• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2019

River water quality and organisms have a very close relationship with the human living environment and health, so it is very important to ensure and maintain the ecological integrity of the aquatic ecosystem. In that sense, benthic diatoms have relatively little mobility, can explain the effects of long-term exposed pollution sources, and are very suitable indicator organisms for river ecosystem evaluation. Diatom ecologists have been developed various diatom indices to assess water quality and stream ecosystem over the world. However, they so far have insufficient identification of taxa, are strongly regional, and are difficult to apply as they are domestically. Unfortunately, there has not been developed an independent diatom index suitable for the Korean stream. Therefore, management of water quality and aquatic ecosystem suitable for domestic rivers can be made, and development or improvement of comprehensive multivariate diatom index for the integrated assessment of water quality and aquatic ecosystem is urgently needed.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.73-88
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• 2021

The community structure and health status of macrobenthos assemblages were investigated in the subtidal area of the Nakdong River estuary, Southern Coast of Korea. Benthic fauna samples were collected seasonally at 8 stations in the subtidal area of the Nakdong River estuary from February 2013 to October 2015. During the survey, a total of 380 species and 4,603 ind./m² of macrobenthos in all sampling areas were collected. The major dominant species were the polychaetes Minuspio japonica, Pseudopolydora kempi, Heteromastus filifomis, Capitella capitata, the amphipod Grandidierella japonica and the bivalvia Arcuatula senhousia. Some species of polychaetes found in the study area consisted of opportunistic species that showed high densities when habitat condition was poor. On the other hand, macrobenthos assemblages in the study area were divided into brackish water and marine groups. Abundance was high in the brackish group, while the number of species and diversity index were high in the oceanic group. The three indices (AMBI, M-AMBI, and BHI) in the assessment of health levels based on the ecological characteristics and number of species in macrobenthic were commonly shown to be in good condition in the group of oceanic stations, while relatively poor conditions were reflected in the group of brackish stations. Compared to other indices, the M-AMBI index of the three indices for health assessment was considered to be a relatively more suitable one to assess benthic ecological conditions.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.99-120
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• 2023

The community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates in Upo wetland was identified, and the biological water quality was evaluated. In addition, through statistical analysis of current and literature data, ecological changes over time were evaluated for each wetland. Benthos were quantitatively collected in March, June, and September of 2020 and 2021, and 4 phyla, 5 classes, 16 orders, 42 families, 81 species and 3,406 individuals were identified. In the functional feeding group of Upo wetland, predators were dominant with 34 species (45.95%) and 1,504 individuals (41.84%). In the habitual dwelling group, sprawlers and swimmers showed the highest proportion in the number of species and individuals. Average biological indices in Mokpo and Upo were the highest and lowest, respectively, and it is considered that Mokpo maintains the healthy ecosystem for benthic macroinvertebrates. Community stability was high in Upo, and other wetlands are thought to be stabilizing. The ecological score of benthic macroinvertebrate community is considered to be more suitable index among three biological water quality evaluation indices for the environmental evaluation of Upo wetland. The evaluation results on changes in environmental quality showed that Upo has stable ecosystem without significant change, Mokpo and Sajipo have significant increases in some indices.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2009

Objectives : Thyroid function is associated with psychiatric disturbance such as mood symptoms, cognitive functions, anxiety and sleep problem. We evaluate the effects of thyroid dysfunction on negative symptoms of schizophrenia, mood symptoms and somatic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Methods : Sixty five patients with schizophrenia were recruited. The patients were classified into two groups; the patients with the history of abnormal thyroid indices level(group of abnormal thyroid function) and the patients without the history of normal thyroid indices level(group of normal thyroid function). At baseline and 8 weeks later, psychiatric symptoms were assessed with the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms(SAPS), and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), Somatosensory Amplication Scale(SSAS). Results : During 8 weeks, there were significant differences in the changes of SANS, BDI, SSAS between group of abnormal thyroid function and group of normal thyroid function. Compared to group of normal thyroid function, group of abnormal thyroid function showed greater reduction of the scores of SANS(23.3%), BDI (19.6%), and SSAS(16.2%), respectively. However, there was no significant correlation between the scores of SANS, BDI, and SSAS. Conclusion : Our study suggested that abnormal thyroid indices would predict the prognosis of negative symptoms, mood symptoms, and somatic symtpoms in patients with schizophrenia.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.92-101
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• 2016

Objectives: Outdoor workers are exposed to thermally stressful work environments. In this study, heat stress indices for harbor workers in summer were calculated to evaluate thermal comfort based on a human heat balance model. These indices are Physiological Subjective Temperature (PST), Dehydration Risk (DhR), and Overheating Risk (OhR) according to respective stage of cargo work in a harbor. In addition, we constructed a forecast system to provide heat stress information. Methods: Thermophysiological indices in this study were calculated using the MENEX model (i.e. the human heat balance model), which used as inputs the meteorological parameters, clothing insulation, and metabolic rate for each stage of cargo work in the harbor of Masan over the course of seven days, including a four-day heat wave. The forecast heat stress information constructed for Masan harbor was based on meteorological data supported by the Dong-Nae Forecast from the KMA (Korea Metrological Administration) and other input parameters. Results: According to higher metabolic rate, thermophysiological indices showed a critical level. In particular, PST was evaluated as reaching the 'Very hot' or 'Hot' level during all seven days, despite the heat occurring over only four. It is important in a regard to consider the work environment conditions (i.e. labor intensity and clothing in harbor). On a webpage, the forecast thermophysiological indices show as infographics to be easily understand. This webpage is comprised of indices for both current conditions and the forecast, with brief guidance. Conclusion: Thermophysiological indices show the risk level to health during a heat wave period. Heat stress information could help to protect the health of harbor workers. Further, this study could extend the applicability of these indices to a variety of outdoor workers in consideration of work environments.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.1-23
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• 2018

This study aims to propose a way for evaluating thermal environment vulnerability associated with policy to improve thermal environment. For this purpose, a variety of indices concerning thermal vulnerability assessment and adaptation policies for climate change applied to 17 Korean cities were reviewed and examined. Finally, 15 indices associated with policies for improving thermal environment were selected. The selected indices for thermal vulnerability assessment were applied to Daegu Metropolitan City of South Korea as a case study. As results, 15 vulnerability maps based on the standardized indices were established, and a comprehensive map with four grades of thermal vulnerability were established for Daegu Metropolitan City. As results, the area with the highest rated area in the first-grade(most vulnerable to heat) was Dong-gu, followed by Dalseo-gu and Buk-gu, and the highest area ratio of the first-grade regions was Ansim-1-dong in Dong-gu. Based on the standardized indices, the causes of the thermal environment vulnerability of Ansim-1-dong were accounted for the number of basic livelihood security recipients, the number of cardiovascular disease deaths, heat index, and Earth's surface temperature. To improve the thermal environment vulnerability of Ansim-1-dong, active policy implementation is required in expansion and maintenance of heat wave shelters, establishment of database for the population with diseases susceptible to high temperature environments, expansion of shade areas and so on. This study shows the applicability of the vulnerability assessment method linked with the policies and is expected to contribute to the strategic and effective establishment of thermal environment policies in urban master district plans.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.37-46
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• 2012

The change of rainfall pattern and hydrologic factors due to climate change increases the occurrence probability of agricultural reservoir water shortage. Water supply assessment of reservoir is usually performed current reservoir level compared to historical water levels or the simulation of reservoir operation based on the water budget analysis. Since each reservoir has the native property for watershed, irrigation district and irrigation water requirement, it is necessary to improve the assessment methods of agricultural reservoir water capability about water resources system. This study proposed a practical methods that water supply vulnerability assessment for an agricultural reservoir based on a concept of probabilistic reliability. The vulnerability assessment of water supply is calculated from probability distribution of water demand condition and water supply condition that influences on water resources management and reservoir operations. The water supply vulnerability indices are estimated to evaluate the performance of water supply on agricultural reservoir system, and thus it is recommended a more objective method to evaluate water supply reliability.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1043-1064
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• 2020

A kind of Subjective Imaging Effect Assessment (SIEA) method and its applications on intelligent imaging terminal design in engineering site are presented. First, some visual assessment indices are used to characterize the imaging effect: the image brightness, the image brightness uniformity, the color image contrast, the image edge blur, the image color difference, the image saturation, the image noise, and the integrated imaging effect index. A linear weighted function is employed to carry out the SIEA computation and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique is used to estimate its weights. Second, a SIEA software is developed. It can play images after the settings of assessment index or assessment reaction time, etc. Third, two cases are used to illustrate the application effects of proposed method: the image enhancement system design for surveillance camera and the imaging environment perception system design for intelligent lighting terminal. A Prior Sequential Stimulus (PSS) experiment is proposed to improve the evaluation stability of SIEA method. Many experiment results have shown the proposed method can realize a stable system design or parameters setting for the intelligent imaging terminal in engineering site.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.83-97
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• 2009

The objects of study is to propose criteria for physical river disturbance assessment and as case study to show the application results for river improvement. For this purpose, the river disturbance assessment method for past disturbance process and the present-day potential natural state of stream is proposed. To assess the disturbance of the Youngcheon River caused by river improvement, One ares of Nam River was selected for the reference reach and two areas of Youngcheon River were selected for the comparison reach. And these reaches were surveyed and analyzed according to applying criteria of the river disturbances assessment. The assessment indices were physical factors as like epifaunal (bottom), embededness, velocity/depth regime, sediment deposition, channel flow status, channel alteration, frequency of riffles, bank stability, vegetative protection and riparian zone etc. The results showed that physical river environment in Youngcheon River area was disturbed by artificial revetment and bed excavation, consequently this disturbance give rise to impact of ecosystem in river. Hereafter, the criteria for river disturbance assessment are needed to consider various river characters as bed materials and bed slop etc.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.108-125
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• 2015

The agro-climatic index is one of the ways to assess the climate resources of particular agricultural areas on the prospect of agricultural production; it can be a key indicator of agricultural productivity by providing the basic information required for the implementation of different and various farming techniques and practicalities to estimate the growth and yield of crops from the climate resources such as air temperature, solar radiation, and precipitation. However, the agro-climate index can always be changed since the index is not the absolute. Recently, many studies which consider uncertainty of future climate change have been actively conducted using multi-model ensemble (MME) approach by developing and improving dynamic and statistical downscaling of Global Climate Model (GCM) output. In this study, the agro-climatic index of Korean Peninsula, such as growing degree day based on $5^{\circ}C$, plant period based on $5^{\circ}C$, crop period based on $10^{\circ}C$, and frost free day were calculated for assessment of the spatio-temporal variations and uncertainties of the indices according to climate change; the downscaled historical (1976-2005) and near future (2011-2040) RCP climate sceneries of AR5 were applied to the calculation of the index. The result showed four agro-climatic indices calculated by nine individual GCMs as well as MME agreed with agro-climatic indices which were calculated by the observed data. It was confirmed that MME, as well as each individual GCM emulated well on past climate in the four major Rivers of South Korea (Han, Nakdong, Geum, and Seumjin and Yeoungsan). However, spatial downscaling still needs further improvement since the agro-climatic indices of some individual GCMs showed different variations with the observed indices at the change of spatial distribution of the four Rivers. The four agro-climatic indices of the Korean Peninsula were expected to increase in nine individual GCMs and MME in future climate scenarios. The differences and uncertainties of the agro-climatic indices have not been reduced on the unlimited coupling of multi-model ensembles. Further research is still required although the differences started to improve when combining of three or four individual GCMs in the study. The agro-climatic indices which were derived and evaluated in the study will be the baseline for the assessment of agro-climatic abnormal indices and agro-productivity indices of the next research work.