• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.43-52
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• 2023

This study was conducted to examine the relationship of the COVID-19-related anxiety, self-efficacy, resilience, and professional competence of nurses working in hospitals where COVID-19 patients are hospitalized. Additionally, this study attempted to identify factors that affect the professional competence of nurses. Using a cross-sectional descriptive study design, an online survey of 120 nurses working at hospitals where COVID-19 patients were hospitalized was conducted between February 9 and February 19, 2021. Pearson's correlations were used to assess correlations between the main variables, and stepwise multiple regression was used to identify factors influencing professional competence. Results of the study showed that the professional competence of nurses was positively correlated with self-efficacy (r=.58, p<.001) and resilience (r=.56, p<.001). The correlation between professional competence and COVID-related anxiety was not significant (r=-.03, p=.766). Factors affecting professional competence included self-efficacy (β=.36, p=.004) and resilience (β=28, p=.021). The model explained approximately 35% of the variance in nurse professional competence (F=33.65, p<.001). To fully demonstrate the professional competence of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, institution-based programs should be developed and applied to improve their self-efficacy and resilience. In order to prevent the burnout of nurses in the longer-than-expected COVID-19 pandemic, efforts and policies at the nursing organization level are needed to systematically manage and monitor self-efficacy and resilience of nurses.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.113-127
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• 2023

Background: Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) may aid in understanding the link between painmodulating brain regions and the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) in fibromyalgia (FM). This study investigated whether the differences in rs-FC of the primary somatosensory cortex in responders and non-responders to the conditioned pain modulation test (CPM-test) are related to pain, sleep quality, central sensitization, and the impact of FM on quality of life. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 33 females with FM. rs-FC was assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Change in the numerical pain scale during the CPM-test assessed the DPMS function. Subjects were classified either as non-responders (i.e., DPMS dysfunction, n = 13) or responders (n = 20) to CPM-test. A generalized linear model (GLM) and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to check the accuracy of the rs-FC to differentiate each group. Results: Non-responders showed a decreased rs-FC between the left somatosensory cortex (S1) and the periaqueductal gray (PAG) (P < 0.001). The GLM analysis revealed that the S1-PAG rs-FC in the left-brain hemisphere was positively correlated with a central sensitization symptom and negatively correlated with sleep quality and pain scores. ROC curve analysis showed that left S1-PAG rs-FC offers a sensitivity and specificity of 85% or higher (area under the curve, 0.78, 95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.94) to discriminate who does/does not respond to the CPM-test. Conclusions: These results support using the rs-FC patterns in the left S1-PAG as a marker for predicting CPM-test response, which may aid in treatment individualization in FM patients.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.95-107
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of export promotion programs (EPPs) on the export performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a specific focus on the influence of EPPs for promising SMEs in the export market. Using data on SMEs provided by the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK), we conducted a fixed-effects model analysis from 2016 to 2019. Our study shows that EPPs have a positive and significant relationship with export intensity. Further analysis reveals that SMEs utilizing the financing support system provided by EPPs tend to improve their export growth and financial performance relative to their counterparts. While EPPs can assist SMEs with their internationalization efforts, their similarity and redundancy are recognized as potential limitations. This study complements the existing literature that has mainly focused on surveys and cross-sectional analysis by specifying the research subject to promising SMEs in export, and analyzing the effects of the export promotion program supported by IBK Industrial Bank. The results of this study are expected to provide implications for improving SMEs' export capabilities.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.3D
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• pp.407-415
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• 2008

This study presents the methodology to link with aerial photos for advancing the accuracy of topographic survey data that is used to calculate water volume in urban stream. First, GIS spatial interpolation technique as Inverse Distance Weight (IDW) and Kriging was applied to construct the terrain morphology to the sand-bar and grass area using cross-sectional survey data, and also validation point data was used to estimate the accuracy of created topographic data. As the result of comparison, IDW ($d^{-2}_{ij}$, 2nd square number) in Sand-bar area and Kriging Spherical model in grass area showed more efficient results in the construction of topographic data of river boundary. But the differences among interpolation methods are very slight. Image classification method, Minimum Distance Method (MDM) was applied to extract sand-bar and grass area that are located to river boundary efficiently and the elevation value of extracted layers was allocated to the water level point value. Water volume with topographic data from aerial photos shows the advanced accuracy of 13% (in sand-bar) and 12% (in grass) compared to the water volume of original terrain data. Therefore, terrain analysis method in river linking with aerial photos is efficient to the monitoring about sand-bar and grass area that are located in the downstream of Dam in flooding season, and also it can be applied to calculate water volume efficiently.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.210-221
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the content knowledge and problem solving process used by pre-service earth science teachers while discriminating faults on geological maps. For this, we collected and evaluated data on fixation duration and gaze plot, while pre-service earth science teachers (N=12) solved the problem on faults interpretation using an eye tracker (Tobii Pro Glass 2 model). The results were as follows. First, most of the pre-service earth science teachers know the concepts of the normal and reverse fault but they do not know the procedural knowledge essential for fault interpretation on geological maps. Second, the pre-service earth science teachers did not draw a geological cross-sectional map to interpret the fault on the geological map and interpreted the fault based on two-dimensional information collected from the geological map rather than three-dimensional information. Therefore, it is essential to improve the teaching and learning environment so that pre-service earth science teachers who will become earth science teachers in the future can learn procedural knowledge essential to comprehend natural phenomena including understanding natural phenomena. The results of this study can substantially help organize a new earth science curriculum or develop materials on teachers' education in the future.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.280-288
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• 2022

Objectives: One of the most widely used pesticides today is chlorpyrifos (CPF). Cytochrome P450 (CYP)2B6, the most prominent catalyst in CPF bioactivation, is highly polymorphic. The objective of our study was to evaluate the role of CYP2B6^*6, which contains both 516G>T and 785A>G polymorphisms, in CPF toxicity, as represented by the concentration of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), among vegetable farmers in Central Java, Indonesia, where CPF has been commonly used. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 132 vegetable farmers. Individual socio-demographic and occupational characteristics, as determinants of TCPy levels, were obtained using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and subsequently used to estimate the cumulative exposure level (CEL). TCPy levels were detected with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. CYP2B6^*6 gene polymorphisms were analyzed using a TaqMan^® SNP Genotyping Assay and Sanger sequencing. Linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the association between TCPy, as a biomarker of CPF exposure, and its determinants. Results: The prevalence of CYP2B6^*6 polymorphisms was 31% for ^*1/^*1, 51% for ^*1/^*6, and 18% for ^*6/^*6. TCPy concentrations were higher among participants with CYP2B6^*1/^*1 than among those with ^*1/^*6 or ^*6/^*6 genotypes. CYP2B6^*6 gene polymorphisms, smoking, CEL, body mass index, and spraying time were retained in the final linear regression model as determinants of TCPy. Conclusions: The results suggest that CYP2B6^*6 gene polymorphisms may play an important role in influencing susceptibility to CPF exposure. CYP2B6^*6 gene polymorphisms together with CEL, smoking habits, body mass index, and spraying time were the determinants of urinary TCPy concentrations, as a biomarker of CPF toxicity.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.6A
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• pp.789-798
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• 2008

The stiffness method provides a framework to calculate the structural deformations directly from solving the equilibrium state. However, to use the displacement shape functions leads to approximate estimation of stiffness matrix and resisting forces, and accordingly results in a low accuracy. The conventional flexibility method uses the relation between sectional forces and nodal forces in which the equilibrium is always satisfied over all sections along the element. However, the determination of the element resisting forces is not so straightforward. In this study, a new fiber finite element mixed method has been developed for nonlinear anaysis of steel-concrete composite structures in the context of a standard finite element analysis program. The proposed method applies the Newton method based on the load control and uses the incremental secant stiffness method which is computationally efficient and stable. Also, the method is employed to analyze the steel-concrete composite structures, and the analysis results are compared with those obtained by ABAQUS. The comparison shows that the proposed method consistently well predicts the nonlinear behavior of the composite structures, and gives good efficiency.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.195-213
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyse how consumption value affects the loyalty of green product through satisfaction and trust among elderly consumers. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey of 314 older adults (age≥60) in the U. S., who bought and possessed a hybrid car, a representative green product. The statistical methodology is employed a structural equation model. The results demonstrated several important findings. First, perceived social value among elderly population had significant effects on green product satisfaction, while hedonic value did not. Second, both perceived functional value and environment friendly value had a significant positive effect on trust in green products. Third, satisfaction with green products also led to trust in green products. Finally, trust in green products showed their significant effects on loyalty in green product. These results provide practical implications to improve the trust and loyalty in green products among the elderly consumers. Furthermore, by deriving major components of consumption values in green products among the elderly, and analyzing the mechanism of satisfaction, trust, and loyalty, the study emphasizes relationship marketing in implementing "green" marketing strategies.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.789-803
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• 2009

We investigated the influences of positive thought about social capital on social participation of the elderly Koreans. The study design was cross-sectional analysis of the National Statistic Office Study of Korean Society Statistics Survey 2003. Participants were total of 8,586 representative samples. Two types of social participation were investigated: meeting attendance and volunteer obligations. The base model included five thoughts about social capital that must be settled as a priority in Korea, i.e., reducing the differences between the rich and the poor, reducing the crime rate, reducing regulations and corruption, improving the moral level, eliminating environmental pollution. Social participation was influenced by positive thoughts about social capital, and different kinds of thoughts had different influences on different types of social participation. The elderly who responded positively to 'reducing the differences between the rich and the poor' attended all two types of social participation more. Along with education and health status, positive thought about social capital is another important factor that influences increased social participation. It may also compensate for deteriorating health with increasing age by promoting social participation. Encouraging social participation is a good way to improve the health of the elderly, as are efforts to change thought about social capital positively.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2012

Oxygen is the final acceptor of electron transport from fat and carbohydrate oxidation, which is the rate-limiting factor for cellular ATP production. Under altitude hypoxia condition, energy reliance on anaerobic glycolysis increases to compensate for the shortfall caused by reduced fatty acid oxidation [1]. Therefore, training at altitude is expected to strongly influence the human metabolic system, and has the potential to be designed as a non-pharmacological or recreational intervention regimen for correcting diabetes or related metabolic problems. However, most people cannot accommodate high altitude exposure above 4500 M due to acute mountain sickness (AMS) and insulin resistance corresponding to a increased levels of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine [2]. Thus, less stringent conditions were evaluated to determine whether glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity could be improved by moderate altitude exposure (below 4000 M). In 2003, we and another group in Austria reported that short-term moderate altitude exposure plus endurance-related physical activity significantly improves glucose tolerance (not fasting glucose) in humans [3,4], which is associated with the improvement in the whole-body insulin sensitivity [5]. With daily hiking at an altitude of approximately 4000 M, glucose tolerance can still be improved but fasting glucose was slightly elevated. Individuals vary widely in their response to altitude challenge. In particular, the improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by prolonged altitude hiking activity is not apparent in those individuals with low baseline DHEA-S concentration [6]. In addition, hematopoietic adaptation against altitude hypoxia can also be impaired in individuals with low DHEA-S. In short-lived mammals like rodents, the DHEA-S level is barely detectable since their adrenal cortex does not appear to produce this steroid [7]. In this model, exercise training recovery under prolonged hypoxia exposure (14-15% oxygen, 8 h per day for 6 weeks) can still improve insulin sensitivity, secondary to an effective suppression of adiposity [8]. Genetically obese rats exhibit hyperinsulinemia (sign of insulin resistance) with up-regulated baseline levels of AMP-activated protein kinase and AS160 phosphorylation in skeletal muscle compared to lean rats. After prolonged hypoxia training, this abnormality can be reversed concomitant with an approximately 50% increase in GLUT4 protein expression. Additionally, prolonged moderate hypoxia training results in decreased diffusion distance of muscle fiber (reduced cross-sectional area) without affecting muscle weight. In humans, moderate hypoxia increases postprandial blood distribution towards skeletal muscle during a training recovery. This physiological response plays a role in the redistribution of fuel storage among important energy storage sites and may explain its potent effect on changing body composition. Conclusion: Prolonged moderate altitude hypoxia (rangingfrom 1700 to 2400 M), but not acute high attitude hypoxia (above 4000 M), can effectively improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance for humans and antagonizes the obese phenotype in animals with a genetic defect. In humans, the magnitude of the improvementvaries widely and correlates with baseline plasma DHEA-S levels. Compared to training at sea-level, training at altitude effectively decreases fat mass in parallel with increased muscle mass. This change may be associated with increased perfusion of insulin and fuel towards skeletal muscle that favors muscle competing postprandial fuel in circulation against adipose tissues.