• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2019

Objectives: This study examined the safety of tattoo ink by analyzing the phenol contents in tattoo inks and its risk assessment of selected phenol. Methods: A sample of 30 tattoo inks was purchased, the phenol contents were analyzed, and a risk assessment on dermal exposure from tattooing was carried out. Hazard identification was collected from toxicity data on systemic effects caused by dermal exposure to phenol, and the most sensitive toxicity value was adopted. Exposure assessment ($Exposure_{phenol}$) was calculated by applying phenol contents and standard exposure factors, while dose-response assessment was based on the collected toxicity data and skin absorption rate of phenol, assessment factors (AFs) for derived no-effect level ($DNEL_{demal}$). In addition, the risk characterization was calculated by comparing the risk characterization ratio (RCR) with $Exposure_{phenol}$ and $DNEL_{dermal}$ Results: The phenol concentration in the 30 products was from 1.4 to $649.1{\mu}g/g$. The toxicity value for systemic effects of phenol was adopted at 107 mg/kg. $Exposure_{phenol}$ in tattooing was from 0.000087 to 0.040442 mg/kg. $DNEL_{dermal}$ was calculated at 0.0072 mg/kg (=toxicity value 107 mg/kg ${\div}$ AFs 650 ${\times}$ skin absorption rate 4.4%). Thirteen out of 30 products showed an RCR between 1.02 and 5.62. The RCR of all red inks was above 1. Conclusions: Phenol was detected in all of the 30 tattoo inks, and the RCR of 13 products above 1 indicates a high level of risk concern, making it necessary to prepare safety management standards for phenol in tattoo inks.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.395-408
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• 2018

Even after the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, the rate of production of electric energy using nuclear energy is increasing, but there is a great danger such as the radioactive waste produced when using nuclear power, the catastrophic accident of nuclear power plant, and connection with nuclear weapons. In particular, Cs present in the ionic form of alkaline elements has a long half-life (30.17 years) because it is readily absorbed by the organism and emits intense gamma rays, thus presenting a serious radiation hazard. Therefore, it must be completely removed before it can be released into the natural ecosystem, because it can adversely affect not only humans but also natural ecosystems. Many adsorbents and ion exchangers which have high Cs removal efficiency have been used in recent years to completely separate and remove by self separation in water. Many adsorbents and ion exchangers which have high Cs removal efficiency have been used in recent years to completely separate and remove by self separation in water. In addition, researches have been doing to synthesize magnetic materials with adsorbents such as HCF and PB, and it shows a great effect in the removal rate of Cs present in wastewater or the maximum Cs adsorption amount. In particular, when a magnetic material was applied, excellent results were obtained in which only Cs was selectively removed from other cations. However, new problems such as applicability in the sea where Cs is directly released, applicability in various pH ranges, and failure to preserve the magnetizing force possessed by the magnetic body have been found. However, researches using ferromagnetic field with stronger magnetic properties than those of magnetic bodies is considered to be insufficient. Therefore, it is considered that if the researches combining the ferromagnetic field with the magnetization ability and functional adsorbents more actively, the radioactive material Cs which adversely affects the natural ecosystem can be effectively removed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.117-126
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• 2021

Background: Several factors, such as the degree of target vessel stenosis, are known to be associated with radial artery (RA) graft patency in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). There is a lack of data regarding the effect of the RA proximal configuration (aortic anastomosis versus T-anastomosis). This study evaluated the effects of the RA proximal configuration on the patency rate and clinical outcomes after CABG. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study, analyzing 328 patients who had undergone CABG with an RA graft. We divided the patients into 2 groups. The primary endpoint was RA patency and the secondary endpoints were overall mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). We performed a propensity score-matched comparison. Results: Aorta-RA anastomosis was performed in 275 patients, whereas the rest of the 53 patients received T-RA anastomosis. The mean age was 67.3±8.7 years in the T-RA anastomosis group and 63.8±9.5 years in the aorta-RA anastomosis group (p=0.02). The mean follow-up duration was 5.13±3.07 years. Target vessel stenosis ≥70% (hazard ratio [HR], 0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20-0.91; p=0.03) and T-RA anastomosis configuration (HR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.01-5.19; p=0.04) were significantly associated with RA occlusion in the multivariable analysis. However, T-RA anastomosis was not associated with higher risks of overall mortality and MACCE following CABG (p=0.30 and p=0.07 in the matched group, respectively). Conclusion: Aorta-RA anastomosis showed a superior patency rate compared to T-RA anastomosis. However, the RA proximal anastomosis configuration was not associated with mortality or MACCE.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.356-365
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• 2021

Background: Concerns have been raised regarding the criteria of groundwater, in particular in Gwangwon-do Province where many residents drink groundwater due to the poor supply of tap water and a high nonconformity rate with water quality criteria nationwide. Objectives: Water quality monitoring and risk assessment were conducted for groundwater in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province. Methods: A total of 46 items required for meeting drinking water criteria were analyzed from 258 samples collected from March 2017 through August 2018 (152 sites in 2017 and 106 sites in 2018). Risk assessment was conducted for two non-carcinogens (F^- and NO₃-N), and one carcinogen (i.e., arsenic) based on their high nonconformity to water quality criteria. Results: Water quality analysis revealed that the total proportion of nonconformities was determined to be 27.9%. The nonconformity rate for each content item is as follows: total colony counts (1.6%), total coliform (6.2%), Escherichia coli (1.2%), F^- (8.1%), arsenic (4.7%), NO₃-N (8.1%), pH (1.2%), manganese (0.4%), and turbidity (5.8%). Risk assessment indicated that fluoride induced a hazard quotient greater than 1 with the 95% UCL (Upper Confidence Limit) concentration of the total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. For NO₃-N, there was no human health risk. For arsenic, the excess cancer risk exceeded the acceptable cancer risk of 1×10^-6 with the average and 95% UCL concentrations of total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. Conclusions: This study suggests that it is necessary to expand water quality monitoring of groundwater and conduct a more detailed risk assessment in order to establish a health care plan for the residents of Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 2023

Background: This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes between surveillance and adjuvant therapy (AT) groups after R0 resection for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Methods: A total of 154 patients who underwent R0 resection for CCA at the Daegu Catholic University Medical Center between January 2010 and December 2019 were included. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed. Results: The median follow-up duration was 899 days. There were 109 patients in the AT group and 45 patients in the surveillance group. The patients in the AT group were younger (67 years vs. 74 years, p<0.001) and included more males (64.2% vs. 46.7%, p=0.044). The proportion of patients with stage III CCA was larger in the AT group than in the surveillance group (13.8% vs. 2.2%, p=0.005). In addition, AT did not improve OS (5-year OS rate, 69.3% in the AT group vs. 64.2% in the surveillance group, p=0.806) or PFS (5-year PFS rate, 42.6% in the AT group vs. 48.9% in the surveillance group, p=0.113). In multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model, stage III CCA (hazard ratio [HR], 10.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.92-40.00; p<0.001) was a significant predictor of OS. American Society of Anesthesiologists classification II (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.31-0.81; p=0.005), and American Joint Committee on Cancer stages II (HR, 3.14; 95% CI, 1.25-7.89; p=0.015) and III (HR, 8.08; 95% CI, 2.80-23.32; p<0.001) were independent predictors of PFS. Conclusion: AT after R0 resection for CCA did not improve OS or PFS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 2023

Gas has replaced coal or petroleum as primary fuel because of its convenience. However, gas has risk of fire, explosion, or poisoning. To reduce gas-related accidents, many strategic projects have been being carried based on 'Gas Safety Management Basic Plans' on a domestic scale. In spite of those projects, the gas-related accident rate did not decrease over past decades. Thus, this study was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of ongoing projects, and to find out ways to make improvements. Conventional statistical analyses on accident data published by gas-related institutions were not useful to determine meaningful attributes to predict future. Whereas, accident case analyses adopted in the present study discovered differences in the type of people and their unsafe acts for each gas type. Meanwhile, the overall average priority of projects was not high in the aspect of System Safety Precedence. If the current trend is maintained, with sigmoid functions, it can be estimated that mean annual accident rate will decrease by only 2.0% in the next two decades. To improve the current trend, the present study made conclusions as followings: (1) safety projects should be designed with careful consideration of accident traits including gas type, unsafe acts, and persons involved and (2) alternative strategies should include system considerations such as minimum hazard design and safety devices prior to mere education or training. To summarize briefly, the present state related with gas accidents highlights the necessity of a system-based multidisciplinary approach.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.550-562
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: To identify the factors associated with adverse outcomes following surgery for functional insufficiency of the mitral valve (MV) or tricuspid valve (TV) associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: We evaluated 100 patients (age, 66.5±10.0 years; 47 males) who consecutively underwent surgery for functional insufficiency of the MV or TV associated with AF between January 2000 and December 2020 at our center. The primary outcome was a composite endpoint of all-cause death, valve reoperation, congestive heart failure (CHF) requiring rehospitalization, and stroke. Results: During follow-up (532 patients-years [PYs]), adverse events included death in 16 (3.0%/yr), MV reoperation in 1 (0.2%/yr), CHF in 14 (2.6%/yr), and stroke in 5 (0.9%/yr) patients, demonstrating a 5-year rate of freedom from the primary endpoint of 69.5%. The rate of postoperative AF was high even in those who underwent AF ablation (n=92), with cumulative rates of 48.1% at 1 year and 60.2% at 5 years. In multivariable analyses, the primary outcome was significantly associated with age (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.10; p=0.005), chronic kidney disease (aHR, 7.76; 95% CI, 2.28-26.38; p=0.001), left atrial appendage exclusion (aHR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.16-1.78; p=0.010), and postoperative AF as a time-varying covariate (aHR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.50-7.40; p=0.003). Conclusion: Among patients undergoing surgery for functional atrioventricular insufficiency associated with AF, a significant proportion showed recurrence of AF over time after concomitant AF ablation, which was significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.95-109
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• 2024

Background/Aims: Sex differences in the prognosis of heart failure (HF) have yielded inconsistent results, and data from Asian populations are even rare. This study aimed to investigate sex differences in clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis among Korean patients with HF. Methods: A total of 5,625 Korean patients hospitalized for acute HF were analyzed using a prospective multi-center registry database. Baseline clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes including HF readmission and death were compared between sexes. Results: Women were older than men and had worse symptoms with higher N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels. Women had a significantly higher proportion of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality and rate of guideline-directed medical therapies in men and women. During median follow-up of 3.4 years, cardiovascular death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.78; p = 0.014), and composite outcomes of death and HF readmission (adjusted HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.27; p = 0.030) were significantly higher in men than women. When evaluating heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HFpEF separately, men were an independent risk factor of cardiovascular death in patients with HFrEF. Clinical outcome was not different between sexes in HFpEF. Conclusions: In the Korean multi-center registry, despite having better clinical characteristics, men exhibited a higher risk of all-cause mortality and readmission for HF. The main cause of these disparities was the higher cardiovascular mortality rate observed in men compared to women with HFrEF.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.5-40
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• 2002

Using detailed data of women's work history, this study analyses the transition process between employment and non-employment over the life history in order to identity individual and structural determinants in the processes. Korean women comprise very heterogeneous groups in terms of work continuity: one group having a continuous work history and another having an interrupted work experience. While 4.0% of total women have stayed in the labor market since leaving school, 17.3% have not worked outside at all and remaining 87.9% have experienced into and out of the labor market at least once. On the average, the cumulated time of employment per woman is 8.2 years and the cumulated time of unemployment is 13.1 years. Thus Korean women work a total of only 38.5% of their whole lifetime after leaving school. We can conclude that the increase of the employment rate of married women in Korea since the 1970s has been due to the increase of the new entrants with short or little working careers into the labor market, not to the increase of women's work continuity on the whole. A women's educational achievement does not seem to be positively related to employment duration, contrary to the suggestion of the human capital theory, Rather, family variables, especially the existence of the child under 6 yens old, is a more significant determining factor for an individual's exit from employment. And there is little difference among different age cohorts which implies little improvement in the employment continuity of younger women. This study also documents the importance of structural variables, such as the type of occupation, as significant determining factors for the hazard rate. Specially women with professional jobs tend to stay longer in the labor market. Therefore, women's entry into more professional occupations is expected to contribute to the continuity of employment. Our results also show that duration-dependence is not spurious. When unobserved heterogeneity is controlled, the negative relation between the rate from employment and the duration of employment does not disappear.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.489-495
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• 2023

In this study, we detected the presence of residual pesticides in 341 agricultural products collected from local food outlets in western Gyeonggi Province. Residual pesticides were detected in 105 (30.8%) samples. Six samples exceeded the legal limits for residual pesticides, resulting in a non-compliance rate of 1.8%, which was slightly higher than the average non-compliance rate of 1.4% in the last three years. Among the tested agricultural products, only fruits and vegetables were found to have pesticide residues, with 24 of 34 fruits (a detection rate of 70.6%) and 81 of 277 vegetables (a detection rate of 29.2%) testing positive. In total, 59 types of pesticides, including acetamiprid, which was detected 208 times, were detected and had a detection range of 0.01-2.38 mg/kg. Among the 105 agricultural products containing pesticide residues, a single pesticide was detected in 62 samples (59%) and two or more pesticides were detected in 43 samples (41%). In particular, 14 pesticides were detected in the same sample of peaches; dinotefuran was detected 21 times. Upon examining the toxicity of the detected pesticides, Class III pesticides (moderate toxicity) were detected 44 times (21.2%) and Class IV pesticides (low toxicity) were detected 164 times (78.8%). Class I, II, and III pesticides with fish toxicity were detected 68 (32.7%), 14 (6.7%), and 126 times (60.6%), respectively. Upon examining the exposure to high-frequency pesticide components detected five or more times, the hazard index was found to be ≤2.8%. Accordingly, the hazard of residual pesticides based on dietary intake was deemed insignificant.