• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.263-277
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• 2019

This study analyzed the current use of science-related test tools in affective area in Korean academic journals for the last 30 years since 1989 and the cases of modification of the original tools related to the tools. This provides practical information on the development and improvement of test tools in the future and offers the basis for developing valid test tools. The study was conducted in two stages. We analyzed the status of 88 domestic science education researches dealing with testing tools related affective characteristics and 57 domestic and foreign resource tools referenced by them. After that, we compared the characteristics of the five cases in which the original tool was revised and the concrete item correction examples. The results were analyzed as follows: topics that have emerged continuously or that have recently begun to appear in domestic research, the research situations according to their purpose and measurement methods used by the tool, and use state of original tools. The background and key points of revision were analyzed for the five tools, TOSRA, SAI, PISA items, STEBI-A/B, SMQ, whose revision process were disclosed. In addition, the changes of the items were analyzed by comparing the four test items with the questions before and after the revision. As a result of item analysis, item improvement was proceeding in the direction of enhancing readability, clarifying meaning, and changing items according to change of sub constructs. The implications of this study are as follows: notes on interpreting the results obtained from the tool with multiple mixed constructs, the possibility of the testing tool that broadens the horizon of the research, error recognition in the subjective self-report, and notes when applying test tools from other disciplines to science.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.280-295
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the characteristics of patients according to their nutritional status as assessed by five nutritional screening tools: Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), NUTRISCORE, Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) and to compare the agreement, sensitivity, and specificity of these tools. Methods: A total of 952 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy and chemotherapy from January 2009 to December 2012 at the Samsung Medical Center were included. We categorized patients into malnourished and normal according to the five nutritional screening tools 1 month after surgery and compared their characteristics. We also calculated the Spearman partial correlation, Cohen's Kappa coefficient, the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of each pair of screening tools. Results: We observed 86.24% malnutrition based on the PG-SGA and 85.82% based on the NUTRISCORE among gastric cancer patients in our study. When we applied NRI or CONUT, however, the malnutrition levels were less than 30%. Patients with malnutrition as assessed by the PG-SGA, NUTRISCORE, or NRI had lower intakes of energy and protein compared to normal patients. When NRI, PNI, or CONUT were used to identify malnutrition, lower levels of albumin, hemoglobin, total lymphocyte count, total cholesterol, and longer postoperative hospital stays were observed among patients with malnutrition compared to those without malnutrition. We found relatively high agreement between PG-SGA and NUTRISCORE; sensitivity was 90.86% and AUC was 0.78. When we compared NRI and PNI, sensitivity was 99.64% and AUC was 0.97. AUC ranged from 0.50 to 0.67 for comparisons between CONUT and each of the other nutritional screening tools. Conclusions: Our study suggests that PG-SGA and NRI have a relatively high agreement with the NUTRISCORE and PNI, respectively. Further cohort studies are needed to examine whether the nutritional status assessed by PG-SGA, NUTRISCORE, NRI, PNI, and CONUT predicts the gastric cancer prognosis.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.205-222
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• 2022

Objectives: This study examined the characteristics of patients according to nutritional status assessed by five nutritional screening tools: Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), NUTRISCORE, Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) and to compare the agreement, sensitivity, and specificity of these tools. Methods: A total of 952 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy and chemotherapy from January 2009 to December 2012 were included. The patients were categorized into malnutrition and normal status according to five nutritional screening tools one month after surgery. The Spearman partial correlation, Cohen's Kappa coefficient, the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of each two screening tools were calculated. Results: Malnutrition was observed in 86.24% of patients based on the PG-SGA and 85.82% based on the NUTRISCORE. When NRI or CONUT were applied, the proportions of malnutrition were < 30%. Patients with malnutrition had lower intakes of energy and protein than normal patients when assessed using the PG-SGA, NUTRISCORE, or NRI. Lower levels of albumin, hemoglobin, total lymphocyte count, and total cholesterol and longer postoperative hospital stays were observed among patients with malnutrition compared to normal patients when NRI, PNI, or CONUT were applied. Relatively high agreement for NUTRISCORE relative to PG-SGA was found; the sensitivity was 90.86%, and the AUC was 0.78. When NRI, PNI, and CONUT were compared, the sensitivities were 23.72% for PNI relative to NRI, 44.53% for CONUT relative to NRI, and 90.91% for CONUT relative to PNI. The AUCs were 0.95 for NRI relative to PNI and 0.91 for CONUT relative to PNI. Conclusions: NUTRISCORE had a high sensitivity compared to PG-SGA, and CONUT had a high sensitivity compared to PNI. NRI had a high specificity compared to PNI. This relatively high sensitivity and specificity resulted in 77.00% agreement between PNI and CONUT and 77.94% agreement between NRI and PNI. Further cohort studies will be needed to determine if the nutritional status assessed by PG-SGA, NUTRISCORE, NRI, PNI, and CONUT predicts the gastric cancer prognosis.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.135-148
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• 2023

Objectives To investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of post-disaster musculoskeletal pain by reviewing relevant clinical studies. Methods A systematic search was conducted across 10 electronic databases to identify relevant clinical studies on acupuncture treatment for post-disaster musculoskeletal pain until May 2023. The methodological quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and Risk of Bias Assessment tool for non-randomized studies tools. Results Six articles were analyzed, including two randomized controlled trials (RCTs), two before-after studies, one qualitative research, and one case series. Overall, acupuncture therapy showed some improvement in pain scale among musculoskeletal pain survivors. However, no significant improvement was observed in the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ-2). Subgroup analysis of participants who completed at least four acupuncture sessions revealed a significant effect on the SFMPQ-2. Additionally, a significant improvement in 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF36P) was observed after 6 months of treatment, but the 2-month treatment period did not show statistically significant effects on SF-36P improvement. The evaluation of the methodological quality of the RCTs identified some concerns of bias. Conclusions The results suggest that acupuncture is effective in alleviating post-disaster musculoskeletal pain. However, considering the limited number of selected studies and the inclusion of subjective evaluation measures, caution should be exercised in interpreting the results. Further large-scale follow-up studies are needed to determine the optimal frequency and duration of acupuncture treatment. Well-designed controlled trials should be conducted to provide more robust evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture for post-disaster musculoskeletal pain.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to conduct a summative evaluation of the usability of a general-purpose ventilator to determine whether it can be used for its intended purpose in the intended environment by the intended user and to find possible errors in use. The importance of ventilators has increased due to the accelerated aging of the population and the impact of the pandemic. In addition, patients who require ventilators are often in critical condition, so even a small error in use can be fatal. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the ventilator has sufficient stability and can be used satisfactorily without inconvenience to the user. In this study, we conducted a usability test with 17 respiratory nurses with more than 3 years of experience using the ventilator. We analyzed the task success rate, satisfaction, and opinions of the intended users while going through a total of 17 scenarios. Satisfaction was captured through an ASQ questionnaire and subjective opinions were captured through a detailed opinion questionnaire. The results showed a high level of satisfaction with an average score of 6.3 for the use scenarios. Evaluators expressed satisfaction with the overall visibility and versatility of the features, but noted that improvements were needed for calibration tasks with low task success rates. As the calibration method is different from other equipment, it was suggested that specific explanations of the calibration method and the picture that appears when calibrating are needed, and that if relevant training is provided, the equipment can be used without problems. If the usability evaluation is not limited to securing efficiency and satisfaction from the intended users, but also continuously receives feedback from users to prepare for use in emergency environments such as pandemic situations, it will be very helpful to seize opportunities such as emergency authorization in future situations, and ultimately contribute to patient safety by reducing use errors.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1221-1231
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• 2023

Objective: To clinically validate the feasibility and accuracy of cine images acquired through the multitasking method, with no electrocardiogram gating and free-breathing, in measuring left ventricular (LV) function indices by comparing them with those acquired through the balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) method, with multiple breath-holds and electrocardiogram gating. Materials and Methods: Forty-three healthy volunteers (female:male, 30:13; mean age, 23.1 ± 2.3 years) and 36 patients requiring an assessment of LV function for various clinical indications (female:male, 22:14; 57.8 ± 11.3 years) were enrolled in this prospective study. Each participant underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the multiple breath-hold bSSFP method and free-breathing multitasking method. LV function parameters were measured for both MRI methods. Image quality was assessed through subjective image quality scores (1 to 5) and calculation of the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between the myocardium and blood pool. Differences between the two MRI methods were analyzed using the Bland-Altman plot, paired t-test, or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, as appropriate. Results: LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was not significantly different between the two MRI methods (P = 0.222 in healthy volunteers and P = 0.343 in patients). LV end-diastolic mass was slightly overestimated with multitasking in both healthy volunteers (multitasking vs. bSSFP, 60.5 ± 10.7 g vs. 58.0 ± 10.4 g, respectively; P < 0.001) and patients (69.4 ± 18.1 g vs. 66.8 ± 18.0 g, respectively; P = 0.003). Acceptable and comparable image quality was achieved for both MRI methods (multitasking vs. bSSFP, 4.5 ± 0.7 vs. 4.6 ± 0.6, respectively; P = 0.203). The CNR between the myocardium and blood pool showed no significant differences between the two MRI methods (18.89 ± 6.65 vs. 18.19 ± 5.83, respectively; P = 0.480). Conclusion: Multitasking-derived cine images obtained without electrocardiogram gating and breath-holding achieved similar image quality and accurate quantification of LVEF in healthy volunteers and patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.184-196
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• 2024

Purpose We investigated potentially promising imaging findings and their combinations in the evaluation of cognitive decline. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 138 patients with subjective cognitive impairments, who underwent brain MRI. We classified the same group of patients into Alzheimer's disease (AD) and non-AD groups, based on the neuropsychiatric evaluation. We analyzed imaging findings, including white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), using the Kruskal-Wallis test for group comparison, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for assessing the diagnostic performance of imaging findings. Results CMBs in the lobar or deep locations demonstrated higher prevalence in the patients with AD compared to those in the non-AD group. The presence of lobar CMBs combined with periventricular WMH (area under the ROC curve [AUC] = 0.702 [95% confidence interval: 0.599-0.806], p < 0.001) showed the highest performance in differentiation of AD from non-AD group. Conclusion Combinations of imaging findings can serve as useful additive diagnostic tools in the assessment of cognitive decline.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.315-331
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• 2024

Objectives: To report the effectiveness of a comprehensive Korean medical approach, incorporating acupuncture, herbal medicine, Chuna therapy, and traditional Korean psychotherapy, in the management of a patient with cerebellar ataxia and major depressive disorder. Methods: A 45-year-old female patient diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia and major depressive disorder received a comprehensive Korean medicine treatment, including acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, Chuna therapy, and traditional Korean psychotherapy such as Giungoroen therapy, IiGyeungByunQi therapy, M&L therapy, and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). The efficacy was assessed through both subjective symptom reports and a range of psychological assessment tools, including the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), Korean Symptom Checklist-95 (KSCL-95), Korean Beck Depression Inventory-II (K-BDI-II), Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory XYZ form (STAI-XYZ), Korean version of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-K), Padua Inventory-Washington State University Revision (PI-WSUR), Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), and the Korean Version of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-K). Results: Throughout treatment, the patient experienced marked improvements in physical symptoms, notably dizziness, and gait instability. Psychological evaluations demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The overall quality of life was enhanced, with sustained benefits observed during follow-up assessments. Conclusions: This case suggests that a comprehensive Korean medicine approach that integrates acupuncture, herbal medicine, Chuna therapy, and traditional Korean psychotherapy may be effective in alleviating both physical and psychological symptoms associated with cerebellar ataxia and major depressive disorder.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.102-111
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• 2005

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of life and it's related factors in caregivers of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patients. Methods : The subjects were 38 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patients' caregivers(mean age : $37.5{\pm}6.5$, 38 women). Patients were diagnosed with DSM-IV-TR ADHD criteria. Korean version of WHOQOL-BREF(World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment instrument Abbreviated Version) was used for assessment. Results : 1) No significant differences were found in the score of WHOQOL-BREF, overall QOL, physical health domain, psychological domain, social relationships domain and environmental domain between caregiver and control group. 2) The score of Activity of daily living facet$(3.0{\pm}0.7\;vs.\;3.6{\pm}0.7)(p=0.008)$ and self-esteem facet $(2.8{\pm}0.7\;vs.\;3.3{\pm}0.7)(p=0.049)$ were significantly decreased in caregivers of ADHD. 3) Total score of WHOQOL-BREF(r=0.437, p=0.007) and physical health domain(r=0.370, p=0.024) were correlated with caregiver's educational age. 4) In the psychological domain, the score of self-esteem facet(r=-0.337, p=0.039) and thinking, learning, memory & concentration facet(r=-.341, p=0.036) were decreased with caregiver's age. 5) The score of environmental domain were significantly increased with caregiver's educational age (r=0.482, p=0.003), but decreased with patient's age(r=0.328, p=0.044). Conclusion : Although the quality of life in caregivers of ADHD patient had not significantly decreased than control, the quality of lift were positively correlated with educational age of caregives, and negatively correlated with chronological age of caregivers and children. Above results suggest that physicians should consider integrated approaches for caregiver's subjective quality of life in the management of ADHD.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2011

Purpose: Microfracture has been used as a first-line treatment to repair articular cartilage defects. In this study, a new technique using an extracelluar matrix biomembrane to cover the cartilage lesions after microfracture was evaluated in terms of cartilage repairability and clinical outcome compared with conventional microfracture technique in a prospective randomized trial. Materials and Methods: A total of 53 patients (59 cases) without osteoarthritis who had focal full thickness articular cartilage lesions were randomly assigned in two group. Seventeen patients (17 cases) underwent conventional microfracture procedure (control group) and thirty-six patients (42 cases) received microfracture and placing biomembrane cover (ArtiFilm$^{TM}$) concomitantly (experimental group). Clinical assessment was done through 6 months postoperatively using the subjective International Knee Documentation Committee IKDC questionnaire, and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and satisfaction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at 6 months after the operation in all patients. Results: In clinical outcomes, the significant difference was observed between both groups in IKDC, but not in VAS for pain and for satisfaction (final outcomes of IKDC, p=0.001; VAS for pain, p=0.074; VAS for satisfaction, p=0.194). The MRI showed good to complete defect fill (67 to 100%) in 33 patients (78.6%) of experimental group and 4 patients (23.5%) of control group, respectively. In control group, 9 of 17 patients (52.9%) showed poor defect fill (less than 33%), whereas 5 (11.9%) in experimental group (p=0.001). Assessment of peripheral integration revealed no gap formation in 35 patients (83.3%) in experimental group and 6 patients (35.3%) in control group (p=0.001). No serious complications or adverse effects related to the biomembrane were found. Conclusion: Good short-term follow-up clinical results were obtained in the group whose cartilage defects in the knee joint were covered with biomembrane after the microfracture, with the MRI findings confirming the excellent regeneration of the defective cartilage area. This suggests that the surgery to cover the defective area with biomembrane (ArtiFilm$^{TM}$) after the microfracture procedure is a safe, more effective treatment to induce cartilage regeneration.