• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.127-137
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• 2001

Polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) are halogenated aromatic compounds with the empirical formula $C_{12}$ $H_{10-n}$C $l_{n}$(n=1~10), and are a mixture of possible 209 different chlorinated congeners. PCBs were widely used as dielectric fluids for capacitors and transformers, plasticizers, lubricant inks and paint addirives. Once released into the environment, PCBs persist for years because they are so resistant to degradation. In addition to their persistence in the environment, PCBs in ecological food chains undergo biomagnification because of their high degree of lipophilicity. In 1970s, the worldwide production of PCBs was ceased and the import of PCBs was prohibited since 1983 in Korea. In spite of these actions, many PCBs seems to be still in use. The environmental load of PCBs will continue to be recycled through air, land, water, and the biosphere for decades to come. This study was conducted to measure the concentrations of PCBs in the serum samples of 112 women by GC/MSD and GC/ECD. The main results of this study were as follows. 1. PCBs were detected in all samples. The mean $\pm$SD levels of PCBs in the serum were 3.613$\pm$0.759 ppb, and median were 3.828 ppb. 2. The correlation coefficients of the concentrations of 13 PCB congeners were from minimum, 0.7913 to maximum, 0.9985, and all was significant(p=0.0001). The correlation coefficient between the concentrations of PCBs and p,p'-DDE was 0.9641(p=0.0001). 3. There was a positive association between age and PCBs' concentrations (simple linear regression ; $R^2$=0.86, $\beta$=0.08023, p<0.001). 4. There was a positive association between total lipids in the serum and PCBs' concentrations (simple linear regression ; $R^2$=0.7058, $\beta$=0.00486, p<0.001). 5. For possible predictors of PCBs and p,p' -DDE levels in the serum, age adjusted model (Y=$\beta$$_{0}$+$\beta$$_1$age+ $B_2$X) was applied. For BMI, major residential area, wether to eat caught fish by angling, where to eat caught fish by angling(by parents in the past), fish consumption, meat consumption, meat consumption, and dairy consumption, there was no association. For total conception frequency and lactation frequency and lactation period, there was negative association.ion.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.115-127
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• 2008

Purpose : This study aimed to examine the effects of empowerment of the paramedics on critical thinking and provide the basic materials for the qualitative improvement of emergency medical service. Methods : This study collected data with the paramedics working at general hospital and hospital emergency room in G metropolitan city, B metropolitan city, U metropolitan city, D metropolitan city and J province from July 1 to 31, 2008. Total 180 questionnaires were collected and 152 were used for final analysis, and the following results were obtained through statistical analysis using SPSS 12.0 program. Results : 1) Average score of empowerment was 4.44 out of 6 and according to average score by areas, significance was 4.94, capacity 4.92, self-determination 4.28, and effective-ness 3.62. 2) Empowerment by general characteristics was statistically significant in age (F = 3.313, p < 0.05), the final scholastic attainments(F = 2.436, p < 0.05), and salary(F = 1.695, p < 0.01). 3) Average score of critical thinking was 3.12 out of 7 and according to scores by areas, maturity was highest as 3.71, followed by no prejudice as 3.70, systemicity as 3.14, pursuit of truth as 3.05, much curiosity as 2.93, critical thinking and self-confidence as 2.92, and analysis as 2.91. 4) Critical thinking by general characteristics was statistically significant in marital status (F = 15.695, p < 0.01) and the final scholastic attainments (F = 2.606, p < 0.05). 5) Correlations between empowerment and critical thinking showed positive correlations as Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.400 and positive correlation in all areas including empowerment and critical thinking were found (r = 0.116-0.710). 6) The effect of empowerment on critical thinking was statistically significant in p < 0.01 and was explained as $R^2=0.155$. In the effects of empowerment on critical thinking, significance, capacity and self-determination were statistically significant in p < 0.01, effectiveness in p < 0.05 and were explained as R2 = 0.244. Conclusion : From the above results, it was found that empowerment had the influence on critical thinking, so it was considered that hospital managers and emergency room chiefs must develop and operate education and training program based on the concept of empowerment, maintenance and management strategies.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.441-451
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• 2016

This study was conducted to determine the influence of satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression on adjustment of elderly patients in long-term care hospitals. The subjects were 116 elderly patients in 15 long-term care hospitals in B and K city. Data were collected from February 14 to March 30, 2015, and analyzed by t-rest, ANOVA, Scheff's test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. According to the results, there were significant differences in adjustment by religion, marital status, economic status, and perceived level of difficult problems. Adjustment was positively related to satisfaction and self-esteem. In addition, a negative correlation was observed between adjustment and depression. Meaningful variables that influenced the adjustment of elderly patients were depression, satisfaction, self-esteem, and religion. These factors accounted for 53.5% of the total variance in adjustment of the elderly patients in long-term care hospitals, and depression was the most influential factor. In conclusion, development and implementation of effective programs and strategies to reduce depression and to increase satisfaction with care and self-esteem is needed in order to enhance the adjustment of elderly patients in long-term care hospitals.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.4218-4226
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• 2013

This is a descriptive study to identify relationships of fatigue to job satisfaction and turnover intention among clinical nurses. The subjects were 162 clinical nurses at 2 small and medium-sized hospitals in K and B cities. The data were collected from February 1st throughout 28th, 2013. The collected data were analyzed using the SAS program through $x^2$-test, t-test, ANOVA, Scheff$\acute{e}$ test, and Pearson's correlation coefficients. There was a negative correlation between high fatigue level and job satisfaction and colleagues of its subgroups (r=-0.29, p=.0214; r=-0.29, p=.0239), positive correlation it and turnover intention(r=0.33, p=.0089). Also there was a negative correlation between promotion and overall job satisfaction subgroup of job satisfaction and turnover intention(r=-0.17, p=.0268; r=-0.19, p=.0144). Therefore nurse managers are in need of applying the organizational management system which is considered the relationship with my colleagues at work, promotion and overall job satisfaction etc. to prevent and decrease fatigue induced factors and turnover intentions.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.47-55
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• 2002

We came to the following conclusion as the results of experiment on the image quality of mammography and the average glandular dose using 4 apparatuses at 3 hospitals in Seoul. 1. Whereas the measurement of half value layer showed no differences among the apparatuses, the measurement by an attenuation curve method showed some differences by 5.9%. There were 9.1% differences in the measurement by aluminum conversion method. 2. The basic density of an automatic exposure control unit must be D = 1.40, but there was no automatic exposure unit adjusted precisely at any hospitals. The unit at the B hospital exceeded the allowable limit by ${\pm}0.15$. 3. In the photographing using an automatic exposure control unit and the management of an automatic film processor using a sensitometer, most automatic film processors were well kept. But in some cases the mean value of a fluctuation coefficient exceeded the allowable limit. There is a need for more cautious management. 4. The image quality of breast phantom photography was affected by the screen/film system among the hospitals. 5. The average glandular dose at a breast of 4.2 cm thickness depended on the tube voltage, In the case of Mo/Mo, it was measured $0.26{\sim}1.39\;mGy$ less than ACR standard 3.0 mGy.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.684-693
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze fish communities in the Wonju stream located in Wonju-si in Gangwon-do, and to evaluate the health of the stream through past and present changes. We performed investigations four times from May 2015 to September 2016. In the survey, 5,201 individuals which belonged to 27 species and 9 families were collected. Zacco platypus was the dominant species and Pungtungia herziwas the subdominant species. Eight Korean endemic species (Acanthorhodeus gracilis, Zacco koreanus, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Squalidus gracilis majimae, Microphysogobio yaluensis, Iksookimia koreensis, Koreocobitis rotundicaudata, Coreoperca herzi) were observed and showed a ratio of 16.54%. The fish community of dominance ($0.72{\pm}0.10$), diversity ($1.37{\pm}0.32$), evenness ($0.61{\pm}0.13$), and richness ($1.70{\pm}0.23$) were evaluated. According to our analysis of tolerance guilds, the total individual number of intermediate species was higher than the sensitive and tolerant species. As a result of the trophic guild analysis,the omnivore and insectivore species were relatively high. The value of the qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) in the wonju stream was averaged 121.2 (${\pm}23.4$), indicating a suboptimal condition. Stream health showed that the fish assessment index (FAI) value was an A to C grade in the Wonju stream. A correlation coefficient analysis with FAI and various factors was analysed statistically, and had a high correlation in QHEI, with the omnivore species, insectivore species, intermediate species, sensitive species, dominance, diversity, evenness, and richness.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.17-25
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• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate effects of mixture with dried food waste powder (FWP) and mixed organic fertilizer (MOF) on growth of pakchoi. As compared with non-fertilizer treatment (NF) or control (MOF treatment), growth of pakchoi in FWP treatments (2,500 kg/ha, 5,000 kg/ha, 10,000 kg/ha) was inhibited by salt (NaCl) content in the FWP. In comparison with control, mixtures of MOF and FWP (FWP10, FWP20, and FWP30 treatment) were not significantly different, and their salt content correlated with pakchoi growth factors negatively (P<0.05). Applied of FWP10, (FWP10: 2,500 kg/ha, 2FWP10: 5,000 kg/ha, 3FWP10: 7,500 kg/ha, 4FWP10: 10,000 kg/ha), growth factors of FWP10, 2FWP10 and 3FWP10 treatment were not significantly different than those of chemical fertilizer treatment, and of 4FWP10 decreased. Correlation coefficient between NaCl supply by FWP10 application and growth factor was negative (P<0.01). These results indicated that FWP was used as another source of organic fertilizer, and the organic fertilizers blending with FWP inhibited a pakchoi growth by increase of salt content containing in the them or of salt supplying amount after their application.

• Genes and Genomics
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.1373-1382
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• 2018

Hanwoo and Chikso are classified as Korean native cattle breeds that are currently registered with the Food and Agriculture Organization. However, there is still a lack of genomic studies to compare Hanwoo to Chikso populations. The objective of this study was to perform genome-wide analysis of Hanwoo and Chikso populations, investigating the genetic relationships between these two populations. We genotyped a total of 319 cattle including 214 Hanwoo and 105 Chikso sampled from Gangwon Province Livestock Technology Research Institute, using the Illumina Bovine SNP50K Beadchip. After performing quality control on the initially generated datasets, we assessed linkage disequilibrium patterns for all the possible SNP pairs within 1 Mb apart. Overall, average $r^2$ values in Hanwoo (0.048) were lower than Chikso (0.074) population. The genetic relationship between the populations was further assured by the principal component analysis, exhibiting clear clusters in each of the Hanwoo and Chikso populations, respectively. Overall heterozygosity for Hanwoo (0.359) was slightly higher than Chikso (0.345) and inbreeding coefficient was also a bit higher in Hanwoo (-0.015) than Chikso (-0.035). The average $F_{ST}$ value was 0.036 between Hanwoo and Chikso, indicating little genetic differentiation between those two breeds. Furthermore, we found potential selection signatures including LRP1B and NTRK2 genes that might be implicated with meat and reproductive traits in cattle. In this study, the results showed that both Hanwoo and Chikso populations were not under severe level of inbreeding. Although the principal component analysis exhibited clear clusters in each of the populations, we did not see any clear evidence that those two populations are highly differentiated each other.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced breast magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) variables, for axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis in the early stage of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: January 2011-April 2015, 787 patients with early stage of breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Only cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, were included in the patient population. Among them, 240 patients who underwent 3.0-T DCE-MRI, including DWI with b value 0 and $800s/mm^2$ were enrolled. MRI variables (adjacent vessel sign, whole-breast vascularity, initial enhancement pattern, quantitative kinetic parameters, signal enhancement ratio (SER), tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), peritumoral ADC, and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio) clinico-pathologic variables (age, T stage, multifocality, extensive intraductal carcinoma component (EIC), estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER-2 status, Ki-67, molecular subtype, histologic grade, and nuclear grade) were compared between patients with axillary lymph node metastasis and those with no lymph node metastasis. Multivariate regression analysis was performed, to determine independent variables associated with ALN metastasis, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), for predicting ALN metastasis was analyzed, for those variables. Results: On breast MRI, moderate or prominent ipsilateral whole-breast vascularity (moderate, odds ratio [OR] 3.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28-9.51 vs. prominent, OR = 15.59, 95% CI 2.52-96.46), SER (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.09-2.59), and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio (OR = 6.77, 95% CI 2.41-18.99), were independently associated with ALN metastasis. Among clinico-pathologic variables, HER-2 positivity was independently associated, with ALN metastasis (OR = 23.71, 95% CI 10.50-53.54). The AUC for combining selected MRI variables and clinico-pathologic variables, was higher than that of clinico-pathologic variables (P < 0.05). Conclusion: SER, moderate or prominent increased whole breast vascularity, and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio on breast MRI, are valuable in predicting ALN metastasis, in patients with early stage of breast cancer.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.68-80
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• 2021

This study aimed to present the current status of exotic fish species, invasive species, and dominant species inhabiting the Cheonggyecheon stream. We conducted three samplings from April to October 2019. A total of 2,045 individuals from 27 species belonging to nine fish families were collected. There were five Korean endemic species (18.5%) including Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnis morii, Squalidus gracilis majimae, Zacco koreanus, and Odontobutis interrupta in the Cheonggyecheon stream. The dominant species was Zacco platypus (62.4%) and the subdominant species was Z. koreanus (9.8%). The length-weight analysis of the dominant species Z. platypus population showed a regression coefficient b of 3.3434 and a condition factor(k) of 0.0026, with a positive slope. The growth state of the Z. platypus population was identified as being in a very favorable condition. The Cheonggyecheon stream is considered to be an appropriate habitat for the Z. platypus population. Since the restoration, The Cheonggyecheon stream has had continuous problems due to the introduction of exotic species and invasive species and in this study, exotic species, Gyrinocheilus aymonier var.(gold type), and invasive species, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, which have not previously been reported in the Cheonggyecheon stream, appeared. Therefore, it is deemed necessary to prepare continuous publicity and management measures to prevent exotic species and invasive species from inhabiting the Cheonggyecheon stream.