• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.435-447
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• 2019

In order to prevent unnecessary re-admission, it is necessary to intensively manage the groups with high probability of re-admission. For this, it is necessary to develop a re-admission prediction model. Two - year discharge summary data of one university hospital were collected from 2016 to 2017 to develop a predictive model of re-admission. In this case, the re-admitted patients were defined as those who were discharged more than once during the study period. We conducted descriptive statistics and crosstab analysis to identify the characteristics of rehospitalized patients. The re-admission prediction model was developed using logistic regression, neural network, and decision tree. AUC (Area Under Curve) was used for model evaluation. The logistic regression model was selected as the final re-admission predictive model because the AUC was the best at 0.81. The main variables affecting the selected rehospitalization in the logistic regression model were Residental regions, Age, CCS, Charlson Index Score, Discharge Dept., Via ER, LOS, Operation, Sex, Total payment, and Insurance. The model developed in this study was limited to generalization because it was two years data of one hospital. It is necessary to develop a model that can collect and generalize long-term data from various hospitals in the future. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop a model that can predict the re-admission that was not planned.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.273-279
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• 2017

Curcumin have various health-beneficial properties in numerous studies. However, its bioavailability is low due to its limited intestinal uptake and rapid metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of newly developed sub-micron particle curcumin with increased water dispersibility (Theracurmin(R) CR-033P). Plasma curcumin levels were measured at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 h after Theracurmin(R) CR-033P intake using high-performance liquid chromatography. For analyzing pharmacokinetics of Theracurmin(R) CR-033P, eighteen healthy subjects were recruited and received Theracurmin(R) CR-033P at a single oral dose containing curcumin 30 mg. $C_{max}$ was 28.14 ng/ml, and the area under the curve for 8 h was estimated to be 104.36 ng/ml. Based on the area under the plasma concentration (AUC), the bioavailability of sub-micron particle curcumin was higher 22-, 35-, 28-fold than native curcumin in men, women, and all subjects, respectively. For comparing by formulation, seven healthy subjects were recruited and received two type of treatment: (1) existing dosage form 300 mg (contained curcumin 30 mg) ${\times}$ 3 capsule, (2) high dosage form 300 mg (contained curcumin 90 mg) ${\times}$ 1 capsule + placebo 300 mg ${\times}$ 2 capsule. In the cross-over study, there was no significant differences in $C_{max}$ and AUC of plasma curcumin. In conclusion, submicron particle curcumin with increased water dispersibility significantly improved its oral bioavailability and women absorbed curcumin more effectively than men. Different formulation of Theracurmin(R) CR-033P has shown equivalent to the reference in terms of pharmacokinetics.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.539-548
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• 2022

Objective : Although full-endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (Endo-LIF) has been tried as the latest alternative technique to minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interobody fusion (MIS-TLIF) since mid-2010, the evidence is still lacking. We compared the clinical outcome and safety of Endo-LIF to MIS-TLIF for lumbar degenerative disease. Methods : We systematically searched electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library to find literature comparing Endo-LIF to MIS-TLIF. The results retrieved were last updated on December 11, 2020. The perioperative outcome included the operation time, blood loss, complication, and hospital stay. The clinical outcomes included Visual analog scale (VAS) of low back pain and leg pain and Oswestry disability index (ODI), and the radiological outcome included pseudoarthosis rate with 12-month minimum follow-up. Results : Four retrospective observational studies and one prospective observational study comprising 423 patients (183 Endo-LIF and 241 MIS-TLIF) were included, and the pooled data analysis revealed low heterogeneity between studies in our review. Baseline characteristics including age and sex were not different between the two groups. Operation time was significantly longer in Endo-LIF (mean difference [MD], 23.220 minutes; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10.669-35.771; p=0.001). However, Endo-LIF resulted in less perioperative blood loss (MD, -144.710 mL; 95% CI, 247.941-41.478; p=0.023). Although VAS back pain at final (MD, -0.120; p=0.586), leg pain within 2 weeks (MD, 0.005; p=0.293), VAS leg pain at final (MD, 0.099; p=0.099), ODI at final (MD, 0.141; p=0.093) were not different, VAS back pain within 2 weeks was more favorable in the Endo-LIF (MD, -1.538; 95% CI, -2.044 to -1.032; p<0.001). On the other hand, no statistically significant group difference in complication rate (relative risk [RR], 0.709; p=0.774), hospital stay (MD, -2.399; p=0.151), and pseudoarthrosis rate (RR, 1.284; p=0.736) were found. Conclusion : Relative to MIS-TLIF, immediate outcomes were favorable in Endo-LIF in terms of blood loss and immediate VAS back pain, although complication rate, mid-term clinical outcomes, and fusion rate were not different. However, the challenges for Endo-LIF include longer operation time which means a difficult learning curve and limited surgical indication which means patient selection bias. Larger-scale, well-designed study with long-term follow-up and randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm and update the results of this systematic review.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.237-258
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• 2021

The purpose of this research was to empirically explore the association between exposure to news of the nth Room Case, indirect trauma, and beliefs about the world among adults in their 20s. A total of 228 adults in their 20s participated in an online survey designed to study the association above. Analysis using SPSS 25.0 showed that participants who were exposed to more related news immediately after the nth Room case was revealed experienced a higher level of indirect trauma. Furthermore, indirect trauma fully mediated the relationship between exposure to the news of the nth Room Case and beliefs about the world. This study empirically demonstrated the impact of news exposure on beliefs about the world through indirect trauma, suggesting that, like disasters, sex crimes can cause indirect trauma to third parties through the news. However, this study was limited to adults in their 20s, and most of the participants were women; therefore, future studies using samples representing demographically more diverse groups are needed. Future research could also examine the possibility of emotional contagion mediating or moderating the relationship between news exposure and indirect trauma.

• 한국노년학
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.371-392
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• 2007

Marital status has drawn much attention as previous studies have been pointed it out as a key factor of health. Nonetheless, systematic studies on elderly marital status and health have been quite limited, for most researches have neglected the varying effects of marital status on health over the lifespan and mainly focused on midlife. This study, using nationwide survey on elderly population, attempts to discover the health differentials between widowed and married elderly and explain the differences though the structure and function of their social network. The results reveal that the magnitudes of marital status effects were differed by dimensions of health. The widowed were more likely to be unhappy than married, even after controlling the socio-demographic characteristics. In physical health, however, the health differences between widowed and married were less noticeable or disappeared, as sex, age and other structure factors were considered. Furthermore, the strength of social network factors affecting the physical and mental health of elderly turned out to be different between married and widowed: widowed were more likely than married to be affected by the contact with children and less likely to be affected by contact with friends/relatives. Such results had both positive and negative impact on physical and mental health of widowed. This may imply the difference in pathways of regulating health among the married and widowed elderly.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.145-158
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• 2024

Purpose: Although smoking and alcohol consumption are known risk factors for gastric cancer (GC), studies assessing their effects on early-onset GC are limited. In this nationwide, population-based, prospective cohort study, we assessed the effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on early-onset GC in patients aged <50 years. Materials and Methods: We analyzed data of patients aged 20-39 years who underwent cancer and general health screening in the Korean National Health Screening Program between 2009 and 2012. We calculated the adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for GC incidence until December 2020. Results: We enrolled 6,793,699 individuals (men:women=4,077,292:2,716,407) in this cohort. The mean duration of follow-up was 9.4 years. During follow-up, 9,893 cases of GC (men:women=6,304:3,589) were reported. Compared with the aHRs (95% CI) of never-smokers, those of former and current-smokers were 1.121 (1.044-1.205) and 1.282 (1.212-1.355), respectively. Compared with the aHRs (95% CI) of non-consumers, those of low-moderate- and high-risk alcohol consumers were 1.095 (1.046-1.146) and 1.212 (1.113-1.321), respectively. GC risk was the highest in current-smokers and high-risk alcohol consumers (1.447 [1.297-1.615]). Interestingly, alcohol consumption and smoking additively increased the GC risk in men but not in women (P_interaction=0.002). Conclusion: Smoking and alcohol consumption are significant risk factors for early-onset GC in young Koreans. Further studies are needed to investigate sex-based impact of alcohol consumption and smoking on GC incidence in young individuals.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.138-148
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• 2022

Purpose This study evaluated the rates and annual trends of pediatric CT scans in South Korea using a nationwide population-based database. Materials and Methods Data regarding pediatric CT scan usage between 2012 and 2017 were retrieved from the health insurance review and assessment service. Data on the age, sex, diagnosis, and the anatomical area of involved patients were also extracted. Results A total of 576376 CT examinations were performed among 58527528 children aged below 18 years (9.8 scans/1000 children), and the number of CT examinations per 1000 children was noted to have increased by 23.2% from 9.0 in 2012 to 11.0 in 2017. Specifically, the number of CT examinations increased by 32.9% for the 6-12 years of age group (7.4/1000 to 9.8/1000) and by 34.0% for the 13-18 years of age group (11.4/1000 to 15.3/1000). Moreover, majority of the CT scans were limited to the head (39.1%), followed by the extremities (32.5%) and the abdomen (13.7%). Notably, the number of extremity CT scans increased by 83.6% (2.3/1000 to 4.2/1000), and its proportion as compared to other scans increased from 25.3% to 37.7%. Conclusion CT scans in the pediatric population increased continuously from 2012 to 2017 at an annual rate of 4.4%. Therefore, physicians should balance the benefits of CT with its potential harms from associated radiation exposure in pediatric patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2024

Purpose: Trauma is an important public health concern, and it is important to increase the survival rate of patients with trauma and enable them to return to society in a better condition. Initial treatment in the emergency department (ED) is closely associated with the prognosis of patients with trauma. However, studies regarding laboratory biomarker tests that can help predict the prognosis of trauma patients are limited. Presepsin is a novel biomarker of inflammation that can predict a poor prognosis in patients with sepsis. This study aimed to determine whether presepsin could be used as a prognostic indicator in patients with polytrauma. Methods: The study included patients with trauma who had visited a single regional ED from November 2021 to January 2023. Patients who had laboratory tests in the ED were included and analyzed retrospectively through chart review. Age, sex, injury mechanism, vital signs, surgery, the outcome of ED treatment (admission, discharge, transfer, or death), and trauma scores were analyzed. Results: Overall, 550 trauma patients were enrolled; 59.1% were men, and the median age was 64 years (interquartile range, 48.8-79.0 years). Patients in a hypotensive state (systolic blood pressure, <90 mmHg; n=39) had higher presepsin levels (1,061.5±2,522.7 pg/mL) than those in a nonhypotensive state (n=511, 545.7±688.4 pg/mL, P<0.001). Patients hospitalized after ED treatment had the highest presepsin levels (660.9 pg/mL), followed by those who died (652.0 pg/ mL), were transferred to other hospitals (514.9 pg/mL), and returned home (448.0 pg/mL, P=0.041). Conclusions: Serum presepsin levels were significantly higher in trauma patients in a hypotensive state than in those in a nonhypotensive state. Additionally, serum presepsin levels were the highest in hospitalized patients with trauma, followed by those who died, were transferred to other hospitals, and returned home.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.50.1-50.11
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• 2023

Background: The rise in telecommuting or non-face-to-face work owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has fueled conversations regarding the "right to disconnect." Although evidence suggests that receiving work-related communications through telecommunication devices outside of work hours may lead to various symptoms and illnesses, limited research has been undertaken on these symptoms. This study therefore aims to investigate the correlation between receiving work communications through telecommunication devices after work hours and the occurrence of work-related headaches and eyestrain in full-time, non-shift white-collar workers. Methods: This study used data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. The frequency of using telecommunication devices for work purposes outside of working hours was divided into five categories: "Every day," "Several times a week," "Several times a month," "Rarely," and "Never." Work-related headaches and eyestrain were categorized based on a "yes" or "no" response to the survey questions. Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0. Results: After adjusting for sex, age, income level, education, occupation, workplace size, work hours, and sleep disorders, the odds ratio (OR) of work-related headaches and eyestrain based on frequency of telecommunication device usage were as follows: "rarely" (OR: 1.292; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.111-1.503), "several times a month" (OR: 1.551; 95% CI: 1.249-1.926), "several times a week" (OR: 1.474; 95% CI: 1.217-1.784), and "every day" (OR: 1.548; 95% CI: 1.321-1.813). Conclusions: Employees who use telecommunication devices for work after regular hours are more susceptible to experiencing work-related headaches and eyestrain compared to those who do not. However, there is a dearth of research examining the physical and mental health impacts of using telecommunication devices for after-hours work. Furthermore, the existing preventative measures in Korea are insufficient. Consequently, it is imperative to develop effective measures and conduct additional research to address this issue.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.22.1-22.9
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• 2023

Background: Shift work increases the risk of chronic diseases, including metabolic diseases. However, studies on the relationship between shift work and renal function are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between shift work and a decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Methods: Data were evaluated for 1,324,930 workers who visited the Korean Medical Institute from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020 and underwent a health checkup. Daytime workers were randomly extracted at a ratio of 1:4 after matching for age and sex. In total, 18,190 workers aged over 40 years were included in the analyses; these included 3,638 shift workers and 14,552 daytime workers. Participants were categorized into the shift work group when they underwent a specific health checkup for night shift work or indicated that they were shift workers in the questionnaire. The odds ratio was calculated using a conditional logistic regression to investigate the relevance of shift work for changes in GFR. Results: 35 workers in the shift group and 54 in the daytime group exhibited an estimated GFR (eGFR) value of < 60 mL/min/1.73m² (p < 0.01). The difference in eGFR values between two checkups differed significantly depending on the type of work (p < 0.01); the difference in the shift work group (-9.64 mL/min/1.73 m²) was larger than that in the daytime work group (-7.45 mL/min/1.73 m²). The odds ratio for eGFR reduction to < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² in the shift group versus the daytime group was 4.07 (95% confidence interval: 2.54-6.52), which was statistically significant. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that eGFR decreases by a significantly larger value in shift workers than in daytime workers; thus, shift work could be a contributing factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Further prospective studies are necessary to validate this finding and identify measures to prevent CKD in shift workers.