• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2022

Background: Although respiratory tract infection is one of the most important factors triggering acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD), limited data are available to suggest an epidemiologic pattern of microbiology in South Korea. Methods: A multicenter observational study was conducted between January 2015 and December 2018 across 28 hospitals in South Korea. Adult patients with moderate-to-severe acute exacerbations of COPD were eligible to participate in the present study. The participants underwent all conventional tests to identify etiology of microbial pathogenesis. The primary outcome was the percentage of different microbiological pathogens causing AE-COPD. A comparative microbiological analysis of the patients with overlapping asthma-COPD (ACO) and pure COPD was performed. Results: We included 1,186 patients with AE-COPD. Patients with pure COPD constituted 87.9% and those with ACO accounted for 12.1%. Nearly half of the patients used an inhaled corticosteroid-containing regimen and one-fifth used systemic corticosteroids. Respiratory pathogens were found in 55.3% of all such patients. Bacteria and viruses were detected in 33% and 33.2%, respectively. Bacterial and viral coinfections were found in 10.9%. The most frequently detected bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.8%), and the most frequently detected virus was influenza A (10.4%). Multiple bacterial infections were more likely to appear in ACO than in pure COPD (8.3% vs. 3.6%, p=0.016). Conclusion: Distinct microbiological patterns were identified in patients with moderate-to-severe AE-COPD in South Korea. These findings may improve evidence-based management of patients with AE-COPD and represent the basis for further studies investigating infectious pathogens in patients with COPD.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.669-678
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• 2021

This study surveyed three land cover types in Chungju City in Chungcheongbuk Province to check the distribution of cultured bacteria in bio-aerosols according to land cover type. It was possible to compare and analyze the distribution of bacteria according to microclimatic changes at each measurement point by examining meteorological factors and bio-aerosols according to land cover. The microclimate temperature in each measurement point was 8.7℃ for the urban forest, 10.8℃ for the waterside green area, and 10.2℃ for the urban area, indicating the urban forest had the lowest temperature among the measurement points. The relative humanity was 61.8% fin the urban forest, 59.3% in the waterside green area, and 55.7% in the urban area, indicating that the urban forest was the most humid among the measurement points. The identified bacteria were found to be 43 genera and 99 species. In terms of species diversity of cultured bacteria, 22 genera were found in the waterside green area, 21 genera in the urban forest, and 17 genera in the urban area, 37 species were found in the waterside green area, 31 species in the urban area, and 31 species in the urban forest. Bacillus toyonensis and Pseudarthrobacter oxydan were the species present in all three types of measurement sites, and Herbiconiux flava was confirmed to inhabit green areas such as urban forests and waterside green areas. The analysis result of the bacterial concentration according to the microclimatic environment in each measurement point was 333 CFU/m³ in the urban forest, 287 CFU/m³, in the waterside green area, and 173 CFU/m³ in the downtown area. The relative humidity and wind speed were analyzed to show a similar trend as the concentration. This study is expected to provide basic data for healthy urban management and green area creation by identifying the distribution of cultured bacteria in bio-aerosols according to land cover type and comparing and analyzing the traits of bio-aerosol in each measurement point.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.333-344
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• 2022

The quarrying and utilization of natural building stones such as granite and marble are rapidly emerging in developing countries. A huge amount of wastes is being generated during the processing, cutting and sizing of these stones to make them useable. These wastes are disposed of in the open environment and the toxic nature of these wastes negatively affects the environment and human health. The growth trend in the world stone industry was confirmed in output for 2019, increasing more than one percent and reaching a new peak of some 155 million tons, excluding quarry discards. Per-capita stone use rose to 268 square meters per thousand persons (m²/1,000 inh), from 266 the previous year and 177 in 2001. However, we have to take into consideration that the world's gross quarrying production was about 316 million tons (100%) in 2019; about 53% of that amount, however, is regarded as quarrying waste. With regards to the stone processing stage, we have noticed that the world production has reached 91.15 million tons (29%), and consequently this means that 63.35 million tons of stone-processing scraps is produced. Therefore, we can say that, on a global level, if the quantity of material extracted in the quarry is 100%, the total percentage of waste is about 71%. This raises a substantial problem from the environmental, economical and social point of view. There are essentially three ways of dealing with inorganic waste, namely, reuse, recycling, or disposal in landfills. Reuse and recycling are the preferred waste management methods that consider environmental sustainability and the opportunity to generate important economic returns. Although there are many possible applications for stone waste, they can be summarized into three main general applications, namely, fillers for binders, ceramic formulations, and environmental applications. The use of residual sludge for substrate production seems to be highly promising: the substrate can be used for quarry rehabilitation and in the rehabilitation of industrial sites. This new product (artificial soil) could be included in the list of the materials to use in addition to topsoil for civil works, railway embankments roundabouts and stone sludge wastes could be used for the neutralization of acidic soil to increase the yield. Stone waste is also possible to find several examples of studies for the recovery of mineral residues, including the extraction of metallic elements, and mineral components, the production of construction raw materials, power generation, building materials, and gas and water treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2021

Munseom (Island) is known as the largest native Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus in Korea. Recently, disease damage from the E. sylvestris var. ellipticus community has been reported in Munseom. This study was conducted to understand the damage situation and growth characteristics of the E. sylvestris var. ellipticus population in Munseom. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spontaneous regeneration potential of the community by grasping the characteristics of the population of surviving E. sylvestris var. ellipticus individuals, and to discuss ways to restore native habitats. A total population survey was conducted to determine the distribution status of E. sylvestris var. ellipticus individuals. The field survey carefully recorded the height of tree, DBH, DRH, and growing status, along with GPS location information of the individual. The growth status of E. sylvestris var. ellipticus individuals distributed in Munseom and the characteristics of tree height, DBH, DRH of each individual were analyzed. The total number of E. sylvestris var. ellipticus populations identified in Munseom was 293. The dense E. sylvestris var. ellipticus community reported in 2005 has been identified as being greatly damaged or damaged. In particular, the damage was more serious in mature trees with a height of 6m or more forming the canopy layer in the forest, and it was confirmed that 80.6% of the mature trees died. In the growth characteristics of the old-growth tree, which is an indicator of the health of the forest based on DRH, 75.4% died or the growth condition was found to be poor. In order to restore the native habitat of E. sylvestris var. ellipticus in Munseom, conservation efforts such as pest control, preservation of mature trees, control of the territory of young trees, and reintroduction after ex-situ transplantation etc. are considered necessary.

• Korean Journal of School Psychology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.165-180
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• 2020

As a tiered system of supports, School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) is an evidence-based practice in the educational system of Korea. An important aspect of SWPBS is the ongoing progress monitoring and evaluation of implementation fidelity. This study aimed to develop and validate the Korean Tier 3 School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Implementation Fidelity Checklist (KT3-FC). The preliminary KT3-FC consisted of a 37-item, 6-factor checklist. In the first phase of the study, 10 experts reported that the range of content validity of the KT3-FC was adequate. In the second phase of the study, 185 teachers (52 men and 133 women) who implemented SWPBS completed the KT3-FC, Individualized Supports Questionnaire, School Climate Questionnaire, School Discipline Practice Scale, and PBS Effectiveness Scale. An exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 5-factor structure, with 20 items, instead of 37 items, consisting of: (a) progress monitoring and evaluation of the individualized supports, (b) provision of supports by aligning and integrating mental health and SWPBS, (c) crisis management planning, (d) problem behavior assessment, and (e) establishment of individualized support team. The internal consistency of the KT3-FC was good (full scale α = .950, sub-factor α = .888 ~ .954). In addition, the KT3-FC showed good convergent validity, having statistically significant correlations with the Individualized Support Questionnaire, School Climate Questionnaire, School Discipline Practice Scale, and the PBS Effectiveness Scale. Finally, the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the 5-factor model of the KT3-FC had some good model fits, indicating that the newly developed fidelity measure could be a reliable and valid tool to assess the implementation of Tier 3 supports in Korean schools. Accordingly, the KT3-FC could contribute to implement SWPBS as an evidence-based behavioral intervention for Korean students.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2023

In stream ecosystem assessment, RIVPACS, which makes a simple but clear evaluation based on macroinvertebrate community, is widely used. In this study, a preliminary study was conducted to develop a RIVPACS-type model suitable for Korean streams nationwide. Reference streams were classified into two types(upstream and downstream), and a prediction model for macroinvertebrates was developed based on each family. A model for upstream was divided into 7 (train): 3 (test), and that for downstream was made using a leave-one-out method. Variables for the models were selected by non-metric multidimensional scaling, and seven variables were chosen, including elevation, slope, annual average temperature, stream width, forest ratio in land use, riffle ratio in hydrological characteristics, and boulder ratio in substrate composition. Stream order classified 3,224 sites as upstream and downstream, and community compositions of sites were predicted. The prediction was conducted for 30 macroinvertebrate families. Expected (E) and observed fauna (O) were compared using an ASPT biotic index, which is computed by dividing the BMWPK score into the number of families in a community. EQR values (i.e. O/E) for ASPT were used to assess stream condition. Lastly, we compared EQR to BMI, an index that is commonly used in the assessment. In the results, the average observed ASPT was 4.82 (±2.04 SD) and the expected one was 6.30 (±0.79 SD), and the expected ASPT was higher than the observed one. In the comparison between EQR and BMI index, EQR generally showed a higher value than the BMI index.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.676-683
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• 2022

Due to the effects of rapid changes in the living environment since 2000 and the recent unforeseen pandemic, people are refraining from domestic and international traveling and movement, and outdoor activities for health and the public value of forest trails, called Dullegil Trail in Korea, have become more important. This study estimated the environmental value of the tentatively named "East-West Trail," which connects the forest trails crossing Chungcheong and Gyeongsang Provinces using CVM (Contingent Valuation Method). It surveyed visitors to the East-West Trail, and 725 questionnaires were used for analysis. The average characteristics of respondents were those who exercised 2-3 times per week, visited a forest trail not far from their residence with friends or family, and showed a tendency to spend 50 thousand Korean won or more per visit. Visitors to the Dullegil Trail felt that there was a shortage of information boards on the forest trail, and they preferred a shelter in appropriate locations. We used a double-bounded dichotomous choice (BDDC) logit model proposed by Hanemann to measure the conservation value of the East-West Trail. It was estimated that the environmental value that a visitor to the East-West Trail could obtain was 30,087 won per trip. The estimated environmental value of the East-West Trail can be converted to about 94 billion won total visitors annually based on the population belonging to the direct-use zone near the East-West Trail. As there has been no study on the environmental value of forest trails using CVM, the results of this study will be able to suggest the feasibility of the government policies on forest trails.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.159-169
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• 2023

This study analyzed the factors affecting the opinions of life-sustaining treatment among the elderly in Korea. The study subjects were 10,097 people who responded to the survey on the condition of the elderly (2020), and using the SPSS 25.0 program, first, the demographic characteristics of the research subjects were identified through descriptive statistics and the average and normality of major variables were identified. Second, the chi-square was analyzed by conducting a cross-analysis of opinions on life-sustaining treatment according to the characteristics of the elderly. Third, a correlation analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between major variables. Fourth, the relative influence on the life-sustaining treatment of the elderly was identified through multiple regression analysis. The main research findings are as follows. First, 8,565 (84.8%) of the elderly were opposed to medical treatment (life-sustaining treatment) to save them even if they were unconscious or difficult to live. Second, as a result of cross-analysis on life-sustaining treatment for the elderly, the 𝑥² values of education level, health status, living together with children, and cost of living in old age were found to be significant. Third, the educational level of the elderly, living together with children, and the cost of living in old age were found to have statistically significant negative effects on life-sustaining treatment. Such research results indicate that the elderly with a high level of education oppose life-sustaining treatment compared to those with a low level of education. In addition, in the case of the elderly with traditional values who responded that one of their children should live with the elderly (parents), the ratio of people in favor of life-sustaining treatment was high, and in the case of the elderly with modern values who responded that they did not have to live together, the ratio of opposition to life-sustaining treatment was high. appeared to be high. In addition, in the case of the elderly with traditional values who responded that the burden of living expenses in old age should be shared between the state and society and their children, the proportion in favor of life-sustaining treatment was high. This high figure expressed the desire for well-dying. Based on these research results, the value system was re-examined as a factor influencing the elderly's opinion on life-sustaining treatment, and basic data for welfare policies for the elderly were provided.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2017

Although dental hygienists have performed chair-side assisting and other dental cares as well as preventive dental cares in Korea, medical technician law confines duties of dental hygienists as closed narrative. The aim of this study was to investigate difference in perception of duties of dental hygienists in dental clinic between dentists and dental hygiene students. A total of 245 copies of questionnaires were distributed to dentists and students by post-mail. Only 42 dentists and 30 students in an area replied these questionnaires about the present and future duties of dental hygienists after providing written consent. Both groups agreed that intra and extra oral X-ray taking, education about oral health behavior, instruction after dental treatment, chair-side assisting, consulting for patients, scaling, initial impression taking, management of dental materials and equipment, sterilization of equipment, and receiving dental bills are duties of dental hygienists. However, they had different perceptions about various dental treatments as duties of dental hygienists even if they were under instructions of a dentist, including infiltration anesthesia, filling in cavity, intramuscular injection, FC change, canal irrigation, orthodontic treatment including separating, ligature bracket bonding and removing, setting crown and bridge, making individual, removing implant screw, and so on. These findings demonstrated that there were different perceptions about duties of dental hygienists between dentists and dental hygiene students, especially on dental treatment.

• KIPS Transactions on Computer and Communication Systems
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.171-180
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• 2023

The three major sleep disorders in Korea are snoring, sleep apnea, and insomnia. Lack of sleep is the root of all diseases. Some of the most serious potential problems associated with sleep deprivation are cardiovascular problems, cognitive impairment, obesity, diabetes, colitis, prostate cancer, etc. To solve these problems, the Korean government provided low-cost national health insurance benefits for polysomnography tests in July 2018. However, insomnia patients still have problems getting treated in terms of time, space, and economic perspectives. Therefore, it would be better for insomnia patients to be allowed to test at home. The measuring device can measure six biosignals (eye movement, tossing and turning, body temperature, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and audio). A gyroscope sensor (MPU9250, InvenSense, USA) was used for eye movement, tossing, and turning. The input range of the sensor was in 258°/sec to 460°/sec, and the data range was in the input range. Body temperature, oxygen saturation range, and heart rate were measured by a sensor (MAX30102, Analog Devices, USA). The body temperature was measured in 30 ℃ to 45 ℃, and the oxygen saturation range was 0% for the unused state and 20 % to 90 % for the used state. The heart rate measurement range was in 40 bpm to 180 bpm. The measurement of audio signal was performed by an audio sensor (AMM2742-T-R, PUIaudio, USA). The was -42 dB ±1 dB frequency range was 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The measured data was successfully received in wireless network conditions. The system configuration was consisted of a PC and a mobile app for bio-signal measurement and data collection. The measured data was collected by mobile phones and desktops. The data collected can be used as preliminary data to determine the stage of sleep and perform the screening function for sleep induction and sleep disturbances. In the future, this convenient sleep measurement device could be beneficial for treating insomnia.