• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.67-75
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• 2019

Background: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is an involuntary leakage of urine from the urethra when intra-abdominal pressure increases, such as from sneezing, coughing, or physical exertion. It is caused by insufficient strength of the pelvic floor and sphincter muscles, resulting from vaginal delivery, obesity, hard physical work, or aging. The pelvic floor electrical stimulator is a conservative treatment generally used to relieve the symptoms of urinary incontinence. it recommended to applied before surgery is performed. Objects: The purpose of this study was to determine if the transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TCES) would be effective for the physiological symptoms and psychological satisfaction of women with SUI for an 8-weeks intervention. Methods: Easy-K is a specially designed user-friendly TCES. Five female who were diagnosed with SUI by a gynecologist but who did not require surgical intervention were included in this study. Intervention was implemented over an 8-week period. Outcome measures included vaginal ultrasonography, Levator ani muscle (LAM) contraction strength, incontinence quality of life (I-QOL), and female sexual function index (FSFI) questionnaires. Results: The bladder neck position significantly decreased across assessment time. Funneling index and urethral width significantly decreased after 8 weeks of intervention (p<.05). The bladder necksymphyseal distance and posterior rhabdosphincter thickness statistically increased and the anterior rhabdosphincter thickness showed a tendency to increase. All participants demonstrated a significant increase in the LAM contraction score across three assessment times (p<.05). Although the total score of the I-QOL did not show significant improvement, it steadily increased and among I-QOL subscales, only the "avoidance" subscale showed statistical improvements (p<.05). The total score of the FSFI statistically improved and the "desire" score significantly changed (p<.05). Conclusion: The TCES is recommended for women who want to apply conservative treatments before surgery and who have suffered from SUI in aspects of sexual function and quality of life.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.137-144
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the perception of dying with dignity and the quality of life based on the opinions of the Korean populations. The participants were selected using a stratified proportional allocation method and 1,000 adults aged between 19 and 74 years from 17 municipalities and provinces in Korea. The questionnaire consisted of 2 demographic items; 26 items on the quality of life scale; and 57 items on the perception of dying with dignity. The statistical methods used included frequency analyses, independent sample t-tests, and correlation analyses. The results showed that the quality of life was highest for the social life quality item, and that the participants who had experienced a death in the family were more likely to have statistically lower quality of life in physical, psychological, environmental, and social areas. In terms of the participants' perception on dying with dignity, the score for death preparation was the highest; specifically, the score for psychological/economic burden reduction was the highest. The quality of life of the participants showed a positive correlation in all aspects of the perception of dying with dignity: physical symptoms and control, death preparation, death environment, family and social relations, hospital treatment, psychological dignity, and spirituality. Other studies conducted with middle-aged populations showed that their quality of life was higher when they perceived the acceptance of death is important and were willing to participate in death preparation education. Therefore, in order to improve the quality of life and have a positive influence on the participants, educational programs on death preparation and dying with dignity considering all the areas of the perception of dying with dignity should be provided.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.56 no.12
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• pp.695-706
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the ratio of 4 root canals and the incidence of Radix Entomolaris in mandibular first molars and find out anatomical difference according to number of roots by analysis of cone-beam CT images in a Korean population. Materials and Methods: Total 142 images containing mandibular first molars were selected from CBCT images taken from 2013 to 2017 at Gangneung-Wonju National University Dental Hospital. After reconstructing the image with reference to the Cemento-enamel junction, the root canals were detected at the bottom of the pulpal floor and the number of roots and root canals were analyzed. Various lengths and MLO-DLO-DBO angle were measured between each canal orifices and the external contour line of the tooth, and the distolingual canal wall thickness was measured. Student t-test was used for statistical significance. Results: Among the total 142 teeth, 4 canals were 42.2% and Radix Entomolaris was 25.3%. As the results of measuring various lengths and the angle, the distolingual canal orifice in Group 2(with Radix Entomolaris) tends to deviate to the lingual side than the mesiolingual canal orifice and to the mesial side than the distobuccal canal orifice. Besides, thickness of the distolingual canal wall in Group 2(with Radix Entomolaris) was significantly thinner than that of Group 1 at every level except pulpal floor level. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider the difference according to the presence of Radix Entomolaris in endodontic treatment.

• Journal of Rheumatic Diseases
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.227-235
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• 2017

Objective. Failure of first-line anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents in in rheumatoid arthritis patients leads to decisions among second-line biologic agents. To better inform these decisions, the therapeutic effectiveness of rituximab is compared with other second-line biologic agents in this observational study. Methods. Between November 2011 and December 2014, study subjects were observed for 12 month periods. Patients with an inadequate response to initial anti-TNF agent received either rituximab or alternative anti-TNF agents (adalimumab/etanercept/infliximab) based on the preference of patients and physicians. The efficacy end point of this study was the change in 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28) at six and 12 months from baseline. Safety data were also collected. Results. Ninety patients were enrolled in the study. DAS28 at six months did not change significantly whether the patients were treated with rituximab or alternative anti-TNF agents in intention-to-treat analysis (n=34, $-1.63{\pm}0.30$ vs. n=31, $-2.05{\pm}0.34$) and standard population set analysis (n=31, $-1.51{\pm}0.29$ vs. n=24, $-2.21{\pm}0.34$). Similarly, the change in DAS28 at 12 months did not reach statistical significance ($-1.82{\pm}0.35$ in the rituximab vs. $-2.34{\pm}0.44$ in the alternative anti-TNF agents, p=0.2390). Furthermore, the incidences of adverse events were similar between two groups (23.5% for rituximab group vs. 25.8% for alternative anti-TNF agents group, p=0.7851). Conclusion. Despite the limitations of our study, switching to rituximab or alternative anti-TNF agents after failure of the initial TNF antagonist showed no significant therapeutic difference in DAS28 reduction.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.283-289
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of mid frequency electrical stimulation during squat exercise on the muscle activity and muscle activity ratio of vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis, and to prepare scientific basic data for exercise intervention using mid frequency electrical stimulation. Methods : This study was conducted with students from University C located in Busan, and among a total of 123 subjects, 12 subjects who complained of knee joint dysfunction between 80 and 90 points using the Kujala patellofemoral score (KPS) were used. All subjects participated in the experiment for 3 days, and MVIC values were measured for normalization of muscle activity values on the first day. For the two days, participants participated in the experiment and performed squat exercise or squat exercise receiving mid-frequency electrical stimulation in random order. Measurements were taken in the squat position immediately after the squat exercise, and muscle activities of vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis were measured. The measured data were compared through the dependent t test, and the statistical significance level was set to .05. Results : According to the results of this study, in the case of applying mid-frequency electrical stimulation together in the ratio of vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis muscle activity during squat exercise, higher values were observed compared to the case of not applying mid-frequency electrical stimulation together, and statistically significant. Also, when mid-frequency electrical stimulation was applied to both vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis activities during the squat exercise, higher values were shown compared to the case where the mid-frequency electrical stimulation was not applied together, but there was no statistically significant difference. Conclusion : The results of this study reported that mid-frequency electrical stimulation provided to vastus medialis oblique increased the muscle activity ratio of vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis. Therefore, the improvement of coordination due to the enhancement of the activity of vastus medialis oblique through mid-frequency electrical stimulation will be more helpful in the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome patient. In addition, it is hoped that the electrical stimulation method applied to exercise will be widely used.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.456-468
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• 2020

This exploratory study, related to the introduction of Western-style family doctors, was conducted based on a comparative survey of medical care satisfaction in foreign residents of the U.S. and Canada based on a consumer-centered perspective. As a result of statistical analysis based on 493 collections of empirical data from 2016 to 2018, the main conclusions of this study are as follows. First, there was no evidence that satisfaction with US and Canadian family doctors was higher than the satisfaction with Korean primary care physicians. Second, satisfaction with Korean primary care physicians was high with regard to treatment, promptness, etc., and there was no evidence that foreign family doctor systems were better in terms of sufficient counseling and explanation. Third, overseas Koreans in the United States showed less satisfaction with their family doctors than Koreans in Canada. Fourth, overseas Koreans preferred to visit a hospital directly, without a referral from the family doctor. In conclusion, there is insufficient evidence showing that satisfaction with family doctors in the U.S. and Canada is higher than satisfaction with primary care doctors in Korea. Therefore, a more in-depth, additional analysis on the Western-style family doctor is needed before introducing such a system in Korea.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2022

Background: Postoperative analgesia (POA) is an important determinant of successful treatment. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has recently gained attention as a promising adjuvant to local anesthetics (LA). The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of levobupivacaine (LB) as an adjuvant during inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in the extraction of lower impacted third molars (LITM). Methods: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blind, parallel-arm, and clinical study was performed on 50 systemically healthy participants who required removal of an asymptomatic LITM. Using a 1:1 distribution, the participants were randomized into two groups (n = 25). Group L (control group) received 1.8 mL of 0.5% LB and 0.2 mL normal saline (placebo) and Group D (study group) received a blend of 1.8 mL of 0.5% LB and 0.2 mL (20 ㎍) DEX. The primary outcome variable was the duration of POA and hemodynamic stability, and the secondary variable was the total number of analgesics required postoperatively for up to 72 h. The participants were requested to record the time of rescue analgesic use and the total number of rescue analgesics taken. The area under the curve was plotted for the total number of analgesics administered. The pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale. Data analysis was performed using paired students and unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, and receiver operating characteristic analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The latency, profoundness of anesthesia, and duration of POA were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The differences between mean pain scores at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h were found to be significant (each P = 0.0001). Fewer analgesics were required by participants in group D (2.12 ± 0.33) than in L (4.04 ± 0.67), with a significant difference (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Perineurally administered LA with DEX is a safe, effective, and therapeutic approach for improving latency, providing profound POA, and reducing the need for postoperative analgesia.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2022

Candida is one of the most common causes of bloodstream infections and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. The purpose of this study was to provide important information for formulating empirical treatment plans for candidemia by investigating the antifungal resistance rate of Candida. Among the Candida strains (973 cases) isolated from blood culture tests at the S hospital in 2009~2018, 4.7% (N=44) comprising the Candida spp. (932 strains) showed resistance to fluconazole. The resistant strains included C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, and C. glabrata. In addition Candida spp. (947 strains) showed resistance to amphotericin B (N=6, 0.6%), flucytosine (N=23, 2.4%) and voriconazole (N=24, 3.1%). C. albicans was resistant to fluconazole (N=23, 6.9%) and voriconazole (N=21, 6.0%), The statistical analysis showed that C. albicans and non-albicans Candida species were resistant to fluconazole (P=0.039) and voriconazole (P<0.001). A monitoring system to understand the rate of candidiasis infections in a hospital setting is required. It is also important to make the right choice of the antifungal agent based on drug susceptibility patterns. Therefore, an infection surveillance policy that tracks Candida resistance through regular antifungal susceptibility tests is necessary.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.557-564
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• 2021

Background: Conscious sedation is a useful adjunct in the treatment of patients in dentistry; however, a lack of knowledge among the dental profession regarding sedation is a restricting factor in the practice of dental sedation. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice of sedation in dentistry among dental professionals in Tanzania. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted for five months targeting all practicing dental professionals in Tanzania. A modified questionnaire contained 14 questions regarding knowledge about sedative agents and a section on the practice of sedation. The data obtained from this study were coded and entered into a computer program and analyzed using SPSS software version 23.0. The data are presented as frequencies and percentages in tables and charts. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The age range of participants was between 24 and 63 years (mean 36.6 ± 7.7 years). There were 107 men (78.1%), and the male-to-female ratio was 3.6:1. The majority (76.6%) of participants only had an undergraduate dental degree. Thirty-one percent of participants only worked in publicly owned health facilities. Slightly more than half (59.9%) of participants had satisfactory knowledge regarding sedation in dentistry. There was no statistically significant association between the level of sedation-related knowledge and the demographic characteristics of the participants. Only 21.9% reported using sedation in their practice, and the most commonly used sedative drug was diazepam. The reasons for not using dental sedation in clinical practice included a perceived lack of knowledge on sedation, lack of equipment, and cost. Conclusion: Most dental professionals in Tanzania have basic knowledge of sedation in dentistry, although knowledge regarding sedative agents is generally low. The practice of sedation in dentistry in Tanzania is very low compared to that in middle- and high-income countries. Inadequate knowledge, lack of equipment, and the cost of practicing sedation are the main reasons for not practicing sedation.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.280-288
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• 2022

This study examined the diagnostics of abnormalities and faults of equipment, whose rotational speed changes even during regular operation. The purpose of this study was to suggest a procedure that can properly apply machine learning to the time series data, comprising non-stationary characteristics as the rotational speed changes. Anomaly and fault diagnosis was performed using machine learning: k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest. To compare the diagnostic accuracy, an autoencoder was used for anomaly detection and a convolution based Conv1D was additionally used for fault diagnosis. Feature vectors comprising statistical and frequency attributes were extracted, and normalization & dimensional reduction were applied to the extracted feature vectors. Changes in the diagnostic accuracy of machine learning according to feature selection, normalization, and dimensional reduction are explained. The hyperparameter optimization process and the layered structure are also described for each algorithm. Finally, results show that machine learning can accurately diagnose the failure of a variable-rotation machine under the appropriate feature treatment, although the convolution algorithms have been widely applied to the considered problem.