• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.5094-5101
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• 2011

In order to investigate recurrence rate and risk factors for recurrence of gastric cancer after curative resection, we examined blood biochemical profile and clinicopathological features of 386 gastric cancer patients by using medical charts and data of hospital cancer registry from September 2010 to May 2011. Chi-square test and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors. The recurrence rate of all gastric cancer patients was 2.6%; The recurrence rate by gender was 3.45% in male and 0.89% in female, and that was 4 times higher in male than in female. On univariate logistic regression analyses, lymph node metastases(OR=8.793), Helicobactor pylori infecton(OR=6.495), abnormal total cholesterol(OR=14.333) were related to recurrence. On multivariate logistic regression analyses, lymph node metastases and H. pylori infection were very important risk factors for recurrence of gastric cancer. In conclusion, lymph node metastases, H. pylori infection, and total cholesterol control were very important to prevent recurrence of gastric cancer, and it needs to monitor blood biochemical (C-reactive protein, carcinoembryonic antigen, etc) for the early detection of gastric cancer recurrence.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.203-212
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• 2019

Objective: A total of five students at same middle school were reported to be diagnosed with pediatric leukemia (n=2), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, n=1) and aplastic anemia (n=2) between 2016 and 2017. The aims of this study are to assess exposure to environmental hazardous agents known to be associated with the risk of leukemia and to examine whether the environment of school is associated with the risk leukemia. Method: A total of 11 environmental agents causing childhood leukemia were monitored using international certified method in schools where patients had ever attended. Radon & Thoron detector was used to monitor real-time airborne radon and thoron level ($Bq/m^3$). Clinician interviewed two among nine patients who agreed to participate in this study in order to examine the association of demographic and genetic factors by individually. Leukemia, NHL, and aplastic anemia were grouped into lymphohematopoietic disorder (LHP). Results: Except for airborne radon level, no environmental agents in school and household where patients may be exposed were found to higher than recommended airborne level. Clinical investigation found no individual factors that may be associated with the risk of LHP. Higher airborne radon level than Korea EPA's airborne radon criteria ($148Bq/m^3$) was monitored at most of several after-class room of one elementary school, where two leukemia patients graduated. Significant radon level was not monitored at class-room. Significant exposure to radon of patients was not estimated based on time-activity pattern. Conclusions: Our results have concluded that there have been no environmental factors in school and household environment that may be associated the risk of LHP.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.230-246
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• 2023

Objectives: The climate crisis has arrived and heat-related illnesses are increasing. It is necessary to discover new high-heat risk industries and understand the environment . It is also necessary to prioritize risks of industries that have not been included in the management target to date. The study was intended to monitor and evaluate the thermal risk of high-priority workplaces. Methods: A prioritization method was developed based on five factors: occurrence of and death due to heat-related illnesses, work environment monitoring, indoor work rate, small heat source, and limited heat dissipation. it, was applied to industrial accidents caused by heat-related illnesses. Wet bulb temperature index and apparent temperature were measured in July and August at 24 workplaces in seven industries and assessed for thermal risk. Results: The wet bulb temperature index was in the range of 23.8~31.9℃, and exposure limits were exceeded in the growing of crops, food services activities and accommodation, and building construction. The apparent temperature was in the range of 26.8~36.7℃, and exceeded the temperature standard for issuing heatwave warnings in growing of crops, food services activities and accommodation, warehousing, welding, and building construction. Both temperature index in growing of crops and building construction were higher than the outside air temperature. Conclusions: In the workplace, risks in industries that have not be controlled and recognized through existing systems was identified. it is necessary to provide break times according to the work-rest time ratio required during dangerous time period.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.343-349
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• 2012

Exposure and risk assessments were conducted to evaluate the relative safety of mixing/loading work of indoxacarb between wettable powder (WP) and water dispersible granule (WG). Hand exposure was monitored using cotton gloves while inhalation exposure was measured using personal air monitor. Method validation for the exposure monitoring was established successfully through several experiments. Limit of determination and limit of quantitation were 0.25 and 1 ng, respectively. $R^2$ of calibration curve linearity was more than 0.9999 and reproducibility was 0.7-6. Recovery of indoxacarb from gloves, solid sorbent and glass fiber filter at three different levels was 81.5-108.8%. Trapping efficiency and breakthrough tests gave 981.5-108.8% of recovery. During mixing/loading procedure, hand exposure amount (75 percentile of 30 repetitions) for indoxacarb WP was 6 folds (459.8 mg/kg a.i) than that of WG (81.4 mg/kg a.i). This result indicates that WG has less drift than WP thanks to its granular type of formulation. Inhalation amount was $10^{-8}-10^{-7}%$ of spray mixture prepared and $10^{-4}-10^{-3}%$ of hand exposure. In inhalation case, no significant differences were observed between two formulations. Margin of safety was calculated for risk assessment using male Korean average body weight and acceptable operator exposure level as the important exposure factors. Mixing/loading procedures for both of the formulations were considered to be of least risk because calculated MOS values were more than 1.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.434-451
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• 2017

For this study, groundwater samples for 3 years from 2011 through 2013 were collected at 106 groundwater monitoring site in Korea. These groundwater samples were analyzed for 13 pesticides such as cabofuran, pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, simazine, atrazine, lindane (gamma-HCH), alachlor, heptachlor, chlordane (total), endosulfan (1, 2), dieldrin, endrin, 4,4-DDT. The objectives of this study were to determine the detection frequency and their concentrations of 13 pesticides and evaluate the health risk level considering ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact using concentrations of 13 pesticides in groundwater samples. An analysis was used for the simultaneous determination for 13 pesticides using GC-MS. GC-MS was performed on HP-5ms, using helium ($1ml\;min^{-1}$) as carrier gas. The average recoveries of the pesticides were from 92.8% to 120.8%. The limits of detection (LODs) were between $0.004{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and $0.118{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were between $0.012{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and $0.354{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$. 106 groundwater wells were selected. 54 wells were from well to monitor background groundwater quality and 52 wells were from well to monitor groundwater quality in industrial or contamination source area. Eight pesticides including pentachlorobenzene, lindane (Gamma-HCH), heptachlor, chlordane (total), Endosulfan (1, 2), dieldrin, endrin, and 4,4-DDT were not detected in groundwater samples. The detection frequency for hexachlorobenzene, alachlor, carbofuran and simazine was 23.4%, 11.4%, 7.3%, and 1.0%, respectively. Atrazine was detected once in 2011. The average concentrations were $0.00423{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for carbofuran, $0.000243{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for alachlor, $0.00015{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for simazine, and $0.00001{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for hexachlorobenzene. The detection frequency of hexachlorobenzene was high, but the average concentration was low. In the contaminated groundwater, the detection frequency for hexachlorobenzene, alachlor, carbofuran, simazine and atrazine was 26.1%, 21.3%, 7.1%, 1.9% and 0.3%, respectively. In the uncontaminated groundwater, detection frequency for hexachlorobenzene, carbofuran and alachlor were 20.2%, 7.5%, and 1.9% respectively. Simazine and atrazine were not detected at uncontaminated groundwater wells. According to the purpose of groundwater use, atrazine was detected for agricultural groundwater use. Hexachlorobenzene showed high detection frequency at agricultural groundwater use area where the animal feeding area and golf course area were located. Alachlor showed more than 50% detection frequency at cropping area, pollution concern river area, and golf course area. Atrazine was detected in agricultural water use area. By land use, the maximum detection frequency of alachlor was found near an orchard. For human risk assessment, the cancer risk for the 5 pesticides was between $10^{-7}$ and $10^{-10}$, while the non-cancer risk (HQ value) was between $10^{-4}$ and $10^{-6}$. For conclusion, these monitoring study needs to continue because of the possibility of groundwater contamination based on various purpose of groundwater use.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2012

Licorice is a very useful herbal medicine frequently prescribed, but glycyrrhizin, one of its components, can cause pseudoaldosteronism presenting hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis and hypertension as a result of prolonging a biological half-life of systemic steroid by strongly inhibiting the enzyme $11{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2. The risk factors for this side effect are still unclear. Here, 479 hospitalized patients taking herbal medicines including licorice for more than five days were recruited to analyze their serum potassium levels, under following parameters ; age and gender of patient, dose and period of licorice, disease state such as hypertension and with or without diuretics. They were divided into the non-occurrence group (over 3.5 mEq/L) and the occurrence group (under 3.5 mEq/L) of hypokalemia based on serum potassium levels during hospitalization. The average ages of the non-occurrence group and the occurrence group were $52.6{\pm}17.8$ and $68{\pm}10.5$, respectively (p < 0.001). But there were no noticeable differences in the daily dose of licorice, days of taking, and total dose between groups. Regression analysis showed that odd ratio of age (>60) and taking diuretics inducing hypokalemia was 3.5 (95%CI 1.5-8.1), 4.6 (95%CI 2.0-10.9) that indicates significant correlation with hypokalemia. Based upon this analysis, it is imperative to monitor regularly the risk of pseudoaldosteronism or hypokalemia not only when administered licorice of high dose for long period but also when combined it with diuretics causing hypokalemia to the elderly patients over 60 year old.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.498-502
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• 2004

The current study was conducted to monitor the possibility of the gene transfer among soil bacteria, including the effect of drift due to rain and surface water, in relation to the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment. Four types of bacteria, each with a distinct antibiotic marker, kanamycin-resistant P. fluorescens, rifampicin-resistant P. putida, chloramphenicol-resistant B. subtilis, and spectinomycin-resistant B. subtilis, were plated using a small-scale soil-core device designed to track drifting microorganisms. After three weeks of culture in the device, no Pseudomonas colonies resistant to both kanamycin and rifampicin were found. Likewise, no Bacillus colonies resistant to both chloramphenicol and spectinomycin were found. The gene transfer from glyphosate-tolerant soybeans to soil bacteria, including Rhizobium spp. as a symbiotic bacteria, was examined by hybridization using the DNA extracted from soil taken from pots, in which glyphosate-tolerant soybeans had been growing for 6 months. The results showed that 35S, T-nos, and EPSPS were observed in the positive control, but not in the DNA extracted from the soilborne microorganisms. In addition, no transgenes, such as the 35S promoter, T-nos, and EPSPS introduced into the GMO soybeans were detected in soilborne bacteria, Rhizobium leguminosarum, thereby strongly rejecting the possibility of gene transfer from the GMO soybeans to the bacterium.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.2141-2146
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• 2013

Cervical cancer is the third most common form of cancer that strikes Malaysian women. The National Cancer Registry in 2006 and 2007 reported that the age standardized incidence (ASR) of cervical cancer was 12.2 and 7.8 per 100,000 women, respectively. The cumulative risk of developing cervical cancer for a Malaysian woman is 0.9 for 74 years. Among all ethnic groups, the Chinese experienced the highest incidence rate in 2006, followed by Indians and Malays. The percentage cervical cancer detected at stage I and II was 55% (stage I: 21.0%, stage II: 34.0%, stage III: 26.0% and stage IV: 19.0%). Data from Ministry of Health Malaysia (2006) showed a 58.9% estimated coverage of pap smear screening conducted among those aged 30-49 years. Only a small percentage of women aged 50-59 and 50-65 years old were screened, 14% and 13.8% coverage, respectively. Incidence of cervical cancer was highest (71.6%) among those in the 60-65 age group (MOH, 2003). Currently, there is no organized population-based screening program available for the whole of Malaysia. A pilot project was initiated in 2006, to move from opportunistic cervical screening of women who attend antenatal and postnatal visits to a population based approach to be able to monitor the women through the screening pathway and encourage women at highest risk to be screened. The project was modelled on the screening program in Australia with some modifications to suit the Malaysian setting. Substantial challenges have been identified, particularly in relation to information systems for call and recall of women, as well as laboratory reporting and quality assurance. A cost-effective locally-specific approach to organized screening, that will provide the infrastructure for increasing participation in the cervical cancer screening program, is urgently required.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.215-220
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• 2016

The global cultivation area of genetically modified crops (GM crops) has been increasing every year. Cultivation of GM crops is not only beneficial to the economy but also has positive effects on the environment in decreasing the use of agrochemicals, chemical fertilizers, and agricultural machinery. However, there have been controversies about the admixture of GM crops and non-GM crops and the unintentional release of GM crops to the environment. Especially in Korea, where consumption of agricultural products is import-dependent, the economic importance of GM crops has been a significant issue. The Act on import and distribution of GM crops was established in 2001 to start the management of GM crops in Korea. Recently, the imported amount of GM crops to Korea has reached over 10 million tons and is increasing very rapidly; consequently, the potential environmental impact of GM crops is becoming a big issue in Korea. In Japan, the discovery of imported GM canola plants around ports in 2005 raised awareness of the unintentional release of GM crops. In Korea, GM maize plants were also found in port and feed factory surroundings from 2005 to 2007. It is now necessary to monitor imported GM crops by tracing distribution, transport process for practical environmental risk assessment. Possible gene transfer from GM crops to non-GM crops should also be investigated in the cultivation area and the surroundings as well.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2015

Blastocystis sp. is a common zoonotic intestinal protozoa which has been classified into 17 subtypes (STs). A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis in villagers living on the Thai-Myanmar border, where the risk of parasitic infection is high. A total of 207 stool samples were collected and DNA was extracted. PCR and sequencing using primers targeting small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene were performed. The prevalence of Blastocystis infection was 37.2% (77/207). ST3 (19.8%; 41/207) was the predominant subtype, followed by ST1 (11.6%; 24/207), ST2 (5.3%; 11/207), and ST4 (0.5%; 1/207). A phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the maximum likelihood (ML) method based on the Hasegawa-Kishino-Yano + G + I model. The percentage of bootstrapped trees in which the associated taxa clustered together was relatively high. Some sequences of Blastocystis positive samples (TK18, 39, 46, 71, and 90) were closely related to animals (pig and cattle) indicating zoonotic risks. Therefore, proper health education in parasitic prevention for the villagers should be promoted to improve their personal hygiene. Further longitudinal studies are required to monitor the prevalence of parasitic infections after providing health education and to investigate Blastocystis ST in animals living in these villages.