• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2014

Palliative care for cancer aims to relieve the discomfort and pain from the cancer itself and associated conditions. Gastrointestinal cancers originate from the tube like structure of gastrointestinal tract and cause complications such as obstruction, bleeding, adhesion, invasion, and perforation to adjacent organ. Recent advances in interventional endoscopy enables endoscopy physicians to do safe and effective care for gastrointestinal cancer patients. Endoscopic palliation includes stent, hemostasis, nutritional support and targeted drug delivery. Self expandable metallic stent is one of the most important modalities in gastrointestinal palliation. Through the endoscopy or over the wire pre-placed by endoscopy, stents restore the gastrointestinal luminal patency and relieve the obstructive condition. Endoscopic hemostasis is another important palliation in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Epinephrine injection, argon plasma coagulation and thermal cauterization are usual modalities for hemostasis. Histoacryl glue and fibrin glue are also available. Hemostatic nanopowder spray is newly reported effective in benign disease and is supposed to be effective also in cancer bleeding. Enteral feeding tubes including gastro- or jejunostomy and nosoduodenal tubes are placed by using endoscopic guidance. Enteral feeding tubes role as the route of easily absorbable or semi-digested nutrients and effectively maintain both patients calorie requirements and gut microenvironment. Photodynamic therapy is the one of the outstanding medical employments of photo-physics. Especially for superficial cancers in esophagus, photodynamic therapy is very useful in cancer removal and maintaining organ structure. In biliary neoplasm, photodynamic therapy is well known to be effective in cancer ablation and biliary ductal patency restoration. Targeted drug delivery is the lastest issue in palliative endoscopy. Debates and questions are still on the table. In this article, the role of endoscopic interventions in palliative care for the gastrointestinal tumors will be thoroughly reviewed.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.21-30
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• 2024

The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate whether office hysteroscopy (OH) can be used to assess the mechanisms of action of progestogen-only contraceptives (POCs), diagnose possible local causes of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), and support the treatment plan of symptomatic patients using POCs compared with those who do not use hormones. The study included 140 women who were divided into two groups. Group A consisted of 70 women who used POCs, whereas group B consisted of 70 women who did not use hormones. They were successively examined using transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS), OH, and endometrial sampling. The TVS results were consistent with those of OH and histopathology. The changes in endometrial thickness and vasculature, as well as fallopian tube (FT) functions, were significantly more pronounced in POC users than in non-POC users. There was a significant reduction in the peristalsis of the proximal part of the FT, as well as a reduction in the bubble flow test in group A compared with group B. In addition, the combination of peristalsis and the bubble flow test (Darwishscope test) was significantly lower in group A. It was concluded that using OH as a simple diagnostic tool in women with POCs would contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of endometrial and FT effects and explain some local endometrial causes of AUB. This ensures that the combination of TVS and OH would limit routine endometrial sampling in POCs users.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.42-54
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• 2024

Purpose : This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an advanced practice nurse (APN)-driven ventilator weaning protocol for patients undergoing cardiac surgeries. Methods : A retrospective analysis was conducted on 226 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital between January and June 2020, following a cardiac surgery. Patients were divided into an APN protocol-applied group (experimental group, n=152) and a control group managed based on doctors' judgment (n=74). Ventilator weaning criteria and clinical outcomes, including duration of ventilation, length of ICU stay, and rate of reintubation, were compared between the two groups. Results : Patients in the control group were older and had a higher incidence of massive bleeding from chest tube drainage (>100 cc/hr) at baseline. The average duration of ventilation was significantly shorter in the experimental group compared to the control group (7.44 vs. 21.61 hours, p <.001). Furthermore, the mean length of ICU stay was shorter in the experimental group compared to the control group (47.96 vs. 77.97 hours, p <.001). There was no difference in the rate of reintubation between the two groups. Conclusion : These findings suggest that an APN-driven ventilator weaning protocol can improve clinical outcomes without significant complications. These results support the adoption of APN-driven mechanical ventilator weaning protocols in clinical practice.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.157-164
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• 2016

In this study, researchers performed preliminary design and numerical analysis for a pilot-scale helium heating system intended to support full-scale construction for a sulfur-iodine (SI) cycle. The helium heat exchanger used a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) combustor. Exhaust gas velocity at the heat exchanger outlet was approximately 40 m/s based on computational thermal and flow analysis. The maximum gas temperature was reached with six baffles in the design; lower gas temperatures were observed with four baffles. The amount of heat transfer was also higher with six baffles. Installation of additional baffles may reduce fuel costs because of the reduced LPG exhausted to the heat exchanger. However, additional baffles may also increase the pressure difference between the exchanger's inlet and outlet. Therefore, it is important to find the optimum number of baffles. Structural analysis, followed by thermal and flow analysis, indicated a 3.86 mm thermal expansion at the middle of the shell and tube type heat exchanger when both ends were supported. Structural analysis conditions included a helium flow rate of 3.729 mol/s and a helium outlet temperature of $910^{\circ}C$. An exhaust gas temperature of $1300^{\circ}C$ and an exhaust gas rate of 52 g/s were confirmed to achieve the helium outlet temperature of $910^{\circ}C$ with an exchanger inlet temperature of $135^{\circ}C$ in an LPG-fueled helium heating system.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.500-511
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• 1999

Background: Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) using facial or nasal mask have been widely used for several years in stable patients with chronic neuromuscular disease or central alveolar hypoventilation, and recently have been tried in patients with acute respiratory failure. In a few studies, NPPV was also used to rescue the patients with post-extubation respiratory failure. However, yet it has not been adopted as a weaning method in patients on long-term mechanical ventilation. So we performed this prospective clinical study to evaluate the usefulness of NPPV as a weaning method after removing endotracheal tube intentionally in patients on long-term mechanical ventilation. Method: Twelve patients who had been on invasive mechanical ventilation over 10 days were enrolled and 14 trials of NPPV were done. All had failed at least one weaning trial and showed ventilator dependence(pressure support requirement between 8-15cm $H_2O$, and PEEP requirement between 5-10cm $H_2O$), so tracheostomy was being considered. After removing the endotracheal tube, NPPV was applied using facial mask. Respiratory rate, arterial blood gas, pressure support level, and PEEP level were monitored just before intended extubation, at 30 minutes, 1 to 6, 6 to 12, 12 to 24 hours, 2nd day, and 3rd day following initiation of NPPV, and just before weaning from NPPV. The successful weaning was defined as spontaneous breathing off the ventilator for 48 hours or longer without respiratory distress. Results: The weaning through NPPV after intended extubation was successful in 7(50%) of 14 trials, and tracheostomy could be avoided in them. There were no differences in age, sex, APACHE III score, duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, baseline respiratory rate, $PaCO_2$ $PaO_2/FiO_2$, and ventilatory requirement(PS and PEEP) between the success and failure groups. In the success group, respiratory rate, pH, $PaCO_2$, and $PaO_2/FiO_2$ were not different between invasive MV and NPPV period. But in the failure group, pH decreased after 30 minutes of NPPV initiation compared with that of invasive MV($7.40\pm0.08$ vs. $7.34\pm0.06$, p<0.05). The causes of failure were worsening of ABG(n=3), retained tracheal secretion(n=2), mask intolerance(n=1), and flail chest(n=1). Conclusion: NPPV may be worth trying as a bridge method in weaning patients on long-term invasive mechanical ventilation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1326-1331
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• 1997

Background : Weaning is the process of switching a patient from mechanical ventilator to spontaneous breathing. A number of different weaning techniques can be employed. At recent study, conventional spontaneous breathing trial was superior to other techniques, such as intermittent mandatory ventilation(IMV) or pressure support ventilation(PSV). But adequate observation time of the spontaneous breathing trial was not determined. We reported the effectiveness of weaning and extubation following a 60 minutes spontaneous breathing trial with simple oxygen supply through the endotrachial tube. In this study, we tried to shorten the spontaneous breathing time from 60 minutes to 30 minutes. If weaning success was predicted after 30 minutes spontaneous breathing, extubation was done without reconnection with ventilator. Methodes : Subjects consisted of 42 mechanically ventilated patients from August 1994 to July 1995. The weaning trial was done when the patients recovered sufficiently from respiratory failure that originally required ventilatory assistance, the patients became alert and showed stable vital sign, and arterial $O_2$ tension was adequated($PaO_2$ > 55 mmHg) with less than 40% of inspired oxygen fraction. We conducted a careful physical examination when the patients was breathing spontaneously through the endobronchial tube for 30 minutes. We terminated the trial if a patients was any of following signs of distress; cyanosis, diaphoresis, tachypnea(above 30 breaths per minute), and extreme tachycardia. Patients who had none of this features during spontaneous breathing for 30 minutes were extubated promptly. Result : 17 weaning trials of 15 patients were done in 42 mechanically ventilated patients. Successful weaning and extubation was possible in 14 trials of total 17 trials. In this 14 patients, 8 patients were extubated after 30 minutes spontaneous breathing, 3 patients were extubated after 60 minutes spontaneous breathing, and 3 patients needed over 3 hours for extubation from weaning. We found similar overall success rate compared with weaning following a 60 minutes spontaneous breathing trial. Conclusion : From the result of present study, we believe that weaning and extubation from mechanical ventilation following a 30 minutes spontaneous breathing with $O_2$ supply through the endotracheal tube is a simple and effective method.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.813-822
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• 1998

Background: Extubation is recommended to be performed at minimum pressure support (PSmin) during the pressure support ventilation (PSV). In field, physicians sometimes perform additional 1 hr T-piece trial to the patient at PSmin to reduce re-intubation risk. Although it provides confirmation of patient's breathing reserve, weaning could be delayed due to increased airway resistance by endotracheal tube. Methods: To investigate the effect of additional 1 hr T-piece trial on weaning outcome, a prospective study was done in consecutive 44 patients who had received mechanical ventilation more than 3 days. Respiratory mechanics, hemodymic, and gas exchange measurements were done and the level of PSmin was calculated using the equation (PSmin=peak inspiratory flow rate $\times$ total ventilatory system resistance) at the 15cm $H_2O$ of pressure support. At PSmin, the patients were randomized into intervention (additional 1 hr T-piece trial) and control (extubation at PSmin). The measurements were repeated at PSmm, during weaning process (in cases of intervention), and after extubation. The weaning success was defined as spontaneous breathing more than 48hr after extubation. In intervention group, failure to continue weaning process was also considered as weaning failure. Results: Thirty-six patients with 42 times weaning trial were satisfied to the protocol. Mean PSmin level was 7.6 (${\pm}1.9$)cm $H_2O$. There were no differences in total ventilation times (TVT), APACHE III score, nutritional indices, and respiratory mechanics at PSmin between 2 groups. The weaning success rate and re-intubation rate were not different between intervention group (55% and 18% in each) and control group (70% and 20% in each) at first weaning trial. Work of breathing, pressure time product, and tidal volume were aggravated during 1 hr T-piece trial compared to those of PSmin in intervention group ($10.4{\pm}1.25$ and $1.66{\pm}1.08$ J/L in work of breathing) ($191{\pm}232$ and $287{\pm}217$cm $H_2O$ s/m in pressure time product) ($0.33{\pm}0.09$ and $0.29{\pm}0.09$ L in tidal volume) (P<0.05 in each). As in whole, TVT, and tidal volume at PSmin were significantly different between the patients with weaning success ($246{\pm}195$ hr, $0.43{\pm}0.11$ L) and the those with weaning failure ($407{\pm}248$ hr, $0.35{\pm}0.10$L) (P<0.05 in each). Conclusion : There were no advantage to weaning outcome by addition of 1 hr T-piece trial compared to prompt extubation to the patient at PS min.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.373-378
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• 1999

Background: Minimally invasive technique for various cardiac surgeries has become widely accepted since it has been proven to have distinct advantages for the patients. We describe here the results of our experiences of minimal incision in cardiac surgery. Material and Method: From February 1997 to November 1998, we successfully performed 31 cases of minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Male and female ratio was 17:14, and the patients age ranged from 1 to 75 years. A left parasternal incision was used in 9 patients with single vessel coronary heart disease. A direct coronary bypass grafting was done under the condition of the beating heart without cardiopulmonary bypass support(MIDCAB). Among these, one was a case of a reoperation 1 week after the first operation due to a kinked mammary artery graft. A right parasternal incision was used in one case of a redo mitral valve replacement. Mini-sternotomy was used in the remaining 21 patients. The procedures were mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty in 6 patients, mitral valve replacement 5, double valve replacement 2, aortic valve replacement 1, removal of left atrial myxoma 1, closure of atrial septal defect 2, repair of ventricular septal defect 2, and primary closure of r ght ventricular stab wound 1. The initial 5 cases underwent a T-shaped mini-sternotomy, however, we adopted an arrow-shaped ministernotomy in the remaining cases because it provided better exposure of the aortic root and stability of the sternum after a sternal wiring. Result: The operation time, the cardiopulmonary bypass time, the aorta cross-clamping time, the mechanical ventilation time, the amount of chest tube drainage until POD#1, the chest tube indwelling time, and the duration of intensive care unit staying were in an acceptable range. There were two surgical mortalities. One was due to a rupture of the aorta cannulation site after double valve replacement on POD#1 in the mini-sternotomy case, and the other was due to a sudden ventricular arrhythmia after MIDCAB on POD#2 in the parasternal incision case. Postoperative complications were observed in 2 cases in which a cerebral embolism developed on POD#2 after a mini-sternotomy in mitral valve replacement and wound hematoma developed after a right parasternal incision in a single coronary bypass grafting. Neither mortality nor complication was directly related to the incision technique itself. Conclusion: Minimally invasive surgery using parasternal or mini-sternotomy incision can be used in cardiac surgeries since it is as safe as the standard full sternotomy incisions.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.311-328
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• 2022

Because of the spread of smartphones due to the development of information and communication technology, online shopping mall services can be used on computers and mobile devices. As a result, the number of users using the online shopping mall service increases rapidly, and the types of products traded are also growing. Therefore, to maximize profits, companies need to provide information that may interest users. To this end, the recommendation system presents necessary information or products to the user based on the user's past behavioral data or behavioral purchase records. Representative overseas companies that currently provide recommendation services include Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube. These companies support users' purchase decisions by recommending products to users using ratings, purchase records, and clickstream data that users give to the items. In addition, users refer to the ratings left by other users about the product before buying a product. Most users tend to provide ratings only to products they are satisfied with, and the higher the rating, the higher the purchase intention. And recently, e-commerce sites have provided users with the ability to vote on whether product reviews are helpful. Through this, the user makes a purchase decision by referring to reviews and ratings of products judged to be beneficial. Therefore, in this study, the correlation between the product rating and the helpful information of the review is identified. The valuable data of the evaluation is reflected in the recommendation system to check the recommendation performance. In addition, we want to compare the results of skipping all the ratings in the traditional collaborative filtering technique with the recommended performance results that reflect only the 4 and 5 ratings. For this purpose, electronic product data collected from Amazon was used in this study, and the experimental results confirmed a correlation between ratings and review usefulness information. In addition, as a result of comparing the recommendation performance by reflecting all the ratings and only the 4 and 5 points in the recommendation system, the recommendation performance of remembering only the 4 and 5 points in the recommendation system was higher. In addition, as a result of reflecting review usefulness information in the recommendation system, it was confirmed that the more valuable the review, the higher the recommendation performance. Therefore, these experimental results are expected to improve the performance of personalized recommendation services in the future and provide implications for e-commerce sites.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.61-68
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• 2012

Most widely methods for reinforcement of soil utilized in Korea are anchor method, soil nail method and micro pile method. These methods are classified by the intended use of the structure to be constructed, but the reinforcement of the ground is accomplished contains in common the process of grouting work after inserting the reinforcements. Domestically, gravity grouting has been used mostly so far, but there has always been the risk of insufficient restoration of the loose ground area from the drill holes because the grouting is conducted only by gravity. On the other hand, pressure reinjection grouting may enhance the grouting quality by solving the problem of the existing grouting method considerably since it additionally reinjects grouting through pre-installed tube a certain time after the first grouting. Accordingly, this study evaluated the pullout characteristics by the grouting methods by performing model test on decomposed granite soil, and investigated the support increasing characteristics of reinforcements depending on the curing time, reinjection pressure, and uplift force variation of the pressure reinjection grouting. The result of this research shows that the pressure reinjection grouting demonstrated 1.1~1.3 times of performance of the gravity grouting, and suggests some analysis on optimal water content, reinjection pressure and curing time of the pressure reinjection grouting.