• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.509-518
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and the prevalence of colorectal cancer in Korean adults. A cross sectional analysis was performed using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005 to 2014). Total number of subjects were 10,564 adults aged over 19 years. The results showed that individuals in the highest quartile of RHR had a significantly higher prevalence of colorectal cancer (Odds ratio (OR) 2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.34-3.85 to OR 3.00, 95%CI: 1.30-6.92) compared to those in the lowest quartile. Futhermore, every 10 beat per minutes (bpm) increase in RHR was associated with 27% (95%CI: 1.03-1.58) increased prevalence of colorectal cancer. In addition, after stratification by age and gender, the result showed that older people (>65 years) in the highest quartile of RHR had a significantly higher prevalence of colorectal cancer compared to those who were in the lowest quartile of RHR. (male OR 3.19, 95%CI: 1.10-9.24 to OR 3.38, 95%CI: 1.18-9.73; female OR 2.90, 95%CI: 1.13-7.42 to OR 5.59, 95%CI: 1.20-25.99). In this study, we examined the feasibility of RHR as a predictive factor of colorectal cancer prevalence. Moreover, we found that RHR was closely related to the prevalence of colorectal cancer in the age of over 65 years.

• Asia Marketing Journal
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.49-73
• /
• 2013

In this study, the author develops and tests a model that incorporates the mediating effects of two frontline employee psychological variables (emotional exhaustion and intrinsic motivation) based on job demand and resource model. As a form of environmental resource, person-organization fit was proposed as a leading factor of frontline employee boundary spanning behavior through emotional exhaustion and intrinsic motivation. All measures were adapted from or developed based on prior research. Data for the study were collected from a cross-sectional sample of retail bank employees in South Korea. Questionnaires were distributed to 500 frontline employees across several banks. Of these, 322 usable questionnaires were returned. To analyze the data, a structural equation model procedure using LISREL 8.5 was employed. Results show that an employee's perceived fit with his/her organization enhances intrinsic motivation and reduces emotional exhaustion. These mechanisms, in turn, increase the employee's boundary spanning behavior. These results support the notion that person-organization fit should be one of the factors affecting motivation, affect and attachment, and extends such an understanding to a purely service-based environment among customer contact employees. Results also confirms that P-O fit can be viewed as environmental resources, and the JD-R model provides a theoretical base in further studying the antecedent role of P-O fit on frontline employees's boundary spanning behavior through intrinsic motivation and emotional exhaustion. These results suggest that organizations have to do their best to manage P-O fit, be it through employee screening or training and workshops to try and align organization and employee values and objectives. If managers of organizations are positively evaluated by the employees, it will be easier for them to, give things of value to employees, such as sense of direction, values, and recognition, and receive other things in return such as esteem and responsiveness. Consequently, organizational leaders are not only able to manage employee experiences, but also their fit with the organization. Even if a manager cannot control employee P-O fit, this research suggests, that a focus on reducing emotional exhaustion rather than increasing intrinsic motivation seems optimal. This research also supports the idea that motivation has a direct association with a frontline employee's boundary spanning behavior. Even in situations where emotional exhaustion cannot be reduced, organizations may still influence frontline behaviors through motivation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.57-63
• /
• 2023

Recently, Heavy rains and super typhoons occurred by climate change cause a lot of damage in Korea. In order to reduce such damage, various types of river maintenance projects are being promoted, but it is difficult to maintain the balance of rivers in Korea with distinct flood and dry seasons. In particular, river structures installed as a river maintenance project cause various problems such as scouring of structures and their foundations during floods and river bed changes. In order to reduce such bed scour, various vanes are installed in the bend of the river, and various bed scour reduction effects appear depending on the size, arrangement, and shape of the vanes. The vane regenerates the secondary flow in the opposite direction to the secondary flow generated by the centrifugal force, thereby reducing scour around the outer bed and promoting deposition. The theory of this study uses the governing equation applying the continuity equation that satisfies the law of conservation of mass and the momentum equation that satisfies the conservation of momentum, and measures the overall average flow velocity change rate according to design factors to investigate the effect of vanes under various conditions. Both the average and cross-sectional flow velocities decreased in both the trapezoidal vane and the square vane. In addition, vanes installed perpendicularly or inclined to the direction of river flow generate a secondary flow in the opposite direction to the secondary flow generated by centrifugal force, thereby canceling the secondary flow of centrifugal force, so the effect of the vane appears.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.735-747
• /
• 2023

In recent times, the sharp increase in extreme flood damages due to climate change has posed a challenge to effectively address flood-related issues solely relying on conventional flood management infrastructure. In response to this problem, this study aims to consider the effectiveness of nature-based flood management approaches, specifically levee retreat and relocation. To achieve this, we utilized a 1D numerical model, HEC-RAS, to analyze the flood reduction effects concerning floodwater levels, flow velocities, and time-dependent responses to a 100-year frequency flood event. The analysis results revealed that the effect of creating a flood buffer zone of the nature-based solution extends from upstream to downstream, reducing flood water levels by up to 30 cm. The selection of the flow roughness coefficient in consideration of the nature-based flood buffer space creation characteristics should be based on precise criteria and scientific evidence because it is sensitive to the flood control effect analysis results. Notably, floodwater levels increased in some expanded floodplain sections, and the reduction in flow velocities varied depending on the ratio of the expanded cross-sectional area. In conclusion, levee retreat and floodplain expansion are viable nature-based alternatives for effective flood management. However, a comprehensive design approach is essential considering flood control effects, flow velocity reduction, and the timing of peak water levels. This study offers insights into addressing the challenges of climate-induced extreme flooding and advancing flood management strategies.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.467-474
• /
• 2023

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious public health issue that places a heavy financial, social, and health-related burden on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is extensively used for monitoring the general population's health conditions and measuring the effectiveness of interventions. Therefore, this study investigated HRQoL and associated factors among patients with type 2 DM at a primary healthcare center in Indonesia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Klaten District, Central Java, Indonesia, from May 2019 to July 2019. In total, 260 patients with DM registered with National Health Insurance were interviewed. HRQoL was measured with the EuroQol Group's validated Bahasa Indonesia version of the EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) with the Indonesian value set. Multivariate regression models were used to identify factors influencing HRQoL. Results: Data from 24 patients were excluded due to incomplete information. Most participants were men (60.6%), were aged above 50 years (91.5%), had less than a senior high school education (75.0%), and were unemployed (85.6%). The most frequent health problems were reported for the pain/discomfort dimension (64.0%) followed by anxiety (28.4%), mobility (17.8%), usual activities (10.6%), and self-care (6.8%). The average EuroQoL 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) index score was 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 to 0.88). In the multivariate ordinal regression model, a higher education level (coefficient, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.14) was a significant predictor of the EQ-5D-5L utility score. Conclusions: Patients with diabetes had poorer EQ-5D-5L utility values than the general population. DM patients experienced pain/discomfort and anxiety. There was a substantial positive relationship between education level and HRQoL.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.36 no.6
• /
• pp.435-440
• /
• 2023

This study aimed to enhance the thermal conductivity of B₄C/Al composite materials, commonly used in transport/storage containers for spent nuclear fuel, by incorporating both boron carbide (B₄C) and cubic boron nitride(cBN) as reinforcing agents in an aluminum (Al) matrix. The composite materials were successfully manufactured through a stir casting process and practical neutron-absorbing materials were obtained by rolling the fabricated composite ingot. The evaluation of the thermal conductivity of the fabricated composites was carried out because thermal conductivity is critical for neutron absorbing materials. The thermal conductivity measurement results indicated an approximately 3% increase in thermal conductivity under the same volume fraction when compared to composite materials using only B₄C particles. Through neutron absorption cross-sectional area calculations, it was confirmed that the neutron absorption capability decreased to a negligible level. Based on the findings of this study, new design approaches for neutron absorption materials are proposed, contributing to the development of high-performance transport/storage containers.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.624-633
• /
• 2021

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of CT measurements of muscle quantity and quality using variable CT parameters. Materials and Methods: A phantom, simulating the L2-4 vertebral levels, was used for this study. CT images were repeatedly acquired with modulation of tube voltage, tube current, slice thickness, and the image reconstruction algorithm. Reference standard muscle compartments were obtained from the reference maps of the phantom. Cross-sectional area based on the Hounsfield unit (HU) thresholds of muscle and its components, and the mean density of the reference standard muscle compartment, were used to measure the muscle quantity and quality using different CT protocols. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) were calculated in the images acquired with different settings. Results: The skeletal muscle area (threshold, -29 to 150 HU) was constant, regardless of the protocol, occupying at least 91.7% of the reference standard muscle compartment. Conversely, normal attenuation muscle area (30-150 HU) was not constant in the different protocols, varying between 59.7% and 81.7% of the reference standard muscle compartment. The mean density was lower than the target density stated by the manufacturer (45 HU) in all cases (range, 39.0-44.9 HU). The SNR decreased with low tube voltage, low tube current, and in sections with thin slices, whereas it increased when the iterative reconstruction algorithm was used. Conclusion: Measurement of muscle quantity using HU threshold was reliable, regardless of the CT protocol used. Conversely, the measurement of muscle quality using the mean density and narrow HU thresholds were inconsistent and inaccurate across different CT protocols. Therefore, further studies are warranted in future to determine the optimal CT protocols for reliable measurements of muscle quality.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.158-167
• /
• 2024

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of vertebral fracture (VF) in children with chronic liver disease (CLD) with and without liver transplantation (LT) and to determine the associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Patients aged 3-21 years with CLD both before and after LT were enrolled in the study. Lateral thoracolumbar spine radiographs were obtained and assessed for VF using Mäkitie's method. Clinical and biochemical data were collected. Results: We enrolled 147 patients (80 females; median age 8.8 years [interquartile range 6.0-11.8]; 110 [74.8%] in the LT group and 37 [25.2%] in the non-LT group). VF was identified in 21 patients (14.3%): 17/110 (15.5%) in the LT group and 4/37 (10.8%) in the non-LT group (p=0.54). Back pain was noted in only three patients with VF. In the univariate analysis, a height z-score below -2.0 (p=0.010), pre-LT hepatopulmonary syndrome (p=0.014), elevated serum direct and total bilirubin levels (p=0.037 and p=0.049, respectively), and vitamin D deficiency at 1-year post-LT (p=0.048) were associated with VF in the LT group. In multivariate analysis, height z-score below -2.0 was the only significant associated factor (odds ratio, 5.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.49-23.76; p=0.012) for VF. All VFs in the non-LT group were reported in males. Conclusion: In children with CLD, VF is common before and after LT. Most patients with VF are asymptomatic. Screening for VF should be considered in patients with a height z-score below -2.0 after LT.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• /
• v.35
• /
• pp.50.1-50.11
• /
• 2023

Background: The rise in telecommuting or non-face-to-face work owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has fueled conversations regarding the "right to disconnect." Although evidence suggests that receiving work-related communications through telecommunication devices outside of work hours may lead to various symptoms and illnesses, limited research has been undertaken on these symptoms. This study therefore aims to investigate the correlation between receiving work communications through telecommunication devices after work hours and the occurrence of work-related headaches and eyestrain in full-time, non-shift white-collar workers. Methods: This study used data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. The frequency of using telecommunication devices for work purposes outside of working hours was divided into five categories: "Every day," "Several times a week," "Several times a month," "Rarely," and "Never." Work-related headaches and eyestrain were categorized based on a "yes" or "no" response to the survey questions. Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0. Results: After adjusting for sex, age, income level, education, occupation, workplace size, work hours, and sleep disorders, the odds ratio (OR) of work-related headaches and eyestrain based on frequency of telecommunication device usage were as follows: "rarely" (OR: 1.292; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.111-1.503), "several times a month" (OR: 1.551; 95% CI: 1.249-1.926), "several times a week" (OR: 1.474; 95% CI: 1.217-1.784), and "every day" (OR: 1.548; 95% CI: 1.321-1.813). Conclusions: Employees who use telecommunication devices for work after regular hours are more susceptible to experiencing work-related headaches and eyestrain compared to those who do not. However, there is a dearth of research examining the physical and mental health impacts of using telecommunication devices for after-hours work. Furthermore, the existing preventative measures in Korea are insufficient. Consequently, it is imperative to develop effective measures and conduct additional research to address this issue.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.380-387
• /
• 2023

Backgrounds/Aims: In 2019, the grading and staging system for neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) was significantly changed. In this study, we report the clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcomes of patients with extrahepatic biliary NENs who underwent curative resection with or without adjuvant treatment. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a database of 16 patients who developed NENs, neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), and mixed endocrine non-endocrine neoplasms (MiNENs) after curative resection. Among them, eight patients had ampulla of Vater (AoV) tumors, and eight patients had non-AoV tumors. Results: G1 and G2 were more frequently observed in the AoV group than in the non-AoV group (12.5% and 62.5%, respectively). In contrast, NEC and MiNEN were more common in the non-AoV group (50.0%). High Ki-67 index (> 20%) and perineural invasion (PNI) were more frequently observed in the non-AoV group. Advanced age (> 65 years), mitotic count > 20 per 2 mm², and Ki-67 index > 20% were strongly correlated with patient survival (p = 0.018, 0.009, and 0.044, respectively). Advanced age (> 65 years) and mitotic count > 20 per 2 mm² were significantly correlated with disease recurrence (p = 0.033 and 0.010, respectively). Conclusions: AoV and non-AoV tumors had significant differences in the histologic grade, Ki67, and PNI. Patients with non-AoV tumors had an increased risk for survival and recurrence than those in the AoV group. For extrahepatic biliary NENs, early detection of tumors, adequate surgery, and aggressive adjuvant treatment for high-risk patients are important to achieve long-term survival and prevent disease recurrence.