• 한국임상수의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국임상수의학회 2008년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.155-155
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• 2008

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.9-16
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• 2024

Background: E-waste workers in Hong Kong are handling an unprecedented amount of e-waste, which contains various neurotoxic chemicals. However, no study has been conducted to evaluate the neurological health status of e-waste workers in Hong Kong. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of neurobehavioral alterations and to identify the vulnerable groups among Hong Kong e-waste workers. Methods: We recruited 109 Hong Kong e-waste workers from June 2021 to September 2022. Participants completed standard questionnaires and wore a GENEActiv accelerometer for seven days. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Questionnaire 16/18 (Q16/18) were used to assess subjective neurobehavioral alterations. The GENEActiv data generated objective sleep and circadian rhythm variables. Workers were grouped based on job designation and entity type according to the presumed hazardous level. Unconditional logistic regression models measured the associations of occupational characteristics with neurobehavioral alterations after adjusting for confounders. Results: While dismantlers/repairers and the workers in entities not funded by the government were more likely to suffer from neurotoxic symptoms in Q18 (adjusted odds ratio: 3.18 [1.18-9.39] and 2.77 [1.10-7.46], respectively), the workers from self-sustained recycling facilities also have poor performances in circadian rhythm. Results also showed that the dismantlers/repairers working in entities not funded by the government had the highest risk of neurotoxic symptoms compared to the lowest-risk group (i.e., workers in government-funded companies with other job designations). Conclusion: This timely and valuable study emphasizes the importance of improving the working conditions for high-risk e-waste workers, especially the dismantlers or repairers working in facilities not funded by the government.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.144-152
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• 2005

To evaluate the effect of lead biomarkers including bone lead on neurobehavioral test in lead workers, 652 lead workers without any occupational exposure to organic solvent, mercury and arsenic were agreed to participate this study. For the control subjects 102 non-occupationally lead exposed blue collar workers in general manufacturing industries were also joined this study. All study subjects joined this study with written informed consent. The study variables of lead exposure were blood and patella lead. For the general characteristics of study subjects, standardized questionnaire regarding age, sex, past disease history, job duration, body mass index (BMI), drinking and smoking habit were provided. For the past history of neurotoxicity related diseases, all study subjects were interviewed by qualified occupational health physician. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Compared with controls without occupational lead exposure, lead exposed subjects had worse performance on all tests(p<0.05). 2. After adjustment for covariates (age, sex, job duration, education level, BMI, smoking and drinking status), the signs of the regression coefficients for blood lead were negative for 13 of the 14 tests. Blood lead was a significant predictor of poorer scores on 8 tests (simple reaction time(ms & root MSD), Trail-Making Test B, Digit Symbol Substitution, Purdue Pegboard assembly, Digit Span Test, Benton Visual Retention, and Purdue pegboard both hand). 3. After adjustment for covariates (age, sex, job duration, education level, BMI, smoking and drinking status), the signs of the regression coefficients for patella lead were negative for 12 of the 14 tests. Patella lead was a significant predictor of poorer scores on 8 tests (simple reaction time(ms). Purdue Pegboard assembly, Digit Span Test, Benton Visual Retention. Pursuit Aiming rest (no. of correct & no. of incorrect), Purdue pegboard non-dominant hand and both hand). With above results, blood lead and patella lead were associated with poorer performance of neurobehavioral tests. In addition, patella lead was confirmed to be better predictor of manual dexterity test in neurobehavioral test battery in lead workers

• Toxicological Research
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.123-132
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• 2016

The impact of mobile phone (MP) radiation on the brain is of specific interest to the scientific community and warrants investigations, as MP is held close to the head. Studies on humans and rodents revealed hazards MP radiation associated such as brain tumors, impairment in cognition, hearing etc. Melatonin (MT) is an important modulator of CNS functioning and is a neural antioxidant hormone. Zebrafish has emerged as a popular model organism for CNS studies. Herein, we evaluated the impact of GSM900MP (GSM900MP) radiation exposure daily for 1 hr for 14 days with the SAR of 1.34W/Kg on neurobehavioral and oxidative stress parameters in zebrafish. Our study revealed that, GSM900MP radiation exposure, significantly decreased time spent near social stimulus zone and increased total distance travelled, in social interaction test. In the novel tank dive test, the GSM900MP radiation exposure elicited anxiety as revealed by significantly increased time spent in bottom half; freezing bouts and duration and decreased distance travelled, average velocity, and number of entries to upper half of the tank. Exposed zebrafish spent less time in the novel arm of the Y-Maze, corroborating significant impairment in learning as compared to the control group. Exposure decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities whereas, increased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) was encountered showing compromised antioxidant defense. Treatment with MT significantly reversed the above neurobehavioral and oxidative derangements induced by GSM900MP radiation exposure. This study traced GSM900MP radiation exposure induced neurobehavioral aberrations and alterations in brain oxidative status. Furthermore, MT proved to be a promising therapeutic candidate in ameliorating such outcomes in zebrafish.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제15권5호
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• pp.2946-2952
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• 2014

본 연구는 고령사회를 앞두고 증가하고 있는 노인들의 자동차 운전에 대한 실태를 확인하고 향후 노인들의 안전한 자동차 운전에 대한 연구를 하는데 기초적인 자료로 사용하고자 하는 목적을 가지고 있다. P시에 소재하고 있는 노인복지관을 이용하고 있는 노인 128명을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였다. 설문조사를 통해서 노인들의 자가운전 현황을 파악하고, 자가운전을 하고 있다고 응답한 41명의 노인들을 대상으로 인지기능을 확인할 수 있는 한국판 몬트리올 인지기능평가(Montreal Cognitive Assessment Korean Version; MoCA-K)와 신경행동학적 인지상태 검사(neurobehavioral cognitive status examination; NCSE)를 실시하였다. 연구결과 대상 노인의 32%가 자동차운전을 하고 있었으며 매일 운전을 하는 경우(56.1%)가 가장 많고, 운전시간은 하루 1-2시간 정도(56.1%) 운전을 하는 경우가 가장 많았다. 차량사용목적으로는 여가활동(46.3%)에 많이 이용을 하였으며, 사고경험이 있는 노인은 31.7%였다. 인지기능검사 결과 개인에 따라서 특정항목에서 평균이하의 점수를 획득하는 경우가 있어 안전한 자동차 운전에 영향을 줄 수 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 그러므로 노인들의 안전한 자동차 운전을 위해서는 노인의 감소된 능력을 정확하게 측정할 수 있는 체계적인 평가시스템과 부족한 부분에 대해서 보완할 수 있는 운전재교육시스템의 의무화가 필요할 것으로 생각된다. 또한 향후 운전면허관리제도 및 갱신과 같은 노인의 운전을 위한 정부차원의 제도적 접근도 필요할 것이다.

• 대한통합의학회지
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.33-40
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this randomized controlled trial study was to examine the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive function and depression in stroke patients. Methods : Thirty stroke patients were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received tDCS while performing computerized cognitive rehabilitation programs, and the control group was provided with sham tDCS while operating the same programs. The 30-minute intervention was implemented five times per week for six weeks. To assess cognitive function before and after the intervention, the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination was conducted; the Beck Depression Inventory BDI was employed to assess depression. Results : The experimental group showed statistically significant increases in cognitive function and decreases in depression (p < .05 ). Comparing the amount of variation between the groups after arbitration also showed significant differences in cognitive function and depression between the two groups (p > .05). Conclusion : The application of tDCS and computerized cognitive rehabilitation programs for stroke patients may positively affect their cognitive function and depression. Therefore, tDCS used with computerized cognitive rehabilitation programs is positively applicable to the enhancement of cognitive function in stroke patients and reduction of depression.

• 생물정신의학
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.15-24
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy and side effects of quetiapine and haloperidol for the treatment of symptoms of delirium. Methods : One hundred and seven patients with delirium were recruited and randomly assigned to receive a flexible-dose regimen of quetiapine or haloperidol over 7days and seventy-seven patients completed the study(quetiapine group N=40, haloperidol group N=37). The severity of delirium was assessed by using Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale(MDAS) scores, the psychiatric and behavioral symptoms were assessed by Neurobehavioral Rating Scale(NRS) scores, and the cognitive status was measured by Mini-mental state examination Korean version(MMSE-K) scores. The side effects were measured by Drug Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale(DIEPSS) scores. Results : MDAS scores significantly improved in both treatment groups. NRS scores also significantly improved in both treatment group, but the group-by-time effect approached significance, likely caused by the greater decrease in scores of the quetiapine group. MMSE-K scores significantly improved only in the quetiapine group. Side effects associated with treatment were not significant in either treatment groups. Conclusion : This study suggests that quetiapine is as efficacious as haloperidol in the treatment of delirium. In particular, quetiapine seems to improve psychiatric and behavioral problems of delirium and was more effective than haloperidol in cognitive improvement.

• 대한통합의학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.121-130
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• 2020

Purpose : The objective of the current study was to evaluate the impact of the Computer-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation Program (CoTras) on the cognitive function and daily living activities of elderly and adult stroke patients. Methods : Twenty stroke patients were divided into two groups comprising 10 elderly stroke patients and 10 adult stroke patients. The CoTras was applied as the intervention for 30 minutes at a time, three times a week, for nine weeks (i.e., a total of 27 times), to both groups. The Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination was used to assess cognitive function, and the Functional Independence Measure was utilized to evaluate daily living activities, prior to, during, and after the intervention. Results : The CoTras was demonstrated to have a statistically significant and positive effect on the cognitive function and daily living activities of stroke patients. However, the effect of the program on the restoration of weight-shifting capacity, as a component of the daily living activities of stroke patients, was without statistical significance. The program had a greater influence on improving the cognitive function and daily living activities of elderly stroke patients than adult stroke patients. Conclusion : This study makes a meaningful contribution to the literature on the topic as the intervention was demonstrated to lead to a more significant recovery of cognitive function and daily living activities in elderly stroke patients, compared to adult patients. Therefore, it is proposed that the CoTras should be used as a clinical intervention for elderly stroke patients. Future studies that evaluate the application of the CoTras, along with other occupation-based intervention programs, are warranted.

• 대한통합의학회지
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.201-210
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• 2021

Purpose : There is a lack of research on this field in the Republic of Korea, especially those that have seen the effect of interaction between transcranial direct current stimulation and computerized cognitive rehabilitation therapy. This study divided 30 dementia patients into a treatment group, which received transcranial direct current stimulation and computerized cognitive rehabilitation, and a control group, which received pseudo-transcranial direct current stimulation and pseudo-computerized cognitive rehabilitation. This study evaluated the effects of these treatments on the visual perception, cognition functions, and daily activities of dementia patients. Methods : Fifteen subjects were allocated to the treatment group and the other 15 subjects were allocated to the control group. Treatments were given at intervals of five sessions per week (30 minutes per session) for six weeks (30 times in total). This study used the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (NCSE) to examine cognitive functions, MVPT to evaluate visual perception, and FIM to test daily living activities before and after applying the treatments. Results : The results of this study showed that cognitive functions, visual perception, and daily living activities significantly (p<.05) improved after the intervention in the treatment group and the control group. The changes in cognitive functions, visual perception, and daily living activities due to the treatments were significantly different between the groups (p<.05). Conclusion : The results indicated that transcranial direct current stimulation and computerized cognitive rehabilitation therapy improved visual perception and daily living activities by increasing cognitive functions. Consequently, it was found that the simultaneous application of transcranial direct current stimulation in conjunction with a computerized cognitive rehabilitation program was an intervention method that could positively affect the visual perception, cognitive function, and daily living activities of dementia patients. Based on the results of this study, the study of arbitration protocols for demential will have to be more active.

• 대한통합의학회지
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.49-58
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• 2021

Purpose : This study investigates the effects of the application of traditional occupational therapy and the korean computerized cognition training system on the cognitive function and performance of daily activities of stroke patients with cognitive impairment. Methods : From inpatients referred for rehabilitation treatment at L Rehabilitation Hospital located in Busan, 20 patients diagnosed with stroke from April 05. 2021 to May 02. 2021 (study period) were selected, They were divided into two, an experimental group consisting of 10 subjects who underwent a computerized cognitive rehabilitation program and traditional occupational therapy in combination and a control group of 10 subjects who underwent traditional occupational therapy alone. In order to measure the cognitive function of the subjects before the intervention, two assessment tests were conducted: a Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (NCSE), which evaluates stroke-related cognitive ability, and a Functional Independence Measure (FIM) test, which evaluates life activities. Then, both groups received a total of 20 training sessions at 30 minutes per session, five times a week for four weeks. Results : A statistically significant difference was found in cognitive function between before and after the cognitive training for both the experimental group and the control group. For the FIM scores, statistically significant differences were observed after intervention in the categories of handling personal matters and social cognition, and in the total score. The average scores of the remaining items also improved. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that both the computerized cognition rehabilitation program and the traditional occupational therapy had a positive effect on the improvement of cognitive function in stroke patients.