• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.20-35
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• 2021

Objectives: Waste treatment by incineration is gradually increasing as the emission of harmful substances has decreased owing to developments in incineration technology. However, residents living near incinerators continue to express anxiety regarding the effects on their health. Therefore, we attempted to summarize the health impact of incinerators by comprehensively reviewing the recently reported literature. Methods: Sixty-two epidemiological research papers related to incineration and health effects were selected from the Google Scholar database and analyzed (from between January 2001 and December 2019). Results: When compared to older incinerators, newer incinerators established after 2000 are considered relatively safe in terms of health effects. Nevertheless, there have been some studies that have linked them to various diseases, such as malignant tumors including soft tissue cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, reproductive disorders, respiratory diseases, and more. In addition, incinerator workers and local residents are considered to be exposed to dioxins and some heavy metals from the incinerator. Since most studies included subjects exposed to older incinerators, it is difficult to apply these results to the health impact assessment of new incinerators. However, it is not appropriate to conclude that new incinerators made with state-of-the-art technology are safe, as chronic environmental diseases caused by hazardous substances tend to appear only after prolonged exposure. Conclusions: In terms of environmental health, it is necessary to continuously monitor the health effects of incinerators. Also, there is a need to develop a research methodology that can minimize various confounders in incineration-related epidemiological study.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.261-267
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• 2021

As the number of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) patients increases in a global pandemic situation, the usefulness of mobile computed tomography (CT) is gaining attention. Currently, mobile CT follows the basic safety and essential performance evaluation criteria of whole-body or limited-view X-ray CT in order to obtain device approval and evaluation in the Republic of Korea. Unlike stationary CT, mobile CT is not operated in shielded areas but rather areas such as intensive care units, operating rooms, or isolation rooms. Therefore, it requires a different basic safety and essential performance evaluation standard than stationary CT. In this study, four derived basic safety evaluation criteria related to electrical, mechanical, and radiation safety were included (dose indication test, protection against stray radiation, safety measures against excessive X-rays, half-value layer measurement); and seven essential performance evaluation criteria were included (tube voltage accuracy, mAs accuracy, radiation dose reproducibility, CT number of water, noise, uniformity, and spatial resolution); total eleven basic safety and essential performance evaluation criteria were selected. This study aims to establish appropriate basic safety and essential performance evaluation criteria for simultaneously obtaining images with diagnostic value and reducing the exposure of nearby patients, medical staff, and radiologic technologists during the use of mobile CT.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.1-13
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• 2021

코로나19에 대한 전세계적 팬데믹이 진행되고 있는 상황에서 잘못된 정보가 대중에게 노출되었을 경우 발생할 수 있는 잠재적인 문제에 대한 우려와 함께 현재 주요 앱 마켓에서 민간 애플리케이션에 대한 차단 조치도 단행되고 있다. 그러나 감염병 상황에서 중앙집중식의 일방적인 정보 전달보다 대중이 스스로 정보를 공유하는 것이 효과적인 측면도 동시에 존재한다. 본 연구는 텍스트마이닝을 이용해 감염병 상황에서 민간 주도의 정보제공에 대한 이용자 반응을 분석한다. 이를 위해 정부와 민간이 현재 한국의 구글 플레이스토어에서 제공하고 있는 모든 코로나19 애플리케이션에 대한 이용자들의 반응에 대한 토픽 모델링과 감성분석을 실시한다. 분석 결과, 이용자들은 정보의 신뢰성, 위험회피, 실시간성, 유용성, 안정성 등 모든 차원에서 정부 대비 민간 애플리케이션에 대해 더 긍정적인 반응을 보이는 것으로 분석되었다. 분석 결과를 바탕으로 민간 애플리케이션에 대한 일방적인 차단이 아닌, 사후적인 모니터링 시스템을 도입하는 방안 등을 제안한다.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.255-260
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• 2022

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated the importance of implementing strategic management that prioritizes the safety of frontline nurse professionals. In this sense, this research was aimed at identifying factors associated with the illness of nursing professionals caused by COVID-19 according to socio-demographic, clinical, and labor variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three Brazilian university hospitals with 859 nursing professionals, which include nurses, technicians, and nursing assistants, between November 2020 and February 2021. We present data using absolute and relative frequency. We used Chi-square test for hypothesis testing and multiple logistic regression for predictive analysis and chances of occurrence. Results: The rate of nursing professionals affected by COVID-19 was 41.8%, and the factors associated with contamination were the number of people in the same household with COVID-19 and obesity. Being a nurse was a protective factor when the entire nursing team was considered. The model is significant, and its variables represent 56.61% of the occurrence of COVID-19 in nursing professionals. Conclusion: Obesity and living in the same household as other people affected by COVID-19 increases the risk of contamination by this new coronavirus.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.279-285
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• 2022

Background; In the event of an industrial accident, the appropriate choice of hospital is important for worker health and prognosis. This study investigates whether the choice of hospital by the employer in the case of industrial accidents affects the prognosis of injured employees. Methods; Data from the 2018 Panel Study of Workers' Compensation Insurance in Korea were used in an unmatched case-controlled study. The exposure variable is "hospital selection by an employer," and the outcome variable is 'worker's disability." Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated by modified Poisson regression and adjusted for age, gender, underlying disease, injury severity, and workplace size and stratified by industrial classification. The group at increased risk was analyzed and stratified by age, gender, and area. Results; In the construction industry, hospital selection by the employer was significantly associated with increased risk of disability (adjusted OR 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.20-1.32) and severe disability (adjusted OR 1.38; 95% CI; 1.08-1.76) among the injured. Female and younger workers not living in the Seoul capital area were more at risk of disability and severe disability than those living in the Seoul capital area. Conclusions; Hospital selection by employers affects the prognosis of workers injured in an industrial accident. For protecting workers' health and safety, workplace emergency medical systems should be improved, and the selection of appropriate hospitals to supply treatment should be reviewed.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.56.1-56.13
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• 2020

Background: The live bird market (LBM) plays an important role in the dynamic evolution of the avian influenza H5N1 virus. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to monitor the genetic diversity of the H5N1 viruses in LBMs in Indonesia. Methods: Therefore, the disease surveillance was conducted in the area of Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Jakarta Province, Indonesia from 2014 to 2019. Subsequently, the genetic characterization of the H5N1 viruses was performed by sequencing all 8 segments of the viral genome. Results: As a result, the H5N1 viruses were detected in most of LBMs in both bird' cloacal and environmental samples, in which about 35% of all samples were positive for influenza A and, subsequently, about 52% of these samples were positive for H5 subtyping. Based on the genetic analyses of 14 viruses isolated from LBMs, genetic diversities of the H5N1 viruses were identified including clades 2.1.3 and 2.3.2 as typical predominant groups as well as reassortant viruses between these 2 clades. Conclusions: As a consequence, zoonotic transmission to humans in the market could be occurred from the exposure of infected birds and/or contaminated environments. Moreover, new virus variants could emerge from the LBM environment. Therefore, improving pandemic preparedness raised great concerns related to the zoonotic aspect of new influenza variants because of its high adaptivity and efficiency for human infection.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.435-443
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• 2022

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disease that develops following exposure to a traumatic event and is a stress-associated mental disorder characterized by an imbalance of neuroinflammation. Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is the herbal supplement that is known to be involved in a variety of pharmacological activities. We aimed to investigate the effects of KRG on neuroinflammation as a potential mechanism involved in single prolonged stress (SPS) that negatively influences memory formation and consolidation and leads to cognitive and spatial impairment by regulating BDNF signaling, synaptic proteins, and the activation of NF-κB. Methods: We analyzed the cognitive and spatial memory, and inflammatory cytokine levels during the SPS procedure. SPS model rats were injected intraperitoneally with 20, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day KRG for 14 days. Results: KRG administration significantly attenuated the cognitive and spatial memory deficits, as well as the inflammatory reaction in the hippocampus associated with activation of NF-κB in the hippocampus induced by SPS. Moreover, the effects of KRG were equivalent to those exerted by paroxetine. In addition, KRG improved the expression of BDNF mRNA and the synaptic protein PSD-95 in the hippocampus. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that KRG exerts memory-improving actions by regulating anti-inflammatory activities and the NF-κB and neurotrophic pathway. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that KRG is a potential functional ingredient for protecting against memory deficits in mental diseases, such as PTSD.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.12-18
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• 2022

Purpose: Pedicle screw fixation provides 3-column stabilization, multidimensional control, and a higher rate of interbody fusion. Although computed tomography (CT) is recommended for the postoperative assessment of pedicle screw fixation, its use is limited due to the radiation exposure dose. The purpose of this preliminary retrospective study was to assess the clinical usefulness of low-dose mobile cone-beam CT (CBCT) for the postoperative evaluation of pedicle screw fixation. Methods: The author retrospectively reviewed postoperative mobile CBCT images of 15 patients who underwent posterior pedicle screw fixation for spinal disease from November 2019 to April 2020. Pedicle screw placement was assessed for breaches of the bony structures. The breaches were graded based on the Heary classification. Results: The patients included 11 men and four women, and their mean age was 66±12 years. Of the 122 pedicle screws, 34 (27.9%) were inserted in the thoracic segment (from T7 to T12), 82 (67.2%) in the lumbar segment (from L1 to L5), and six (4.9%) in the first sacral segment. Although there were metal-related artifacts, the image of the screw position (according to Heary classification) after surgery could be assessed using mobile CBCT at all levels (T7-S1). Conclusions: Mobile CBCT was accurate in determining the location and integrity of the pedicle screw and identifying the surrounding bony structures. In the postoperative setting, mobile CBCT can be used as a primary modality for assessing the accuracy of pedicle screw fixation and detecting postoperative complications.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.233-239
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• 2022

In the radiology department, where radiation is used in medical institutions to perform examinations with various equipment, the field of surgical treatment is the intervention angiography room. Accordingly, strict infection control is required. The purpose of this study was to determine the contamination status by detecting pathogens before and after disinfection in the intervention angiography room, and to determine the degree of death by using a disinfectant, sodium dichloride isocyanurate, which is mainly used in the intervention angiography room. The subjects were 10 medical institutions of general hospital level or higher with an intervention angiography room in the P city, and 12 places with high contact frequency during examinations and procedures were sampled and requested to an analysis institution. As for the sample collection method, up/down, left/right directions were used to increase precision. Before disinfection, all procedures were completed, and after disinfection, exposure was performed using a disinfectant for at least 10 minutes, and detection was performed using a transport medium. As a result, in the pathogen analysis, most pathogens were detected in a humid environment or in a place with high contact frequency for microorganisms to thrive. The detected pathogens were found in the general environment or were human flora. It is a pathogen that does not cause disease under normal healthy host conditions. However, it was found to be an opportunistic infection that causes opportunistic infection depending on the case or situation in which the body's resistance is weakened. In addition, as a result of using the disinfectant mainly used in the intervention angiography room, it was found that more than 93.3% of them died. Therefore, the data of this study will be used as good basic data for the evaluation of pathogens in the intervention angiography room and will be of great help in infection control.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제56권2호
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• pp.154-163
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• 2023

Objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or lupus patients usually experience various physical and psychological challenges. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, these challenges have become even harsher. Using the participatory action research approach, this study evaluated how an e-wellness program (eWP) impacted SLE-related knowledge and health behaviors, mental health, and quality of life among lupus patients in Thailand. Methods: A 1-group, pretest-posttest design study was conducted among a purposive sample of lupus patients who were members of Thai SLE Foundation. The 2 main intervention components were: (1) online social support, and (2) lifestyle and stress management workshops. Sixty-eight participants completed all the study requirements, including the Physical and Psychosocial Health Assessment questionnaire. Results: After being in the eWP for 3 months, participants' mean score for SLE-related knowledge increased significantly (t=5.3, p<0.001). The increase in sleep hours was statistically significant (Z=-3.1, p<0.01), with the percentage of participants who slept less than 7 hours decreasing from 52.9% to 29.0%. The percentage of participants reporting sun exposure decreased from 17.7% to 8.8%. The participants also reported significantly lower stress (t(66)=-4.4, p<0.001) and anxiety (t(67)=-2.9, p=0.005). The post-eWP quality of life scores for the pain, planning, intimate relationship, burden to others, emotional health, and fatigue domains also improved significantly (p<0.05). Conclusions: The overall outcomes showed promising results of improved self-care knowledge, health behaviors, mental health status, and quality of life. It is recommended that the SLE Foundation continues to use the eWP model to help the lupus patient community.