• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2020

In a digital radiation system using a Flat Panel Detector, we attempted to the quality control of digital radiography system using the Exposure Index and Deviation Index. Calibration was performed with the radiation quality suggested by the International Electrotechnical Commission, and through an experiment using a phantom, appropriate inspection radiation conditions applicable to medical institutions were selected. The study was conducted using the selected radiation conditions. Through those chest posterior anterior image, information such as examination conditions and exposure index was obtained. The deviation index was derived by analyzing the exposure index based on the target exposure index calculated by the phantom study. As for the analyzed exposure index, 97.1% was distributed within the range of ± 2.0 based on the deviation index. Quality control of medical images should be performed through management of inspection conditions through exposure index and deviation index and management of medical images.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.226-236
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• 2013

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the levels of serum 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and evaluate their association with age, body mass index, smoking, military record-based variables, and estimated exposure to Agent Orange in Korean Vietnam veterans. Methods: Serum levels of TCDD were analyzed in 102 Vietnam veterans. Information on age, body mass index, and smoking status were obtained from a self-reported questionnaire. The perceived exposure was assessed by a 6-item questionnaire. Two proximitybased exposures were constructed by division/brigade level and battalion/company level unit information using the Stellman exposure opportunity index model. Results: The mean and median of serum TCDD levels was 1.2 parts per trillion (ppt) and 0.9 ppt, respectively. Only 2 Vietnam veterans had elevated levels of TCDD (>10 ppt). The levels of TCDD did not tend to increase with the likelihood of exposure to Agent Orange, as estimated from either proximity-based exposure or perceived self-reported exposure. The serum TCDD levels were not significantly different according to military unit, year of first deployment, duration of deployment, military rank, age, body mass index, and smoking status. Conclusions: The average serum TCDD levels in the Korean Vietnam veterans were lower than those reported for other occupationally or environmentally exposed groups and US Vietnam veterans, and their use as an objective marker of Agent Orange exposure may have some limitations. The unit of deployment, duration of deployment, year of first deployment, military rank, perceived self-reported exposure, and proximity-based exposure to Agent Orange were not associated with TCDD levels in Korean Vietnam veterans. Age, body mass index and smoking also were not associated with TCDD levels.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between vibration exposure and skeletal muscle mass index through a single university health check-up. Methods: We used data from 134,067 male subjects who received a general health check-up or vibration exposure health check-up out of the 1,515,322 people who underwent medical check-up at a local university hospital from 2002 to 2018. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted for comparing the association between skeletal muscle mass index and demographic and hematological variables in both groups. Mixed linear model analysis after controlling demographic and hematological variables was used to analyze the differences in skeletal muscle mass index between groups at every visit over 10 years. Results: In the Pearson correlation test, the variables that showed different results when comparing the two groups were C-reactive protein (p=0.001) and glycated hemoglobin (p=0.002) in the vibration exposure group and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p<0.001) and vitamin D (p<0.001) in the general group. After the adjustment of demographic and hematologic variables, the skeletal muscle mass index at every visit was markedly decreased in the vibration exposure group (p<0.001). Conclusions: In the vibration exposure group, the skeletal muscle mass index showed a tendency to decrease markedly over time compared to the general health check-up group, which showed that C-reactive protein and glycated hemoglobin would have an influence on skeletal muscle index in male workers exposed to vibration.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2011

The purpose of this report is recommending a standard indicator which reflects the radiation exposure that is incident on a detector after every exposure event and that reflects the noise levels present in the image data. The experiment was performed with mobile digital X-ray unit and used a acrylic phantom for exposure index measurement. Exposure modality was kVp, mAs, SID. After every exposure, make a data sheet for characteristic curve of detector response. The equipment performed Mobile digital X-ray unit provide the user with values ralated to the incident exposure(air kerma)to the digital detector. They are showed as a logarithmic function shaped. As a result, DEI means a relative measure of exposure to the detector, as compared to the expected exposure for a particular anatomical view. Radiographic technique is the combination of factors used to exposure an anatomical part to produce a high quality radiography and technique charts used most commonly by radiographers to produce consistently exposure level which patient dose can be kept acceptably low.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.599-605
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• 2021

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62494-1 has defined the exposure index (EI) that have a proportional relationship with the dose incident on the image receptor, and target exposure index (EI_T), deviation index (DI). In this study, an appropriate EI_T for skull radiography was established through the diagnostic reference level (DRL) and changes in DI were confirmed. Entrance surface dose (ESD) and EI were obtained using the computed radiography system displayed the EI as per IEC on console and skull phantom by experiment based on the national average exposure conditions announced in 2012 and 2019. And appropriate EI_T was established by applying the DRL in 2012 and 2019. As a results, the EI_T is changed according to the change in the DRL, and the exposure condition that becomes the ideal DI according to the change in the EI_T also has a difference of about 1.41 times. DRL is recommended to optimize the patient dose, however it is difficult to measure in real time at medical institutions whereas EI and DI are displayed on the console at the same time as exposure. When the EI_T is set based on the DRL and the DI is closed to an ideal value, it is useful as a patient dose management tool. Therefore, when the EI_T is periodically managed along with the revision of the DRLs, the patient dose can be optimized through the EI, EI_T and DI.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.187-192
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• 2017

Objectives: It is difficult to identify exposure factors in the semiconductor industry due to low exposure levels to hazardous substances and because various processes take place in fabrication (FAB). Furthermore, a single worker often experiences a variety of job histories, so it is difficult to classify similar exposure groups (SEG) in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, we intend to develop a new exposure index, the period of working in FAB, that is applicable to the semiconductor industry. Methods: First, in specifying the classification of jobs, we clearly distinguished whether they were FAB workers or non-FAB workers. We checked FAB working hours per week through questionnaires administered to FAB workers. We derived an exposure index called FAB-Year that can represent the period of working in FAB. FAB-Year is an index that can quantitatively indicate the period of working in FAB, and one FAB-Year is defined as working in FAB for 40 hours per week for one year. Results: A total of 8,453 persons were surveyed, and male engineers and female operators occupied 90% of the total. The average total years of service of the subjects was 9.7 years, and the average FAB-Year value was 6.8. This means that the FAB-working ratio occupies 70% of total years of service. The average FAB-Year value for female operators was 8.4, for male facility engineers it was 7.7, and for male process engineers it was 3.5. A FAB-Year standardization value according to personal information (gender, job group, entry year, retirement year) for the survey subjects can be calculated, and standardized estimation values can be applied to workers who are not participating in the survey, such as retirees and workers on a leave of absence (LOA). Conclusions: This study suggests an alternative method for overcoming the limitations on epidemiological study of the semiconductor industry where it is difficult to classify exposure groups by developing a new exposure index called FAB-Year. Since FAB-Year is a quantitative index, we expect that various approaches will be possible in future epidemiological studies.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.187-198
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• 2002

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide and one of the most commonly and widely used insecticide. However, a little known about the dermal risk of chlorpyrifos on human being. Therefore, this study was conducted for the dermal risk assessment after exposure to chlorpyrifos in Korean farmers. First, skin irritation by chlorpyrifos (10 mg/$\textrm{cm}^2$, 50 mg/$\textrm{cm}^2$, 100 mg/$\textrm{cm}^2$, 250 mg/$\textrm{cm}^2$ in acetone) was determined in rabbits for 5 days considering the usage of chlorpyrifos short term highly exposure. The index of skin irritation by chlorpyrifos was increased in each dose and length of exposure dependent manners. Next, using benchmark dose (BMD$_{5}$) approach, the dose-response relationship was assessed to calculate the reference dose (RfD). The value of RfD was 2.84 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg/day from 142.16 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg/day BMD5 value divided uncertainty factor 50. Finally, we assessed human dermal risk of chlorpyrifos with exposure level and RfD. Skin absorbed levels were assumed with several exposure scenarios encounting the circumstances of exposure that application method, protection equipment and cloth, exposure time and exposure frequency during chlorpyrifos spraying. By the comparison of skin absorbed dose with the reference dose, it was identified that risk values (risk index) to skin chlorpyrifos exposure were 0.958 from the point of above results and it was recommended that the occurrence of hazard effect (skin irritation toxicity) of chlorpyrifos would not be expected. Risk index was smaller than 1 in the case of spraying vehicle mounted application, 1hour exposure time and wearing protective cloth exposure. Whereas, risk index was above 1 in the case of hand-held application, 2hour exposure time and wearing common cloth. Comparing two kinds of application method, total risk index of the hand held application (1.67) was higher than vehicle mounted (0.27). Therefore, chlorpyrifos skin exposure was mainly affected by application equipment and applied form. The results of risk assessment on the human dermal toxicity of chlorpyrifos should be required to control in keeping safety rules, skin surface area available for contact, spraying time ,and spraying frequency.y.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.200-207
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• 2003

'||'||'||'&'||'||'||'quot;Overheating index'||'||'||'&'||'||'||'quot;, the normalized difference in incident solar energy between a target surface and a level surface, is helpful in estimating the spatial variation in daily maximum temperature at the landscape scale. It can be computed as the ratio of the 4-hour cumulative solar irradiance surplus or deficit from that over a level surface to the maximum possible deviation (15 MJ $m^{-2}$ ) during the midafternoon. Ecosystem models may, for simplicity, use an empirical proxy (exposure index) variable combining slope and aspect in place of the overheating index to account for the variation of midafternoon solar irradiance. A comparative study with real-world landscape data was carried out to evaluate the performance of exposure index in replacing the overheating index. Overheating indices for summer solstice, fall equinox and winter solstice were calculated at 573,650 grid cells constituting the land surface of Donggye-Myun, Sunchang County in Korea, based on a 10-m DEM. Exposure index was also calculated for the same area and fitted for the variation of overheating index to derive a 2$^{nd}$ -order linear regression equation. The coefficient of determination ($R^2$) was 0.50 on summer solstice, 0.56 on fall equinox, and 0.44 on winter solstice, respectively. These are much lower than the theoretically calculated $R^2$ values ranging from 0.7 in summer to 0.9 in autumn. According to our study, exposure index failed to accurately predict the cumulative solar irradiance over a complex terrain, hindering its application to daily maximum temperature estimation. We suggest direct calculation of the overheating index in preference to using the exposure index.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.355-366
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• 2014

Objectives: This study seeks to evaluate the vulnerability assessment of the human health sector for $PM_{10}$, which is reflected in the regional characteristics and related disease mortality rates for $PM_{10}$ in Busan over the period of 2006-2010. Methods: According to the vulnerability concept suggested by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), vulnerability to $PM_{10}$ is comprised of the categories of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The indexes of the exposure and sensitivity categories indicate positive effects, while the adaptive capacity index indicates a negative effect on vulnerability to $PM_{10}$. Variables of each category were standardized by the rescaling method, and each regional relative vulnerability was computed through the vulnerability index calculation formula. Results: The regions with a high exposure index are Jung-Gu (transportation region) and Saha-Gu (industrial region). Major factors determining the exposure index are the $PM_{10}$ concentration, days of $PM_{10}{\geq}50$, ${\mu}g/m^3$, and $PM_{10}$ emissions. The regions that show a high sensitivity index are urban and rural regions; these commonly have a high mortality rate for related disease and vulnerable populations. The regions that have a high adaptive capacity index are Jung-Gu, Gangseo-Gu, and Busanjin-Gu, all of which have a high level of economic/welfare/health care factors. The high-vulnerability synthesis of the exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity indexes show that Dong-Gu and Seo-Gu have a risk for $PM_{10}$ potential effects and a low adaptive capacity. Conclusions: This study presents the vulnerability index to $PM_{10}$ through a relative comparison using quantitative evaluation to draw regional priorities. Therefore, it provides basic data to reflect environmental health influences in favor of an adaptive policy limiting damage to human health caused by vulnerability to $PM_{10}$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.281-291
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• 1996

458 female workers working in the small and medium scaled industries in Inchon area were surveyed to study their general characteristics, health behavior, working and environmental conditions, awareness of exposure at hazardous materials, current health status, and degree of working satisfaction. Self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the female workers with the explanation by trained interviewer on the purpose of survey and the method how to answer. The results were as follows : (1) 75.5% of the respondents are living with their families and others are living in domitary or rent house for herself. Age distribution ranges from teenagers to warren in their forties. In marital status 69.0% of workers are single and 31.0% of them have ever married. 69.4% of workers are high school graduate. The size of factory is 48.3% with less than 300 workers, 42.1% with 300~500 workers. (2) Most of the workers(86.7%) are full time workers, 52% of the respondents have working experiences in other factories. More than 65% have fewer than 5 years working experience. (3) The awareness of exposure at noise was 33% of respondents, it was significantly different by skilled status. The awareness of exposure at dust, other hazardous material was each 13.3%, 12.4% of respondents. (4) 26% of them are unsatisfied with their working cognitions and 43.7% of them are unsatisfied with their welfare in occupational system unsatisfactory rate of promotion is higher in the unmarried workers(45.6%), skilled workers(47.2%), full time workers(47.4%), long term workers(50%), and awareness group of exposure hazardous material(51.3%), compared to married women workers, unskilled workers, part-time workers, short term workers and unawareness group of exposure at hazardous materials. (5) The index of working satisfaction is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 with the higher point indicating higher satisfaction. Among the selected variables, marital status, working status, the awareness of exposure at hazardous materials, were statistically significant with the index of working satisfaction. (6) By multiple regression analysis showed that the determinant factors of index of working condition were health index, the awareness of exposure at dust, the awareness of exposure other hazardous materials, marital status and working period. In conclusion, there is a significant relationship between the awareness of exposure at hazardous material the index of working satisfaction. Therefore if the workers are less exposed to the hazardous material and are educated properly they will be more satisfied with their work thus improving their health and productivity. Finally, with the result of this study, there is a great need for the development of a health promotion program and a welfare policy for small-scale factories.