Perceived Environmental Pollution and Its Impact on Health in China, Japan, and South Korea

Kamimura, Akiko,Armenta, Bianca,Nourian, Maziar,Assasnik, Nushean,Nourian, Kimiya,Chernenko, Alla The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine 2017 Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Vol.50 No.3

Objectives: Environmental pollution is a significant global issue. Both objective (scientifically measured) environmental pollution and perceived levels of pollution are important predictors of self-reported health. The purpose of this study was to compare the associations between perceived environmental pollution and health in China, Japan, and South Korea. Methods: Data were obtained from the East Asian Social Survey and the Cross-National Survey Data Sets: Health and Society in East Asia, 2010 (n=7938; China, n=3866; Japan, n=2496; South Korea, n=1576). Results: South Koreans perceived environmental pollution to be the most severe, while Japanese participants perceived environmental pollution to be the least severe. Although the Japanese did not perceive environmental pollution to be very severe, their self-rated physical health was significantly related to perceived environmental pollution, while the analogous relationships were not significant for the Chinese or Korean participants. Better mental health was related to lower levels of perceived air pollution in China, as well as lower levels of perceived all types of pollution in Japan and lower levels of perceived noise pollution in South Korea. Conclusions: Physical and mental health and individual socio-demographic characteristics were associated with levels of perceived environmental pollution, but with different patterns among these three countries.

Perceived Environmental Pollution and Its Impact on Health in China, Japan, and South Korea

Akiko Kamimura,Bianca Armenta,Maziar Nourian,Nushean Assasnik,Kimiya Nourian,Alla Chernenko 대한예방의학회 2017 Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Vol.50 No.3

Objectives: Environmental pollution is a significant global issue. Both objective (scientifically measured) environmental pollution and perceived levels of pollution are important predictors of self-reported health. The purpose of this study was to compare the associations between perceived environmental pollution and health in China, Japan, and South Korea. Methods: Data were obtained from the East Asian Social Survey and the Cross-National Survey Data Sets: Health and Society in East Asia, 2010 (n=7938; China, n=3866; Japan, n=2496; South Korea, n=1576). Results: South Koreans perceived environmental pollution to be the most severe, while Japanese participants perceived environmental pollution to be the least severe. Although the Japanese did not perceive environmental pollution to be very severe, their self-rated physical health was significantly related to perceived environmental pollution, while the analogous relationships were not significant for the Chinese or Korean participants. Better mental health was related to lower levels of perceived air pollution in China, as well as lower levels of perceived all types of pollution in Japan and lower levels of perceived noise pollution in South Korea. Conclusions: Physical and mental health and individual socio-demographic characteristics were associated with levels of perceived environmental pollution, but with different patterns among these three countries.

Assessing Urban Land-use Development: Developing an Agent-based Model

Farhad Hosseinali,Ali A. Alesheikh,Farshad Nourian 대한토목학회 2015 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.19 No.1

We have developed an agent-based model of urban land-use sprawl for a case study area in Qazvin province of Iran that brings therisk-explicit attitudes of land-use developers into consideration. For this purpose, new methods for searching landscapes, forselecting parcels to develop, and for allowing competitions among agents have been considered and implemented. The agents are offive categories; they act as mobile developers, and have several land-related objectives. Our proposed model evaluates two majorcases of regarding and disregarding risk for categorizing the agents. The model uses the data of the year 2005 to be calibrated and theresults are evaluated with data of the year 2010. The results revealed that while the risk-disregarding case was slightly better thanrisk-regarding in predicting the location of developments, the later was a better method to produce contiguous patches ofdevelopments. The model achieved the value of 82.15% measured by Kappa index in predicting the occurred developments. Therefore, it is considered here that using the attitudes of people towards risk along with appropriate weights for criteria maps helpthe model to simulate land-use developments with acceptable accuracy and more contiguous parcels.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Influenza Vaccinations Among College Students in Vietnam and the United States

Kamimura, Akiko,Trinh, Ha N.,Weaver, Shannon,Chernenko, Alla,Nourian, Maziar M.,Assasnik, Nushean,Nguyen, Hanh The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine 2017 Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Vol.50 No.4

Objectives: Influenza is a significant worldwide public health issue. Knowledge and perceptions regarding the flu vaccination are associated with whether individuals obtain the vaccination. The purpose of this study was to examine how such perceptions were related to knowledge and self-efficacy regarding influenza and the flu vaccination in Vietnam and the US. Methods: College students (n=932) in Vietnam (n=495) and the US (n=437) completed a self-administered survey regarding knowledge and perceptions of influenza vaccinations in September and October 2016. Results: Vietnamese participants reported significantly lower levels of awareness about flu risk, higher levels of negative attitudes toward flu vaccination, lower levels of knowledge about the flu and vaccination, and lower levels of self-efficacy than US participants. Higher levels of flu and flu vaccination knowledge and self-efficacy regarding general responsible health practices were associated with lower levels of negative perceptions of flu risk and attitudes toward vaccination. At the same time, self-efficacy regarding responsible health practices was associated with higher levels of awareness of flu risk and lower levels of negative attitudes toward vaccination. Self-efficacy regarding exercise was associated with lower levels of perceptions of flu risk and higher levels of negative attitudes toward vaccination. Conclusions: Vietnam could benefit from influenza education based on this comparison with the US. In both countries, knowledge and self-efficacy were found to be important factors influencing perceptions of influenza risk and vaccination.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Influenza Vaccinations Among College Students in Vietnam and the United States

Akiko Kamimura,Ha N. Trinh,Shannon Weaver,Alla Chernenko,Maziar M. Nourian,Nushean Assasnik,Hanh Nguyen 대한예방의학회 2017 Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Vol.50 No.4

Objectives: Influenza is a significant worldwide public health issue. Knowledge and perceptions regarding the flu vaccination are associated with whether individuals obtain the vaccination. The purpose of this study was to examine how such perceptions were related to knowledge and self-efficacy regarding influenza and the flu vaccination in Vietnam and the US. Methods: College students (n=932) in Vietnam (n=495) and the US (n=437) completed a self-administered survey regarding knowledge and perceptions of influenza vaccinations in September and October 2016. Results: Vietnamese participants reported significantly lower levels of awareness about flu risk, higher levels of negative attitudes toward flu vaccination, lower levels of knowledge about the flu and vaccination, and lower levels of self-efficacy than US participants. Higher levels of flu and flu vaccination knowledge and self-efficacy regarding general responsible health practices were associated with lower levels of negative perceptions of flu risk and attitudes toward vaccination. At the same time, self-efficacy regarding responsible health practices was associated with higher levels of awareness of flu risk and lower levels of negative attitudes toward vaccination. Self-efficacy regarding exercise was associated with lower levels of perceptions of flu risk and higher levels of negative attitudes toward vaccination. Conclusions: Vietnam could benefit from influenza education based on this comparison with the US. In both countries, knowledge and self-efficacy were found to be important factors influencing perceptions of influenza risk and vaccination.

Vitamins A, C, and E Exert Anti-apoptotic Function in the Testis of Rats After Exposure to Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Nasrin Ziamajidi,Sajedeh Daei,Maryam Khajvand-Abedini,Roghayeh Abbasalipourkabir,Alireza Nourian 전남대학교 의과학연구소 2023 CMJ Vol.59 No.1

Some reports emphasize that zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are detrimental to the reproductive organs of animals. As such, this research aimed at exploring the apoptotic potential of ZnO NPs on testis along with the beneficial role of Vitamins (V) A, C, and E against ZnO NP-induced damage. To this aim, a population of 54 healthy, male Wistar rats were used in this work and then assigned into nine groups of 6 rats as G1: Control 1 (Water); G2: Control 2 (Olive oil); G3: VA (1000 IU/kg), G4: VC (200 mg/kg), G5: VE (100 IU/kg), G6: ZnO NPs exposed animals (200 mg/kg); and G7, 8 and 9: ZnO NPs-exposed animals that were pre-treated with either VA, C, or E. Apoptosis rates were estimated by measuring the level of apoptotic regulatory markers including Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma protein 2 (Bcl-2) using western blotting and qRT-PCR assays. The data indicated that ZnO NPs exposure elevates the level of Bax protein and gene expression, whereas the protein and gene expression of Bcl-2 was reduced. Further, the activation of caspase-3,7 occurred after exposure to ZnO NPs, while the above alterations were significantly alleviated in the rats that were co-treated with VA, C, or E and ZnO NPs relative to the rats in the ZnO NPs group. In summary, VA, C, and E exerted anti-apoptotic functions in the testis of rats following administration of ZnO NPs.

In vitro Antibacterial Activity and Wound Healing Effects of Achillea millefolium Essential Oil in Rat

Ghasemi Mohammad Reza,Ranjbar Akram,Tamri Pari,Pourmoslemi Shabnam,Nourian Alireza,Dastan Dara 대한약침학회 2023 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.26 No.2

Objectives: In this study we aimed to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity and wound healing properties of Achillea millefolium essential oil (AMEO) in full-thickness wound model in rat. The antibacterial activity of AMEO was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the broth dilution method. Methods: The 2 cm × 2 cm full-thickness excisional wounds were created on the back of animals. Topical therapy was applied twice a day using 1%, 2%, and 3% w/w AMEO ointments, and the measurement of the wounds area was carried out every 3 days, after that the wound closure percentage was calculated in these days. Hydroxyproline content and histopathological evaluation of wound tissue samples were carried out on day 7 and 14 post wounding. Eucerin was used for the treatment of vehicle control group and negative control group received no treatment. Results: Our results revealed the bacteriostatic activity of AMEO against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Wound healing activity evaluation of AMEO showed the significant increase (p < 0.05) in the wound closure percentages in rats treated with AMEO 1% and 2% comparing to those of non-treatment group. In addition, hydroxyproline contents of tissue significantly (p < 0.01) increased in AMEO 1% and 2% comparing to non-treatment group. Histopathological evaluations of wound tissue samples on day 7 and 14 demonstrated higher accumulation of collagen fibers, reduction of edema and inflammation and also formation of tissue appendages in 1% and 2% AMEO treated groups in comparison with non-treatment group. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that AMEO has the potential to be used as a safe and effective wound healing agent.