• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.371-378
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the eight topics in TIMSS 2019 8th grade chemistry domains and the Korea 2009 Revised Science Curriculum and the 2015 Revised Science Curriculum. For this purpose, four elementary and four secondary teachers participated in physics, chemistry, biology and earth science majors, and two science education experts participated in analyzing in which grades the content elements of the TIMSS 2019 science framework are covered in the Korean science curriculum. The study also analyzed whether the content of the Korean science curriculum matches the 246 items of 8th grade in the TIMSS 2019 assessment and reflects in which grades the eight topics are covered. The results of this study are as follows. First, among the TIMSS 2019 evaluation topics, topics not covered at all in the Korean middle school curriculum were periodic table, matter and energy in chemical reactions, the role of electrons in chemical bonds. Second, the topic of "the periodic table as an organizing principle for the known elements" needs to be introduced in the Korean middle school curriculum, and topics such as "familiar exothermic and endothermic reactions" and "factors affecting the reaction rates" need to be discussed in consideration of the flow of international curricula. Third, the next science curriculum should be structured so that the sequence of chemistry contents and scope, especially core concepts to be included in the elementary, secondary, and higher education curriculum is linked to continuity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.904-914
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• 2020

Through the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, South Korea is trying to support the "Building Project for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Bunkering Ship," centered on the Korea Gas Corporation, while the Ministry of Maritime Af airs and Fisheries is pushing to construct an LNG bunkering terminal at Busan New Port. LNG bunkering ships are essential for supplying LNG fuel from the terminal to the ships, resulting in the need for safety operation procedures. Therefore, in this study, the stability of a coastal LNG bunkering ship operating from Busan New Port to the anchorage in Busan Port was assessed to investigate the need for operational procedures for coastal LNG bunkering ships. Seakeeping analysis of the LNG bunkering ship was performed for each significant wave height by combining the response amplitude operator from the ship motion analysis under the potential flow theory with the actual observed sea data for five years and Texel, Marsen, and Arsloe (TMA) spectrum suitable for the Busan coast. The results showed that the roll and horizontal acceleration were the main risks that affected the navigation seakeeping performance above a significance wave height of 2 m. The operational periods of the LNG bunkering ship ranged from 83.3% to 99.9% of the total observation period.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.969-983
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• 2021

Evapotranspiration, one of the hydrometeorological components, is considered an important variable for water resource planning and management and is primarily used as input data for hydrological models such as water balance models. The FAO56 PM method has been recommended as a standard approach to estimate the reference evapotranspiration with relatively high accuracy. However, the FAO56 PM method is often challenging to apply because it requires considerable hydrometeorological variables. In this perspective, the Hargreaves equation has been widely adopted to estimate the reference evapotranspiration. In this study, a set of parameters of the Hargreaves equation was calibrated with relatively long-term data within a Bayesian framework. Statistical index (CC, RMSE, IoA) is used to validate the model. RMSE for monthly results reduced from 7.94 ~ 24.91 mm/month to 7.94 ~ 24.91 mm/month for the validation period. The results confirmed that the accuracy was significantly improved compared to the existing Hargreaves equation. Further, the evaporative demand drought index (EDDI) based on the evaporative demand (E₀) was proposed. To confirm the effectiveness of the EDDI, this study evaluated the estimated EDDI for the recent drought events from 2014 to 2015 and 2018, along with precipitation and SPI. As a result of the evaluation of the Han-river watershed in 2018, the weekly EDDI increased to more than 2 and it was confirmed that EDDI more effectively detects the onset of drought caused by heatwaves. EDDI can be used as a drought index, particularly for heatwave-driven flash drought monitoring and along with SPI.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.96-106
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• 2022

Objective : The most common complication of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is cage subsidence and maintenance of disc height affects postoperative clinical outcomes. We considered cage subsidence as an inappropriate indicator for evaluating preservation of disc height. Thus, this study aimed to consider patients with complications such as reduced total disc height compared to that before surgery and evaluate the relevance of several factors before ACDF. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 40 patients who underwent stand-alone single-level ACDF using a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage at our institution between January 2012 and December 2018. Our study population comprised 19 male and 21 female patients aged 24-70 years. The minimum follow-up period was 1 year. Twenty-seven patients had preoperative bone mineral density (BMD) data on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Clinical parameters included sex, age, body mass index, smoking history, and prior medical history. Radiologic parameters included the C2-7 cobb angle, segmental angle, sagittal vertical axis, disc height, and total intervertebral height (TIH) at the preoperative and postoperative periods. Cage decrement was defined as the reduction in TIH at the 6-month follow-up compared to preoperative TIH. To evaluate the bone quality, Hounsfield unit (HU) value was calculated in the axial and sagittal images of conventional computed tomography. Results : Lumbar BMD values and cervical HU values were significantly correlated (r=0.733, p<0.001). We divided the patients into two groups based on cage decrement, and 47.5% of the total patients were regarded as cage decrement. There were statistically significant differences in the parameters of measuring the HU value of the vertebra and intraoperative distraction between the two groups. Using these identified factors, we performed a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Based on the ROC curve, the cut-off point was 530 at the HU value of the upper cortical and cancellous vertebrae (p=0.014; area under the curve [AUC], 0.727; sensitivity, 94.7%; specificity, 42.9%) and 22.41 at intraoperative distraction (p=0.017; AUC, 0.722; sensitivity, 85.7%; specificity, 57.9%). Using this value, we converted these parameters into a bifurcated variable and assessed the multinomial regression analysis to evaluate the risk factors for cage decrement in ACDF. Intraoperative distraction and HU value of the upper vertebral body were independent factors of postoperative subsidence. Conclusion : Insufficient intraoperative distraction and low HU value showed a strong relationship with postoperative intervertebral height reduction following single stand-alone PEEK cage ACDF.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.205-222
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• 2022

Objectives: This study examined the characteristics of patients according to nutritional status assessed by five nutritional screening tools: Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), NUTRISCORE, Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) and to compare the agreement, sensitivity, and specificity of these tools. Methods: A total of 952 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy and chemotherapy from January 2009 to December 2012 were included. The patients were categorized into malnutrition and normal status according to five nutritional screening tools one month after surgery. The Spearman partial correlation, Cohen's Kappa coefficient, the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of each two screening tools were calculated. Results: Malnutrition was observed in 86.24% of patients based on the PG-SGA and 85.82% based on the NUTRISCORE. When NRI or CONUT were applied, the proportions of malnutrition were < 30%. Patients with malnutrition had lower intakes of energy and protein than normal patients when assessed using the PG-SGA, NUTRISCORE, or NRI. Lower levels of albumin, hemoglobin, total lymphocyte count, and total cholesterol and longer postoperative hospital stays were observed among patients with malnutrition compared to normal patients when NRI, PNI, or CONUT were applied. Relatively high agreement for NUTRISCORE relative to PG-SGA was found; the sensitivity was 90.86%, and the AUC was 0.78. When NRI, PNI, and CONUT were compared, the sensitivities were 23.72% for PNI relative to NRI, 44.53% for CONUT relative to NRI, and 90.91% for CONUT relative to PNI. The AUCs were 0.95 for NRI relative to PNI and 0.91 for CONUT relative to PNI. Conclusions: NUTRISCORE had a high sensitivity compared to PG-SGA, and CONUT had a high sensitivity compared to PNI. NRI had a high specificity compared to PNI. This relatively high sensitivity and specificity resulted in 77.00% agreement between PNI and CONUT and 77.94% agreement between NRI and PNI. Further cohort studies will be needed to determine if the nutritional status assessed by PG-SGA, NUTRISCORE, NRI, PNI, and CONUT predicts the gastric cancer prognosis.

• Atmosphere
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.103-118
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• 2022

This study evaluates the simulated meteorological fields with a particular focus on the low-level wind, which plays an important role in air pollutants dispersion, under the varying synoptic environment. Additionally, the effects of subgrid-scale orography parameterization and improved topography/land-use data on the simulated low-level wind is investigated. The WRF model version 4.1.3 is utilized to simulate two cases that were affected by different synoptic environments. One case from 2 to 6 April 2012 presents the substantial low-level wind speed over the Korean peninsula where the synoptic environment is characterized by the baroclinic instability. The other case from 14 to 18 April 2012 presents the relatively weak low-level wind speed and distinct diurnal cycle of low-level meteorological fields. The control simulations of both cases represent the systematic overestimation of the low-level wind speed. The positive bias for the case under the baroclinic instability is considerably alleviated by applying the subgrid-scale orography parameterization. However, the improvement of wind speed for the other case showing relatively weak low-level wind speed is not significant. Applying the high-resolution topography and land-use data also improves the simulated wind speed by reducing the positive bias. Our analysis shows that the increased roughness length in the high-resolution topography and land-use data is the key contributor that reduces the simulated wind speed. The simulated wind direction is also improved with the high-resolution data for both cases. Overall, our study indicates that wind forecasts can be improved through the application of the subgrid-scale orography parameterization and high-resolution topography/land-use data.

• Journal of International Area Studies (JIAS)
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.135-156
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• 2009

The two waves of EU enlargement in 2004 and 2007, have been milestones of European integration. While research has been conducted into the impact of these events on both the European and the global economies,1 there have been few attempts to assess the effects of EU enlargement and the introduction of the euro on countries such as Russia, which neighbour the EU but currently have no perspective of accession. This paper aims to provide an assessment of the effects that EU enlargement and the introduction of the euro have had on Russia, the largest country neighbouring the EU. In particular, it focuses on trade and investment links between the EU and Russia, as well as the use of the energy by Russian residents and authorities. Economic links between Russia and the EU are found to have strengthened considerably in the areas of trade, investment and other financial flows in recent years. Strong growth, particularly in Russia, as well as the high price of oil and gas, Russia's major export items, has facilitated this expansion of trade and finance. Moreover, available data do not suggest that EU enlargement has had a negative impact on Russia in terms of trade or investment diversion. Thus, the strategic partnership between Russia and the EU has been increasingly underpinned by an expansion of cross-border economic activities. Thus, the paper contributes to two broad strands of literature on this subject, namely the impact of regional trade and economic arrangements on non-member countries and the international role of currencies.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.1460-1467
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• 2023

A robust approach was conducted to determining the absolute oral bioavailable (f_ab) fractions of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th in rats exposed to contaminated soil along with their hematotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The soil sample is the International Atomic Energy Agency-312 (IAEA-312) certified reference material, whereas blood, bones, and kidneys of in vivo female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats estimate ²³⁸U- and ²³²Th-f_ab fractions post-exposure. We predict the bioavailable concentration (C_ab) and f_ab values of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th after acute soil ingestion. The blood ²³⁸U (0.750%) and ²³²Th (0.028%) reach their maximum f_ab values after 48 h. The ²³⁸U (f_ab: 0.169-0.652%) accumulates mostly in the kidney, whereas the ²³²Th (f_ab: 0.004-0.021%) accumulates primarily in the bone. Additionally, ²³⁸U is more bioavailable than ²³²Th. Post 48 h acute ingestion demonstrates noticeable histopathological and hematological alterations, implying that intake of ²³⁸U in co-contaminated soil can lead to erythrocytes and proximal tubules damage, whereas, ²³²Th intake can harm erythrocytes. Our study provides new directions for future research into the health implications of acute oral exposures to ²³⁸U and ²³²Th in co-contaminated soils. The findings offer significant insight into the utilization of in vivo SD rat testing to estimate ²³⁸U and ²³²Th bioavailability and toxicity in exposure assessment.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.69-76
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• 2023

Cavity causes settlement and its remediation after an accident results in significant time and economic losses. This study aims to experimentally evaluate the prospect of using infrared camera to detect and measure underground subsidence. Emissivity is necessary to detect the energy emitted from an object and accurately assess temperature using an infrared camera. The emissivity in laboratory tests is fixed to evaluate a reasonable distance between the infrared camera and the object, and temperature values are assessed at various distances. In field experiments, the cavity of the field experiment is simulated using a PVC pipe with a diameter of 5 cm, artificially buried at depths of 5 and 25 cm from the surface. The infrared camera measurements are taken from 4 PM to 3 PM of the next day (a total of 23 h). The analysis included the time-series temperature distribution and the cooling rate index assessment, which represents the temperature change rate per unit of time. The results showed that various temperature trends are observed depending on the location of the subsidence. This study demonstrates that the infrared camera can be used to assess the condition of the subsurface.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.394-407
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• 2023

Ecological restoration is an ecological technology that diagnoses problematic ecological spaces and restores the damaged ecosystem to a healthy appearance similar to its original appearance based on reference information obtained by analyzing intact nature. To achieve successful restoration, the project must be carried out in respect of a series of procedures. However, in Korea, restoration projects are usually actively promoted regardless of diagnostic evaluation, which wastes cost and energy, and the effect is not significant. As the reference information is not utilized, ecological restoration to return the damaged nature makes features different greatly from the appearance of nature, causing another damage. As the restoration effect is not evaluated, it is impossible to determine whether it is successful or not, and as a result, even if the project continues, there is no development and no effect. However, advanced societies have not only made academic progress by respecting these procedures but also have great economic effects along with the improvement of environmental conditions as ecological restoration has become an industry. Therefore, the international society recognizes ecological restoration as an important means of solving environmental problems at the global level, including climate change, and international organizations are actively promoting projects to treat the injured planet. However, most of the restoration projects promoted in Korea were evaluated below the level as a result of the evaluation of the effect. Nevertheless, those who have led low-quality projects are blocking plans to establish ecological restoration as a new industry that can contribute significantly to improving these levels, and thus the problem is expected to worsen. To solve this problem, it is necessary to filter out defective businesses by introducing a strict and correct project evaluation system by dividing it into before and after. Furthermore, it is necessary to establish ecological restoration as an industry and leave the process in the principles of the market.