• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.108-119
• /
• 2024

Objectives: Abrupt changes in air pollution levels associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak present a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of air pollution on influenza risk, at a time when emission sources were less active and personal hygiene practices were more rigorous. Methods: This time-series study examined the relationship between influenza cases (n=22 874) and air pollutant concentrations from 2018 to 2021, comparing the timeframes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in and around Thailand's Khon Kaen province. Poisson generalized additive modeling was employed to estimate the relative risk of hospitalization for influenza associated with air pollutant levels. Results: Before the COVID-19 outbreak, both the average daily number of influenza hospitalizations and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 ㎛ or less (PM_2.5) concentration exceeded those later observed during the pandemic (p<0.001). In single-pollutant models, a 10 ㎍/m³ increase in PM_2.5 before COVID-19 was significantly associated with increased influenza risk upon exposure to cumulative-day lags, specifically lags 0-5 and 0-6 (p<0.01). After adjustment for co-pollutants, PM_2.5 demonstrated the strongest effects at lags 0 and 4, with elevated risk found across all cumulative-day lags (0-1, 0-2, 0-3, 0-4, 0-5, and 0-6) and significantly greater risk in the winter and summer at lag 0-5 (p<0.01). However, the PM_2.5 level was not significantly associated with influenza risk during the COVID-19 outbreak. Conclusions: Lockdown measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic could mitigate the risk of PM_2.5-induced influenza. Effective regulatory actions in the context of COVID-19 may decrease PM_2.5 emissions and improve hygiene practices, thereby reducing influenza hospitalizations.

• Journal of IKEEE
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.116-122
• /
• 2024

AMBA AHB-Lite bus is widely used in on-chip bus protocol for low-power and cost-effective SoC. However, it lacks built-in error detection and correction for end-to-end data integrity. This can lead to data corruption and system instability, particularly in harsh environments like automotive applications. To mitigate this problem, this paper proposes the application of SEC-DED (Single Error Correction-Double Error Detection) to AMBA AHB-Lite bus. It aims not only to detect errors in real-time but also to correct them, thereby enhancing end-to-end data integrity. Simulation results demonstrate real-time error detection and correction when errors occur, which bolsters end-to-end data integrity of automotive on-chip bus.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
• /
• v.23 no.12
• /
• pp.101-106
• /
• 2023

Chronic illnesses are among the most common serious problems affecting human health. Early diagnosis of chronic diseases can assist to avoid or mitigate their consequences, potentially decreasing mortality rates. Using machine learning algorithms to identify risk factors is an exciting strategy. The issue with existing feature selection approaches is that each method provides a distinct set of properties that affect model correctness, and present methods cannot perform well on huge multidimensional datasets. We would like to introduce a novel model that contains a feature selection approach that selects optimal characteristics from big multidimensional data sets to provide reliable predictions of chronic illnesses without sacrificing data uniqueness.[1] To ensure the success of our proposed model, we employed balanced classes by employing hybrid balanced class sampling methods on the original dataset, as well as methods for data pre-processing and data transformation, to provide credible data for the training model. We ran and assessed our model on datasets with binary and multivalued classifications. We have used multiple datasets (Parkinson, arrythmia, breast cancer, kidney, diabetes). Suitable features are selected by using the Hybrid feature model consists of Lassocv, decision tree, random forest, gradient boosting,Adaboost, stochastic gradient descent and done voting of attributes which are common output from these methods.Accuracy of original dataset before applying framework is recorded and evaluated against reduced data set of attributes accuracy. The results are shown separately to provide comparisons. Based on the result analysis, we can conclude that our proposed model produced the highest accuracy on multi valued class datasets than on binary class attributes.[1]

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.184-199
• /
• 2024

Residual crosstalk has been considered as a major drawback of conventional time-reversal processing in the case of simultaneous multiple focusing. In this paper, the Gram-Schmidt process is applied to time-reversal processing to mitigate crosstalk in ocean waveguides for multiple probe sources. Experimental data-based numerical simulations confirm that nulls can be placed at multiple locations, and it is shown that different signals can be simultaneously focused at different probe source locations, ensuring distortionless responses in terms of active time-reversal processing. This focusing property is also shown to be much less affected by a reduction in the number of receivers than the adaptive time-reversal mirror method. The proposed method is shown to be effective in eliminating crosstalk in passive multi-input multi-output communications using sea-going data.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.128-137
• /
• 2024

Objectives: This study was conducted to characterize the symptoms, mental health, quality of life (QoL), and associated factors following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 394 participants previously infected with COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Mental health was assessed using the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Participants self-reported health-related QoL was measured with the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) scale. Results: Among the participants, 76.4% reported experiencing at least one symptom following COVID-19 infection. The most common symptoms were fatigue (42.1%), cognitive dysfunction (42.9%), and hair loss (27.9%). According to the DASS-21 results, the proportions of depression, anxiety, and stress were 28.7%, 26.4%, and 20.6%, respectively. The mean scores on the EQ-5D-5L and the EuroQol Visual Analog Scale were 0.94±0.11 and 84.20±13.11, respectively. Regarding QoL issues, the highest proportion of participants (32.7%) reported experiencing anxiety or depression, followed by pain or discomfort (25.4%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that factors associated with the presence of symptoms following COVID-19 infection included female (odds ratio [OR], 2.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65 to 4.91) and having QoL issues (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.71 to 6.19). Conclusions: The study investigated the prevalence rates of various symptoms following COVID-19 infection. These findings underscore the need to prioritize comprehensive care for individuals recovering from COVID-19 and to implement strategies to mitigate the long-term impact of the disease on mental health and QoL.

• Advances in materials Research
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.115-128
• /
• 2024

Concrete is the most significant material in the construction industry which is required to construct several facilities like roads, buildings, and bridges etc. which leads to the economic development of a country. But now days, in view of sustainable development and environmental problems, plastic waste management is one of the major environmental issues due to its non-biodegradable nature which allows it to stay in the landfills until they are cleaned up. To overcome all these concerns, plastic waste may be used as a substitute of natural fine and coarse aggregate in concrete and a valuable solution to utilize the plastic items which causes several problems. In order to, present study is focused on the affecting properties of concrete as workability, compressive strength, and tensile strength of concrete with using plastic waste and without using plastic waste. Based on the detailed literature, it was observed that the plastic waste is not affecting the quality and consistency of concrete. However, as the number of PVC particles in the mixture increased, the drying shrinkage values decreased and the inclusion of plastic flakes can mitigate drying shrinkage cracking which leads the higher durability of concrete. Based on the comprehensive literature, it was also observed that the plastic aggregate found to be suitable for low and medium strength concrete. However, the investigation on the application of plastic aggregate in the high strength concrete is found limited. It was concluded that the optimum percentage of the plastic aggregate was found about 20%.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.73-82
• /
• 2024

Objectives: The unsafe use of pesticides in agriculture represents a major hazard to human health. This study was conducted to investigate the association between pesticide exposure and health symptoms among chili farmers in northeast Thailand. Methods: This cross-sectional analytic study included 141 chili farmers in Sakon Nakhon Province, in northeast Thailand. Data regarding health symptoms were gathered using a self-report questionnaire. A medical technician tested blood cholinesterase activity using an erythrocyte method, and an occupational medicine specialist at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand reviewed the results. Associations between personal characteristics, pesticide exposure factors, and health symptoms were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Results: Of the 141 chili farmers studied, 66.7% experienced pesticide poisoning, as indicated by below-normal cholinesterase levels. Fatigue was the most frequently reported symptom associated with pesticide exposure, affecting 37.6% of participants. This was followed by nausea and vomiting (31.9%), dizziness (14.9%), and dry throat (14.9%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that several factors were significantly associated with adverse symptoms: amount of work experience, volume of pesticides used, use of chemical pesticides, use of leaking containers during spraying, direct pesticide exposure while working, contact with pesticide-soaked clothing, consumption of food and drinks in the fields, and blood cholinesterase level indicating risk. Conclusions: This study suggests potential health risks for chili farmers stemming from exposure to and contamination by pesticides used in agricultural practices. To mitigate these risks, it is essential to supply personal protective equipment and to implement educational programs aimed at improving protective behaviors among farmers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.83-90
• /
• 2024

Objectives: Professional firefighters face various health hazards and are required to maintain both physical and mental fitness to effectively mitigate crises and respond to emergencies. Moreover, the long working hours and shift work of this profession impact sleep quality. This study investigated the quality of sleep and its associated factors among firefighters in Bangkok, Thailand. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of firefighters affiliated with the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Thailand between January 2023 and March 2023. A cluster random sampling technique was utilized to distribute 600 questionnaires to firefighters in 15 fire stations. The questionnaire addressed demographic, work-related, and environmental factors. Sleep quality was assessed using the Thai version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data analysis involved both descriptive and inferential statistics. Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions were performed. Results: The response rate was 78.7% (n=472), and 44.1% of the firefighters reported poor sleep quality (PSQI score >5). Sleep quality was statistically associated with conflicting family relationships (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 2.9), additional part-time jobs (daytime, OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3 to 4.4; or nighttime, OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.1 to 16.7), noisy sleeping areas (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.8), and the availability of adequate bedding (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.8 to 4.9). Conclusions: Poor sleep quality among firefighters was associated with various personal, work-related, and environmental factors. Organizations should promote policies that improve sleep quality through good sleep hygiene practices and facilities.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.43-50
• /
• 2024

Large planar military antenna boasts a range of electrical components, including TRA(Transmit-Receive Assembly), signal processors, etc. which engage in computations and calculations. These processes generate a significant amount of heat, leading to unforeseen consequences for the equipment. To mitigate these adverse effects, it's imperative to implement a cooling system that can effectively reduce heat-related issues. Given the antenna's intricate nature and the multitude of components it houses, a two-step estimation process is necessary. The first step involves a comprehensive model calculation to determine the total flow characteristics, while the second step entails a thermal analysis of individual TRA set. In this study, we depicted an antenna set using simplified 3D models of its components, considering their material and thermal properties. The sequential analysis process facilitated the calculation of branched flow rates, providing insights into the individual TRA. This approach also allowed us to design a cooling system for the TRA set, assessing its thermal stability in high-temperature environments. To ensure the optimal performance of TRA, breaking down the analysis into stages based on the cooling system's structure can assist operators in predicting numerical results more effectively.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.65-74
• /
• 2024

Purpose: Sodium is essentially required for homeostasis and physiological functions, but excessive sodium consumption increases the risk of obesity and other chronic disorders. Korean studies on the sodium-obesity relationship are limited, and thus, this study was undertaken to determine the nature of the relationship between sodium intake and obesity in Korean adults. Methods: Forty-two participants were divided into 2 groups according to body mass index (BMI, non-obese BMI < 25 kg/m², obese BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²). Dietary intakes and eating habits were analyzed using 3-day food records and a food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometric data were obtained from bioimpedance results, and fasting glucose and lipid levels were measured. Results: Mean weight, BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and body fat mass were greater in the obese group than in the non-obese group for men and women. Skeletal muscle mass and body fat mass were higher in obese women than in non-obese women. Biochemical data were no different in these two subgroups except triglycerides (TGs), which were higher in obese women. Nutrient intakes were not significantly different in obese and non-obese groups. However, obese men consumed excessive sodium, while obese women consumed slightly more than non-obese women. Obese men preferred salty foods and tended to overeat. Positive correlations were found between sodium intake and weight in men and percent body fat mass (PBFM) in women. Correlation analysis (adjusted for energy intake) of the relation between sodium intake and obesity-related factors showed sodium intake was positively correlated with PBFM and TG in women. Conclusion: This anthropometric and biochemical data analysis emphasizes the need for awareness and interventions to mitigate the health risks of elevated sodium consumption. Our findings should aid future studies on the relationship between sodium and obesity and contribute to preventing and managing this metabolic condition.