• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.416-420
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• 2018

Background: Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) has been widely used as a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in occupationally exposed workers. The objective of this study is to investigate the concentration of urinary 1-OHP among charcoal workers as subjects and non-charcoal workers as controls. Methods: Early morning urine samples were collected from 68 persons (25 charcoal workers in Igbo-Ora, 20 charcoal workers in Alabata, and 23 non-charcoal workers) who volunteered to participate in this study. 1-OHP determination in urine samples was carried out using high performance liquid chromatography after hydrolysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis at p < 0.05. Results: The mean urinary 1-OHP concentration (${\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine) among charcoal workers at Igbo-Ora and Alabata and non-charcoal workers were $2.22{\pm}1.27$, $1.32{\pm}0.65$, and $0.32{\pm}0.26$ (p < 0.01). There existed a relationship between respondent type and 1-OHP concentration. Charcoal workers were 3.14 times more at risk of having 1-OHP concentrations that exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists guideline of $0.49{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine than non-charcoal workers (relative risk = 3.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.7-5.8, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Charcoal workers are exposed to PAHs during charcoal production and are at risk of experiencing deleterious effects of PAH exposure. Routine air quality assessment should be carried out in communities where charcoal production takes place. Assessment of urinary 1-OHP concentration and use of personal protective equipment should also be encouraged among charcoal workers.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.201-210
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• 2021

Purpose : There is a lack of research on this field in the Republic of Korea, especially those that have seen the effect of interaction between transcranial direct current stimulation and computerized cognitive rehabilitation therapy. This study divided 30 dementia patients into a treatment group, which received transcranial direct current stimulation and computerized cognitive rehabilitation, and a control group, which received pseudo-transcranial direct current stimulation and pseudo-computerized cognitive rehabilitation. This study evaluated the effects of these treatments on the visual perception, cognition functions, and daily activities of dementia patients. Methods : Fifteen subjects were allocated to the treatment group and the other 15 subjects were allocated to the control group. Treatments were given at intervals of five sessions per week (30 minutes per session) for six weeks (30 times in total). This study used the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (NCSE) to examine cognitive functions, MVPT to evaluate visual perception, and FIM to test daily living activities before and after applying the treatments. Results : The results of this study showed that cognitive functions, visual perception, and daily living activities significantly (p<.05) improved after the intervention in the treatment group and the control group. The changes in cognitive functions, visual perception, and daily living activities due to the treatments were significantly different between the groups (p<.05). Conclusion : The results indicated that transcranial direct current stimulation and computerized cognitive rehabilitation therapy improved visual perception and daily living activities by increasing cognitive functions. Consequently, it was found that the simultaneous application of transcranial direct current stimulation in conjunction with a computerized cognitive rehabilitation program was an intervention method that could positively affect the visual perception, cognitive function, and daily living activities of dementia patients. Based on the results of this study, the study of arbitration protocols for demential will have to be more active.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.213-221
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• 2020

Purpose : This study aimed to evaluate the changes in visual perception and daily life activities after simultaneously applying the visual perception training program and transcranial DC stimulation. Particularly, this study tried to understand what changes in abilities among daily life activities influenced cognition. Methods : This study selected 50 dementia patients to achieve the objective. This study applied transcranial DC stimulation and a visual perception training program to a treatment group (n=25) and a visual perception training program to a control group (n=25). The intervention was applied five times per week and 30 minutes per session (total of 30 intervention sessions). This study measured visual perception functions and daily life activities using MVPT and FIM before and after applying the intervention. Results : The visual perception, mobility of daily life activities, cognition, and total score of the treatment group (n=25), which received the visual perception training program and transcranial DC at the same time, were significantly (p<.05) different between before and after the intervention. Moreover, when the visual perception and daily life activities of the treatment group and those of the control group after implementing the intervention were compared, they were significantly (p<.05) different between the two groups. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that the simultaneous application of the visual perception training program and transcranial DC stimulation was an effective means to enhance the visual perception and daily life activities of dementia patients. The results implied that transcranial DC stimulation, as well as the application of visual perception training program, as well as a visual perception training program, was effective for improving the visual perception functions and daily life activities dementia patients and simultaneous application of the two interventions would increase the effect even further.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.107-115
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aims to systematically review the dual-task evaluation applied to the screening of mild cognitive impairment. It also aims to present various evaluation items and results analysis methods for dual tasks applied to patients with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of published studies in PubMed databases and KISS from January 2000 to August 2020 using the main keywords such as "Dual task," "Mild Cognitive impairment," "Elderly," and "Screening." We selected a total of 10 studies for the analysis from 1314 searched articles. Results: We analyzed the qualitative level of 10 studies that were nonrandomized two-group studies with evidence level II (100.0%). These results suggest that the evidence level of the studies was high. We analyzed 10 studies and identified 12 motor tasks and 19 cognitive tasks. Walking was the most commonly used evaluation motor task and counting backward by ones and naming animals were the most commonly used evaluation cognitive tasks. Moreover, the velocity speed was the most used result analysis method. The results indicate that there were significant differences in dual-task performance between patients with normal and mild cognitive impairment. Conclusion: The results of this study can be used as a basis for the selection of dual-task evaluation items and methods of analyzing the results for screening mild cognitive impairment. Furthermore, they are expected to be used for research on the development of dual-task evaluation tools. It is necessary to compare and analyze the usage trends of dual-task evaluation by cultural differences in future studies.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2004

A melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resin, based on 5 percent melamine addition of the resin solids weight, was synthesized in the laboratory for particleboard (PB) manufacture. Laboratory PBs were made with the MUF resin at three press times (3, 4, 5 min) and two resin application rates (6, 8 percent). Enclosed caul system was used for collecting the exhaust gases materials generated during the hot-pressing of PBs. Exhaust gases materials generated inside the enclosed caul during the hot-pressing of PBs were collected in a controlled air stream. Formaldehyde from the exhaust gases collected was determined per a chromotropic method of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Method 3500. The measurement results showed that formaldehyde emissions during the hot-pressing of PB significantly increased with increasing press time, and MUF resin application rates. PB' performance test results showed that internal bond (IB) of PB made with 3-minute press time exceeded the minimum requirement for KS F 3104 PB type 8.0.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2022

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the effects of health science majors' communication skills on their adjustment to college life. Methods : The subjects were 336 college students majoring in health science at colleges located in Busan. The survey's questionnaire comprised 38 items, including 15 items for communication skills and 19 items for adjustment to college life. Results : In the gender-based comparison of communication skills and adjustment to college life, female students had better communication skills, with overall higher scores than male students for the understanding others and communication. In the age-based comparison of communication skills and adjustment to college life, students aged 21 to 22 showed the best communication skills, while students aged 18 to 20 exhibited the least communication skills. In terms of adjustment to college life, those aged 25 or older scored the highest, and those aged 21 to 22 scored the lowest. In the school-year-based comparison of communication skills and adjustment to college life, third- and first-year students showed the best and least communication skills, respectively. Overall, third- and fourth-year students were more adjusted at adjusting to college life than first- and second-year students. Third-year students also scored the highest in academic adjustment, whereas second-year students scored the lowest. In terms of relationships between the students' communication skills and their adjustment to college life, communication skills were positively correlated with the following subdomains: understanding of others, self-expression, and communication. Communication skills also showed a positive correlation with adjustment to the college environment, including personal-emotional adjustment. Conclusions : The present study found that communication skills did not significantly affect health science majors' adjustment to college life. However, given that communication skills are an essential factor for effective work performance and greater job satisfaction, it is recommended that colleges provide students with relevant education and experiences to help them enhance communication skills while in school.

• Korean journal of aerospace and environmental medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2019

The health of licence holders (flight crew members and air traffic controllers) is recognized as an important element of aviation safety. The medical emergency symptoms that occur during the flight duty period without prior notice can interfere with human performance capabilities and threaten aviation safety. To prevent this, ICAO has been required to conduct a periodic medical assessment process of licence holders including routine analysis of in-flight incapacitation events and medical findings during medical to identify areas of increased medical risk and continuous reevaluation of the medical assessment process to concentrate on identified areas of increased medical risk. The supply and demand of licence holders have become a major issue due to the increase in air traffic around the world, and the pilot retirement age has been extended to 65 years. But, there is no significant change in the aviation medical assessments process. The follow up of the result of medical examination discovered through aviation medical examination is a very important part, but it has not been properly implemented, and the sick leaves and medical inflight incapacitation reporting system should be improved. The management of health risk factors for licence holders must be implemented to prevent aircraft accidents or aviation safety problems caused by health problems. In this paper, we propose the development plan and concrete improvement plan of the health risk management system of licence holders in Korea in terms of aviation safety.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.109-118
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to identify trends in the application of artificial intelligence by analyzing upper extremity movement assessment and artificial intelligence convergence research using a systematic literature review method. The research was conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Among the 380 articles searched in three databases, 8 articles were finally selected according to the selection and exclusion criteria. For the evaluation of upper extremity movement, motion performance evaluation, FMA, and ARAT were used. For quantification, data were extracted using various tools, and upper extremity movement classification, recovery prognosis prediction, and evaluation tool score were predicted using artificial intelligence. This study is meaningful in that it systematically reviewed studies that objectively evaluated upper extremity movement using artificial intelligence and identified the direction in which artificial intelligence is being applied. Based on this, the introduction of artificial intelligence technology in the assessment of upper extremity movements is expected to help objectively identify the intervention effect and the patient's recovery.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 2023

Background: Presenteeism is closely related to work performance, work quality and quantity, and productivity at work. According to the job demand-control-support model, job demand, job control, and support play important roles in presenteeism. The present study investigated job characteristics profiles based on the job demand-control-support model and identify the association between job characteristics profiles and presenteeism. Methods: This secondary data analysis used the Sixth Korean Working Condition Survey, a nationwide cross-sectional dataset. The study included 25,361 Korean wage workers employed in the workplace with two or more workers. Participants were classified into four job characteristics profiles based on the job demand-control-support model, using latent profile analysis, and logistic regression was performed to examine the association between study variables. Results: Overall, 11.0 % of study participants reported experience of presenteeism in the past 12 months. Age, sex, location, monthly income, shift work, work hours, health problems, and sleep disturbances were significantly associated with presenteeism. The rate of presenteeism was the highest in the passive isolate group. The passive collective, active collective, and low-stain collective groups had a 23.0%, 21.0%, and 29.0% lower likelihood of experiencing presenteeism, respectively, than the passive isolate group. Conclusions: The job demand-control-support profiles and the risk of presenteeism were significantly associated. The most significant group that lowered the experience of presenteeism was the low-strain collective group, which had a low level of demand and high levels of control and support. Therefore, we need a policy to reduce job demand and increase job control and support at the organizational and national levels.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2020.12a
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• pp.87-95
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• 2020

Generally, occupational safety and particularly construction safety is an intricate phenomenon. Industry professionals have devoted vital attention to enforcing Occupational Safety and Health (OHS) from the last three decades to enhance safety management in construction. Despite the efforts of the safety professionals and government agencies, current safety management still relies on manual inspections which are infrequent, time-consuming and prone to error. Extensive research has been carried out to deal with high fatality rates confronting by the construction industry. Sensor systems, visualization-based technologies, and tracking techniques have been deployed by researchers in the last decade. Recently in the construction industry, computer vision has attracted significant attention worldwide. However, the literature revealed the narrow scope of the computer vision technology for safety management, hence, broad scope research for safety monitoring is desired to attain a complete automatic job site monitoring. With this regard, the development of a broader scope computer vision-based risk recognition system for correlation detection between the construction entities is inevitable. For this purpose, a detailed analysis has been conducted and related rules which depict the correlations (positive and negative) between the construction entities were extracted. Deep learning supported Mask R-CNN algorithm is applied to train the model. As proof of concept, a prototype is developed based on real scenarios. The proposed approach is expected to enhance the effectiveness of safety inspection and reduce the encountered burden on safety managers. It is anticipated that this approach may enable a reduction in injuries and fatalities by implementing the exact relevant safety rules and will contribute to enhance the overall safety management and monitoring performance.