• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2009

Objective: This study was aimed to identify the incidence and risk factors of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) colonization in neurosurgical practice of field, with particular attention to intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: This retrospective study was carried out on the Neurosurgical ICU (NICU), during the period from January. 2005 to December. 2007, in 414 consecutive patients who had been admitted to the NICU. Demographics and known risk factors were retrieved and assessed by statistical methods. Results: A total of 52 patients had VRE colonization among 414 patients enrolled, with an overall prevalence rate of 6.1%. E. faecium was the most frequently isolated pathogen, and 92.3% of all VRE were isolated from urine specimen. Active infection was noticed only in 2 patients with bacteremia and meningitis. Relative antibiotic agents were third-generation cephalosporin in 40%, and vancomycin in 23%, and multiple antibiotic usages were also identified in 13% of all cases. Multivariate analyses showed Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score less than 8, placement of Foley catheter longer than 2 weeks, ICU stay over 2 weeks and presence of nearby VRE-positive patients had a significantly independent association with VRE infection. Conclusion: When managing the high-risk patients being prone to be infected VRE in the NICU, extreme caution should be paid upon. Because prevention and outbreak control is of ultimate importance, clinicians should be alert the possibility of impending colonization and infection by all means available. The most crucial interventions are careful hand washing, strict glove handling, meticulous and active screening, and complete segregation.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2021

Objectives : The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is a global medical crisis imposing particular burden on public sector employees. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychiatric distress among public sector workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study with 531 public sector workers in Gwangmyung city who completed Korean versions of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised-Korean (IES-R-K). Results : The results revealed more than moderate levels of stress (85.2%), depressive symptoms (22.2%), and posttraumatic stress symptoms (38.8%). PSS total score was significantly correlated with PHQ-9, IES-R-K total scores as well as IES-R-K subscale scores. Total scores on the PSS, PHQ-9, and IES-R-K were all inversely correlated with age. Conclusions : COVID-19-related workers experience considerable stress and depressive symptoms, with self-rated stress correlating significantly with depression scores. Age may serve as a protective factor against occupational stress and burnout. These findings highlight the need for adequate psychiatric screening and intervention for public sector workers.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.525-531
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was performed to identify the epidemiological features of a food poisoning outbreak in a company cafeteria located in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea in June of 2020 and to suggest preventive measures for a similar incidence. Methods: A total of 84 patients with acute gastroenteritis were examined. Environmental samples were obtained from 16 food handlers, six food utensils, 135 preserved foods served over three days and nine menus, and six drinking water samples. These are analyzed to detect viruses and bacteria. Results: Ninety-four out of the 402 people who were served meals (23.4%) predominantly showed symptoms of diarrhea, and the number was over 3 times. Among the 84 patients under investigation, 17 cases (20.2%) were positive for Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and 18 cases were positive for Clostridium (C.) perfringens (21.4%). Based on the investigation, it was concluded that the main pathogens were EPEC and C. perfringens. For EPEC, it was detected in three of the food service employees and in the preserved food and curry rice. The results of pulsed field gel electrophoresis indicate that all EPEC cases are closely related except for one food service employee. Assuming that isolated EPEC originated from the preserved food, the incubation period is about 25 hours. The origin of the C. perfringens was not determined as it was not detected in the food service employees or environmental samples. Conclusions: This case suggests that food provided in group food service centers must be thoroughly managed. In addition, identifying the pathogens in preserved food is very important for tracing the causes of food poisoning, so food must be preserved in an appropriate condition. To prevent similar food poisoning cases, analyzing cases based on epidemiological investigation and sharing the results is needed.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.232-244
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• 2000

Domestic market of mass catering establishments has been increased greatly since early 90's with the emergence of professional mass catering business and the expansion of school food service. Because of the characteristics of mass catering establishment, feeding many people at a time, there is always a high potential of foodborne outbreak which requires special sanitary management to prevent. Large-scale outbreaks occurred last few years in Korea revealed the necessity of establishing strong safety measures for the sanitary management of mass catering establishments. Currently, many catering businesses are interested in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points(HACCP), a new sanitary management system, and are trying to implement HACCP for their food services. Korean government is also undertaking model projects for mass catering establishments. Accordingly, numerous efforts are being given to dove op HACCP plans by the academia and industry, however, there has been no report on generic HACCP model which can be used directly for mass catering establishments dealing with numerous menus. Therefore, this study suggested a methodology to develop HACCP plans for domestic mass catering establishments and a generic HACCP model which can be applied to most Korean mass catering establishments hoping to implement HACCP system.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2021

In this study, the main influencing factors of the occurrence of cyanobacteria at each of the eight Multifunctional weirs were derived using a random forest, and a categorical prediction model based on a Algal bloom warning system was developed. As a result of examining the importance of variables in the random forest, it was found that the upstream points were directly affected by weir operation during the occurrence of cyanobacteria. This means that cyanobacteria can be managed through efficient security management. DO and E.C were indicated as major influencers in midstream. The midstream section is a section where large-scale industrial complexes such as Gumi and Gimcheon are concentrated as well as the emissions of basic environmental facilities have a great influence. During the period of heatwave and drought, E.C increases along with the discharge of environmental facilities discharged from the basin, which promotes the outbreak of cyanobacteria. Those monitoring sites located in the middle and lower streams are areas that are most affected by heat waves and droughts, and therefore require preemptive management in preparation for the outbreak of cyanobacteria caused by drought in summer. Through this study, the characteristics of cyanobacteria at each point were analyzed. It can provide basic data for policy decision-making for customized cyanobacteria management.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.165-175
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the emotional characteristics of the patients within one year after stroke using the Core Seven Emotions Inventory-Short Form. Methods: It analyzed the medical records of 39 stroke patients who had visited W University hospital and completed the Core Seven-Emotions Inventory-Short Form (CSEI-S), the K-MBI, the PWI-SF, and the HADS. Patients data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, frequency analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the nonparametric test of the CSEI according to the period of stroke onset in patients and Spearman's correlation analysis using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science, IBM, United States of America) Version 23.0. Results: First, in the case of depression, all subjects were in the danger group, although more than half of the joy, anger, thinking, sadness and fear were included in the normal group in the shortening of the key seven-point scale. Secondly, in measuring the social and psychological stress and hospital anxiety and depression, social and psychological stress were indicated to be a potential danger group, while anxiety and depression were shown to be a healthy group. Thirdly, the emotional characteristics were explored according to the sub-factor of the shortening of the key seven-figure emotional scale after being classified within two months, between two and six months and over six months depending on the duration of the outbreak. As a result, statistically significant, Joy was the highest score over six months and the lowest score between two and six months. On the other hand, the case of depression was depicted to be significantly lower at over six months, and was highest between two and six months. Finally, the correlations on each scale were statistically significant. Conclusions: This study provided that the CSEI-S can be used to simply to measure the emotions of patients according to the period of the onset of stroke in the clinical scene.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.22 no.2 s.55
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• pp.84-97
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• 1983

Under the limited arable land, the enhancement of agricultural productivity is indispensable to provide the food demand which is concomitant with the rapid increase in population. From this viewpoint, the upbringing and dissemination of high-yielding varieties has been promoted continuously and several modifications in cultural practices, including heavy fertilization, dense planting, and early transplanting, also have been gradually developed. However these changes in cultivation have led to the increased outbreak of insect pests and diseases. And this unexpected results have accelerated the number and complexity of pesticides employed as well as their consumption. Even though pesticides are essential materials contributing to the steady production of agricultural crops, large scale consumption of them has given rise to several adverse impacts, such as mammalian hazard and/or environmental contamination. In this respect, recent development of new pesticides has been concentrated on 'safe pesticide', as it were, that has the highly selective properties without unfavorable side influences on other ecosystem. According to literature cited up to now, feasibilities of safe pesticide development would be summarized as two categories. One of them is the development of chemical pesticides, which include the molecular structure modification of established pesticides for increased safety and synthesis of new safe chemicals which can attack the vulnerable point of physio-ecological characteristics in insect pests and diseases. The other is the biological pesticides which comprise natural enemies and microorganisms to act selectively on confined insect pests and diseases, In addition, improvement of physico-chemical properties of available pesticide formulations would be one of the desirable means for safe pesticide development in view of efficacy enhancement and minimization of hazardous properties or safe pesticide development, various approaches are feasible and needed to study, however, long period and much financial outlay are necessary to develop a new item. And under the present situation in Korea, there are many difficulties for performing research on all the possible routes. Therefore, combined pesticides by the reasonable combination of already registered resticides evaluated as the fairly safe pesticides and safe formulation based on their physico-chemical properties would be developed primarily. And many efforts would be given gradually for the development of new chemical and biological pesticides.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.409-420
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• 2018

Objectives: An outbreak of humidifier disinfectant-related respiratory disease has not only been a massive disaster for end users, but it is also a concern for the workers of the manufacturers. This study presents the results of a questionnaire survey on the health effects among workers involved in the manufacture of humidifier disinfectants. Methods: Seven sites where humidifier disinfectants were manufactured were identified. A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the physical symptoms experienced by workers related to humidifier disinfectants. Among a total of 177 workers, 42 subjects were available for the survey. Results: Twenty-one of the 42 respondents reported that they experienced respiratory or skin and mucosal irritation symptoms during work. Of the respondents who experienced symptoms, 14 believed that their symptoms were related to the work process and reported that the symptoms were experienced while working. However, no respondents reported ongoing symptoms or sequelae during the investigation period, and this result could not minimize selection bias due to low response rates. We then compared the characteristics of the group who experienced suspicious symptoms with those of the group without any symptoms. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups. Conclusions: We could not find significant health effects related to the humidifier disinfectant manufacturing process, although 21 respondents experienced stimulant symptoms and 14 respondents believed that the symptoms were related to the work process. Due to the long period of time after occupational exposure and the lack of data, there were many limitations to this study. However, this is one of the few follow-up investigations of workers related to this large-scale disaster in South Korea and the limitations of this study highlight the need to follow up with a nationwide database rather than an occasional survey.

• Atmosphere
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.87-99
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• 2007

Simulation results of Asian Dust Aerosol Model (ADAM) for the period of April 7-9, 2006 were analyzed, comparing with observed PM10 data. ADAM simulated around ten times lower than on-site PM10 concentration in the source regions: Zhurihe, Tongliao, Yushe, Dalian and Huimin. As the result of this low concentration, transported amounts of Asian Dust were under-estimated as well. In order to quantify a forecasting accuracy, Bias and RMSE were calculated. Even though remarkably negative Biases and high RMSEs were observed, ADAM simulation had followed well up the time of dust outbreak and a transported path. However, the emission process to generate dust from source regions requires a great enhancement. The PM10 concentration at the surface reached up to $2,300{\mu}gm^{-3}$ at Baeknyoungdo and Seoul (Mt. Gwanak), up to $1,750{\mu}gm^{-3}$ at KGAWO about 18:00 LST in April 8, respectively; however, ADAM did not simulate the same result on its second peak. It is considered that traveling Asian dust might have been lagged over the Korean peninsula by the blocking of surface high pressure. Moreover, the current RDAPS's 30 km grid resolution (which ADAM adopts as the meteorological input data) might not adequately represent small-scale atmospheric motions below planetary boundary layer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.74-83
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• 2020

In Korea, about 110,000 LPG small storage tanks of less than three tons have been installed in restaurants, houses and factories, and are used as LPG supply facilities for cooking, heating and industrial use. In the case of combustible liquefied gas storage tanks, the tank may rupture due to the temperature increase of the tank steel plate (approximately 600℃) even when the safety valve is operating normally, causing large-scale damage in an instant. Therefore, in the event of a fire near the LPG small storage tank, it is necessary to accurately predict the timing of the BLEVE(Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion) outbreak in order to secure golden time for lifesaving and safely carry out fire extinguishing activities. In this study, we have first investigated the results of a prior study on the prediction of the occurrence of BLEVE in the horizontal tanks. And we have developed thermodynamic models and simulation program on the prediction of BLEVE that can be applied to vertical tanks used in Korea, have studied the effects of the safety valve's ability to vent, heat flux strength of external fires, size of tanks, and gas remaining in tanks on the time of BLEVE occurrence and have suggested future utilization measures.