• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2009

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among korean woman. Therefore, the early detection activities of breast cancer such as breast self-examinations, clinical breast examinations, mammography are important. A yearly mammography examination has been recommended for women aged 40 and older for the early detection of breast cancer in asymptomatic periods. However, the glandular tissue of breast is the most radiation-sensitive tissue, and the determination of average glandular dose (AGD) forms an important part of the quality control of the mammographic systems. Because of the difficulty of estimating AGD directly, it is often estimated from the measurements of the incident air kerma and by applying the appropriate conversion factors. The primary objective of this study was to standardize the method of measuring AGD. The secondary objective was to evaluate the relationships between AGD per various composition and thickness of the breast using Monte Carlo simulations. As a result, we standardized the method of measuring AGD according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines (CoP: an international code of practice). Overall, AGD for mammographic practice in Korea was less than 3.0 mGy recommended by the Korea Food and Drug Adminstration (KFDA) protocol, and Korean Institute for Accreditation of Medical Image (KIAMI). The measured and simulated AGD for a given condition were calculated as 1.7 and 1.6 mGy, respectively. For the AGDs obtained, there was no significant difference between them. The simulated AGD was dependent on the fraction of glandular tissue of the breast. The AGD increases with increasing of the breast glandularity due to increasing absorption of low energy photons. The AGD also increases as a function of breast thickness. In conclusion, the results of this study could be used as a baseline to establish a reference level of radiation dose in mammography.

• Journal of forensic and investigative science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.11-30
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• 2006

The preliminary investigative activities by the police officer play a critical role in identifying the cause of death in unnatural death investigations. The failure to secure the crime scene leads to the destruction of significant evidence, which results in the difficulty or impossibility to identify the cause of death. In order to prevent this jeopardizing crucial evidence, and to identify the level of preliminary investigation on the scene, this research is conducted and analyzed with questionnaires of 300 police first responders and 100 detectives. As a result, it was disclosed that there is a possibility for first responders to fail to ensure scene security, scene observation, and canvass interviews. Besides, when medical personnel have no choice but to contaminate the crime scene in order to save lives, it is necessary for them to take photos and to take proper actions before they enter the scene. The importance of scene-control education cannot be emphasized enough in order to prevent media from entering and destroying the evidence. Through research of actual conditions of unnatural death cases which occurred in Kyongbook Province for last five years, the statistics regarding a few different types of death were analyzed as follows. Evidence that homicide, suicide, accidental death, and disaster deaths have increased year by year. Therefore, it is deemed necessary for the government to take multilateral policies to reduce them, and for police to reinforce their investigative skills. Further, the insufficient number of autopsy facilities and forensic pathologists, only 13% of the deceased (1,237 cases) have had an autopsy conducted to identify the cause of death for last five years. The other, 87.3% (8,496 cases) of the deceased, were handled through simple postmortem examination. The significance of this percentage is that there is still the possibility not revealing the cause of unjust deaths. Therefore, it is necessary to furnish police agency with the reasonable amount of funding for autopsies and maintaining enough forensic pathologists.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.441-447
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• 2023

Lead(Pb), which is currently mainly used for shielding purposes in the medical radiation, has excellent radiation shielding functions, but is continuously exposed to radiation directly or indirectly due to the harmfulness of lead itself to the human body and the inconvenience caused by its heavy weight. Research on shielding materials that are human-friendly, lightweight, and convenient to use that can block risks and replace lead is continuously being conducted. In this study, based on the commonly used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film and the fabric material used in actual radiation protective clothing, a multi-layer thin film was realized through sputtering and vacuum deposition of bismuth, tungsten, and tin, which are metal materials that can shield radiation. Thus, a shielding film was produced and its applicability as a radiation shielding material was evaluated. The radiation shielding film was manufactured by establishing the optimized conditions for each shielding material while controlling the applied voltage, roll driving speed, and gas supply amount to manufacture the shielding film. The adhesion between the parent material and the shielding metal thin film was confirmed by Cross-cut 100/100, and the stability of the thin film was confirmed through a hot water test for 1 hour to measure the change of the thin film over time. The shielding performance of the finally realized shielding film was measured by the Korea association for radiation application (KARA), and the test conditions (inverse wide beam, tube voltage 50 kV, half layer 1.828 mmAl) were set to obtain an attenuation ratio of 16.4 (initial value 0.300 mGy/s, measured value 0.018 mGy/s) and damping ratio 4.31 (initial value 0.300 mGy/s, measured value 0.069 mGy/s) were obtained. by securing process efficiency for future commercialization, light and shielding films and fabrics were used to lay the foundation for the application of films to radiation protective clothing or construction materials with shielding functions.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.12-24
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• 2024

The number of pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases worldwide are increasing compared to the early phase of the pandemic, along with highly transmissible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus variant and the increase in adult COVID-19 vaccination. We conducted a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of the COVID-19 vaccines and the observational retrospective studies on adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination in adolescents. Seventeen studies were finally included in this systematic review. Meta-analysis showed that although vaccination in adolescents was significantly effective to prevent COVID-19 infection in retrospective studies (risk ratio [RR], 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-0.37; I² =100%), however the effect of preventing COVID-19 infection was lower than in RCTs (RR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.27). In five retrospective studies, the pooled estimated proportion of participants with myocarditis and/or pericarditis was 2.33 per 100,000 of the population (95% CI, 0.97-5.61 per 100,000). Sub-group analysis with sex and vaccine doses showed that male (5.35 per 100,000) and the second dose (9.71 per 100,000) had significantly higher incidence of myocarditis and/or pericarditis than female (1.09 per 100,000) and the first dose (1.61 per 100,000), respectively. Our study showed that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in adolescent recipients were favorable and effective against COVID-19 in RCT as well as observational studies. The safety findings of BNT162b2 vaccine in adolescents were explored and we found the difference of safety according to sex and vaccine doses. The occurrence of adverse events after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination should be monitored.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2015

Radiation exposure from medical diagnostic imaging procedures to patients is one of the most significant interests in diagnostic x-ray system. A miniature x-ray intraoral tube was developed for the first time in the world which can be inserted into the mouth for imaging. Dose evaluation should be carried out in order to utilize such an imaging device for clinical use. In this study, dose evaluation of the new x-ray unit was performed by 1) using a custom made in vivo Pig phantom, 2) determining exposure condition for the clinical use, and 3) measuring patient dose of the new system. On the basis of DRLs (Diagnostic Reference Level) recommended by KDFA (Korea Food & Drug Administration), the ESD (Entrance Skin Dose) and DAP (Dose Area Product) measurements for the new x-ray imaging device were designed and measured. The maximum voltage and current of the x-ray tubes used in this study were 55 kVp, and 300 mA. The active area of the detector was $72{\times}72mm$ with pixel size of $48{\mu}m$. To obtain the operating condition of the new system, pig jaw phantom images showing major tooth-associated tissues, such as clown, pulp cavity were acquired at 1 frame/sec. Changing the beam currents 20 to $80{\mu}A$, x-ray images of 50 frames were obtained for one beam current with optimum x-ray exposure setting. Pig jaw phantom images were acquired from two commercial x-ray imaging units and compared to the new x-ray device: CS 2100, Carestream Dental LLC and EXARO, HIOSSEN, Inc. Their exposure conditions were 60 kV, 7 mA, and 60 kV, 2 mA, respectively. Comparing the new x-ray device and conventional x-ray imaging units, images of the new x-ray device around teeth and their neighboring tissues turn out to be better in spite of its small x-ray field size. ESD of the new x-ray device was measured 1.369 mGy on the beam condition for the best image quality, 0.051 mAs, which is much less than DRLs recommended by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and KDFA, both. Its dose distribution in the x-ray field size was observed to be uniform with standard deviation of 5~10 %. DAP of the new x-ray device was $82.4mGy*cm^2$ less than DRL established by KDFA even though its x-ray field size was small. This study shows that the new x-ray imaging device offers better in image quality and lower radiation dose compared to the conventional intraoral units. In additions, methods and know-how for studies in x-ray features could be accumulated from this work.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.383-397
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• 2000

This study of purpose was to define the relationship between the stress and climacteric symptoms of middle-aged women in order to provide basic data for the development of women's health care program as nursing intervention. The research tools used were a Soon-Young Park's stress questionnaire (4 points scale) and a self diagnostic MENSI scale (3 points scale) developed by a research team of Ill-Yang Pharmacy Co. This research was conducted in Korea in Muan-Gun. Chonnam province, from 22th November to 20th December 1999. The research used a survey design. Seven hundred eleven healthy middle-aged women, aged 40 to 64, and were a convenience sample by stratified ratio using the matching fixed residential and aging blocks. The data were analyzed by GLM. Pearson correlation coefficient and Scheffe test using SAS/ PC+. The results were summarized as follows : 1. The percentage of psychological stress with the following items was: fatigue and enervation, 70.0%; nervous, 61.8%; weakness, 58.5%; The percentage of physical stress with the following items were ; fatigue of eye. 82.3%; backache, 78.0%; headache, 73.8%. 2. The level of psychological stress was 40% of below average level (0-5 points), 31.7 of average level (6-12points), 20.8% of precaution level (13-19 points), and 7.5% of warning level (over 20points). The level of physical stress were 20.1% of below average level (0-5 points), 34.8 of average level (6-12 points), 29.4 of precaution level (13-19 points), and 15.7% of warning level (over 20 points). There were higher physical stress level than psychological stress level of the subjects. 3. The percentage of climacteric symptoms with the following items were : numbness, 75.3%; forgetfulness, 71.0%; pain of joints, 71.0%. The level of climacteric symptoms were 61.8% of mild level 1(10-15 points), 33.0% of moderate level (16-30 points), 5.2% of severe level (over 31 points). 4. There were high positive correlations significantly between the climacteric symptoms and the psychological stress (r=.564. P<0.000), and between the climacteric symptoms and the physical stress of the subjects(r=.678, P<0.000). 5. There were significant differences in the climacteric symptoms of the subjects among below average level, average level, precaution level, and warning level of the psychological stress (F=74.108. P<0.000. Scheffe test). 6. There were significant differences in the climacteric symptoms of the subjects among below average level, average level and precaution level, and warning level of the physical stress ((F=128.181, P<0.000, Scheffe test). In summary, climacteric symptoms complained by middle-aged women are high positive correlated to the level of the stress. Also climacteric symptoms were affected by stress.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.549-556
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• 1998

To survey the recognition of Community Based Rehabilitation(CBR) by Public Health Center(PHC) Physical Therapists in Seoul Province. This study analysed general characteristic of Physical Therapists and cognition, participation, education, problems and requirements for CBR. The subjects of this study were 31 therapists who work at PHC in Seoul Province and Seoul City Childerns Municipal Hospital. Data was collected for 18 days from April 13 to 31, 1998 and results computed from 25 responses. First, Female therapists outnumber males. The age category 30 to 35 old represented 44.0% of the total number studied. 48.0% of therapists had worked more than 7 years and therapists usually 84.0% worked from 3 to 4 years at the PHC. Junior colleage graduates were 72.0%, and respondents with family responsibility were 52.0%. Second, Recently pain control and therapeutic exercises has become the major requirement of patients at PHC(56.0%). If the offered expanded services, a rehabilitation programe at PHC(36.0%) was highly. When asked about a working guide book, nobody had one. Third, 64.0% of therapists were aware of the present level of CBR, 28.0% of them had gotten an information from newspaper and mass media. Fourth, For CBR, 72.0% had positive ideas in which they could participate. 56.0% wished to compose a team of various rehabilitation specialists. 52.0% wished for the meeting day to be flexible and 64.0% desired to meet once or twice a week. Fifth, Almost all(92.0%) desired more educational opportunity about CBR. Example, once or twice a year(48.0%) and training period of 4 to 7 day(44.0%). They wanted to learn theory and parctice together(88.0%) and 48.0% wanted national mutirehabilitation center as a educational managing organization. Sixth, The most important requirement for accomplishing CBR by Physical Therapists was job security and adequate number of therapists(48.0%). Required number of physical therapists in the PHC was 3(52.0%). The cooperative agency should be the distict govement(32.0%) and community welfare center of the disabled persons(32.0%). Factors inhibiting the execution of CBR were lack of physical therapists(56.0%), and equipments for pain control and for therapeutic exercises(68.0%).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5060-5065
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to report the incidence of drowning accident in order to prevent and decrease the accidents of drowning. Data were obtained on all accidents of drowning accidents occurred from January to December 2007 were identified by using the Emergency Activity Daily Report Data from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The age, weather, date, location, time and case of the drowning accident were examined. The Chi-square test was used to compare each group. All comparisons were made at the p<0.05 level of significance. The result show that the age of drowning accidents for victims aged 20-29 was 27.9%, and for victims aged 30-39 years, 18.7%. In reguard to the age group, drowning accidents during recreational aquatic activity was age 20-39; 51(44.8%). In reguard to the locations, the number of drowning accidents in a lake or reservoir during recreational aquatic activity was 62(53.4%). The number of drowning accidents in a lake or reservoir during etc was 51(58%). In reguard to the days, the number of drowning accidents on Saturday during recreational aquatic activity was 30(25.8%), on Sunday 32(27.6%). The weather of drowning accidents during recreational aquatic activity was sunny 60(51.8%), rainy 40(34.4%), cloudy 16(13.8%). The season of drowning accidents during recreational aquatic activity was summer 53(45.7%). In reguard to season, two groups are significantly different. Drowning is a leading cause of injury related accidents. Understanding the characteristics of drowning is the first step to developing prevention strategies that may be beneficial for people of all ages and under nearly all circumstances are increased swimming ability, lifeguard staffing, providing life jackets, and public education activities.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2018

This study analyzed status and demand of participation in lifelong education for 218 residents of low-income class according to National Basic Livelihood Security Act. The results of the study are as follows. First, among the statuses of participation in lifelong education, the abilities to study of the low-income class were reviewed. They showed 95.3% of foreign language ability, 66.1% of ICT utilization capacity and 75.7% of computer literacy ability. And the lifelong education participation rate of low-income people was 75.7% It was considered as passive participation in education. Voluntary participation was identified and analyzed. The the actual participation rate in lifelong education was very low at 22.9%. Social participation and awareness according to participation in lifelong education was 43.3% higher than that of respondents who had no participation experience. Especially, voluntary participants showed 73.3% higher than those who did not participate. Second, as a result of analyzing lifelong education of low income class, 74.8% of the respondents answered that there is wished education program. And 50.0% of them could not participate because they did not have enough time. The programs that they wanted to participate in were the programs that could help their real lives such as home life, health and medical courses, professional qualification obtaining process, etc. This indicates that the income level plays a significant role in participation in lifelong education. As a result of analyzing the results of this study above, Korean lifelong education is emphasized and the participation rate is increasing rapidly. However, participation of low-income class in lifelong education seems low.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.91-102
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study is to find out the possibility of application to herbal medicine's report form for adverse drug reaction (ADR) by reviewing and analyzing Asian countries's ADR report forms. Method : We investigated, compared, and analyzed ADR report forms (ADR-RF) of Asian countries's ADR institutions (ACAI), such as, Korea institute of drug safety & risk management and Dongguk university Ilsan oriental hospital (DUIOH) in Korea, national center for ADR monintoring (NCAM) in China, pharmaceuticals and medical devices agency (PMDA) in Japan, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in Taiwan, and drug office, department of health, the government of the Hong Kong special administrative region (GHKSAR) in Hong Kong. Results : ADR-RF for ACAI included common contents, such as, patients information (name(initial), gender, age, weight), adverse event (AE)'s report information (Recognition and report for AE occurrence, first or follow up report, Severe AE), the detailed information of AE (the title of AE, onset & closing date of AE symptoms, the progress & results detailed test of AE), the information of AE's medicine (the types of medicine, product name, ingredient name, suspected or combination drug, single dose & frequency, dosage form, administration route, dealing for AE-suspected medicine), and AE reporter's information (reporter's information, institution's information). Taiwan had ADR-RF and the department exclusively for herbal medicine (HM), but others (except DUIOH) had not only no ADR report form but also contents for HM. Conclusion : ADR-RF for HM have to include the common contents of ACAI at least, as well as HM information related to ADR, such as the title, composition and types of HM, history related to HM's ADR, and the contents of drug-induced liver injury and so on. In addition, the main department of government for HM's ADR will be needed.