• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.113-131
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• 2000

Transtheoretical model of change has been proven very effective in explaining both the acquisition and cessation of many health related behaviors. The objectives of this study were to describe the distribution of smokers by stage of change of smoking, alcoholic drinking, and exercising in rural residents and to develope health promotion strategies. This study was done in Okchun County of Chungbuk Province. The representative sample were 892 residents over 30 years old. The questionnaires of interview included socio-demographic, the six stage distribution of smoking, alcoholic drinking, and exercising. In male, 50.6% of smokers were in the precontemplation stage, 32.5% in the contemplation. In female, corresponding figures were 60.6% and 28.8%. Precontemplation and contemplation stage of drinker were 72.8%, 19.3% in male and 80.3%, 15.5%. Distribution of exercise were 80.6%, 1.8% in male, 87.6%, 1.2% in female, respectively. The stage distribution of smoker, alcoholic drinker, and exerciser was shift to left of the distribution. And the stage distribution was slightly differ with each health behavior. The stage of change with smoking, drinking and exercising was correlated with each other but not concordant. So interventions in rural residents need to take into account the large proportion of precontemplators repeatedly observed among smoker, drinker, and non-exerciser. And intervention strategies of each risk behavior should be different approach. Result of concordance analysis suggest reconstruct validity of the transtheoretical model in our country due to ethnic and sociocultural difference. This results and theory should be tested in prospective intervention studies for seeking the possible gateway of health behavior.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.126-136
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the effects of a health education program for the aged on knowledge about the warning signs and symptoms of acute myocardial infarction and stroke. Methods: Data from 337 elderly people (159 participated and 178 non-participated) at senior centers in Jeju-si were collected by 1 to 1 interview from January to March 2012, one year after the education program provided. Two stages of study were performed: Cross-sectional, case-control study on the level of knowledge about the warning signs and symptoms; and multivariate logistic regression to fine out predictors of optimal awareness. Results: No significant discrepancy of knowledge level between case and control group was found. The knowledge level as high as a surge was shown in both groups one year later. A surge of knowledge had been shown after the education provided in one month. The factors affecting the optimal level of knowledge were education (Odds ratio 3.01; Confidence Interval 1.72-5.26; P-value <0.001) and 7 days of watching TV news per week (2.97; 1.68-5.23; P<0.001). However, participation in the health education was not significant (1.60; 0.98-2.61; P=0.059). Conclusions: The effects of a targeted program in high-risk groups for cardio-cerebrovascular disease are only guaranteed in the enhancement by a population-based mass-media education campaign.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.233-245
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• 2012

Objectives: Understanding the predictor of immunization status in childhood is critical issue to improve National Immunization Program (NIP). The aims of this study were to verify the status of up-to-date or complete immunization coverage and to investigate its related factors. Methods: As of 2005, according to local residence registry data, there were 2,188 children who aged 12 to 35 months in Nonsan city, Korea. We conducted household survey for aged 12 to 35 months children, using questionnaires to obtain data on the status of immunization such as BCG, DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), Polio, and MMR (mump, measles, rubella). Finally 1,472 participated in the survey. The operating definitions used in this study were following; "Complete immunization rate" refers to the rate of children who received all immunization within recommended age intervals fully "on-time"; "The 4:3:1 series" means status of receiving the fourth diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (4 DTP), the third Polio (3 Polio), and the first measles-mumps-rubella (1 MMR) doses. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors affecting complete vaccination coverage of children. Results: Immunization rates of vaccine based on the vaccination card were from 92.7% to 96.4% except 4th DTaP (79.3%). Complete immunization rate of Korea NIP was 74.0% and that of the 4:3:1 series was 77.1%. A parent as primary caregiver (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.39-0.87 at 19-35 months of children's age) and first-born children (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.05-3.03 at 24-35 months of children's age) were significantly related to complete immunization coverage of Korea NIP. And a parent as primary care giver (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38-0.88 at 19-35 months of children's age) and first-born children (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.21-3.14 at 19-35 months, OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.27-3.91 at 24-35 months of children's age) were significantly related to complete immunization rate of 4:3:1 series. Conclusions: Government should take actions to increase complete immunization rate. In particular, intervention on the secondary caregiver and non-first-born children should be needed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.130-141
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to reconsider the necessity of stroke-related educational programs by investigating early symptoms of stroke that emergency medical technicians (EMTs) may experience. Methods: An interview survey was carried out, targeting all EMTs 298 people who were working at 119 fire safety centers and local units in Jeollabuk-do province, from April 1 to 30, 2011. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain data on ETMs' demographic characteristics, educational level on stroke, and awareness level about early symptoms of stroke and treatment-related characteristics of stroke patients. Results: The results showed that 63.2% of those surveyed had completed the required educational programs on stroke during the past year. The level of awareness about early symptoms of stroke and assessment of stroke patients' condition was relatively high for women, those who were 30 years under, low position people, emergency service practitioners, emergency medical technicians, and people who have completed education, respectively. It was also turned out that 82.8% of those surveyed took stroke patients to the nearest hospitals first so that they could receive appropriate treatment. The level of awareness about early symptoms of stroke and assessment of stroke patients' condition in people who have completed education were higher than non-complete. The level of awareness about early symptoms of stroke was positively correlated with confidence, satisfaction and appropriateness in treatment of stroke patients. Conclusions: These results strongly suggest that it is necessary to operate specialized educational programs to enhance EMTs' appropriate awareness of the early symptoms of stroke and assessment of stroke patient's condition.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.212-219
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• 1999

Objective：This study is designed to get clinical guidelines for management of children with TBI by examining neuropsychiatric sequelae of TBI, determining whether the severity of TBI, type of treatment, and enviornmental factors are related to those sequelae, and defining the adequacy of public psychological tests as evaluating tools for them. Method：This is chart review of 47 children, aged 5 to 14 years, referred to a psychiatric outpatient clinic for neuropsychiatric evaluation at least 6 months after TBI. Data on the initial GCS score, associated injury, treatment type, and duration of hospital stay are obtained from medical records. EEG, MRI, intelligent test, and several psychological tests are administrated at the point of assessment. Results：1) Cognitive symptoms outnumber externalizing behavioral, emotional, and somatic symptoms, with no significant differences of frequencies of those 4 categorical symptoms between mild injury group and moderate to severe group. 2) Children treated with non-surgical method(p<0.01) complain more cognitive symptoms than the others. 3) Behavioral symptoms are related to younger age(p<0.05), and to anticonvulsant medication(p<0.05). 4) Children with associated injury complain emotional symptoms more frequently(p<0.05). 5) More somatic symptoms are presented by children with no medication(p<0.05), and with higher I.Q(p<0.05). 6) Low I.Q is correlated to low GCS score (p<0.05). Cognitive impairment is confirmed in 25 in 42 children complaining cognitive symptoms though I.Q test and BGT, whose hospital stay is longer than the others(p<0.05). 7) emotional disturbance is confirmed in 22 in 25 children showing emotional problems through psychological tests, who complain cognitive symptoms more frequently(p<0.05). Conclusion：This findings suggest that even mild TBI children need to be followed-up and treated as complaining neuropsychiatric symptoms over 6 months after injury, and shorter hospital stay is recommended for cognitive and emotional status of children, and for better evaluation of neuropsychiatric sequelae of TBI, more specific tests should be included in neuropsychological test tools.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.63-71
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• 2010

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the clinical and demographic variables such as body weight, dosage, family history of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and psychiatric co-morbidity on the side-effects of OROS-Methylphenidate (OROS-MPH), and to evaluate the relationship between drug response and side effect severity. Methods : A total of 144 children (ages 6-18) with diagnosed ADHD were treated with OROS-MPH. Children were examined at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 weeks of each treatment condition. The stimulant drug side effect rating scale (SERS), pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and electrocardiogram (ECG) were evaluated to assess side effect profiles. Changes in these parameters from baseline were examined and analyzed. Results : Anorexia (30.95%) and insomnia (13.10%) were the most commonly reported side effects during this study. Insomnia and loss of appetite score increased at one week follow-up, but was sustained or decreased as treatment progressed. Small but significant increases in pulse rate and diastolic blood pressure were observed during treatment ; however, no clinically meaningful changes in ECG parameters were noted during the study. Low body weight, high dosage of OROS-MPH, and family history of ADHD were associated with cardiovascular side effect. In contrast, there was no significant relationship between OROS-MPH treatment response and the severity of side effect and no difference resulted between the responder and non-responder groups with respect to OROS-MPH dosage in the 12 weeks of follow-up. Conclusion : To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first Korean study to investigate comprehensive side effect profiles and their correlates in OROS-MPH treatment for ADHD children. OROS-MPH was well tolerated with no clinically significant side effects during the treatment period. In conclusion, low body weight, high dosage of OROSMPH, and family history of ADHD could be used as predictive factors in increasing pulse rate and blood pressure.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate plow pan characteristics and to grasp the relationship between its particle size distribution fractal dimension ($D_m$) and water transport in paddy plow pan. Twenty four soil sampling sites with different management groups, ordinary and sandy-textured, were selected and investigated for physical properties of soils such as Yamanaka hardness in April, non-submerged condition, before rice seedling transplanting. The plow pan appearing depth and thickness was determined by penetration resistance profile. Undisturbed core samples with five replicates were sampled at plow pan layerwith 2 inch cores for measuring soil bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity. The particle size distribution fractal dimension ($D_m$) was calculated by the method following the procedure Tylerand Wheacraft (1992), using the USDA-based particle size analysis datawith fractions of 0-0.002, 0.002-0.053, 0.053-0.1, 0.1-0.25, 0.25-0.5, 0.5-1.0, and 1.0-2.0 mm. The plow pan of investigated fields appeared at a range from 5 to 30 cm depth, showing minimum value in sandy-textured management group and maximum value in ordinary management group. The thickness of plow pan were distributed from 5 to 17 cm, showing both minimum and maximum values in sandy-textured management group. Averagely, the plow appearing depth were deeper in ordinary management group than in sandy-textured management group, whereas the reverse in the thickness of plow pan. The particle size distribution fractal dimension ($D_m$) had higher value with finer textures, with higher fractality in coarser texture. Saturated hydraulic conductivities, $K_s$, of plow pan soils distributed from 0.5 to 1420 mm $day^{-1}$, having the highest value in sandy skeletal soils. The $K_s$ decreased with decreasing clay content and $D_m$, showing power function relationships. The coefficient of determination, $R^2$, of the fitted power functions were higher in $D_m$ as x-axis than in clay content. This means that $D_m$ could give us more effective estimation than clay content. Especially, sandy-textured paddy soils had higher $R^2$, compared to ordinary paddy soils. $K_s$ of relatively coarse-textured soils with less than 18%of clay content, therefore, was more dependent on particle size distribution than that of relatively fine-textured soils. From these results, it could be concluded that the fractal scaling gives us a unique quantity describing particle size distribution and then can be applied to estimate saturated hydraulic conductivity, especially more effective in coarse-textured soils.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.434-451
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• 2017

For this study, groundwater samples for 3 years from 2011 through 2013 were collected at 106 groundwater monitoring site in Korea. These groundwater samples were analyzed for 13 pesticides such as cabofuran, pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, simazine, atrazine, lindane (gamma-HCH), alachlor, heptachlor, chlordane (total), endosulfan (1, 2), dieldrin, endrin, 4,4-DDT. The objectives of this study were to determine the detection frequency and their concentrations of 13 pesticides and evaluate the health risk level considering ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact using concentrations of 13 pesticides in groundwater samples. An analysis was used for the simultaneous determination for 13 pesticides using GC-MS. GC-MS was performed on HP-5ms, using helium ($1ml\;min^{-1}$) as carrier gas. The average recoveries of the pesticides were from 92.8% to 120.8%. The limits of detection (LODs) were between $0.004{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and $0.118{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were between $0.012{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and $0.354{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$. 106 groundwater wells were selected. 54 wells were from well to monitor background groundwater quality and 52 wells were from well to monitor groundwater quality in industrial or contamination source area. Eight pesticides including pentachlorobenzene, lindane (Gamma-HCH), heptachlor, chlordane (total), Endosulfan (1, 2), dieldrin, endrin, and 4,4-DDT were not detected in groundwater samples. The detection frequency for hexachlorobenzene, alachlor, carbofuran and simazine was 23.4%, 11.4%, 7.3%, and 1.0%, respectively. Atrazine was detected once in 2011. The average concentrations were $0.00423{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for carbofuran, $0.000243{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for alachlor, $0.00015{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for simazine, and $0.00001{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for hexachlorobenzene. The detection frequency of hexachlorobenzene was high, but the average concentration was low. In the contaminated groundwater, the detection frequency for hexachlorobenzene, alachlor, carbofuran, simazine and atrazine was 26.1%, 21.3%, 7.1%, 1.9% and 0.3%, respectively. In the uncontaminated groundwater, detection frequency for hexachlorobenzene, carbofuran and alachlor were 20.2%, 7.5%, and 1.9% respectively. Simazine and atrazine were not detected at uncontaminated groundwater wells. According to the purpose of groundwater use, atrazine was detected for agricultural groundwater use. Hexachlorobenzene showed high detection frequency at agricultural groundwater use area where the animal feeding area and golf course area were located. Alachlor showed more than 50% detection frequency at cropping area, pollution concern river area, and golf course area. Atrazine was detected in agricultural water use area. By land use, the maximum detection frequency of alachlor was found near an orchard. For human risk assessment, the cancer risk for the 5 pesticides was between $10^{-7}$ and $10^{-10}$, while the non-cancer risk (HQ value) was between $10^{-4}$ and $10^{-6}$. For conclusion, these monitoring study needs to continue because of the possibility of groundwater contamination based on various purpose of groundwater use.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.22
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• pp.137-165
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• 2007

It seems high time to increase productivity by adopting e-business to overcome challenges posed by both external factors including the appreciation of Korean won, oil hikes and fierce global competition and domestic issues represented by disparities between large corporations and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Seoul metropolitan and local cities, and export and domestic demand all of which weaken future growth engines in the Korean economy. The demands of the globalization era are for innovative changes in businessprocess and industrial structure aiming for creating new values. To this end, e-business is expected to play a core role in the sophistication of the Korean economy through new values and innovation. In order to examine business performance in e-business-adopting industries, this study analyzed the home shopping industry by closely looking into the financial ratios including the ratio of net profit to sales, the ratio of operation income to sales, the ratio of gross cost to sales cost, the ratio of gross cost to selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense, and return of investment (ROI). This study, for best outcome, referred to corporate financial statements as a main resource to calculate financial ratios by utilizing Data Analysis, Retrieval and Transfer System (DART) of the Financial Supervisory Service, one of the Korea's financial supervisory authorities. First of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of net profit to sales is as following. CJ Home Shopping has registered a remarkable increase in its ratio of net profit rate to sales since 2002 while its competitors find it hard to catch up with CJ's stunning performances. This is partly due to the efficient management compared to CJ's value of capital. Such significance, if the current trend continues, will make the front-runner assume the largest market share. On the other hand, GS Home Shopping, despite its best organized system and largest value of capital among others, lacks efficiency in management. Second of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of operation income to sales is as following. Both CJ Home Shopping and GS Home Shopping have, until 2004, recorded similar growth trend. However, while CJ Home Shopping's operating income continued to increase in 2005, GS Home Shopping observed its operating income declining which resulted in the increasing income gap with CJ Home Shopping. While CJ Home Shopping with the largest market share in home shopping industryis engaged in aggressive marketing, GS Home Shopping due to its stability-driven management strategies falls behind CJ again in the ratio of operation income to sales in spite of its favorable management environment including its large capital. Companies in the Group B were established in the same year of 2001. NS Home Shopping was the first in the Group B to shift its loss to profit. Woori Home Shopping has continued to post operating loss for three consecutive years and finally was sold to Lotte Group in 2007, but since then, has registered a continuing increase in net income on sales. Third of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of gross cost to sales cost is as following. Since home shopping falls into sales business, its cost of sales is much lower than that of other types of business such as manufacturing industry. Since 2002 in gross costs including cost of sales, SG&A expense, and non-operating expense, cost of sales turned out to have remarkably decreased. Group B has also posted a notable decline in the same sector since 2002. Fourth of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of gross cost to SG&A expense is as following. Due to its unique characteristics, the home shopping industry usually posts ahigh ratio of SG&A expense. However, more than 80% of SG&A expense means the result of lax management and at the same time, a sharp lower net income on sales than other industries. Last but not least, the result of the trend analysis on ROI is as following. As for CJ Home Shopping, the curve of ROI looks similar to that of its investment on fixed assets. As it turned out, the company's ratio of fixed assets to operating income skyrocketed in 2004 and 2005. As far as GS Home Shopping is concerned, its fixed assets are not as much as that of CJ Home Shopping. Consequently, competition in the home shopping industry, at the moment, is among CJ, GS, Hyundai, NS and Woori Home Shoppings, and all of them need to more thoroughly manage their costs. In order for the late-comers of Group B and other home shopping companies to advance further, the current lax management should be reformed particularly on their SG&A expense sector. Provided that the total sales volume in the Internet shopping sector is projected to grow over 20 trillion won by the year 2010, it is concluded that all the participants in the home shopping industry should put strategies on efficient management on costs and expenses as their top priority rather than increase revenues, if they hope to grow even further after 2007.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.169-184
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• 2016

Deferred tax assets (liability) in a company's financial statements are to reflect the temporary difference between taxable income and accounting income and therefore can provide useful information as a proxy for discretionary accruals. In addition, deferred tax assets allow a company to manage its earnings by reviewing the feasibility of the assets' recognition. As such, this study focused on deferred tax assets to examine their relationship with discretionary accruals, which were measured by a modified Jones model (Dechow et al. 1995), and investigated the impact of audit quality on this relationship. In order to control for the effects of tax rate change and measurement credibility, deferred tax assets of 2,670 non-financial firms from 2009 to 2010 were collected as samples for the study. The results of the empirical analysis are as follows. First, the samples as a whole indicated that deferred tax assets have a negative relationship with discretionary accruals in a general sense, but a high-quality audit did not reveal a significant relationship between them. Second, the 1,379 samples with negative discretionary accruals did not reveal a significant relationship between deferred tax assets and discretionary accruals; however, the result showed a significant negative relationship under a high-quality audit. These findings suggest that in the case of negative discretionary accruals, a high-quality audit restricts an earnings management technique that utilizes deferred tax assets and that the assets can be a useful tool for detecting discretionary accruals. The present study is meaningful in that, unlike previous research, it combined the two contrasting roles of deferred tax assets-that of an earnings management detector and an earnings management tool-to examine their general relationship. The study also suggested that audit quality could influence the usefulness of deferred tax assets in providing information on discretionary accruals.