• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.1-5
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• 2003

In order to prepare a basis for ecological restoration of the Seoul Metropolitan area, ecological diagnoses on soil physico-chemical properties and vegetation structure were carried out. Land use patterns, actual vegetation, and biotope patterns were also investigated based on aerial photograph interpretation and field checks. I formulated landscape elements overlaying those data and evaluated the ecological value of each element. Soil pollution was evaluated by analyzing soil samples collected in each grid on the mesh map, divided by 2km $\times$ 2km intervals. Soil samples were collected in forests or grasslands escaped from direct human interference. Soil pollution evaluated from pH, and SO$_4$, Ca, Mg, and Al contents of soil was more severe in the urban outskirts than in the urban center. Those soil environmental factors showed significant correlation with each other. Vegetation in the urban area was different in species composition from that in suburban areas and showed lower diversity compared with that in the suburban areas. Successional process investigated by population structure of major species also showed a difference. That is, successional trend was normal in suburban areas, but that in urban areas showed a retrogressive pattern. The landscape ecological map of Seoul indicates that the urban center lacks vegetation and greenery space is restricted in urban outskirts. Such an uneven distribution of vegetation has caused a specific urban climate and thereby contributed to aggravation of air and soil pollution, furthermore causing vegetation decline. From this result, it was estimated that such uneven distribution of vegetation functioned as a trigger factor to deteriorate the urban environment. I suggested, therefore, a restoration plan based on landscape ecological principles, which emphasizes connectivity and even distribution of green areas throughout the whole area of the Seoul to solve this complex environmental problem. In this restoration plan, first of all, I decided the priority order for connection of the fragmented greenery spaces based on the distances from the core reserves comprised of green belt and rivers, which play roles as habitats of wildlife as well as for improvement of urban environment. Next, I prepared methods to restore each landscape element included in the paths of green network to be constructed in the future on the bases of such preferential order. Rivers and roads, which hold good connectivity, were chosen as elements to play important roles in constructing green network by linking the fragmented greenery spaces.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.269-279
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• 2008

Purpose: The study was to examine the effect of lumbar stabilization exercise on back pain, physical fitness, sleep, and depression in middle-aged women who have chronic back pain. Methods: With one group pre-post test design, 18 subjects who have had more than 6 months of back pain were recruited by convenience sampling in D metropolitan area. Lumbar stabilization exercise was based on Tai Chi for back pain program developed by Lam(2003). This program was mainly focusing on strengthening lumbar stabilizing muscle for one hour per session, twice a week for 20 weeks. Degree of back pain, back pain disability, sleep, and depression were measured at three time points(pretest, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks) by a structured study questionnaire. Physical fitness variables including waist flexibility, mobility, and back muscle strength were measured three times at health promotion center located in the university hospital. Data were analyzed by frequency, descriptive statistics, and repeated measures of ANOVA. Results: Mean age of subjects was 52 years(SD = 6.4). Most of them(90%) had suffered from back pain more than one year and 67% was taking medicine to relieve their back pain. Results showed that back pain score and disability score were not significantly decreased after the exercise. On physical fitness variables, however, waist flexibility(F = 3.50, p = .04) and mobility(F = 3.31, p = .04) were improved after the exercise. Quality of sleep(F = 4.48, p = .03) was improved gradually and depression scores were also decreased(F = 3.12, p = .05) after the exercise. Conclusion: This lumbar stabilization exercise was not able to reduce chronic back pain, but could improve physical fitness and psycho-social variables for community dwelling women who have chronic back pain. Further study is needed to replicate this exercise with control group to confirm the positive effect.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.195-208
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• 2009

The power plant is well known to influence air pollution as well as emission of green house gas. Because of increasing demand on electricity, the government set up the electric support action plan every 2 years. In this research, the impacts of power plants on the environment and region was studied. The study was focused on the establishment of power plant in Incheon area based on the 3rd electric support action plan. According to the 3rd electric support action plan, almost 80% of power plant in metropolitan area is planned to be built in Incheon area. The main influences of establishment of power plant are emissions of $SO_x$, $NO_x$ and PM and exceed the allocated local industry emissions, which means the emission allocation of other industry is difficult. In additions, the power plant exhaust $CO_2$ much more than other types of fuel such as waterpower generation, atomic power station. Although several supports are given in local government, these cannot cover the whole cost due to establishment of power plant. Subsequently, this study suggest the additional policy based on local consideration is needed and the current electricity distribution system should be reconsidered fundamentally in the lang term.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.688-694
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Recent research regarding vitamin $B_6$ status including biochemical index is limited. Thus, this study estimated intakes and major food sources of vitamin $B_6$; determined plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP); and assessed vitamin $B_6$ status of Korean adults. MATERIALS/METHODS: Three consecutive 24-h diet recalls and fasting blood samples were collected from healthy 20- to 64-year-old adults (n = 254) living in the Seoul metropolitan area, cities of Kwangju and Gumi, Korea. Vitamin $B_6$ intake and plasma PLP were analyzed by gender and by vitamin $B_6$ supplementation. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine associations of vitamin $B_6$ intake and plasma PLP. RESULTS: The mean dietary and total (dietary plus supplemental) vitamin $B_6$ intake was $1.94{\pm}0.64$ and $2.41{\pm}1.45mg/day$, respectively. Median (50th percentile) dietary intake of men and women was 2.062 and 1.706 mg/day. Foods from plant sources provided 70.61% of dietary vitamin $B_6$ intake. Only 6.3% of subjects consumed total vitamin $B_6$ less than Estimated Average Requirements. Plasma PLP concentration of all subjects was $40.03{\pm}23.71nmol/L$. The concentration of users of vitamin $B_6$ supplements was significantly higher than that of nonusers (P < 0.001). Approximately 16% of Korean adults had PLP levels < 20 nmol/L, indicating a biochemical deficiency of vitamin $B_6$, while 19.7% had marginal vitamin $B_6$ status. Plasma PLP concentration showed positive correlation with total vitamin $B_6$ intake (r = 0.40984, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, vitamin $B_6$ intake of Korean adults was generally adequate. However, one-third of subjects had vitamin $B_6$ deficiency or marginal status. Therefore, in some adults in Korea, consumption of vitamin $B_6$-rich food sources should be encouraged.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.71-95
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• 2006

This study aimed at identifying the relationship between marital satisfaction and marital stability, with primary focus on the effect of double sexual standards on their relationship. Data from 370 married women of community and culture centers in Daegu Metropolitan area were analyzed through multi-step multiple regressions. Findings indicated that communication and intimacy were positively related to marital satisfaction, which showed strong effect on marital stability, and that double sexual standard weakened the relationship between marital satisfaction and stability. Relationship between sexual satisfaction and marital satisfaction were not statistically significant in the sample of married women. Construction of comprehensive and systemic theoretical model on marital stability was suggested for further study.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.352-363
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• 2016

The study was an exploratory research on the awareness of informatization and attitudes to information technology (IT) and its use among elderly women in a metropolitan area. The questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data on IT use or non-use of elderly women aged 60 or older in senior welfare centers in Seoul, Korea. The data on 343 cases were analysed using SPSS 21.0. As a result, the rate of internet use was relatively high and different according to socio-demographic factors, such as age. The elderly women's attitudes like the levels of awareness and expectation of informatization were positive. Elderly women learned to use IT for psychological, emotional reasons as well as for practical ones, and the satisfaction level of IT use was relatively high. Finally, most IT non-users were indifferent and ignorant about IT use. In addition, the dissatisfaction level of IT non-use was normal, but elderly women had a relatively positive expectation of IT use in the future. This study may contribute to understanding the diverse pictures of IT use and the digital divide in old age, and assist in the development of practical programs and policies for the informatization and welfare for older adults.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.2020-2028
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• 2015

This study was conducted in order to identify factors influencing maternal-fetal attachment among pregnant women, considering the factors presented in Mercer's theory: Becoming a Mother(pregnancy stress, self-esteem, dyadic adjustment, sense of mastery, antepartum stress). The data was collected through structured questionnaires from 140 pregnant women who visited the obstetric clinic and public health centers in a metropolitan area to have prenatal tests from August 23th to November 25th 2014. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20 software using descriptive statistics, the t-test, ANOVA, the Pearson's correlation coefficients and a stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows: Maternal-fetal attachment in the group of pregnant women under 30 years of age was significantly higher than that in the group of over the age of 31(t=2.79,p=.004). Primiparas had higher maternal-fetal attachment than multiparas(F=3.27, p=.041). There was a negative correlation between pregnancy stress(r=-0.22, p=.009) and maternal-fetal attachment. Self-esteem (r=0.45, p<.001), dyadic adjustment(r=0.42, p<.001), sense of mastery(r=0.24, p=.005) and maternal-fetal attachment were, however, positively correlated. It was found that self-esteem, dyadic adjustment and age were some of the factors influencing maternal-fetal attachment among pregnant women. These variables explained 26.1% of the variance in maternal-fetal attachment. Findings of this study indicate needs for comprehension and assessment of self-esteem and dyadic adjustment in pregnant women through prenatal tests. Also, the intervention programs to improve maternal-fetal attachment among older mothers should be developed and implemented.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.129-143
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• 2020

Recently, Start-ups has been emphasized as part of a career-breaking women returning to society policy. To this Policy, the relationship between the planned happenstance skills and the entrepreneurial intentions of a career-breaking woman was investigated, and the successful role model as an individual environmental factor and the moderating effect of social support forces was verified. The results of the survey analysis of 139 women who have experienced career cut-offs in the metropolitan area and Dae-gu and Gyeong-buk are as follows; First, the planned happenstance skills of career-breaking women affect a positive effect on the entrepreneurial intentions. Second, it was found that the moderating effect of the successful role model does not appear in the relationship between the planned happenstance skills of a career-breaking woman and the entrepreneurial intentions. Third, it was found that there was no moderating effect of the social support forces in the relationship between the planned happenstance skills and the entrepreneurial intentions of a career-breaking woman. Last, It was found that the entrepreneurial intentions, which is a personal psychological characteristic for career-breaking women is more directly affected than personal environments. In order to increase career-breaking women's the entrepreneurial intentions, it is necessary to develop psychological skill-building programs which can enhance the accessibility of start-ups and raise the perception of Start-ups. In addition, it is necessary to continuously expand exposure opportunities such as role models and success stories which succeeded in starting a business after a career break and to expand social support forces that can help with courage, advice, and change management to discover opportunities of start-ups.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.94-110
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• 2008

This study examines the unemployment and labor market demand dynamics as well as their implication for social exclusion in the metropolitan areas of Korea since the financial crisis of 1997. The unemployment research containing significant implication for social exclusion is a key area to be explored with the research of skill and income polarization due to structural economic transformation. Skill polarization usually results in the job loss for some people, which most likely leads to the economic deprivation and social exclusion. The unemployment rate and its regional disparity began to fall since 2000, but the disparity reversed to increase after 2005. The labor market dynamics of the metropolitan areas are turned out to be related with the size of the city and the relative shares of both manufacturing and service sectors. In addition, the employment growth is turned out to be related with the changes of both output and productivity. It is also found that the unemployment is affected with the job change and the tertiarization of the economy. However, it is of more significance to recognize that the dynamics and patterns of the labor market in the metropolitan areas are quite spatially differentiated and the differentiation is likely determined by the factors such as industrial structure, employment dynamics and job demand changes.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.55-69
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• 2021

Chungnam region accounts for the largest SO_X (22.8%) emission with the second-largest NO_X (10.8%) emission in Korea due to the integration of many large industrial sources including a steel mill, coal-fired power plants, and petrochemical complex. Air pollutants emitted by large industrial sources can cause harmful problems to humans and the environment. Thus, it is necessary to understand dispersion patterns of air pollutants from large industrial sources in Chungnam to characterize atmospheric contamination in Chungnam and the surrounding area. In this study, seasonal atmospheric dispersion characteristics for SO_X, NO_X, and PM2.5 from ten major point sources in Chungnam were evaluated using HYSPLIT 4 model, and their contributions to SO₂, NO₂ concentrations in the regions near the source areas were estimated. The predictions of the HYSPLIT 4 model show a seasonal different dispersion pattern, in which air pollutants were dispersed toward the southeast in winter while, northeast in summer. In summer, due to weaker wind speed, air pollutants concentrations were higher than in winter, and they were dispersed to the metropolitan area. The local emissions of air pollutants in Taean area had a greater influence on the ambient SO₂ and NO₂ concentrations at Taean, whereas SO_X and NO_X emissions from large sources located at Seosan showed relatevely little effect on the ambient ambient SO₂ and NO₂ concentrations at Seosan.