• Title/Summary/Keyword: safety activities

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Potential Control of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria by Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus graminis Isolated from Fresh Vegetables

  • Gonzalez-Perez, C.J.;Vargas-Arispuro, I.;Aispuro-Hernandez, E.;Aguilar-Gil, C.L.;Aguirre-Guzman, Y.E.;Castillo, A.;Hernandez-Mendoza, A.;Ayala-Zavala, J.F.;Martinez-Tellez, M.A.
    • Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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    • v.47 no.2
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    • pp.183-194
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    • 2019
  • The consumption of fresh vegetables has been related to recurrent outbreaks of foodborne diseases (FBD) worldwide. Therefore, the development of effective alternative technologies is necessary to improve the safety of these products. This study aimed to isolate and identify epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from fresh fruits and leafy vegetables and characterize their antagonistic capacity due to their ability to produce bacteriocins or antibacterial compounds. For this, 92 LAB isolates from fruits and leafy vegetables were screened for antagonistic activity. Two strains with the highest and broadest antagonistic activities were selected for further characterization; one from cantaloupe melon (strain CM175) and one from cilantro leaves (strain C15). The cell-free supernatants (CFS) of CM175 and C15 were found to exhibit antagonistic activity against FBD-causing pathogens. The CM175 and C15 strains were identified as Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus graminis, respectively. Notably, the P. pentosaceus CM175 CFS stopped the growth of Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Saintpaul, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, and delayed Escherichia coli O157:H7 growth. Moreover, L. graminis C15 CFS delayed the growth of all indicator pathogens, but did not completely stop it. Organic acids and bacteriocin-like molecules were determined to be possibly exerting the observed antagonistic activity of the identified LAB strains. Thus, application of the antagonistic compounds produced by Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus graminis could be a novel and ecological strategy in developing antimicrobial biopreservatives for the food industry and mitigating FBD by reducing the biological contamination in fruit and vegetable orchards, mainly via their potential in controlling both gram-negative and gram-positive pathogenic bacteria.

Agricultural Geophysics in South Korea: Case Histories and Future Advancements (우리나라 농업 물리탐사: 적용 사례와 향후 과제)

  • Song, Sung-Ho;Cho, In-Ky
    • Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.244-254
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    • 2018
  • The first geophysical technique applied to the agricultural sector in Korea was electrical resistivity sounding and conducted in purpose of groundwater exploitation in the 1970s. According to the diversity of agricultural activities since the 1990s, various geophysical methods including electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and self-potential method were applied to several agricultural fields such as soil characterization with saline concentration in vast reclaimed area, delineation of seawater intrusion regions in costal aquifer, safety inspection of embankment dikes with leakage problem, detection of ground subsidence from overpumping and tracing of groundwater aquifer contamination by leachate from livestock mortality burial or waste burial site. This paper introduces representative geophysical techniques that have been utilized in various agricultural fields and suggests several ways to develop the geophysical methods required for the precision agriculture field in the near future based on the past achievements.

The Status and Prospect of Decommissioning Technology Development at KAERI (한국원자력연구원의 해체기술 개발 현황 및 향후 전망)

  • Moon, Jeikwon;Kim, Seonbyung;Choi, Wangkyu;Choi, Byungseon;Chung, Dongyong;Seo, Bumkyoung
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.139-165
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    • 2019
  • The current status and prospect of decommissioning technology development at KAERI are reviewed here. Specifically, this review focuses on four key technologies: decontamination, remote dismantling, decommissioning waste treatments, and site remediation. The decontamination technologies described are component decontamination and system decontamination. A cutting method and a remote handling method together with a decommissioning simulation are described as remote dismantling technologies. Although there are various types of radioactive waste generated by decommissioning activities, this review focuses on the major types of waste, such as metal waste, concrete waste, and soil waste together with certain special types, such as high-level and high-salt liquid waste, organic mixed waste, and uranium complex waste, which are known to be difficult to treat. Finally, in a site remediation technology review, a measurement and safety evaluation related to site reuse and a site remediation technique are described.

EA Study on Practical Engineering Education through the Design and Configure of Safe Running Type Drones (안전 주행형 무인기의 설계 및 제작을 통한 실천 공학 교육에 관한 연구)

  • Jo, Yeong-Myeong;Lee, Sang-Gwon;Chang, Eun-Young
    • Journal of Practical Engineering Education
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.7-13
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    • 2017
  • This study will provide a practical plan of engineering education through the study of major activities connected with the production of works to accomplish the graduation conditions by completing the comprehensive design subject and the result of the performance. The designed subject is to measure the minimum safety distance during driving using the obstacle detection function of the ultrasonic sensor and to perform the avoidance algorithm based on the measurement value of the acceleration gyro sensor. It is proposed an access surveillance system that minimizes the damage of drones, surrounding objects, and people, and improves air mobility. Experimental results show that the obstacles around the drone are detected by five ultrasonic sensors and the difference of output value is applied to each motor of the drone and obstacle avoidance is confirmed. In addition, the content and level of the data for measuring the achievement of learning achievement in the engineering education certification program were used and the results were confirmed to be consistent with the description of the engineering problem level required for the graduates of 4-year engineering college.

Spatiotemporal chronographical modeling of procurement and material flow for building projects

  • Francis, Adel;Miresco, Edmond;Le Meur, Erwan
    • Advances in Computational Design
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.119-139
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    • 2019
  • Planning and management building projects should tackle the coordination of works and the management of limited spaces, traffic and supplies. Activities cannot be performed without the resources available and resources cannot be used beyond the capacity of workplaces. Otherwise, workspace congestion will negatively affect the flow of works. Better on-site management allows for substantial productivity improvements and cost savings. The procurement system should be able to manage a wider variety of materials and products of the required quality in order to have less stock, in less time, using less space, with less investment and avoiding multiple storage stations. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the advantages of using the Chronographic modeling, by combining spatiotemporal technical scheduling with the 4D simulations, the Last Planner System and the Takt-time when modeling the construction of building projects. This paper work toward the aforementioned goal by examining the impact that material flow has on site occupancy. The proposed spatiotemporal model promotes efficient site use, defines optimal site-occupancy and workforce-rotation rates, minimizes intermediate stocks, and ensures a suitable procurement process. This paper study the material flow on the site and consider horizontal and vertical paths, traffic flows and appropriate means of transportation to ensure fluidity and safety. This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by linking execution and supply to the spatial and temporal aspects. The methodology compare the performance and procurement processes for the proposed Chronographic model with the Gantt-Precedence diagram. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed model and to validate the related concepts. This validation is designed to test the model's graphical ability to simulate construction and procurement.

Regional Distribution Characteristics and Meanings of Women-only Shared Housings - A Case Study of Agency-managed Shared Housings in Seoul - (여성전용 셰어하우스의 지역 분포특성과 의미에 관한 연구 - 서울의 운영사 관리형 현장 사례를 중심으로 -)

  • Kim, Nasung;Park, So-Hyun
    • Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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    • v.35 no.4
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    • pp.3-14
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    • 2019
  • The purpose of this study is to analyze the distribution characteristics of the agency-managed shared housings in Seoul and draw the possible implications from it. The needed data for the study was obtained from an on-line shared housing portal service which provides housing information from various shared housing management agencies. By mapping out the locations and other related data into a GIS(Geographic Information System) program, this study shows that shared housings in Seoul can be sorted into four large clusters. Each cluster has a different ratio of housing types and room capacities reflecting each regional circumstance and common causes. Women-only shared housing takes up 79% of the overall shared housing ratio and, while multi-family housing type has the most count, the apartment type has a noticeably high ratio in women-only housing compared to the apartment type ratio among the other gender-specific housings. Given the high crime rate against the single-person household of young adult women, the reason for the popularity of shared-apartment housing among young women can be deduced. However, the potential tenants' practical choices and their concern for safety are not the only causes that drive the current shared housing market. The young adults in their 20's and 30's choose to live in popular places where they can engage social activities. A new tier of shared housing market has also appeared in places where young adults could not have afforded if they lived alone. Choosing where we live is no longer about just meeting the requirements for a house based on what she/he needs but also about satisfying the preferences for a living based on what she/he desires. This paper indicates that although there is an undeniable premise that 'sharing a house' revolves around the realm of housing welfare and is not a typical topic for the upper-income households, the way we live and how we choose our place to live is shifting.

A Risk Assessment Method using Disaster Influence Factors on Construction Project (건설 프로젝트의 재해영향요인 기반 위험성 평가방법)

  • Yu, Yong-Sin;Choi, Jae-Wook;Kim, Tae-Wan;Lee, Chansik
    • Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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    • v.35 no.6
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    • pp.3-12
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    • 2019
  • Current risk assessment methods typically determine accident risks embedded in construction projects by combining severity and frequency; however, they do not reflect the characteristics of construction projects. To solve the problem, this study aims to develop a novel risk assessment method that combines severity, frequency, and disaster influence factors (i.e., weather conditions and worker's characteristics) for assessing risks of activities occurring on a construction site actually. In this study, a severity was estimated by death against victims, and a frequency was estimated by the victim rate. The frequency was then converted to probability taking disaster influence factors into account. Thus, instead of considering severity and frequency for assessing the original risks (RO), the proposed method uses severity and probability to yield adjusted risks (RA) for each activity. A case study was conducted to determine if the proposed method works as intended in a real setting. The results show that RA is more sensitive to disaster influence factors than RO and, therefore, is able to assess the actual risks reflecting the working environment and conditions of a construction site. This study contributes to risk management of construction projects by offering a risk assessment method that measures a possibility of potential disasters from the probabilistic perspective. This method would help project managers assess accident risks in a more systematic and quantitative manner.

Anti-inflammatory Effect of Shea Butter Extracts in Canine Keratinocytes

  • Lim, Dahye;Bae, Seulgi;Oh, Taeho
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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    • v.38 no.1
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    • pp.27-31
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    • 2021
  • Shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa) is a fat extracted from shea tree nuts and contains relatively high levels of non-glycerides. Triterpenes, the main non-glyceride component, exhibit a variety of biological activities such as antitumor, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. Shea butter extract (SBE) has been used to treat various skin problems such as burns, eczema, and rash in human medicine, but little is known about the activity of SBE on canine skin. This study evaluated the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effect of SBE in canine keratinocytes. Cytotoxicity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5-50 ng/mL) and SBE (50-200 ㎍/mL) was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay. Non-cytotoxic concentrations of LPS and SBE were administered to canine cell cultures to evaluate anti-inflammatory effects. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of SBE, the levels of IL-1β, IL-8, IL-12, and TNF-α were measured using ELISA kits. The concentration of each cytokine was quantified in control, LPS-treated, LPS + SBE-treated groups. Increased levels of IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-12 were found in LPS-treated groups relative to control groups. LPS + SBE-treated groups showed a lower level of IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-12 than LPS-treated groups. These results suggest that SBE may have application as a topical agent for canine inflammatory skin diseases. However, further in vivo study is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SBE in dogs.

Characteristics of Spatial Environment in Psychiatric Wards through the Analysis by Patient's Preferred Healing Environment in Observational Ward Structure Dividing Staff Area and Patient Area (정신요양 병동에서의 관리영역과 환자의 요양 공간영역의 관찰적 시선에 따른 병동구조와 요양 공간환경의 특성에 관한 연구)

  • Joo, Yongsun
    • Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.57-64
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    • 2021
  • Purpose: The relationship between the staff area and the patient's private area is the key factor in designing the structure and the environmental characteristics of ward spaces in a psychiatric hospital. Recent research has found that for the purpose of treatment and securing privacy, psychiatric patients need to be in an open space of relief rather than closed confined environment and under the watch of nursing staffs. Methods: A survey at three kinds of wards in a private psychiatric hospital in Japan was conducted in October 2002. These wards include an acute ward, a psychiatric convalescence ward, and a stress care ward. All three kinds of wards have the same structure. At each ward, spatial preferences of the 145 psychiatric inpatients were surveyed and data concerning the patient's diagnostic category, symptoms, and activities of daily living were recorded. Results: The patients in the stress care ward prefer to stay in private spaces than public spaces. On the other hand, in the acute ward the patients seem to have a preference between managed public spaces where are monitored by nursing staffs and their private rooms where the nurse station is close. In addition, the patients in the psychiatric convalescence ward spend most of their time in the public space, such as the hallways or the day room. Implications: Base on this research, the spaces at the acute ward that could be monitored by the nursing station serves effectively as a safety space for patients was concluded. However, in the stress care ward, the patients may perceive the monitoring by the nursing staff as interruption or nuisance to their relaxation. In order to design an ideal healing environment for psychiatric patients in psychiatric ward, it is important to consider how environmental characteristics of space affect the environmental sense of patients in each ward.

COVID-19 International Collaborative Research by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service Using Its Nationwide Real-world Data: Database, Outcomes, and Implications

  • Rho, Yeunsook;Cho, Do Yeon;Son, Yejin;Lee, Yu Jin;Kim, Ji Woo;Lee, Hye Jin;You, Seng Chan;Park, Rae Woong;Lee, Jin Yong
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.54 no.1
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    • pp.8-16
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    • 2021
  • This article aims to introduce the inception and operation of the COVID-19 International Collaborative Research Project, the world's first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) open data project for research, along with its dataset and research method, and to discuss relevant considerations for collaborative research using nationwide real-world data (RWD). COVID-19 has spread across the world since early 2020, becoming a serious global health threat to life, safety, and social and economic activities. However, insufficient RWD from patients was available to help clinicians efficiently diagnose and treat patients with COVID-19, or to provide necessary information to the government for policy-making. Countries that saw a rapid surge of infections had to focus on leveraging medical professionals to treat patients, and the circumstances made it even more difficult to promptly use COVID-19 RWD. Against this backdrop, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) of Korea decided to open its COVID-19 RWD collected through Korea's universal health insurance program, under the title of the COVID-19 International Collaborative Research Project. The dataset, consisting of 476 508 claim statements from 234 427 patients (7590 confirmed cases) and 18 691 318 claim statements of the same patients for the previous 3 years, was established and hosted on HIRA's in-house server. Researchers who applied to participate in the project uploaded analysis code on the platform prepared by HIRA, and HIRA conducted the analysis and provided outcome values. As of November 2020, analyses have been completed for 129 research projects, which have been published or are in the process of being published in prestigious journals.