• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.645-653
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• 2021

With the recent development of precision medicine(Theranostics), interest and utilization of the quantitative function of SPECT/CT are increasing. This study aims to investigate the effect on the radioactivity concentration estimate by the increase or decrease in the total time of SPECT/CT imaging conditions. A standard image was obtained by the conditions of a total acquisition time of 600 sec(10 sec/f × 120 frames) by diluting ^99mTc 91.76 MBq in a cylindrical phantom filled with sterile water, and a comparative image was obtained by increasing the total acquisition time by -90%, -75%, -50%, -25%, +50%, +100%. The CNR, radioactive concentration estimate(cps/ml), and the variation rate(%) of the recovery coefficient(RC) were analyzed by measuring the overall coefficient of interest in each image. The results[CNR, Radiation Concentration, RC] by the change in the number of projections for each increase or decrease rate(-90%, -75%, -50%, -25%, +50%, +100%) of total acquisition time are as follows. [-89.5%, +3.90%, 1.04] at -90%, [-77.9%, +2.71%, 1.03] at -75%, [-55.6%, +1.85%, 1.02] at -50%, [-33.6%, +1.37%, 1.01] at -25%, [-33.7%, +0.71%, 1.01] at +50%, [+93.2%, +0.32%, 1.00] at +100%. and also The results[CNR, Radiation Concentration, RC] by the acquisition time change for each increase or decrease rate(-90%, -75%, -50%, -25%, +50%, +100%) of total acquisition time are as follows. [-89.3%, -3.55%, 0.96] at -90%, [-73.4%, -0.17%, 1.00] at -75%, [-49.6%, -0.34%, 1.00] at -50%, [-24.9%, 0.03%, 1.00] at -25%, [+49.3%, -0.04%, 1.00] at +50%, [+99.0%, +0.11%, 1.00] at +100%. Image quality(CNR) showed a pattern of change in proportion to the increase or decrease in the total acquisition time of SPECT/CT, but the result at quantitative evaluation showed a change of less than 5% in all experimental conditions, maintaining quantitative accuracy(RC less than 0.05) without much influence.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.141-152
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• 2023

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis of epidemiological results for the association between occupational exposure as a firefighter and cancer as part of the broader evidence synthesis work of the IARC Monographs program. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify cohort studies of firefighters followed for cancer incidence and mortality. Studies were evaluated for the influence of key biases on results. Random-effects meta-analysis models were used to estimate the association between ever-employment and duration of employment as a firefighter and risk of 12 selected cancers. The impact of bias was explored in sensitivity analyses. Results: Among the 16 included cancer incidence studies, the estimated meta-rate ratio, 95% confidence interval (CI), and heterogeneity statistic (I²) for ever-employment as a career firefighter compared mostly to general populations were 1.58 (1.14-2.20, 8%) for mesothelioma, 1.16 (1.08-1.26, 0%) for bladder cancer, 1.21 (1.12-1.32, 81%) for prostate cancer, 1.37 (1.03-1.82, 56%) for testicular cancer, 1.19 (1.07-1.32, 37%) for colon cancer, 1.36 (1.15-1.62, 83%) for melanoma, 1.12 (1.01-1.25, 0%) for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 1.28 (1.02-1.61, 40%) for thyroid cancer, and 1.09 (0.92-1.29, 55%) for kidney cancer. Ever-employment as a firefighter was not positively associated with lung, nervous system, or stomach cancer. Results for mesothelioma and bladder cancer exhibited low heterogeneity and were largely robust across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: There is epidemiological evidence to support a causal relationship between occupational exposure as a firefighter and certain cancers. Challenges persist in the body of evidence related to the quality of exposure assessment, confounding, and medical surveillance bias.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.486-491
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate microbial distribution in the processing steps and to estimate quality index and shelf life of packaged Tofu (soybean curd). Sanitation and safety of Tofu were analysed in aspects of total viable counts (TVCs) and coliforms. Organoleptic deterioration was observed from some packaged Tofu when their TVCs were over $10^6\;CFU/g$. The controlled simply packaged Tofu and sterilized Tofu with TVCs of under $10^5\;CFU/g$ were 32.0% and 86.9% of the total samples, respectively. Also, the controlled simply packaged Tofu and sterilized Tofu with negative coliforms were 12.0% and 83.7% of the total samples, respectively. TVCs and coliforms increased in some processing steps, which include washing and soaking of raw soybeans, and formation and 1st cooling of packaged Tofu. Increases of TVCs and coliforms in the washing and soaking step were due to contamination from the soaking tank and airborne bacteria, whereas increases of TVCs and coliforms in the grinding step were due to contaminations from the grinder, line and reserving tank. TVCs and coliforms increased in the formation and 1st cooling step of packaged Tofu due to contaminations from filter wools, trays, employee's hands, cooling water, formed products and filter wools.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.76-93
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to define the core components required of nurses to provide quality nursing care to patients and analyze the significance of these components in the hospital's various units to maintain a high level of competence among nurses. Method: The study evaluated 3 categories included 35 subcategories with 148 core components that were derived from literature review and interviews of nursing professionals. The nursing professional category included 18 subcategories with 98 components, the organizational culture category included 4 subcategories with 16 components, and the temperament-attitude category included 13 subcategories with 34 components. The study included 335 nurses with more than one year of hospital experience and measured disparities among different hospital units. The data was analyzed with SPSS-Win 10.0, differing perceptions of the importance of general traits among the participants were measured using standard deviation, and differing perceptions of the importance of professional traits among the participants were assessed using ANOVA and subsequently with the Bonferroni Test. The reliability of the aforementioned research tools were evaluated using the Cronbach's ${\alpha}$. Result: The results of the study were as follows: 1. Among the three categories, temperament-attitude category was perceived to be the most important, followed by nursing professional category and organizational culture category. Among the ten most important subcategories within the three categories, safety and infection prevention as well as responsibility were perceived to be the most important, followed by promotion of physiologic adaptation, document management and presentation, self-control, ethics, observance law, coping with emergency, humanity, and medication. 2. The relative importance of category associated with the core competencies within the hospital unit were as follows : 1) The units that rated nursing professional category as being the most significant were: internal medicine, surgical unit, mother-child unit, emergency room, intensive care unit, and operating room, in that order. 2) The units that rated the organizational culture competencies as being the most significant were: mother-child unit, internal medicine, surgical unit, emergency room, operating room, and intensive care unit, in that order. 3) The units that rated temperament-attitude category as being the most significant were: internal medicine, surgical unit, emergency room, mother-child unit, operating room, and intensive care unit, in that order.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.324-335
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• 1998

This study describes the extent of recognition of problems to the aged in a future society, the recognition and necessity of day care facilities, and the service contents and patterns preferred as a method of mediation for nursing the aged and increasing their quality of life. It also tries to certify the relations between those subjects. The result of the study is as follows: 1. Concerning problems of the aged of social significance the aged of the next generation consider the difficulties in nursing the aged to be the most important at 63.6%. 2. Concerning the nursing of parents, 49.4% of those answered 'children should take care of their parents and live together', while 46.7% answered that 'it is enough for children to provide an economic support, not necessarily living together. 3. Concerning information of day care facilities, 66.9% answered that they have no information. 4. Concerning the use of day care facilities, 54.6% answered that 'they would under certain circumstances', and 21.0% that 'they had better use them in the future'. 5. Concerning the feelings of the aged using day care facilities, 46.6% say 'they do not look poor', and 33.4% said that 'they look a little poor'. 6. Concerning the reasons for using day care facilities, 56.1% answered' because children do not proride care', and 48.5% answered 'because their economic ability is not sufficient'. 7. Concerning the programs potentially needed, food supply, medical services and physical therapy were ranked in that order. 8. Concerning social facilities necessary for the aged, centers that specialize in dementia, free day care facilities, home care services, and fee - based day care centers were ranked in that order. 9. Concerning institutions providing day care, welfare centers for the aged, those centers auxiliary to hospitals, asylums, and individuals were ranked in that order. 10. Concerning the responsibity running day care facilities, social workers, doctors/nursing assistants, nurses, and entrusted visitors were ranked in that order. Based on the results of this study, the study proposes that the study of applied cases of therapy in day care facilities for the aged continue.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.143-152
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• 2017

The main purpose of this research was to examine the EMG characteristics of driver's upper limb and driving performance for operating accelerator and brake pedal by using four types of left hand control devices(Push/Pull, Push/Right angle, Push/Rock, Push/Twist) during simulated driving. The persons with disabilities in the lower extremity have problems in operation of the vehicle because of functional impairments for controlling accelerator and brake pedal. Therefore, if hand control device is used for adaptive driving controls in persons with lower extremity loss, the disabled people could improve their quality of mobility life by driving a car. Twenty subjects were involved in this research to assess driving performance and EMG activities for operating accelerator and brake pedal by using four types of left hand controls in driving simulator. We measured EMG responses of six muscles(posterior deltoid, middle deltoid, biceps, triceps, extensor carpi radialis, and flexor carpi radialis) during pulling and pushing movement with four types of left hand controls for acceleration and braking. STISim Drive 3 program was used for evaluation test of four types of left hand control devices in straight lane course for time to reach target speed and brake reaction time. While operating the four types of left hand controls for acceleration, EMG activities of posterior deltoid in normal subjects were significantly increased(p < 0.05) compared to the disabled subjects. It was also found that EMG responses of triceps and posterior deltoid were significantly increased(p < 0.05) when using the Push/Right angle type than Push/Pull type. While operating the four types of left hand controls for braking, EMG activities of flexor carpi radialis and triceps in subjects with disability were significantly increased(p < 0.05) compared to the normal subjects. It was shown that muscle responses of posterior deltoid, middle deltoid and triceps were significantly increased when using the Push/Right angle type than Push/Rock type. Time to reach target speed and brake reaction time in subjects with disability was increased by 2.5% and 4.6% on average compared to normal subjects. The person with disabilities showed a tendency to relatively slow performance in acceleration at the straight lane course.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.490-499
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• 2017

In recent years, the introduction of complex systems analysis based on various variables has become more active in order to identify and analyze complex problems of Modern Society. Prediction of patients' spatial perception and usability according to the spatial arrangement of the outpatient department is a very important factor for providing high quality hospital service. For objective analysis, the standard program procedure and analysis index for the diseases of the elderly were prepared and the uniformity of the atmospheric space was evaluated through heat map analysis and quantitative analysis. In this study, 73 cells were installed and simulated to analyze the uniformity of the four alternatives according to the change of the arrangement of the medical care space, receiving space, and consultation space using the complex system analysis method for the nursing hospitals. The resulting density was derived. The results are as follows. 1)The layout of the reception space has the greatest influence on the total spatial density of the waiting space. 2) The uniformity of the waiting space can be increased by separating the examination space and the examination space. 3)The closer the location of the receiving space is from the entrance, the greater the density of the waiting space. Finally, this study applied discrete event simulation to the evaluation of uniformity of atmosphere space, and proved that the actor - based model can be utilized for utilization and evaluation as spatial analysis methodology.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.4
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• pp.281-288
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• 2018

Background: There are limited number of studies that investigate clinical variables instead of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) management according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2017 classification. The aim of the study was to investigate whether there was a difference between GOLD 2017 classification and spirometric stage in clinical variables in patients with COPD. The data of 427 male patients with stable COPD were investigated retrospectively. Methods: Patients were allocated into combined assessment of GOLD 2017 and spirometric stage. Age, amount of smoking, pulmonary function, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC), incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT), Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS), St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), body mass index (BMI), and fat free mass index (FFMI) were recorded. Results: Seventy-three (17%) patients were in group A, 103 (24%) constituted group B, 38 (9%) were included in group C, and 213 (50%) comprised group D according to the combined assessment of GOLD 2017. Twenty-three patients (5%) were in stage 1, 95 (22%) were in stage 2, 149 (35%) were in stage 3, and 160 (38%) were in stage 4 according to spirometric stage. According to GOLD 2017, age, amount of smoking, mMRC, BMI, FFMI, SGRQ, HADS, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$), and ISWT were significantly different between groups. Ages, amount of smoking, FFMI, BMI, HADS of group A were different from B and D. Smiliar values of $FEV_1$ were found in A-C and B-D. A and C had smiliar ISWT. According to spirometric stage, BMI, FFMI of stage 4 were statistically different. mMRC, ISWT, and SGRQ of stages 3 and 4 were different from other stages, amongst themselves. $FEV_1$ was correlated with mMRC, SGRQ, anxiety scores, BMI, FFMI, and ISWT. Conclusion: This study showed that the GOLD ABCD classification might not represent the severity of COPD sufficiently well in terms of lung function or exercise capacity. The combination of both spirometric stage and combined assessment of GOLD 2017 is important, especially for estimating clinical variables.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.41-53
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of the research is to investigate Korean occupational therapists' awareness of Evidence-Based Practice(EBP), basis of clinical decision making, barrier factors of EBP execution. Methods : Form December 2009 to March 2010, 500 questionnaires were sent out to clinical occupational therapists and 160 questionnaire which are returned by the therapists were analyzed through descriptive statistics. Results : There are more female respondents than male. More than 90% of them had less than 5 years experience. Most of respondents hadn't experienced education concerning EBP(76%), and the education is not periodically conducted(55%). Moreover, treatment was being tailored based on subjective judgement. On the other hand, the degree of recognition showed that the professionalism of occupational therapists can be improved through EBP(96%), and be helpful to make clinical decision(88%). Most of the therapists answered that guaranteeing enough time to search the basis of treatment(90%) and participating in the education course(92%) is needed to make EBP applicable. This result shows that while the application rate of EBP is low, the recognition rate of EBP is high, which means it is necessary to revitalize EBP education program. Conclusions : In order to provide quality service, education course and instructor training program is needed. We should also make a great effort to offer evidence-based education to occupational therapy students. Furthermore, EBP has to be carried out to improve the professionalism of occupational therapists, and the research about education program and its effect has to be executed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1389-1395
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• 2009

Generally, it takes a long time to purify wood vinegar, and it contains toxic compounds such as tar, methanol, phenol and benzopyrene. To reduce the toxicity of wood vinegar itself, we have developed a new purification method of wood vinegar using an oxidation-cohesion reaction and distillation with an active carbon. We have investigated the physico-chemical change (pH, specific gravity, refractive index and dissolved tar), the change of amount of toxic compounds (carbonyl group, phenol, benzopyrene and residual solvents) and organic acids (formic acid (FA), acetic acid (AA), propionic acid (PA)) of the purified wood vinegar under the long term and accelerated storage conditions. Also, we have evaluated the effect of the purified wood vinegar on hair growth using an alopecia model of C57BL/6 mice. As a result, we could find out that the purified wood vinegar was stable and remained without decay under the storage conditions and benzopyrene, a carcinogenic agent, was not detected in the purified wood vinegar. After topical treatment of the purified wood vinegar solution or minoxidil (MXD) for 2 weeks to dorsal skin, the hair regrowth of the mice accelerated faster than that of the control, with no clinical signs. In conclusion, we could suggest a guideline for quality control of process to reduce the toxic compounds in wood vinegar and it might be a useful hair growth promoter in the treatment of baldness or alopecia.