• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.90-99
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• 2023

Background: Quantitative risk assessments should be accompanied by uncertainty analyses of the risk models employed in the calculations. In this study, we aim to develop a computational code named SUMRAY for use in cancer risk projections from radiation exposure taking into account uncertainties. We also aim to make SUMRAY publicly available as a resource for further improvement of risk projection. Materials and Methods: SUMRAY has two versions of code written in R and Python. The risk models used in SUMRAY for all-solid-cancer mortality and incidence were those published in the Life Span Study of a cohort of the atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The confidence intervals associated with the evaluated risks were derived by propagating the statistical uncertainties in the risk model parameter estimates by the Monte Carlo method. Results and Discussion: SUMRAY was used to calculate the lifetime or time-integrated attributable risks of cancer under an exposure scenario (baseline rates, dose[s], age[s] at exposure, age at the end of follow-up, sex) specified by the user. The results were compared with those calculated using another well-known web-based tool, Radiation Risk Assessment Tool (RadRAT; National Institutes of Health), and showed a reasonable agreement within the estimated confidential interval. Compared with RadRAT, SUMRAY can be used for a wide range of applications, as it allows the risk projection with arbitrarily specified risk models and/or population reference data. Conclusion: The reliabilities of SUMRAY with the present risk-model parameters and their variance-covariance matrices were verified by comparing them with those of the other codes. The SUMRAY code is distributed to the public as an open-source code under the Massachusetts Institute of Technology license.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.11-16
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• 2008

The effects of water and pesticide management practices on ponded water pesticide concentrations in a paddy plot were analysed using the RICEWQ model. The molinate which is a herbicide widely used in rice culture, and frequently detected in paddy environment was selected. In a previous study, the RICEWQ model was successfully calibrated with field data obtained from a paddy plot in Daegu. The calibrated model was run using water and pesticide management scenarios with a set of measured meteorological data for 1997-2006 in Daegu. For all three ponded water depths with the label rate application, the amount of molinate dissipated in ponded water and volatilized accounted for more than 70%, and the runoff losses were less than 9%. The molinate losses through drainage in the very shallow ponded depth showed 40% less than that in deep ponded depth. Comparing with the deep and shallow ponded depth, the very shallow depth was the best with regards to the reduction of molinate runoff losses. Simulations with different pesticide application rates, label rate and double label rate, showed molinate concentrations in the ponded water increased linearly with the application rate increase.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.71-81
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• 2008

A macroscopic finite element model is applied to investigate the effect of fire induced spalling on the response of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Spalling is accounted for in the model through pore pressure calculations in concrete. The principles of mechanics and thermodynamics are applied to compute the temperature induced pore pressure in the concrete structures as a function of fire exposure time. The computed pore pressure is checked against the temperature dependent tensile strength of concrete to determine the extent of spalling. Using the model, case studies are conducted to investigate the influence of concrete permeability, fire scenario and axial restraint on the fire induced spalling and also on the response of RC beams. Results from the analysis indicate that the fire induced spalling, fire scenario, and axial restraint have significant influence on the fire response of RC beams. It is also shown that concrete permeability has substantial effect on the fire induced spalling and thus on the fire response of concrete beams. The fire resistance of high strength concrete beams can be lower that that of normal strength concrete beams due to fire induced spalling resulting from low permeability in high strength concrete.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.745-750
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• 2018

New exercise technology such as the virtual reality (VR)-based exercise system is required to meet soaring demand for target participants in exercises and to alleviate the difficulties in personnel mobilization through an alternative approach to the exercise system. In a previous study, event tree methodologies were introduced in setting up an exercise scenario of a VR-based radiological exercise system. In the scenario, the locations at which major events occur are rephrased as nodes, routes as paths, and public response actions as protective actions or contents of an exercise at individual locations. In the study, a model for estimating effective doses to the participants is proposed to evaluate the exercise system, using the effective dose rates at particular times and locations derived from a computer program. The effective dose received by a student when she/he follows a successful route is about a half of the dose received when she/he does not follow the exercise guide directions. In addition, elapsed time to finish an exercise when following a successful route is less than one-third of the time spent to finish an exercise when following the guide's directions.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.33-48
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• 2017

An optimum disposal plan of disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRSs) should be established to ensure long-term disposal safety at the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) disposal facility in Gyeongju. In this study, an optimum disposal system was suggested and preliminary post-closure safety assessment was performed. The DSRSs disposal system was composed of a rock cavern and near surface disposal facilities at the Gyeongju LILW disposal facility. The assessment was conducted using GoldSim program, and probabilistic assessment and sensitivity analysis were implemented to evaluate the uncertainties in the input parameters of natural barriers. Deterministic and probabilistic calculations indicated that the maximum dose was below the regulatory limits ($0.1mSvyr^{-1}$ for the normal scenario, $1mSvyr^{-1}$ for the well scenario). It was concluded that the DSRSs disposal system would maintain environmental safety over a long-time. Moreover, the partition coefficient of Np in host rock, Darcy velocity in host rock, and density of the host rock were the most sensitive parameters in predicting exposure dose in the safety assessment.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.304-326
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• 2023

News shows often deliver crosscutting information to their audiences by inviting commentators from rival political parties. If these news shows foster the formation of informed and balanced views of the audience, mass media could provide countermeasures against political polarization. To test the effect of such news shows, this study conducted an experiment with two variants of a simulated radio talk show. In the partisan scenario, the two guest commentators' affiliations suggested their ideological orientation. In the non-partisan scenario, the commentators had neutral affiliations. We divided participants into two ideology groups, liberals and conservative, and compared each group's evaluation of the commentators in the two scenarios. Two multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tests were conducted to analyze the effect of the perceived ideology of the commentators on respondents' attitudes toward the commentators' arguments depending on their own ideological inclinations. The analyses results did not support the hypothesis that anticipated partisan attitudes towards the commentators' arguments. It was only the liberal respondents who showed statistically significant different attitudes toward commentators' arguments in each of the two scenarios. The findings suggest that such broadcast shows do not automatically trigger partisan message processing and may help the audience to develop informed and balanced opinions. While the current study failed to find conclusive evidence to support the hypotheses, it also found that the perceived ideology of the information source may trigger partisan attitudes for certain types of issues. Future studies with different experiment designs are needed to investigate the issue further.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.267-275
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• 2007

In this study, relationship between the air pollution of Siheung city and the relative contribution of automobiles to the city's pollution was evaluated for the first time. Then, new air pollution exposure index was developed through simulation. Using the newly developed index, two different urban development scenarios were compared to present a sustainable urban development plan to reduce air pollution from the land utilization point of view. According to the result of this simulation, air quality of the city was found to be affected significantly by human activities. More populated area showed worse level of air quality. Any development in the city resulted in more automobile activity and deterioration of air quality. This simulation result thus explains that a rapid increase of automobiles accompanied by the land development near local roadsides in the city is the major cause of air pollution in Siheung city. In this study, if urban activities are vigorous in an area with high air pollution, people are more likely to be exposed to air pollutant under the bad environmental conditions. On the other hand, if urban activities are less vigorous in an area with high pollution or if urban activities are vigorous in an area with less pollution, the environmental condition was positive. The APEI (Air Pollution Exposure Index) was developed based on these considerations. Scenarios 1 and 2 were compared and analyzed using APEI. In result, scenario 1 is the case in which land is developed and used in an environmentally favorable manner. From this study, it was proved that the impact of air pollution on human health can be minimized with proper land use. The result form the current study can be used as the basic information to solve problems from improper land utilization and air pollution (by road traffic). It also can be utilized to evaluate air pollution level according to land use and road characteristics and to help to choose the best location of land use to comply with the road function and status.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.55-61
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• 2014

In this study, we evaluated the measurement of working environment, the amount of exposure, the hazards and risks of biphenyl, that was registered as 2A in IARC. Based on the exposure scenario, it was calculated that the exposure amounts are $1.0{\times}10^{-2}$, $4.2{\times}10^{-4}$, $7.0{\times}10^{-6}mg/m^3$, respectively, and the $RfC_{work}$ is 0.21, 2.13, 0.53 $0.31mg/m^3$ as carcinogenicity, target toxicity (oral), target toxicity (inhalation), developmental toxicity, respectively. According to these hazards evaluation and risk assessments, it was estimated that 0.57, 0.39 as carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenicity (developmental toxicity), respectively. It was also estimated relatively lower risks below 1. But since biphenyl is hazardous used much amounts, and could be exposed to workers directly, it was determined to require exposure monitoring to protect workers' health.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.106-112
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• 2013

In this paper, human exposure of wireless devices was analyzed for various positions of the transmitter. The scenario for the position of the transmitting antenna was decided after discussion with ADD(Agency for Defense Development), and Korean male phantom model developed by ETRI were used to conduct simulations. The SAR values were analyzed by changing the position of the transmitter, and compared with Korean EMF regulations and ICNIRP guidelines. Additionally, human exposure was also investigated for two typical postures which can be posed by war-fighter.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.93-102
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• 2007

This paper presents a scenario evaluation model of the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) to evaluate dismantling scenarios considering quantitative and qualitative considerations. And decommissioning information producing modules which can obtain a dismantling schedule, quantify radioactive waste, visualize a radioactive inventory, estimate a decommissioning cost, and estimate a worker's exposure was developed to assess qualitatively decommissioning information. The digital mock-up (DMU) system was developed to verify dismantling processes and find error of scenarios in virtual space. It combines and manages the decommissioning information producing modules, the decommissioning DB, and the dismantling evaluation module synthetically. By using AHP model and DMU system, the thermal column in KRR-1 was evaluated on plasma arc cutting scenario and nibbler cutting scenario using the developed decommissioning DMU system.