• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.383-394
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• 1999

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify the factors influencing the mortality of Koreans over the age of 40 by a nested case-control study. Methods: The cohort consisted of the beneficiaries of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation for Government Employees & Private School Teachers and Staff(KMIC) who received health examinations of KMIC in 1992 and 1993 retrospectively. At that time, they were more than 40 years old. The cases were 19,258 cohort members who had died until December 31, 1997. The controls were 19,258 cohort members who were alive until December 31, 1997. Controls were matched with age and sex distribution of the cases. The data used in this study were the funeral expenses requesting files, and the files of health examinations and health questionnaires gathered in 1992 and 1993. To assess the putative risk factors of death, student t-test, chi-square test, multiple logistic regression analysis were used. Results : In multiple logistic regression analysis, independent risk factors of death were as follows; systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose, AST, urine glucose, urine protein, alcohol drinking(frequency), cigarette smoking and perceived health status, intake of restoratives and blood transfusion showed positive associations with death; coffee consumption showed negative associations with death; and body mass index and serum total cholesterol showed J-shaped association with death. Conclusions: Regarding the direction of association, the result of analysis on the data restricted to '96-'97 was same as that of '93-'97. But in some variables such as obesity, serum cholesterol, the odds ratios of death in the data of '96-'97 were higer than those of '93-'94, which suggested that the data of '93-'94 was bearing effect-cause relationship. We concluded that it suggested further researches using long-term follow-up data to be needed in this area.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.502-517
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• 1998

This research intends to survey family environment, health behavior and health status of the students in urban-rural elementary schools and analyze those factors comparatively, and use the result as basic material for school health teacher to teach health education in connection with family and regional areas. It also intends to improve a pupil's self-abilitiy in health care. The subjects involve 2,774 students of urban elementary schools and 583 student in rural ones, who were selected by means of a multi -stage probability sampling. Using the questionnaire and school documents, we collected data on family environment, health behavior and health status for 19 days. Feb. 2nd 1998 through Feb. 20th 1998. The R -form of Family Environment Scale (Moos, 1974) was used in the analysis of family environment(Cronbach's Alpha =0.80). Questionnaires of Health Behavior in School-aged children used by the WHO in Europe(Aaro et al., 1986) and the ones developed by the Health Promotion Committee of the Western Pacific(WHO, 1995)(adapted by long Young-suk and Moon Young-hee(1996)) were used in the analysis of health behavior, as well documents on absences due to sickness, school health room-visits, levels of physical strength, height, weight and degree of obesity were used to determine health status. In next step, We used them with an $X^2$-test, t-test, Odds Ratio, and a 95% Confidence Interval. 1. In two dimensions of three, family-relationship (t=3.41, p=0.001) and system -maintenances(t= 2.41, p=0.0l6) the mean score of urban children were significantly higher than those of rural ones. In the personal development dimension however, there was little significant difference. Assorting family environment into 10 sub-fields and analyzing them, we recognized that urban children were superior to rural children in the sub-fields of expressiveness (t =3.47, p=0.001), conflict (t=0.48, p=0.001), active-recreational orientation (t = 1.97, p=0.049) and organization (t=4.33, p=0.000). 2. Referring to the Odds Ratios of urban-rural children's health behaviors, urban children set up more desirable behavior than rural children wear ing safety belts (Odds Ratio =0.32, p=0.000), washing hands after meals(Odds Ratio = 0.43, p= 0.000), washing hands after excreting (Odds Ratio = 0.39, p=O.OOO), washing hands after coming - home ( Odds Ratio = 0.75, p = 0.003), brushing teeth before sleeping(Odds Ratio =0.45, p=0.000), brushing teeth more than once a day (Odds Ratio =0.73, p=0.0l2), drinking boiled water (Odds Ratio = 0.49, p=0.000), collecting garbage at home(Odds Ratio=0.31, p=0.000) and in the school(Odds Ratio =0. 67, p=0.000). All these led to significant differences. As to taking milk(Odds Ratio = 1.50, p=0.000), taking care of eyesight(Odds Ratio=1.41, p=0.001) and getting physical exercise in(Odds Ratio = 1.33, p=0.0l9) and outside the school(Odds Ratio = 1.32, p=0.005), rural children had more desirable behavior which also revealed a significant difference. There was little significant difference in smoking, but the smoking rate of rural children(5.5%) was larger than that of urban children(3.9%). 3. Health status was analyzed in terms of absences, school health room-visits, levels of physical strength, and the degree of obesity, height and weight. Considering Odds Ratios of the health status of urban-rural children, the health status of rural children was significantly better than that of the urban ones in the level of physical strength(t=1.51, p=0.000) and the degree of obesity(t=1.84, p=0.000). The mean height of urban children ($150.4{\pm}7.5cm$) is taller than that of their counterparts($149.5{\pm}7.9$), which revealed a significant difference (t =2.47, p=0.0l4). The mean weight of urban children($42.9{\pm}8.6kg$) is larger than that of their counterparts($41.8{\pm}9.0kg$), which was also a significant difference(t=2.81, p=0.005). Considering the results above, we can recognize that there are significant differences in family environment, health behavior, and health status in urban-rural children. These results also suggestion ideas for health education. What we would suggest for the health program of elementary schools is that school health teachers should play an active role in promoting the need and importance of health education, develop the appropriate programs which correspond to the regional characteristics, and incorporate them into schools to improve children's ability to manage their own health management.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.154-172
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• 1999

In order to analyse the prevalence rate of hypertension and the actual conditions of control, we selected five districts out of eleven eups and myuns in Chinan Country. We administered structured questionaries to 309 adults above the age of 40, computerized the data using SPSS - PC+. More than 40.1% of adults over 40 in Chinan County have health disorders ranging from high blood pressure to hypertension including alert high blood pressure at 36.2%, relatively high. Among general characteristics, differences in the rate of hypertension were influenced by age, occupation and places of residence. Over 71 who are engaged in agriculture, who don't have jobs, who reside in Sungsu, Jungchun, Chinan-eup all have higher hypertension rates than other groups. Accordingly, the control of hypertension should be focused on these people. As a result of the control of blood pressure, the survey showed 93.0% of the subjects were checked mainly at hospitals clinics, health centers subhealth centers and community health posts more than once a year, relatively high level of blood pressure management. However, the difference between their blood pressure measurements at ordinary times and the level of blood pressure at the time of research was quite considerable. Only 47.3% of the subjects diagnosed with high blood pressure and 70.3% of the subjects with normal blood pressure recognized their blood pressure accurately 52.7% of the subjects diagnosed with high blood pressure showed errors in understanding their blood pressure at normal times. Because these errors can cause problems in the control of blood pressure, proper management should be executed through a systematic examination. As a result of the high blood pressure control condition, the average period of hypertension was 74.5( ${\pm}92.8$) months, 92.3% of the subjects were diagnosed with high blood pressure at hospitals clinics, health centers subhealth centers community health posts, but only 29.5% were examined after a general check up on high blood pressure was completed. 70.5% were diagnosed with high blood pressure only after measuring their blood pressure. 14.1% of the subjects were hospitalized because of falls influenced by high blood pressure. 33.3% attended hospitals and health centers regularily for medical treatment and this shows how low the rate of the control of blood pressure. Most people did not undergo medical treatment, because they had no painful symptoms (46.7%), they didn't need to take the medicine(28.9%), or they forget to take the medicine(20.0%). These problems in the control of hypertension were discovered in the process of diagnosing high blood pressure at health medical institutions. Many people did not recognize the need for consistent control of blood pressure. That is, although the diagnosis for high blood pressures performed at hospitals clinics, health centers subhealth centers and community health posts, was 92.3%, more than 70.5% of the subjects were not examined completely with regard to blood pressure. Accordingly, heath medical institutions must diagnose high blood pressure not only by only measuring blood pressure but also by using systematic process of examination. As for the people diagnosed with high blood pressure, one should perform consistent medical approaches and help them to recognize the importance of the continuous control of blood pressure through subject-oriented education. Problems the subjects experienced were the following numbness in the limbs easily paralyzed stitches in their shoulders which felt painful, stiff necks, occiputs felt heavy, headaches when they got up in the morning, felt dizzy when standing and moving their heads and poor eyesight. The rate of knowledge related to high blood pressure was 78.7 points, comparatively low. Whether they had normal blood pressure or hypertension made no difference. These results are not desirable. Adult-oriented education forgot the prevention and management of high blood pressure should be implemented. Hypertensive-oriented education should be especially reinforced. Because there was a difference in the level of knowledge according to age, academic career, occupation or place of residence, education related to hypertension should be intensified and focused on those over the age of 71 those who did not attend school, those who do not have jobs and are engaged in agriculture and residents living in Bugui, Jungchun regions. The degree of healthy life practice in hypertensives is poor, particularly weight control, as opposed to people who have normal blood pressure. It makes no difference in smoking, the amount of daily smoking, drinking, the control of salt because each result means that they are not practicing healthy life or modifying their life-style. The development and programs to improve a healthy life should be executed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.782-787
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• 2002

This study was done to investigate the effects of Korean mistletoe water extract and lectin on the apoptosis and preneoplastic lesion in chemically induced rat hepatocarcinogenesis. To attain the above objectives, weanling Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed modified AIN-76 diets containing 10% corn oil for 9 weeks. One week after feeding starts, rats were intraperitoneally injected twice with a dose of diethylnitrosamine (DEN, 50 mg/kg body weight (BW). Rats were provided with 0.05% phenobarbital (PB) in drinking water from one week after DEN treatment until the end of experiment. During the period of PB treatment, rats were injected with mistletoe extract (100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg BW) and lectin (10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg BW) twice a week. At the end of 9th week, rats were sacrificed and the formation of hepatic glutathione S-transferase placental form positive (GST-P$^{+}$) foci, apoptosis, DNA fragmentation and apoptosis related proteins were determined respectively. The formation of GST-P$^{+}$foci was significantly decreased by mistletoe extract or lectin treatment. Although there was no effect on apoptosis and DNA fragmentation in hepatic tissue by mistletoe extract or lectin treatment, caspase-9 and fas-L were increased. These results suggest that Korean mistletoe extract and lectin have a potential to inhibit hepatocarcinogenesis by increasing apoptosis.sis.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with sexual debut among Korean middle school students. Methods: From the database of the Eighth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS), the researchers selected 37,297 middle school students aged 12-15 years. Data were analyzed using $x^2$ test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS WIN 18.0 program. Results: The proportion of middle school students who had a sexual debut was 2.1% of boys and 1.5% of girls. In multiple regression analysis, economic status, experience of part time work, smoking, drug use and depression were associated with an increased proportion of sexual intercourse for both boys and girls. Living with parents, drinking alcohol and suicidal ideation were associated with sexual debut for boys only. By contrast, formal sexual education was associated with a reduced risk of sexual debut. Conclusion: The results of this study show the factors associated with sexual debut among Korean middle school students. Gender-related interventions should be taken into consideration in school sexual education programmes, because of differences in related factors according to gender.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.852-861
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• 2009

This study was performed to assess the risk factors associated with hypertension from Jan/2003 to Feb/2003. The subjects were 1,296 people (496 males, 800 females) aged 40 years and over living in Andong rural area. The hypertensive group was composed of 602 people (272 males, 330 females), who were diagnosed as hypertension ($SBP{\geq}140\;mmHg$ or $DBP{\geq}90\;mmHg$) for the first time at this health examination. The mean anthropometric values of body weight, body fat (%), body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were significantly higher in hypertensive group than those in normal group. However, the biochemical measurements such as total-cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), HDL-C, LDL-C and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels did not show any difference between two groups except TG in female. The risk factors of interest in the development of hypertension were analyzed using the multiple logistic regression and expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidential interval (CI). The results showed that age, sex, obesity, waist circumference, alcohol drinking and meat intakes were risk factors for hypertension. In contrast, cigarette smoking, exercise and the increased fish, fruit and vegetable (except Kimchi) consumption, blood lipid levels and FBG were not linked with the development of hypertension. Nutrient intakes were not associated with hypertension, either. In conclusion, we cannot assert that this study established the existence of the cause-and-effect relationship between nutrient intakes and risk of hypertension in the subjects, but it does suggest that this is a question worth investigating further using a larger scale of case-control study to determine how the past exposure to some nutrient or dietary component relates to the development of the disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.477-484
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger and processed (Beopje) ginger on colitis induced by 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in Balb/c mice. Beopje means a process that herbal medicines are treated by a specific Korean traditional method in order to obtain better pharmacological effects. Mice were fed saline or two different doses of ethanol extracts (ginger and processed (Beopje) ginger) once a day for 14 days. Colitis was induced from day 7 to 14 via administration of 2.5% DSS in drinking water. Experimental animals were divided into four groups: Nor (Normal, 200 ${\mu}L$ of saline without 2.5% DSS-treated group), Con (Control, 200 ${\mu}L$ of saline and 2.5% DSS treated group), G (500 mg/kg of ginger and 2.5% DSS treated group), and BG (500 mg/kg of Beopje ginger and 2.5% DSS treated group). Body weights of both ginger-administered groups increased compared to the control. Colon length increased to 7.6, and 8.0 cm in the G and BG groups, respectively, whereas that of control was 5.7 cm. Histological colon injury induced by DSS-induced colitis was reduced (P<0.05). In serum and DSS-treated colon tissues, mRNA expression levels of IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-12 of the Beopje ginger-treated group were significantly suppressed compared to those of the ginger-treated groups. Expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 of the Beopje ginger-treated group were significantly reduced compared to those of the ginger-treated groups (P<0.05), and BG showed stronger anti-inflammatory effects on colitis. These results indicated that ginger exerted anti-inflammatory effects on DSS-induced colitis in mice, and its effects could be increased through Beopje.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.222-239
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol on the psychomotor performance and subjective assessment in healthy Korean adults with acetaldehyde dehydrogenase I(ALDH-I) isozyme variance. A total of 20 male subjects, half with active ALDH-I and the other half with inactive ALDH-I, were selected through both a self-reporting questionnaire examining alcohol sensitivity and the Higuchi's ethanol patch test detecting ALDH-I deficiency. In a doule-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design, each subject consumed four doses of alcohol(0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0g/kg) and placebo on five separate occasions at weekly intervals, Treatment order was fully balanced using a $5{\times}5$ Latin square, Psychomotor performance tests[coritical flicker fusion threshold(CFF) and choice reaction time(CRT)] and self-estimate questionnaires were conducted at baseline and at time points of 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 minutes after consuming the test drug for 20 minutes, Blood alcohol concentrations(BACs) using breath analyzer were measured at baseline and at time points of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 150, 180 minutes after drinking, The BACs and the mean changes in the psychomotor performances and subjective assessments from pre-alcohol baseline, were compared between the two groups. The findings were summarized as follows : 1) BACs were tended to be higher in the inactive group than the active in all of the four alcohol doses. However significant group differences were only after the 0.5g/kg dose of alcohol. 2) The inactive group showed significant impairment in CFFT at most time points alter 0.75 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol. 3) In CRT, total reaction time(TRT) significantly prolonged in the inactive group than the active group at 20 minutes after 0.25 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol and at 40, 60, 90 minutes alter 0.75g/kg dose of alcohol. In the inactive group, recognition time component significantly increased at 20, 60, 90 minutes after 1.0g/kg dose of alcohol, while movement time component significantly increased at 40, 60 minutes after 0.75g/kg dose of alcohol. 4) Subjective evaluation of the effect of alcohol revealed that physical and mental conditions as well as a self-estimate of the effects of alcohol on performance were significantly worse in the inactive group than the active at some time points alter all of the lour alcohol doses, wihch were more pronounced after 0.75 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol. 5) Most of the group differences mentioned above, still remained statistically significant after BAC was entered as a covariate, These findings demonstrated that the alcohol sensitivity is higher in individuals with inactive ALDH-I than those with active ALDH-I both on the subjective assessments and the objective psychomotor performances. Furthermore, these results suggest thai the alcohol sensitivity may be determined by acetaldehyde concentration rather than BAC per se. In future studies, after more accurate genotyping for ALDH-I, the relationships between BAC, acetaldehyde concentration and alcohol sensitivities should be clearly defined.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.123-134
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• 2012

Hydrochemical analyses, carbon isotopic (${\delta}^{13}C_{DIC}$) analyses, and noble gas isotopic ($^3He/^4He$ and $^4He/^{20}Ne$) analyses of the Dalki carbonate waters in the Chungsong area were carried out to elucidate their hydrochemical composition and to determine the source of $CO_2$ gas and noble gases. The carbonate waters have a pH of between 5.93 and 6.33, and an electrical conductivity 1950 to $3030{\mu}S/cm$. The chemical composition of all carbonate waters was Ca(Mg)-$HCO_3$, with a high Na content. The contents of Fe, Mn, and As in some carbonate waters exceed the limit stipulated for drinking water. The concentrations of major ions are slightly higher than those reported previously. The ${\delta}^{13}C_{DIC}$ values range from -6.70‰ to -4.47‰, indicating that the carbon originated from a deep-seated source. The $^3He/^4He$ and $^4He/^{20}Ne$ ratios vary from $7.67{\times}10^{-6}$ to $8.38{\times}10^{-6}$ and from 21.32 to 725.7, respectively. On the $^3He/^4He$ versus $^4He/^{20}Ne$ diagram, the noble gas isotope ratios plot in the field of a deep-seated source, such as mantle or magma. We therefore conclude that $CO_2$ gas and noble gas in the Dalki carbonate waters originated from a deep-seated source, rather than an inorganic $CO_2$ origin as suggested in a previous study.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.403-418
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• 2007

The objective of this research was to characterize the fate and transport of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater in the Daejeon industrial area. Five subsidiary monitoring wells were newly installed and two existing wells were utilized for the investigation and the reduction process of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater of the Daejeon(Mun-pyeong) national groundwater monitoring station. The Cr(VI) concentrations at the shallow aquifer well of the station were in the range of 3.2-4.5 mg/L indicating continuous contamination. However, Cr was not detected at the deep bedrock well and the other monitoring wells except MPH-1 and 3. The Cr(VI) concentrations of MPH-1 and MPH-3 were below the drinking water guideline value (0.05 mg/L). Therefore, the plume of the Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater was predicted to be confined within the narrow boundary around the station. The soluble/exchangeable Cr(VI) concentrations were below the detection limit in all core and slime samples taken from the five newly installed wells. Although the exact source of contamination was not directly detected in the study area, the spatial Cr(VI) distribution in groundwater and characteristics of the core samples indicated that the source and the dispersion range were confined within the 100 m area from the monitoring station. The contamination might be induced from the unlined landfill of industrial wastes which was observed during the installation of an subsidiary monitoring well. For the evaluation of the natural attenuation of Cr(VI), available reduction capacities of Cr(VI) with an initial concentration of 5 mg/L were measured in soil and aquifer materials. Dark-gray clay layer samples have high capacities of Cr(VI) reduction ranging from 58 to 64%, which is obviously related to organic carbon contents of the samples. The analysis of reduction capacities implied that the soil and aquifer materials controlled the dispersion of Cr(VI) contamination in this area. However, some possibilities of dispersion by the preferential flow cannot be excluded due to the limited numbers of monitoring wells. We suggest the removal of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater by periodical pumping, and the continuous groundwater quality monitoring for evaluation of the Cr(VI) dispersion should be followed in the study area.