• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.66 no.5
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• pp.536-542
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• 2023

Objective : Surgical site infection is the most detrimental complication following cranioplasty. In other surgical fields, intrawound vancomycin powder application has been introduced to prevent surgical site infection and is widely used based on results in multiple studies. This study evaluated the effect of intrawound vancomycin powder in cranioplasty compared with the conventional method without topical antibiotics. Methods : This retrospective study included 580 patients with skull defects who underwent cranioplasty between August 1, 1998 and December 31, 2021. The conventional method was used in 475 (81.9%; conventional group) and vancomycin powder (1 g) was applied on the dura mater and bone flap in 105 patients (18.1%; vancomycin powder group). Surgical site infection was defined as infection of the incision, organ, or space that occurred after cranioplasty. Surgical site infection within 1-year surveillance period was compared between the conventional and vancomycin powder groups with logistic regression analysis. Penalized likelihood estimation method was used in logistic regression to deal with zero events. All local and systemic adverse events associated with topical vancomycin application were also evaluated. Results : Surgical site infection occurred in 31 patients (5.3%) and all were observed in the conventional group. The median time between cranioplasty and detection of surgical site infection was 13 days (range, 4-333). Staphylococci were the most common organisms and identified in 25 (80.6%) of 31 cases with surgical site infections. The surgical site infection rate in the vancomycin powder group (0/105, 0.0%) was significantly lower than that in the conventional group (31/475, 6.5%; crude odds ratio [OR], 0.067; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.006-0.762; adjusted OR, 0.068; 95% CI, 0.006-0.731; p=0.026). No adverse events associated with intrawound vancomycin powder were observed during the follow-up. Conclusion : Intrawound vancomycin powder effectively prevented surgical site infections following cranioplasty without local or systemic adverse events. Our results suggest that intrawound vancomycin powder is an effective and safe strategy for patients undergoing cranioplasty.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2023

Dissolved oxygen sensors have characteristics in which data drift occurs over time. Therefore, in-situ calibration of the dissolved oxygen sensor is essential to accurately measure the concentration of dissolved oxygen in seawater. In order to provide a method for in-situ calibration, appropriate number of samples for calibration, and laboratory calibration interval of the dissolved oxygen sensor, the dissolved oxygen sensor values were compared with the measured values by titration on a total of 133 samples from three different cruises in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and East Sea over a period of about one year. As a result, it is preferable to calibrate the sensor value using the correlation of a straight line obtained by directly comparing the final concentration value given by the sensor and the measured value. For the accurate calibration, at least 30 samples must be used to enable in-situ calibration within an accuracy range of about 1%. In addition, it is recommended that a laboratory calibration should perform within 1 year for the membrane type dissolved oxygen sensor for CTD to achieve a performance of 70% or more.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.12
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• pp.4571-4584
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• 2022

The analysis of rapid flow transients in Reactor Coolant Pumps (RCP) is essential for a reactor safety study. An accurate and precise analysis of the RCP coastdown is necessary for the reactor design. The coastdown of RCP affects the coolant temperature and the colloidal crud in the primary coolant. A realistic and kinetic model has been used to investigate the behavior of activated colloidal crud in the primary coolant and steam generator that solves the pump speed analytically. The analytic solution of the non-dimensional flow rate has been determined by the energy ratio β. The kinetic energy of the coolant fluid and the kinetic energy stored in the rotating parts of a pump are two essential parameters in the form of β. Under normal operation, the pump's speed and moment of inertia are constant. However, in a coastdown situation, kinetic damping in the interval has been implemented. A dynamic model ACCP-SMART has been developed for System Integrated Modular and Advanced Reactor (SMART) to investigate the corrosion due to activated colloidal crud. The Fickian diffusion model has been implemented as the reference corrosion model for the constituent component of the primary loop of the SMART reactor. The activated colloidal crud activity in the primary coolant and steam generator of the SMART reactor has been studied for different equilibrium corrosion rates, linear increase in corrosion rate, and dynamic RCP coastdown situation energy ratio b. The coolant specific activity of SMART reactor equilibrium corrosion (4.0 mg s^-1) has been found 9.63×10^-3 µCi cm^-3, 3.53×10^-3 µC cm^-3, 2.39×10^-2 µC cm^-3, 8.10×10^-3 µC cm^-3, 6.77× 10^-3 µC cm^-3, 4.95×10^-4 µC cm^-3, 1.19×10^-3 µC cm^-3, and 7.87×10^-4 µC cm^-3 for ²⁴Na, ⁵⁴Mn, ⁵⁶Mn, ⁵⁹Fe, ⁵⁸Co, ⁶⁰Co, ⁹⁹Mo, and ⁵¹Cr which are 14.95%, 5.48%, 37.08%, 12.57%, 10.51%, 0.77%, 18.50%, and 0.12% respectively. For linear and exponential coastdown with a constant corrosion rate, the total coolant and steam generator activity approaches a higher saturation value than the normal values. The coolant and steam generator activity changes considerably with kinetic corrosion rate, equilibrium corrosion, growth of corrosion rate (ΔC/Δt), and RCP coastdown situations. The effect of the RCP coastdown on the specific activity of the steam generators is smeared by linearly rising corrosion rates, equilibrium corrosion, and rapid coasting down of the RCP. However, the time taken to reach the saturation activity is also influenced by the slope of corrosion rate, coastdown situation, equilibrium corrosion rate, and energy ratio β.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2021.05a
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• pp.67-69
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• 2021

Weather radar images can be used in a variety of ways because of their high visibility in terms of visuals. In other words it has the advantage of being able to grasp the flow of weather phenomena using not only the raw data of the weather radar, but also the change characteristics between consecutive images. In particular image processing techniques are gradually expanding in the field of meteorological research, and in the case of image data having high resolution such as weather radar images it is expected to produce useful information through a new approach called image processing techniques. In this study the weather phenomena flow was calculated as a vector from the change of the weather radar image according to time interval with the optical flow method, one of the image processing techniques. The characteristics of the weather phenomena to be analyzed were derived through vector analysis resolution suitable for the scale of weather, vector interpolation in regions where no radar echo exists, and the removal of relative flow vectors to distinguish the flow of specific weather and the entire atmosphere. Through this study, it is expected that not only the use of raw data of weather radar, but also the widening of the application area of weather radar, such as the use of unique characteristics of image data, and the active use of image processing techniques in the field of meteorology in the future.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.85-110
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• 2023

The gaze cueing effect appears as detecting a target rapidly and accurately when the direction of others' gaze corresponds with the location of the visual target. The gaze cue can be affected by the orientation of the face. The gaze cueing effect is strong when the face is presented upright, but the effect has only been observed in some studies when the face is presented inverted(e.g., Tipples, 2005). This study aimed to examine whether the gaze can operate as a cue to guide attention with upright faces, and to add variables that can affect the gaze cue, such as the orientation of the face, the orientation of the background, and a time interval between the gaze cue and the target(SOA). Furthermore, it systematically manipulated these variables to explore whether the gaze cueing effect can be observed under the various conditions. The results showed a significant gaze cueing effect even on the inverted face, contrasting with previous studies. These findings were consistently observed when the background stimulus was absent(Experiment 1) and present(Experiments 2 and 3). However, there was no significant interaction in the orientations between the face and the background. Moreover, in the short SOA(150 ms), we found a significant gaze cueing effect in conditions of every face and background orientation, whereas there was no significant gaze cueing effect in the long SOA(1000 ms). By presenting a consistent observation of the gaze cueing effect under the short SOA(150ms) even in the inverted faces, the results of this study pose questions about the reliability and repeatability of previous studies that did not report significant results of gaze cueing effects in that faces. Furthermore, our results are meaningful in providing additional evidence that attention can be guided toward the direction of the gaze even in various directions of the face and background.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.499-508
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• 2023

Purpose: Despite scientific evidence regarding laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for advanced gastric cancer treatment, its application in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy remains uncertain. Materials and Methods: We used the 2019 Korean Gastric Cancer Association nationwide survey database to extract data from 489 patients with primary gastric cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After propensity score matching analysis, we compared the surgical outcomes of 97 patients who underwent LG and 97 patients who underwent open gastrectomy (OG). We investigated the risk factors for postoperative complications using multivariate analysis. Results: The operative time was significantly shorter in the OG group. Patients in the LG group had significantly less blood loss than those in the OG group. Hospital stay and overall postoperative complications were similar between the two groups. The incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3 complications in the LG group was comparable with that in the OG group (1.03% vs. 4.12%, P=0.215). No statistically significant difference was observed in the number of harvested lymph nodes between the two groups (38.60 vs. 35.79, P=0.182). Multivariate analysis identified body mass index (odds ratio [OR], 1.824; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.029-3.234; P=0.040) and extent of resection (OR, 3.154; 95% CI, 1.084-9.174; P=0.035) as independent risk factors for overall postoperative complications. Conclusions: Using a large nationwide multicenter survey database, we demonstrated that LG and OG had comparable short-term outcomes in patients with gastric cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.4D
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• pp.467-472
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• 2009

Even if Seoul City administration improved its public transportation service, transportation model share in seoul has not been increased. Subway user is also decreasing. Therefore, policy transition into TOD(Transit Oriented Development) should be applied in oder to enhance subway modal share. This paper develops a influencing model by using variables of transportation demand and supply. In addition, it provides major influencing factors for users in subway station area and level of transportation supply based on the analysis results. The results show that: first, cluster analysis presents that traffic pattern is proved to be different according to land use characteristics(residence, non-residence); second, main transportation variables such as transferring distance, the number of bus stop, the number of short distant bus lines, and the number of bicycle are more supplied in residential area compared to non-residential areas; third, the number of lines, bus dispatching interval, operating time, and distance between subway stations are more supplied in non-residential areas than residential areas. All in all, the results will be useful for providing priority of considerations in case of decision-making on public transportation policy in subway station area.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.969-983
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• 2011

The purposes of this study were to identify the degree of postprandial blood pressure reduction and the prevalence of postprandial hypotension by 3 different mealtimes of elderly people diagnosed with hypertension in nursing homes. After the informed and written consent, a total of 187 elderly people were recruited in the study. Systolic BP, diastolic BP were measured with ambulatory BP monitor every 15 minutes interval from 30 minutes before a meal until 120 minutes after each meal. The maximum SBP reduction was significantly bigger at breakfast than lunchtime or dinnertime. Among 187 elders, 137(73.4%) showed PPH at breakfast, 103(54.2%) at lunchtime, and 96(50.2%) at dinnertime. The most prevalent time point of PPH was 90 minutes after the initiation of a meal in all of 3 mealtimes. Among 8 measurement times, the prevalence of PPH was significantly higher in breakfast (3.0±2.7 times) than both lunchtime (2.1±2.5 times) and dinnertime (1.9±2.4 times). Although the occurrence of PPH by every mealtime should be taken into account in caring for the elderly, postprandial BP measurements need more attention after breakfast. Nurses should develop appropriate nursing interventions that can prevent postprandial blood pressure reduction in elderly people with hypertension.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.671-680
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• 2022

This study evaluated the consistency between the web-based and paper-based mibyeong and cold-heat pattern questionnaire, the Korean medicine-based tool for diagnosing and classifying health status. First, a web-based survey was conducted on 72 ordinary people; subsequently, a paper-based survey was conducted after a certain time interval. The equivalence between the web-based and paper-based surveys was evaluated on the basis of the consistency between scores using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman methodology. The mibyeong questionnaire showed high reliability for the web-based and paper-based surveys (ICC=0.95, 95% CI 0.92 - 0.97), and the cold-heat pattern questionnaire showed high reliability for both cold syndrome (ICC=0.98, 95% CI 0.96 - 0.99) and heat syndrome (ICC=0.9, 95% CI 0.83 - 0.93). The difference in average scores between the two survey methods was -0.25 for the mibyeong survey, -0.17 for the cold syndrome, and 0.11 for the heat syndrome, showing a similar pattern. Among the respondents, 84% showed positive satisfaction with the web-based survey, and 80% preferred the web-based survey. Overall, this study confirmed the reliability and feasibility of the web-based survey methods for the mibyeong and cold-heat pattern questionnaire. This could be a useful tool for the follow-up of subjects in long-term cohort studies.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.4
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• pp.284-293
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• 2023

Background: Attitudes towards smoking, lung cancer screening, and perceived risk of lung cancer have not been widely studied in Malaysia. The primary objective of this study was to describe the factors affecting the willingness of high-risk current smokers and ex-smokers to undergo low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in current smokers or ex-smokers aged between 55 and 80 years at three hospitals in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The questionnaire recorded the following parameters: perceived lung cancer risk; Prostate Lung Colon Ovarian Cancer 2012 risk prediction model excluding race and ethnicity predictor (PLCO_m2012norace); demographic characteristics; psychosocial characteristics; and attitudes towards lung cancer and lung cancer screening. Results: A vast majority of the 95 respondents (94.7%) indicated their willingness to undergo screening. Stigma of lung cancer, low levels of knowledge about lung cancer symptoms, concerns about financial constraints, and a preference for traditional medication were still prevalent among the respondents, and they may represent potential barriers to lung cancer screening uptake. A desire to have an early diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 11.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53 to 84.05; p=0.02), perceived time constraints (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.32 to 11.73; p=0.01), and proximity of LDCT screening facilities (OR, 14.33; 95% CI, 1.84 to 111.4; p=0.01) had significantly higher odds of willingness to undergo screening. Conclusion: Although high-risk current smokers and ex-smokers are likely to undergo screening for lung cancer, several psychosocial barriers persist. The results of this study may guide the policymakers and clinicians regarding the need to improve lung cancer awareness in our population.