• Title/Summary/Keyword: pollution disease

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Association among Lifestyle and Risk Factors with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

  • Yi Ko;Zi-Ni Ngai;Rhun-Yian Koh;Soi-Moi Chye
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.86 no.2
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    • pp.102-110
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    • 2023
  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major health burden worldwide, with over 600 million confirmed cases and 6 million deaths by 15 December 2022. Although the acute phase of COVID-19 management has been established, the long-term clinical course and complications due to the relatively short outbreak is yet to be assessed. The current COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant morbidity and mortality around the world. Interestingly, epidemiological studies have shown that fatality rates vary considerably across different countries, and men and elderly patients are at higher risk of developing severe diseases. There is increasing evidence that COVID-19 infection causes neurological deficits in a substantial proportion to patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome. Furthermore, lack of physical activity and smoking are associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) susceptibility. We should therefore explore why lack of physical activity, smoking, etc causing a population more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and mechanism involved. Thus, in this review article, we summarize epidemiological evidence related to risk factors and lifestyle that affect COVID-19 severity and the mechanism involved. These risk factors or lifestyle interventions include smoking, cardiovascular health, obesity, exercise, environmental pollution, psychosocial social stress, and diet.

Perspectives on Noise Issues Arising from the Introduction of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) -Characteristics and Potential Health Effects of UAM Noise: Research Directions and Policy Considerations- (도심환경교통(Urban Air Mobility, UAM) 도입에 따른 소음 문제에 대한 시론 -UAM 소음의 특성과 잠재적 건강영향: 연구 방향 및 관리를 위한 정책적 고려사항-)

  • Seunghon Ham
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.50 no.2
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    • pp.81-82
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    • 2024
  • Urban air mobility (UAM) is emerging as an innovative transportation solution for cities. However, the potential noise impact on urban life must be carefully examined. Continuous exposure to UAM noise, with its unique frequency characteristics and temporal variability, may adversely affect citizens' health by causing sleep disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairmenet, particularly in children. NASA has formed a UAM Noise Working Group to study this issue comprehensively. In Korea, the Seoul Metropolitan Government's UAM demonstration project is expected to accelerate related research and development. Scientific analysis, including noise measurement, prediction modeling, and health impact assessment, must be prioritized. Measures to minimize noise should be established based on this evidence, such as optimizing flight modes, developing noise reduction technologies, and establishing new noise management standards. Transparency and social consensus are crucial throughout this process. Expert review and open communication with civil society are necessary to address related concerns. Sharing demonstration project results and providing opportunities to experience UAM noise through digital twin simulations can help address public concerns and build social consensus. Proactively and scientifically tackling noise issues is essential for the sustainable development and successful integration of UAM into daily life.

Evaluation of Bio-Control Efficacy of Trichoderma Strains against Alternaria alternata Causing Leaf Blight of Ashwagandha [Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal]

  • Rahman, Md. Ahsanur;Rahman, Md. Arifur;Moni, Zakiah Rahman;Rahman, Mohammad Anisur
    • Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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    • v.36 no.3
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    • pp.207-218
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    • 2020
  • Ashwagandha is an important ancient medicinal crops, being affected with many diseases, among which leaf blight caused by Alternaria alternata has become the constraint resulting in huge yield losses. Continuous usage of chemical methods leads to environment, soil and water pollution. Whereas biological control of diseases is long lasting, inexpensive, eco-friendly and harmless to target organisms. In this context, it is aimed to evaluate five Trichoderma strains viz. Trichoderma virens IMI-392430, T. pseudokoningii IMI-392431, T. harzianum IMI-392432, T. harzianum IMI-392433 and T. harzianum IMI-392434 as bio-control efficacy against A. alternata and growth promoting effect in Ashwagandha. All the Trichoderma strains had varied antagonistic effects against the pathogen. In dual culture technique, the strain T. harzianum IMI-392433 showed maximum percentage inhibition of mycelial growth (54.89%) followed by T. harzianum IMI-392432 (53.83%), T. harzianum IMI-392434 (48.94%) and T. virens IMI-392430, (43.62%) against the pathogen, while the least inhibition percentage was observed with the T. pseudokoningii IMI-392431 (36.60%). The culture filtrate of the Trichoderma strain, T. harzianum IMI-392433 recorded highest inhibition on the mycelial growth (39.05%) and spore germination (80.77%) of pathogen and the lowest was recorded in T. pseudokoningii IMI-392431 (20.45 and 50%). Moreover, seeds treated with spore suspension of the strain T. harzianum IMI-392433 reduced the percentages of disease severity index significantly. The strain T. harzianum IMI-392433 also significantly increased seed germination %, seedling vigor and growth of Ashwagandha. The correlation matrix showed that root yield per plant of Ashwagandha had significant and positive correlation with plant height (r=0.726⁎⁎), number of leaf (r=0.514⁎⁎), number of primary branch (r=0.820⁎⁎), number of secondary branch (r=0.829⁎⁎), fresh plant weight (r=0.887⁎⁎), plant dry weight (r=0.613⁎⁎), root length (r=0.824⁎⁎), root diameter (r=0.786⁎⁎), root dry weight (r=0.739⁎⁎) and fresh root weight (r=0.731⁎⁎). The significant and negative correlation (r=-0.336⁎⁎) was observed with the root yield and percentages of disease severity index. The study recognized that the T. harzianum IMI-392433 strain performed well in inhibiting the mycelial growth and reduced the percentages of disease severity index of pathogen as well as increased the plant growth in Ashwagandha.

A Study on the Selection of Health topic areas and major concepts for Health Education in Primary and Junior High Schools (초.중학생을 위한 보건교육의 영역 및 주요개념 선정을 위한 일 연구)

  • 이경자
    • Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.10-26
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    • 1990
  • In Korean education, the health contents are scattered in various course subjects throughtout the primary and junior high school curriculum. So it is very difficult to provide systematic health education. The purpose of this study was to provide a guide for health education using health topic areas and major concepts that represent the scope of material that should be covered in health instruction. The steps used in selecting these health topic areas and major concepts were as follows: 1. A review of the literature related to health and health education was done to develop the rationale underlying this study. 2. Health topic areas basic to the growth and development characteristics of children, to human needs and to societal needs for healthful living were indentified. 3. The major concepts for each health topic area based on health sciences and children's growth and development levels were selected. 4. The major concepts selected were organized in sequence to guide health education from grade one to grade nine. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The identification of eleven health topic areas essential for health education. These include: personal habits and health healthy growth and development nutrition and health prevention of disease and disorders drugs and health mental health family life and health sex education accident prevention consumer health community health 2. The identification of the major concepts(generalizations) for each health topic area: 33 major concepts were identified as a guide in determining the health content of health education programs. These are 1) body cleaniness, 2) health of the sensory organs, 3) dental health, 4) exercise and rest, 5) growth and development, 6) body structure and function, 7) developmental tasks, 8) balanced nutrition, 9) eating habits, 10) food preparation and food storage, 11) sources of disease and disorders, 12) disease preventive behavior, 13) care during illness, 14) drug use and misuse, 15) drug addiction, 16) emotional responses, 17) human relationship, 18) self concept, 19) social adjustment, 20) health habits of the family, 21) interdependence of family members, 22) origin of life, 23) characteristics of man and woman, 24) sexual instinct, 25) safety behavior, 26) emergency measures, 27) criteria for selection of health products, 28) proper use of health information, 29) utilization of health and medical services, 30) environmental conservation, 31) environmental pollution, 32) population control, 33) function of public health services. 3. The organization of the concepts(generalizations) in sequence and for continuity in health instruction at the primary and junior high school level.

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Clinical Test on Application of ShiHo-GuizhiTang (시호계지탕(柴胡桂枝湯)의 임상치험(臨床治驗)에 관(關)한 소고(小考))

  • Lee, Min-seop;Kim, Dong-hee;Shin, Soon-shik
    • Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.201-214
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    • 2000
  • Precise and detailed clinical research and evaluation based on objective standards are imperative factors in securing reliability of a clinical test. Built on this principle, this clinical test has been conducted during the period between March 1999 and March 2000 dealing with 31 outpatients treated with ShiHo-GuizhiTang or ShiHo-GuizhiTang modify and ShiHo-GuizhiTang mixed prescriptions at the Sung-bo ORIENTAL MEDICAL CLINIC. A variety of information relating to those patients has been collected and analyzed under such criteria as precise diagnoses and their clinical effectiveness. The analysis was duly based on "The theory of cold syndrome". Then, the 31 patients' individual clinical information was compared one another by breaking down the results into sub-categories including gender, age, disease, main symptom, blood pressure, pulse beats, syndrome of abdomen, treatment period, modify and mixed prescription, and evaluation. The result of this clinical test can be summarized as follows: First, ShiHo-GuizhiTang appears to be more frequently prescribed in the case of female patients than in the case of male patients despite the fact that it does not necessarily need to be applied only to female. In addition, the numbers of prescriptions of ShiHo-GuizhiTang in the two age groups consisting of elementary school children and economically active adults respectively were the highest among other age groups. Second, ShiHo-GuizhiTang proved to be most effective in treatment for respiratory ailments and arthritis. Third, ShiHo-GuizhiTang brought down blood pressure of hypertension patients and at the same time benefited patients with normal or lower-than-normal blood pressure who were vulnerable to diseases due to low disease-resistance. Fourth, ShiHo-GuizhiTang was effective in the case of frequent pulse(rapid pulse) and thereby indicating the fact it carries Taiyang superficies syndrome. 지맥 arises from suppressed immune responses owing to adrenocortical hormones. ShiHo-GuizhiTang controls and revitalizes those suppressed immune systems which stem from slow pulse and, as a consequence of that process, helps them return to normal condition of pulse. Fifth, from the standpoint of syndrome of abdomen, feeling of obstruction in the epigastrium serves as an important standard in the process of diagnosing diseases and evaluating effectiveness of treatments. Sixth, according to the results of the clinical test with the 31 patients, a total of 81 percent of test subjects benefited from the treatment. The figure is the sum of 52 percent of I-class (both main symptom and accompanying symptoms had been eliminated) and 29 percent of II-class (part of main symptom and accompanying symptoms had been eliminated) respectively. All told it is safe to say that ShiHo-GuizhiTang can elect to be a viable clinical treatment. In conclusion, it is estimated that this clinical study has drawn up guidelines for objective diagnostic standards and evaluation on specific treatments' effectiveness. This will lead to more general application of ShiHo-GuizhiTang. On top of that, this study could also provide an opportunity to stress the significance of ShiHo-GuizhiTang and ShiHo-GuizhiTang modify and ShiHo-GuizhiTang mixed prescriptions as an alternative treatment for collagen disease which comes from environmental degradation and pollution.

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Application of chemical treatment for cattle and chicken carcasses for the control of livestock infectious diseases (가축 전염병 발생에 따른 소와 닭 사체의 화학적 처리 방법의 적용)

  • Lee, Taek Geun;Oh, Yeonsu;Ko, Young-Seung;Bae, Da-Yun;Tark, Dong-Seob;Rim, Chaekwang;Cho, Ho-Seong
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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    • v.45 no.2
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    • pp.117-124
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    • 2022
  • In the event of an outbreak of a livestock epidemic, it has been considered that the existing burial-centered carcass disposal method should be improved ecofriendly for prevention of leachate and odors from burial basically in regard of pathogen inactivation. Therefore, the aim of this study is whether it was possible to treat the carcass of cattle and chickens using the chemical carcass treatment method. It was conducted to establish detailed treatment standards for the chemical treatment method of cattle and chicken carcasses based on the results of the proof of the absence of infectious diseases in cattle chickens. After inoculating cattle carcass with 10 pathogens (foot and mouth disease virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis, Brucella abortus, Bacillus anthracis, Clostridium chauvoei, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella Typhimurium) and chicken carcasses with low pathogenic avian influenza virus, Clostridium perfringens type C, E. coli and Salmonella Typhimurium, these were treated at 90℃ for 5 hours in a potassium hydroxide liquid solution corresponding to 15% of the body weight. This method liquefies all cadaveric components and inactivates all inoculated pathogens by PCR and culture. Based on these results, it was possible to prove that chemical treatment of cattle and chicken carcasses is effective in killing pathogens and is a safe method without the risk of disease transmission. The chemical treatment method of livestock carcasses can be suggested as an alternative to the current domestic burial-centered livestock carcass treatment method, preventing environmental pollution, and contributing to public health.

CHANGES IN WATER USE AND MANAGEMENT OVER TIME AND SIGNIFICANCE FOR AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA

  • Knight, Michael J.
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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    • 1997.11a
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    • pp.3-31
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    • 1997
  • Water has always played a significant role in the lives of people. In urbanised Rome, with its million people. sophisticated supply systems developed and then fled with the empire. only to be rediscovered later But it was the industrial Revolution commencing in the eighteenth century that ushered in major paradigm shifts In use and altitudes towards water. Rapid and concentrated urbanisation brought problems of expanded demands for drinking supplies, waste management and disease. The strategy of using water from local streams, springs and village wells collapsed under the onslaughts of rising urban demands and pollution due to poor waste disposal practices. Expanding travel (railways. and steamships) aided the spread of disease. In England. public health crises peaks, related to water-borne typhoid and the three major cholera outbreaks occurred in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century respectively. Technological, engineering and institutional responses were successful in solving the public health problem. it is generally accepted that the putting of water into pipe networks both for a clean drinking supply, as well as using it as a transport medium for removal of human and other wastes, played a significant role in towering death rates due to waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid towards the end of the nineteenth century. Today, similar principles apply. A recent World Bank report Indicates that there can be upto 76% reduction in illness when major water and sanitation improvements occur in developing countries. Water management, technology and thinking in Australia were relatively stable in the twentieth century up to the mid to late 1970s. Groundwater sources were investigated and developed for towns and agriculture. Dams were built, and pipe networks extended both for supply and waste water management. The management paradigms in Australia were essentially extensions of European strategies with the minor adaptions due to climate and hydrogeology. During the 1970s and 1980s in Australia, it was realised increasingly that a knowledge of groundwater and hydrogeological processes were critical to pollution prevention, the development of sound waste management and the problems of salinity. Many millions of dollars have been both saved and generated as a consequence. This is especially in relation to domestic waste management and the disposal of aluminium refinery waste in New South Wales. Major institutional changes in public sector water management are occurring in Australia. Upheveals and change have now reached ail states in Australia with various approaches being followed. Market thinking, corporatisation, privatisation, internationalisation, downsizing and environmental pressures are all playing their role in this paradigm shift. One casualty of this turmoil is the progressive erosion of the public sector skillbase and this may become a serious issue should a public health crisis occur such as a water borne disease. Such crises have arisen over recent times. A complete rethink of the urban water cycle is going on right now in Australia both at the State and Federal level. We are on the threshold of significant change in how we use and manage water, both as a supply and a waste transporter in Urban environments especially. Substantial replacement of the pipe system will be needed in 25 to 30 years time and this will cost billions of dollars. The competition for water between imgation needs and environmental requirements in Australia and overseas will continue to be an issue in rural areas. This will be especially heightened by the rising demand for irrigation produced food as the world's population grows. Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation in the emerging S.E Asian countries are currently producing considerable demands for water management skills and Infrastructure development. This trend e expected to grow. There are also severe water shortages in the Middle East to such an extent that wars may be fought over water issues. Environmental public health crises and shortages will help drive the trends.

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Daily Intakes and the Blood Levels of Heavy Metals of the College Women Living in Choongchung-NamDo Area (충남지역 일부 여대생의 식이를 통한 중금속 섭취량과 혈중 중금속 농도)

  • 박수진;조여원
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.34 no.1
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    • pp.48-53
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    • 2001
  • As the severity of environmental pollution increases, the foodstuffs are contaminated more the ever. There are 40 kinds of heavy metals that we are able to consume through the heavy metal contaminated-foodstuffs. Arsenic, lead, cadmium, and chromium out or them have been know to be a potential cause for a alzheimers disease, kidney diseases, and cancer. However, research data on the daily intakes of such heavy metals are limited. This study was performed to evaluate the daily intakes of nutrients and the dietary heavy metals of the college women living in Choongchung-NamDo Area, where had been reported to have high contents of heavy metals for the seafoods. We also investigated the blood levels of the heavy metals. The mean age, height, weight, BMI and percent ideal body weight(PIBW) of the subjects were 20$\pm$1.0yr, 158.4$\pm$0.7cm, 55.1$\pm$1.4kg, 22.4$\pm$.04, and 103.3$\pm$2.5 %, resp-ectivly. The mean of daily energy intake was 1,717.03$\pm$55.99kacl/day(86% of RDA for women). The ratio to energy from carbohydrate, fat and protein was 60: 24: 16. Daily intakes of Vit A, Vit B$_2$, CA, and Fe were under the RDA for those nutrients. The mean adequate ratio of the subjects was 0.92 . The daily intakes of heavy metal, such as As, Pb, Co, Cr and Mn , were 1.80$\pm$0.27mg, 75.21$\pm$4.12$\mu\textrm{g}$, 21.12$\pm$12.34$\mu\textrm{g}$, 60.07$\pm$6.24$\mu\textrm{g}$ and 6.23 $\pm$0.12mg respectively. the blood levels of As, Pb, Co, Cr and Mn were 16.10$\pm$2.10$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, 4.32$\pm$0.58$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, 0.02$\pm$0.01$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, 4.23$\pm$0.41$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, and 4.40$\pm$0.21$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, respectively. In conclusion, daily intake of heavy metals for the college women living in Choongchung-NamDo area was lower than that of WHOs re-commendation, however, the blood levels of each heavy metals were higher than those of Japanese, american, and italian, There were no correlations between the dietary intakes and blood levels of each heavy metals. (Korean J Nutrition 34(1):48-53, 2001)

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Spatial panel analysis for PM2.5 concentrations in Korea (공간패널모형을 이용한 국내 초미세먼지 농도에 대한 분석)

  • Lee, Jong Hyun;Kim, Young Min;Kim, Yongku
    • Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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    • v.28 no.3
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    • pp.473-481
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    • 2017
  • It is well known that the air quality of 92% of the world is known to exceed the standard of WTO and the death caused by air pollution is almost 6 million per year. The $PM_{2.5}$ concentration in Korea is the second most serious among the OECD countries following Turkey. Since the $PM_{2.5}$ has a direct effect on the respiratory system, it has been actively studied in domestic and foreign countries. But current research on the $PM_{2.5}$ is limited in weather factor or air pollutants. In this paper, we consider the influence of spatial neighbor with weather factor or air pollutants using spatial panel model. We applied the proposed method to 25 borough of Seoul in Korea. The result shows a significant effect of spatial neighbor on the $PM_{2.5}$ concentration fields.

Factors Affecting the Morbidity Related to Respiratory Dieseases in Urban Korea (한국 도시의 만성호흡기 질환 이환율에 영향을 주는 요인)

  • Han, Sung-Hyun;Park, Jae-Sung;Seo, Seung-Hee;Yoon, Jee-Eun;Jee, Sun-Ha
    • Korea journal of population studies
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.205-217
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    • 2005
  • Purpose: To evaluate the factors affecting hospital utilization for respiratory diseases by ecological study design and GIS tool. To raise the social concern for respiratory disease by the result. Methods: Hospital admission data supported by national health insurance cooperation were transformed to spread sheet data format and combined with air monitoring dataset. Air pollution data were collected from the annual report of air monitoring published by Korea Ministry of Environment. Socioeconomic statistics including population density, age distribution, forest ratio etc.. were filed using Korea National Statistical Office database. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the factors affecting hospital utilization for respiratory diseases. Analytical unit was 52 cities. Results: The factors affecting hospital utilization for respiratory diseases were the proportion of population 60 years and over, seaside city, $O_3$ level, smoking rate. Conclusions: However, outdoor pollutants monitoring data and smoking rate have weakness in reflecting individual exposure. Further research is required to propose more illustrative means to evaluate causal relationship between air pollution and respiratory health effect factors.