• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.125-132
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between stress and halitosis in a representative sample of Korean adolescents. Methods: This study was based on the 15th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2019). The final participation rate in the survey was 95.3%; 57,303 out of 60,100 (95.3%) adolescents aged 13-18 years were selected. Multiple logistic regression with complex samples was performed to identify the correlation between stress and halitosis. Stress level was classified as 'very much', 'a little', and 'not much' and halitosis was defined as the presence of an unpleasant odor in the oral cavity. Results: The prevalence of halitosis among students was 21.3%. As a result of multiple regression analysis, the 'a little' [odds ratio (OR); 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI); 1.29-1.49] and 'very much' stress group (OR; 1.78, 95% CI; 1.66-1.90) exhibited significantly higher risk of halitosis than the 'not much' stress group. Conclusions: A significant correlation between stress and halitosis exists among Korean adolescents. Therefore, psychological factors such as stress should be considered in managing halitosis in adolescents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.18-31
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• 2023

Exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning for nuclear safety has witnessed increased interest in recent years. To contribute to this area of research, a machine learning model capable of accurately predicting nuclear power plant response with minimal computational cost is proposed. To develop a robust machine learning model, the Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) approach was used to generate a database to train three models and select the best of the three. The BEPU analysis was performed by coupling Dakota platform with the best estimate thermal hydraulics code RELAP/SCDAPSIM/MOD 3.4. The Code Scaling Applicability and Uncertainty approach was adopted, along with Wilks' theorem to obtain a statistically representative sample that satisfies the USNRC 95/95 rule with 95% probability and 95% confidence level. The generated database was used to train three models based on Recurrent Neural Networks; specifically, Long Short-Term Memory, Gated Recurrent Unit, and a hybrid model with Long Short-Term Memory coupled to Convolutional Neural Network. In this paper, the System Engineering approach was utilized to identify requirements, stakeholders, and functional and physical architecture to develop this project and ensure success in verification and validation activities necessary to ensure the efficient development of ML meta-models capable of predicting of the nuclear power plant response.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.64-73
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• 2024

This study investigated associations between healthy dietary practices and the odds of prediabetes among Korean adolescents. The data of 1,624 adolescents aged 12 to 18 who participated in the 2017-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Healthy dietary practices were defined according to Health Plan 2030 criteria, and prediabetes was defined as a fasting blood glucose level of 100-125 mg/dL. After controlling for confounders, adjusting odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for prediabetes were determined for different healthy dietary practices using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Compared with adolescents who engaged in healthy dietary practices, those who did not had a 1.63-fold (95% CI: 1.12-2.37) higher odds of prediabetes. In addition, adolescents who did not consume ≥500 g of fruit and vegetables daily and those who refrained from reading nutritional fact labels, which are both sub-indicators of healthy dietary practices, had a 1.66 (95% CI: 1.05-2.62) and 1.58-fold (95% CI: 1.06-2.37) higher odds of prediabetes, respectively, than those who did. Increasing the proportion of adolescents engaging in healthy dietary practices, such as consuming ≥500 g of fruit and vegetables daily and reading nutritional fact labels when selecting food, is imperative.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.87-98
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• 1999

The objectives of this study were to evaluate exposures to airborne methylene chloride and postshift carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in blood of workers engaged in processes using blowing or cleaning agents, and to investigate correlation between methylene chloride concentrations and the blood COHb levels of workers. The geometric mean (GM) of workers' exposures (8 hour-time weighted averages, TWA) to airborne methylene chloride during cleaning molds using rags wetted with the solvent in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foam (GM = 61.4 ppm), during operating the dip tank for cleaning molds in the manufacture of lens (GM = 61.0 ppm), and during cleaning the blowing nozzles by spraying the solvent in the manufacture of shoes (GM = 117.2 ppm) were exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value ($TLV^{(R)}$)-Time Weighted Average (TWA) (50 ppm). The COHb levels were significantly different among groups (p<0.05). The average COHh levels in blood of non-smoking workers were 2.0% in. low-level (<50 ppm) exposure group, and 3.9 % in high-level (>50ppm) exposure group. The average COHb levels in smoking workers were 3.1% in low-level exposure group, and 4.8% in high-level exposure group. The blood COHb levels of no-exposed workers to methylene chloride were 1.8% in non-smoking group, and 2.8% in smoking group. It was found that the COHb level dependeds on the methylene chloride concentration and smoking habit, and was highly correlated with methylene chloride concentration in air. The correlation coefficient was 0.81 among non-smoking workers. The estimated COHb level (3.6%) and 95% upper confidence limit (4.0%) corresponding to TLV-TWA of methylene chloride exceeded the current ACGIH Biological Exposure Index (COHb 3.5%) for carbon monoxide. The estimated COHb level (5.4%) at 100 ppm exceeded the standard (5%) recommended by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for preventing adverse cardiovascular effect. The estimated COHb value and 95% upper confidence limit at 25 ppm of the Occupational Safety and Health. Adminstration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit-TWA (PEL-TWA) were 2.6% and 3.0%, respectively. It is suggested that COHb in blood be kept below 3.0% to comply with OSHA PEL-TWA.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.77-97
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• 1971

The experimental fission cross-section data of U-238, Np-237 and Th-232, published up to the end of 1970, are reviewed and analyzed between their respective thresholds and 20.0 MeV. The results of a statistical analysis of the available data, performed with a weighted Least-squares Orthogonal Polynomial Pitting computer programme are presented in the form of point-wise cross-section values together with their uncertainties, and in the form of graphs of the fitted curves with an indication of a region of 95% statistical confidence level. An estimate of the fission spectrum weighted average cross-sections and their respective uncertainties is also given.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.84-88
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• 2018

The aim was to evaluate different results from using crude incidence rate (CIR) instead of agestandardized incidence rate (AIR) when comparing groups having different age structures. After selecting a report using CIRs, AIRs and their 95% confidence intervals(CI) was calculated from the raw data. The statistically significant difference between CIR and AIR was decided based on AIR's 95% CI. Comparing with CIRs, AIRs were under-estimated. In addition, there were no statistical significance of annual trends(P=0.59). These findings are an additional evidence using AIR when comparing level of occurring infectious diseases on groups with different age structures.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제61권2호
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• pp.43-48
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• 2018

Purpose: Human adenovirus infection mimics Kawasaki disease (KD) but can be detected in KD patients. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical differences between KD with adenovirus infection and only adenoviral infection and to identify biomarkers for prediction of adenovirus-positive KD from isolated adenoviral infection. Methods: A total of 147 patients with isolated adenovirus were identified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, 11 patients having KD with adenovirus, who were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy during the acute phase of KD were also evaluated. Results: Compared with the adenoviral infection group, the KD with adenovirus group was significantly associated with frequent lip and tongue changes, skin rash and changes in the extremities. In the laboratory parameters, higher C-reactive protein (CRP) level and presence of hypoalbuminemia and sterile pyuria were significantly associated with the KD group. In the multivariate analysis, lip and tongue changes (odds ratio [OR], 1.416; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.151-1.741; P=0.001), high CRP level (OR, 1.039; 95% CI 1.743-1.454; P= 0.021) and sterile pyuria (OR 1.052; 95% CI 0.861-1.286; P=0.041) were the significant predictive factors of KD. In addition, the cutoff CRP level related to KD with adenoviral detection was 56 mg/L, with a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 75.9%. Conclusion: Lip and tongue changes, higher serum CRP level and sterile pyuria were significantly correlated with adenovirus-positive KD.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• 제42권5호
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• pp.719-729
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was done to examine relationships between nurse staffing level and postsurgical patient outcomes using inpatient database from the National Health Insurance. Methods: Records of 111,491 patients who received one of 12 types of surgery between January and December, 2009 were identified and analyzed in this study. Nurse staffing level was measured using adjusted nurse staffing grades from 0 to 7. Patient outcomes were defined as in-hospital mortality, or pneumonia, sepsis, or urinary tract infection after surgery. Logistic regression analyses estimated by Generalized Estimation Model, were used to analyze the association between nurse staffing level and patient outcomes. Results: An inverse relationship was found between nurse staffing and patient mortality. Compared with patients who were cared for in hospitals with the highest nurse staffing (Grades 0-1), increases in the odds of dying were found in those with Grades 6-7 [OR (odds ratio)=2.99, 95% CI (confidence interval)=1.94-4.60], those with Grades 4-5 (OR=1.78, 95% CI=1.24-2.57) and those with Grades 2-3 (OR=1.57, 95% CI=1.25-1.98). Lower nurse staffing level was also associated with higher number of cases in pneumonia and sepsis. Conclusion: Policies for providing adequate nurse staffing is required to enhance quality of care and lead to better perioperative patient outcomes.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.151-155
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• 2014

Background: Dexmedetomidine is known to be administered for sedation safely even in a very elderly patient. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of age on clinically optimal dose of dexmedetomidine for sedation. Methods: We enrolled 50 patients ASA class I and II, scheduled for lower extremity surgery that need. They were classified into a young group (n = 26), aged below 75 and an old group (n = 24), aged above 75. Dexmedetomidine was continuously infused $0.5{\mu}g/kg$ within 10 min, followed by maintenance at a dose of $0.5{\mu}g/kg/min$, initially. The next dose was selected using the Dixon's up-and-down method. Results: The cED50 of dexmedetomidine required to maintain optimal sedation level in young and old group were 0.50 and $0.48{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. With isotonic regression, cED95 of dexmedetomidine was $0.71{\mu}g/kg$ (95% confidence intervals $0.57-1.06{\mu}g/kg$) and $0.58{\mu}g/kg$ (95% confidence intervals $0.51-0.67{\mu}g/kg$). There were no significant differences in cED50 (P = 0.21), recovery variables, or incidence of side effects between the two groups. Conclusions: Clinically optimal dose of dexmedetomidine was not affected to the age during sedation.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.24-34
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors influencing nurses' intention to care for COVID-19 patients based on the theory of planned behavior, and to test the moderating effect of perceived behavior control between attitude, subjective norms, and nurses' intention to care. Methods: The participants were 167 nurses working at two designated hospitals for infectious diseases located in J and C city, South Korea. Data were collected from October 10th to 25th, 2020, and analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The moderating effect was analyzed using the Process Macro model 1 (95% confidence interval, 10,000 bootstrapping), and a simple slope analysis was performed to identify the moderating effect of perceived behavior control. Results: The factors affecting nurses' intention to care for patients with COVID-19 were attitude toward the behavior (β=.32, p<.001) and perceived behavior control (β=.37, p<.001) in model 1, attitude toward the behavior (β=.28, p<.001) and perceived behavior control (β=.36, p<.001), and perspective taking (β=.26, p<.001) in model 2. The explanation power of this model was 65.0% (F=18.41, p<.001). The moderating effect of perceived behavioral control was statistically significant in the relationship between subjective norms and intention to care for patients with COVID-19 (F=16.37, p<.001). In the simple slope analysis, the reinforcement effect was greatest when the level of perceived behavioral control was at the mean (95% CI=0.46~0.67) and high (95% CI=0.70~1.08). Conclusion: Developing and applying a training program that enhances confidence and improves empathy is necessary to increase nurses' intention to care for COVID-19 patients.