• Title/Summary/Keyword: u-surveillance

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Principles of Chemical Risk Assessment: The ATSDR Perspective

  • Johnson Barry L.
    • 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 1994.02a
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    • pp.405-411
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    • 1994
  • Hazardous wastes released into the general environment are of concern to the public and to public health authorities. In response to this concern, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended (commonly called Superfund), was enacted in 1980 to provide a framework for environmental, public health, and legal actions concerning uncontrolled releases of hazardous substances. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) was created by Superfund to address the public health issues of hazardous wastes in the community environment. Two key Agency programs, Public Health Assessments and Toxicological Profiles, are designed to assess the risk to human health of exposures to hazardous substances that migrate from waste sites or through emergency releases (e.g., chemical spills). The Agency's public health assessment is a structured process that permits ATSDR to identify which waste sites or other point sources require traditional public health actions (e.g.. human exposure studies, health studies, registries, health surveillance, health advisories). The ATSDR qualitative public health assessment complements the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's quantitative risk assessment. For Superfund purposes, both assessments are sitespecific. ATSDR's toxicological profiles are prepared for priority hazardous substances found most frequently at Superfund sites. Each profile presents the current toxicologic and human health effects information about the substance being profiled. Each profile also contains Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs), a type of risk assessment value. This paper covers ATSDR's experience in conducting public health assessments and developing MRLs, and it relates this experience to recommendations on how to improve chemical risk assessments.

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Reduced Ovarian Cancer Incidence in Women Exposed to Low Dose Ionizing Background Radiation or Radiation to the Ovaries after Treatment for Breast Cancer or Rectosigmoid Cancer

  • Lehrer, Steven;Green, Sheryl;Rosenzweig, Kenneth E
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.6
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    • pp.2979-2982
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    • 2016
  • Background: High dose ionizing radiation can induce ovarian cancer, but the effect of low dose radiation on the development of ovarian cancer has not been extensively studied. We evaluated the effect of low dose radiation and total background radiation, and the radiation delivered to the ovaries during the treatment of rectosigmoid cancer and breast cancer on ovarian cancer incidence. Materials and Methods: Background radiation measurements are from Assessment of Variations in Radiation Exposure in the United States, 2011. Ovarian cancer incidence data are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) of ovarian cancer following breast cancer and rectosigmoid cancer are from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data. Obesity data by US state are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mean ages of US state populations are from the United States Census Bureau. Results: We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIR) from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, which reveal that in 194,042 cases of breast cancer treated with beam radiation, there were 796 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months of treatment (0.41%); in 283, 875 cases of breast cancer not treated with radiation, there were 1,531 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months (0.54%). The difference in ovarian cancer incidence in the two groups was significant (p < 0.001, two tailed Fisher exact test). The small dose of scattered ovarian radiation (about 3.09 cGy) from beam radiation to the breast appears to have reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 24%. In 13,099 cases of rectal or rectosigmoid junction cancer treated with beam radiation in the SEER data, there were 20 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months of treatment (0.15%). In 33,305 cases of rectal or rectosigmoid junction cancer not treated with radiation, there were 91 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months (0.27%). The difference in ovarian cancer incidence in the two groups was significant (p = 0.017, two tailed Fisher exact test). In other words, the beam radiation to rectum and rectosigmoid that also reached the ovaries reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 44%. In addition, there was a significant inverse relationship between ovarian cancer in white women and radon background radiation (r = - 0.465. p = 0.002) and total background radiation (r = -0.456, p = 0.002). Because increasing age and obesity are risk factors for ovarian cancer, multivariate linear regression was performed. The inverse relationship between ovarian cancer incidence and radon background was significant (${\beta}=-0.463$, p = 0.002) but unrelated to age (${\beta}=-0.080$, p = 0.570) or obesity (${\beta}=-0.180$, p = 0.208). Conclusions: The reduction of ovarian cancer risk following low dose radiation may be the result of radiation hormesis. Hormesis is a favorable biological response to low toxin exposure. A pollutant or toxin demonstrating hormesis has the opposite effect in small doses as in large doses. In the case of radiation, large doses are carcinogenic. However, lower overall cancer rates are found in U.S. states with high impact radiation. Moreover, there is reduced lung cancer incidence in high radiation background US states where nuclear weapons testing was done. Women at increased risk of ovarian cancer have two choices. They may be closely followed (surveillance) or undergo immediate prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. However, the efficacy of surveillance is questionable. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is considered preferable, although it carries the risk of surgical complications. The data analysis above suggests that low-dose pelvic irradiation might be a good third choice to reduce ovarian cancer risk. Further studies would be worthwhile to establish the lowest optimum radiation dose.

GIS Database and Google Map of the Population at Risk of Cholangiocarcinoma in Mueang Yang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province of Thailand

  • Kaewpitoon, Soraya J;Rujirakul, Ratana;Joosiri, Apinya;Jantakate, Sirinun;Sangkudloa, Amnat;Kaewthani, Sarochinee;Chimplee, Kanokporn;Khemplila, Kritsakorn;Kaewpitoon, Natthawut
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.1293-1297
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    • 2016
  • Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a serious problem in Thailand, particularly in the northeastern and northern regions. Database of population at risk are need required for monitoring, surveillance, home health care, and home visit. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a geographic information system (GIS) database and Google map of the population at risk of CCA in Mueang Yang district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeastern Thailand during June to October 2015. Populations at risk were screened using the Korat CCA verbal screening test (KCVST). Software included Microsoft Excel, ArcGIS, and Google Maps. The secondary data included the point of villages, sub-district boundaries, district boundaries, point of hospital in Mueang Yang district, used for created the spatial databese. The populations at risk for CCA and opisthorchiasis were used to create an arttribute database. Data were tranfered to WGS84 UTM ZONE 48. After the conversion, all of the data were imported into Google Earth using online web pages www.earthpoint.us. Some 222 from a 4,800 population at risk for CCA constituted a high risk group. Geo-visual display available at following www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=zPxtcHv_iDLo.kvPpxl5mAs90&hl=th. Geo-visual display 5 layers including: layer 1, village location and number of the population at risk for CCA; layer 2, sub-district health promotion hospital in Mueang Yang district and number of opisthorchiasis; layer 3, sub-district district and the number of population at risk for CCA; layer 4, district hospital and the number of population at risk for CCA and number of opisthorchiasis; and layer 5, district and the number of population at risk for CCA and number of opisthorchiasis. This GIS database and Google map production process is suitable for further monitoring, surveillance, and home health care for CCA sufferers.

Metastatic tumors to the pancreas: Balancing clinical impression with cytology findings

  • Mohamed A. Abdallah;Kimberlee Bohy;Ashwani Singal;Chencheng Xie;Bhaveshkumar Patel;Morgan E. Nelson;Jonathan Bleeker;Ryan Askeland;Ammar Abdullah;Khalil Aloreidi;Muslim Atiq
    • Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.91-97
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    • 2022
  • Backgrounds/Aims: Metastatic lesions of the pancreas (PMET) account for 1%-5% of all malignant solid pancreatic lesions (SPL). In this study we evaluated the utility of endoscopic ultrasonography with fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in diagnosing PMET. Methods: Patients who underwent EUS-FNA at a community referral center between 2011-2017 for SPL were identified. Clinical, radiologic, and EUS-FNA features of those with PMET were compared to those with primary solid tumors of the pancreas: pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and neuroendocrine tumors (PNET). Results: A total of 191 patients were diagnosed with solid pancreatic malignancy using EUS-FNA: 156 PDAC, 27 PNET, and eight (4.2%) had PMET. Patients with PMET were less likely to have abdominal pain (25.0% vs. 76.3% vs. 48.2%; p < 0.01) or obstructive jaundice (37.5% vs. 58.3% vs. 0%; p < 0.01) compared to PDAC and PNET. Those with PMET were more likely to have mass lesions with/without biliary or pancreatic ductal dilatations (100% vs. 86.5% vs. 85.2%; p < 0.01) and lower CA19-9 (82.5 ± 43.21 U/mL vs. 4,639.30 ± 11,489.68 U/mL vs. 10.50 ± 10.89 U/mL; p < 0.01) compared to PDAC and PNET. Endosonographic features were similar among all groups. Seven (87.5%) patients with PMET had a personal history of malignancy prior to PMET diagnosis. The primary malignancy was renal cell carcinoma in five PMET. Conclusions: PMET are exceedingly rare, comprising less than 5% of SLP. Patients with PMET are less likely to present with symptoms and mostly identified by surveillance imaging for the primary malignancy.

Collection of Adult and Larval Mosquitoes in U.S. Army Compounds in the Republic of Korea During 1979~1983 (한국에 주둔한 미군지역내에서의 모기 성충과 유충 채집(1979~1983))

  • ;R.K
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.102-108
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    • 1984
  • This paper is the result of adult female mosquito and larval collection in U.S. Army Installations in Korea from 1979 to 1983. New Jersey light traps were operated for adult collection from May to October. The primary concern of this surveillance is to determine when to recommend insecticide spraying for mosquito control in the Army areas. The 5th Preventive Medicine Unit have developed an "index" level of female mosquitoes in a light trap similar to other U.S. Army Agencies in other parts of the world. When 10 female mosquitoes are reached on two consecutive trap-night, or 5 known vector females are collected, fogging is recommended in the trap areas. 1. Mosquito collections were conducted in 12 U.S. Army areas by operating 39 New Jersey light traps. Mosquitoes collected from the areas were identified to be 17 species comprising 3 genera. Anopheles sinensis (40%), Culex tritaeniorhynchus (31%), Aedes vexans nipponii (19 %) and Culex pipiens pallens (10%) appeared to be the most common species in the areas. 2. The species, population density and monthly appearance of adult mosquitoes were found to be almost the same in the all provinces involved. And Japanese Encephalitis vector mosquitoes, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, showed their seasonal fluctuation from July to September with a peak in August each year. 3. Larval habitats confirmed in the Army areas were categorized into 16 types as shown in Table 3. The mosquito larvae collected in those habitats were identified to be 15 species representing 4 genera. Most breeding sites in the Army areas were those which are activated during the wet season. 4. More mosquitoes were collected from the Kyungki Province than from the other Provinces. The reason for more collection of mosquitoes from military installations in the Kyungki Province appears to be the geographic characteristics surrounded by rice fields, marshes and other stagnant water areas.

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Ubiquitous Sensor Network Application Strategy of Security Companies (시큐리티업체의 유비쿼터스 센서네트워크(USN) 응용전략)

  • Jang, Ye-Jin;An, Byeong-Su;Ju, Choul-Hyun
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.21
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    • pp.75-94
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    • 2009
  • Since mechanical security systems are mostly composed of electronic, information and communication devices, they have effects in the aspects of overall social environment and crime-oriented environment. Also, the importance is increasing for wireless recognition of RFID and tracing function, which will be usefully utilized in controlling the incomings and outgoings of people/vehicles or allowance, surveillance and control. This is resulting from the increase in the care for the elderly according to the overall social environment, namely, the aging society, and the number of women entering, as well as the increase in the number of heinous crimes. The purpose of this study is to examine the theoretical considerations on ubiquitous sensor network and present a direction for securities companies for their development by focusing on the technological and application areas. To present strategies of response to a new environment for security companies, First, a diversification strategy is needed for security companies. The survival of only high level of security companies in accordance with the principle of liberal market competition will bring forth qualitative growth and competitiveness of security market. Second, active promotion by security companies is needed. It is no exaggeration to say that we are living in the modern society in the sea of advertisements and propaganda. The promotional activities that emphasize the areas of activity or importance of security need to be actively carried out using the mass media to change the aware of people regarding security companies, and they need to come up with a plan to simultaneously carry out the promotional activities that emphasize the public aspect of security by well utilizing the recent trend that the activities of security agents are being used as a topic in movies or TV dramas. Third, technically complementary establishment of ubiquitous sensor network and electronic tag is needed. Since they are used in mobile electronic tag services such as U-Home and U-Health Care, they are used throughout our lives by forming electronic tag environment within safe ubiquitous sensor network based on the existing privacy guideline for the support of mobile electronic tag terminal commercialization, reduction in communication and information usage costs, continuous technical development and strengthening of privacy protection, and the system of cooperation of academic-industrial-research needs to be established among the academic world and private research institutes for these parts.

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Spatial Dependency and Heterogeneity of Adult Diseases : In the Cases of Obesity, Diabetes and High Blood Pressure in the U.S.A. (성인병의 공간적 의존성과 이질성 : 미국의 비만, 당뇨, 고혈압을 사례로)

  • Yang, Byung-Yun;Hwang, Chul-Sue
    • Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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    • v.16 no.5
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    • pp.610-622
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    • 2010
  • The proportion of overweight and obese individuals in the United States has been continuously increasing up to recently. Many studies related to obesity have concentrated on jurisdictional levels of aggregation, making it very difficult to dearly illustrate at risk regions. In other words, little research has been conducted in relation to spatial patterns considering spatial dependency and heterogeneity by spatial autocorrelation models over space. In response, this research analyzes spatial patterns between overweight/obesity and risk factors, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, over space. Specifically, the Moran''s I and Geary''s C will be conducted for global and local measures. What is more, the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) linear regression and Geographically Weighted Regression methods will be applied to identify spatial dependency and spatial heterogeneity. Data provided by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) have Body-Mass Index (BMI) rates, containing 4 rates of under, healthy, overweight, and obesity. In addition, high blood pressure and diabetes rates in the United States will be used as independent variables. Lastly, we are confident that this research will be beneficial for a decision maker to make a prevention plan for obesity.

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Survey of American food trends and the growing obesity epidemic

  • Shao, Qin;Chin, Khew-Voon
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.5 no.3
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    • pp.253-259
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    • 2011
  • The rapid rise in the incidence of obesity has emerged as one of the most pressing global public health issues in recent years. The underlying etiological causes of obesity, whether behavioral, environmental, genetic, or a combination of several of them, have not been completely elucidated. The obesity epidemic has been attributed to the ready availability, abundance, and overconsumption of high-energy content food. We determined here by Pearson's correlation the relationship between food type consumption and rising obesity using the loss-adjusted food availability data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Services (ERS) as well as the obesity prevalence data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our analysis showed that total calorie intake and consumption of high fructose com syrup (HFCS) did not correlate with rising obesity trends. Intake of other major food types, including chicken, dairy fats, salad and cooking oils, and cheese also did not correlate with obesity trends. However, our results surprisingly revealed that consumption of com products correlated with rising obesity and was independent of gender and race/ethnicity among population dynamics in the U.S. Therefore, we were able to demonstrate a novel link between the consumption of com products and rising obesity trends that has not been previously attributed to the obesity epidemic. This correlation coincides with the introduction of bioengineered corns into the human food chain, thus raising a new hypothesis that should be tested in molecular and animal models of obesity.

Implementation of a Monitoring System Using a CW Doppler Radar (CW 도플러 레이더를 이용한 모니터링 시스템 구현)

  • Shin, Hyun-Jun;Han, Byung-Hun;Choi, Doo-Hyun;Oh, Chang-Heon
    • Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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    • v.19 no.12
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    • pp.2911-2916
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    • 2015
  • The CCTV is limited by weather conditions. To overcome this limitation, we develop a monitoring program that can sense the approach or recede of two or more objects within a surveillance system that uses a continuous-wave (CW) Doppler radar, and we proposed an algorithm to efficiently detect the approach or recede information of the object. The proposed algorithm separates the signal received by the CW Doppler radar into the real and imaginary parts using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and sums the amplitudes for each frequency to determine whether the objects are approaching or receding, using their locations. The algorithm is verified by simulations and experiments, which confirms that it successfully detects the approach or recede of two objects.

Cellulose based Electro-Active Paper Actuator: Materials and Applications (셀룰로오스 기반 Electro-Active Paper 작동기: 재료 및 응용)

  • Jang, Sang-Dong;Yang, Sang-Yeol;Ko, Hyun-U;Kim, Dong-Gu;Mun, Sung-Chul;Kang, Jin-Ho;Jung, Hye-Jun;Kim, Jae-Hwan
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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    • v.28 no.11
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    • pp.1227-1233
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    • 2011
  • Cellulose Electro-Active Paper (EAPap) has been known as a new smart material that is attractive for a bio-mimetic actuator due to its merits in terms of lightweight, dry condition, large displacement output, low actuation voltage and low power consumption. Cellulose EAPap is made by regenerating cellulose and aligning its micro-fibrils. This paper introduces several EAPap materials, which are based on natural cellulose and its hybrid nanocomposites mixed/blended with inorganic functional materials. By chemically bonding and mixing with carbon nanotubes and inorganic nanoparticles, the cellulose EAPap can be a hybrid nanocomposite that has versatile properties and can meet material requirements for many applications. Recent research trend of the cellulose EAPap is introduced in terms of material preparations as well as application devices including actuators, temperature and humidity sensors, biosensors, chemical sensors, and so on. This paper also explains wirelessly driving technology for the cellulose EAPap, which is attractive for bio-mimetic robotics, surveillance and micro-aerial vehicles.