• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.258-263
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• 2013

The primary goal of this study was to compute sample sizes required to achieve the each aim of a variety of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) surveillance programs, using a statistically valid technique that takes the following factors into account: sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of diagnostic test system, desired minimum detectable prevalence, precision, population size, and desired power of the survey. In addition, sample sizes to detect FMD if the disease is present and also as proof of freedom were computed. The current FMD active surveillance programs consist of clinical, virological, and serological surveillance. For the 2012 serological surveillance, annual sample sizes (n = 265,065) are planned at four separate levels: statistical (n = 60,884) and targeted (n = 115,232) at breeding pig farms and slaughter house, in together with the detection of structural proteins (SP) antibodies against FMD (n = 88,949). Overall, the sample size was not designed taking the specific aims of each surveillance stream into account. The sample sizes for statistical surveillance, assuming stratified two-stage sampling technique, was based to detect at least one FMD-infected case in the general population. The resulting sample size can be used to obtain evidence of freedom from FMD infection, not for detecting animals that have antibodies against FMD virus non-structural proteins (NSP). Additionally, sample sizes for targeted surveillance were not aimed for the population at risk, and also without consideration of statistical point of view. To at least the author's knowledge, sampling plan for targeted, breeding pig farms and slaughter house is not necessary and need to be included in the part of statistical surveillance. Assuming design prevalence of 10% in an infinite population, a total of 29 animals are required to detect at least one positive with probability of 95%, using perfect diagnostic test system (Se = Sp = 100%). A total of 57,211 animals needed to be sampled to give 95% confidence of estimating SP prevalence of 80% at the individual animal-level with a precision of ${\pm}5%$, assuming 800 herds with an average 200 heads per farm, within-farm variance of 0.2, between-farm variance of 0.05, cost ratio of 100:1 of farm against animals. Furthermore, 779,736 animals were required to demonstrate FMD freedom, and the sample size can further be reduced depending on the parameters assumed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Inteligent Information System Society Conference
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• 2001.01a
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• pp.330-335
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• 2001

The occurrences of occupational illness and injury have been seriously underestimated in Korea. Surveillance systems for occupational diseases have recently emerged as important strategies for the control of occupational hazards and the implementation of intervention programs to protect workers. However, health service providers do not actively diagnose occupational diseases and are unwilling to report occupational diseases. With the rapid growth of Internet usage in Korea, the computer network has become the predominant means of communicating and sharing information. Therefore, we developed a web-based updated information and education network to assist the health services providers in reporting occupational diseases. Information systems for occupational disease surveillance were also designed to support occupational disease reporting. Commonly available database systems, such as web databases, are useful to manage occupational diseases data efficiently. Standardized case definitions and report guidelines were also established, which included cumulative trauma disorder, occupational asthma, occupational contact dermatitis, and occupational cancer. This system may provide the basis of an efficient and continuously updated source of educational information and provide specific information concerning the occurrence of occupational diseases in specific areas. Background information on occupational diseases obtained in this way will be invaluable for preventing hazards and enforcing occupational disease prevention programs. Moreover, our experiences in establishing these information systems will be of great use in other countries and settings.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.122-123
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• 2000

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.415-445
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• 1998

For effective prevention of the spreading and outbreak of crop insects and disease pests, an intensive Pest surveillance system was established to predict their density changes, and distribution. After their initial establishment by either immigration or overwintering, it is necessary to anticipate how they spread out geographically and predict where/when outbreaks are possible. The two major tools, boundary layer atmospheric model (Blayer) and the geographic information system(GIS), have been being developed to facilitate the prediction of pest occurrence in recent days. We are also developing the PeMos (Pest Monitoring System) that is able to manage the pest surveillance data collected from 152 pest monitoring stations in Korea. These three system related to the pest surveillance should be integrated into an internet based comprehensive database management system to facilitate information resources systematically organized and closely linked. Considering various data types and large data size in each system, a new special information management system is suggested. The integrated system should express complex types of information, such as text, multimedia, and other scientific data under the Internet environment. This paper discussed the major three systems, GIS, Blayer, and PeMos, relevant to the crop pest surveillance, then how they can be integrated in a comprehensive system under the Internet environment.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.109-116
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to make suggestions for the infectious disease surveillance systems as part of the government's healthcare policy intended to minimize damage by implementing an appropriate and swift crisis management in the event of future infectious disease outbreaks. To that end, this descriptive study analyzes the infectious disease outbreaks and the management and control thereof in Korea and other countries, so as to suggest some approaches to infectious disease surveillance systems applicable to affected regions. The analysis results shed light on the causes of the spread of future infectious diseases over the past years, and the management systems that could possibly deal with the trial and error in the response policy. It seems crucial to roll out appropriate information, training and promotion programs as part of the national disaster response systems to prevent infectious diseases in relation to the roles of multiple relevant government agencies in the event of disasters especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Annals of Laboratory Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.599-603
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• 2018

Frequencies of red blood cell (RBC) blood group antigens differ by ethnicity. Since the number of immigrants is increasing in Korea, RBC antigens should be assessed in children/youths with parents of different ethnicities to ensure safe transfusions. We investigated the frequency of RBC antigens, except for ABO and RhD, in 382 children and youths with parents having Korean and non-Korean ethnicities. Subjects were divided into those with ethnically Korean parents (Korean group; N=252) and those with at least one parent of non-Korean ethnicity (non-Korean group; N=130). The 37 RBC antigens were genotyped using the ID CORE XT system (Progenika Biopharma-Grifols, Bizkaia, Spain). The frequencies of the Rh (E, C, e, $hr^S$, and $hr^B$), Duffy ($Fy^a$), MNS ($Mi^a$), and Cartwright ($Yt^b$) antigens differed significantly between the two groups. Eight and 11 subjects in the Korean and non-Korean groups, respectively, exhibited negative expression of high-frequency antigens, whereas 14 subjects in the non-Korean group showed positive expression of low-frequency antigens. The frequency of RBC antigens has altered alongside demographic changes in Korea and might lead to changes in distribution of RBC antibodies that cause acute or delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2002

Pest control is required for protecting the food supply and for controlling disease vectors. Unfortunately, there is no perfectly safe form of pest control. Pesticides are commonly used for pest control. Pesticides are defined under the US Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act(FIFRA) as any substance or mixture of substances intended to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate pests, and any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or dessicant(40 CFR Part 152). Currently in the United States, there are 890 active ingredients registered as pesticides. Approximately one billion pounds of active ingredient are used in the US per year. Unlike most chemicals(anti-neoplastic and anti-micobial medications are the principal exceptions), pesticides are specifically designed to kill and cause harm. Because society allows these chemicals to be disseminated into the environment, it is important to monitor the health effects associated with these releases. This represents an important justification for establishing and maintaining surveillance systems for acute pesticide-related illness and injury. A comprehensive, national surveillance system for acute pesticide-related illness and injury does not currently exist in the US. Although the United States has several surveillance systems for this condition, none provide a complete understanding of the problem of acute pesticide-related illness and injury. The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System(TESS) and Bureau of Labor Statisitics(BLS) are useful for assessing magnitude and trends. The state-based surveillance systems are more useful for timely identification of outbreaks and emerging problems. Efforts are underway to increase the number of states that conduct surveillance, and to broaden the use of the standardized case definition to facilitate aggregation of data across states. Through such efforts, a comprehensive, national surveillance system may be attainable.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.12
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• pp.489-500
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• 2011

Compared to the past decades, in recent decades, environmental and hygienic conditions in the Republic of Korea have improved along with socioeconomic developments, and the incidence of most infectious diseases, especially vaccine-preventable diseases, has greatly decreased due to active immunization with the developed level of health care. However, the incidence of some diseases has been increasing, and new diseases have been emerging. To cope with such changes actively, the government put the "Law for Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases" into effect; this law was entirely revised on December 30, 2010. In this report, I review the past and recent status of infectious diseases in the Republic of Korea, following the introduction of this law, on the basis of data in the "National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System", which had been accumulated between the years 1960 and 2010.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.265-274
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• 2019

Background: Methyl alcohol poisoning in mobile phone-manufacturing factories during 2015-2016 was caused by methyl alcohol use for cleaning in computerized numerical control (CNC) processes. To determine whether there were health complications in other workers involved in similar processes, the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute conducted a survey. Methods: We established a national active surveillance system by collaborating with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and National Health Insurance Service. Employment and national health insurance data were used. Overall, 12,048 employees of major domestic mobile phone companies and CNC process dispatch workers were surveyed from 2016 to 2017. We investigated methyl alcohol poisoning by using the national health insurance data. Questionnaires were used to investigate diseases due to methyl alcohol poisoning. Results: Overall, 24.9% of dispatched workers were employed in at least five companies, and 23.9% of dispatched workers had missing employment insurance history data. The prevalence of blindness including visual impairment, optic neuritis, visual disturbances, and alcohol toxicity in the study participants was higher than that reported in the national health insurance database (0.02%, 0.07%, 0.23%, and 0.03% versus 0.01%, 0.07%, 0.13%, and 0.01%, respectively, in 2015). Moreover, 430 suspicious workers were identified; 415 of these provided an address and phone number, of whom 48 responded (response rate, 11.6%). Among the 48 workers, 10 had diseases at the time of the survey, of whom 3 workers were believed to have diseases related to methyl alcohol exposure. Conclusion: This study revealed that active surveillance data can be used to assess health problems related to methyl alcohol poisoning in CNC processes and dispatch workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.273-279
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• 2023

Objectives: Objectives of this study were: 1) to introduce industrial situation and health hazards of synthetic fiber, 2) to review a case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a worker exposed to synthetic fiber reported to the Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center, and 3) to suggest supplementary measures for the occupational health system for workers exposed to synthetic fibers. Methods: Respiratory exposure, health hazards, and exposure standards for synthetic fiber dust in Korea and other countries were reviewed. In addition, a case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to exposure to nylon dust reported to the Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center was reviewed and summarized. Results: The worker was a 53-year-old non-smoking male who had been involved in the nylon weaving process for 26 years. He had shortness of breath from three years ago. He was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. PM1.0, PM_2.5, and PM10 were measured at 26.6 ㎍/m³, 48.2 ㎍/m³, and 91.7 ㎍/m³, respectively. Fiber components estimated as nylon fiber were detected in the microscopic examination of a solid sample. Conclusions: For workers exposed to synthetic fiber dust, special health examinations of the respiratory system, regular work environment measurement, and work environment management through workplace health management should be performed. It is necessary to research on health effects of synthetic fibers.