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Comparison of Association Rule Learning and Subgroup Discovery for Mining Traffic Accident Data (교통사고 데이터의 마이닝을 위한 연관규칙 학습기법과 서브그룹 발견기법의 비교)

  • Kim, Jeongmin;Ryu, Kwang Ryel
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.1-16
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    • 2015
  • Traffic accident is one of the major cause of death worldwide for the last several decades. According to the statistics of world health organization, approximately 1.24 million deaths occurred on the world's roads in 2010. In order to reduce future traffic accident, multipronged approaches have been adopted including traffic regulations, injury-reducing technologies, driving training program and so on. Records on traffic accidents are generated and maintained for this purpose. To make these records meaningful and effective, it is necessary to analyze relationship between traffic accident and related factors including vehicle design, road design, weather, driver behavior etc. Insight derived from these analysis can be used for accident prevention approaches. Traffic accident data mining is an activity to find useful knowledges about such relationship that is not well-known and user may interested in it. Many studies about mining accident data have been reported over the past two decades. Most of studies mainly focused on predict risk of accident using accident related factors. Supervised learning methods like decision tree, logistic regression, k-nearest neighbor, neural network are used for these prediction. However, derived prediction model from these algorithms are too complex to understand for human itself because the main purpose of these algorithms are prediction, not explanation of the data. Some of studies use unsupervised clustering algorithm to dividing the data into several groups, but derived group itself is still not easy to understand for human, so it is necessary to do some additional analytic works. Rule based learning methods are adequate when we want to derive comprehensive form of knowledge about the target domain. It derives a set of if-then rules that represent relationship between the target feature with other features. Rules are fairly easy for human to understand its meaning therefore it can help provide insight and comprehensible results for human. Association rule learning methods and subgroup discovery methods are representing rule based learning methods for descriptive task. These two algorithms have been used in a wide range of area from transaction analysis, accident data analysis, detection of statistically significant patient risk groups, discovering key person in social communities and so on. We use both the association rule learning method and the subgroup discovery method to discover useful patterns from a traffic accident dataset consisting of many features including profile of driver, location of accident, types of accident, information of vehicle, violation of regulation and so on. The association rule learning method, which is one of the unsupervised learning methods, searches for frequent item sets from the data and translates them into rules. In contrast, the subgroup discovery method is a kind of supervised learning method that discovers rules of user specified concepts satisfying certain degree of generality and unusualness. Depending on what aspect of the data we are focusing our attention to, we may combine different multiple relevant features of interest to make a synthetic target feature, and give it to the rule learning algorithms. After a set of rules is derived, some postprocessing steps are taken to make the ruleset more compact and easier to understand by removing some uninteresting or redundant rules. We conducted a set of experiments of mining our traffic accident data in both unsupervised mode and supervised mode for comparison of these rule based learning algorithms. Experiments with the traffic accident data reveals that the association rule learning, in its pure unsupervised mode, can discover some hidden relationship among the features. Under supervised learning setting with combinatorial target feature, however, the subgroup discovery method finds good rules much more easily than the association rule learning method that requires a lot of efforts to tune the parameters.

A Study on the Effectiveness of Care of Patients with Alzheimer s Disease According to Residence Arrangement and Types of Services (치매노인의 거주형태 및 서비스유형에 따른 간호관리의 효과분석)

  • 홍여신;박현애;조남옥
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.768-781
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    • 1996
  • The problem of care of patients and families with Alzheimer's disease has become a conscious raising social policy issue in Korea. The government of the Republic of Korea has become cognizant of the situation and has begun searching for ways to remedy it. Thus, there is a need for a comprehensive under-standing of the situation in which patients and their families are struggling and the enormous problems of care. With a realization of the urgent need, this study was done to investigate the situation and the care needs of families with patients with Alzheimer's Disease, and to compare the effectiveness of services utilized by the families in terms of cost and effects on patient's conditions and on family live. The Subjects for the study were 29 families with hospitalized patients, 25 families utilizing hospital outpatient clinics, 14 families utilizing day care facilities, and 16 families with homebound patients. A total of 84 families were interviewed by four trained interviewers using structured and semistructured questionnaires. The data produced from these interviews included : the patient's stage of Alzheimer's disease, patient's bizarre behavior, hours spent on patient care per day, family burden and quality of life, direct and indirect costs encountered in the care of patients, and the families' evaluation of the effectiveness of the services received. The data were analyzed to determine the relationships between family charactersistics, patient's conditions and services utilization. The effectiveness of each of the service entities was assessed through families evaluation and hoped for service and comparisons were made between services in terms of the cost-effectiveness ratios. After initial comparison of cost-effectiveness ratios, further analysis was done to compare between groups for incremental effectiveness for each incremental unit of cost to determine the most cost-effective service entities. The findings of the study are as fellows : 1. The choice of living arrangement and the types of services are a function of the stage of Alzheimer's condition and the economic status of the family. 2. Comparision of the cost of care showed that most expenses were encountered in by families with hospitalization, families using outpatient services, and families using day care services in that order. The least expense was involved in the care of homebound patients. The economic burden felt by families was in the same order as expenses. 3. The average number of hours spent on daily patient care was 9.9 hours for the outpatient clinic users, 9.7 hours for homebound patients, and 5.4 hours for day care users. 4. There were significant differences in the patient's conditions (CDRL), bizarre behaviors and the families's burden by living arrangement and /or types of service. However, no significant difference was found between groups in the family's quality of life. 5. The families rated the services of day care center as most effective for the care of the patients and families, except for a few families who had experienced some improvement in the patient's conditions. The outpatient clinic users expressed psychological comforts mainly in that the patient was being taken care of. For those hospitalized patients, families expressed the comfort of being relieved of the burden of care and that the patient is being professionally cared for. Form the analysis of the costs, hours of patient care, patient's bizarre behaviors, family's quality of life and burdens, and family's evaluation of services, it is concluded that up to the mid stage of Alzheimer's condition, the utilization of day care center services is found to be the most cost-effective, and toward the end stage of the Alzheimer's disease, it is hoped that there will be a establishment of long term or short term in-patient facilities for the protection of patients and preservation of the integrity of families for less cost. Thus. it was concluded that the family centered system of care is the most effective for Korea with systematic support systems developed for the care of patients and their families according to the needs of families as the patient's condition deteriorates.

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A Seismic Study on Muddy Sediment Deposits in the Northern Shelf of the East China Sea (동중국해 북부대륙붕에 발달한 니질 퇴적체의 탄성파 연구)

  • Choi Dong-Lim;Lee Tae-Hee;Yoo Hae-Soo;Lim Dhong-Il;Huh Sik;Kim Kwang-Hee
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.38 no.6 s.175
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    • pp.633-642
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    • 2005
  • We present the sedimentary sequence and distribution pattern of the late Holocene muddy deposits in the northern East China Sea shelf using the high-resolution 'Chirp' profiles. The seismic sedimentary sequence overlying acoustic basement (basal reflector-B) can be divided into two depositional units (Unit 1 and 2) bounded by erosional bounding surface (mid reflector-M). The lower Unit 1 above basal reflector-H is characterized by the acoustically parallel to subparallel reflections and channel-fill facies. The upper Unit 2, up to 7 m in thickness, shows seismically semi-transparent seismic facies and lenticular body form. On the base of sequence stratigraphic concept, these two sediment units have developed during transgression and highstand period, respectively, since the last sea-level lowstand. The transgressive systems tract (Unit 1) lie directly on the sequence boundary (reflector B) that have farmed during the last glacial maximum. The transgressive systems tract in this study consists mostly of complex of delta, fluvial, and tidal deposits within the incised valley estuary system. The maximum flooding surface (reflector M) corresponding to the top surface of transgressive systems tract is obviously characterized by erosional depression. The highstand systems tract (Unit 2) above maximum flooding surface is made up of the mud patch filled with the erosional depression. The high-stand mud deposits showing a circle shape just like a typhoon symbol locates about 140 km off the south of Cheju Island with water depth of $60\~90m$. Coverage area and total sediment volume of the mud deposits are about $3,200km^2$ and $10.7\times10^9\;m^3$, respectively. The origin of the mud patch is interpreted as a result of accumulating suspended sediments derived from the paleo-Yellow and/or Yangtze Rivers. The circular distribution pattern of the mud patch appears to be largely controlled by the presence of cyclonic eddy in the northern East China Sea.

Study on Sound Production and Phonotaxis of Some Fishes and Crabs (몇가지 어류 및 갑각류의 발음과 주음성에 관한 연구)

  • 김상한
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.15-36
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    • 1978
  • Underwater sounds of some fishes and crabs were analyzed in the laboratory. The behavioral responses to the playback sounds of their feeding and croaking sound were investigated. The samples used in the experiment were as follows: Nibea albiflora, seriola quinqueradiata, Navodon modestus, Fugu xanthopterus, chrysophrys major, Scylla serrata, Telmessus acutidens, Charybdis japonica, and Portunus trituberculatus. The feeding and croaking sounds of the samples were recorded by a tape recorder through a hydrophone in an anechoic aquarium. The sound intensity level was measured by means of a sound level meter at an anechoic chamber. The frequency, intensity and wave form of various sounds were analyzed with an analyzing system consisting of a 1/3 octave filter set, a high speed level recorder, an amplifier, an octave band analyzer and an oscilloscope. The most successful recording was edited into a sequence of sound track which repeats sound emitting for 5 to 7 seconds after pausing for 5 to 7 seconds. The sequence was then reproduced into an anechoic aquarium through the under water speaker. The experimental anechoic aquarium used for the sample fishes was divided into the four sections with any three screens selected from 40$\times$40mm, 60$\times$60mm, 80$\times$80mm and 100$\times$100mm mushes according to the species of the fishes, besides that for crabs were not sectioned. The results of the investigation are as follows: 1. Of the feeding sound of fish, the frequency of wave from of the sound produced by Nibea albiflora and seriola quinqucradiata was 125~250Hz, that by Navodon modestus 63~125Hz, and that by Fugu xanthopterus 400~500Hz. The pressure level of the feeding sound produced by Nibea albiflora and Seriola quinqueradiata was 56~62db, that by Navodon modestus 57~59db, and that by Fugu xanthopterus 60~64db. 2. Of the croaking sound of Nibea albiflora, the frequency of the sound was 125~250Hz almost equivalent to that of feeding sound, and the pressure level was 62~63db, slightly higher than that of feeding sound. 3. Of the croaking sounds of crabs, the frequency of the sound produced by scylla serrata was 125~250Hz, that by Charybdis japonica and Telmessus acutidens 500~1,000Hz, and that by Portunus trituberculatus 250~500Hz. The pressure level of the croaking sound by Scylla serrata was 68~70db, and that by Charybdis japonica, Telmessus acutidens and Portuens trituberculatus 50~62db. 4. Phonotactic responses of Nibea albiflora and Seriola quinqueradiata to the feeding sounds produced by their own species, the same body length were conspicuous with the phonotactic index of 56~87%, but that of Navodon modestus, Chrysophrys major and Fugu xanthopterus were hardly recognized. 5. Phonotactic responses of the sample fishes to the sinusoidal sound with the frequency range of 50 to 9,000 Hz were observed not conspicuous. 6. Phonotactic responses of Portunus trituberculatus to the croaking sounds produced by their own species was varied in the range of 40~100%, according to the carapace length and the sex.

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Comparision of Family Environment, Health Behavior and Health State of Elementary Students in Urban and Rural Areas (도시.농촌 지역 초등학생의 가족환경, 건강행위 및 건강상태에 관한 비교)

  • Bae, Yeon-Suk;Park, Kyung-Min
    • Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.502-517
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    • 1998
  • This research intends to survey family environment, health behavior and health status of the students in urban-rural elementary schools and analyze those factors comparatively, and use the result as basic material for school health teacher to teach health education in connection with family and regional areas. It also intends to improve a pupil's self-abilitiy in health care. The subjects involve 2,774 students of urban elementary schools and 583 student in rural ones, who were selected by means of a multi -stage probability sampling. Using the questionnaire and school documents, we collected data on family environment, health behavior and health status for 19 days. Feb. 2nd 1998 through Feb. 20th 1998. The R -form of Family Environment Scale (Moos, 1974) was used in the analysis of family environment(Cronbach's Alpha =0.80). Questionnaires of Health Behavior in School-aged children used by the WHO in Europe(Aaro et al., 1986) and the ones developed by the Health Promotion Committee of the Western Pacific(WHO, 1995)(adapted by long Young-suk and Moon Young-hee(1996)) were used in the analysis of health behavior, as well documents on absences due to sickness, school health room-visits, levels of physical strength, height, weight and degree of obesity were used to determine health status. In next step, We used them with an $X^2$-test, t-test, Odds Ratio, and a 95% Confidence Interval. 1. In two dimensions of three, family-relationship (t=3.41, p=0.001) and system -maintenances(t= 2.41, p=0.0l6) the mean score of urban children were significantly higher than those of rural ones. In the personal development dimension however, there was little significant difference. Assorting family environment into 10 sub-fields and analyzing them, we recognized that urban children were superior to rural children in the sub-fields of expressiveness (t =3.47, p=0.001), conflict (t=0.48, p=0.001), active-recreational orientation (t = 1.97, p=0.049) and organization (t=4.33, p=0.000). 2. Referring to the Odds Ratios of urban-rural children's health behaviors, urban children set up more desirable behavior than rural children wear ing safety belts (Odds Ratio =0.32, p=0.000), washing hands after meals(Odds Ratio = 0.43, p= 0.000), washing hands after excreting (Odds Ratio = 0.39, p=O.OOO), washing hands after coming - home ( Odds Ratio = 0.75, p = 0.003), brushing teeth before sleeping(Odds Ratio =0.45, p=0.000), brushing teeth more than once a day (Odds Ratio =0.73, p=0.0l2), drinking boiled water (Odds Ratio = 0.49, p=0.000), collecting garbage at home(Odds Ratio=0.31, p=0.000) and in the school(Odds Ratio =0. 67, p=0.000). All these led to significant differences. As to taking milk(Odds Ratio = 1.50, p=0.000), taking care of eyesight(Odds Ratio=1.41, p=0.001) and getting physical exercise in(Odds Ratio = 1.33, p=0.0l9) and outside the school(Odds Ratio = 1.32, p=0.005), rural children had more desirable behavior which also revealed a significant difference. There was little significant difference in smoking, but the smoking rate of rural children(5.5%) was larger than that of urban children(3.9%). 3. Health status was analyzed in terms of absences, school health room-visits, levels of physical strength, and the degree of obesity, height and weight. Considering Odds Ratios of the health status of urban-rural children, the health status of rural children was significantly better than that of the urban ones in the level of physical strength(t=1.51, p=0.000) and the degree of obesity(t=1.84, p=0.000). The mean height of urban children ($150.4{\pm}7.5cm$) is taller than that of their counterparts($149.5{\pm}7.9$), which revealed a significant difference (t =2.47, p=0.0l4). The mean weight of urban children($42.9{\pm}8.6kg$) is larger than that of their counterparts($41.8{\pm}9.0kg$), which was also a significant difference(t=2.81, p=0.005). Considering the results above, we can recognize that there are significant differences in family environment, health behavior, and health status in urban-rural children. These results also suggestion ideas for health education. What we would suggest for the health program of elementary schools is that school health teachers should play an active role in promoting the need and importance of health education, develop the appropriate programs which correspond to the regional characteristics, and incorporate them into schools to improve children's ability to manage their own health management.

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Discussions on the Distribution and Genesis of Mountain Ranges in the Korean Peninsular (I) : The Identification Mountain Ranges using a DEM and Reconsideration of Current Issues on Mountain Range Maps (한국 산맥론(I) : DEM을 이용한 산맥의 확인과 현행 산맥도의 문제점 및 대안의 모색)

  • Park Soo Jin;SON ILL
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.40 no.1 s.106
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    • pp.126-152
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    • 2005
  • In recent years, there are some confusions related to the definition and existence of mountain ranges, which have been described in current geography text books. We contend that these confusions came from the lack of understanding on the geomorphological processes that form the mountain system in Korea. This research attempts to clarify the definition of mountain ranges and offer geological and geomorphological explanations about the formation of them. Based on the analyses of the social and cultural causes underlying the recent debates on the existence of mountain ranges, we tried to identify the relationships among the definition of mountain ranges, geological structure of Korea, and the forming processes of mountain ranges. The current and past mountain range maps were compared with geological structures, geological maps, surface curvature, and hill shade maps. The latter two maps were derived from a Digital Elevation Model of the Korean Peninsular. The results show that we are able to prove the existence of most mountain ranges, which provides a useful framework to understand the geological evolution of Korean peninsular and formation of mountainous landscape of Korea. In terms of their morphological continuity and genesis, however, we identified five different categories of mountain ranges: 1) Uplift mountain ranges(Hamkyeong Sanmaek, Nangrim Sanmaek, Taebaek Sanmaek), which were formed by the uplift processes of the Korean Peninsular during the Tertiary; 2) Falut mountain ranges(Macheonryeong Sanmaek, Sobaek Sanmaek, Buksubaek Sanmaek), whirh were directly related to the uplift processes of the Korean Peninsular during the Tertiary; 3) Trust mountain ranges(Jekyouryeong Sanmaek, Kwangju Sanmaek, Charyeong Sanmaek, Noryeong Sanmaek), which were formed by the intrusion of granite and consequent orogenic processes during the Mesozoic era; 4) Drainage divide type mountain ranges, which were formed by the erosion processes after the uplift of Korean Peninsular; 5) Cross-drainage basin type mountain ranges (Kangnam Sanmaek, Eunjin Sanmaek, Myelak sanmaek), which were also formed by the erosion processes, but the mountain ranges cross several drainage basins as connecting mountains laterally We believe that the current social confusions related to the existence of mountain ranges has partly been caused by the vague definition of mountain ranges and the diversity of the forming processes. In order to overcome theses confusions, it is necessary to characterize the types of them according the genesis, the purpose of usages and also the scale of maps which will explains the mountain systems. It is also necessary to provide appropriate educational materials to increase the general public's awareness and understanding of geomorphological processes.

The impact of anthropogenic factors on changes in discharge and quality of water in the Hadano basin, Japan (인위적인 요인이 하천의 유량과 수질변화에 미친 영향 - 일본 하다노 분지를 사례 로 -)

  • ;Yang, Hea-Kun
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.242-254
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    • 1995
  • The Hadano Basin is located at a distance of about 70kms and 60kms from Tokyo and Yokohama and lies in the south-west part of the Kanto region in Japan. The basin area, which correspoends to the catchment of the Kaname River, is about areal size of 60.7$\textrm{km}^2$ and extends about length of 8kms in E-W direction and about width of 5kms in N-S direction (Fig.1). The Hadano basin is filled with thick pile of the alluvum from deposits composed of volcanic materials, mostly came from the Hakone Volcano and overlain by Fuji Volcanic ashes. Fluvial deposits form the good aquifer, therefore water resources of Handano City has been largely depending upon the eroundwater. Urbanization and industrialization of the basin has been rapid in the last thirty years, after activation of "Factory Attraction Policy of Hadano City" in 1956. Growth in population and number of factory due to urbanization changed the land-use pattern of the basin rapidly and increased the water demands. Therefore, Hadano City exploited a new source of water supply, and have introduced the prefectureal waterworks since 1976. On the other hand, the rapid urbanization has brought about the pollution of streams in the basin by domestic sewage and industrial waste water. Diffusion rate of sewerage systems in Hadano City is 38% in 1993. In ordcr to examine the impact of anthropogenic factors on river environments, the author took up the change of land-use and diffusion area of sewerage as parameters, and performed field surveys on water discharge and quality. The survey has been made at upstream and downstream of the main stream regularly per month, to get informati ons about the variation of discharge and water quality aiong the stream and its diurnal fluctuation. Annual variation has been analyzed based the data from Hadano City Office. The results are summarized as follows. 1. Stream discharge has been increasing by urbanization (Fig.3). Water quality (C $l^{-10}$ , N $H^{+}$$_{ 4}$-N, BOD) has been improving gradually after the application of sewerage service, yet water pollution load at the lower station has increased than that at the upper one because of the larger anthropogenic discharge volumes (Fig.4). 2. Corrclation coefficient of discharges between upper and lower was 0.81-0.92. Pollutant loads of the R. Kamame after the confluence with R. Kuzuha grew up by 2.4-3.7 times as compared with its upper reaches, and it increased to 3.7-6.9 times after the confluence with the R. Muro (Fig.5). 3. The changes of water quality along the stream can be divided into two groups (Fig.6a). First: water quality of the R. Kaname and R. Shijuhachisse is becoming worse towards the lower reaches because the water from branches are polluted. Second: water quality are improved in the lower where spring and small branch streams supply clear water, for example R. Mizunashi, R. Muro and R. Kuzuha. 4. Measured discharge at the upper station in the R. Shijuhachisse is 0.153㎥/sec, and about 55% of this is recharged until it reaches to the lower point. The R. Mizunashi has a discharge of 1.155㎥/sec at the upper point, is recharged 0.24㎥/sec until the midstream and groundwater spring 0.2㎥/sec at the lower reaches. R. Kuzuha recharged all the mountain runoff (0.2㎥/sec) at the upper reaches. The R. Muro is supplied by many springs and the estimated discharge of spring was 0.47㎥/sec (Fig.6b). 5. Diurmal variations in discharge and water quality are influenced clearly by domestic and industrial waste waters (Fig.7, 8).ed clearly by domestic and industrial waste waters (Fig.7, 8).

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Diversity, Spatial Distribution and Ecological Characteristics of Relict Forest Trees in South Korea (한국 산림유존목의 다양성, 공간 분포 및 생태 특성)

  • CHO, Hyun-Je;Lee, Cheol-Ho;Shin, Joon-Hwan;Bae, Kwan-Ho;Cho, Yong-Chan;Kim, Jun-Soo
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.105 no.4
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    • pp.401-413
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    • 2016
  • Forest resources utilization and variable disturbance history have been affected the rarity and conservation value of forest relict trees, which served as habitat for forest biodiversity, important carbon stock and cultural role include human and natural history in South Korea. This study was conducted to establish the baseline data for forest resources conservation by clarifying species diversity, spatial distribution and ecological characteristics (individual and habitat) of forest relict trees (DBH > 300 cm) based on the data getting from mountain trail, high resolution aerial photos and field professionals and field survey. As results, 54 taxa (18 family 32 genus 48 species 1 subspecies 3 variety and 2 form) as about 22% of tree species in Korea was identified in the field. 837 individuals of forest relict trees were observed and the majority of the trees was in Pinaceae, deciduous Fagaceae and Rosaceae, which families are abundant in population diversity. High elevation area was important to relict trees as mean altitudinal distribution was 1,200 m a.s.l as likely affected by human activity gradients and mid-steep slope and North aspect was important environment for the trees remain. Many individuals exhibited 'damage larger branch' (55.6%) and consequent relatively lower mean canopy coverages (below 80%). Synthetically, present diversity and abundance of relict forest trees in South Korea were the result of complex process among climate variation, local weather and biological factors and the trees of big and old were estimated to important forest biodiversity elements. In the future, clarifying the role and function of relict trees in forest ecosystem, in- and ex- situ programmes for important trees and habitat, and activities for building the background of conservation policy such as "Guideline for identifying and measurement of forest relict trees".

Development of $^{166}Ho$-Stent for the Treatment of Esophageal Cancer (식도암 치료용 $^{166}Ho$-Stent 개발)

  • Park, Kyung-Bae;Kim, Young-Mi;Kim, Kyung-Hwa;Shin, Byung-Chul;Park, Woong-Woo;Han, Kwang-Hee;Chung, Young-Ju;Choi, Sang-Mu;Lee, Jong-Doo
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.34 no.1
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    • pp.62-73
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    • 2000
  • Purpose: Esophageal cancer patients have a difficulty in the intake of meals through the blocked esophageal lumen, which is caused by an ingrowth of cancer cells and largely influences on the prognosis. It is reported that esophageal cancer has a very low survival rate due to the lack of nourishment and immunity as the result of this. In this study a new radioactive stent, which prevents tumor ingrowth and restenosis by additional radiation treatment, has been developed. Materials and Methods: Using ${\ulcorner}HANARO{\lrcorner}$ research reactor, the radioactive stent assembly ($^{166}Ho$-SA) was prepared by covering the metallic stent with a radioactive sleeve by means of a post-irradiation and pre-irradiation methods. Results: Scanning electron microscopy and autoradiography exhibited that the distribution of $^{165/166}Ho\;(NO_3)$ compounds in polyurethane matrix was homogeneous. A geometrical model of the esophagus considering its structural properties, was developed for the computer simulation of energy deposition to the esophageal wall. The dose distributions of $^{166}Ho$-stent were calculated by means of the EGS4 code system. The sources are considered to be distributed uniformly on the surface in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and length of 40 mm. As an animal experiment, when radioactive stent developed in this study was inserted into the esophagus of a Mongrel dog, tissue destruction and widening of the esophageal lumen were observed. Conclusion: We have developed a new radioactive stent comprising of a radioactive tubular sleeve covering the metallic stent, which emits homogeneous radiation. If it is inserted into the blocked or narrowed lumen, it can lead to local destruction of the tumor due to irradiation effect with dilatation resulting from self-expansion of the metallic property. Accordingly, it is expected that restenosis esophageal lumen by the continuous ingrowth and infiltration of cancer after insertion of our radioactive stent will be decreased remarkably.

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Bioconcentration Factor(BCF) of Perchlorate from Agricultural Products and Soils (농산물과 토양에 대한 퍼클로레이트 함량 평가 및 생물농축계수 산출)

  • Kim, Ji-Young;Kim, Min-Ji;Lee, Jeong-Mi;Kim, Doo-Ho;Park, Ki-Moon;Kim, Won-Il
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.224-230
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    • 2013
  • BACKGROUND: Perchlorate(${ClO_4}^-$) is an anion that is extremely water-soluble and environmentally stable. It mostly exists in the form of sodium perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate and potassium perchlorate which are used in rocket fuels, propellants, ignitable sources, air bag inflation systems and explosives. Perchlorate can be taken into the thyroid glands and interfere with iodide uptake. The determination of perchlorate in agricultural products is important due to its potential health impact on humans. The objective of this study was to determine the perchlorate concentrations in the samples of various agricultural products and soils. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, samples of cereal(Rice, Barley, Corn, Bean), vegetable(Spinach, Lettuce, Sesame, Chives, Chili, Pumpkin, Tomato), fruit(Apple, Pear, Tangerine, Grape) were analyzed for perchlorate contents. Perchlorate concentrations were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed that agricultural products respectively contained perchlorate concentrations in the range of : cereals N.D.~$7.46{\mu}g/kg$, vegetables $0.52{\sim}23.06{\mu}g/kg$, fruits $0.19{\sim}2.66{\mu}g/kg$. Bioconcentration factor was in the order of : vegetables > cereals > fruits. Bioconcentration factor was highest follwed by Sesame 37.88, Corn 21.51, Spinach 10.57, Tangerine 4.39, Chives 2.89 and Lettuce 1.90. The recoveries of perchlorate from spiked agricultural products and soils ranged from 87.72~111.26% and 102.09~111.23%. CONCLUSION(S): The health risk assessment results obtained in this study are lower than the RfD(Reference Dose, 0.0007 mg/kg/body weight/day) value as suggested by the Integrated Risk Information System(US IRIS). Our results indicate that, people currently exposed to perchlorate from agricultural products consumption are considered as safe.