• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.208-219
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• 2004

This paper considers a nonparametric estimation of lifetime distribution for ramp stress tests with stress bound under intermittent inspection. The test items are inspected only at specified time points an⊂1 so the collected observations are grouped data. Under the cumulative exposure model, two nonparametric estimation methods of estimating the lifetime distribution at use condition stress are proposed for the situation which the time transformation function relating stress to lifetime is a type of the inverse power law. Each of items is initially put on test under ramp stress and then survivors are put on test under constant stress, where all failures in the Inspection interval are assumed to occur at the midi)oint or the endpoint of that interval. Two proposed estimators of quantile from grouped data consisting of the number of items failed in each inspection interval are numerically compared with the maximum likelihood estimator(MLE) based on Weibull distribution.

• Journal of the Korean Statistical Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 1989

This paper presents optimum simple step-stress accelerated life test plans for the case where the test process is observed periodically at intervals of the same length. Two types of failure data, periodically observed complete data and periodically observed censored data, are considered. An exponential life distribution with a mean that is a log-linear function of stress, and a cumulative exposure model for the effect of changing stress are assumed. For each type of data, the optimum test plan which minimizes the asymptotic variance of the maximum likelihood estimator of the mean life at a design stress is obtained and its behaviors are studied.

• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.85-105
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• 2016

In this paper accelerated life testing is incorporated in quality control technique of acceptance sampling plan to induce early failures in high reliability products.Stress under accelerated condition can be applied in constant-stress, step-stress and progressive-stress or combination of such loadings. A ramp-stress results when stress is increased linearly (from zero) with time. In this paper optimum failure-censored ramp-stress accelerated life test sampling plan for log-logistic distribution has been formulated with cost considerations. The log-logistic distribution has been found appropriate for insulating materials. The optimal plans consist in finding optimum sample size, sample proportion allocated to each stress, and stress rate factor such that producer's and consumer's interests are safeguarded. Variance optimality criterion is used when expected cost per lot is not taken into consideration, and bilevel programming approach is used in cost optimization problems. The methods developed have been illustrated using some numerical examples, and sensitivity analyses carried out in the context of ramp-stress ALTSP based on variable SSP for proportion nonconforming.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.115-130
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• 2003

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) represents a common neurodegenerative disorder. While epidemiological studies have suggested a number of risk factors including age, gender, race, and inherited disorder, the cumulative evidence supports the view that environmental or occupational exposure to certain chemicals may contribute to the initiation and progress of Parkinsonism. More recently, clinical and laboratory investigations have led to the theory that dysregulation of iron, an essential metal to body function, may underlie IPD by initiating free radical reaction, diminishing the mitochondrial energy production, and provoking the oxidative cytotoxicity. The participation of iron in neuronal cell death is especially intriguing in that iron acquisition and regulation in brain are highly conservative and thus vulnerable to interference from other metals that bear the similar chemical reactivity. Manganese neurotoxicity, induced possibly by altering iron homeostasis, is such an example. In fact, the current interest in manganese neurotoxicology stems from two primary concerns: its clinical symptoms that resemble Parkinson's disease and its increased use as an antiknock agent to replace lead in gasoline. This article will commence with addressing the current understanding of iron-associated neurodegenerative damage. The major focus will then be devoted to the mechanism whereby manganese alters iron homeostasis in brain.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.459-471
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• 1996

This paper considers ramp tests for exponential lifetime distribution when there are limitations on test stress and test time. The inverse power law and a cumulative exposure model are assumed. Maximum likelihood (ML) estimators of model parameters and their asymptotic covariance matrix are obtained. The optimum ramp test plans are also found which minimize the asymptotic variance of the ML estimator of the log mean life at design constant stress. For selected values of the design parameters, tables useful for finding optimal test plans are given. The effect of the pre-estimates of design parameters is studied.

• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.21-44
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• 2017

Accelerated life tests (ALTs) are frequently used in manufacturing industries to evaluate the reliability of products within a reasonable amount of time and cost. Test units are subjected to elevated stresses which yield quick failures. Most of the previous works on designing ALT plans are focused on tests that involve a single stress. Many times more than one stress factor influence the product's functioning. This paper deals with the design of optimum modified ramp-stress ALT plan for Burr type XII distribution with Type-I censoring under two stress factors, viz., voltage and switching rate each at two levels- low and high. It is assumed that usage time to failure is power law function of switching rate, and voltage increases linearly with time according to modified ramp-stress scheme. The cumulative exposure model is used to incorporate the effect of changing stresses. The optimum plan is devised using D-optimality criterion wherein the ${\log}_{10}$ of the determinant of Fisher information matrix is maximized. The method developed has been explained using a numerical example and sensitivity carried out.

• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.45-63
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• 2017

In this paper, we have formulated optimum Accelerated Life Test (ALT) plan for a parallel system with two independent components using masked data with ramp-stress loading scheme and Type-I censoring. Consider a system of two independent and non-identical components connected in parallel. Such a system fails whenever all of its components has failed. The exact component that causes the system to fail is often unknown due to cost and time constraint. For each parallel system at test, we observe its system's failure time and a set of component that includes the component actually causing the system to fail. The stress-life relationship is modelled using inverse power law, and cumulative exposure model is assumed to model the effect of changing stress. The optimal plan consists in finding out the optimum stress rate using D-optimality criterion. The method developed has been explained using a numerical example and sensitivity analysis carried out.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.923-933
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• 1995

Background: Pleural abnormality is the the most common respiratory change caused by asbestos dust inhalation and also develop other asbestos related disease after cessation of asbestos exposure. So we conducted epidemiologic study to investigate if the pleural abnormality is associated with pulmonary function change and what factors are influenced on pulmonary function impairment. Methods: Two hundred and twenty two asbestos workers from 9 industries using asbestos in Korea were selected to measure the concentration of sectional asbestos fiber. Ouestionnaire, chest X-ray, PFT were also performed. All the data were analyzed by student t-test and chi-square test using SAS. Regressional analysis was performed to evaluate important factors, for example smoking, exposure concentration, period and the existence of pleural thickening, affecting to the change of pulmonary function. Results: 1) All nine industries except two, airborn asbestos fiber concentration was less than an average permissible concentration. PFT was performed on 222 workers and the percentage of male was 88.3%, their mean age was $41{\pm}9$ years old, and the duration of asbestos exposure was $10.6{\pm}7.8$ yrs. 2) The chest X-ray showed normal(89.19%), pulmonary Tb(inactive)(2.7%), pleral thickening (7.66%), suspected reticulonodular shadow(0.9%). 3) The mean values of height, smoking status, concentration of asbestos fiberwere not different between the subjects with pleural thickening and others, but age, cumulative pack-years, the duration of asbestos exposure were higher in subjects with pleural thickening. 4) All the PFT indices were lower in the subjects with pleural thickening than in the subjects without pleural thickening. 5) Simple regression analysis showed there was a significant correlation between $FEF_{75}$ which is sensitive in small airway obstruction and cumulative smoking pack-years, the duration of asbestos exposure and the concentration of asbestos fiber. 6) Multiple regression analysis showed all the pulmonary function indices were decreased as the increase of cumulative smoking pack-years and especially in the indices those are sensitive in small airway obstruction. Pleural thickening was associated with reduction in FVC, $FEV_1$, PEFR and $FEF_{25}$. Conclusion: The more concentration of asbestos fiber and the more duration of asbestos exposure, the greater reduction in $FEF_{50}$, $FEF_{75}$. Therefore PFT was important in the evaluation of early detection for small airway obstruction. Furthermore pleural thickening without asbesto-related parenchymal lung disease is associated with reduction in pulmonary function.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4699-4704
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• 2015

Medical diagnostic X-ray workers are one occupational group that expose to the long-term low-dose external radiation over their working lifetime, and they may under risk of different cancers. This study aims to determine the relationship between the occupational X-ray radiation exposure and cancer risk among these workers in Jiangsu, China. We conducted Nested case-control study to investigate the occupational X-ray radiation exposure and cancer risk. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaire, which includes but not limits to demographic data, personal behaviors and family history of cancer. Retrospective dose reconstruction was conducted to estimate the cumulative doses of the x-ray workers. Inferential statistics, t-test and 2 tests were used to compare the differences between each group. We used the logistic regression model to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of cancer by adjusting the age, gender. All 34 breast cancer cases and 45 esophageal cancer cases that detected in a cohort conducted among health workers between 1950~2011 were included in this presented study, and 158 cancer-free controls were selected by frequency-matched (1:2). Our study found that the occupational radiation exposure was associated with a significantly increased cancer risk compared with the control, especially in breast cancer and esophageal cancer (adjusted OR=2.90, 95% CI: 1.19-7.04 for breast cancer; OR=4.19, 95% CI: 1.87-9.38 for esophageal cancer, and OR=3.43, 95% CI: 1.92-6.12 for total cancer, respectively). The occupational X-ray radiation exposure was associated with increasing cancer risk, which indicates that proper intervention and prevention strategies may be needed in order to bring down the occupational cancer risk.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.451-456
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• 2023

Background: We conducted a case-control study to identify high-risk occupations and exposure to occupational hazards for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: When patients with AML admitted to the Department of Hematology in the study hospital for the first time are referred to the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, data on occupation are collected by investigators to evaluate work-relatedness. Community-based controls were recruited through an online survey agency, and four controls per case were matched. Occupational information was estimated using structured questionnaires covering 27 specific occupations and 32 exposure agents. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed by pairing cases and controls. Results: In the analysis of the risk of AML according to occupational classification, a significant association was found in paint manufacturing or painting work (OR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.03-4.81) and aircrew (OR = 6.00, 95% CI: 1.00-35.91) in males, and in pesticide industry (OR = 6.89, 95% CI: 1.69-28.07) and cokes and steel industry (OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.18-22.06) in ≥60 years old. Moreover, the risk of AML increased significantly as the cumulative exposure to thinners increased. In the analyses stratified by sex and age, the association between pesticide exposure and AML was significant in males (OR = 3.28, 95% CI: 1.10-9.77) and in ≥60 years old (OR = 6.22, 95% CI: 1.48-26.08). Conclusion: This case-control study identified high-risk occupational groups in the Republic of Korea including paint manufacturers and painters, aircrew, and those who are occupationally exposed to pesticides or paint thinners.