• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.1349-1355
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• 2021

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of additional administration of Banha-sasim-tang formulation to patients with gastrointestinal symptoms that did not improve with Western medicines. Methods: The patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were analyzed retrospectively. A paired t-test was performed on the Nepean Dyspepsia Index-Korean version (NDI-K) scores before and after administering the Banha-sasim-tang formulation. Results: A total of 27 subjects were included. The mean duration of taking the Banha-sasim-tang formulation was 15.6±3.1 days. The most commonly used Western medicine before taking the Banha-sasim-tang formulation was rebamipide. The means of the NDI-K score were 57.4±21.8 before administering Banha-sasim-tang formulation and 34.9±16.5 after administration, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001). No serious side effects were encountered while taking the Banha-sasim-tang formulation. Conclusions: For patients whose gastrointestinal symptoms do not improve with Western medicines, additional administration of Banha-sasim-tang formulation may be an option. However, as this study is a retrospective chart review, prospective, large-scale, double-blind studies are needed in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.184-194
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• 2023

Background: Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) is frequently associated with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and conservative treatments such as epidural steroid injection do not have long-term benefits in LSS patients with DLS. This study evaluated the effectiveness of percutaneous epidural neuroplasty using a balloon catheter in patients with LSS and DLS. Methods: Patients' sex, age, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, stenosis grading, pain duration, location, pain intensity, and medications were retrieved from electronic medical records. At 1, 3, and 6 months following the procedure, data on pain severity, medication usage, and physical functional status were analyzed. A generalized estimating equations model was used at the six-month follow-up. Patients were divided into those with DLS (the spondylolisthesis group) and those without DLS (the no spondylolisthesis group) to evaluate whether the effects of percutaneous epidural neuroplasty using a balloon catheter were different. Results: A total of 826 patients were included (spondylolisthesis: 433 patients, 52.4%; no spondylolisthesis: 393 patients, 47.6%). Age, body mass index, hypertension, pain location, and stenosis grading were statistically different between the two groups. The generalized estimating equations analyses with unadjusted and adjusted estimation revealed a significant improvement in the estimated mean numerical rating scale of pain intensities compared to that at baseline in both groups (P < 0.001). Any adverse events that occurred were minor and temporary. Conclusions: Percutaneous epidural neuroplasty using a balloon catheter may be an alternative treatment option for patients with chronic LSS, regardless of accompanying DLS, who have had failed conservative management.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.8.1-8.12
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• 2024

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Dental Practicality Index (DPI) training using an online video on the treatment planning decisions and confidence level of dental undergraduates (DUs). Materials and Methods: Ninety-four DUs were shown 15 clinical case scenarios and asked to decide on treatment plans based on 4 treatment options. The most appropriate treatment plan had been decided by a consensus panel of experienced dentists. DUs then underwent DPI training using an online video. In a post-DPI-training test, DUs were shown the same clinical case scenarios and asked to assign the best treatment option. After 6 weeks, DUs were retested to assess their knowledge retention. In all 3 tests, DUs completed the confidence level scale questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the related-samples Wilcoxon signed rank test and the independent-samples Mann-Whitney U test with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results: DPI training significantly improved the mean scores of the DUs from 7.53 in the pre-DPI-training test to 9.01 in the post-DPI-training test (p < 0.001). After 6 weeks, the mean scores decreased marginally to 8.87 in the retention test (p = 0.563). DPI training increased their confidence level from 5.68 pre-DPI training to 7.09 post-DPI training. Conclusions: Training DUs using DPI with an online video improved their decision-making and confidence level in treatment planning.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2013

We evaluated whether group locomotor imagery training-combined knowledge of performance (KP) lead to improvements in gait function in community dwelling individuals with chronic stroke. Ten adults who had suffered a hemiparetic stroke at least 6 months earlier participated in group locomotor imagery training-combined KP for 5 weeks, twice per week, with 2 h intensive training. Dynamic gait index scores increased significantly after the group locomotor imagery training-combined KP. However, times for the timed up-and-go test did not improve significantly after the training. Group locomotor imagery training-combined KP may be a useful option for the relearning of gait performance for community dwelling individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.219-221
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• 2015

Subclavian injuries in blunt trauma are reported in less than 1% of all arterial injuries or chest related injuries. We report a female 68 yr-old patient whom has visited our emergency center due to a motorcycle traffic accident with complaints of right chest wall and shoulder pain. Her injury severity score was 22 and she was found with a comminuted clavicle fracture and subclavian artery injury. She developed delayed symptoms of pallor, pain and motor weakness with loss of pulse in her right arm. Attempts at intervention failed and thus, she underwent emergency artificial graft bypass from her subclavian artery to her brachial artery. Her postoperative course was uneventful and she is happy with the results. Although rare, a high index of suspicion for the injury must be noted and the inevitable surgical option must always be considered.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.157-171
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• 1999

In a increasingly competitive marketplace, the manufacturing companies have no choice but looking for ways to improve productivity to sustain their competitiveness and survive in the industry. Recently cellular manufacturing has been under discussion as an option to be easily implemented without burdensome capital investment. The objective of cellular manufacturing is to realize many aspects of efficiencies associated with mass production in the less repetitive job-shop production systems. The very first step for cellular manufacturing is to group the sets of parts having similar processing requirements into part families, and the equipment needed to process a particular part family into machine cells. The underlying problem to determine the part and machine assignments to each manufacturing cell is called the cell formation. The purpose of this study is to develop a clustering algorithm based on the neural network approach which overcomes the drawbacks of ART1 algorithm for cell formation problems. In this paper, a generalized learning vector quantization(GLVQ) algorithm was devised in order to transform a 0/1 part-machine assignment matrix into the matrix with diagonal blocks in such a way to increase clustering performance. Furthermore, an assignment problem model and a rearrangement procedure has been embedded to increase efficiency. The performance of the proposed algorithm has been evaluated using data sets adopted by prior studies on cell formation. The proposed algorithm dominates almost all the cell formation reported so far, based on the grouping index($\alpha$ = 0.2). Among 27 cell formation problems investigated, the result by the proposed algorithm was superior in 11, equal 15, and inferior only in 1.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2013

The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of ginseng as a treatment option for managing menopause symptoms. We searched the literature using ll databases from their inception to 26 September 2012 and included all randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that compared any type of ginseng to a placebo controls in postmenopausal women. The methodological quality of all studies was assessed using a Cochrane risk of bias tool. Four RCTs met our inclusion criteria. Most RCTs had high risk of bias. One RCT showed that Korean red ginseng (KRG) significantly improved sexual arousal and global health compared with placebo. Another RCT reported the superiority of KRG over placebo for treating menopause symptoms on Kupperman's index and menopausal rating score. The third RCT failed to show a significant effect of KRG on hot flash frequency compared to placebo. The fourth RCT found beneficial effects of ginseng compared to placebo on depression and well-being. In conclusion, the evidence on ginseng as an effective treatment for managing menopause symptoms is limited. Most of the RCTs are burdened with a high risk of bias. Thus firm conclusions cannot be drawn. Rigorous studies seem warranted.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2017

Trees at farm are considered as one of the option to reduce poverty of smallholders by contributing to livelihood security and resilience to climate change. A perception based study was conducted to assess the cultural importance of tree species suitable for practicing agroforestry in randomly selected agroforestry-dominated villages in Alaknanda valley of Western Himalayas during 2015-16. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data on the provisioning services of major agroforestry tree species in randomly surveyed 87 households. Based on cultural importance (CI) index value, the most suitable agroforestry tree species was Morus alba (3.32) followed by Celtis australis (3.22), Mangifera indica (3.01), Grewia optiva (2.79), Toona ciliata (2.22), Bauhinia variegata (2.08), Leucaena leucocephala (1.76) and Emblica officinalis (1.74). The preference of use has also been governed based on their indigenous knowledge. This study will also facilitate in evaluating the importance of provisioning services of agroforestry tree species in improving livelihood as well as facilitates smallholder's resilience to climate change in Western Himalayas.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2012

High-resolution carotid MRI allows visualization of carotid atherosclerotic plaque characteristics. MRI serves as a noninvasive option for the detection of active plaque inflammation and intraplaque hemorrhage. Significant gains in signal-tonoise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio can be obtained for carotid atheroma imaging at 3T compared with 1.5T. Normalized wall index or wall area on MRI has shown its efficacy in monitoring the response after medical therapy. $T(2)^*$ quantification in carotid plaques before and after the administration of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles shows difference in response to treatment according to drug doses. In conclusion, high-resolution MRI is useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of carotid atherosclerotic plaques prone to transient ischemic attack and stroke.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.3-8
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• 1998

The present work proposes the potential fuzzy framework, based on fuzzy set theory, for supporting decision-making problems, especially, selection problems of a best design in the area of nuclear energy system. The framework proposed is composed of the hierarchical structure module, the assignment module, the fuzzification module, and the defuzzification module. In the structure module, the relationship among decision objectives, decision criteria, decision sub-criteria, and decision alternatives is hierarchically structured. In the assignment module, linguistic or rank scoring approach can be used to assign subjective and/or vague values to the decision analyst's judgment on decision variables. In the fuzzification module, fuzzy numbers are assigned to these values of decision variables. Using fuzzy arithmetic operations, for each alternative, fuzzy preference index as a fuzzy synthesis measure is obtained. In the defuzzification module, using one of methods ranking fuzzy numbers, these indices are defuzzified to overall utility values as a cardinality measure determining final scores. According these values, alternatives of interest are ranked and an optimal alternative is chosen. To illustrate the applicability of the framework proposed to selection problem, as a case example, the best option choice of four design options under five decision criteria for primary containment wall thickening around large penetrations in an advanced nuclear energy system is studied.