• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2006

Background: Pain due to spinal stenosis is one of the major causes of low back pain, and it sometimes does not respond to conservative treatment. We postulated that anterior epidural irrigation could be a good choice for treating lumbar spinal stenosis patients. However, the effects and theoretical basis of anterior epidural irrigation have not been investigated for spinal stenosis. So, this study was designed to identify the clinical efficacy of anterior epidural irrigation for treating lumbar spinal stenosis. Methods: 71 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis underwent anterior epidural irrigation. Anterior epidural irrigation was performed with normal saline and a mixture of local anesthetic with steroid through a catheter under fluoroscopic guidance. The findings were evaluated with using visual analogue scales for low back pain and leg symptoms. Results: Relief from low back pain and leg pain was observed for up to 12 months after anterior epidural irrigation. None of the patients showed any deterioration of their motor or sensory deficits during follow up. Conclusions: Anterior epidural irrigation is effective for the relief of back and leg pain in spinal stenosis patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.368-373
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• 2013

Background: Bertolotti's syndrome (BS), a form of lumbago in lumbosacral transitional vertebrae, is an important cause of low back pain in young patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the etiology of low back pain and the efficacy of treatment offered to patients with BS. Methods: All patients of BS Castellvi type1a during a period of 6 months were enrolled in the study. The patients underwent interventional pain procedures for diagnosis and pain relief. Response to the therapy was assessed based on VAS and ODI scores. A 50% decrease in VAS score or a VAS score less than 3 would be considered adequate pain relief. Results: All 20 patients diagnosed with BS during the 6-month observation period had scoliosis. Common causes of back pain were the ipsilateral L5-S1 facet joint, neoarticulation, the SI joint, and disc degeneration. Responses to various interventions for pain relief were different and inconsistent from patient to patient. In particular, responses to interventions for neoarticular pain were generally poor. Conclusions: Pain in patients with BS does not usually respond to interventional pain treatment. A very dynamic treatment approach must be pursued while managing BS patients, and the treatment plan must be individualized at various stages in order to obtain satisfactory pain relief.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.10033-10038
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of tobacco use, beliefs and risk awareness and psychosocial correlates of tobacco use among university students in 24 low, middle and emerging economy countries. Using anonymous questionnaires, data were collected from 16953 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.9, SD=2.9) from 25 universities in 24 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Results indicate that overall 13.3% of the university students were current tobacco users, 22.4% for men and 6.6% for women, ranging from 3.8% in Singapore to 32.5% in Cameroon. The risk awareness of the smoking lung cancer link was 83.6%, while the risk awareness of the smoking heart disease link was 46.5%. Multivariate logistic regression found that older age, male gender, having a wealthy family background, living in a low income country, residing off campus on their own, poor beliefs in the importance not to smoke, awareness of the smoking heart disease link, hit by a sexual partner, depressive symptoms, and substance use (binge drinking and illicit drug use) were associated with current tobacco use.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.5035-5042
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• 2014

Background: Knowledge and individual perceptions about adverse effects of all forms of tobacco exert direct influence on the level of tobacco consumption in various socio-demographic groups. The objective of this study was to determine the nature, extent and demographic correlates of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of use of tobacco among adults in low and middle income countries. Materials and Methods: The Global Adult Tobacco Survey, conducted in fourteen different countries from 2008-2010, was sourced for the data analyzed in this study. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to determine the prevalent knowledge and individual perceptions amongst adults about all forms of tobacco consumption. Results: There was relatively high awareness about the harmful effects of smoking tobacco with main awareness being about its relationship with lung cancer (>90% in most countries). In contrast, there was relatively low awareness about harmful effects of smokeless tobacco (< 90% in all countries except India and Bangladesh), and observed correlation of smoking tobacco with heart attack (40.6% in China, 65.1% in India) and stroke (28.2% in China, 50.5% in India). Conclusions: A large proportion of adults living in low and middle income countries possess adequate knowledge about smoking tobacco but have inadequate awareness as well as false perceptions about smokeless forms of tobacco. Popular beliefs of inverse relationships of tobacco consumption with knowledge, attitudes and perception of populations towards tobacco are challenged by the findings of this study.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.07a
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• pp.66-69
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• 2001

Effect of $N_2$ flow rate on properties of GaN thin films grown by plasma-enhanced molecular beam epitaxy(PEMBE) was discussed to optimize the quality of thin films. It was found that at low $N_2$ flow rate indicating high III/V flux ratio, the growth rate of GaN thin films was controlled by $N_2$ flux, and at high $N_2$ flow rate the growth rate was not controlled by $N_2$ flux any longer. It was also found that III/V flux ratio affected film quality. The film grown at higher $N_2$ flow rate showed low background carrier concentration, higher carrier mobility, and narrow FWHM in band-edge emission of low temperature PL. It is thought that the film in more Ga flux region was grown by 2-dimensional layer-by-layer growth mode, and the film in more nitrogen region was grown by 3-D island growth mode. All samples exhibited a good crystallinity.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Progressive muscle relaxation training on pain, Korean version of Oswestry disability index (ODI) and psychological level in chronic low back pain patients with somatization. Methods: A total of 30 subjects were treated with the experimental group (n=15) and conservative physical therapy (n=15). The experimental group was trained with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), and the control group was treated with conservative physical therapy. Physical factor treatment was applied for 60 minutes by hot pack, electrotherapy and ultrasound. Both groups performed three times a week for six weeks. VAS, ODI, psychological level measurements were taken before and after intervention. Results: There was a significant difference in VAS (p<.05) and ODI (p<.01) between experimental and control group. At the psychological level, there were significant differences in somatization (p<0.01) and depression scales (p<.01), but not in anxiety. Conclusion: As a result of this study, the degree of pain was decreased, the level of back pain dysfunction was improved, and the somatization scale and depression scale were decreased by gradual muscle relaxation therapy.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.241-272
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• 2015

In the current study, dynamic and quasi-static analyses were performed to investigate the response of multiple-spanned and single-spanned transmission line conductors under both downburst and synoptic winds considering different wind velocities and different length spans. Two critical downburst configurations, recommended in the literature and expected to cause maximum conductor reactions, were considered in the analyses. The objective of the study was to assess the importance of including the dynamic effect when predicting the conductor's reactions on the towers. This was achieved by calculating the mean, the background and the resonant reaction components, and evaluating the contribution of the resonant component to the peak reaction. The results show that the maximum contribution of the resonant component is generally low (in the order of 6%) for the multiple-spanned system at different wind velocities for both downburst and synoptic winds. For the single-spanned system, the result show a relatively high maximum contribution (in the order of 16%) at low wind velocity and a low maximum contribution (in the order of 6%) at high wind velocity for both downburst and synoptic winds. Such contributions may justify the usage of the quasi-static approach for analyzing transmission line conductors subjected to the high wind velocities typically used for the line design.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics A
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• v.33A no.7
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• pp.134-142
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• 1996

The epi-CoSi$_{2}$ layer was formed by alloying a Co(120$\AA$)/Ti(50$\AA$) bilayer. In addition, the ultra shallow p$^{+}$n junction of which depth is about not more than 40nm at the background concentration, 10$^{18}$atoms/cm$^{3}$ could be formed by annealing (RTA-II) the ion implanted epi-silicide. When the temperature of RTA-I is as low as possible and that of RTA-II is moderate, the p$^{+}$n junction that has low leakage current and stable epi-silicide layer could be obtained. That is, when th econdition of TRA-I was 900$^{\circ}C$/20sec and that of RTA-II was 900$^{\circ}C$/10sec, the reverse leakage current was as high as 11.3$\mu$A/cm$^{2}$ at -5V. The surface of CoSi$_{2}$ appeared considerably rough. However, when the conditon of RTA-I was 800$^{\circ}C$/20sec or 700$^{\circ}C$/20sec, the leakage currents were as low as 8.3nA/cm$^{2}$ and 9.3nA/cm$^{2}$, respectively and also the surfaces appeared very uniform.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2002

Background and Objectives : The complex physiologic structure of the larynx can vibrate in three or more different ways that yield acuostically and perceptually distinct vocal quality. The purpose of this study is to examine the normal range of voice parameters in Multi-Channel Phonatory Function Analyzer and investigate the difference of voice parameters according to the phonatory patterns. Materials and Methods : Forty normal adult speakers (20 men and 20 women) with age ranging from third to forth decades pronounce low, comfortable, and high tone /a/ ; comfortable tone /${\ae}$/, /i/, /o/, and /u/ : fry, falsetto. Voice was analyzed by Newly developed multi-channel phonatory function analyzer. Results : The normal range of voice parameters in this system was similar to the existing data. Fry shows high jitter and falsetto low SQ. Fry and falsetto show low OQ in men but no difference in women. Jitter, OQ and SQ were different between men and women in modal register, whereas there was no gender difference in fry and falsetto. In frequency magnitude spectrum and EGG, modal register, fry and falsetto have distinguishing pattern. Conclusions : Modal register, fry and falsetto are distinguishable in voice parameters and show different vibratory patterns.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.212-219
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• 2017

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a major problem for office workers. Individuals adopting poor postures during prolonged sitting have a considerably increased risk of experiencing LBP. This study aimed to investigate seat pressure distribution characteristics, i.e., average pressure, peak pressure ratio, frequency of postural shift, and body perceived discomfort (BPD), during 1 hour of sitting among office workers with and without chronic LBP. Methods: Forty-six participants (chronic LBP = 23, control = 23) typed a standardized text passage at a computer work station for an hour. A seat pressure mat device was used to collect the seat pressure distribution data. Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale. Results: Office workers with chronic LBP sat significantly more asymmetrically than their healthy counterparts. During 1-hour sitting, all workers appeared to assume slumped sitting postures after 20 minutes of sitting. Healthy workers had significantly more frequent postural shifts than chronic LBP workers during prolonged sitting. Conclusion: Different sitting characteristics between healthy and chronic LBP participants during 1 hour of sitting were found, including symmetry of sitting posture and frequency of postural shift. Further research should examine the roles of these sitting characteristics on the development of LBP.