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Experimental renal artery embolization with iohexol-ethanol and barium-ethanol in dogs (개에서 iohexol-ethanol 및 barium-ethanol을 이용한 실험적 신동맥 색전술)

  • Hwang, Guk-jin;Chang, Dongwoo;Seo, Minho;Jung, Joohyun;Choi, Mincheol;Yoon, Junghee
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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    • v.41 no.3
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    • pp.429-436
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    • 2001
  • The present study was performed to investigate the effect of iohexol-ethanol mixture and barium-ethanol mixture on the induction of transcatheter renal artery embolization in healthy 18 dogs, which were divided into two groups of 9 dogs and the 9 dogs were divided into 3 subgroups of 3 dogs. The renal artery embolization was undertaken unilaterally with the dose of 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0 ml/kg iohexol-ehtanol mixture and with the dose of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 ml/kg barium-ethanol mixture. And serum chemistry on 0, 1,3, 7, and 14 days, intravenous pyelography on 7days, angiography on 14 days, and histopathology on 14 days were evaluated. Serum BUN and creatinine concentration of two groups with iohexol-ethanol mixture and barium-ethanol mixture administration were mildly increased a t 1 day after injection of embolic materials and then returned to baseline. No significant changes in BUN and creatinine levels occurred in any of dogs. In all dogs with the dose of 1.5 ml/kg iohexol-ethanol mixture, the renal arteries were not embolized. All dogs with the dose of 3.0 ml/kg died. In all dogs with the dose of 2.10 ml/kg, the treated arteries were completely occluded. In barium-ethanol mixture administered group, the renal artery in one dog with the dose of 0.2 ml/kg was not embolized. In all dogs with the dose of 0.8 ml/kg, the renal arteries were completely embolized, but loac overembolization occured in two dogs. All animals with the dose of 0.4 ml/kg had effective embolization and no evidence of radiopaque barium opacity in systemic arteries distal to the renal-artery was found. All embolized kidneys were shrunk and decreased in size in gross examination and were shown diffuse necrosis in histopathologic examination. In the present study, renal arteries were embolized with the dose of 2.0 ml/kg iohexol-ethanol mixture or 0.4 ml/kg barium-ethanol mixture. And it is considered that the dose had a satisfactory embolic effect.

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Effects of Dietary Tea Polyphenol on Tumor Growth Inhibition by Cisplatin in EMT6 Breast Tumor-bearing Mice (유방암 세포(EMT6) 이식 마우스에서 녹차폴리페놀 음용이 시스플라틴의 암 조직 성장 억제에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Byoung-Rai;Cho, Jung-Il;Park, Pyoung-Sim
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.43 no.1
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    • pp.47-54
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    • 2014
  • The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of green tea polyphenol (GTP) on anticancer treatment with cisplatin (CP), using both an in vitro cell culture model and an in vivo mouse model of established breast tumor. Mouse breast cancer cells (EMT6) were treated with or without GTP and CP followed by determination of the cell viability using an MTT assay. The relative cell viability of CP treated EMT6 cells was 96% at a 20 ${\mu}g/mL$ concentration of cisplatin; however, in combination with GTP (50 ${\mu}g/mL$), the cell viability decreased to 20% at the same concentration of CP (20 ${\mu}g/mL$). For the in vivo study, EMT6 cells were inoculated into Balb/c mice for the establishment of a tumor-bearing mice model. The tumor-bearing mice were treated with CP (5 mg/kg. i.p.) with or without dietary GTP (0.2% drinking water). Tumor growth was monitored by a measurement of tumor size using a digital caliper, and nephrotoxicity was determined by enzymatic and histological examinations. The levels of p53 and caspase-3 in tumor tissues were examined by a Western blot. In tumor-bearing mice treated with GTP plus CP, the increment of tumor volume showed a significant reduction, compared with CP or GTP alone. The levels of p53 and cleaved caspase-3 (caspase-3/p17) in tumor tissues of tumor-bearing mice were increased by CP and GTP compared to CP alone. In CP treated tumor-bearing mice, ${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activities were decreased, and marked tubular necrosis and dilatation were observed in the kidney. CP-induced enzymatic and histopathological changes in the kidney of tumor-bearing mice were reduced by combinations of GTP with CP. The results of these experiments demonstrated that dietary GTP has a potentiating effect on CP anti-tumor activity and a protective effect against CP-induced renal dysfunction. Therefore, GTP may be used as a modulator in anticancer treatment with CP.

A study on urban heat islands over the metropolitan Seoul area, using satellite images (원격탐사기법에 의한 도시열섬 연구)

  • ;Lee, Hyoun-Young
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.40
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    • pp.1-13
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    • 1989
  • The brightness temperature from NOAA AVHRR CH 4 images was examined for the metropolitan Seoul area, the capital city of Korea, to detect the characteristics of the urban heat island for this study. Surface data from 21 meteorological stations were compared with the brightness temperatures Through computer enhancement techniques, more than 20 heat islands could be recognized in South Korea, with 1 km spatii resolution at a scale of 1: 200, 00O(Fig. 3, 4 and 6). The result of the analysis of AVHRR CH 4 images over the metropolitan Seoul area can be summerized as follows (1) The pattern of brightness temperature distribution in the metropolitan Seoul area shows a relatively strong temperature contrast between urban and rural areas. There is some indication of the warm brightness temperature zone characterrizing built-up area including CBD, densely populated residential district and industrial zone. The cool brightness temperature is asociaed with the major hills such as Bukhan-san, Nam-san and Kwanak-san or with the major water bodies such as Han-gang, and reservoirs. Although the influence of the river and reservoirs is obvious in the brightness temperauture, that of small-scaled land use features such as parks in the cities is not features such as parks in the cities is not apperent. (2) One can find a linerar relationshop between the brightenss temperature and air temperature for 10 major cities, where the difference between two variables is larger in big cities. Though the coefficient value is 0.82, one can estimate that factors of the heat islands can not be explained only by the size of the cities. The magnitude of the horizontal brightness temperature differences between urban and rural area is found to be greater than that of horizontal air temperature difference in Korea. (3) Also one can find the high heat island intensity in some smaller cities such as Changwon(won(Tu-r=9.0$^{\circ}$C) and Po-hang(Tu-r==7.1$^{\circ}$~)T. he industrial location quotient of Chang-won is the second in the country and Po-hang the third. (4) A comparision of the enhanced thermal infrared imageries in 1986 and 1989, with the map at a scale of 1:200, 000 for the meotropolitan Seoul area showes the extent of possible urbanization changes. In the last three years, the heat islands have been extended in area. zone characterrizing built-up area including (5) Although the overall data base is small, the data in Fig. 3 suggest that brightness tempeautre could ge utilized for the study on the heat island characteristics. Satellite observations are required to study and monitor the impact of urban heat island on the climate and environment on global scale. This type of remote sensing provides a meams of monitoring the growth of urban and suburban aeas and its impact on the environment.

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A Study on the Cultural Landscapes of Scenic Sites on 『Joseon myeongseungsiseon(朝鮮名勝詩選)』 at the Japanese Colonial Period - A Case of Cheonan, Chungnam Province - (일제강점기 『조선명승시선(朝鮮名勝詩選)』에 나타나는 명승고적의 문화경관 연구 - 충청남도 천안을 사례로 -)

  • Lee, Hang-Lyoul
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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    • v.37 no.2
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    • pp.40-53
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    • 2019
  • This study was conducted to investigate the changes in Scenic Spots by utilizing the "Sinjeungdonggukyeojiseungram(新增東國輿地勝覽)" and "Joseonhwanyeoseungnam(朝鮮?與勝覽)" to interpret "Joseonmyeongseungsiseon(朝鮮名勝詩選, 1915)". By examining the historical context when "Joseonmyeongseungsiseon" was published, it documented the Japanese's memories of 'Sino-Japanese War(淸日戰爭)' in 1894, which implies the 'policy of assimilation' by the Japanese Government-General of Korea after the Japanese annexation of Korea(1910). Detailed information about the author 'Narushima Sagimura(成島鷺村)' can be found in preface. In the "Joseonmyeongseungsiseon", it dedicates most of the part in describing the Scenic Spot especially in 'Anseong Do (15 lines)', where has the memories of war such as the 'First Sino-Japanese War'. The number of Scenic Spots, commonly mentioned in both "Sinjeungdonggukyeoji seungram" and "Joseonhwanyeoseungnam" in Cheonan province are 13 in total. Most of the content contains a similar structure. But 'Honggyeongwon(弘慶院)' and 'Seonghwanyeok(成歡驛)' has both the common Joseon Dynasty landscape point of view, and the additional historical context which are about the 'Jeongyujaeran(丁酉再亂)' or 'First Sino-Japanese War' consequently enlightens the 'placeness' of the Scenic Spots. Among the newly described Scenic Spots, 'Anseongdo(安城渡)' is the part that focuses on the memory of the 'Anseongcheon Battle' that gave Japan its first defeat in the Sino-Japanese War. Especially, by introducing the poetry of 'Sinobu Shunpei' it maximizes the appreciation through emphasizing the direct correlation between placeness and the poem itself. While the Joseon Dynasty poems are 10 pieces in total and their title and the subject matters are all related to historical spots, and the appreciation also maximizes when fully interpreted with understanding the historical context. However, it's contextual meanings are neglected by dividing the actual structures into separate pages. When looking at the location of famous historic sites, they come in many different types, considering the location, meaning, size, and conditions surrounding them. It appears as a service space for travelers, a place for sightseeing, relaxation or return, a temple space for paying respects or memorial services, a fortress facility for defense and protection, or a fishing area for wages, and an old battlefield. Especially, it is noted that the area is diverse as the cultural landscape of Cheonan, given that the battle space between the hermitage and the Donghangnongmin(東學農民) is shared with each other. It is necessary to establish policies for the preservation and restoration of local cultural assets based on these points in the future.

Effect of Plasma-activated Water Process on the Growth and Functional Substance Content of Lettuce during the Cultivation Period in a Deep Flow Technique System (담액수경재배 시스템에서 플라즈마수 처리가 상추의 생육 및 페놀류 함량에 미치는 영향)

  • Noh, Seung Won;Park, Jong Seok;Kim, Sung Jin;Kim, Dae-Woong;Kang, Woo Seok
    • Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.464-472
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    • 2020
  • We suggest a hydroponic cultivation system combined with a plasma generator to investigate the changes in the growth and functional substance content of lettuces during the cultivation period. Lettuce seedlings of uniform size were planted in semi-DFT after seeding for 3 weeks, and the plasma-activated water was intermittently operated for 1 hour at an 8 hours cycle for 4 weeks. Lettuces grew with or without plasma-activated water with the nutrient solution in hydroponics culture systems. Among the reactive oxygen species generated during plasma-activated water treatment, brown spots and necrosis appeared in the individuals closer to the plasma generating device due to O3, and there was no significant difference in the growth parameters. While the rutin and total phenolic content of the lettuce shoot grown in the nutrient solution were higher than that of the plasma-activated water, epicatechin contents in plasma-activated water were significantly greater than the nutrient solution. However, in the roots, all kinds of secondary metabolites measured in this work, rutin, epicatechin, quercetin, and total phenolic contents, were significantly higher in the plasma-activated water than the control. These results were indicated that the growth of lettuce was decreased due to the reactive oxygen species such as ozone in the plasma-activated water, but the secondary metabolites in the root zone increased significantly. It has needed to use this technology for the cultivation of root vegetables with the modified plasma-activated water systems to increase secondary metabolite in the roots.

The Analysis on the Relationship between Firms' Exposures to SNS and Stock Prices in Korea (기업의 SNS 노출과 주식 수익률간의 관계 분석)

  • Kim, Taehwan;Jung, Woo-Jin;Lee, Sang-Yong Tom
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.233-253
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    • 2014
  • Can the stock market really be predicted? Stock market prediction has attracted much attention from many fields including business, economics, statistics, and mathematics. Early research on stock market prediction was based on random walk theory (RWT) and the efficient market hypothesis (EMH). According to the EMH, stock market are largely driven by new information rather than present and past prices. Since it is unpredictable, stock market will follow a random walk. Even though these theories, Schumaker [2010] asserted that people keep trying to predict the stock market by using artificial intelligence, statistical estimates, and mathematical models. Mathematical approaches include Percolation Methods, Log-Periodic Oscillations and Wavelet Transforms to model future prices. Examples of artificial intelligence approaches that deals with optimization and machine learning are Genetic Algorithms, Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Neural Networks. Statistical approaches typically predicts the future by using past stock market data. Recently, financial engineers have started to predict the stock prices movement pattern by using the SNS data. SNS is the place where peoples opinions and ideas are freely flow and affect others' beliefs on certain things. Through word-of-mouth in SNS, people share product usage experiences, subjective feelings, and commonly accompanying sentiment or mood with others. An increasing number of empirical analyses of sentiment and mood are based on textual collections of public user generated data on the web. The Opinion mining is one domain of the data mining fields extracting public opinions exposed in SNS by utilizing data mining. There have been many studies on the issues of opinion mining from Web sources such as product reviews, forum posts and blogs. In relation to this literatures, we are trying to understand the effects of SNS exposures of firms on stock prices in Korea. Similarly to Bollen et al. [2011], we empirically analyze the impact of SNS exposures on stock return rates. We use Social Metrics by Daum Soft, an SNS big data analysis company in Korea. Social Metrics provides trends and public opinions in Twitter and blogs by using natural language process and analysis tools. It collects the sentences circulated in the Twitter in real time, and breaks down these sentences into the word units and then extracts keywords. In this study, we classify firms' exposures in SNS into two groups: positive and negative. To test the correlation and causation relationship between SNS exposures and stock price returns, we first collect 252 firms' stock prices and KRX100 index in the Korea Stock Exchange (KRX) from May 25, 2012 to September 1, 2012. We also gather the public attitudes (positive, negative) about these firms from Social Metrics over the same period of time. We conduct regression analysis between stock prices and the number of SNS exposures. Having checked the correlation between the two variables, we perform Granger causality test to see the causation direction between the two variables. The research result is that the number of total SNS exposures is positively related with stock market returns. The number of positive mentions of has also positive relationship with stock market returns. Contrarily, the number of negative mentions has negative relationship with stock market returns, but this relationship is statistically not significant. This means that the impact of positive mentions is statistically bigger than the impact of negative mentions. We also investigate whether the impacts are moderated by industry type and firm's size. We find that the SNS exposures impacts are bigger for IT firms than for non-IT firms, and bigger for small sized firms than for large sized firms. The results of Granger causality test shows change of stock price return is caused by SNS exposures, while the causation of the other way round is not significant. Therefore the correlation relationship between SNS exposures and stock prices has uni-direction causality. The more a firm is exposed in SNS, the more is the stock price likely to increase, while stock price changes may not cause more SNS mentions.

Attention to the Internet: The Impact of Active Information Search on Investment Decisions (인터넷 주의효과: 능동적 정보 검색이 투자 결정에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구)

  • Chang, Young Bong;Kwon, YoungOk;Cho, Wooje
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.21 no.3
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    • pp.117-129
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    • 2015
  • As the Internet becomes ubiquitous, a large volume of information is posted on the Internet with exponential growth every day. Accordingly, it is not unusual that investors in stock markets gather and compile firm-specific or market-wide information through online searches. Importantly, it becomes easier for investors to acquire value-relevant information for their investment decision with the help of powerful search tools on the Internet. Our study examines whether or not the Internet helps investors assess a firm's value better by using firm-level data over long periods spanning from January 2004 to December 2013. To this end, we construct weekly-based search volume for information technology (IT) services firms on the Internet. We limit our focus to IT firms since they are often equipped with intangible assets and relatively less recognized to the public which makes them hard-to measure. To obtain the information on those firms, investors are more likely to consult the Internet and use the information to appreciate the firms more accurately and eventually improve their investment decisions. Prior studies have shown that changes in search volumes can reflect the various aspects of the complex human behaviors and forecast near-term values of economic indicators, including automobile sales, unemployment claims, and etc. Moreover, search volume of firm names or stock ticker symbols has been used as a direct proxy of individual investors' attention in financial markets since, different from indirect measures such as turnover and extreme returns, they can reveal and quantify the interest of investors in an objective way. Following this line of research, this study aims to gauge whether the information retrieved from the Internet is value relevant in assessing a firm. We also use search volume for analysis but, distinguished from prior studies, explore its impact on return comovements with market returns. Given that a firm's returns tend to comove with market returns excessively when investors are less informed about the firm, we empirically test the value of information by examining the association between Internet searches and the extent to which a firm's returns comove. Our results show that Internet searches are negatively associated with return comovements as expected. When sample is split by the size of firms, the impact of Internet searches on return comovements is shown to be greater for large firms than small ones. Interestingly, we find a greater impact of Internet searches on return comovements for years from 2009 to 2013 than earlier years possibly due to more aggressive and informative exploit of Internet searches in obtaining financial information. We also complement our analyses by examining the association between return volatility and Internet search volumes. If Internet searches capture investors' attention associated with a change in firm-specific fundamentals such as new product releases, stock splits and so on, a firm's return volatility is likely to increase while search results can provide value-relevant information to investors. Our results suggest that in general, an increase in the volume of Internet searches is not positively associated with return volatility. However, we find a positive association between Internet searches and return volatility when the sample is limited to larger firms. A stronger result from larger firms implies that investors still pay less attention to the information obtained from Internet searches for small firms while the information is value relevant in assessing stock values. However, we do find any systematic differences in the magnitude of Internet searches impact on return volatility by time periods. Taken together, our results shed new light on the value of information searched from the Internet in assessing stock values. Given the informational role of the Internet in stock markets, we believe the results would guide investors to exploit Internet search tools to be better informed, as a result improving their investment decisions.

Island-Biogeographical Characteristics of Naturalized Plant in Jeollanamdo Islands (전라남도 도서지역 귀화식물의 도서생물지리학적 특성)

  • Kim, Hyun-Hee;Kim, Da-Bin;Jeon, Chul-Hyun;Kim, Chan-Soo;Kong, Woo-Seok
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.272-289
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    • 2017
  • This study analyzed the status of the naturalized plants in islands in Jeollanamdo from an island biogeographic perspective. As a result of a floristic analysis at 47 inhabited islands and 194 uninhabited islands, 30 families and 134 species naturalized plants are reported. The most commonly occurring naturalized plant from 141 islands was Rumex crispus. The average number of naturalized plants by islands is 20.6 species (${\pm}14.22$) at the inhabited islands and 3.7 species (${\pm}3.89$) at the uninhabited islands. Presence of fifty nine naturalized species at Geumodo in Yeosu-si is the largest in number. The naturalization ratio, which is the ratio of naturalized plants to native plants, is 7.66% (${\pm}3.96$) in the inhabitable islands and 4.97% (${\pm}3.70$) in the uninhabitable islands. The naturalization ratio among islands of the West Sea in Jeollanam-do is 5.92% (${\pm}4.49$), and it is higher than 4.96% (${\pm}2.15$) in islands in the South Sea. Especially, the naturalization ratio at the inhabitable islands, i.e., 8.39% (${\pm}4.37$) at the islands of the West Sea is higher than 5.80% (${\pm}1.41$) at islands in the South Sea. The naturalization ratio of naturalized plants at the islands shows positive correlation with the size of the island (r=0.412, p<0.01), but the correlations with distance from the mainland and altitude above sea level are not significant. Eight ecosystem disturbing species designated by law are reported, and each species shows distinct distributional ranges. The regional differences in the number of naturalized plant species seem to be a result of the complex reflection of natural and human environmental factors, such as the degree of traffic between mainland and islands, degree of cultivation activities, along with the physical environmental differences. Since islands have limited habitats and resources, islands could be more vulnerable to the incoming species from outside, and environmental changes than mainland. Therefore, continuous monitoring and management against the naturalized plants in islands are needed.

Development of lumped model to analyze the hydrological effects landuse change (토지이용 변화에 따른 수문 특성의 변화를 추적하기 위한 Lumped모형의 개발)

  • Son, Ill
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.233-252
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    • 1994
  • One of major advantages of Lumped model is its ability to simulate extended flows. A further advantage is that it requires only conventional, readily available hydrological data (rainfall, evaporation and runoff). These two advantages commend the use of this type of model for the analysis of the hydrological effects of landuse change. Experimental Catchment(K11) of Kimakia site in Kenga experienced three phases of landuse change for sixteen and half years. The Institute of Hydrology offered the hydrological data from the catchment for this research. On basis of Blackie's(l972) 9-parameter model, a new model(R1131) was reorganized in consideration of the following aspects to reflect the hydrological characteristics of the catchment: 1) The evapotranspiration necessary for the landuse hydrology, 2) high permeable soils, 3) small catchment, 4) input option for initial soil moisture deficit, and 5) othel modules for water budget analysis. The new model is constructed as a 11-parameter, 3-storage, 1-input option model. Using a number of initial conditions, the model was optimized to the data of three landuse phases. The model efficiencies were 96.78%, 97.20%, 94.62% and the errors of total flow were -1.78%, -3.36%, -5.32%. The bias of the optimized models were tested by several techniques, The extended flows were simulated in the prediction mode using the optimized model and the data set of the whole series of experimental periods. They are used to analyse the change of daily high and low-flow caused by landuse change. The relative water use ratio of the clearing and seedling phase was 60.21%, but that of the next two phases were 81.23% and 83.78% respectively. The annual peak flows of second and third phase at a 1.5-year return period were decreased by 31.3% and 31.2% compared to that of the first phase. The annual peak flow at a 50-year return period in the second phase was an increase of only 4.8%, and that in the third phase was an increase of 12.9%. The annual minimum flow at a 1.5-year return period was decreased by 34.2% in the second phase, and 34.3% in the third phase. The changes in the annual minimum flows were decreased for the larger return periods; a 20.2% decrease in the second phase and 20.9% decrease in the third phase at a 50-year return period. From the results above, two aspects could be concluded. Firstly, the flow regime in Catchment K11 was changed due to the landuse conversion from the clearing and seedling phade to the intermediate stage of pine plantation. But, The flow regime was little affected after the pine trees reached a certain height. Secondly, the effects of the pine plantation on the daily high- and low-flow were reduced with the increase in flood size and the severity of drought.

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DEVELOPMENT OF SAFETY-BASED LEVEL-OF-SERVICE CRITERIA FOR ISOLATED SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS (독립신호 교차로에서의 교통안전을 위한 서비스수준 결정방법의 개발)

  • Dr. Tae-Jun Ha
    • Proceedings of the KOR-KST Conference
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    • 1995.02a
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    • pp.3-32
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    • 1995
  • The Highway Capacity Manual specifies procedures for evaluating intersection performance in terms of delay per vehicle. What is lacking in the current methodology is a comparable quantitative procedure for ass~ssing the safety-based level of service provided to motorists. The objective of the research described herein was to develop a computational procedure for evaluating the safety-based level of service of signalized intersections based on the relative hazard of alternative intersection designs and signal timing plans. Conflict opportunity models were developed for those crossing, diverging, and stopping maneuvers which are associated with left-turn and rear-end accidents. Safety¬based level-of-service criteria were then developed based on the distribution of conflict opportunities computed from the developed models. A case study evaluation of the level of service analysis methodology revealed that the developed safety-based criteria were not as sensitive to changes in prevailing traffic, roadway, and signal timing conditions as the traditional delay-based measure. However, the methodology did permit a quantitative assessment of the trade-off between delay reduction and safety improvement. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) specifies procedures for evaluating intersection performance in terms of a wide variety of prevailing conditions such as traffic composition, intersection geometry, traffic volumes, and signal timing (1). At the present time, however, performance is only measured in terms of delay per vehicle. This is a parameter which is widely accepted as a meaningful and useful indicator of the efficiency with which an intersection is serving traffic needs. What is lacking in the current methodology is a comparable quantitative procedure for assessing the safety-based level of service provided to motorists. For example, it is well¬known that the change from permissive to protected left-turn phasing can reduce left-turn accident frequency. However, the HCM only permits a quantitative assessment of the impact of this alternative phasing arrangement on vehicle delay. It is left to the engineer or planner to subjectively judge the level of safety benefits, and to evaluate the trade-off between the efficiency and safety consequences of the alternative phasing plans. Numerous examples of other geometric design and signal timing improvements could also be given. At present, the principal methods available to the practitioner for evaluating the relative safety at signalized intersections are: a) the application of engineering judgement, b) accident analyses, and c) traffic conflicts analysis. Reliance on engineering judgement has obvious limitations, especially when placed in the context of the elaborate HCM procedures for calculating delay. Accident analyses generally require some type of before-after comparison, either for the case study intersection or for a large set of similar intersections. In e.ither situation, there are problems associated with compensating for regression-to-the-mean phenomena (2), as well as obtaining an adequate sample size. Research has also pointed to potential bias caused by the way in which exposure to accidents is measured (3, 4). Because of the problems associated with traditional accident analyses, some have promoted the use of tqe traffic conflicts technique (5). However, this procedure also has shortcomings in that it.requires extensive field data collection and trained observers to identify the different types of conflicts occurring in the field. The objective of the research described herein was to develop a computational procedure for evaluating the safety-based level of service of signalized intersections that would be compatible and consistent with that presently found in the HCM for evaluating efficiency-based level of service as measured by delay per vehicle (6). The intent was not to develop a new set of accident prediction models, but to design a methodology to quantitatively predict the relative hazard of alternative intersection designs and signal timing plans.

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