• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2014

Orb-web spiders can be considered as an effective bio-indicative animal to monitor the ecological air pollution of certain habitat since they have limited shifting ability during their life spans. In this study we revealed the fine structural characteristics of booklung in the orb-web spider Nephila clavata, and its bio-indicative significance in the monitoring environmental asbestos exposure. The high resolution scanning electron microscopy results suggest that the cuticular spikes near the atrium could be act as an effective filtering structure for dust materials. Furthermore, inner cuticular spikes which protruded across the air sacs, have the functions not only sustaining appropriate respiratory volume of each air sac but also help to enhance respiratory capacity by maximizing the gross surface area for gas exchange. Interestingly, in spite of short exposure, the asbestose fibrils were effectively captured on the surface of the atrial cuticular spikes. Furthermore, histologic damages were observed due to penetration of asbestos fibrils through air sacs and fixed on the hemolymph space. In addition, although accumulated mass of hemocytes were observed near the fibrils, there were no asbestos bodies or coagulated hemocytes were found on the surface of the fibrils, This could be mainly due to the short exposure period towards asbestos. Briefly, these results indicate the spider's booklung could be valuable tool in the detection ecological air pollutants.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2005

Economic animal husbandry workers exposed to organic dust can be suffered from immunologic disorders. Our study was to determine immunological parameters related with occurrence of respiratory allergic diseases to animal husbandry workers in Korea for the first time. Peripheral blood were obtained from twenty-five pig barn workers, forty-nine chicken farming workers and fifty-one non-agricultural control workers. Significantly upregulated plasma IgE level was observed with pig-barn workers than that of chicken farming workers or healthy community control subjects. Furthermore, level of histamine, a hallmark of allergy induction, was upregulated in the pig and chicken farming workers in comparison with that of the control subjects. Downregulation of $IFN_\gamma$ and $TNF_{\alpha}$ production from T cells was apparent in the animal husbandry workers compared with the control subjects. Meanwhile, T cells collected from the pig barn workers demonstrated significantly higher production of IL-4 and IL-10 than the other groups. There were also alterations in IgG subclass distribution. In conclusion, immunological modulation probably leading to occupational allergic diseases can be occurred in the economic animal husbandry workers and the pig barn workers could be the most risky group to the work-related allergic disease.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.711-722
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyzed child care teachers' health state and a relationship between health promoting lifestyle and job stress of child care teachers. The subjects were 101 child care teachers in Busan. They responded to 'health state open ended question', 'health promoting lifestyle scale', and 'job stress scale'. For the analysis of the data, M(SD), frequencies, t-test, Pearson's correlation were run by using SPSS WIN computer program. The major findings of this study were as follows; First, the most uncomfortable symptoms of child care teacher's physical health state was respiratory organs and the main cause was classroom ventilation and dust. The most uncomfortable symptoms of child care teacher's mental health state was tension and the main cause was children's safety. Second, the mean scores of the variables were as follows : the mean score of health promoting lifestyle was 2.54. The highest sub factor of health promoting lifestyle was 'positive self recognition' and the lowest one was 'exercising'. The mean score of job stress was 2.80 and the highest sub factor was 'administration services'. They desire for a healthy life, but in reality, they are unsatisfied with their current health state and they are not able to practice certain actions actively to promote their health. Third, health promoting lifestyle was negatively correlated with job stress. The result of this study can be used as the basic data for reducing day care teacher's job stress, development of a program to promote day care teacher's health and improving day care teachers working environment.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.411-429
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• 2015

The Korea Ministry of Environment has established an air quality standard for $PM_{2.5}$ in 2012 and it is effective from January 2015. In this study, we review various aspects of $PM_{2.5}$ in China, including its measurement, modeling, source apportionment, and health effect, and suggest future research directions for $PM_{2.5}$ studies in Korea. Measurements studies for $PM_{2.5}$ have examined organic marker compounds and $^{14}C$ as well as inorganic aerosols for distinguishing sources. Modeling results supported that the control of $PM_{2.5}$ pollution in big city needs effective cooperation between city and its surrounding regions. The major $PM_{2.5}$ sources in China have been identified to be secondary sulfur, motor vehicle emissions, coal combustion, dust, biomass burning, and industrial sources, however, they have seasonal dependency. Especially, the severe haze pollution event during January 2013 over eastern and northern China was driven to a large extent by secondary aerosol formation. Short-term exposure to $PM_{2.5}$ is strongly associated with the increased risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as total non-accidental mortality. Considered previous $PM_{2.5}$ studies in China, analysis of specific organic species using online measurement, chamber experiment for secondary aerosol formation mechanism, and development of parameterizing this process in the model are needed to elucidate factors governing the abundance and composition of $PM_{2.5}$ in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2001

This study was performed to evaluate a local exhaust ventilation system capability and welding fume concentration in welding laboratory at 5 technical high schools. Results of the study are as follows; 1. The personal exposure of welding fume in welding laboratory was measured. The geometric mean of 73 personal samples was $6.27mg/m^3$($3.85{\sim}9.88mg/m^3$), and 68.5% of these exceeded TLV of the Korea Ministry of Labor. 2. The geometric mean of welding fume at outside of booth was $2.27mg/m^3$($1.57{\sim}2.58mg/m^3$). All of measured concentrations were lower than TLV of the Korea Ministry of Labor. 3. Local exhaust ventilation system in welding laboratory could not remove hazardous substance effectively because of inappropriate canopy hood and absurd design. 4. The possibility of exposure risk was estimated to be high because of working point under breathing zone, misplacement of working table and insufficient supply of respiratory protector. 5. The mean values of capture velocity and transportation velocity of local exhaust ventilation system in welding laboratory were 0.38m/sec, 4.27m/sec respectively. These values were satisfied the guideline of the Korea Ministry of Labor. 6. The efficiency of performance of local ventilation system was anticipated to be decreased because of accumulated dust and alien substance on fan and duct.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.265-275
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution patterns and exposure concentrations of biological hazards in waste handling industries. Methods: We selected 3 recyclable waste sorting plants(RWS), 2 food recycling plants(FR), 1 landfill area(LA) and 1 waste incineration plant(WI). Total airborne bacteria and fungi were measured with single stage impactor and gelatin filters. Endotoxin and glucan were measured with polycarbonate filters in total and respirable dust. Results: The geometric mean of airborne bacterial concentration was the highest in FR($3,273CFU/m^3$), followed by LA, RWS, and WI as 1,334, 934, and $860CFU/m^3$. The fungal concentrations were 6,031, 5,052, 3,307, and $713CFU/m^3$ in RWS, WI, FR, and LA, respectively. By process, WI pit showed the highest concentrations of bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin, followed by inside of bulldozer in LA. The indoor to outdoor ratios of bacteria, fungi, endotoxin and glucan were 2.3, 4.0, 2.3, and 5.0 in RWS, 29.5, 4.9, 7.6, and 5.0 in FR, 5.3, 8.7, 26.8, and 9.5 in WI, respectively. Conclusions: We found that biological hazards, specifically bacteria in FR, fungi in RWS and endotoxin in WI pit and bulldozer at LA, should be controlled to prevent worker's respiratory diseases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between filter replacement and filter performance change in particulate filters used in the workplace. Methods: Three types of particulate respirator filters are mainly used in the workplaces. These were tested against the filter performance safety certification standard for dust masks established by the Ministry of Employment and Labor(MoEL). Used filters were collected to test their performance, such as filter pressure drop, efficiency, and quality factors. All these factors were evaluated by a filter tester. To compare filter performance between used and new ones, the same kinds of new filters were also tested together under the same procedures. Results: A total of 270 used filters were collected for testing. The main reasons to replace the filters were difficulty in breathing(46.2%), dirty/odor influx(19.7%), and a combination of factors(26.7%). The pressure drop for two special class groups was significantly different(new filters: $20.72{\pm}3.33mmH_2O$; used filters: $24.70{\pm}5.26mmH_2O$, p<0.0001). In the case of penetration, new filter groups indicated $0.0032{\pm}0.0040%$, while that of the used filters was $0.0596{\pm}0.1187%$. The quality factor for the used filters($0.34{\pm}0.09$) significantly decreased compared to the new filters($0.53{\pm}0.08$) (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Filter performance including pressure drop, penetration, and the quality factor was evaluated and compared between new and used filters in the workplace. The results showed that general filter performance deteriorated more for change of pressure drop, penetration and the quality factor.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.623-628
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• 2008

This study was undertaken to determine the concentrations of airborne bacteria, fungi, particles, and endotoxin in swine and chicken houses. Six swine buildings and seven chicken houses were randomly selected in southern Gyonggi Province, South Korea. The geometric mean concentrations of airborne bacteria in swine and chicken houses were $2.7{\times}10^5\;CFU/m^3$ and $5.6{\times}10^7\;CFU/m^3$, respectively. The airborne bacteria concentrations in chicken houses were significantly higher than those of swine houses (p<0.05). The geometric mean concentration of airborne fungi in swine houses was $4.9{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$, which was higher than the value of $2.1{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ found in chicken houses. The mean concentrations of airborne particles and endotoxin in swine houses were $3.48\;mg/m^3$ and $943.1\;EU/m^3$, and they were $15.43\;mg/m^3$ and $1,430.5\;EU/m^3$ in chicken houses, respectively. A significant difference between swine and chicken houses was found for total dust (p<0.05), but not for endotoxin. In this study, the concentrations of endotoxin in both swine and chicken houses as well as particles in chicken houses were high, and in about 50% of the samples exceeded the worker health safety levels of $614\;EU/m^3$ suggested in previous studies. These results may indicate a considerable respiratory hazard for workers in these environments.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.591-602
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• 2017

The concentration of fine dust has increased in Korea and people have become more concerned with respiratory diseases. This study selected risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through demographic and clinical features and constructed a nomogram. First, logistic regression analysis was performed using demographic and clinical feature and the pulmonary function test results of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) $6^{th}$ (2013-2015) and the nomogram was constructed to visualize the risk factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in order to facilitate the interpretation of the analysis results. The ROC curve and calibration plot were also used to verify the nomogram of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2015

Concerning the national health, it is important to develop an accurate prediction method of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) because being exposed to such fine dust can trigger not only respiratory diseases as well as dermatoses, ophthalmopathies and cardiovascular diseases. The National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) employs a decision tree to predict bad weather days with a high PM concentration. However, the decision tree method (even with the inherent unstableness) cannot be a suitable model to predict bad weather days which represent only 4% of the entire data. In this paper, while presenting the inaccuracy and inappropriateness of the method used by the NIER, we present the utility of a new prediction model which adopts boosting with quantile loss functions. We evaluate the performance of the new method over various ${\tau}$-value's and justify the proposed method through comparison.