• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.346-351
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• 2022

Background Postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMR) increases patient satisfaction, quality of life, and psychosocial well-being. There is scarce data regarding the safety of PMR in chronic anticoagulated patients. Perioperative complications can reduce patient satisfaction; therefore, it is important to elucidate the safety of PMR in these patients. Methods A retrospective case-control study of patients who underwent PMR with implants and were on chronic anticoagulation was performed at our institution. Inclusion criteria were women ≥ 18 years old. Exclusion criteria included autologous reconstructions, lumpectomy, and oncoplastic procedures. Two controls for every one patient on anticoagulation were matched by age, body mass index, radiotherapy, smoking history, type of reconstruction, time of reconstruction, and laterality. Results From 2009 to 2020, 37 breasts (20 patients) underwent PMR with implant-based reconstruction and were on chronic anticoagulation. A total of 74 breasts (40 patients) who had similar demographic characteristics to the cases were defined as the control group. Mean age for the case group was 53.6 years (standard deviation [SD] = 16.1), mean body mass index was 28.6 kg/m² (SD = 5.1), and 2.7% of breasts had radiotherapy before reconstruction and 5.4% after reconstruction. Nine patients were on long-term warfarin, six on apixaban, three on rivaroxaban, one on low-molecular-weight heparin, and one on dabigatran. The indications for anticoagulation were prior thromboembolic events in 50%. Anticoagulated patients had a higher risk of capsular contracture (10.8% vs. 0%, p = 0.005). There were no differences regarding incidence of hematoma (2.7% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.63), thromboembolism (5% vs. 0%, p = 0.16), reconstructive-related complications, or length of hospitalization (1.6 days [SD = 24.2] vs. 1.4 days [SD = 24.2], p = 0.85). Conclusion Postmastectomy implant-based breast reconstruction can be safely performed in patients on chronic anticoagulation with appropriate perioperative management of anticoagulation. This information can be useful for preoperative counseling on these patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.480-486
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• 2021

Background: Although various methods are already used to calculate predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) based on preoperative FEV₁ in lung surgery, the predicted postoperative FEV₁ is not always the same as the actual postoperative FEV₁. Observed postoperative FEV₁ values are usually the same or higher than the predicted postoperative FEV₁. To overcome this issue, we investigated the relationship between the number of resected lung segments and the discordance of preoperative and postoperative FEV₁ values. Methods: From September 2014 to May 2020, the data of all patients who underwent anatomical lung resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) were gathered and analyzed retrospectively. We investigated the association between the number of resected segments and the differential FEV₁ (a measure of the discrepancy between the predicted and observed postoperative FEV₁) using the t-test and linear regression. Results: Information on 238 patients who underwent VATS anatomical lung resection at Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong and by DH. Kim for benign and malignant disease was collected. After applying the exclusion criteria, 114 patients were included in the final analysis. In the multiple linear regression model, the number of resected segments showed a positive correlation with the differential FEV₁ (Pearson r=0.384, p<0.001). After adjusting for multiple covariates, the differential FEV₁ increased by 0.048 (95% confidence interval, 0.023-0.073) with an increasing number of resected lung segments (R²=0.271, p<0.001). Conclusion: In this study, after pulmonary resection, the number of resected segments showed a positive correlation with the differential FEV₁.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.158-166
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Kiwifruit is a fruit tree with relatively small cultivation area in Korea and researches on its soil and physiology are very limited compared to those on cultivar development. Therefore, there are limited information for farmers to cope with the reduction in productivity due to various physiological disorders and premature aging. This study was conducted to investigate the soil and leaf chemical properties, and fruit characteristics, which will be used as basic data for stable kiwifruit orchard soil management. METHODS AND RESULTS: The soil and leaf chemical properties, and fruit characteristics were investigated for two years in 16 kiwifruit orchards growing 'Hayward' (Actinidia deliciosa) in Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do. Soil and leaf samples were collected in July and fruit quality was investigated by harvesting fruits about 170 days after full bloom. The average soil chemical properties of kiwi orchards were generally higher than the recommended level, except for pH, and especially, the exchangeable potassium reached about 300% of the recommended level. The proportions of orchards that exceeded the recommended level of soil chemical properties were 63, 31, 100, 69, 94, 88 and 69% for pH, EC, organic content, available phosphate, and exchangeable potassium, calcium and magnesium, respectively. Thirty-three percent of orchards had more than 100 mg/kg of nitrate nitrogen in soil. Available phosphate in soil showed a significantly positive correlation with leaf nitrogen, phosphoric acid and calcium content, but showed a significantly negative correlation with leaf potassium content. The magnesium content in the leaves was significantly correlated with soil pH. The highest fruit weight was observed in about 25 g/kg of leaf nitrogen content which could be attained when plants were grown on the soil containing about 100 mg/kg of nitrate nitrogen content. The average soluble solids content among 16 orchards was 9.58 °Brix at harvest and 13.9 °Brix after ripening, which increased about 45%, and the average fruit weight was about 110 g. CONCLUSION(S): For fruit quality, fruit soluble solids (sugar compounds) content was significantly correlated with leaf potassium content, fruit hardiness with leaf total nitrate, calcium and magnesium, and fruit titratable acidity with leaf magnesium; however, leaf calcium and magnesium negatively affect the soluble solids contents in fruits.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2021

Background and objective: Education based on agricultural experience in school gardens is coming to the fore as a solution to reduce the negative effect of rapid urbanization and the development of information technology (IT) on students. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate how parents of elementary, middle, and high school students in Korea perceive the value of education service using school gardens, as well as their willingness to participate in and pay for such service, and to utilize the results in a quantitative assessment of the socioeconomic value of the education service. Methods: A contactless online survey on the perceived value of education service using school gardens was conducted on 1,010 parents of elementary, middle, and high school students in Korea's five major districts from October 22 to 26 (5 days) of 2020 by M, a Korean specialized survey agency. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS for Windows 25.0 and Excel to obtain the frequency and ratio of each measured item. Results: The respondents had an average of 1.83, of which 52.8% were male. 55.3% of the respondents were aware of the education service using school gardens, and 27.9% experienced the service. When asked if they saw the educational service using school gardens as necessary, 79% answered in the affirmative. In terms of the difference in perception of the need for the service according to experience, 91.8% of the parents who experienced the service responded that it was necessary, indicating that it is important to provide opportunities to experience this service to expand the scope of service. 54.9% of all respondents responded they were willing to pay the costs required for school gardens. When income tax was used as a payment method, the average amount parents were willing to pay was 13,193 KRW, and the tax rate was 2.02%. Based on experience, those who experienced this service had a higher need and willingness to pay for the service than those who had not experience, but the actual amount or tax rate was low as they knew how it was operated. Conclusion: As basic research on the assessment of the value of agricultural experience education using school gardens, this study determined how parents perceive this form of education service as well as their willingness to participate and pay for the service. These findings can be used to systemize the assessment indicators and promote the value of the education service using school gardens, allowing students to maintain a healthy and happy school life through agricultural experience.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.259-272
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• 2022

Background: The Korean Peninsula exhibits a characteristic graded floral distribution, with northern (Manchurian flora) and southern (China-Japan-Korea flora) lineage species coexisting according to climatic and topographical characteristics. However, this distribution has been altered by climate change. To identify ecosystem changes caused by climate change and develop appropriate measures, the current ecological status of the entire Korean Peninsula should first be determined; however, analysis of the current floral distribution in North Korea has been hampered for political reasons. To overcome these limitations, this study constructed a database of floral distributions in both South and North Korea by integrating spatial information from the previously established National Ecological Survey in South Korea and geocoding data from the literature on biological distributions published in North Korea. It was then applied to analyze the current status and distribution characteristics of Manchurian and China-Japan-Korea plant species on the Korean Peninsula. Results: In total, 45,877 cases were included in the Manchurian and China-Japan-Korea floral distribution database. China-Japan-Korea species were densely distributed on Jeju-do and along the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. The distribution density decreased as the latitude increased, and the distributions reached higher-latitude regions in the coastal areas compared with the inland regions. Manchurian species were distributed throughout North Korea, while they were densely distributed in the refugia formed in the high-elevation mountain regions and the Baekdudaegan in South Korea. In the current distribution of biomes classified according to the Whittaker method, subtropical and endemic species were densely distributed in temperate seasonal forest and woodland/shrubland biomes, whereas boreal species were densely distributed in the boreal forest biome Korean Peninsula, with a characteristic gradation of certain species distributed in the temperate seasonal forest biome. Factor analysis showed that temperature and latitude were the main factors influencing the distribution of flora on the Korean Peninsula. Conclusions: The findings reported herein on the current floral distribution trends across the entire Korean Peninsula will prove valuable got mitigating the ecological disturbances caused by ongoing climate change. Additionally, the gathered flora data will serve as a basis for various follow-up studies on climate change.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.139-152
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• 2022

In this paper, samples are collected for individual companies and the factors affecting worker wages (average annual salary) are analyzed in depth. In addition to the average annual salary of workers in a company, we would like to conduct an in-depth analysis of the average annual salary of first-time employees. Specifically, we tried to explain the size of companies, the production structure of capital and labor, and the impact of business on the average annual salary of first-time, college, and graduate school graduates by educational background of first-time employees. The difference in average annual salary of first-time employees of logistics companies is a decisive factor in the main project on sales, and first-time graduates and college graduates provided high salaries in the overseas passenger cargo transportation, port operation, and unloading management, and low salaries in the land cargo and warehouse industries. n addition, Korean logistics companies had relationships between the location of the headquarters, the number of employees, the proportion of labor costs to sales, and the four characteristic factors of the main business on sales. This fact is that Seoul-based foreign passenger cargo transportation, corporate logistics agency, complex transportation, and international transportation relay are large companies, with a low proportion of labor costs and a higher proportion of capital, technology, and information-intensive investments.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.22-34
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• 2022

This study examines the forms and current status of online performance content production in the field of the performing arts through diversified video media platforms. For this, it studied the leading case of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment and analyzed the unique brand value innovation elements of Cirque du Soleil, the background and current status of the digital hub platform of "Cirque Connect", and its various sub-contents that have diversified original contents. Digital platform applications and sub-content production in the field of the performing arts require an understanding of the needs of the public, who are familiar with media content appreciation, and strategic planning that takes into consideration everything from the initial stages of performance planning to the creation of varied sub-contents. This will promote the improvement of sub-content quality and increase the product value of digital contents in the performing arts through distinctions made from other various forms of cultural and artistic contents. environments in which information from various perspectives related to performance works can easily be accessed through online platforms will enhance the popularity of the performing arts field and allow the performing arts industry to expand its base in rapidly changing cultural enjoyment methods. For the performing arts field to be competitive within cultural trends that are being diversified, the most important tasks to be completed are gaining brand value innovation that enhances the artistic and cultural value of performance works and based on this, producing various sub-contents.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.12
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• pp.632-641
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• 2021

Background: Over the past few decades, various goals have been defined to reduce the mortality of children caused by acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) worldwide. However, few spatial studies to date have reported on ALRI deaths. Purpose: We aimed to assess the spatial modeling of mortality from ALRI in children under 5 years of age during 2000-2017 using a global data. Methods: The data on the mortality of children under 5 years old caused by ALRI were initially obtained from the official website of the World Health Organization. The income status of their home countries was also gathered from the Country Income Groups (World Bank Classification) website and divided into 5 categories. After that, in the ArcGIS 10.6 environment, a database was created and the statistical tests and related maps were extracted. The Global Moran's I statistic, Getis-Ord Gi statistic, and geographically weighted regression were used for the analyses. In this study, higher z scores indicated the hot spots, while lower z scores indicated the cold spots. Results: In 2000-2017, child mortality showed a downward trend from 17.6 per 100,000 children to 8.1 and had a clustered pattern. Hot spots were concentrated in Asia in 2000 but shifted toward African countries by 2017. A cold spot that formed in Europe in 2007 showed an ascending trend by 2017. Based on the results of geographically weighted regression test, the regions identified as the hot spots of mortality from ALRI in children under 5 years old were among the middle-income countries (R²=0.01, adjusted R²=8.77). Conclusion: While the total number of child deaths in 2000-2017 has decreased, the number of hot spots has increased among countries. This study also concluded that, during the study period, Central and Western Africa countries became the main new hot spots of deaths from ALRI.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.sup1
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• pp.134-146
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Accumulating evidence has shown the beneficial effects of isoflavone on health. There is limited information on the usual isoflavone intake for Koreans. This study examined the usual intake of total isoflavone and its major food sources in Koreans according to age and gender. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The dietary intake data of 21,271 participants aged 1 yrs and older from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) VII 2016-2018 were analyzed. The average isoflavone intake was estimated based on the 24-h dietary recall data in KNHANES and the isoflavone database from the Korea Rural Development Administration (RDA) and literatures. The usual isoflavone intake was estimated by applying the ratio of within- and between-participant variance estimated from the 2009 KNHANES data to the 7th KNHANES (2016-2018) data. The variance of the isoflavone intake was calculated using MIXTRAN macro with intake data for two days in the 2009 KNHANES. Complex sample analysis with stratified variables and integrated weights was conducted. RESULTS: The mean total isoflavone intake in the Korean population aged 1 yrs and older (n = 21,271) was 139.27 mg/d, which was higher than the usual intake of 47.44mg/d. Legumes were a major contributing food group (91%), with arrowroot being a major individual contributor to the isoflavone intake (67.2%), followed by 21.3% of soybean, 5.4% of bean sprouts, and 2.1% of tofu. The usual isoflavone intake was highest in the participants aged 50 to 64 yrs old and increased with age until 50 to 64 yrs and then decreased with further increases in age. The usual isoflavone intake of participants aged 65 yrs and older was higher for men than for women, showing gender differences. CONCLUSIONS: The usual dietary intake of isoflavone varied according to age and gender in the Korean population. This study showed that the usual isoflavone intake was lower than the average isoflavone intake. The difference between percentiles of the usual isoflavone intake was similarly smaller than the average intake. An estimation of average intake can be hindered by the occasional consumption of foods high in isoflavones, suggesting that the usual intake estimation method can be more appropriate. Further research will be needed to establish isoflavone dietary guidelines regarding the effects of isoflavone intake on health outcomes.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.205-216
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• 2022

Background: People with special needs tend to require diverse behavioral management in dentistry. They may feel anxious or uncomfortable or may not respond to any communication with the dentists. Patients with medical, physical, or psychological disorders may not cooperate and therefore require sedation (SED) or general anesthesia (GA) to receive dental treatment. Using the healthcare big data in Korea, this study aimed to analyze the trends of SED and GA in special needs patients undergoing dental treatment. It is believed that these data can be used as reference material for hospitals and for preparation of guidelines and related policy decisions of associations or governments for special needs patients in dentistry. Methods: The study used selected health information data provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Patients with a record of use of one of the eight selected drugs used in dental SED between January 2007 and September 2019, those with International Classification of Diseases-10 codes for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), phobia, brain disease, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, genetic disease, autism, mental disorder, mental retardation, and dementia were selected. The insurance claims data were analyzed for age, sex, sedative use, GA, year, and institution. Results: The number of special needs patients who received dental treatment under SED or GA from January 2007 to September 2019 was 116,623. Number of SED cases was 136,018, performed on 69,265 patients, and the number of GA cases was 56,308, implemented on 47,257 patients. In 2007, 3100 special needs patients received dental treatment under SED while in 2018 the number of cases increased 6 times to 18,528 SED cases. In dentistry, ADHD was the most common disability for SED cases while phobia was the most common cause of disability for GA. The male-to-female ratio with respect to SED cases was higher for males (M : F = 64.36% : 35.64%). Conclusion: The application of the SED method and GA for patients with special needs in dentistry is increasing rapidly; thus, preparing guidelines and reinforcing the education and system are necessary.