• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.284-292
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to analyze the personal hygiene status of foodservice employees as well as microbiological counts of their hands according to food safety education. A survey was conducted for employees who worked at five foodservice facilities, and the results of the survey were assessed using the SAS program (ver. 9.3). A total of 20 employees' hands were sampled to analyze aerobic plate counts (APCs), coliforms counts (CCs), and Staphylococcus aureus. The food safety education program was composed of four education sessions, including microbiological evaluation of employees' hands. According to the survey results, all employees wore a sanitary uniform, hair cap, and shoes. However, 96% of employees used the restroom wearing sanitary shoes, whereas just 20% of them washed their hands using the standard method. Additionally, employees washed hands after using the restroom (100%), before using single-use gloves (76%), after eating (76%). The results of the microbiological hazards analysis of foodservice employees' hands showed that the average numbers of APCs and CCs before cooking were 5.53 log CFU/hand and 2.95 log CFU/hand respectively, whereas the average numbers of APCs and CCs while cooking at foodservice facilities were 6.49 log CFU/hand and 3.29 log CFU/hand, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 10% of their hands before cooking and 5% of their hands while cooking. The average numbers of APCs and CCs were significantly reduced before cooking as well as while cooking, and Staphylococcus aureus was not detected in any of the samples as the frequency of food safety education increased. In conclusion, this study shows that it is necessary for foodservice employees to regularly participate in food safety education with effective instruments in order to improve their hygiene level.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.39 no.1 s.115
• /
• pp.85-92
• /
• 2006

To evaluate the primary production and nutrient uptake of macrophytes in Lake Paldang, this study investigate the vegetation areas of six dominant aquatic plants including Typha angustifolia, Zizania latifolia, Phragmites australis, Trapa japonica, Nelumbo nucifera and Savinia natans, and contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus of each macrophyte. Total vegetation area of six dominant aquatic plants was 1.37 $km^2$. Among them, Typha angustifolia was the most wide-distributed species which occupied the 46.7% of total vegetation area. Littoral zone of South Han river had the largest vegetation area with 0.458 $km^2$, and North Han river, Kyungan river and confluence area in the order named. The results of the contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus of macrophytes showed that the carbon contents of emergent macrophytes was higher than that of other life-forms. The nitrogen content of Salvinia natans, free-floating macrophyte was highest and that of Typha angustifolia, emergent macrophyte was lowest. The phosphorus content of Trapa japonica showed the highest content of phosphorus among six macrophytes and emergent macrophytes such as Zizania latifolia and Phragmites australis showed lower contents of phosphorus than other life-forms. The annual net primary production of macrophytes in Lake Paldang, 2004, was calculated as 758.4 ton C $yr^{-1}$ and the annual net nitrogen and phosphorus uptake of macrophyte was 16,921 kg $yr^{-1}$ and 1,841.0 kg P $yr^{-1}$ respectively. Comparing the total budget of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in Lake Paldang, the amount of primary production and nutrient uptake by macrophytes take a small portion in total budget implying macrophytes do not play an important role in budget of matters in river-type lake, Lake Paldang.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.457-464
• /
• 2005

The purpose of our study was to investigate whether the intrapulpal temperature during cavity preparation of enamel or dentin with Er:YAG laser still remained in range of safety for dental pulp protection when combined with appropriate water flow rate. The effect of different pulse repetition rates at the same pulse energy during ablation was evaluated as well. Caries-free, restoration-free extracted human molar teeth were prepared for the specimen and divided two experimental groups of enamel and dentin. Each group comprised 5 specimens and each of tooth specimens were embedded into a resin block each and measuring probe was placed on the irradiated pulpal walls. For experiments of dentin ablation, enamel layers were prepared to produce dentin specimen with a same dentin thickness of 2 mm. A pulse energy of Er:YAG laser was set to 300 mJ and three different pulse repetition rates of 20 Hz, 15 Hz and 10 Hz were employed. Laser beam was delivered with 3 seconds and less per application over enamel and dentin surfaces constant sized by $3\;mm{\times}2\;mm$ and water spray added during irradiation was a rate of 1.6 ml/min. Temperature change induced by Er:YAG laser irradiation was monitored and recorded While enamel was ablated, there was no significant difference of temperature related to pulse repetition rates(p=0.358) and temperature change at any pulse repetition rate was negligible. Significant statistical difference in temperature changes during cavity preparation in dentin existed among three different pulse groups(p=0.001). While temperature rise was noticeable when the dentinal wall was perforated, actual change of temperature due to Er:YAG laser irradiation was not enough to compromise safety of dental pulp when irradiation was conjugated with appropriate water spray. Conclusively, it can be said that cavity preparation on enamel or dentin with an Er:YAG laser is performed safely without pulp damage if appropriate volume of water is sprayed properly over the irradiated site.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.66-74
• /
• 2005

This survey was conducted to assess the consumer perceptions of food-related hazard in 500 housewives from all over Korea. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling method. The survey was performed using structured questionnaire through telephone interview by skilled interviewers. The results showed that 34.6% of the respondents felt secure and were not concerned about food safety, and 65.4% were concerned about food safety. Logistic regression analysis showed that the increasing concern on food brands, food additives (such as food preservatives and artificial color), and imported foodstuffs indicated the current increasing concern on food safety. Other related factors indicating the increasing concern on food safety were education level and care for children's health. The respondents who cared about food safety expressed a high degree of concern on processed foodstuffs such as commercial boxed lunch (93.3%), imported foods (92.7%), fastfoods (89.9%), processed meat products (88.7%), dining out (85.6%), cannery and frozen foods (83.5%), and instant foods (82.0%). The lowest degree of concern was on rice. All the respondents perceived that residues of chemical substances such as pesticides and food additives, and endocrine disrupters were the most potential food risk factors, followed by food-borne pathogens, and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). However, these results were not consistent with scientific judgment. Therefore, more education and information were needed for consumers' awareness of facts and myths about food safety. In addition, the results showed that consumers put lower trust in food products information such as food labels, cultivation methods (organic or not), quality labels, and the place of origin. Nevertheless, the respondents expressed their desire to overcome alienation, and recognized the importance of knowing of the origin or the producers of food. They identified that people who need to take extreme precautions on food contamination were the producers, government officials, food companies, consumers, the consumer's association, and marketers, arranged in the order of highest to lowest. They also believed that the production stage of agriculture was the most important step for improving the level of food safety Therefore, the results indicated that there is a need to introduce safety systems in the production of agricultural products, as follows: Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Traceability System (75).

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.32-37
• /
• 2005

The procedure of soil sampling for on-farm quick test of soil nitrate is very important to improve practical application without weighing or drying soil. To improve application of test strip reflectometer as a quick on-farm analytical procedure for the estimation of soil nitrate concentration, three sampling methods such as gravimetric sampling (GS), particle density sampling (PDS) and bulk density sampling (BDS) for on-farm analytical procedure were investigated with twelve soils of 45 to $281mg\;kg^{-1}$ nitrate nitrogen concentration. The nitrate nitrogen concentrations measured from different soils were compared with two analytical methods, ion electrode method as a standard laboratory analysis (SLA) and test strip reflectometer at three moisture conditions, viz. air dried soil, 20 and 40% of maximum water holding capacity (MWHC). Nitrate nitrogen concentration measured by test strip reflectometer was significantly correlated with that of SLA, and the coefficients of variation (CV) were in the range of 3.5 to 10.9%. These CV values less than 10.9% were thought to be acceptable for the measurement of soil nitrate as an on-farm real time analytical procedure. The nitrate nitrogen concentration by BDS for test strip reflectometer as well as ion electrode method was more similar to that of SLA compared with those by GS and PDS especially in case of moist soils. This result suggests that the BDS is more useful than GS and PDS in case of on-farm analytical procedure of soil nitrate for moist soils. Further the practical measurement by BDS could be improved by substituting the bottle cap with a larger container.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.269-279
• /
• 2010

Some characteristics of germ cell differntiations and the function of accessory cells during spermatogenesis, and mature sperm ultrastructure in male Protothaca (N.) jedoensis were investigated by transmission electron microscope observations. The morphology of the spermatozoa of this species has a primitive type and is similar to those of other species in the subclass Heterodonta. Accessory cells, which are connected to adjacent germ cells, are involved in the supplying of the nutrients for germ cell development. The morphologies of the sperm nucleus and the acrosome of this species are the cylindrical type and cap shape, respectively. Spermatozoa are approximately $46{\sim}50{\mu}m$ in length including a long sperm nucleus (about $2.44{\mu}m$ in length), an acrosome (about $0.45{\mu}m$ in length), and tail flagellum (about $42{\sim}46{\mu}m$). The axoneme of the sperm tail shows a 9+2 structure. As some characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle structures, the basal and lateral parts of basal rings show electron opaque part (region), while the anterior apex part of the acrosomal vesicle shows electron lucent part (region). These characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle were found in the family Veneridae and other several families in the subclass Heterodonta. These common characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle in the subclass Heterodonta can be used for phylogenetic and systematic analysis as a taxonomic key or a significant tool. The number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm of this species are four, as one of common characteristics appear in most species in the family Veneridae and other families in the subclass Heterodonta. However, exceptionally, only three species in Veneridae of the subclass Heterodonta contain 5 mitochondria. The number of mitochondria in the sperm midpiece can be used for the taxonomic analysis of the family or superfamily levels as a systematic key or an important tool.

• Journal of Mushroom
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.236-238
• /
• 2018

This study investigated the characteristics of different cultivars of Lentinula edodes in sawdust culture at different cultivation days. Between cultivation days 30-120, the color of 'Sanjo701ho' displayed a reduction in L value (brightness) from $83.8{\pm}2.5$ to $45.7{\pm}2.3$, values a and b increased, but hardness decreased from $9.4{\pm}0.9g/mm$ to $2.6{\pm}0.2g/mm$. Between cultivation days 30-120, 'Nongjingo' displayed a reduction in L value from $86.2{\pm}2.1$ to $53.4{\pm}1.3$. Values a and b increased with longer cultivation; however, hardness decreased from $4.8{\pm}0.7g/mm$ on day 30 to $3.8{\pm}1.0g/mm$ on day 120. 'Sanjo701ho' was first harvested at 46 days after a 30-, 89 days after a 60-, 8 days after a 90- (the shortest), and 9 days after a 120-day cultivation. The average fruit body weight was the highest on day 90 of cultivation, at 48.3 g, when the diameter and thickness of the mushroom cap also appeared highest. However, the colorimetric results showed that fruiting bodies produced in the culture medium for 120 cultivation days showed the most excellent commercial properties. 'Nongjingo' was first harvested at 22 days after a 30-, 18 days after a 60-, 8 days after a 90- (the shortest), and 9 days after a 120-day cultivation. Therefore, this study determined that a stable quantity of mushrooms with high commerciality can be produced with 120 cultivation days, considering the shiitake culture and the characteristics of the fruit body.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.929-939
• /
• 1999

The purpose of this study was to identify knowledge of universal precautions and its performance in practice. The research was conducted from November 2 to 30, 1998. A total 515 student nurses ; 249 from a baccalaureate nursing college and 266 from second and third year of a 3-year community nursing college were surveyed. The results are as following : 1. The average score for universal precautions knowledge was 270.41$\pm$19.43/300(range 150-300). The results showed that 99.2% of students avoid injury from used needles, 98.6% answered that they always wash their hands if they had contact with the patient's blood and they always dispose of used needles in special collectors (97.7%) for needles. But, 39.2% responsed that they dispose of used needles after recapping them. 2. The average score for universal precautions knowledge of the senior students in the 4-year college was the highest (277.65$\pm$13.99). 3. The average score for the performance of universal precautions knowledge was 53.18 $\pm$5.91(range 14-70). The items : ‘I cautiously avoid injury from the used needles’(4.92$\pm$0.33), ‘I always wash my hands if there has been contact with the patient's blood’(4.91$\pm$0.34), and ‘I always disposed of used needles in the appropriate collector’(4.89$\pm$0.42) showed the highest performance. However ‘I always dispose of used needles after recapping them’(2.19$\pm$1.39) and ‘I always use protection goggles when in danger of contamination’(2.19$\pm$1.20) showed low performance level. 4. The highest average score for universal precautions performance was shown among the second year students in 3-year nursing college (54.19$\pm$6.92) between the groups. It showed that the level of the universal precautions performance was higher for those who had education on university precautions prior to performance of the universal precautions than for those without any prior education. 5. The percentage of students who reported the experience of direct contact with patients' blood and/or body fluids was 42.30%. The experience of direct contact with blood and/or body fluids of the educational group was significantly higher than those were not educated. 6. The most frequent cause of the direct contact was ‘needle pricking and/or skin cut’(63.04%). The most frequent substance with which the students contact was ‘blood’(59.85%). The majority of the sample had answered that the mode of contamination was ‘unknown’(63.54%). The majority of the sample answered that strategies used after contamination included ‘washing with soap’(33.61%). Reviewing the chart of patients or asking other health professionals(28.85%). 7. The number of students who had the experience of a needle stick and/or skin cut was 145(28.16%). The clinical practice places where the incidents occurred were mainly in the internal medicine unit (45.07%) and the surgical unit (31.92%) followed by the intensive care unit and the emergency unit in order. The experience of a needle stick and/or skin cut happened during on intra-muscular injection 47.34% and intravenous injection 21.81%. The causes of the needle stick and/or skin cut were ‘putting the needle cap back on 77(35.81%)’. The number of students who took an appropriate post management blood test and/or vaccination was 27(18.62%). 8. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient between the knowledge of universal precautions and performance of universal precautions in practice showed a positive correlation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.491-501
• /
• 2022

Bentonite has been proposed as a buffer and backfill material for high-level radioactive waste repository. Under such repository environment conditions, bentonite is subjected to combined thermal, hydrological, mechanical, and chemical processes. This study evaluates the feasibility of applying X-ray CT technology on the characterization of bentonite under hydration conditions using a newly developed testing cell. The cylindrical cell is made of platic material, with a removable cap to place the sample, enabling to apply vertical pressure on the sample and to measure swelling pressure. The hydration test was carried out with a sample made of Gyeonju bentonite, with a dry density of 1.4 g/cm³, and a water content of 20%. The sample had a diameter of 27.5 mm and a height of 34 mm. During the test, water was injected at a constant pressure of 0.207 MPa, and lasted for 7 days. After one day of hydration, bentonite swelled and filled out the space inside the cell. Moreover, CT histograms showed how the hydration process induced an initial increase and later progressive decrease on the density of the sample. Detailed profiles of the mean CT value, CT standard deviation, and CT gradient provided more details on the hydration process of the sample and showed how the bottom and top regions exhibited a decrease on density while the middle region showed an increase, especially during the first two days of hydration. Later, the differences in CT values with respect to the initial state decreased, and were small at the end of testing. The formation and later reduction of cracks was also characterized through CT scanning.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.217-246
• /
• 2018

During the selection and characterization of target formations in the Small-scale Offshore $CO_2$ Storage Demonstration Project in the Pohang Basin, we have carefully investigated the possibility of induced earthquakes and leakage of $CO_2$ during the injection, and have designed the storage processes to minimize these effects. However, people in Pohang city have a great concern on $CO_2$-injection-intrigued seismicity, since they have greatly suffered from the 5.4 magnitude earthquake on Nov. 15, 2017. The research team of the project performed an extensive self-investigation on the safety issues, especially on the possible $CO_2$ leakage from the target formation and induced earthquakes. The target formation is 10 km apart from the epicenter of the Pohang earthquake and the depth is also quite shallow, only 750 to 800 m from the sea bottom. The project performed a pilot injection in the target formation from Jan. 12 to Mar. 12, 2017, which implies that there are no direct correlation of the Pohang earthquake on Nov. 15, 2017. In addition, the $CO_2$ injection of the storage project does not fracture rock formations, instead, the supercritical $CO_2$ fluid replaces formation water in the pore space gradually. The self-investigation results show that there is almost no chance for the injection to induce significant earthquakes unless injection lasts for a very long time to build a very high pore pressure, which can be easily monitored. The amount of injected $CO_2$ in the project was around 100 metric-tonne that is irrelevant to the Pohang earthquake. The investigation result on long-term safety also shows that the induced earthquakes or the reactivation of existing faults can be prevented successfully when the injection pressure is controlled not to demage cap-rock formation nor exceed Coulomb stresses of existing faults. The project has been performing extensive studies on critical stress for fracturing neighboring formations, reactivation stress of existing faults, well-completion processes to minimize possible leakage, transport/leakage monitoring of injected $CO_2$, and operation procedures for ensuring the storage safety. These extensive studies showed that there will be little chance in $CO_2$ leakage that affects human life. In conclusion, the Small-scale Offshore $CO_2$ Storage Demonstration Project in the Pohang Basin would not cause any induced earthquakes nor signifiant $CO_2$ leakage that people can sense. The research team will give every effort to secure the safety of the storage site.