• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.260-270
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses' sexual knowledge, attitude and sex education needs of the elderly. The participants were 235 nurses who were working at hospitals, geriatric hospitals and nursing homes at I city, K city and J city in Jeollabukdo province. A survey was conducted using self questionnaire scale from December 1, 2012 to December 10, 2012. First, the mean score of sexual knowledge was $15.91{\pm}6.43$. It was statistically significant according to marital status(p=.024), workplace(p<.001), duration of work experience(p=.006), sex education needs(p<.001), sex education acceptance(p<.001). Second, the mean score of attitude was $38.26{\pm}4.41$. It was statistically significant according to workplace(p=.033), living with the elderly(p=.009), sex education needs(p<.001) and sex education acceptance(p<.001). Third, the mean score of sex education needs was $35.97{\pm}6.28$. It was statistically significant according to age(p=.023), living with the elderly(p=.014), sex education needs(p<.001) and sex education acceptance(p<.001). Nurses' knowledge on the elderly's sexuality showed a significantly positive correlation with attitude(p<.001) and sex education needs(p<.001). This study indicated that general education on sexuality of the elderly for undergraduate nursing students and registered nurses is essential. More active nursing care on the elderly's sexuality is required when providing them with health assessment and nursing interventions.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.293-305
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• 2009

Methane, as a greenhouse gas, is some 21~25 times more detrimental to the environmental than carbon dioxide. Landfills generally constitute the most important anthropogenic source, and methane emission from landfill was estimated as 35~73 Tg per year. Biological approaches using biocover (open system) and biofilter (closed system) can be a promising solution for older and/or smaller landfills where the methane production is too low for energy recovery or flaring and installation of a gas extraction system is inefficient. Methanotrophic bacteria, utilizing methane as a sole carbon and energy source, are responsible for the aerobic degradation (oxidation) of methane in the biological systems. Many bench-scale studies have demonstrated a high oxidation capacity in diverse filter bed materials such as soil, compost, earthworm cast and etc. Compost had been most often employed in the biological systems, and the methane oxidation rates in compost biocovers/boifilters ranged from 50 to $700\;g-CH_4\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Some preliminary field trials have showed the suitability of biocovers/biofilters for practical application and their satisfactory performance in mitigation methane emissions. Since the reduction of landfill methane emissions has been linked to carbon credits and trading schemes, the verified quantification of mitigated emissions through biocovers/biofilters is very important. Therefore, the assessment of in situ biocovers/biofilters performance should be standardized, and the reliable quantification methods of methane reduction is necessary.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2002

Objectives : Aims of the study were to investigate the physical and mental symptom profiles related with perceived life stress in normal populations. Methods: The study subjects were 186 subjects who visited the Health Promotion Center at National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital between July and December, 2000. We measured Life Stress Assessment Scale (LSAS), SCL-90-R (Symptom Check List-90 Revised), and Physical Health Check Questionnaires to evaluate perceived life stress for one year, and physical and mental symptoms. The physical markers related with stress were also measured. According to LSAS scores, we selected two groups from all subjects : Group I (LSAS score with lower 25 percentile) and Group II (LSAS score with higher 75 percentile). Each number of subjects was 46 in Group I and 47 in Group II. We analyzed stasistical significances of study variables between Group I and II. Results : Group II subjects showed higher scores in all subscales of SCL-90-R compared to Group I subjects. Comparing to Group I, Group II subjects complained more physiological symptoms related with anxiety and depression. But there were no statistical differences in the physical markers related stress between two groups. Conclusion: We found that past year-life stress caused various mental and physical symptoms, which didn't develop any physical illness related life stress in normal populations yet.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.161-161
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• 2003

During the last century, most scientific questions related to climate change were focused on the evidence of anthropogenic global warming (IPCC, 2001). There are robust evidences of warming and also human-induced climate change. We now understand the global, mean change a little bit better; however, the uncertainties for regional climate change still remains large. The purpose of this study is to understand the past climate change over Korea based on the observational data and to project future regional climate change over East Asia using ECHAM4/HOPE model and MM5 for downscaling. There are significant evidences on regional climate change in Korea, from several variables. The mean annual temperature over Korea has increased about 1.5∼$1.7^{\circ}C$ during the 20th century, including urbanization effect in large cities which can account for 20-30% of warming in the second half of the 20th century. Cold extreme temperature events occurred less frequently especially in the late 20th century, while hot extreme temperature events were more common than earlier in the century. The seasonal and annual precipitation was analyzed to examine long-term trend on precipitation intensity and extreme events. The number of rainy days shows a significant negative trend, which is more evident in summer and fall. Annual precipitation amount tends to increase slightly during the same period. This suggests an increase of precipitation intensity in this area. These changes may influence on growing seasons, floods and droughts, diseases and insects, marketing of seasonal products, energy consumption, and socio-economic sectors. The Korean Peninsular is located at the eastern coast of the largest continent on the earth withmeso-scale mountainous complex topography and itspopulation density is very high. And most people want to hear what will happen in their back yards. It is necessary to produce climate change scenario to fit forhigh-resolution (in meteorological sense, but low-resolution in socio-economic sense) impact assessment. We produced one hundred-year, high-resolution (∼27 km), regional climate change scenario with MM5 and recognized some obstacles to be used in application. The boundary conditions were provided from the 240-year simulation using the ECHAM4/HOPE-G model with SRES A2 scenario. Both observation and simulation data will compose past and future regional climate change scenario over Korea.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.410-422
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between knowledge related to disease(KRD), illness attitude, and quality of life(QOL) in relation to the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD). According to the study result, there were significant differences with regard to KRD in accordance with subjects' education, monthly income, mMRC(modified Medical Research Council) Dyspnea Scale, inhaled bronchodilator and antibiotic treatment. In addition, there were significant differences with respect to illness attitude according to monthly income and mMRC. In case of the QOL, there were significant differences in accordance with age, marital status, monthly income, inpatient status, history of hospital admission, oxygen use, comorbidity, mMRC, and inhaled steroid. It has shown that there was a significant correlation between KRD and QOL(r=-.438, p<.001), illness attitude and QOL(r=.279, p=.001). Thus, it is important to grasp monthly income and mMRC, which are correlated with the three elements in common. As per assessment about COPD patients in the clinical situation, it is necessary to develop a multi-disciplinary approach, health coaching program for improving KRD and having a positive attitude based on the low-income group with taking interest in the circumstances of mMRC as well as objective test results.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.355-367
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of the quality of life in community dwelling vulnerable older women with chronic joint pain. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 234 participants registered at a visiting health care service in the public health center of C-city. The structured questionnaire were used to collect data on the general characteristics, pain rating index, pain intensity, perceived health status, functional independence, sleep pattern, depression, and quality of life from February 16 to March 13, 2017. The data were analyzed using a t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The significant factors of the quality of life including general characteristics were depression (${\beta}=-.60$, p<.001), pain intensity scale (${\beta}=-.15$, p=.007), health insurance type (${\beta}=.15$, p=.001), perceived health status (${\beta}=.14$, p=.007), duration of pain (${\beta}=-.10$, p=.019), marital status (${\beta}=.10$, p=.024), and functional independence (${\beta}=.09$, p=.036). These factors accounted for 63.1% of the total variance in the quality of life. The findings suggest that a public healthcare program on managing depression is effective in improving the quality of life in community dwelling older women with chronic joint pain. Public health nurses should intervene in nursing care for economically vulnerable aged and pain management based on a precise assessment from the beginning of pain.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7251-7256
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• 2013

Objectives: To estimate the proportion of liver cancer cases and deaths due to infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), aflatoxin exposure, alcohol drinking and smoking in China in 2005. Study design: Systemic assessment of the burden of five modifiable risk factors on the occurrence of liver cancer in China using the population attributable fraction. Methods: We estimated the population attributable fraction of liver cancer caused by five modifiable risk factors using the prevalence data around 1990 and data on relative risks from meta-analyses, and large-scale observational studies. Liver cancer mortality data were from the 3rd National Death Causes Survey, and data on liver cancer incidence were estimated from the mortality data from cancer registries in China and a mortality/incidence ratio calculated. Results: We estimated that HBV infection was responsible for 65.9% of liver cancer deaths in men and 58.4% in women, while HCV was responsible for 27.3% and 28.6% respectively. The fraction of liver cancer deaths attributable to aflatoxin was estimated to be 25.0% for both men and women. Alcohol drinking was responsible for 23.4% of liver cancer deaths in men and 2.2% in women. Smoking was responsible for 18.7% and 1.0%. Overall, 86% of liver cancer mortality and incidence (88% in men and 78% in women) was attributable to these five modifiable risk factors. Conclusions: HBV, HCV, aflatoxin, alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking were responsible for 86% of liver cancer mortality and incidence in China in 2005. Our findings provide useful data for developing guidelines for liver cancer prevention and control in China and other developing countries.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2014

Objectives : Shift work disorder occurs when you have difficulties adjusting to a work schedule that takes place during a time which most people sleep. Some people may have diverse psychosomatic symptoms, such as sleep problems, depression, anxiety, and headaches even after the shift work schedule ends. The aims of this study are to compare difference of psychosomatic symptoms between rotating shift and daytime working nurse groups. Methods : Volunteer nurses working in a general hospital were recruited in a general hospital. We collected sociodemographic data. We used questionnaires for headache type, headache frequency, and VAS(Visual Analog Scale) for headache intensity, BDI(Beck depression Inventory) and GSAQ(Global Sleep Assessment Questionnaire). We used Mann-Whitney test and Chi-square test for hypothesis testing. Results : Data collected from 84 women nurses. Rotating shift(N=37) working nurses showed younger, more unmarried, and shorter work periods than daytime working nurses (N=47). Also rotating shift group showed more problems of headache, insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, depression and anxiety than daytime group. The above results were statistically significant. Conclusions : The rotating shift work women nurses produced more headache, insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, and anxiety than daytime working ones.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2014

Objectives : Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD) represent significant clinical problems, resulting in functional decline, caregiver distress, institutionalization and increased mortality. A recent study showed gender differences have important role in the development of BPSD, but relationship between BPSD and gender has never been studied in Korea. This study was designed to examine whether patients with Alzheimer's disease show gender differences in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD). Methods : Ninety-eight subjects with Alzheimer's disease were included in this study. We carried out history taking and cognitive assessment for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on DSM-IV. Cognitive impairment and BPSD were measured using the Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR) and the Korean Neuropsychiatric Inventory(K-NPI). Independent samples t-test was used to examine the differences across gender in BPSD. Correlation analysis between MMSE, CDR, GDS and NPI was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results : There were no significant gender differences between the gender in BPSD. We found statistically significant negative correlations between MMSE with NPI total score, and with scores of several sub-domains such as hallucination. Conclusions : This study showed that gender differences in BPSD are not significant. Further research is necessary to identify whether BPSD affect gender differences or individual differences.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.75-86
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• 2020

This study examined the effects of auricular acupressure on the pain and quality of life of lung cancer patients. Forty-four participants, and were divided into an experimental group (n=22) and a placebo control group (n=22). The patients in the experimental group received vaccaria seed to the four auricular acupressure points. In contrast, the patients in the placebo control groups received auricular acupressure on cancer-related points unrelated to pain. The intervention was implemented for six weeks, with five consecutive days a week. The pain intensity, pain pressure threshold, and quality of life score were used to validate the effects of the treatment. The pain intensity of the experimental group showed a significant decrease compared to the placebo control group after the intervention (Z=-2.78, p=.006). The pain pressure threshold of the experimental group showed a significant increase compared to the placebo control group after the intervention (Z=-2.69, p=.007). The quality of life among lung cancer patients showed a significant increase after the intervention compared to the placebo control group (t=3.20, p=.003). Therefore, auricular acupressure can be used as a proven nursing intervention method for lung cancer patients from cancer-related pain and the quality of life.