• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.159-168
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• 2023

Background: An ongoing environmental exposure assessment of humidifier disinfectants (HDs) has been conducted since November 2011 among individuals who experienced HD exposure-related adverse health effects. It is being performed in order to determine and quantify exposure to humidifier disinfectants in victims and their families. To date, the assessment has encompassed Cycles I-to-V. There is no report summarizing the characteristics of the subjects from the overall cycles. Objectives: We intended to examine the individual characteristics related to demographics, HD usage, and HD exposure using integrated data from Cycles I-to-V of the environmental exposure assessment of HDs and the changes with the cycles. Methods: We included 7,543 individuals who participated in Cycles I-to-V of the environmental exposure assessment of HDs. We summarized the participants' characteristics regarding their demographics (e.g., sex, education level, and age), HD usage history (e.g., product name, ingredient, and frequency of HD use), and HD exposure (e.g., daily time of HD use, cumulative time of HD use, and exposure intensity). In addition, their characteristics were compared across the cycles of the exposure assessment. Results: Among the 7,543 participants from Cycles I-to-V, there were more male participants than females (51.05% overall), except for Cycles I and III. Across all cycles, a higher proportion of survivors was observed than deceased individuals. While PHMG was the most prevalent ingredient in HDs throughout all the cycles, its proportion gradually decreased over the course of the examination cycles. Participants in Cycle I reported longer daily times of HD use compared to those in the subsequent cycles. On the other hand, cumulative time of HD use was shorter in the earlier cycles than in the later cycles. Conclusions: Using the integrated data from the full cycles of the environmental exposure assessment, this study identified changes in demographic characteristics as well as the HD exposure characteristics between the participants across different cycles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2014

In diagnostic radiology, each part is examined through serial radiography in most cases of general radiography. However, the reality is that, as for diagnostic reference level, measured values have been set up only for AP projection of each part and lateral projection. In the clinical setting, cumulative dose is incurred by serial radiography of patients, and this can make comparison of diagnostic reference level and cumulative exposure dose impossible or can lead to underestimation of diagnostic reference level. In this study, measurement of cumulative dose of serial radiography of each part revealed that when converting entrance surface dose to effective dose in case it is included in the exposure field, cumulative dose measured from a maximum of 38.06% to a minimum of 0.23% of individual dose limitation of the public. Also, when converting entrance surface dose of each part that is not included in the exposure field into effective dose, it measured from a maximum of 5% to a minimum of 0.04% of individual dose limitation of the public. Results of this study show entrance surface dose substantially increases in serial radiography of each part. Therefore, it is deemed that hospitals need to establish diagnostic reference level specifically, and subdivision of radiography orders for patients is also required in order to reduce unnecessary inspections. Moreover, the need of accurate exposure field is emphasized in case of inspection of several parts.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.725-733
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• 2023

The Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences has started a radiation epidemiological study, titled "Korean Radiation Worker Study," to evaluate the health effects of occupational exposure to radiation. As a part of this study, we investigated the methodologies and results of reconstructing organ-specific absorbed doses based on personal dose equivalent, H_p(10), reported from 1984 to 2019 for 20,605 Korean radiation workers. For the organ dose reconstruction, representative exposure scenarios (i.e., radiation energy and exposure geometry) were first determined according to occupational groups, and dose coefficients for converting H_p(10) to organ absorbed doses were then appropriately taken based on the exposure scenarios. Individual annual doses and individual cumulative doses were reconstructed for 27 organs, and the highest values were observed in the thyroid doses (on average 0.77 mGy/y and 10.47 mGy, respectively). Mean values of individual cumulative absorbed doses for the red bone marrow, colon, and lungs were 7.83, 8.78, and 8.43 mSv, respectively. Most of the organ doses were maximum for industrial radiographers, followed by nuclear power plant workers, medical workers, and other facility workers. The organ dose database established in this study will be utilized for organ-specific risk estimation in the Korean Radiation Worker Study.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.15-21
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• 1993

This paper considers the optimal design of accelerated life test in which the stress is linearly increased. It discusses the special case when the life distribution under constant stress follows an exponential distribution and the accelerated equation satisfies the inverse power law. It is assumed that cumulative damage is linear, that is, the remaining life of test units depends only on the current cumulative fraction failed and current stress(cumulative exposure model). The optimization criterion is the asymptotic variance of the maximum likelihood estimator of the log mean life at a design stress. The optimal increasing rate is obtained to minimize the asymptotic variance. Table of sensitivity analysis is given for the prior estimators of model parameters.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Low-dose radiation exposure has received considerable attention because it reflects the general public's type and level of exposure. Still, controversy remains due to the relatively unclear results and uncertainty in risk estimation compared to high-dose radiation. However, recent epidemiological studies report direct evidence of health effects for various types of low-dose radiation exposure. In particular, international nuclear workers' studies, CT exposure studies, and children's cancer studies on natural radiation showed significantly increased cancer risk among the study populations despite their low-dose radiation exposure. These studies showed similar results even when the cumulative radiation dose was limited to an exposure group of less than 100 mGy, demonstrating that the observed excess risk was not affected by high exposure. A linear dose-response relationship between radiation exposure and cancer incidence has been observed, even at the low-dose interval. These recent epidemiological studies include relatively large populations, and findings are broadly consistent with previous studies on Japanese atomic bomb survivors. However, the health effects of low-dose radiation are assumed to be small compared to the risks that may arise from other lifestyle factors; therefore, the benefits of radiation use should be considered at the individual level through a balanced interpretation. Further low-dose radiation studies are essential to accurately determining the benefits and risks of radiation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.04b
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• pp.132-135
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• 2002

In this paper, a new method to implement the photopolymer-based VHOE using the optimized exposure time schedule is proposed. The cumulative grating strength dependence on the exposure energy is mathematically modeled by using the fourth-order polynomial function and then using this model, the optimized exposure-time schedule of the photopolymer for recording the given multiple gratings is calculated.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.864-870
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• 2014

To propose a basis for the selection of personal dosimeters to measure radiation dose administration of radiation workers as a way to evaluate the usefulness dosimeter. For the dosimetry of the radiation workers 2012, during 1 year, 30 were radiation workers to measure personal dose. By personal exposure is measured cumulative dose, is investigated the performance of the TLD, PLD, OSLD. And comparing the measured value of each dosimeter dose and analyzed. Medical institutions, inspection work and quarterly confirmed the cumulative exposure dose of radiation workers. Using DAP and Ion-Chamber, to measure to compare TLD, PLD, OSLD dosimeter performance. A comparison of the directly through the X-ray dosimeter and The absolute value of the Ion-Chamber, OSLD more similar than in the TLD and PLD showed the dose values so the excellent ability to measure the results. Also in radiation generating area dose of radiation workers is higher than that in OSLD. Consequently, in terms of the individual exposure management OSLD is appropriated and beneficial than others.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.343-348
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• 2000

Objectives : This study was conducted to integrate the results of studies assessing the association between chronic noise exposure and blood pressure. Methods : Using a MEDLINE search with noise exposure, blood pressure and hypertension as key words, we retrieved articles from the literature that were published from 1980 to December 1999. The criteria for quality evaluation were as follows: 1) the study subjects must have been workers employed at a high noise level area 2) The paper should use average and cumulative noise exposure as method for exposure evaluation. 3) Blood pressure in each article should be reported in a continuous scale Among the 77 retrieved articles, six studies were selected for quantitative meta-analysis. Before the integration of the regression coefficients for the association between blood pressure and noise level, homogeneity tests were conducted. Results : All studies were a cross-sectional design and the study subjects were industrial workers. Five papers used a time-weighted average for noise exposure and only one paper calculated the cumulative noise exposure level. The measurement of blood pressure in the majority of studios were accomplished in a resting stale, and used an average of two or more readings. The homogeneity of studies was rejected in a fixed effect model, so we used the results in a random effect model. The results of the quantitative meta-analysis, the weighted regression coefficient of noise associated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were 0.05 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.03, 0.13) and 0.06 (95% CI: -0.01, 0.13), respectively. Conclusions : Our results suggested that chronic exposure to industrial noise does not cause elevated blood pressure.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.257-267
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• 2004

Our study investigated the association between solvent exposure and acquired color vision loss using the Lanthony D-15 desaturated panel in petrochemical industry. Since neurotoxic effects associated with chronic solvent exposure, subjects with more than 6 months of exposure were included. Exposure assesment was estimated mean, maximum and cumulative 8hr TWA from individual 8-hour sampling. Exposure status were classified into two groups, occupationally exposed group to solvent and a non-exposed group. The results showed that CCI was positively related for age. According to the results of qualitative analysis, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of specific Type of dyschromatopsia the two examined group. However, the prevalence showed a higher proportion of dyschromatopsia to solvent exposure. It was affect with acquired dyschromatopsia(Type II, III and Complex) in exposed worker group(5.9%,7.86%,14.99%, respectively) than in the nonexposed group(6.16%,7.55%,13.71%, respectively). After each variable was adjusted for age, alcohol and tobacco consumption, a relationship between acquired dyschromatopsia and exposure showed an increase in the Odds ratio as compared to the nonexposed group at only left. The results showed that acquired dyschromatopsia was positively related to age (p<0.001). The results showed that solvent exposure, although not significant, could cause the acquired dyschromatopsia and visual system can serve important information on early neurotoxic effects in generally. Therefore, we need to concerns about eye health in workers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.34-63
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• 2003

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) represents a common neurodegenerative disorder. While epidemiological studies have suggested a number of risk factors including age, gender, race, and inherited disorder, the cumulative evidence supports the view that environmental or occupational exposure to certain chemicals may contribute to the initiation and progress of Parkinsonism.(omitted)