• Title/Summary/Keyword: health and medical data

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High Time-resolution Characterization of PM2.5 Sulfate Measured in a Japanese Urban Site

  • Ma, Chang-Jin;Kang, Gong-Unn;Kim, Ki-Hyun
    • Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.280-287
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    • 2015
  • The high time-resolution monitoring data are essential to estimate rapid changes in chemical compositions, concentrations, formation mechanisms, and likely sources of atmospheric particulate matter (PM). In this study, $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$, and the number concentration of size-resolved PMs were monitored in Fukuoka, Japan by good time-resolved methods during the springtime. The highest monthly average $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate was found in May ($8.85{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), followed by April ($8.36{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), March ($8.13{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), and June ($7.22{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$). The cases exceed the Japanese central government's safety standard for $PM_{2.5}$ ($35{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$) reached 10.11% during four months campaign. The fraction of $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate to $PM_{2.5}$ varied from 12.05% to 68.11% with average value of 35.49% throughout the entire period of monitoring. This high proportion of sulfate in $PM_{2.5}$ is an obvious characteristic of the ambient $PM_{2.5}$ in Fukuoka during the springtime. However, the average fraction of $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate to $PM_{2.5}$ in three rain events occurred during our intensive campaign fell right down to 15.53%. Unusually high $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate (> $30{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$) marked on three days were probably affected by the air parcels coming from the Chinese continent, the natural sulfur in the remote marine atmosphere, and a large number of ships sailing on the nearby sea. The theoretical number concentration of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ in $PM_{0.5-0.3}$ was originally calculated and then compared to $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate. A close resemblance between the diurnal variations of the theoretically calculated number concentration of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ in $PM_{0.5-0.3}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate concentration indicates that the secondary formed $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ was the primary form of sulfate in $PM_{2.5}$ during our monitoring period.

An Optimal Structure of a Novel Flat Panel Detector to Reduce Scatter Radiation for Clinical Usage: Performance Evaluation with Various Angle of Incident X-ray (산란선 제거를 위한 신개념 간접 평판형 검출기의 임상적용을 위한 최적 구조 : 입사 X선 각도에 따른 성능평가)

  • Yoon, Yongsu
    • Journal of radiological science and technology
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    • v.40 no.4
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    • pp.533-542
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    • 2017
  • In diagnostic radiology, the imaging system has been changed from film/screen to digital system. However, the method for removing scatter radiation such as anti-scatter grid has not kept pace with this change. Therefore, authors have devised the indirect flat panel detector (FPD) system with net-like lead in substrate layer which can remove the scattered radiation. In clinical context, there are many radiographic examinations with angulated incident X-ray. However, our proposed FPD has net-like lead foil so the vertical lead foil to the angulate incident X-ray would have bad effect on its performance. In this study, we identified the effect of vertical/horizontal lead foil component on the novel system's performance and improved the structure of novel system for clinical usage with angulated incident X-ray. Grid exposure factor and image contrast were calculated to investigate various structure of novel system using Monte Carlo simulation software when the incident X-ray was tilted ($0^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$, and $30^{\circ}$ from the detector plane). More photons were needed to obtain same image quality in the novel system with vertical lead foil only then the system with horizontal lead foil only. An optimal structure of novel system having different heights of its vertical and horizontal lead foil component showed improved performance compared with the novel system in a previous study. Therefore, the novel system will be useful in a clinical context with the angulated incident X-ray if the height and direction of lead foil in the substrate layer are optimized as the condition of conventional radiography.

Perception about Shared Decision Making of Family Caregivers of Early Dementia Patients: A Qualitative Content Analysis Study (초기 치매환자 가족 돌봄제공자의 공유 의사결정에 대한 인식: 질적 내용분석 연구)

  • Kim, Yun-Jae;Song, Jun-Ah
    • 한국노년학
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    • v.38 no.3
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    • pp.501-519
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    • 2018
  • The purpose of this study was to explore perception about shared decision making of family caregivers of patients with early dementia (PWED). This study was conducted with a sample of 12 family caregivers (mean age = $71.4{\pm}10.4$) of PWED from three dementia safety centers in Seoul. In-depth interviews were done for each participant about shared decision making and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Six categories and 17 sub-categories identified for participants' perception about shared decision making: means to facilitate communication with patients with dementia, means to secure autonomy of patients, opportunity to facilitate treatment, cause of increasing family caregivers' burden, cause of worsening relationship with patients, and option for choices depending on priority change. The findings of this study can provide a knowledge basis for health care professionals and policy makers to understand how family caregivers of PWED think about shared decision making. It would be of great value to develop educational programs and practical guidelines about shared decision making for PWED and their family, which may contribute to respecting PWED's self-determination right as well as reducing burden of their family.

Validity analysis of the social emotion model based on relation types in SNS (SNS 사용자의 관계유형에 따른 사회감성 모델의 타당화 분석)

  • Cha, Ye-Sool;Kim, Ji-Hye;Kim, Jong-Hwa;Kim, Song-Yi;Kim, Dong-Keun;Whang, Min-Cheol
    • Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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    • v.15 no.2
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    • pp.283-296
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    • 2012
  • The goal of this study is to determine the social emotion model as an emotion sharing relationship and information sharing relationship based on the user's relations at social networking services. 26 social emotions were extracted by verification of compliance among 92 different emotions collected from the literature survey. The survey on the 26 emotion words was verified to the similarity of social relation types to the Likert 7-points scale. The principal component analysis of the survey data determined 12 representative social emotions in the emotion sharing relation and 13 representative social emotions in the information sharing relation. Multidimensional scaling developed the two-dimensional social emotion model of emotion sharing relation and of information sharing relation based on online communication environment. Meanwhile, insignificant factors in the suggest social emotion models were removed by the structural equation modeling analysis, statistically. The test result of validity analysis demonstrated the fitness of social emotion models at emotion sharing relationships (CFI: .887, TLI: .885, RMSEA: .094), social emotion model of information sharing relationships (CFI: .917, TLI: .900, RMSEA : 0.050). In conclusion, this study presents two different social emotion models based on two different relation types. The findings of this study will provide not only a reference of evaluating social emotions in designing social networking services but also a direction of improving social emotions.

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A Study on Illness Behavior of Panic Disorder Patients (공황장애 환자의 질환행동에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Sang-Soo;Je, Young-Myo;Kim, Sang-Yeop;Lee, Dae-Soo;Lee, Sung-Ho;Choi, Eun-Young
    • Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.104-119
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    • 1998
  • This study was conducted to determine the important factors in the illness behavior of panic disorder patients. And then, find the best ways to lead the patients who have recurrent panic attacks to the adequate therapeutic situations. We studied 53 patients diagnosed as panic disorder according to DSM-IV among the outpatients who had been followed up at Bong Seng Memorial Hospital for 6 Ms, from May 1997 to October 1997. To evaluate the illness behaviors, we designed a checklist including socio-demographic data, degree of subjective distress from medical and psychiatric treatment, panic symptoms, life events, places of help-seeking, Anxiety Sensitivity Index. Using the checklist, we had semistructured interviews with the panic disorder patients to elucidate their help-seeking behaviors from first panic attack to diagnosing as panic disorder. The results were as follows ; 1) After first panic attack, the patients initially sought help at 1) Emergency room 40%, 2) Rest &/or Personal emergency care 35%, 3) Pharmacy 10%, 4) Outpatient care at hospital 10%, 5) Oriental medicine 5%. 2) Considering the panic symptoms, derealization, paresthesia and the severity of panic symptoms were the most important factors affecting the patient's help-seeking behaviors who had experienced the first panic attack. 3) Most of all the patients (80%) were apt to visit the hospitals within 15 days after experiencing about 3 panic attacks. 4) Before diagnosed as panic disorder, the patients had visited 3-5 health care centers during about 1 year. 5) Primary care physicaians(for example, emergency care physicians, family doctors and internists) had the most important roles in treating or guiding the patients to the adequate therapeutic situations. From the above results, the authors propose that non-psychiatric physicians have to know the panic disorder or attacks exactly. When patients complaint sudden onset physical symptoms e.g. palpitation, dyspnea, dizziness or the cognitive symptoms like the fear of death or insanity, physicians should consider the possibility of panic attack and encourage the patients to be evaluated for psychiatric illness.

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The Effects of Evaluations of Social Safety Net and Trust in Government on the Willingness to Accept Tax Increases in the Era of COVID-19: the Moderating Role of Income Levels (COVID-19 시대 사회안전망 평가와 정부신뢰가 증세 수용에 미치는 영향: 소득 수준의 조절효과를 중심으로)

  • Roh, Minjung
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.20 no.12
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    • pp.154-165
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    • 2020
  • With a long-lasting pandemic of COVID-19, we have faced unprecedented socioeconomic threats. The regulation of human exchange has exposed us not only to the threat of health and medical care problems, but also to the burden of the contraction of economic activity. The outbreak of COVID-19 did give us an opportunity to reexamine the social safety net which has been prepared for such crisis situations. The current study, in this vein, aims to investigate the impact of evaluations of social safety nets on the trust in government and on individual willingness to accept tax increases. To this end, this study has explored the data from a survey conducted on 1,000 adult men and women across the country (South Korea) in May, 2020, when COVID-19 has entered a pandemic phase. The analysis result then has shown that the evaluation of social safety net after the outbreak of COVID-19 had a positive impact on the trust in the government, which in turn led to the increase of the willingness to accept tax increases. Moreover, the positive impact of trust in government on the willingness to accept tax increases has been more amplified when the income level was increased. These results could contribute to laying the theoretical foundation for restructuring the policies and systems for the post COVID-19 era.

Survey for Diagnostic Radiography Examination in Veterinary Hospital (동물병원 영상의학적검사 실태조사)

  • Lee, Won-Jeong;Jo, Sung-Mi
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.177-184
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    • 2022
  • The purpose of this study is surveyed diagnostic radiography (DR) examination in veterinary hospital (VC) including non-ionization radiation such as ultra-sonography and magnetic resonance imaging. From June 1 to June 20. 2021, we surveyed the VC in 00 metropolitan city by using a structural questionnaire which are location of VC and X-ray unit et al.. Data are expressed as a mean with standard deviation for continuous variable or percent for categorical variable using SPSS ver. 26.0. As the first animal to be visited, dogs were the highest with 61.9%, followed by cats with 12.9%. In 87.1% fo cases, DR units were used, and 4 VCs did not. In 27 VCs using DR units, 48.1% separated examination room and control room, 19.8% examined in animal visited, protective clothing was in all VCs, 55.6% were measured radiation exposure dose, 92.6% was responded a necessary for examination education. From the above results, it will help to revise the guidelines for DR units and examination in korea VCs.

The Mechanism for Analgesic Effects of Electroacupuncture on Surgical Ankle Sprain Model Classified as Grade 3 in Rats (수술적 방법으로 유도된 3단계 발목염좌에 대한 전침의 진통기전 연구)

  • Yang, Seung-Bum;Choi, Suck-Jun;Lee, Sung-Ho;Kim, Min-Su;Sohn, In-Chul;Kim, Jae-Hyo
    • Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.220-229
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    • 2013
  • Objectives : Electroacupuncture(EA) has been used effectively in producing analgesia on ankle sprain pain of humans and animals. Currently to examine the underlying mechanisms of the EA-induced analgesia, the effects of EA on weight-bearing forces(WBR) were examined at ankle sprain classified as grade 3 in rats. Methods : The severe ankle sprain classified as grade 3 was induced surgically by ankle ligament injury in the Sprague-Dawley rats. WBR of the affected foot were examined to evaluate effects and mechanism of EA(2 Hz, 1 ms pulse width, 2 mA intensity, for 15 min) which was applied to either SI6, GB34, or GB39 acupoints. The rats were pretreated with naltrexone(10 mg/kg, i.p.) as an opioid receptor antagonist or phentolamine(5 mg/kg, i.p) as an ${\alpha}$-adrenoceptor antagonist at 30 min before EA. Results : The daily repeat EA at either SI6, GB34, or GB39 showed significant analgesic effects on the severe ankle sprain. Particularly, daily EA at GB34 showed more potent analgesic effect than the others. In addition, the naltrexone pretreatment completely blocked the analgesic effect of EA at GB34, indicating the involvement of the endogenous opioid system in mediating the effect of EA at GB34. However, the phentolamine pretreament blocked analgesic effects of EA at either SI6 or GB39, indicating the involvement of ${\alpha}$-adrenoceptors in mediating the effect of EA at either SI6 or GB39. Conclusions : These data suggest that EA-induced analgesia on ankle sprain pain is mediated through either endogenous opioids or ${\alpha}$-adrenoceptors dependant on acupoint specific pattern.

Analysis on Satisfaction of Nursing Services for Elderly hospitalized in Attended Ward and General Ward (입원 노인환자를 대상으로 안심병동과 일반병동의 간호서비스 만족도 비교)

  • Wang, Mee-Suk;Lee, In Deok;Kang, M.S.;Cha, Eun-Kwang;Choi, Dae-Ho;Jeong, Hyeon-Cheol
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.15 no.5
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    • pp.3014-3024
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    • 2014
  • This study is to provide basic data for the improvement of nursing services. A survey was done of 135 patients over the age of 65 in a general ward and an attended ward of a hospital in Seoul from December 5 to December 31, 2014 in order to assess their satisfaction with the nursing services. It was found that appropriately staffed nursing services as in attended wards showed greater patients' satisfaction than ordinarily staffed nursing services in general wards(t=3.45, p=.001). Significantly higher satisfaction levels were shown with the nursing services of the attended wards in the subcategories: professional technic(t=2.96, p=.004), training(t=.30, p=.001), and confidence(t=3.79, p<.001). Among the subcategories, confidence was the highest satisfaction factor followed by professional technic and education. The results suggest the need of securing an appropriate number of nursing staff in a ward to enhance patients' satisfaction.

The characteristics related to the development of pressure ulcers in long term care facilities : the use of 2009 National Patient Sample (요양병원 입원 환자의 욕창 발생 현황과 관련 요인: 2009년 건강보험 환자표본 자료 이용)

  • Moon, Mikyung
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.14 no.7
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    • pp.3390-3399
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    • 2013
  • The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence rates of pressure ulcers depending on the types of healthcare organizations and to determine whether the characteristics of patients and facilities influence on the incidence of pressure ulcers in long term facilities. We analyzed data on 796,857 patients of the 2009 National Patient Sample which was extracted from to claims for medical fees to Health Insurance Review & Assesment Service(HIRA). A total of 3.2% of patients(n=25,339) had at least 1 pressure ulcer during their hospitalization. The pressure ulcer rates were highest in long term care facilities(8.2%, n=11,895) following general hospital(2.7%, n=8,052), hospital(1.7%, n= 5,059). According to logistic regression analysis, urinary incontinence (Odds ratio(OR)=2.462, 95% confidence interval(CI)=2.038-2.974), hypertension(OR=1.456, CI=1.400-1.515), peripheral vessel diseases (OR=1.357, CI=1.200-1.534) were significant predictors of pressure ulcers. As the number of diagnoses, age, and the number of doctors per 100 beds increased, the incidence of pressure ulcers increased. In addition, more number of beds was associated with fewer pressure ulcers.