• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.29-36
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• 2023

In order to prevent industrial accidents, this study presented a methodology to ensure that risk aggravating factors are reflected in risk assessments at manufacturing sites and demonstrated it by applying it to actual manufacturing sites. As a result of a statistical analysis of all 242,906 accidents that occurred in the manufacturing industry over the past 10 years, new workers less than 6 months old, foreign workers, older workers over 55 years old, and jobs where hands and arms are exposed to risk areas, Non-routine work performed from 9 o'clock to 12 o'clock showed a significantly high accident rate. In addition, a weighted value was applied to estimate the possibility of an accident at the risk determination stage through focus group interviews. Through the results of this study, risk weighting factors can be quantitatively reflected in risk assessment, which is meaningful in preventing accidents by evaluating the size of the identified risk closer.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1037-1049
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• 2015

The most of natural disasters that occur in North Korea are flood, typhoon and damage from heavy rain. The damage caused by those disasters since the mid-1990s is aggravating North Korea's economic difficulties every year. By recognizing the seriousness of the damages from the floods, the North Korean government has carried out the river maintenance, farmland restoration, land readjustment and afforestation projects since the last-1990s, but it has failed preventing the damages. In order to estimate the degree of flood risk regarding damage from chronic floods that occur inveterately in North Korea, this research conducted an additional simulation for rainfall-runoff analysis to reflect the characteristics of the ungauged area that make foreign countries hard to obtain the hydrological data and do not open the topographical data to public. In addition, this research estimates the degree of flood risk by selecting the factors of the hazard, exposure and vulnerability by following the standards of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2022

Ulcerative colitis (UC) exhibits chronic intestinal inflammatory conditions with cycles of relapse and remission. The incidence is rapidly growing in Asian countries including South Korea possibly due to changes in lifestyles. Although the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease is inconclusive, gut microbiota composition is considered a critical factor involved in the pathogenesis of UC. The overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria evokes hyper-immune responses in gut epithelium causing tissue inflammation and damage. Also, failure to regulate gut epithelium integrity due to chronic inflammation and mucus depletion accelerates bacterial translocation aggravating immune dysregulation. Gut microbiota composition responds to the diet in a very rapid manner. Epidemiological studies have indicated that the risk of UC is associated with low plant foods/high animal foods consumption. Several bacterial strains consistently found depleted in UC patients use plant food-originated dietary fiber producing short chain fatty acids to maintain epithelial integrity. These bacteria also use mucus layer mucin to keep gut microbiota diversity. These studies partly explain the association between dietary modification of gut microbiota in UC development. Further human intervention trials are required to allow the use of specific bacterial strains in the management of UC.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.75-99
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• 2023

The current study aimed to explore the suicidal behaviors and risk factors of completed suicides using psychological autopsy and use them as index variables to classify suicidal types. In addition, this study looked into the influential factors that affect each suicidal type. related to suicidal behaviors and suicidal risk factors by psychological autopsy. In addiction, the distinctions among the classes were analyzed. For this, psychological autopsies were conducted on the families and the close ones of 128 completed suicides. Then, the index variables were finally chosen for classifying suicidal types. The selected index variables for suicidal risk factors were mental disorders, suicide/self-harm, significant changes in physical appearance, marital conflict, adjustment and relationship issues at work/school, unemployment/layoff, jobless status and serious financial problems. The selected index variables for suicidal behaviors were expressing their suicidal attempts, writing suicidal notes, asking for help, the time/place/method of suicidal behavior, past suicidal/self-harm experience and the first person who witnessed the suicide. The Latent Class Analysis(LCA) and the 3-step method were used for classifying suicidal types. Then external variables(financial changes, cohabitation, existence of stressors, changes in stress level or relationships and family members with mental disorder/alchohol problems/ physical disorders, and work/school stisfaction) were applied for distinguishing classes. As a result, 5 classes(financial problems, adjustment problems, complex problems, psychiatric problems, and response to event[s]) were revealed on suicidal behaviors and 3 classes(residence- suicidal attempt- found by family, nonresidence- nonsuicidal attempt- found by acquaintances, residence- nonsuicidal attempt- found by family) were presented on suicidal risk factors. External variables such as gender, marital status, cohabitation, changes in relationships significantly differentiated among the 3 classes. Especially, class 3(residence- nonsuicidal attempt- found by family) tended to cohabit with others, were married, and had a significantly high level of interpersonal conflicts. When comparing the 5 classes of suicidal risk factors, auxiliary variables such as economic changes, cohabitation, stress, relationship changes, and family-related problems, and school/work satisfaction significantly differentiated the 5 classes. Especially class 3 (complex problems) experienced comparatively less family-related problems, but showed an aggravating level of personal stress. Suicial prevention strategies should be provided considering the characteristics of each class and the influential factors.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.29-34
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• 2017

Purpose: To evaluate aggravating factors of intermittent locking among temporomandibular joint using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorder (DC/TMD) diagnosis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 35 patients with intermittent locking history but normal intra-articular findings between September 2012 and June 2015 in Kyung Hee University Dental Hospital. A standardized DC/TMD assessment was performed on subjects with MRI findings. Clinical findings were assessed on the basis of maximum mouth opening (active & passive), self-reported habits, patients' age, gender, systemic diseases at the initial visit. First, chi square test was used to examine differences with variables and then risk factors for intermittent locking were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: Self-reported bruxism was strongly associated with intermittent locking history. Conclusions: The new DC/TMD protocol is intended for use within any clinical setting and supports the full range of diagnostic activities from screening to definitive evaluation and diagnosis. Self-reported sleep bruxism has been associated with a higher likelihood of intermittent locking. Comorbidity is therefore a factor that must be assessed. It is necessary to consider the amount of contact of the teeth and the duration.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.47-54
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• 2010

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy caused by compression of the median nerve beneath the transverse carpal ligament. CTS can be correctly diagnosed by the patients' description of symptoms and electrophysiological tests that measure nerve conduction through the wrist. Many previous studies reported various risk factors of CTS, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease and trauma. Obesity is associated with both hyperlipidemia and CTS. This study focused on the relationship between severity of CTS and serum lipid level. Methods: One hundred fourteen patients with CTS and 74 controls were divided into four groups according to the severity; normal, mild, moderate and severe. And then serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) were measured in each group. Results: There was a positive correlation between TG and CTS severity (p<0.001). But TC, LDL-C and HDL-C were not correlated with CTS severity. Conclusions: These results suggest that high serum TG may act as an aggravating factor of CTS.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.577-583
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• 2017

Objective : Laminoplasty is an effective surgical method for treating cervical degenerative disease. However, postoperative complications such as kyphosis, restriction of neck motion, and instability are often reported. Despite sufficient preoperative lordosis, this procedure often aggravates the lordotic curve of the cervical spine and straightens cervical alignment. Hence, it is important to examine preoperative risk factors associated with postoperative kyphotic alignment changes. Our study aimed to investigate preoperative radiologic parameters associated with kyphotic deformity post laminoplasty. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 49 patients who underwent open door laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital between January 2011 and December 2015. Inclusion criteria were as follows : 1) preoperative diagnosis of OPLL or CSM, 2) no previous history of cervical spinal surgery, cervical trauma, tumor, or infection, 3) minimum of one-year follow-up post laminoplasty with proper radiologic examinations performed in outpatient clinics, and 4) cases showing C7 and T1 vertebral body in the preoperative cervical sagittal plane. The radiologic parameters examined included C2-C7 Cobb angles, T1 slope, C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), range of motion (ROM) from C2-C7, segmental instability, and T2 signal change observed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Clinical factors examined included preoperative modified Japanese Orthopedic Association scores, disease classification, duration of symptoms, and the range of operation levels. Results : Mean preoperative sagittal alignment was $13.01^{\circ}$ lordotic; $6.94^{\circ}$ lordotic postoperatively. Percentage of postoperative kyphosis was 80%. Patients were subdivided into two groups according to postoperative Cobb angle change; a control group (n=22) and kyphotic group (n=27). The kyphotic group consisted of patients with more than $5^{\circ}$ kyphotic angle change postoperatively. There were no differences in age, sex, C2-C7 Cobb angle, T1 slope, C2-C7 SVA, ROM from C2-C7, segmental instability, or T2 signal change. Multiple regression analysis revealed T1 slope had a strong relationship with postoperative cervical kyphosis. Likewise, correlation analysis revealed there was a statistical significance between T1 slope and postoperative Cobb angle change (p=0.035), and that there was a statistically significant relationship between T1 slope and C2-C7 SVA (p=0.001). Patients with higher preoperative T1 slope demonstrated loss of lordotic curvature postoperatively. Conclusion : Laminoplasty has a high probability of aggravating sagittal balance of the cervical spine. T1 slope is a good predictor of postoperative kyphotic changes of the cervical spine. Similarly, T1 slope is strongly correlated with C2-C7 SVA.