• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.387-393
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the differences in temporary threshold shift (TTS) and recovery patterns according to different types of sound and volume. Methods: TTS and recovery patterns were assessed for eight students after 30-minute exposure to both 70.0 dB and 90.0 dB of factory noise (noise) as well as music. TTS was measured before exposure and two minutes post exposure, and recovery patterns were evaluated every 10 minutes for one hour. The subjects performed activities of daily life and sleeping times as usual but taking drugs or drinking alcohol were prohibited. The experiment was repeated three times with an interval of at least 16 hours. ANOVA and T-test were carried out using SPSS 19.0 for Windows. Results: The hearing threshold of all subjects before exposure was less than 30 dB at all frequencies. Mean TTSs of 70 dB noise and 90 dB noise exposure were 0.14 and 4.48 dB (p<0.001). Meanwhile, the difference in music was insignificant (-0.63 dB and 0.55 dB, p=0.063). A significance in the difference was also found between the mean TTS of music and noise exposure, more obviously at 90.0 dB (p<0.001) than at 70 dB (p=0.232). The TTS differences were found frequency-wise in terms of sound type. Mean TTS by frequency was higher at 4,000 and 6,000 Hz than at other frequencies, and higher in noise than music at the same sound pressure. The TTS difference in each frequency between both sound types was significant at 90 dB (p<0.001). Subjects mostly recovered from TTS in one hour after exposure, but not with 90 dB-noise exposure. Conclusion: TTS and recovery patterns were different depending on the sound type. When exposed to factory noise, TTS was greater and recovery time was longer compared to music at the same sound pressure. These results suggested that the difference in cognitive processes and psychological factors according to the type of sound causes a change in TTS and recovery.

• 한국노년학
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.179-196
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors impacting fear of dementia, targeting the aged in the community. The study targeted 258 seniors aged 65 or older attending the senior college or using the senior citizen community center in areas of Jeollannam-do. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and a stepwise multiple linear regression. Fear of dementia of the aged showed significant positive correlations with dementia anxiety, and aged anxiety. dementia anxiety, aged anxiety, dementia experience, use of a hearing aid, religion, level of dementia interest were significant predictors influencing fear of dementia of aged in the community, and these variables accounted for 37.2% of the variance. Therefore, this study suggests that in order to p revent fear of dementia of aged people in the primary health care setting, it is necessary to have a nurse's assessment on the factors affecting dementia as well as a multi-faceted education strategy for proper recognition of dementia.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to develop the Korean version of Music-Related Quality of Life (K-MRQoL) for the elderly. The K-MRQoL consisted of Musical Ability, Attitude, Activity Frequency (PART 1) and Musical Ability, Attitude, Activity Important (PART 2). Each subcategory consists of Music Perception with 11 items and Music Engagement with 7 items. The validity and reliability of K-MRQoL were measured with Pearson's and Cronbach's alpha correlation coefficients and Independent t-test in total 30 elderly with normal hearing and 30 elderly with hearing loss from local welfare Centers and nursing homes. The correlation coefficients between total scores and PART 1 and PART 2 ranged from .701 to .948 and from .598 to .926, respectively. The internal consistency between total and Part 1 and Part 2 ranged from .846 to .931 and from .838 to .918, respectively. The test-retest correlations were .979, .970, and 979 for total, PART 1, and PART 2, respectively. The correlation between K-MRQoL and Quality of Communication Life Scale was .449. There were significant differences in total, PART 1, and PART 2 between the elderly with normal hearing and hearing loss. This indicates that the K-MRQoL can be used as a useful clinical tool to evaluate Music-related Quality of Life in the elderly with normal hearing or hearing loss.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2022

This study was conducted to examine the characteristics of pitch perception and temporal resolution through Within-/Cross-Channel Gap Detection Thresholds (WC/CC GDTs) using low-frequency pure tones (such as 264 Hz, 373 Hz and 528 Hz related to C4, C4#, and C5 musical tones. 40 young people and 20 elderly people with normal hearing participated in this study. The results of WC GDTs were approximately 2 ms ~ 4 ms threshold values regardless of frequencies in two groups. There was no statistically significant difference in WC GDTs between groups. In both groups, CC GDTs were larger than WC GDTs, and as the frequency difference increased, the CC GDTs also increased. In particular, in the comparison between groups of CC GDTs, the results of the elderly group were 8 times ~ 10 times larger than that of the young group, and there was a statistically significant difference between the groups. These data also showed a different trend of GDTs in comparison with the previous data obtained from musical stimuli.This study suggests that GDTs may influence pitch perception mechanisms and can be used as psychoacoustic evidence for nonlinear responses of auditory nervous system.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.545-556
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• 2022

This study is a preliminary experiment to test on the effect of musical harmony on the suppression of the discomfort from tinnitus. The experiment was conducted on 25 adults with normal hearing. They listened to the three types (1. original music, 2. melody only, 3. harmony only) of Brandenburg concerto no. 3, G Major (J S Bach) and rated tinnitus annoyance scales. The results show that the tinnitus annoyance was significantly reduced when they listened to the tinnitus sound and any of the three types of the same musics compared to when listening to the tinnitus sound only (p < 0.019). Suppression of tinnitus was observed to be greater in the original music containing harmony and the harmony part only than in the music excluding the harmony part (the melody part only) (p < 0.012). The suppression effect was slightly better in the original music including the harmony part than in the harmony part only, but there was no statistical significance (p = 0.189). The experimental results suggest that the harmony in music plays an important role in suppressing tinnitus annoyance, compared to the melody. Validations with tinnitus patients are necessary to underpin the findings, which can enable us to embark further studies for making use of them for clinical applications.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.411-422
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between quality of life and demographic characteristics and health-related behavioral characteristics, and their relevance to variables that represent health conditions among metropolitan-dwelling older adults. The study subjects were 380 senior citizens aged 65 or older living in the D metropolitan area, and data collection was conducted by visiting them for interviews in June 2019. A binomial logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between independent variables (demographic characteristics, health-related behavioral characteristics, health condition variables) and the dependent variable (quality of life) while controlling for gender and age. As a result, the factors related to quality of life for those surveyed were education level, spousal status, living status, bear for living expenses, average monthly allowance, satisfaction with daily life, evaluation of sleep quality, smoking and eating habits, amount of regular exercise, hobbies, subjective health status, physical disability (if any), hearing ability, visual acuity, mastication ability, urinary incontinence (present or not), and amnesia. The above results suggest that quality of life for the elderly living in urban areas is significantly related to variables that indicate demographic characteristics, health-related behavioral characteristics, and health condition.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.52-64
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• 2023

This study aimed to examine the types and characteristics of otorhinolaryngology examinations performed by clinical laboratory technologists and to investigate the working environment and scope of work of otorhinolaryngology laboratory personnel using online questionnaires. Based on the research results, constructive policy measures for the University-Association-Society were also presented. Most of the survey respondents were in their 40s (34.1%). Females accounted for 80.2% of respondents and 30.8% of them had a career spanning 15 years or more. We found that laboratory personnel had a wide scope of work, high work stress and frequently suffered occupational diseases. We observed that, to reduce stress and increase satisfaction, an expansion of the workforce was necessary. Compared to other occupations, 72% of clinical laboratory technologists occupied more senior positions, occupational distribution depended on senior positions (P<0.001). Clinical laboratory technologists performed about 26 types of otorhinolaryngology examinations. The most frequent test performed daily was pure tone audiometry, and polysomnography took the longest test time, with an average of 8 hours. In conclusion, clinical laboratory technologists were in charge of various specialized otorhinolaryngology examinations. Considering the importance of clinical laboratory technologists in otorhinolaryngology, the University-Association-Society should put in additional effort into nurturing otorhinolaryngology examination experts.

• Korea Science and Art Forum
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• v.20
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• pp.267-277
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• 2015

The whole world enters the ageing era and 'lifelong education' is issued where the elderly can learn knowledge and techniques caused by era-change. Museum is a cultural public-facility and taking roles to provide education with spatial composition of contents and articles at exhibition. Therefore, museum can be a learning space for the elderly, performance of learning, environmental support to museum is required considering their physical characteristics. This study aims to develop a environmental design checklist at museum and to provide a frame for environmental plans to support the elderly for smooth watching of exhibition and education at museum. The environmental design checklist at museum was drawn for the spaces for entry, exhibition, public-service, educational activity and movement at museum, based on physical characteristics of the elderly or the criteria of 'sense (eye-sight, hearing and feeling by tough)' / 'exercise (skeleton, movement, physical strength and muscular strength). The environmental design checklist at museum for the elderly was composed newly by combining existing related acts, manuals, and preceded studies. For future studies, actual survey items at site and questionnaires for the elderly watchers were drawn.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.1221-1227
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• 2009

Purpose:To identify the risk factors for poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in high-risk neonates. Methods:We studied 94 infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at the Sanggye Paik Hospital between January 2002 and November 2005 and evaluated the follow-up data. The following events were considered as risk factors: ${\leq}32$ weeks of gestation, very low birth weight, Apgar scores of less than 5, neonatal resuscitation, neonatal seizure, congenital infection, and abnormalities in cranial ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The infants who had any one of these risk factors were included. They were evaluated at their mean corrected age of 13.84${\pm}$8.03 months. Mental and Psychomotor Developmental Indices (MDI, PDI) were determined by a clinical psychologist using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II. Results:The mean MDI and PDI of all the patients were 96.28${\pm}$26.70 and 94.00${\pm}$22.80, respectively. Abnormalities on cranial ultrasound or MRI were significant predictors of both low MDI (P<0.05) and low PDI (P<0.001). These abnormalities showed a stronger association with low PDI than with low MDI. The infants with periventricular leukomalacia had the lowest MDI and PDI ($70.10{\pm}28.68$ and $69.70{\pm}24.91$, respectively). Apgar score at 1 minute and very low birth weight were also significant predictors for low PDI (P<0.05, P<0.05, respectively). Conclusion:Image findings with cranial ultrasound or MRI were the strongest predictors of neurodevelopmental outcome. Periventricular leukomalacia was the best predictive factor for mental and psychomotor development.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.48-56
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• 2000

Purpose: Alport SD., the most common herectitary rephriris, is a renal disease with rapid progression. Deafness, ocular abnormalities and a specific EM finding may be associated in addition to a family history. We have aralyged retrospectively. Methods: We observed 12 children with Alport syndrome who were diagnosed at Dept. of pediatrics in Kyunghee Univ., College of Medicine, from Apr. 1991 until Jun. 1999. We used four criteria for diagnosis: renal disease, family history, deafness or eye abnormalities, and a specific finding in electron microscopy Results: 2 of 12 patients had all features of the four diagnostic criteria. We could not trace an exact family history in 3 patients, and 6 patients did not exhibit deafness or eye abnormality. One could not have renal biopsy because offer chronic renal failure. Other three criteria were observed in her. The ratio of male to female observed was 1:2 respectively and the mean age of initial renal symptom was 5.6 years. 9 of 12 patients had a family history of renal disease. In the audiogram and ocular examination for 11 of 12 cases, sensorineural hearing loss was observed in 6 and ocular abnormality in 2 cases. In electron microscopic finding, irregular thickness of the capillary basement membranes with lamination of lamina densa and foot process obliteration was noted in 9 of 11 and thin basement membrane with splitting and foot process obliteration was noted in the other 2. The mean period of follow-up was 3 6/12 years. And one patient developed the chronic renal failure until now and had kidney transplantation. Conclusion: For the diagnosis of Alport syndrome, the following four diagnostic criteria are very important : renal disease, family history, deafness or eye abnormalities, and a specific finding on electron microscopy. We expect that more patients can be detected through the analysis of these characteristics.