• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.83-86
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• 2018

Background and Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate efficacy and complication of injection laryngoplasty using calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) for unilateral vocal fold paralysis in Asian. Materials and Methods : A prospective study was conducted on the adult patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis from May 2015 through January 2016. Injection laryngoplasty was performed by one laryngologist. All patients underwent prospective voice evaluation using the subjective and objective comprehensive battery of assessments, before the procedure and after the procedure at 3 months, and 6 months. Results : A total of 7 patients (5 males and 2 females) were included in this study. VHI-10 was significantly decreased after injection laryngoplasty, at postoperative 6 months (p=0.031), while VAS score and MDADI showed no difference. GRBAS scale gradually decreased in 3 months and 6 months follow-up without statistical significance. Acoustic analysis revealed that jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonic ratio continuously decreased from the baseline at 3 months and 6 months, although statistical significance was not attained. In the aerodynamic analysis, maximal phonation time was gradually increased at 3months and 6 months with significant difference (p=0.016, 0.031, respectively). There was no side effect associated with the procedure. Conclusion : CaHA can be safely used in Asian patients and the onset of maximal efficacy seems to be slow than other studies with Caucasian patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.143-150
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• 2018

Purpose: We have implemented a multi-disciplinary Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) protocol to prevent individuals who sustained alcohol-related traumatic injuries. We therefore conducted this single-center, prospective, randomized, controlled trial (RCT) to assess its efficacy. Methods: All the enrolled patients (n=30) were randomized to either the SBIRT group or the control group. In the current RCT, the proportion of the patients who reduced the amount of alcohol consumption and those who received a specialized treatment served as primary outcome measures. Moreover, changes in a 3-item version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption (AUDIT-C), Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-6) scores at 3 months from baseline served as secondary outcome measures. Results: At 3 months, the proportion of the patients who reduced the amount of alcohol consumption was significantly higher in the SBIRT group as compared with the control group (86.7% vs. 57.1%, p=0.02). Moreover, the proportion of the patients who received a specialized treatment was also significantly higher as compared with the control group (26.7% vs. 1.4%, p=0.01). Furthermore, there were significant differences in changes in the AUDIT, SDS and K-6 scores at 3 months from baseline between the two groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, our results indicate that the SBIRT is effective in reducing hazardous and harmful levels of drinking, the degree of alcohol dependence and that of psychological distress in at-risk drinkers.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.183-189
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• 2021

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and recovery of inferior alveolar nerve dysfunction (IAND) in mandibular fractures. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Clinical neurosensory testing was done preoperatively and the IAND was categorized as mild, moderate or severe. Postoperatively, neurosensory testing was repeated at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and every 3 months thereafter. Results: A total of 257 patients with 420 fractures were included in the study with a mean age of 31.7 years. Body fractures (95.9%) had the highest incidence of IAND, followed by the angle fractures (90.1%) and symphysis fractures (27.6%). The condyle and coronoid fractures did not have any IAND and hence were excluded from further study. After eliminating those cases, 232 patients remained in the study with 293 fractures. The overall prevalence of IAND in fractures occurring distal to the mandibular foramen was 56.3%. The changes until 1 week were minimal. From 1 month to 6 months, there was a significant reduction in the severity of IAND. A significant number of cases (60.0%) were lost to follow-up between 6 and 9 months. At 6 months, 23.9% of cases still had some form of IAND and 95.0% of the symphysis, 59.0% of the angle and 34.8% of the body fractures with IAND had become normal. Conclusion: This study documents the reduction in the degree of severity of IAND in the first six months and provides the basis for future studies with longer periods of follow-up.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.300-317
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• 2020

Purpose: Hysteroscopy can be used both to diagnose and to treat intrauterine pathologies. It is well known that hysteroscopy helps to improve reproductive outcomes by treating intrauterine pathologies. However, it is uncertain whether hysteroscopy is helpful in the absence of intrauterine pathologies. This study aimed to confirm whether hysteroscopy improves the reproductive outcomes of infertile women without intrauterine pathologies. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of 11 studies retrieved from Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Two independent investigators extracted the data and used risk-of-bias tools (RoB 2.0 and ROBINS-I) to assess their quality. Results: Diagnostic hysteroscopy prior to in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was associated with a higher clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) than non-hysteroscopy in patients with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) (odds ratio, 1.79 and 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-2.30 and 1.08-1.97 for CPR and LBR, respectively) while hysteroscopy prior to first IVF was ineffective. The overall meta-analysis of LBR showed statistically significant findings for RIF, but a subgroup analysis showed effects only in prospective cohorts (odds ratio, 1.40 and 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-3.16 and 1.04-2.07 for randomized controlled trials and prospective cohorts, respectively). Therefore, the LBR should be interpreted carefully and further research is needed. Conclusion: Although further research is warranted, hysteroscopy may be considered as a diagnostic and treatment option for infertile women who have experienced RIF regardless of intrauterine pathologies. This finding enables nurses to educate and support infertile women with RIF prior to IVF/ICSI.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.326-336
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• 2021

Purpose: This study explored the prevalence of prenatal and postpartum depression in Korea and its influencing factors from 20 weeks of pregnancy to 12 weeks postpartum. Methods: Using a prospective cohort study design, data on women's depression and its influencing factors were collected at 20, 28, and 36 weeks of pregnancy and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postpartum. The participants were 219 women and 181 spouses during pregnancy; and 183 mothers and 130 spouses after childbirth. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and influencing factors were measured by the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised, parity, and spousal depression. Results: The prevalence of maternal depression was 10.5% to 21.5% before birth, and it was 22.4% to 32.8% postpartum. The prevalence slightly decreased during the prenatal period but peaked at 2 weeks postpartum. Antenatal depression was influenced by low socioeconomic status, lower self-esteem, having experienced prenatal depression, having experienced prenatal anxiety, a previous history of depression, lower social support, lower marital satisfaction, and higher life stress. The factors influencing postpartum depression were lower self-esteem, having experienced prenatal depression, having experienced prenatal anxiety, lower social support, lower marital satisfaction, and higher life stress, as well as infant temperament and maternal blues. Parity and spousal depression had no impacts. Conclusion: The prevalence and influencing factors of maternal depression changed over time. Nurses need to screen women accordingly during the perinatal period and should provide education or counseling to prevent depression and promote adjustment to parenthood.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.25-33
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data for establishing a unique admissions promotion strategy for each university and to innovate the paradigm of university admissions promotion through the examples of central universities in the practice of PR promotion based on big data analysis. To this end, prior literature related to university publicity (marketing), and recognition of prospective college students who visited the university, and database data were defined and analyzed as big data. As a result, first, the preliminary studies related to college entrance exam promotion (marketing) increased dramatically in the 2000s and 2010s as part of preparing for countermeasures against population decline in school age. Responding to the need for an admissions promotion strategy to accelerate visits to prospective college students, the database data analysis result suggested the selection and concentration of entrance exam strategies based on the university's regional and academic characteristics.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.66.1-66.8
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• 2022

Background: Prospective clinical study of blood lactate concentration in horses undergoing colic surgery is needed to determine utility in outcome prediction. Objectives: To evaluate venous lactate measurements in horses following colic surgery, including immediately after anesthetic recovery and daily throughout hospitalization, as well as to determine if lactate concentrations were significantly higher in horses that developed postoperative complications or did not survive to hospital discharge. Methods: Horses > 1 year of age undergoing surgery for colic and recovered from general anesthesia were sampled. A portable lactate meter was used to measure venous samples collected immediately following anesthetic recovery and daily throughout hospitalization. Complications arising during hospitalization and survival to hospital discharge were recorded. Results: Fifty one horses were enrolled, ranging in age from 2 to 29 years. Lactate concentration immediately following anesthetic recovery was higher in horses that developed complications during hospitalization (p = 0.046). The odds of developing complications postoperatively were doubled for horses with a venous lactate concentration > 5 mmol/L. Lactate measurements in non-survivors were significantly higher compared to survivors by 96 h postoperatively (p < 0.006). Conclusions: Higher venous lactate concentrations in the postoperative colic period were associated with an increased risk of complications and death. Results suggest horses with higher venous lactate measurements in recovery are more likely to have postoperative complications, with the odds of developing complications doubled for horses with a venous lactate > 5 mmol/L. Evaluation of venous lactate could provide information on prognosis in the postoperative period for horses with surgical colic.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.529-547
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• 2022

Graphene is one of the strongest, stiffest, and lightest nanoscale materials known to date, making it a potentially viable and attractive candidate for developing lightweight structural composites to prevent high-velocity ballistic impact, as commonly encountered in defense and space sectors. In-plane twist in bilayer graphene has recently revealed unprecedented electronic properties like superconductivity, which has now started attracting the attention for other multi-physical properties of such twisted structures. For example, the latest studies show that twisting can enhance the strength and stiffness of graphene by many folds, which in turn creates a strong rationale for their prospective exploitation in high-velocity impact. The present article investigates the ballistic performance of twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG) nanostructures. We have employed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, augmented further by coupling gaussian process-based machine learning, for the nanoscale characterization of various tBLG structures with varying relative rotation angle (RRA). Spherical diamond impactors (with a diameter of 25Å) are enforced with high initial velocity (V_i) in the range of 1 km/s to 6.5 km/s to observe the ballistic performance of tBLG nanostructures. The specific penetration energy (E_p^*) of the impacted nanostructures and residual velocity (V_r) of the impactor are considered as the quantities of interest, wherein the effect of stochastic system parameters is computationally captured based on an efficient Gaussian process regression (GPR) based Monte Carlo simulation approach. A data-driven sensitivity analysis is carried out to quantify the relative importance of different critical system parameters. As an integral part of this study, we have deterministically investigated the resonant behaviour of graphene nanostructures, wherein the high-velocity impact is used as the initial actuation mechanism. The comprehensive dynamic investigation of bilayer graphene under the ballistic impact, as presented in this paper including the effect of twisting and random disorder for their prospective exploitation, would lead to the development of improved impact-resistant lightweight materials.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.321-327
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• 2022

Background: To implement medication management service in Korean nursing home (NH), medication review tool for residents in Korean long-term care facilities was developed. This prospective pilot study aimed to verify the applicability of this newly developed tool and to evaluate the drug related problems (DRPs) identified by pharmacists' medication review in NH setting. Methods: This study was carried out in two NHs in Korea. The elderly residents (65 or older) using 5 or more medications were eligible. Pharmacists conducted medication review and identified the DRPs and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) based on the newly developed tool. Results: Among 43 NH residents, 27 residents agreed to participate. The median age was 87 and about 55.6% of them were taking 10 or more medications. Pharmacists identified a total of 37 PIMs in 18 NH residents (66.7%) and 54 DRPs in 22 residents (81.5%). The most frequent PIM was general-PIM (26 cases) followed by PIM under specific diseases or conditions (7 cases). Out of 77 items contained in the tool, 15 items were detected in study participants. 'Continued use or regular daily use of hypnotics' was the most highly detected item (9 cases) followed by 'multiple prescriptions within each class of hypnotics/sedatives' (5 cases). Among 54 DRPs identified, pharmacist intervened 39 cases (72.2%) and interventions were accepted in 18 cases (46.1%). Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated that newly developed tool is feasible for the nursing home residents. However, further studies with larger population are warranted.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.277-283
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• 2023

Purpose: Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is a common condition in infants, but little is known about healthcare providers' clinical experience treating infants with CMPA. To address this gap, we analyzed prospectively collected data from healthcare providers (HCPs) who treated infants under six months old with suspected CMPA using hypoallergenic formulas. The study focused on a commercial extensively hydrolyzed formula containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC53103) (eHF-LGG) or a commercial amino acid formula (AAF). Methods: In this secondary analysis of prospectively collected survey data, 52 HCPs treated 329 infants under six months old with suspected CMPA using hypoallergenic formulas. A series of two de-identified surveys per patient were collected by HCPs to assess short-term symptom relief in the patients and HCP's satisfaction with the management strategies. The initial survey was completed at the initiation of treatment of CMPA, and the second survey was completed at a follow-up visit. Results: The majority of HCPs (87%) in the study were general pediatricians, and most saw 2 to 10 CMPA patients weekly. Results showed that clinicians reported satisfaction with treatment in 95% of patients in the EHF cohort and 97% of patients in the AAF cohort and achieved expected clinical results in 93% and 97% of patients using eHF and AAF, respectively. Furthermore, few patients were switched from the hypoallergenic formula once initiated. Conclusion: The study provides new insights into HCP perspectives on treating infants with CMPA and supports using hypoallergenic formulas to manage this condition. However, additional prospective controlled studies are needed to confirm these initial findings.