• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.791-800
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• 2021

Along with the trend of financial globalization, Vietnam has undergone a process of increasing financial integration. The great capital inflow poses a problem for the monetary policy's ability to follow a planned target during the changes in the global financial markets. This paper aims to examine the impact of financial integration on monetary policy independence in Vietnam and investigate the role of foreign exchange reserves on this relationship. The research borrows from Mundell-Fleming's Trilemma theory. The results show that increasing financial integration reduces the independence of monetary policy in the short term, and foreign exchange reserves have not shown an apparent role in Vietnam. In addition, increasing exchange rate stability has a negative impact on the independence of monetary policy, but it has an impact on growing market confidence and partly supporting the management process of monetary policy in the short term. Therefore, in the long run, Vietnam needs to allow exchange rate flexibility more, but there should not be sudden changes; the size of foreign exchange reserves should be strengthened to facilitate the implementation of an independent monetary policy with an obvious impact in the context of an increasing scale of international capital flows in the future.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.201-206
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• 2022

Background: The present objective was to verify whether burnout (emotional exhaustion [EE], depersonalization [DP] and low professional efficacy [PE]) is a risk factor for long-term sickness absence (LTSA; 30 consecutive days) from the teaching role. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study with two years of follow-up that investigated 509 elementary and high-school teachers. Burnout was identified by Maslach Burnout Inventory. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to adjust for possible confounders. Results: The incidence of LTSA was 9.4%. High EE levels were associated with LTSA in the crude analysis, but the association lost statistical significance after adjustments (for sex, age, perception of work-life balance, general self-rated health, chronic pain and depression). High DP levels were associated with this outcome, even after all adjustments (relative risk = 1.80; 95% confidence interval: 1.05-3.09). Low PE levels were not related to LTSA. Conclusion: The results reinforce the need to improve teachers' work conditions to reduce burnout, particularly DP, and its consequences.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.241-252
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of a science gifted education program. 155 students who experienced the SNU science gifted education program were interviewed. The interview questions consisted of eligible questions from 'Interview Protocol of Hertzog' (2003) based on 'Recommended Practice in Gifted Education (Shore, Cornell, & Ward, 1991)'. All interviews were immediately transcribed and analyzed qualitatively. It was found that scientifically gifted students had similar concepts of the gifted to what scholars consider as the gifted. Comparing the programs to school education program, the students agreed that the science gifted education program provided more experiments opportunities, higher and deeper level of contents, and more active interactions. Regarding long-term effects, it was found that program influenced on students' decisions for the future, stimuli and expansion of horizons, school work and entrance examinations. Students gained self-confidence and became more interested in science. Some pointed out that they felt greater stimulated, although some indicated an elevated level of self conceit. Implications of science gifted education were found based on these results.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.944-955
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• 2000

Background : In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), several factors have been associated with a poor prognosis. These include old age, low $FEV_1$ low diffusing capacity, high alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure difference, and finally cor pulmonale. This study was done to investigate if the ECG signs suggesting cor pulmonale were independent prognostic factors in patients with COPD. Method : We analyzed ECG, pulmonary function data and arterial blood gas values in 61 patients who were admitted through the emergency department with an acute exacerbation of COPD. The ECG signs reflecting cor pulmonale were right strial overloading(RAO), right bundle branch block, right ventricular hypertrophy and low-voltage QRS. The 61 patients were divided into 2 groups ; group I with no ECG signs(n=36) and group II with one or more ECG signs(n=25) suggesting cor, pulmonale. Results : Poor, prognostic factors by univariate analysis were low $FEV_1$, $FEV_1$ % pred., VC % pred., DLco, DLco % pred., $PaO_2$ and $SaO_2$ high $PaCO_2$ presence of ECG signs reflecting cor pulmonale, presence of mental status change, use of mechanical ventilator, and long term use of glucocorticoid. A multivariate analysis indicated that age(risk ratio=1.13, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.23), DLco % pred. (risk ratio=0,97. 95% confidence interval 0.94-0.99), $PaO_2$ (risk ratio=0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.90-0.99) and RAO(risk ratio=5.27, 95% confidence interval 1.40-19.85) were independent prognostic factors of survival. There was a significant difference in survival between the patients with and without RAO(p=0.038). The survival rates at 1, 2, and 5 years were 94.5%. 81.4%, and 50.0% in patients without RAO and 82.4%, 70.6%, and 27.5% in patients with RAO, respectively. Conclusion : These results suggest that the presence of ECG signs reflecting cor pulmonale is a predictor of survival and that RAO of these ECG signs is a significant independent predictor of survival in patients with COPD.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.107-120
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• 2020

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and basis of rehabilitation intervention in patients with spinal cord injury by systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. Methods : Two researchers independently searched and selected a study published in an academic journal using a search term in an international thesis database. A total of 21 studies met the selection criteria, and qualitative evaluation of the study was conducted using the PEDro Scale. Meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 program. Results : A total of 713 subjects were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed a score of 0.406 (95.0% confidence interval: 0.221 ~ 0.591) for intervention using physical activity and 0.505 (95.0% confidence interval: 0.449 ~ 1.528) for electronic stimulation therapy, which showed medium effect; educational intervention had a 0.248 (95.0% confidence interval: 0.033 ~ 0.464), and mixed intervention 0.280 (95.0% confidence interval: 0.122 ~ 0.438). It was shown that the effect of small (small). There was a significant heterogeneity in the statistical heterogeneity test, and thus the random effects model was selected and analyzed. Conclusion : The results showed that rehabilitation interventions were effective for patients with spinal cord injury. During the rehabilitation of spinal cord injury patients, clinicians are expected to contribute to the development of programs to improve their lifestyles.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.84-92
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• 2020

Objectives: To observe the effects on liver and kidney of gynecology patients' during long term Korean Medicine. Methods: This research was conducted as a panel study on 29 female gynecology patients at Korean medicine clinic and compares their conditions before, 3 months after, and 6 months after Intake of Korean medicine. This analysis was conducted to frequency(%), repeated measure ANOVA and significantly statistics was p<0.05, confidence interval. Results: The most common conditions among the subjects were polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, adenomyosis, and uterine myoma. Except in a few instances, liver functions (AST, ALT, γ-GTP) were within the normal range before and after the intake of Korean medicine. Further, while there was a slight change in liver functions when three months and six months after the intake, but there was no statistical significance (p>0.05). As for the kidney functions (BUN, Creatinine, BUN/Creatinine), they were within the normal range before and after the intake of Korean medicine. Further, while there was a slight change in kidney functions three months and six months after the intake, there was no statistical significance(p>0.05) either. Conclusions: Based on these results, it can be concluded that Korean medicine does not have a negative impact on the gynecology patients' liver and kidney.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.48-51
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• 2020

Background: The etiopathogenesis of late preterm (LPT) birth is undetermined. Placental histopathology, which reflects an adverse intrauterine environment and is reportedly associated with preterm labor and neonatal morbidities, has not been studied in LPT infants. Purpose: We investigated placental pathological lesion as markers of an adverse intrauterine environment during LPT labor. Methods: This retrospective case-control study compared placental histopathological and clinical variables between LPT and term neonates. Placental variables included chorioamnionitis, funisitis, hemorrhage, abruption, infarction, calcification, and syncytial knots. Maternal variables included age, substance abuse, pregnancyassociated diabetes mellitus and hypertension, duration of rupture of membrane, antibiotic use, and magnesium sulfate, whereas, those of neonates included gestational age, birth weight, race, sex, and Apgar scores. Standard statistical proedures were applied to analyze the data. Results: Chorioamnionitis (50% vs. 17.8%, P<0.001) and funisitis (20% vs. 4.4%, P=0.002) were more common in term infants. Placental infarction rate was insignificantly higher in LPT infants (25.6% vs. 14.3%, P=0.08). The mothers in the LPT group were older (30.4 years vs. 28.1 years, P=0.05; odds ratio [OR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.998-1.12, P=0.056) and more often suffered from hypertension (28.9 vs. 12.9 %, P=0.02), and received magnesium sulfate (48.9 vs. 20%, P< 0.001; OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.12-7.29, P<0.05). Duration of rupture of membrane was higher in term infants (13.6 hours vs. 9.1 hours, P<0.001). Chorioamnionitis (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.13-0.79; P<0.05) was associated with a lower risk of LPT delivery. Conclusion: Placental infection is not a risk factor for LPT births. There is a nonsignificant predominance of vascular anomalies in LPT placentas. Higher maternal age, magnesium sulfate therapy, and maternal hypertension are clinical risk factors for LPT labor.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.266-275
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• 2020

Purpose: The outcome predictors of Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) for biliary atresia (BA) are controversial. This study aimed to identify possible short-term outcome predictors of KPE for BA in infants. Methods: This retrospective study included infants with BA who underwent KPE between January 2015 and December 2017 and were followed up for at least 6 months after surgery at the Pediatric Hepatology Unit, Cairo University Pediatric Hospital, Egypt. The short-term outcome was jaundice clearance within 6 months following surgery. All data were compared between the jaundice free group and those with persistent jaundice to identify the predictors of jaundice clearance. Results: The study included 75 infants. The mean age at the time of surgery was 82.43±22.77 days (range, 37-150 days), and 28 (37.3%) infants cleared their jaundice within 6 months postoperative. Age at surgery did not significantly affect the outcome (p=0.518). Infants with persistent jaundice had significantly higher pre-operative levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) than those who were jaundice free (p=0.041). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that preoperative AST ≤180 IU/L was predictive of a successful KPE, with sensitivity 74.5% and specificity 60.7%. Infants with bile plugs in liver biopsy had a 6-fold higher risk of persistent jaundice than those without bile plugs (95% confidence interval: 1.59-20.75, p=0.008). Conclusion: Jaundice clearance after KPE for BA can be predicted using preoperative AST and presence of bile plugs in liver biopsy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term results of surgical treatment for native valve endocarditis (NVE) and to investigate the risk factors associated with mortality. Methods: Data including patients' characteristics, operative findings, postoperative results, and survival indices were retrospectively obtained from Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital. Results: A total of 29 patients underwent surgery for NVE (affecting the mitral valve in 20 patients and the aortic valve in 9) between 2003 and 2017. During the follow-up period (median, 46.9 months; interquartile range, 19.1-107.0 months), the 5-year survival rate was 77.2%. In logistic regression analysis, body mass index (p=0.031; odds ratio [OR], 0.574; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.346-0.951), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (p=0.026; OR, 24.0; 95% CI, 1.459-394.8), and urgent surgery (p=0.010; OR, 34.5; 95% CI, 2.353-505.7) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. Based on Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, the statistically significant predictors of long-term outcomes were hypertension, ESRD, and urgent surgery. Conclusion: Surgical treatment for NVE is associated with considerable mortality. The in-hospital mortality and 5-year survival rates of this study were 13.8% and 77.2%, respectively. Underlying conditions, including hypertension and ESRD, and urgent surgery were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.35-47
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• 2017

Energy efficiency solutions are being pursued as a sustainable approach to reducing energy consumption and related gas emissions across various sectors of the economy. Vacuum Insulation Panel (VIP) is an energy efficient advanced insulation system that facilitates slim but high-performance insulation, based on a porous core material evacuated and encapsulated in a barrier envelope. Although VIP has been applied in buildings for over a decade, it wasn't until recently that efforts have been initiated to propose and adopt a global standard on characterization and testing of VIP. One of the issues regarding VIP is its durability and aging due to pressure and moisture dependent increase of the initial low thermal conductivity with time; more so in building applications. In this paper, the aging of commercially available VIP was investigated experimentally; thermal conductivity was tested in accordance with ISO 8302 standard (guarded hot box method) and long-term durability was estimated based on a non-linear pressure-humidity dependent equation based on study of IEA/ECBCS Annex 39, with the aim of assessing durability of VIP for use in buildings. The center-of-panel thermal conductivity after 25 years based on initial 90% fractile with a confidence level of 90 % for the thermal conductivity (${\lambda}90/90$) ranged from 0.00726-0.00814 (W/m K) for silica core VIP. Significant differences between manufacturer-provided data and measurements of thermal conductivity and internal pressure were observed.