• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5759-5762
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• 2012

The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a health check-up program among Thai people at the National Cancer Institute in the years 2008-2009. The program included history taking, physical examination, chest X-ray, EKG, and laboratory tests. A total of 28,240 women and 9,665 men were included in the study, with mean ages of 44.5 and 46.9 years, respectively. The study showed that obesity, as assessed by a BMI over 25.0 kg/m2, in men and women was present in 41.4% and 30%, respectively. Biochemical study revealed that anemia was prevalent in 21.6% of men and 20.1% of women. High plasma glucose level (>115 mg/dL), cholesterol level (>200 mg/dL), triglyceride level (>190 mg/dL) in men was 13.8%, 63.8%, 22.6% and 7.7%, 61.1%, 8.9% in women. Hepatitis B virus infection was found 7.5% in men and 4.1% in women. In this study, 177 new cancer cases were detected, of which 35 were breast, 19 were cervical and 26 were colorectal, most of these cancers being detected at early stage. In addition, precancerous states was also found including 718 cases of benign and 99 cases of adenoma in situ. In conclusion, an annual check up may detect abnormalities that have no obvious clinical symptoms of disease. Early detection of asymptomatic neoplasms and precursor lesions should contribute to a prompt provision of treatment and further decline of death from cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3455-3459
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• 2013

Background: Smoking and smokeless tobacco use are almost always initiated and established during adolescence. More than 80% of adult smokers begin smoking before 18 years of age. The main objective of the present study is to assess the feasibility of preventing adolescent tobacco use with the help of a specially designed tobacco control program. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey on tobacco use and related health effects was conducted using a structured questionnaire in 13 randomly selected schools in Kannur district of Kerala. These students were followed for a period of one academic year with multiple spaced interventions such as anti-tobacco awareness classes, formation of anti-tobacco task forces, inter-school competitions, supplying IEC (information, education and communication) materials and providing a handbook on tobacco control for school personnel. Final evaluation was at the end of one year. Results: There were 4,144 school children who participated in the first phase of the study. The prevalence of tobacco smoking and chewing habits were 9.85% and 2.24% respectively. Ninety-one percent had parental advice against tobacco use and only 3.79% expressed desire for future tobacco use. The final evaluation witnessed a sharp decline in the current tobacco use as 4.68%. We observed a statistically significant difference towards the future use of tobacco (p<0.001) and awareness about the ill effects of passive smoking (p<0.001) among boys and girls. Further a significantly increased knowledge was observed among boys compared to girls about tobacco and oral cancer (p=0.046). Conclusions: The comprehensive school based tobacco control project significantly reduced the tobacco use pattern in the target population. School tobacco projects incorporating frequent follow ups and multiple interventions appear more effective than projects with single intervention.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1919-1924
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• 2015

Polymorphisms in the region of the interleukin IL-28 gene on chromosome 19 have been related with clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV), a major human pathogen responsible for chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. About 3% of the world's population is infected with HCV. The long-term response to therapy is influenced by many host and viral factors, and recent evidence has indicated that some host genetic polymorphisms related to IL-28 are the most powerful predictors of virological response in patients with HCV. This study assessed frequency of the IL-28 polymorphism (rs8099917) in 50 patients (39 men and 11 women) with chronic hepatitis C using ZNA probe real time PCR new method. All patients were tested for genotype of HCV and the HCV viral load. In parallel, the levels of SGOT, SGPT and ALK enzymes were assessed. Treatment using Peg-interferon alpha with ribavirin was conducted for patients and subsequently samples were collected to detect any change in viral load or liver enzyme rates. The overall frequency of the TT allele is 74%, TG allele 20% and GG allele 6% and the percent of patients who had T allele was 84%. Clear reduction in viral load and liver enzymes was reported in patients with the T allele. Especially for genotype 1 which is relatively resistant to treatment, these alleles may have a role in this decline. In conclusion, we showed that IL-28 polymorphism rs8099917 strongly predicts virological response in HCV infection and that real-time PCR with Zip nucleic acid probes is a sensitive, specific and rapid detection method for detection of SNPs which will be essential for monitoring patients undergoing antiviral therapy.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.66-78
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• 2017

"Sarcopenia", sarcopenia is an old age syndrome, and used to describe the reduction of skeletal muscle. Initially, it was thought that sarcopenia was only a senile disease characterized by degeneration of muscle tissue. However, its cause is widely regarded as multifactorial, with neurological decline, hormonal changes, inflammatory pathway activation, declines in activity, chronic illness, fatty infiltration, and poor nutrition, all shown to be contributing factors. Skeletal muscle mass can be measured by a variety of methods, currently, the commonly used methods are dual-energy X-ray scanning (DXA), computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc. Muscular skeletal disorders can also be assessed by measuring appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM), particularly muscle tissue content. At the same time, sarcopenia refers to skeletal muscle cell denervation, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, hormone synthesis and secretion changes and a series of consequences caused by the above process and is a progressive loss of skeletal muscle syndrome, which can lead to the decrease of muscle strength, physical and functional disorders, and increase the risk of death. Sarcopenia is mainly associated with the aging process, but also related to other causes such as severe malnutrition, neurodegenerative diseases, and disuse and endocrine diseases associated with muscular dystrophy, and it is the comprehensive results of multi-factors, so it is difficult to define that sarcopenia is caused by a specific disease. With the aging problem of the population, the incidence of this disease is increasingly common, and seriously affects the quality of the life of the elderly. This paper reviews the etiology and pathogenesis of myopathy, screening methods and diagnosis, the influence of eating habits, etc, and hopes to provide reference for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. At present, adequate nutrition and targeted exercise remain the gold standard for the therapy of sarcopenia.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to predict industrial accident rate using time series analysis. Methods: The rates of industrial accident and occupational injury death were analyzed using industrial accident statistics analysis system of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency from 2001 to 2014. Time series analysis was done using the most recent data, such as raw materials of Economically Active Population Survey, Economic Statistics System of the Bank of Korea, and e-National indicators. The best-fit model with time series analysis to predict occupational injury was developed by identifying predictors when the value of Akaike Information Criteria was the lowest point. Variables into the model were selected through a series of expertises' consultations and literature review, which consisted of socioeconomic structure, labor force structure, working conditions, and occupational accidents. Results: Indexes at the meso- and macro-levels predicting well occurrence of occupational accidents and occupational injury death were labor force participation rate for ages 45-49 and budget for small scaled workplace support. The rates of industrial accident and occupational injury death are expected to decline. Conclusion: For reducing industrial accident continuously, we call for safe employment policy of economically active middle aged adults and support for improving safety work environment of small sized workplace.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.51-65
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• 1989

Some aspects of limno-biology of the five dammed lakes such as Tamyang, Changsong, Kwangju, Naju, and Youngsan Lake along the Yongsan River were investigated from June 1986 to July 1988 for the comparison on the lentic ecosystems in relation to the fish fauna. Sixty four fish species representing 48 genera and 21 families of fishes were collected in these dammed areas, which included 29 species of the family Cyprinidea and 40 speaies of the primary fresh-water fishes. Among, these, 12 species such as Rhodeus Acheilognothus yamatsutae, A canathorhodeus gracilis, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinis morii, S. variegatus wakiyae, Gnathopogon strigatus, Squalidus gracilis majimae, Microphysogobio yaluensis, Cobitis longicorpus sp, Liobagrus mediadiposalis and Odontobutis platycephala are enddmic to Korea. Leiocassis nitidus and Gasterosteus aculeatus which occur in these water areas take note of the zooge rographic study of Korea. The fish species in each of the dammed lakes is in proportion of the scale of the lakes such as 32 species in Thamyang, 40 species in Changsong, 24 species in Kwangju, 35 species in Jaju, and 52 species in Yongsan Lake. The dominant fish species of the 4 upper dammed lakes of Thamyang, Changsong, Kwangju and Naju Lake are Zacco platypus and Rhodeus uyekii, while those of Youngsan Lake are Hemiculter eigenmanni and Carassius auratus. This difference of fish species of those areas suggests that the upper damed lake differ from the lower dammed lakes in the habitable condition of fishes. The migratory fish species have significantly declined and will continue to decline in both population size and number of species in the dammed lakes in near future as a result of the dam construction barriers in the river estuary. The major migratory fishes of this water area are as follows; Anguilla japonica, Plecoglossus altivelis, Hypomesus olidus, Gasterosteus aculeatus, Konosirus Punctatus, Coilia ectens, Hemirhampus sajori, Mugil cephalus. Acanthogobius flavimanus, and Takifugu ocellatus.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.124-138
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• 1992

This study was carried out to estimate long-term demand functions, and to project consumption of roundwood to the year 2030, using time series data for the period 1970-1990. Especially, the unique features of this study are in the estimation of demand functions for roundwood by species group and by end-use with help of dummy variables. It also, attempts to show how dummy variables can be utilized for improving the estimation result. The result of this study reveals that hardwood roundwood consumption is being substituted by softwood roundwood due to the rapid increase in the relative price of softwood, and this trend is expected to continue in the near future. The consumption of roundwood by mining industry is projected to fall as the coal :mining is expected to decline. The parametric estimates of timber demand function by species group and by end-use indicate that the demand for timber in Korea is more responsive to the performance of domestic economy as a whole, represented by GDP in this study, than to other variables such as own and substitute prices. The effects of population growth and substitute prices could not be determined.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.656-670
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• 2006

In Gcochang-Gun, the population decrease, due to a rural exodus phenomenon, has led to the absolute decline in the numbers of both primary and secondary schools and students. However, the high schools in Geochang-Gun show an unusual characteristic that the students from other areas outside Geochang-Gun cover about 25% of the total students studying in Geochang-Gun. This is quite contrary to the contention that one of the major factors hindering the development of rural areas is generally the inferior condition of education. In this context, this paper aims to explore the spatio-temporal changes in the sphere of influence of the secondary education with special reference to Geochang-Gun, Gyeongnam. Most importantly Geochang High School and Geochang Daesung High School account for over 98% of the students coming from other areas outside Geochang-Gun's cross-border counties. This means that the sphere of influence of the Geochang's secondary education is dependent largely upon the two private academic high schools.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.18-28
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• 2018

As the Korean navy's capabilities increase, it becomes increasingly necessary to develop sufficient navigational capabilities and train proficient seafarers. However, in terms of securing personnel resources, seafarers will need to be utilized more effectively due to the population decline of recent years. This paper reviews the use of civilian maritime personnel to research potential resources and uses the U.S. military sealift command as a benchmark. As a result, it has been found that it is possible to increase naval combat capability through the establishment of like a military sealift command organization to operate defense civilian support vessels. In addition, it is possible to train civilian seafarers by utilizing the current national education system through existing maritime universities. Furthermore, taking these actions will allow the ROK navy to operate its onboard ship reserve service and designated international ship system more efficiently.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.11-16
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• 2009

To act and respond to the climate changes and to bring about power-saving in buildings, the changes in the atmospheric data in Korea are recorded and assessed. For the two regions representative of Korea, the data obtained from HadCM3 and actual data are compared and analyzed so as to concretely evaluate and confirm the changes taking place in the cooling and heating degree days in Korea. For the past 40 years, from 1996 to 2005, the number of heating degree days was on the decline and in the two representative regions, between 1980's and 1990's, the number of decrease in the heating degree days had been quite large. The number of cooling degree days showed a trend of increase since the 1970's and just as in the case of heating degree days, the extent of increase was quite large between the 1980's and the 1990's. The results of comparison of the number of heating and cooling degree days, one obtained from the "Korea Meteorological Administration" and another from the HadCM3 data (E127.5,N37.5,E127.5,N35), which is one of the ways of predicting the climate, showed similar trends in the number of heating degree days in the Yeosu area. However, in the case of the number of heating degree days in Seoul and the number of cooling degree days both in Seoul and Yeosu, the differences in the number ranged from a minimum of 300 days to a maximum of 1500 days. This could be attributed to the grid points used in the HadCM3, the differences in the values of latitudes and longitudes of these two locations considered in this study, topographical differences, heat island effect caused by population density etc. and while using the HadCM3, these variables factors must be taken into consideration.