• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2024

Background: E-waste workers in Hong Kong are handling an unprecedented amount of e-waste, which contains various neurotoxic chemicals. However, no study has been conducted to evaluate the neurological health status of e-waste workers in Hong Kong. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of neurobehavioral alterations and to identify the vulnerable groups among Hong Kong e-waste workers. Methods: We recruited 109 Hong Kong e-waste workers from June 2021 to September 2022. Participants completed standard questionnaires and wore a GENEActiv accelerometer for seven days. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Questionnaire 16/18 (Q16/18) were used to assess subjective neurobehavioral alterations. The GENEActiv data generated objective sleep and circadian rhythm variables. Workers were grouped based on job designation and entity type according to the presumed hazardous level. Unconditional logistic regression models measured the associations of occupational characteristics with neurobehavioral alterations after adjusting for confounders. Results: While dismantlers/repairers and the workers in entities not funded by the government were more likely to suffer from neurotoxic symptoms in Q18 (adjusted odds ratio: 3.18 [1.18-9.39] and 2.77 [1.10-7.46], respectively), the workers from self-sustained recycling facilities also have poor performances in circadian rhythm. Results also showed that the dismantlers/repairers working in entities not funded by the government had the highest risk of neurotoxic symptoms compared to the lowest-risk group (i.e., workers in government-funded companies with other job designations). Conclusion: This timely and valuable study emphasizes the importance of improving the working conditions for high-risk e-waste workers, especially the dismantlers or repairers working in facilities not funded by the government.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.29-44
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to provide substantial foundation to establish effective sex education plan for female college students. For this purpose, we compared female college students with health related majors and the ones with non-health related majors in knowledge in sex, attitude toward sex, and sexual experience. We took the form of self-recording to survey 269 single female college students. The result is as follows. For knowledge in sex, including reproductive organs, contraception, delivery, sexual disease, and sexual intercourse, students with health-related majors(20.59) gained higher scores than students with non-health related majors(16.82). Scores for attitude toward sex indicated 2.43 for the health related majors and 2.35 for the non-health related majors. Attitude toward pre-marital sex, sex admissibility, and abortion showed especially distinct result between the two groups. Whether a student has ever engaged in sexual intercourse served as a significant variable to determine knowledge in sex overall, and the indexes such as sexual pleasure, chasteness, marital values, and attitude towards sex indicated significant differences. The result may be interpreted that the students with sexual experience tend to show more open attitude toward sex. The result indicated that contraception, pregnancy, and delivery were the parts that the participants most wanted to be educated on. Knowledge in sex is both positively correlated with attitude toward sex and sexual behavior. Also, the result indicates that knowledge in sex, both subjective and objective, significantly affects sexual behavior.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.684-694
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• 2021

Resting-state Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI) data detects the temporal correlations in Blood Oxygen Level Dependent(BOLD) signal and these temporal correlations are regarded to reflect intrinsic cortical connectivity, which is deactivated during attention demanding, non-self referential tasks, called Default Mode Network(DMN). The relationship between fMRI and anatomical connectivity has not been studied in detail, however, the preceded studies have tried to clarify this relationship using Diffusion Tensor Imaging(DTI) and fMRI. These studies use method that fMRI data assists DTI data or vice versa and it is used as guider to perform DTI tractography on the brain image. In this study, we hypothesized that functional connectivity in resting state would reflect anatomical connectivity of DMN and the combined images include information of fMRI and DTI showed visible connection between brain regions related in DMN. In the previous study, functional connectivity was determined by subjective region of interest method. However, in this study, functional connectivity was determined by objective and advanced method through Independent Component Analysis. There was a stronger connection between Posterior Congulate Cortex(PCC) and PHG(Parahippocampa Gyrus) than Anterior Cingulate Cortex(ACC) and PCC. This technique might be used in several clinical field and will be the basis for future studies related to aging and the brain diseases, which are needed to be translated not only functional connectivity, but structural connectivity.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.205-209
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• 2015

Purpose: Dental implants present several advantages over other tooth replacement options. However, there has been little research on masticatory function in relation to implant treatment. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the improvement of masticatory function two weeks after implant restoration. Methods: Masticatory ability was evaluated with the subjective food intake ability (FIA) and objective mixing ability index (MAI) methods. Fifty-four subjects with first and second missing molars completed the study. The subjects were asked to complete a self-reported questionnaire about 30 different food items, and to chew wax samples 10 times both before and two weeks after implant restoration. A total of 108 waxes were analyzed with an image analysis program. Results: Dental implant restoration for lost molar teeth on one side increased the FIA score by 9.0% (P<0.0001). The MAI score also increased, by 14.3% after implant restoration (P<0.0001). Comparison between the good and poor mastication groups, which were subdivided based on the median MAI score before implant restoration, showed that the FIA score of the poor group was enhanced 1.1-fold while its MAI score was enhanced 2.0-fold two weeks after an implant surgery. Conclusions: Using the FIA and MAI assessment methods, this study showed that masticatory function was improved two weeks after implant restoration. In particular, the enhancement of masticatory function by implant restoration was greater in patients with relatively poor initial mastication than in those with good initial mastication.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.839-847
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the perception of clinical trials of dental hygienist. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was filled out by 126 dental hygienists in Seoul, Kyonggi and other area from October 1 to November 15, 2012. The instrument of the study was adapted from Jung and reconstructed. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of the subjects(9 questions) and recognition for clinical trials(10 questions). Recognition for clinical trials instrument included recognition for clinical trial conception(2 questions), objective recognition(5 questions), and subjective recognition for clinical trial(3 questions). The instrument was score by Likert 5 scale and Cronbach alpha was 0.936 in the study. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20.0 program and set at p<0.05. Independent t-test, chi-square test, one way ANOVA, and post-hoc Duncan test were done. Results: Those who had higher ages and higher education tended to have longer clinical careers(p<0.05). There was a significant difference in clinical trials between the level of education, clinical dental hygienists and professors. The differences in problem perception for activation of clinical trial according to workplace appeared to lack of publicity and inadequacy of facilities(p<0.05). Conclusions: To improve the perception of the clinical trials in dental hygienists, it is necessary to prepare the human resources programs, the additional curricula, continuing education courses and active publicity.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.134-142
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• 2015

Lichen planus is an immune-mediated mucocutaneous disease, affects more frequently middle-aged Caucasian women and makes signs and symptoms in the oral mucosa. Cutaneous lichen planus lesions cause itching but they are self-limiting, oral lichen planus lesions are usually chronic, recalcitrant to treatment and potentially premalignant in some cases. Although, oral lichen planus is non-plaque related disease, they possess particular problems because plaque control is complicated by pain and bleeding and might cause plaque-related disease. The resulting condition comprises accumulations of plaque, which again can influence the progress of oral lichen planus with burning sensation, spontaneous gingival bleeding. Thus, it should be noted that both medication and supportive periodontal treatment are essential for the remission of the lesions. This case report introduces topical corticosteroid therapy and supportive periodontal treatment including intensive oral hygiene procedures to obtain an improvement of subjective symptoms and objective changes and to prevent relapse the lesions.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.136-142
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• 2015

Objective : Subjective tinnitus is defined as an acoustic sensation perceived without any external source. Patients with tinnitus have often experienced psychological distress and low quality of life. However, the connection between psychiatric characteristics and tinnitus has not yet been established. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of psychiatric characteristics with tinnitus severity. Method : A total of 124 patients with tinnitus were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics were retrospectively collected in the otolaryngology clinic. The self-reported scales including the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index were used in this study. Results : The Pearson product moment correlation revealed significant correlations between tinnitus severity and psychiatric characteristics including depression (r=0.26, p<0.01), anxiety (r=0.38, p<0.01), anxiety sensitivity (r=0.27, p<0.01). After controlling for age, sex and awareness of tinnitus, tinnitus severity was positively correlated with anxiety (partial r=0.39, p<0.01) and anxiety sensitivity (partial r=0.28, p<0.01). These correlations remained significant in male but not in female patients. Conclusion : Results of the present study indicated that not only anxiety symptoms but also anxiety sensitivity could relate to tinnitus severity. Our findings have implications for the understanding of the psychiatric characteristics in patients with tinnitus.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.863-871
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of case-base learning (CBL) using video on clinical decision-making and learning motivation. Methods: This research was conducted between June 2009 and April 2010 as a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. The study population was 44 third year nursing students who enrolled in a college of nursing, A University in Korea. The nursing students were divided into the CBL and the control group. The intervention was the CBL with three cases using video. The controls attended a traditional live lecture on the same topics. With questionnaires objective clinical decision-making, subjective clinical decision-making, and learning motivation were measured before the intervention, and 10 weeks after the intervention. Results: Significant group differences were observed in clinical decision-making and learning motivation. The post-test scores of clinical decision-making in the CBL group were statistically higher than the control group. Learning motivation was also significantly higher in the CBL group than in the control group. Conclusion: These results indicate that CBL using video is effective in enhancing clinical decision-making and motivating students to learn by encouraging self-directed learning and creating more interest and curiosity in learning.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2019

Self-reported difficulties in speech-in-noise (SiN) recognition are common among tinnitus patients. Whereas hearing impairment that usually co-occurs with tinnitus can explain such difficulties, recent studies suggest that tinnitus patients with normal hearing sensitivity still show decreased SiN understanding, indicating that SiN difficulties cannot be solely attributed to changes in hearing sensitivity. In fact, cognitive control, which refers to a variety of top-down processes that human beings use to complete their daily tasks, has been shown to be critical for SiN recognition, as well as the key to understand cognitive inefficiencies caused by tinnitus. In this article, we review studies investigating the association between tinnitus and cognitive control using behavioral and brain imaging assessments, as well as those examining the effect of tinnitus on SiN recognition. In addition, three factors that can affect cognitive control in tinnitus patients, including hearing sensitivity, age, and severity of tinnitus, are discussed to elucidate the association among tinnitus, cognitive control, and SiN recognition. Although a possible central or cognitive involvement has always been postulated in the observed SiN impairments in tinnitus patients, there is as yet no direct evidence to underpin this assumption, as few studies have addressed both SiN performance and cognitive control in one tinnitus cohort. Future studies should aim at incorporating SiN tests with various subjective and objective methods that evaluate cognitive performance to better understand the relationship between SiN difficulties and cognitive control in tinnitus patients.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.678-687
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• 1997

Cystic lesions of the mandible are fairly common and usually a presumptive diagnosis is made readily, more often on the basis of roentgenographic appearance than by any other means. Occasionally, however, it is easy to fall into errors of diagnosis which may affect one's choice of treatment. The diagnosis in these situations are usually resolved by the histopathologic examination of material obtained by surgical exploration. The present discussion to the lesions which can be most easily confused in the roentgenographic interpretation, that is, the traumatic bone cyst, the dentigerous cyst, the radicular cyst. These lesions often grow to considerable size before they cause any subjective or objective symptoms. Less frequently, perhaps, the patient presents himself with the complaint of enlargement of the affected part, a discharge, or pain. On rare occasions the first sign is fracture through the cyst cavity. In any case, an adequate roentgenographic survey by means of extraoral films is essential. This is the primary means of diagnosis. The three lesions in mandible, reported here, resembled each other roentgenographically in that they were osteolytic lesions. The follicular and radicular cysts usually have a smooth periphery and may be surrounded by a white line. The follicular cyst, slow-growing lesions, is usually associated with an unerupted tooth. The radicular cyst, the most common type of the odontogenic cyst, is always associated with a nonvital tooth, or it may persist as a "residual" radicular cyst after the causative tooth has been extracted. The traumatic bone cyst can often be differentiated from the first two in that the periphery is less definite and is irregular. It is thought that because it does not occur in older people, the lesion is self-limiting and heals spontaneously if left alone.