• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.31 no.4 s.63
• /
• pp.692-707
• /
• 1998

Aim. A neurobehavioral test for workers exposed to organic solvents in the workplace can be affected by many factors : age, education, motivation, ethnicity, etc. To apply more suitable neurobehavioral test for Korean workers, we evaluated the validity of several items of computerized and traditional neurobehavioral tests. Methods. We have applied eleven tests : four items of computerized neurobehavioral test(Swedish Performance Evaluation System) including Addition, Symbol-Digit, Dig-it Span, and Finger tapping speed, and seven items of traditional neurobehavioral test consisting of Addition, Digit-Symbol, Digit Span, Benton visual retention test, Pursuit aiming, Pegboard, and Tapping. These tests were performed on 96 workers exposed to solvents, and 100 reference workers. The concurrent and construct validities were evaluated by group difference, correlation with age, educational level, hippuric acid level, neurotoxic symptom, current exposure level, multitrait-multimethod matrix, fator analysis, and discriminant analysis. Results. Statistically significant differences were observed between the workers exposed to solvents and referents in computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, traditional Digit-Symbol and Pegboard. The computerized Symbol-Digit, traditional Digit-Symbol, Addition, Benton visual retention test, and Pegboard were found to be related to the age. The performance of computerized Symbol-Digit, Addition, and traditional Digit-Symbol were found to be related to the educational level significantly. The computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, and traditional Digit-Symbol were found to be related to hippuric acid, and neurotoxic symptom. The discriminability of Finger tapping speed, and Pegboard was better than the other tests. In discriminant analysis, the model with two variables, the computerized Symbol-Digit and Pegboard, classified almost 70 percent of the workers correctly. Conclusions. These results suggest that the computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, and Pegboard are more satisfactory for our purpose, and the Addition, Tapping, Benton visual retention test, and Pursuit aiming are less valid than other items. These may allow the reasonable selection of core neurobehavioral tests for workers exposed to solvents in Korea.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.33-44
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters and trend of Landrace and Yorkshire pigs, which were raised on private farms from 1999 to 2005 and tested for their reproductive performance by the Korea Animal Improvement Association. Prior to analysis, records without pedigree or having value with larger than±3×standard deviation for the Total number of born were excluded. The effects of breed and environmental factors were estimated with least square method(Harvey, 1979), and estimation of breeding values and genetic parameters were performed on the data of 1’st litter only with GIBBSF90(Misztal, 2001) which was programmed according to Gibbs Sampling method based on Bayesian Inference by Gianola and Fernando(1986), Jensen(1994) and others. Gibbs sampling was performed 50,000 times for each parameter, and the first 5000 samples were regarded as those in burn-in period and thus, excluded for post hoc analysis. Total number of born and total number of accident were statistically significant(p<0.01) for the breed, farrowing year, farrowing season and parity effects, and the number born alive at birth was statistically significantp<(0.01) for the breed, farrowing year, farrowing season and parity effects. No particular trend was observed in the genetic and phenotypic improvement of the total number of born and number born alive at birth before 2001, when the piglet registration system started, but the tendencies of increasing for the total number of born and number born alive and decreasing for the total number of accident were observed since 2001. Somewhat higher heritability estimates of our study seems to be attributed to the situations that first parity records with poor farrowing performances were used in the analyses and it was impossible to obtain accurate reproductive performance due to the absence of criteria for record keeping at the level of individual farms.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.11
• /
• pp.1619-1637
• /
• 2000

A review was undertaken to obtain information on the range of beak-trimming methods available or under development. Beak-trimming of commercial layer replacement pullets is a common yet critical management tool that can affect the performance for the life of the flock. The most obvious advantage of beak-trimming is a reduction in cannibalism although the extent of the reduction in cannibalism depends on the strain, season, and type of housing, flock health and other factors. Beak-trimming also improves feed conversion by reducing food wastage. A further advantage of beak-trimming is a reduction in the chronic stress associated with dominance interactions in the flock. Beak-trimming of birds at 7-10 days is favoured by Industry but research over last 10 years has shown that beak-trimming at day-old causes the least stress on birds and efforts are needed to encourage Industry to adopt the practice of beak-trimming birds at day-old. Proper beak-trimming can result in greatly improved layer performance but improper beak-trimming can ruin an other wise good flock of hens. Re-trimming is practiced in most flocks, although there are some flocks that only need one trimming. Given the continuing welfare scrutiny of using a hot blade to cut the beak, attempts have been made to develop more welfare friendly methods of beak-trimming. Despite the developments in design of hot blade beak-trimmers the process has remained largely unchanged. That is, a red-hot blade cuts and cauterises the beak. The variables in the process are blade temperature, cauterisation time, operator ability, severity of trimming, age of trimming, strain of bird and beak length. This method of beak-trimming is still overwhelmingly favoured in Industry and there appears to be no other alternative procedures that are more effective. Sharp secateurs have been used trim the upper beak of both layers and turkeys. Bleeding from the upper mandible ceases shortly after the operation, and despite the regrowth of the beak a reduction of cannibalism has been reported. Very few differences have been noted between behaviour and production of the hot blade and cold blade cut chickens. This method has not been used on a large scale in Industry. There are anecdotal reports of cannibalism outbreaks in birds with regrown beaks. A robotic beak-trimming machine was developed in France, which permitted simultaneous, automated beak-trimming and vaccination of day-old chicks of up to 4,500 chickens per hour. Use of the machine was not successful because if the chicks were not loaded correctly they could drop off the line, receive excessive beak-trimming or very light trimming. Robotic beak-trimming was not effective if there was a variation in the weight or size of chickens. Capsaicin can cause degeneration of sensory nerves in mammals and decreases the rate of beak regrowth by its action on the sensory nerves. Capsaicin is a cheap, non-toxic substance that can be readily applied at the time of less severe beak-trimming. It suffers the disadvantage of causing an extreme burning sensation in operators who come in contact with the substance during its application to the bird. Methods of applying the substance to minimise the risk to operators of coming in contact with capsaicin need to be explored. A method was reported which cuts the beaks with a laser beam in day-old chickens. No details were provided on the type of laser used, or the severity of beak-trimming, but by 16 weeks the beaks of laser trimmed birds resembled the untrimmed beaks, but without the bill tip. Feather pecking and cannibalism during the laying period were highest among the laser trimmed hens. Currently laser machines are available that are transportable and research to investigate the effectiveness of beak-trimming using ablasive and coagulative lasers used in human medicine should be explored. Liquid nitrogen was used to declaw emu toes but was not effective. There was regrowth of the claws and the time and cost involved in the procedure limit the potential of using this process to beak-trim birds.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.1-31
• /
• 2008

Various opinions have been suggested to explain the slump in equipment investment, such as increased government regulations, shareholder-oriented management by expanded foreign equity investment, response against M&A threats, conservative investment trends seen after a series of bankruptcy of large conglomerates (amidst crumbling myth of "Too Big to Fail"), and financial restructuring. Some also argued that the increased uncertainty in business environment is mainly responsible for conservative management, though there are few domestic studies made regarding the situation. But, in other countries, including the U.S., studies have shown that more volatility is seen now surrounding stock prices, profitability, and sales growth rate reflecting business performance. Also, there are other studies showing such expanded volatility have led to conservative management by businesses. In this regard, this study reviews the volatility conditions of business performance of Korean companies based on profitability, and then attempts to analyze the impact on investment brought on by increased volatility. Each company's profitability volatility used here is from the standard deviation of companies for the past five years. As a profitability indicator, the ROA (= operating profit/total asset) is used. According to the analysis, profitability volatility has remarkably increased from the mid 3% in 1994 to low 5% in 2005. Profitability volatility of the Korean companies has expanded to a great extent since the financial crisis. The crisis might have served to raise the volatility in the macroeconomic conditions. If increased volatility observed during the economic crisis had gradually declined after the crisis, the situation could be interpreted as a temporary phenomenon, not to be too concerned over. But, this was not the case for Korea. The volatility level, after the crisis, has not dropped back to its pre-crisis level. Hence, in the Korea's case, high volatility cannot be explained by the impact of financial crisis. Not only that, the fact that such expansion is seen in every industrial sector indicates that this phenomenon cannot be explained by the composition change of industries alone. An undergoing study shows that with a rapid spread of globalization, industries fiercely competing with China experience more volatility. Such increased volatility tends to contract investment, and since the crisis the impact of volatility on investment has slightly increased. It is noteworthy that this study only includes a part of 'uncertainty' that could be measured statistically. For instance, the profitability volatility indicator used in this study is unable to reflect all the effects that the tacit reduction of protection by the government or regulations might have made. So, the result here also indicates that other 'uncertain' factors not mentioned in this study may have served to contract investment sentiment. It would be impossible for policies to completely remove uncertainties measured by profitability volatility, but at least it is necessary to put effort to reduce the macroeconomic volatility in the future economic management. Stabilized macroeconomic management may not be enough to diminish all volatility that occurs within each company, but it would make a meaningful contribution in encouraging investment.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.331-350
• /
• 1999

This study was attempted to examine relationship between personality traits and job satisfaction of community health practitioners(CHPs) working in remote rural area in order to suggest some methods to enhance their lob performance and the degrees of job satisfaction. The General Personality Test and the revised version of Job Satisfaction Questionnaire were administered to 200 of 348 CHPs in the Kwangju-Chonnam area and then the percentages, means, standard deviations and Pearson's correlation coefficients of these data were obtained, ANOVA and logistic analysis were used. The results of study were as follows : 1. CHPs without religion were more satisfied with their salary than those with religion. 2. CHPs who hoped for continuous education showed higher scores than the others on necessary job, professional pride and autonomy. Those who chose for independent job showed higher scores than the others on both necessary job and professional pride. Those who hope for long duration showed higher scores than the others on both necessary job and professional pride. Those who were satisfied with the present occupation showed higher scores than the others on pay satisfaction, necessary job, professional pride, interaction, autonomy and demand from organization. 3. Their autonomy scores differed significantly according to work status, both interaction and autonomy scores did so according to the fields of the past job in CHP, and their autonomy scores according to location of clinics. Their interaction scores differed significantly according to the frequency of home visits per mouth, both the degrees of salary satisfaction and professional pride scores did so according to the frequency of counseling education per mouth, and their professional pride scores did so according to total income per year. 4. The levels of their responsibility and self-confidence showed the highest of all personality traits variables. 5. The professional pride score of CHPs showed the highest of all job satisfaction variables. 6. Dominance were mostly correlated with autonomy and responsibility were mostly associated with professional pride. Both emotional stability and self-confidence were mostly related necessary job. In conclusion, religion, location of clinics, clinical experience, opportunity for education, dominance, self-confidence, the duration of services hoped for, satisfaction with the present occupation, the field of past job and administrative affairs were found to be the important factors in the degrees of their job satisfaction. Therefore, the methods to consider these variables will be necessary to develop for enhancing the efficiency of their Job performance and the degrees of job satisfaction.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.391-397
• /
• 2011

The use of Hydrogen as a fuel is receiving considerable attention and as a result, research on novel methods of hydrogen production is necessary so that the hydrogen demands in the future can be satisfied. This study presents experimental data on methanol Autothermal Reformation that quantifies the relationship between the oxygen-to-methanol ratio ($O_2/CH_3OH$) and reformer efficiency. For each catalyst configuration, the $O_2/CH_3OH$ was varied from 0.1 to 0.4, with an increment of 0.05, to investigate the effects of $O_2/CH_3OH$ on the reactor performance, including temperature profile, conversion, and efficiency. $O_2/CH_3OH$ was increased from 0.15 to 0.20, and the catalyst bed temperature increased by $235^{\circ}C$ to approximately $550^{\circ}C$. The catalyst bed temperature increased with increasing $O_2/CH_3OH$ as the reaction shifted from endothermic to exothermic reaction and as a result, excess heat, which raised the reactor temperature, was generated. The reactor performance was shown to be highly dependent on $O_2/CH_3OH$. The optimum $O_2/CH_3OH$ = 0.30 found in the experimental tests is 30% higher than the theoretical optimum of 0.23. This is attributed to a combination of factors such as the concentrations of the $O_2$ and $CH_3OH$ gas, reaction rate, catalyst effects, heat loss from the reactor, and the difference between the actual amounts of reaction products formed and the theoretical amounts of the reaction products.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.50-63
• /
• 1999

Introduction：Test anxiety is a pervasive problem among high school students in Korea. While anxiety in test situations may actually facilitate the performance of some students, more often it is disruptive and leads to performance decrements. Over the past years, many child psychiatrists have become concerned with understanding the nature of test anxiety, but it is not clearly understood yet. In order to understand the nature of test anxiety, the relationship between test anxiety and depression, state anxiety, trait anxiety, temperament and family environment were examined. Methods：The Test Anxiety Inventory, Chidlren's Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Temperamnet and Family Environment Scale Scale were administered to 576 high school students in Seoul. The relationships between test anxiety and other measures were tested using Pearson correlation coefficients and to test the causal relationship among the variables, regression analysis was performed. Results：The correlation coefficients between test anxiety and depression, state anxiety, trait anxiety, temperament and family environment scale were 0.42(p<0.01), 0.34(p<0.05), 0.38(p<0.05), 0.36(p<0.05) and -0.23(p<0.01), respectively. Regression analysis showed that only state and trait anxiety had direct causal relationship with test anxiety. Depression, temperament and family environment were indirecly related with test anxiety. Conclusions：This study indicates that the level of state and trait anxiety are directly related with test anxiety, and other variables such as temperament, family environment and depression are indirectly related with test anxiety. Thus, in order to develop the effective methods for treatment, these psychopathological characteristics should be kept in mind and the most important factors are the levels of state and trait anxiety.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.149-155
• /
• 2012

Purpose : Serum insulin levels are useful indicator which of reflecting the function of insulin secretion in pancreatic ${\beta}$ cell and diagnosis of diabetes, differentiating the cause of impaired glucose tolerance. Insulin measurement kits have shown some differences in many ways such as test methods as well as quality control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of seven manufacturing companies commercial kits. Materials and Methods : The values of insulin measured by three manufacturing companies (Biosource, Siemens, TFB) with 59 samples in August 2009 were compared with those measured by four manufacturing companies (Immunotech, Izotope, BNIBT, Cisbio) with 68 samples in December 2011. We evaluated precision, recovery rate, dilution test and correlation of serum insulin measurement using seven manufacturing company kits. Statistical program SPSS 12.0 was used for the verification of results. Results : The coefficients variation of the precision on all seven different kits were showed within 5.0%. Recovery rate of Biosource, Siemens, TFB kits on three different levels showed 94.2~103.7%, 99.0~104.6%, 99.7~107.6% respectively. Immunotech, Izotope, BNIBT, Cisbio were 93.5~99.1%, 91.4~99.1%, 99.2~131.0%, 84.8~102.3% respectively. There was strong correlation between the measurement of insulin by Biosource kit and that by two commercial kits, Siemens (R2=0.96), TFB (R2=0.99). There was good correlation between the measurement of insulin by TFB kit and that by three commercial kits, Immunotech (R2=0.97), Izotope (R2=0.96), Cisbio (R2=0.97). In the dilution test performed with more than 200 ${\mu}IU/ml$ high concentration samples, samples with diabetes correctly was measured in all seven manufacturing kits. However, as measured with insulinoma samples TFB, Siemens, Izotope, Cisbio kits were correctly measured, but Biosource and Immunotech kits were measured 47.4 ${\mu}IU/ml$, 72.3 ${\mu}IU/ml$, respectively. Conclusion : Serum Insulin radioimmunoassay kits were showed excellent precision, correlation and good recovery rate. However, some kits were not measured correctly in the high concentration insulin values. when selecting a kit should be considered many factors that cost effectiveness, compatible for automation equipment, high performance kit, the environment for each laboratory such as reaction time and reporting time.

• Korean Security Journal
• /
• no.58
• /
• pp.81-106
• /
• 2019

This study analyzed safety management system against disasters perceived by local residents of Chungcheongbuk-do and then examined the policy directions to be considered in order for local governments to improve the safety level of residents and build an effective safety management system against disasters. The findings were as follows. First, in their recognition of risks of safety against disasters, recognition on the possibility of the occurrence of natural disasters was higher than that of social disasters or safety accidents. Secondly, also in the aspect of the importance of category of safety management against disasters, they recognized that of natural disasters far higher than others. Third, they showed satisfaction higher than average with basic job performance of local governments related with safety management, whereas they showed relatively less satisfaction with the aspects of check and publicity of risk factors, and short-term restoration system out of phased job performance. Fourth, in the aspect of capability of local governments for safety management against disasters, they rated positively capability of the responsible departments and the professionality, whereas they relatively underestimated the scale or budget of safety-related organizations. Fifth, the policy directions to be taken for safety against disasters by local governments included strengthening of regular education like experience-based training, expansion of education among local residents, more support for relevant facilities and resources, activation of residents-participating campaigns, improvement of apparatus and personnel treatment related with firefighting and security, frequent patrol and oversight, more exercises against disasters. So, to strengthen safety management system against disasters in local governments and build a effective responding system may need to extend programs assisting vulnerable class to safety against disasters, build a community-friendly safety management system, extend the cooperation system by participation of residents, enhance collaboration and support system with safety-related bodies like police, firefighters.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.127-156
• /
• 2006

This paper introduced successful case studies of the EIP (Entrepreneurship Intensive Programs) programs that are planed by 5MBA (Small and Medium Business Administration) and executed by Hoseo University and Jinju National University in 2004. Therefore, the illustrations and examples used in this paper are based on the EIP programs of those schools. Currently there are five graduate schools for Entrepreneurship educations that are originated from the EIP program models and those graduateschools are actively and successfully working. The purpose of this paper is to find out the diffusing strategies of the Entrepreneurship spirits and Entrepreneurship Education programs after careful analysis and review of the EIP programs. The main factors of the Success of the EIP are as follows. First, there were excellent modules of the education process. Second, there were firm and clear goals of the education. Three, there were differentiated contents of the entrepreneurship education programs. Four. each and every education performance was monitored. Five, during the programs, real start-up cases were actually handled and students had many opportunities to present their cases. However, there were some shortcomings to improve and change of the entrepreneurship education. First of all, it was very difficult to make proper education formation that is fit in the purpose of the program. Second, motivating students to find out their own business opportunities so as to turn them into real business was not satisfactory or easy. Third, there were some limitations in distributing and executing the EIP budgets. Therefore, to improve the efficiency of the Entrepreneurship education, following expanding strategies should be complemented. First, continuous redesigning of the entrepreneurship education programs is very important. Second, the specialization of the contents of the entrepreneurship education programs is essential. Third, there should be some discretionary room for the management of the entrepreneurship programs. Fourth, it is also important activating the entrepreneurship networks among schools of the entrepreneurship education. Finally, it is necessary to give some incentives and motivations based on the proper performance evaluation system.