• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.37.1-37.15
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• 2022

Background: This study investigated the effect of dispatch frequency on blood cadmium levels and the effect of blood cadmium levels on hypertension in male firefighters in a metropolitan city. Methods: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study of male firefighters who completed the regular health checkups, including a health examination survey and blood cadmium measurements. We followed them for 3 years. To investigate the effect of dispatch frequency on blood cadmium levels and the effect of blood cadmium levels on hypertension, we estimated the short-term (model 1) and long-term (model 2) effects of exposure and hypothesized a reversed causal pathway model (model 3) for sensitivity analysis. Sequential conditional mean models were fitted using generalized estimating equations, and the odds ratios (ORs) and the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for hypertension for log-transformed (base 2) blood cadmium levels and quartiles. Results: Using the lowest category of dispatch frequency as a reference, we observed that the highest category showed an increase in blood cadmium levels of 1.879 (95% CI: 0.673, 3.086) ㎍/dL and 0.708 (95% CI: 0.023, 1.394) ㎍/dL in models 2 and 3, respectively. In addition, we observed that doubling the blood cadmium level significantly increased the odds of hypertension in model 1 (OR: 1.772; 95% CI: 1.046, 3.003) and model 3 (OR: 4.288; 95% CI: 1.110, 16.554). Using the lowest quartile of blood cadmium levels as a reference, the highest quartile showed increased odds of hypertension in model 1 (OR: 2.968; 95% CI: 1.121, 7.861) and model 3 (OR: 33.468; 95% CI: 1.881, 595.500). Conclusions: We found that dispatch frequency may affect blood cadmium levels in male firefighters, and high blood cadmium levels may influence hypertension in a dose-response manner.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.127-132
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• 2006

The Global Positioning System (GPS), Inertial Navigation System (INS) and Pseudolite (PL) technologies all play very important roles in navigation systems. As an independent navigation system, GPS can provide high precision positioning results which are independent of time. However, the performance will become unreliable when the system experiences high dynamics, or when the receiver is exposed to jamming or RF interference. In comparison to GPS, though INS is autonomous and provides good short-term accuracy, its use as a standalone navigation system is limited due to the time-dependent growth of the inertial sensor errors. PLs are ground-based transmitters that can transmit GPS-like signals. They have some advantages in that their positions can be determined precisely, and the Signal-to-Noise Ratios (SNR) are relatively high. Because their combined performance, in principle, overcomes the shortcomings of the individual systems, the integration of GPS, INS and PL is increasingly receiving attention from researchers. Depending on the desired performance vs complexity, system integration can be carried out at different levels, namely loose, tight and ultra-tight coupling. Compared with loose and tight integration, although it is more complex in terms of system design, ultra-tight integration will be the basis of the next generation of reliable and robust navigation systems. Its main advantages include improved performance under exposure to high dynamics, and jamming and RF interference mitigation. This paper presents an overview of the ultra-tight integration developments and discusses some of the challenging issues.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.450-464
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• 2016

Objectives: This study developed and validated reference materials (RMs) to analyze metal compounds in blood. Methods: We referred to KoNEHS (Korea National Environmental Health Survey) to estimate concentrations of blood metals (cadmium, Cd; lead, Pb; mercury, Hg) and applied analytical methods (inductively coupled plasma - mass spectroscopy, ICP-MS, for Cd and Pb; graphite furnace - atomic absorption spectrometry, GF-AAS, for Cd and Pb; and direct mercury analyzer, DMA, for Hg). Homogeneity and stability tests were carried out. In addition, certified values and uncertainties of RMs were calculated through internal and external experiments. All RMs were developed and assessed in various forms according to element, analytical method, and two types of concentration levels high concentration for occupational exposure and low concentration for environmental exposure. Results: All samples showed acceptable homogeneity, except for low concentration of Cd in the GF-AAS method. Short- and long-term stabilities were satisfied by ANOVA testing. In the inter-laboratory comparison, robust medians were lower than the certified values of all RMs (robust median/reference value; $1.301/1.327{\mu}g/L$ for Cd, ICP-MS, low concentration; $3.152/3.388{\mu}g/L$ for Cd, ICP-MS, high concentration; $1.219/1.301{\mu}g/L$ for Cd, GF-AAS, low concentration; $3.074/3.321{\mu}g/L$ for Cd, GF-AAS, high concentration; $14.473/14.516{\mu}g/L$ for Pb, ICP-MS, low concentration; $50.069/50.114{\mu}g/L$ for Pb, ICP-MS, high concentration; $12.881/14.147{\mu}g/L$ for Pb, GF-AAS, low concentration; $47.015/47.591{\mu}g/L$ for Pb, GF-AAS, high concentration; $4.059/4.218{\mu}g/L$ for Hg, DMA, low concentration; $11.474/11.181{\mu}g/L$ for Hg, DMA, high concentration). Conclusion: This study demonstrates procedures for developing and validating RMs for biomonitoring in the field of the environmental health.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4973-4977
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• 2012

Introduction: Tobacco use is a global health care problem. Repetitive exposure to nicotine produces neuroadaptation resulting in nicotine dependence. Smoking is associated with a range of diseases, causing high levels of morbidity and mortality and is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths, with more than 4.6 million smokers worldwide dying each year from smoking related illnesses. Stopping smoking has major health benefits. Quitting at any age provides both short and long term benefits. Materials and methods: 45 patients attending the outpatient department at the Oxford Dental College, Bangalore, were randomly allocated to three groups of interventions namely placebo, counseling and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Initially each one was assessed for carbon monoxide levels using a breath analyser (pico smokerlyser bedfont UK). They were followed up for six months and the carbon monoxide levels were again assessed using the same instrument. The paired t test was used to compare the results before and after the intervention. Results: The scores before the initiation of intervention and after treatment were compared and all three interventions were found to be statistically significant after six months. It was noticed that patients with very low or low dependence followed by high dependence had good response in the placebo group (68% and 47.6% respectively), in the counseling group maximum response was seen in the medium followed by the very low group (61% and 59% respectively), and maximum response was seen in very high followed by the very low group with NRT (78.7% and 60.5% respectively). Conclusion: The inference that can be drawn from the present study is that non-invasive, non pharmacological methods like placebo and counseling are effective in low to medium groups, and NRT is effective with higher nicotine dependence.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.182-194
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate health status and to propose health protection measures of irregular plant construction workers in Yoesu National Industrial Complex (YNIC). The status of safety and health management was examined in five areas including safety and health education, work environment monitoring, health examination, health management record, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for plant construction workers. The safety training rate for plant construction workers was reached high at 91%, The training was mostly consisted of safety accident related things, but training on hazardous materials was found to be insufficient. Workplace monitoring results showed that the compliance rate for work environment for irregular construction workers was 54% and workplace monitoring during turnaround (TA) period with high risk of exposure to hazardous agents has not been implemented. While 61.4% of irregular workers received the general health examination but only 36.8% received the special health examination. The special health examination was found to be conducted only upon welders from 2-3 years ago. The issue of health management record upon irregular construction workers was not being implemented. In case of PPE, basic safety protective equipments such as safety shoes, safety belt, safety helmet were being supplied well while the supply rate of respirator for organic vapor was relatively low at 40%. Based on this study, two suggestions to maximize the utilization of the current safety and health program were made while boosting its effectiveness in protecting workers' health. First, the role of owners (petrochemical plant) related to safety and health should be strengthened. Second, in consideration of the characteristics of construction workers who usually engage in short term employment and frequent movement, community based health management organization is suggested that can overcome such structural problem and carry out the implementation of health examination and sustained health management.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.725-728
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• 1996

This study was conducted to investigate effect of leaf temperature on light response and respiration during short-term exposure to a sequnce of PPFD cycle(100-200-300-400$\mu$ mol m$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ ) under increasing leaf temperature sequnce up to 3$0^{\circ}C$ and in dark condition, increasing up to 46$^{\circ}C$ with step size (1$^{\circ}C$) in Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer. When leaflet exposed to low light intensity and temperature, Rubisco activity was higher than remained activity in high condition. Leaves adapted to 100$\mu$mol m$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ PPFD had a peak response similar to that of 200$\mu$mol m$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ at 18$^{\circ}C$, but in above PPFD cycle(300, 400$\mu$mol m$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ ) it represented at 17$^{\circ}C$ and 16$^{\circ}C$, re-spectively. $CO_2$ evolution in dark condition increased rapidly when leaf temperature was increased up to 28$^{\circ}C$ and then 'dipped' below steady-state level from above 4$0^{\circ}C$. Thus, Pananx ginseng is able to take advantage of irradiance increase and decrease of $CO_2$ evolution in dark condition to control leaf temperature.mperature.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.609-617
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• 2020

Plasmodium vivax reemerged in 1993. It has been sustained for more than 25 years and become one of the important indigenous parasitic diseases in northern and western parts of the Republic of Korea near the demilitarized zone. In particular, relapse is a significant concern for the control of malaria, as short- and long-term incubation periods vary among those infected in Korea. In this study, the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers was examined among residents of high endemic areas of vivax malaria during nonseasonal transmission of mosquitoes. Blood samples from 3 endemic regions in northwestern Korea were evaluated by microscopic examination, rapid diagnostic testing, and nested PCR to identify asymptomatic patients carrying malaria parasites in the community. However, no positive malaria case among residents of endemic areas was detected. Additionally, serological analysis was carried out to measure antibodies against 3 antigenic recombinant proteins of P. vivax, merozoite surface protein 1-19, circumsporozoite surface protein-VK210, and liver-stage antigen (PvLSA-N), by the protein array method. Interestingly, seropositivity of sera between previous exposure and samples without exposure to malaria was significantly higher using the PvLSA-N antigen than the other antigens, suggesting that PvLSA-N can be used as a serological marker to analyze the degree of exposure for malaria transmission in endemic areas. This indicates a very low asymptomatic carrier prevalence during the nonmalaria season in the endemic areas of Korea.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.336-344
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• 2014

Purpose: In this study, the effect of milling on paddy rice stored at low temperature, the changes in grain temperature of bulk storage bags exposed at room temperature, the post-milling water content of paddy rice, the whiteness of rice, and the rate of pest incidence were investigated and data were analyzed. Methods: Changes in temperature inside the bulk storage bags kept at low temperature and grain temperature after exposure to room temperature were measured. Experiments were conducted for identifying the reasons of post-milling quality changes in paddy rice stored at low temperature. Results: It was determined that a short-term increase of water content in paddy rice was directly related to surface condensation, and that rice should be milled at least 72 h after removal from low-temperature storage, in order to completely eliminate surface condensation of paddy rice kept in bulk storage bags. It was observed that post-milling quality of rice changed, but water content was maintained at high levels for more than 18 d in rice that was milled when condensation occurred, regardless of paper or vinyl packaging. Rice whiteness rapidly decreased in rice that was milled when condensation occurred, regardless of packaging, while rice that was milled 72 h or more after removal from low temperature storage did not show any significant changes in whiteness. No pest incidence was observed up to 12 d after removal from low temperature storage, regardless of packaging. Starting at 18 d, after removal from low temperature storage, rice that was milled when condensation occurred, was affected by pests, while 24 d after removal from low temperature storage, all portions of rice were affected by pests. Conclusions: Our results suggest that changes in post-milling quality of rice could be significantly reduced by exposing paddy rice to room temperature for at least 72 h before milling, in order to allow the increase of grain temperature and prevent surface condensation.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2004

A method for rapid acute toxicity test based on temperature control of Ceriodaphnia dubia has been developed and evaluated. A new toxicity test based on temperature control (TTBTC) which are based on temperature control, was developed and compared for the adsorption of the better methodology for short-term toxicity screening. Initially, daphnid larval are exposed to toxicants and at the same time the temperature of the water bath containing media is increased to high temperature $(35.5^{\circ}C).$ After 1.25 hrs of contact time, the number of the daphnids, either living (no toxic effect) or dead (toxic effect), is counted by the naked eyes. Effect of exposure time on test sensitivity was not significantly different between 1 to 1.5 hr. Comparison of the rapid 1.25 hr acute toxicity test developed in this study and the standard 48 hr acute toxicity test using heavy metals, cyanide and pentachlorophenol indicated that the 1.25 hour test provides an acceptable level of sensitivity in toxicity test for C. dubia.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.418-425
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• 2018

This study was to measure and compare the amount of fluoride, microhardness and solubility of high viscosity glass ionomer and resin-reinforced glass ionomer during 84 days. Fuji IX GP EXTRA, Fuji IX GP, Fuji II LC and Filtek$^{TM}$ Z350XT stored in deionized water for 84 days to measure fluoride release, microhardness and solubility. As a result of measurement of fluoride release, all the glass ionomers showed the highest amount of fluoride release on day 1 and gradually decreased. Fuji IX GP EXTRA showed the highest amount of fluoride release and cumulative release. And Fuji IX GP and Fuji II LC showed no significant difference. Microhardness measurements showed that all experimental groups decreased 1 day after exposure to water. After 84 days, microhardness showed no significant difference between Fuji IX GP EXTRA and Fuji IX GP, and Fuji II LC was the lowest. In the solubility measurement, Fuji IX GP EXTRA, Fuji IX GP, and Fuji II LC increased rapidly to 21 days. After 21 days, there was no significant difference in the three groups. As a result, short term fluoride release affects solubility and microhardness, but long term fluoride release has no correlation. Through this study, the amount of fluoride, microhardness, and solubility of various glass ionomers were evaluated, and these properties could be applied clinically.