• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
• /
• v.8 no.5
• /
• pp.11-16
• /
• 2022

As an interest in the development of artificial intelligence(AI) technology in the water supply sector increases, we have developed an AI algorithm that can predict improvement decision-making ratings through repetitive learning using the data of pipe condition evaluation results, and present the most reliable prediction model through a verification process. We have developed the algorithm that can predict pipe ratings by pre-processing 12 indirect evaluation items based on the 2020 Han River Basin's basic plan and applying the AI algorithm to update weighting factors through backpropagation. This method ensured that the concordance rate between the direct evaluation result value and the calculated result value through repetitive learning and verification was more than 90%. As a result of the algorithm accuracy verification process, it was confirmed that all water pipe type data were evenly distributed, and the more learning data, the higher prediction accuracy. If data from all across the country is collected, the reliability of the prediction technique for pipe ratings using AI algorithm will be improved, and therefore, it is expected that the AI algorithm will play a role in supporting decision-making in the objective evaluation of the condition of aging pipes.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.593-606
• /
• 2021

The Korea Meteorological Administration/National Institute of Meteorological Sciences (KMA/NIMS) has monitored atmospheric CO₂ at Anmyeondo (AMY) World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Atmosphere Watch Programme (GAW) regional station since 1999, and expanded its observations at Jeju Gosan Suwolbong station (JGS) in the South and at Ulleungdo-Dokdo stations in the East (ULD and DOK) since 2012. Due to a recent WMO CO₂ scale update and a new filter (NIMS) to select baseline levels at each station, the 22 years of CO₂ data are recalculated. After correction for the new CO₂ scale, we confirmed that those corrected records are reasonable within the compatibility goal (±0.1 ppm of CO₂) between KMA/NIMS and National Oceanic and Atmosphereic Administration (NOAA) flask-air measurements with the new scale. With the new NIMS filter, CO₂ baseline levels are now more representative of the large-scale background compared to previous values, which contained large CO₂ enhancements. Atmospheric CO₂ observed in South Korea is 4 to 8 ppm greater than the global average while the amplitude of seasonal variation is similar (10~13 ppm) to the amplitude averaged over a comparable latitude zone (30°N-60°N). Variations in CO₂ growth rate are also similar, increasing and decreasing similar to global values, as it reflects the net balance between terrestrial respiration and photosynthesis. In 2020, atmospheric CO₂ continued increasing despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though fossil emission was reduced (around -7% globally), we still emitted large amounts of anthropogenic CO₂. Overall, since CO₂ has large natural variations and its source was derived from not only fossil fuel but also biomass burning, the small fossil emission reduction could not affect the atmospheric level directly.

• Journal of Cadastre & Land InformatiX
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.105-118
• /
• 2022

The demand for information related to 3D spatial objects model in metaverse, smart cities, digital twins, autonomous vehicles, urban air mobility will be increased. 3D model construction for spatial objects is possible with various equipments such as satellite-, aerial-, ground platforms and technologies such as modeling, artificial intelligence, image matching. However, it is not easy to quickly detect and convert spatial objects that need updating. In this study, based on spatial information (features) and attributes, using matching elements such as address code, number of floors, building name, and area, the converged building DB and the detected building DB are constructed. Both to support above and to verify the suitability of object selection that needs to be updated, one system prototype was developed. When constructing the converged building DB, the convergence of spatial information and attributes was impossible or failed in some buildings, and the matching rate was low at about 80%. It is believed that this is due to omitting of attributes about many building objects, especially in the pilot test area. This system prototype will support the establishment of an efficient drone shooting plan for the rapid update of 3D spatial objects, thereby preventing duplication and unnecessary construction of spatial objects, thereby greatly contributing to object improvement and cost reduction.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.203-210
• /
• 2019

The aim of this review was to evaluate minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion on the latest update. Lumbar interbody fusion was introduced recently. This study performed, a literature review of the indications, clinical outcomes, fusion rate, and complications regarding recently highlighted minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion. The indications of lateral lumbar interbody fusion are similar to the conventional anterior and posterior interbody fusion in degenerative lumbar diseases. In particular, lateral lumbar interbody fusion is an effective minimally invasive surgery in spinal stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis, degenerative adult deformity, degenerative disc disease and adjacent segment disease. In addition, the clinical outcomes and fusion rates of lateral lumbar interbody fusion are similar compared to conventional lumbar fusion. On the other hand, non-specific complications including hip flexor weakness, nerve injury, vascular injury, visceral injury, cage subsidence and pseudohernia have been reported. Lateral lumbar interbody fusion is a very useful minimally invasive surgery because it has advantages over conventional anterior and posterior interbody fusion without many of the disadvantages. Nevertheless, nonspecific complications during lateral lumbar interbody fusion procedure remain a challenge to be improved.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.390-397
• /
• 2023

Introduction: Biological risks are a major global problem in the workplace. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the biological risks at work. This study presents data on both communicable infectious biological agents and noncommunicable factors leading to death and disability for the year 2021. Methods: We followed the methodology established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in their past global estimates on occupational accidents and work-related diseases. We used relevant ILO estimates for hazardous substances and related population attributable fractions derived from literature, which were then applied to World Health Organization mortality data. The communicable diseases included in the estimates were tuberculosis, pneumococcal diseases, malaria, diarrheal diseases, other infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, influenza associated respiratory diseases and COVID-19. Noncommunicable diseases and injuries considered were Chronic Obstructive Diseases (COPD) due to organic dusts, asthma, allergic reactions and risks related to animal contact. We estimated death attributable to biological risk at work and disability in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs). Results: We estimated that in 2022, 550,819 deaths were caused by biological risk factors, with 476,000 deaths attributed to communicable infectious diseases and 74,000 deaths caused by noncommunicable factors. Among these, there were 223,650 deaths attributed to COVID-19 at work. We calculated the rate of 584 DALYs per 100,000 workers, representing an 11% increase from the previous estimate of the global burden of work-related disabilities measured by DALYs. Conclusion: This is a first update since previous 2007 ILO estimates, which has now increased by 74% and covers most biological risks factors. However, it is important to note that there may be other diseases and deaths are missing from the data, which need to be included when new information becomes available. It is also worth mentioning that while deaths caused by major communicable diseases including COVID-19 are relatively rare within the working population, absences from work due to these diseases are likely to be very common within the active workforce.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.127-153
• /
• 2009

There is a growing concern about potential harmful effect of second-hand or environmental tobacco smoking. As a result, smoking bans in workplace become more prevalent worldwide. In Korea, workplace smoking ban policy become more restrictive in 2003 when National health enhancing law was amended. The new law requires all office buildings larger than 3,000 square meters (multi-purpose buildings larger than 2,000 square meters) should be smoke free. Therefore, a lot of indoor office became non smoking area. Previous studies in other counties often found contradicting answers for the effects of workplace smoking ban on smoking behavior. In addition, there was no study in Korea yet that examines the causal impacts of smoking ban on smoking behavior. The situation in Korea might be different from other countries. Using 2001 and 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition surveys which are representative for population in Korea we try to examine the impacts of law change on current smoker and cigarettes smoked per day. The amended law impacted the whole country at the same time and there was a declining trend in smoking rate even before the legislation update. So, the challenge here is to tease out the true impact only. We compare indoor working occupations which are constrained by the law change with outdoor working occupations which are less impacted. Since the data has been collected before (2001) and after (2005) the law change for treated (indoor working occupations) and control (outdoor working occupations) groups we will use difference in difference method. We restrict our sample to working age (between 20 and 65) since these are the relevant population by the workplace smoking ban policy. We also restrict the sample to indoor occupations (executive or administrative and administrative support) and outdoor occupations (sales and low skilled worker) after dropping unemployed and someone working for military since it is not clear whether these occupations are treated group or control group. This classification was supported when we examined the answers for workplace smoking ban policy existing only in 2005 survey. Sixty eight percent of indoor occupations reported having an office smoking ban policy compared to forty percent of outdoor occupation answering workplace smoking ban policy. The estimated impacts on current smoker are 4.1 percentage point decline and cigarettes per day show statistically significant decline of 2.5 cigarettes per day. Taking into account consumption of average sixteen cigarettes per day among smokers it is sixteen percent decline in smoking rate which is substantial. We tested robustness using the same sample across two surveys and also using tobit model. Our results are robust against both concerns. It is possible that our measure of treated and control group have measurement error which will lead to attenuation bias. However, we are finding statistically significant impacts which might be a lower bound of the true estimates. The magnitude of our finding is not much different from previous finding of significant impacts. For cigarettes per day previous estimates varied from 1.37 to 3.9 and for current smoker it showed between 1%p and 7.8%p.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.305-313
• /
• 2015

After Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011, study and maintenance of monitoring systems have been made at home and abroad. As concerns about radioactive contamination of water have increased in Korea, update of maintenance of managing radioactive materials in water is being made mainly by Ministry of Environment. In this study, we analysed current state of monitoring system modification in Japan, the country directly involved and neighboring country. According to the result, Japan modified the legislations first. Then Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) provides theoretical background of radiological monitoring. And Ministry of the Environment actually watches state of water pollution in public waters and underground water. Finally related agencies like local government are monitoring current state of radioactive contamination in water environment. By region, local monitoring stations share the investigation of the whole country. Also, additional monitoring is running around nuclear facilities. After Fukushima disaster, monitoring for area near Fukushima is added. Among the reference levels, management target value of drinking water and tap water is 10 Bq/kg, and those of public water and underground water are 1 Bq/L. Measuring intervals varied from every hour to once a year, regularly or irregularly depending on the investigation. The main measuring items are air dose rate, gross ${\alpha}$, gross ${\beta}$, ${\gamma}$ radionuclide, Cs-134, Cs-137, Sr-89, Sr-90, I-131, and so on. In comparison, regulations about general public water in Korea need to be modified, while those about area near nuclear facility and drinking water are organized well. In future, therefore, domestic system would be expected to be modified with making reference to the guidelines like WHO's one. As good case of applying international guideline to domestic environment, Japanese system could be a reference when general standard of radioactivity in public water is made in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.48 no.11
• /
• pp.1193-1200
• /
• 2005

Purpose : Invasive bacterial infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Previously, we reported etiology of invasive infections in healthy children in 1985-1995. This study was performed to update etiology of invasive bacterial infections in the previously healthy children. Methods : We reviewed medical records of 98 episodes of invasive bacterial infections in immunocompetent children at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital in 1996-2004. Results : The frequent pathogens identified over all age groups were Streptococcus pneumoniae (33%) and Staphylococcus aureus(33%). The proportion of Salmonella species and Haemophilus influenzae has been declined to 4% each from 23% and 14%, respectively, compared to previous study. S. agalactiae was the most common isolate in the infants ${\leq}3$ months. Among the infants and children aged 3 months to 2 years and children of 2-5 years, S. pneumoniae(57%, 52%, respectively, in each group) was the most common isolates followed by S. aureus(17% and 24%, respectively). S. aureus was the most common isolates(73%) in children >5 years. Primary bacteremia was the most common clinical diagnosis(27%). S. pneumoniae was responsible for 42% of primary bacteremia, 50% of meningitis, and 69% of bacteremic pneumonia and empyema. S. aureus accounted for 80% of bone and joint infections. The case fatality rate was 8.1% for all invasive infections. Conclusion : We reviewed frequency of bacterial agents of invasive infections in children. The data may be useful for pediatricians to select adequate empirical antibiotics in the management of invasive bacterial infections.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.400-425
• /
• 2018

This study presents the research results and current status of the DECOVALEX-2019 project Task B. Task B named 'Fault slip modelling' is aiming at developing a numerical method to simulate the coupled hydro-mechanical behavior of fault, including slip or reactivation, induced by water injection. The first research step of Task B is a benchmark simulation which is designed for the modelling teams to familiarize themselves with the problem and to set up their own codes to reproduce the hydro-mechanical coupling between the fault hydraulic transmissivity and the mechanically-induced displacement. We reproduced the coupled hydro-mechanical process of fault slip using TOUGH-FLAC simulator. The fluid flow along a fault was modelled with solid elements and governed by Darcy's law with the cubic law in TOUGH2, whereas the mechanical behavior of a single fault was represented by creating interface elements between two separating rock blocks in FLAC3D. A methodology to formulate the hydro-mechanical coupling relations of two different hydraulic aperture models and link the solid element of TOUGH2 and the interface element of FLAC3D was suggested. In addition, we developed a coupling module to update the changes in geometric features (mesh) and hydrological properties of fault caused by water injection at every calculation step for TOUGH-FLAC simulator. Then, the transient responses of the fault, including elastic deformation, reactivation, progressive evolutions of pathway, pressure distribution and water injection rate, to stepwise pressurization were examined during the simulations. The results of the simulations suggest that the developed model can provide a reasonable prediction of the hydro-mechanical behavior related to fault reactivation. The numerical model will be enhanced by continuing collaboration and interaction with other research teams of DECOLVAEX-2019 Task B and validated using the field data from fault activation experiments in a further study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.626-635
• /
• 2009

The purposes of the study were to identify a comprehensive competency list related to the jobs of nutrition teachers and to compare the competency needs for nutrition teachers and dieticians' competency levels. Job functional areas and a competency list for nutrition teachers were developed based on a review of literature and revised through expert panel reviews. A total of 53 competency statements associated with 11 job functional areas were specified. Questionnaires were distributed to 457 dieticians engaged in school food service and 148 responses were returned (response rate: 32.4%). Excluding incomplete responses, 142 questionnaires were used for data analysis. Approximately half of the respondents were enrolled in an 1-year nutrition teacher certificate program, 25% in a graduate school of nutrition education, and 19% had completed an 1-year nutrition teacher certificate program. The dieticians highly rated requirements of the competencies related to sanitation and employee safety, nutrition counseling, nutrition education, and teaching practices; in contrary, their competency levels for nutrition education, nutrition counseling, and teaching practices were low. Respondents' competency levels were significantly lower than the required competency levels of effective nutrition teachers in all functional areas. A quadratic analysis based on the requirement and self-evaluation of the competencies revealed that priorities of education programs targeting school nutrition teachers or students preparing to be nutrition teachers should be placed on improving competencies related to nutrition education, nutrition counseling, teaching practices, sanitation and employee safety, menu management, and human resource management. These results can be used to develop curriculum materials for basic and continuing professional education for nutrition teachers. It is necessary to review and update competencies regularly to reflect environmental changes in school food service programs.