• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.482-503
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• 2019

Introduction: A new third version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III) has been developed in response to trends in working life, theoretical concepts, and international experience. A key component of the COPSOQ III is a defined set of mandatory core items to be included in national short, middle, and long versions of the questionnaire. The aim of the present article is to present and test the reliability of the new international middle version of the COPSOQ III. Methods: The questionnaire was tested among 23,361 employees during 2016-2017 in Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Turkey. A total of 26 dimensions (measured through scales or single items) of the middle version and two from the long version were tested. Psychometric properties of the dimensions were assessed regarding reliability (Cronbach α), ceiling and floor effects (fractions with extreme answers), and distinctiveness (correlations with other dimensions). Results: Most international middle dimensions had satisfactory reliability in most countries, though some ceiling and floor effects were present. Dimensions with missing values were rare. Most dimensions had low to medium intercorrelations. Conclusions: The COPSOQ III offers reliable and distinct measures of a wide range of psychosocial dimensions of modern working life in different countries; although a few measures could be improved. Future testing should focus on validation of the COPSOQ items and dimensions using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Such investigations would enhance the basis for recommendations using the COPSOQ III.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5993-5999
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• 2015

Background: Molecular testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most objective and reproducible of all cervical cancer screening tests and also less demanding in terms of training and quality assurance. However, there is an impending need for cost effective molecular HPV testing methods with sampling ease, easy storage measures and minimum turn around times suitable for a low resource setting. Objective : Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of using a fast transfer analysis (FTA) mini elute cartridge for cervical sampling to identify high risk HPV by real time PCR and to compare molecular HPV testing and Pap cytology testing to predict histologically confirmed cervical precancer (CIN 2+ lesions) in a cervical cancer prevention program. Materials and Methods: This was conducted as a pilot study (n=200) on women sampled using FTA mini elute cartridges, genotyped by two different real time PCR assays, detecting 13 high risk HPV (HR HPV) species, including HPV16 along with its physical DNA status. Results obtained from each of the tests were compared and analysed using suitable statistical tests. Results: With FTA mini elute cartridge samples HR HPV positivity was seen in 48/200 (24%). Of these, presence of HPV 16 DNA was observed in 28/48 (58.3%) women. High risk HPV was positive in 20% (37/185) of women with benign cytology and 73.3% (11/15) of women with abnormal cytology findings. A very significant correlation (${\chi}^2=22.090$ ; p=0.000) was observed between cytology and HR HPV findings showing an increasing trend of HR HPV prevalence in 50% (1/2) of LSIL, 75% (3/4) of HSIL and 100% (3/3) of SCC. Of the CIN 2+ lesions identified by histopathology, 88.9% (8/9) had HR HPV. A significant association (${\chi}^2=11.223$ ; p=0.001) of HR HPV and histopathologically confirmed CIN 2+ lesions was found. Sensitivity of the two tests were comparable but specificity of Pap testing was better (90.7% vs 70.4%) to predict histopathologically diagnosed cervical precancers. Conclusions: The current study explored the feasibility of using a FTA mini elute cartridge for cervical sampling for the first time in India as a part of a community based cervical cancer prevention program. We suggest that FTA based sampling is suitable and feasible for real time based HPV testing. Molecular HR HPV testing can be more sensitive and useful to identify high risk women requiring Pap testing which is more specific to detect histologically confirmed cervical precancer.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.331-342
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• 2013

동아프리카 열곡대는 아라비아반도와 아프리카 북동부의 경계에서 부채꼴 형태로 남쪽으로 뻗은 대단층 함몰지구대이다. 아프리카 판 내부에 발달한 열곡대의 폭은 35~60 km이며 연장은 약 4,000km로 알려져 있다. 열곡대는 에티오피아에서 남서방향으로 발달하다 에티오피아 남부에서 동, 서 및 남서 열곡대로 나누어진다. 이 열곡대는 제3기초 올리고세(30~35 Ma)부터 에티오피아 북부 아파르 침강대를 중심으로 주 에티오피아 열곡대가 형성되고, 남쪽으로 확장되면서 마이오세에 활성화된다. 서부 열곡대는 동아프리카대지의 가장자리와 빅토리아 호의 서편을 따라 발달하며, 고각의 정단층에 의해 특징되는 전형적인 반지구대이다. 동부 열곡대(주 에티오피아 열곡대와 케냐 열곡대)는 30 Ma 전 화산활동과 지구조활동이 시작되었으나, 서부 열곡대는 Albert 호 북부에서 12 Ma 전에, Tanganyika 열곡에서는 7 Ma 전부터 시작되었다. 서부 열곡대의 남서 방향으로 분기된 남서 열곡대는 DR-콩고 남부와 잠비아의 Tanganyika 호에서부터 남서 방향으로 확장되어 보츠와나 Okavango 열곡대와 연결된다. 주 에티오피아 열곡대(MER)의 화산암류와 관련 퇴적암류는 지열, 소다회, 포타쉬(K), 천열수 금, 벤토나이트, 유황 및 부석자원으로 중요한 관련암으로 역할을 한다. 열곡관련 대표적인 광상으로는 Afar 열곡대에 분포하는 Danakhil K-광상과 Megenta 및 Blackrock 천열수 금광상이다. Danakhil K-광상은 제4기 화산활동과 높은 지열류에 의해 열곡대 내 분포하던 소금 선상지(salt fan)에서 증발작용에 의해 형성된 증발형 K-광상으로서 총 자원량은 약 12.6억톤으로 평가되었다. 이 광상에서는 4종의 K-광물인 실바이트, 카날라이트, 포리하라이트, 카이나이트가 산출한다. 아파르 침강대 내 분포하는 대표적인 천열수 금광상은 텐다호 지구대에 위치하는 Megenta 및 Blackrock 광상이다. 제4기에 EMR에서 산성의 과알칼리 화산활동에 의해 열수활동이 초래되어 현재까지도 활동하여 지열대가 형성되고, 저유황형금 광상들이 형성되었다. Megenta 저유황형 금 광상은 2009년 발견되었으며, 현재 영국의 Startex International사에 의해 탐사가 진행 중이다. 지금까지의 탐사 결과 옥수질 규화 변질암 분포지에서 5개의 광체가 분포하며, 그중 Hyena 광체에서는 규화 변질된 열수각력암에서 최고 16.75 g/t의 금 품위가 보고되었다. 동아프리카 열곡대의 서편인 부룬디에 분포하는 Gakara REE 광상은 카보너타이트 유형의 REE 광상이다. 이 광상은 $400km^2$ 면적 내 수 cm부터 수 m까지의 폭을 가지는 맥상 또는 망상세맥상의 광체를 형성한다. 주로 조립의 바스트너사이트와 모나자이트로 구성된다. 바스트너사이트의 형성시기는 $587{\pm}4Ma$인 신원생대로 알려져 있으며, 이 지역에 분포하는 카보너타이트와 알칼리암들이 신원생대에서 신생대까지의 광범위한 연대를 보이는 것은 동일한 구조선을 따라서 일어나는 반복되는 열곡활동으로 해석된다. 또한 REE, U, 인회석 자원의 관련암체로 생각되는 알카리 조면암(네펠린-조면암 포함)과 카보너타이트는 동아프리카 열곡대의 남동부 끝자락인 말라위와 모잠비크에 우세하게 분포한다.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 1998

The most remarkable aspect in the hormesis law is that dose of harmful agents can produce effect that are diametrically opposite to the effect found with high doses of the same agent. Minute quantities of a harmful agent bring about very small change in the organism and control mechanisms appear to subjugate normal processes to place the organism in a state of albert and repair. The stimulated organism in more responsive to changes in environmental factors than it did before being alerted. Routine functions, including repair and defense, have priority for available energy and matetial. The alerted organism utilizes nutrients more efficiently, grows faster, shows improved defense, and lives longer. Accelerated germination, sprouting, growth, development, blooming and ripening, and increased crop yield and resistance to disease are found in plants. Another concept supported by the data in that low doses of ionizing radiation provide increased resistance to subsequent high doses of radiation. The hormesis varies with subject plant, variety, state of seed, environmental and cultural conditions, physiologic function measured, dose rate and total exposure. The results of hormesis are less consistently found, probably due to the great number of uncontrolled variables in the experiments. The general dosage for radiation homlesis in about 100 (10 to 1,000) times ambient or 100 (10 to 1,000) times less than a definitely harmful dose, but these must be modified to the occasion. Although little is known about most mechanisms of homzesis reaction, overcompensation of repair mechanism is offered as one mechanism.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.222-228
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• 2020

Background: 20(S)-ginsenoside-Rg3 (C₄₂H₇₂O₁₃), a natural triterpenoid saponin, is extracted from red ginseng. The increasing use of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 has raised product safety concerns. Methods: In acute toxicity, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 was singly and orally administrated to Kunming mice and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at the maximum doses of 1600 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg, respectively. In the 26-week toxicity study, we used repeated oral administration of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 in SD rats over 26 weeks at doses of 0, 20, 60, or 180 mg/kg. Moreover, a 4-week recovery period was scheduled to observe the persistence, delayed occurrence, and reversibility of toxic effects. Results: The result of acute toxicity shows that oral administration of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 to mice and rats did not induce mortality or toxicity up to 1600 and 800 mg/kg, respectively. During a 26-week administration period and a 4-week withdrawal period (recovery period), there were no significant differences in clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, urinalysis parameters, biochemical and hematological values, or histopathological findings. Conclusion: The mean oral lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3, in acute toxicity, is above 1600 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg in mice and rats, respectively. In a repeated-dose 26-week oral toxicity study, the no-observed-adverse-effect level for female and male SD rats was 180 mg/kg.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.47-56
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• 2019

Recently, in order to overcome the difficulty of entering a fire source due to the occurrence of a large amount of smoke in the event of a fire in a parking lot, it has used that a method of discharge smoke using air supply, exhaust fans and jet fans installed for ventilation of parking lots. In this study, the variation of flow in the smoke layer was observed using CCTV under two conditions, in which only the air supply fan operates and the manned fan operates together, and the temperature around the plume was compared to Albert eq. to assess its suitability as a parking lot ventilation performance evaluation method. As a result, it was found that the smoke layer could be disturbed if the Jet Fan was operated at the same time, which could lead to the possibility of an initial evacuation disturbance. However, the additional operation of the Jet Fan has been confirmed by the observation CCTV that the emission performance is improved, which is believed to help conduct the suppression operation. The temperature around the plume was measured and compared to Alpert eq, and was analyzed to be about $2^{\circ}C$ lower at the center axis of the plume and $9.0^{\circ}C$ higher at 8 m in the direction of the discharge of smoke. The results of temperature measurements around the plume were lower than the maximum temperature expected in AS 4391 and did not exceed the expected temperature risk caused by the experiment. As with these results, the temperature risk from the progression of hot smoke tests is foreseeable, so it will be available as one of the general evaluation methods for assessing smoke control performance in a parking lot without relevant criteria.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 2022

Background: It is estimated that about 13 million artisanal and small-scale miners carry out their activities under harsh, precarious, unfriendly, and risky conditions. Yet, our understanding of the extent to which these workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) and navigate through the various risks and hazards they face is still limited. This article has two main objectives. First, it explores the extent of usage of PPE among artisanal and small-scale miners for the prevention of hazards and risks. Second, it examines the coping strategies used by these miners as a response to experiences of occupational injuries and risks Methods: A cross-sectional survey of small-scale miners was conducted in six communities across three districts in Ghana, West Africa. The mixed methods approach was adopted. A total of 148 small-scale miners participated in the study. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were held across the six communities. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were used to analyse the relationship between some socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, and educational background) and the usage of PPE. Open-ended questions and responses from FGDs were analysed based on the content and verbatim quotations from miners. Results: Findings suggest that 78% of the miners interviewed do not use the appropriate PPE citing reasons such as cost, and their personal discomfort associated with use of PPE. There was no significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., sex, age, education and major mining activity) and the usage of PPE. The study further revealed four main coping strategies used by miners to handle the risks. These are rest, taking unprescribed medication and hard drugs, registration with health insurance scheme and savings and investments. Conclusion: This study shows that very few artisanal miners use PPE despite the significant hazards and risks to which they are exposed. The study recommends to the government to put in place measures to ensure that miners adhere to health and safety regulations before undertaking mining activities. This means that health and safety plans and use of PPE should be linked to the license acquisition process for miners.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.131-163
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to empirically analyze how social comparative learning of forum participants affects learning effects with an emphasis on participants' characteristics. As today's society is changing at a fast pace, the desire for new knowledge and information has grown accordingly. To quench this thirst for knowledge and information, seminars, symposiums, conferences, forums, conventions, exhibitions, and more are taking place as part of knowledge sharing events across the world. Also, the increased need for knowledge and information exchange has led the development and growth of the convention industry and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (Exhibitions)(MICE) industry. Especially, forum is a type of event which invites professionals and specialists to discuss diverse topics and share their knowledge and experience with the audience. The participants utilize it as an opportunity to get close to information providers and enjoy the pleasure of knowledge exchange. However, there have been few empirical analyses on who the participants are, why they attend forum, how they pick up and learn new information and knowledge, and what kinds of learning effects they achieve after the event. This paper is to analyze how social comparative learning of the forum's participants influences learning effects based on Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory (1977, 1997, 1982. 2001) and Leon Festinger's Social Comparative Theory (1950, 1954). By dividing the participants into two groups, one with high level of self-efficacy and the other with low level of self-efficacy, we have examined the differences in learning effects between the two groups using them as moderating variables. This study was conducted in 'MBN Y Forum 2016,' which is one of the most representative knowledge exchange forums of South Korea. An online survey was distributed out and, 1,307(39.2%) out of the total participants of 3,338 have completed the survey. The survey included questions about whether the participants have gained positive or negative motivations by comparing themselves to the speakers (upward comparison learning) and other participants (lateral comparison learning). The results have shown the quality of messages that the speakers are presenting as knowledge providers is the most significant factor that acts on learning effects. Particularly, the participants had higher levels of self-efficacy and self-esteem than average people. They had a clear goal to learn from the speakers (upward comparison) and received positive motivations from them. In other words, no negative learning effects had been found. This presents a managerial implication that having a qualified speaker is necessary for a forum to be successful. On the other hand, the results from the comparison with the other participants (lateral comparison) were different. The participants were likely to compare themselves to the other participants through observational learning. They could compare listening attitudes, language skills, or capabilities to ask a question. The results have showed the participants received positive motivations from the lateral group but at the same time were jealous of abilities of the others. When the quality of a question by a participant is not good enough, it can have a negative influence on the participants' learning effects. The first group with high levels of self-efficacy and self-esteem had no correlation to negative learning effects from the speakers. They rather had a strong desire to learn from the speakers. On the contrary, the participants perceived the lateral group as a learning subset and competitor. The second group with low levels of self-efficacy and self-esteem saw the quasi-group as a rival. This presents that the individual learning effects can be different depending on the participants' characteristics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1114-1119
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• 2012

Bacteria are frequently contaminated during the collection and processing procedures of boar semen. Of the contaminants, Stenotrophomonas (S.) maltophilia is a Gram-negative bacterium that is widely distributed in a variety of habitats. Although PCR assays have been developed for the detection of S. maltophilia, they cross-react with some species of Xanthomonas. In this study, we designed a primer set for the detection of S. maltophilia in order to target the chiA (GenBank accession no. NC_010943) gene. The specific PCR products were amplified from S. maltophilia only, not from other tested strains that are frequently found in semen. The detection limit of the PCR was $1.5{\times}10^3$ CFU/ml with pure-cultured S. maltophilia and $1.5{\times}10^4$ CFU/ml with S. maltophilia spiked in semen. Twenty-six (5.9%) S. maltophilia were isolated from 440 semen samples. The PCR results exhibited 98.9% agreement with a comparison of S. maltophilia isolation. Also, the sensitivity and specificity of the PCR were 100% and 98.7%, respectively. In the antimicrobial susceptibility test, S. maltophilia isolates were highly susceptible to enrofloxacin and florfenicol, while the majority of them were resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, apramycin, ceftiofur, penicillin, and spectinomycin. These results indicated that the PCR using the chiA gene was proven to be reliable and effective for the detection of S. maltophilia with high levels of sensitivity and specificity.