• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.47 no.12
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• pp.1107-1119
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• 2014

Interesting in abnormal climate is currently growing because of climate change. With this, an increasing number of people continue to show concern over the negative effects of such changes. In Korea, the annual average rainfall amount increased to about 19% from 1,155 mm in the 1910s to 1,375 mm in the 2000s. By the end of the 21st century, it has been projected that rainfall will further increase to about 17%. In particular, the 10-year frequency of localized heavy rain of more than 100-mm rainfall per day reached 385 days in the last 10 years. As such, it increased 1.7 times from 222 in the 1970s-80s. The extreme events caused by climate change is thus reported as having exacerbated over the years. Gangwon-province will suffer more from climate change than any other region in Korea because of its mostly mountainous terrain. It is a special region with both mountainous and oceanic climates divided alongside the eastern and western regions of the Taebaek Mountain Range. As such, this paper try to quantify using ETCCDI (Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices) the recent climate changes in this region.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.571-576
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• 2018

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been used in Asia for its various biological effects, but no studies have investigated the safety of its long-term intake. Therefore, the present study evaluated the safety of KRG intake for 24 weeks. Methods: We randomized 1,000 participants in a 1:1 ratio into two groups, which were treated daily with 2 g of KRG or a placebo for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was all adverse events and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that occurred after KRG or placebo administration, which were reported at week 4, 12, and 24 after the baseline visit. Results: In total, 192 and 211 participants experienced adverse events in the KRG and placebo groups (39.2% and 42.0%, respectively; p = 0.361), and 59 and 57 KRG- and placebo-treated individuals reported ADRs (12.0% and 11.4%, respectively; p = 0.737). The frequently occurring ADRs were pruritus (2.0%), headache (1.6%), diarrhea (1.4%), and dizziness (1.2%) in the KRG group and pruritus (2.0%), headache (1.8%), dizziness (1.6%), rash (1.4%), and diarrhea (1.2%) in the placebo group. Discontinuation of drug administration due to ADRs was reported in 13 participants, six (1.2%) and seven (1.4%) in the KRG and placebo groups, respectively (p = 0.814). No significant abnormal changes were revealed by anthropometric, laboratory, and vital sign measurements in the KRG group compared with those in the placebo group. Conclusion: The present study confirms the safety and tolerability of daily intake of 2 g of KRG for 24 weeks by healthy adults.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.121-134
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• 2014

This study investigated the stock market reaction to the announcement of conversion to holding company and its influence on the market value and corporate governance before and after the event. Generally, it is known that the conversion to holding company strengthens corporate governance because of diversification effects. Accordingly, it is expected that holding companies have a significantly positive influence on the short and long term stock value and improve firm performance. The results are as follows. First, companies have significantly positive short-term abnormal returns for a day. It confirms the stock market reaction hypothesis. Second, it is found that corporate governance is improved in two ways, protection of stock holders' right and distribution of corporate income in the year after converting to holding companies. However, the degree of business concentration appears to be decreased but the result is statistically insignificant after the conversion. Third, there is no significant positive relation between market performance and both protection of stock holders' right and distribution of corporate income. Thus, the results do not adequately support the hypothesis between corporate transparency and market performance.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 1998

Normal and abnormal follicular growth and steroidogenesis depend on gonadotropins as well as intraovarian peptides, which may mediate or potentiate gonadotropin action. Inhibin also affect follicular development and steroidogenesis and may play a role in dominant follicle selection and follicular atresia. Therefore, we studied the differences of serum inhibin, gonadotropin and androgen levels in the women with only the ultrasound findings and no disorder, and polycystic ovary (PCO) with ovulatory disturbance. We prospectively analysed forty-three women with PCO. The diagnosis of PCO was based on typical appearance of the ovaries on TVS. Twelve women with regular menstrual cycle and normal ovarian morphology were selected as control. Basal levels of inhibin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol $(E_2)$, testosterone (T), androstenedione (ADD), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DS), prolactin and TSH in serum were determined. There were significant differences in basal LH levels and LH/FSH ratio between the control and the women with PCO. The basal levels of inhibin and $E_2$ in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO (N=34) were significantly higher than those in the control. There was higher negative correlation between the inhibin and T levels in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO, but, not in the regular cycling PCO. Also, there was higher positive correlation between the LH and T levels in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO, but not in the regular cycling PCO. These data presume that the initial event of PCO is elevated pituitary LH secretion. Elevated levels of LH may down-regulate LH receptors on granulosa cells and also cause hypertrophy of the thecal layer. High level of androgen secreted by the hypertrophied thecal layer may stimulate inhibin secretion from granulosa cells and can be converted to estrogen by extraovarian tissues and could serve to augment pituitary sensitivity to GnRH with a resultant secretion of more LH than FSH. Inhibin may inhibit FSH action on granulosa cell in the PCO follicle, impairing follicular development and dominant follicle selection resulted in ovulatory disturbance.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.1015-1024
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• 2020

Recently, water pollution accidents have continued to occur in pipelines such as red water Incheon and Seoul. In order to recognize this water quality problem, it is necessary to install a water quality sensor in an appropriate location and measure it in advance to detect or block the water supply to the water faucet of the shelter. However, there are limitations, such as maintenance costs, to installing multiple water meters in all pipelines. Therefore, this study proposed a methodology for determining and prioritizing the installation location of flow-based water quality sensor for the recognition of water quality problems in pipelines. We applied the proposed procedure to the pipe break scenario. The results of the determination of the location of the water quality sensor were presented by applying it to the pipe network that actually operates the emergency pipe in Korea. The result of the decision showed that in the event of abnormal situation caused by the destruction of individual pipes, the flow rate of the pipes around the aqueduct and the tank may change rapidly, resulting in water quality accidents caused by turbidity. In the future, it is expected that the water quality monitoring point selection method, such as establishing an external pipe operation plan for pipe cleaning, will utilize the procedure for determining the location of the water quality sensor according to the velocity.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.118-126
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• 2019

Background: Government conducts environmental radioactivity surveillance for verification purpose around nuclear facilities based on the Nuclear Safety Law and issues a surveillance report every year. This study aims to evaluate the short and the long-term fluctuation of radionuclides detected above MDC and their origins using concentration ratios between these radionuclides. Materials and Methods: Sample media for verification surveillance are air, rainwater, groundwater, soil, and milk for terrestrial samples, and seawater, marine sediment, fish, and seaweed for marine samples. Gamma-emitting radionuclides including $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, $^3H$, and $^{14}C$ are evaluated in these samples. Results and Discussion: According to the result of the environmental radioactivity verification surveillance in the vicinity of nuclear power facilities in 2017, the anthropogenic radionuclides were not detected in most of the environmental samples except for the detection of a trace level of $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, and $^{131}I$ in some samples. Radioactivity concentration ratios between the anthropogenic radionuclides ($^{137}Cs/^{90}Sr$, $^{137}Cs/^{239+240}Pu$, $^{90}Sr/^{239+240}Pu$) were similar to those reported in the environmental samples, which were affected by the global fallout of the past nuclear weapon test, and Pu atomic ratios ($^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$) in the terrestrial sample and marine sample showed significant differences due to the different input pathway and the Pu source. Radioactive iodine ($^{131}I$) was detected at the range of < $5.6-190mBq{\cdot}kg-fresh^{-1}$ in the gulfweed and sea trumpet collected from the area of Kori and Wolsong intake and discharge. A high level of $^3H$ was observed in the air (Sangbong: $0.688{\pm}0.841Bq{\cdot}m^{-3}$) and the precipitation (Meteorology Post: $199{\pm}126Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$) samples of the Wolsong nuclear power plant (NPP). $^3H$ concentration in the precipitation and pine needle samples showed typical variation pattern with the distance and the wind direction from the stack due to the gaseous release of $^3H$ in Wolsong NPP. Conclusion: Except for the detection of a trace level of $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, and $^{131}I$ in some samples, anthropogenic radionuclides were below MDC in most of the environmental samples. Overall, no unusual radionuclides and abnormal concentration were detected in the 2017's surveillance result for verification. This research will be available in the assessment of environment around nuclear facilities in the event of radioactive material release.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.301-308
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• 2021

It is important to develop a digital SOC (Social Overhead Capital) maintenance system for preemptive maintenance in response to the rapid aging of social infrastructures. Abnormal signals induced from structures can be detected quickly and optimal decisions can be made promptly using IoT sensors deployed on the structures. In this study, a digital SOC monitoring system incorporating a multimetric IoT sensor was developed for long-term monitoring, for use in cloud-computing server for automated and powerful data analysis, and for establishing databases to perform : (1) multimetric sensing, (2) long-term operation, and (3) LTE-based direct communication. The developed sensor had three axes of acceleration, and five axes of strain sensing channels for multimetric sensing, and had an event-driven power management system that activated the sensors only when vibration exceeded a predetermined limit, or the timer was triggered. The power management system could reduce power consumption, and an additional solar panel charging could enable long-term operation. Data from the sensors were transmitted to the server in real-time via low-power LTE-CAT M1 communication, which does not require an additional gateway device. Furthermore, the cloud server was developed to receive multi-variable data from the sensor, and perform a displacement fusion algorithm to obtain reference-free structural displacement for ambient structural assessment. The proposed digital SOC system was experimentally validated on a steel railroad and concrete girder bridge.

• Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.853-861
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• 2018

This paper proposes the application of harmonic constraints to address the problems caused by abnormal voltage increases when electric railway vehicles are running. The AC line that supplies the train with power during operation is used to provide electricity of 25kV/60 Hz, but gradually the size and frequency of harmonics involved in the line are varied with the technological evolution of the railroad vehicle electrical equipment. An increase in heat losses due to the failure of the instrument transformer (PT), the main circuit device, which is a serious problem with the recent train safety operation, or to the main displacement voltage. When high frequency components are introduced through low frequency Transformers of the main circuit device, the high intensity of the components is caused by the high intensity of the core and the current flow of the parasitic core is increased, thus generating heat. To solve this problem, the recent adjustment of the sequence has applied artificial NOTCH OFF of the power converter. However, the method of receiving and controlling the OFF signal operates by interaction between the ground and the vehicle's devices, thus it is invalid in the event of failure, and an actual accident is occurring. Therefore, the harmonic currents were required to prevent possible flow of harmonics, and conducted a study to prevent accidental occurrence of train accidents and to verify feasibility of the device through the simulations of the train's experimental analysis and the simulations of the train for safe operation.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1B
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• pp.41-53
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• 2008

Unprecedented weather phenomena are occurring because of climate change: extreme heavy rains, heat waves, and severe rain storms after the rainy season. Recently, the frequency of these abnormal phenomena has increased. However, regular pattern or cycles cannot be found. Analysis of annual data or annual average data, which has been established a research method of climate change, should be applied to find frequency and tendencies of extreme climate events. In this paper, extreme indicators of precipitation and temperature marked by objectivity and consistency were established to analyze data collected by 66 observatories throughout Korea operated by the Meteorological Administration. To assess the statistical significance of the data, linear regression and Kendall-Tau method were applied for statistical diagnosis. The indicators were analyzed to find tendencies. The analysis revealed that an increase of precipitation along with a decrease of the number of rainy days. A seasonal trend was also found: precipitation rate and the heavy rainfall threshold increased to a greater extent in the summer(June-August) than in the winter (September-November). In the meanwhile, a tendency of temperature increase was more prominent in the winter (December-February) than in the summer (June-August). In general, this phenomenon was more widespread in inland areas than in coastal areas. Furthermore, the number of winter frost days diminished throughout Korea. As was mentioned in the literature, the progression of climate change has influenced the increase of temperature in the winter.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.1B
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• pp.23-33
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• 2009

Climate change, abnormal weather, and unprecedented extreme weather events have appeared globally. Interest in their size, frequency, and changes in spatial distribution has been heightened. However, the events do not display regional or regular patterns or cycles. Therefore, it is difficult to carry out quantified evaluation of their frequency and tendency. For more objective evaluation of extreme weather events, this study proposed a rainfall extreme weather index (STARDEX, 2005). To compare the present and future spatio-temporal distribution of extreme weather events, each index was calculated from the past data collected from 66 observation points nationwide operated by Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Tendencies up to now have been analyzed. Then, using SRES B2 scenario and 2045s (2031-2050) data from YONU CGCM simulation were used to compute differences among each of future extreme weather event indices and their tendencies were spatially expressed.The results shows increased rainfall tendency in the East-West inland direction during the summer. In autumn, rainfall tendency increased in some parts of Gangwon-do and the south coast. In the meanwhile, the analysis of the duration of prolonged dry period, which can be contrasted with the occurrence of rainfall or its concentration, showed that the dryness tendency was more pronounced in autumn rather than summer. Geographically, the tendency was more remarkable in Jeju-do and areas near coastal areas.