• Toxicological Research
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.297-305
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• 2008

This study was carried out to measure the concentration of heavy metals (Pb, Mn, Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn, and Cu) in water and Bolti fish (Tilapia nilotica) samples collected from Rasheed branch of River Nile, north of El-Giza Governorate, Egypt by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The investigated districts through which the branch passes include El-Manashi, Gezzaya, El Katta, Abo Ghaleb and Wardan. Based on WHO and FAO safety reference standards, the results of the current study showed that water and fish tissues were found to contain heavy metals at significantly variable concentration levels among the investigated districts. They were polluted with respect to all the metals tested at Gezzaya district. However, the levels of analyzed metals in water and fish tissues were found lower than legal limits in other districts. The heavy metals showed differential bioaccumulation in fish tissues of the different districts as the accumulation pattern (as total heavy metal residues) was district dependant as follow: Gezzaya > Wardan > El Katta > Abo Ghaleb > El Manashi.

• 말소리와 음성과학
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.21-28
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• 2014

We propose a novel scheme for digital audio authentication of given audio files which are edited by inserting small audio segments from different environmental sources. The purpose of this research is to detect inserted sections from given audio files. We expect that the proposed method will assist human investigators by notifying suspected audio section which considered to be recorded or transmitted on different environments. GMM-UBM and GSV-SVM are applied for modeling the dominant environment of a given audio file. Four kinds of likelihood ratio based scores and SVM score are used to measure the likelihood for a dominant environment model. We also use an ensemble score which is a combination of the aforementioned five kinds of scores. In the experimental results, the proposed method shows the lowest average equal error rate when we use the ensemble score. Even when dominant environments were unknown, the proposed method gives a similar accuracy.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.787-791
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• 2017

Americium-beryllium (Am-Be; n, ${\gamma}$) is a neutron emitting source used in various research fields such as chemistry, physics, geology, archaeology, medicine, and environmental monitoring, as well as in the forensic sciences. It is a mobile source of neutron activity (20 Ci), yielding a small thermal neutron flux that is water moderated. The aim of this study is to develop a model to increase the neutron thermal flux of a source such as Am-Be. This study achieved multiple advantageous results: primarily, it will help us perform neutron activation analysis. Next, it will give us the opportunity to produce radio-elements with short half-lives. Am-Be single and multisource (5 sources) experiments were performed within an irradiation facility with a paraffin moderator. The resulting models mainly increase the thermal neutron flux compared to the traditional method with water moderator.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.233-239
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• 2019

Nerium oleander (N. oleander) is a well-known poisonous shrub that is frequently grown in gardens and public areas and contains numerous toxic compounds. The major toxic components are the cardiac glycosides oleandrin and neriin. The aim of our study was to evaluate the toxic effects of an ethanolic N. oleander leaf extract on haematological, cardiac, inflammatory, and serum biochemical parameters, as well as histopathological changes in the heart. N. oleander extract was orally administered for 14 and 30 consecutive days at doses of 100 and 200 mg of dried extract/kg of body weight in 0.5 mL of saline. The results showed significant increases in mean corpuscular volume, white blood cell counts, platelet counts, interleukins (IL-1 and IL-6), tumour necrosis factor alpha, C reactive protein, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and creatine kinase MB, especially at high doses. Marked pathological changes were perceived in the heart tissue. Thus, it can be concluded that exposure to N. oleander leaf extract adversely affects the heart and liver.

• 한국응급구조학회지
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.31-40
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• 2023

Purpose: The study aims to provide basic data for understanding the department of paramedicines' bachelor's degree courses to enable curriculum development and reorganization. Methods: The 2023 academic curricula for all eleven universities with active departments of paramedicine offering bachelor's degrees were investigated from April 25 to May 10, 2023. Results: The average courseload was 22.0 units. There were 7.73 major subjects, with 19.45 units on average. The culture subject was available in 7 colleges and was 2.55 units on the average 1.18 subject. Grouping the major subjects showed that 15.3% of subjects were related to advanced paramedicine (the most common course), followed by 11.8% related to research methodology and seminar, and 10.8% related to radiology and simulations. Related subjects in statistics, disaster, and forensic science were also offered. Conclusion: This study found that the curricula of the departments of paramedicine differed from that of the general bachelor's degree. Going forward, university leaders should organize the paramedicine curriculum considering the environmental changes in emergency medicine and the scalability of EMT-Paramedic jobs.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.507-511
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• 2022

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) often encounter rapidly changing and uncontrolled situations that expose them to various hazards. A law enforcement agency requested an evaluation by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) when multiple LEOs reported illness after executing a search warrant and taking a suspect into custody. NIOSH investigators interviewed LEOs and reviewed medical records, forensic laboratory results for collected evidence, and environmental testing results of samples taken after the operation. Two-thirds (25 of 38) of LEOs who participated in the operation reported ≥1 symptom. Eleven LEOs met a case definition for influenza-like illness (ILI). Members of one unit were more likely to have ILI than non-members (prevalence ratio (PR), 4.1; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-13.0; p = 0.01). Influenza vaccination was associated with a lower prevalence of ILI (PR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.9; p = 0.02). Preventing employees from working while ill and annual influenza vaccination might prevent similar occurrences.

• 임상간호연구
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.261-270
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the influence of knowledge of personal information protection law and nursing patient advocacy on practice of personal information protection among nurses. Methods: The subjects were 130 nurses who have worked for six months or more in the ward of the tertiary or general hospitals. Data were collected from February 20 to March 3, 2023. Results: Factors influencing practice of personal information protection were acting as an advocate (β=.32, p=.004), environmental and educational influences (β=.21, p=.040), knowledge of personal information protection law (β=.19, p=.013) and clinical experience for five years or more but less than ten years (β=.17, p=.036). The regression model showed an explanatory power of 34.0%. Conclusion: Acting as an advocate has the most effect on practice of personal information protection. To promote practice of personal information protection for nurses, it is necessary to provide education related to privacy protection and encourage nursing patient advocacy.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• 제35권
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• pp.39.1-39.14
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• 2023

Background: Diseases affecting the lungs and airways contribute significantly to the global burden of disease. The problem in low- and middle-income countries appears to be exacerbated by a shift in global manufacturing base to these countries and inadequate enforcement of environmental and safety standards. In Ghana, the potential adverse effects on respiratory function associated with occupational wood dust exposure have not been thoroughly investigated. Methods: Sixty-four male sawmill workers and 64 non-woodworkers participated in this study. The concentration of wood dust exposure, prevalence and likelihood of association of respiratory symptoms with wood dust exposure and changes in pulmonary function test (PFT) parameters in association with wood dust exposure were determined from dust concentration measurements, symptoms questionnaire and lung function test parameters. Results: Sawmill workers were exposed to inhalable dust concentration of 3.09 ± 0.04 mg/m³ but did not use respirators and engaged in personal grooming habits that are known to increase dust inhalation. The sawmill operators also showed higher prevalence and likelihoods of association with respiratory symptoms, a significant cross-shift decline in some PFT parameters and a shift towards a restrictive pattern of lung dysfunction by end of daily shift. The before-shift PFT parameters of woodworkers were comparable to those of non-woodworkers, indicating a lack of chronic effects of wood dust exposure. Conclusions: Wood dust exposure at the study site was associated with acute respiratory symptoms and acute changes in some PFT parameters. This calls for institution and enforcement of workplace and environmental safety policies to minimise exposure at sawmill operating sites, and ultimately, decrease the burden of respiratory diseases.

• 한국방재안전학회논문집
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.1-14
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• 2022

최근 기후변화와 하천 제방의 노후화로 인해 수재해 위험이 가중되고 있으나 기존의 재래적인 하천 제방의 점검은 많은 인력과 예산 소모로 많은 한계점들이 존재하다. 이에 따라 효과적인 홍수 대응을 위해 새로운 모니터링과 예/경보 시스템 구축이 필요한 상황이다. 본 연구는 인공위성(Sentinel-1)을 이용한 하천 제방 변위 산출, 수문학적 요인과의 관계 분석 항목들을 결합한 하천 제방 건강상태 모니터링 방법을 제안한다. 본 연구에서 산정한 변동성 지수를 계산하여 4등급으로 구분하였고, 토양 수분의 급증한 결과를 토대로 제방 붕괴 구간이 변동성이 급증한 취약지점 상태로 판단하였다. 향후에는 원격 기술과 분석 항목들을 결합한 포렌식 기법을 통해 기존 제방관리 시스템의 고도화가 가능할 것으로 기대한다.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.419-432
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• 2023

Beam-column joints are a critical component of reinforced concrete frame structures. They are responsible for transferring forces between adjoining beams and columns while limiting story drifts and maintaining structural integrity. During severe loading, beam-column joints deform significantly, affecting, and sometimes governing, the overall response of frame structures. While most failure modes for beam and column elements are commonly considered in plastic-hinge-based global frame analyses, the beam-column joint failure modes, such as concrete shear and reinforcement bond slip, are frequently omitted. One reason for this is the dearth of published guidance on what type of hinges to use, how to derive the joint hinge properties, and where to place these hinges. Many beam-column joint models are available in literature but their adoption by practicing structural engineers has been limited due to their complex nature and lack of practical application tools. The objective of this study is to provide a comparative review of the available beam-column joint models and present a practical joint modeling approach for integration into commonly used global frame analysis software. The presented modeling approach uses rotational spring models and is capable of modeling both interior and exterior joints with or without transverse reinforcement. A spreadsheet tool is also developed to execute the mathematical calculations and derive the shear stress-strain and moment-rotation curves ready for inputting into the global frame analysis. The application of the approach is presented by modeling a beam column joint specimen which was tested experimentally. Important modeling considerations are also presented to assist practitioners in properly modeling beam-column joints in frame analyses.