactivation of N-type calcium channels. However, it is not clear if this effect can be ascribed to a 'classic' $Ca^{2+}$-dependent inactivation (CDI) mechanism. One method that has been used to demonstrate CDI of L-type calcium channels is to alter the intracellular and extracellular concentration of $Ca^{2+}$. In this paper we replaced the external divalent cation to monovalent ion ($MA^+$) to test CDI. In the previous paper, we could separate fast (${\tau}{\sim}150ms$) and slow (${\tau}{\sim}2,500ms$) components of inactivation in both $Ba^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ using 5-sec voltage step. Lowering the external divalent cation concentration to zero abolished fast inactivation with relatively little effect on slow inactivation. Slow inactivation ${\tau}$ correspond very well with provided the $MA^+$ data is shifted 10 mV hyperpolarized and slow inactivation ${\tau}$ decreases with depolarization voltage in both $MA^+\;and\;Ba^{2+}$, which consistent with a classical voltage dependent inactivation (VDI) mechanism. These results combined with those of our previous paper lead us to hypothesize that external divalent cations are required to produce fast N-channel inactivation and this divalent cation-dependent inactivation is a different mechanism from classic CDI or VDI.

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Fundamental Properties of Magnesia-Prosphate Composite Considering Mix Conditions and Curing Temperature (배합조건 및 양생온도에 따른 마그네시아 인산염 복합체의 기초물성 평가)

  • Cho, Hyun Woo;Kang, Su Tae;Shin, Hyun Seop;Lee, Jang Hwa
    • Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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    • v.16 no.6
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    • pp.163-170
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    • 2012
  • With the advantage of a rapid exothermic reaction property, jet set concrete may be used as a cold weather concrete because it can reach the required strength before being damaged by cold weathers. And it can be hardened more quickly if the field temperature is properly compensated by heating. Because ordinary concrete cannot be hardened well under sub-zero temperatures, anti-freeze agents are typically added to prevent the frost damage and to ensure the proper hardening of concrete. While the addition of a large amount of anti-freeze agent is effective to prevent concrete from freezing and accelerates cement hydration resulting in shortening the setting time and enhancing the initial strength, it induces problems in long-term strength growth. Also, it is not economically feasible because most anti-freeze agents are mainly composed of chlorides. Recent studies reported that magnesia-phosphate composites can be hardened very quickly and hydrated even in low temperatures, which can be used as an alternative of cold weather concrete for cold weathers and very cold places. As a preliminary study, to obtain the material properties, mortar specimens with different mixture proportions of magnesia-phosphate composites were manufactured and series of experiments were conducted varying the curing temperature. From the experimental results, an appropriate mixture design for cold weathers and very cold places is suggested.

An Analysis of First Flush Phenomenon of Non-point Source Pollution during Rainfall-Runoff Events from Impervious Area (불투수성 지역의 강우유출수에 대한 비점오염물질의 초기유출현상 분석)

  • Ahn, Tae-Ung;Bum, Bong-Su;Kim, Tae-Hoon;Choi, I-Song;Oh, Jong-Min
    • Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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    • v.35 no.9
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    • pp.643-653
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    • 2013
  • In this study, trend analysis was performed by various runoff analysis method of Non-point Pollution Source(NPS) at the impervious area. The characteristics of rainfall at impervious area appeared to be influenced by rainfall strength and it appeared that first flush phenomenon occurs often if rainfall strength acts largely. It is judged that the measure is required to be prepared against that now that concentration difference of non-point pollution source appeared to be big by precedent number of days of no rainfall. As the result of calculating Decrease Rate (DR) by first flush of non-point pollution source, it is judged that it is important to prepare the measure against the pollutants about initial rain and it is necessary to calculate the capacity of non-point pollution source processing facilities regarding that now that the non-point pollution source integrated at impervious area showed the characteristics that are flowed out in high concentration by initial rain in case of non-rainfall considering the characteristics of non-point pollution source at impervious area. When taking 50% of non-point pollution source as the standard for decrease rate that was evaluated previously, it appeared as 15~60 min in case of TSS and it appeared as 30~90 min in case of organic compound, but the characteristic whose decrease rate is below 50% also appeared even till rainfall-runoff ends. Based on that, it is judged that it could be used as the reference when designing the structural BMPs facilities later.

The Characteristic Calculation of a Phosphoric Acid Ion Exchanger using the Potentiometric Titration (전위차 적정법을 이용한 인산형 양이온교환수지의 특성 계산)

  • Kim, T.I.;Son, W.K.
    • Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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    • v.10 no.6
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    • pp.871-875
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    • 1999
  • We calculated the characteristics of a phosphoric cation exchanger and studied on an accurately computable method to determine the ion exchange capacity for type of potentiometric titration curve. The ion exchanger was prepared by phosphorylation of a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer with 4% crosslinking. The ion exchange capacity is 5.7 meq/g. The experimental pK values versus ${\mathit{x}}$ in phosphoric cation exchanger can be expressed as a linear equation. The ${\Delta}pK$ values were obtained from the slope of linear equation. The ${\Delta}pK$ values are the differences of antilogarithms(pK) values of the apparent equilibrium constant at complete and zeroth neutralization of the ion exchanger. Also the experimental pK values at ${\mathit{x}}=0.5$ were accorded well with theoretical data. And when it is titrated with NaOH and $Ba(OH)_2$ solutions, a good agreement between experimental and theoretical pK values for various ${\mathit{x}}$ was seen in all the potentiometric titration curves. We knew that the inflection point of potentiometric titration curve in the case of divalent ions are changed much large than that for monovalent ions. If the relation between g values and ${\partial}pH/{\partial}g$ was plotted to the Lorentz distribution curve, ion exchange capacity can be accurately evaluated.

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Video Compression using Characteristics of Wavelet Coefficients (웨이브렛 계수의 특성을 이용한 비디오 영상 압축)

  • 문종현;방만원
    • Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.45-54
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    • 2002
  • This paper proposes a video compression algorithm using characteristics of wavelet coefficients. The proposed algorithm can provide lowed bit rate and faster running time while guaranteeing the reconstructed image qualify by the human virtual system. In this approach, each video sequence is decomposed into a pyramid structure of subimages with various resolution to use multiresolution capability of discrete wavelet transform. Then similarities between two neighboring frames are obtained from a low-frequency subband which Includes an important information of an image and motion informations are extracted from the similarity criteria. Four legion selection filters are designed according to the similarity criteria and compression processes are carried out by encoding the coefficients In preservation legions and replacement regions of high-frequency subbands. Region selection filters classify the high-frequency subbands Into preservation regions and replacement regions based on the similarity criteria and the coefficients In replacement regions are replaced by that of a reference frame or reduced to zero according to block-based similarities between a reference frame and successive frames. Encoding is carried out by quantizing and arithmetic encoding the wavelet coefficients in preservation regions and replacement regions separately. A reference frame is updated at the bottom point If the curve of similarity rates looks like concave pattern. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm provides high compression ratio with proper Image quality. It also outperforms the previous Milton's algorithm in an Image quality, compression ratio and running time, leading to compression ratio less than 0.2bpp. PSNR of 32 dB and running tome of 10ms for a standard video image of size 352${\times}$240 pixels.