• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.41-54
• /
• 2012

The weathering process of rocks leads to the reduction of geotechnical bearing capacity. The weathering of granite is frequently used to refer to the degradation of geotechnical property in the design and construction of infra-structure. In this study, the range of values of CIA (chemical index of alteration) and the change of mineral compositions by weathering have been analysed with igneous rock, which covers 45.5% in South Korean territory. Several weathering indices were studied for various rocks found in Korea and significant relationships between different indices were delineated via statistical analysis. The applicability of CIA was found to be the most significant among all weathering indicies. The composition of illite, the secondary weathering residual, generally increases for the felsic rock, and swelling clay material is not included. The weathering of felsic rock will follow a sequential process, starting from bed rock, illite, and chlorite to kaoline. The mafic rock will show weathering process, from bed rock, smectite, and chlorite to kaoline. The intermediate rocks such as andesite and tuff will show similar weathering procedure and the composition of kaoline, chlorite, and smectite tends to increase more than that of illite when the mafic rock is dominated. This means the increase of rock material which has high CEC (cation exchange capacity) during secondary weathering process. However, the characteristics of a specific rock cannot be completely analyzed using merely CIA, since it is exclusively based on chemical composition and corresponding alteration. The CIA can be used to quantify the weathering process in a limited range, and further considerations such as rock composition, strength characteristics will be required to configure the comprehensive weathering impact on any specific region.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.321-329
• /
• 2013

Recently, the medium-low level radioactive waste from nuclear power plant must be transported from temporary storage to the final repository. Medium-low level radioactive waste, which is composed mainly of the liquid ion exchange resin, has been consolidated with cementitious material in the plastic or iron container. Since cementitious material is brittle, it would generate cracks by impact load during transportation, signifying leakage of radioactive ray. In order to design the safety transporting equipment, there is a need to check the compressive strength of the current waste. However, because it is impossible to measure strength by direct method due to leakage of radioactive ray, we will estimate the strength indirectly by the dynamic modulus of elasticity. Therefore, it must be identified the relationship between of strength and dynamic modulus of elasticity. According to the waste acceptance criteria, the compressive strength of cement based solid is defined as more than 3.44 MPa (500 psi). Compressive strength of the present solid is likely to be significantly higher than this baseline because of continuous hydration of cement during long period. On this background, we have tried to produce the specimens of the 28 day's compressive strength of 3 to 30 MPa having the same material composition as the solid product for the medium-low level radioactive waste, and analyze the relationship between the strength and the dynamic modulus of elasticity. By controling the addition rates of AE agent, we made the mixture containing the ion exchange resin and showing the target compressive strength (3~30 MPa). The dynamic modulus of elasticity of this mixtures is 4.1~10.2 GPa, about 20 GPa lower in the equivalent compressive strength level than that of ordinary concrete, and increasing the discrepancy according to increase strength. The compressive strength and the dynamic modulus of elasticity show the liner relationship.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.229-240
• /
• 1999

Background: The impact of the immune response on cancer gene therapy using viral vectors to deliver a "suicide gene" is currently unclear. A vigrous immune response targeted at viral proteins or transgene may enhance the efficacy of tumor destruction and even augment responses to tumor antigens. These responses may involve the release of cytokines and stimulation of tumor specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes that enhance therapeutic efficacy. On the other hand, a vigorous rapid cellular immune response may destroy cells expressing the therapeutic gene and attenuate the response to therapy. Furthermore, development of neutralizing antibody responses may prevent readministration of virus, a potentially significant limitation. Evaluating the significance of these limitations in animal models and developing solutions are therefore of obvious importance. Methods: After retroviral transduction of mouse mesothelioma cell line(AB12) with Herpes Simplex Virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene in vitro, subcutaneous flank tumors were established. To study the effect of intact immune system on efficacy of tumor erradication, the ability of the HSVtk/ganciclovir system to inhibit tumor growth was compared among normal Balb/c mice, immunodeficient Balb/c-nude and SCID mice, and Balb/c mice immunosuppressed with cyclosporin. Results: Ganciclovir treatment resulted in greater inhibition of tumor growth in Balb/c mice compared with immunodeficient Balb/c-nude mice and SCID mice(in immunodeficient mice, there were no growth inhibition by ganciclovir treatment). Ganciclovir treatment resulted in greater inhibition of tumor growth in noncyclosporin (CSA) treated Balb/c mice compared with CSA treated Balb/c mice. On day 8, mean ganciclovir-treated tumor volume were 65% of control tumor volume in Balb/c mice versus 77% control tumor volume in CSA-treated Balb/c mice. This effect was still evident during therapy (day 11 and 13). On day 13, non-CSA treated tumor volume was 35% of control tumor volume versus 60% of control tumor volume in CSA treated Balb/c mice. Duration of expression of HSVtk was not affected by the immunosuppression with CSA. Conclusion: These results indicate that the immune responses against retrovirally transduced cells enhance the efficacy of the HSVtk/ganciclovir system. These findings have important implications for clinical trials using currently available retrovirus vectors as well as for future vector design.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.1-31
• /
• 2009

This paper empirically examines factors that potentially influence the success of a Web-based semantic search engine. A research model has been proposed that shows the impact of quality-related factors upon the effectiveness of a semantic search engine, based on DeLone and McLean's(2003) information systems success model. An empirical study has been conducted to test hypotheses formulated around the research model, and statistical methods were applied to analyze gathered data and draw conclusions. Implications for academics and practitioners are offered based on the findings of the study. The proposed model includes three quality dimensions of a Web-based semantic search engine-namely, information quality, system quality and service quality. These three dimensions each have measures designed to collectively assess the respective dimension. The model is intended to examine the relationship between measures of these quality dimensions and measures of two dependent constructs, including individuals' net benefit and user satisfaction. Individuals' net benefit was measured by the extent to which the user's information needs were adequately met, whereas user satisfaction was measured by a combination of the perceived satisfaction with search results and the perceived satisfaction with the overall system. A total of 23 hypotheses have been formulated around the model, and a questionnaire survey has been conducted using a functional semantic search website created by KT and Hakia, so as to collect data to validate the model. Copies of a questionnaire form were handed out in person to 160 research associates and employees working in the area of designing and developing semantic search engines. Those who received the form, 148 respondents returned valid responses. The survey form asked respondents to use the given website to answer questions concerning the system. The results of the empirical study have indicated that, of the three quality dimensions, information quality was found to have the strongest association with the effectiveness of a Web-based semantic search engine. This finding is consistent with the observation in the literature that the aspects of the information quality should serve as a basis for evaluating the search outcomes from a semantic search engine. Measures under the information quality dimension that have a positive effect on informational gratification and user satisfaction were found to be recall and currency. Under the system quality dimension, response time and interactivity, were positively related to informational gratification. On the other hand, only one measure under the service quality dimension, reliability was found to have a positive relationship with user satisfaction. The results were based on the seven hypotheses that have been accepted. One may wonder why 15 out of the 23 hypotheses have been rejected and question the theoretical soundness of the model. However, the correlations between independent variables and dependent variables came out to be fairly high. This suggests that the structural equation model yielded results inconsistent with those of coefficient analysis, because the structural equation model intends to examine the relationship among independent variables as well as the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables. The findings offer some useful implications for owners of a semantic search engine, as far as the design and maintenance of the website is concerned. First, the system should be designed to respond to the user's query as fast as possible. Also it should be designed to support the search process by recommending, revising, and choosing a search query, so as to maximize users' interactions with the system. Second, the system should present search results with maximum recall and currency to effectively meet the users' expectations. Third, it should be capable of providing online services in a reliable and trustworthy manner. Finally, effective increase in user satisfaction requires the improvement of quality factors associated with a semantic search engine, which would in turn help increase the informational gratification for users. The proposed model can serve as a useful framework for measuring the success of a Web-based semantic search engine. Applying the search engine success framework to the measurement of search engine effectiveness has the potential to provide an outline of what areas of a semantic search engine needs improvement, in order to better meet information needs of users. Further research will be needed to make this idea a reality.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.89-125
• /
• 2017

Complex product systems (CoPs) is a engineering-intensive products with high-ended design technology, which are closely linked with national economic growth and development of social infrastructures. Accordingly, in order to understand the technological evolution of CoPs, it is necessary to identify the macro-environmental drivers surrounding the CoPs and their impact on the technological evolution of the CoPS. Therefore, we investigate the effect of policy, economic and social drivers on the technological evolution of CoPS by implementing the longitudinal case study on nuclear power plant during the periods between 1950 and 2010s. Based on the analysis of various sources of secondary data and primary data through interviews, we found that the technological evolution of nuclear power plant is progressed as "Phase 1: Application research for peaceful utilization of nuclear energy" between 1950s and 1960s, "Phase 2: The first renaissance of nuclear energy" during 1970s, "Phase 3: Enhancement of safety and the catch-up of latecomers in nuclear energy" between 1990s and 2000s, and "Phase 4: Top prioritization of safety and the development of next generation reactors for the second renaissance of nuclear energy" since 2010s. We also found that various kinds of policy, economic and social drivers, such as energy policy, investment in technology development, economic growth and energy demand, social acceptability and environmental concern, have affected the technology evolution of nuclear power plant at each phase. We emphasize the role of macroenvironmental drivers in the technological evolution of CoPS. We also suggest that countries that endeavor to develop CoPs need to utilize those drivers for enhancing competitiveness and sustaining leadership.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.5-16
• /
• 2012

In the case of using the soil materials created by cutting in-situ ground directly without adjusting particle size, it is recommendable to seek the compaction property or material constant required for filling design or density control through indoor test, and many studies on this subject have been carried out during that time. The researches conducted during that time, however, were focused on the mixed materials with different diameters that exist in a natural condition. There has been no study conducted using coal fly ash that is by-product of the thermal power plant that is actively considered as the building materials. Therefore, this study was aimed at implementing compaction test and examining the basic engineering property in order to explore the influence of crushing the particles through compacting the admixture of crushed stone and coal fly ash produced from thermal power plant on its engineering property, and then the impact of the admixture volume of each material on compaction property and material property by conducting the One-Dimensional Compression Test. As result of compaction test, the optimum moisture ratio of coal fly ash was shown to be approx. 23%. As result of compaction test in accordance with the mixed ratio of coal fly ash and crushed stone under the same compaction energy and moisture ratio, dry unit weight tended to drop when the mixed ratio of coal fly ash exceeded 30%, while it reached approx. $1.81gf/cm^3$ when the mixed ratio was 30%. As result of One-Dimensional Compression Test in accordance with the mixed ratio of crushed stone and coal fly ash, the change in void ratio by particle crushing was at the highest level in the case of coal fly ash 100%, while the lowest level in the case of crushed stone 100%. In the case of mixed materials of crushed stone and coal fly ash, compression index was at the lowest level in case of coal fly ash 30%, and therefore this ratio of mixed material was judged to be the most stable from an engineering aspect.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.163-177
• /
• 2020

Purpose: While it is very important to maintain facilities recently, the introduction and its application of high technology in the facility maintenance industry has increased. It is necessary for high technology to secure reliability through the verification and certification system of diagnostic equipment to have an effective impact in the field, but there is difference between the industry's perspective and realistic level of technology apart from social demand for the system of the system. This paper dealt with the introduction of a verification and certification system for rational facility diagnostic equipment with the opinion survey on managers about the current situation. Method: Survey is carried out targeting managers in the maintenance and construction regarding the necessity and urgency of introducing a verification and certification system to promote the introduction and its application of high technology of diagnostic equipment and facility inspection. Also, the introduction to a verification and certification system was reviewed for advanced facility diagnostic equipment through foreign research about similar systems and comparative analysis of similar systems related to the certification of 21 domestic equipment. Result: It showed that, regarding the application of high technology, it is necessary for most managers to introduce high technology such as drones, robots, etc., in the maintenance industry, and when high technology is introduced, it will have a considerable effect in the field. On the other hand, the current technology level in Korea is relatively low, so it turned out to take a certain amount of time for the application of technology. Also, it was found that the management of reliable facility diagnostic equipment will be possible through the introduction of the verification and certification system for facility diagnosis equipment. Meanwhile, the survey is conducted on similar systems about foreign and domestic diagnosis and measuring equipment, etc., but there is no system to verify and certify equipment applied with high technology directly to facility diagnosis maintenance. However, because Japan has a system of verifying the performance of diagnostic equipment and South Korea has 21 similar inspection and diagnostic equipment certification systems among 186 certification systems, it is considered to be possible to design systems which utilize them. Conclusion: According to the managers' opinion, it seems that the introduction of the system supporting the application of 4th industrial technology for the equipment and the use of the equipment with high reliability has sufficient validity. However, because our high technology level is undervalued compared to the urgency, the system for checking high technology facilities and certifying diagnostic equipment should be to be implemented in form of escalation considering technical use and verification level. Apart from the introduction of the verification and certification system, it is necessary for special investment, support and efforts to promote advanced facility diagnostic equipment.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.357-368
• /
• 2008

On July 31, 2008, the Government issued the construction and operation permit for the first low and intermediate level radioactive waste disposal facility in the Republic of Korea. In this paper, the fundamental regulatory framework, regulatory requirements and technical standards of the disposal facility are introduced, and the phased review process adopted for evaluation of the safety of the facility is briefly described. The Atomic Energy Act sets forth a stepwise regulatory framework for the whole life-cycle of the disposal facility such as siting, design, construction, operation, closure and institutional control. More detailed regulatory requirements and technical standards are stipulated in the subsequent regulations of the Atomic Energy Act and a series of Notices issued by the Ministry of Eduction, Science and Technology. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, as entrusted by the Ministry under the Atomic Energy Act, conducted safety review on the disposal facility, and evaluated the compliance with relevant criteria in all technical elements(i.e. siting and structural safety, radiological environmental impact, operational safety, systems and components, quality assurance, and total systematic performance assessment, etc.). The overall safety review process can be phased into inception phase, initial review phase, main review phase and completion phase. The review results were reported to and deliberated by the five Sub-committees of the Special Committee on Nuclear Safety, and then reported to the Ministry. The Ministry issued the construction and operation permit of the disposal facility through the deliberation of the review results by the Nuclear Safety Commission. Hereafter, the safety of the repository will be reassured by a series of subsequent regulatory inspections and reviews under the Atomic Energy Act. In addition, the licensee's continuous implementation of the "Safety Promotion Plan" may also enhance the long-term safety of the repository and contribute to build-up the confidence of the safety case.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.621-626
• /
• 2018

We introduced the physiological responses of aging, active aging and also suggest the impact of physical exercise on body health status and elderly immunity. In this purpose, we searched the Pub Med data base for the articles (include our experimental papers) and review papers having the terms 'Aging', 'Active aging' and 'Physical activity and elderly' in the title, published from 1999 until 2018. The results were as follows: Exercise training has been extensively studied about the reduction of inflammation, oxidative stress, disease, and aging in syndrome X patients and elderly. Combined and aerobic or resistance exercise training could reduce obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Exercise training has been extensively studied in cancer settings as part of prevention or treatment strategies. From this research, regular exercise has the potential to target tumor growth through regulation of inflammation and immune responses such as lactate clearance, NK cell activation (innate immunity), activation of cytotoxic immune cells, T cell activation (adaptive immunity), and immune surveillance. However, Endurance physical activity not only induces thermogenesis and diverse sports injuries but also elicits mobilization and functional enhancement of monocytes, neutrophils (which is caused by the cytokine changes such as TNF-alpha, IL-1) whereas it suppresses cell mediated immunity causing to increased susceptibility to inflammation and infections like cough and URTIs (upper respiratory track infections) in young and especially in elderly people. Therefore, Strategies to prevent physical fatigue, sports injuries include avoid overtraining, Adequate recovery and various type of rest during and after physical activity and assuring adequate nutrition supplementation such as glutamine, vitamin B, vitamin C, carbohydrate, ion or berry-contain sports beverages is helpful in physically active elderly.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.47 no.5
• /
• pp.459-468
• /
• 2014

Groyne to control the direction and velocity of flow in rivers is generally installed for the purpose of protecting riverbanks or embankments from erosion caused by running water. In particular, as interest in river restoration and natural river improvement increases, groynes are proposed as a key hydraulic structure for local flow control and riparian habitat establishment. Groynes are installed mainly in groups rather than as individual structures. In case of groynes installed as a group, flow around the groynes change according to spacing in between the groynes. Therefore, groyne spacing is regarded as the most important factor in groyne design. This study aimed at examining changes of flows around and within the area of groynes that take place according to the spacing of groynes installed in order to propose the optimal spacing for upward groynes. To examine flow characteristics around groynes, this study looked at flows in main flow area and recirculation flow area separately. In main flow area, it examined the impact of flow velocity increasing as a result of conveyance reduction that is exerted on river bed stability in relation to changes in the maximum flow velocity according to installation spacing. As a factor causing impacts on scouring and sedimentation within the area of groynes, recirculation flow in the groyne area can lead problems concerning flow within the area and stability of embankment. As for recirculation area, an analysis was conducted on the scale of rotational flow and the flow around embankment that exerts impacts on stability of the embankment. In addition, a comparative analysis was carried with reference to changes of the central point of rotational flow that occur within the area of groynes. As a result of compositely examining the results, the appropriate installation spacing is proposed as min. four times-max. six times considering a decrease in flow velocity according to the installation of upward groynes, river bed stability and stability of embankments against counterflow within the area of groynes.