• Korean journal of aerospace and environmental medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.38-44
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of fatigue and its associated factors leading to the fatigue among Korean commercial airline pilots. Methods: An anonymous, web-based questionnaire collecting data on sleep related characteristics was completed by airline pilots. The final 1,029 samples of completed questionnaires were analyzed. The association of the risk factors with fatigue was determined using logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of fatigue was 60% (Fatigue Severity Scale index≥3.2), disturbed sleep 28% (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index≥9), daytime sleepiness 17% (Epworth Sleepiness Scale≥10), and sleep apnea (Berlin Questionnaire≥2) 11%. The fully adjusted logistic regression showed that quality of life (odds ratio [OR]=0.16, confidence interval [CI]=0.11-0.24), daytime sleepiness (OR=1.26, CI=1.18-1.34), sleep quality (OR=1.44, CI=1.29-1.61), mental workload (OR=1.10, CI=1.05-1.14), vigorous physical activity (OR=0.82, CI=0.72-0.92), late starts (OR=1.25, CI=1.06-1.46) and average weekly flying hours (OR=1.02, CI=1.00-1.03) were associated with higher levels of fatigue. Conclusion: Lower quality of life, disturbed sleep, more subjective sleepiness, shorter sleep duration, higher mental workload, less vigorous physical activity, frequent late starts, and longer flying hour were shown to be risk factors for fatigue in airline pilots. These findings should be taken into account in the development of sleep and fatigue countermeasures for airline pilots.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.305-310
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• 2023

Background In this modern era of science-based medicine, some people still accept folk remedies as an alternative form of medicine. However, misinformation and misuse of folk medicines can result in dangerous complications. Among the possible complications of folk remedy use, this study focused on the clinical characteristics of burns caused by folk remedies. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients who had been treated for burns caused by folk remedies from May 2015 to April 2022. Data were collected on patients' age and gender, type of folk remedy, reason for using the folk remedy, the severity of the burn, the number of wounds, lesion type, and type of treatment. Results We found 59 patients with burns due to folk remedies. Most were female (76.3%) and ≥ 60 years old (72.9%). The most common type of folk remedy was moxibustion (74.6%), followed by the use of glacial acetic acid (20.3%). The reasons for using folk remedies were arthralgia relief (39%), health improvement (18.6%), and treatment of tinea pedis (11.9%). Most patients had multiple wound sites and had burns that were considered severe, requiring surgical treatment (72.9%). The majority of lesions were on the lower extremity, including the foot. Conclusion This study described the risk of burns caused by folk remedies and the clinical characteristics of the wounds. The results emphasize the need for greater public awareness of the risk of burn injuries when using folk remedies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2023

In this study, we aimed to identify the important hazard factors and determine their criticality in causing serious accidents in vehicle-mounted mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs). Fuzzy failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA)was performed using accident data and a survey of experts. To determine the hazard factors, the accident data for the last 10 years were used and a questionnaire survey was designed. The questionnaire survey was sent to four experts in the field of occupational safety to determine the severity, occurrence, and detectability of serious accidents in MEWPs. Furthermore, objective RPN scores and risk priority were obtained using fuzzy FMEA. Finally, the criticality of hazard factors in descending order was found to be overloading, non-installation or defective installation of outriggers, breakage due to wire rope aging, and illegal remodeling of vehicle structures. The results were verified by comparing the occurrence data of serious disasters.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 2022

In 2019, coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which originated in Wuhan, has spread worldwide. In most people, COVID-19 symptoms are not severe. However, the mortality rate and severity were high in risk groups such as in older people and patients with underlying diseases. As patients with cancer are one of the risk groups, the vaccination for COVID-19 is emphasized in these patients. However, COVID-19 vaccines are not tested enough in special groups such as in patients with cancer because these vaccines are developed at an unprecedented speed. This causes confusion about whether patients undergoing chemotherapy should be vaccinated or not. In this study, international guidelines and studies were reviewed. Most of the studies recommended vaccination. No evidences of any negative effects for the efficacy or safety were recorded in patients undergoing cytotoxic, targeted, and immune agents. However, in critical conditions such as cytopenia, vaccination must be decided according to the patient's condition. COVID-19 vaccines were also recommended for patients on surgery or radiation therapy. If possible, vaccine is given before surgery to avoid confusion between surgical complications and side effects of the vaccine. The radiation recall phenomenon after vaccination has been reported in some cases of radiation therapy. Clinicians should consider these situations before vaccinating each patient. We hope that clearer guidelines will be established by accumulating verified data.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.518-539
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• 2024

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has emerged as a pivotal tool for diagnosing and risk-stratifying patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Recent advancements in image analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have enabled the comprehensive quantitative analysis of coronary atherosclerosis. Fully quantitative assessments of coronary stenosis and lumen attenuation have improved the accuracy of assessing stenosis severity and predicting hemodynamically significant lesions. In addition to stenosis evaluation, quantitative plaque analysis plays a crucial role in predicting and monitoring CAD progression. Studies have demonstrated that the quantitative assessment of plaque subtypes based on CT attenuation provides a nuanced understanding of plaque characteristics and their association with cardiovascular events. Quantitative analysis of serial CCTA scans offers a unique perspective on the impact of medical therapies on plaque modification. However, challenges such as time-intensive analyses and variability in software platforms still need to be addressed for broader clinical implementation. The paradigm of CCTA has shifted towards comprehensive quantitative plaque analysis facilitated by technological advancements. As these methods continue to evolve, their integration into routine clinical practice has the potential to enhance risk assessment and guide individualized patient management. This article reviews the evolving landscape of quantitative plaque analysis in CCTA and explores its applications and limitations.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.41
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• pp.49.1-49.8
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to review the clinical features of oromaxillofacial infections in patients presenting to a hospital emergency ward, to identify the key factors affecting the requirement for hospitalization, and the potential risk factors predisposing to a prolonged length of hospital stay. Methods: A retrospective medical record review of the 598 patients treated for oromaxillofacial infection from 2013 to 2017 at the oral and maxillofacial surgery department, Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital, was conducted. The following information was collected from each patient: sex, age, past medical history, site of infection, etiology, admission or outpatient care, level of C-reactive protein (mg/dL), fascial spaces involved, treatment method, and duration of hospitalization. Chi-squared tests were used to identify risk factors, which were further analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: A total of 606 patients were eligible for inclusion in the study, of which eight were excluded due to having incomplete charts; thus, 598 patients were included: 55% were male, mean patient age was 47.1 ± 19.9 years, and 12.9% of patients were diabetic. Furthermore, 71.2% of patients had infection originating in the mandible; the most common tooth of origin was lower posterior, and 29.8% of patients were hospitalized. Risk factors for hospital admission were elderly patients with concurrent disease, elevated C-reactive protein level, and multiple-space infection in the oromaxillofacial area. The duration of hospitalization was correlated with both diabetes and age. Conclusions: The requirement for hospital admission is determined by the severity of the infection; even severe infections, once treated with appropriate surgery, have no relation to the length of hospital stay. The important risk factors for increased duration of hospitalization are diabetes mellitus and older age. The understanding of risk factors associated with a prolonged hospital stay during the treatment of oromaxillofacial infection will aid in treatment planning as well as highlight the importance of adequate diabetes control in patients at risk of such infection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3903-3907
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• 2013

Background: Patients with colorectal cancer are usually treated with chemotherapy, which reduces the number of blood cells, especially white blood cells, and consequently increases the risk of infections. Some research studies have reported that aromatherapy massage affects the immune system and improves immune function by, for example, increasing the numbers of natural killer cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes. However, there has been no report of any study which provided good evidence as to whether aromatherapy with Thai massage could improve the immune system in patients with colorectal cancer. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the use of aromatherapy with light Thai massage in patients with colorectal cancer, who have received chemotherapy, can result in improvement of the cellular immunity and reduce the severity of the common symptoms of side effects. Materials and Methods: Sixty-six patients with colorectal cancer in Phichit Hospital, Thailand, were enrolled in a single-blind, randomised-controlled trial. The intervention consisted of three massage sessions with ginger and coconut oil over a 1-week period. The control group received standard supportive care only. Assessments were conducted at pre-assessment and at the end of one week of massage or standard care. Changes from pre-assessment to the end of treatment were measured in terms of white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, CD4 and CD8 cells and the CD4/CD8 ratio and also the severity of self-rated symptom scores. Results: The main finding was that after adjusting for pre-assessment values the mean lymphocyte count at the post-assessment was significantly higher (P=0.04) in the treatment group than in the controls. The size of this difference suggested that aromatherapy with Thai massage could boost lymphocyte numbers by 11%. The secondary outcomes were that at the post assessment the symptom severity scores for fatigue, presenting symptom, pain and stress were significantly lower in the massage group than in the standard care controls. Conclusions: Aromatherapy with light Thai massage can be beneficial for the immune systems of cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy by increasing the number of lymphocytes and can help to reduce the severity of common symptoms.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.239-244
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for injury prevention measures through the risk factors of injury occurrence by comprehending injury characteristics of the trauma patients visiting a regional emergency medical center according to distribution based on external causes and injury severity score. This study was analyzed using SPSS-Window(ver. 20.1) for 2585 trauma patients who visited a regional emergency medical center and the research period is for four months from 1st of September, 2019 to 31th of December, 2019. The following were the results of the research. First, it is shown from the analyzed data that the proportion of males (61.3%) is greater than that of females (38.7%) and the group aged from 20 to 50 had a significantly higher occurrence rate of injury but in terms of injury severity, 50 takes up the great proportion(P<.001). Second, roads and traffic areas (35.1%) were the highest in the place of occurrence of injury(P<.001). Third, the time of injury occurrence was as high as 12-18 hours(35.8%)(P<.001). Fourth, the injury part was highest in the head and face (55.4%)(P<.001). Fifth, the type of injury was higher in open wounds (31.2%)(P<.001). Therefore, it is required to establish detailed injury prevention policies according to the characteristics of injury severity.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2007

Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) is a disorder characterized by the repetitive collapse of the pharyngeal airway during sleep, which leads to oxygen desaturation, sleep fragmentation, daytime sleepiness, and increased risk for hypertension and stroke. We investigated the clinical factors related to the severity of OSAHS. Polysomnography was performed in three hundred and ninety five consecutive adult patients with clinical symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. All patients completed the sleep questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale before polysomnography. Patients were classified into four groups based on the severity of their polysomnographic data: Non-OSA group, characterized by Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) < 5; mild OSA group, by AHI 5-15; moderate OSA group, by AHI 16-30; and severe OSA group, by AHI > 30. Neck circumference was also measured at the cricothyroid level. A total of 395 patients (336 men and 59 women) were studied. In the non-OSA group, there were 55 patients; their mean neck circumference was $39.63{\pm}4.24cm$ and mean BMI was $24.48{\pm}3.53$. In the mild group, there were 101 patients; their mean neck circumference was $41.93{\pm}3.75cm$ and mean BMI was $25.33{\pm}2.94$. In the moderated group, there were 93 patients; their mean neck circumference was $43.27{\pm}3.50cm$ and BMI was $25.90{\pm}2.88$. In the severe group, there were 146 patients; their mean neck circumference was $44.94{\pm}3.93cm$ and mean BMI was $26.81{\pm}3.76$. Men had significantly larger neck circumference than women ($Mean{\pm}SD$, $43.72{\pm}3.83$ vs $39.17{\pm}4.30$, p < 0.001), and higher AHI than women ($29.12{\pm}22.65$ vs $14.63{\pm}14.11$, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that neck circumference was the most significant predictor of AHI. Neck circumference and BMI were positively correlated with the severity of OSAHS. The severity of OSAHS was greater in men than in women.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.3370-3377
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• 2015

FMECA(Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis) techniques to make quantitative evaluation of failure effects severity and criticality have been applied to systematic failure analysis for reliability improvement of train which should provide regular service and secure high level of safety as a mass transportation system. These FMECA techniques do not fully reflect the inherent train operation and maintenance circumstances because they are based on the FMECA standards devised for other industries such as automobile industry and FMECA standard dedicated to train industry has not been established yet. This paper analyzes FMECA standards for various industries, and suggests a FMECA technique dedicated to train industry which makes failure effect analysis and criticality analysis step by step and makes criticality analysis placing emphasis on the severity of the failure effect. The proposed technique is applied to FMECA of high-speed current breaker which is a core safety device of train using field failure data for 15 years of train maintenance. The FMECA results show that breakage of arc chute has the highest risk with 3rd severity class and 5th criticality class among all the components of high-speed circuit breaker. Damage and poor contact of electronic valve, and cylinder breakage with 3rd severity class and 4th criticality class are followed by. These results can be applied to improvement of design and maintenance process for high-speed circuit breaker of train.