• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1299-1305
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• 2010

Cardiac troponin-I (cTnI), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and C-reactive protein (CRP) are routine cardiac markers for the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. Recently, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has garnered attention as a marker of heart failure. This study was retrospectively designed to investigate the relationships between preoperative BNP, other cardiac markers levels and perioperative parameters in seventy-four adult patients that underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) and to assess its usefulness for predicting postoperative outcomes. Preoperative levels of BNP, cTnI, CK-MB, and CRP had significantly positive or negative correlations with echocadiographic parameters. There were significantly positive relationships between BNP, cTnI, CK-MB, and CRP concentration. Postoperative mechanical ventilation time had a positive correlation to preoperative levels of cTnI, CK-MB, and CRP, while ICU-staying period had a positive correlation with BNP, cTnI and CK-MB. These results reveal that a preoperative level of BNP is a good predictor and that its combination with cTnI, CK-MB, and CRP might be useful for diagnosis and comprehensive risk stratification of patients with coronary heart diseases, as well as prognosis of perioperative outcomes in OPCAB patients.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1458-1467
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• 2010

The present study was retrospectively designed to define whether preoperative levels of leukocytes and D-dimer are potentially useful factors in predicting perioperative outcomes of coronary heart disease (CHD). There was no relationship between preoperative leukocyte counts (Pre-OP leukocyte) and preoperative D-dimer levels (Pre-OP D-dimer). Pre-OP leukocyte counts each had positive correlation with cardiac troponin-I, creatine kinase-MB or C-reactive protein (cardiac markers) levels at preoperative and postoperative periods. Pre-OP D-dimer levels were positively associated with each cardiac marker at the same periods. Pre-OP leukocyte counts positively related with aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase (liver markers), whereas Pre-OP D-dimer level positively or negatively correlated with bilirubin (liver marker), creatinine (renal marker) or glucose levels at preoperative and/or postoperative periods. Pre-OP leukocyte and Pre-OP D-dimer were inversely associated with Pre-OP high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels or left ventricular ejection fraction. Pre-OP leukocyte counts each had positive correlation operation duration and postoperative mechanical ventilation-time (PMVT), whereas Pre-OP D-dimer levels had positive relationship with PMVT, intensive care unit-staying period and hospitalization. The retrospective data suggest that Pre-OP leukocyte and Pre-OP D-dimer levels may be clinically useful factors for predicting perioperative outcomes in patients with CHD.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.611-617
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• 2017

In this study, it was expected that long-term stability against external mechanical external force could be secured if the phosphor layer had ductility. In this study, a bendable $Gd_2O_2S:Tb$ sensitized paper was fabricated by screen printing method and the image uniformity was evaluated through RMS analysis and histogram analysis to investigate the effect of fatigue accumulation due to long-term external force and repetitive external force. As a result, the dominant pixel area is maintained constant and the relative standard deviation is less than 10% for the long-term external force. However, for the repetitive external force, the dominant pixel area is divided into three areas and the image uniformity is adversely affected. Based on these results, it is suggested that the curved surface detector can be applied by securing the mechanical stability against the existing radiation sensitized paper. However, further studies are needed to apply it to the flexible detector. As a result, flexible radiation sensitizers can be applied to various curved surfaces, and it is expected to be applicable to various fields such as nuclear medicine, medical treatment, and industrial fields in the future.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.174-182
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• 2001

This study was performed to find out the differences between noise levels of hospital wards and the nurses efforts for noise management in some general hospitals. The hospital wards selected were the intensive care unit(ICU), the emergency room(ER), the nursery room(NR), the internal medicine(IM), the general surgery(GS) among the 5 general hospitals located in Seoul. The data were collected from August 3 to September 13, 1999 through questionnaire survey and noise measurement in each nursing station of hospital wards. Data analysis was done by SPSS 8.0 package among the 305 questionnaires and 24 hours monitored noise levels. Frequency, Chi-square and ANOVA test were used. The study results were as belows: 1. The noise level measured by 24 hours monitoring survey were exceeded on the standard limit in all the hospital wards. Data also showed that noise levels were significantly different in each ward among the three shifts working duties. 2. The subjects were all female nurses. They were mostly working in the ICU ward(28.9%). They were 26~30 years old (43.9%), junior college graduates(57.0%), working for 1~5 years(55.1%) as staff-nurse(85.6%). There were no significant differences between hospital wards and general characteristics of nurses. 3. The noise levels perceived by nurses were regarded as 'Highly noisy'(56.4%), especially during the 11:30 and 15:30 (30.2%) o'clock. Data also showed that noise education was not ever given to nurses(89.9%). Nurses also responded that they hardly put an effort to reduce noise level(54.8%). However, there were significant differences between wards and noisy working time, experience of noise education and level of effort for noise reduction. 4. Nurses also perceived the ventilator alarm and EKG-alarm as the most disturbing sounds in the ICU, human voice and telephone ringing in the ER, human voice and EKG-alarming in the NR, human voices and telephone ringing in IM and GS both wards respectively in order. There were significant differences between hospital wards and noise making factors. 5. Nurses were shown that they regarded highly 'Sound reduction of the human voice', 'Careful handling on medical instruments', and 'Immediate appliances on alarming materials' as the practical method for noise management. There were significant differences between hospital wards and behavioral practical efforts for noise management. According to that results, the statistical differences were shown in the 24 hour monitored noise levels in each ward. Also, nurses perceived the noise severity differently and they approached variously on the practical efforts for noise reduction in each ward. Thus, author thinks that concrete and systematic endeavor will be necessary for noise reduction and management in hospitals for better working and healing environment for both of patients and staffs.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Korean advance directives (K-AD) by examining the degree of adults' acceptance and reliability of the directive itself. Methods: Survey was performed with 181 adults aged 20 or older who were recruited from three regions. A questionnaire used to examine the participants' acceptance of their K-AD in terms of visual analogue scale score of complexity, difficulty, necessity, satisfaction, recommendation. Then, a retest was carried out by asking participants to write up a K-AD again to confirm the reliability of the directives. Results: On a scale of 100, the average acceptance score was 70 or above, which represents rather high level of acceptance in all five categories. The test-retest reliability kappa values ranged from 0.592 to 0.950, and the conformity degree was moderate or high. Regarding K-AD components such as values, treatment preference, proxy appointment, differences among age groups were observed in each component. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that K-AD is a feasible instrument to analyze its acceptability and reliability for adult population. K-AD could be utilized to help people make their own decision on their end-of-life care. Further studies are needed to confirm this study results and promote widespread use of K-AD.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 2016

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common syndrome resulting in kidney damage and malfunction within a few days or even a few hours. The diagnosis of AKI depends on routine biochemical tests, including serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and electrolytes. Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a biomarker that shows correlation with the severity of acute infections and kidney injuries. The predictive value in other conventional assays for kidney functions has been reported to cause distraction for AKI syndrome. The aim of this study is to verify the predictive value of plasma NGAL in patients with established AKI. The NGAL kit for checkup demonstrates sensitivity of ${\geq}300$ (92.2%), ${\geq}200$ (95.6%), ${\geq}100$ (99.6%), specificity of ${\geq}300$ (95.1%), ${\geq}200$ (97.3%), ${\geq}100$ (99.4%), positive predictability of ${\geq}300$ (93.3%), ${\geq}200$ (93.4%), ${\geq}100$ (99.2%), and negative predictability of ${\geq}300$ (96.7%), ${\geq}200$ (97.7%), ${\geq}100$ (98.1%), respectively. The plasma NGAL compared with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been shown to be an early predictive biomarker of AKI. The NGAL kit, recently developed for point-of-care of plasma specimens, is thought to be a useful and reliable biomarker for the early diagnosis of decreased kidney functions.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.20-32
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop a feasible form of a Korean version of advance directives (K-AD). Methods: Sixteen adults participated in this study: 10 aged 20~50 years and nine aged 65 years or older. Using a draft version of the K-AD, cognitive interview was conducted on the participants to establish a culturally acceptable form of advance directives whose directions can be understood and responded accordingly by the general population. Results: Cognitive interviews revealed areas of concerns for the draft version of K-AD: lack of instructions or clarity for technical and medical terms, context complexity and inadequate response categories. The draft version was revised by rewording, offering examples and rearranging the context. Editorial style was added with appropriate uses of bold fonts, bullet-points and underlines to facilitate interviewees' cognitive responses. Conclusion: Study results feasibility of the revised version of the K-AD. Further study should be performed with a larger number of participants to develop a K-AD with an acceptable level of reliability and validity.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2170-2177
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• 2012

The ratio of index finger length to ring finger length(2D:4D) is an index of prenatal testosterone and/or estrogen exposure. The aim of this study is to investigate digit ratio and the type of gender-role orientation, to identify the correlation between 2D:4D and gender-role orientation in health and medical students. Participants were 120 male and 146 female university students majoring in health or medicine. After filling in KSRI(Korean Sex Role Inventory), 2nd and 4th finger lengths were measured on both hands using vernier callipers with photocopy. This study showed 2D:4D in the males was 0.95, and that in the females was 0.96 (p<0.01). 38.3% male students revealed androgyny, on the other hand, 35.6% female students revealed undifferentiated type from KSRI. And also, there was a significant difference in masculinity score between male and female but not in feminity score. There was no significant difference in 2D:4D according gender role orientation. The KSRI masculinity score was negatively related to 2D:4D of left hand in male (p<0.05). The results of this study suggest that a more masculine gender role orientation in males is associated with low 2D:4D revealing higher testosterone and/or lower estrogen level in utero. However, more research in 2D:4D ratio to Korean is needed for support of this result.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.186-191
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• 2012

The sodium hypochlorite is widely used in endodontic treatment. While it is effective solution for disinfection of root canal system, complications during canal irrigation are rarely reported, especially in primary teeth. This report demonstrates that sodium hypochlorite extruding through the root apex might cause severe complications. A 4-year-old female patient was referred from local dental clinic to the emergency room for the management of sudden facial swelling and pain during re-endodontic treatment of the maxillary primary central incisor using sodium hypochlorite. The patient was given systemic steroids, antihistamines, antibiotics and analgesics and the maxillary primary central incisor was extracted to prevent secondary infection. Swelling began to subside after 2 days. A negative result was obtained from skin patch test with sodium hypochlorite. Thorough care must be taken in primary teeth to prevent the inadvertent injection of sodium hypochlorite to periapical tissues during root canal irrigation. When adverse reaction occurs, proper management such as analgesia, cold compression and adequate medication should be done.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.58-72
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• 2001

A Cerebrovascular accident(CVA), or Stroke is a medical emergency that occurred when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or blocked. The stroke causes physical function disorder due to hemiparalysis and emotional disorder. Also the stroke patients experience helplessness, powerlessness, sense of alienation and loss of hope. These feelings make the rehabilitation difficult because they lose the will of life. The purpose of this study is to identify the correlation between perceived social support and hope of stroke survivors. The subjects for this study were 100 out-patients with stroke in one general hospital and oriental medicine hospital located in Mokpo. The data were analysed by frequency, t-test, ANOVA. Duncan test, Pearson's correlation, using the SPSS WIN 9.0 program. Data were collected from July 11 to September 9, 2000, using a structured questionnaire. The instruments used for this study : The social support scale developed by Park, Ji-won(1985) and the hope scale developed by Miller(1988). The results were as follows. 1. It was found that the higher the degree of perceived social support, the higher the degree of hope(r=.726, p=.000). Therefore hypothesis was supported. 2. The mean score of perceived social support was 77.8(SD=21.0) with a score range from 27.0 to 104.0. 3. The mean score of perceived hope was 117.0(SD=25.7) with a score range from 57.0 to 160.0. 4. The level of social support depending on general characteristics were significantly different in variables such as marital status(t=3.131, p=.010). degree of income satisfaction(F=16.027, p=.000). 5. The level of hope depending on general characteristics were significantly different in variables such as marital status(t=2.681, p=.040). current job(t=-2.055, p=.043) degree of income, satisfaction(F=11.363, p=.000). For these subjects, there was a significant relationship between social support and hope. The stroke survivors need social support to inspire their hope. Nurses should plan interventions to enhance social support for patients with stroke. The above results may be used as the basic data to seek more efficient way of elevating nursing practice and rehabilitation for the patients with stroke.