• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4999-5002
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• 2012

Introduction: There is epidemiological evidence indicating that the metabolic syndrome increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Since there is little information about this issue in Iran, the present study was conducted to evaluate prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components in patients with colorectal cancer. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional survey involved 200 patients with a new diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Demographic information of patients was collected through the interview with them. Components of metabolic syndrome including fasting glucose serum, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, blood pressure and waist circumference were measured for all of the patients. Results: A total of 72 colorectal cancer patients (36%) met metabolic syndrome criteria with rates of 76% for women and 24% for men. BMI in metabolic syndrome patients was higher than other colorectal cancer patients. Disease history including hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease was most frequent in metabolic syndrome patients. Pathological characteristics of colorectal cancer were not significantly associated with the disease. Conclusion: The findings of present study indicated that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in CRC patients is relatively high. Therefore, further analytical and multi centric studies are needed to better understand the role of metabolic syndrome in development of CRC in Iran. If this association is confirmed in future studies, metabolic syndrome patients should be considered in CRC screening programs.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.265-270
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• 2010

Objective : The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between asymptomatic urinary tract infection (aUTI) and postoperative spine infection. Methods : A retrospective review was done in 355 women more than 65 years old who had undergone laminectomy and/or discectomy, and spinal fusion, between January 2004 and December 2008. Previously postulated risk factors (i.e., instrumentation, diabetes, prior corticosteroid therapy, previous spinal surgery, and smoking) were investigated. Furthermore, we added aUTI that was not previously considered. Results : Among 355 patients, 42 met the criteria for aUTI (Bacteriuria ${\geq}\;10^5\;CFU/mL$ and no associated symptoms). A postoperative spine infection was evident in 15 of 355 patients. Of the previously described risk factors, multi-levels (p<0.05), instrumentation (p<0.05) and diabetes (p<0.05) were proven risk factors, whereas aUTI (p>0.05) was not statistically significant. However, aUTI with Foley catheterization was statistically significant when Foley catheterization was added as a variable to the all existing risk factors. Conclusion : aUTI is not rare in elderly women admitted to the hospital for lumbar spine surgery. The results of this study suggest that aUTI with Foley catheterization may be considered a risk factor for postoperative spine infection in elderly women. Therefore, we would consider treating aUTI before operating on elderly women who will need Foley catheterization.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.328-335
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Studies conducted in Western populations have suggested that dietary calcium may protect against metabolic abnormalities, but there is little evidence of this effect in Asians, who have relatively low calcium intake. We evaluated the cross-sectional relationship between dietary calcium and metabolic syndrome among Korean men and women aged 40 years and over. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 6,375 subjects aged 40 years and over and were recruited between January 2005 and February 2010 from the baseline study of the Multi-Rural Communities Cohort Study in Rural Communities (MRCohort). A food frequency questionnaire was used to collect dietary information. Metabolic syndrome was defined using the modified criteria published in the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel. RESULTS: Calcium intake was related inversely to metabolic syndrome in women (P-value = 0.0091), but not in men (P = 0.1842). Among metabolic components, high waist circumference (WC) (P = 0.0426) and high blood glucose (P = 0.0027) in women and hypertriglyceridemia (P = 0.0017) in men were inversely correlated with calcium intake. Excluding those who used calcium or multinutrient supplements did not attenuate the relationship between dietary calcium and metabolic abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Dietary calcium intake from foods may be inversely related to metabolic syndrome, WC, and blood glucose among women in rural areas of Korea.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.95-123
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• 2001

One of the most pronounced phenomenon among the changes in the 1990s' Korean labor market is the growth of the share of temporary and daily workers. Yet, it is still not clear exactly how the phenomenon should be interpreted. In order to look into the phenomenon, the paper introduces various definitions of employment status based upon multi-dimensional classification criteria and estimates their sizes using the EAPS Supplemental Survey of August 2000 by the National Statistical Office of Korea. According to the data set, the share of temporary employment by the OECD standards is 17.6% which is higher than most European countries but not far away from them unlike some popular claims. Further, it is shown that the high proportion of temporary and daily workers among the employees, currently above 50%, is possibly due not only to the increased employment instability but also to the widened differentiation among workers in terms of fringe benefits such as the retirement pay and social insurances.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2007

In response to anthropogenic global warming due to a buildup greenhouse gas, the effect of the air temperature on water temperature has been noticed. Therefore, effects have been made to build an air/water temperature relationship at three study regions using the data collected by the Ministry of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MOMAF). The air/water relationship varies with time-scale and weekly time-scale was chosen for the study. The data were fitted to the S-shaped non-linear relationship, and the parameters for the S-curve were derived using a single-criteria multi-parameter optimization scheme. Separate regression curves were fitted to consider seasonal hysteresis at the Masan site. The study results support the S-shaped non-linear relationship is the best fit for the air/water relationship at the Korean coastal zone. This study will contribute to determine the future policy regarding water quality and ecosystem for the decision-driving organization.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2007

IF handoff events are occurred during the transmission of multimedia traffic, the efficient resource allocation and handoff procedures are necessary to maintain the same QoS of transmitted multimedia traffic because the QoS may be defected by some delay and information loss, This paper proposes a handoff scheme to accommodate multimedia traffic based on the resource reservation procedure using direction estimation, This scheme uses a novel mobile tracking method based on Fuzzy Multi Criteria Decision Making, in which uncertain parameters such as PSS (Pilot Signal Strength), the distance between the mobile and the base station, the moving direction, and the previous location are used in the decision process using the aggregation function in fuzzy set theory, With the position information, the moving direction is determined, The handoff requests for real time sessions are handled based on the direction prediction and the resource reservation scheme, The resources in the estimated adjacent cells should be reserved and allocated to guarantee the continuity of the real time sessions, Through simulation results, we show that our proposed resource reservation method provides a better performance than that of the conventional method.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1072-1079
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• 2005

Conceptual design is the first step in the overall process of product design. Its intrinsic uncertainty, imprecision, and lack of information lead to the fact that current conceptual design activities in engineering have not been computerized and very few CAD systems are available to support conceptual design. In most of the current intelligent design systems, approach of principle synthesis, such as morphology matrix, bond graphic, or design catalogues, is usually adopted to deal with the concept generation, in which optional concepts are generally combined and enumerated through function analysis. However, as a large number of concepts are generated, it is difficult to evaluate and optimize these design candidates using regular algorithm. It is necessary to develop a new approach or a tool to solve the concept generation. Generally speaking, concept generation is a problem of concept synthesis. In substance, this process of developing design candidate is a combinatorial optimization process, viz., the process of concept generation can be regarded as a solution for a state-place composed of multi-concepts. In this paper, genetic algorithm is utilized as a feasible tool to solve the problem of combinatorial optimization in concept generation, in which the encoding method of morphology matrix based on function analysis is applied, and a sequence of optimal concepts are generated through the search and iterative process which is controlled by genetic operators, including selection, crossover, mutation, and reproduction in GA. Several crucial problems on GA are discussed in this paper, such as the calculation of fitness value and the criteria for heredity termination, which have a heavy effect on selection of better concepts. The feasibility and intellectualization of the proposed approach are demonstrated with an engineering case. In this work concept generation is implemented using GA, which can facilitate not only generating several better concepts, but also selecting the best concept. Thus optimal concepts can be conveniently developed and design efficiency can be greatly improved.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.11-20
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to research the effects of dual-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation (dual tDCS) and modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) to improve upper extremity motor function after stroke. Methods : The study period was from August 2019 to November 2019, and included 24 patients who met the selection criteria. Participants were divided into 2 groups: dual tDCS and mCIMT, and sham dual tDCS and mCIMT group. Dual tDCS and mCIMT group performed mCIMT immediately after applying dual tDCS for 20 minutes, and sham dual tDCS and mCIMT group performed mCIMT immediately after applying sham tDCS for 20 minutes without turning on the power source. Total interventions were conducted 5 times per week for 4 weeks, and mCIMT was conducted for 30 minutes per session for both experimental and control groups. Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and Motor Activity Log scale (MAL) were analyzed before and after 4 weeks of intervention. Results : Both experimental and control groups showed significant changes in FMA, Amount of Use (AOU), and Quality of Movement (QOM) of MAL. When the differences between groups was compared using ANCOVA, the experimental group showed a greater improvement in FMA and AOU of MAL than the control group. Conclusion : In order to enhance the effect of improving upper limb function of stroke patients, dual tDCS could be applied to provide more effective treatment in the clinical setting. Further studies will be needed in larger groups of stroke patients, including long-term follow-up, and multi-group comparisons through the establishment of anodal tDCS and mCIMT, cathodal tDCS, and mCIMT groups to clarify the effects of dual tDCS. In addition, research is needed to establish a protocol for tDCS, and this evidence-based intervention protocol is expected to be used in the clinical setting as an interventional method for various purposes.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1187-1191
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• 2011

In this paper, the development of an adjustable load limiter is presented, which is a component of the seat belt. The adjustable load limiter is loaded at different levels for varied weights and heights of occupant. The recent regulation FMVSS 208 demands strict safety standards for different percentiles of dummy size. In this work, high- and low-level load conditions are proposed according to dummy scale and thoracic injury criteria. The suggested load conditions were verified by performing a sled test using the benchmark model. A dual-level load limiter has been developed on the basis of these tests. Experiments were conducted on the product performance, and finite element analysis was carried out; the results confirmed the points for improvement.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.341-346
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• 2004

In the present work, for various energy and electricity generating systems to be compared in view of integrated social impacts, nuclear, coal-fired, heavy oil-fired, and LNG, and hydroelectricity systems are considered as electricity generating options. The following assessment factors are selected: economic effect, health effect, environmental effect, and benefit at the national level. As a preliminary study, these factors are represented as power generation cost, estimated mortality, Carbon Dioxide gas emission, and fuel supply stability, respectively. For integrated representation of a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem, radar charts are introduced to facilitate a comparative recognition of estimates. In the near future, based on the estimates, a MCDM methodology for both qualitative and quantitative comparison will be developed.