Kyungpook National University

About: Kyungpook National University is a education organization based out in Daegu, South Korea. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 20497 authors who have published 42107 publications receiving 834608 citations.

Prevalence of Eye Diseases in South Korea: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2009

Abstract: Epidemiological studies provide information on the prevention, treatment, and minimization of the impact of diseases on society. In the past two decades, a wide range of epidemiologic studies in ophthalmology have provided important information on the pattern of visual impairment and the major eye diseases that cause such vision loss [1]. Although several epidemiological studies of several age-related eye diseases (e.g., glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and cataract) have been conducted in Korea [2-4], these studies were hospital-based or were conducted primarily in urban areas. Data on the prevalence of diseases based on the number of hospital visits or surveys conducted in limited areas are easy to obtain; however, substantial differences may exist between such data and that obtained in large-scale population studies, which are more accurate and can represent entire populations. Large-scale population-based studies conducted over the past two decades in many countries, including the United States [5-14], Western Europe [15-17], Australia [18-21], Japan [22-26], Singapore [27-30], and China [31-35], have been used to guide public health policy and plan preventive strategies. However, these studies were conducted mostly with regard to major age-related eye diseases, such as cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy, which are major causes of vision loss. Nation-wide epidemiological studies of all age groups for the prevalence of common eye diseases have not been performed. The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a series of Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2007-2009 for examination of the general health and nutrition status of Koreans. As of the fourth KNHANES (2007-2009), an annual total of 4,600 households were selected, and the participating household members were interviewed regarding health and nutrition and underwent a basic health examination that included blood pressure measurements, blood and urine collection, a pulmonary function test, and a dental examination. Since the Korean Ophthalmologic Society has participated in this survey since 2008, ophthalmologic interviews and examinations were also conducted with the same participants. The purpose of this study is to investigate the national prevalence of common eye diseases in South Korea based on the survey data obtained from the KNHANES and to analyze the prevalence of diseases according to age and gender. Data obtained from KNHANES may offer further insight into the etiology, ethnic differences, and public health impact of the most common eye diseases affecting Korean people living in Asia.

Design and implementation of low-profile contactless battery charger using planar printed circuit board windings as energy transfer device

Abstract: This paper paper presents the practical details involved in the design and implementation of a contactless battery charger that employs a pair of neighboring printed circuit board (PCB) windings as a contactless energy transfer device. A prototype contactless battery charger developed for application with cellular phones is used as an example to address the design considerations for the PCB windings and energy transfer circuit, plus demonstrates the performance of the contactless charger adapted to a practical application system.

Randomized clinical trial of splenectomy versus splenic preservation in patients with proximal gastric cancer.

Abstract: Background: Preservation or removal of the spleen during total gastrectomy for proximal gastric cancer is a matter of debate. Methods: A randomized clinical trial included patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent total gastrectomy either with (104 patients) or without (103) splenectomy. Postoperative outcome in the two groups was compared, including morbidity, mortality and survival. Results: Gastrectomy combined with splenectomy tended to be associated with slightly higher morbidity and mortality rates, a slightly greater incidence of lymph node metastasis at the splenic hilum and along the splenic artery, and marginally better survival, but there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. Splenectomy had no impact on survival in patients with metastatic lymph nodes at the hilum of the spleen or in those with metastatic lymph nodes along the splenic artery. Conclusion: These results do not support the use of prophylactic splenectomy to remove macroscopically negative lymph nodes near the spleen in patients undergoing total gastrectomy for proximal gastric cancer. Copyright © 2006 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

New limits on interactions between weakly interacting massive particles and nucleons obtained with CsI(Tl) crystal detectors.

Abstract: Limits on the cross section for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) elastic scattering on nuclei in NaI(Tl) detectors at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory are obtained from a 2967.4 kg·day data exposure. The nuclei recoiling from the scattering process are identified by the pulse shape of the scintillation light signals that they produce. The data are consistent with a no nuclear-recoil hypothesis, and WIMP-mass-dependent 90% confidence-level upper-limits are set on WIMP-nuclei elastic scattering cross sections. These limits partially exclude the DAMA/LIBRA allowed region for WIMP-sodium interactions with the same NaI(Tl) target material. The 90% confidence level upper limit on the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section is 3.26×10−4 pb for a WIMP mass of 10 GeV/c2.