• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.832-839
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to survey the prevalence of obesity assessed on the basis of height and weight among students in primary and secondary schools in the metropolitan area of Seoul, Korea during the period of 1979 to 1996. The major findings are as follows ; 1) The fiftieth percentile values of BMI have increased more in mid-ranged age group than upper(16-17 years old) and lower(6-7 years old) ranged age groups. 2) The prevalence of obesity by standard weight of height was higher among male students than female students and students in the primary schools showed higher weight increase than adolescent age(12-17 years old) group. As a whole, the prevalence of obesity over last 18 years has increased 4.6 times in males and 3.2 times in females. 3) Judged on the basis of the BMI 90th, 95th percentile values of 1979 , the prevalence of obesity among male students showed higher increases than among female students. Higher increase was also observed among primary school students than among middle and high school students. Increase of weight was higher for the $\geq$95th percentile group than the 90-95th percentile group. 4) Judged on the basis of the BMI, 90th, 95 th percentile values of NHANES-I, the $\geq$95th percentile group showed higher increase in the prevalence of obesity than the 90-95th percentile group. According to the 1996 data, severe obesity group ($\geq$95th percentile) was about two times of NHANES-I in male primary school students, while the number for female middle and high school students was about 1/5 of NHANES-I.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2014

Purpose: Overweight can be defined by the body mass index (BMI) and is likely associated with an increased cardiovascular disease risk. However, waist circumference (WC), a central adiposity index, may be a better indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. Studies comparing the effects of BMI and WC on cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure (BP), are rare in adolescents. Methods: We analyzed the correlations of BMI and WC with BP in 3,363 Korean adolescents (aged 10-19 years), using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2009-2011). Results: Systolic BP (SBP) in both sexes and diastolic BP (DBP) in boys were higher in the high BMI (>85th percentile) and high WC (>90th percentile) groups. High BMI and high WC were positively correlated with high SBP (>90th percentile) in both sexes, and high DBP (>90th percentile), in boys. BMI maintained its positive associations with SBP, DBP, high SBP, and high DBP in the normal weight ($BMI{\leq}85th$ percentile) and overweight (BMI>85th percentile) groups in both boys and girls, as well as in all subjects of both sexes, even after adjustment for WC. However, WC did not correlate with SBP, DBP, high SBP, or high DBP after adjustment for BMI in any group in either sex. Conclusion: In Korean adolescents, BMI correlated better with BP and high BP levels than WC. Further, BMI was positively associated with BP and high BP in the normal weight group as well as in the overweight group.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.73-80
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• 2017

The objective of this study is to investigate whether the daily rainfall depth derived from daily data represents the event rainfall depth derived from hourly data. For analysis, the 85th, 90th, and 95th percentile daily rainfall depths were first computed using daily rainfall data (1986~2015) collected at 63 weather stations. In addition, the storm event was separated by the interevent time definition (IETD) of 6, 12, 18, and 24 hr using hourly rainfall data. Based on the separated storm events, the 85th, 90th, and 95th percentile event rainfall depths were calculated and compared with the using hourly rainfall data with the 85th, 90th, and 95th percentile daily rainfall depths. The event rainfall depths computed using the IETD were greater than the daily rainfall depths. The difference between the event rainfall depth and the daily rainfall depth affects the design and size of the facility for controlling the stormwater. Therefore, the designer and policy decision-maker in designing the stormwater best management practices need to take into account the difference generated by the difference of the used rainfall data and the selected IETD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2014

Purpose: Height-specific blood pressure (BP) is the standard parameter used to diagnose childhood hypertension. However, there has been some argument that weight may be a better variable than height in the reference BP standards. Therefore, before assessing the BP status using the reference BP standards, a basic understanding of the fundamental association of weight and height with BP is required. Methods: In the present study, we analyzed the correlation of BP with height and weight in Korean adolescents (age, 10-19 years), using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2009-2011). Results: Systolic BP (SBP) was more closely correlated with weight than with height in the normal weight (body mass index [BMI], ${\leq}85th$ percentile) and overweight (BMI, >85th percentile) groups and in the normal waist circumference (WC, ${\leq}90th$ percentile) and high WC (>90th percentile) groups in both sexes. Diastolic BP (DBP) had a higher correlation with height than with weight in the normal weight and normal WC groups, whereas weight was more closely associated with DBP than height in the overweight and high WC groups in both boys and girls. Conclusion: In Korean adolescents, weight had a greater effect on SBP than height in both the normal weight and overweight groups. DBP was mainly affected by height in the normal weight group, whereas weight was the major determinant of DBP in the overweight group. Therefore, it may be necessary to consider weight in the establishment of reference BP standards.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2008

The sanitary quality of a shellfish-growing area in Kamak Bay, Korea, was assessed through a bacteriological examination of seawater and oysters from January 2004 to December 2006. From seawater samples collected at 28 stations, the range of geometric mean (GM) and the estimated 90th percentile for most-probable-number (MPN) values of fecal coliforms were <1.8-2.4 MPN/100 mL and 1.8-6.0 MPN/100 mL, respectively. The observed fecal coliform GM and the estimated 90th percentile did not exceed the fecal coliform water quality standards of 14 MPN/100 mL and 43 MPN/100 mL. Therefore, the bacteriological quality of seawater at this shellfish-growing area met the Korean Shellfish Sanitation Program (KSSP) criteria for a growing area used for export. The range of the fecal coliform GM and the estimated 90th percentile MPN values of oyster samples were 19.2-160 MPN/100 g and 20.2-166.9 MPN/100 g, respectively, and the range of the viable cell count was 30-1900 CFU/g. Thus, the fecal coliform value for the oysters and the viable cell count were less than the current shellfish quality standards of 230 MPN/100 g and 50,000 CFU/g, respectively. The bacteriological quality of the oysters complied with the criteria for domestic use and export of shellfish.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.113-117
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• 2016

Quantile regression is an efficient method for predicting and estimating the relationship between explanatory variables and percentile points of the response distribution, particularly for extreme percentiles of the distribution. To study the relationship between urbanization and cancer morbidity, we here applied quantile regression. This cross-sectional study was conducted for 9 cancers in 345 cities in 2007 in Iran. Data were obtained from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the relationship between urbanization and cancer morbidity was investigated using quantile regression and least square regression. Fitting models were compared using AIC criteria. R (3.0.1) software and the Quantreg package were used for statistical analysis. With the quantile regression model all percentiles for breast, colorectal, prostate, lung and pancreas cancers demonstrated increasing incidence rate with urbanization. The maximum increase for breast cancer was in the 90th percentile (${\beta}$=0.13, p-value<0.001), for colorectal cancer was in the 75th percentile (${\beta}$=0.048, p-value<0.001), for prostate cancer the 95th percentile (${\beta}$=0.55, p-value<0.001), for lung cancer was in 95th percentile (${\beta}$=0.52, p-value=0.006), for pancreas cancer was in 10th percentile (${\beta}$=0.011, p-value<0.001). For gastric, esophageal and skin cancers, with increasing urbanization, the incidence rate was decreased. The maximum decrease for gastric cancer was in the 90th percentile(${\beta}$=0.003, p-value<0.001), for esophageal cancer the 95th (${\beta}$=0.04, p-value=0.4) and for skin cancer also the 95th (${\beta}$=0.145, p-value=0.071). The AIC showed that for upper percentiles, the fitting of quantile regression was better than least square regression. According to the results of this study, the significant impact of urbanization on cancer morbidity requirs more effort and planning by policymakers and administrators in order to reduce risk factors such as pollution in urban areas and ensure proper nutrition recommendations are made.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.45-54
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• 2018

The seismically isolated nuclear power plants shall be designed for design basis earthquake (DBE) and considered to ensure safety against beyond design basis earthquake (BDBE). In order to limit the excessive displacement of the seismic isolation system of the seismically isolated structure, the moat is installed at a certain distance from the upper mat supporting the superstructure. This certain distance is called clearance to stop (CS) and is calculated from the 90th percentile displacement of seismic isolation system subjected to BDBE. For design purposes, the CS can be obtained simply by multiplying the median displacement of the seismic isolation system against DBE by scale factor with a value of 3. The DBE and BDBE used in this study were generated by using 30 sets of artificial earthquakes corresponding to the nuclear standard design spectrum. In addition, latin hyper cube sampling was applied to generate 30 sets of artificial earthquakes corresponding to maximum - minimum spectra. For the DBE, the median displacement and the 99th percentile displacement of the seismic isolation system were calculated. For the BDBE, the suitability of the scale factor was assessed after calculating the 90th percentile displacement of the seismic isolation system.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.460-464
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• 2012

From 1998 to 2008, the bacteriological quality of seawater in Kamak Bay, Korea, was monitored. The total and fecal coliforms in seawater were monitored as bacterial indicators, and the level of fecal coliform contamination was used to evaluate seawater quality. In the southern shellfish growing area of Kamak Bay, the observed fecal coliform geometric mean (GM) and estimated 90th percentile did not exceed the quality standards for fecal coliforms in seawater in Korea and th USA (GM<14 MPN/100 mL, 90th percentile<43 MPN/100 mL). The GM and estimated 90th percentile of the fecal coliform levels in the adjacent northern area of Kamak Bay were higher than in the southern area. Stations near wastewater discharge sites and urban areas in the north had the lowest quality and did not meet the bacteriological seawater quality criteria. The high fecal coliform levels in the Seonso coastal region near wastewater discharges and northern urban areas declined significantly following dredging and operation of a sewage treatment plant.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.19-26
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• 2013

The smart-phone has become a necessity for most people. In this study, we determined that using a smart-phone for 20 minutes can cause increased neck and shoulder muscle activities and fatigue. Seventeen healthy male smart-phone users who attended Yonsei University played a smart-phone game for 20 minutes and changes in their bilateral cervical erector spinae and upper trapezius muscle activities and fatigue were measured. To assess muscle activities and fatigue, we used the following variables: the median frequency, the 50th percentile Amplitude probability distribution function (APDF) value (median load), and the discrepancy in the 90th percentile APDF value and the 10th percentile APDF value (APDF range). A paired t-test was used to compare pre-smart-phone-use status with post-smart-phone-use-status. The median frequency of the bilateral cervical erector spinae and the upper trapezius decreased significantly after 20 minutes of smart-phone use (p<.05). In addition, the 50th percentile APDF value of the bilateral cervical erector spinae and the right upper trapezius increased significantly (p<.05). The APDF range of the bilateral cervical erector spinae and the upper trapezius also increased significantly (p<.05). However, the 50th percentile APDF range of the left upper trapezius was not significantly different (p>.05). These findings suggest that using smart-phones for 20 minutes can induce muscle fatigue and increased neck and shoulder muscle activities.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the two different types of chairs on trapezius muscle activation during dictation tasks. Seventeen university students, each of whom were within ${\pm}1$ standard deviation of the mean Korean standard body size, voluntarily participated in this study. Surface electromyography was used to collect electrical signals from both the upper and lower trapezius muscles. Amplitude Probability Distribution Function (APDF) was performed to analyze the muscle activity. The findings of this study were 1) The backrest-point height of the auditorium chair and the height, length and width of the connected desk were shorter than what was suggested by the KS. Another difference was that the auditorium chair had a bigger angle of the backrest compared to the classroom chair. 2) Regarding within-subject effect the sole statistically significant difference was found between activation of the upper trapezius muscle. The upper trapezius muscle's %RVC in the APDF 10th-50th-90th percentile was statistically higher for participants sitting in the auditorium chair than for participants sitting in the classroom chair (p<.05). 3) There was an interaction effect between the 'two chair-types' and the 'two muscle-sides' in the APDF 10th-50th percentile (p<.05). 4) There was an interaction effect between the 'two chair-types' and the 'three gaze-direction' in the APDF 90th percentile (p<.05). The findings of this study indicated that maintaining a writing posture for a prolonged period of time in an auditorium chair significantly increased the left upper trapezius muscle activation compared to a classroom chair.