• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.97-99
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• 2002

A radiation incident took place during treatment on MEDNIF Tele cobalt-60 therapy machine in B.P.KOIRALA MEMORIAL CANCER HOSPITAL in Bharatpur, Nepal. This Chinese made machine has activity of 6240 Curies of cobalt -60. This machine has fulfilled safety requirements. ICRP recommendations, safety rules are followed and practiced. The source was struck up during treatment and a technician was exposed to equivalent dose of 13.75 mSv. recorded by Personal film badge. Risks of workers are comparable to other safe industries. All exposures shall be kept as low as reasonably possible. The higher level of safety is achieved only when every one is dedicated to common goal. A lesson is learnt for future. Good practice is essential but not sufficient. A high demand for tele Cobalt therapy convinced management to replace Mednif machine with a new efficient Elite Tele Cobalt theratron Machine.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.731-736
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• 2015

Background: Little is known about the news coverage of cancer risk factors in Korea. This study aimed to examine how the news media encompasses a wide array of content regarding cancer risk factors and related cancer sites, and investigate whether news coverage of cancer risk factors is congruent with the actual prevalence of the disease. Materials and Methods: A content analysis was conducted on 1,138 news stories covered during a 5-year period between 2008 and 2012. The news stories were selected from nationally representative media in Korea. Information was collected about cancer risk factors and cancer sites. Results: Of various cancer risk factors, occupational and environmental exposures appeared most frequently in the news. Breast cancer was mentioned the most in relation to cancer sites. Breast, cervical, prostate, and skin cancer were overrepresented in the media in comparison to incidence and mortality cases, whereas lung, thyroid, liver, and stomach cancer were underrepresented. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this research is the first investigation dealing with news coverage about cancer risk factors in Korea. The study findings show occupational and environmental exposures are emphasized more than personal lifestyle factors; further, more prevalent cancers in developed countries have greater media coverage, not reflecting the realities of the disease. The findings may help health journalists and other health storytellers to develop effective ways to communicate cancer risk factors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.264-271
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• 1998

A pilot study was undertaken to examine the possible health effects of electromagnetic fields(EMFs). The purpose of this study was to investigate of the EMFs exposures of personal environment, 60Hz magnetic fields. An experimental study was performed for six weeks of January-February 1998 to compare changes in melatonin levels in urine of 20 subjects during their normal sleeping hours and each 20 subjects in occupational and non-occupational group measured personal 24-h continual exposure, using EMDEX II (for 40-800Hz, Enertech Consultant, Inc.). An urine samples were collected 3 times a day(before sleep or around 24:00 ; immediately after wake-up ; around noon) for an week from each subjects and analyzed by radioimmunoassay. This study did not significant difference for the subjective average melatonin levels between occupational and nonoccupational groups exposed to electromagnetic fields. The mean personal exposure levels of occupational group were $0.215{\mu}T$, whereas non-occupational group were $0.18{\mu}T$. Occupational group were exposed more highly while at work. Finally, this study would provide significant data for furture study of exposure assessment of magnetic fields. A large scale study concerning more detailed exposure assessment should provide important information on health risk assessment of MFs. Further study should provide information on the contribution of various sources and the relationship between melatonin and immune system activity.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.379-385
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• 2019

Radiation is used for various purposes such as cancer therapy, research of industrial and drugs. However, in case of radiation accidents such as terrorism, collapsing nuclear plant by natural disasters like Fukushima in 2011, very high radiation does expose to human and could lead to death. For this reason, many people are concerning about radiation exposures. Therefore, assessment and research of retrospective radiation dose to human by various path is an necessary task to be continuously developed. Radiation exposure for workers in radiation fields can be generally measured using a personal exposure dosimeter such as TLD, OSLD. However, general people can't be measured radiation doses when they are exposed to radiation. And even if radiation fields workers, when they do not in possession personal dosimeter, they also can't be measured exposure dose immediately. In this study, we conduct retrospective research on reconstruction of dose after exposure by using smart chip card of personal items through Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL). The OSL signal of smart chip card shows linear response from 0.06 Gy to 15 Gy and results of fading rate 45 %, 48% for 24 and 48 hours due to the natural emission of radiation in sample, respectively. The minimum detectable limit (MDD) was 0.38 mGy. This values are expected to use as correction values for reconstruction of exposure dose.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.371-381
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• 2023

Evaluating the effectiveness of the radiation protection measures deployed at the Centralized Radioactive Waste Management Facility in Ghana is pivotal to guaranteeing the safety of personnel, public and the environment, thus the need for this study. Radiagem^TM 2000 was used in measuring the dose rate of the facility whilst the personal radiation exposure of the personnel from 2011 to 2022 was measured from the thermoluminescent dosimeter badges using Harshaw 6600 Plus Automated TLD Reader. The decay store containing scrap metals from dismantled disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRS), and low-level wastes measured the highest dose rate of 1.06 ± 0.92 µSv·h^-1. The range of the mean annual average personnel dose equivalent is 0.41-2.07 mSv. The annual effective doses are below the ICRP limit of 20 mSv. From the multivariate principal component analysis biplot, all the personal dose equivalent formed a cluster, and the cluster is mostly influenced by the radiological data from the outer wall surface of the facility where no DSRS are stored. The personal dose equivalents are not primarily due to the radiation exposures of staff during operations with DSRS at the facility but can be attributed to environmental radiation, thus the current radiation protection measures at the Facility can be deemed as effective.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.1 s.23
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• pp.132-151
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• 1988

This study was conducted to establish the control program for preventing unfavorable health effects of nitrogen dioxide($NO_2$) exposure in homes by preparing the fundamental data for evaluation of relation-ships between $NO_2$ levels and influencing factors through measurements of indoor-outdoor $NO_2$ levels and personal $NO_2$ exposures for housewives with questionnaire survey on 172 homes in Pusan area from April to June, 1987 $NO_2$ measurements were made by using diffusion tube samplers(Palmes tube $NO_2$ sampler) for one week at 4 sites in homes ; kitchen(KIT), bedroom(BED), living room(LIV), outdoor(OUT) and near the collar of housewives(personal exposure livel, PNO). The details of questionnaire were number of household members(FAM), number of regular smokers (SMOKER), daily number of meals eaten(MEAL), type of housing units(HOUSE), location of house with distance from the heavy traffic roads as walking time(DIST), and of kitchen(KAREA), kind of cooking fuels(FUEL), cooking time of each meal(CTIME), usage of kitchen fan for cooking(FAN), type of heating facilities(HEAT) and so on of subject homes. The Obtained results were as fellows : 1) The mean $NO_2$ level was significantly higher at indoors than outdoors(p<0.01) and the kitchen $NO_2$ level was the highest with $33.7{\pm}13.6ppb$(9.5-81.5ppb). The mean personal exposure level of $NO_2$ for housewives was $20.6{\pm}8.8ppb$(3.1-46.9ppb). 2) The mean indoor $NO_2$ level was significantly higher in the group of household members above 5 than below 4(p<0.05), in detached dwellings than apartments(p<0.001), within 5 minutes of distance than over 5 minutes(p<0.001), in the group of unusing fan(p<0.001), in the group of longer cooking time(p<0.001), and it was in order of coal briquette, gas, electricity and oil by kind of cooking fuels(p<0.05). 3) Variables showing significant correlation(p<0.001) with indoor $NO_2$ level were kitchen $NO_2$ level(r=0.8677), cooking time(r=0.5921), outdoor $NO_2$ level(r=0.5192), personal $NO_2$ exposure level(r=0.4615), usage of kitchen fan(r=0.3573) and location of house(r=-0.2988) 4) As a result of multiple regression analysis, the most significant influencing variable to the kitchen $NO_2$ level was cooking time[KIT=$-0.378{\pm}11.772$(CTIME)+0.298(OUT)+3.102(FAN)], it was kitchen $NO_2$ level to the indoor $NO_2$ level[IND=6.996+0.458(KIT)+0.230(OUT)-1.127(KAREA)], and it was indoor $NO_2$ level to the personal $NO_2$ exposure level[PNO=15.562+0.729(IND)-4.542(DIST)-0.200(KIT)] 5) It was recognized that aritificial ventilation in the kitchen, suppression of unnecessary combustion and replacement of cooking fuel, as much as possible, were effective means for decreasing indoor $NO_2$ levels in homes.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.324-333
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation relationship between personal exposure and urinary hippuric acid in biological monitoring for airborne toluene in an industrial complex and in general environments. Methods: Personal exposure to toluene and its metabolite, hippuric acid, in urine were simultaneously measured in occupational environments area near an industrial complex and in general environments. The study subjects were divided into three types: 137 workers who use organic solvents in the workplace, 210 residents living near a dyeing industrial complex, and 379 residents living in general environments. The toluene exposures of workers and residents were measured by a passive sampler for four days. The urine of participants was sampled when the passive samplers of personal exposure were collected. Results: The toluene and hippuric acid concentrations of workers were the highest, followed by the concentrations of residents living near a dyeing industrial complex and residents living in general environments. The coefficient of correlation between the concentrations of toluene and hippuric acid among workers was 0.749 (p<0.01) in the workplace. On the contrary, correlations between the concentrations of toluene and hippuric acid among residents living near a dyeing industrial complex and residents living in general environments were all not significant. The relationship between the concentrations of hippuric acid and toluene in three types could be described by the exponential growth model. Conclusions: This study analyzed the relationships between toluene exposure and the concentrations of hippuric acid in urine in high, middle, and low exposure environments, and could be described by the exponential growth model.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1-7
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• 2000

There is increasing evidence suggestion that passive smoking increases the risk of lung cancer and other disease, though the potential health effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a controversial subject. Since smoking in restaurant is prevalent in Korea, the concern on passive smoking exposure of non-smoking service-workers has been requested. ETS exposure of non-smoking service-workers at restaurant was assessed because they hare spent their times in restaurant indoors. The purpose of this study was feasibility of nitrogen dioxide($NO_2$) as exposure marker of ETS. The results of the study were as follows; 1. Average $NO_2$ concentrations in indoor and outdoor t restaurants were 57.1ppb(${\pm}12.4$) and 54.29ppb(${\pm}9.54$), respectively. Comparing office-workers, service-workers at restaurants were exposured highly. 2. The personal $NO_2$ measurement as exposure marker of ETS could cause the exposure error because $NO_2$ can be generated by combustion appliances in indoor. 3. Service-workers spent their most time(86.6%) in indoor. Mean time spent at restaurant indoors and at home was 9.4 hours and 10.9 hours, respectively. 4. Personal $NO_2$ levels correlated with indoor $NO_2$ concentrations of restaurant (r=0.70) and of their home (r=0.52) rather than of outdoor $NO_2$ concentration of restaurant (r=0.35). The cause of personal $NO_2$ exposure of non-smoking service-workers were considered as smoking of guests and combustion appliance indoors. 5. personal $NO_2$ exposures were estimated using Monte-Carlo simulation and time-weighted model. Estimated personal $NO_2$ level was 47.25ppb(${\pm}8.3$).

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.68-77
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• 2000

This study was performed to evaluate tannin exposure by wooddusts for workers in furniture factories and to investigate the relationship between tannin exposure and sino-nasal cancer risk. In order to explore possible cytological changes leading to nasal cancer, we have examined 50 male furniture workers and 50 matched controls using brush cytology. The results we have obtained in this study were as follows: 1. The tannin contents of woods used in woodworking factories have been measured and varied from 0.43 to 8.72 mg tannic acid equivalent per gram wood, for reconstituted softwood and turpentine (Syncarpia glomuliferia) respectively. 2. Airborne tannins in wooddusts were also determined by area and personal exposure. The values of mean exposures for both methods are ranged from 3.1 to $5.0{\mu}g/m^3$ and from 4.6 to $14.5{\mu}g/m^3$ in furniture manufactures. 3. Over nasal cytology scores 2, the scores of study group were slightly more than control group and this kind of metaplasias seemed to be occurred over $2mg/m^3$ wooddust and $6{\mu}g/m^3$ tannin exposure. Keratinising squamous metaplasia was investigated at nasal cytology score 3 and $10{\mu}g/m^3$ tannin exposure. The nasal cytology score 4 was seemed to be atypical squamous metaplasia. 4. To find out contributing factors to nasal cytology change, odds ratio that is one of fundmental biostatistics was applied. Actually the relationship between wooddust, tannin concentration and metaplasia were not meaningful, but the relationship between working experence more than 15 years and metaplasia was calculated as 1.83. This reveals that significant clinical abnormalities could be influenced from the years of woodworking experiences. However further research is required to evaluate the significance of the data, for the purposes of sino-nasal risk assessment, standard setting to prevent nasal cancer occurrences and possibility of changing workplace.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2011

The incidence of asbestos-related diseases (ARD) has increased in the last four decades. In view of the historical use of asbestos in Singapore since the country started banning it in phases in 1989 and the long latency of the disease, the incidence of ARD can be expected to increase further. As occupational exposure to asbestos still occurs, preventive measures to eliminate ARD continue to be required to protect the health of both workers and the public from asbestos exposure. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos at present occur during the removal of old buildings. Preventive measures have been utilized by different government ministries and agencies in eliminating ARD in Singapore over the past 40 years. These measures have included the enforcement of legislation, substitution with safer materials, and engineering controls during asbestos removal as well as improvements in personal hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment. The existing Workman's Compensation System for ARD should be further refined, given that is currently stipulates that claims for asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma be made within 36 and 12 months after ceasing employment.