• Title/Summary/Keyword: Ministry of Health

Search Result 1,921, Processing Time 0.028 seconds

Review of a Plant-Based Health Assessment Methods for Lake Ecosystems (식물에 의한 호수생태계 건강성 평가법에 대한 고찰)

  • Choung, Yeonsook;Lee, Kyungeun
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.46 no.2
    • /
    • pp.145-153
    • /
    • 2013
  • It is a global trend that the water management policy is shifting from a water quality-oriented assessment to the aquatic ecosystem-based assessment. The majority of aquatic ecosystem assessment systems were developed solely based on physicochemical factors (e.g., water quality and bed structure) and a limited number of organisms (e.g., plankton and benthic organisms). Only a few systems use plants for a health assessment, although plants are sensitive indicators reflecting long-term disturbances and alterations in water regimes. The development of an assessment system is underway to evaluate and manage lakes as ecosystem units in the Korean Ministry of Environment. We reviewed the existing multivariate health assessment methods of other leading countries, and discussed their applicability to Korean lakes. The application of multivariate assessment methods is costly and time consuming, in addition to the correlation problem among variables. However, a single variable is not available at this moment, and the multivariate method is an appropriate system due to its multidimensional evaluation and cumulative data generation. We, therefore, discussed multivariate assessment methods in three steps: selecting metrics, scoring metrics and assessing indices. In the step of selecting metrics, the best available metrics are species-related variables, such as composition and abundance, as well as richness and diversity. Indicator species, such as sensitive species, are the most frequently used in other countries, but their system of classification in Korea is not yet complete. In terms of scoring metrics, the lack of reference lakes with little anthropogenic impact make this step difficult, and therefore, the use of relative scores among the investigated lakes is a suitable alternative. Overall, in spite of several limitations, the development of a plant-based multivariate assessment method in Korea is possible using mostly field research data. Later, it could be improved based on qualitative metrics on plant species, and with the emergence of further survey data.

A Study of Food Attitudes at the Community Level (지역집단(地域集團)의 식품태도(食品態度)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

  • Kim, In-Sun;Tchai, Bum-Suk
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
    • /
    • v.9 no.1
    • /
    • pp.76-83
    • /
    • 1976
  • The aims of this study are, 1) to describe the attitudes of the community towards each food item and 2) to provide the information necessary for the solution of nutritional problems due to the different food intake of the community. This study is based on the Food Consumption Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in a series of National Nutrition Survey in August, 1973. The sample included 8 communities, in which 160 households were selected at random for this study. The procedures and methods used in this study to compute the acceptability index were adopted from the study of H. Toyokawa, University of Tokyo. Food attitudes of the sample communities are clear in terms of the mean acceptability index which is presented in Table 3. The following order is indicative of the relative strength of acceptability of the respective food items: 1. Seasonings (-1.20) 2. Oils and fats (-1.12) 3. Pulses(- .60) 4. Processed vegetables (- .45) 5. Seaweeds (- .32) 6. Sugars (- .19) 7. Fresh vegetables (- .15) 8. Rice (- .13) 9. Cereals and grain products (- .07) 10. Starchy roots (- .06) 11. Fresh fish and shells (.44) 12. Processed fish and shells (.56) 13. Eggs (1.06) 14. Fruits (1.26) 15. Meats and poultry (1.33) 16. Milk and milk products (2.87) There are highly significant difference in the acceptability index between food items and the mean intake of rice, cereals and grain products, pulses, starchy roots, processed vegetables, fruits, sugars, seaweeds, seasonings, meats and poultry, eggs, fresh and shells, and oils and fats between the communities at the .01 level of significance.

  • PDF

Development and Validation of the 'Food Safety and Health' Workbook for High School (고등학교 「식품안전과 건강」 워크북 개발 및 타당도 검증)

  • Park, Mi Jeong;Jung, Lan-Hee;Yu, Nan Sook;Choi, Seong-Youn
    • Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
    • /
    • v.34 no.1
    • /
    • pp.59-80
    • /
    • 2022
  • The purpose of this study was to develop a workbook that can support the class and evaluation of the subject, 「Food safety and health」 and to verify its validity. The development direction of the workbook was set by analyzing the 「Food safety and health」 curriculum, dietary education materials, and previous studies related to the workbook, and the overall structure was designed by deriving the activity ideas for each area. Based on this, the draft was developed, and the draft went through several rounds of cross-review by the authors and the examination and revision by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, before the final edited version was developed. The workbook was finalized with corrections and enhancements based on the advice of 9 experts and 44 home economics teachers. The workbook consists of 4 areas: the 'food selection' area, with 10 learning topics and 36 lessons, the 'food poisoning and food management' area, with 10 learning topics and 36 lessons, the 'cooking' area, with 11 learning topics and 43 lessons, and the 'healthy eating' area, with 11 learning topics and 55 lessons, resulting in a total of 42 learning topics, 170 lessons. The workbook was designed to evenly cultivate practical problem-solving competency, self-reliance capacity, creative thinking capacity, and community capacity. In-depth inquiry-learning is conducted on the content, and the context is structured so that self-diagnosis can be made through evaluation. According to the validity test of the workbook, it was evaluated to be very appropriate for encouraging student-participatory classes and evaluations, and to create a class atmosphere that promotes inquiry by strengthening experiments and practices. In the current situation where the high school credit system is implemented and individual students' learning options are emphasized, the results of this study is expected to help expand the scope of home economics-based elective courses and contribute to realizing student-led classrooms with a focus on inquiry.

Detection of Salmonella spp. in Seafood via Desalinized DNA Extraction Method and Pre-culture (전배양과 탈염과정을 포함하는 DNA 추출법을 이용한 분자생물학적 방법으로 수산물 중 오염된 Salmonella spp.의 검출)

  • Ye-Jun Song;Kyung-Jin Cho;Eun-Ik Son;Du-Min Jo;Young-Mog Kim;Seul-Ki Park
    • Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
    • /
    • v.38 no.3
    • /
    • pp.123-130
    • /
    • 2023
  • Salmonella spp. are prevalent foodborne pathogens that are infective at relatively low concentrations, thus posing a serious health threat, especially to young children and the elderly. In several countries, the management and regulation of Salmonella spp. in food, including seafood, adhere to a negative detection standard. The risk of infection is particularly high when seafood is consumed raw, which underscores the importance of timely detection of pathogenic microorganisms, such as Salmonella. Accordingly, this study aimed to develop a combined pre-treatment and detection method that includes pre-culture and DNA extraction in order to detect five species of Salmonella at concentrations below 10 CFU/mL in seafood. The effectiveness of the proposed method was assessed in terms of the composition of the enrichment (pre-culture) medium, minimum incubation time, and minimum cell concentration for pathogen detection. Furthermore, a practical DNA extraction method capable of effectively handling high salt conditions was tested and found to be successful. Through polymerase chain reaction, Salmonella spp. Were detected and positively identified in shellfish samples at cell concentrations below 10 CFU/g. Thus, the proposed method, combining sample pre-treatment and cell culture with DNA extraction, was shown to be an effective strategy for detecting low cellular concentrations of harmful bacteria. The proposed methodology is suitable as an economical and practical in situ pre-treatment for effective detection of Salmonella spp. in seafood.

Antioxidant, Tyrosinase Inhibitory, and Anti-proliferative Activities of Gochujang Added with Cheonggukjang Powder Made from Sword Bean (작두콩 청국장 첨가 고추장의 항산화, tyrosinase 저해 및 암세포 증식 억제 효과)

  • Chang, Moon-Ik;Kim, Jae-Young;Kim, Un-Sung;Baek, Seung-Hwa
    • Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
    • /
    • v.45 no.2
    • /
    • pp.221-226
    • /
    • 2013
  • This study aimed to examine the antioxidant, tyrosinase inhibitory, and anti-proliferative activities (A549, G361, HT-29, and MDA-MB-231) of fermented gochujang (made from sword bean cheonggukjang powder (SBC) for 90 days. Gochujang was prepared by adding 0 (SBC 0), 2 (SBC 2), 5 (SBC 5), 8 (SBC 8) and 10% (SBC 10) levels with SBC, and all experiments were measured at diluted levels of 20, 50 and 100 times. The antioxidant activity and tyrosinase inhibitory effect demonstrated that SBC 10 increased approximately 1.2 and 1.1 times compared with SBC 0, respectively, at diluted levels of 50 and 100 times. The anti-proliferative effects of A549, G361, and HT-29 presented that SBC 10 were 2.8, 1.1, and 8.9 times higher compared with SBC 0, respectively, at diluted levels of 50, 20, and 100 times. In the case of MDA-MB-231, SBC 10 was 3.7 times higher compared with SBC 5 at diluted level of 20 times. As a result, we confirmed that SBC gochujang was improved for physiological activities and anti-proliferative effects.

Radiology Department Infection Control According to Radiography Frequency and Disinfection Period (촬영 빈도수 및 소독 주기에 따른 영상의학과 감염 관리)

  • Lee, Jae-Seung;Jeong, Kyu-Hwan;Kim, Gyoung-Hee;Im, In-Chul;Kweon, Dae-Cheol;Goo, Eun-Hoe;Dong, Kyung-Rae;Chung, Woon-Kwan
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
    • /
    • v.5 no.2
    • /
    • pp.73-80
    • /
    • 2011
  • Questionnaires were distributed to Radiology departments at hospitals with 300 sickbeds throughout the Pohang region of North Gyeongsang Province concerning awareness and performance levels of infection control. The investigation included measurements of the pollution levels of imaging equipment and assistive apparatuses in order to prepare a plan for the activation of prevention and management of hospital infections. The survey was designed to question respondents in regards to personal data, infection management prevention education, and infection management guidelines. The ATP Public Heath Monitering System was used to measure seven items for pollution levels of imaging equipment and assistive apparatuses in the Radiology Department. Data was analysed using SPSS version 12.0 for paired t-test and Pearson coefficient with a statistically significant level of 0.05. The results of the survey showed a total awareness level of infection management prevention education averaged at $3.73{\pm}0.64$ and performance levels resulted at $3.39{\pm}0.83$ which were statistically significant (p = 0.01). Also the measurements of pollution levels for equipment with high patient contact showed a Pearson Coefficient of over 0.5 implying a focus on pathogenic bacterium. There was no statistical significance with the frequency of imaging (p < 0.05). Therefore for general hospitals with high patient contact, there is a need to supply analyzing equipment for real time monitoring and the implementation of disinfection management that uses a Ministry of Health and Welfare approved antiseptic solution twice every minute.

Distributions of Endangered Fish Species and Their Relations to Chemical Water Quality-Ecological Stream Health in Geum-River Watershed (금강 대권역 대표 멸종위기 담수어류의 분포 특성 및 이화학적 수질-하천 생태건강도와의 관계분석)

  • Lee, Sang-Jae;An, Kwang Guk
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
    • /
    • v.30 no.6
    • /
    • pp.986-995
    • /
    • 2016
  • The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution of endangered fish species and elucidate their relations on chemical water quality, physical habitat conditions and ecological stream health. The dominant species in the watershed was Pseudopungtungia nigra (Pn), Gobiobotia macrocephala (Gm), Gobiobotia brevibarba (Gb), Liobagrus obesus (Lo), and Iksookimia choii (Ic) in the order. The species of Pn designated as "critical endangered species (I) (CER)", was most widely distributed species among the endangered species, so the designation of the species should be re-evaluated. The endangered species was most popular (4 species, 384 individuals) in the Cho-River region of eighteen lotic regions. According to the analysis of chemical tolerance limits in the habitats with endangered fish species, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total phosphorus (TP) was analyzed as "very good" (Ia) and "good condition" in the chemical criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. Also, chemical conditions, based on ammonia-N ($NH_{4+}$), total nitrogen (TN), phosphate-P ($PO_{4^-}P$) were much better in the habitat with endangered species (Hw) than the habitat without endangered species (Ho). In the meantime, the species of Ic showed wide ranges on the chemical tolerance, so physical habitat conditions, such as the size of substrate particles (sand) and hydrological regime, were considered as more important factors than the chemical water quality, if the water quality is not largely degraded. The endangered species were also more distributed in the high-order (4-6) streams than the low-order (1-3) streams. The evaluation of ecological stream health, based on multi-metric model of the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), showed the large difference between the Hw (21.6, fair condition)and Ho (30.5, good condition), indicating that the habitat maintained well chemically and physically had higher distributions of endangered species. Overall, the designation of CER on the Pn should be re-evaluated due to wide-distributions, and the protections from water pollution and the habitat conservations on the endangered species are necessary in the watershed.

Life Experience of People Living with HIV/AIDS: rising up from despair (HIV/AIDS 감염인의 감염 이후 삶의 긍정적 경험 : "추락하는 것에는 날개가 있다")

  • Kim, Kyung Mee;Kim, Min-Jung
    • Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
    • /
    • v.41 no.1
    • /
    • pp.251-279
    • /
    • 2010
  • In 2009 the Ministry of Health and Society reported a new milestone in longevity among people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA): An individual was reported to be living and healthy after 24 years with HIV/AIDS. Today, PLWHA who receive treatment are more likely to die as a result of cancer or cardiovascular diseases than HIV/AIDS. However, in Korea the public association between HIV/AIDS and death remains strong and PLWHA live with the feeling of being discarded. While great advances have been made in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, understanding of life with HIV/AIDS is just beginning. This study describes the life experiences of PLWHA after being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Phenomenological methods were used to analyze the transcripts of semi-structured interviews with six PLWHA. Time is a constant factor in the life experiences of PLWHA. After being diagnosed, participants were shocked, feeling as though the world was caving in and they were living with a time bomb. Compulsory disclosure left PLWHA with a feeling of disconnection from the world. Participants were fired from their jobs, resulting in poverty, isolation and a sense that they were simply waiting to die. However, health professionals informed participants that HIV/AIDS is a manageable illness. With time, PLWHA came to understand HIV/AIDS differently. In accepting their HIV infection, PLWHA created a new sense of meaning in their lives. To be honest to their loved ones and true to their own identity, PLWHA worked to "come out." The experience of coming out helped them to accept themselves as they were and understand their own strength. The most important influence on their treatment, and living with HIV/AIDS generally, was obtaining correct information about HIV/AIDS from health professionals. After accepting that they were living with HIV/AIDS, participants were able to look beyond themselves to support those around them, including family members, friends, and others who encouraged them to recognize and feel confident in their own identity.

Stream Ecosystem Assessments, based on a Biological Multimetric Parameter Model and Water Chemistry Analysis (생물학적 다변수 모델 적용 및 수화학 분석에 의거한 갑천생태계 평가)

  • Bae, Dae-Yeul;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.39 no.2 s.116
    • /
    • pp.198-208
    • /
    • 2006
  • This research was to apply a multi-metric approach, so called the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) as a tool for biological evaluations of water environments, to a wadable stream. For the study, we surveyed 5 sampling locations in Kap Stream during August 2004 ${\sim}$ September 2005. We also compared the biological data with long-term water quality data, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea and physical habitat conditions based on the Quantitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). We used ten metric systems for the IBI model to evaluate biological stream health. Overall IBI values in Kap Stream averaged 24 (range: 20${\sim}$30, n=5), indicating a "fair ${\sim}$ poor" conditions according to the modified criteria of Karr (1981) and US EPA(1993). Exclusive of 4th survey, average IBI values at the upstream reach (S1 ${\sim}$ S3)and downstream reach (S4 ${\sim}$ S5) were 20 and 24, respectively. However, in 4th survey the averages were 21 and 20 in the upstream and downstream reaches, respectively. This difference was larger in the upstream than in the downstream because of physical condition disturbed during summer monsoon. Values of the QHEI varied from 75(fair condition) to 148 (good condition) and values of QHEI in the S3 were significantly (P=0.001, n=5) lower than other sites. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were greater by 3 ${\sim}$ 8 fold in the downstream than in the upstream reach. We believe that present IBI approach applied in this study may be used as a key tool to set up specific goals for restoration of Kap Stream.

Fish Community Characteristics in Hwapocheon Wetland, Korea (화포천 습지의 어류군집 특성)

  • Ko, Myeong-Hun;Choi, Kwang-Seek;Lim, Jeong-Cheol
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
    • /
    • v.36 no.2
    • /
    • pp.165-176
    • /
    • 2022
  • This study surveyed the characteristics of fish communities in Hwapocheon Wetland, Korea, from May to September 2020. The survey collected 735 objects in 21 species belonging to 7 families from 8 survey stations. The dominant and subdominant species were Hemiculter eigenmanni(23.8%) and Micropterus salmoides(10.3%), respectively. The next most abundant species were Zacco platypus(9.5%), Carassius auratus(9.4%), Pseudorasbora parva(9.0%), Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae(6.7%), Acheilognathus macropterus(5.4%), Lepomis macrochirus(5.2%), Pseudogobio esocinus(4.1%), Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis(3.7%), and Carassius cuvieri(3.3%). Among the fish species collected, one species, Culter brevicauda, was class II endangered wildlife designated by the Ministry of Environment, and one species,S. c. tsuchigae(4.8%), was endemic to Korea.Additionally, three exotic species (M. salmoides, L. macrochirus, and C. cuvieri) and one landlocked species (Rhinogobius brunneus) were collected. Compared to previous studies, the proportion of fish living in the running water area tended to decrease, the proportion of fish living in the water purification area tended to increase, and ecosystem-disturbing species (M. salmoides and L. macrochirus) tended to increase gradually. Results of fish community analysis showed that the mainstream stations (St. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8) had low dominance, but high diversity and richness, and other stations (St. 2 and 7) had high dominance but low diversity and richness. The river health (index of biological integrity) evaluated using fish was assessed as bad (6 stations), normal (1 station), and very bad (1 station). The water quality grade was assessed as slightly bad due to the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic content (TOC), suspended solid (SS), and total coliforms (TC). The annual water quality showed a gradually increasing trend of biological oxygen demand (BOD), COD, SS, and chlorophyll-a. The stable life of fish and the improvement of river health in Hwapocheon Wetland require water quality improvement and the systematic management of ecosystem-disturbing species (M. salmoidesand L. macrochirus).