• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.265-275
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• 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate trends of oral health behaviors in Korean adolescents. Methods: From the 2005 to 2017 Korea Youth Risk Behavior web-based Survey (KYRBS) Secondary Data (study to 748,461). Independent variables were the year, gender, grade, and living area. Dependent variables were the rate of tooth-brushing after lunch, scaling, use of sealant, and oral health education within 1 year. Chi-squire tests were used to estimate the rate of oral health behaviors and trends. In addition, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between socio-economic characteristics and oral health behaviors. The analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS statistics 21 (version 21.0, IBM Corporation, New York, NY, USA). Results: The rate of tooth-brushing after lunch and use of sealant have significantly increased every year. Oral health behaviors were significantly associated with socio-economic characteristics. The rate of oral health education was higher among males than females, which was in contrast to other oral health behaviors. The scores for tooth-brushing after lunch, use of sealant, and scaling in females were 2.33 (95% CI; 2.27-2.40), 1.31 (95% CI; 1.29-1.33), and 1.20 (95% CI; 1.18-1.22), which were higher than those in males. The score for use of sealant in the highest household economy group was 1.13 (95% CI; 1.10-1.17), which was higher than the lowest economy group. Conclusions: We found positive trends of oral health behaviors in Korean adolescents.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.142-153
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• 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine environmental chemical exposure related to residential and personal lifestyle characteristics in the adult Korean population. The observations of this study can provide information useful for developing reduction approaches for exposure to chemicals among the general adult population. Methods: The second stage of the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNHES) was conducted from 2012 to 2014, with 6,478 persons participating. Using the results of the survey, the relationship between exposure levels of heavy metals and organic chemicals and exposure factors, e.g. residential and personal lifestyle characteristics, were analyzed. Results: The exposure levels of VOCs and PAHs were significantly lower in participants living at a distance of more than 100 m from roads versus living closer to roads. Home ventilation lowered VOC and PAH exposure but did not lower chemical exposure from household products. Use of public transportation showed lower exposure to heavy metals, VOCs, and PAHs. Current smoker was significantly higher for levels of heavy metals, VOCs, and PAHs, and the exposure trend was similar for current drinkers. Physical activity was related with higher exposure to phthalates and environmental phenols. Conclusion: Our observations based on a nationally representative population for Korea show that exposure to chemicals varies by residential and personal lifestyle, and this should be considered for developing appropriate mitigation measures and policies. Given the health concerns surrounding environmental chemicals, it is necessary to develop comprehensive measures to reduce chemical exposure.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.120-126
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• 2019

Recently, accurate prediction of power consumption based on machine learning techniques in Internet of Energy (IoE) has been actively studied using the large amount of electricity data acquired from advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). In this paper, we propose a deep learning model based on Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) as an artificial intelligence (AI) network that can effectively perform pattern recognition of time series data such as the power consumption, and analyze performance of the prediction based on real household power usage data. In the performance analysis, performance comparison between the proposed GRU-based learning model and the conventional learning model of Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) is described. In the simulation results, mean squared error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE), forecast skill score, normalized root mean square error (RMSE), and normalized mean bias error (NMBE) are used as performance evaluation indexes, and we confirm that the performance of the prediction of the proposed GRU-based learning model is greatly improved.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1034-1040
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate inequalities in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in Korea and trends therein using the slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) across income and education groups. Materials and Methods: Data from the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, an annually conducted, nationwide cross-sectional survey, were utilized. A total of 17174 men and women aged 50 to 74 years were included for analysis. Prior experience with CRC screening was defined as having either a fecal occult blood test within the past year or a lifetime colonoscopy. CRC screening rates and annual percentage changes (APCs) were evaluated. Then, SII and RII were calculated to assess inequality in CRC screening for each survey year. Results: CRC screening rates increased from 23.4% in 2005 to 50.9% in 2015 (APC, 7.8%; 95% CI, 6.0 to 9.6). Upward trends in CRC screening rates were observed for all age, education, and household income groups. Education inequalities were noted in 2009, 2014, and overall pooled estimates in both indices. Income inequalities were inconsistent among survey years, and overall estimates did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Education inequalities in CRC screening among men and women aged 50 to 74 years were observed in Korea. No apparent pattern, however, was found for income inequalities. Further studies are needed to thoroughly outline socio-economic inequalities in CRC screening.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to investigate the effect of restrictions on oral health-related activities of young adults, middle-aged, and elderly in Korea on the quality of life and contribute to the development of intervention strategies to improve the quality of life by improving the importance of oral health care and healthy lifestyle habits of adults. Methods: The 8th National Health and Nutrition Survey was used, targeting adults categorized into three age groups: young adults aged 19 to 29, middle-aged adults aged 30 to 49, and prime-aged adults aged 50 to 64. Demographic characteristics and EQ-5D, HINT-8 and oral-related toothache experience, chewing problems, speaking problems, and complaint of discomfort to chew analyzed. T-test and one-way ANOVA were performed to find out the difference in quality of life according to the restrictions on oral activities of adults, and linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the factors affecting the quality of life of adults. Results: The differences between EQ-5D and HINT-8 according to the restrictions on oral health-related activities of young, middle-aged, and prime-aged were statistically significant in all oral activity restriction variables(p ≦0.05). Factors affecting EQ-5D of all adults were statistically significant in all variables such as region, gender, household monthly income, education level, basic living status, economic activity, subjective oral health status, toothache experience, chewing problem, speaking problem, and complaint of discomfort to chew(p ≦0.05). Factors affecting HINT-8 of all adults were statistically significant in variables such as gender, household monthly income, education level, basic living status, economic activity, toothache experience, chewing, speaking, and complaint of discomfort to chew(p ≦0.05). Conclusions: Various measures are needed to improve the quality of life in old age by allowing adults to face physically, mentally, and socially prepared old age. Based on the results of this study, an adult oral health program should be developed to improve the oral health and quality of life of adults.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 1999

Ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA) is a hydrophilic gall bladder acid and has been used as a effective drug for liver disease related to in1munity. This drug inhibits secretions of IL-2, IL-4, and $IFN-{\gamma}$ from T-cells and production of immunoglobulin from B-cells. Also it has been reported that UDCA inhibits production of IL-1 related to the progression of periodontal disease and activation of collagenases. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the effects of UDCA on inhibition of periodontal disease progression using clinical, microbiological and histometrical parameters. Twelve pure bred, 16 month-old-beagle dogs were used in the study. After ligature-induced periodontal diseases were formed, experimental drugs were applied twice a day and then the results of clinical, microbiological, and histometrical parameters were measured at baselie(initiation of experiment) , 4weeks and 8weeks. The gel with UDCA(concentration 0.5%, 5% 3 dogs in each) was applied to experimental group, chlorhexidine to positive control group(3dogs) and the gel without UDCA(base) to negative control group. After induction of general anesthesia, the maxillary 2nd, 3rd premolars and 1st molar and the mandibular 2nd, 3rd, 4th premolars and 1st molar were ligated in one side selected randomly and were not ligated in the opposite side. The plaque index(PI), gingival index(GI), pocket depth(PD) and gingival crevicular fluid(GCF) volum were measured clinically. The PI and GI were measured at 3 buccal points of all experimental teeth and the GCF was measured only at the 3rd premolar in the maxilla and the 4th premolar in the mandible. In the microbiological study, the samples extracted from the 3rd premolar of the maxilla and the 4th premolar of the mandible at the center of buccal surface were analyzed aerobics, anaerobics and Streptococcus colony forming units, After clinical and microbiological examination at 8weeks, the dogs were sacrificed by carotid artery perfusion. The samples were fixed and sectioned including interproximal area, and the distance from cementoenamel junction(CEJ) to alveolar crest was measured. The results were that PI, GI and PD increased until 4 weeks and decreased at 8 weeks in three groups but the differences between all the groups were not significant. The 0.5% UDCA in non-ligated group showed remarkable decrease of GCF. The experimental group applied 5% UDCA decreased the number of aerobics and anaerobics. The distance from CEJ to alveolar crest was greater in the negative control group on both ligated and non-ligated sides, but the differences were not significant stastically.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.176-182
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in-vitro efficacy of the active ingredients of dentifrice following treatment time. The whitening effect was evaluated by a change in lightness value relative to the contact time of hydrogen peroxide, by using artificially stained hydroxyapatite discs. The anti-calculus effect was assessed based on the amount of calcium eluted from the human dental calculus by sodium pyrophosphate. Remineralization was evaluated by the Vickers hardness test following the application of sodium fluoride to bovine enamel. In order to view dentinal tubules occlusion, the formation of insoluble calcium salts by bovine dentin specimens was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Change in lightness value (${\Delta}L$) was $5.50{\pm}1.51$ after 1 min of treatment, $5.73{\pm}0.43$ after 3 min, $8.64{\pm}0.24$ after 10 min, $18.93{\pm}0.76$ after 30 min, and $27.35{\pm}0.54$ after 60 min. The amount of calcium eluted from the human dental calculus was $4.23{\pm}0.14ppm$ after 1 min of treatment, $4.51{\pm}0.04ppm$ after 3 min, $12.12{\pm}0.16ppm$ after 10 min, $17.85{\pm}0.81ppm$ after 30 min, and $25.15{\pm}0.32ppm$ after 60 min. The Vickers hardness change value (${\Delta}VHN$) was $1.96{\pm}1.44$ after 1 min, $1.52{\pm}1.06$ after 3 min, $9.06{\pm}0.15$ after 10 min, $10.83{\pm}5.13$ after 30 min, and $12.55{\pm}2.09$ after 60 min. Partial dentinal tubules occlusion was observed at 10 min and complete occlusion was evident at 60 min. In summary, the use of patch type dentifrices for 10, 30, or 60 min were 1.57 to 8.26 times more effective than using the paste type dentifrices for 1 to 3 min. Based on these findings, it is reasonable to expect that the use of patch type dentifrices for 10 min would lead to remineralization, anti-calculus and dentinal tubules occlusion effects, and that use for 30 min would result in a whitening effect.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.135-149
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• 1990

Housing owners in Korea have a variety of tax advantages such as income tax exemption for the imputed rent of owner-occupied housing, exemption from the capital gains tax and deduction of the estate tax for one-house households. These tax reliefs for housing owners not only conflict with the principle of horizontal and vertical equity, but also lead to resource misallocation by distorting the housing market, and thus bring about regressive distribution effects. Particularly in the case of Korea with its imperfect capital market, these measures exacerbate the inter-class inequality of housing ownership as well as inequalities in wealth, by causing the affluent to demand needlessly large housing, while the poor and young experience difficulties in purchasing residential properties. Therefore, the Korean tax system must be altered as follows in order to disadvantage owner-occupiers, especially those owners of luxury housing. These alterations will promote housing-ownership, tax burden equity, efficiency of resource allocation, as well as the desirable distribution of income. First, income tax deductions for the rent payments of tenants are recommended. Ideally, the way of recovering the fiscal equivalence between the owner-occupiers and tenants is to levy an income tax on the former's imputed rents, and if necessary to give them tax credits. This, however, would be very difficult from a practical viewpoint, because the general public may perceive the concept of "imputed rent" as cumbersome. Computing the imputed rent also entails administrative costs, rendering quite reasonable, the continued exemption of imputed rent from taxation with the simultaneous deduction in the income tax for tenants. This would further enhance the administrative efficiency of income tax collection by easing assessment of the landlord's income. Second, a capital gains tax should be levied on the one-house household, except with the postponement of payments in the case that the seller purchases higher priced property. Exemption of the capital gains tax for the one-house household favors those who have more expensive housing, providing an incentive to the rich to hold even larger residences, and to the constructors to build more luxurious housing to meet the demand. So it is not desirable to sustain the current one-house household exemption while merely supplementing it with fastidious measures. Rather, the rule must be abolished completely with the concurrent reform of the deduction system and lowering of the tax rate, measures which the author believes will help optimize the capital gains tax incidence. Finally, discontinuation of the housing exemption for the heir is suggested. Consequent increases in the tax burden of the middle class could be mitigated by a reduction in the rate. This applies to the following specific exemptions as well, namely, for farm lands, meadows, woods, business fields-to foster horizontal equity, while denying speculation on land that leads to a loss in allocative efficiency. Moreover, imperfections in the Korean capital market have disallowed the provision of long term credit for housing seekers. Remedying these problems is essential to the promotion of greater housing ownership by the low and middle income classes. It is also certain that a government subsidy be focused on the poorest of the poor who cannot afford even to think of owning a housing.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.105-138
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• 2018

This paper reports novel empirical results of a choice experiment that elicited the economic values that residents in the Seoul metropolitan area place on the amenity services realized from the landscape views and accessibilities to urban green spaces (i.e., mountains, rivers and urban parks). The 1,000 respondents in the sample were divided into two residential of housing types (apartments vs. houses) and occupancy types (owners vs. tenants). Residents living in apartments are willing to pay an average of 28% (5.0 million KRW per year) above the current housing prices per household for a mountain view, compared to an apartment view from their living room. Their willingness to pay values are about 22% (4.0 million KRW per year) and 10% (1.8 million KRW per year) respectively for a river view and a urban park view. Economic benefits of having access (i.e., a 10 minutes working distance) to mountains, rivers and urban parks are estimated to be an average of 16% (2.9 million KRW per year), 20% (3.6 million KRW per year) and 18% (3.2 million KRW per year), respectively, above the current housing prices per household. On the other hand, access benefits for those residing in houses are 18% (4.7 million KRW per year), 16% (4.1 million KRW per year) and 22% (5.6 million KRW per year) per household, respectively. They are also willing to pay an average of 35% (8.9 million KRW per year) above the current housing prices for keeping or having a garden or vegetation bed. Furthermore, a strong "greenspace premium" is centered around the three Gangnam districts for house-dwellers, whereas it is areas of "new real estate boom" for apartment dwellers.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.204-213
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• 2020

Objectives: This study examined the dietary characteristics and needs for community kitchens among young adults of single-person households in Seoul according to the cooking attitude. Methods: During April 2018, an online survey was conducted on young adults of single-person households in their 20s and 30s residing in Seoul. The respondents were classified into the more positive cooking attitude group (More Positive Group; n=152, mean=4.11) and the less positive cooking attitude group (Less Positive Group; n=190, mean=3.03) based on the mean score (3.51) of the 4-item 5-point Likert scales measuring the cooking attitude. The responses of the two groups were compared. Results: Approximately 90% of the More Positive Group had the cooking ability to prepare ordinary meals or more advanced cooking skills, whereas only 61% of the Less Positive Group had such skills. Approximately a half of the More Positive Group cooked at home three times a week or more; only 30% of the Less Positive Group did so, and more than 30% of the group seldom cooked. The More Positive Group had higher mean scores in the levels of satisfaction with dietary life and care for food safety and nutrition than the Less Positive Group. Approximately 30% of all the respondents expressed their needs for community kitchens. The most frequently answered reason for such needs was "being able to have a meal with others". Conclusions: The young adults of single-person households with a more positive cooking attitude possessed a higher cooking ability, cooked more often, and cared more about food safety and nutrition than those with a less positive cooking attitude. There were moderate needs for community kitchens among young adults of single-person households living in Seoul. Therefore, societal efforts to improve their cooking attitude would be meaningful for improving their quality of dietary life. Cooking lessons or social dining programs based on community kitchens could be an option.