• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.273-284
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• 2019

Objective: This study was performed to estimate the number of those who used humidifier disinfectants (HDs) and experienced health effects from exposure to HDs in Korea between 1994 and 2011. Methods: A nationwide interview survey was conducted for the representative sample to identify the proportion of those who used HDs among the general population (n=3,001). Another online survey was conducted for those exposed to HDs to find the proportion of those who experienced health effects among those who were exposed to HDs (n=3,993). Statistics for population size by region and year (1994-2011) were used to estimate the cumulative number of those exposed to HDs and those who experienced health effects. In terms of the proportion of those exposed to HDs, those less than 30 years of age were excluded due to an issue related to information bias. Various approaches for estimation included the capture-recapture method for estimation of those who experienced health effects. Results: The cumulative proportion of those exposed to HDs was 6.7% among the general population, and the proportion of those who experienced health effects among those who were exposed to HDs was 13.9%. Based on these factors, it was estimated that 3.5 to 4.0 million people were exposed to HDs and 350 to 400 thousand experienced health effects at least requiring visiting a hospital. Conclusion: It is suggested that a nationwide representative sample may be essential for population size estimation of those exposed to environmental risk factors and of those who experienced health effects.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.424-433
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gender difference in injury experience on biomechanical variables of lower extremity during two leg drop landing. 20 male(injury experience=8, non-injury experience=12) and 20 female(injury experience=11, non-Injury Experience=9) in their 20's were selected as subjects. Two-way mixed ANOVA was performed on the biomechanical variables obtained from the two leg drop landing in a 45cm height box and post-test was performed with bonferroni adjustment(p <.05). The results of this study suggest that the group of female who injury experience could induce the reduction of the peak vertical ground reaction force by increasing the valgus and internal rotation of the knee joint and flexion and internal rotation of the hip joint. In the INE(injury non-experienced) female group, the peak knee flexion angle was the smallest, as well as the flexion of the hip joint and the external rotation angle, and the peak vertical ground reaction force was the highest. On the other hand, the INE female group showed high vertical ground reaction force because they did not utilize the knee and hip joints relatively than the IE(injury experienced) female group, this means that it is relatively exposed to the risk of injury. Therefore, it was found that gender difference in injury experience is a factor affecting factors of knee and hip joint movement and peak vertical GRF(ground reaction force).

• 재활복지
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.31-54
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to explore the improvement method of the emergency safety system as a social protection scheme for the elderly living alone with severe disabilities. The study was conducted by randomly choosing three regions in the metropolitan area (Jongno-gu, Seoul), the small-medium city (Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do) and the rural area (Geochang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do) among 17 cities and counties nationwide. The study method is based on the interview form of the structured questionnaires with city officials, county officials, and center operators. According to the results of the interview analysis, it was recognized that there was a need for an emergency safety system for the elderly living alone with severe disabilities. In spite of this necessity, there were problems about publicity for the discovery of victims of the blind spot in welfare, about inconvenience due to frequent malfunctions of the emergency equipment, about insufficient awareness of the security of the emergency officials and about supply and demand of manpower for 24-hour monitoring service. In order to improve the effective operation of the emergency safety system, it was the most urgent issue to formulate the legislation for responding to the crisis management of the vulnerable. A suggestion of this study is to build a safety system in which one-stop service is provided for the realization of compact welfare through the establishment of a MOU for linkage with community organizations, the full inspection of emergency equipment to solve safety equipment malfunction problems and the manpower supplement for 24-hour monitoring.

• 한국노년학
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.127-140
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• 2010

This study aims to understand the effects of a Computer - based Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy(CBCRT) evidence based on mild dementia patients' ability to activities daily living(ADL), cognitive function and measure of occupational performance and to suggest basic data for a cognitive rehabilitation therapy for dementia patients. Method : A CBCRT was applied two times a week for 5 weeks to 14 mild dementia patients who visited Yongin Center for Managing Dementia in Gyeongi-do between February and August 2009. Based on frame of reference for Visual-Perception a CBCRT was applied at home. Moreover, a one group pretest-post test design was, which is a quasi-experiment and research, also applied in order to verify the effects of the rehabilitation therapy on the subjects' ability to ADL, cognitive function and occupational performance skills. Results: A significant effect was confirmed (p<.05) from the CBCRT which Assessment of Motor and Process Skills(AMPS) processing skills and cognitive function and occupational performance skills. Neither was found any significant effect in improving motor skills from AMPS. Conclusion: It seems that a CBCRT based on evidence and has an effect on the improvement of the ability to ADL and cognitive function of mild dementia patients living in a community. The present author hopes that, in the future, more cognitive rehabilitation programs will be developed to improve the functions of mild dementia patients living in a community.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.329-349
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to examine whether there are differences in participation in social activities and the effects of social activity types on the levels of happiness of the Korean older adults by age groups. The 5th wave(2014) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) was used and a total of 3,273 elderly were selected from the 5th wave, who were 65 years old and older and who were not living with their offsprings. Chi-square test, ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used. The rate of participation in economic activities declined with age and the levels of participation in leisure activities was higher in the young-old group in comparison to the middle- and the oldest- old groups. The levels of participation in family activities was higher in the middle- and the oldest-old groups in comparison to the young-old group. Socializing activities and religious activities measured by the frequencies of activities were not significantly different among the age groups. The results of a regression analysis of social activity types and their effects on happiness by age groups are the followings: 1) Leisure, socializing, religious, and family activities all (with the exception of economic activities) significantly affected the level of happiness of older persons in the young-old group. 2) However, only socializing and family activities in the middle-old age group, and only family activities in oldest-old group, had a statistically significant impact on the levels of happiness. These results support that the rates of participation in the five types of social activities and their effects on the levels of happiness were different by age groups. The implication of this study was to report that needs and the interests of older individuals are different by age groups based on empirical evidences.

• The Korean Journal of Medicine
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• v.93 no.6
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• pp.548-555
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• 2018

Background/Aims: Assessment of fluid status in hemodialysis patents is very important. Overhydration in hemodialysis is associated with generalized edema, cardiovascular complications, and hypertension. The aim of this study was to determine the factors correlated with mortality of hemodialysis patients, assessing body muscle mass and fluid status using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Methods: This study enrolled 93 patients who underwent hemodialysis between January 2010 and May 2015 at CHA Bundang Medical Center. Medical records of enrollees up to June 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. These included laboratory results (serum albumin, C-reactive protein [CRP], lipid profile, etc.) and BIA data (extracellular water, intracellular water, total body water, soft lean mass, fat free mass, skeletal muscle mass, etc.). Results: Eleven of 93 patients had expired by May 2017. Among the surviving subjects, mean age was younger, CRP levels were lower, albumin levels were higher, and extracellular water/total body water (ECW/TBW) ratios were lower than in the expired patient group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that overhydration (ECW/TBW > 0.4) was associated with higher mortality. Conclusions: In hemodialysis patients, overhydration is an important factor in mortality, and BIA could be a reliable modality in its assessment. We suggest that, for hemodialysis patients, overhydration is more of a risk factor for mortality than is muscle wasting.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.432-445
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• 2018

Vegetation and water characteristics of an eco-technological water purifying biotope were investigated at five years after the wetland construction. A total of 91 vascular plant species in 36 families were recorded. Initially planted emergent macrophytes such as Phragmites australis, P. japonicus, Zizania latifolia, Typha latifolia, and T. angustifolia mainly comprised the vegetational components of the wetland. The effect of water purification was observed markedly in most indicators such as electric conductivity (P < 0.01), $NO_3-N$ (P < 0.05), $NH_4-N$ (P < 0.001), $K^+$ (P < 0.05), $Na^+$ (P < 0.01), and $Mg^{2+}$ (P < 0.01). In particular, $NO_3-N$ and $NH_4-N$ concentrations decreased to about 60% and 30%, respectively, via the purification process of the wetland. Separativeness and curvature from the meandering structure of 15 units (multi-cell wetland system) seemed likely to make the wetland continuously play a role as an eco-technological water purifying biotope. We recommend that eco-technological design factors should be included in wetland constructions for efficient and continuous functioning, thus enhancing ecological values of wetlands.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2019

Objectives: The lung injuries by exposure to the humidifier disinfectants (HDs) were reported in 2011, Korea. For the HD victims, environmental exposure level and clinical diagnosis were conducted to determine the levels of damage by HDs. Methods: The exposure assessment to the HDs from 1st to 4th questionnaire surveys were carried out for 5,245 victims. And the affecting factors of exposure levels were analyzed by characterizing exposure and demographic information. By using of exposure concentration and cumulative time, exposure levels were classified and compared by percentage of clinical diagnosis classes. The high exposure and low clinical diagnosis rating groups, and low exposure and high clinical diagnosis rating groups were analyzed to overcome the limitation of past exposure assessment such as recall bias. Results: Among the all applicants damaged by the humidifier disinfectants, survivors were 4,028 and the dead were 1,217. And male and female were 2,675, and 2,547, respectively. In case of occurrence age of lung disease, under 10 years was majority age group (1,536) and followed by thirties (917). Pregnant women and fetuses were 339 and 439, respectively. And the damages by exposure to the HDs were concentrated on these susceptible populations in groups with low exposure and high clinical diagnosis rating. On the other hand, the groups classified by high exposure and low clinical diagnosis rating were shown different characterization. Conclusions: The questionnaire survey on past exposure may be uncertain due to recall bias. However, the relationship between classified exposure levels and clinical diagnosis ratings might be shown positive correlation if the exposure assessment errors were analyzed and controlled.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.297-302
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• 2020

Five varieties of mushrooms, including Sae-do, were examined using farm field tests to determine their morphological characteristics and quality by performing harvest flush. Considering the cultivation characteristics of the varieties studied, the parts related to mushroom generation and production showed almost similar characteristics. Overall, the mycelial forces were similar; however, in the evaluation of plantation tests performed by farmers, "saedo" was found to be the strongest and "saehan" was considered to be the weakest. Weights of fruiting bodies were related more for compost status and regimen of use than for breeding, and it was difficult to distinguish between the weights of fruiting bodies of the varieties studied. Regardless of the variety, pileus diameter, pileus thickness, and stem length of Dalseong-gun, Yongin-si, and Boryeong-si decreased as the harvest flush progressed. However, stem thickness tended to increase in the second and third flush compared to that in the first flush, regardless of the variety. However, the Gyeongju-si farms could not identify any trends attributable to varieties and harvest flushes. The pileus size and stem length of the fruiting bodies of varieties from Buyeo farms decreased with the progression of the harvest flush. However, pileus thickness and stem thickness did not show any specific tendency of growth among the varieties studied. The differences in the morphological characteristics of mushroom varieties in each harvest cycle are expected to be caused by differences in the supply of nutrients in the medium, the quality of the compost used, and the cultivation environment rather than the variety.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.427-439
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• 2021

On the base of the aggregate extraction statistics, this study tried to analyse the demand and supply of aggregate resources of each local government and provide directions for the stable and sustainable supply and demand of aggregate resources in the future. In 2019, aggregates were produced in 148 cities, about 65% of the 229 cities of Korea, but in 7 metropolitan cities with 74 local governments, only 19 cities developed the aggregate. It means that aggregate extraction is taking place in almost all regions in Korea. Sand and gravel were produced in 110 districts and 132 districts, respectively. By aggregate source, river aggregates were extracted in 4 local governments, land aggregates in 42 local governments, forest aggregates in 75 local governments, crushed aggregates in 105 local governments, and washing aggregates in 15 local governments. In other words, 81 district in Korea have not extracted land-based aggregate at all. 71 local governments produced only one type of aggregate, and 55 local governments developed two types of aggregate, and 22 local governments developed more that three types of aggregate. In 2019, the leading producing local government were, in descending order of volume, Ulju-gun, followed by Hwaseong-si, Cheongju-si, Pocheon-si, Paju-si, Yongin-si, Gimhae-si, Gwangju-si in Gyeonggi-do. 41 local governments have developed aggregates of more than 1 million m³, and the combined production of the 41 cities accounted for about 70% of national total. This shows that the aggregate extraction trend of local governments is becoming larger and more concentrated.