• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.651-658
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• 2003

Since the first implanted in September 1997, the use of On-X prosthetic heart valve has been increasing around in the world. This study was designed to assess the feasibility, safety, and the postoperative hemodynamics with this new valve in clinical setting. Material and Method: The current study was carried out on 52 patients undergoing aortic valve replacement with this prosthesis between April 1999 to August 2002 at Chonnam National University Hospital to evaluate the surgical results. 52％ of the patients were male and the average age at implant was 50$\pm$13 years. The study followed the guidelines of the AATS/STS. Preoperatively, 32(61.5％) patients were in NYHA functional class III or IV and 2 patients had previous aortic valve surgery. Concomitant cardiac surgery was performed in 71.1％. The implanted valve sizes were 19 mm in 13 patients, 21 mm in 26, 23 mm in 10 and 25 mm in 3, respectively. Mean follow-up was 16.6$\pm$10.5 months (1∼39 months). Echocardiographic assessment was performed pre- and immediate postoperatively, as well as 3, 6, 12 months after surgery, evaluating pressure loss and regression of left ventricular hypertrophy. Result: Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 191$\pm$94.7 minutes with an aortic cross-clamp time of 142$\pm$51.7 minutes. There was no early and late mortality, Freedom from adverse events at 1 year in the study were as follows: thromboembolism, 95.6$\pm$6％; bleeding events, 90.2$\pm$4％; paravalvular leakage 92.3$\pm$4％; and overall valve-related morbidity at 1 year was 76.6$\pm$3％. There were no cases of valve thrombosis, prosthetic valve endocarditis and structural or non-structural failure. Left ventricular function at 12 months after surgery (EF=62.7$\pm$9.8％) revealed a statistically significant improvement compared to preoperative investigation (EF=55.8$\pm$15.9％, p=0.006). Left ventricular mass index was 247.3$\pm$122.3 g/$m^2$ on preoperative echocardiographic study, but regressed to 155.5$\pm$58.2 g/$m^2$ at postoperative 1 year (p=0.002). Over the follow-up period a further decrease of peak transvalvular gradients was observed in all patients: 62.5$\pm$38.0 mmHg on preoperative assessment, 18.2$\pm$6.8 mmHg at immediate postoperative period (p < 0.0001), 7.6$\pm$5.09 mmHg (p<0.0001) at 6 month, 18.0$\pm$10.8 mmHg (p<0.0001) at 1 year. Conclusion: The On-X prosthetic heart valve performs satisfactorily in the first 1 year period. Clinical outcome by examining NYHA functional classification revealed especially good results. Effective regression of left ventricular hypertrophy and statistically significant decrease of transvalvular gradient were observed over the first year, but longer-term follow-up of this patient group is needed to establish the expected rates for late valve-related events as well as the long-term clinical efficacy of this valve.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2005

Those specifications of the CLIA analytical tolerance limits are consistent with the performance goals in Six Sigma Quality Management. Six sigma analysis determines performance quality from bias and precision statistics. It also shows if the method meets the criteria for the six sigma performance. Performance standards calculates allowable total error from several different criteria. Six sigma means six standard deviations from the target value or mean value and about 3.4 failures per million opportunities for failure. Sigma Quality Level is an indicator of process centering and process variation total error allowable. Tolerance specification is replaced by a Total Error specification, which is a common form of a quality specification for a laboratory test. The CLIA criteria for acceptable performance in proficiency testing events are given in the form of an allowable total error, TEa. Thus there is a published list of TEa specifications for regulated analytes. In terms of TEa, Six Sigma Quality Management sets a precision goal of TEa/6 and an accuracy goal of 1.5 (TEa/6). This concept is based on the proficiency testing specification of target value +/-3s, TEa from reference intervals, biological variation, and peer group median mean surveys. We have found rules to calculate as a fraction of a reference interval and peer group median mean surveys. We studied to develop total error allowable from peer group survey results and CLIA 88 rules in US on 19 items TP, ALB, T.B, ALP, AST, ALT, CL, LD, K, Na, CRE, BUN, T.C, GLU, GGT, CA, phosphorus, UA, TG tests in chematology were follows. Sigma level versus TEa from peer group median mean CV of each item by group mean were assessed by process performance, fitting within six sigma tolerance limits were TP ($6.1{\delta}$/9.3%), ALB ($6.9{\delta}$/11.3%), T.B ($3.4{\delta}$/25.6%), ALP ($6.8{\delta}$/31.5%), AST ($4.5{\delta}$/16.8%), ALT ($1.6{\delta}$/19.3%), CL ($4.6{\delta}$/8.4%), LD ($11.5{\delta}$/20.07%), K ($2.5{\delta}$/0.39mmol/L), Na ($3.6{\delta}$/6.87mmol/L), CRE ($9.9{\delta}$/21.8%), BUN ($4.3{\delta}$/13.3%), UA ($5.9{\delta}$/11.5%), T.C ($2.2{\delta}$/10.7%), GLU ($4.8{\delta}$/10.2%), GGT ($7.5{\delta}$/27.3%), CA ($5.5{\delta}$/0.87mmol/L), IP ($8.5{\delta}$/13.17%), TG ($9.6{\delta}$/17.7%). Peer group survey median CV in Korean External Assessment greater than CLIA criteria were CL (8.45%/5%), BUN (13.3%/9%), CRE (21.8%/15%), T.B (25.6%/20%), and Na (6.87mmol/L/4mmol/L). Peer group survey median CV less than it were as TP (9.3%/10%), AST (16.8%/20%), ALT (19.3%/20%), K (0.39mmol/L/0.5mmol/L), UA (11.5%/17%), Ca (0.87mg/dL1mg/L), TG (17.7%/25%). TEa in 17 items were same one in 14 items with 82.35%. We found out the truth on increasing sigma level due to increased total error allowable, and were sure that the goal of setting total error allowable would affect the evaluation of sigma metrics in the process, if sustaining the same process.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.29 no.5 s.76
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• pp.599-611
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to evaluate shear, tensile and shear/tensile combined bond strengths(SBS, TBS, S/TBS) in various orthodontic brackets bonded to human teeth with chemically cured adhesive (Ortho-one, Bisco, USA). Five types of metal brackets with various bracket base configurations (Micro-Loc base(Tomy, Japan), Chessboard base(Daesung, Korea), Non-Etched Foil Mesh base(Dentarum, Germany), Micro-Etched Foil Mesh base(Ortho Organiners, USA), Integral base(Unitek, USA)) were used in this study. Shear, tensile and shear/tensile combined bond strengths according to the direction of force were measured by universal testing machine. The bracket base surface after bond strength test were examined by stereoscope and scanning electron microscope. The assessment of resin remnant on bracket base surface was carried out by ARI(adhesive remnant index). The results obtained were summarized as follows, 1. In all brackets, SBS was in the greatest value(p<0.05), TBS was in 50% level and S/TBS was in 30% level of SBS. 2. In bond strength, Micro-Loc base bracket showed the maximum bond strength($SBS:22.86{\pm}1.37kgf,\;TBS:11.37{\pm}0.42kgf,\;S/TBS:6.69{\pm}0.34kgf$) and Integral base bracket showed the minimum bond strength($SBS:10.52{\pm}1.27kgf,\;TBS:4.27{\pm}1.08kgf,\;S/TBS:2.94{\pm}0.58kgf) (p<0.05). 3. In bond strength per unit area, Integral base bracket showed the minimum value, Micro-Loc base and Chessboard base brackets were in similar value(p>0.05). Non-Etched Foil Mesh base and Micro-Etched Foil Mesh base bracket were similar in SBS and TBS(p>0.05), but Micro-Etched Foil Mesh base bracket was greater than Non-Etched Foil Mesh base bracket in S/TBS(p<0.05). 4. Bond failure sites were mainly between bracket base and adhesive, therefore ARI scores were low.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.922-929
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• 2009

Purpose : The aim was to investigate the clinical characteristics and responses to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with attenuated growth who showed normal GH responses to GH stimulation tests (GHST). Methods : The study included 39 patients with height velocity (HV) of less than 4 cm/yr and normal GHST results. Clinical characteristics of patients were analyzed retrospectively. Results : Eleven were born as small for gestational age (SGA) and 28 as appropriate for age (AGA). In the SGA group, the standard deviation score (SDS) of age and height measured at their first visit was significantly low. Sixteen patients were treated with GH and six of 23 without GH therapy were followed for 1 year after GHST. The mean (range) of HV was 7.7 (4.9 to 11.1) cm/yr in patients with GH therapy and 3.7 (2.7 to 4.5) cm/yr in those without GH therapy, which was statistically significant (P<0.001). In the GH-treated group, HV and difference in height SDS during the treatment increased significantly (P<0.001; P< 0.001, respectively). HV increased after 1 year of GH therapy in the SGA and AGA groups (SGA, P=0.043; AGA, P=0.003). The level of Insulin-like growth factor-I was significantly lower in GH-treated patients with height SDS <-3 than those with ${\geq}3$ (P=0.023). Conclusion : In children with growth failure and normal GHST, HV increases significantly by short-term GH therapy. The assessment of long-term effects of GH therapy is necessary. Moreover, further studies should be considered to evaluate the GH-IGF-I axis due to the possibility of GH insensitivity syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.121-135
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• 2018

Dancers' motions are perceived by observers through visual processes with visual information forming the basis for the observers' appreciation and evaluation of the dancers' motions. There have been many discussions as to whether or not observers' personal athletic capabilities form an essential basis for accurate assessment of the motions of others but, so far, no valid conclusions have been reached. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the ability to predict motions of others varies depending on the athletic expertise of the observers. Participants of this research were ballet dancers of varying athletic expertise. Twenty seven participants were divided into three groups with nine in each: beginners, intermediate experts and experts. The participants watched the same dance video and then evaluated whether the motion would be successful or not. The movement related visual information required to evaluate the success of the motion was systematically adjusted by controlling the length of the video. Using the temporal occlusion method, this study measured the response accuracy of the participants by category of expertise. Under the circumstance with insufficient visual information to utilize, the experts showed higher rates of correct response than the intermediate experts and the beginners. The beginners showed higher rates of wrong response than the experts and the intermediate experts. These results showed that the ability to predict success or failure of a dance motion varied depending on motion expertise of the observers, although they had similar level of expertise in perception. Participants considered to have high athletic expertise showed high prediction ability on the result of the motion. In addition, high expertise in perception reduced the likelihood that participants would make hasty responses under the circumstance with insufficient information and helped to reduce wrong response rate. In conclusion, this study showed that motor expertise and perceptual expertise contribute to prediction accuracy of observed motions.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.225-234
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• 2011

Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor of systemic health and also impairs oral health, which is related to development of oral cancers, periodontitis, delayed wound healing, tooth loss, failure of implant, etc. Aside from smoking, many other risk factors can be related to oral health and long-term effects of smoking on salivary flow and taste threshold are still in controversy. Authors considered dental students to be an appropriate group with good oral hygiene for a long-term study to reveal effects of smoking on oral health. This study was performed to compare smoking patterns and current oral health conditions between smokers and nonsmokers in dental students prior to long-term evaluation. 192 volunteers (85.7%) of 224 male dental students in Dankook University were evaluated through questionnaires and clinical examination in 2010. Questionnaires included smoking pattern, alcohol use, nicotine dependence, preventive care, psychological profile and clinical examinations comprised assessment of teeth or periodontal status, nicotine pigmentation, salivary flow, electrical taste thresholds and halitosis. From the study, (current) smokers were older, and drank more frequently with more alcohol intake compared to former smokers and nonsmokers(p<0.05). There was no significant difference among them in salivary flow rate, halitosis and electrical taste threshold. However, there was significant difference in DMFT rate, periodontal treatment need, nicotinic pigmentation between smokers and nonsmokers(p<0.05), irrespective of their levels of preventive care. The smokers in this study, who are young dental students with relatively shorter duration of smoking, less use of cigarettes and low level of nicotine dependence, did not reveal significant impairment of oral health. However, their oral health was found to be relatively impaired compared to nonsmokers', which suggests negative effect of smoking on the oral health and a need of smoking cessation.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.442-458
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• 2004

This study was conducted to develop a plan for a large-scale implementation of the Girl Friendly Science Program based on the results of analysis and investigation of its current pilot implementation, Girl Friendly Science Program materials, which was first developed in 1999 with the support from Ministry of Gender Equality, consist of 1) five theme-based units that are specifically targeted individual students' unique ability, aptitude, and career choice, and 2) differentiated learning materials for 7th through 10th grade female students. All the materials are available at the homepage (http://tes.or.kr/gfsp.cgi) of 'Teachers for Exciting Science(the organization of science teachers in Seoul area)'. Since the materials are well organized by topic and grade level and presented in both Korean word process document and html format, anyone can easily access to the materials for their own instructional use. Ever since its launch the number of visitors to the homepage has been constantly increasing. The evaluation results of the current pilot implementation of the materials that targeted individual students' ability and aptitude showed that it scored high in terms of its alignment to the original purpose, content, level, and effectiveness to implement in classrooms. However, its evaluation scores were low in terms of the convenience for teachers to guide the materials, and its organization and operation. The results also showed a significant change in students' perception of science, and students' positive experiences of science through various interdisciplinary activities. On the other hand, the evaluation of students' experiences with the materials showed that students' assessment about an activity was largely depending on a success or failure of their experiences. Overall, students' evaluation of activities scores were low for simple activities such as cutting off or pasting papers. According to students' achievement test results, differences between pre and post test scores in the Affective Domain was statistically significant (p<0.05), but not in Inquiry Domain. Based on teachers observations, numerous schools where have run this program reported that students' abilities to cooperate, discuss, observe and reason with evidences were improved. In order to implement this program in a larger scale, it is critical to have a strong support of teachers and induce them to change their teaching strategy through building a community of teachers and developing ongoing teacher professional development programs. Finally, there still remain strong needs to develop more programs, and actively discover and train more domestic woman scientists and engineers and collaborate with them to develop more educational materials for girls in all ages.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.3
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• pp.277-283
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• 2017

Background: Smoking cessation is the most powerful intervention to modify progress of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and nicotine dependence is one of the most important determinants of success or failure in smoking cessation. We evaluated nicotine dependence status and investigated factors associated with moderate to high nicotine dependence in patients with COPD. Methods: We included 53 current smokers with COPD in the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease II cohort enrolled between January 2014 and March 2016. Nicotine dependence was measured by using Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND). Cognitive function was assessed by Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Results: The median FTND score was 3, and 32 patients (60%) had moderate to high nicotine dependence. The median smoking amount was 44 pack-years, which was not related to nicotine dependence. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that high education status (odds ratio, 1.286; 95% confidence interval, 1.036-1.596; p=0.023), age <70 (odds ratio, 6.407; 95% confidence interval, 1.376-29.830; p=0.018), and mild to moderate airflow obstruction (odds ratio, 6.969; 95% confidence interval, 1.388-34.998; p=0.018) were related to moderate to high nicotine dependence. Conclusion: Nicotine dependence does not correlate with smoking amount, but with education level, age, and severity of airflow obstruction. Physicians should provide different strategies of smoking cessation intervention for current smokers with COPD according to their education levels, age, and severity of airflow obstruction.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.97-127
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• 1991

This paper investigates the roles and the limitations of the Korean antitrust agencies-the Office of Fair Trade (OFT) and the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) during the making of the major industrial policies of the 1980's. The Korean antitrust agencies played only a minimal role in three major industrial policy-making issues in the 1980's- the enactment of the Industrial Development Act (IDA), the Industrial Rationalization Measures according to the IDA, and the Industrial Readjustment Measures on Consolidation of Large Insolvent Enterprises based on the revised Tax Exemption and Reduction Control Act. As causes for this performance bias in the Korean antitrust system, this paper considers five factors according to the current literature on implementation failure: ambiguous and insufficient statutory provisions of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act (MRFTA); lack of resources; biased attitudes and motivations of the staff of the OFT and the FTC; bureaucratic incapability; and widespread misunderstanding about the roles and functions of the antitrust system in Korea. Among these five factors, bureaucratic incompetence and lack of understanding in various policy implementation environments about the roles and functions of the antitrust system have been regarded as the most important ones. Most staff members did not have enough educational training during their school years to engage in antitrust and fair trade policy-making. Furthermore, the high rate of staff turnover due to a mandatory personnel transfer system has prohibited the accumulation of knowledge and skills required for pursuing complicated structural antitrust enforcement. The limited capability of the OFT has put the agency in a disadvantaged position in negotiating with other economic ministries. The OFT has not provided plausible counter-arguments based on sound economic theories against other economic ministries' intensive market interventions in the name of rationalization and readjustment of industries. If the staff members of antitrust agencies have lacked substantive understanding of the antitrust and fair trade policy, the rest of government agencies must have had serious problems in understanding the correst roles and functions of the antitrust system. The policy environment of the Korean antitrust system, including other economic ministries, the Deputy Prime Minister, and President Chun, have tended to conceptualize the OFT more as an agency aiming only at fair trade policy and less as an agency that should enforce structural monopoly regulation as well. Based on this assessment of the performance of the Korean antitrust system, this paper evaluate current reform proposals for the MRFT A. The inclusion of the regulation of conglomerate mergers and of business divestiture orders may be a desirable revision, giving the MRFTA more complete provisions. However, given deficient staff experties and the unfavorable policy environments, it would be too optimistic and naive to expect that the inclusion of these provisions alone could improve the performance of the Korean antitrust system. In its conclusion, this paper suggests several policy recommendations for the Korean antitrust system, which would secure the stable development and accumulation of antitrust expertise for its staff members and enough understanding and conformity from its environments about its antitrust goals and functions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.6 s.263
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• pp.449-455
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• 2006

Background: Female sex was known to be a risk factor for mortality after coronary bypass grafting (CABG), and women showed higher in-hospital mortality than men. Material and Method: Between 1992 and 1996, 147 consecutive patients (98 men and 49 women) undergoing CABG were included in the study. Most patients had undergone CABG with left internal thoracic artery and saphenous vein under cardiopulmonary bypass. We examined the influence of gender on survival after CABG and looked for risk factors for survival. Result: There was no in-hospital mortality in women, but 3 death (3.0%) in men. During the mean follow-up period of $138.5{\pm}23.0$ months, mortality was lower in women than in men (20.4% vs 44.9%, p=0.004), and the most common cause of death in women was chronic renal failure (40%). Survival in women at 1, 5, 10, and f4 years was 100%, $98.0{\pm}2.0%,\;81.2{\pm}5.6%,\;and\;78.4{\pm}6.1%$, respectively, which was better than in men (p=0.004). Although preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was higher in women than in men, this did not affect early and long-term survival difference between two sexes (p=0.15). Risk factor for long-term survival in women was diabetes (p=0.033) and in men number of diseased coronary artery (p=0.006). Conclusion: Long-term survival after CABG was better in women than men. Risk factor for long-term survival in women was morbid disease rather than cardiac disease.