• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.136-149
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to perform an aggregate human risk assessment for benzene in an industrial complex using the CalTOX model and to improve the reliability and predictability of the model by analyzing the uncertainty and sensitivity of the predicted assessment results. Methods: The CalTOX^TM 4.0 beta model was used to evaluate a selected region, and @Risk 7.6 software was used to analyze uncertainty and sensitivity. Results: As a result of performing the aggregate risk assessment on the assumption that 6.45E+04 g/d of benzene would be emitted into the atmosphere over two decades, 3% of the daily source term to air remained in the selected region, and 97% (6.26E+04 g/d) moved out of the region. As for exposure by breathing, the predicted LADD_inhalation was 2.14E-04 mg/kg-d, and that was assessed as making a 99.99% contribution to the LADD_total. Regarding human Risk_cancer assessment, the predicted human cancer risk was 5.19E-06 (95% CI; 4.07E-06-6.81E-06) (in the 95th percentile corresponding to the highest exposure level, a confidence interval of 90%). As a result of analyzing sensitivity, 'source term to air' was identified as the most influential variable, followed by 'exposure time, active indoors (h/day)', and 'exposure duration (years)'. Conclusions: As for the results of the human cancer risk assessment for the selected region, the predicted human cancer risk was 5.19E-06 (95% CI; 4.07E-06-6.81E-06) (in the 95th percentile, corresponding to the highest exposure level, a confidence interval of 90%). As a result of analyzing sensitivity, 'source term to air' was found to be most influential.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 2017

This study evaluated the human health risk in terms of the excess number of mortality and morbidity in the megacity Mumbai, India due to air pollution. AirQ software was used to enumerate the various health impacts of critical pollutants in Mumbai in past 22 years during 1992-2013. A relationship concept based on concentration-response relative risk and population attributable-risk proportion was employed by adopting World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for concentrations of air pollutants like $PM_{10}$, $SO_2$ and $NO_2$. For the year 1992 in Mumbai, it was observed that excess number of cases of total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, hospital admission due to COPD, respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease were 8420, 4914, 889, 149, 10568 and 4081 respectively. However, after 22 years these figures increased to 15872, 9962, 1628, 580, 20527 and 7905 respectively, but all of these reached maximum in the year 2006. From the result, it is also noted that except COPD morbidity the excess number of cases from 1992-2002 to 2003-2013 increased almost by 30%; and the excess number of mortality and morbidity is basically due to particulate matter ($PM_{10}$) than due to gaseous pollutants.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.165-174
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• 1999

This study was conducted to analyze the priority of environmental problems in Korea by investigating the environmental professionals' perception. The delphi technique was applied to identify their risk perception towards some specific items related with pollution. A standardized questionnaire on environmental problems and their priorities was used to 74 subjects. In the questionnaire, the environmental problems were divided into the general ones,9 items, and the specific ones,30 items. Also, the perception was associated with two points of view which were the risk on general human health or ecosystem, and on the present situation in Korea. The priority of risk from general environmental problems on human health or ecosystem was analyzed in the order of 'water pollution', 'air pollution', 'soil contamination', 'waste', 'toxic chemical pollutants', 'food contamination', 'ocean contamination', 'odor pollution', and 'noise pollution'. The priority of risk on the present situation in Korea was analyzed in the order of 'water pollution','air pollution','waste','toxic chemical pollutants','food contamination','soil contamination','ocean contamination','odor pollution', and 'noise pollution'. And these priorities were significantly related with the characteristics of respondents such as sex, age, and major concerned area. However, for the first five priorities of risk from the specific environmental problems on human health or ecosystem, the environmental professionals agreed with 'automotive vehicle exhaust', 'domestic and industrial source pollutants to surface water', '$CO_2$nd g1oba1 warming effect','toxic air pollutant' and 'industrial source air pollution'. The priorities of risk on the present situation in Korea were similar to these results.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate food habits, nutritional knowledge, nutritional risk factors, health-related lifestyle, health status and dietetic therapy in Korean middle-aged and elderly outpatients taking supplements. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to December in 2001. Subjects were 1702 (male 731, female 971) age-related chronic disease outpatients aged over 50 years. Data was collected using a standardized Questionnaire by in-person interview and analyzed by SPSS system. The subjects with supplement had significantly lower nutritional knowledge, higher nutritional risk factors, undesirable lifestyle, and lower self-reported health status compared to those without supplement. However, the subjects with supplement had desirable (cod habits and more concern about health compared to those without supplement. Age-related chronic disease group with supplement had significantly undesirable food habits, lower nutritional knowledge and higher nutritional risk factors compared to control group with supplement. Age-related chronic disease group without supplement had significantly desirable food habits, higher nutritional knowledge, lower self-reported health status and higher stress compared to control group without supplement. Therefore, these results may provide basic information for proper supplement of Korean middle-aged and elderly outpatients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7243-7248
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• 2015

Background: Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a major chemokine thought to be responsible for monocyte and T-lymphocyte recruitment in acute inflammatory conditions and recruitment of macrophages in tumors. It is also implicated in cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between MCP-1 -2518 A/G polymorphism and breast cancer risk in patients from Amritsar city of Punjab state in North-West India. Materials and Methods: We screened DNA samples of 200 sporadic breast cancer patients and 200 age and gender matched unrelated healthy individuals for MCP-1 -2518 A/G polymorphism using the PCR-RFLP method. Results: A significantly increased frequency of the GG genotype was observed in patients as compared to controls. Individuals carrying the MCP1 -2518GG genotype had a two fold risk for breast cancer (OR=2.06, 95%CI, 1.06-3.98; p=0.03). Genetic models analysis revealed a significant association between MCP-1 -2518 A/G polymorphism and cancer risk in homozygous co-dominant (OR=2.06, 95%CI, 1.06-3.98; p=0.03) and recessive (OR=1.97, 95%CI, 1.05-3.70; p=0.03) models. Conclusions: We conclude that the GG genotype of the MCP-1-2518 A/G polymorphism is associated with increased risk to breast cancer in Punjab, North-West India.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.257-263
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• 2014

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an endothelial cell specific mitogen, has been implicated as a critical factor influencing tumor related angiogenesis. The aim of present study was to evaluate the relationship between VEGF +936C>T and +405C>G polymorphisms of VEGF with risk of breast cancer in Punjab, India. Materials and Methods: We screened DNA samples of 192 sporadic breast cancer patients and 192 unrelated healthy, gender and age matched control individuals for VEGF +936C>T and +405C>G polymorphisms using the PCR-RFLP method. Results: For the VEGF +405C>G polymorphism, we observed significantly increased frequency of GG genotype in cases as compared to controls and strong association of +405GG genotype was observed with three fold risk for breast cancer (OR=3.07; 95%CI 1.41-6.65; p=0.003). For the +936C>T polymorphism, significant associations of CT and combined CT+TT genotypes were observed with elevated risk of breast cancer (p=0.021; 0.023). The combined genotype combinations of GG-CC and GG-CT of +405C>G and +936C>T polymorphisms were found to be significantly associated with increased risk of breast cancer (p=0.04; 0.0064). Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicated significant associations of VEGF +936C>T and +405C>G polymorphisms with increased breast cancer risk in patients from Punjab, North India.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.364-370
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• 2011

Water quality criteria for human health protection are derived based on the human health risk assessment. Water quality criteria in Korean freshwater bodies have been derived according to the equations developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The equations include the fish intake parameter, which is very important factor that significantly influences on the criteria derivation. So far, several fish intake values were used in human health risk assessment for water quality standards and effluent standards. However, these values are not consistent and they refer to various sources. Therefore, there is a need to suggest the most appropriate value of fish intake parameter to derive freshwater quality criteria in Korea. In this study, national and international fish intake values were widely collected and evaluated to select the adequate value of fish intake parameter that can be applied in Korea. The USEPA presented fish intake parameter as the 17.5 g/day for general adults and sport fishers and 142.4 g/day for subsistence fishers. In Korean reports, wide range values of 2 to 67.7 g/day were suggested as fish intake value. These values included finfish and shellfish intakes in common but had various habits. This study found that the 52.4 g/day suggested in Korean Exposure Factors Handbook published by the Ministry of Environment in 2007 seemed to be the suitable fish intake parameter to derive the freshwater quality criteria in Korea. The value is based on water corrected intakes of finfish and shellfish present in freshwater and coastal areas. We expect that this report can be useful to select suitable fish intake value in human health risk assessment for establishing freshwater quality standard in Korea.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.447-458
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study is to present the basic guidelines for preventing human error by measuring and analyzing the risk of collision perceived by the ship operator in the collision risk situation by using Korea Coast Guard patrol ships. Background: In the last 5 years, 97.5% of the causes of ship collision occurred at the sea was caused by human factors. However, the rate of marine accidents due to human error has not been reduced yet. Experiments and researches on the ship operators using the ships in actual operation are rarely performed. Method: Using two K.C.G Ships on the sea, the ship measured by 30 persons who are the subject of the ship (ship operator) when both ships approach and the relative distance gradually decreases in four encounter situations, perceived ship collision risk (PSCR) data were analyzed by statistical analysis. Results: The age and boarding career of the ship operator in the situation of ship collision risks encountered a negative impact on perceived collision risk in all four opposing encounter situations S1 ($000^{\circ}$), S2 ($045^{\circ}$), S3 ($090^{\circ}$) and S4 ($135^{\circ}$) respectively. That is, the higher the age of the ship operator, the lower the perceived risk of collision and the lower the age, the higher the risk of collision. Also, there was a difference between the average of group A (20~30 years) and group B (40~50 years) according to age of the ship operators at $000^{\circ}$, $045^{\circ}$ and $090^{\circ}$ and there was no difference at $135^{\circ}$. The mean difference of the experience of boarding career was also significantly different between group A (less than 4 years) and group B (more than 5 years), but there was no significant difference at $135^{\circ}$. Conclusion: The results showed that age and boarding career of the ship operators had negative impact on perceived collision risk and there was a difference in perceived risk of collision according to age and abundance of boarding career. As a result, by focusing on the ship operators who are in the age group of 20~30 years old and have less than 4 years of experience in boarding the ship. It is expected that the effect of prevention of marine accidents can be expected by avoiding collision avoidance. Application: The results of this study can be used as policy data of related organizations to prevent human error of ship operators and as training data of training institutes.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.1_2
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• pp.49-54
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• 1997

PCBs are classified as B2 (Probable human carcinogen) based on the induction of hepatocellular carcinomas in rats and mice from IRIS (Integrated Risk Information System). About 20 years ago, PCBs were phased out for electrical use in Korea, but PCBs were continuously used in the other field. Lately, there has been increasing concern on possible effects of contaminated soil to the other environment and human health. The purpose of this study is to determine PCBs level in soil at some site and to assess the human exposure doses according to exposure routes for people living within sites which expected to be exposed to PCBs. Pollution level of PCBs on the site was monitored using gas liquid chromatography. To assess the transport of PCBs in soil to plant and to air, various transfer factors(diffusion coefficient, bioconcentration factor etc.) were considered in simple calculations. To calculate the residential exposure doses by routes, some equations were considered using assumption value, which define inhalation, ingestion (soil, plant) and derreal uptake pathway. Computated results will be used as risk assessment information for human health evaluation on contaminated soil.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.70-77
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• 1998

This study proposes a method to facilitate the identification of human error in calling out such qualitative risk assessment in Gas plants. The main idea of this method is based on the scheme of existing qualitative risk assesment technique. The guidewords and tabular worksheet are suggested to be compatible in human error analysis. By using this method developed, the maintenance procedure of Governor system in gas valve station was analyzed to discover the human error in maintenance tasks. As a consequence, certain human errors were identified and the suggested approches proved to be adequate technique for the human error analysis.