• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.191-197
• /
• 2014

Background: Disabling fatigue is common in the working age population. It is essential that occupational health (OH) professionals are up-to-date with the management of fatigue in order to reduce the impact of fatigue on workplace productivity. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of one-day workshops on OH professionals' knowledge of fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and their confidence in diagnosing and managing these in a working population. Methods: Five interactive problem-based workshops were held in the United Kingdom. These workshops were developed and delivered by experts in the field. Questionnaires were self-administered immediately prior to, immediately after, and 4 months following each workshop. Questionnaires included measures of satisfaction, knowledge of fatigue and CFS, and confidence in diagnosing and managing fatigue. Open-ended questions were used to elicit feedback about the workshops. Results: General knowledge of fatigue increased significantly after training (with a 25% increase in the median score). Participants showed significantly higher levels of confidence in diagnosing and managing CFS (with a 62.5% increase in the median score), and high scores were maintained 4 months after the workshops. OH physicians scored higher on knowledge and confidence than nurses. Similarly, thematic analysis revealed that participants had increased knowledge and confidence after attending the workshops. Conclusion: Fatigue can lead to severe functional impairment with adverse workplace outcomes. One-day workshops can be effective in training OH professionals in how to diagnose and manage fatigue and CFS. Training may increase general knowledge of fatigue and confidence in fatigue management in an OH setting.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.78-83
• /
• 2021

Objective : Current study investigated the association between internet addiction and suicidal attempts in psychiatric patients. Methods : Patients who visited emergency department or psychiatry outpatient unit of Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2020 to July 2021 were included in this study. Total of 192 participants, 96 suicidal attempt cases and 96 psychiatric control patients without history of suicidal attempt were matched by gender and baseline diagnosis. Depression and internet addiction were assessed by using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Independent t-tests, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results : IAT scores were significantly higher in suicidal attempt case group (41.09±18.196 years) compared to psychiatric control patients without history of suicidal attempt (36.63±17.016 years) (p=0.040). Internet addiction (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]=2.049, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.004-4.539, p=0.0493) was an independent risk factor for suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients after controlling age, gender, and sociodemographic factors, such as marital status, education level and employment status. Conclusion : This is the first study to investigate the relationship between internet addiction and suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients in Korea. Internet addiction is significantly associated with suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients, after adjusting sociodemographic variables. This study provides evidence to future studies to further investigate on causality of internet addiction and suicidality in psychiatric patients.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.23-30
• /
• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the emotional characteristics of the Sasang constitution with the Core Seven Emotions Inventory (CSEI) and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Methods: A total of 224 participants were assessed with a Sasang Constitutional Analysis Tool (SCAT) for Sasang Constitution Diagnosis, and completed the Core Seven Emotions Inventory (CSEI) and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Results: 1. From the results of the CSEI, Soeumin showed a significantly higher fear (恐) score than the Soyangin. 2. From the results of the TCI, Soeumin showed a significantly higher harm avoidance (HA) score than Taeeumin and Soyangin. Moreover, the Soyangin showed a significantly higher reward dependence (RD) score than Taeeumin and Soeumin. 3. In the correlation tests of the CSEI sub-scales, there was negative correlation between joy (喜) and other emotions, which are thoughts (思), depression (憂), sorrow (悲) and fear (恐). There were positive correlations between the emotions except joy (喜). 4. In the correlation tests of the TCI sub-scales, there was negative correlation between HA and persistence (P), and HA and SD. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between RD and cooperativeness (C) and between P and self-directedness (SD). 5. In the correlation tests of the TCI and CSEI, joy (喜) showed a negative correlation with HA and a positive correlation with P and with SD. Anger (怒) showed a negative correlation with C and other emotions except joy (喜) showed a negative correlation with RD. Conclusions: The differences of psychological characteristics in Sasang Constitution were shown with CSEI and TCI from this study.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Information Technology
• /
• v.16 no.12
• /
• pp.31-40
• /
• 2018

We designed and implemented the attachable smart adapter for the general management of each company's agricultural machine regardless of whether it is equipped with a CAN (Controller Area Network) module. The smart adapter consists of a main board (Raspberry Pi3B), which operates agricultural machine's management software in Linux environment, and a self-developed interface board for power adjustment and status sensing. For the status monitoring, a sensing interface using a serial input was defined between the smart adapter and the sensors of the agricultural machine, and the state diagram of the agricultural machine was defined for diagnosis. We made a panel to simulate the sensors of the agricultural machine using the switch's on/off contact point, and confirmed the status monitoring and diagnostic functions by inputting each state of the farm machinery from the simulator panel.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.381-393
• /
• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between the use of humidifier disinfectant (HD) and bronchiolitis and allergic rhinitis diagnoses in Korean children. Methods: This study used data from the $8^{th}$ panel study on Korean children in 2015. Of these 2150 cases, 1598 cases were used for the final study. Diagnoses of bronchiolitis and allergic rhinitis by medical doctors were self-reported as outcome variables. Whether children had used HDs or not, the periods of using HDs were used as independent variables. Results: A total of 77.0% had used a humidifier, and the rate of HD usage among humidifier users was found to be 35.4%. When comparing 'children who had used HDs for less than 12 months' and 'children who had used HDs for more than 12 months' with 'children who had not used HDs', the adjusted odds ratio (OR)s for 'bronchiolitis' were 1.38 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.36-1.40) and 1.80 (95% CI, 1.71-1.89), respectively. When comparing 'children who had used HDs for less than 12 months' and 'children who had used HDs for more than 12 months' with 'children who had not used HDs', the adjusted ORs for 'allergic rhinitis' were 1.44 (95% CI, 1.42-1.46) and 1.43 (95% CI, 1.37-1.49), respectively. Conclusions: The period of using HDs was statistically significantly associated with increased odds of bronchiolitis and allergic rhinitis. The results of this study will provide a very useful scientific basis for establishing the environmental health policy and using the educational data related to the use of humidifier disinfectant in the future.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.183-192
• /
• 2021

Purpose : To investigate the degree of smartphone addiction among health-related college students, and to compare and analyze the effect of the degree of addiction on attention control and interpersonal support. Methods : 184 people who voluntarily participated and agreed to fill out the questionnaire were randomly sampled. The smartphone self-diagnosis scale was used to measure the degree of smartphone addiction, and the Attentional Control Questionnaire (ACQ) was used as a tool to measure the degree of attention control. In addition, the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) was used to measure the degree of interpersonal support. Results : In comparison of the degree of smartphone addiction according to the general characteristics of the subjects, there was no significant difference according to religion, major, and grade, but there was a significant difference in gender and daily use time of smartphones (p <.05). There was a significant difference in the degree of attention control according to the level of smartphone addiction (high risk, potential risk, general user group) (p <.05), but there was no significant difference in the degree of interpersonal support. Conclusion : The degree of smartphone addiction was relatively higher for women than for men, and users who used it for a long time per day were more addicted. It also showed that attention control was further reduced in highly addictive users.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.504-515
• /
• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition risk and malnutrition among the elderly is a public health concern. In combating this health-related problem, it is critically important to evaluate the risk factors in a multidimensional way and to apply appropriate nutrition intervention based on the results. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 215 elderly patients (32.6% male, 67.4% female) in a geriatric outpatient clinic of a hospital in Turkey. Nutritional questionnaires that incorporated the 24-h recall method were applied to determine general characteristics of patients, their health status, nutritional habits, and daily energy and nutrient intakes. Mini Nutritional Assessment was used to determine nutritional status. Relevant anthropometric measurements were obtained. RESULTS: The subjects' mean age was 76.1 ± 7.0 years, and the prevalence of malnutrition (n = 7) and risk of malnutrition (n = 53) among the 215 subjects was 3.2% and 24.7%, respectively. Patients with malnutrition or risk of malnutrition were found to be single, have a depression diagnosis, in an older age group, have less appetite, more tooth loss, have more frequent swallowing/chewing difficulty, and have more frequent meal skipping. In addition, mean daily energy, carbohydrate, fat, fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folates, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron intake, and water consumption were found to be statistically significantly low in subjects with malnutrition or risk of malnutrition. After performing regression analysis to determine confounding factors, malnutrition risk was significantly associated with marital status, loss of teeth, appetite status, and depression. CONCLUSIONS: Routine nutritional screening and assessment of the elderly should be performed. If nutritional deficiencies cannot be diagnosed early and treated, self-sufficiency in the elderly may deteriorate, resulting in increased institutionalization.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
• /
• v.24 no.9
• /
• pp.1144-1149
• /
• 2020

The magnetic valve of the breast tissue expander generates imaging artifacts during MRI examination, so MRI examination is limited. To evaluate the effect of imaging artifacts on the diagnosis area for patients with breast tissue expander who need MRI examination. Imaging artifacts were measured using self-made phantoms and actual clinical conditions. Imaging artifacts were measured differently depending on the environment of 1.5 Tesla and 3.0 Tesla, and the effects of imaging artifacts were less in the C-spine and L-spine tests. If MRI due to breast cancer metastasis is absolutely necessary, head & neck examination and L-spine can be examined mainly at 1.5 Tesla, but some sequences may cause distortion due to image artifacts. In terms of safety, MRI scans of patients with breast tissue expanders can be performed conditionally at 1.5T, avoiding 3.0T.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.1163-1191
• /
• 2009

As many critics do, this article starts from the premise that Charles Waddell Chesnutt wrote The Conjure Woman with a distinct socio-ethical view to ameliorating white readers' racism. For this purpose of social activism, first, the author uses a racially submissive genre and narrator- antebellum plantation-dialect fiction and an old ex-slave Julius-in order to win the attention of white racists, who constituted the majority of the reading public of postbellum America. Chesnutt then allows this seemingly submissive ex-slave consecutively to wage narrative battles against a Northern white capitalist, John. This fiction's structure is thus based on interracial narrative conflict. Granted, the result of these narrative battles is Julius's defeat. Even though he sometimes has narrative success through his manipulation of either his white female auditor's sentimentalism or the white capitalist's racial prejudice, it does not lead to any fundamental change in the white audience members' awareness: John still regards Julius's tacitly reformoriented tales merely as nonsensical ghost stories invented by the absurd imagination of a subservient, entertaining, and exploitable black coachman. Admitting his defeat, Julius relinquishes his original goal of deterring John's capitalist exploitation of both racial Others and the natural environment of the South and finally decides to serve the economic power of white capitalism. This self-defeating conclusion, however, should not be identified with Chesnutt's failure as an author. Rather, it should be understood as an interim result of the black author's earnest experiment with literary media best suited to his reform project. In fact, this narrative failure reveals Chesnutt's accurate diagnosis of the postbellum literary world: a black voice is still feebly heard and even easily buried by the whites' capitalist ambition and consequently intensifying racism. Conclusively, Julius's narrative failure should be positively evaluated as Chesnutt's one step further in his gradual and lifelong progress to a narrative goopher effectively to engage whites' imagination and sympathy for a vision of equal interracial coexistence.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.172-179
• /
• 2022

Unlike other processes such as washing, the ironing process in the laundry process is difficult to standardize and thus relies on manual labor. Unlike upper garments, pants have pleats at the waist as well as a crease line below the waist, Therefore, two separate ironing devices have been developed and used. However, in this method, problems such as additional worker input, space loss, and wrinkling of pants occur due to manual movement between processes, Consequently, a pants ironing device that combines the two equipments is required. The all-in-one pants ironing system described in this paper automatically sequentially irons the upper part and side of the pants regardless of the length, shape, and upper pleats of the pants. It also performs a self-diagnosis function while displaying the ironing progress on the user's monitor. As a result of this study, it became possible to double the amount of ironing and reduce power consumption by more than 20% compared to the case of using two independent equipment.