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Appraisal of Breast Cancer Symptoms by Iranian Women: Entangled Cognitive, Emotional and Socio-Cultural Responses

  • Khakbazan, Zohreh;Roudsari, Robab Latifnejad;Taghipour, Ali;Mohammadi, Eesa;Pour, Ramesh Omrani
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.19
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    • pp.8135-8142
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    • 2014
  • Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Iranian women and usually features delayed presentation and late diagnosis. Interpretation of symptoms, as the most important step, has a significant impact on patient delay in seeking treatment. There is a dearth of studies on symptom appraisal and the process leading to seeking help in breast cancer patients. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of Iranian women with self-detected possible breast cancer symptoms. Materials and Methods: A qualitative method was conducted involving in-depth semi-structured interviews with 27 Iranian women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms. Participants were purposefully selected from women who attended Cancer Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences during June 2012 to August 2013. The audiotaped interviews were transcribed and analyzed using conventional content analysis with MAXQDA soft ware version 10. The trustworthiness of the study was verified by prolonged engagement, member validation of codes, and thick description. Results: The main concepts emerging from data analysis were categorized in four categories: symptom recognition, labeling of symptoms, interactive understanding, and confronting the fear of cancer. Symptom recognition through breast self-examination, symptom monitoring and employing prior knowledge distinguished normal from abnormal symptoms and accompanied with perception of being at risk of breast cancer led to symptom labeling. Social interaction by selective disclosure and receiving reassurance from a consultant led to confirmation or redefinition of the situation. Perceived seriousness of the situation and social meanings of breast cancer as a stigmatized and incurable illness associated with loss of femininity were reasons for patient worries and fear. Conclusions: This study emphasized that entangled cognitive, emotional and socio-cultural responses affecting understanding of symptom seriousness require further investigation. It is suggested that programs aimed at shortening patient delay in breast cancer should be focused on improving women's knowledge and self-awareness of breast cancer, in addition to correcting their social beliefs.

Development of Mapping Method for Liquefaction Hazard in Moderate Seismic Region Considering the Uncertainty of Big Site Investigation Data (빅데이터 지반정보의 불확실성을 고려한 중진지역에서의 액상화 위험도 작성기법 개발)

  • Kwak, Minjung;Ku, Taijin;Choi, Jaesoon
    • Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.17-27
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    • 2015
  • Recently, Korean government has tried out to set up earthquake hazards prevention system. In the system, several geotechnical hazard maps including liquefaction hazard map and landslide hazard map for the whole country have drawn to consider the domestic seismic characteristics. To draw the macro liquefaction hazard map, big data of site investigations in metropolitan areas and provincial areas has to be verified for its application. In this research, we carried out site response analyses using 522 borehole site investigation data in S city during a desirable earthquake. The soil classification was separately compared to shear wave velocity considering the uncertainty of site investigation data. Probability distribution and statistical analysis for the results of site response analyses was applied to the feasibility study. Finally, we suggest a new site amplification coefficient, hereby presented with the similar results of liquefaction hazard mapping using the calculated liquefaction potential index by the site response analyses. Above-mentioned study will be expected to help to follow research and draw liquefaction hazard map in moderate seismic region.

Environmental Exposure to Tobacco-specific Nitrosamines in an Area Near a Fertilizer Plant (비료제조공장 인근 지역의 담배특이니트로사민 환경 노출)

  • Ha, Jae-Na;Yoon, Mi-Ra;Chang, Jun Young;Koh, Dohyun;Shin, Ho-Sang;Kim, Suhyang;Lee, Chul-Woo;Lee, Bo-Eun;Kim, Jeong-Soo
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.46 no.4
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    • pp.398-409
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    • 2020
  • Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate environmental exposure to tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) by conducting an analysis of the concentration of TSNAs in deposited dust collected from a fertilizer plant and the surrounding village, a simulation of high-temperature drying of tobacco waste, and CALPUFF modeling. Methods: The raw materials of the products, deposited dust (inside and outside the plant and residential area), soil, and wastewater were sampled and the TSNA concentrations were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. As the plant was closed down before the investigation, simulation tests were conducted to confirm the substances discharged during high-temperature (300℃) drying of tobacco waste. CALPUFF modeling was performed to identify the area of influence due to exposure to TSNAs. Results: TSNAs were detected in organic fertilizers estimated to contain tobacco waste, deposited dust, and soil collected from inside and outside the plant. N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), 4-(methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), and N'-nitrosoanatabine (NAT) components were detected in five of 15 deposited dust samples collected from the residential area around the plant, while TSNAs were not detected in the five sampling points in the control area. Also, the simulation test for the high temperature drying of tobacco waste found emissions of TSNAs. The CALPUFF modeling results showed that the survey area was likely to be included in the area of influence of TSNA emissions from the plant. Conclusions: It is estimated that harmful tobacco ingredients such as TSNAs were dispersed in nearby areas due to the illegal use of tobacco waste as a raw material to produce organic fertilizers at the plant. These findings assume that the residents have been exposed to TSNAs and suggest that the need for the establishment of measures to manage environmental health.

A Feasibility Study for the Multi-Utility Tunnel by City Scale (Area) (기존시가지의 규모(면적)에 따른 공동구 설치 타당성에 관한 연구)

  • Oh, Won Joon;Na, Gwi Tae;Cho, Choong yeun;Lee, Min Jae
    • KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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    • v.39 no.6
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    • pp.903-911
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    • 2019
  • The multi-utility tunnel is one of the essential social infrastructures, but it is difficult to establish the multi-utility tunnel due to the scale of the National Land Planning and Utilization Act (2 million square meters). In this paper, we analyze the feasibility of establishing the multi-utility tunnel in the existing city in order to activate the multi-utility tunnel installation. For the feasibility analysis, the scale was classified into four categories based on related laws, and related indicators were selected and evaluated using feasibility and economic analysis. Three kinds/four kinds of suitable multi-utility tunnel for the scale of the existing city were shown, and five kinds of multi-utility tunnel were considered suitable for the new city over 2 million square meters. The results of the overall score evaluation of the tunnel type of the existing city and the open type of the new city of 2 million square meters or more, which is the obligation to install the multi-utility tunnel, do not show much difference and suggest the validity of the installation of the multi-utility tunnel in various scale of the existing city.

A fundamental study on the development of feasibility assessment system for utility tunnel by urban patterns (도심지 유형별 공동구 설치 타당성 평가시스템 개발에 관한 기초 연구)

  • Lee, Seong-Won;Sim, Young-Jong;Na, Gwi-Tae
    • Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.11-27
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    • 2017
  • The road network system of major domestic urban areas such as city of Seoul was rapidly developed and regionally expanded. In addition, many kinds of life-lines such as electrical cables, telephone cables, water&sewerage lines, heat&cold conduits and gas lines were needed in order for urban residents to live comfortably. Therefore, most of the life-lines were individually buried in underground and individually managed. The utility tunnel is defined as the urban planning facilities for commonly installing life-lines in the National Land Planning Act. Expectation effectiveness of urban utility tunnels is reducing repeated excavation of roads, improvement of urban landscape; road pavement durability; driving performance and traffic flow. It can also be expected that ensuring disaster safety for earthquakes and sinkholes, smart-grind and electric vehicle supply, rapid response to changes in future living environment and etc. Therefore, necessity of urban utility tunnels has recently increased. However, all of the constructed utility tunnels are cut-and-cover tunnels domestically, which is included in development of new-town areas. Since urban areas can not accommodate all buried life-lines, it is necessary to study the feasibility assessment system for utility tunnel by urban patterns and capacity optimization for urban utility tunnels. In this study, we break away from the new-town utility tunnels and suggest a quantitative assessment model based on the evaluation index for urban areas. In addition, we also develop a program that can implement a quantitative evaluation system by subdividing the feasibility assessment system of urban patterns. Ultimately, this study can contribute to be activated the urban utility tunnel.

A Study of the Environmental Dispute Arbitration System in Korea (우리나라의 환경분쟁조정제도에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Sang-Chan
    • Journal of Arbitration Studies
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    • v.21 no.3
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    • pp.89-114
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    • 2011
  • Environmental disputes not only possess the special characteristics of collectivity and plural value relativity but it also possesses the unique features of difficulty to prove cause and effect as well as the structural maldistribution of evidence and information. Therefore, the positive resolution of an environmental dispute can be brought about more easily with the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which can take the form of talks, compromises, as well as arbitration or mediation rather than through a trial process. Such being the case, this paper first looks into the problems and effectiveness of the arbitration system of environmental lawsuits and then takes an even closer look at Korea's environmental dispute arbitration system and finally offer some reform methods. In Korea, the environmental dispute arbitration system was implemented in 1991 and has been executed since then. Although this system does have positive features such as the high rate of coming to an agreement between the involved parties but unfortunately, most of the cases rely on decisions based on right and wrong which cannot but be far away from the intentions of the ADR system. It is heavily centered around claims regarding psychological compensation regarding noise and vibrations and the ratio of the actual amount of compensation is comparatively lower than the requested amount. In addition, with the limits in organization and manpower, it leads to a lack of professionalism as well as the problem of low usage with the low awareness rate. As reform measures against the aforementioned problems, this paper suggests the following. First, in order to activate the arbitration process more fully, it proposes aggressive usage of compulsory arbitration as well as submission to arbitration, while at the same time raising ADR professionals to fill in the missing gaps. Secondly, in order to overcome the problem of concentration of related cases, making representative lawsuits of environmental organizations would be a good idea. It also states that in order to make the compensation amount more realistic, it should go out of the across-the-board decision making process and reach a decision about the compensation amount that takes the individual situation's dispute into consideration. In order to boost the professionalism of the environmental dispute arbitration, it is necessary to reform the organization and manpower such as expanding the number of members of full standing, and increasing the professionalism of the examiners. Also, to increase the usage rate of the ADR system, the paper suggests stationing a civilian consultant regarding environment, or activating the compulsory arbitration which is the premise for public participation on the part of the residents.

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A Study on the Analysis of Centrality and Brokerage Measures of Journal Citation Network - Focusing on KCI Journals - (학술지 인용 네트워크의 중심성과 중개성 분석에 관한 연구 - KCI 등재 학술지를 중심으로 -)

  • Lee, Soo-Sang
    • Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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    • v.50 no.4
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    • pp.77-100
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    • 2019
  • This study aims to analyze and compare centrality and brokerage measures of journal citation network focusing on textmining research. The analytic sample was 193 academic articles collected from 136 KCI journals published in 2018. The journal citation network was constructed based on citation relations. The characteristics, centralities, and brokerages of network was analyzed. The journal citation network consisted 136 nodes and 413 links with directed and weight. According to the five types of centrality(out-degree, in-degree, out-closeness, in-closeness, betweenness), journals of social sciences, engineering, and interdisciplinary research showed higher centrality. Social sciences, engineering and interdisciplinary research journals also showed higher brokerages as a result of brokerage analysis which identify five types of brokerage roles(coordinator, gatekeeper, representative, consultant, liaison). The centralities and brokerages of journals are positively correlated. This study suggested how to construct journal citation network from the articles focusing on certain topics. This was meaningful study in terms of conducting brokerage analysis and comparing it with centrality in the journal citation network.

Study on the Shear Strengthening of Concrete Beams with Wire Rope Clamped by Bolts (볼트 체결된 와이어 로프를 이용한 RC 보의 전단보강에 대한 연구)

  • Kim, Sun-Young;Song, Jin-Gyu;Lee, Young-Uk;Byun, Hang-Yong
    • Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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    • v.18 no.2 s.92
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    • pp.283-290
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    • 2006
  • The paper describes m experimental study on the shear strengthening of concrete beams with exposed wire rope. The strengthening method is using the mechanical bolting of wire rope tensioned on the exterior of beam section. There are two shear strengthening types. The first is closed type wrapped beam section with wire rope like as closed stirrup. The second is U type tensioned at the anchor located in the side of beam section. The main parameters of specimens are strengthening spacings of wire rope with 150, 200, and 250mm for the closed and U type respectively. The shear span ratio of specimens applied by 3-point loading is 4. The results showed that the ultimate shear strength and ductility of strengthened beams increased significantly compared with non-strengthened beams. Especially, the strengthening effect of closed type was very preferable to U type. Therefore, the shear strengthening method with wire rope is very reasonable in view of repair and rehabilitation of beams.

Shear Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened with Unbonded-Type Wire Rope Units (비 부착형 와이어로프로 보강된 철근콘크리트 보의 전단 거동)

  • Kim, Sun-Young;Byun, Hang-Yong;Sim, Jae-Il;Chung, Heon-Soo;Yang, Keun-Hyeok
    • Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.83-90
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    • 2007
  • The present study reports a simple unbonded-type shear strengthening technique for reinforced concrete beams using wire rope units. Fifteen beams failed in shear were repaired and strengthened with wire rope units, and then retested to failure. Influence of the prestressing force, orientation and spacing of wire rope units on the shear behavior of strengthened beams having shear span-to-depth ratios of 1.5, 2.5, or 3.25 were investigated. Test results showed that beams strengthened with wire rope units exhibited a higher shear strength and a larger post-failure deformation than the corresponding original beams. Inclined wire rope units was more effective for shear strength enhancement than vertical wire rope units. The increase of the prestressing force in wire rope units causes the decrease of the principal tensile stress in concrete, as a result, the diagonal tensile cracking strength of strengthened beams was higher than that of the corresponding original beams. Shear capacity of strengthened beams is compared with predictions obtained from ACI 318-05 and EC 2. Shear capacity of strengthened beams having shear span-to-depth ratio below 2.5 is reasonably predicted using ACI 318-05 formula. On the other hand, EC 2 overestimates the shear transfer capacity of wire rope units for beams having shear span-to-depth ratio above 2.5.

Field Load Test Results and Suggestion of Simple Settlement Estimation Method for Granular Compaction Piles (조립토 다짐말뚝에 대한 현장재하시험 결과 및 간편 침하량 산정방법의 제시)

  • Hwang Jung-Soon;Kim Hong-Taek;Kim Jung-Ho;Lee Sang-Kyung;Lee Hyung-Kyu
    • Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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    • v.21 no.3
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    • pp.159-168
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    • 2005
  • In the previous studies, settlement behaviors of granular compaction piles have generally been analyzed with an evaluation of the settlement reduction factor based on tile load-sharing ratio and the replacement ratio. In this approach, however, since the reinforced ground with granular compaction piles is simplified as the composite ground, only the difference of a relative vertical strength between piles and soils is taken into account without reflecting lateral behaviors of granular compaction piles. In the companion research paper, the method of estimating the settlement of granular compaction piles was proposed by synthetically considering a vertical strength of the ground, lateral behaviors of granular compaction piles, the strength of pile materials, a pile diameter, and an installation distance of the pile. In the presented study, to validate a propriety of the previously proposed method, large scale field load tests and three dimensional numerical analyses are performed. The results are analyzed in detail and compared with the predicted settlements by the proposed method. Finally, a simple method to estimate the settlement of granular compaction piles is suggested for an easy application of the practical design.