• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.119-126
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• 2001

Air pollution epidemiologic studies are intrinsically difficult because the expected effect size at general environmental levels is small, exposure and misclassification of exposure are common, and exposure is not selective to a specific pollutant. In this review paper, epidemiologic study designs and analytic methods are described, and two nationwide projects on air pollution epidemiology are introduced. This paper also demonstrates that possible confounding issues in time-series analysis can be resolved and the impact on the use of data from ambient monitoring stations may not be critical. In this paper we provide a basic understanding of the types of air pollution epidemiologic study designs that be subdivided by the mode of air pollution effects on human health (acute or chronic). With the improvements in the area of air pollution epidemiologic studies, we should emphasize that elaborate models and statistical techniques cannot compensate for inadequate study design or poor data collection.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제3권4호
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• pp.294-297
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• 2012

Previous studies on the vast increase in suicide mortality in Southeast Asia have indicated that suicide rates increase in parallel with a rise in unemployment or during periods of economic recession. This paper examines the effects of economic recession on suicidal rates amongst agriculture, fisheries, and forestry workers in Korea. Monthly time-series gross domestic product (GDP) data were linked with suicidal rates gathered from the cause of death records between1993-2008. Data were analyzed using generalized additive models to analyze trends, while a polynomial lag model was used to assess the unconstrained time lag effects of changes in GDP on suicidal rate. We found that there were significant inverse correlations between changes in GDP and suicide for a time lag of one to four months after the occurrence of economic event. Furthermore, it was evident that the overall relative risks of suicide were high enough to bring about social concern.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.83-97
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• 2021

Background: The lifetime risk of lung cancer incidence due to radiation for nonsmokers is overestimated because of the use of the average cancer baseline risk among a mixed population, including smokers. In recent years, the generalized multiplicative (GM)-excess relative risk (ERR) model has been developed in the life span study of atomic bomb survivors to consider the joint effect of radiation and smoking. Based on this background, this paper discusses the issues of radiation risk assessment considering smoking in two parts. Materials and Methods: In Part 1, we proposed a simple method of estimating the baseline risk for nonsmokers using current smoking data. We performed sensitivity analysis on baseline risk estimation to discuss the birth cohort effects. In Part 2, we applied the GM-ERR model for Japanese smokers to calculate lifetime attributable risk (LAR). We also performed a sensitivity analysis using other ERR models (e.g., simple additive (SA)-ERR model). Results and Discussion: In Part 1, the lifetime baseline risk from mixed population including smokers to nonsmokers decreased by 54% (44%-60%) for males and 24% (18%-29%) for females. In Part 2, comparison of LAR between SA- and GM-ERR models showed that if the radiation dose was ≤200 mGy or less, the difference between these ERR models was within the standard deviation of LAR due to the uncertainty of smoking information. Conclusion: The use of mixed population for baseline risk assessment overestimates the risk for lung cancer due to low-dose radiation exposure in Japanese males.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제51권6호
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• pp.265-274
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• 2018

Objectives: A positive association between air pollution and both the incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been reported in some epidemiologic and animal studies, but little research has evaluated the relationship between air pollution and diabetic coma. Diabetic coma is an acute complication of DM caused by diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, which is characterized by extreme hyperglycemia accompanied by coma. We conducted a time-series study with a generalized additive model using a distributed-lag non-linear model to assess the association between ambient air pollution (particulate matter less than $10{\mu}m$ in aerodynamic diameter, nitrogen dioxide [$NO_2$], sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone) and emergency department (ED) visits for DM with coma in Seoul, Korea from 2005 to 2009. Methods: The ED data and medical records from the 3 years previous to each diabetic coma event were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to examine the relationship with air pollutants. Results: Overall, the adjusted relative risks (RRs) for an interquartile range (IQR) increment of $NO_2$ was statistically significant at lag 1 (RR, 1.125; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.039 to 1.219) in a single-lag model and both lag 0-1 (RR, 1.120; 95% CI, 1.028 to 1.219) and lag 0-3 (RR, 1.092; 95% CI, 1.005 to 1.186) in a cumulative-lag model. In a subgroup analysis, significant positive RRs were found for females for per-IQR increments of $NO_2$ at cumulative lag 0-3 (RR, 1.149; 95% CI, 1.022 to 1.291). Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that ambient air pollution, specifically $NO_2$, is associated with ED visits for diabetic coma.

• 한국환경복원기술학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.55-67
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• 2022

Land use is a critical factor that affects the hydrological characteristics of watersheds, thereby determining the biological condition of streams. This study analyzes the effects of land uses in the watersheds on biological indicators of streams across the Han River basin using a linear model (LM) and generalized additive model (GAM). LULC and biological monitoring data of streams were obtained from the Korean Ministry of Environment. The proportions of urban, agricultural, and forest areas in the watersheds were regressed to the three biological indicators, including diatom, benthic macroinvertebrate, and fish of streams. The estimated LM and GAM models for the biological indicators were then compared, using regression determination R² and AIC values. The results revealed that GAM models performed better than the LM models in explaining the variances of biological indicators of streams, indicating the non-linear relationships between biological indicators and land uses in watersheds. Also, the results suggested that the indicator of macroinvertebrates was the most sensitive indicator to land uses in watersheds. Although non-linear relationships between watershed land uses and biological indicators of streams could vary among biological indicators, it was consistent that streams' biological integrity significantly deteriorated by a relatively low percentage of urban areas. Meanwhile, biological indicators of streams were negatively affected by the relatively high percentage of agricultural areas. The results of this study can be integrated into effective quantitative criteria for the watershed management and land use plans to enhance the biological integrity of streams. In specific, land uses management plans in watersheds may need more close attention to urban land use changes than agricultural land uses to sustain the biological integrity of streams.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.625-637
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• 2003

This study was performed to examine the relationship between air pollution exposure and mortality in Seoul for the years of 1998∼2001. Daily counts of death were analyzed by general additive Poisson model, with adjustment for effects of seasonal trend, air temperature, humidity, and day of the week as confounders in a nonparametric approach. Daily death counts were associated with CO (current day),O$_3$ (current day), PM$_{10}$ (current day), NO$_2$ (1 day before), SO$_2$ (1 day before). Increase of 41.71 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ (interquartile range) in PM$_{10}$ was associated with 1.3% (95% CI = 0.7∼1.9％) increase in the daily number of death. $O_3$ concentrations resulted in an increased risk of 1.3% for 23.86 ppb in all-aged mortality [RR = 1.013 (1.004-1.023)1. This effect was greater in children (less than 15 aged) and elderly (more than 65 aged). After ozone level exceeds 25 ppb, the dose-response relationship between mortality and ozone was almost linear. We concluded that Seoul had 1∼5％ increase in mortality in association with IQR (interquartile range) in air pollutants. Daily variations in air pollution within the range currently occurring in Seoul might have an adverse effect on daily mortality. These findings also support the hypothesis that air pollution, at levels below the current ambient air quality standards of Korea, is harmful to sensitive subjects, such as children or elderly.rly.

• 한국농림기상학회지
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.34-45
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• 2021

날씨는 밭작물의 가격 측정과 생산량 및 품질에 영향을 미치기 때문에 농산업에서 가장 많이 고려되는 요소이다. 특히, 밭작물의 경우 평지보다 산지에서 재배되는 등 외부 환경에 많이 노출되어 있다. 본 연구는 수치 산림입지토양도를 이용하여 산지를 구성하고 있는 12개의 토양의 특성 자료와 기상정보 간의 연관성을 파악하였다. 공간적 상관관계가 고려된 GAM, 크리깅, RF를 이용하였으며, 연구자료는 2009년 1월부터 2018년 12월까지의 기상청과 농촌진흥청에서 수집한 일 단위 평균기온, 최고기온, 최저기온, 강우량 자료가 사용되었다. 분석결과 지리적 효과만 반영된 GAM이 상대적으로 추정성능이 우수하였고, 산림입지토양도는 밭작물 재배지 기상정보를 추정에 큰 도움이 되지 않았다. 이에 유의수준을 5%로 통계적 가설검정을 수행하여 중요 요인을 선택하였다. 산림입지토양도의 기후대코드(CLZN_CD)와 토양목본코드 B(SIBFLR_LAR)가 기상정보 추정에 상대적 유의미한 요인으로 선정되었다. 기후대코드를 추가한 모형의 경우 일 평균 기온과 일 최저기온의 공간 보간 성능이 향상되었다. 한반도의 국토는 70%가 산지이고 밭작물은 주로 산지에서 재배되고 있다. 따라서 산지의 기상정보를 추가 수집하여 연구를 수행한다면 생육시기별로 밭작물을 관리하는데 도움이 될 것으로 기대한다.

• 한국환경생태학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.347-355
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• 2008

본 연구에서는 1990$\sim$2005년 사이에 일본전국의 109개의 주요하천유역에서 조사된 어류, 식물, 조류 데이터를 이용하여, 각 생물종의 종수와 기후 및 지형의 환경인자와의 관계를 분석하고 모델링을 수행하였다. 그 결과, 어류, 식물, 조류의 분포는 각각 연평균 기온, 유역면적, 연간 강수량에 의해서 가장 많은 부분이 설명되었다. 또한, 광범위 스케일에서의 환경인자데이터를 이용한 각 생물종에 대한 일반화가법모델을 이용하여 일본전국의 하천유역의 각 생물 종수의 값을 예측하고 그 값을 지도화하였다. 예측값을 지도화하는 것은 관리자가 생물종의 다양성을 확보하기 위해서 보호해야할 지역을 새롭게 설정하거나, 생물다양성 보호지역의 유효성을 평가하는데 활용될 수 있다.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.37-44
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• 2020

Previous studies have reported an association between poor sleep and various symptoms and diseases, such as fatigue, obesity, depression, and anxiety. The effects of poor sleep may differ by age and sex. In addition, sleep characteristics and their effects may vary according to Sasang constitutional type. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between sleep quality, fatigue, and quality of life and to assess whether these differ by constitutional type. Participants were individuals aged 40-69 years living in two Korean communities in 2012-2014. Sleep quality, fatigue, and quality of life were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Fatigue Severity Scale, and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey, respectively. The effects of total PSQI score and PSQI component scores were analyzed using a generalized additive model. A Korean Sasang constitutional diagnostic questionnaire was used to assess Sasang constitution. Data for 5,793 participants were analyzed. Poor sleep quality was related to greater fatigue, and lower physical and mental quality of life. The PSQI components including subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medications, and daytime dysfunction were associated with fatigue and physical and mental quality of life. Sleep quality was significantly lower in So-Eum compared to So-Yang and Tae-Eum. PSQI component scores for fatigue and quality of life differed significantly by Sasang constitution: for Tae-Eum, sleep latency and use of sleep medications; for So-Eum, daytime dysfunction; and for So-Yang, use of sleep medications and daytime dysfunction. The effects of different aspects of sleep quality differ by Sasang constitution. To improve sleep quality, interventions need to be tailored to constitutional type.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.359-365
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• 2012

We investigated leaf disease intensity of Kalopanax septemlobus (prickly castor oil tree) caused by the parasitic fungus Mycosphaerella acanthopanacis, in thirty natural host populations in the Japanese Archipelago. The disease intensity observed for individual trees were analyzed using a generalized additive model as a function of tree size, tree density, climatic terms and spatial trend surface. Individual tree size and conspecific tree density were shown to have significant negative and positive effects on disease intensity, respectively. The findings suggest that the probability of disease infection is partly determined by dispersal of infection agents (ascospores) from the fallen leaves on the ground, which can be enhanced by aggregation of host trees in a forest stand. Regional-scale spatial bias was also present in disease intensity; the populations in northern Japan and southern Kyushu were more severely infected by the fungus than those in southwestern Honshu and Shikoku. Regional variation of disease intensity was explained by both climatic factors and a trend surface term, with a latitudinal cline detected, which increases towards the north. Further research should be conducted in order to understand all of the factors generating the latitudinal cline detected in this study.