• 한국사회정책
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.77-115
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to present empirical evidence for discussion of financing social welfare via estimating optimal tax burden in the main member countries of the OECD by using Hausman-Taylor method considering endogeneity of explanatory variables. Also, the author produced an international tax comparison index reflecting theoretical hypotheses on revenue-expenditure nexus within a model to compare real tax burden by countries and to examine feasibility of tax increase in Korea. As a result of the analysis, the higher the level of tax burden was, the higher the level of welfare expenditure was, indicating the connection between high burden and high welfare from the aspect of scale. The results also indicated that the subject countries recently entered into the state of low tax burden. Meanwhile, Korea had maintained low burden until the late 1990s but the tax burden soared up since the financial crisis related to the IMF. However, due to the impact of foreign economy and the tax reduction policy, it reentered into the low-burden state after 2009. On the other hand, the degree of social welfare expenditure's reducing tax burden has been gradually enhanced since the crisis. In this context, the current optimal tax burden ratio of Korea as of 2010 may be 25.8%~26.5% of GDP based on input of welfare expenditure variables, a percent that Korea was investigated to be a 'high tax burden-low ITC' country whose tax increase of 0.7~1.4%p may be feasible and that the success of tax system reform for tax increase might be higher probability when compare to others. However, measures of increasing social security contributions and consumption tax were analyzed to be improper from the aspect of managing finance when compared to increase in other tax items, considering the relatively higher ITC. Tax increase is not necessarily required though there may be room for tax increase; the optimal tax burden ratio can be understood as the level that may be achieved on average when compared to other nations, not as the "proper" level. Thus, discussion of tax increase should be accompanied with comprehensive understanding of models of economic developmental difference from nations and institutional & historical attributes included in specific tax mix.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.23-38
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was undertaken to evaluate the health, nutritional status and metabolic syndrome risk according to the dietary pattern of adult single-person households, using information obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: Data were collected from the 2013-2016 KNHANES, of adults aged 19-64 years, belonging to single-person households. Based on cluster analysis, the dietary patterns of subjects were classified into three groups. The dietary behavior factors, health-related factors, nutritional status, and prevalence of metabolic syndrome obtained from KNHANES questionnaires were compared according to the individual dietary pattern. The nutrient intake data of the subjects were calculated using the semi-food frequency questionnaire. Moreover, blood and physical measurement data of the subjects were analyzed to obtain the prevalence of metabolic syndromes. Results: The major dietary intakes of subjects were classified as 'Rice and kimchi', 'Mixed', and 'Milk·dairy products and fruits' patterns. Characteristics of subjects based on their dietary pattern, gender, age, and education level were significantly different. The 'Milk and fruits' pattern showed low frequency of skipping breakfast and eating out, and had higher intake of dietary supplements. Frequency of alcohol intake and smoking rates were highest in the 'Mixed' pattern. Maximum nutrient intake of fat, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin C, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium was obtained in the 'Milk·dairy products and fruits' pattern. According to dietary patterns adjusted for age and gender, the risk of metabolic syndrome was 0.380 times lower in the 'Milk·dairy products and fruit' pattern than in the 'Rice and kimchi' pattern. However, when adjusted for other confounding factors, no significant difference was obtained between dietary patterns for metabolic syndrome risk. Conclusion: These results indicate that the health and nutritional status of a single-person household is possibly affected by the dietary intake of subjects.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.629-641
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• 2021

In this study, a two-dimensional numerical model (Nays2DH) was applied to analyze the process of morphological changes in the river channel bed depending on the changes in the amount of flooding after fully opening the Sejong weir, which was constructed upstream of the Geum River. For this, numerical simulations were performed by assuming the flow conditions, such as a non-uniform flow (NF), unsteady flows (single flood event, SF), and a continuous flood event (CF). Here, in the cases of the SF and CF, the normalized hydrograph was calculated from real flood events, and then the hydrograph was reconfigured by the peak flow discharge according to the scenario, and then it was employed as the flow discharge at the upstream boundary condition. In this study, to quantitatively evaluate the morphological changes, we analyzed the time changes in the bed deformation the bed relief index (BRI), and we compared the aerial photographs of the study area and the numerical simulation results. As simulation results of the NF, when the steady flow discharge increases, the ratio of lower width to depth decreases and the speed of bar migration increases. The BRI initially increases, but the amount of change decreased with time. In addition, when the steady flow discharge increases, the BRI increased. In the case of SF, the speed of bar migration decreased with the change of the flow discharge. In terms of the morphological response to the peak flood discharge, the time lag also indicated. In other words, in the SF, the change of channel bed indicates a phase lag with respect to the hydraulic condition. In the result of numerical simulation of CF, the speed of bar migration depending on the peak flood discharges decreased exponentially despite the repeated flood occurrences. In addition, as in the result of SF, the phase lag indicated, and the speed of bar migration decreased exponentially. The BRI increased with time changes, but the rate of increase in the BRI was modest despite the continuous peak flooding. Through this study, the morphological changes based on the hydrological characteristics of the river were analyzed numerically, and the methodology suggested that a quantitative prediction for the river bed change according to the flow characteristic can be applied to the field.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2021

Purpose Brown fat, or brown adipose tissue (BAT), is involved in non-shivering thermogenesis and creates heat through glucose metabolism. BAT activation occurs stochastically by internal factors such as age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) and external factors such as temperature and environment. In this study, as a retrospective, electronic medical record (EMR) observation study, statistical analysis is conducted to confirm BAT activation and various factors. Materials and Methods From January 2018 to December 2019, EMR of patients who underwent PET/CT scan at the National Cancer Center for two years were collected, a total of 9155 patients were extracted, and 13442 case data including duplicate scan were targeted. After performing a univariable logistic regression analysis to determine whether BAT activation is affected by the environment (outdoor temperature) and the patient's condition (BMI, cancer type, sex, and age), A multivariable regression model that affects BAT activation was finally analyzed by selecting univariable factors with P<0.1. Results BAT activation occurred in 93 cases (0.7%). According to the results of univariable logistic regression analysis, the likelihood of BAT activation was increased in patients under 50 years old (P<0.001), in females (P<0.001), in lower outdoor temperature below 14.5℃ (P<0.001), in lower BMI (P<0.001) and in patients who had a injection before 12:30 PM (P<0.001). It decreased in higher BMI (P<0.001) and in patients diagnosed with lung cancer (P<0.05) In multivariable results, BAT activation was significantly increased in patients under 50 years (P<0.001), in females (P<0.001) and in lower outdoor temperature below 14.5℃ (P<0.001). It was significantly decreased in higher BMI (P<0.05). Conclusion A retrospective study of factors affecting BAT activation in patients who underwent PET/CT scan for 2 years at the National Cancer Center was conducted. The results confirmed that BAT was significantly activated in normal-weight women under 50 years old who underwent PET/CT scan in weather with an outdoor temperature of less than 14.5℃. Based on this result, the patient applied to the factor can be identified in advance, and it is thought that it will help to reduce BAT activation through several studies in the future.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.198-221
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• 2021

After large-scale reforestation in the 1960s and 1970s, forests in Korea have gradually been aging. Net ecosystem CO₂ exchange of old-growth forests is theoretically near zero; however, it can be a CO₂ sink or source depending on the intervention of disturbance or management. In this study, we report the CO₂ budget dynamics of the Gwangneung deciduous old-growth forest (GDK) in Korea and examined the following two questions: (1) is the preserved GDK indeed CO₂ neutral as theoretically known? and (2) can we explain the dynamics of CO₂ budget by the common mechanisms reported in the literature? To answer, we analyzed the 15-year long CO₂ flux data measured by eddy covariance technique along with other biometeorological data at the KoFlux GDK site from 2006 to 2020. The results showed that (1) GDK switched back-and-forth between sink and source of CO₂ but averaged to be a week CO₂ source (and turning to a moderate CO₂ source for the recent five years) and (2) the interannual variability of solar radiation, growing season length, and leaf area index showed a positive correlation with that of gross primary production (GPP) (R²=0.32~0.45); whereas the interannual variability of both air and surface temperature was not significantly correlated with that of ecosystem respiration (RE). Furthermore, the machine learning-based model trained using the dataset of early monitoring period (first 10 years) failed to reproduce the observed interannual variations of GPP and RE for the recent five years. Biomass data analysis suggests that carbon emissions from coarse woody debris may have contributed partly to the conversion to a moderate CO₂ source. To properly understand and interpret the long-term CO₂ budget dynamics of GDK, new framework of analysis and modeling based on complex systems science is needed. Also, it is important to maintain the flux monitoring and data quality along with the monitoring of coarse woody debris and disturbances.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.161-173
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• 2021

The shipping industry plummeted and was depressed due to the global economic crisis caused by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in the US in 2008. In 2020, the shipping market also suffered from a collapse in the unstable global economic situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but unexpectedly, it changed to an upward trend from the end of 2020, and in 2021, it exceeded the market of the boom period of 2008. According to the Clarksons report published in May 2021, the decrease in cargo volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has returned to the pre-corona level by the end of 2020, and the tramper bulk carrier capacity of 103~104% of the Panamax has been in the ports due to congestion. Earnings across the bulker segments have risen to ten-year highs in recent months. In this study, as factors affecting BDI, the capacity and congestion ratio of Cape and Panamax ships on the supply side, iron ore and coal seaborne tonnge on the demand side and Granger causality test, IRF(Impulse Response Function) and FEVD(Forecast Error Variance Decomposition) were performed using VAR model to analyze the impact on BDI by congestion caused by strengthen quarantine at the port due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the loading and discharging operation delay due to the infection of the stevedore, etc and to predict the shipping market after the pandemic. As a result of the Granger causality test of variables and BDI using time series data from January 2016 to July 2021, causality was found in the Fleet and Congestion variables, and as a result of the Impulse Response Function, Congestion variable was found to have significant at both upper and lower limit of the confidence interval. As a result of the Forecast Error Variance Decomposition, Congestion variable showed an explanatory power upto 25% for the change in BDI. If the congestion in ports decreases after With Corona, it is expected that there is down-risk in the shipping market. The COVID-19 pandemic occurred not from economic factors but from an ecological factor by the pandemic is different from the past economic crisis. It is necessary to analyze from a different point of view than the past economic crisis. This study has meaningful to analyze the causality and explanatory power of Congestion factor by pandemic.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.528-536
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• 2021

The purpose of the study was to investigate the content of sinigrin, an index component, in Brassica juncea extract and to evaluate the differentiation of lipocytes, inhibition of production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduction of protein production by lipogenic factors (PPARγ, C/EBPα, aP2) in the processing of Brassica juncea extract and sinigrin in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes which induces Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupting environmental hormone. From the investigation, the content of sinigrin in Brassica juncea extract, measured by HPLC, is found to be 21.27±0.2 mg/g. The XTT assay result on BPA-derived 3T3-L1 adipocytes shows there is no cytotoxicity found from 180 µM of sinigrin and 300 ㎍/mL of Brassica juncea extract. Moreover, both intracellular lipid accumulation and ROS production during differentiation of lipocyte are significantly reduced in cells processed with Brassica juncea extract and sinigrin. Lastly, it was also found that the production of transcription factors of lipocyte differentiation, PPARγ, C/EBPα and aP2, were found to be suppressed by the application of Brassica juncea extract and sinigrin. Such results reveals that Brassica juncea is effective in not only suppressing lipid accumulation in the environmental hormone bisphenol A-derived lipocyte, but also in reducing the ROS. The sinigrin-containing Brassica juncea is highly expected to be used in natural functional supplements that prevents the lipid metabolism disorders caused by BPA. There are necessities for additional clinical research and follow-up studies on the in vivo model to verify the relevant mechanisms.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.853-860
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to suggest an improvement plan for the calculation method of the engineer standard wage rate (ESWR) and to compute a reasonable ESWR. To this end, an adequacy review of theESWR calculation criteria was conducted along with an extensive engineering industry survey. The survey results were analyzed using an effective response sample of 748 companies out of 1,000 survey samples extracted by stratifying the 5,879 survey population. The main results were as follows. ①When calculating the engineering service fee, the prime contractor's engineer wage is suitable for the ESWR. The ESWR can be estimated by the formula 'average wage÷[1-proportion of subcontract orders×(1-subcontract rate)].' ② The field survey showed that the number of monthly working days was 20.35-20.54 days at 99 % confidence interval, which was significantly different from the current standard (22 days). In addition, as a result of a legal review of the ESWR criteria, it was found that the number of working days should be calculated in accordance with the Labor Standards Act after 2022. ③ Applying government guidelines, the time difference between the wage survey and the ESWR application can be corrected by the past ESWR increase rate for a specific period. ④ Using modeling based on the analysis above, the current ESWR was 13.5-14.5 % lower than the appropriate level. A lower ESWR was driven by the non-reflection of subcontract structure (4.1 %), overestimation of monthly work days (6.8-7.8 %), and application of past wage (2.6 %). The proposed model is expected to be widely used in policy making, as it can provide a useful framework for calculating the standard wage rate in similar industries as well as calculating appropriate engineering fees.

• Journal of International Area Studies (JIAS)
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.499-524
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to based on review of theoretical and empirical studies to assess the independence of central banks - the former Socialist republics, including the Russian Federation and Czech, Poland. In addition, the work is expected to clarify whether a link exists between independence and the most important economic indicators such as inflation, economic activity, the budget deficit. And The subject of this study are the formal and actual independence of national banks, as well as limiting factors: political and economic. Background investigation of the problem of independence of central banks from the fact that, according to many economists, it is essential to the successful development of a market economy. The effectiveness of any country's economy due to currency volatility, low inflation, high reliability of the banking system, etc. As far as the independence of monetary regulation contributes to these goals - one of the most actively debated issues in the world of economic theory and practice for a long time. The issue of central bank independence is extremely important for Russia, Czech, Poland. In the near future to the central bank has important tasks, among which are the transition to inflation targeting in the rejection of significant intervention in the foreign exchange market, as well as improving the sustainability of the national banking system. Transparency and independence of the Bank of Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, in my view, should be an important factor in achieving these goals. The countries of Czech Republic, Poland have already made a number of steps to bring the status of their banks to the European standards. Many other developing countries are also in the process of reforming their central banks and the improving conditions of their functioning. However, despite the fact that as a model for reform used by the central banks of countries with developed market economies, central banks in developing countries are still yet deprived of the legal, economic and political independence. A different situation exists in transition space. Because of significant differences in the views of the authorities in transition republics at the necessary level of independence of central banks and the exchange rate and monetary policy reform of monetary management in these countries led to different results.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.1-14
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• 2022

To alleviate the urban heat island phenomenon, this study aims to quantitatively analyze the effects of neighborhood green spaces on the improvement of the thermal environment based on detailed scenarios of five types of green spaces, including parks, pocket parks, parking lot greening, roadside planting, and rooftop-wall greening. The ENVI-met 4.4.6v model, a microclimate simulation program, was used to analyze the effects of green spaces. As a result, it was found that the air temperature decreased as the planting density of the park increased, but the thermal comfort index PET, which is the degree of heat sensation felt by humans, was not directly proportional to temperature. The establishment of a pocket park reduced air temperature up to a radius of 56m, while the range of temperature reduction increased by about 12.5% when three additional pocket parks were established at 250m intervals. Unlike the air temperature, PET was only affected in the vicinity of the planted area, so there was no significant difference in the thermal comfort of the surrounding environment due to the construction of pocket parks. Changing the surface pavement from asphalt to lawn blocks and implementing rooftop or wall greening did not directly act as solar shading but positively affected air temperature reduction; PET showed no significant difference. Roadside planting showed a higher air temperature reduction effect as the planting interval was narrower, but PET was not directly proportional to tree density. In the case of shrub planting under trees, it did not significantly affect the air temperature reduction but positively affected the improvement of thermal comfort. This study can outline strategies for constructing neighborhood green spaces to solve the urban heat island phenomena and establish detailed strategies for efficient thermal environment improvements.