• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2021

Several types of pain occur following spinal cord injury (SCI); however, neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the most intractable. Invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have been studied in clinical trials to treat chronic NP following SCI. The evidence for invasive stimulation including motor cortex and deep brain stimulation via the use of implanted electrodes to reduce SCI-related NP remains limited, due to the small scale of existing studies. The lower risk of complications associated with non-invasive stimulation, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), provide potentially attractive alternative central neuromodulation techniques. Compared to rTMS, tDCS is technically easier to apply, more affordable, available, and potentially feasible for home use. Accordingly, several new studies have investigated the efficacy of tDCS to treat NP after SCI. In this review, articles relating to the mechanisms, clinical efficacy and safety of tDCS on SCI-related NP were searched from inception to December 2019. Six clinical trials, including five randomized placebo-controlled trials and one prospective controlled trial, were included for evidence specific to the efficacy of tDCS for treating SCI-related NP. The mechanisms of action of tDCS are complex and not fully understood. Several factors including stimulation parameters and individual patient characteristics may affect the efficacy of tDCS intervention. Current evidence to support the efficacy of utilizing tDCS for relieving chronic NP after SCI remains limited. Further strong evidence is needed to confirm the efficacy of tDCS intervention for treating SCI-related NP.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2022

Background: Workers are exposed to several risks in academic laboratories due to the presence of potentially hazardous substances. The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of accident occurrence and associated risk factors among laboratory workers at the scientific laboratories of the public university in Lebanon and the impact of safety measures training and availability. Methods: In this observational study, a survey was conducted for one year in scientific laboratories at faculties of the public university. Results: Among the participants (N = 220), 45.0% have had accidents; the main cause was exposure to chemicals (73.7%) and more specifically by inhalation (45.4%). Females (85.9%) were more exposed to accidents than males. Laboratory workers with a master's degree, a full-time schedule, and more than ten years of experience were significantly more exposed to accidents (p < 0.05). A significant association was found between accident occurrence and training on management of hazardous products (p = 0.044), risks related to workplace (p = 0.030), eyewash and emergency shower (p < 0.001), first aid (p = 0.012), and facial protection availability (p = 0.019). In spite of the lack of safety culture and efficient training on laboratory safety, participants have shown a very good perception regarding safety measures to be applied in case of work accidents. Conclusion: Based on our findings, the prevalence of accident occurrence is elevated among lab workers at the public university. The impact of regular training on laboratory safety preventive measures is of great importance to ensure the efficiency of occupational health and safety in scientific laboratories.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.297-306
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• 2022

Objective : Intracranial atypical meningiomas have a poor prognosis and high rates of recurrence. Moreover, up to one-third of the recurrences undergo high-grade transformation into malignant meningiomas. We aimed to investigate the clinical factors that can predict the propensity of malignant transformation from atypical to anaplastic meningiomas. Methods : Between 2001 and 2018, all patients with atypical meningioma, in whom the tumors had undergone malignant transformation to anaplastic meningioma, were included. The patients' medical records documenting the diagnosis of atypical meningioma prior to malignant transformation were reviewed to identify the predictors of transformation. The control group comprised 56 patients with atypical meningiomas who were first diagnosed between January 2017 and December 2018 and had no malignant transformation. Results : Nine patients in whom the atypical meningiomas underwent malignant transformation were included. The median time interval from diagnosis of atypical meningioma to malignant transformation was 19 months (range, 7-78). The study group showed a significant difference in heterogeneous enhancement (77.8% vs. 33.9%), bone invasion (55.6% vs. 12.5%), mitotic index (MI; 14.8±4.9 vs. 3.5±3.9), and Ki-67 index (20.7±13.9 vs. 9.5±7.1) compared with the control group. In multivariate analysis, increased MI (odds ratio, 1.436; 95% confidence interval, 1.127-1.900; p=0.004) was the only significant factor for predicting malignant transformation. Conclusion : An increased MI within atypical meningiomas might be used as a predictor of malignant transformation. Tumors at high risk for malignant transformation might require more attentive surveillance and management than other atypical meningiomas.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.21-32
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• 2022

Background: Instrument players are exposed to occupational musculoskeletal symptoms due to constant movement and strain to meet the needs of their audience. This can cause dissonance between the player and the instrument and can cause medical problems in the musculoskeletal system such as pain, tendinitis, muscle spasms, and joint hyperextension from overuse of body parts. Objective: The purpose of this study is to comparatively analyze the characteristics and occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms in professional and student players, and to find out the awareness of the need for health care professionals and special exercise programs for orchestra players. Methods: The subjects were professional orchestral musicians 191 from the three symphony orchestras and music students 209 from the four universities volunteered to participate in this study; 393 subjects (98.25%) completed the questionnaire. symptom prevalence and related factors of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) were surveyed with a self-administered questionnaire. Standardized Nordic Questionnaire was complemented by adding a visual-among scale and used to diagnose PRMD. Results: High prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints in both professional musicians (85.30%) and student musicians (82.30%). Professional musicians and student musicians also suffered the highest problem in shoulder and neck complaints. Significant differences were found between groups that recognized of necessity for specialized health professionals, professional organizations, and special programs for musicians. Conclusions: Professional musicians and student musicians, like orchestra players, are already exposed to overuse syndrome. However, student musicians lack awareness of the risk of injury compared to orchestra players. We suggest that an appropriate treatment management program for the prevention and early treatment of musculoskeletal system damage should be provided to performers at an early stage.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.351-374
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• 2022

In recent years, the development of rice industry has been highly valued by the state. In hubei area, due to the development of the modernization and the shortage of labor, traditional way of rice cultivation methods is facing serious challenges, and economic benefits have become the decisive factor for the effective promotion and application of rice cultivation methods. According to the research results, first, in the input-side analysis, in the CCR model, D5, D12, D26, D28, D32, D36 farmers with high efficiency appear. The analysis result shows that among the 60 farmers, the average efficiency is 89%, and there is an inefficiency of 11%. In the BCC model, 14 farmers were identified as high-efficiency farmers, with an average efficiency of 0.9453. Second, in direct seeding cultivation of rice, the average scale efficiency is 0.9227, while the average pure technical efficiency is 0.9644. This shows that the effect of scale efficiency is greater than that of purely technical factors, ignoring the reasons for the low operational efficiency of direct seeding cultivation farmers. It can be predicted that with the further deepening of farmers' understanding of this planting mode, the proportion of rice direct seeding may be further expanded in the future. Relevant agricultural departments should further promote this technology to farmers, study the direct seeding technology using scientific methods, and evaluate the changes of this cultivation mode. The agricultural departments of government should concern about the climate risk assessment of direct seeding rice, the environmental impact assessment caused by the extensive use of herbicides, the application of mechanical technology in the process of direct seeding, the lodging of direct seeding rice, and other related issues.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.131-138
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• 2022

Git's commit message is closely related to the project life cycle, and by this characteristic, it can greatly contribute to cost reduction and improvement of work efficiency by identifying risk factors and project status of project operation activities. Among these related fields, there are many studies that classify commit messages as types of software maintenance, and the maximum accuracy among the studies is 87%. In this paper, the purpose of using a solution using the commit classification model is to design and implement a complex classification model that combines several models to increase the accuracy of the previously published models and increase the reliability of the model. In this paper, a dataset was constructed by extracting automated labeling and source changes and trained using the DistillBERT model. As a result of verification, reliability was secured by obtaining an F1 score of 95%, which is 8% higher than the maximum of 87% reported in previous studies. Using the results of this study, it is expected that the reliability of the model will be increased and it will be possible to apply it to solutions such as software and project management.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status and dietary behavior of adolescents from North Korean refugee (NKR) families residing in South Korea (SK), who are known to be at a higher risk of malnutrition due to their lower socioeconomic status and facing other psychological challenges. Methods: A total of 178 adolescents (91 males and 87 females) from NKR families were included in the analysis, and their demographic details such as age, birthplace, parental nationality, and duration of their settlement in SK were collected through questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were also taken to determine their growth and nutritional status according to the 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents. The study used the Nutrition Quotient for Korean Adolescents (NQ-A) questionnaire to assess the dietary behavior of the participants. Results: Approximately 11.8% and 10.1% of participants were identified with malnutrition and obesity, respectively. The total mean score for the NQ-A was 50.1. The mean scores for the individual factors of balance, diversity, moderation, environment, and practice were 49.2, 44.7, 43.8, 51.2, and 61.5, respectively. Approximately 47.2% of participants had a low NQ-A grade. However, there was no significant difference in the NQ-A scores according to their nutritional status or duration of time in SK. Conclusions: Adolescents from NKR families exhibited both malnutrition and obesity. However, their dietary behavior, as assessed using the NQ-A, did not vary with their nutritional status. The unique challenges and related dietary behavior of North Korean adolescent refugees should be taken into consideration, when developing targeted strategies for nutritional education and health management programs.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.141-160
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• 2023

Controlling fashion waste throughout the entire product lifecycle is critical in a circular economy. This study explored the possibility of establishing a public recycling system for fashion waste. Since consumer interests and participation are essential, theoretical research, social-text analysis, and quantitative research were conducted to identify consumers' perceptions of the public recycling of fashion waste and circular fashion. Data were collected via an online survey among women in their 20-30's living in Korea, and 304 samples were used for data analysis. The results were as follows. First, consumers' perceptions of recycling fashion waste were composed of recycling difficulty, the need for public recycling, and the need for EPR. Circular fashion perception comprised favor, environment protection, attractiveness, economics, quality and hygiene risks, and lack of diversity. Second, the reuse-recycle attitude and need for EPR affected the favor of all types of circular fashion products. Third, environmental concerns impacted attractiveness, and the favor significantly affected the purchase intention of all types of circular fashion products. In particular, quality and hygiene risk negatively affected the purchase intention of used-fashion products, while attractiveness positively impacted the purchase intention of upcycled-fashion products. The results implied that discussing the public recycling system of fashion waste and EPR policy is imperative. The results also showed the need to classify different types of circular fashion products, such as used, upcycled, and regenerated fashion items, to examine consumers' perceptions. In addition, the recycling of the fashion waste scale developed in this study could be used for further research.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.218-232
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• 2023

Purpose: This study was undertaken to identify the risk factors of genital infection by examining the genital hygiene practice followed by adult women of reproductive age. The results can be applied as basic data for health education and health management on female genital hygiene practices. Methods: Data ware collected by conducting an online survey, comprising 200 adult women of reproductive age. Genital infections according to genital hygiene practice were analyzed by simple logistic regression. Results: In this study, the Odds Ratio (OR) of genital infection occurrence of genital hygiene practices used were disposable briefs 4.11 (CI 1.79-9.39, p=0.020), feminine deodorant spray 3.13 (CI 1.37-7.15, p=0.007), deodorant, vaginal inserts (tabs/supp) 10.60 (CI 3.97-28.28, p<0.001), over the counter anti-itch products 3.73 (CI 1.67-8.34, p=0.001), blotting 11.47 (CI 4.62-28.48, p<0.001), natural sea sponge 4.98 (CI 2.04-12.15, p<0.001), reusable cotton pads 5.76 (CI 2.48-13.33, p<0.001), tampons 2.60 (CI 1.17-5.77, p=0.019), tampons/pads between periods 4.79 (CI 2.07-11.10, p<0.001) and tampons/pads combination 4.11 (CI 1.79-9.39, p=0.001) Conclusion: Our results indicated the necessity to refrain from unnecessary application of genital hygiene practices, which is highly related to genital infections identified in this study. There is a need to continue education for proper performance.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.61-65
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• 2021

Although re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is rare (incidence rate <1%), it is associated with a mortality rate of >20%; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are important. We report a case of RPE following chest tube insertion in a patient with spontaneous pneumothorax. We have specifically focused on the mechanism underlying RPE and the possible etiology. An 82-year-old man with a history of chronic anemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension was referred to the emergency department for management of recurrent right-sided pneumothorax. We performed emergency closed thoracostomy for suspected tension pneumothorax, which led to stabilization of the patient's vital signs; however, he coughed up frothy pink sputum accompanied by severe right-sided chest pain 30 min postoperatively. The patient showed new-onset right pulmonary consolidation on chest radiography, as well as desaturation, tachycardia, and tachypnea and was diagnosed with RPE. He was transferred to the intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation and supportive treatment using diuretics, ionotropic agents, and prophylactic antibiotics. RPE gradually resolved, and the patient was extubated 3 days after admission. He has not experienced recurrent pneumothorax or pulmonary disease for 4 months. We emphasize the importance of RPE prevention and that aggressive ventilator care and supportive treatment can effectively treat RPE following an accurate understanding of the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms and risk factors.