• Title/Summary/Keyword: linear system

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The Comparison of the Solar Radiation and the Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT) under the Shade of Landscaping Trees in Summertime (하절기 조경용 녹음수 수관 하부의 일사와 평균복사온도 비교)

  • Lee, Chun-Seok;Ryu, Nam-Hyung
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.42 no.5
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    • pp.22-30
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    • 2014
  • The purpose of this study was to compare the Solar Radiation(SR) and the Mean Radiant Temperature(MRT) under the shades of the three landscaping trees in clear summer daytimes. The trees were Lagerstroemia indica, Quercus palustris and Ulmus parvifolia. The solar radiation, the globe temperature and the air temperature were recorded every minute from the $1^{st}$ of April to the $30^{th}$ of September 2013 at a height of 1.1m above on the four monitoring stations, with four same measuring system consisting of a solar radiation sensor, two resistance temperature detectors(Pt-100), a black brass globe (${\phi}50mm$) and data acquisition systems. At the same time, the sky view photos were taken automatically hourly by three scouting cameras(lens angle: $60^{\circ}$) fixed at each monitoring station. Based on the 258 daily sky view photos and 6,640 records of middays(10 A.M.~2 P.M.) from the $1^{st}$ of June to the $30^{th}$ of August, the time serial differences of SR and MRT under the trees were analysed and compared with those of open sky, The major findings were as follows; 1. The average ratio of sky views screened by the canopies of Quercus palustris, Lagerstroemia indica and Ulmus parvifolia were 99%, 98% and 97%, and the SR were $106W/m^2$, $163W/m^2$ and $202W/m^2$ respectively, while the SR of open sky was $823W/m^2$. Which shows the canopies blocked at least 70% of natural SR. 2. The average MRT under the canopies of Quercus palustris, Lagerstroemia indica and Ulmus parvifolia were $30.34^{\circ}C$, $33.34^{\circ}C$ and $34.77^{\circ}C$ respectively, while that of open sky was $46.0^{\circ}C$. Therefore, it can be said that the tree canopies can reduce the MRT around $10{\sim}16^{\circ}C$. 3. The regression test showed significant linear relationship between the SR and MRT. In summary, the performances of the landscaping shade trees were very good at screening the SR and reducing the MRT at the outdoor of summer middays. Therefore, it can be apparently said that the more shade trees or forest at the outdoor, the more effective in conditioning the outdoor space reducing the MRT and the useless SR for human activities in summertime.

Objective Analysis of the Set-up Error and Tumor Movement in Lung Cancer Patients using Electronic Portal Imaging Device (폐암 환자에서 Electronic Portal Imaging Device를 이용한 자세 오차 및 종양 이동 거리의 객관적 측정)

  • Kim, Woo-Cheol;Chung, Eun-Ji;Lee, Chang-Geol;Chu, Sung-Sil;Kim, Gwi-Eon
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.69-76
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    • 1996
  • Purpose : The aim of this study is to investigate the random and systematic errors and tumor movement using electronic portal imaging device in lung cancer patients for the adequate margin in the treatment planning of 3-dimensional conformal therapy. Material and Methods : The electronic portal imaging device is matrix ion chamber type(Portal Vision, Varian). Ten patients of lung cancer treated with chest irradiation were selected for this study. Patients were treated in the supine position without immobilization device. All treatments were delivered by an 10 MV linear accelerator that had the portal imaging system mounted to its ganrty. AP or PA field Portal images were only analyzed. Radiation therapy field included the tumor, mediastinum and supraclavicular lymph nodes. A total of 103 portal images were analyzed for set-up deviation and 10 multiple images were analyzed for tumor movement because of respiration and cardiac motion. Result : The average values of setup displacements in the x, y direction was 1.41 mm, 1 78 mm, respectively. The standard deviation of systematic component was 4.63 mm, 4.11 mm along the x, y axis, respectively while the random component was 4.17 mm in the x direction and 3.31 mm in the y direction. The average displacement from respiratory movement was 12.2 mm with a standard deviation of 4.03 mm. Conclusion : The overall set-up displacement includes both random and systematic component and respiratory movement. About 10 mm, 25 mm margins along x, y axis which considered the set-up displacement and tumor movement were required for initial 3-dimensional conformal treatment planning in the lung cancer patients and portal images should be made and analyzed during first week of treatment, individually.

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Dose Distribution and Characterization for Radiation Fields of Multileaf Collimateor System (방사선 입체조형치료용 다엽콜리메이터의 특성과 조직내 선량분포 측정)

  • Chu, Sung-Sil;Kim, Gwi-Eon
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.77-85
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    • 1996
  • Purpose : Multileaf collimator(MLC) is very suitable tool for conformal radio-therapy and commissioning measurements for a multileaf collimator installed on a dual energy accelerator with 6 and 10MV photons are required, For modeling the collimator with treament planning software, detailed dosimetric characterization of the multileaf collimator including the penumbra width, leaf transmission between leaf leakage and localization of the leaf ends and sides is an essential requirement. materials and Methods : Measurement of characteristic data of the MLC with 26 pair block leaves installed on CLINAC 2100C linear accelerator was performed. Low sensitive radiographic film(X-omatV) was used for the penumbra measurement and separate experiments using radiographic film and thermoluminescent dosimeters were performed to verify the dose distribution, Measured films were analized with a photodensitometer of WP700i scanner. Results : For 6 & 10 MV x-ray energies, approximately $2.0\%$ of photons incident on the multileaf collimator were transmitted and an additional $0.5\%$ leakage occurs between the leaves. Localizing the physical end of the leaves showed less than 1mm deviation from the $50\%$ decrement line and this difference is attributed to the curved shaped end on the leaves One side of a sin히e leaf corresponded to the $50\%$ decrement line, but the opposite face was aligned with a lower value. This difference is due to the tongue and groove used to decrease between leaf leakage. Alignment of the leaves to form a straight edge resulted larger penumbra at far position from isocenter as compare with divergent alloy blocks. When the MLC edge is stepped by sloping field, the isodose lines follow the leaf pattern and Produce scalloping isodose curves in tissue. The effective penumbra by 45 degree stepped MLC is about 10mm at 10cm depth for 6MV x-ray. The difference of effective penumbra in deep tissue between MLC and divergent alloy blocks is small (5mm). Conclusion : Using the characteristic data of MLC, the MLC has the clinlical acceptability and suitability for 3-D conformal radiotherapy except small field size.

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Extending the Shelf-life of Yukwa Using Secondary Packaging (이차포장을 통한 유과의 저장성 연장)

  • Jung, Jun-Jae;Lee, Keun-Taik
    • Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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    • v.42 no.4
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    • pp.452-458
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    • 2010
  • This study aimed at improving the packaging technology of Yukwa to improve the quality and extend the shelflife using secondary packaging. After packaging the Yukwa using an OPP film, P2, P3, and P4 packaging materials were applied secondarily. Various films including (1) P1: OPP (oriented polypropylene), (2) P2: P1+OPP/LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene), (3) P3: P1+PET (polyethylene terephthalate)/NY (nylon)/CPP (cast polypropylene) and (4) P4: P1+PET/AL (aluminum)/NY/CPP (P4) were used for packaging Yukwa. The experiment was conducted at $25^{\circ}C$ for 12 weeks. P1 showed the highest acid value score (1.26 mg KOH/g), and P3 had the highest peroxide value score (32.91 meq/kg) among all packaging groups. Nevertheless, these values did not exceed the guideline values of 2.0 g KOH/g and 40 meq/kg specified in the Korean food code. The overall color difference showed a tendency for decreasing Hunter 'L' values and increasing 'a' and 'b' values; however, no noticeable difference in the outer appearance was observed in any of the packaging treatments except in the P1 for greater than 10 weeks of storage. Some texture defects were observed in the Yukwa when the moisture contents dropped below 5%. The P4 packaging treatment had the lowest moisture permeability and showed the least rheological deterioration change, followed by P3 and P2. In conclusion, the use of a secondary packaging with less gas and moisture permeability was more effective for maintaining the quality and extending the shelf-life of Yukwa than other types of packaging material.

Performance of Drip Irrigation System in Banana Cultuivation - Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

  • Kumar, K. Nirmal Ravi;Kumar, M. Suresh
    • Agribusiness and Information Management
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.17-26
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    • 2016
  • India is largest producer of banana in the world producing 29.72 million tonnes from an area of 0.803 million ha with a productivity of 35.7 MT ha-1 and accounted for 15.48 and 27.01 per cent of the world's area and production respectively (www.nhb.gov.in). In India, Tamil Nadu leads other states both in terms of area and production followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. In Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, Kurnool district had special reputation in the cultivation of banana in an area of 5765 hectares with an annual production of 2.01 lakh tonnes in the year 2012-13 and hence, it was purposively chosen for the study. On $23^{rd}$ November 2003, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has commenced a comprehensive project called 'Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project (APMIP)', first of its kind in the world so as to promote water use efficiency. APMIP is offering 100 per cent of subsidy in case of SC, ST and 90 per cent in case of other categories of farmers up to 5.0 acres of land. In case of acreage between 5-10 acres, 70 per cent subsidy and acreage above 10, 50 per cent of subsidy is given to the farmer beneficiaries. The sampling frame consists of Kurnool district, two mandals, four villages and 180 sample farmers comprising of 60 farmers each from Marginal (<1ha), Small (1-2ha) and Other (>2ha) categories. A well structured pre-tested schedule was employed to collect the requisite information pertaining to the performance of drip irrigation among the sample farmers and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model was employed to analyze the performance of drip irrigation in banana farms. The performance of drip irrigation was assessed based on the parameters like: Land Development Works (LDW), Fertigation costs (FC), Volume of water supplied (VWS), Annual maintenance costs of drip irrigation (AMC), Economic Status of the farmer (ES), Crop Productivity (CP) etc. The first four parameters are considered as inputs and last two as outputs for DEA modelling purposes. The findings revealed that, the number of farms operating at CRS are more in number in other farms (46.66%) followed by marginal (45%) and small farms (28.33%). Similarly, regarding the number of farmers operating at VRS, the other farms are again more in number with 61.66 per cent followed by marginal (53.33%) and small farms (35%). With reference to scale efficiency, marginal farms dominate the scenario with 57 per cent followed by others (55%) and small farms (50%). At pooled level, 26.11 per cent of the farms are being operated at CRS with an average technical efficiency score of 0.6138 i.e., 47 out of 180 farms. Nearly 40 per cent of the farmers at pooled level are being operated at VRS with an average technical efficiency score of 0.7241. As regards to scale efficiency, nearly 52 per cent of the farmers (94 out of 180 farmers) at pooled level, either performed at the optimum scale or were close to the optimum scale (farms having scale efficiency values equal to or more than 0.90). Majority of the farms (39.44%) are operating at IRS and only 29 per cent of the farmers are operating at DRS. This signifies that, more resources should be provided to these farms operating at IRS and the same should be decreased towards the farms operating at DRS. Nearly 32 per cent of the farms are operating at CRS indicating efficient utilization of resources. Log linear regression model was used to analyze the major determinants of input use efficiency in banana farms. The input variables considered under DEA model were again considered as influential factors for the CRS obtained for the three categories of farmers. Volume of water supplied ($X_1$) and fertigation cost ($X_2$) are the major determinants of banana farms across all the farmer categories and even at pooled level. In view of their positive influence on the CRS, it is essential to strengthen modern irrigation infrastructure like drip irrigation and offer more fertilizer subsidies to the farmer to enhance the crop production on cost-effective basis in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, India. This study further suggests that, the present era of Information Technology will help the irrigation management in the context of generating new techniques, extension, adoption and information. It will also guide the farmers in irrigation scheduling and quantifying the irrigation water requirements in accordance with the water availability in a particular season. So, it is high time for the Government of India to pay adequate attention towards the applications of 'Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and its applications in irrigation water management' for facilitating the deployment of Decision Supports Systems (DSSs) at various levels of planning and management of water resources in the country.

A Study on Growth Acceleration in Korean as Indirected by the Maximum Growth Age in Body Height (한국인(韓國人) 신장(身長)의 최대발육연령(最大發育年齡)으로 본 발육촉진현상(發育促進現象)의 추이(推移)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

  • Shin, Hyung-Gyun;Park, Soon-Young;Park, Yang-Won
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.173-192
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    • 1984
  • On the basis of the study intended to research by crosssectional study keeps pace with semilongitudinal study the growthaccelerating phenomena that Maximum Growth age in teenager's body-height. By the random sampling method, the subject of study are 12659 persons(male; 6355, female; 6304) that they are from 7 ages to 17 ages in the whole country including the rural community. The measurement period passed three month days, the statistical data became electronic data processing system with computer. The other side, body-height and MGA of Koreans who had been for during the period from 1925 to 1966 proved transition of the growth-accelerating phenomena by research data reported between 1913 and 1983. The results are as follows; 1. The Growth and Development-Value of Body-height An age bracket the growth and development-value of body-height were, respectively, male is $123.88{\pm}5.05cm$ and female is $123.29{\pm}5.54cm$ for 7 ages group. these indices increased with age. the top-value reach, respectively. $169.08{\pm}5.62cm$ and $157.57{\pm}6.13cm$. The intersecting ages of male and female were the age $8.5{\sim}12.5$, during these periods, female excelled male but after these periods, male excelled female again. In case of body-height, MGA's are 7.0cm for male between 12 and 13 ages, and 7.01cm for female between 8 and 9 ages. As a rule, body-height of male excelled female but intersection phenomena of male and female appeared between 8.5 and 12.5 ages. By reginal groups, it is most prevailing is Seoul, and medium size cities and rural community rome in order. By regional groups, intersection phenomena of male and female are. a region of Seoul; $$8.5{\sim}11.5$$ ages a region of Daejeon; $$7.5{\sim}9.5$$ ages rural community; $$11.5{\sim}14.5$$ ages the whole country's average; $$8.5{\sim}12.5$$ ages By regional groups, the rate of maximum increase in a year are a region of Seoul; male is 7.23cm as 13 ages female is 7.65cm as 9 ages. a region of Daejeon; male is 7.85cm as 11 ages. female is 8.39cm as 9 ages. rural community; male is 7.65cm as 14 ages. female is 6.25cm as 12 ages. the whole country's average; male is 7.0cm as 13 ages. female is 7.01 as 9 ages. 2. Maximum Growth Age (M.G.A.) By reginal groups, maximum Growth Age's are as below in a region of Seoul, MGA's are 12.63 for male and 9.01 for female, which shows that MGA for female appears about 3.5 years earlier than that for male. In a region of Daejeon, MGA's are 9.20 for male and 8.93 for female, which. show that they are all much the same in M.G.A. In rural community, MGA's are 14.00 for male and 11.89 for female, which shows that MGA for female apperars about 2 years earlier than that for male. In the whole average, MGA's are 13.01 for male and 8.97 for femal, which shows that for female appears about 4 years earlier than that for male. For boy, M.G.A. shows fastest-growing in Daejeon, and Seoul and rural commonly come in order. For girl, It shows equal growth in Seoul and Daejeon, rural community comes later. 3. The M.G.A's in body height of male are respectively the age 15.02 in 1913, 14.23 in 1956, 13.86 in 1967, 13.62 in 1975, and 12.82 in 1981, while those of female are the age 12.0 in 1940, 11.52 in 1965, 9.53 in 1975, and 11.16 in 1980; these data show that the MGA of the Koreans has been getting younger. 4. The equation of linear regression of all the MGA's in body height are as follow; Male: Y(M.G.A)=$-0.020{\times}$ (the year)+15.19: female:Y(MGA)=$-0.028{\times}$(the year)+13.2549. 5. The corelation of all the MGA's in body height are as below; male; r=-0.329 female;r=-0.252 6. From the transition of the growth-accelating phenomena in 1980 we can capture the fact that the MGA's has been getting younger by 0.2 year per 10 years. 7. The MGA's in bodyheight are shown in table 4... 8. The future growth-accelating phenomena in body height are expected to show the similar tendency like that of the past, in 1910's but it should by more precisely reviewed after investigating the phenomena of the years directly ahead.

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The PRISM-based Rainfall Mapping at an Enhanced Grid Cell Resolution in Complex Terrain (복잡지형 고해상도 격자망에서의 PRISM 기반 강수추정법)

  • Chung, U-Ran;Yun, Kyung-Dahm;Cho, Kyung-Sook;Yi, Jae-Hyun;Yun, Jin-I.
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.72-78
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    • 2009
  • The demand for rainfall data in gridded digital formats has increased in recent years due to the close linkage between hydrological models and decision support systems using the geographic information system. One of the most widely used tools for digital rainfall mapping is the PRISM (parameter-elevation regressions on independent slopes model) which uses point data (rain gauge stations), a digital elevation model (DEM), and other spatial datasets to generate repeatable estimates of monthly and annual precipitation. In the PRISM, rain gauge stations are assigned with weights that account for other climatically important factors besides elevation, and aspects and the topographic exposure are simulated by dividing the terrain into topographic facets. The size of facet or grid cell resolution is determined by the density of rain gauge stations and a $5{\times}5km$ grid cell is considered as the lowest limit under the situation in Korea. The PRISM algorithms using a 270m DEM for South Korea were implemented in a script language environment (Python) and relevant weights for each 270m grid cell were derived from the monthly data from 432 official rain gauge stations. Weighted monthly precipitation data from at least 5 nearby stations for each grid cell were regressed to the elevation and the selected linear regression equations with the 270m DEM were used to generate a digital precipitation map of South Korea at 270m resolution. Among 1.25 million grid cells, precipitation estimates at 166 cells, where the measurements were made by the Korea Water Corporation rain gauge network, were extracted and the monthly estimation errors were evaluated. An average of 10% reduction in the root mean square error (RMSE) was found for any months with more than 100mm monthly precipitation compared to the RMSE associated with the original 5km PRISM estimates. This modified PRISM may be used for rainfall mapping in rainy season (May to September) at much higher spatial resolution than the original PRISM without losing the data accuracy.

Petrogenetic Study on the Foliated Granitoids in the Chonju and the Sunchang area (II) - In the Light of Sr and Nd Isotopic Properites - (전주 및 순창지역에 분포하는 엽리상 화강암류의 성인에 대한 연구 (II) - Sr 및 Nd 동위원소적 특성을 중심으로 -)

  • Na, Choon-Ki;Lee, In-Seong;Chung, Jae-Il
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.249-262
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    • 1997
  • The Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of two foliated granitic plutons located in the Chonju and Sunchang area were determined in order to reconfirm the intrusion ages of granitoids and to study the sources of granitic magmas. The best defined Rb-Sr isochron for the whole rock samples of the Chonju foliated granite (CFGR) give an age of $284{\pm}12Ma$, suggesting early Permian intrusion age. In contrast, the whole rock Rb-Sr data of the Sunchang foliated granite (SFGR) scatter widely on the isochron diagram with very little variation in the $^{87}Rb/^{86}Sr$ ratios and, therefore, yield no reliable age information. Futhermore they show the concordance of mineral and whole rock Rb-Sr isochron and divide into two linear groups with roughly the same slopes and significantly different $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratios, indicating some kind of Rb-Sr distortion in whole rock scale and a difference in source material and/or magmatic evolution between two subsets. The reconstructed isochrons of 243 Ma, which was defined from the proposed data by the omission of one sample point with significantly higher $^{87}Rb/^{86}Sr$ ratio than the others, and 252 Ma, from the combined data of it and some of this study, strongly suggest the possibility that the SFGR was intruded appreciably earlier than had previously been proposed, although the reliability of these ages still questionable owing to high scatter of data points and, therefore, further study is necessary. All mineral isochrons for the investigated granites show the Jurassic to early Cretaceous thermal episode ranging from 160 Ma to 120 Ma Their corresponding initial $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratios correlate well with their whole rock data, indicating that the mineral Rb-Sr system of the investigated granites was redistributed by the postmagmatic thermal event during Jurassic to early Cretaceous. The initial ${\varepsilon}Sr$ values for the CFGR (64.27 to 94.81) tend to be significantly lower than those for the SFGR (125.43 to 167.09). Thus it is likely that there is a marked difference in the magma source characteristics between the CFGR and the SFGR, although the possibility of an isotopic resetting event giving rise to a high apparent initial ${\varepsilon}Sr$ in the SFGR can not be ruled out. In contrast to ${\varepsilon}Sr$, both batholiths show a highly resticted and negative values of initial ${\varepsilon}Nd$, which is -14.73 to -19.53 with an average $-16.13{\pm}1.47$ in the CFGR and -14.78 to -18.59 with an average $-17.17{\pm}1.01$ in the SFGR. The highly negative initial ${\varepsilon}Nd$ values in the investigated granitoids strongly suggest that large amounts of recycled old continental components have taken part in their evolution. Furthermore, this highly resticted variation in ${\varepsilon}Nd$ is significant because it requires that the old crustal source material, from which the granitoid-producing melts were generated, should have a reasonably uniform Nd isotopic composition and also quit similar age. Calculated T2DM model ages give an average of $1.83{\pm}0.25Ga$ for CFGR and $1.96{\pm}0.19Ga$ for SFGR, suggesting the importance of a mid-Proterozoic episode for the genesis of two foliated granites. Although it is not possible to determine precisely the source rock compositions for the investigated foliatic granites, the Sr-Nd isotopic evidences indicate that midcrustal or less probably, a lower crustal granulitic source could be the most likely candidate.

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CO2 Exchange in Kwangneung Broadleaf Deciduous Forest in a Hilly Terrain in the Summer of 2002 (2002년 여름철 경사진 광릉 낙엽 활엽수림에서의 이산화탄소 교환)

  • Choi, Tae-jin;Kim, Joon;Lim, Jong-Hwan
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.70-80
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    • 2003
  • We report the first direct measurement of $CO_2$ flux over Kwangneung broadleaf deciduous forest, one of the tower flux sites in KoFlux network. Eddy covariance system was installed on a 30 m tower along with other meteorological instruments from June to August in 2002. Although the study site was non-ideal (with valley-like terrain), turbulence characteristics from limited wind directions (i.e., 90$\pm$45$^{\circ}$) was not significantly different from those obtained at simple, homogeneous terrains with an ideal fetch. Despite very low rate of data retrieval, preliminary results from our analysis are encouraging and worthy of further investigation. Ignoring the role of advection terms, the averaged net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of $CO_2$ ranged from -1.2 to 0.7 mg m$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ from June to August in 2002. The effect of weak turbulence on nocturnal NEE was examined in terms of friction velocity (u*) along with the estimation of storage term. The effect of low uf u* NEE was obvious with a threshold value of about 0.2 m s$^{-1}$ . The contribution of storage term to nocturnal NEE was insignificant; suggesting that the $CO_2$ stored within the forest canopy at night was probably removed by the drainage flow along the hilly terrain. This could be also an artifact of uncertainty in calculations of storage term based on a single-level concentration. The hyperbolic light response curves explained >80% of variation in the observed NEE, indicating that $CO_2$ exchange at the site was notably light-dependent. Such a relationship can be used effectively in filling up the missing gaps in NEE data through the season. Finally, a simple scaling analysis based on a linear flow model suggested that advection might play a significant role in NEE evaluation at this site.

Effect of prosthetic designs and alveolar bone conditions on stress distribution in fixed partial dentures with pier abutments (중간 지대치가 존재하는 고정성 국소의치에서 보철물 설계 및 치조골 상태가 응력분포에 미치는 영향)

  • Cho, Wook;Kim, Chang-Seop;Jeon, Young-Chan;Jeong, Chang-Mo
    • The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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    • v.47 no.3
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    • pp.328-334
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    • 2009
  • Statement of problem: Pier abutments act as a Class I fulcrum lever system when the teeth are incorporated in a fixed partial denture with rigid connectors. Therefore non-rigid connector incorporated into the fixed partial denture might reduce the stresses created by the leverage. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate, by means of finite element method, the effects of non-rigid connectors and supporting alveolar bone level on stress distribution for fixed partial dentures with pier abutments. Material and methods: A 2-dimensional finite element model simulating a 5-unit metal ceramic fixed partial denture with a pier abutment with rigid or non-rigid designs, the connector was located at the distal region of the second premolar, was developed. In the model, the lower canine, second premolar, and second molar served as abutments. Four types of alveolar bone condition were employed. One was normal bone condition and others were supporting bone reduced 20% height at one abutment. Two different loading conditions, each 150 N on 1st premolar and 1st molar and 300N on 1st molar, were used. Results: Two types of FPD were displaced apically. The amount of displacement decreased in an almost linear slope away from the loaded point. Non-rigid design tended to cause the higher stresses in supporting bone of premolar and molar abutments and the lower stresses in that of canine than rigid design. Alveolar bone loss increased the stresses in supporting bone of corresponding abutment. Conclusion: Careful evaluation of the retentive capacity of retainers and the periodontal condition of abutments may be required for the prosthetic design of fixed partial denture with a pier abutment.