• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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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.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.131-157
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• 2014

Special track systems used to divert a train to other directions or other tracks are generally called 'railway turnout'. A traditional turnout system consists of steel rails, switches, crossings, steel plates, fasteners, screw spikes, timber bearers, ballast and formation. The wheel rail contact over the crossing transfer zone has a dip-like shape and can often cause detrimental impact loads on the railway track and its components. The large impact also emits disturbing noises (either impact or ground-borne noise) to railway neighbors. In a brown-field railway track where an existing aged infrastructure requires renewal or maintenance, some physical constraints and construction complexities may dominate the choice of track forms or certain components. With the difficulty to seek for high-quality timbers with dimensional stability, a methodology to replace aged timber bearers in harsh dynamic environments is to adopt an alternative material that could mimic responses and characteristics of timber in both static and dynamic loading conditions. A critical review has suggested an application of an alternative material called fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU). The full-scale capacity design makes use of its comparable engineering characteristics to timber, high-impact attenuation, high damping property, and a longer service life. A field trial to investigate in-situ behaviours of a turnout grillage system using an alternative material, 'fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU)' bearers, has been carried out at a complex turnout junction under heavy mixed traffics at Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia. The turnout junction was renewed using the FFU bearers altogether with new special track components. Influences of the FFU bearers on track geometry (recorded by track inspection vehicle 'AK Car'), track settlement (based on survey data), track dynamics, and acoustic characteristics have been measured. Operational train pass-by measurements have been analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the replacement methodology. Comparative studies show that the use of FFU bearers generates higher rail and sleeper accelerations but the damping capacity of the FFU help suppress vibration transferring onto other track components. The survey data analysis suggests a small vertical settlement and negligible lateral movement of the turnout system. The static and dynamic behaviours of FFU bearers appear to equate that of natural timber but its service life is superior.

• Korean Journal of Logic
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.207-231
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• 2018

The identity theory of truth insists that a truth bearer is identical with a fact. First, I will consider how we can make the thesis intelligible. For this, I classify the identity relation which the identity theory discusses into two kind; trivial and non-trivial relation. And I show that the trivial one is not adequate to be qualified to be applied to the identity theory. The non-trivial relation can be adopted in robust or modest way. I argue that the robust kind of identity theory is incoherent itself. Then, I explain why we should compare the modest identity theory with the deflationism. From this comparing, I will draw the consequence that two choices are left to the modest theory. If they choose one way, there is no reason for us to prefer the identity theory to deflationism. On the other hand, in case that they choose the other way, I argue what kinds of interesting problem is left to be solved by the modest theorists. Finally, I will evaluate the limit and prospect of the result of the problem in case that the identity theorists achieve their goal.

• Korean small business review
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.139-160
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• 2017

Today, changes in the environments surrounding companies are so uncertain that corporate entrepreneurship should be activated to enhance the competitiveness of firms and to improve their profitability. In particular, The practice of entrepreneurship by small and medium sized enterprises (hereafter SMEs) is suggested as an important factor for the enhancement of competitiveness of firms. In this context, this study examined the effects of the organizational climates on the entrepreneurship activities of SMEs in Korea and China. The data obtained from 300 SMEs in Korea and China through questionnaire surveys were analyzed. The results demonstrate that the organizational climates have significant positive effects on SMEs in the countries belonging to emerging markets such as Korea and China. However, the practice of corporate entrepreneurship could be manifested in diverse forms, such as innovation or strategic renewal, and the effects of organizational climates were shown to sightly different effects on the corporate entrepreneurship activities. In addition, SMEs in Korea and China, which belong to common cultural areas, did not show any statistically significant difference in organizational climates in general. Furthermore, the effects of these factors did not show significant differences in general. However, SMEs in Korea with more flexible organizational structures and higher job autonomy were shown to be more advantageous in practicing corporate entrepreneurship than those in China. The results of the study provide meaningful implications for SMEs in Korea in terms of the efforts that should be made to enhance their competitiveness, implement innovation, and achieve comparative advantages over China.