• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.205-210
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• 2018

To assess the environmental factors determining the zonation between Phacelurus latifolius and Phragmites australis, vegetation survey and soil analysis were performed at a tidal marsh. The vegetation of the tidal marsh was classified into P. latifolius and Suaeda japonica dominated quadrats, P. latifolius and P. australis dominated quadrats, P. australis dominated quadrats, and P. australis and other land plants dominated quadrats. The density of P. latifolius ($83.7{\pm}5.5\;shoots\;m^{-2}$) was higher than that of P. australis ($79.3{\pm}12.1\;shoots\;m^{-2}$) in each dominated quadrat but height of two species were similar. Soil environmental characteristics of P. latifolius dominated quadrats appeared to be affected by tide based on higher soil electric conductivity ($EC_{PL}=1530{\pm}152{\mu}Scm^{-1}$ ; $EC_{PA+PL}=689{\pm}578{\mu}Scm^{-1}$ ; $EC_{PA}=689{\pm}578{\mu}Scm^{-1$) and lower pH ($pH_{PL}=5.96{\pm}0.16$ ; $pH_{PA+PL}=6.28{\pm}0.31$ ; $pH_{PA}=6.38{\pm}0.22$). In redundancy analysis, environmental characteristics of P. latifolius dominated quadrats and P. australis dominated quadrats were clearly separated and those of P. latifolius and P. australis co-dominated quadrats were similar to P. australis dominated quadrats. From our investigation, P. latifolius showed relatively high competitiveness when compared to P. australis in lower tidal zone rather than upper tidal zone. Zonation of P. latifolius and P. australis seems to be a transitional zone between halophytes and land plant species.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.177-189
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• 2022

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are defined as practical and technical approaches to restoring functioning ecosystems and biodiversity as a means to address socio-environmental challenges and provide human-nature co-benefits. This study reviews NbS-related literature to identify its key characteristics, techniques, and challenges for its application in climate-adaptive water management. The review finds that NbS has been commonly used as an umbrella term incorporating a wide range of existing ecosystem-based approaches such as low-impact development (LID), best management practices (BMP), forest landscape restoration (FLR), and blue-green infrastructure (BGI), rather than being a uniquely-situated practice. Its technical form and operation can vary significantly depending on the spatial scale (small versus large), objective (mitigation, adaptation, naturalization), and problem (water supply, quality, flooding). Commonly cited techniques include green spaces, permeable surfaces, wetlands, infiltration ponds, and riparian buffers in urban sites, while afforestation, floodplain restoration, and reed beds appear common in non- and less-urban settings. There is a greater lack of operational clarity for large-scale NbS than for small-scale NbS in urban areas. NbS can be a powerful tool that enables an integrated and coordinated action embracing not only water management, but also microclimate moderation, ecosystem conservation, and emissions reduction. This study points out the importance of developing decision-making guidelines that can inform practitioners of the selection, operation, and evaluation of NbS for specific sites. The absence of this framework is one of the obstacles to mainstreaming NbS for water management. More case studies are needed for empirical assessment of NbS.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2003

This study was conducted to clarify the characteristics of bird communities due to different habitat types on 3 sites in Han river area from May 2001 to January 2002. Water area was the most dominant habitat type in each site and also forest was dominant habitat type in site 1(Paldang area). Site 2(Bam island area) had various habitat types e.g. shrub field sandv plain, reed bed and grass field. Total 52 bird species were recorded on 3 sites in Han river. Ducks were the most dominant species, especially in January 2002. Density of individuals were higher in site 1 and 2, but lower in site 3(Nanjido area). In January 2002, dabbling ducks were dominant in site 2, and diving ducks were in site 1. Among diving ducks, common merganser Mergus merganser showed high density in site 2 and pochard Aythya ferina did in site 1. In site 1, coot Fulica atra showed also high density Diverse habitat types could be support foraging resources for dabbling ducks in site 2. High density of pochard and coot would be related to abundant aquatic plants and stable water depth in site 1. Manipulation of riparian zone in site 3 into natural vegetation would increase the bird species diversity. By the manipulation of habitat, habitat potentiality of birds would be increase in Han river area.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.275-285
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• 1998

Based on the geographic range and distribution of its rodent reservoir host, the European common vole (Microtus arvalis), Tula virus is likely to be widespread throughout Eurasia. Tula virus-infected voles have been captured in Central Russia, Austria, Czech and Slovak Republics, and the former Yugoslavia. Although serologic evidence for Hantaan (HTN) or Seoul (SEO) virus infection can be found in the vast majority of the more than 300 cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) occurring annually in Korea, approximately 4% of Korean patients with HFRS show a more than 4-fold higher antibody titer to Puumala (PUU) virus than to HTN or SEO virus by double-sandwich IgM ELISA, suggesting the existence of pathogenic Puumala-related hantaviruses in Korea. To further define the geographic distribution and genetic diversity of Tula virus in Eurasia and to investigate the existence of previously unrecognized Microtus-borne hantavirus in Korea, arvicolid rodents were captured in Lodz, Poland in 1995 and in Yunchon-kun, Kyungki-do during April to May, 1998. In addition, sera from 18 Korean HFRS patients who showed higher (or the same) antibody titer to Tula virus than HTN and SEO viruses were examined for hantavirus RNA by RT-PCR. Hantaviral sequences were not detected in any of the 18 patients or in 35 reed voles (Microtus fortis) in Korea. Alignment and comparison of a 208-nucleotide region of the S segment, amplified from lung tissues of two hantavirus-seropositive Marvalis captured in Poland, revealed $80.8{\sim}83.2%$ sequence similarity, respectively, with Tula virus strains from Central Russia and the Czech and Slovak Republics. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the newfound Tula virus strains from Poland were closely related to other Tula hantaviruses from Eurasia.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.191-197
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• 2018

In 2015, a candidate for the second national reference standard (NRS) of Gloydius snake venom was produced to replace the first NRS of Gloydius snake venom. In the present study, the potencies of the candidate were determined by a collaborative study, and the qualification of the candidate was estimated. The potencies of the candidate were determined by measuring the murine lethal titers and lapine hemorrhagic titers of venom against the regional working reference standard (RWRS) for antivenom using the methods described in the previous report for the first NRS of Gloydius snake venom. Three Korean facilities contributed data from a total of 30 independent assays. Subsequently, two foreign national control research laboratories contributed to this collaborative study. The results were calculated using the Reed-Muench method for lethality and determined using a mixed-effects model for hemorrhage. The general common potencies of the lethal and hemorrhagic titers were obtained from the results of the 30 tests performed at three Korean facilities. The results are expressed in micrograms for 1 test dose (TD) with a 95% confidence interval as follows: a lethal titer of $90.13{\mu}g/TD$ (95% confidence interval = $87.39{\sim}92.86{\mu}g$) and a hemorrhagic titer of $10.80{\mu}g/TD$ (95% confidence interval = $10.46{\sim}11.14{\mu}g$). In addition, the candidate preparation showed good quality evaluation according to the results of the quality estimation of the candidate and is judged to be suitable to serve as the Korean NRS for snake venom. In conclusion, the second NRS of Gloydius snake venom was established in this study and will be used for national quality control, including a national lot release test of Korean antivenom products.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.665-669
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• 2015

The Kepler mission has shown that small planets are extremely common. It is likely that nearly every star in the sky hosts at least one rocky planet. We just need to look hard enough-but this requires vast amounts of telescope time. MINERVA (MINiature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array) is a dedicated exoplanet observatory with the primary goal of discovering rocky, Earth-like planets orbiting in the habitable zone of bright, nearby stars. The MINERVA team is a collaboration among UNSW Australia, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Penn State University, University of Montana, and the California Institute of Technology. The four-telescope MINERVA array will be sited at the F.L. Whipple Observatory on Mt Hopkins in Arizona, USA. Full science operations will begin in mid-2015 with all four telescopes and a stabilised spectrograph capable of high-precision Doppler velocity measurements. We will observe ~100 of the nearest, brightest, Sun-like stars every night for at least five years. Detailed simulations of the target list and survey strategy lead us to expect $15{\pm}4$ new low-mass planets.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.4-23
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to explore the diversity of Korea's iron casting technology and to examine various casting methods. The study involved a literature review, analysis of artifacts, local investigation of production tools and technology, and scientific analysis of casting and cast materials. Bellows technology, or Bulmi technology, is a form of iron casting technology that uses bellows to melt cast iron before the molten iron is poured into a clay cast. This technology, handed down only in Jeju Island, relies on use of a clay cast instead of the sand cast that is more common in mainland Korea. Casting methods for cast iron pots can be broadly divided into two: sand mold casting and porcelain casting. The former uses a sand cast made from mixing seokbire (clay mixed with soft stones), sand and clay, while the latter uses a clay cast, formed by mixing clay with rice straw and reed. The five steps in the sand mold casting method for iron pot are cast making, filling, melting iron into molten iron, pouring the molten iron into the cast mold, and refining the final product. The six steps in the porcelain clay casting method are cast making, cast firing, spreading jilmeok, melting iron into molten iron, pouring the molten iron, and refining the final product. The two casting methods differ in terms of materials, cast firing, and spreading of jilmeok. This study provided insight into Korea's unique iron casting technology by examining the scientific principles behind the materials and tools used in each stage of iron pot casting: collecting and kneading mud, producing a cast, biscuit firing, hwajeokmosal (building sand on the heated cast) and spreading jilmeok, drying and biyaljil (spreading jilmeok evenly on the cast), hapjang (combining two half-sized casts to make one complete cast), producing a smelting furnace, roasting twice, smelting, pouring molten iron into a cast, and refining the final product. Scientific analysis of the final product and materials involved in porcelain clay casting showed that the main components were mud and sand (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Fe₂O₃). The release agent was found to be graphite, containing SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, and K₂O. The completed cast iron pot had the structure of white cast iron, comprised of cementite (Fe₃C) and pearlite (a layered structure of ferrite and cementite).