• 대한의사협회지
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• 제61권12호
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• pp.749-755
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• 2018

Particulate matter is an air pollutant emitted from both natural and anthropogenic sources, and its adverse health effects have been well documented in time-series analyses and cohort studies. The effect size of particulate matter exposure-a roughly 0.5% increase in mortality for each $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increment of short-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ${\leq}10{\mu}m$ and approximately a 10% increase for each $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increment of long-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ${\leq}2.5{\mu}m$-is small compared to other risk factors, but the exposure is involuntary and affects the entire population, which makes particulate matter pollution an important public health issue. The World Health Organization and Korean government have both established guidelines for particulate matter concentrations, but the Korean guideline is less stringent than that of the World Health Organization. The annual mean concentration of particulate matter in Korea is decreasing, but the trend seems to be slowing. In addition to policy efforts to reduce particulate matter emission, personal approaches such as the use of face masks and air purifiers have been recommended. Personal approaches may not solve the fundamental problem, but can provide temporary mitigation until efforts to reduce emission make progress.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.119-128
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• 2019

Purpose: This review article provides an overview of the importance of breakfast by examining the relationship between breakfast and academic achievement including the papers published in Korean. Methods: This study searched a total of six domestic and international databases. The main search words for searching the database were 'breakfast,' 'morning meal,' 'adolescent,' 'teen or teenage,' 'children' and 'academic performance,' and used search operators when available such as 'breakfast AND adolescent AND academic performance'. Results: We searched a total of 274 studies through six databases and included a total of 15 primary studies in which 12 studies were cross-sectional and three were cohort studies. Since a quantitative integration of the primary studies was difficult to achieve such as performing a meta-analysis, this study performed a descriptive analysis of all the 15 studies and the results have shown that eating breakfast has a significant effect on academic achievement. In other words, students who regularly had breakfast showed more than twice the academic performance compared to those who did not have breakfast, and even though the math scores of students who had breakfast were statistically significantly higher, none of the study results inferred the reason. Conclusion: This study showed the importance of eating breakfast during adolescence by presenting that academic achievement increases with regular or more frequent habits of eating breakfast.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제64권4호
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• pp.486-494
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• 2021

The growth of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy and its progress over the years for use in post-operative bone growth has been revolutionary in its effect on bone tissue proliferation and vascular flow. However, further progress in PEMF therapy has been difficult due to lack of more evidence-based understanding of its mechanism of action. Our objective was to review the current understanding of bone growth physiology, the mechanism of PEMF therapy action along with its application in spinal surgery and associated outcomes. The authors of this review examined multiple controlled, comparative, and cohort studies to compare fusion rates of patients undergoing PEMF stimulation. Examining spinal fusion rates, a rounded comparison of post-fusion outcomes with and without bone stimulator was performed. Results showed that postoperative spinal surgery PEMF stimulation had higher rates of fusion than control groups. Though PEMF therapy was proven more effective, multiple factors contributed to difficulty in patient compliance for use. Extended timeframe of treatment and cost of treatment were the main obstacles to full compliance. This review showed that PEMF therapy presented an increased rate of recovery in patients, supporting the use of these devices as an effective post-surgical aid. Given the recent advances in the development of PEMF devices, affordability and access will be much easier suited to the patient population, allowing for more readily available treatment options.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2019

Self-reported difficulties in speech-in-noise (SiN) recognition are common among tinnitus patients. Whereas hearing impairment that usually co-occurs with tinnitus can explain such difficulties, recent studies suggest that tinnitus patients with normal hearing sensitivity still show decreased SiN understanding, indicating that SiN difficulties cannot be solely attributed to changes in hearing sensitivity. In fact, cognitive control, which refers to a variety of top-down processes that human beings use to complete their daily tasks, has been shown to be critical for SiN recognition, as well as the key to understand cognitive inefficiencies caused by tinnitus. In this article, we review studies investigating the association between tinnitus and cognitive control using behavioral and brain imaging assessments, as well as those examining the effect of tinnitus on SiN recognition. In addition, three factors that can affect cognitive control in tinnitus patients, including hearing sensitivity, age, and severity of tinnitus, are discussed to elucidate the association among tinnitus, cognitive control, and SiN recognition. Although a possible central or cognitive involvement has always been postulated in the observed SiN impairments in tinnitus patients, there is as yet no direct evidence to underpin this assumption, as few studies have addressed both SiN performance and cognitive control in one tinnitus cohort. Future studies should aim at incorporating SiN tests with various subjective and objective methods that evaluate cognitive performance to better understand the relationship between SiN difficulties and cognitive control in tinnitus patients.

• 융합신호처리학회논문지
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.160-165
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• 2022

상호증류는 교사 네트워크 도움 없이 다수의 네트워크 사이에 지식을 전달함으로써 협력적으로 학습하도록 유도하는 지식증류 방법이다. 본 논문은 상호증류가 초해상화 네트워크에도 적용 가능한지 확인하는 것을 목표로 한다. 이를 위해 상호증류를 SRGAN의 판별자에 적용하는 실험을 수행하고, 상호증류가 SRGAN의 성능 향상에 미치는 영향을 분석한다. 실험 결과, 상호증류를 통해 판별자의 지식을 공유한 SRGAN은 정량적, 정성적 화질이 개선된 초해상화 영상을 생성하였다.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.293-299
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the potential benefits of microcurrent stimulation as a non-invasive therapeutic approach for managing pain and improving the quality of life in women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea. Design: A case study. Methods: This study was conducted, involving a cohort of 6 women diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea, aged between 20 to 30 years. Participants were received microcurrent stimulation using low-intensity microcurrents for 30 minutes every day for 4 weeks. The intensity of microcurrent stimulation was 25 μA and the frequency was 8 Hz. The intervention was administered between the menstruations, with pain intensity and quality of life being assessed at baseline, and then at the end of menstrual cycle. Pain intensity was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) and menstrual symptom questionnaire (MSQ), while the quality of life was assessed through the stress response inventory (SRI), state trait anxiety inventory (STAI), center for epidemiologic studies depression (CES-D), and menstrual distress questionnaire (MEDI-Q). Results: After the intervention, participants demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in pain intensity, as evidenced by improved VAS scores (p<0.05). However, the changes in MSQ scores did not reach statistical significance. Regarding quality of life measures, no statistically significant differences were found in the SRI, STAI, CES-D, and MEDI-Q scores after the intervention (p>0.05). Conclusions: This study suggest that microcurrent stimulation holds promise as a potential treatment option for alleviating pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea.

• 비만대사연구학술지
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.45-53
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• 2023

Despite the emergence of obesity as a significant public health concern, artificial sweeteners have made their way into various food products due to the perception, that they serve as substitutes for sugar. Artificial sweeteners are used to supposedly achieve weight management and health improvement. However, their efficacy and safety remain debatable. Commonly used artificial sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame potassium, saccharin, and sucralose. This article discusses the effects of artificial sweetener consumption on weight loss, appetite regulation, blood glucose control, and gut microbiota. Research findings, concerning the consumption of artificial sweeteners and their association with body weight, have shown inconsistencies between randomized controlled trials and cohort studies. Studies, comparing artificial sweeteners to sugar, have reported no significant differences in satiety. Although artificial sweeteners have no calories, they can affect blood sugar levels through the cephalic phase insulin response. A recent study suggested that artificial sweeteners influenced the occurrence of diabetes. Due to limitations in the study design, excluding diabetes-influencing factors was not feasible. The evidence showed that artificial sweeteners harbored potential health risks, necessitating further investigation. According to recent studies, the consumption of artificial sweeteners was associated with gut microbiota changes and individual blood sugar responses. It is important to note that artificial sweeteners cannot be considered safe alternatives to sugar, and further research is required.

• Clinical Nutrition Research
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.77-89
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• 2023

This study aimed to find out the effect of vitamins on respiratory-related viral infections, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), through the literature reviews. From January 2000 to June 2021, the studies (cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, case-control studies, randomized control trials) related to vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, C, B₆, folate, and B₁₂) and COVID-19/severe acute respiratory syndrome/Middle East respiratory syndrome/cold/influenza were selected from the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane libraries and analyzed. The relationship between vitamins and virus-related respiratory diseases was identified. Through the review, 39 studies were selected on vitamin D, one study on vitamin E, 11 studies on vitamin C, and 3 studies on folate. Regarding COVID-19, 18 studies on vitamin D, 4 studies on vitamin C, and 2 studies on folate showed significant effects of the intake of these nutrients in preventing COVID-19. Regarding colds and influenza, 3 studies on vitamin D, 1 study on vitamin E, 3 studies on vitamin C, and 1 study on folate demonstrated that the intake of these nutrients significantly prevents these diseases. Therefore, this review suggested the intake of vitamins D, E, C, and folate is important for preventing respiratory diseases related to viruses, such as COVID-19, colds, and influenza. The relationship between these nutrients and virus-related respiratory diseases should be continuously monitored in the future.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.665-673
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• 2022

Background/Aims: In patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), calcineurin activates zymogen, which results in pancreatitis. In this study, we aimed to determine the efficacy of tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, in preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). Methods: This was a prospective pilot study in which patients who underwent ERCP received tacrolimus (4 mg in two divided doses); this was the Tac group. A contemporaneous cohort of patients was included as a control group. All patients were followed-up for PEP. PEP was characterized by worsening abdominal pain with an acute onset, elevated pancreatic enzymes, and a duration of hospital stay of more than 48 hours. Serum tacrolimus levels were measured immediately before the procedure in the Tac group. Results: There were no differences in the baseline characteristics between the Tac group (n=48) and the control group (n=51). Only four out of 48 patients (8.3%) had PEP in the Tac group compared to eight out of 51 patients (15.7%) who had PEP in the control group. The mean trough tacrolimus level in patients who developed PEP was significantly lower (p<0.05). Conclusions: Oral tacrolimus at a cumulative dose of 4 mg safely prevents PEP. Further randomized controlled studies are warranted to establish the role of tacrolimus in this context.

• 한국음향학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.3-9
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• 1999

본 논문에서는 독립단어 음성인식 시스템을 위하여 반음소(anti-phone) 모델링을 이용한 인식 거절(rejection)기능에 대해 기술한다. 음성인식 거절 기능은 음성인식기를 제작할 ？ 정해놓은 인식대상 단어 이외의 단어가 입력되었을 때 그 단어가 인식할 수 없는 단어임을 알려주는 기능이다. 음성인식 거절기능을 구하는 방식은 핵심어 검출(keyword spotting)방식과 발화검증(utterance verification)방식으로 구분된다. 핵심어 검출 방식은 인식 대상 단어 외의 단어를 별도로 모델링하여 하나의 인식대상 단어처럼 사용하는 방식이고, 발화검증 방식은 각 음소마다 그와 유사한 anti-model을 작성한 후 정상적인 음소 모델과 anti-model과의 유사도를 비교하여 결정하는 방식이다. 본 연구에서는 독립단어 음성인식 시스템에 적용될 수 있는 발화 검증 방식에 의해 음성인식 거절 기능을 구현하였다. 특히 유사도를 결정함에 있어서 산술평균, 기하평균, 조화평균을 사용하고 각각을 비교하여, 기하평균을 사용하는 방식이 우수한 성능을 보임을 알 수 있었다. 음성의 신뢰도(confidence score)를 정규화하기 위해서 Sigmoid 함수를 사용하는데 이 함수의 가중치(weight) 상수의 변화에 대해 인식률을 비교함으로써 가장 적절한 가중치 상수값을 결정하였다. 그리고 유사음소집합(cohort set)에 대한 실험에서는 유사음소집합의 크기가 클수록 더 좋은 성능을 보이는 결과를 얻었다. 음성인식 테스트 결과에서는 신뢰도 임계치 값을 구하고 이 값을 사용하여 인식률을 계산하였으며, 거절의 오류까지 포함된 음성인식률은 약 76%였다. 이 연구결과는 현재 한국통신에서 시험 서비스 중인 음성인식 증권정보 안내 시스템에 적용될 예정이다.