• Title/Summary/Keyword: Natural hazard

Search Result 391, Processing Time 0.024 seconds

Assessing Misdiagnosis of Relapse in Patients with Gastric Cancer in Iran Cancer Institute Based on a Hidden Markov Multi-state Model

  • Zare, Ali;Mahmoodi, Mahmood;Mohammad, Kazem;Zeraati, Hojjat;Hosseini, Mostafa;Naieni, Kourosh Holakouie
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
    • /
    • v.15 no.9
    • /
    • pp.4109-4115
    • /
    • 2014
  • Background: Accurate assessment of disease progression requires proper understanding of natural disease process which is often hidden and unobservable. For this purpose, disease status should be clearly detected. But in most diseases it is not possible to detect such status. This study, therefore, aims to present a model which both investigates the unobservable disease process and considers the error probability in diagnosis of disease states. Materials and Methods: Data from 330 patients with gastric cancer undergoing surgery at the Iran Cancer Institute from 1995 to 1999 were analyzed. Moreover, to estimate and assess the effect of demographic, diagnostic and clinical factors as well as medical and post-surgical variables on transition rates and the probability of misdiagnosis of relapse, a hidden Markov multi-state model was employed. Results: Classification errors of patients in alive state without a relapse ($e_{21}$) and with a relapse ($e_{12}$) were 0.22 (95% CI: 0.04-0.63) and 0.02 (95% CI: 0.00-0.09), respectively. Only variables of age and number of renewed treatments affected misdiagnosis of relapse. In addition, patient age and distant metastasis were among factors affecting the occurrence of relapse (state1${\rightarrow}$state2) while the number of renewed treatments and the type and extent of surgery had a significant effect on death hazard without relapse (state2${\rightarrow}$state3)and death hazard with relapse (state2${\rightarrow}$state3). Conclusions: A hidden Markov multi-state model provides the possibility of estimating classification error between different states of disease. Moreover, based on this model, factors affecting the probability of this error can be identified and researchers can be helped with understanding the mechanisms of classification error.

Hazards Caused by UV Rays of Xenon Light Based High Performance Solar Simulators

  • Dibowski, Gerd;Esser, Kai
    • Safety and Health at Work
    • /
    • v.8 no.3
    • /
    • pp.237-245
    • /
    • 2017
  • Background: Solar furnaces are used worldwide to conduct experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of solar-chemical processes with the aid of concentrated sunlight, or to qualify high temperature-resistant components. In recent years, high-flux solar simulators (HFSSs) based on short-arc xenon lamps are more frequently used. The emitted spectrum is very similar to natural sunlight but with dangerous portions of ultraviolet light as well. Due to special benefits of solar simulators the increase of construction activity for HFSS can be observed worldwide. Hence, it is quite important to protect employees against serious injuries caused by ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in a range of 100 nm to 400 nm. Methods: The UV measurements were made at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne and Paul-Scherrer-Institute (PSI), Switzerland, during normal operations of the HFSS, with a high-precision UV-A/B radiometer using different experiment setups at different power levels. Thus, the measurement results represent UV emissions which are typical when operating a HFSS. Therefore, the biological effects on people exposed to UVR was investigated systematically to identify the existing hazard potential. Results: It should be noted that the permissible workplace exposure limits for UV emissions significantly exceeded after a few seconds. One critical value was strongly exceeded by a factor of 770. Conclusion: The prevention of emissions must first and foremost be carried out by structural measures. Furthermore, unambiguous protocols have to be defined and compliance must be monitored. For short-term activities in the hazard area, measures for the protection of eyes and skin must be taken.

Biological Hazard of Electromagnetic Field Exposure: A Review (전자기파의 생체 위해성에 관한 소고)

  • Jung, Kyung-Ah;Gye, Myung-Chan
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
    • /
    • v.29 no.4
    • /
    • pp.241-250
    • /
    • 2011
  • The safety of human exposure to an ever-increasing number and diversity of electromagnetic field (EMF) sources both at work and at home has clearly become a public health issue. To date many $in$ $vivo$ and $in$ $vitro$ studies revealed that EMF exposure can alter cellular metabolism, endocrine function, immune activity, reproductive function, and fetal development in animal system. The major parameters found to be altered in cells or individuals following EMF exposure include an increase of free radicals, DNA damage, cancer risk, developmental defect, and reproductive dysfunctions. Epidemiological studies reported EMF can increase life-threatening illnesses such as leukemia, brain cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, clinical depression, suicide, and Alzheimer's disease has been identified. These effects of EMF exposure differ according to duration of exposure, frequency of waves, and strength (energy) of EMF. In the present review, we briefly introduced the physical properties of EMF and summarized the effect of EMF on human and wildlife animals according to types of EMF, duration of exposure at cellular and organism levels.

Inundating Disaster Assessment in Coastal Areas Using Urban Flood Model (도시홍수모델을 이용한 해안지역의 침수재해평가)

  • Yoo Hwan-Hee;Kim Weon-Seok;Kim Seong-Sam
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
    • /
    • v.24 no.3
    • /
    • pp.299-309
    • /
    • 2006
  • In recent years, a large natural disasters have occurred due to worldwide abnormal weather and the amount of damage has been increased more resulting from high density population and a large-sized buildings of the urbanized area. In this study. we estimate the flooded area according to rainfall probability intensify and sea level in Woreong dong, Masan occurred flood damages by typhoon Maemi using SWMM, a dynamic rainfall-runoff simulation model in urban area, and then analyze the damage of flood expected area through connecting with GIS database. In result, we can predict accurately expected area of inundation according to the rainfall intensity and sea level rise through dividing the study area into sub-area and estimating a flooded area and height using SWMM. We provide also the shelter information available for urban planning and flood risk estimation by landuse in expected flood area. Further research for hazard management system construction linked with web or wireless communication technology expects to increase its application.

A Development of Cold-Mixed Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Materials (도로포장용 상온 재생 아스팔트 혼합물 개발)

  • Lee, Jong-Man;Kim, Nak-Seok;Kim, Wan-Sang;Hong, Eun-Cheol
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
    • /
    • v.9 no.3
    • /
    • pp.1-7
    • /
    • 2009
  • In order to use recycled aggregate as pavement base or subbase materials, the US and many other European countries have started research since the early 1980s. Korea also had a recycle idea as a plan for the vast amount of construction wastes due to the downtown renovation in the 1990s, but was not put into practical use. After the resources saving and recycle expedition law in 1994, wastes from construction sites that have more than a certain amount of construction budget were recycled as pavement base and subbase materials, but now, researches are being conducted to use them as paving materials. The use of construction wastes is meaningful in many ways. It helps the natural conservation and aggregate consumption, and also improves pavement performance. This research presents a development of cold-mixed reclaimed asphalt pavement materials using recycled aggregates.

An Analysis of the Characteristics in Design Rainfall According to the Data Periods (자료기간에 따른 확률 강우량 변화 특성 분석)

  • Oh, Tae-Suk;Kim, Min-Seok;Moon, Young-Il;Ahn, Jae-Hyun
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
    • /
    • v.9 no.4
    • /
    • pp.115-127
    • /
    • 2009
  • Recently, Natural disasters are increasing the damage according to the influence of the abnormal climate and climate change. This study analyzed change characteristic of Design Rainfall according to the different data periods. First, 14 observatories were selected at Meteorological Administration. Second, frequency analysis carried out 5 cases by different data periods. At the results of the frequency analysis, the design rainfall could confirm the increase in most areas of Korea. Also, the change and trend analysis carried out for characteristic analysis by design rainfall and observed rainfall. The change and trend analysis of observed annual maximum rainfall did not appeared, but the change and trend analysis of design rainfall significantly appeared using statistic methods. The result of the change and trend analysis, design rainfall increased in most areas of Korea. Although, it could be the necessity for reestimating defense ability of flood, existing river systems, and new establishment of structure about the change characteristic.

Life Risk Assessment of Landslide Disaster Using Spatial Prediction Model (공간 예측 모델을 이용한 산사태 재해의 인명 위험평가)

  • Jang, Dong-Ho;Chung, C.F.
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
    • /
    • v.15 no.6
    • /
    • pp.373-383
    • /
    • 2006
  • The spatial mapping of risk is very useful data in planning for disaster preparedness. This research presents a methodology for making the landslide life risk map in the Boeun area which had considerable landslide damage following heavy rain in August, 1998. We have developed a three-stage procedure in spatial data analysis not only to estimate the probability of the occurrence of the natural hazardous events but also to evaluate the uncertainty of the estimators of that probability. The three-stage procedure consists of: (i)construction of a hazard prediction map of "future" hazardous events; (ii) validation of prediction results and estimation of the probability of occurrence for each predicted hazard level; and (iii) generation of risk maps with the introduction of human life factors representing assumed or established vulnerability levels by combining the prediction map in the first stage and the estimated probabilities in the second stage with human life data. The significance of the landslide susceptibility map was evaluated by computing a prediction rate curve. It is used that the Bayesian prediction model and the case study results (the landslide susceptibility map and prediction rate curve) can be prepared for prevention of future landslide life risk map. Data from the Bayesian model-based landslide susceptibility map and prediction ratio curves were used together with human rife data to draft future landslide life risk maps. Results reveal that individual pixels had low risks, but the total risk death toll was estimated at 3.14 people. In particular, the dangerous areas involving an estimated 1/100 people were shown to have the highest risk among all research-target areas. Three people were killed in this area when landslides occurred in 1998. Thus, this risk map can deliver factual damage situation prediction to policy decision-makers, and subsequently can be used as useful data in preventing disasters. In particular, drafting of maps on landslide risk in various steps will enable one to forecast the occurrence of disasters.

Study on Improved Method for Calculating Runoff Coefficient of Rational Method (합리식의 유출계수(C) 산정방법의 개선에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Young-Dai;Kim, Jong-Soon;Kim, Young-Teak
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
    • /
    • v.7 no.4
    • /
    • pp.67-74
    • /
    • 2007
  • Rational method has been widely used to calculate peak runoff drainage design or small watershed because of simplicity and convenience. Runoff coefficient(C) is the most important parameter in the rational method which varies according to rainfall intensity, return period, rainfall duration time and soil characteristics. In practice, constant which is value of C in rational formula has been used from the table, originally based on ASCE. These table value does not consider the upper conditions of the depending factors, hence peak runoff calculation could be in correct. Therefore to calculate C in this paper we have devised an improved formula, considering relationship with rainfall duration, return period and CN of NRCS method. This formula is considered to be more reliable and helpful to the hydrologists and engineers to predict correct peak runoff.

A Study on Strategic Direction of Urban Management through Evaluation of Value-for-Money for Urban Development Projects - Focused on the Region of Gugal Station Area in Yongin City - (도시개발사업의 투자가치 평가를 통한 전략적 도시관리 방안에 관한 연구 - 용인시 구갈 역세권 지역을 중심으로 -)

  • Hwang, Eui-Pyo;Won, Jai-Mu
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
    • /
    • v.10 no.3
    • /
    • pp.1-11
    • /
    • 2010
  • In this study, we studied strategic directions of urban management through evaluation the value of the investment with the consideration of the development plan, the condition of the location, the potential of the site, green and disaster prevention infrastructure, focused on Gugal-dong(Gugal Station area) and the region of Bora, Jung-dong, in Yongin city. In terms of the methodology, we tried to decide using Analytic Network Process which can consider the relation between the evaluation items. In conclusion, for the development plan, the order of evaluation items is development purpose, key tenant, fund raising and marketing, and for the condition of the location, the order of evaluation items is land use, surrounding environment, and traffic environment, and for the development potential, the order is marketability, identity, and historic character, and for the green and disaster prevention infrastructure, the order is prevention of human, natural, social disaster. The significance of the conclusion of this study is that it can be utilized in pre-evaluation in planning the urban development.

A Study of Structural Stability and Dynamics for Functionally Graded Material Plates and Shells using a 4-node Quasi-conforming Shell Element (4절점 준적합 쉘 요소를 이용한 점진기능재료(FGM) 판과 쉘의 구조적 안정 및 진동 연구)

  • Han, Sung-Cheon;Lee, Chang-Soo;Kim, Gi-Dong;Park, Weon-Tae
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
    • /
    • v.7 no.5
    • /
    • pp.47-60
    • /
    • 2007
  • In this paper, we investigate the natural frequencies and buckling loads of functionally graded material (FGM) plates and shells, using a quasi-conforming shell element that accounts for the transverse shear strains and rotary inertia. The eigenvalue of the FGM plates and shells are calculated by varying the volume fraction of the ceramic and metallic constituents using a sigmoid function, but their Poisson's ratios of the FGM plates and shells are assumed to be constant. The expressions of the membrane, bending and shear stiffness of FGM shell element are more complicated combination of material properties than a homogeneous element. In order to validate the finite element numerical solutions, the Navier's solutions of rectangular plates based on the first-order shear deformation theory are presented. The present numerical solutions of composite and sigmoid FGM (S-FGM) plates are proved by the Navier's solutionsand various examples of composite and FGM structures are presented. The present results are in good agreement with the Navier's theoretical solutions.