• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.35-48
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the experiences and subjective opinions of urban agriculture in order to explore ways to vitalize urban agriculture. More specifically, we divides environmental value into three categories of ecology, landscape, and participation, and defines a function of urban agriculture to improve environmental values related to the three categories mentioned above. The main results of the empirical analysis using the survey data are summarized as follows. First, the probability of gathering information about urban agriculture is higher in metropolitan cities than small cities, and the larger the residence size, the higher the probability of actual urban agriculture participation. Second, the positive response rate was high for the three categories of urban agriculture, while the negative response rate was high for the surrounding environment. The implications derived from the analysis are as follows. First, the opposite results of experiences of urban agriculture suggests that local governments should further promote urban agriculture-based investment policies. In addition, these policies need to be preceded by analysis of the characteristics of population groups in the region Also, it is necessary to improve the environment through urban agriculture.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.123-130
• /
• 2016

OBJECTIVES : The objective of this research is to determine the moisture resistance of the freeze-thaw process occurring in low-noise porous pavement using either hydrated-lime or anti-freezing agent. Various additives were applied to low-noise porous asphalt, which is actively paved in South Korea, to overcome its disadvantages. Moreover, the optimum contents of hydrated-lime and anti-freezing agent and behavior properties of low-noise porous asphalt layer are determined using dynamic moduli via the freeze-thaw test. METHODS : The low-noise porous asphalt mixtures were made using gyratory compacters to investigate its properties with either hydrated-lime or anti-freezing agent. To determine the dynamic moduli of each mixture, impact resonance test was conducted. The applied standard for the freeze-thaw test of asphalt mixture is ASTM D 6857. The freeze-thaw and impact resonance tests were performed twice at each stage. The behavior properties were defined using finite element method, which was performed using the dynamic modulus data obtained from the freeze-thaw test and resonance frequencies obtained from non-destructive impact test. RESULTS : The results show that the coherence and strength of the low-noise porous asphalt mixture decreased continuously with the increase in the temperature of the mixture. The dynamic modulus of the normal low-noise porous asphalt mixture dramatically decreased after one cycle of freezing and thawing stages, which is more than that of other mixtures containing additives. The damage rate was higher when the freeze-thaw test was repeated. CONCLUSIONS : From the root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean percentage error (MPE) analyses, the addition rates of 1.5% hydrated-lime and 0.5% anti-freezing agent resulted in the strongest mixture having the highest moisture resistance compared to other specimens with each additive in 1 cycle freeze-thaw test. Moreover, the freeze-thaw resistance significantly improved when a hydrated-lime content of 0.5% was applied for the two cycles of the freeze-thaw test. Hence, the optimum contents of both hydrated-lime and anti-freezing agent are 0.5%.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.130-139
• /
• 2016

A frequency of earthquake occurrence in the Republic of Korea is increasing over the past few decades. In this situation, an importance of earthquake prevention comes to the fore because the earthquake does damage to structures and causes severe damage of human life. For the earthquake prevention, a real-time vibration measurement for structures is important. As an example, the United States of America and Japan have already been monitoring real-time earthquake acceleration for the important structures and the measured acceleration data has been managed by forming database. This database could be used for revising the seismic design specifications or predicting the damage caused by earthquake. In Korea, Earthquake Recovery Plans Act and Enforcement Regulations are revised and declared lately. Ministry of Public Safety and Security is constructing a integrated management system for the measured earthquake acceleration data. The purpose of this research is to develop a real-time vibration monitoring and analysis system for structures which links to the integrated management system. The developed system contains not only a monitoring function to show real-time acceleration data but also an analysis system to perform fast fourier transform, to obtain natural frequency and earthquake magnitude, to show response spectrum and power spectrum, and to evaluate structural health. Additionally, this system is designed to be able to link to the integrated management system of Ministry of Public Safety and Security. It is concluded that the developed system can be useful to build a safety management network, minimize maintenance cost of structures, and prevention of the structural damage due to earthquake.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.83 no.3
• /
• pp.234-241
• /
• 2020

Background: The fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) test is useful in asthma patients. However, a few studies on its usefulness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients have been reported. We analyzed the FENO level distribution and clinical characteristics according to the FENO level in COPD patients. Methods: From December 2014 to June 2019, COPD patients who underwent pulmonary function and FENO tests at Chonnam National University Hospital were retrospectively evaluated for FENO, comorbidities, asthma history, blood eosinophil, and pulmonary function test. The high FENO group was defined as those with FENO level>25 parts per billion (ppb). Results: A total of 849 COPD patients (mean age, 70.3±9.4 years) were included. The mean forced expiratory volume at 1 second was 66.5±21.7% and the mean FENO level was 24.3±20.5 ppb. Patients with FENO ≤25 ppb were 572 (67.4%) and those with FENO >25 ppb were 277 (32.6%). Blood eosinophil percentage was significantly higher (4.2±4.8 vs. 2.7±2.5, p<0.001) in patients with the high FENO group than the low FENO group. The high FENO group revealed a significantly higher frequency of patients with blood eosinophil percentage >3% (46.9% vs. 34.8%, p=0.001) and asthma history (25.6% vs. 8.6%, p<0.001) than the lower FENO group. Asthma history, blood eosinophil percentage >3%, and positive bronchodilator response (BDR) were independent risk factors for the high FENO level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.85; p<0.001; aOR, 1.46; p=0.017; and aOR, 1.57, p=0.034, respectively) in the multivariable analysis. Conclusion: The FENO level distribution varied in COPD patients and the mean FENO value was slightly elevated. Asthma history, eosinophil percent, and positive BDR were independent risk factors for the high FENO level.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.26-32
• /
• 2012

The magnification technique has recently become popular in bone radiography, mammography and other diagnostic examination. However, because of the finite size of X-ray focal spot, the magnification influences various imaging properties with resolution, noise and contrast. The purpose of study is to investigate the influence of magnification and focal spot size on digital imaging system using eDQE (effective detective quantum efficiency). Effective DQE is a metric reflecting overall system response including focal spot blur, magnification, scatter and grid response. The adult chest phantom employed in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was used to derive eDQE from eMTF (effective modulation transfer function), eNPS (effective noise power spectrum), scatter fraction and transmission fraction. According to results, spatial frequencies that eMTF is 10% with the magnification factor of 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 are 2.76, 2.21, 1.78, 1.49 and 1.26 lp/mm respectively using small focal spot. The spatial frequencies that eMTF is 10% with the magnification factor of 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 are 2.21, 1.66, 1.25, 0.93 and 0.73 lp/mm respectively using large focal spot. The eMTFs and eDQEs decreases with increasing magnification factor. Although there are no significant differences with focal spot size on eDQE (0), the eDQEs drops more sharply with large focal spot than small focal spot. The magnification imaging can enlarge the small size lesion and improve the contrast due to decrease of effective noise and scatter with air-gap effect. The enlargement of the image size can be helpful for visual detection of small image. However, focal spot blurring caused by finite size of focal spot shows more significant impact on spatial resolution than the improvement of other metrics resulted by magnification effect. Based on these results, appropriate magnification factor and focal spot size should be established to perform magnification imaging with digital radiography system.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.252-264
• /
• 2023

This paper proposes a design of a dual-band band-pass filter that integrates a λg/2 open SIR structure, a transmission line, and a fork-type structure with symmetric and asymmetric open stubs. To obtain the dual-band effect, the proposed filter uses the SIR structure and adjusts the impedance ratio of the SIR structure. Therefore, the position of the harmonics of the filter is shifted through the adjustment of the impedance ratio, and this can obtain a double-band effect. In order to obtain the dual-band characteristics, the dual-band effect is obtained by inserting a open stub between the SIR structures with the SIR structure divided in half. In addition, the second frequency response is obtained by adjusting the length of the open symmetrical stub in the fork-shaped structure. The asymmetrical open stub in the fork form achieves optimum bandwidth by adjusting the length. Therefore, the first center frequency of the proposed band-pass filter is 5.896 GHz and the bandwidth is 13.6 %. At this time, the measurement results are 0.13 dB and 33.6 dB. The second center frequency is 5.906 GHz and the bandwidth is 13.6 %. At this time, the measurement results are 0.15 dB and 19.8 dB. The reason is that when the impedance ratio (Δ) is higher than 1, the position of the harmonic is shifted to a lower frequency band. However, if the impedance ratio (Δ) is lowered by one step, the position of harmonics will move to a higher frequency band. The function of the filter designed using these characteristics can be obtained from the measurement result. The proposed band-pass filter has no coupling loss and no via energy concentration loss because there is no coupling structure of input/output and no via hole. Therefore, system integration is possible due to its excellent performance, and it is expected that dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) system applications used in traffic communication systems will be possible.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2003

Type II collagen (CII), major component of hyaline cartilage, has been considered as an auto-antigen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the clinical and biological significances with regard to the CII autoimmunity need to be clarified in human RA. The presence of antibodies to CII has been identified in sera, synovial fluid, and cartilage of patients with RA. In our study, the increased titer of IgG anti-CII in sera was well correlated with C-reactive protein, suggesting that this antibody may reflect the inflammatory status of RA. The titer of anti-CII antibodies (anti-CII Abs) tended to be higher in early stages of diseases. In our extending study, among 997 patients with RA, 269 (27.0%) were positive for circulatory IgG antibody to CII, those levels were fluctuated over time. It is hard to assess the significant amount of T cell responses to CII and CII (255~274) in RA. By using a sensitive method of antigen specific mixed lymphocyte culture, we can detect the presence of CII-reactive T cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of RA patients. Sixty seven (46.9%) of 143 patients showed positive CII reactive T cell responses to CII or CII (255~274). The frequencies of CII reactive T cells were more prominent in inflamed synovial fluid (SF) than in peripheral blood. These T cells could be clonally expanded after consecutive stimulation of CII with feeding of autologous irradiated antigen presenting cells (APC). Moreover, the production of Th1-related cytokine, such as IFN-${\gamma}$, was strongly up-regulated by CII reactive T cells. These data suggest that T cells responding to CII, which are probably presenting the IFN-${\gamma}$ producing cells, may play an important role in the perpetuation of inflammatory process in RA. To evaluate the effector function of CII reactive T cells, we investigated the effect of CII reactive T cells and fibroblasts-like synoviocytes (FLS) interaction on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. When the CII reactive T cells were co-cultured with FLS, the production of IL-15 and TNF-${\alpha}$ from FLS were significantly increased (2 to 3 fold increase) and this increase was clearly presented in accord to the expansion of CII reactive T cells. In addition, the production of IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-17, T cell derived cytokines, were also increased by the co-incubation of CII reactive T cells with FLS. We also examined the impact of CII reactive T cells on chemokines production. When FLS were co-cultured with CII stimulated T cells, the production of IL-8, MCP-1, and MIP-1${\alpha}$ were significantly enhanced. The increased production of these chemokines was strongly correlated with increase the frequency of CII reactive T cells. Conclusively, immune response to CII was frequently found in RA. Activated T cells in response to CII contributed to increase the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which were critical for inflammatory responses in RA. The interaction of CII-reactive T cells with FLS further augmented this phenomenon. Taken together, our recent studies have suggested that autoimmunity to CII could play a crucial role not only in the initiation but amplification/perpetuation of inflammatory process in human RA.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.36 no.6
• /
• pp.655-662
• /
• 2012

Gas leakage in an oil refinery causes damage to the environment and unsafe conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a technique that is able to detect the location of the leakage and to filter abnormal gas-leakage signals from normal background noise. In this study, the adaptation filter of the finite impulse response (FIR) least mean squares (LMS) algorithm and a cross-correlation function were used to develop a leakage-predicting program based on LABVIEW. Nitrogen gas at a high pressure of 120 kg/$cm^2$ and the assembled equipment were used to perform experiments in a reverberant chamber. Analysis of the data from the experiments performed with various hole sizes, pressures, distances, and frequencies indicated that the background noise occurred primarily at less than 1 kHz and that the leakage signal appeared in a high-frequency region of around 16 kHz. Measurement of the noise sources in an actual oil refinery revealed that the noise frequencies of pumps and compressors, which are two typical background noise sources in a petrochemical plant, were 2 kHz and 4.5 kHz, respectively. The fact that these two signals were separated clearly made it possible to distinguish leakage signals from background noises and, in addition, to detect the location of the leakage.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.181-188
• /
• 2003

Cordyceps has a reputation for its broad biological activities and as a tonic which replenishs vital function in Chinese traditional medicines. As an attempt to obtain fundamental data for the development of new type Cordyceps, the effects of the fruiting bodies of cultivated fungus of Paecilomyces japonica grown on silkworm larvae on radiationinduced damages were investigated. We performed this study to determine the effect of Dongchongxiacao (Paecilomyces japonica) on jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells and hair follicles of mice irradiated with high and low dose of gamma-radiation. Treatment with Dongchongxiacao showed no significant modifying effects on the jejunal crypt survival and endogenous spleen colony formation. The frequency of radiationinduced apoptosis was reduced by pretreatment of Dongchongxiacao (i.p.: 50 mg/kg of body weight, at 12 and 36 hours before irradiation, p<0.01). The spontaneous levels of apoptotic cells are $0.082{\pm}0.041$ in intestinal crypts and $0.231{\pm}0.084$ per hair follicle section of skin. Pretreatment of Dongchongxiacao was associated with decreases of 26.86% in intestinal crypt and 66.36% in hair follicle decrease in the number of cells with nuclei positively stained for apoptosis compared with the irradiation control group. We demonstrated for the first time that Dongchongxiacao administration could reduce the extent of apoptosis produced by radiation in the hair follicle. The results presented herein that Dongchongxiacao given before irradiation is capable of reducing the severity of cell loss as a result of apoptosis.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.21-26
• /
• 2010

Background: Although quantitative sensory test (QST) is being used with increasing frequency for measuring sensory thresholds in clinical practice and epidemiologic studies, there has been no age-matched normative data in Korean adults. The objective of this study is to evaluate the value of QST in diabetic polyneuropathy with normal range in Korean adults. Methods: The Computer Aided Sensory Examination IV 4,2 (WR Medical Electronics Co., Stillwater, Minnesota, U.S.A.), with 4,2,1 stepping algorithm was used to determine vibration and cold perception threshold in 70 normal controls and 19 patients with diabetic polyneuropathy aged from 21 to 79 years. The data were used to define age-matched upper and lower normal limits and normal range of side to side difference. We also evaluated the duration of diabetes, serum HbA1C level, and findings of nerve conduction study (NCS) and QST in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy. Results: In normal adults, sensory thresholds slightly increased with age, and a slight side-to-side difference was observed. The diagnostic sensitivity of QST was not higher than NCS in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy (36.8% vs. 42.1%, p=0.716), especially among elderly patients. Conclusions: QST might be used as a complementary test for NCS in the diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy. Although the QST is a simple method for the evaluation of peripheral nerve function, there are some limitations. Most of all, because the QST measuring is dependent on the subjective response of patients, the degree of concentration and cooperation of the patients can significantly affect the result. And thus, attention should be paid during the interpretation of QST results in patients with peripheral neuropathy.