• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.13-30
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• 2005

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 2001

The purpose of this review is to discuss the debate concerning the interpretation of epidemiologic studies on particles and health effects. Study of the 1952 air pollution disaster in London established that very high levels of particulate-based smog can cause dramatic increases in daily mortality. However, recent epidemiologic studies have reported statistically significant health effects and mortality due to low levels of air pollution. The statistical significance does not prove causation in observational studies; therefore it is necessary to evaluate these associations. There are arguments for and against each of the numerous studies using Hill's criteria, however the body of accepted evidence supports the causal association. In particular, a high level of consistency in the estimated effect of PM10 has been observed across studies worldwide. The mechanism of the relationship between air pollution and health effects is not obvious. The mechanism of particle-induced injury may involve the production of an inflammatory response by the particulate. The harvesting and the threshold effect are also major concerns regarding the health effects of air pollution. However, current epidemiologic findings indicate that linear models lacking a threshold are appropriate for assessing the effect of particulate air pollution on daily mortality even at current levels.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.209-212
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• 2003

Because of advances of technologies in the field of genmic epidemiology in the recent years, specimen collection, storage and analysis became an essential part of research methodologies. DNA is now being used in epidemiologic studies to evaluate genetic risk factors and specimens other than the fresh whole blood can De used for PCR. Therefore, All nucleated cells, such as buccal swabs and urine specimens, are suitable for DNA analysis. For an unlimited source of genomic DNA, EBV transformation of lymphocytes can be used for immortalization. However, the type of specimen collected in genomic epidemiologic studies will depend on the study where the epidemiologist play a leading role for the design. We also briefly described various finds of analysis for SNP that is an essential part of the genomic epidemiology.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2017

Objectives : This study was designed for the purpose of the relationship between psychopathology and suicide in North Korean Refugee Adolescents. Methods : The subjects were 104 North Korean Refugee Adolescents. We investigated the The Korean version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression, Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. We also investigated the suicide ideation, planning and attempt. The self-report was taken to the North Korean Refugee Adolescents. Results : The Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Score(Z=-4.050, p<0.001), Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Score(t=-2.757, p<0.01), Rosenberg Self-Seteem Score(Z=-2.328, p<0.05) were significantly associated with the suicide ideation in North Korean Refugee Adolescents. In logistic regression analysis, only The Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Score(p<0.005) expected the suicidal ideation. Conclusions : The management of depression would be helpful to reduce the suicide in North Korean Refugee Adolescents.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2015

Objective : To translate Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) into North Korean language and to examine its reliability and validity Methods : North Korean defectors (n=207) recruited from the call center for North Korean defectors participated. Psychiatrists and psychiatric residents interviewed the participants and made the psychiatric diagnoses. Subsequently, the participants completed the CES-D, Impact of Event-Scale-Revised-North Korea (IES-R-NK), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-North Korea (AUDIT-NK), and Brief Psychological State Inventory for North Korean Refugees (BPSI-NKR) questionnaires. Of the original participants, 143 subjects participated in test-retest reliability study after one week. Results : Cronbach's alpha coefficient of CES-D-NK was superior in both males (0.91) and females (0.93). The test-retest correlation coefficient was high (males, 0.64 ; femals, 0.79). Good convergent validity was evident by significant correlations with IER-R-NK, BPSI-NKR-Depression and BPSI-NKR-PTSD, respectively. CES-D-NK had no or weak correlations with AUDIT-NK and BPSI-NKR-Alcohol, showing its discriminant validity. Conclusion : CES-D-NK could be a reliable and valid tool for screening and assessing depressive symptoms of North Korean defectors.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

Recent advances in Geographic Information Systems and spatial statistical and analytical methods, along with the availability of spatially referenced health and environmental data, have created unique opportunities to investigate spatial associations between environment exposures and health outcomes at multiple spatial scales and resolutions. However, the increased use of spatial data also faces challenges, one of which is to ensure certainty and accuracy of locational data that meets the needs of a study. This article critically reviews the use of spatially referenced data in epidemiologic studies, focusing on the issue of locational uncertainty generated from the process of geocoding health and environmental data. Primarily, major issues involving the use of spatially referenced data are addressed, including completeness and positional accuracy, potential source of bias and exposure misclassification, and implications for epidemiologic studies. The need for critical assessment and caution in designing and conducting spatial epidemiology studies is briefly discussed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.202-212
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• 2021

Objectives: The reproductive health of female workers has been extensively investigated in South Korea and other countries worldwide. However, few studies have discussed the reproductive health of male workers. In this study, we reviewed the recent literature that reports on the effects of occupational exposure on the reproductive health of male workers and the health of their children. Methods: In May 2020 we used the PubMed search engine to search the literature over the last 10 years and chose case-control, cohort, and cross-sectional studies and reviews. We selected epidemiological studies that investigated the association between pre-pregnant occupational exposure and the reproductive health of male workers and the health of their children. We excluded case reports, non-epidemiological studies (animal experiments, cellular-level experiments, and similar articles), and studies that described postnatal occupational exposure. Results: We eventually selected 23 studies. The studies that included exclusively male workers reported that those employed in the agricultural sector or those exposed to pesticides showed lower blood levels of reproductive hormones and a high risk of lympho-hematopoietic system cancer in their children. Male workers exposed to complex organic solvents and organic compounds showed a high risk of poor semen quality, increased time to pregnancy, decreased blood levels of reproductive hormones, and a high risk of lympho-hematopoietic system cancer in their children. Male workers employed in occupations that involved significant social contact, or in the leather and livestock industries, and in occupations with high levels of exposure to lead and organic solvents showed a high risk of malignancies, including lympho-hematopoietic system cancer, neuroblastoma, and central nervous system tumors in their children. Studies that investigated both male and female workers reported that children of male smelters showed a high risk of premature birth, and children of male workers exposed to metals showed a high risk of hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Children of male welders and workers employed in the glass, ceramic, and tile industries showed a high risk of premature birth. Conclusion: The findings of this study will serve as basic data for further research on male workers' reproductive health and provide a scientific basis for the development of strategies to protect the reproductive health of males employed in high-risk occupations. Moreover, the results of this study may provide guidelines to improve the understanding of and knowledge on male workers' reproductive health.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.338-346
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• 2018

Two molecular epidemiologic methods, IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism (IS6110-RFLP) and 24-locus mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR), are used worldwide in studies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Conversely, because of its poor resolution, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is not widely used for MTB. In this study, we improved the 24-locus MIRU-VNTR and PFGE protocols and compared the effectiveness of these approaches for the molecular typing of MTB using 75 clinical isolates obtained from a cohort investigation of high-risk populations infected with MTB. The 24-locus MIRU-VNTR method demonstrated superior discriminatory ability, followed by PFGE and IS6110-RFLP. Next, we analyzed six isolates with clear epidemiologic connections; that is, isolates from patients who attended the same school. IS6110-RFLP and PFGE identified these samples as the same type. By contrast, according to MIRU-VNTR, two isolates differed from four other isolates at one locus each; one isolate was identified as Mtub29 and the other as QUB-26. In summary, the 24-locus MIRU-VNTR assay was the most useful molecular typing method among the three methods investigated due to its discriminatory power, short time required, and availability as an epidemiologic investigation tool. PFGE was the second-best method. Compared with the other loci assessed in the 24-locus MIRU-VNTR assay, the Mtub29 and QUB-26 loci appeared to exhibit greater variability during transmission.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.52.1-52.13
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• 2023

Background: In 2019, the International Agency for Research on Cancer re-evaluated the carcinogenicity of night-shift work and reported that there is limited evidence that night-shift work is carcinogenic for the development of prostate cancer. Therefore, in 2020 and 2021, the Korean Epidemiologic Investigation Evaluation Committee concluded that 2 cases of prostate cancer were occupational diseases related to the night-shift work. Here, we report the 2 cases of prostate cancer in night-shift workers which were first concluded as occupational diseases by the Korean Epidemiologic Investigation Evaluation Committee. Case presentation: Patient A: A 61-year-old man worked as a city bus driver for approximately 17 years, from 2002 to 2019, and was exposed to night-shift work during this period. In March 2017, the patient was diagnosed with high-grade prostate cancer through core-needle biopsy after experiencing stinging pain lasting for 2 months. Patient B: A 56-year-old man worked as an electrician and an automated equipment operator in a cement manufacturing plant for 35 years from 1976 to 2013 and was exposed to night-shift work during this period. In 2013, the patient was diagnosed with high-grade prostate cancer through core needle biopsy at a university hospital because of dysuria that lasted for 6 months. Conclusions: The 2 workers were diagnosed with high-grade prostate cancer after working night shifts for 17 and 35 years respectively. Additionally, previous studies have reported that high-grade prostate cancer has a stronger relationship with night-shift work than low or medium-grade prostate cancer. Therefore, the Korean Epidemiologic Investigation Evaluation Committee concluded that night-shift work in these 2 patients contributed to the development of their prostate cancer.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.80-85
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• 2008

Microsporum gypseum is a geophilic fungus abundant in soil throughout the world. M. gypseum has been identified for the first time in Korea at 1976. The purpose of this study was to investigate epidemiologic aspects of M. gypseum. We performed the epidemiologic study an 198 patients with M. gypseum infections in from January 1976 to December 2005. From 100,012 patients, dermatophytes were isolated as follows; Trichophyton rubrum was isolated from 86,553 (86.5%), T. interdigitale 3,991 (4.0%), Epidermophyton floccosum 1.021 (0.1%), T. tonsurans 141 (0.1%). T. mentagrophytes 3.930 (3.9%), T. verrucosum 220 (0.2%), Microsporum canis 3.879 (3.9%), and M. gypseum 198 (0.2%). Number of patients with M. gypseum by site and age were as follows; most patients infected with tinea corporis were young people under 10 years. M. gypseum were most frequently isolated in summer and autumn.