• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.428-436
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• 2019

Background: Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are mixtures with inhalation exposures as mists, dusts, and vapors, and dermal exposure in the dispersed and bulk liquid phase. A quantitative risk assessment was performed for exposure to MWF and respiratory disease. Methods: Risks associated with MWF were derived from published studies and NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluations, and lifetime risks were calculated. The outcomes analyzed included adult onset asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, pulmonary function impairment, and reported symptoms. Incidence rates were compiled or estimated, and annual proportional loss of respiratory capacity was derived from cross-sectional assessments. Results: A strong healthy worker survivor effect was present. New-onset asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, at 0.1 mg/㎥ MWF under continuous outbreak conditions, had a lifetime risk of 45%; if the associated microbiological conditions occur with only 5% prevalence, then the lifetime risk would be about 3%. At 0.1 mg/㎥, the estimate of excess lifetime risk of attributable pulmonary impairment was 0.25%, which may have been underestimated by a factor of 5 or more by a strong healthy worker survivor effect. The symptom prevalence associated with respiratory impairment at 0.1 mg/㎥ MWF was estimated to be 5% (published studies) and 21% (Health Hazard Evaluations). Conclusion: Significant risks of impairment and chronic disease occurred at 0.1 mg/㎥ for MWFs in use mostly before 2000. Evolving MWFs contain new ingredients with uncharacterized long-term hazards.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2009.05b
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• pp.143-147
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• 2009

Graduates from engineering colleges are demanded to have been acquired some abilities and qualities during their undergraduate years through the standard of the so-called "programmed learning results and evaluation" This paper aims at analyzing the learning results evaluation tool for graduates from the architectural engineering department through the examples of the colleges with engineering accreditation in Korea, and suggesting a more appropriate programmed learning result evaluation tool. The basic theories on programmed learning results were studied, and then the previous study examples were researched. The study objects were limited to the fourteen colleges which offered the examples of the learning results evaluation tools of the colleges with engineering accreditation in Korea. Types and the present situation of those evaluation tools were analyzed. In addition, the proposals for the evaluation tool of programmed learning results and the performance standard were suggested for those with an engineering accreditation, based on the case study of the performance standards of each college with an engineering accreditation. The study results showed that much more national research needs to be conducted to clarify the standards of selecting an evaluation tool and a performance standard appropriate for the level of each college so that it can make a proper proposal.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2019

Objectives: The Regional Cardiocerebrovascular Center (RCCVC) Project designated local teaching hospitals as RCCVCs, in order to improve patient outcomes of acute cardiocerebrovascular emergencies by founding a regional system that can adequately transfer and manage patients within 3 hours. We investigated the effects of RCCVC establishment on treatment volume and 30-day mortality. Methods: We constructed a panel dataset by extracting all acute myocardial infarction cases that occurred from 2007 to 2016 from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service claims data, a national and representative source. We then used a panel fixed-effect model to estimate the impacts of RCCVC establishment on patient outcomes. Results: We found that the number of cases of acute myocardial infarction that were treated increased chronologically, but when the time effect and other related covariates were controlled for, RCCVCs only significantly increased the number of treatment cases of female in large catchment areas. There was no statistically significant impact on 30-day mortality. Conclusions: The establishment of RCCVCs increased the number of treatment cases of female, without increasing the mortality rate. Therefore, the RCCVCs might have prevented potential untreated deaths by increasing the preparedness and capacity of hospitals to treat acute myocardial infarction patients.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.174-183
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• 2021

Background: Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is a highly reactive chemical that causes sensitization and has also been associated with increased lung cancer. A risk assessment was conducted based on occupational epidemiologic estimates for several health outcomes. Methods: Exposure and outcome details were extracted from published studies and a NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation for new onset asthma, pulmonary function measurements, symptom prevalence, and mortality from lung cancer and respiratory disease. Summary exposure-response estimates were calculated taking into account relative precision and possible survivor selection effects. Attributable incidence of sensitization was estimated as were annual proportional losses of pulmonary function. Excess lifetime risks and benchmark doses were calculated. Results: Respiratory outcomes exhibited strong survivor bias. Asthma/sensitization exposure response decreased with increasing facility-average TDI air concentration as did TDI-associated pulmonary impairment. In a mortality cohort where mean employment duration was less than 1 year, survivor bias pre-empted estimation of lung cancer and respiratory disease exposure response. Conclusion: Controlling for survivor bias and assuming a linear dose-response with facility-average TDI concentrations, excess lifetime risks exceeding one per thousand occurred at about 2 ppt TDI for sensitization and respiratory impairment. Under alternate assumptions regarding stationary and cumulative effects, one per thousand excess risks were estimated at TDI concentrations of 10 - 30 ppt. The unexplained reported excess mortality from lung cancer and other lung diseases, if attributable to TDI or associated emissions, could represent a lifetime risk comparable to that of sensitization.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.17-24
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• 2016

The regulation for industrial accident rate level assessment of construction companies was introduced to the construction industry in the Republic of Korea since 1993 and has brought positive outcome on industrial accidents reduction at construction work sites. There were considerable decrease of industrial accident ratio and enforcing of contrators' safety organizations from the beginning of the regulation for industrial accident rate level assessment. In spite of these positive outcomes, there were some negative effects such as contractors' shrinking accident reports to keep good accident ratios since these figures had a great impact on pre-qualification stage of bidding when general contractors were competing for new construction projects. In addition, Comprehensive evaluation bid system, which replaces the lowest price bid system is applied to government-ordered construction projects since 2016. Comprehensive evaluation bid system includes construction company's accident rate as one of the evaluation items and carries out with the industrial accident rate level assessment of construction companies at the same time. The regulations of two systems have been called for improvement to unify these different procedures and standards which have led business stakeholders to confusion for several years. This study aims to devote on lessening shrinking accident reports and to reduce the waste of business stakeholders through changing the regulation for industrial accident rate level assessment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.266-271
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• 2022

Background: The selection of distributions of input parameters is an important component in probabilistic exposure assessment. Goodness-of-fit (GOF) methods are used to determine the distribution of exposure factors. However, there are no clear guidelines for choosing an appropriate GOF method. Objectives: The outcomes of probabilistic consumer exposure assessment were compared by using five different GOF methods for the selection of input distributions: chi-squared test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (K-S), Anderson-Darling test (A-D), Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC). Methods: Individual exposures were estimated based on product usage factor combinations from 10,000 respondents. The distribution of individual exposure was considered as the true value of population exposures. Results: Among the five GOF methods, probabilistic exposure distributions using the A-D and K-S methods were similar to individual exposure estimations. Comparing the 95th percentiles of the probabilistic distributions and the individual estimations for 10 CPs, there were 0.73 to 1.92 times differences for the A-D method, and 0.73 to 1.60 times differences (excluding tire-shine spray) for the K-S method. Conclusions: There were significant differences in exposure assessment results among the selection of the GOF methods. Therefore, the GOF methods for probabilistic consumer exposure assessment should be carefully selected.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.277-286
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to probe the effect of foot reflexology education program on nursing students with constipation, anxiety and depression. This study was a quasi-experimental study of pre-test and posttest design on non-equivalent control group. Method: The data of this study were collected from October 28, to December 14, 2002. The subjects consisted of 61 nursing students (experimental group: 31, control group: 30) with constipation, anxiety and depression. 31 out of them were devided into the experimental group and received foot reflexology education program that was authorized by the World Foot Reflexology Association and made to suit for the subjects by the author for 6weeks composed of 2 weeks theory and of 4 weeks practical skill on the program. The effect of the program was measured by Bowel Function Assessment Form for constipation, State Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory. Data were analyzed by t-test, $x^2$-test, Repeated measures ANOVA, Bonferroni multiple comparison using SAS/PC 8.12 program. Result: After all session of treatment, the score of bowel function assessment were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group. Outcomes of 6 and 7 weeks were significantly different from those of pre-experiment. After all session of treatment, anxiety states were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group. Outcomes of 7 weeks were significantly different from those of pre-experiment. After all session of treatment, depression states were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group. Outcomes of 6 and 7 weeks were significantly different from those of pre- experiment. Conclusion: The results are suggested that the foot reflexology education program might improve the bowel function, anxiety and depression for the nursing students with constipation, anxiety and depression.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.74-81
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• 2011

In this paper, the author researched to enhance course outcomes while increasing the interest in engineering design through the 'Introduction to Engineering Design Course'. Deviating from the current practice of engaging in content-oriented lectures, the redesign of the weekly lecture has been conducted with a focus on learning achievement in order to enhance design competency, teamwork and communication skills, which are the goals of the PO3, PO6 and PO7, respectively. Moreover, assessment tools have been developed according to learning achievement, and rubrics, the measurement criteria, have been defined according to the respective assessment tools, along with course goals for learning achievement and results analysis. To enhance course learning achievement, as well as to induce interest in and satisfaction with the 'Introduction to Engineering Design Course', a design project utilizing a Boe-Bot robot has been carried out. An evaluation on learning achievement and lecture has identified an increase in learning achievement and interest in design in comparison with that of previous lectures.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.740-746
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• 2011

Purpose: In the treatment of the unilateral cleft lip nasal deformities, the correction of the low-nostril height and short-columella are very difficult problems. We report the treatment outcomes of web uni-limb Z-plasty used for correction of unilateral cleft lip nasal deformities by using photographic analysis. Methods: A total of 36 patients with unilateral cleft lip nasal deformities were enrolled in this study, who underwent web uni-limb Z-plasty and were followed up for at least 6 months. First, a triangular flap was made on the medial side of alar-columella web. The nostril apex of cleft side was corrected to a higher point compared to noncleft side by 2 mm. The flap was transposed into the defect of the vestibule. To reduce the bulging of the flap, horizontal cinching sutures were added. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated by using photographic analysis. 2 indices and 1 angle were measured on their photographs taken before and after the surgery. Symmetry was also evaluated by means of the noncleft side to cleft side index. For anthropologic assessment, observers described postoperative outcomes, using Ordinary Scale Method. Results: The postoperative values obtained in photographic analysis improved compared to preoperative ones. More improving anthropologic assessment was shown in post-than pre-operative. Conclusion: Although, further long term follow up is needed, we found this technique to be an effective procedure to the symmetry of nostril apex level and the lengthening of columella in the unilateral cleft lip nasal deformities.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 2014

Objective : To report long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of minimally invasive posterior cervical foraminotomy (MI-PCF) performed in patients with unilateral single-level cervical radiculopathy. Methods : Of forty-six patients who underwent MI-PCF for unilateral single-level radiculopathy between 2005 and 2013, 33 patients were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 32.7 months. Patients were regularly followed for clinical and radiological assessment. Clinical outcome was measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) for the neck/shoulder and arm, and the neck disability index (NDI). Radiological outcome was measured by focal/global angulation and disc height index (DHI). Outcomes after MI-PCF were evaluated as changes of clinical and radiological parameters from the baseline. Mixed effect model with random patients' effect was used to test for differences in the clinical and radiological parameters repeat measures. Results : There were no complications and all patients had an uneventful recovery during the early postoperative period. VAS scores for neck/shoulder and arm improved significantly in the early postoperative period (3 months) and were maintained with time (p<0.001). NDI improved significantly post-operatively and tended to decrease gradually during the follow-up period (p<0.001). There were no statistically significant changes in focal and global angulation at follow-up. Percent DHIs of the upper adjacent or operated disc were maintained without significant changes with time. During the follow-up, same site recurrence was not noted and adjacent segment disease requiring additional surgery occurred in two patients (6%) on the contra-lateral side. Conclusion : MI-PCF provides long-term pain relief and functional restoration, accompanied by good long-term radiological outcome.