• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.4B
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• pp.361-366
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• 2010

It would be helpful to evaluate the potential flood damage and compare quantitatively with each other when establishing the regional flood countermeasure and determining the execution of the restoration works and emergency action plans. The Flood Damage Index (FDI) in Korea, possible to estimate localized potential risks caused by flood damages, therefore, was proposed in this study. It was considered with the scale of regional flood damages including the regional characteristics and quantitative grounds. First, the four significant causes were categorized as natural, social, politic, and facilitative ones. And the eleven selected factors representing four causes were determined. Finally, the FDI was obtained by the weighting linear summation of the corrected 11 factors multiplied by the weighting values based on the professional questionnaires. Employing the FDI, the potential risk analysis about flood damages for 229 cities and counties in Korea was conducted. These results would be utilized as the essential basis for more rational and practical countermeasures and plans against flood damage.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.185-193
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• 2023

Although increasing evidence of cause-and-effect relationship between BPA exposure and female reproductive disorders have been suggested through many studies, the precise biochemical and molecular mechanism(s) by which BPA interferes with steroidogenesis in the ovarian cells still remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to discover the steroidogenic biomarker(s) associated with BPA treatment in human granulosa cell line, KGN. In this study, our results obtained via the analysis of steroidogenesis-related protein expression in KGN cells using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot analyses revealed that the expression levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) and aromatase decreased considerably and gradually after BPA treatment in a dose-dependent manner under BPA treatment. Further, remarkable decreases in their expression levels at the cellular levels were also confirmed via immunocytochemistry, and subsequent StAR and aromatase mRNA expression levels showed profiles similar to those observed for their proteins, i.e., both StAR and aromatase mRNA expression levels were significantly decreased under BPA treatment at concentrations ≥0.1 μM. We observed that follicle stimulating hormone upregulated StAR and aromatase protein expression levels; however, this effect was suppressed in the presence of BPA. Regarding the steroidogenic effects of BPA on KGN cells, controversies remain regarding the ultimate outcomes. Nevertheless, we believe that the results here presented imply that KGN cells have a good cellular and steroidogenic machinery for evaluating endocrine disruption. Therefore, StAR and aromatase could be stable and sensitive biomarkers in KGN cells for the cellular screening of the potential risk posed by exogenous and environmental chemicals to female reproductive (endocrine) function.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.33-52
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• 2023

This study observes the difference in the actual regional ripple effect of the decrease in admission resources due to the decrease in school age population, which has been weak in empirical studies, and how much the decrease in competition rate by department nationwide provides a significant shock to the decrease in enrollment rate in the population unit. An empirical quantitative analysis was attempted. As a result of applying the panel-tobit regression model, a clear gap was confirmed in the decrease in the registration rate due to the decrease in the competition rate both nationally and in the provinces, and in particular, a highly significant relationship was derived with the decrease in the recruitment rate. In particular, the sensitivity of the risk of unrecruitment due to a decrease in competition rate was the highest in the Jeolla region (0.499), followed by the Gangwon region (0.475) and the Gyeongsang region (0.471), and the metropolitan region (0.158) was confirmed to be the most stable. This suggests that the gap in insufficient funding has gradually widened by region over the past 10 years, and that the shock wave becomes more pronounced in the provinces farther away from the metropolitan area. Based on this study, if we deviate from the standardized application of university development policies for the metropolitan area and regional universities, and present a customized higher education strategy for each region, it will be an opportunity to prevent local extinction due to a decrease in the school-age population and achieve coexistence with higher education institutions and regions at the same time.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.593-600
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• 2024

Purpose: In this study, fundamental research was conducted to capture sparks generated during the arc welding process. Method: To this end, a mock-up collection device was developed, consisting of a blower for suction, a nozzle, and a filter and magnet at the suction point. To analyze the correlation between the shape of the filter and its magnetic properties, the porosity and pore size of both carbon filters and Colgate filters were quantified under conditions of a welding machine capacity of 1,800W and a welding time of 70s. The collection efficiency of sparks was calculated for magnetic strengths of 2.6, 3.4, and 4.05kgf. Result and Conclusion: As a result, empirical formulas were derived for the blower's suction capacity, magnetic strength, porosity, and pore diameter for capturing sparks, with experimental results confirming consistency within ± 10%. The findings of this study are expected to provide a quantitative design approach for collection devices that can minimize the risk of fire spread associated with welding operations at construction sites.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 2020

This study analyzed past drought characteristics based on the observed rainfall data and performed a long-term outlook for future extreme droughts using Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 (RCP 8.5) climate change scenarios. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) used duration of 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, a meteorological drought index, was applied for quantitative drought analysis. A single long-term time series was constructed by combining daily rainfall observation data and RCP scenario. The constructed data was used as SPI input factors for each different duration. For the analysis of meteorological drought observed relatively long-term since 1954 in Korea, 12 rainfall stations were selected and applied 10 general circulation models (GCM) at the same point. In order to analyze drought characteristics according to climate change, trend analysis and clustering were performed. For non-stationary frequency analysis using sampling technique, we adopted the technique DEMC that combines Bayesian-based differential evolution ("DE") and Markov chain Monte Carlo ("MCMC"). A non-stationary drought frequency analysis was used to derive Severity-Duration-Frequency (SDF) curves for the 12 locations. A quantitative outlook for future droughts was carried out by deriving SDF curves with long-term hydrologic data assuming non-stationarity, and by quantitatively identifying potential drought risks. As a result of performing cluster analysis to identify the spatial characteristics, it was analyzed that there is a high risk of drought in the future in Jeonju, Gwangju, Yeosun, Mokpo, and Chupyeongryeong except Jeju corresponding to Zone 1-2, 2, and 3-2. They could be efficiently utilized in future drought management policies.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2012

An effective, environmentally friendly analytic methods using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detector (GC-MSD) have been developed for the quantitative analysis of trace phthalate levels in cosmetics such as nail lacquer and hair spray. Since such cosmetics are largely comprised of organic solvents, conventional clean-up methods that have been widely used for phthalate analyses are in adequate. In addition, analysis of trace phthalate levels is notorious for its sensitivity to contamination, which causes high analytical values. A direct sample dilution method using an organic solvent was adopted to the sample preparation process to determine the exact amounts of phthalates and simultaneously avoid the high risk of secondary contamination. The method has many advantages including high accuracy, sensitivity, and simplicity in sample preparation. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were selected for analysis because they have been frequently detected in cosmetics and consistently reported as endocrine disruptors in humans and animals. Internal standard method using two deuterium substitutes (DBP-$d_4$, DEHP-$d_4$) as the internal standard was also used. The results of 'Method validation' showed the capabilities of this method for the routine analysis of phthalates at the ppm level. The recovery ranges were between 95 % and 106.1 %, and relative standards deviations (RSD) were less than 3.9 % in fortified nail lacquer and hair spray samples at the concentration of $25{\mu}g/g$.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.189-209
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• 2017

Financial institutions around the world, including financially advanced nations, widely operate a credit information sharing system to ease off information asymmetry between financial institutions and financial consumers. This study analyzed the credit problem data that is actually being shared among financial institutions in Korea, and classified credit problem data into three categories; Frequency, Period, Amount. In survival analysis, this study analyzed how different types of credit problem influence on survival period of companies. Next, in comparative analysis, this study verified a difference between start-up companies and existing companies on classified conditions of the credit problems. After conducting a survival and comparative analysis of the credit information of 449,579 companies of 8 years' actual information sharing in Korea, it showed that the number of the frequency of accidents showed a positive(+) correlation with the survival period. This provides contrary evidence to the financial institutions' risk policies that the number of the frequency of accidents is a negative factor. Furthermore, since the start-up companies that are under 7 years old show more positive aspect in the survival period than existing companies, it draws a policy implication that the credit information sharing system need to be improved by taking account of characteristics of the start-up companies.

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2015

In this study, the spatial relevance between the regional housing price data and the spatial distribution of the location-based social media data is explored. The spatial analysis with rasterization was applied to this study, because the both data have a different form to analyze. The geo-tagged Twitter data had been collected for a month and the regional housing price index about sales and lease were used. The spatial range of both data includes Seoul and the some parts of the metropolitan area. 2,000m grid was constructed to consider the different spatial measure between two data, and they were combined into the constructed grids. The Hotspot Analysis was operated using the combined dataset to see the comparison of spatial distribution, and the bivariate spatial correlation coefficients between two data were measured for the quantitative analysis. The result of this study shows that Seocho-gu area is detected as a common hotspot of tweet and housing sales price index data. though the spatial relevance is not detected between tweet and housing lease price index data.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.52 no.10
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• pp.671-680
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• 2019

Many researches illustrated that the magnitude and frequency of hydrological event would increase in the future due to changes of hydrological cycle components according to climate change. However, few studies performed quantitative analysis and evaluation of future rainfall in North Korea, where the damage caused by extreme precipitation is expected to occur as in South Korea. Therefore, this study predicted the extreme precipitation change of North Korea in the future (2020-2060) compared to the current (1981-2017) using stationary and nonstationary frequency analysis. This study conducted nonstationary frequency analysis considering the external factors (mean precipitation of JFM (Jan.-Mar.), AMJ (Apr.-Jun.), JAS (Jul.-Sept.), OND (Oct.-Dec.)) of the HadGEM2-AO model simulated according to the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) climate change scenarios. In order to select external factors that have a similar tendency with extreme rainfall events in North Korea, the maximum annual rainfall data was obtained by using the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method. Correlation analysis was performed between the extracted residue and the external factors. Considering selected external factors, nonstationary GEV model was constructed. In RCP4.5, four of the eight stations tended to decrease in future extreme precipitation compared to the present climate while three stations increased. On the other hand, in RCP8.5, two stations decreased while five stations increased.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.950-956
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• 2021

Objective : Psoas and masseter muscles are known markers of sarcopenia. However, the relative superiority of either muscle as a marker is unclear. Therefore, this study analyzed the two muscles in patients with a prognosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods : Patients with TBI visiting a regional trauma center between January 2017 and December 2018 were selected, and their medical records were reviewed. TBI patients with an abbreviated injury score (AIS) of 4 or 5 were selected. Patients with an AIS of 4 or 5 at the chest, abdomen, and extremity were excluded. Patients with a hospital stay of 1 to 2 days were excluded. Both muscle areas were measured based on the initial computed tomography. The psoas muscle index (PMI) and the masseter muscle index (MMI) were calculated by dividing both muscle areas by height in meters squared (cm²/m²). These muscle parameters along with other medical information were used to analyze mortality and the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS). Results : A total of 179 patients, including 147 males (82.1%), were analyzed statistically. The mean patient age was 58.0 years. The mortality rate was 16.8% (30 patients). The mean GOS score was 3.7. Analysis was performed to identify the parameters associated with mortality, which was a qualitative study outcome. The psoas muscle area (16.9 vs. 14.4 cm², p=0.028) and PMI (5.9 vs. 5.1 cm²/m², p=0.004) showed statistical differences between the groups. The PMI was also statistically significant as a risk factor for mortality in logistic regression analysis (p=0.023; odds ratio, 0.715; 95% confidence interval, 0.535-0.954). Quantitative analyses were performed with the GOS scores. Bivariate correlation analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between PMI and GOS scores (correlation coefficient, 0.168; p=0.003). PMI (p=0.004, variation inflation factor 1.001) was significant in multiple regression analysis. The masseter muscle area and MMI did not show significance in the study. Conclusion : Larger PMI was associated with statistically significant improved survival and GOS scores, indicating its performance as a superior prognostic marker. Further analyses involving a larger number of patients, additional parameters, and more precise settings would yield a better understanding of sarcopenia and TBI.