• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of preoperative patient-controlled analgesia(PCA) education program on older patients with spine surgery. Methods: A quasi-experimental research with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was conducted to investigate the impact of a PCA education program before surgery on postoperative pain, pain knowledge and attitudes, and frequency of additional analgesic use. The sample size for experimental and control group was 55 respectively. Results: The experimental group, which underwent the PCA education program, had lower postoperative pain scores compared to the control group. Furthermore, the experimental group exhibited a higher level of knowledge on PCA (p<.001) and more positive attitudes toward analgesic use (p<.001). While there was a significant difference in the use of opioid analgesics for additional pain relief between two groups (p<.001), there was no significant difference in the use of non-opioid analgesics. Conclusion: The implementation of the PCA education program was found to increase knowledge and positive attitudes on the use of PCA. Moreover, it significantly alleviated pain, particularly during physical activity, within initial 48 hours after spinal surgey in older patients. Therefore, the findings of this study supported that the PCA education program could be used as a preoperative intervention to alleviate postoperative pain for older patients with spinal surgery.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.3
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• pp.233-252
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• 2024

This research explores a new finite element model for the free vibration analysis of bi-directional functionally graded (BDFG) beams. The model is based on an efficient higher-order shear deformation beam theory that incorporates a trigonometric warping function for both transverse shear deformation and stress to guarantee traction-free boundary conditions without the necessity of shear correction factors. The proposed two-node beam element has three degrees of freedom per node, and the inter-element continuity is retained using both C1 and C0 continuities for kinematics variables. In addition, the mechanical properties of the (BDFG) beam vary gradually and smoothly in both the in-plane and out-of-plane beam's directions according to an exponential power-law distribution. The highly elevated performance of the developed model is shown by comparing it to conceptual frameworks and solution procedures. Detailed numerical investigations are also conducted to examine the impact of boundary conditions, the bi-directional gradient indices, and the slenderness ratio on the free vibration response of BDFG beams. The suggested finite element beam model is an excellent potential tool for the design and the mechanical behavior estimation of BDFG structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.3
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• pp.253-261
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• 2024

This research explores a new finite element model for the free vibration analysis of bi-directional functionally graded (BDFG) beams. The model is based on an efficient higher-order shear deformation beam theory that incorporates a trigonometric warping function for both transverse shear deformation and stress to guarantee traction-free boundary conditions without the necessity of shear correction factors. The proposed two-node beam element has three degrees of freedom per node, and the inter-element continuity is retained using both C1 and C0 continuities for kinematics variables. In addition, the mechanical properties of the (BDFG) beam vary gradually and smoothly in both the in-plane and out-of-plane beam's directions according to an exponential power-law distribution. The highly elevated performance of the developed model is shown by comparing it to conceptual frameworks and solution procedures. Detailed numerical investigations are also conducted to examine the impact of boundary conditions, the bi-directional gradient indices, and the slenderness ratio on the free vibration response of BDFG beams. The suggested finite element beam model is an excellent potential tool for the design and the mechanical behavior estimation of BDFG structures.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.253-259
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• 2024

From the consumer's perspective, eco-friendly consumption is still a topic that can cause various psychological discomforts, and psychological discomfort can lower the intention to consume eco-friendly products through negative consumer psychological mechanisms. This study analyzed the influence of psychological discomfort regarding eco-friendly consumption on people's willingness to pay additional prices for eco-friendly products. In addition, we examined the moderating effect of consumers' involvement in the product family in this relationship. As a result of a statistical analysis based on consumer response data obtained from an online survey conducted with 407 American consumers, the level of people's psychological discomfort with eco-friendly consumption is directly related to their willingness to pay additional prices for eco-friendly products. Although it did not have a significant effect, it was confirmed that the influence of psychological discomfort on willingness to pay premium price was significantly different depending on the consumer's level of involvement.

• Informatization Policy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.32-52
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• 2024

This study investigates the effectiveness of virtual reality agents as foreign language instructors with focus on the impact of different native language backgrounds and instructional roles. The agents were first distinguished as native or non-native speakers treated as a between-subject factor, and then assigned roles as either teachers or salespersons considered within-subject factors. An immersive virtual environment was developed for this experiment, and a 2×2 mixed factorial design was carried out. In an experimental group of 72 university students, statistically significant interactions were found in learning satisfaction, memory, and recall between the native/non-native status of the agents and their roles. With regard to learning confidence and presence, however, no statistically significant differences were observed in both interaction effects and main effects. Contextual learning in a virtual environment was found to enhance learning effectiveness and satisfaction, with the nativeness and the role of agents influencing learners' memory; thus highlighting the effectiveness of using virtual reality agents in foreign language learning. This suggests that varied approaches can have positive cognitive and emotional impacts on learners, thereby providing valuable theoretical and empirical implications.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.406-415
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• 2024

The major error factors that degrade the efficiency of coherent beam combining (CBC) are numerically studied in a comprehensive manner, paying particular attention to phase, tip-tilt, polarization angle, and beam quality. The power in the bucket (PIB), normalized to the zero-error PIB, is used as a figure of merit to quantify the effect of each error factor. To maintain a normalized PIB greater than or equal to 95% in a 3-channel CBC configuration, the errors in phase, tip-tilt, and polarization angle should be less than 1.06 radians, 1.25 ㎛, and 1.06 radians respectively, when each of the three parameters is calculated independently with the other two set to zero. In a worst-case scenario of the composite errors within the parameter range for the independent-95%-normalized-PIB condition, the aggregate effect would reduce the normalized PIB to 83.8%. It is noteworthy that the PIB performances of a CBC system, depending on phase and polarization-angle errors, share the same characteristic feature. A statistical approach for each error factor is also introduced, to assess a CBC system with an extended number of channels. The impact of the laser's beam-quality factor M² on the combining efficiency is also analyzed, based on a super-Gaussian beam. When M² increases from 1 to 1.3, the normalized PIB is reduced by 2.6%, 11.8%, 12.8%, and 13.2% for a single-channel configuration and 3-, 7-, and 19-channel CBC configurations respectively. This comprehensive numerical study is expected to pave the way for advances in the evaluation and design of multichannel CBC systems and other related applications.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.5
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• pp.936-948
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• 2024

The Conical 9 well dish (C9 well dish) is characterized by a decreasing cross-sectional area towards the base. This design was hypothesized to enhance embryonic development by emulating the in vivo physical environment through density modulation. Comparative analyses revealed no significant difference in nuclear maturation rates between the C9 well dish and the 5-well dish. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was lower in the C9 well dish compared to the 5-well dish; however, this difference was not statistically significant. On the second day of in vitro culture, the cleavage rate in the C9 well dish was 4.66% higher, although not statistically significant, and the rates of blastocyst development were similar across both dishes. No significant differences were observed in the intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH) and ROS, as well as in the total cell number within the blastocysts between the dish types. The expression of mitogen-related factors, TGFα and IGF-1, in the blastocysts was consistent between the dishes. However, PDGFβ expression was significantly lower in the C9 well dish compared to the 35 mm petri dish. Similarly, the expression of the apoptosis factor Bax/Bcl2l2 showed no significant differences between the two dishes. Despite the marked difference in PDGFβ expression, its impact on blastocyst formation appeared negligible. The study also confirmed the feasibility of culturing a small number of oocytes per donor, collected via Ovum Pick-Up (OPU), with reduced volumes of culture medium and mineral oil, thus offering economic advantages. In conclusion, the present study indicates that the C9 well dish is effective for in vitro development of a small quantity of oocytes and embryos, presenting it as a viable alternative to traditional cell culture dishes.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.543-550
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• 2024

This study aimed to identify factors influencing clinical practice abilities in nursing students after implementing simulation education. The study subjects and data collection were conducted from September 1st to October 30th, 2022, targeting 106 fourth-year nursing students. The research design employed descriptive correlational analysis. The research tools included critical thinking, self-efficacy, practical competence, and practicum satisfaction, with statistical analysis performed using SPSS version 27.0. The results revealed Practical competence showed a significant correlation with practicum satisfaction, and it demonstrated a positive correlation with critical thinking and self-efficacy. Factors influencing practical competence were practicum satisfaction (β=.85 p<.001) and self-efficacy (β=.25, p<.05), with an explanatory power of 57.0% (F=13.25, p<.001).

• Hip & pelvis
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.96-105
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• 2022

Purpose: Use of dual mobility (DM) articulations can reduce the risk of instability in both primary and revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). Knowledge regarding the impact of this design on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is limited. This study aims to compare clinical outcomes between DM and fixed bearing (FB) prostheses following primary THA. Materials and Methods: All patients who underwent primary THA between 2011-2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were separated into three cohorts: FB vs monoblock-D vs modular-DM. An evaluation of PROMs including HOOS, JR, and FJS-12, as well as discharge-disposition, 90-day readmissions, and revisions rates was performed. Propensity-score matching was performed to limit significant demographic differences, while ANOVA and chi-squared test were used for comparison of outcomes. Results: Of the 15,184 patients identified, 14,652 patients (96.5%) had a FB, 185 patients (1.2%) had a monoblock-DM, and 347 patients (2.3%) had a modular-DM prosthesis. After propensity-score matching, a total of 447 patients were matched comparison. There was no statistical difference in the 90-day readmission (P=0.584), revision rate (P=0.265), and 90-day readmission (P=0.365) and revision rate due to dislocation (P=0.365) between the cohorts. Discharge disposition was also non-significant (P=0.124). There was no statistical difference in FJS-12 scores at 3-months (P=0.820), 1-year (P=0.982), and 2-years (P=0.608) between the groups. Conclusion: DM bearings yield PROMs similar to those of FB implants in patients undergoing primary THA. Although DM implants are utilized more often in patients at higher-risk for instability, we suggest that similar patient satisfaction may be attained while achieving similar dislocation rates.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.375-383
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• 2024

The size of the construction industry is increasing, and its impact on the entire national industry is also significant. However, construction cost increases, construction period delays, safety accidents, and quality problems occur during the construction process. This paper analyzed the construction cost, construction period, and change order performance for civil infrastructures for which post evaluation was performed. The analysis was conducted by dividing civil engineering facilities by type, construction nature, construction cost, contract nature, and delivery method. Planned and actual construction cost and period were compared during the planning, design, and construction process of civil engineering facilities. There is a possibility of input errors in project performance data, this paper proposes to the post-evaluation center should perform post-evaluation. Also, post-evaluation implementation guidelines for change orders should be revised. Additionally, further analysis of each facility was proposed through continuous data collection.