• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4415-4419
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• 2013

Background: Measuring effects of cancer on family caregivers is important to develop methods which can improve their quality of life (QOL). Nevertheless, up to now, only a few tools have been developed to be used in this group. Among those, the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer Scale (CQOLC) has met minimum psychometric criteria in different populations in spite of conflicting results. The present study was conducted to evaluate reliability and validity of CQOLC among Turkish cancer family caregivers. Materials and Methods: The CQOLC was administered to 120 caregivers, along with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Medical Outcomes Study MOS 36- Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Internal consistency and test-retest stability were used to investigate reliability. Construct validity was examined by using known group method, convergent, and divergent validity. For the known group method, we hypothesized that CQOLC scores would differ between depressed and non-depressed subjects. We investigated convergent validity by correlating scores for CQOLC with scores for other similar measures including SF-36 and STAI. The MSPSS was completed at the same time as CQOLC to provide divergent validity. Results: The values for internal consistency and test-retest correlation were 0.88 and 0.96, respectively. The CQOLC discriminated those who were depressed from those who were not. Convergent validity supported strong correlations between CQOLC scores and two main component scores (PCS, MCS) in SF-36 although there was a weak correlation between CQOLC and STAI scores. Regarding divergent validity, the correlation between CQOLC and MSPSS was in the low range, as expected. Conclusions: The Turkish CQOLC is a reliable and valid tool and it can be utilized to determine QOL of family caregivers.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2016

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between subjective sleep problems and various types of traumatic events of patients with depressive disorder. Methods : A total of 411 patients diagnosed with depressive disorders were recruited in this study. The participants filled out Life Time Events Checklist (LEC), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). We used the independent t-test and analysis of covariance to compare each component of PSQI between depressive patients with and without traumatic experiences. Results : The groups of patients who experienced a serious accident at work, home or during recreational activity, sexual assault, other unwanted or uncomfortable sexual experience, life-threatening illness or injury, and sudden, unexpected death of a near and dear one showed lower scores in a few components of PSQI. Sleep disturbance was a common problem in all five groups. Lower subjective sleep quality and longer sleep latency was observed in three groups. There were no differences in the other components of PSQI among groups. Conclusion : This study showed that various types of traumatic events may have different effects on subjective sleep quality as a consequence of the traumatic event which they had experienced.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 2016

Objectives We studied long-term preservation in stability of a mixed preparation of distilled and 70% alcohol extracted Hwangnyunhaedok-tang pharmacopuncture to establish standards for expiration date and quality control. Methods Three lots of consecutively prepared Hwangnyunhaedok-tang pharmacopuncture were each tested in triplicate to a total 5 tests at 3 month intervals over a period of 12 months for analysis of appearance, pH, specific gravity, index component content, endotoxins, microbial sterility, residual organic solvents, heavy metals, and pesticides. Items with no difference by elapsed time were tested at the initial and final timepoints, and data of items with potential difference by elapsed time were analyzed for trends to establish individual quality control standards. Results All tested items were stable over the study period, and therefore the expiration date was set as 12 months. pH quality control standards were set as 3.66~5.69, and that of specific gravity as 0.802~1.203, respectively. In index component content standards, berberine was set at $4.96{\sim}8.98{\mu}g/vial$, baicalin at $6.47{\sim}10.31{\mu}g/vial$, and geniposide at $116.03{\sim}189.55{\mu}g/vial$, respectively. Standards for other items with no difference by elapsed time were set according to general Korean herbal medicine standards in the Korean Pharmacopoeia. Conclusions Manageable expiration date and quality control standards were established through long-term preservation testing of Hwangnyunhaedok-tang pharmacopuncture, furthering standardization of Korean medicine pharmacopuncture.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.128-134
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• 2015

Objectives To examine the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and body mass index (BMI) of obese children. Methods This cross-sectional study included 387 children. HRQoL was measured with the PedsQLTM 4.0 Generic Core Scale. BMI was classified according to the World Health Organization Asia-Pacific obesity guidelines. Psychosocial factors (body image, self-esteem, and depression/anxiety) were also measured. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation and Path analysis. Results Obese participants reported lower score for physical evaluation, self-esteem, appearance evaluation component of body image, total HRQoL score, and physical/emotional/social function components of HRQoL ; they reported higher score for depression/anxiety. In addition, results indicated that as BMI increased, appearance evaluation, total HRQoL score, and social function component of HRQoL dropped. Path analysis revealed that BMI did not directly affect HRQoL ; however, BMI directly affects body image and self-esteem, indirectly mediates depression/anxiety, and thereby impacts on an individual's HRQoL. Conclusions Body image and self-esteem, rather than BMI itself, have more influence on HRQoL. This reinforces the importance of therapeutic intervention to enhance body image and self-esteem among obese children.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.82-93
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and the effect of PTSD on quality of life (QoL) among coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Methods: The participants were 135 CAD patients who visited outpatient clinics in a university hospital in B city of Korea. Their PTSD symptoms and QoL were measured by structured questionnaires and analyzed with multiple hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Among the 135 participants, 20.7% were classified as moderate risk, and 3.7% as high risk for PTSD. PTSD symptoms were significantly higher in participants who were diagnosed with CAD within 6 months (t=26.02, p<.001). The physical component of health-related QoL was influenced by gender (${\beta}=-.25$, p =.003), recurrence of CAD (${\beta}=.21$, p =.008), and PTSD symptoms (${\beta}=-.33$, p <.001). The mental component of health-related QoL was influenced by religion (${\beta}=-.17$, p =.044), body mass index (${\beta}=.17$, p =.033), and PTSD symptoms (${\beta}=-.37$, p <.001). Conclusion: Patients who had had a CAD diagnosis for less than 6 months were found to be vulnerable to PTSD, and PTSD was found to have a negative impact on the physical and mental components of their QoL. It is necessary to develop an intervention program for the effective prevention and management of PTSD symptoms in patients with CAD.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2004

According to increase of domestic blood components use, the quality control of blood components is necessary to support good products. The purpose of this study is used to provide the producing index of the good product as compared with the accuracy and validity for the distribution of the quality control data. The value of mean, standard deviation, 95% confidence interval and degree of normal distribution of data were calculated by univariate procedure, the value of monthly mean of each blood centers per items were compared by Analysis of Variance(ANOVA) test for the degree of distribution. When there was difference among the mean values, the Duncan's multiple range test was done to confirm the difference. Finally, methods for accessing accuracy and validity of the quality data was done by the Contingency table test. The quality data of five blood centers was showed to the normal distribution and it was in a acceptable range. For each blood centers, the monthly means of Hematocrit(Hct), Platelet(PLT) and pH were not significantly different except Hct of C center, PLT of B, D center and pH of A center. The quality data per items was graded according to quality to six level. As a result of the comparative analysis, the monthly means of Hct of C and E center was significantly different higher than that of D, B and A center. The monthly means of PLT of A center and pH of C center was significantly different higher than that of the others. In the accuracy and validity of the quality control data, C center for Hct, A center for PLT and C center for pH were better than the other. The C blood center was most satisfiable and stable in the quality control for blood component. If the quality control method used in C blood center is adopted in other blood centers, the prepared level of the blood component of the center will be improved partly.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.74-80
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• 2014

Objectives More than half of the elders suffer from chronic sleep disturbances. Moreover, sleep disturbances are more prevalent in patients with depressive disorder than in community dwelling elderly. In this study, we aim to estimate the risk factors of poor sleep quality and its effect on quality of life in patients with late life depression. Methods This study included 159 depressive patients aged 65 years or older who completed Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A global PSQI score of 5 or greater indicates a poor sleeper. Structural diagnostic interviews were performed using the Korean version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Depression was evaluated by the Korean form of Geriatric Depression Scale (KGDS). Global cognition was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination in the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease assessment packet. Quality of life was evaluated by the Korean version of Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). Results The frequencies of poor sleepers were 90.5% in major depressive disorder, 71.8% in minor depressive disorder, 47.1% in subsyndromal depressive disorder, and 73.0% in all types of depressive disorders. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that female [odds ratio (OR) = 2.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.20-6.67] and higher KGDS score (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.05-1.21) were risk factors of poor sleep quality in patients with late life depression. In the analysis of ANCOVA adjusted for age, gender, education and KGDS score, the mean scores of vitality mental health and mental component summary of SF-36 were lower in poor sleepers than in good sleepers. Conclusions Poor sleepers among patients with late life depression are very common and are associated with female and higher KGDS scores. Poor sleep quality causes a significant negative effect on mental health quality. So researchers and clinicians should be more vigilant in the evaluation and treatment of sleep disturbances in patients with late life depression.

• Journal of KIISE
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• v.41 no.10
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• pp.847-858
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• 2014

Until now, a lot of image quality assessment techniques or tools for optimal human visual system(HVS)-awareness have been researched and SSIM(Structural SIMilarity) and its improved techniques are representative examples. However, they often cannot cope with various images and different distortion types robustly, and thus this can cause a large gap between their index values and HVS-awareness. In this paper, we conduct image quality assessment on SSIM and its variants intensively and analyze the causes of each component function's observed anomalies. Then, we propose a novel image quality assessment technique to compensate and improve such anomalies. Additionally, through extensive image assessment simulations, we show that the proposed technique can indicate HVS-awareness more robustly and consistently than SSIM and its variants for various images and different distortion types.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2015

This paper presents an efficient image fusion method to be appropriate for the KOMPSAT-2 and 3 satellites. The proposed method is based on the well-established component substitution (CS) approach. The proposed method is divided into two parts: 1) The first step is to create a intensity image by the weighted-averaging operation of a multi-spectral (MS) image and 2) the second step is to produce an optimal high-frequency image using the statistical properties of the original MS and panchromatic (PAN) images. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated in both quantitative and visual analysis. Quantitative assessments are performed by using the relative global dimensional synthesis error (Spatial and Spectral ERGAS), the image quality index (Q4), and the spectral angle mapper index (SAM). The qualitative and quantitative assessment results show that the fusion performance of the proposed method is improved in both the spectral and spatial qualities when it is compared with previous CS-based fusion methods.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.446-455
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• 2017

We investigated the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of oriental melon (Cucumis melo L.) to provide a consumer-oriented quality index. Oriental melon fruits were harvested at 20, 25, or 30 days after fruit set (DAFS), and each group was sorted by size (small, medium, and large). Fruits harvested at 25 and 30 DAFS had higher CIE $a^*$ and $b^*$ values, higher soluble solids content (SSC), and lower CIE $L^*$, firmness, and titratable acidity (TA) values than fruits harvested at 20 DAFS. Fruits harvested at 25 and 30 DAFS scored more highly for overall acceptance. A significant correlation was found between physicochemical characteristics and overall acceptance. In the delayed-harvest sample, increased sweetness and yellowness, and decreased sensorial texture were associated with an increase in overall acceptance. In principal component analysis, F1 and F2 explained 62.16% and 17.91% of the total variance (80.07%), respectively. Regression analysis of overall acceptance and F1 gave a coefficient of determination ($r^2$) of 0.87. Our results show that consideration of the physicochemical characteristics (CIE value, SSC, pH, SSC/TA ratio, and firmness) and sensory characteristics (yellowness, placenta area condition, oriental melon odor, sweetness, oriental melon flavor, texture, and off odor) of oriental melon in this way can be used as quality indices to predict consumer acceptance.