• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2014

Among pre-harvest environmental factors, increasing attention has been paid to the effects of chemical and microbiological factors on fresh produce. The occurrence and prevalence of these factors have been usually studied with regard to the final products at the post-harvesting stage and/or when they are sold in the market. However, the origin and routes of transmission of both factors remain to be clarified. In the present study, we examined the contamination levels of food-borne pathogens and chemical factors such as pesticide residues and heavy metals in 83 and 43 samples, respectively, including various soil, water, and fertilizer samples, as well as post-harvested and processed samples. Among the organic farming samples, only one pesticide, dimethomorph, was detected in the soil sample, however no pesticides were observed from any other samples in organic farming system. Thus, it was thought that might be contaminated from conventional farm land in the vicinity. Whereas many pesticide residues were detected in conventional farming systems such as soil, fertilizer, water, and fresh produce as expected. Furthermore, heavy metals detected from all tested samples did not shown contamination levels higher than the standard limit. We comparatively assessed the levels of contamination by food-borne pathogens on the samples from organic and conventional farming systems, and found aerobic bacteria at approximately 7 log CFU/g, with no significant differences observed between the two systems. Coliforms were present at lower levels than aerobic bacteria. No human pathogens were present among the coliforms detected, indicating that these bacteria are saprophytes without the ability to cause food-borne illnesses. In contrast, among the high-risk food-borne pathogens, only sporadic cells of Bacillus cereus were found on samples of organic farming system. These data extend previous findings that the most prevalent food-borne pathogen is B. cereus and demonstrate that it spreads to whole living plants via soil.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.213-225
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• 1999

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate how the play habits, temperament, and environmental factors might affect childhood obesity. Methods : Two hundred sixty children, aged 4 through 6 years living in Seoul & Cheonan were surveyed by a questionnaire about the children's play habit and the parent's related factors such as weight, height, education, income. In addition the Korean version of the Parent Temperament Questionnaire for Children and the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale were also administered to parents of those children. The height and weight of those children were measured and the percentage of body fat was measured by Bioelectrical Impedance Fatness Analyzer. Result : 1) Among 260 children, 25 children were considered to be obese on the basis of both obesity index and percentage of body fat. 2) Parents of obese children showed a significantly higher educational level(p<0.05) and mothers of obese children had significantly more jobs(p<0.05) and showed higher body mass index(p<0.05) than those of nonobese children. 3) By observing play habits of children, obese children spent significantly longer time in watching TV and video(p<0.05), while nonobese children showed a trend to play outside(p<0.1). 4) On the Korean version of the Parent Temperament Questionnaire for Children, obese children showed significantly less activity than nonobese ones(p <0.05). 5) Family of obese children had significantly higher point on subscale of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation and Moral-religious emphasis of the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale(p<0.05). 6) Percentage of body fat of obese children was correlated with children's watching TV time, activity level, scores of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation of the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale and the both parent's education levels(p<0.05). Conclusion : Obese children showed hypoactivity and more watching TV time. And obese children's both parent had higher educational level and their mother had higher Body Mass Index and more jobs. Family of obese children had higher point on items of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation and Moral-religious emphasis. Family environmental factors influence on children's obesity through interaction of genetic and behavioral-psychological factors concomittently.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.24-25
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• 2003

Lead is ubiquitous in the human environment as a result of industrialization. China's rapid industrialization and traffic growth have increased the potential for lead emissions. Lead poisoning in children is one of the most common public health problems today, and it is entirely preventable. Children are more vulnerable to lead pollution and lead in their bodies can affect their nervous, circulatory, and digestive systems. Children are exposed to lead from different sources (such as paint, gasoline, and solder) and through different pathways (such as air, food, water, dust, and soil). Although all children are exposed to some lead from food, air, dust, and soil, some children are exposed to high dose sources of lead. Significant sources of lead for China's children include industrial emissions (often close to housing and schools), leaded gasoline, and occupational exposure that occurs when parents wear lead-contaminated clothing home from work, burning of coal for home heat and cooking, contaminated food, and some traditional medicines. To assess the blood lead level in children in China, a large-scale study was conducted in 19 cities among 9 provinces during 1997 to 2000. There were 6502 children, aged 3-5 years, were recruited in the study The result indicates that the mean blood lead level was 8.83ug/dl 3-5 year old living in city area. The mean blood lead level of boys was higher than that of girls (9.1l ug/dl vs 8.73ug/dl). Almost 30 percent childrens blood lead level exceeded 10ug/dl. The average blood lead level was higher than that of in 1985 (8.83ug/dl vs 8.lug/dl). An epidemiological study was carried on the children living around the cottage industries recycling the lead from battery. Nine hundreds fifty nine children, aged 5-12 years, living in lead polluted villages where the lead smelters located near the residential area and 207 control children live in unpolluted area were recruited in the study. The lead levels in air, soil, drinking water and crops were measured. The blood lead and ZnPP level were tested for all subjects. The results show that the local environment was polluted. The lead levels both in the air and crops were much higher than that of in control area. In the polluted area, the average blood level was 49.6ug/dl (rang 19.5-89.3ug/dl). Whereas, in the unpolluted area, the average blood level was 12.4ug/dl (rang 4.6-24.8ug/dl). This study indicates that in some countryside area, some cottage industries induce seriously lead pollution and cause children health problem. For the introducing of unleaded gasoline in some large cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, the blood lead level showed a declined trend since 1997. By 2000, the use of leaded gasoline in motor vehicles has been prohibited in China. The most recent data available show that levels of lead in blood among children in Shanghai decreased from 8.3ug/dl in 1997 to 7.6ug/dl in 1999. The prevalence rate of children lead poisoning (blood lead >10ug/dl) was also decreased from 37.8% to 24.8%. In children living in downtown area, the blood lead level reduced dramatically. To explore the relationship between gene polymorphisms and individual susceptibility of lead poisoning, a molecular epidemiological study was conducted among children living in lead polluted environment. The result showed that the subjects with ALAD2 allele has higher ZPP level, and the subjects with VDR B allele has larger head circumference than only with b allele. In the present study, we demonstrated that ALAD genotypes modify lead effects on heme metabolism and VDR gene variants influence the skull development in highly exposed children. The polymorphism of ALAD and VDR genes might be the molecular inherited factor modifying the susceptibility of lead poisoning. Recently, Chinese government pays more attention to lead pollution and lead poisoning in children problem. The leaded gasoline was prohibited used in motor vehicles since 2000. The government has decided to have a clampdown on the high-polluted lead smelters for recycling the lead from battery in countryside. It is hopeful that the risk of lead poisoning in children will be decreased in the further

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.241-254
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• 2020

Three introduced fish species, Japanese white crucian carp (Carassius cuvieri Temminck and Schlegel, 1846), bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacepède, 1802) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819), are dominant fishes in Korean freshwater ecosystem. In this study, we analyzed habitat environment conditions of these three species and their impacts to fish communities in streams across South Korea. Fish community data were obtained from the database of the Stream/River Ecosystem Survey and Health Assessment program maintained by the Ministry of Environment and the National Institute of Environmental Research, Korea. Our results showed that species richness and Shannon diversity of fish were higher at the presence sites of introduced fish than at the absence sites. However, when the abundance of these introduced fish species was increased, the species richness and abundance of fish were decreased. An association analysis showed that the introduced fish species had a low similarity in their appearance with some indigenous fishes such as Siniperca scherzeri and Channa argus and some endemic fishes of Korea such as Zacco koreanus, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus wakiyae, and Acheilognathus yamatsutae. In addition, the introduced fish species had a low appearance similarity with a large number of fishes in their association networks. Finally, our results presented that these introduced fish species influenced the negative impacts to the stream fish communities, and they were potential risk factors for fish community in Korean freshwater ecosystem. Therefore, it is necessary that continuous monitoring and establishment of management strategy for introduced fish species to preserve fish resource and biodiversity in the Korean streams.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.416-429
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• 2020

Objectives: This study examined the personal, interpersonal and community factors related to food sufficiency and variety among Korean adults using data from the 2017 Community Health Survey. Methods: A total of 228,310 adults aged ≥ 19 years were classified into three groups: food sufficiency with variety, food sufficiency without variety and food insufficiency. Personal factors included sociodemographic characteristics, health behavior and health status. Interpersonal factors included social networking and social activities, and community factors included safety, natural environment, living environment, availability of public transportation and health care services. The association of food sufficiency and variety with interpersonal and community factors was assessed using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: Of the total sample, the food-sufficiency-without-variety group and food insufficiency group accounted for 31.5% and 3.2%, respectively. The sociodemographic factors associated with food insufficiency and non-variety were women, ≥ 65 years of age, with low education level, low household income, unemployed, single, and living in areas of small population sizes. There were significant differences in health behavior and health status, interpersonal and community factors among the three groups. Multivariable logistic regression analyses conducted after adjusting for confounding factors showed that lack of social networking and social activities and lower satisfaction derived from community environments were associated with the risk of food insufficiency and non-variety. Conclusions: Our results showed that interpersonal and community factors as well as personal factors were related to food sufficiency and variety. Therefore, public policies to help build social networks and participation in social activities, and improve community environment are needed together with food assistance to overcome the problems of food insufficiency and non-variety.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.243-252
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• 2006

Influence of the increasing carbon dioxide concentration in seawater on various marine organisms is assessed in this article with regard to the impacts of anthropogenic $CO_2$ introduced into surface or deep oceans. Recent proposals to sequester $CO_2$ in deep oceans arouse the concerns of adverse effects of increased $CO_2$ concentration on deep-sea organisms. Atmospheric introduction of $CO_2$ into the ocean can also acidify the surface water, thereby the population of some sensitive organisms including coral reefs, cocolithophorids and sea urchins will be reduced considerably in near future (e.g. in 2100 unless the increasing trend of $CO_2$ emission is actively regulated). We exposed bioluminescent bacteria and benthic amphipods to varying concentrations of $CO_2$ and also pH for a short period. The ${\sim}l.5$ unit decrease of pH adversely affected test organisms. However, amphipods were not influenced by decreasing pH when HCl was used for the seawater acidification. In this article, we reviewed the biological adverse effects of $CO_2$ on various marine organisms studied so for. Theses results will be useful to predict the potential risks of the increase of $CO_2$ concentrations in seawater due to the increase of atmospheric $CO_2$ emission and/or sequestration of $CO_2$ in deep oceans.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.457-479
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• 2013

Through a Chinese rise, Chinese dream is actualizing as the world's great power. According to outlook of World Bank and IMF, Around 2030 China will be a great power bigger than America's economic power. The rise of China will give a huge impact to the whole world. China expands her influence through a global manufacturing base and a global market. To actualize 'Peaceful Rise' Strategy, China has many constraints. Chinese society is facing many difficult social problem due to side effects of a rapid development. Such as the spread of corruption, the severity of wealth gap, environmental degradation and energy shortage. Internationally there are containment from hegemon so-called 'China threat' dispute, Taiwan issue and territorial disputes. Western countries are hostile to China for two reasons. Based on expectations, one is China's socialist system and the other is the rising China which will compete for supremacy with Europe and America. Recent emergence of Chinese nationalism and the containment of the neighboring countries are also serious limiting factors. Domestically they have the rampant corruption in the bureaucracy, weakened capacity of Communist rule, wealth disparity due to the discriminatory economic development strategy, seriousness of rural problem, social instability, lack of social security systems and the development gap between the eastern coastal areas and western inland areas, ethnic minorities problems, the constraint of sustainable development issues due to lack of resources, environmental pollution and energy constraints. Like the former Soviet Union, China may face a dismantlement. After the rise, China may encounter possibilities of a war between great powers or a collapse of Chinese society caused by deepening internal conflict. Serious economic polarization would make peasants and urban workers, who are social vulnerable people, to turn their back to communist party and threaten the justification and the appropriateness of the ruling communist party. Chinese government will think internal system security threat is more formidable risk factor than a system security threat from the hegemon. The decline of great country comes from internal reasons rather than external reasons. To achieve peaceful rise, unification with Taiwan is an essential prerequisite. Taiwan issues are complex problems which equipped with international and domestic factors. Lack of energy resources, environmental pollution in China will bring economic crisis to Korean enterprises. Important influence to Korean economy will be a changeover of the method in economic development. It will turn the balance of investment and consumption, GDP-centered growth to consumption and environment-centered growth. Services industries including finance, environment, culture, education, health care and social welfare will grow. Change in China's growth model will give a great challenge upon the intermediate goods industry in Korea. Korea should reduce the portion of machinery, automotive, semiconductor, steel and chemical-centered export industry to China, and should increase the proportion of the service industry.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.268-276
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: In the month of January 2018, fine dust alerts and warnings were issued 36 times for $PM_{10}$ and 81 times for PM2.5. Air quality is becoming a serious issue nation-wide. Although interest in air-purifying plants is growing due to the controversy over the risk of chemical substances of regular air-purifying solutions, industrial spread of the plants has been limited due to their efficiency in air-conditioning perspective. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study aims to propose a vegetation-based bio-filter system that can assure total indoor air volume for the efficient application of air-purifying plants. In order to evaluate the quantitative performance of the system, time-series analysis was conducted on air-conditioning performance, indoor air quality, and comfort index improvement effects in a lecture room-style laboratory with 16 persons present in the room. The system provided 4.24 ACH ventilation rate and reduced indoor temperature by $1.6^{\circ}C$ and black bulb temperature by $1.0^{\circ}C$. Relative humidity increased by 24.4% and deteriorated comfort index. However, this seemed to be offset by turbulent flow created from the operation of air blowers. While $PM_{10}$ was reduced by 39.5% to $22.11{\mu}g/m^3$, $CO_2$ increased up to 1,329ppm. It is interpreted that released $CO_2$ could not be processed because light compensation point was not reached. As for the indoor comfort index, PMV was reduced by 83.6 % and PPD was reduced by 47.0% on average, indicating that indoor space in a comfort range could be created by operating vegetation-based bio-filters. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed that the vegetation-based bio-filter system is effective in lowering indoor temperature and $PM_{10}$ and has positive effects on creating comfortable indoor space in terms of PMV and PPD.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

The effect of sediments in a waste dumping area on marine organisms was evaluated using sediment toxicity tests with a benthic amphipod (Monocorophium acherusicum) and bioluminescent bacterium (Vibrio fischeri) in accordance with the Korean Standard Method for Marine Wastes (KSMMW). Nine sites in the East Sea-Byeong, East Sea-Jeong, and Yellow Sea-Byeong areas were sampled from 2016 to 2019. The test results showed that the relative average survival rate (benthic amphipods) and relative luminescence inhibition rate (luminescent bacteria) were below 30%, which were judged to be "non-toxic." However, in the t-test, a total of 12 benthic amphipod samples (6, 1, 1, and 4 in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively) were significantly different (p<0.05) from the control samples. To identify the source of toxicity on benthic amphipods, a simple linear regression analysis was performed between the levels of eight heavy metals (Cr, As, Ni, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg) in sediments and the relative average survival rate. The results indicated that Cr had the highest contribution to the toxicity of benthic amphipods (p = 0.000, R2 = 0.355). In addition, Cr was detected at the highest concentration at the DB-85 station and exceeded the Marine Environment Standards every year. Although the sediments were determined as "not toxic" according to the ecotoxicity criteria of the KSMMW, the results of the statistical significance tests and toxicity identification evaluation indicated that the toxic effect was not acceptable. Therefore, revising the criteria for determining the toxic effect by deriving a reference value through quantitative risk assessment using species sensitivity distribution curves is necessary in the future.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.53-68
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• 2014

This study is aimed at analyzing the factors that affect the behaviors of employee's investment, such as a decision making process in a variety of views and proving the extent of how those factors influence on their investment. The basic assumption is that the preceding factors that can be determined by the personal investment propensity, a psychological factor asserted by Behavior Financial Theory and financial-economic and social environment. This study uses Hershey's Investment Behavior Model(2007) as the main analysis tool to explain the investment behavior of individuals and deals with personal investment inclination in the psychological perspective of overconfidence, self-control and the risk tolerance propensity and add the financial and economic factors in terms of financial literacy and economic distress. Also the new preceding social environmental factors like social interaction and the effect of reference group are added to make this research to be more precise. This study analyze the adjustment effect of professional invest-consulting service that affect the fluctuation influence between the individual variables(those factors) and subordination variable(the level of investment satisfaction). The study reveals that overconfidence and self-control in direct ways have a positive effect on the level of investment satisfaction in terms of investment behavior and economic distress has a negative effect on the level of investment satisfaction. The adjustment effect provided by financial experts in investment consulting service is affirmed as the critical factor that increase the influence between self-control and the level of investment satisfaction. To conclude, the research reveals that the psychological factors are the main criteria when the workers as employees have to make investment decisions. To make investors be reasonable, a systematic financial education system provided by experts is needed from the early adolescent stages and financial companies should develop the relevant services of consulting service department as a key financial sector and financial investment products and consulting program and marketing tool pertinent to investors ages, vocational traits and their inclinations.