• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.80-88
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• 2022

Background: Although it is known that inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use may increase the risk of respiratory infection, its influence on the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remains unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between ICS use and the positivity of SARS-CoV-2 infection among patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Methods: Nationwide data of 44,968 individuals with chronic respiratory diseases tested for SARS-CoV-2 until May 15, 2021 were obtained from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea. The positivity of SARS-CoV-2 infection was retrospectively analysed according to the prescription, type, and dose of ICS taken one year before SARS-CoV-2 test. Results: Among 44,968 individuals tested, 931 (2.1%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. A total of 7,019 patients (15.6%) were prescribed ICS one year prior to being tested for SARS-CoV-2. Low, medium, and high doses of ICS were prescribed in 7.5%, 1.6%, and 6.5% of total cases, respectively. Among types of ICS, budesonide, fluticasone, beclomethasone, and ciclesonide were prescribed in 3.7%, 8.9%, 2.3%, and 0.6% of total cases, respectively. A multivariate analysis showed no significant increase in infection with ICS use (odds ratio, 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-1.03). Moreover, there were no associations between the positivity of infection and the dose or type of ICS prescribed. Conclusion: Prior ICS use did not increase the positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, different doses or types of ICS did not affect this positivity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.248-259
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Adequate nutritional intake is essential for good health and well-being. We aimed to compare the nutrient intake from homemade meals, meals sourced externally ("eating out"), and meals from workplace foodservices, as well as the potential association between foodservices used and nutritional quality among adult Korean workers. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationwide cross-sectional survey on the health and nutritional status of the Korean population. Data from 6,845 workers aged 20-64 years were included. A survey on dietary behavior and nutrition was conducted using the 24-h dietary recall method. Nutritional quality was examined using the index of nutritional quality (INQ) score. Higher INQ scores reflected poorer nutritional quality, with insufficient intake of a higher number of nutrients. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify the association between the foodservices used and INQ scores after adjusting for other covariates. RESULTS: We found that foodservice users exhibited a higher 1-day intake of total energy and macronutrients (all P < 0.05) and lower INQ scores (P < 0.01) than non-users. The INQ scores for total daily meals decreased with the frequency of foodservice use (P < 0.01). A significant association was observed between the non-use of foodservices and INQ scores (β = 0.29, P < 0.01) after adjusting for other covariates. CONCLUSIONS: The use of workplace foodservices contributed to higher dietary nutritional quality among workers. This study highlights the importance of expanding the scope of workplace foodservices to promote higher nutritional quality and healthy dietary habits among workers.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.91-103
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• 2022

This study proposes a model for predicting contracted power using electric power data collected in real time from convenience stores nationwide. By optimizing the prediction model using machine learning, it will be possible to predict the contracted power required to renew the contract of the existing convenience store. Contracted power is predicted through the XGBoost regression model. For the learning of XGBoost model, the electric power data collected for 16 months through a real-time monitoring system for convenience stores nationwide were used. The hyperparameters of the XGBoost model were tuned using the GridesearchCV, and the main features of the prediction model were identified using the xgb.importance function. In addition, it was also confirmed whether the preprocessing method of missing values and outliers affects the prediction of reduced power. As a result of hyperparameter tuning, an optimal model with improved predictive performance was obtained. It was found that the features of power.2020.09, power.2021.02, area, and operating time had an effect on the prediction of contracted power. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the preprocessing policy of missing values and outliers did not affect the prediction result. The proposed XGBoost regression model showed high predictive performance for contract power. Even if the preprocessing method for missing values and outliers was changed, there was no significant difference in the prediction results through hyperparameters tuning.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.49-59
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• 2022

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to directly understand the health condition of residents of mental health sanatoriums nationwide, which has been difficult to ascertain in surveys conducted to date. The study presents specific measures for improving the health of these residents. Methods : A "physical examination questionnaire for residents of mental health sanatoriums" was developed to check the basic physical condition of residents, and 20 out of 59 mental health sanatoriums nationwide were randomly selected. Medical personnel visited the sanatoriums, interviewing and examining the residents in person. A total of 396 health surveys were completed. Results : Many of the residents were underweight but had abdominal obesity. It was confirmed that chronic diseases among the residents were not diagnosed early or were not properly managed. Among the subjective symptoms complained of by the residents, musculoskeletal symptoms were the most common. Oral examinations revealed a serious level of oral health problems among the residents, including dental caries and missing teeth. Basic physical examinations found health problems that required additional examination or medical treatment. Blood pressure abnormalities made up the highest percentage of the health problems. Conclusion : Regular health surveys are needed to determine the health condition of residents of mental health sanatoriums. Access to and quality of primary medical services within the sanatoriums need to be dramatically improved. A delivery system for severe diseases and emergency medical care in the sanatoriums should also be specifically presented. The residents should be notified upon admission and during their stay that they have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health. The issue of health rights should be addressed within a larger framework of reorganizing management plans for people in the community - not only residents - with chronic mental illness.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.3
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• pp.234-244
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• 2023

Background: Effective treatment of fluoroquinolone-resistant multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (FQr-MDR-TB) is difficult because of the limited number of available core anti-TB drugs and high rates of resistance to anti-TB drugs other than FQs. However, few studies have examined anti-TB drugs that are effective in treating patients with FQr-MDR-TB in a real-world setting. Methods: The impact of anti-TB drug use on treatment outcomes in patients with pulmonary FQr-MDR-TB was retrospectively evaluated using a nationwide integrated TB database (Korean Tuberculosis and Post-Tuberculosis). Data from 2011 to 2017 were included. Results: The study population consisted of 1,082 patients with FQr-MDR-TB. The overall treatment outcomes were as follows: treatment success (69.7%), death (13.7%), lost to follow-up or not evaluated (12.8%), and treatment failure (3.9%). On a propensity-score-matched multivariate logistic regression analysis, the use of bedaquiline (BDQ), linezolid (LZD), levofloxacin (LFX), cycloserine (CS), ethambutol (EMB), pyrazinamide, kanamycin (KM), prothionamide (PTO), and para-aminosalicylic acid against susceptible strains increased the treatment success rate (vs. unfavorable outcomes). The use of LFX, CS, EMB, and PTO against susceptible strains decreased the mortality (vs. treatment success). Conclusion: A therapeutic regimen guided by drug-susceptibility testing can improve the treatment of patients with pulmonary FQr-MDR-TB. In addition to core anti-TB drugs, such as BDQ and LZD, treatment of susceptible strains with later-generation FQs and KM may be beneficial for FQr-MDR-TB patients with limited treatment options.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.258-272
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• 2023

This study investigated the current status and educational needs of global health education (GHE) at medical schools in Korea. Among the 40 medical schools nationwide, 32 schools that agreed to participate in the study collected data through a survey in 2022, and the results were examined by frequency analysis and content analysis. In total, 87.5% of medical schools included global health-related graduation outcomes. In the curriculum, global health lessons within courses were present at 71.9% of medical schools. Regarding extracurricular activities, 66.7% and 63.0% of medical schools offered overseas clerkships and overseas volunteer work, respectively. Although there were not many medical schools with a global health-related educational environment, 96.9% of schools agreed with the necessity of GHE in medical education. The prevailing opinion was that it was appropriate to continuously cover GHE as lessons within courses throughout all years of the program in medical education. The main opinions regarding the improvement of GHE related to curriculum development, personnel expansion, and awareness improvement at medical schools. These findings are expected to serve as a basis for identifying the current status of GHE at Korean medical schools and specifying future directions of GHE.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2017

Most enrolled students arranging for the College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) prepare it through two types of mock tests during the year of the third grade. One type is Nationwide Coalition Scholastic Ability Evaluation(NCSAE) conducted four times by the city and provincial office of education, the other type is the CSAT June and September Mock Test administered by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation(KICE). However, these two types of tests are highly heterogeneous evaluations with many similarities. In this study, based on the analysis results of 2016 NCSAE grading statistics published by Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi provincial office of education and those of 2017 CSAT June and September Mock Test released by KICE, we analyzed the heterogeneity between two types of mock tests focused on the difficulty level. Based on this analysis, we examined mathematics section scores of 2016 NCSAE(March, April, July, October) and 2017 CSAT June and September Mock Test of 161 students in two high schools in Seoul and investigated the change of enrolled students grades according to the change of the test group. Through this, we sought to draw implications for the educational policy that should be accompanied necessarily in order to improve the item building system of the NCSAE.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.1014-1019
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• 2012

This study was conducted to evaluate the heavy metal contents of mudflat solar salt, salt water, and sea water produced in the nationwide salt pan. In mudflat solar salt, moisture contents were significantly different (p<0.001) between regions, ranging from 7.357% to 14.862%. Arsenic (As) content ranged from 0.007 ppm to 0.497 ppm, cadmium (Cd) from 0.000 ppm to 0.101 ppm, plumbum (Pb) from 0.000 ppm to 0.191 ppm, hydrargyrum (Hg) from 0.006 ppb to 0.180 ppb, and copper (Cu) from 0.039 ppm to 4.794 ppm between regions, which were significantly different (p<0.001). Further, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg contents of sea and salt water were not in excess of their criterion points. Our results suggest that heavy metal contents of mudflat solar salt, salt water, and sea water produced in the nationwide salt pan were at safe levels. However, continuous management of heavy metal contamination, such as PVC met, is still necessary.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.197-205
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• 2016

Rainfall-induced landslide disaster case histories are typically required to establish critical lines based on the decrease coefficient for judging the likelihood of slope collapse or failure; however, reliably setting critical lines is difficult because the number of nationwide disaster case histories is insufficient and not well distributed across the region. In this study, we propose a method for setting the critical area to judge the risk of slope collapse without disaster case history information. Past 10 years rainfall data based on decrease coefficient are plotted as points, and a reference line is established by connecting the outermost points. When realtime working rainfall cross the reference line, warning system is operating and this system can be utilized nationwide through setting of reference line for each AWS (Automatic Weather Station). Warnings were effectively predicted at 10 of the sites, and warnings could have been issued 30 min prior to the landslide movement at eight of the sites. These results indicate a reliability of about 67%. To more fully utilize this model, it is necessary to establish nationwide rainfall databases and conduct further studies to develop regional critical areas for landslide disaster prevention.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.10
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• pp.1460-1466
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasticizer pollution levels in mudflat solar salt, salt water and sea water of the nationwide saltpan. Also, it was analyzed the relationship between DEHP in solar salt and PVC mat following private period. DEP (ranging from 0.00 to 1.55 ppb), DIBP (0.00~2.38), DBP (0.00~4.90), DEHA (0.00~2.32), and BBP (0.00~1.45) in solar salt were shown a extremely low concentrations, and DEHP was present a concentrations ranging from 0.00 to 268.5 ppb in solar salt. Further, DMP, DPrP, DNPP, DNHP, and DCHP were not detected in all solar salt. Phthalate in sea water and salt water was present a infinitesimal amount levels. DEHP levels in sea water and salt water were not shown a high risk levels ranging from 0.00 to 3.4 ppb, and from 0.00 to 21.4 ppb, respectively. As expected in PVC mat of nationwide saltpan, the correlation between DEHP in solar salt and PVC mat private period showed a low positive correlation coefficient ($r^2$=0.0362).