• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.291-304
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• 2023

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become an increasing concern in terms of human health risks as well as aesthetic impairment due to their toxicity. The reduction of water pollutants, especially nutrients from non-point sources in a reservoir watershed, is fundamental for HABs prevention. We investigated the pollutant removal efficiencies of a constructed wetland to evaluate its feasibility as a method for controlling non-point sources located in the Annaecheon stream within the Daecheong Reservoir watershed. The overall removal efficiencies of pollutants were as follows: BOD 14.3%, COD 17.9%, SS 50.0%, T-N 19.0%, and T-P 35.4%. These results indicate that constructed wetlands are effective in controlling pollutants from non-point sources. The seasonal variation in removal efficiency depended on the specific pollutants. The removal efficiencies of BOD, COD, and T-N were stable throughout the year, except during winter, which might have been influenced by lower microorganism activity. In contrast, T-P showed a consistent removal efficiency even during the winter season, suggesting that the wetland can reduce external phosphorus loading to the reservoir. Regarding the effects of pollutant loadings on removal efficiency, the effluent concentrations of all pollutants were significantly decreased compared to those in the influent in case of middle and high loadings. This demonstrates that constructed wetlands can handle high pollutant loads, including the initial runoff during rainfall, to prevent reservoir eutrophication. Despite the various strengths of wetland water purification, there are limitations as passive treatment. Therefore, more case studies should be conducted to suggest optimum operational conditions for constructed wetlands, taking into consideration reservoir-specific characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.107-114
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• 2024

In this study, the feasibility of using the covariance-matrix-adaptation-evolution-strategy (CMA-ES) algorithm in a multichannel coherent-beam-combining (CBC) system was experimentally verified. We constructed a multichannel CBC system utilizing a spatial light modulator (SLM) as a multichannel phase-modulator array, along with a coherent light source at 635 nm, implemented the stochastic-parallel-gradient-descent (SPGD) and CMA-ES algorithms on it, and compared their performances. In particular, we evaluated the characteristics of the CMA-ES and SPGD algorithms in the CBC system in both 16-channel rectangular and 19-channel honeycomb formats. The results of the evaluation showed that the performances of the two algorithms were similar on average, under the given conditions; However, it was verified that under the given conditions the CMA-ES algorithm was able to operate with more stable performance than the SPGD algorithm, as the former had less operational variation with the initial phase setting than the latter. It is emphasized that this study is the first proof-of-principle demonstration of the CMA-ES phase-control algorithm in a multichannel CBC system, to the best of our knowledge, and is expected to be useful for future experimental studies of the effects of additional channel-number increments, or external-phase-noise effects, in multichannel CBC systems based on the CMA-ES phase-control algorithm.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.359-369
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• 2024

Korea prepares for potential floods by designating June 21st to September 20th as the flood season. However, many dams in Korea have suffered from extreme floods caused by different climate patterns, as in the case of the longest consecutive rain of 54 days in the 2020's flood season. In this context, various studies have tried to develop novel methodologies to reduce flood damage, but no study has ever dealt with the validity of the current statutory flood season thus far. This study first checked the validity of the current flood season through the observation data in the 21st century and proved that the current flood season does not consider the effects of increasing precipitation trends and the changing regional rainfall characteristics. In order to deal with these limitations, this study suggested seven new alternative flood seasons in the research area. The rigid reservoir operation method (ROM) was used for reservoir simulation, and the long short-term memory (LSTM) model was used to derive predicted inflow. Finally, all alternatives were evaluated based on whether if they exceeded the design discharge of the dam and the design flood of the river. As a result, the floods in the shifted period were reduced by 0.068% and 0.33% in terms of frequency and duration, and the magnitude also decreased by 24.6%, respectively. During this period, the second evaluation method also demonstrated that flood decreased from four to two occurrences. As the result of this study, the authors expect a formal reassessment of the flood season to take place, which will ultimately lead to the preemptive flood response to changing precipitation patterns.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.31.1-31.10
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• 2023

Background: With modernization, air pollution has become increasingly serious, and its effects on health have been revealed. As a result, public interest in environmental pollution has become critical for regulating air pollution. In our study, we aim to evaluate the impact of air pollution levels on public attention to environmental issues and examine whether awareness of the residential environment's impact on health acts as a mediator in this relationship. Methods: We conducted an analysis on 400 individuals surveyed in the preliminary feasibility study on adverse health effects in the Pohang Industrial Complex, to examine the relationship between particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and attention to environmental issues. Logistic regression analysis was performed, and mediation analysis was used to determine whether awareness of the residential environment's impact on health mediated the relationship. Results: The logistic regression analysis results showed that PM2.5 levels were associated with attention to environmental issues (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-3.5; p = 0.003) and awareness of health impacts (AOR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.6-7.1; p = 0.001). The PM2.5 levels showed 9.9% (95% CI: 5.4-14.0) increase in the prevalence of high attention to environmental issues, of which, only 1.0% (95% CI: 0.2-2.3) were mediated by health impact awareness. In the overall analysis, 10% of the total effect of PM2.5 on attention to environmental issues was mediated by health impact awareness. Conclusions: According to this study's results, there was a correlation between air pollution levels and attention to environmental issues. Awareness of the health impacts of air pollution partially mediated the effect of air pollution levels on attention to environmental issues. In future studies, it is recommended to identify other mediators to further understand this structure.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1165-1177
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• 2020

Objective: To assess the feasibility of applying a deep learning-based denoising technique to coronary CT angiography (CCTA) along with iterative reconstruction for additional noise reduction. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 82 consecutive patients (male:female = 60:22; mean age, 67.0 ± 10.8 years) who had undergone both CCTA and invasive coronary artery angiography from March 2017 to June 2018. All included patients underwent CCTA with iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE level 3, Siemens Healthineers). We developed a deep learning based denoising technique (ClariCT.AI, ClariPI), which was based on a modified U-net type convolutional neural net model designed to predict the possible occurrence of low-dose noise in the originals. Denoised images were obtained by subtracting the predicted noise from the originals. Image noise, CT attenuation, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were objectively calculated. The edge rise distance (ERD) was measured as an indicator of image sharpness. Two blinded readers subjectively graded the image quality using a 5-point scale. Diagnostic performance of the CCTA was evaluated based on the presence or absence of significant stenosis (≥ 50% lumen reduction). Results: Objective image qualities (original vs. denoised: image noise, 67.22 ± 25.74 vs. 52.64 ± 27.40; SNR [left main], 21.91 ± 6.38 vs. 30.35 ± 10.46; CNR [left main], 23.24 ± 6.52 vs. 31.93 ± 10.72; all p < 0.001) and subjective image quality (2.45 ± 0.62 vs. 3.65 ± 0.60, p < 0.001) improved significantly in the denoised images. The average ERDs of the denoised images were significantly smaller than those of originals (0.98 ± 0.08 vs. 0.09 ± 0.08, p < 0.001). With regard to diagnostic accuracy, no significant differences were observed among paired comparisons. Conclusion: Application of the deep learning technique along with iterative reconstruction can enhance the noise reduction performance with a significant improvement in objective and subjective image qualities of CCTA images.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.340-347
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• 2024

In this study, an expert survey was conducted using the Delphi technique to select items and indicators for evaluation before installing educational facilities in the marine fisheries safety field, in which the educational infrastructure gap between regions is wide. Seven indicators were selected as geographic, social, and administrative factors. In order to objectively evaluate each indicator, evaluation indicators that could be evaluated using public data such as the "Comprehensive National Balanced Development Information System" and "National Statistical Portal" were developed. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was applied to select the weight for each indicator, resulting in 10 most important influencing factors on the selection of the location of educational facilities of the Marine Fisheries Safety Education Facilities: the distribution of marine officers, access to high-speed railways, the number of small ships less than 5 tons, access to highways interchange, the distribution of fishing boats, the close relationship of related industries, the planned new port, the distribution of commercial ports, the number of marine leisure riders, and the availability of long-term land leases in local government councils. The location evaluation index of marine and fishery safety education facilities developed in this study can be used to evaluate each region using national public data, and has the advantage of enabling objective evaluation. Therefore, it is judged that this evaluation index can be used to verify the feasibility of installing marine fisheries safety education facilities as well as other marine-related facilities.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.215-223
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• 2024

The patient in this case presented with a desire to have new dentures due to discomfort with existing ones. At the initial visit, all of teeth were missing except for the mandibular left second molar. As the patient was 65 years old, treatment with dentures and implant-supported prostheses was possible under the national health insurance system, and the patient opted for the mandibular denture using implant. Temporary prostheses were initially provided for patient adaptation, and following successful adaptation period, the treatment progressed. A maxillary complete denture and a mandibular implant-supported denture using two implants in the canines were fabricated. The mandibular denture is a Kennedy Class II removable partial denture which consists of a six-unit porcelain fused to metal fixed dental prostheses supported by the implant in the canines on both sides and left second molar serving as the abutments. Despite severe bone resorption and insufficient abutment teeth, the patient expressed satisfaction with the treatment results. In cases with economic and anatomical constraints affecting the feasibility of complete denture, implant-supported overdenture, and implant-supported fixed dental prostheses, an implant-assisted removable partial denture using implant surveyed crowns proves to be a viable and effective alternative treatment option. Nevertheless, the current dearth of scientifically rigorous studies underscores the necessity for meticulous regular check-up and occlusal assessment.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.157-164
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• 2024

In this paper, we propose a discussion that the feasibility of deploying a deep learning-based detector on the resource-limited board. Although many studies evaluate the detector on machines with high-performed GPUs, evaluation on the board with limited computation resources is still insufficient. Therefore, in this work, we implement the deep-learning detectors and deploy them on the compact board by parsing and optimizing a detector. To figure out the performance of deep learning based detectors on limited resources, we monitor the performance of several detectors with different H/W resource. On COCO detection datasets, we compare and analyze the evaluation results of detection model in On-Board and the detection model in On-GPU in terms of several metrics with mAP, power consumption, and execution speed (FPS). To demonstrate the effect of applying our detector for the military area, we evaluate them on our dataset consisting of thermal images considering the flight battle scenarios. As a results, we investigate the strength of deep learning-based on-board detector, and show that deep learning-based vision models can contribute in the flight battle scenarios.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.163-178
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• 2024

Purpose : This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrative medical service model applied to breast cancer patients and their caregivers, exploring its feasibility and challenges within the context of South Korean healthcare system. Methods : A case study approach was chosen to assess the integrative medical service model's efficacy, involving one breast cancer patient and her primary caregiver from W University Hospital. The patient had completed reconstructive surgery and chemotherapy and was undergoing radiotherapy. The model included standard treatments alongside psychological counseling, aromatherapy, axillary rehabilitation exercise, make-up program, art therapy, laughter therapy, horticultural therapy, and yoga programs, and meditation programs delivered over eight weeks. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through surveys, psychological tests, and feedback assessments. Results : The integrative medical service model demonstrated notable improvements in the quality of life for both breast cancer patients and their caregivers. Participants reported enhanced emotional well-being, reduced stress levels, and improved coping mechanisms throughout the treatment journey. Qualitative feedback highlighted the positive impact of holistic interventions in alleviating psychological distress and fostering resilience. Quantitative data corroborated these findings, showing statistically significant improvements in various psychosocial parameters assessed. Conclusions : Our findings underscore the benefits of integrative medical service model with standard medical treatments in the care of breast cancer patients and their caregivers. The holistic approach not only addresses physical symptoms but also enhances overall well-being and quality of life. However, the implementation of such models faces challenges within the South Korean healthcare system, including fragmented service networks and financial constraints. Addressing these structural barriers is crucial for the widespread adoption and sustainability of integrative care models in oncology practice. Future research should focus on larger-scale studies to further validate these findings and inform policy decisions aimed at optimizing cancer care delivery.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.7
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• pp.89-195
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• 1980

The advanced developing countries including Korea are assumed to have reached a developmental stage which necessitates them to formulate and implement a plan for a national information network. Most of the governments in the advanced developing countries are well aware of the necessity for such a plan and some of them have actually commenced their studies on the feasibility of a national network of their own hoping to achieve maximum utility of their limited information resources. Two urgent problems facing planners in the design of a national information network are identified. One is lack of an optimum organisational model to enable them to meet their own situations, and the other is lack of a guideline to help designers evaluate the alternative structures and models when they are available. In resolving these two problems, network planners in the advanced developing countries would benefit from the achievement of the objectives of the present study. The major objective is to elicit and describe common information needs, desires and value of the people using information, and other common factors which are responsible for the present information services in the advanced developing countries and which have implications for the basic structure of the national information network. The value of this study is to aid administrators in Korea and those in the other advanced developing countries who are responsible for making national policies and who are now beginning to recognise the need for information services with the planning of economic and social development so as to enable all the groups in the community to have access to the information which are essential for decision making, research work, studies and even for recreational reading. This recognition will hopefully give them a rational basis for formulating right policies on information services. The methodology utlised for collecting the required data in this study falls under the category of observation and largely consists of the two techniques: literature review and postal questionnaire. Background information on the individual advanced developing: countries was gathered from monographic and periodical literature. and country reports presented at the various international conferences were analysed for other relevant data. For most of the data needed for the present study, a questionnaire on 'Library and Information Services as They Are Available in the Selected Countries' was formulated. This questionnaire was designed to be completed without help, by an expert who was well informed of the library and information services in his or her country. The questionnaire was intended to look in details at what information services in the advanced developing countries were doing-whom they were serving, in what way, and how well and establish to what extent they were meeting the nation's information requirements. It was also intended to ascertain the respondents' ideas on possible future developments in information provision in their countries, that is, in the advanced devanced developing countries. The questionnaire was posted to a total of 63 natinal librarians, directors of national information centres and those of other major libraries or information centres in 21 selected countries. Complete usable responses were received from 34 persons in 14 countries. In order to identify common characteristics of the information needs and desires in the advanced developing countries and the present situation of the information services to meet them, and the requirements and constraints peculiar to those countries which bought to be considered in the design of a national information network for advanced developing countries, an individual report on the current status of information activities for each of the fourteen countries chosen for this study, was presented. The procedure used was to arrange the data acquired in the questionnaire responses and other sources, in the form of fifteen country reports to be summarised by cross-section characteristics later.