• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2023

Cardiotoxicity, particularly drug-induced Torsades de Pointes (TdP), is a concern in drug safety assessment. The recent establishment of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (human iPSC-CMs) has become an attractive human-based platform for predicting cardiotoxicity. Moreover, electrophysiological assessment of multiple cardiac ion channel blocks is emerging as an important parameter to recapitulate proarrhythmic cardiotoxicity. Therefore, we aimed to establish a novel in vitro multiple cardiac ion channel screening-based method using human iPSC-CMs to predict the drug-induced arrhythmogenic risk. To explain the cellular mechanisms underlying the cardiotoxicity of three representative TdP high- (sotalol), intermediate- (chlorpromazine), and low-risk (mexiletine) drugs, and their effects on the cardiac action potential (AP) waveform and voltage-gated ion channels were explored using human iPSC-CMs. In a proof-of-principle experiment, we investigated the effects of cardioactive channel inhibitors on the electrophysiological profile of human iPSC-CMs before evaluating the cardiotoxicity of these drugs. In human iPSC-CMs, sotalol prolonged the AP duration and reduced the total amplitude (TA) via selective inhibition of I_Kr and I_Na currents, which are associated with an increased risk of ventricular tachycardia TdP. In contrast, chlorpromazine did not affect the TA; however, it slightly increased AP duration via balanced inhibition of I_Kr and I_Ca currents. Moreover, mexiletine did not affect the TA, yet slightly reduced the AP duration via dominant inhibition of I_Ca currents, which are associated with a decreased risk of ventricular tachycardia TdP. Based on these results, we suggest that human iPSC-CMs can be extended to other preclinical protocols and can supplement drug safety assessments.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.237-254
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• 2021

Background: Some of the introduced alien species introduced settle, multiply, and spread to become invasive alien species (IAS) that threaten biodiversity. To prevent this, Korea and other countries legally designate and manage alien species that pose a risk to the environment. Moreover, 2160 alien species have been introduced in South Korea, of which 1826 animals and 334 plants are designated. The inflow of IAS can have negative effects such as ecosystem disturbance, habitat destruction, economic damage, and health damage to humans. To prevent damage caused by the inflow of IAS in advance, species that could potentially pose a risk to the environment if introduced in South Korea were designated as alert alien species (AAS). Results: The designation criteria were in accordance with the "Act on the Conservation and Use of Biological Diversity" and the "Regulations on the Ecological Risk Assessment of AAS and IAS" by the National Institute of Ecology. The analysis result of risk and damage cases indicated that mammals affect predation, competition, human economic activity, virus infection, and parasite infection. Birds have been demonstrated to affect predation, competition, human economic activity, and health. It was indicated that plants intrude on the ecosystem by competing with native species with their high-population density and capacity to multiply and cause allergic inducement. Interestingly, 300 species, including 25 mammals, 7 birds, 84 fishes, 28 amphibians, 22 reptiles, 1 insect, 32 spiders, 1 mollusk, 1 arthropod, and 99 plants, are included in the list of AAS. Conclusions: AAS designation plays a role in preventing the reduction of biodiversity by IAS in South Korea and preserving native species. Moreover, it is determined to provide considerable economic benefits by preventing socio-economic losses and ecological damage.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.02a
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• pp.412-415
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• 1994

The fundamental assumption that thresholds exist for noncarcinogenic toxic effects of chemicals is reviewed; this assumption forms the basis for the no-observed-effect level/ safety-factor (NOEL/SF) approach to risk assessment for such effects. The origin and evolution of the NOEL/SF approach are traced, and its limitations are discussed. The recently proposed use of dose-response modeling to estimate a benchmark dose as a replacement for the NOEL is explained. The possibility of expanding dose-response modeling of non carcinogenic effects to include the estimation of assumed thresholds is discussed. A new method for conversion of quantitative toxic responses to a probability scale for risk assessment via dose-response modeling is outlined.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2014

This paper suggested the improvement of marine environmental impact assessment of different types of project by analyzing the consultation on the coastal area utilization(133cases) of the coastal development project for 4years(2010-2013). According to the analysis results, the erosion protection project needs to precede the accurate analysis of erosion reasons, predict exactly possible problems and establish the systematic system to verify the effect of erosion protection by monitoring after projects. The construction projects of revetments and coastal roads have to require to sublate, examine the reliability in structures, give consideration to the problems of coastal erosion by increase of reflected waves. In addition, flooding protection projects have got to require to select the waves for evaluation items in conjunction with the effects of abnormal waves. furthermore, waterfront construction projects need to establish comprehensive and methodical space plans and reinforce the review to conserve the natural environment and conduct nature-friendly development. There are many problems inherently related to coastal development Project. To these problems, however, it is required to support the project on the side of the legislation and conduct additional studies reflecting the characteristics by sea areas and projects.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.02a
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• pp.426-430
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• 1994

The assessment of exposure is an important component of the risk assessment process. Exposure information is used in risk assessment in at least two ways: 1) in the identification of hazards and the epidemiologic research investigating exposure-response relationships and 2) in the development of population exposure estimates. In both of these cases, the value of a chemical risk assessment is enhanced by improvements in the quality of exposure assessments. The optimum exposure assessment is the direct measurement of population exposure; however, such measurements are rarely available. Recent developments in methods for exposure assessment allow estimates to be made that are valid representations of actual exposure. The use of these exposure estimates to classify exposures correctly enhances the likelihood that causal associations between exposure and response will be correctly identified and that population risks will be accurately assessed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2021

When a berth is built close to a fairway, a moored vessel will be affected by the ship waves generated by navigating vessels. In this study, a portable measurement system was developed to measure the roll motion of an actual vessel, and the results were compared with simulation results. The simulation results showed that the roll motion satisfies the loading safety criteria. However, the actual results of the vessel, did not satisfy the criteria in some cases. In this study, 18 cases that did not satisfy the loading safety criteria were analyzed. Among these cases, three cases were affected by a different time zone of the remaining 15 cases, 11 cases (73.3%) were observed to be consistent with arrival times of passenger ships of more than 10,000GT sailing between in Mokpo and Jeju. The results of this study can be used to reflect marine traffic characteristics in the assessment of loading safety, which can increase the reliability of results of the loading safety assessment of ships.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 1998

A quantitative risk assessment and consequence analysis for PBL(Poly Butadiene Latex) reaction processes were performed. As a result of the Quantitative risk assessment, for the accident probability of PBL reactors causing a reaction runaway, was calculated as $9.197{\times}10^{-5}/yr$ The most important factor that affected the accident probability of PBL reactor was the relief device. When the reactor exploded, peak overpressure at the target point was $5.066{\times}10^5(Pa)$ and the range of effects windows to be broken occurred in almost all of the factory areas. The maximum radius of effect was 27m, in which workers could be die by the direct for eardrum damage was calculated at 77m. When the PBL reactor exploded, the extent of structural damage to buildings was calculated from the center of the explosion to a range of 52m. The results of the study's assessment have provided a direction for facility's improvement as well as effective safety investment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.83-89
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• 2017

A new technology has provided the nation, industry, society, and people with innovative and useful functions. National economy and society has been improved through this technology innovation. Despite the benefit of technology innovation, however, since technology society was sufficiently mature, the unintended side effect and negative impact of new technology on society and human beings has been highlighted. Thus, it is important to investigate a risk of new technology for the future society. Recently, the risks of the new technology are being suggested through a large amount of social data such as news articles and report contents. These data can be used as effective sources for quantitatively and systematically forecasting social risks of new technology. In this respect, this paper aims to propose a data-driven process for forecasting and assessing social risks of future new technology using the text mining, 4M(Man, Machine, Media, and Management) framework, and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). First, social risk factors are forecasted based on social risk keywords extracted by the text mining of documents containing social risk information of new technology. Second, the social risk keywords are classified into the 4M causes to identify the degree of risk causes. Finally, the AHP is applied to assess impact of social risk factors and 4M causes based on social risk keywords. The proposed approach is helpful for technology engineers, safety managers, and policy makers to consider social risks of new technology and their impact.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.332-339
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• 2015

The leak before break (LBB) concept is widely used in designing pipe lines in nuclear power plants. According to the concept, the amount of leaking liquid from a pipe should be more than the minimum detectable leak rate of a leak detection system before catastrophic failure occurs. Therefore, accurate estimation of the leak rate is important to evaluate the validity of the LBB concept in pipe line design. In this paper, a program was developed to estimate the leak rate through circumferential cracks in pipes in nuclear power plants using the Henry-Fauske flow model and modified Henry-Fauske flow model. By using the developed program, the leak rate was calculated for a circumferential crack in a sample pipe, and the effect of the flow model on the leak rate was examined. Treating the crack morphology parameters as random variables, the statistical behavior of the leak rate was also examined. As a result, it was found that the crack morphology parameters have a strong effect on the leak rate and the statistical behavior of the leak rate can be simulated using normally distributed crack morphology parameters.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.17-26
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• 2022

In this study, in order to establish the criteria for evaluation of importance by the type of facility specialized for agricultural reservoirs, an expert group consisting of a total of 167 members who were in management, or specialized in the fields of design, research, and diagnosis were organized, and the importance for facilities was set with application of the AHP technique. The importance of dam body, spillway, and intake structure composing a reservoir were set at 59%, 24%, and 17%, and the importance of dam crest, upstream slope, and downstream slope constituting a dam body was set at 32%, 31%, and 37%, respectively. In addition, the importance of approach channel, regulated channel, chute channel, and stilling basin consisting a spillway was set at 15%, 44%, 26%, and 15%, and the importance of inclined conduit and outlet conduit consisting an intake structure was set at 35% and 65%, respectively. The safety grade of the reservoirs evaluated by applying the newly presented importance values in this study showed the rearrangement of the grades with a change of 11% compared to the previous grades. In this way, the newly established criteria are expected to be utilized as basic data with strategic importance in reservoir safety management and disaster prevention as well as the operation of systems in the future.