• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.57-64
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• 2015

Carbon dioxide extinguishing systems are broadly used for onshore and offshore fire accidents because of excellent performance and low cost. However, there is risk with carbon dioxide systems, which have caused many injuries and deaths by suffocation associated with industrial and marine fire protection applications. In this study, a numerical analysis was performed to predict the fire suppression characteristics of a carbon dioxide system in the compressor room of ships. A double protection safety system is suggested to prevent suffocation accidents from carbon dioxide extinguishing systems. Four scenarios were selected to study the variation of the heat release rate, maximum temperature, a $CO_2$ and $O_2$ mole fraction, and fire suppression characteristics with the carbon dioxide system. The importance of proper design is suggested for a ventilation system in the compressor room of ships.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.412-415
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to establish a quantitative count method of Vibrio vulnificus cells. Plate count method is often used to count the number of V. vulnificus cells using thiosulfate citrate bile salts sucrose (TCBS) agar plate. However, this method is unsuitable for counting V. vulnificus cells due to growth inhibition and cell injuries in TCBS medium. In this study, we suggested a most probable number-polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) method using alkaline peptone water medium for the quantification of V. vulnificus. This MPN-PCR method showed 2 log higher cell number than TCBS agar plate method. Similar results were also found in the control using, Luria-Bertani agar containing 2% NaCl. Thus, this MPN-PCR method can be used a sensitive method for quantitative count of viable V. vulnificus cells in fish and shellfish samples.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.74-85
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• 2020

Smart phone zombie or Smombie means pedestrians who walk without attention to their surroundings because they are focused upon their smart phone. Because the traffic accidents and injuries caused by Smombie have been increased rapidly in recent years, the social attention and policies are needed to prevent it. This study was conducted to analyze Smombie's current status and some solutions used before and to propose new improved method through the latest ICT trend. In this study, we did the field survey to check Smombies at several places in Seoul through people counting, and found that a lot of pedestrians still use the smart phone while walking. And we analyzed many case studies about some solutions to prevent Smombies previously. The case studies include legal regulations, government policies, smart phone app services and facilities that are used before. We studied them through internet searches and reference studies and we also checked the current operating situation as visiting several places that the solutions actually has been operated. Therefore, we found there are some limitations in previous solutions in terms of effectiveness and management. To consider new solution that can be expected to overcome the limitations, we analyzed the latest ICT trends focused on features to utilize the Smombie prevention, especially video recognition and digital signage. In these days, video recognition has been developed rapidly with assistance of AI technology and it can recognize the specific pedestrian's characteristics such as holding smart phone as well as hair style, clothes, backpack and etc. On the other hands, the digital signage is the convergence device that includes big display, network connection and various IoT sensors. It can be used as public media in many places for public services as well as advertising. Through these analysis results, we show the requirements and the user scenario for the improved method to prevent Smombie. Finally, we propose to develop R&D technology to recognize Smombie exactly as pedestrian attributes and to spread creative contents to increase pedestrian's interest and engagement for Smombie prevention through digital signage.

• Journal of Auto-vehicle Safety Association
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.7-12
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• 2018

Injury mechanisms of lower extremity injuries in motor vehicle accidents are focused on fractures, sprains, and contusions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the analysis of lower extremity injury mechanism in occupant motor vehicle accident by using Hospital Information System (HIS) and reconstruction program, based on the materials related to motor vehicle accidents. Among patients who visited the emergency department of Wonju Severance Christian Hospital due to motor vehicle accidents from August 2012 to February 2014, we collected data on patients with agreement for taking the damaged vehicle's photos. After obtaining the verbal consent from the patient, we asked about the cause of the accident, information on vehicle involved in the accident, and the location of car repair shop. The photos of the damaged vehicle were taken on the basis of front, rear, left side and right side. Damage to the vehicle was presented using the CDC code by analytical study of photo-images of the damaged vehicle, and a trauma score was used for medical examination of the severity of the patient's injury. Among the 1,699 patients due to motor vehicle crashes, 88 (5.2%) received a diagnosis of lower extremity fracture and 141 (8.3%) were the severe who had ISS over 15. Nevertheless during 19 months for research, it was difficult to build up in-depth database about motor vehicle crashes. It has a limitation on collecting data because not only the system for constructing database about motor vehicle crash is not organized but also the process for demanding materials is not available due to prevention of personal information. For accurate analysis of the relationship between occupant injury and vehicle damage in motor vehicle crashes, build-up of an in-depth database through carrying out various policies for motor vehicle crashes is necessary for sure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.135-143
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• 2022

Rock platforms and TTP (breakwater) are dangerous environments commonly subject to tidal and high wave energy on the open coast. This paper is a study on risk assessment to provide risk information, which is a representative method for preventing coastal safety accidents. Risk assessment based on geo-morphological information was conducted for the Halmi-Halabi rock platform in Anmyeon-eup, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. As a result of the risk assessment in 16 directions, the risk was evaluated high in the NE, ENE, S, SSW, and W directions, where there are many sections with slopes exceeding ±20°, and the NW direction was the lowest. Geo-morphology on rock platform is central to understanding what makes one stretch of complex coastline more hazardous than another, and it can be used to create site-specific morphological risk item. In particular, it will be assisting coastal managers in an effort to reduce the number of injuries and drowning incidents by providing hazard information to assess the relative risk.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.198-205
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• 2022

Hepatic diseases are divided into two types: alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Non-alcoholic liver injury finally induces fatty liver and damages liver function. Many studies have demonstrated that Ecklonia stolonifera has antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities. We conducted a 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to examine the efficacy of E. stolonifera extracts (ESE) on biochemical markers of hepatic function. Sixty-five subjects with mild or moderate liver injuries were randomly allocated to receive either 420 mg/d of ESE or a placebo for 12 weeks. Fifty-five participants completed the trial. No significant adverse events were observed among the subjects during the study. The primary end points were changes in plasma levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT). The secondary end points were changes in lipid profile levels, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). Compared with the baseline, AST and ALT levels decreased significantly in the ESE group compared to those in the placebo group (P<0.001). In addition, γ-GT levels in the ESE group were significantly lower than those in the placebo group (P=0.016). There were no differences in the TC, TG, HDL, and LDL levels between groups. In conclusion, ESE consumption for 12 weeks improved liver parameters in subjects with liver injury. Regular consumption of ESE could maintain liver health in individuals at risk of hepatic damage.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.251-261
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• 2023

Objective: Farmers are known to have high prevalence of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). This study aims to investigate the current status of asthma and COPD in domestic and foreign farmers with the ultimate goal of raising awareness of asthma and COPD among farmers and contribute to supporting evidence for the prevention of respiratory diseases in farmers. Methods: The study utilized data from the "Farmer's Occupational Disease Survey," conducted by the Rural Development Administration, to determine the prevalence of respiratory diseases in domestic farmers. The prevalence of asthma and COPD in overseas farmers was evaluated by researching other foreign studies and articles. Results: The prevalence of asthma and COPD in domestic farmers was less than of foreign farmers'. The prevalence of asthma in domestic farmers was high as upto 8.4% and COPD upto 5.5%. Studies from Europe and America showed prevalence of asthma in farmers high as upto 14.8% and COPD upto 17.1%. Conclusions: This study conducted an investigation using the 'Survey on Occupational Diseases and Injuries in Farmers to understand the current status of asthma and COPD in domestic farmers. Due to a lack of relevant domestic research, we examined and compared with the research results on asthma and COPD among overseas farmers. Further research is necessary and preventive measures for respiratory diseases need to be developed.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2019

The health benefits associated with consumption of fresh produce have been clearly demonstrated and encouraged by international nutrition and health authorities. However, since fresh produce is usually minimally processed, increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has also led to a simultaneous escalation of foodborne illness cases. According to the report by the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 10 people suffer from foodborne diseases and 420,000 die every year globally. In comparison to other processed foods, fresh produce can be easily contaminated by various routes at different points in the supply chain from farm to fork. This review is focused on the identification and characterization of possible sources of foodborne illnesses from chemical, biological, and physical hazards and the applicable methodologies to detect potential contaminants. Agro-chemicals (pesticides, fungicides and herbicides), natural toxins (mycotoxins and plant toxins), and heavy metals (mercury and cadmium) are the main sources of chemical hazards, which can be detected by several methods including chromatography and nano-techniques based on nanostructured materials such as noble metal nanoparticles (NMPs), quantum dots (QDs) and magnetic nanoparticles or nanotube. However, the diversity of chemical structures complicates the establishment of one standard method to differentiate the variety of chemical compounds. In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables contain high nutrient contents and moisture, which promote the growth of unwanted microorganisms including bacterial pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli O157: H7, Shigella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus) and non-bacterial pathogens (norovirus and parasites). In order to detect specific pathogens in fresh produce, methods based on molecular biology such as PCR and immunology are commonly used. Finally, physical hazards including contamination by glass, metal, and gravel in food can cause serious injuries to customers. In order to decrease physical hazards, vision systems such as X-ray inspection have been adopted to detect physical contaminants in food, while exceptional handling skills by food production employees are required to prevent additional contamination.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.423-429
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• 2007

Background: Alveolar recruitment (RM) is one of the primary goals of respiratory care for an acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The purposes of alveolar recruitment are an improvement in pulmonary gas exchange and the protection of atelectrauma. This study examined the effect and safety of the alveolar RM using pressure control ventilation (PCV) in early ALI and ARDS patients. Methods: Sixteen patients with early ALI and ARDS who underwent alveolar RM using PCV were enrolled in this study. The patients data were recorded at the baseline, and 20 minutes, and 60 minutes after alveolar RM, and on the next day after the maneuver. Alveolar RM was performed with an inspiratory pressure of $30cmH_2O$ and a PEEP of $20cmH_2O$ in a 2-minute PCV mode. The venous $O_2$ saturation, central venous pressure, blood pressure, pulse rate, $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio, PEEP, and chest X-ray findings were obtained before and after alveolar RM. Results: Of the 16 patients, 3 had extra-pulmonary ALI/ARDS and the remaining 13 had pulmonary ALI/ARDS. The mean PEEP was 11.3 mmHg, and the mean $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio was 130.3 before RM. The $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio increased by 45% after alveolar RM. The $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio reached a peak 60 minutes after alveolar RM. The Pa$CO_2$ increased by 51.9 mmHg after alveolar RM. The mean blood pressure was not affected by alveolar RM. There were no complications due to pressure injuries such as a pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema. Conclusion: In this study, alveolar RM using PCV improved the level of oxygenation in patients with an acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Moreover, there were no significant complications due to hemodynamic changes and pressure injuries. Therefore, alveolar RM using PCV can be applied easily and safely in clinical practice with lung protective strategy in early ALI and ARDS patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.276-292
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the trends in domestic and international disaster-related research through a systematic review of the literature and to establish a basis for future disaster-related countermeasures and development directions. A related literature search was conducted through the domestic and foreign databases through the combination of disaster-related terms from 2000 until February 28, 2017, and 79 articles were used in the analysis based on selection and exclusion criteria of 177 total documents. As a result of the research, 31.6% of disaster research type was quantitative studies, and 29.1% of the major disciplines were medical research. In addition, there were engineering(18.9%), public administration(13.9%), and nursing(11.4%). In foreign literature, there are many triage studies for the classification of patients in multiple lesions. On the other hand, only 30.4% of total triage studies in Korea were detected. Most of them were related to triage development, triage evaluation, triage research, and reviews. In addition, according to the disaster nursing capacity framework of the International Council of Nurses, 72.3% of studies were related to the response phase. Future research on disasters requires interdisciplinary convergence, patient classification, and technology integration to improve the survival rate of multiple injuries, and an integrated system based on the results of collaborative research among interdisciplinary groups is needed.