• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.176-183
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• 2020

Purpose: : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intrauterine insemination (IUI) success rate and to define the variables for predicting success. Methods: The secondary data analysis was used with data collected from infertile females who underwent IUI in Fertility and IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) clinics, who benefited from the 'National Medical-aid Program for ART (assisted reproductive technology) in 2016', in which the data of 34,920 IUI cases were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome measure was the clinical pregnancy rate in elderly and young infertile females. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, χ2 test and logistic regression. Results: The pregnancy rate was 12.1% (2,095 cases) in elderly infertile females and 15.6% in young infertile females (2,758 cases) (χ2 = 87.90, p< .001). Using the logistic regression analysis, clinical pregnancy was positively associated with the ovulatory factor (OR= 1.48, p< .001) and male factor (OR= 1.19, p< .05) in elderly infertile females. It was positively associated with the ovulatory factor (OR= 1.30, p= .001) and the peritoneal cavity factor (OR= 0.58, p< .05) in young infertile females. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the pregnancy rate in young infertile females was higher than that in old infertile females, and the IUI is the effective option in pregnancies in all ages with infertility due to the ovulatory factor. Additionally, further studies are necessary to fully describe pregnancy experiences for all the infertile females.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2021

Background: To determine the benefit of pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) with visual biofeedback on promoting patient recovery from incontinence, we investigated variables associated with the early restoration of continence for patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Methods: Of the 83 patients enrolled, 41 consecutive patients completed PFME (the exercise group), and the other 42 consecutive patients just before the PFME program commenced (the control group). The primary outcome was whether PFME engagement was associated with zero pad continence restoration within 3 months of surgery. Results: Continence restoration percentages (defined as zero pads used per day) at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery were 49.4%, 77.1%, and 94.0%, respectively. The exercise group achieved significantly higher recovery rates at 1 month (p=0.037), 3 months (p<0.001), and 6 months (p=023). Cox regression analysis demonstrated that a lower Gleason score (<8; hazard ratio [HR], 2.167), lower prostate specific antigen (<20 ng/dL; HR, 2.909), and engagement in PFME (HR, 3.731) were independent predictors of early recovery from postprostatectomy incontinence. Stratification by age showed that those younger than 65 years did not benefit significantly from exercise (log-rank test, p=0.08), but that their elderly counterparts, aged 65-70 years (p=0.007) and >70 years old (p=0.002) benefited significantly. Conclusion: This study suggests that postoperative engagement in PFME with biofeedback speeds up the recovery of continence in elderly patients (≥65 years old) that undergo RARP.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.412-418
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• 2023

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) persistence in pathological stage T3aN0 prostate cancer (PCa) after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP). Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 326 patients with pT3aN0 PCa who underwent RALP between March 2020 and February 2022. PSA persistence was defined as nadir PSA of >0.1 ng/mL after RALP, and the risk factors for PSA persistence were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Results: Among 326 patients, 61 (18.71%) had PSA persistence and 265 (81.29%) had PSA of <0.1 ng/mL after RALP (successful radical prostatectomy [RP] group). In the PSA persistence group, 51 patients (83.61%) received adjuvant treatment. Biochemical recurrence occurred in 27 patients (10.19%) in the successful RP group during the mean follow-up period of 15.22 months. Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factors for PSA persistence were large prostate volume (hazard ratio [HR], 1.017; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.002-1.036; p=0.046), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (HR, 2.605; 95% CI, 1.022-6.643; p=0.045), and surgical margin involvement (HR, 2.220; 95% CI, 1.110-4.438; p=0.024). Conclusion: Adjuvant treatment may be needed for improved prognosis in patients with pT3aN0 PCa after RALP with a large prostate size, LVI, or surgical margin involvement.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.14 no.2 s.61
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• pp.145-149
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• 2007

Nanocrystalline transient aluminas (${\gamma}$-alumina) were coated on core particles (${\gamma}$-alumina) by a carbonate precipitation and thermal-assisted combustion, which is environmentally friend. The ammonium aluminum carbonate hydroxide (AACH) as a precursor for coating of transient aluminas was produced from precipitation reaction of ammonium aluminum sulfate and ammonium hydrogen carbonate. The crystalline size and morphology of the synthetic, AACH, were greatly dependent on pH and temperature. AACH with a size of 5 nm was coated on the core alumina particle at pH 9. whereas rod shape and large agglomerates were coated at pH 8 and 11, respectively. The AACH was tightly bonded coated on the core particle due to formation of surface complexes by the adsorption of carbonates, hydroxyl and ammonia groups on the surface of the core alumina powder. The synthetic precursor successfully converted to amorphous- and ${\gamma}$-alumina phase at low temperature through decomposition of surface complexes and thermal-assisted phase transformation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.9
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• pp.368-372
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• 2020

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by impairments in social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication. Purpose: Determine the association between use of assisted reproduction technology (ART) and the risk of ASD among children. Methods: This case-control study included 300 participants (100 cases, 200 controls). The control group included women with a child aged 2-10 years without ASD, while the cases were women with a child aged 2-10 years with ASD. We used a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Stata ver. 14 at the 0.05 significance level. Results: In the univariate analysis, there was significant association between child sex, delivery mode, history of preterm delivery, history of using ART, and maternal age at child's birth and the risk of ASD. After the adjustment for other variables, this association was significant for male sex (2.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-4.31; P=0.001) and history of using ART (4.03; 95% CI, 1.76-9.21; P=0.001). Therefore, after the adjustment for confounder variables, there was no significant association between ART and the risk of ASD among children (4.98; 95% CI, 0.91-27.30; P=0.065). Conclusion: After the adjustment for other variables, risk factors for ASD were male sex and history preterm delivery. Thus, there was no significant association between ART and the risk of ASD among children.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.277-277
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• 2010

We present facile chemical route stabilizing dispersion of carboxylated single-Walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in ZnOsol prepared by using diethanolamine as a stabilizer. The dispersion was stabilized via capping of carboxyl groups on the SWCNT surface by a titania layer. We also demonstrated that the conductivity of the films prepared P3/$TiO_2$/ZnO as enhanced by therml treatment, and the thermal stbility of the film improved hybridization with ZnO sol pristine P3, P3/$SiO_2$ and P3/$TiO_2$ hybrid films.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.03b
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• pp.41-41
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• 2010

We present facile chemical route stabilizing dispersion of carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in ZnOsol prepared by using diethanolamine as a stabilizer. The dispersion was stabilized via capping of carboxyl groups on the SWCNT surface by a titania layer. We also demonstrated that the conductivity of the films prepared P3/$TiO_2$/ZnO as enhanced by therml treatment, and thethermal stbility of the film improved hybridization with ZnO sol pristine P3, P3/$SiO_2$ and P3/$TiO_2$ hybrid films.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.114-120
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• 2012

For the qualitative analysis of peptides in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), O-methylisourea, which is chemically bound to a specific site of an amino acid (e.g. lysine) of peptides and improves the intensities of the modified peptides, is frequently used prior to the MALDI-MS analysis of peptides, where the process is called guanidination. The reaction efficiency of guanidination varies depending on the reaction conditions. We investigated the efficiencies of guanidination of tryptically digested myoglobin using three different reagents (O-methylisourea, S-methylisothiourea, and 2-methyl-2-imidazoline) at $65^{\circ}C$ for 1 h with various pH conditions (pH 4.0, 7.0, and 10.5), where O-methylisourea and pH 10.5 were found to be most effective. The guanidination with O-methylisourea at pH 10.5 were then applied with different reaction conditions such as heating, microwave and ultrasound at various times, where heating for 60 min was found to be most effective. Conclusively, guanidination with O-methylisourea at $65^{\circ}C$ for 1 h at pH 10.5 was found to be the optimized condition.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.89-96
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• 2022

This study conducted to investigate the effects of Peer-Assisted Learning(PAL) applied to nursing education on self-directed learning ability, academic self-efficacy, and academic achievement of nursing students. The research design was a pre-post-post design with an inequality control group, and a total of 229 students from G University who agreed to participate in the study were included. After the completion of regular classes, the experimental group(N=117) was given a PAL program at least once a week for 10 weeks, and the control group(N=112) was given individual self-learning for 10 weeks. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, X2-test, and independent t-test using SPSS/WIN 21.0. As a result, self-directed learning ability(t=6.50, p<.001), academic self-efficacy(t=2.01, p=.046), and academic achievement(t=4.98, p<.001) were higher in the experimental group than in the control group. As the positive effect of peer learning on nursing students was confirmed through the results of this study, it can be used as useful basic data when designing extracurricular activities for nursing education.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.101.1-101.1
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• 2016

Van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures built from two-dimensional layered materials provide an unprecedented opportunity in designing new material systems because the lack of dangling bonds on the vdW surfaces enables the creation of high-quality heterointerfaces without the constraint of atomically precise commensurability. In particular, the ability to build artificial heterostructures, combined with the recent advent of transition metal dichalcogenides, allows the fabrication of unique semiconductor heterostructures in an ultimate thickness limit for fundamental studies as well as novel device applications. In this talk, we will present the characterization of the electronic and optoelectronic properties of atomically thin p-n junctions consisting of vertically stacked WSe2 and MoS2 monolayers. We observed gate-tunable diode-like current rectification and a photovoltaic response across the p-n interface. Unlike conventional bulk p-n junctions, the tunneling-assisted interlayer recombination of the majority carriers is responsible for the tenability of the charge transport and the photovoltaic response. Furthermore, we will discuss the enhanced optoelectronic characteristics in graphene-sandwiched vdW p-n junctions.