• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.319-323
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate the microbial contamination levels of ginseng and ginseng products distributed in markets. A total of 81 ginseng and ginseng products samples (fresh ginseng 37, white ginseng 15, red ginseng 15, red ginseng beverage 14) were tested to analyze sanitary indicator bacteria (total aerobic bacteria, coliforms and Escherichia coli), major foodborne pathogens, and fungi. The contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms were in the range of 3.19 to 7.02 log CFU/g for fresh ginseng, 0.25 to 7.31 log CFU/g for white ginseng, 0 to 2.89 log CFU/g for red ginseng and 0 to 1.70 log CFU/mL for red ginseng beverage. In case of major foodborne pathogens, B. cereus was detected at levels of 0.50 to 2.41 log CFU/g in samples except red ginseng beverage. Fungi was detected at levels of 2.41 log CFU/g in fresh ginseng, the contamination levels of the other ginseng products samples were lower than 1 log CFU/g or mL. These results indicate that the ginseng and ginseng products were comparatively safe with respect to microbiological hazard.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.430-437
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• 2016

Objectives: The new Chemical Control Act from the Korean Ministry of Environment (2014-259) simply states only in basic phrases that every worker handling the listed chemicals should wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and does not consider the different hazard characteristics of particular chemicals or work types. The purpose of this study was to produce an exposure risk matrix and assign PPE to the categories of this matrix, which would be useful for revising the act to suggest PPE to suit work types or situations. Methods: An exposure risk matrix was made using hazard ranks of chemicals and workplace exposure risks in the previous study. For the 20 categories of exposure risk matrix PPE, levels A, B, C, D as classified by OSHA/EPA were assigned. After 69 hazardous chemicals were divided into 11 groups according to their physiochemical characteristics, respirators, chemical protective clothing (CPC), gloves and footwear were suggested on the basis of the assigned PPE levels. Results: PPE table sheets for the 11 groups were made on the basis of work types or situations. Full facepiece or half-mask for level C was recommended in accordance with the exposure risk matrix. Level A was, in particular, recommended for loading or unloading work. Level A PPE should be worn in an emergency involving hydrogen fluoride because of the number of recent related accidents in Korea. Conclusion: PPE assignment according to the exposure risk matrix made by chemical hazards and work type or situation was suggested for the first time. Each type of PPE was recommended for the grouped chemicals. The research will be usefully used for the revision of the Chemical Control Act in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.269-282
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• 2006

We numerically studied tsunami propagation characteristics through Korean Straits based on nonlinear shallow water equation, a robust wave driver of the near field tsunamis. Tsunamis are presumed to be generated by the earthquake in Tsuhima-Koto fault line. The magnitude of earthquake is chosen to be 7.5 on Richter scale, which corresponds to most plausible one around Korean peninsula. It turns out that it takes only 60 minutes for leading waves to cross Korean straits, which supports recently raised concerns at warning system might be malfunctioned due to the lack of evacuation time. We also numerically obtained the probability of tsunami inundation of various levels, usually referred as tsunami hazard, along southern coastal area of Korean Peninsula based on simple seismological and Kajiura (1963)'s hydrodynamic model due to tsunami-generative earthquake in Tsuhima-Koto fault line. Using observed data at Akita and Fukaura during Okushiri tsunami in 1993, we verified probabilistic model of tsunami height proposed in this study. We believe this inundation probability of various levels to give valuable information for the amendment of current building code of coastal disaster prevention system to tame tsunami attack.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6569-6573
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• 2015

Objective: To evaluate the application value of serum CA19-9, CEA, CA125 and CA242 in diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer cases treated with concurrent chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: 52 patients with pancreatic cancer, 40 with benign pancreatic diseases and 40 healthy people were selected. The electrochemiluminescence immunoassay method was used for detecting levels of CA19-9, CEA and CA125, and a CanAg CA242 enzyme linked immunoassay kit for assessing the level of CA242. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for analyzing the prognostic factors of patients with pancreatic cancer. The Cox proportional hazard model was applied for analyzing the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidential interval (CI) for survival time of patients with pancreatic cancer. Results: The levels of serum CA19-9, CEA, CA125 and CA242 in patients with pancreatic cancer were significantly higher than those in patients with benign pancreatic diseases and healthy people (P<0.001). The sensitivity of CA19-9 was the highest among these, followed by CA242, CA125 and CEA. The specificity of CA242 is the highest, followed by CA125, CEA and CA19-9. The sensitivity and specificity of joint detection of serum CA19-9, CEA, CA125and CA242 were 90.4% and 93.8%, obviously higher than single detection of those markers in diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The median survival time of 52 patients with pancreatic cancer was 10 months (95% CI7.389~12.611).. Patients with the increasing level of serum CA19-9, CEA, CA125, CA242 had shorter survival times (P=0.047. 0.043, 0.0041, 0.029). COX regression analysis showed that CA19-9 was an independent prognostic factor for patients with pancreatic cancer (P=0.001, 95%CI 2.591~38.243). Conclusions: The detection of serum tumor markers (CA19.9, CEA, CA125 and CA242) is conducive to the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and joint detection of tumor markers helps improve the diagnostic efficiency. Moreover, CA19-9 is an independent prognostic factor for patients with pancreatic cancer.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2002

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System (HACCP) is recognized worldwide as a science-based and systematic approach for food safety. This has been initiated to establish the HACCP system in Korean slaughterhouses by suggesting some of effective implementation ways. An awareness level survey using questionnaire for 124 owners and 363 employees of the slaughterhouses, and 170 government officers responsible for HACCP duties was performed. This study shows that only 34.7% of owners, 21.1% of employees, and 57.1% of government officers have good understanding of HACCP, but 93.5%, 88.9% and 93.6% respectively have the willingness of HACCP implementation. Major benefits in HACCP implementation in the slaughterhouse raised by respondents were improvement of hygiene level of the plant (54.1%), increase of meat sale (17.6%), pride of the production of safe meat for human consumption (9.6%) and increase of meat export (7.5%), while major obstacles were financial difficulties (33.2%), poor levels of the facilities and equipments in the plants (27.3%), poor level of personal hygiene (19.4%), and lack of understanding of HACCP (12.3%). The most urgent measures which respondents raised to implement HACCP system effectively in the slaughterhouses at the moment were the Improvement of levels of facilities and equipments in the plants (36.6%), the establishment of HACCP base through education and training (19%), special benefits to HACCP implementing plant (11.8%), and close relationship between government and the industry (10.3%). The present study shows some of effective ways to implement HACCP in slaughterhouses.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.315-328
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to analyze the problems arising from the actual conditions of the Foodbank, and to implement the HACCP system as a solution in terms of increasing the safety of donated food within the Foodbank. In order to apply HACCP system, the entire Foodbank working process such as preparation, collection, transportation, division, and distribution was considered and analyzed to decide the application point for CCPs. Donated foods mainly consisted of processed foods, raw materials, lunch boxes, and cooked foods from mass catering establishments, which dominated over the others in terms of quantity. Cooked foods were divided into three groups based on menu-types and processing methods. Temperature, pH, and aw were measured on cooked foods, and Total Plate Count, Coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli O157:H7 were conducted in order to apply a HACCP plan. From these experiments, temperature, pH, and $a_w$ of donated food were likely contributed to microbial growth. Donated foods before HACCP implementation showed high numbers in terms of total plate count and Coliforms, both well over the acceptable standard levels. By setting the CCPs on maintenance of donated food below $10^{\circ}C$ and using a $75^{\circ}C$ reheating method, microbiological hazard levels were able to be controlled and lowered. From these results, it is concluded that in order to guarantee food safety, foods donated to the Foodbank must not only maintain a reasonable level of initial microbiological growth, but also must be handled properly through time and temperature controls within the Foodbank system. Furthermore, in terms of implementing the HACCP plan within the Foodbank management structure, basic food safety and sanitation measures, such as reheating facilities and various cold chain systems such as refrigerated vehicle for food transportation are importantly needed. The training and education of Foodbank personnel and management in areas such as awareness of hygiene and safe food handling and practice are also required and necessary.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.4007-4017
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• 2024

In the city centre of Isparta, located in the southwestern part of Türkiye, indoor radon concentrations and gamma dose rate levels were observed above the world and country averages. For this reason, the determination of the natural radioactivity levels in soil samples of Isparta province is of great interest. In the present study, the activity concentrations of radionuclides (namely ²²⁶Ra,²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs) were investigated in the soil samples collected from 72 different points including the city centre and 12 towns of Isparta by using a gamma spectrometer with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra,²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs radionuclides in the samples were found in the range of 4.08 ± 0.39-69.84 ± 1.43 Bqkg^-1, 2.63 ± 0.28-65.66 ± 1.41 Bqkg^-1, 44.48 ± 3.17-452.38 ± 9.65 Bqkg^-1 and 0.28 ± 0.18-19.10 ± 0.61 Bqkg^-1 respectively. The averages of all the measurements were determined as 15.69 ± 0.72 Bqkg^-1 for 226Ra, 15.40 ± 0.78 Bqkg^-1 for ²³²Th, 210.60 ± 6.22 Bqkg^-1 for ⁴⁰K and 3.44 ± 0.31 Bqkg^-1 for ¹³⁷Cs. Although these values were below the country and world averages, it was revealed that the ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th activity concentrations in the city centre exceeded the national and world averages. In addition, radiological risk maps of the analysed radionuclides were produced for the first time, covering all towns within the Isparta province. To evaluate the radiological hazards resulting from natural radionuclides, external hazard index (Hex), absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), male and female lifetime cancer risk (LCR) values were also calculated. The outcomes of this study revealed that all the radiological parameter averages for Isparta were lower than the world and country averages but the calculation results for the city centre displayed the opposite of this situation except for the external hazard index.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.625-633
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• 2015

In this study, a coupled probabilistic framework is developed to assess wind risk on apartment buildings by using the convolution of wind hazard and fragility functions. In this framework, typhoon induced extreme wind is estimated by applying the developed Monte Carlo simulation model to the climatological data of typhoons affecting Korean peninsular from 1951 to 2013. The Monte Carlo simulation technique is also used to assess wind fragility function for 4 different damage states by comparing the probability distributions of the window system's resistance performance and wind load. Wind hazard and fragility functions are modeled by the Weibull and lognormal probability distributions based on simulated wind speeds and failure probabilities. The modeled functions are convoluted to obtain the wind risk for the different damage levels. The developed probabilistic framework clearly shows that wind risk are influenced by various important characteristics of terrain and apartment building such as location of building, exposure category, topographic condition, roof angle, height of building, etc. The risk model presented in this paper can be used as tools to predict economic loss estimation and to establish wind risk mitigation plan for the existing building inventory.

• Proceedings of the KOR-KST Conference
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• 1996.02a
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• pp.59-86
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• 1996

Current methods for evaluating unsignalized intersections, and estimating level-of-service (LOS) is determined from efficiency-based criteria such as little or no delay to very long delays. At present, similar procedures to evaluate intersections using safety-based criteria do not exist. The improvement of sight distances at intersections is the most effective way of improving intersection safety. However, a set of procedures is necessary to account for the limitations in current methodology. Such an approach would build upon such methods, but also account for: deficiencies in the current deterministic solution for the determination of intersection sight distances; opportunity for an accident and severity of an accident; and cost-effectiveness of attaining various levels of sight distances. In this research, a model that estimates the degree of safety at two-way stop-controlled intersections is described. Only crossing maneuvers are considered in this study because accidents caused by the crossing maneuvers are the dominate type among intersection accidents. Monte Carlo methods are used to estimate the hazard at an intersection as a function of roadway features and traffic conditions. Driver`s minimum gap acceptance in the crossing vehicles and headway distribution on the major road are used in the crossing vehicles and headway distribution on the major road are used in the model to simulate the real intersectional maneuvers. Other random variables addressed in the model are: traffic speeds; preception-reaction times of both drivers in the crossing vehicles and drivers in oncoming vehicles on the major road; and vehicles on the major roads. The developed model produces the total number of conflicts per year per vehicle and total potential kinetic energy per year per vehicle dissipated during conflicts as measurements of safety at intersections. Based on the results from the developed simulation model, desirable sight distances for various speeds were determined as 350 feet, 450 feet and 550 feet for 40 mph, 50 mph and 60 mph prevailing speed on the major road, respectively. These values are seven to eight percent less than those values recommended by AASHTO. A safety based level-of-service (LOS) is also developed using the results of the simulation model. When the total number of conflicts per vehicle is less than 0.05 at an intersection, the LOS of the intersection is `A' and when the total number of conflicts per vehicle is larger than 0.25 at an intersection, the LOS is `F'. Similarly, when the total hazard per vehicle is less than 350, 000 1b-ft2/sec2, the LOS is `F'. Once evaluation of the current safety at the intersection is complete, a sensitivity analysis can be done by changing one or more input parameters. This will estimate the benefit in terms of time and budget of hazard reduction based upon improving geometric and traffic characteristics at the intersection. This method will also enable traffic engineers in local governments to generate a priority list of intersection improvement projects.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.456-464
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• 2010

Recently, heavy metals contamination of the agricultural soil and crops surrounding mining areas has been identified as one of the most serious environmental problems in South Korea. The Ministry of the Environment in Korea conducted a Preliminary National Environmental Health Survey (PNEHS) in abandoned metal mines in 2007. The priority for a subsequent detailed examination was ranked from the results of PNEHS. The studied mine which was ranked as being of the highest priority is located in the midwestern part of Korea and was operated from 1911 to 1985. In this study, the contamination levels of the heavy metals in the abandoned metal mine were investigated. From the results, the average daily dose (ADD), target hazard quotient (THQ) and target cancer risk of the heavy metals were evaluated. The concentration of arsenic (As) in all of the tailings from the mine was higher than its countermeasure standard of Korea. In particular, the highest concentration of As, 330 mg/kg, was up to 15 times higher than its countermeasure standard. The average concentration of As in agricultural soils was higher than the warning standard of Korea, and higher than its countermeasure standard at six sites. The average concentrations of the analyzed heavy metals in agricultural soil were below the warning standard, but concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) at 4 sites were higher than its warning standard. The average concentration of As in surface water exceeded the warning standard of Korea. The value of the THQ of As for the tailings was higher than the health protection standard 1. The value of THQ of As for the farmlands was lower than the standard, while the hazard index (HI) of As was higher than the standard. The value of target cancer risk (TCR) of As, $6.44{\times}10^{-4}$, were higher than the health protection standard of a lifetime risk for TCR at $1{\times}10^{-6}$. This suggests that the residents around the metal mines are exposed to As pollution with a carcinogenic risk.