• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.57-63
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• 2017

A new body adiposity index (BAI) has been proposed that is expected to replace body mass index (BMI). We evaluated the correlations between metabolic syndrome risk factors and BAI, BMI, and other adiposity indices, such as waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), by sex in the Korean population. We also evaluated whether BAI would be useful to diagnose metabolic syndrome. A total of 20,961 Korean adults who underwent health examinations were included in this study. The metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria used in this study were those set by the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI). In men (12,719), BMI and WHtR were more strongly correlated to metabolic syndrome risk than BAI, and in women (8,242), WHtR showed the strongest association with metabolic syndrome risk. BAI (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.678) presented lower discriminatory capacity than that of BMI (AUC = 0.836) for diagnosing metabolic syndrome. Moreover, BAI underestimated fat levels in men and women when considering the ability to discriminate overweight and obese individuals. In conclusion, WHtR and BMI in men, and WHtR in women may be better candidates than BAI to evaluate metabolic risk factors in Korean adults.

• Journal of the Korean Data Analysis Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.2759-2769
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• 2018

The behavioral finance view on the existence of asset pricing anomalies is based on two factors: investors' sentiment and limits to arbitrage. This paper tries to examine the effect of investors' sentiment on the stock price in the Korean stock market. In order to measure investors' sentiment, we constructed the sentiment index using principal component of five sentiment variables. By using sentiment index as an additional independent variable to three risk factors, impacts of the sentiment index on individual stocks and 25 portfolios sorted by BM-size are examined. Main results found are as follows: 1) not only all three risk factors show positive impacts on the return of individual stock, but also the sentiment index has a positive impact. SI alone explains 15% of individual return variation. 2) among four independent variables, the most important factor turned out to be the market risk factor and investors' sentiment has better explanatory power on stock price than the size effect. 3) after controlling the market risk factor, the coefficient of the sentiment index for the smallest size and highest book/market value portfolios is significantly positive. 4) all the coefficients of the sentiment index for 25 portfolios sorted by BM-size have significant positive value after controlling size or (and) value.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.136-146
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to assess the severity of illness in high risk newborns. Method: The research design was a methodological study. The tool was developed in 4 stages: first, preliminary items were developed based on a questionnaire about the severity of illness index that was given to 8 health professionals in Neonatal Intensity Care Units (NICU) second, a panel of specialists reduced the preliminary items using 3 validity tests; third, final items were selected from the results of a pre-test. Finally, from July 2005 to May 2006, reliability and validity were tested with a sample of 160 high risk newborns admitted to the NICU. Results: The final tool to identify the severity of illness index in high risk newborns consisted 39 items and Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency was .922. Using factor analysis, 4 factors were extracted and these factors explained 54.451% of the total variance. Conclusion: The instrument for assessing the severity of illness in high risk newborns developed in this study was identified as a tool with a high degree of reliability and validity. In this sense, this tool can be effectively utilized for assessing and implementing care for high risk newborns.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.11-19
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the incidence of sarcopenic obesity (SO) and examined the specific risk factors in a community-dwelling middle-aged population of women. METHODS: The present study involved analyzing data from a cross-sectional study that included 1,693 community-dwelling women aged between 40 and 49 years. Various risk factors were investigated, including age, height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, skeletal muscle mass index, smoking and drinking behaviors, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose levels, as well as triglyceride and cholesterol levels. To ensure the accuracy and validity of the results, a complex sampling technique was employed for data analysis. Each sample weight was calculated through a three-step process by estimating base weight, adjusting it for non-response, and modulating it for post-stratification. RESULTS: The incidence of SO was 4.26% (95% CI: 3.20-5.67%). The clinical risk factors for SO were age, height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, skeletal muscle mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and levels of fasting glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol (p < .05). CONCLUSION: This study explores the prevalence and risk factors of SO among community-dwelling women. It adds to the existing literature on SO and identifies potential risk factors in middle-aged women.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study examined the prevalence and specific risk factors in males aged 40-49 years with the coexistence of age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and obesity (CALSMO). METHODS: The current study analyzed the data obtained from a cross-sectional study involving a sample of 1,218 men who resided in the community and fell within the age range of 40 to 49 years. Multiple risk factors were examined: age, height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, skeletal muscle mass index, smoking and drinking habits, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose levels, and triglyceride and cholesterol levels. All data were analyzed via complex sampling analysis. RESULTS: The coexistence of age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and obesity in males was 2.94% (95% CI: 2.06-4.17). The clinical risk factors were low height, high weight, body mass index, waist circumference, skeletal muscle index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and fast glucose (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The study identifies the prevalence and risk factors for CALSMO among adults in the community. These findings contribute to the existing literature on CALSMO and highlight potential risk factors associated with CALSMO development in males aged 40-49 years.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2024

The fire risk and fire safety of four types of wood were comprehensively evaluated according to Chung's equation-XII. White ash, willow, fraxinus mandshurica, and sagent cherry trees were selected as test specimens. A cone calorimetery (ISO 5660-1) was used to examine the combustion characteristics of the test piece, and finally, the fire risk rating (FRR) was predicted using the fire risk index-XII (FRI-XII). The predicted fire performance index-X (FPI-X) and fire growth index-X (FGI-X) ranged from 469.03 to 1109.73 s²/kW and 0.0009 to 0.0280 kW/s², respectively. Additionally, the fire performance index-XI (FPI-XI) and fire growth index-XI (FGI-XI) ranged from 0.41 to 0.97 and 1.11 to 3.11, respectively. The fire risk index-XII (FRI-XII), representing a fire risk rating, showed that the fire risk of frasxinus mandsurica tree (FM) was very high at 7.60 (fire risk rating: D). And it was compared with Chung's equation-IX, fire risk index-IX (FRI-IX). The fire risk ratings according to FRI-IX and FRI-XII were generally high for willow and frasxinus mandsurica trees. Additionally, the results of FRI-XII and FRI-IX had a similar relationship, and the size of each fire safety rating closely matched each other.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.438-449
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• 2020

This study is to improve the method of calculating the risk of liability that arise from release and dispersion of chemicals outside the plant in process industries such as chemical and petrochemical plants. To achieve this goal, the correlation factors with the risk of chemical release accident is derived by simulating release and dispersion of substances (14 types) designated by Ministry of Environment as preparation for accident, analyzing the cases of chemical release and effects of plant life damage. The method of calculating chemical liability risk was modified and supplemented based on the results obtained from the study. The correlation coefficient between the probit value of 14 chemical types and the liability risk by EURAM (European Union Risk Ranking Method) was -0.526, while the correlation coefficient with the modified chemical release accident risk was 0.319. Thus, the value from modified method shows that they appear to be correlated. According to modified calculating methodology, the correlation between ERPG-2 value and liability risk of 97 chemical types was -0.494 which is 19 times higher than existing liability risk correlation as absolute value. And the correlation coefficient of corrosion risk was 0.91. The standardized regression coefficients (β) value of correlation factors that affected the increase and decrease of risk were derived in order of Corrosion Index(0.713), ERPG-2 (0.400) and NFPA Health Index (0.0680) by values. It is expected that these findings this study result will also enable the calculation of reasonable chemical release liability risk for existing and new chemical, and will help use them as quantitative liability risk management indicators for chemical plant site.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.365-374
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• 2005

This study was conducted to compare the validity of obese index among body mass index(BMI), waist to hip ratio(WHR), and waist circumference(WC) and to determine which is the best in relation to cardiovascular risk factors of middle aged Korean(40-64yr).Data from the 1998 Korean Health and Nutrition Survey were used(N=3380). Anthropometric indices and cardiovascular risk factors were measured. Chi-square test, analysis of variance following duncan's multiple range test, partial correlation analysis, and Receiver Operator characteristic(ROC) curves were used in the analysis. There was a significant increasing trend in WHR, systolic blood pressure(SBP), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL), and fasting blood sugar(FBS) with age categories of male and in BMI, WC, WHR, diastolic blood pressure(DBP), SBP, total cholesterol(TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL), triglycerol(TG), and FBS with those of female. Specially female had the characteristics of upper body fat and systolic blood pressure risk(p<0.05). Proportions of subjects with lifestyle factors related to cardiovascular risk in overweight or upper body fat group were higher than that of normal group. Higher proportions of subjects were practiced exercise in upper body fat group of male than in other groups. Among 7 cardiovascular risk factors in partial correlation analysis, BMI had the highest correlation coefficient in 6 risk factors in male, whereas WC in 4 risk factors in female. Mean of each obese index according to cardiovascular risk groups except smoker was higher than that of normal(p<0.05). These trends were shown in upper body fat group and female. In ROC analysis of 12 risk factors and health conditions, the largest area under curve among obese indices for risk factors were BMI in male and WHR in female. The optimal cutoff values of each index(BMI: WHR: WC) for one or more cardiovascular risk factors were 23.13: 0.89: 85.35 in male and 23.57: 0.84: 78.35 in female. The results showed that cardiovascular risk factors were prevalent in middle aged Koreans within normal limits of obese indices like another Asians. For the identification of cardiovascular risk factors of middle aged Koreans, BMI for men and WHR for women are appropriate indices. But it is recommended that BMI, WHR, and WC, all three indices should be considered, when using these indices.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2015

Background: Goal-oriented communication of risk of hazards is necessary in order to reduce risk of workers' exposure to chemicals. Adequate training of workers and enterprise priority setting are essential elements. Cleaning enterprises have many challenges and the existing paradigms influence the risk levels of these enterprises. Methods: Information on organization and enterprises' prioritization in training programs was gathered from cleaning enterprises. A measure of enterprises' conceptual level of importance of chemical health hazards and a model for working out the risk index (RI) indicating enterprises' conceptual risk level was established and used to categorize the enterprises. Results: In 72.3% of cases, training takes place concurrently with task performances and in 67.4% experienced workers conduct the trainings. There is disparity between employers' opinion on competence level of the workers and reality. Lower conceptual level of importance was observed for cleaning enterprises of different sizes compared with regional safety delegates and occupational hygienists. Risk index values show no difference in risk level between small and large enterprises. Conclusion: Training of cleaning workers lacks the prerequisite for suitability and effectiveness to counter risks of chemical health hazards. There is dereliction of duty by management in the sector resulting in a lack of competence among the cleaning workers. Instituting acceptable easily attainable safety competence level for cleaners will conduce to risk reduction, and enforcement of attainment of the competence level would be a positive step.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.144-152
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• 2023

To evaluate the fire risk of combustible materials, Chung's equations VII, VIII, and IX were newly established. The fire risk index-IX (FRI-IX) and fire risk rating (FRR) were calculated. Ginkgo, dawn redwood, toona, lime, walnut, and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were selected as test specimens. The combustion characteristics were evaluated using a cone calorimeter according to ISO 5660-1. After combustion, the fire performance index-VII (FPI-VII) of the specimens, varied between 15.15 and 182.53 s²/kW, as determined by Chung's equations, and the fire growth index-VII (FGI-VII) varied between 0.0023 and 0.0165 kW/s². The fire performance index-VIII (FPI-VIII) based on PMMA varied between 0.29 and 3.45, and the fire growth index-VIII (FGI-VIII) varied between 2.88 and 20.63. The FRI-IX, which is the fire risk rating, showed dawn redwood has a very high fire risk, with FRI-IX values of 71.14 (fire risk rating: G). Therefore, wood with a large amount of volatile organic compounds and a low bulk density showed a high value of FRI-IX by lowering FPI-VII and FPI-VIII and increasing FGI-VII and FGI-VIII.