History of the Korean GLPs and the activities and perspectives of the Korean Society of GLP.

The Korean Society of Good Laboratory Practice (KSGLP) was established Dec. 10, 1998. The objectives of the KSGLP are to enhance the quality of domestic studies and the level of GLP compliance, in safety testing, and to promote information exchange among its members. The activities of KSGLP include: offering workshops and symposiums, linking with related governmental organizations, collecting GLP related information and providing the information to the related organizations, building international networks to collect information and to establish relationship, developing training materials and publishing periodicals, and other business necessary to achieve the objectives of the KSGLP. The KSGLP achieved its goals within a short period of time by offering workshops and symposia, and by providing important GLP related information in newspapers or via the KSGLP's internet homepage (www.ksglp.or.kr). The main role of the KSGLP will be to disseminate GLP technology nationwide. The KSGLP would like to help many labs that are preparing their facilities for GLP compliance. Further, the KSGLP is hoping to share GLP experiences with other members.     

A comparison of the U.S. EPA FIFRA GLP standards with the U.S. FDA GLP standards for nonclinical laboratory studies.

In the early 1980's both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration were receiving studies on the products that they regulate that were unscientifically sound, some even being fraudulent. Studies were being submitted that had not been done under sound scientific practice; data were missing; necessary documentation to reconstruct the study, also known as an audit trail, was not in place, it was this evidence that lead to the Good Laboratory Practice Standards (GLPs) being codified and becoming regulation. The GLPs were meant to assure that studies submitted to the agencies for the registration of products for which they were responsible would protect the environment, and, the safety and health of the public.     

A Constraint Programming model for food processing industry: a case for an ice cream processing facility

This paper presents a Constraint Programming (CP) scheduling model for an ice cream processing facility. CP is a mathematical optimisation tool for solving problems either for optimality (for small-size problems) or good quality solutions (for large-size problems). For practical scheduling problems, a single CP solution model can be used to optimise daily production or production horizon extending for months. The proposed model minimises a makespan objective and consists of various processing interval and sequence variables and a number of production constraints for a case from a food processing industry. Its performance was compared to a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model from the literature for optimality, speed, and competence using the partial capacity of the production facility of the case study. Furthermore, the model was tested using different product demand sizes for the full capacity of the facility. The results demonstrate both the effectiveness, flexibility, and speed of the CP models, especially for large-scale models. As an alternative to MILP, CP models can provide a reasonable balance between optimality and computation speed for large problems.     

Design of radiation shielding for the proton therapy facility at the National Cancer Center in Korea

The design of radiation shielding was evaluated for a proton therapy facility being established at the National Cancer Center in Korea. The proton beam energy from a 230 MeV cyclotron is varied for therapy using a graphite target. This energy variation process produces high radiation and thus thick shielding walls surround the region. The evaluation was first carried out using analytical expressions at selected locations. Further detailed evaluations have been performed using the Monte Carlo method. Dose equivalent values were calculated to be compared with analytical results. The analytical method generally yielded more conservative values. With consideration of adequate occupancy factors annual dose equivalent rates are kept <1 mSv y(-1) in all areas. Construction of the building is expected to be completed near the end of 2004 and the installation of therapy equipment will begin a few months later.     

A stochastic multi-objective optimization decision model for energy facility allocation: a case of liquefied petroleum gas station

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - To mitigate air pollution problem, the government has been planning to build more liquefied petroleum gas stations to motivate drivers to use liquefied...     

Investigations Regarding the Measurement of the Modulation Transfer Function and Possibilities for its Designation by a Numerical Value

A step by step analysis of the photographic image forming process is used to explain the possible restrictions on the range of validity of the modulation transfer function (MTF). In general the MTF characterizes a film-developer-system within a given range of exposure and contrast. Other functions to describe the spatial frequency response are discussed. The use of photographic film as a photometer is distinguished from the use as image reproducer on behalf of the use of the proper signal functions. The interaction between the aperture of the exposing pencils and the thickness of the coating is investigated experimentally and a simple formula is proposed to describe it. The possibilities of characterizing the MTF by one single numerical value are discussed.     

Identifying potential users of technology for technology transfer using patent citation analysis: a case analysis of a Korean research institute

The purpose of this study is to examine whether patent citation analysis can be used for making decisions of technology transfer. More precisely, the authors of this paper are interested in the matter of identifying potential users of technology by patent citation analysis. Previous research relied on patents’ keywords, and as a consequence it was difficult to implement in practice where organizations retain huge number of patents to transfer. In this study, we attempt to use IPCs instead of keywords. Our approach is to identify dominant IPC and sub-classes of an organization by applying co-classification analysis, and explore firms that cited the patents in the dominant IPC. Our view is that the organizations explored in this process can be potential users of technology. To verify our view, we examined the patents and technology transfer cases of two divisions in K Research Institute in Korea. The results show that our view was right only for a limited field. We suppose that the reasons may stem from technological characteristics and firm size effect. Therefore, we suggest that there should be further research considering technological characteristics and firm size.     

Biogas production from multiple feedstock at the district-level centralized facility for multiple end-use options: a case study in Johor Bahru,Malaysia

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - In the 7th Agenda of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, sustainable energy is one of the main interests and it should be...     

Collaboration network patterns and research performance: the case of Korean public research institutions

This study examines the impact of collaborating patterns on the R&;D performance of public research institutions (PRIs) in Korea’s science and engineering fields. For the construction of R&;D collaborating networks based on the co-authorship data of 127 institutions in Scopus, this paper proposes four types of collaborations by categorizing network analyses into two dimensions: structural positions (density, efficiency, and betweeness centrality) and the relational characteristics of individual nodes (eigenvector and closeness centralities). To explore the research performance by collaboration type, we employ a data envelopment analysis window analysis of a panel of 23 PRIs over a 10-year period. Comparing the R&;D productivities of each group, we find that the PRIs of higher productivity adhere to a cohesive networking strategy, retaining intensive relations with their existing partners. The empirical results suggest that excessively cohesive alliances might end up in ‘lock-in’ relations, hindering the exploitation of new opportunities for innovation. These findings are implicit in relation to the Korean Government’s R&;D policies on collaborating strategies to produce sustained research results with the advent of the convergence research era.     

Investigation of monitoring for internal exposure by urine bioassay in a biomedical research facility

A simple monitoring programme by urine bioassay was carried out to assess internal doses for workers in a biomedical research facility. Urine samples were measured without chemical treatment using a liquid scintillation counter or sodium iodide (NaI (Tl)) scintillation detector. The detection limits for the committed effective doses were below 1 mSv for 125I and 131I and below 1 x 10(-1) mSv for 3H, 14C, 32P, 35S and 51Cr, in the case that samples were collected within 3 d after handling. All of the urinary concentrations were below the detection limit, suggesting that no significant intake was detected during the investigation. The present results suggest that personal monitoring, such as the urine bioassay, is not necessary in many cases as a routine monitoring for workers engaged in tracer experiments using the above nuclides.     

Riverbank filtration for sustainable water supply: application to a large-scale facility on the Nile River

Riverbank filtration (RBF) is an efficient and low-cost natural alternative technology for water supply application in which surface water contaminants are removed or degraded as the infiltrating water moves from the river/lake to the pumping wells. The removal or degradation of contaminants is a combination of physicochemical and biological processes. For more than 100 years, RBF has been used in Europe for public and industrial water supply along Rhine, Elbe, and Danube rivers. This paper presents an investigation of a full-scale RBF plant located in Upper Egypt as section of Nile valley to produce drinking water. The studied plant is constructed in 2004 to supply potable water for Sidfa city (30,000 residents), Assiut Governorate. It consists of 6 vertical wells, each about 60 m deep, with distance about 30 m from the west bank of Nile. Water samples from Nile as induced surface water, from background groundwater, and from production wellfield were collected and analyzed at three discrete events. Quality measurements of physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics were obtained. Comparison of produced water with surface and background natural groundwater for the investigated plant has proven the effectiveness of RBF technique for potable water supply in Upper Egypt. Physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the produced water are better than the allowable standards for drinking purposes. The results prove the implementation of RBF treatment method for water supply in Nile valley.     

Using the HELIOS facility for assessment of bundle-jacket thermal coupling in a CICC

In a Cable In Conduit Conductor (CICC) cooled by forced circulation of supercritical helium, the heat exchange in the bundle region can play a significant role for conductor safe operation, while remaining a quite uncertain parameter. Heat exchange between bundle and jacket depends on the relative contributions of convective heat transfer due to the helium flow inside the bundle and of thermal resistance due to the wrappings between the cable and the conduit.In order to qualify this thermal coupling at realistic operating conditions, a dedicated experiment on a 1.2 m sample of ITER Toroidal Field (TF) dummy conductor was designed and performed in the HELIOS test facility at CEA Grenoble. Several methods were envisaged, and the choice was made to assess bundle-jacket heat transfer coefficient by measuring the temperature of a solid copper cylinder inserted over the conductor jacket and submitted to heat deposition on its outer surface.The mock-up was manufactured and tested in spring 2015. Bundle-jacket heat transfer coefficient was found in the range 300–500 W m⁻² K⁻¹. Results analysis suggests that the order of magnitude of convective heat transfer coefficient inside bundle is closer to Colburn–Reynolds analogy than to Dittus–Boelter correlation, and that bundle-jacket thermal coupling is mainly limited by thermal resistance due to wrappings. A model based on an equivalent layer of stagnant helium between wraps and jacket was proposed and showed a good consistency with the experiment, with relevant values for the helium layer thickness.     

A portfolio model for component purchasing strategy and the case study of two South Korean elevator manufacturers

A new approach to purchasing portfolio modelling, stemming from Kraljic's matrix, for developing purchasing strategies that are aligned with competitive priorities, is developed to address the weaknesses of existing approaches that are preventing widespread application, especially in SMEs. The importance of strategic purchasing to achieving competitive priorities and the need to align it with business strategy is argued through a literature review, which is also used to establish that purchasing portfolio modelling is an effective tool in achieving this alignment. The new approach is applied to two South Korean elevator manufacturers.     

Dose reconstruction for an occupational cohort at the Savannah River nuclear facility: evaluation of a hybrid method

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is the only nuclear facility in the United States that produces tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The purpose of the study was to derive annual tritium dose estimates for SRS employees through the development of a job-exposure matrix. The proposed method is unique in that along with qualitative information on job, area and time of employment, it utilises recorded annual whole-body dose measures, when available, in order to estimate doses from tritium intakes of the monitored workers. Using information from 75 253 dose measures for the period 1954-1978, the average proportion of the whole-body dose that was due to tritium intake was calculated; these proportions were allowed to vary by job, area and time period. This information was used to assign tritium dose levels for 43 590 employment-years. The collective estimated tritium dose was 4319 mSv compared with the total known tritium dose of 17 382 mSv. The correlation (R2) of estimated tritium dose with known tritium dose was 0.68.     

A new database of the references on international clinical practice guidelines: a facility for the evaluation of clinical research

Scientometrics - Although there are now several bibliographic databases of research publications, such as Google Scholar, Pubmed, Scopus, and the Web of Science (WoS), and some also include counts...     

Structured approach to the design of a production data analysis facility. Part 1: Conceptual design and information requirements

The paper reports research into a workshop-oriented machine and inspection framework for a contemporary metalworking small manufacturing enterprise (SME) that cannot be satisfactorily achieved by the rigid scaled-down versions of software applications employed within larger companies. It identifies a structured approach to the design and conceptualization of a production data analysis framework that is supported by the use of order and manufacturing data. A major feature of the framework is its generic applicability and totally integrated approach to provide rapid manufacturing control from intelligent feedback data from the inspection and manufacturing data analysis activities of manufactured components. This production data analysis approach is formally expressed through the combined application of both the activity analysis formalism of IDEF0 and object-oriented information analysis methodology of Booch. The systematic approach employed by the integrated production data analysis framework provides both product and manufacturing process control in order to close the manufacturing feedback loop. These integrated phases are described and involve the concurrent machine operation and inspection planning, simultaneous production code generation, comparative tolerance analysis, and manufacturing data analysis of manufactured components. The final part of the paper provides a critical discussion on a number of major issues of the approach and identifies the advantages and limitations of the research.