• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.480-485
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• 2004

Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) technology was evaluated as a monitoring tool for quantification of Nocardia amarae causing a nuisance foaming problem in activated sludge process. The identified signature peak was 19:1 alcohol as a reliable unique peak to N. amarae. Chemostat study revealed that the distribution and quantity of fatty acid peaks were dependent on the growth stage of Nocardia. The FAME results were similar for two relatively high dilution rates; however, the amounts of signature peaks extracted from the 4 and 6 day cultures were significantly higher. This dependence of signature peaks on the physiological state of the organism may be a useful information to assess the health of microbial populations in activated sludge. A laboratory scale batch foaming potential experiment provided a critical foaming level depending on Nocardia population. This critical Nocardia level determined in this study was in terms of either the threshold filament intersections number or the threshold signature FAME amount. The threshold peak area of signature FAME (19:1 alcohol) and corresponding filament counts were 430PA/mg VSS and $1.45{\times}10^6$ intersections/g VSS, respectively. The threshold signature FAME level could be effectively applied as a criterion for diagnosing foam occurrence in activated sludge system.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.3858-3865
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• 2013

This study was performed to examine the impact on the health behaviors of the children by their parents' drinking behaviors. We used the data from a community health survey in 2009. The subjects were selected the household that had a child older than 19, and then among them, chose those 916 parents of highly risky drinking exposition among 16,383 control parents. The collected data was analyzed by frequency, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis, using SPSS 18.0k program. Parent's high risk drinking behavior was independently associated with children's high risk drinking behavior after adjusting covariates(p<0.01). According to the result of the study, high risk drinking behavior of parents impact highly on the children's high risk alcohol drinking, nutritional behaviors, influenza vaccination, and tooth brushing, so it's necessary to consider a systematic family health education to the high risk drinkers.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.291-317
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• 2011

This study was designed to explore the experiences of female victims who had abused by alcohol-abusing spouse. The results were deducted from in-depth interview with 10 female victims by utilizing Giorgi's phenomenological method. The results of research showed that experiences of women could be classified in three stages. From the lack of understanding stage, "ignorance of drunken violence" had appeared. "Confinement of vicious circle of drunken violence" and "dealing with drunken violence in the community" had been found from the coping stage. Finally, from the resting stage "re-defining of the relationship" had been drawn. Based on these results, the practical and political implications were suggested.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.72-78
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• 2018

Objectives The high suicide rate has risen as a main concern in South Korea. Given the complexity of the mechanism resulting in complete suicide, studies targeting various populations are needed for broader understanding of its risk factors. This study aims to analyze the factors affecting the suicidal tendency in the population of the elderly living alone in Seoul depending on basic elderly-care services. Methods A total number of 415 people participated in the study. Home-visit interviews were administered by trained interviewers. Suicidal tendency was measured by the Korean version of mini international neuropsychiatric interview (K-MINI). Health-related quality of life was measured by a brief version of the World Health Organization Quality-of-life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF). Alcohol problem was assessed by the Korean version of the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT-K). Among total subjects of 415 interviewees, the actual responses of 408 people were used for the final analysis. Results The result showed that the suicide risk was high in persons isolated from social support [odds ratio (OR) = 4.49], having depression (OR = 14.85), and having low quality of life (OR = 4.39). Conclusions We found that social support, depression and health-related quality of life are associated with suicidal tendency in the elderly living alone on basic services. Our evidence will contribute to suicide prevention policy for the elderly living alone on care services.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.105-115
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• 2010

This study explores the gender differences in the relationship between social support, social networks and drinking behavior and illustrates gender differences in drinking behavior in order to provide evidence in planning a community health promotion program. Data was collected from 444 surveys (Male=190, Female=244) from a total of 1,899 adult residents in 738 households in the "Y" Apartment Complex in the Gangnam area of Seoul, Korea. Results show significantly higher rates of drinking frequency and alcohol consumption volume in males. Women with high-risk drinking behavior have fewer social relationships than women with normal drinking behavior. Within social networks, friends were significantly associated with drinking behavior and alchol abuse. Drinkers had more friends than non-drinkers in both genders. However, in association with alchol abuse, while male abusers had less friends than normal male drinkers, women abusers had more friends, indicating women who have drinking problems have a stronger social network. This pattern suggests gender differences in the association between social networks and alchol abuse. Therefore in approaching drinking issues, social support and social networks act as a key factor. For men, alcohol prevention programs should be aimed at achieving healthy drinking behavior at the aggregate level including people in his social support and social network groups. For women, the priority is alchol abuse. More attention is required in revealing the context between female social networks and alchol abuse and in developing coping strategies other than drinking.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3413-3418
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• 2015

Background: Liver fluke infection caused by the parasite Opisthorchis viverrini (O. viverrini), a human carcinogen, is endemic in north-eastern Thailand and remains a major health problem. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to (1) resurvey the prevalence of O. viverrini infection in a field site from the Khon Kaen Cohort Study (in newly recruited subjects as well as previous cohort subjects surveyed in 1992); (2) investigate how subjects' lifestyle habits and their exposure to health promotion initiatives influence changes in prevalence of O. viverrini infection. Materials and Methods: The prevalence of O. viverrini infection in the cohort subjects (as well as new subjects) was investigated using faecal egg counts. Information on demographic factors, lifestyle and awareness of health promotion initiatives were obtained through questionnaires. Results: O. viverrini infection rates in the same individuals of the cohort were lower in 2006 than in 1992. Also, by studying the period effect, the current 35-44 year olds had a 12.4% (95% CI 3.9% to 20.9%) lower prevalence of O. viverrini infection than the 35-44 year olds in 1992 (24.2% versus 11.8%). Lifestyle choices showed that smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with an increased chance of acquiring O. viverrini infection with adjusted odds ratios of 10.1 (95%CI 2.4-41.6) and 5.3 (95%CI 1.2-23.0), respectively. Conclusions: Our study has demonstrated that although the prevalence of O. viverrini infection over a 14-year period has decreased, unhealthy lifestyle was common with smoking and alcohol consumption being associated with increased chances of infection, emphasising the double burden of disease which developing countries are facing.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.323-328
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• 2019

It is a highly important problem for mankind to supply sufficient energy, which has been connected to production and supply of electricity. In terms of the problems, this study fabricated a new sort of solid polymer electrolyte membrane for supercapacitors. The fabricated electrolyte employed grafting poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (POEM) side chain on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) main chain by free-radical polymerization. It is the first time to utilize PVA-g-POEM graft copolymer as an electrolyte membrane for supercapacitor. The chain behavior of PVA was transformed by grafting POEM side chains, which was analyzed by FT-IR spectra. Also, the capacitance performances of fabricated supercapacitors were explored by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), and ragone plot. We suggest a new point, the grafting of the electrolyte of supercapacitor in this study.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2006

This paper reports an improved bonding method using the IPA (isopropyl alcohol) assisted low-temperature bonding process for the PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) micro CE (capillary electrophoresis) chip. There is a problem about channel deformations during the conventional processes such as thermal bonding and solvent bonding methods. The bonding test using an IPA showed good results without channel deformations over 4 inch PMMA wafer at $60^{\circ}C$ and 1.3 bar for 10 minutes. The mechanism of IPA bonding was attributed to the formation of a small amount of vaporized acetone made from the oxidized IPA which allows to solvent bonding. To verify the usefulness of the IPA assisted low-temperature bonding process, the PMMA micro CE chip which had a $45{\mu}m$ channel height was fabricated by hot embossing process. A functional test of the fabricated CE chip was demonstrated by the separation of fluorescein and dichlorofluorescein. Any leakage of liquids was not observed during the test and the electropherogram result was successfully achieved. An IPA assisted low-temperature bonding process could be an easy and effective way to fabricate the PMMA micro CE chip and would help to increase the yield.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.206-212
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• 2008

Alginate obtained from marine brown algae, is a copolymer with repeating units of $\alpha$-($1{\rightarrow}4$)-L-guluronic acid(G) and $\beta$-($1{\rightarrow}4$)-D-mannuronic acid(M). It has good properties such as biocompatibility, non-toxicity. and hydrophilicity. However, alginate alone cannot be electrospun due to high viscosity and conductivity. To solve this problem. electro spinning of sodium alginate(SA) was performed by blending with poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO) and poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA) in this study. Characteristics of SA/PEO nanofibers and SA/PVA nanofibers were estimated by SEM and XRD analyses. Optimal nanofiber webs are obtained from 2/2 wt% of SA/PEO and 2/7 wt% of SA/PVA. SA/PEO and SA/PVA nanofiber webs may have potentials for tissue engineering scaffold and wound dressing.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.139-142
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• 2018

Silicon (Si) is a promising anode material for next-generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high capacity of 4,200 mAh/g ($Li_{4.4}Si$ phase). However, the large volume expansion of Si during lithiation leads to electrical failure of electrode and rapid capacity decrease. Generally, a binder is homogeneously mixed with active materials to maintain electrical contact, so that Si needs a particular binding system due to its large volume expansion. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is known to form a hydrogen bond with partially hydrolyzed silicon oxide layer on Si nanoparticles. However, the decrease of its cohesiveness followed by the repeated volume change of Si still remains unsolved. To overcome this problem, we have introduced the electrospinning method to weave active materials in a stable nanofibrous PVA structure, where stresses from the large volume change of Si can be contained. We have confirmed that the capacity retention of Si-based LIBs using electrospun PVA matrix is higher compared to the conservative method (only dissolving in the slurry); the $25^{th}$ cycle capacity retention ratio based on the $2^{nd}$ cycle was 37% for the electrode with electrospun PVA matrix, compared to 27% and 8% for the electrodes with PVdF and PVA binders.