• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of occupational exposure to styrene on the components of metabolic syndrome. We surveyed 263 employees, among whom 117workers we ere chronically exposed to styrene in glass-reinforced plastic boat manufacturing factories and 146 controls had never been occupationally exposed to styrene as will as hazardous chemicals. The general and job characteristics such as age, smoking and drinking habit, working hours and duration were not significant different except sleeping hours(p<0.05). Among the components of metabolic syndrome, the systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and fasting glucose were significantly higher in exposed workers. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the components of metabolic syndrome, waist circumference was insulin (OR=1.129), blood pressure was MA(OR=14.724), fasting glucose(OR=1.191) and metabolic syndrome(OR=1.110) were significantly associated with insulin. The mean concentration of airborne styrene was $ 38.1{\pm}40.1$ ppm, blood concentrations of glucose and insulin and levels of HOMA-IR in over 50 ppm exposed group were higher than in blow 50 ppm exposed group. These results suggested that the exposure of styrene affects blood pressure, fasting glucose and insulin levels and that dysfunction and/or declination in glucose and insulin metabolism might induced ultimately insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 2013

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of low-level exposure to toluene on T lymphocytes subpopulations.s. Methods: The study lasted from April to October 2010. The subjects were 390 male workers, among whom 137 were chronically exposed to toluene in video-tape manufacturing factories and 253 were controls had never been occupationally exposed to hazardous chemicals. The subpoupulations of CD4+, CD8+, CD16+ (natural killer cells) and total (CD3+) T lymphocytes were examined by two-color staining using monoclonal antibodies. The general and job characteristics of subjects were assessed through a self-administered questionnaire. Results: There was no significant difference in general and job characteristics between both groups. No significant difference in lipid peroxide level was observed between the control and exposed workers, but the concentration of hydrogen peroxide was significantly higher in the exposed workers. The numbers of CD16+ T lymphocytes in controls were significantly higher than those in exposed workers, but no significant differences were found in CD4+, CD8+ and CD3+ T lymphocytes. Hydrogen peroxide levels showed a significantly negative correlation with CD8+ (r = -0.29, p < 0.01), CD16+ (r = -0.56, p < 0.01) and CD3+(r = -0.22. p < 0.01), and toluene levels was significantly negative correlated with CD3+ (r = -0.29, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our results suggest that chronic low-level exposure to toluene affects cell-mediated immunity and the effects might mediate through ROSs (Reactive Oxygen Species) such as hydrogen peroxide.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.73-82
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• 2013

With remarkable development of industry and technology, various chemical articles are developed to improve the quality of human life, yet some of chemicals are hazardous to human and the environment. However, safety control of chemical articles such as transportation, storage, and handling is emerging as a major issue lately. The road transportation needs well-organized safety management system, especially it has high probability of accidents. In this research, we point out problems in current state and related regulation of transportation of dangerous goods to compare the regulation in UN-RTDG. In addition, we suggest the enhancement law, the plan for standardization of classification in road transportation of dangerous goods and harmonization of labeling in transportation of dangerous goods to contribute to human health and environment protection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2015

A Large Eddy Simulation(LES) was performed for the prediction of unsteady dispersion behavior of hydrogen fluoride (HF). The HF leakage accident occurred at the Gumi fourth industrial complex was numerically investigated using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) based on the LES. The accident area was modeled three-dimensionally and time-varying boundary conditions for wind were adopted in the simulation for considering the realistic accident conditions. The Message Passing Interface (MPI) parallel computation technique was used to reduce the computational time. As a result, it was found that the present LES simulation could predict the unsteady dispersion features of HF near the accident area effectively. The dispersion behaviors of the leaked HF was much affected by the unsteady wind direction. The LES could predict the time variation of the HF concentration reasonably and give an useful information for the risk analysis while the prediction with the time-averaging concept of HF concentration had a limitation for the amount of HF concentration at specific location point. It was identified that the LES is very useful to predict the dispersion characteristics of hazardous chemicals.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2017

This study analyzed chemical accidents each year according to the status, type of accident, accident place, business size, and chemical substance. The results of the chemical accident investigation were 16 cases in 2013, 27 cases in 2014, 46 cases in 2015, and 23 cases in 2016. According to the type of chemical accident, number of accidents, and casualty accidents, leakage was found to be the major cause. As a result of accidents and casualties caused by chemical accidents, workplaces had the highest numbers in all survey items. An examination of the top 10 accident materials revealed 9 substances to be hazardous chemicals. These materials were accident preparedness substances, and toxic substances.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2003

The goal of this study is to develop a biomarker used in monitoring abnormal behaviors of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) as a model organism caused by hazardous chemicals. Japanese medaka was treated by copper of appropriate sublethal concentrations after starvation for 48 hr. The untreated individuals showed common behavioral characteristics (i.e. , smooth and linear movements). Locomotive activity of the fish was monitored using an image processing and automatic data acquisition system. When treated with copper (100 ppb), the fish showed shaking patterns more frequently. As the concentration of copper increased to 1,000 ppb, activity decreated, and the fish showed an erratic movement. Fish were exposed to copper at various concentrations (0,100 and 1,000 ppb) for 24 hrs, and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity was observed. When fish were exposed to 1,000 ppb of copper, the body AChE activities appeared to decrease but the head AChE activities showed little change. Expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein in the different organs from both head (brain) and body (kidney) portions affected by the copper treatment were analyzed using immunohistochemical technique compared with control. Five organs of the fish (olfactory bulb, hyothalamus, optic lobe, pons and myelencephalon regions) showed a relatively strong TH protein expression in the control experiment. A differential expression of TH, however, was observed in the treatment (100 ppb and 1,000 ppb). The treatment (1,000 ppb) significantly suppressed TH protein production in the brain regions. In kidney, however, the same treatment caused little suppression compared with the control. Copper appeared to be less effective in suppression of TH than diazinon, a known TH suppressor. It was concluded that TH could be used at a potential biomarker to monitor the acute copper toxicity in Japanese medaka.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.14 no.1_2
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• pp.1-12
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• 1999

Recently, several new methods for the detection of genetic damages in vitro and in vivo based on molecular biological techniques were introduced according to the rapid progress in toxicology combined with cellular and molecular biology. Among these methods, mouse lymphoma thymidine kanase (tk) gene forward mutation assay, single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) and transgenic animal and cell line model as a target gene of lac I (Big Blue) and lac Z (Muta Mouse) gene mutation are newly introduced based on molecular toxicological approaches. The mouse lymphoma tk$\^$+/-/ gene assay (MOLY) using L5178Y tk$\^$+/-/ mouse lymphoma cell line is one of the mammalian forward mutation assays, and has many advantages and more sensitive than hprt assay. The target gene of MOLY is a heterozygous tk$\^$+/-/ gene located in 11 chromosome, so it is able to detect the wide range of genetic changes like point mutation, deletion, rearrangement, and mitotic recombination within tk gene or deletion of entire chromosome 11. The comet assay is a rapid, simple, visual and sensitive technique for measuring and analysing DNA breakages in mammalian cells, Also, transgenic animal and cell line models, which have exogenous DNA incorporated into their genome, carry recoverable shuttle vector containing reporter genes to assess endogenous effects or alteration in specific genes related to disease process, are powerful tools to study the mechanism of mutation in vivo and in vitro, respectively. Also in vivo acridine orange supravital staining micronucleus assay by using mouse peripheral reticulocytes was introduced as an alternative of bone marrow micronucleus assay. In this respect, there was an International workshop on genotoxicity procedure (IWGTP) supported by OECD and EMS (Environmental Mutagen Society) at Washington D. C. in March 25-26, 1999. The objective of IWGTP is to harmonize the testing procedures internationally, and to extend to finalization of OECD guideline, and to the agreement of new guidelines under the International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) for these methods mentioned above. Therefore, we introduce and review the principle, detailed procedure, and application of MOLY, comet assay, transgenic mutagenesis assay and supravital staining micronucleus assay.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2007

This study investigated the current management staus of chemical substance information on Material Safety Data Sheets(MSDS) and Chemical Information Cards(CIC) provided by Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency(KOSHA) and also researched the kind and the characteristics of chemical substance information provided in other organizations. MSDS DB in Korean provided on KOSHANET(which is Kosha website) is 50,802 in total, among whom are single chemical substances with 31,870 kinds(18,932%) and are mixed chemical substances with 31,870 kinds(62.7%). The number of visiting MSDS DB on KOSHANET for the search of chemicals was 2,049,806. The number has increased each year. The CIC provided for workplaces is all 542 kinds : 14 harmful substances subject to permission, 168 harmful substances subject to management, 360 KOEL(Korean Occupational Exposure Limits) establishment substances. MSDS internationally provided by organizations producing MSDS DB was written with 16 sections, which is suitable for the writing basis of American Standards Institute(ANSI) and International Organization for Standardization(ISO) and provided chemical substance information on more than 100,000 kinds in most organizations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1258-1258
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• 2001

Estimation of sugar and reducing sugar content in molasses is very important task in sugar refineries. Conventional methods of determination of sugar content in molasses samples are highly time consuming and employ hazardous chemicals. Due to the physical properties of molasses, probability of error in conventional analytical techniques is high. These methods have proven to be inefficient for a process control in any sugar industry. Hence development of a rapid, inexpensive, physical and also accurate method for sugar determination in molasses will be highly useful. Near Infrared spectroscopy is being widely used worldwide as an analytical technique in food industry. The technique offers the advantage of being non-destructive and rapid. The present paper highlights the potential of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy as a rapid and automated analytical technique for determination of sugar and reducing sugar content in molasses. A number of molasses samples were collected during and after the sugar season from Havana Sugar Industry, Havana. The samples were chosen so as to obtain a wide range of concentration of sugar and reducing sugars. This was done in order to achieve a good calibration curve with widely spread data points. These samples were scanned in the region of 1100 - 2500 nm in diffuse reflectance mode. An indigenous ELICO NIR spectrophotometer, modified according to the requirements of sugar industry was used for this purpose. Each sample was also analyzed simultaneously by standard chemical methods. Chemical values were taken as reference for near infrared analysis. In order to obtain the most accurate calibration for the set of samples, various mathematical treatments were employed. Partial Least Square method was found to be most suitable for the analysis. A comparison is made between the actual values (chemical values) and the predicted values (NIR values). The actual values agree very well with the predicted values showing the accuracy of the technique. The validity of the technique is checked by predicting the concentration of sugar in unknown molasses samples using the calibration curve. The present investigation assesses the feasibility of the technique for on-line monitoring of sugars present in molasses in sugar industries.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.31 no.6 s.119
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• pp.489-499
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• 2006

Since the application of chemicals in confined spaces under the canopy of an orchard is hazardous work, it is needed to develop an autonomous guidance system for an orchard sprayer. The autonomous guidance system developed in this research could steer the vehicle by tracking an overhead guidance rail, which was installed on an existing frame structure. The autonomous guidance system consisted of an 80196 kc microprocessor, an inclinometer, two interface circuits of actuators for steering and ground speed control, and a fuzzy control algorithm. In addition, overhead guidance rails for both straight and curved paths were devised, and a trolley was designed to move smoothly along the overhead guidance rails. Evaluation tests showed that the experimental vehicle could travel along the desired path at a ground speed of 30 $\sim$ 50 cm/s with a RMS error of 5 cm and maximum deviation of less than 12 cm. Even when the vehicle started with an initial offset or a deflected heading angle, it could move quickly to track the desired path after traveling 2 $\sim$ 3 m. The vehicle could also complete turns with a curvature of 1 m. However, at a ground speed of 50 cm/s, the vehicle tended to over-steer, resulting in a zigzag motion along the straight path, and tended to turn outward from the projected line of the guidance rail.