• Title/Summary/Keyword: qualitative assessment

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A Study on World University Evaluation Systems: Focusing on U-Multirank of the European Union (유럽연합의 세계 대학 평가시스템 '유-멀티랭크' 연구)

  • Lee, Tae-Young
    • Korean Journal of Comparative Education
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.187-209
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    • 2017
  • The purpose of this study was to highlight the necessity of a conceptual reestablishment of world university evaluations. The hitherto most well-known and validated world university evaluation systems such as Times Higher Education (THE), Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) or Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) primarily assess big universities with quantitative evaluation indicators and performance results in the rankings. Those Systems have instigated a kind of elitism in higher education and neglect numerous small or local institutions of higher education, instead of providing stakeholders with comprehensive information about the real possibilities of tertiary education so that they can choose an institution that is individually tailored to their needs. Also, the management boards of universities and policymakers in higher education have partly been manipulated by and partly taken advantage of the elitist ranking systems with an economic emphasis, as indicated by research-centered evaluations and industry-university cooperation. To supplement such educational defects and to redress the lack of world university evaluation systems, a new system called 'U-Multirank' has been implemented with the financial support of the European Commission since 2012. U-Multirank was designed and is enforced by an international team of project experts led by CHE(Centre for Higher Education/Germany), CHEPS(Center for Higher Education Policy Studies/Netherlands) and CWTS(Centre for Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University/Netherlands). The significant features of U-Multirank, compared with e.g., THE and ARWU, are its qualitative, multidimensional, user-oriented and individualized assessment methods. Above all, its website and its assessment results, based on a mobile operating system and designed simply for international users, present a self-organized and evolutionary model of world university evaluation systems in the digital and global era. To estimate the universal validity of the redefinition of the world university evaluation system using U-Multirank, an epistemological approach will be used that relies on Edgar Morin's Complexity Theory and Karl Popper's Philosophy of Science.

Dopamine Transporter Density of the Basal Ganglia Assessed with I-123 IPT SPECT in Methamphetamine Abusers (Methamphetamine 남용자에서 I-123 IPT를 이용한 기저신경절 도파민운반체 밀도의 평가)

  • Lee, Joo-Ryung;Ahn, Byeong-Cheol;Kewn, Do-Hun;Sung, Young-Ok;Seo, Ji-Hyoung;Bae, Jin-Ho;Jeong, Shin-Young;Lee, Sang-Woo;Yoo, Jeong-Soo;Lee, Jae-Tae;Chi, Dae-Yoon;Lee, Kyu-Bo
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.39 no.6
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    • pp.481-488
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    • 2005
  • Purpose: Functional imaging of dopamine transporter (DAT) defines integrity of the dopaminergic system, and DAT is the target site of drugs of abuse such as cocaine and methamphetamine. Functional imaging the DAT may be a sensitive and selective indicator of neurotoxic change by the drug. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the clinical implications of qualitative/quantitative analyses of dopamine transporter imaging in methamphetamine abusers. Materials and Methods: Six detoxified methamphetamine abusers (abuser group) and 4 volunteers (control group) were enrolled in this study. Brain MRI was performed in all of abuser group. Abuser group underwent psychiatric and depression assessment using brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS) and Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD), respectively. All of the subjects underwent I-123 IPT SPECT (IPT SPECT). IPT SPECT image was analysed with visual qualitative method and quantitative method using basal ganglia dopamine transporter (DAT) specific/non-specific binding ratio (SBR). Comparison of DAT SBR between abuser and control groups was performed. We also performed correlation tests between psychiatric and depression assessment results and DAT SBR in abuser group. Results: All of abuser group showed normal MRI finding, but had residual psychiatric and depressive symptoms, and psychiatric and depressive symptom scores were exactly correlated (r=1.0, p=0.005) each other. Five of them showed abnormal finding on qualitative visual I-123 IPT SPECT Abuser group had lower basal ganglia DAT SBR than that of control ($2.38{\pm}0.20\;vs\;3.04{\pm}0.27$, p=0.000). Psychiatric and depressive symptoms were negatively well correlated with basal ganglia DAT SBR (r=-0.908, p=0.012, r=-0.924, p=0.009). Conclusion: These results suggest that dopamine transporter imaging using I-123 IPT SPECT may be used to evaluate dopaminergic system of the basal ganglia and the clinical status in methamphetamine abusers.

Variation on Estimated Values of Radioactivity Concentration According to the Change of the Acquisition Time of SPECT/CT (SPECT/CT의 획득시간 증감에 따른 방사능농도 추정치의 변화)

  • Kim, Ji-Hyeon;Lee, Jooyoung;Son, Hyeon-Soo;Park, Hoon-Hee
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.25 no.2
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    • pp.15-24
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    • 2021
  • Purpose SPECT/CT was noted for its excellent correction method and qualitative functions based on fusion images in the early stages of dissemination, and interest in and utilization of quantitative functions has been increasing with the recent introduction of companion diagnostic therapy(Theranostics). Unlike PET/CT, various conditions like the type of collimator and detector rotation are a challenging factor for image acquisition and reconstruction methods at absolute quantification of SPECT/CT. Therefore, in this study, We want to find out the effect on the radioactivity concentration estimate by the increase or decrease of the total acquisition time according to the number of projections and the acquisition time per projection among SPECT/CT imaging conditions. Materials and Methods After filling the 9,293 ml cylindrical phantom with sterile water and diluting 99mTc 91.76 MBq, the standard image was taken with a total acquisition time of 600 sec (10 sec/frame × 120 frames, matrix size 128 × 128) and also volume sensitivity and the calibration factor was verified. Based on the standard image, the comparative images were obtained by increasing or decreasing the total acquisition time. namely 60 (-90%), 150 (-75%), 300 (-50%), 450 (-25%), 900 (+50%), and 1200 (+100%) sec. For each image detail, the acquisition time(sec/frame) per projection was set to 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 15.0 and 20.0 sec (fixed number of projections: 120 frame) and the number of projection images was set to 12, 30, 60, 90, 180 and 240 frames(fixed time per projection:10 sec). Based on the coefficients measured through the volume of interest in each acquired image, the percentage of variation about the contrast to noise ratio (CNR) was determined as a qualitative assessment, and the quantitative assessment was conducted through the percentage of variation of the radioactivity concentration estimate. At this time, the relationship between the radioactivity concentration estimate (cps/ml) and the actual radioactivity concentration (Bq/ml) was compared and analyzed using the recovery coefficient (RC_Recovery Coefficients) as an indicator. Results The results [CNR, radioactivity Concentration, RC] by the change in the number of projections for each increase or decrease rate (-90%, -75%, -50%, -25%, +50%, +100%) of total acquisition time are as follows. [-89.5%, +3.90%, 1.04] at -90%, [-77.9%, +2.71%, 1.03] at -75%, [-55.6%, +1.85%, 1.02] at -50%, [-33.6%, +1.37%, 1.01] at -25%, [-33.7%, +0.71%, 1.01] at +50%, [+93.2%, +0.32%, 1.00] at +100%. and also The results [CNR, radioactivity Concentration, RC] by the acquisition time change for each increase or decrease rate (-90%, -75%, -50%, -25%, +50%, +100%) of total acquisition time are as follows. [-89.3%, -3.55%, 0.96] at - 90%, [-73.4%, -0.17%, 1.00] at -75%, [-49.6%, -0.34%, 1.00] at -50%, [-24.9%, 0.03%, 1.00] at -25%, [+49.3%, -0.04%, 1.00] at +50%, [+99.0%, +0.11%, 1.00] at +100%. Conclusion In SPECT/CT, the total coefficient obtained according to the increase or decrease of the total acquisition time and the resulting image quality (CNR) showed a pattern that changed proportionally. On the other hand, quantitative evaluations through absolute quantification showed a change of less than 5% (-3.55 to +3.90%) under all experimental conditions, maintaining quantitative accuracy (RC 0.96 to 1.04). Considering the reduction of the total acquisition time rather than the increasing of the image acquiring time, The reduction in total acquisition time is applicable to quantitative analysis without significant loss and is judged to be clinically effective. This study shows that when increasing or decreasing of total acquisition time, changes in acquisition time per projection have fewer fluctuations that occur in qualitative and quantitative condition changes than the change in the number of projections under the same scanning time conditions.

The study of Breast Specific Gamma Imaging Protocol using Self-development Phantom (자체 제작된 팬텀을 적용한 Breast Specific Gamma Imaging 검사 프로토콜에 대한 고찰)

  • Lee, Hae-Jung;Lee, Juyoung;Lim, Kuen-Kyo;Park, Hoon-Hee
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.39-47
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    • 2014
  • Purpose As breast cancer patients continue to increase every year, cases of BSGI are on the rise with a heavier reliance on it. However, BSGI protocol in hospitals was not studied enough despite it was covered by hospital's condition and recommendation of manufacturers. The objective of the study was an examination of methods to be applicable to BSGI protocols, putting the self-development phantom to use in quality assessment of the images. Materials and Methods Dilon 6800 (Dilon Technologies Inc, Newport News, USA) was used in the study and five different sizes of sphere were distinctively produced in the phantom. The study used $^{99m}TcO_4$. The cases were classified in to three categories that background radioactivity to region of interest as ratio of 2: 4: 8, They were acquired images for 5, 7, 10mins. The acquired image was set region of interest according to the size of sphere, and We analyzed quantitative and qualitative analysis. The acquired data statistically analyzed with SPSS ver.18.0. Results As the result of quantitative and qualitative analysis, count rate of each sphere in accordance with difference of injection dose showed that higher count rate as injection dose and sphere size increased (P<0.005). Count rate of each sphere in accordance with difference of acquisition time showed that higher count rate as acquisition time and sphere size increased (P<0.005). Contrast noise ratio of each sphere in accordance with difference of injection dose showed that higher contrast noise ratio as injection dose increased. Particularly, Contrast noise ratio of eight times ratio images was the highest among. Contrast noise ratio of each sphere in accordance with difference of acquisition time showed that higher contrast noise ratio as acquisition time increased. And, Contrast noise ratio of seven minute image was the highest among (P<0.005). Conclusion There was significant change of Contrast noise ratio through quantitative and qualitative analysis. Moreover, We found usefulness of phantom. If Institutions identified image through the phantom study and they made BSGI protocol, We expected to help the improvement of diagnostic value of the images.

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Assessment of Osteoporosis Based on Changes in SNR and ADC Values on MR Diffusion Weighted Images (확산강조영상에서 신호대 잡음비, 현성 확산 계수 변화에 따른 골다공증 평가)

  • Cho, Jae-Hwan;Kim, Yeong-Soo
    • Progress in Medical Physics
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.70-77
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    • 2010
  • This study tested how S/N (Signal to Noise Ratio) ratios and ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient) values vary with different T-scores in a group of patients with osteoporosis. Based on DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) T-scores for L1.L4 for two groups of subjects consisting of 30 healthy people without osteoporosis and 30 patients who came for treatment of waist (lumbar or low back) pain and were suspected to have osteoporosis as judged from the simple X-ray findings, this study classified every spine into two groups of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Signal intensity measurements were made in the four regions of L1 to L4 on diffusion-weighted MR images obtained using 1.5T MR scanner, while ADC measurements were obtained from ADC map images. As an approach for quantitative analysis, the comparison of the variances in S/N ratios and ADC values for varying T-scores in the selected regions of interest was carried out based on averaged T-scores, S/N ratios, and ADC values. Also, the variances in S/N ratios and ADC values for each of the groups of osteoporosis and osteopenia, which were classified into by T-scores, were compared. For qualitative analysis, a careful naked eye examination of signal intensity differences in the area of L4 was made on T1-weighted sagittal images for each of the healthy (normal), osteopenia, and osteoporosis groups. In the qualitative analysis, it was found that for both the osteopenia group and the osteoporosis group, as T-scores deceased, the S/N ratios on diffusion-weighted MR images also decreased, with the greatest decrease in the S/N ratio found in the osteoporosis group. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest S/N ratio was found in the osteoporosis group. With respect to ADC map, it was found that for both the osteopenia group and the osteoporosis group, as T-scores deceased, the ADC values on diffusion-weighted MR images also decreased, with the greatest decrease in the ADC values found in the osteoporosis group. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest ADC value was found in the osteoporosis group. On the other hand, in the qualitative analysis, the osteoporosis group showed the highest signal intensity. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest signal intensity was found in the healthy (normal) group. It was found that as osteoporosis progressed, S/N ratio and ADC decreased, whereas signal intensity increased on T1-weighted images. Also, in diagnosing osteoporosis, MRI tests turned out to be (more) effective.

Validation Study of a Dietary Questionnaire for Assessing Exposure to Food-Borne Hazards (식품으로 인한 유해물질 노출조사를 위한 식생활 설문지의 타당도 평가)

  • Kim, Hye-Mi;Choi, Seul-Ki;Shin, Sang-Ah;Lee, Kyung-Youn;Shin, Sang-Hee;Lee, Jung-Won;Yu, Soo-Hyun;Nam, Hye-Soen;Kim, Mi-Gyeong;Joung, Hyo-Jee
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.44 no.2
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    • pp.171-180
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    • 2011
  • Assessing human exposure to food-borne hazards requires standardized assessment tools. The objective of this study was to validate a newly developed dietary assessment questionnaire to assess human exposure to food-borne hazards, which include dietary behavior and food consumption patterns such as eating frequency, types of food containers and cooking methods. A total of 216 adults were recruited for two questionnaire surveys (questionnaire 1 and 2) about 1 week apart with a 3 day diet record. Reproducibility was evaluated by comparing responses from questionnaires 1 and 2, and validity was checked by comparing responses from questionnaire 2 and the 3 day diet record. Comparisons were based on the percent agreement and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The mean exact agreement of food containers at purchase between questionnaires 1 and 2 was 73.5%, for storing containers it was 71.9%, and for cooking methods it was 83.0%. The mean correlation coefficient for food intake frequency between questionnaires 1 and 2 was 0.71 (range, 0.50-0.83). The mean correlation coefficient of the food intake frequency between questionnaire 2 and the 3 day diet record was 0.21 (range, 0.04-0.48). The exact and adjacent agreement of food intake frequency quartile assessed by questionnaire 2 and the 3 day diet record was 65.4% (range, 51.0-82.1%). Although the correlation coefficient for food intake frequency between questionnaire 2 and the 3 day diet record was low, the exact and adjacent food intake frequency agreement was higher than 50% and reproducibility of the dietary behaviors exceeded 70%. Therefore, the questionnaire developed in this study could be applied to assess diets for the human exposure to food-borne hazards as a qualitative assessment in a large population.

Evaluation of Environmental and Economic Impacts of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plants with Life Cycle Assessment (고도 하수처리장의 전과정평가에 따른 환경성 및 경제성 평가)

  • Pyo, SeHee;Kim, MinJeong;Lee, SeungChul;Yoo, ChangKyoo
    • Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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    • v.52 no.4
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    • pp.503-515
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    • 2014
  • A lot of existing wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are rebuilt or retrofitted for advanced wastewater treatment processes to cope with reinforced effluent criteria of nitrogen and phosphorous. Moreover, how to treat the wasted sludge from WWTPs has been also issued since the discharge of the wasted sludge into ocean is impossible from 2011 due to the London Convention 97 protocol. These trend changes of WWTPs get a motivation to assess environmental and economic impacts from the construction stage to the waste stage in WWTPs. Therefore, this study focuses on evaluation of environmental and economic impacts of the advanced wastewater treatment processes and waste sludge treatment process by using life cycle assessment. Four advanced wastewater treatment processes of Anaerobic/Anoxic/Oxic ($A_2O$), 5 stages-Bamard Denitrification Phosphate (Bardenpho), Virginia Initiative Plant (VIP), and Modified University of Cape Town (MUCT) are chosen to compare the conventional activated sludge (CAS) and three waste sludge treatment methods of land fill, incineration, and composting are used. To evaluate environmental and economic impacts of each advanced wastewater treatment processes, life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) are conducted based on International organization for standardization (ISO) guidelines. The results clearly represent that the $A_2O$ process with composting shows 52% reduction in the environmental impact than the CAS process with landfill. On the other hand, the MUCT process with composting is able to save 62% of the life cycle cost comparing with the CAS process with landfill. This result suggested the qualitative and quantitative criteria for evaluating eco-environmental and economic technologies of advanced treatment processes and also sludge treatment method, where their main influence factors on environmental and economic impacts are analyzed, respectively. The proposed method could be useful for selecting the most efficient and eco-friendly wastewater treatment process and sludge treatment method when retrofitting the existing WWTPs to advanced treatments.

A Diagnosis of Ecological Health Using a Physical Habitat Assessment and Multimetric Fish Model in Daejeon Stream (물리적 서식지평가기법 및 어류 다변수 평가모델에 의거한 대전천의 생태학적 건강도 진단)

  • Kim, Ja-Hyun;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.38 no.3 s.113
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    • pp.361-371
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    • 2005
  • The objective of study was to diagnose integrative ecological health of Daejeon Stream, one of the tributaries of Guem River, during May 2004 ${\sim}$ April 2005. The research approach was primarily based on a Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) and the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish assemblage. These outcomes were compared with conventional chemical dataset. For the experiment, four sampling sites were chosen from Daejeon Stream and long-term water quality data during 1995 ${\sim}$ 2004 (obtained from the Ministry of Environment) were analyzed in the spatial and temporal aspects. For the biological health assessment, we developed a stream health assessment model (SHA model) far regional applications. We found that current water quality conditions, based on the COD, BOD, TN and TP, were enhanced by 1.6 ${\sim}$ 5.3 fold over the period of 1995 ${\sim}$ 2004 and that the parameters showed a typical longitudinal decline from the upstream to downstream reach. The differences of water quality between the two reaches were more than 4.4 times, indicating a large spatial variations within the stream. The health conditions, based on the SHA model, averaged 23 and varied from 20 to 26 depending on the sampling stations. Values of the QHEI varied from 39 (Poor condition) to 124 (Cood condition)and values of QHEI in the reach of S2 ${\sim}$ S4 had significantly lower than in the headwater site (S1). Also, biological stream health, based on the criteria of US EPA (1993), was judged as 'Poor condition', in the S4 where TN, TP, BOD and COD were highest. In the meantime, maximum value of SHA (26) was found in the upstream reach (S1) where the water quality and QHEI were best. We also found that compositions of sensitive species showed a linear function with water quality conditions and this pattern was evident in the tolerant species. Thus, the biological stream health, based on the SHA model, matched well water chemistry. Overall outcomes suggest that the biological health impact was a function of chemical degradation and physical habitat quality in the stream.

A Trend of Research in Community Health Nursing (지역사회간호학 관련 논문 연구동향 분석 -학회지 발표 논문을 중심으로-)

  • Lee, In-Sook;Kim, Yu-Na;Choi, Key-Won;Chin, Young-Ran
    • Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.288-298
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    • 2001
  • This article makes an attempt to evaluate the extent of developing community health nursing knowledge and to suggest the direction of developing a body of knowledge henceforth through the results of analysis for contents and outcomes of all literatures. which have been published in the Journal related to community health nursing. Refer to the following for the result of this article. 1. The total number of literatures analyzed amounted to 100 pieces in Journal of community health nursing society. 78 in Journal of industrial nursing society, 134 in Journal of school health society. 40 in Journal of home care nursing society. 2. Journal of community health nursing society Health needs and educational-behavioral diagnoses, which are more concrete nursing assessments and diagnoses. formed the main current(54%) of articles published in Journal of community health nursing society since 1992. There was a quantitative growth as well as a qualitative advance. Through a classification by the type of a body of knowledge. It was found that the knowledge providing nursing practice with bases, commanded an overwhelming majority(71.8%). Also, Researches on systemic supports for nursing practice are showing a tendency to increase. 3. Journal of industrial nursing society 52.6% of research papers presented in Journal of industrial nursing society dealt with health problem of workers. assessment of risk factors, diagnosis of health behaviors. Because of the beginning of an industrial nursing, the domain of nursing management to establish the role and task, work condition, training. documentary system made up 23 percent of research, subjects. A knowledge providing nursing practice with bases have a majority, 69.2%. In addition. the subject concerning a systemic support and quality assurance was scarce but continuously presented. 4. Journal of school health society The major point of this journal is the identification of health problems and risk factors which belong to assessment and diagnosis domain(56.8%) regardless of year, Because of the interdisciplinary characteristic. The knowledge on quality assurance of nursing practice is relatively rare. But, articles related to a systemic support is plentiful. 5. Journal of home care nursing society In its infancy, there was a large number of papers concerning need assessment and diagnosis, Comparing others, this journal has introduced a good many of articles related to program management. delivery system. service fee, etc that belong to domain of systemic support for nursing practice. 6. It is showing definitely that quantity and extent of research have grown for a short period. See the analysis in terms of nursing process, studies related to the domain of assessment and diagnosis command an absolute majority regardless of kinds of journal. Although articles referring to program management and implementation is increasing in number, it is scarce to evaluate a nursing program and grope for an improvement. Also, program development based on a theoretical framework is little. Therefore much more scientific effort to ensure profession should be executed. 7. In the methodological aspect, longitudinal study needs to be carried out so that we could show the evidence based nursing theory. To develop a more general theory, we have to conduct a study of various subjects and improve a validity of tools through a repeat test. In addition, the effort for interdisciplinary cooperation is needed.

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Ecological Health Assessments on Turbidwater in the Downstream After a Construction of Yongdam Dam (용담댐 건설후 하류부 하천 생태계의 탁수영향 평가)

  • Kim, Ja-Hyun;Seo, Jin-Won;Na, Young-Eun;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.40 no.1
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    • pp.130-142
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    • 2007
  • This study was to examine impacts of turbid water on fish community in the downstream of Yongdam Dam during the period from June to October 2006. For the research, we selected six sampling sites in the field: two sites were controls with no influences of turbid water from the dam and other remaining four sites were the stations for an assessment of potential turbid effects. We evaluated integrative health conditions throughout applications of various models such as necropsy-based fish health assessment model (FHA), Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish assemblages, and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). Laboratory tests on fish exposure under 400 NTU were performed to find out impact of turbid water using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results showed that fine solid particles were clogging in the gill in the treatments, while particles were not found in the control. This results indicate that when inorganic turbidity increases abruptedly, fish may have a mechanical abrasion or respiratory blocking. The stream health condition, based on the IBI values, ranged between 38 and 48 (average: 42), indicating a "excellent" or "good" condition after the criteria of US EPA (1993). In the mean time, physical habitat condition, based on the QHEI, ranged 97 to 187 (average 154), indicating a "suboptimal condition". These biological outcomes were compared with chemical dataset: IBI values were more correlated (r=0.526, p<0.05, n=18) with QHEI rather than chemical water quality, based on turbidity (r=0.260, p>0.05, n=18). Analysis of the FHA showed that the individual health indicated "excellent condition", while QHEI showed no habitat disturbances (especially bottom substrate and embeddeness), food-web, and spawning place. Consequently, we concluded that the ecological health in downstream of Yongdam Dam was not impacted by the turbid water.