• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.345-362
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• 2017

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the risk of various disease outcomes due to exposure to cyanobacteria toxin (microcystin-LR) through drinking water in a Korean watershed. In order to determine the risk in a more quantitative way, the risk assessment framework developed by the National Research Council (NRC) of the United States (US) - hazard identification, dose-response relationship, exposure assessment, and risk characterization - was used in this study. For dose-response relationships, a computer software (BenchMark Dose Software (BMDS)) developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was used to fit the data from previous studies showing the relationship between the concentration of microcystin-LR and various disease outcomes into various dose-response models. For exposure assessment, the concentrations of microcystin-LR in the source water and finished water in a Korean watershed obtained from a recent study conducted by the Ministry of Environment of Korea were used. Finally, the risk of various disease outcomes due to exposure to cyanobacteria toxin (microcystin-LR) through drinking water was characterized by Monte-Carlo simulation using Crystall Ball program (Oracle Inc.) for adults and children. The results of this study suggest that the risk of disease due to microcystin-LR toxin through drinking water is very low and it appears that current water treatment practice should be able to protect the public from the harmful effects of cyanobacteria toxin (microcystin-LR) through drinking water.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.46
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• pp.288.1-288.12
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• 2018

Background: Diarrheal and intestinal infectious disease caused by inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is not only a great concern in developing countries but also a problem in low-income populations and rural areas in developed countries. In this study, we assessed the exposure to inadequate WASH in Korea and estimated the burden of disease attributable to inadequate WASH. Methods: We used observational data on water supply, drinking water, sewage treatment rate, and hand washing to assess inadequate WASH conditions in Korea, and estimated the level of exposure in the entire population. The disease burden was estimated by applying the cause of death data from death registry and the morbidity data from the national health insurance to the population attributable fraction (PAF) for the disease caused by inappropriate WASH. Results: In 2013, 1.4% of the population were exposed to inadequate drinking water, and 1.0% were living in areas where sewerage was not connected. The frequency of handwashing with soap after contact with excreta was 23.5%. The PAF due to inadequate WASH as a cluster of risk factors was 0.353 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.275-0.417), among which over 90% were attributable to hand hygiene factors that were significantly worse than those in American and European high-income countries. Conclusion: The level of hand hygiene in Korea has yet to be improved to the extent that it shows a significant difference compared to other high-income countries. Therefore, improving the current situation in Korea requires a continuous hand washing campaign and a program aimed at all people. In addition, continuous policy intervention for improvement of sewage treatment facilities in rural areas is required, and water quality control monitoring should be continuously carried out.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.10 no.10
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• pp.363-372
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate drinking habits of employees and to provide basic descriptive data for effective drinking prevention programs, therapies and rehabilitation services for the health improvement of employees. Data were collected from 500 employees living in Gangwondo, from June 12 to August 25, 2010. The collected data were analyzed by the SPSS 10.1 program. The mean score of positive views on alcohol was 2.93 and the mean score of negative views on alcohol was 3.18. Among alcohol abuse people who answered 'yes' on more than 2 variables out of 4 CAGE variables were 25.1% of the subjects. Problem drinkers with more than 8 points from AUDIT accounted for 64.8% of the subjects. The most common disease due to alcohol drinking was gastrointestinal tract disease. The result of this study suggests that it is necessary to maintain the atmosphere to improve drinking culture and to develop for drinking preventive educations and implementations for employees in farming and fishing communities.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2006

Objectives: We wanted to estimate the annual socioeconomic costs of alcohol drinking in Korea. Methods: The costs were classified as direct costs, indirect costs and the other costs. The direct costs consisted of direct medical costs, indirect medical costs and subsidiary medical costs. Particularly, the medical costs and population attributable fraction for disease were considered to reflect the calculation of the direct medical costs. The indirect costs were computed by the extent to which the loss of productivity and loss of the workforce might have occurred due to changes in mortality and morbidity according to alcohol drinking. The other costs consisted of property loss, administration costs and costs of alcoholic beverage. Results: The annual costs, which seemed to be attributable to alcohol drinking, were estimated to be 149,352 hundred million won (2.86% of GDP). In case of the latter, the amount includes 9,091 hundred million won for direct costs (6.09%), 62,845 hundred million won for the reduction and loss of productivity (42.08%), 44,691 hundred million won for loss of the workforce (29.92%), and the other costs (21.91%). Conclusions: Our study confirms that compared with the cases of Japan (1.9% of GNP) and the other advanced countries (1.00-1.42% of GDP), alcohol drinking incurs substantial socioeconomic costs to the Korean society. Therefore, this study provides strong support for government interventions to control alcohol drinking in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.103-114
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• 2005

Chlorine disinfection has been used in drinking water supply to disinfect the water-borne microbial disease which may cause to serious human disease. As Chlorination is still the least costly, relatively easy to use, chlorination is the primary means to disinfect portable water supplies and control bacterial growth in the distribution system. However, chlorine also reacts with natural organic matter (NOM), which presents in nearly all water sources, and then produces disinfection by-product (DBps), which may have adverse health effects. Although the existent DBPs have been reported in drinking water supplies, it is not feasible to predict the levels of the various DBPs due to the complex chemistry reaction involved. The objectives of this study were to investigate seasonal variation of DBPs formation and difference of DBPs concentration in the plant to tap water. The average concentration of THMs was 20.04 ${\mu}g/{\ell}$, HAAs 8-15 ${\mu}g/{\ell}$, HANs 2-4.5 ${\mu}g/{\ell}$ respectively. Distant variation of DBPs formation is that THMs concentration increase by 17% at 2 km point from the plant and by 28% at 7 km and HAAs, HANs also increase each by 16%, 32%, at 2 km from the plant and 35%, 56%, at 7 km. DBPs increase in water supply pipe continually. The seasonal occurrence of DBPs is that in May and August DBPs concentration is very high then in March, in May DBPs concentration is highest. The temperature is main factor of DBPs formation, precursor also. Precursor which was accumulated for winter flowed into the raw water by flooding in spring and summer and produced DBPs. Therefore for the supply of secure drinking water, it is required to protect precursor of flowing into raw water and to add to BCAA and DBAA to drinking water standards.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 1979

This study was directed to the Peizootics of Newcastle disease in Korea. Since 1960 New-castle disease epizootics have been observed at an interval of one or two years. The frequency of Newcastle disease outbreaks was related to the amount of the vaccine used, being the more sufficient vaccine produced the fewer outbreaks. Regional distribution of Newcastle disease outbreaks was most frequent in the capital area, being the center of poultry raising and Poultry product marketing, and infrequent in areas distant from the capital. Spreading of Newcastle disease appears to be mainly due to the movement of infected chickens. More than 60 percent of the total outbreaks of Newcastle disease diagnosed at the Veterinary Research Institute in Anyang were observed in young chickens aged less than 60 days. Improper vaccination, interference by maternally derived antibody with the immune response following vaccination, ana immaturity of immune systems of young chickens might have contributed to the results. This view was further supported by the findings that 23 percent of the total flocks experienced Newcastle disease were not vaccinated at all and, in vaccinated flocks, virtually all of the flocks were vaccinated by the drinking water method, which has been known less effective compared to individual application or spraying methods.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.200-205
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• 2014

Based on the way we have created to measure the brain atrophy of pons, frontal lobe, sylvian fissure, ventricle, cerebellum, we analyzed the correlation with age. We confirmed whether the brain atrophy due to hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, drinking, smoking is increasing. Brain deficiency(髓海不足), Brain dissatisfied(腦爲之不滿), Brain Consume(腦髓消烁) listed in Donguibogam(東醫寶鑑) have to be diagnosed with brain atrophy induced by developmental disorders, diseases, aging. Sylvian fissure is well reflected brain atrophy progressed by aging. And brain atrophy increased in hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, drinking, smoking is well reflected at Sylvian fissure.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2014

Water is essential for life and plain water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages is one approach for decreasing energy intake. Due to limited data on characteristics associated with water intake among Korean adolescents, this study examined associations of demographic and behavioral characteristics with plain water intake by using nationally representative sample of South Korean adolescents. The data (2007-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) for 1,288 high school-aged adolescents (15-18 years) were used. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR) for factors associated with low water intake (< 4 cups/day) and very low water intake (< 2.5 cups/day). Nationwide, 38.4% and 19.0% of adolescents reported drinking water < 4.0 cups/day and < 2.5 cups/day, respectively. The mean plain water intake was 5.7 cups/day for males and 4.1 cups/day for females. Females had significantly higher odds for drinking water < 2.5 cups/day (OR = 2.2) than males, whereas adolescents with low milk consumption had significantly lower odds for drinking water < 2.5 cups/day (OR = 0.7). Factors significantly associated with a greater odds for drinking water < 4 cups/daywere being female (OR = 2.8) and not meeting physical activity recommendations (${\geq}20$ min/day on < 3 days/week) (OR = 1.6). Being underweight, overweight, and obese were significantly associated with reduced odds for drinking water < 4 cups/day (OR = 0.7, 0.4 and 0.5, respectively). However, intake of soda, coffee drinks, fruits, vegetables, and sodium and eating out were not significantly associated with low or very low water intake. These findings may be used to target intervention efforts to increase plain water intake as part of a healty lifestyle.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.223-231
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• 1996

To investigate antioxidant status and platelet antioxidative enzyme activity in patients with ischemic heart disease, 36 male patients admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital from June to December 1994 were compared to 36 healthy male control subjects. The percentages of heavy smoking and nonexercise were significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control, but the drinking status was not significantly different between groups. Food habit and food frequency scores were significantly lower in patients than in control subjects. Plasma retinol levels tended to be lower in the patient group, and plasma $\alpha$-tocopherol and $\beta$-carotene levels were not different between groups. There was no difference in the level of plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) and in the activities of platelet glutathione peroxidase and catalase. Our results indicate that oxidative stress, which is reflected by the plasma levels of antioxidants and TBARS, did not increase in the patients with ischemic heart disease, and the long-term effects due to smoking, poor food habit and other life styles could possibly contribute to the onset of the disease.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.404-413
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• 2023

Objectives: This study compared serum lipid concentration according to drinking habits. Methods: We analyzed data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII). The study included 8,525 adults (3,651 males and 4,874 females), aged 30 - 59 years. Results: There were differences in age, gender, education level, smoking status, physical activity, and waist circumference between drinkers and abstainers. The serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) level of the drinkers was lower than those of the abstainers (P < 0.05). The serum triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were highest in the group that consumed alcohol 'more than twice a week' relative to the other groups (P < 0.001). The LDL-C and atherogenic index (AI) levels were lowest in the 'more than twice a week' drinking group compared to the other groups (P < 0.001). The serum TG and HDL-C concentrations were the highest in the '7 glasses/time' group (P < 0.001). The serum LDL-C concentration was the lowest in the '7 glasses/time' group (P < 0.001). Notably, the higher the frequency of binge drinking (7 glasses or more), the higher the concentration of TG (P < 0.001). The serum HDL-C concentration was significantly higher in the 'no binge' and 'more than once a week' groups compared to the other groups (P < 0.001). The serum LDL-C concentration and AI score were the lowest in the 'more than once a week' group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: As the quantity and frequency of drinking increased, the serum TC concentration increased. Moreover, an increase in the serum HDL-C concentration led to a decrease in AI. The factors exacerbating cardiovascular disease increased simultaneously due to drinking. Our results suggest that for individuals with hypertriglyceridemia and patients with low HDL-cholesterolemia, separate guidelines based on the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption are warranted.