• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.1 s.56
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• pp.103-128
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• 1997

The object of this study is to evaluate the possibility of chemical-induced liver disorder among workers exposed to various chemicals and to classify the the liver function abnormalities by causes and to analyse the risk factors for each liver disorders. A cross-sectional study including questionnaire survey, physical examination, laboratory tests and ultrasonography of liver was conducted on 1,126 workers, 459 workers in a coal chemical plant(company A) and 667 workers in an insulation material manufacturing factory(company B). An industrial hygienist reviewed the chemicals used in both companies and evaluated the work environments to classify the workers by chemical exposure semiquantitatively. The results are as follows: 1. Of 459 workers in company A, 83 workers(18.1%) are classified as nonexposed, group 163(35,5%) as short-term exposure group, 155(33.8%) as intermediately exposed group and 58(12.6%) as long-term exposed group bared on the mean daily exposure to hepatotoxic chemicals evaluated by an industrial hygienist. Of 667 workers in company B, 484(72.6%) workers were classified as nonexposed and 183(35.5%) as exposed group. 2. Workers with SGOT level higher than 40 IU/l were (10.0%) in company A and 77(11.5%) in company 3, and those with SGPT level higher than 35 IU/l were 118(25.7%) in company A and 198(29.7%) in company B. The differences were not significant between companies and between exposure groups(p>0.05). Workers with $\gamma-GT$ level higher than 62 IU/l were 29(6.3%) in company A and 77(11.5%) in company B (p<0.01). The difference between exposure groups was not significant(p>0.05) within companies. Workers with liver function abnormalities(defined as SGOT higher than 40 IU/l or SGPT higher than 35 IU/l) were 338(30.0%) among 1,126 workers. Of 338 workers with live. function abnormalities 139(12.3%) had fatty liver by ultrasonography, 79(7.0%) had alcoholic liver(defined as workers with liver function abnormalities with weekly alcohol consumption greater than 280 g for more than 5 years), 54(4.8%) had hepatitis B, 12(1.1%) had hepatitis C and the other 114(33.7%) was not otherwise classified. Prevalences of alcoholic liver and fatty liver were significantly lower in company A(prevalence ratio 0.24 for alcoholic liver, p<0.001, prevalence ratio 0.76 for fatty liver, p<0.05) but prevalences of liver disorders between exposure groups within companies were not significant(p>0.05). 3. Summary prevalence ratios(SPR) of live. function abnormalities, fatty live. and other liver disorders, adjusted by age and company were not significantly higher in exposed group in any chemicals(p>0.05) but in some chemicals, SPRs were significantly lower. 4. On simple analysis of risk factors for liver function abnormalities, prevalence odds ratio(POR) of those with age between 30 and 39 was 1.54(p<0.01) and those with age ever 40 was 1.51(p<0.01). POR of those with histories of liver disorders and general anesthesia was 1.77(p<0.001) and 4.02 for those with overweight and 6.23 for those with obesity, defined by body mass index(p<0.001). 5. On logistic regression analysis, risk factors of liver function abnormality were fatty liver(POR 2.92 for grade 1, 12.15 for grade 2), presence of hepatitis B surface antigen(POR 3.62) and obesity(POR 5.38 for overweight and 16.52 for obesity). Presence of hepatitis B surface antigen(POR 0.18) was the only preventive facto. of fatty live. Company(POR 0.30) and obesity(POR 2.49 for overweight, 4.52 for obesity) were related to the alcoholic live. Obesity(POR 2.94 for overweight) was the only significant risk factor of hepatitis B and there was no significant risk factor for liver function abnormality not otherwise classified. It is concluded that the evidence of liver disorder related with chemical exposure is not evident in these factories. It is also postulated that fatty liver and alcoholic liver is most common causes of liver function abnormalities among workers and effort for weight control and improvement of life style should be done.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1990.11a
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• pp.136-138
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• 1990

In developing, microscopic scale electrical and electronic devices, molecular level Insulators and functional electric conductors are fundamental. The properties of the electrical-insulating thin film materials are very much dependent on defects and electron transfer rate. There are number of companies which try to reduce defects and control electrical conductivity. Functional electrical conductors are more demanding subject in electrical fields. Reorganization energy around the sites that generate the electrons and holes are very important for the electron transfer in the organic thin layers.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.141-141
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• 2006

Petrochemicals contain a wide variety of monomers and their derivatives which are used in the production of plastics, fibers and synthetic rubber. Until now, petrochemicals have had a dramatic impact on our food, clothing, shelter and leisure because they are the least expensive, most readily available, and can be processed most easily into the end use products. Petrochemical industry, which is known as one of the typical cycle profitability businesses, is now moving downward. In order to overcome the anticipated loss of profit, petrochemical companies are making an effort to offer a value-added upgrading to conventional products. This lecture will discuss a few of issues on the current status and prospect of petrochemical industry.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.556-557
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• 1996

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) has been used as a tonic drug in Chinese Traditional Medicine for two thousand years. It is believed to be significantly beneficial for human health. During the past 20 years. due to the modern chemical, biological and pharmacological technology. the ginseng research of China has been developed rapidly Major-work has been carried out by many laboratories in beijing. shanghai and shonzhen, etc Since most of the research works were supported by pharmacological companies. Many interesting papers sometimes are of confidential limitation. It is not easy to bind those papers in common library. To make a comprehensive review of ginseng is very difficult and reluctant.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 1981

Weed is one of the problems in the crop land as well as in uncultivated land, raising the farm management costs. Therefore, the weed control is essential for effective agricultural management. The cost for weed control in Korea occupies on the average 27.6% of the total labor cost required. Agricultural policies since 1960 were transferring from yield increase due to land productivities to increase of income due to labor productivities. Therefore, the weed control by hand is also changed to weed control by chemicals. The weed control by chemicals has also brought about some side-effects and needs better, improved weed control methods. The present weed control situation and related problems were studied to present new approaches for agricultural development in the future. There were 458 species of weeds in 82 families which were growing in the crop land. The weeds to control, however, are 12 in paddy field and 9 in upland. So far weeds in paddy field are well under control, while weeds in upland are poorly controlled due to change in chemical efficiency and chemical damage in the upland. The administration, research and extension work for the efficient use of agricultural chemicals have been done by various institutions, such as Office of Rural Development, Office of Forestry, and chemical companies. The courses for agricultural chemicals were offered in the agricultural colleges. However, the efficiency of chemicals could not be maximized due to the poor relationships among related institutes. The newly established Agricultural Chemical Research Center at the Office of Rural Development and the Korean Weed Science Association are expected to contribute toward improving weed control in Korea. The Korean agriculture in the future will eventually be mechanized and the varieties resistant to high nitrogen application and to high plant density will be required for high yields. The rice will be transplanted earlier and the whole growing period will be extended. The application of organic matter will be increased for increasing soil fertility, and the use of agricultural chemicals will be continued. Under such a condition, the studies on the weed occurrence and its integrated control measures will be needed. Also weed controls in the newly exclaimed land, crop varieties, horticultural varieties, forage crops, and forests are also needed to study. Basic and practical researches for the weed control to improve the labor productivity will be also needed. In order to meet the all requirements for efficient weed control, weed control systems including all the academics, research and extension workers, administratives, farmers and companies should be established. Also securing researchers and education of personnels are pre-required and research funds for the chemical studies should be provided efficiently and timely.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.313-324
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which causes serious respiratory illness such as pneumonia and lung failure, was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, China. The etiological agent of COVID-19 has been confirmed as a novel coronavirus, now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is most likely originated from zoonotic coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV, which emerged in 2002. Within a few months of the first report, SARS-CoV-2 had spread across China and worldwide, reaching a pandemic level. As COVID-19 has triggered enormous human casualties and serious economic loss posing global threat, an understanding of the ongoing situation and the development of strategies to contain the virus's spread are urgently needed. Currently, various diagnostic kits to test for COVID-19 are available and several repurposing therapeutics for COVID-19 have shown to be clinically effective. In addition, global institutions and companies have begun to develop vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19. Here, we review the current status of epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development for COVID-19.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.365-374
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• 2023

Objectives: After the MSDS submission and non-disclosure review system was introduced in January 2021, there were compliance difficulties in the field. Accordingly, for the establishment of the MSDS system, the government intends to investigate what has been improved and what urgently needs to be improved in the future, and to suggest detailed improvement plans. Methods: The background and problems of urgent difficulties in the field handling chemicals were investigated, and realistic improvement plans were derived through review of other laws related to the MSDS system and overseas cases. Results: In order to guarantee the safety of the public while at the same time promoting corporate R&D, it is necessary to alleviate the non-disclosure screening system for chemical substances for R&D, and to improve the irrationality of failing to implement the non-disclosure screening system due to information on unclassified substances being circulated. For this reason, it seems necessary to ease the requirement to submit all ingredients. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen punishment to raise awareness so that health problems do not occur due to the harmfulness and danger of hidden substances among workers who handle chemical substances and downstream users due to false descriptions in MSDS. Conclusions: All members of our society, including chemical manufacturers/importers and handling companies, academia, civil society, and the government, each subject of chemicals, should take an interest in the entire process from production to disposal of chemicals and work together to prevent harm to the public.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 1977

We have in vestigated on physico-chemical and biological test of plastic transfusion set which was manufactured from the three companies after $Co^{60}\;{\gamma}-radiation$. The results obtained were as follows ; 1) In physico-chemical test generally showed a tendency to decrease of pH and tensile strength, and increase of oxidizable matter, phosphoric acid-phosphosphate and heavy metals in its eluted solution by irradiation of 2,5 Mrad. 2) In biological test including toxicity and safety test were passed but indicating haemolysis range the haemolysis test were failed to pass from 30% to 50%. 3) We have found that the raw materials of plastic transfusion set according to manufactures are all different and especially the most radioresistant raw material wss found in the product which was manufactured from C company.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.197-206
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• 2007

There are several methods for the hydrogen production such as steam reforming of natural gas, photochemical method, biological method, electrolysis and thermochemical method, etc. Many researches have been widely performed for the hydrogen production method having low production cost and high efficiency. In this paper, the patents concerning the photochemical hydrogen production method were gathered and analyzed. The search range was limited in the open patents of USA(US), European Union(EP), Japan(JP), and Korea(KR) from 1996 to 2005. Patents were gathered by using key-words searching and filtered by filtering criteria. The patent application trend was analyzed by the years, countries, companies, and technologies.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.140-145
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• 2014

The globally used PV qualification tests and reports the pass/fail only. Therefore, the reliability of new PV materials and parts can't be compared quantitatively with the reliability of the PV parts and materials in the market. Global PV materials and parts companies test and compare their materials, parts, and modules using the failure-to-test (FTT). However, it takes a long accelerated stress test (AST) until failure. It also needs to test the new and existing materials and parts. Therefore, it requires excessive equipment time and cost. In order to reduce the time and cost, a new reliability enhancement methodology has been developed. It tests the PV materials, parts, and modules in the global market and stores them in the PV reliability database. It reduces the time and cost of the comparison and enhancement of PV reliability. An example of the reliability enhancement of the PV encapsulant, EVA is presented.