• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.1 s.56
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• pp.145-155
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• 1997

Interview survey and dermatological examination have been performed to investigate the health problems of workers continuously exposed to coal-tar pitch. The phototoxicity of coal-tar pitch was confirmed by the photopatch tests for six healthy adults. The main results are followings; 1. There was no special history of allergic diseases in both the exposed and non-exposed group. 2. The frequency of the phototoxic dermatosis and the coal-tar acne in the exposed group was significantly greate.(p<0.05) than that of the control group. In the exposed group, the phototoxic dermatosis and the coal-tar acne were observed in nine workers(90%) and seven workers(70%), respectively. However, those, disease were not observed in the control group. 3. Five results(83%) were positive to the photopatch test for coal-ta. pitch 48 hours after UVA irradiation. But the lesion was subsiding 72 hours after UVA irradiation. 4. Malignant cancers were not reported among workers ever exposed to coal-tar pitch. In conclusion, it appears that workers exposed to coal-tar pitch have high risks of phototoxic dermatosis and coal-tar acne. A health policy should be provided to prevent phototoxic dermatosis among coal-tar pitch workers. More studies are required to determine malignancy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.2 s.26
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• pp.197-207
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• 1989

This study was planned to investigate employer's attitude about health management of workers in coal mine industry. The sample size was 38.3% (178 coal mine industries) of total 463 coal mine industries. The mailing survey was used to collecting data of coal mine industry and manager of coal mine industry. Distribution of attitude about health management of workers in coal mine industry, specifically necessity and availability of some items of health management and some apparatus of working environment, was skewed to positive attitude. While recognition of susceptability of coal workers' pneumoconiosis was low, that of seriousness of incidence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis was high.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.1 s.25
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• pp.25-28
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• 1989

Sixty-two medical records of patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis who died in hospital as coal workers' pneumoconiosis were analysed for study of the relationship between forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$) and life expectancy in coal workers'pneumoconiosis. In the group who died of asphyxia from hemoptysis, life expectancy were well fitted with $FEV_1$(p<0.05). But others were not well fitted to simple linear regression equation. The prevalence of ECG sign of col pulmonale was more in the group of cardiorespiratory failure than asphyxia group. So, in the case of far advanced cor pulmonale, it was difficult to predict life expectancy by simple linear regression equation

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 1991

Exposure level of respirable coal dust of underground coal mines in Taebaek area was evaluated. Personal air samplers with 10-mm nylone cyclones were attached to the coal workers including drillers, coal cutters, their assistants, haulers, and separators. Log-normality of respirable dust exposure concentration were tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov one-sample test. Differences of means of respirable dust exposure concentration between work sites were tested by one-way ANOVA test and multiple comparison(Scheffe) test. And differences of respirable dust exposure concentration of principal and assistant workers in drilling sites and in coal faces were tested by paired t-test. Relation of respirable dust exposure concentration for the principal workers and their assistants in drilling sites and in coal faces were tested by regression analysis. The results were as follows : 1. All of the respirable dust concentration were log-normally distributed. 2. There were not only significantly different means of exposure concentration between drillers and coal cutters but between coal cutters and haulers. 3. Means of exposure concentration of drillers and drilling assistants were not significantly different. And means of exposure concentration of coal cutters and coal cutting assistants were not different.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.238-245
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• 1991

This study was analysis of ${\alpha}$-quartz in the 37 worker's lung died of coal workers' pneumoconiosis(CWP) and in the 9 normal's lung by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer. The results were as follows : 1. The dried lung weight percents in wet lung weight were 24.4%, 25.4%, coal workers' pneumoconiosis and normal lungs, respectively. Ash weight percents in dried lung weight were 7.7%, 5.0%, coal workers' pneumoconiosis and normal lungs, respectively. 2. The presision (as of coefficient of variation) for the ${\alpha}$-quartz determination were 2.6% in standard quartz (ranged from 9.9 to $198.0{\mu}g$) and 3.7% in ashed lung samples. 3. The characterstic ${\alpha}$-quartz absorption spectra in lungs of CWP were only shawn by LTA ashing. 4. Geometric mean of ${\alpha}$-quartz concentration in CWP lung was 173mg/100g dried lung. 5. The concentrations of ${\alpha}$-quartz in Korean CWP lungs were similar to those of foreign coal miner's lungs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 2001

Background : Coal workers' pneumoconiosis is a fibrotic lung disease resulting from chronic inhalation of coal dust. The precise mechanism of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis is uncertain. However, a relationship between the stimulation of fibroblast proliferation and collagen production by mediators released from in flammatory and resident lung cells is thought to be a major factor. The transforming growth factor-$\beta$(TGF-$\beta$), a multifunctional cytokine and growth factor, plays a key role in the scarring and fibrotic processes due to its ability to induce extracellular matrix proteins and modulate the growth and immune function of many cell types. To determine the involvement of TGF-$\beta$ in the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis, the TGF-${\beta}_1$ level in plasma was measured in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Methods : Plasma was collected from 40 patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (20 with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and 20 with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis) and from 10 normal controls. The ELISA method was used to measure the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ concentration. Results : Compared to the control group ($0.63{\pm}01.8$ ng/mL), there was no significant difference in the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ level in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis ($0.64{\pm}0.17$ ng/mL) (p>0.05). However, in patients with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ level ($0.79{\pm}0.18$ ng/mL) was significantly higher than in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion : The data suggests that TGF-${\beta}_1$ has some influence in the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 1988

The exposure level of respirable dust and silica for the coal workers of underground coal mines in Taebaek area was evaluated. Personal air samplers were attached to the coal workers-drillers, coal cutters, their helpers, haulers, and separators. Normality and lognormality of respirable dust and silica concentrations were tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov one-sample test, differences of means of respirable dust and silica concentration were tested by group-t-test and paired t-test, and relation between respirable dust and silica concentration were tested by regression test.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was to evaluate the effects of foot reflexology on depression and anxiety in coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Method: The research design used was a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The foot reflexology was performed for 60 minutes twice a week through five weeks in the experimental group, not in the control group. The subjects of this study consisted of both the experimental group of twenty-nine and the control group of thirty coal workers' pneumoconiosis. The data were collected from December 10, 2002 to February 15, 2003. To evaluate the effects of foot reflexology the scores of depression and anxiety were measured before and after the experiment in both groups. Data of this experiment were analyzed by Chi-square test, t-test, unpaired t-test, ANCOVA and Repeated Measures ANOVA with the SAS Program. Results: The score of depression decreased in the experimental group, not in the control group. There was a significant difference of depression between the two groups. The score of anxiety decreased in the experimental group, not in the control group. There was a significant difference of anxiety between the two groups. Conclusion: As a summary of the study results, foot reflexology was regarded that it attributed to the emotional promotion of coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Therefore the foot reflexology is considered that might be used as an effective skill of nursing intervention program for coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

• 월간산업보건
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• s.2
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• pp.4-10
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• 1988

In order to investigate the prevalence of occupational disease in coal mine workers in Chonnam area, a cross sectional study was conducted in 1,097 workers from September to December in 1987. The results were as follows; 1. The prevalence of pneumoconiosis including suspected cases was 6.9% and was increased by age and working duration. 2. The prevalence of pneumoconiosis excluding suspected cases was 2.8%. 3. By the kind of job, prevalence of pneumoconiosis including suspected cases was l2.9% in tunnel drivers, 6.3% in coalface workers and 6.0% in other workers. 4. The prevalence of noise induced hearing loss was 5.1% and was increased by age and working duration. 5. The prevalence of noise induced hearing loss was the highest among tunnel drivers(7.3%), but it was not significantly different by the kind of job. 6. Occupational disease caused by vibration was not found in coal mine workers.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.713-722
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• 1995

Background: Chest X-ray of coal workers' pneumoconiosis and shipyard welders' lung show similar and regular opacities mostly, it is very difficult that we distinguish the former from the latter by only chest X-ray. so we performed this study to understand the progression of the disease and to provide the disease by considering pulmonary function and other factors in proportion to the profusion of small regular opacities of chest X-ray in both groups. Method: 430 coal workers' pneumoconiosis were compared with 311 shipyard welders' lung by the number, the age, the duration of dust exposure, %vital capacity(%VC), %FEV1.0, the type of ventilatory impairment, the combined pulmonary disease according to the profusion of small regular opacities on the chest radiographs, which were classified into category 0/1, category 1, and category 2. Result: 1) the percent of category 2 in coal workers' pneumoconiosis was 54.4%. the percent of category 1, and category 2 in welders' lung were 60.0%, 7.4%. the progression to the category 2 was higher in coal workers' pneumoconiosis than in welders' lung 2) The mean age was higher in coal workers' pneumoconiosis than in welders' lung, significantly increased in proportion to the progresion of profusion of small regular opacities in both groups 3) There was no difference in the duration of dust exposure by category 1/0, but the duration of dust exposure by category 1, 2 in coal workers' pneumoconiosis more significantly increased than in welders' lung. the duration in the proportion of category 2 to category 0/1, 1 significantly increased in the proportion to small regular opacities in coal workers' pneumoconiosis. but there was no significant difference in the proportion to small regular opacities in duration of dust exposure in welders' lung. 4) There was no significant difference of mean values of %VC(%vital capacity)in both groups except for category 1. the mean values of %VC had no relationship between the progression of small regular opacities in both groups. 5) The mean values of %FEV1.0 decreased more significantly in coal workers' pneumoconiosis than in welders' lung except for category 0/1. and decreased significantly in proportion to the profusion of small regular opacities in coal workers' pneumoconiosis. there was significant difference of %FEV1.0 in the proportion of category 2 to category 011 in welders' lung. 6) there were no significant difference of %FEV1.0, %VC in smoker and nonsmoker in both groups. 7) With regard to the type of ventilation in both groups in coal workers' pneumoconiosis 21.4 percent of patients belonged to the restrictive type, 11.6 percent to the obstructive type, 5.6 percent to the combined type, but in welders' lung 21.8 percent to the restrictive type, 2.9 percent to the obstructive type, 1.9 percent to the combined type. 8. in the pulmonary disease, the incidence of the pulmonary tuberculosis was the most in both groups, was more in coal workers' pneumoconiosis than welders' lung Conclusion: If we compare coal workers' pneumoconiosis with electric arc welders'lung by considering pulmonary function and other factors in proportion to the profusion of chest X-ray, I think that we will have the better result in understanding the progression of the disease and provision of the disease in both groups.