• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.503-510
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• 2020

Purpose: Bipolar hemiarthroplasty is used as an alternative to open reduction and internal fixation for unstable intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients. Recent advances in medical systems and technologies have resulted in increased survival rates after intertrochanteric fractures of the femur, requiring selection of the appropriate femoral stems considering the mid- to long-term duration of survival. Hemiarthroplasty was performed for unstable intertrochanteric fractures using a double tapered quadrilateral femoral stem (C2 stem), and the clinical and radiological results were evaluated as a five-year follow-up post-surgery. Materials and Methods: From January 2004 to December 2013, 43 patients (43 hips) who underwent hemiarthroplasty with a C2 stem were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 78.6 years (range, 70-84 years), and the mean follow-up period was 85.4 months (range, 60-96 months). During the follow-up period, clinical parameters, such as the changes in pain, walking ability, and functional status, were examined. Radiologically, changes in the proximal femur, such as osteoporosis and bone resorption of cortical bone, were noted. Complications that occurred during the follow-up period, such as dislocation and prosthetic features, were also reviewed. Results: Initially, the pain was relieved postoperatively, but it increased four years after surgery. The walking ability was reduced by two steps in nine patients after 60 months, and the Harris hip score was reduced significantly postoperatively after two to three years. Radiologically, cortical osteoporosis occurred in 14 patients. Five patients developed cortical bone resorption. Four of them showed nonunion of the trochanteric fracture fragments, and three of them suffered reverse oblique fractures. Conclusion: Careful selection considering the general health condition and remaining lifespan of the patient would be necessary for primary hip hemiarthroplasty using a 3C type cementless femoral stem for unstable intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients with osteoporosis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.4
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• pp.502-514
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• 2023

This study was conducted to understand the long-term changes in soil physiochemical properties and seedling growth in Larix kaempferi (larch) stands planted in clear-cut larch and Pinus rigida (pine) forest soils over an 11-year period after reforestation. Two-year-old bare-root larch seedlings were planted in 2009-2010 at a density of 3,000 seedlings ha^-1 in clear-cut areas that harvested larch (Chuncheon and Gimcheon) and pine (Wonju and Gapyeong) stands. We analyzed the physiochemical properties of the mineral soils sampled at 0-20 cm soil depths in the planting year, and the 3^rd, 7^thand 11^th years after planting, and we measured seedling height and root collar diameter in those years. We found significant differences in soil silt and clay content, total carbon and nitrogen concentration, available phosphorus, and cation exchangeable capacity between the two stands; however, seedling growth did not differ. The mineral soil was more fertile in Gimcheon than in the other plantations, while early seedling growth was greatest in Gapyeong. The seedling height and diameter at 11 years after planting were largest in Wonju (1,028 tree ha^-1) and Chuncheon (1,359 tree ha^-1) due to decreases in stand density after tending the young trees. The soil properties in all plantations were similar 11 years after larch planting. In particular, the high sand content and high available phosphorus levels (caused by soil disturbance during clear-cutting and planting) showed marked decreases, potentially due to soil organic matter input and nutrient uptake, respectively. Thus, early reforestation after clear-cutting could limit nutrient leaching and contribute to soil stabilization. These results provide useful information for nutrient management of larch plantations.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.813-824
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• 2024

This study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effects of training on the physical development and exercise performance of adolescent weightlifters, aiming to provide effective training and management strategies for improving competitive performance. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, adolescent weightlifters from middle and high schools in Chungcheongnam-do province [male middle school-aged athletes, n=5; female middle school-aged athletes, n=5; male high school-aged athletes, n=12; female high school-aged athletes, n=8] were examined over approximately 10 months of weightlifting-based training to analyse the changes in body composition, physical fitness (muscular strength, muscular endurance, agility, flexibility, dynamic balance, coordination), and isokinetic muscular function (trunk and lower extremity). As a result, it was found that the physical development of middle and high school-aged athletes underwent physical development primarily characterized by an increase in lean body mass. Additionally, back muscle strength and power, which contribute to rapid and efficient force transmission between the upper and lower body, as well as grip strength necessary for controlling the barbell with a stable grip, are significant factors. These aspects were notably enhanced through specialized training and competitive experience for weightlifting performance at the high school level. On the other hand, changes in factors beyond the primary physical attributes contributing to weightlifting performance were limited, suggesting differences in effectiveness likely stemming from the specific composition of training programs or the athletes' experience and skill levels. Collectively, the findings from this study, which evaluates the physical characteristics and exercise abilities of adolescent weightlifters, are expected to contribute to improved competitive performance of weightlifters.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.4-31
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• 2018

It is difficult to ascertain exactly when the Hongjuupseong (Town Wall) was first constructed, due to it had undergone several times of repair and maintenance works since it was piled up newly in 1415, when the first year of the reign of King Munjong (the 5th King of the Joseon Dynasty). Parts of its walls were demolished during the Japanese occupation, leaving the wall as it is today. Hongseong region is also susceptible to historical earthquakes for geological reasons. There have been records of earthquakes, such as the ones in 1978 and 1979 having magnitudes of 5.0 and 4.0, respectively, which left part of the walls collapsed. Again, in 2010, heavy rainfall destroyed another part of the wall. The fortress walls of the Hongjuupseong comprise various rocks, types of facing, building methods, and filling materials, according to sections. Moreover, the remaining wall parts were reused in repair works, and characteristics of each period are reflected vertically in the wall. Therefore, based on the vertical distribution of the walls, the Hongjuupseong was divided into type I, type II, and type III, according to building types. The walls consist mainly of coarse-grained granites, but, clearly different types of rocks were used for varying types of walls. The bottom of the wall shows a mixed variety of rocks and natural and split stones, whereas the center is made up mostly of coarse-grained granites. For repairs, pink feldspar granites was used, but it was different from the rock variety utilized for Suguji and Joyangmun Gate. Deterioration types to the wall can be categorized into bulging, protrusion of stones, missing stones at the basement, separation of framework, fissure and fragmentation, basement instability, and structural deformation. Manually and light-wave measurements were used to check the amount and direction of behavior of the fortress walls. A manual measurement revealed the sections that were undergoing structural deformation. Compared with the result of the light-wave measurement, the two monitoring methods proved correlational. As a result, the two measuring methods can be used complementarily for the long-term conservation and management of the wall. Additionally, the measurement system must be maintained, managed, and improved for the stability of the Hongjuupseong. The measurement of Nammunji indicated continuing changes in behavior due to collapse and rainfall. It can be greatly presumed that accumulated changes over the long period reached the threshold due to concentrated rainfall and subsequent behavioral irregularities, leading to the walls' collapse. Based on the findings, suggestions of the six grades of management from 0 to 5 have been made, to manage the Hongjuupseong more effectively. The applied suggested grade system of 501.9 m (61.10%) was assessed to grade 1, 29.5 m (3.77%) to grade 2, 10.4 m (1.33%) to grade 3, 241.2 m (30.80%) and grade 4. The sections with grade 4 concentrated around the west of Honghwamun Gate and the east of the battlement, which must be monitored regularly in preparation for a potential emergency. The six-staged management grade system is cyclical, where after performing repair and maintenance works through a comprehensive stability review, the section returned to grade 0. It is necessary to monitor thoroughly and evaluate grades on a regular basis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.153-168
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• 1998

Background: The existing data indicate that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome contributes to the development of cardiovascular dysfunction such as systemic hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias, and the cardiovascular dysfunction has a major effect on high long-term mortality rate in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients. To a large extent the various studies have helped to clarify the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea, but many basic questions still remain unanswered. Methods: In this study, the influence of obstructive sleep apnea on systemic blood pressure, cardiac rhythm and urinary catecholamines concentration was evaluated. Over-night polysomnography, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and ECG monitoring, and measurement of urinary catecholamines, norepinephrine (UNE) and epinephrine (UEP), during waking and sleep were undertaken in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients group (OSAS, n=29) and control group (Control, n=25). Results: 1) In OSAS and Control, UNE and UEP concentrations during sleep were significantly lower than during waking (P<0.01). In UNE concentrations during sleep, OSAS showed higher levels compare to Control (P<0.05). 2) In OSAS, there was a increasing tendency of the number of non-dipper of nocturnal blood pressure compare to Control (P=0.089). 3) In both group (n=54), mean systolic blood pressure during waking and sleep showed significant correlation with polysomnographic data including apnea index (AI), apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), arterial oxygen saturation nadir ($SaO_2$ nadir) and degree of oxygen desaturation (DOD). And UNE concentrations during sleep were correlated with AI, AHI, $SaO_2$ nadir, DOD and mean diastolic blood pressure during sleep. 4) In OSAS with AI>20 (n==14), there was a significant difference of heart rates before, during and after apneic events (P<0.01), and these changes of heart rates were correlated with the duration of apnea (P<0.01). The difference of heart rates between apneic and postapneic period (${\Delta}HR$) was significantly correlated with the difference of arterial oxygen saturation between before and after apneic event (${\Delta}SaO_2$) (r=0.223, P<0.001). 5) There was no significant difference in the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias between OSAS and Control In Control, the incidence of ventricular ectopy during sleep was significantly lower than during waking. But in OSAS, there was no difference between during waking and sleep. Conclusion : These results suggested that recurrent hypoxia and arousals from sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome may increase sympathetic nervous system activity, and recurrent hypoxia and increased sympathetic nervous system activity could contribute to the development of cardiovascular dysfunction including the changes of systemic blood pressure and cardiac function.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.320-328
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• 2008

Background: Numerous surgical devices for mitral repair have been used in the past with good results. In this study we describe a simple annuloplasty technique with using a new device ($Mitracon^{(R)}$). The aim of this study was to assess its efficacy and surgical results with using $Mitracon^{(R)}$. Material and Method: From May 2003 to October 2005, 46 patients (21 women and 25 men (mean age of $51.4{\pm}17.8$ years) with mitral regurgitation from various causes were treated with either the $Mitracon^{(R)}$ (the $Mitracon^{(R)}$ group) or the Capentier Edward rigid ring (the CE group). The median follow-up duration was 18.9 months. Result: The mean grade of mitral regurgitation before and immediately after surgery in the $Mitracon^{(R)}$ group and the CE group decreased from $3.2{\pm}0.8$ to $0.6{\pm}0.7$ and $3.4{\pm}0.7$ to $0.3{\pm}0.5$, respectively. There were no significant changes in the ejection fraction either between the two groups or before and immediately after surgery. No deaths were seen in either group. Early postoperative echocardiography of all 46 patients showed only trivial mitral regurgitation or none at all. Echocardiography at a median of 18.9 months also showed no progression in mitral regurgitation. The mean grade of mitral regurgitation in the $Mitracon^{(R)}$ group at this time point decreased from $3.2{\pm}0.8$ to $0.8{\pm}0.7$ (p<0.05). The CE group also showed a similar degree of decrease from $3.4{\pm}0.7$ to $0.3{\pm}0.6$ (p<0.05). The mitral valve area in the $Mitracon^{(R)}$ group at 1 year follow-up was $3.3{\pm}0.9cm^2$. The mitral valve area in the CE group was $2.7{\pm}0.6cm^2$. The mean mitral pressure gradient in the $Mitracon^{(R)}$ group at 1 year follow-up was $3.1{\pm}1.3$ mmHg. The mean pressure gradient in the CE group was $4.5{\pm}2.1$ mmHg, although any statistical significant difference for this between the groups was not reached. Conclusion: The present study showed the described technique to be safe and effective in the intermediate term. Because long term results are unavailable, a more extensive prospective randomized multicenter trial may be warranted to determine whether this procedure should be generally applied for repair of mitral valve disease.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.35-55
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• 2013

Information technology is a critical resource necessary for any company hoping to support and realize its strategic goals, which contribute to growth promotion and sustainable development. The selection of information technology and its strategic use are imperative for the enhanced performance of every aspect of company management, leading a wide range of companies to have invested continuously in information technology. Despite researchers, managers, and policy makers' keen interest in how information technology contributes to organizational performance, there is uncertainty and debate about the result of information technology investment. In other words, researchers and managers cannot easily identify the independent factors that can impact the investment performance of information technology. This is mainly owing to the fact that many factors, ranging from the internal components of a company, strategies, and external customers, are interconnected with the investment performance of information technology. Using an agent-based simulation technique, this research extracts factors expected to affect investment performance on information technology, simplifies the analyses of their relationship with economic modeling, and examines the performance dependent on changes in the factors. In terms of economic modeling, I expand the model that highlights the way in which product quality moderates the relationship between information technology investments and economic performance (Thatcher and Pingry, 2004) by considering the cost of information technology investment and the demand creation resulting from product quality enhancement. For quality enhancement and its consequences for demand creation, I apply the concept of information quality and decision-maker quality (Raghunathan, 1999). This concept implies that the investment on information technology improves the quality of information, which, in turn, improves decision quality and performance, thus enhancing the level of product or service quality. Additionally, I consider the effect of word of mouth among consumers, which creates new demand for a product or service through the information diffusion effect. This demand creation is analyzed with an agent-based simulation model that is widely used for network analyses. Results show that the investment on information technology enhances the quality of a company's product or service, which indirectly affects the economic performance of that company, particularly with regard to factors such as consumer surplus, company profit, and company productivity. Specifically, when a company makes its initial investment in information technology, the resultant increase in the quality of a company's product or service immediately has a positive effect on consumer surplus, but the investment cost has a negative effect on company productivity and profit. As time goes by, the enhancement of the quality of that company's product or service creates new consumer demand through the information diffusion effect. Finally, the new demand positively affects the company's profit and productivity. In terms of the investment strategy for information technology, this study's results also reveal that the selection of information technology needs to be based on analysis of service and the network effect of customers, and demonstrate that information technology implementation should fit into the company's business strategy. Specifically, if a company seeks the short-term enhancement of company performance, it needs to have a one-shot strategy (making a large investment at one time). On the other hand, if a company seeks a long-term sustainable profit structure, it needs to have a split strategy (making several small investments at different times). The findings from this study make several contributions to the literature. In terms of methodology, the study integrates both economic modeling and simulation technique in order to overcome the limitations of each methodology. It also indicates the mediating effect of product quality on the relationship between information technology and the performance of a company. Finally, it analyzes the effect of information technology investment strategies and information diffusion among consumers on the investment performance of information technology.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 2010

Monitoring of the heavy metals at paddy rice agriculture is very important for environmental agriculture. A study was carried out of heavy metal concentrations in 260 paddy soil samples every four years from 1999 to 2007 in Gyeongnam Province. Heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and As in paddy soils were analyzed. Average concentrations of heavy metal were Cd 0.426 (ranged 0.003-1.379) mg $kg^{-1}$ for Cd, 1.189 (0.003-3.264) mg $kg^{-1}$, for Cr, 9.68 (0.05-22.38) mg $kg^{-1}$ for Cu, 2.64 (0.01-7.36) mg $kg^{-1}$ for Ni, 23.7 (0.7-54.1) mg $kg^{-1}$ for Pb, 20.8 (0.7-131.2) mg $kg^{-1}$ for Zn, and 1.054 (0.001-2.110) mg $kg^{-1}$ for As, respectively. Long-term changes of heavy metals were showed that Cd, Ni, and Zn were significantly increased whereas Cr, Cu, and As were significantly decreased. Principle component analysis (PCA) of heavy metals in paddy soils was obtained with eigenvalues > 1 summing 34.3% of variance for PC1, 17.5% of variance for PC2, and 51.8% of the total variance in soil heavy metals.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.654-667
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• 2012

To know the effect of construction works at the Busan New Port on the activity of otters, changes in the distribution of spraints were investigated at 5 areas(I-V) composed of 16 locations in 12 islands from 2003 to 2011. There were significant differences among the density of spraints at each area(P=0.0502), at each year(P=0.0040) and at each area during the study period(P=0.0005). The densities of spraints in the areas II (P=0.000) and IV (P=0.012) were significantly different according to whether the construction work was carried out or not at each area. It was found that the density of spraints in each area was affected by the disturbance with construction works or other factors inside and/or outside the area. The average density of spraints of the 5 areas had changed according to the process of the construction works as follows. In 2003-2005 when the construction work was proceeded mainly at the area IV, the average density of spraints of the 5 areas as well as the density in the area II increased annually, whereas the densities in the other 4 areas were low and relatively constant. This fact suggests that otters might have moved into the area II from outside the study area. In 2006-2009 when the construction works were carried out on a larger scale at the areas I, II and III, there was a little decrease in the average density of spraints during the latter two years, suggesting a little decrease in the activity of otters in the study area. As regards the density of spraints at each area, it decreased considerably in the area II, but increased fairly in the areas III and IV. Accordingly it was indicated that otters in the area II where the construction work was carried out since 2006 might have moved into the area IV with no work, and otters inhabiting the Jeodo, Geoje city, where the construction work was carried out at that time, might have moved into the area III with no work at the sea shore. In 2010-2011 when the construction works were conducted at all the areas on a fairly large scale, the average density of spraints of the 5 areas as well as the densities in the areas II, III and IV, decreased considerably compared to the those in the year 2009. This fact clearly indicates that the number of otters decreased owing to the multiple simultaneous works in this period. In conclusion, otters must be affected by the construction works at the study area, and their numbers might be decreased mainly due to the multiple simultaneous works, as well as by the long-term works resulting in the decrease of seashore, marine pollution, and reducing prey available.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.315-322
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• 2011

The importance of aquafarming is increasing all over the world, however the coastal environment in the semi-closed inner bay has been aggravated due to the long term production and the high stocking density. For the sustainable aquafarming, there is a requirement for a eco-friendly fishery management by the estimation of ecological carrying capacity. The model development and application is still in the initial step, because it has to consider the whole ecosystem and all culture activities. As an alternative, there is a requirement for ecological indicator to assess the ecological performance. This study tried the estimation of ecological carrying capacity using ecological indicator. The production and the facility of the oyster farms was 4,935M/T, $49ind./m^3$ in Geoje-Hansan Bay(2008). Filtration pressure indicator was 0.203 which could provide a guidance on the present level of culture development. According to the environmental characteristics and the present oyster farms in Geoje-Hansan Bay, the newly assessed filtration pressure for the acceptable ecological carrying capacity was 0.102. Consequently, ecological carrying capacity in Geoje-Hansan Bay was 2,480M/T, $25ind./m^3$ and this represents the level of culture that can be introduced into Geoje-Hansan Bay without leading to significant changes to ecological process, species, populations or communities. Our study utilized the ecological indicator to estimate ecological carrying capacity of oyster farming for sustainable productivity and this could be the scientific basis for the eco-friendly fishery management.