• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.138-143
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• 2007

This study goes in for the observation of the characteristics of nitrogen removal from swine wastewater by struvite crystallization. In addition, the struvite formation potential in supernatants after struvite crystallization was investigated. In the study for nitrogen removal by struvite crystallization, the effects of pH and molar ratio of magnesium (Mg) injected using bittern as Mg source were investigated. Also, the potential of struvite formation in the supernatant with amount of Mg added was carefully observed. As the results, the optimum pH in the removal of nitrogen was 8.8 and sludge volume was increased as pH was raised from 7 to 12 under the condition that the molar ratio of $Mg^{2+}$ to ${NH_4}^+$-N to ${PO_4}^{3-}$-P was 1:1:1. An optimum removal efficiency of ammonia-N was observed at 1 molar ratio of Mg to ${NH_4}^+$-N, showing no further increase at over 1 molar ratio and dramatical deterioration at under 1 molar ratio. However, the sludge volume was increased by increasing the molar ratio of Mg. In the experiments for the potential of struvite formation in the supernatants, initial -log([$Mg^{2+}$][${NH_4}^+$][${PO_4}^{3-}$]) value was much lower than $pK_{sp}$ and gradually reached $pK_{sp}$ at 2 days, as the molar ratio of Mg increased over 1.2. At 31 days, -log([$Mg^{2+}$][${NH_4}^+$][${PO_4}^{3-}$]) value was returned to the initial value. In addition, the supernatants had a potential precipitation of hydroxylapatite due to calcium contained in bittern, $K_2Mg(SO_4)_3$ and $K_3Na(SO_4)_2$ resulting from the decrease of sodium and potassium in supernatants formed after struvite crystallization as times go by. Based on the results, it appears that some retention time and proper dosage of Mg may be needed for the prevention of scale in pipe line.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.681-688
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• 2009

The railroad bridges have been usually experienced by vibration and impact in service state. With this reason, it is important that the effective strengthening capacity should be considered to resist the kind of service loading. In this study, NSM strengthening technique is recommended for the concrete railroad bridge because of its better effective resistance for dynamic loading condition and strengthening cost than the conventional externally bonded strengthening using fiber sheet. However, to widely apply NSM method for the concrete railroad bridge, it needs that the strengthening ratio has to be reasonably evaluated with geometrical and material uncertainties, especially for the concrete bridge under long-term service state without the apparent design history and detail information such as concrete compressive strength, reinforcing ratio, railroad characteristics. The purpose of this study is to propose the critical strengthening ratio of CFRP plate for the targeted concrete railroad bridge with uncertainties of deterioration of the structures. To do this, Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) for geometrical and material uncertainties have been applied so that this approach may bring the reasonable strengthening ratio of CFRP plate considering probabilistic uncertainties for the targeted concrete railroad bridge. Finally, the critical strengthening ratio of NSM strengthened by CFRP plate is calculated by using the limit state function based on the target reliability index of 3.5.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.277-284
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• 2015

Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of circle contact lens wearing on visual quality of the eyes after a refractive surgery. Methods: The objective visual quality was evaluated for 40 eyes who did not get refractive surgery and 30 eyes who got a refractive surgery after applying plano circle contact lenses on their eyes, respectively. Modulation transfer function (MTF), objective scatter index (OSI) and the focusing ratio on retina (Strehl ratio) were measured by using optical quality analysis system (OQAS) and the correlation between pupil size and objective visual quality was analyzed by measuring the pupil size. Results: When wearing circle contact lens on the eyes after refractive surgery, MTF and Strehl ratio were reduced and OSI was increased compared with the eyes without refractive surgery. The eyes after a refractive surgery showed more significant difference changes in MTF, OSI and Strehl ratio according to the pupil size compared with those without refractive surgery. Conclusions: The results showed that wearing of circle contact lens after the refractive surgery has deteriorated the objective visual quality based on the quality of focused image on the retina. Therefore, we suggest that sufficient understanding and consideration about the deterioration of visual quality is necessary in the case of circle contact lens wearing after refractive surgery.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.577-583
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• 2016

Small-sized persimmons produced by high crop load are better accepted in the export markets. However, maintaining high crop load frequently results in weakness of tree vigor, deterioration of fruit quality, and increase of the risks for alternate bearing. This experiment was conducted to determine the combined effects of fertilization rate and leaf-fruit (L/F) ratio on container-grown 3-year-old 'Fuyu' persimmon trees. Application of 3.6-g N, 2.1-g $P_2O_5$, 2.7-g $K_2O$, 2.7-g CaO, and 0.6-g MgO was for the control fertilization rate (CF) and that of a 3-fold CF was for the high fertilization rate (HF). Commercial fertilizers were surface-applied to a container on July 6, July 17, and August 10 in three equal aliquots. Single tree for each fertilization rate was assigned for 12 L/F ratios (5, 6.3, 7.7, 9, 10.4, 13, 15.5, 18, 21, 24, 27, and 33) mostly by fruit thinning or rarely by defoliation on July 1. HF did not affect the yield, weight and soluble solids of the fruits but decreased skin color. As L/F ratio increased, yield decreased but average weight, skin color, and soluble solids of fruits increased. With HF, N and K concentrations in leaves, fruits, and shoots increased to some extent but soluble sugars in dormant shoots decreased. Many shoots were cold-injured with low L/F ratio especially at the HF. HF did not increase number of flower buds the next spring either on a shoot or on a tree basis but increased shoot length, compared with the CF. Increasing L/F ratio markedly increased number of flower buds and shoot growth the following year at both fertilization rates. Therefore, an appropriate combination of fertilization rate and L/F ratio should be necessary to maintain stable fruit production and tree vigor at high crop load.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 2015

High temperature impairs rice grain yield and quality. To understand the effect of high temperature on leaf physiological activity and grain filling, two cultivars of rice that Dongan and Ilpum were exposed to high temperature during ripening stage. Grain filling rate, perfect grain ratio and grain weight of high temperature ($27^{\circ}C{\pm}4^{\circ}C$) treated both rice cultivars were decreased than those of control temperature ($22^{\circ}C{\pm}4^{\circ}C$) treated. The reduction rates of grain filling ratio, perfect grain ratio and grain weight of high temperature treated to control treated rice were higher in Ilpum than Dongan. Chlorophyll contents of rice leaves under high temperature at early ripening stage were higher than those of control temperature, but those were slowly decreased with no difference between temperature treatment since at mid ripening stage. Although chlorophyll a/b ratio under high temperature was decreased from heading to 15 days after heading, that was gradually increased since 15 days after heading. Protein concentrations of rice leaves for ripening stage was a similar pattern with chlorophyll changes. The rate of photosynthesis at 14 days after heading under high temperature was higher than those of control temperature, but there was no difference at those of 7 and 34 days after heading between two temperature treatment. Free sugars under high temperature treated leaves were lower than control temperature. Consequently, these results exhibit that high temperature accelerate leaf physiological activity as chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthesis rate unlike the deterioration of grain filling.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.25-39
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to analyze the management performance of hospitals by analyzing the ratio of stability, profitability ratio, and growth rate through the financial ratios of medical institutions using accounting information disclosure data of medical institutions, financial status table and profit and loss statement. The main goal is to analyze and analyze financial statements of medical institutions' accounting information in 2016 and 2017, analyze the difference and analyze the general characteristics and financial ratios by type, type and size of medical institutions, The financial characteristics of medical institutions were identified. The ratio of stability, profitability, and growth rate through financial ratios were compared and analyzed. In addition, we analyzed the correlation between the medical profit margin, the total asset profit margin, the medical profit margin rate, and the net profit margin of the medical institutions through the financial ratios of accounting information disclosure data of medical institutions. The main results are as follows: First, the size of the hospital and the size of the debt through the change of assets, liabilities and capital of the financial statement are increasing, the size of own capital is relatively decreased, and the management performance is getting worse It is showing. Second, the increase in average medical revenues in the income statement is small, and the average increase in net profit is small. Thus, medical institutions were able to confirm the difficulty in creating profits through medical activities. In addition, there was a large difference in the debt ratio, the stability ratio, and the profitability ratio of the general hospitals and the general hospitals according to the types of medical institutions, and the difference in the average financial ratios of national and public hospitals, school corporation hospitals, I could confirm. The correlation between independent variables in the correlation was -0.904 between the capital ratio and the total assets turnover ratio, -0.800 between the labor cost ratio and the hospital income ratio, and -0.631 between the labor cost ratio and the foreign profit ratio. In order to improve the management deterioration of hospitals by using accounting information disclosure data of medical institutions, it is necessary to have a large effect on the net profit margin of the medical care and the net profit margin of the total assets.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.445-450
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• 2023

Background: The impact of COVID-19 infection on workers' work function persists even after the acute phase of the infection. We studied this phenomenon in Japanese workers. Methods: We conducted a one-year prospective cohort study online, starting with a baseline survey in December 2020. We tracked workers without baseline work functioning impairment and incorporated data from 14,421 eligible individuals into the analysis. We estimated the incidence rate ratio for new onset of work functioning impairment due to COVID-19 infection during follow-up, using mixed-effects Poisson regression analysis with robust variance. Results: Participants reporting infection between January and December 2021 showed a significantly higher incidence of new work functioning impairment (adjusted incidence rate ratio: 2.18, 95% confidence interval: 1.75-2.71, p < 0.001). The formality of the recuperation environment correlated with a higher risk of work functioning deterioration in infected individuals (p for trend <0.001). Conclusion: COVID-19-infected workers may continue to experience work difficulties due to persistent, post-acute infection symptoms. Companies and society must urgently provide rehabilitation and social support for people with persistent symptoms, recognizing that COVID-19 is not just a transient acute infection.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.589-604
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• 2016

Kenya has recently experienced worrying collapse of buildings during construction largely attributable to the poor quality of in-situ concrete and poor workmanship. The situation in the country is further compounded by rapid deterioration of infrastructure, hence necessitating the development of alternative structural systems such as concrete filled unplasticized poly vinyl chloride (UPVC) tubes as columns. The work herein adds on to the very limited and scanty work on use of UPVC tubes in construction. This study presents the findings of experimental and analytical work which investigated the structural response of composite concrete filled UPVC tubes under compressive load regime. UPVC pipes are cheaper than steel tubes and can be used as formwork during construction and thereafter as an integral part of column. Key variables in this study included the strength of infill concrete, the length to diameter ratio (L/D) of the plastic tube, as well as the diameter to thickness ratio (D/2t) of the plastic tube. Plastic tubes having varying diameters and heights were used to confine concrete of different strengths. Results obtained in the study clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of UPVC tubes as a confining medium for infill concrete, attributable to enhanced composite interaction between the UPVC tube and infill concrete medium. It was determined that compressive strength of the composite column specimens increased with increased concrete strength while the same decreased with increased column height, albeit by a small margin since all the columns considered were short columns. Most importantly, the experimental confined concrete strength increased significantly when compared to unconfined concrete strength; the strength increased between 1.18 to 3.65 times the unconfined strength. It was noted that lower strength infill concrete had the highest confined strength possibly due to enhanced composite interaction with the confining UPVC tube. The study further proposes an analytical model for the determination of confined strength of concrete.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.219-231
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• 2020

The aim of this study is to investigate the durability of fly ash based geopolymer mortar with and without protective coatings in aggressive chemical environments. The source materials for geopolymer are Fly ash and Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag (GGBS) and they are considered in the combination of 80% & 20% respectively. Two Molarities of NaOH solution were considered such as 8M and 10M. The ratio of binder to sand and Sodium silicate to Sodium hydroxide solution (Na₂SiO₃/NaOH) are taken as 1:2 and 2 respectively. The alkaline liquid to binder ratio is 0.4. Compressive strength tests were conducted at various ages of the mortar specimens. In order to evaluate the performance of coatings on geopolymer mortar under aggressive chemical environment, the mortar specimens were coated with two different types of coatings such as epoxy and Acrylic. They were then subjected to different chemical environments by immersing them in 10% standard solutions of each ammonium nitrate, sodium chloride and sulphuric acid. Drop in compressive strength as a result of chemical exposure was considered as a measure of chemical attack and the drop in compressive strength was measured after 30 and 60 days of chemical exposure. The compressive strength results following chemical exposure indicated that the specimens containing the acrylic coating proved to be more resistant to chemical attacks. The control specimen without coating showed a much greater degree of deterioration. Therefore, the application of acrylic coating was invariably much more effective in improving the compressive strength as well as the resistance of mortar against chemical attacks. The results also indicated that among all the aggressive attacks, the sulphate environment has the most adverse effect in terms of lowering the strength.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 2018

Strength of loess that experienced cyclic freeze and thaw is of great significance for evaluating stability of slopes and foundations in loess regions. This paper takes the frequently encountered loess in the Northwestern China as the study object and carried out three kinds of laboratory tests including freeze-thaw test, direct shear test and SEM test to investigate the strength behaviors of loess after cyclic freeze and thaw, and the correlation with meso-level changes in soil structure. Results show that for loess specimens at four dry densities, the cohesion decreases with freeze-thaw cycles until a residual value is reached and thus an exponential equation is proposed. Besides, little change in the angle of internal friction was observed as freeze-thaw proceeds. This may depend on the varying of soil structure, based on which a clue can be found from the surface morphology and mesoscopic scanning of loess specimens. Clearly we observed significant changes in surface morphology of loess and it tends to aggravate at higher water contents or more cycles of freeze and thaw. Moreover, freeze-thaw cycling leads to obvious changes in the meso-structure of loess including lowering the particle aggregates and increasing both the proportion of fine particles and porosity area ratio. A damage variable dependent on the ratio of porosity area is introduced based on the continuum damage mechanics and its correlation with cohesion is discussed.