• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2011

The quality of decoction water would be important for the preparation of herbal medicines. Four types of decoction water, S1, S2, S3 and S4, three types of mineral water from Jeju island and one type of tap water from Seoul region were evaluated. The contents of minerals in decoction water were analysed by ICP-AES and ICP-MS. There was significant difference in the mineral contents between the types of decoction water. The bioactive components from rhubarb were extracted with four types of water and the relationship between mineral contents in water and the extracted amounts of components was evaluated. The total extraction was calculated by evaporating water and weighing the residue. The bioactive components in rhubarb were determined by HPLC method. Kruskall-Wallis rank sum tests were used. Multiple factor analysis was used to analyze the relation between the contents of mineral and total extraction or bioactive components in the decocted solutions. Not only the total extraction but also the amount of extracted bioactive components showed statistically significant relationship with the contents of minerals and anions in decoction water.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2002

Objective : Until now, there have been no evidence-based guidelines produced for the mass screening of hyperlipidemia cases in Korea. This study was done to find the most efficient strategy for a hyperlipidemia-screening program among Korean adults, Method : Seven alternative strategies for hyperlipidemia screening were formulated and compared ir terms of cost-effectiveness. Cost and effectiveness were estimated from social perspectives and using a two-stage screening process (initial testing and additional testing for positives from the first test). A computerized database (based on persons who had visited a health promotion center in one teaching hospital for a routine health check-up) was used to determine the cost and the outcome of various strategies. Official data was used in calculating direct and indirect costs. Effectiveness was measured according to the number of persons who needed clinical intervention for hyperlipidemia. A stratified analysis, considering age group and sex, was then done. Sensitivity analyses, focusing on several uncertain parameters, were also done. Results : Of the seven test alternatives available, the most cost-effective strategy was a screening program, which consisted of an initial test of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride. There was some variation in the rank of the cost-effectiveness ratios for the seven alternatives dependent on age group or gender. Conclusions : Current hyperlipidemia screening practice, for National Health Insurance beneficiaries, tests only the total cholesterol level with a cut-off value of 260mg/dl as an initial screening test. It is not the best strategy for cost-effectiveness, and should be modified. Different screening strategies taking age group and sex into account should be developed and used for the efficient mass screening of hyperlipidemia cases among Korean adults.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.sup2
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• pp.221-227
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• 2001

Objective : The therapeutic impact of tumor resection in glioblastomas is poorly defined and still questionable. Therefore, we conducted the current study to verify the role of tumor resection in the treatment of these highly malignant tumors. Methods : A retrospective study was performed(1990-1999) to compare the treatment results of surgical resection plus radiotherapy(130 patients) with those of stereotactic biopsy plus radiotherapy(19 patients) in glioblastomas. Only adult patients with supratentorial, de novo glioblastoma located in one lobe were included. Survival time/rate was analysed with Kaplan-Meier method, and prognostic variables were obtained from the univariate log-rank test and the multivariate Cox's proportional hazards model. Results : The resection group and the biopsy group did not differ in terms of age, gender, duration of symptoms, presenting symptoms, tumor location, tumor side, tumor size, and the frequency of midline shift. Patients in the biopsy group more often were found to have worse preoperative Karnofsky performance status(KPS)(p=0.001). On univariate analysis, age, KPS, and tumor side were associated with survival(p=0.0053, 0.0001, and 0.0331 respectively). Median survival time and 1-year survival rate were also statistically improved by tumor resection ; resection group - 13 months and 61.2%, and biopsy group - 8 months and 19.7%, respectively(p=0.0001). In patients with midline shift of the tumor, resection was highly effective comparing to biopsy(p=0.0001), but in patients without midline shift, external beam radiation alone was as effective as tumor resection(p=0.0605). Other prognostic variables did not affect survival. On multivariate analysis after variable selection, survival was independently associated with KPS(p=0.001), but not the surgical resection(p=0.2837). Even in biopsy group with midline shift of the tumor, survival rate was not different from that seen after tumor resection(p=0.3505). Conclusions : Radiotherapy alone was as effective as tumor resection plus radiotherapy in patients without midline shift of the tumor. Although there was not statistically significant, tumor resection looked like effective in patients with midline shift. For supratentorial, lobar glioblastoma patients without mass effect of the tumor, biopsy with radiotherapy is one of rational treatment strategies. We consider that tumor resection should be performed in patients with pretreatment midline shift.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.20
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• pp.5-27
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• 2010

This paper studies the relation between canonical/variegated babble (CB/VB) and early speech in an infant acquiring Mandarin Chinese from 9 to 17 months. The infant was audio-and video-taped in her home almost every week. The data analyzed here come from 1,621 utterances extracted from 23 sessions ranging from 30 minutes to one hour, from age 00:09;07 to 01:05;27. The data was digitized, and segments from 23 sessions were transcribed in narrow IPA and coded for analysis. Babble was coded from age 00:09;07 to 01:00;00, and words were coded from 01:00;00 to 01:05;27, proto-words appeared at 11 months, and some babble was still present after 01:10;00. 3821 segments were counted in CB/VB utterances, plus the segments found in 899 word tokens. The data transcription was completed and checked by the author and was rechecked by two other researchers who majored in Chinese phonetics in order to ensure the reliability, we reached an agreement of 95.65%. Mandarin Chinese is phonetically very rich in consonants, especially affricates: it has aspirated and unaspirated stops in labial, alveolar, and velar places of articulation; affricates and fricatives in alveolar, retroflex, and palatal places; /f/; labial, alveolar, and velar nasals; a lateral;[h]; and labiovelar and palatal glides. In the child's pre-speech phonetic repertoire, 7 different consonants and 10 vowels were transcribed at 00:09;07. By 00:10;16, the number of phones was more than doubled (17 consonants, 25 vowels), but the rate of increase slowed after 11 months of age. The phones from babbling remained active throughout the child's early and subsequent speech. The rank order of the occurrence of the major class types for both CB and early speech was: stops, approximants, nasals, affricates, fricatives and lateral. As expected, unaspirated stops outnumbered aspirated stops, and front stops and nasals were more frequent than back sounds in both types of utterances. The fact that affricates outnumbered fricatives in the child's late babble indicates the pre-speech influence of the ambient language. The analysis of the data also showed that: 1) the phonetic characteristics of CB/VB and early meaningful speech are extremely similar. The similarities of CB/VB and speech prove that the two are deeply related; 2) The infant has demonstrated similar preferences for certain types of sounds in the two stages; 3) The infant's babbling was patterned at segmental level, and this regularity was similarly evident in the early speech of children. The three types being coronal plus front vowel; labial plus central and dorsal plus back vowel exhibited much overlap in the phonetic forms of CB/ VB and early speech. So the child's CB/ VB at this stage already shared the basic architecture, composition and representation of early speech. The evidence of similarity between CB/VB and early speech leaves no doubt that phones present in CB/VB are indeed precursors to early speech.

• Journal of Family Relations
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.77-98
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• 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore perceived meanings of dating and marriage among well-educated Korean couples who were in optimal marriageable ages. Particularly, an emphasis was placed on finding out where the traditional gender norms and post-modern contexts intersect on the couples' course of dating and marriage. Method: We undertook a qualitative analysis of 8 couples (age: 26-34) dating. Participants were limited to university graduates of upper-middle rank universities in Seoul, South Korea. The rationale for choosing such sample was based on the idea that characteristics of class is inherent in the act of dating and marriage, and that such characteristics lead to different contextual experiences in dating and marriage. This study was based on interviews conducted over a three-month time span. The interviews were first transcribed into research text and then subjects and key categories were drawn from the transcripts for analysis. Results: Participants sought meanings of joy, learning, and self-improvement in dating, and they were free from traditional gender norms in their romantic relationships. They viewed marriage as having a permanent companionship with their partner, becoming independent from their parents, and/or a social norm to be followed. Participants reported mixed perceptions about marriage in such fashion that they described their parents' relationship in terms of a gendered leader-supporter relationship, while viewing their own relationship as being genderless partners. In transition to parenthood, however, they regressed to traditional gender norms dichotomized as women being a homemaker and men being a breadwinner. In sum, participants displayed expectations that were inconsistent with regard to dating and marriage over the study period. That is, during the course of dating and early marriage, they did not hold separated gender norms; however, when transitioning from being a newly married couple to giving their first childbirth, expectations shifted to traditional gender norms and values. Conclusion: This suggests that it is not marriage, but the experience of childbirth and motherhood, which strengthen traditional gendered norms, engendering regeneration of the gender norms in families. The results indicate that there is a need to promote co-parenting behavior among the newly-married couples and to educate gender equality about parent roles or for parents in South Korea so that they can overcome traditional gendered norms in family.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.39-47
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• 2021

As domestic construction companies, which used to be concentrated in the Middle East, have expanded their overseas orders to new markets in Asia and Latin America, they have to cope with various conditions. The EPC plant project, which undertakes construction projects such as civil engineering and construction, design, purchase, construction and commissioning, has expanded its scope. As a result, it is important to collect Lessons Learned from the previous project, systematize it, and use it to respond to changes in the environment. However, many employees do not share their skills or experiences voluntarily. To do so, it is necessary to create and systematize a culture that shares experience and technology. In order to understand and analyze the current situation, a questionnaire was conducted on the EPC project-related departments of construction companies implementing the EPC plant project. About 74% of the participants said Lessons Learned's collection and utilization helped. About 53% of the people who collected and registered actual cases and 39% of the people who had experience in preventing problems using cases were identified as employees' perception and utilization of Lessons Learned systems. Detailed analysis showed differences in workplace, duties, and rank. Through this study, the current status of Lessons Learned collection and utilization of EPC plant projects is understood, and the research on collection and utilization improvement is being carried out.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.561-566
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• 2019

Objective : Functional outcomes have traditionally been evaluated and compared using subjective surveys, such as visual analog scores (VAS), the Oswestry disability index (ODI), and Short Form-36 (SF-36), to assess symptoms and quality of life. However, these surveys are limited by their subjective natures and inherent bias caused by differences in patient perceptions of symptoms. The Fitbit $Charge^{(R)}$ (Fitbit Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA) provides accurate and objective measures of physical activity. The use of this device in patients after laminectomy would provide objective physical measures that define ambulatory function, activity level, and degree of recovery. Therefore, the present study was conducted to identify relationships between the number of steps taken by patients per day and VAS pain scores, prognoses, and postoperative functional outcomes. Methods : We prospectively investigated 22 consecutive patients that underwent laminectomy for spinal stenosis or a herniated lumbar disc between June 2015 and April 2016 by the same surgeon. When patients were admitted for surgery and first visited after surgery, preoperative and postoperative functional scores were recorded using VAS scores, ODI scores, and SF-36. The VAS scores and physical activities were recorded daily from postoperative day (POD) 1 to POD 7. The relationship between daily VAS scores and daily physical activities were investigated by simple correlation analysis and the relationship between mean number of steps taken and ODI scores after surgery was subjected to simple regression analysis. In addition, Wilcoxon's signed-rank test was used to investigate the significance of pre-to-postoperative differences in VAS, ODI, and SF-36 scores. Results : Pre-to-postoperative VAS (p<0.001), ODI (p<0.001), SF-36 mental composite scores (p=0.009), and SF-36 physical composite scores (p<0.001) scores were found to be significantly different. Numbers of steps taken from POD 1 to POD 7 were negatively correlated with daily VAS scores (r=-0.981, p<0.001). In addition, the mean number of steps from POD 3 to POD 7 and the decrease in ODI conducted one month after surgery were statistically significant (p=0.029). Conclusion : Wearable devices are not only being used increasingly by consumers as lifestyle devices, but are also progressively being used in the medical area. This is the first study to demonstrate the usefulness of a wearable device for checking patient physical activity and predicting pain and prognosis after laminectomy. Based on our experience, the wearable device used to provide measures of physical activity in the present study has the potential to provide objective information on pain severity and prognosis.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.69-80
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• 2019

Objectives: In this study, we tried to analyze the factors affecting Length Of Stay for serious patients in Republic of Korea. Methods: The study included 139,172 serious patients in the 2012-2016 discharge details. Using the SPSS 23.0 program, we conducted a rank regression analysis with social and social demographic characteristics as control variables, medical institution characteristics and medical use characteristics as independent variables, and Average Length Of Stay as a dependent variable. Results: Average Length Of Stay for participants was found to be 9.92days. And the location and bed size of medical institutions were not statistically significant, the hospitalization path was more urgent(B=0.43) than the outpatient (p<0.001), and there was no secondary diagnosis(B=0.35). However, Average Length Of Stay was higher (p<0.001) than there was no main surgery(B=0.80). After discharge, Average Length Of Stay for funding(B=0.43) and death(B=0.72) was long (p<0.001). Average Length Of Stay for participants was found to be 9.92days. And the location and the bed size of the medical institution were not statistically significant, and the hospitalization pass had longer Length Of Stay for emergency patients(B=0.43) than for outpatients(p<0.001). There was a longer Length Of Stay(B=0.35) than none was diagnosed. There were longer Length Of Stay(p<0.001) than there was no major surgery(B=0.80). After discharge, the outpatients had longer Average Length Of Stay(B=0.43) and deaths(B=0.72) than those who returned home(p<0.001). Conclusion: As a result of analyzing the factors affecting Average Length Of Stay of the participants, it was confirmed that regardless of the location and bed size of medical institutions, hospitalization route, department diagnosis, main surgery, and whereabouts after discharge. Therefore, appropriate interventions and necessary support must be provided so that efficient Length Of Stay can be managed according to the medical use characteristics of serious patient.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.87-101
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• 2019

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate characteristics of low back pain patients and trends of Korean medicine conservative treatment effects of low back pain patients by registry data. Methods A total of 78 patients were analyzed, statistical analysis was performed using a generalized linear model. The comparison between groups was performed using independent two samples t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test according to the distribution of normality. Before and after the treatment effects, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis method were used for the comparison, Sheffe method was used for the post test. Results The average age of hospitalized patients was 31.8 years old and out-patient department (OPD) patients was 44.9 years old. Lots of OPD patients and hospitalized patients were classified to 'Lumbago due to Coexist Qu Stagnation and Bloos Stasis'. Both OPD patients and hospitalized patients classified to 'Lumbago due to Coexist Qu Stagnation and Bloos Stasis' showed statistically significant decrease in RMDQ (Roland-Morris disability questionnaire) and NRS (numeric rating scale) on 1 month and 3 month after clinical research start date. Comparing the treatment effects of Chuna manual therapy, both Chuna group and non-Chuna group showed statistically significant decrease in RMDQ and NRS on discharge date, 1 month and 3 month after clinical research start date. Conclusions We expect that a larger scale registry study will be carried out to provide a higher level of basis for the Korean medical treatment of low back pain.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.463-470
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• 2019

Wild-simulated ginseng is requires standard establishment on location environment for long-term and eco-friendly cultivation. The this study was carried out to investigate the correlation between growth characteristics and location environment of wild-simulated ginseng for selection of suitable cultivation area. Samples were collected from a 9 site of wild-simulated cultivation area and examined growth characteristics and location environment. Correlation coefficient between growth characteristics and location environment was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation. The growth of wild-simulated ginseng was shown significantly higher in Geochang and Hamyang cultivation area. The results of correlation analysis was shown significantly correlation with percentage of conifer, total diameter at breast height, soil pH, K, Ca and Mg. The results of this study was clearly investigated the correlation between growth characteristics and location environment of wild-simulated ginseng, which is considered to will provide understanding for selection suitable cultivation area of wild-simulated ginseng.