• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2000

Objectives : This study was undertaken to evaluate correlation between the levels of hippuric acid in blood plasma (HAP) and those of toluene concentration in the workplace air. Methods : Study subjects were composed of two groups; 21 workers who were occupationally exposed to toluene and 25 rural-area residents who were not exposed to any known occupational toluene source, as an exposed group and a reference group, respectively. Mean age and work duration of the exposed was 42 years and five years, respectively. Mean age of the reference was 42 years. To determine toluene concentrations in the workplace air, air sampling has been conducted for more than six hours using a personal sampler, and analyzed by a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. Concentrations of hippuric acid in biological samples were determined by a high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detector. Results : Geometric mean(geometric standard deviation) of HAP and hippuric acid in urine(HAU) for the exposed was 1.39(2.21) mg/L and 2.77(1.46) g/L, respectively, which were significantly different from those of the reference [HAP, 9.45(2.94); HAU, 0.37(0.45)]. Teluene concentration in the workplace air was 86.92(range: $45.18\sim151.23$)ppm. The level of HAP or HAU was significantly correlated (r=0.70 and r=0.63, respectively) with that of toluene in the workplace air. The estimated regression equation was logHAP(mg/L)=-3.60+1.93 log(toluene, ppm) or logHAU(g/L)=-0.85+0.67 log(toluene, ppm). The magnitude of correlation was further enhanced when analyzing relationship between toluene concentrations lower than 100 ppm and its corresponding HAP levels. Conclusion : Overall, plasma hippuric acid levels were well correlated with toluene concentrations in the workplace air, and a statistically significant correlation was observed for the samples with toluene concentration lower than 100 ppm.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2021

This paper is to establish a basis for a dose reduction strategy by confirming correlations with the factors that may affect the radiation dose based on the dose records in low-dose chest CT and abdominal non-contrast CT. In order to find out the causes of unnecessary exposure, the correlation between seven factors (age, gender, height, weight, BMI, patient status [inpatient and outpatient], and use of dose modulation) and CT dose were identified. Logistic regression was used as the statistical analysis for correlation verification. In the low dose chest CT, as the higher values of height and BMI and dose modulation off were associated with lowering the risk exceeding Diagnostic Reference Levels(DRL) (odds ration<1, p<0.05). However, as woman compared to man and the higher values of weight were associated with highering the risk exceeding DRL (odds ration>1, p<0.05). In the abdomen CT, as dose modulation off were associated with lowering the risk exceeding DRL (odds ration<1, p<0.05). Therefore It is necessary to conduct research on the relationship between various factors affecting radiation exposure and patient radiation dose for reducing the dose.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.304-313
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• 2010

Out of the tenth graders of K girl's high school in J city, 24 students whose %fat was over 30% were divided into 3 groups through Purposing Sampling. Groups A and B were exercise groups and C was the control group. Using Borg's RPE (rating of perceived exertion), RPE 15-17 (hard-very hard) $\times$ 3 sets were set up for group A, RPE 11-13 (fairly light-somewhat hard) $\times$ 3 sets were set up for group B, and both groups performed step aerobics (step box: 68cm in length, 28cm in width, 15cm in hight, 450g in weight) for 50-60 minutes a day, 3 days a week for 8 weeks in total. This research was conducted to find out the effects of various RPE in step aerobics on the immunologic function (neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, basophil, IgG, IgA, and IgM levels) of overweight female high school students. By using SPSS Ver. 14.0, a repeated two-way ANOVA was conducted to find out the effects of interaction between the groups and time period, paired t-test to evaluate data within each group, and pre- and post experiment difference rates (%diff) to perform one-way ANOVA for group comparisons. The following results were found. As for WBC, within group A, neutrophil, monocyte, basophil, and eosinophil levels increased, while lymphocyte levels remained the same. Within group B, eosinophil levels decreased while neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, and basophil levels showed no differences. Within the control group, neutrophil, basophil, and eosinophil levels decreased while lymphocyte and monocyte levels showed no differences. As for the group comparisons, neutrophil levels increased more in group A than group B and the control group. There were no differences in lymphocyte levels among the three groups. Monocyte levels increased more in group A and B than the control group. Basophil and Eosinophil increased more in group A than group B and the control group. As for immunoglobin, within group A, the IgG level increased but the levels of IgA and IgM did not change. Within group B, the IgA level increased but the level of IgG decreased, and the level of IgM did not change. Within the control group, the IgG level decreased but the levels of IgA and IgM did not change. As for the group comparisons, the level of IgA increased more in group A than the control group, and the level of IgG increased more in group A than group B and the control group, but levels of IgM among the three groups did not show any difference. In summary, WBC and Ig levels showed that the three groups remained at the reference interval even after the exercise program. However, group A, which performed RPE 15-17 in step aerobics, showed increase in more measured items than the other groups, and this implies that the immunologic function has improved in the range of the reference intervals. Therefore, it will be effective to conduct step aerobics with the RPE 15-17 (hard-very hard) in order to increase the immunologic function.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2605-2610
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• 2016

The International Myeloma Working Group considers the serum free light chain (SFLC) assay to be an adjunct to traditional tests. Apart from the FLC ratio, the absolute values of individual free light chains also are gaining importance as they appear to be more relevant in certain clinical settings. Automated assays are available for their determination. As laboratories put new test systems into use catering to different disease populations, they are required by accreditation and certification bodies to verify or establish performance specifications, including reference intervals (RIs) representative of their population. Our aim was to establish local RIs for SFLC in a multicentre representative healthy population using a robust method. There was no significant relationship between SFLC levels and age, gender and creatinine levels. The 95% RI for ${\kappa}SFLC$ was 4.81 to 33.86mg/L, for ${\lambda}$ SFLC was 5.19 to 23.67mg/L and for ${\kappa}/{\lambda}SFLC$ was 0.36 to 2.33, significantly higher than the values given by the manufacturer. The ${\kappa}/{\lambda}$ SFLC ratio at 2.23, covering 100% of the data, showed 72% sensitivity (95% CI=39.0 - 94.0), 100% specificity (95% CI=71.5 - 100.0), 100% PPV (95% CI=21.5 - 100.0), 95% NPV (95% CI=75.4 - 99.9), and 79% accuracy (95% CI=56.0 - 93.0). In the patient group, kit RI for ${\kappa}/{\lambda}$ SFLC ratio classified 45.5% (n=5) as positive vs 9.1% (n=1) positive by the study RI, while the kit RI for kappa FLC classified 90.9% (n=10) as positive vs 54.5% (n=6), indicating increased probability of false positive test results with the kit RI when applied to our patient population. Appropriate and specific reference intervals and criteria values result in fewer false-positive and false-negative results which means fewer wrong or missed diagnoses.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2006

Purpose : The reliability of hair mineral analyses regarding nutritional status, environmental exposure or diseases is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the normal reference range of hair mineral concentration of Korean children. Methods : We examined hair mineral concentrations of 223 children(3-12 yrs old, 110 boys, 113 girls, mean age $8.8{\pm}2.2$ yrs old) living in the northern area of Seoul. The trace elements including six toxic elements(Al, As, Cd, Ba, Hg, Pb) and 11 nutritional elements(Na, Mg, P, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se) were analyzed by inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS). Results : The mean concentrations of Ca and Mg were higher in girls than in boys. The mean concentrations of Cd, Pb and Cr were higher in boys than girls. The Zn, Ca, Mg, Cu and Hg levels in hair samples were positively correlated with increasing age. The Zn levels of the Korean children's hair samples appear to be lower than that of other countries' reference values. Conclusion : There are considerable differences in hair mineral concentrations by age, sex and race. Additional research is needed to establish Korean reference values, and to evaluate the usefulness of hair mineral analyses as a screening tool for nutrition- and environment-related childhood diseases.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.6.1-6.15
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• 2023

Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are occupational and environmental pollutants generated by the incomplete combustion of organic matter. Exposure to PAHs can occur in various occupations. In this study, we compared PAH exposure levels among occupations based on 4 urinary PAH metabolites in a Korean adult population. Methods: The evaluation of occupational exposure to PAHs was conducted using Second Korean National Environmental Health Survey data. The occupational groups were classified based on skill types. Four urinary PAH metabolites were used to evaluate PAH exposure: 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), 2-naphthol (2-NAP), 1-hydroxyphenanthrene (1-OHPHE), and 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-OHFLU). The fraction exceeding the third quartile of urinary concentration for each PAH metabolite was assessed for each occupational group. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for exceeding the third quartile of urinary PAH metabolite concentration were calculated for each occupational group compared to the "business, administrative, clerical, financial, and insurance" group using multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: The "guard and security" (OR: 2.949; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.300-6.691), "driving and transportation" (OR: 2.487; 95% CI: 1.418-4.364), "construction and mining" (OR: 2.683; 95% CI: 1.547-4.655), and "agriculture, forestry, and fisheries" (OR: 1.973; 95% CI: 1.220-3.191) groups had significantly higher ORs for 1-OHP compared to the reference group. No group showed significantly higher ORs than the reference group for 2-NAP. The groups with significantly higher ORs for 1-OHPHE than the reference group were "cooking and food service" (OR: 2.073; 95% CI: 1.208-3.556), "driving and transportation" (OR: 1.724; 95% CI: 1.059-2.808), and "printing, wood, and craft manufacturing" (OR: 2.255; 95% CI: 1.022-4.974). The OR for 2-OHFLU was significantly higher in the "printing, wood, and craft manufacturing" group (OR: 3.109; 95% CI: 1.335-7.241) than in the reference group. Conclusions: The types and levels of PAH exposure differed among occupational groups in a Korean adult population.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.197-202
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• 2006

This paper presents a study on the differential signaling for the rectangular power-bus structure. The full-wave modal analysis method analyzes how the differential-signaling can lower the power-bus resonance noise levels. The methodology is validated by the use of the FDTD method and reference measurements.

• Proceedings of The Korean Society of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.38-38
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• 2001

The rainfall estimates give sufficiently accurate information to map areas which have received the minimum rainfall necessary for outbreaks of pests such as locusts, thus cutting down the cost of searching for likely outbreak sites. At the other end of the scale, satellite rainfall estimates can be used to give timely warnings of changes in river levels and the likelihood of floods in large river catchments.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.436-439
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• 1999

This paper present a study on the interference levels on the communication lines, which are parallel to the electrified rails. The interference study is carried out using a circuit model approach. First, the self and shunt impedances of all the conductors in the rail system and the mutual impedances between different conductors are computed. Several different scenarios are analyzed, including the load condition and a few fault conditions with different fault locations. The induced potentials on the communication cables are computed. The effect of the buried ground wires is also analyzed by comparing the results with and without the presence of the ground wires. The results presented in the paper can be used as a reference for estimating interference levels in similar rail systems.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.86-92
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• 2000

Recently, the Korea National Railways (KNR) is undertaking a program of electrification of the existing railway routes. In order to implement the ongoing plan, KNR authorized a preliminary engineering study of its electrical systems. This effort included a comprehensive analysis of new grounding networks. The new grounding system runs in parallel with the rails and is connected to all metal structures such as rails, overhead protection wires and substation grounding grids etc., creating an equipotential ground network. This paper presents a study on coupling levels that can disturb signaling and telecommunications in adoption of the new grounding network The simulation for the study is carried out using Matlab software, Several different scenarios are analyzed, including the load condition and a few fault conditions with different fault locations. The induced potentials on the communication cables are computed. The effect of the buried ground wires is also analyzed by comparing the results with and without the presence of the ground wires, The results presented in the paper can be used as a reference for estimating coupling levels in similar rail systems.