• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.165-183
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• 2015

It is well known that, since the 15th century, the amount of soil loss in our country due to change in land use by human has increased more rapidly than ever before. However we cannot answer the question 'How long can the soil persist under the current rates of soil loss?', because it was difficult to quantify the soil production rate. With the advancement of accelerated mass spectrometry, the attempt to quantify rate of soil production and derive soil production function succeeded, and recently it was also applied into the Daegwanryeong Plateau. Here we introduce the principles for quantifying soil production and deriving soil production function using terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides, and then compare the soil production rates from the plateau with soil loss data after the late 20th century, and finally estimate how long the soil can persist. Averaged soil production rate since the Holocene derived from the plateau is revealed as ${\sim}0.05[mm\;yr^{-1}]$, and, however, the recent soil loss rate of intensively used farmlands at the same region is up to sixty times greater than the soil production rate. Thus, if current land use system is maintained, top soils on the cultivated lands over hillslopes especially in upland areas are expected to disappear within several decades at the earliest.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.593-600
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• 2012

The exergy characteristics for R245fa and water working fluids have been analyzed for an electric generation system utilizing the Rankine cycle to recover heat from the wasted exhaust gas from a diesel engine used for the propulsion of a large ship. The theoretical calculation results showed that the efficiencies of exergy and system exergy improved as the turbine inlet pressure increased for R245fa at a fixed mass flow rate. Furthermore, the exergy destruction rates of the condenser and evaporator were relatively larger than those in other components. The exergy efficiency of the system increased with increasing mass flow rate. For a water working fluid, although the exergy destruction rate of the evaporator was similar to that for R245fa, the exergy loss rate varied significantly in response to variations in the pressure and mass flow rates at the turbine inlet.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.376-384
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• 2019

Background: Nutrient release during litter decomposition was investigated in Vitex doniana, Terminalia avecinioides, Sarcocephallus latifolius, and Parinari curatellifolius in Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria (January 10 to March 10 and from June 10 to August 10, 2016). Leaf decomposition was measured as loss in mass of litter over time using the decay model W_t/W₀ = e-^{kd t}, while $Kd=-{\frac{1}{t}}In({\frac{Wt}{W0}})$ was used to evaluate decomposition rate. Time taken for half of litter to decompose was measured using T₅₀ = ln ²/k; while nutrient accumulation index was evaluated as $NAI=(\frac{{\omega}t\;Xt}{{\omega}oXo})$. Results: Average mass of litter remaining after exposure ranged from 96.15 g, (V. doniana) to 78.11 g, (S. lafolius) in dry (November to March) and wet (April to October) seasons. Decomposition rate was averagely faster in the wet season (0.0030) than in the dry season (0.0022) with P. curatellifolius (0.0028) and T. avecinioides (0.0039) having the fastest decomposition rates in dry and wet seasons. Mean residence time (days) ranged from 929 to 356, while the time (days) for half the original mass to decompose ranged from 622 to 201 (dry and wet seasons). ANOVA revealed highly significant differences (p < 0.01) in decomposition rates and exposure time (days) and a significant interaction (p < 0.05) between species and exposure time in both seasons. Conclusion: Slow decomposition in the plant leaves implied carbon retention in the ecosystem and slow release of CO₂ back to the atmosphere, while nitrogen was mineralized in both seasons. The plants therefore showed effectiveness in nutrient cycling and support productivity in the ecosystem.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.40-49
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• 2008

Matrix diffusion from planar fractures was studied mathematically and through physical model experiments. Mathematical models were developed to simulate diffusion from 2D and 3D instantaneous disk sources and a 3D continuous disk source. The models were based on analytical solutions previously developed by Carslaw and Jaeger (1959). The mathematical simulations indicated that the 2D scenario produces significantly different results from the 3D scenario, the time for mass disappearance is significantly larger for continuous sources than for instantaneous sources, the normalized concentration generally decreased over time for instantaneous sources while it increased over time for continuous sources, diffusion rates decrease significantly over time and space, and the normalized mass loss from the source zone never reaches 1 for continuous sources due to the semi-infinite integral. The simulations also showed that disappearance times increase exponentially with increasing source radii and matrix porosity, and decrease with increasing aqueous-phase NAPL solubilities.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Oriental Medical Informatics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2005

Objectives : Recurrent pregnancy loss occurs in approximately 0.5-3% of women. There are many studies concerning immunological factor recently. Therefore, aim of this study is to examine the latest trend of researches concerning recurrent pregnancy loss, and controlled experiment on animals about antiphospholipid antibody. Method : We referred Pubmed site by using searching word of 'recurrent pregnancy loss' (Limits : 2000.1-2004.3, animal) Results and conclusions : 1. We searched 29 papers. Immunological factor : 18 ( about antiphospholipid antibody : 10 ), Chromosomal abnormality : 6, The others : 5 2. In five papers about controlled experiment on animals, (1) Materials : 8-12 weeks old mice / 11.5-day old-rat embryos / New Zealand rabbit (2) Inductions : inject intraperitoneally with human IgG containing antiphospholipid antibodies / culture in a solution of 1 ml medium which contained IgG purified from sera of women / inject intradermally with cardiolipin (3) Treatments : inject intraperitoneally with complement component before / culture in a solution of 1 ml medium which contained IgG purified from sera of women with SLE and RPL or from healthy women / inject intradermally with TFX, 0.9% NaCl (4) Measurements : weight fetuses and placentas, calculate frequency of fetal resorption / after culture, examine the embryos / examine platelet counts, APTT and numbers of live and dead newborns, resorbed fetuses, body mass, newborn viability and survival rates.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluate the differences between the heavy metal contaminated and non-contaminated Artemisia princeps var. orientalis and Equisetum arvense in litter decomposition processes. The plant samples were collected from abandoned mine tailings and control sites in Cheongyang, South Korea. The abandoned mine tailings have high heavy metal concentration and low soil organic matter contents. The heavy metal contents of mine tailings were about 13 and 28 times higher in As and Cd, compared to those in control soils. Also, the contents of the Cr, Ni and Zn in mine tailings were about 3 to 6 times higher than those in control soil. Samples of two plant species from mine tailings have high heavy metal concentrations compared to those from control sites. The leaf of A. princeps var. orientalis and shoot of E. arvense collected from mine tailings have approximately 23 and 58 times more in As, and 25 and 11 times more in Cd. The mass loss rates of plant litter from mine tailings were slower than those from control sites. During the experimental period, the decomposition of A. princeps var. orientalis leaf from mine tailings and control site showed 50.4% and 65.7% mass loss on the control soil area, respectively. The decomposition of A princeps var. orientalis leaf from mine tailings and control site showed 31.6% and 57.5% mass loss on the mine tailings area, respectively. The decomposition of A. princeps var. orientalis stem from mine tailings and control site showed similar patterns with their leaf decomposition. The decomposition of E. arvense shoot from mine tailings and control site showed 77.8% and 89.3% mass loss on the control soil area, respectively. The decomposition of E. arvense shoot from mine tailings and control site showed 67.6% and 82.1% mass loss on the mine tailings area, respectively. Therefor, the higher contents of heavy metals showed slow decomposition. The results suggested that heavy metal contamination affected the plant litter decomposition processes.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 1981

A simulation model of natural air drying to predict the changes of the grain moisture content and dry matter loss of rough rice was developed by the application of mass diffusion theory. A series of simulated drying tests was conducted using the 10 year weather data (1970-1979) obtained from Cheongju, Chuncheon, Daegu, Daejeon, Jeonju, Jinju and Suweon in Korea. System performance factors treated in this study were initial moisture content, airflow rate, bin diameter and grain depth. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows: 1) The simulation model used in this study was validated with actual experimental results and was applicable to the natural air drying of rough rice. 2) Minimum airflow rates for safe drying were determined for different initial moisture contents and regional weather conditions as shown in Table 6. 3) Equations for estimating drying time and dry matter loss in terms of airflow rate and initial moisture content were derived in the form of an exponential function. 4) These results show that the natural air drying system of rough rice is feasible in Korea even for the poorest drying condition.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2010

The present study was conducted to quantify wood and leaf litter decomposition and nutrient release of a dominant tree species, Tectona grandis Linn. F. in a tropical dry deciduous forest of Rajasthan, Western India. The mean relative decomposition rate was maximum in the wet summer and minimum during dry summer. Rainfall and its associated variables exhibited greater control over litter decomposition than temperature. The concentrations of N and P increased in decomposing litter with increasing retrieval days. Mass loss was negatively correlated with N and P concentrations. The monthly weight loss was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with soil moisture and rainfall in both wood and leaf litter. Tectona grandis was found to be most suitable tree species for plantation programmes in dry tropical regions as it has high litter deposition and decomposition rates and thus it has advantages in degraded soil restoration and sustainable land management.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2022

This study was conducted to examine litter inputs and litter decomposition rates following thinning, which is among the most important forest management activities that enhance the beneficial functions in Korean forests. Litter inputs and litter decomposition rates following a 2-year elapse from thinning in Pinus densiflora and following a 7-year elapse from thinning in Quercus variabilis stands were measured for 2 years from 16 sites in three regions (Sancheong-gun, Uiryeong-gun, and Jinju-si) in Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. Annual needle litter inputs in P. densiflora stands were significantly decreased following thinning, whereas annual broadleaved leaf litter inputs in Q. variabilis stands were not significantly different between thinned and unthinned treatments. The annual mean total litter inputs in both tree species were significantly lower in the thinned (P. densiflora: 3,653 kg ha^-1 year^-1; Q. variabilis: 4,963 kg ha^-1 year^-1) compared to the unthinned stands (P. densiflora: 5,138 kg ha^-1 year^-1; Q. variabilis: 5,997 kg ha^-1 year^-1) during the study period. The mass loss rates from decomposing needle litter in P. densiflora stands were significantly lower (p<0.05) in the thinned stands than in the unthinned stands for two sampling dates of the eight included in the study, whereas the decomposition rates from decomposing leaf litter in Q. variabilis stands were not affected by thinning. The results indicate that thinning effects on total litter inputs remained clear following a 2-year elapse from thinning in P. densiflora stands and following a 7-year elapse from thinning in Q. variabilis stands.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.34-40
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• 2008

Purpose: We defined osteoarthritis of the knee as knee pain and crepitus in over 40 years old. The usual clinical manifestation include pain, stiffness, crepitus and loss of function. Methods: We studied 40 cases of the degenerative arthritis of knee clinically. The body mass index(BMI, weight(kg)/height($m^2$) was used as a measure of obesity. Pain self assessment scale by Million Index in according to age, occupation, BMI. Results: Gender by pain self assessment scale was 6.5 in male and 6.6 in female(P<0.05). The prevalence rates obese was 40%. Occupation by pain self assessment scale was 7.0 in Sitting and 5.7 in Standing(P<0.05). Prevalence was increased with age by pain self assessment scale in aged 40-69 years. Conclusion: It has been known that the obesity is one of the predispsing factors of the primary degenerative arthritis of knee. A flexion weight bearing view of the knee obtained at $30^{\circ}$ to $40^{\circ}$ of the joint flexion may be more sensitive in assessing damages to hyaline cartilage because the knee flexion is an important component of the stance phase.