• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2003

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the pesticide exposure status and acute pesticide poisoning symtoms among agricultural workers at Gangwon-do province alpine area. Alpine area was defined as the area higher than 400m. Methods: We analyzed 257 interviwed questionnaire about pesticide exposure, acute pesticide poisoning symptoms and other variables. Results: The result was shown that agricultural workers at alpine area used more pesticide than general agricultural workers for annual usage days(35.9 days vs 14.4 days), daily usage hours(6.7 hrs vs 2.8hrs, p<0.05). But there was no difference between general and alpine agricultural worker's herbicide exposure. Moreover, the alpine agricultural worker's acute pesticide poisoning symtom score was higher than general agricultural worker's. These difference was also found at result of regression analysis, under control the age, sex, monthly income. Most frequently suffered symptom was headache and dermatological problems. The symptom prevalence of dermatological problem, headache, general weakness, eye irritation, nausea were higher among alpine agricultural workers than general agricultural workers. Conclusions: As a result, agricultural workers at alpine area were more exposed to pesticide and suffered from pesticide poisoning symptoms. To prevent the symptoms and disease from pesticide exposure among agricultural workers at alpine area, more research and political effort will be needed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.101-112
• /
• 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine arterial stiffness levels as measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and to identify the association between arterial stiffness and inflammatory markers, in healthy adults over 50 years old. Methods: The study population consisted of 4617 persons over the age of 50 years who participated in the baseline survey of the Dong-gu Study, which was conducted in 2007 and 2008. Arterial stiffness was measured using baPWV. A multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between conventional cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory markers, including white blood cell (WBC) counts, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT). Results: After adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors including sex, age, smoking status, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, hypertension or diabetic medication, total cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, and alanine aminotransferase, baPWV was significantly associated with WBC counts (${\beta}$=0.158, p<0.0001), hs-CRP (${\beta}$=0.244, p=0.026), and GGT (${\beta}$=0.003, p<0.0001). Conclusion: This study shows that arterial stiffness correlates with inflammatory markers. Arterial stiffness may be used as a composite risk factor to identify persons with higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, arterial stiffness may be a marker for future cardiovascular disease and a target for prevention.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.215-222
• /
• 2012

Objective: A prediabetes hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level of 5.7%-6.4% is considered a risk factor for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the USA. In this study, we assessed the HbA1c and visceral fat levels as CVD risk factors in health check-up examinees who were not yet diagnosed with diabetes. Methods: Totally, 507 study subject were categorized as per criteria of the American Diabetes Association, depending on whether the HbA1c level was ${\geq}5.7%$ or <5.7%. Lipid levels, blood pressure, BMI (kg/$m^2$), total abdominal, and visceral fat levels were measured by computed tomography. Results: The mean of HbA1c in the male group was larger than the mean in the female group and their values were, respectively, $6.03{\pm}0.82%$ and $5.88{\pm}0.72%$(p<0.05). Only the mean values of age and visceral fat area were different between $HbA1c{\geq}5.7%$ and <5.7% in both male and female group(p<0.05). Visceral fat levels were significantly associated with HbA1c in the group of HbA1c ${\geq}5.7%$ (odds ratio=1.005, 95% CI 1.002~1.008). Conclusions: Visceral fat levels were significantly higher and correlated with the group which HbA1c level is ${\geq}5.7%$. This finding suggests that subjects who have high levels of HbA1c should be carefully monitored during prediabetes and should have chance to have health education programs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.1366-1381
• /
• 1997

Background : Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty(UPPP) has become the most common surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS). However, the results of this therapeutic modality have been quite variable with successful results by several authors and poor results by others. Until recently, in Korea, there is only a few reports about the clinical efficacy of UPPP. A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness and complications of UPPP. Method : Twenty-six OSAS patients who had undergone UPPP with preoperative and postoperative polysomnographic studies were included in this study. Two definitions of surgical success were used. The responder was defined, using a conventional criteria, as a 50% or more reduction in apnea index(AI) or apneahypopnea index(AHI) after UPPP, or a postoperative AI of <10 or AHI of <20. The initial cure was defined, using our own criteria, as a postoperative AI of <5 or AHI of <10. Complications were categorized in two groups : early(disorders during the first 10 postoperative days) and late. Results : Eighteen patients(69.2%) were responders, and ten patients(38.5%) were considered as initial cure. On the other hand, in five patients (19.2%), postoperative polysomnographic data demonstrated deterioration compared with preoperative data. Reduction rate of AI or AHI following UPPP was not significantly related to the preoperative body mass index, AI or AHI. There was no significant change of sleep architecture before and after UPPP in responder and initial cure groups. Early complications such as pain, dyspnea, bleeding, nasal reflux, dysphagia or wound disruption were observed in all patients. Late complications such as nasal reflux, voice change, dysphagia, loss of taste, pharyngeal dryness or foreign body sensation were discovered in 22 patients (84.6%). However, all early and late complications were of minor importance. Conclusion : The response to UPPP was favorable in approximately 70% of OSAS patient. However, the initial Cure rate of UPPP was relatively low. We suggest that selection of more appropriate surgical candidates and adequate surgical protocol is necessary to obtain a more successful result with UPPP.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.45 no.5
• /
• pp.953-961
• /
• 1998

Background : In recent years, lung cancer has been one of most common cause of death in Korea. Despite many physician's high degree of pessimism about the gains made in treatment, progressive improvement in the survival of lung cancer by treatment has occurred, particulary in the early stages of the disease. However, a lot of patients refuse treatment or give up in the fight against the disease. This study was done to evaluate factors influencing the compliance to therapy and to lead in the establishment of special programs to enhance compliance in patients with lung cancer. Methods: The medical records of 903 patients, whose ECOG(Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) performance status was 3 or less and whose medical record was relatively satisfactory, among 1141 patients diagnosed with lung cancer between January 1989 and December 1996 were reviewed retrospectively. Compliance was classified into three groups based on the degree of compliance with physicians practice guideline: (a) compliants; (b) patients who initially complied but gave up of themselves midway during the course of treatment; (c) noncompliants who refused the treatment. Results: The overall compliance rate was 63.9%, which was progressively increased from 57.3-61.3% in 1989 and 1990 to 64.2-67.5% in 1995 and 1996. Age, education level and occupation of patients bore statistically significant relationship with the compliance but sex, marital status and smoking history did not. The compliance was significantly higher in patients without symptoms than with, and was also significantly higher in patients with good performance status. The compliance was significantly high in patients with NSCLC(non-small cell lung cancer) compared to SCLC(small cell lung cancer), but after exclusion of stage I and II, among NSCLC, which had higher compliance to surgery there was no significant difference of compliance by histology. The compliance was significantly lower in advanced stage. Conclusion: To enhance the compliance, special care including education programs about therapy including complication and prognosis are necessary, especially for educationally and economically disadvantaged patients.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.61-65
• /
• 2008

Objective: To reduce urinary side effects in prostate cancer patients receiving radiation, patients were asked to drink certain amount of water to maintain bladder volume constant and the bladder volumes were measured weekly using ultrasound scanner. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six patients with prostate cancer who received radiation between December 2002 and August 2007 were enrolled in this study. Thirteen patients were enrolled in experimental group. These patients were asked to drink 450 cc of water, one hour prior to simulation, CT scan, and treatment. The other thirteen patients were given no information about bladder filing. Bladder, prostate, and rectum were contoured on CT and volumes were calculated. 3D conformal treatment planning was performed and effective volumes of bladder were calculated when a prescription dose of 70.2 Gy was delivered. For the patients in experimental group, bladder volumes were measured weekly using ultrasound scanner for 6-8 weeks and the bladder volume variations were analyzed. Results: Average bladder volumes and standard deviations obtained at CT scanning were $283.5{\pm}114.0\;cc$ (40%) and $181.2{\pm}120.1\;cc$ (66%) in experimental and control groups, respectively. Although it was not statistically significant, there was correlation between the bladder volumes measured from CT and ultrasound. The volumes measured using ultrasound scanner were 62% lower than the volumes using CT images on average. There was significant variations in volumes measured weekly for 6-8 weeks. It ranged between 33 - 75 %. Conclusion: Our results showed that it is possible to obtain larger bladder volume if they are asked to drink certain amount of water prior to CT scan. However, patients were unable to maintain constant bladder volumes over the 6-8 weeks of treatment period although they were asked to drink constant amount of water.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.231-249
• /
• 2014

We define $21^{st}$ century as an amalgamation of globalization and localization, or Glocalization. Additionally, due to the increasing supply of smart phones and wide usage of social networking services, the ability to utilize such global and regional information has increased a coperation's competitiveness in its market, and even the business models have evolved from the conventional "production and distribution" to E-commerce, through which either a direct or a non-direct transaction is possible. My hypothesis is that the ability to adapt to this trend is possible through transfer of learning, and consequently, this will have an impact on company's performance. Thus, this thesis analyzes the mid- to the long-term impact of such ability and environmental factors on the performance and technology innovation of Korean companies in China. Ultimately, this study intends to engender a basic foundation for a corporation's management strategy in China. Finally this research focuses on those Korean companies in China only and on the proof of influential factors' impact on technological innovation and technological innovation's impact on those corporations' future performances. Section I is an abstract and section II, the case examines the uniqueness and current status of Korean companies in China identifies the concept and the definition of influential factors such as education-orientation, technological innovation, and performance, and then scrutinizes each factors through a closer look at their past researches. Section III explains the thesis model, the survey's method and target, the thesis, variable factors, the content, and the method of analysis. In section IV, the thesis is proved based on the outcome of the survey. The result in Section V highlights the high comprehension of technological innovation: both education-orientation and technological innovation prove to have a positive (+) correlation with the performance. The vision on education orientation proves to have a positive (+) influence on technological innovation. The vision on education-orientation and technological innovation prove to have a positive (+) influence individually on company's performance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.81-91
• /
• 2010

IMO(International Maritime Organization) and the Shipping World rave complied with various kinds of international regulations for maritime safety and marine environmental protection, but the main reason of maritime accidents is that developing countries cannot implement maritime safety related regulations. Although Korea has been a member of the "A group" council of IMO, maritime technology transfer records of Korea are not good. To promote the project of official development assistance in Korea, it is required to select the technology which has a high degree of importance in the fields of maritime safety and has a high degree of demand on the transfer to developing countries, and to concentrate on the selected technology. So, it is necessary to draw valuation factors for maritime safety technology and to decide the priority in order among maritime safety technologies on the basis of valuation factors. Because the weights which show the degree of importance among valuation factors are different from factor to factor, interdependent relationship between factors should be considered on evaluation. In this study, the valuation factors were divided into three groups as the maturity of maritime safety technology, the promotion probability of projects and the degree of importance of technology, and the detailed factors of each group were drawn. A model which used Fuzzy AHP and limiting probability to consider the weights of importance and correlation among valuation factors was developed. To adopt this model, nine types of maritime safety technology in the field of maritime safety information were selected and points were scored for each technology through evaluation. In conclusion, first, ENC related technology was scored to be the highest as 0.0139. Second, the point of ship monitoring technology was scored as 0.0133. Last, oil spill response technology was scored as 0.0132.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.23-37
• /
• 2011

The scaling properties on the length distribution of microcrack populations from Tertiary crystalline tuff are investigated. From the distribution charts showing length range with 15 directional angles and five groups(I~V), a systematic variation appears in the mean length with microcrack orientation. The distribution charts are distinguished by the bilaterally symmetrical pattern to nearly N-S direction. The whole domain of the length-cumulative frequency diagram for microcrack populations can be divided into three sections in terms of phases of the distribution of related curves. Especially, the linear middle section of each diagram of five groups represents a power-law distribution. The frequency ratio of linear middle sections of five groups ranges from 46.6% to 67.8%. Meanwhile, the slope of linear middle section of each group shows the order: group V($N60{\sim}90^{\circ}E$, -2.02) > group IV($N20{\sim}60^{\circ}E$, -1.55) > group I($N60{\sim}90^{\circ}W$, -1.48), group II($N10{\sim}60^{\circ}W$, -1.48) > group III($N10^{\circ}W{\sim}N20^{\circ}E$, -1.06). Five sub-populations(five groups) that closely follow the power-law length distribution show a wide range in exponents( -1.06 - -2.02). These differences in exponent among live groups emphasizes the importance of orientation effect. In addition, breaks in slope in the lower parts of the related curves represent the abrupt development of longer lengths, which is reflected in the decrease in the power-law exponent. Especially, such a distribution pattern can be seen from the diagram with $N10{\sim}20^{\circ}E,\;N10{\sim}20^{\circ}W$ and $N60{\sim}70^{\circ}W$ directional angles. These three directional angles correspond with main directions of faults developed around the study area. The distribution chart showing the individual characteristics of the length-cumulative frequency diagrams for 15 directional angles were made. By arraying above diagrams according to the categories of three groups(A, B and C), the differences in length-frequency distributions among these groups can be easily derived. The distribution chart illustrates the importance of analysing microcrack sets separately. From the related chart, the occurrence frequency of shorter microcracks shows the order: group A > group B > group C. These three types of distribution patterns could reveal important information on the processes occurred during microcrack growth.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.652-659
• /
• 2015

The physical properties of wheat kernels were determined as a function of moisture content to optimize the design of equipment for post-harvest management. Several properties, including bulk density, dynamic repose angle, one thousand-kernel weight, specific gravity, length, width, thickness, and area of two wheat cultivars (Baekjjung: B and Jogyeong: J ), were studied in the moisture range from approximately 9% to 30% wet basis. As moisture increased, length increased linearly from 6.42 to 7.20 mm (B) and 8.71 to 9.15 mm (J), width increased from 2.90 to 3.49 mm (B) and 4.12 to 4.43 mm (J), thickness from 2.94 to 3.20 mm (B) and 3.29 to 3.63 mm (J), and area from 14.13 to $19.44mm^2$ (B) and 27.75 to $31.25mm^2$ (J). Additionally, the dynamic repose angle and one thousand-kernel weight increased linearly from $46.3^{\circ}$ to $54.0^{\circ}$ (B) and $46.3^{\circ}$ to $54.5^{\circ}$ (J) and from 32.26 to 41.51 g (B) and 45.30 to 63.07 g (J), respectively, as the moisture content increased. Based on the experimental measurements, only the bulk density and specific gravity decreased from 754.0 to $664.1kgm^{-3}$ (B) and 776.1 to $660.0kgm^{-3}$ (J) and from 1.2950 to 1.2265 (B) and 1.3379 to 1.2671 (J), respectively, as moisture content increased.