• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.197-207
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• 2016

This study aims at providing basic data to objectively evaluate the areas suitable for reintroduction of the species of Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) in order to effectively preserve the Asiatic black bears in the Korean protection areas including national parks, and for the species restoration success. To this end, this study predicted the potential habitats in East Asia, Southeast Asia and India, where there are the records of Asiatic black bears' appearances using the Maxent model and environmental variables related with climate, topography, road and land use. In addition, this study evaluated the effects of the relevant climate and environmental variables. This study also analyzed inhabitation range area suitable for Asiatic black and geographic change according to future climate change. As for the judgment accuracy of the Maxent model widely utilized for habitat distribution research of wildlife for preservation, AUC value was calculated as 0.893 (sd=0.121). This was useful in predicting Asiatic black bears' potential habitat and evaluate the habitat change characteristics according to future climate change. Compare to the distribution map of Asiatic black bears evaluated by IUCN, Habitat suitability by the Maxent model were regionally diverse in extant areas and low in the extinct areas from IUCN map. This can be the result reflecting the regional difference in the environmental conditions where Asiatic black bears inhabit. As for the environment affecting the potential habitat distribution of Asiatic black bears, inhabitation rate was the highest, according to land coverage type, compared to climate, topography and artificial factors like distance from road. Especially, the area of deciduous broadleaf forest was predicted to be preferred, in comparison with other land coverage types. Annual mean precipitation and the precipitation during the driest period were projected to affect more than temperature's annual range, and the inhabitation possibility was higher, as distance was farther from road. The reason is that Asiatic black bears are conjectured to prefer more stable area without human's intervention, as well as prey resource. The inhabitation range was predicted to be expanded gradually to the southern part of India, China's southeast coast and adjacent inland area, and Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia in the eastern coastal areas of Southeast Asia. The following areas are forecast to be the core areas, where Asiatic black bears can inhabit in the Asian region: Jeonnam, Jeonbuk and Gangwon areas in South Korea, Kyushu, Chugoku, Shikoku, Chubu, Kanto and Tohoku's border area in Japan, and Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Fujian border area in China. This study is expected to be used as basic data for the preservation and efficient management of Asiatic black bear's habitat, artificially introduced individual bear's release area selection, and the management of collision zones with humans.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.51
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• pp.29-61
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• 2002

This study was designed to find out the determinants of types of bullying behavior, and the effects of types of bullying behavior on the bullies. For this purpose, a hypothetical model which explains the relationships among 6 environmental factors, 5 types of bullying behavior, and 5 outcome variables for the bullies was developed. Using the data collected from 177 junior and high school students who have bullied the other students, the hypothetical model was tested. For data analysis, a path analysis was used, and the best-fitting model was found (df=78, GFI=0.953, CFI=1.00). As a result of analyzing the model, types of bullying behavior were found to be determined by the different environmental factors: Isolation was determined by 2 factors (feeling of isolation from friends, exposure to bullying), social bullying by 2 factors (lack of support from parents, exposure to bullying), verbal bullying by conflicts with parents, physical bullying by 3 factors (lack of support from parents, exposure to isolation and exposure to bullying), and instrumental bullying by lack of support from parents. On the other hand, the pleasure that the bullies feel after bullying behavior was increased by isolation, verbal bullying and physical bullying, while decreased by instrumental bullying. Guilt feeling was decreased by isolation and instrumental bullying, while increased by physical bullying. Isolation increased the tendency of blaming the victim. Isolation and instrumental bullying increased bullies' self-esteem, while social bullying decreased self-esteem. Verbal bullying increased the extent of bullying, while instrumental bullying decreased the extent of bullying. Based on the findings, the intervention strategies to change the bullies' attitudes toward victim, and to increase social support from the significant others as well as the effective ways to reorganize the school environment in order to reduce and prevent bullying behavior were suggested.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.528-535
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• 2014

Objectives: This study compares the differences of fit factors before and after training on the N95 mask. The results will be utilized to suggest the need of providing effective training on respirator use. Methods: A total of 49 study subjects were tested, comprised of nurses from a general hospital and undergraduate nursing students from a medical school. Anthropometric measurements of face length and face width were compared with the NIOSH(National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) panel. Fit factors(FF) were measured with TSI Portacount Pro+8038 before and after on-site training regarding the proper use of respirators. The FF pass/fail criterion was set at 100. Results: Two subjects(4.1 %) passed the fit test before training on use of the N95. However, 36(73.5%) of the 49 passed the test after training. Overall the FF(GM(GSD)) was 13.4(3.2) before training, but improved to 106.6(2.1) after training, which was statistically significant. These findings suggest the efficacy of educational intervention, and the performance of the direct on-site training proved to be better than that of the traditional educational methods. Conclusions: This study showed the effect of on-site training of the N95 respirator among health care workers(HCW). Therefore, providing effective training on the use of N95 for HCWs before their work assignments will greatly reduce exposure to harmful agents. It is recommended that fit testing be mandated to check for adequate protection being provided by the given respirators.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.311-342
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• 2015

We evaluate two main rationales of massive policy intervention of Lee Administration in the Korean transportation fuel market: high market share of domestic refineries, perceived by the Administration as the result of high market concentration, and asymmetry in price adjustment, perceived as the result of collusion. Domestic refineries, huge in capacity and located at seaports, maintain international competitiveness in price. Considering market openness offering preferential treatment to importers, they set domestic prices competitively on the basis of MOPS prices. Yet, the price competitiveness of domestic refineries is so high that they are able to sustain high market share. We confirm that the Korean before-tax consumer prices of gasoline and diesel are lower than Japan's and the weighted averages of 27 EU countries by as much as 159KRW and 21KRW per liter in the case of gasoline and 170KRW and 63KRW in the case of diesel. Price asymmetry is caused by diverse economic and managerial reasons and, as FTC (2005) states, price asymmetry does not immediately imply exercise of market power or collusion. We analyzed price asymmetry in Korea, Japan and 14 EU countries, and found asymmetry in Korea and 11 EU countries in the case of gasoline and in Korea and 8 EU countries in the case of diesel.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.482-492
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• 2015

Objectives: Exposure Assessment for workplace hazards where the exposure level is below occupational exposure limits(OELs) has been performed without considering either the degrees of risk or exposure levels and has failed to lead to intervention in many cases. The objective of this study was to suggest and test an application framework for risk assessment methodology under the current exposure assessment system in Korea. Materials: First, we investigated the exposure assessment systems in Korea and other countries. To adopt some risk assessment techniques, we also analyzed risk assessment systems and compared them to exposure assessment systems. A few suggestions were made. We held a public hearing during an industrial hygiene conference and took surveys using a questionnaire. Results: The first suggestion was to implement the risk assessment and exposure assessment through a "one-stop" system. In that case, one expected question would be who has been doing the jobs so far. In most cases, industrial hygiene consulting services or laboratories have been performing exposure assessment for business owners. Business owners are required to perform risk assessment. As two different groups of people will be required to implement two things in a one-stop system, they need to share information. As an information vehicle to share information, commonly filed survey checklists were suggested. The second suggestion was to categorize exposure level into four groups instead of the current binary divisions based on OELs. In the risk assessment system, exposure level is divided into four groups utilizing the cut-points of 10%, 50%, and 100% of OELs. The same schema can be adopted in the exposure assessment system and different levels of requirements can be assigned for each group. The third suggestion was regarding the regulation system. To provide the suggestions some thrust toward being implemented in the field, changes should be made in the legal system. Two different types of new exposure assessment result reporting forms were suggested. Some investigations such as an ergonomic survey are officially accepted as risk assessment under the current legal system. A few items were suggested to be included in the exposure assessment result reporting to be accepted as risk assessment. A pilot study in two small factories was performed and pointed out the strengths and weakness of our suggestions. Conclusions: Discussions and studies on the improvement of the exposure assessment system have been held for decades and no tangible changes have yet been made. We hope this result can help realize healthy lives for workers in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.157-171
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• 2001

The study was designed to provide the fundamental information for understanding discomfort of bone marrow donors and for promoting an individual comfort by comparing the difference on discomfort between unrelated donors and related donors. The subject of the study was fifty related donors and thirty unrelated donors who was in the C University Hospital. This survey had been carried out and collected from October, 1998 to March, 1999. The scale of discomfort of donors associated with bone marrow donation were assessed by the questionnaire deviced by Kim Sang Dol and amended by the researcher. Data was analyzed by $x^2-test$, t-test, two-way ANOVA, and Pearson Correlation Coefficients. The results were as follows. 1. Considering the general characteristics of bone marrow donors according to gender, male was consisted of $60\%$ and female was consisted of $40\%$. Of those related donors are consisted for $62.5\%$ and accounted for $37.5\%$ of those unrelated donors. Considering the classification to the job, employee of company were major donors which was $35\%$, and next order was student, individual businessman, and housewife. Considering the education level. college students were $48.7\%$ and students who have less than high school level were $42.5\%$. 2. According to the above the results regarding discomfort of bone marrow donation, it is especially shown that the major cause for discomfort of bone marrow donors is on physical factor. The concrete examples for physical factor are pain in the region of bone marrow harvest and pain in the injection part by fluid therapy and blood-sampling, an immovability of the body after bone marrow harvest, and difficulties on walking. Considering physiological factor, there are an uneasiness about leading to injure their health, vague fear about the hospital. and a tedium at hospital. Environmental factors for discomfort of bone marrow donors are insufficient explanation for needle gauge and procedure of bone marrow donation and difficulty on following medical schedule. Therefore. it is necessary to establish more effective and systematically organized program for nursing intervention based on the research results. An effective program is only useful in getting rid of discomfort of bone marrow donors.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.109-126
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• 2003

This study was designed 10 investigate the effects of therapeutic gymnastic ball exercise on pain, flexibility, lumbar disability level and daily activity levels in male patients of the armed forces medical hospital who complain of chronic low back pain. Twenty-three males were placed in the experimental group and twenty-nine males were placed in the control group. All of the subjects were chosen on the basis of availability among in-patients who were diagnosed with low back pain. The control patients were matched to the experimental group and they were selected considering gender, pain duration and age. Gymnastic ball exercise therapy was developed by the author with the assistance of a rehabilitation specialist. Gymnastic ball exercise therapy includes muscle relaxation, flexibility, muscle strength and posture development exercises. The gymnastic ball exercise therapy was carried out by the experimental group three times a week for eight weeks. Before and after the experiments, the intensity of pain, the lumbar joint mobility (flexibility), the lumbar disability levels, and the daily activity levels of the subjects were measured, respectively. The intensity of pain and the lumbar disability levels were measured by the Visual Analogue Scale, the level of flexibility by a measurement ruler, and the level of disability by the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Scale. Data were analysed using a t-test, a paired t-test and an unpaired t-test. The results were as follows: 1. The intensity of pain in the lumbar spine in the experimental group was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group during the 4th week and 8th week. 2. The flexibility of the lumbar spine in the experimental group was significantly increased compared with that of the control group during the 4th week and 8 week. 3. The level of pain caused by anterior, posterior, left lateral and right lateral bending and by rotation in experimental group was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group. 4. The Oswestry Disability score of the experimental group was significantly increased compared with that of control group. These findings indicate that gymnastic ball exercise therapy could be effective in decreasing pain and lumbar disability, and increasing the daily activity levels and lumbar flexibility in patients with chronic low back pain. The study also suggests that gymnastic ball exercise therapy could be an essential factor for effective nursing intervention for patients suffering from chronic low back pain.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2018

Ferulate is a phenolic compound abundant in wheat germ and bran and has been investigated for its beneficial activities. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of ferulate against the oxidative stress-induced imbalance of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs), protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), and serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), in connection with our previous finding that oxidative stress-induced imbalance of PTKs and PTPs is linked with proinflammatory nuclear factor-kappa B $(NF-{\kappa}B)$ activation. To test the effects of ferulate on this process, we utilized two oxidative stress-induced inflammatory models. First, YPEN-1 cells were pretreated with ferulate for 1 hr prior to the administration of 2,2'-Azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH). Second, 20-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were fed ferulate for 10 days. After ferulate treatment, the activities of PTKs, PTPs, and PP2A were measured because these proteins either directly or indirectly promote $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Our results revealed that in YPEN-1 cells, ferulate effectively suppressed AAPH-induced increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity, as well as AAPH-induced PTK activation. Furthermore, ferulate also inhibited AAPH-induced PTP and PP2A inactivation. In the aged kidney model, ferulate suppressed aging-induced activation of PTKs and ameliorated aging-induced inactivation of PTPs and PP2A. Thus, herein we demonstrated that ferulate could modulate PTK/PTP balance against oxidative stress-induced inactivation of PTPs and PP2A, which is closely linked with $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Based on these results, the ability of ferulate to modulate oxidative stress-related inflammatory processes is established, which suggests that this compound could act as a novel therapeutic agent.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.129-142
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• 2017

Accident Black Spot Improvement Project is the representative road safety intervention to eliminate environmental risk factors on the roadway by installing road safety facilities. Although it is one of the main road safety projects in Korea, there has been a lack of effort analyzing the traffic accident reduction effects of this project. In this study, therefore, we selected 4,171 road black spots from 2004 to 2013 and investigated the traffic accident reduction effects of 5 road safety facilities by using "Comparison Group(C-G)" method. Through the analysis, it was found that the number of traffic accidents were lowered by 4.45% with traffic islands, 32.17% with road paved markers, and 24.13% with speed cameras, respectively. However, 0.61% with pedestrian fencing and 1.67% with skid resistant pavement were increased on the other hand. In addition, we also analyzed traffic accident reduction facilities' performance on specific types of collision mentioned in manual on road safety facilities by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It was shown that the number of bad weather traffic accidents were reduced by 52.96% with road paved markers, pedestrians accidents were reduced by 62.77% with pedestrian fencing and rear-end collisions were reduced by 26.00% with skid resistant pavement.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2010

The aims of this study were to evaluate obesity-related dietary behaviors and to determine long-term exercise effects on obesity and blood lipid profiles in elderly Korean subjects. A total of 120 subjects, aged 60-75 yr, were recruited, and obesity-related dietary behaviors were determined. An exercise intervention was conducted with 35 qualified elderly females for 6 months, and body composition and blood lipids were measured 6 times at 4 week intervals. At baseline, mean BMI ($kg/m^2$) was 24.8 for males and 23.1 for females. The females had better eating habits than the males and were more concerned with reading nutrition labels on food products (P < 0.001); they also preferred convenience foods less than the male subjects (P < 0.05). Obese individuals were more likely than overweight or normal weight individuals to misperceive their weight (P < 0.001). Those with a high BMI responded feeling more depressed (P < 0.01), lacking self-confidence (P < 0.01), and feeling isolated (P < 0.01) as well as having more difficulty doing outdoor activities (P < 0.01). After exercise, body fat (%) and WHR were significantly reduced (P < 0.05), while body weight and BMI were also decreased without statistical significance. Total cholesterol and blood HDL were significantly improved (207.1 mg/dl vs. 182.6 mg/dl, HDL: 45.6 mg/dl vs. 50.6 mg/dl, P < 0.05). Other benefits obtained from exercise were improvements in self-confidence (26.4%), movement (22.6%), stress-relief (18.9%), and depression (13.2%). In conclusion, elderly females had better eating habits and were more concerned with nutrition information and healthy diets compared to elderly males. However, misperceptions of weight and obesity-related stress tended to be very high in females who were overweight and obese, which can be a barrier to maintain normal weight. Long-term Danhak practice, a traditional Korean exercise, was effective at reducing body fat (%) and abdominal obesity, and improved lipid profiles, self-confidence, and stress.