In this paper, Acousto-Optical tomography is modeled by a linear integral equation and an inverse problem involving a diffusion equation in n-spatial dimensions. We make two-step mathematical model. First, we solve a linear integral equation. Assuming the optical energy fluence rate has been recovered from the previous equation, the absorption coefficient micro is then reconstructed by solving an inverse problem. Numerical experiments are presented for the case n=2. The traditional gradient descent method is used for the numerical simulations. The result of the gradient descent method produces the blurring effect. To get rid of the blurring effect, we suggest the total variation regularization for the minimization problem.
Absorption ; Diffusion ; Drug Combinations ; Models, Theoretical ; Piperonyl Butoxide ; Pyrethrins

Fast food is popular among children and adolescents; however, its consumption has often been associated with negative impacts on nutrition and health. This study examined current fast food consumption status among middle school students and explored factors influencing fast food consumption by applying Theory of Planned Behavior. A total of 354 (52.5% boys) students were recruited from a middle school. The subjects completed a pre-tested questionnaire. The average monthly frequency of fast food consumption was 4.05 (4.25 for boys, 3.83 for girls). As expected, fast food consumption was considered to be a special event rather than part of an everyday diet, closely associated with meeting friends or celebrating, most likely with friends, special days. The Theory of Planned Behavior effectively explained fast food consumption behaviors with relatively high R2 around 0.6. Multiple regression analyses showed that fast food consumption behavior was significantly related to behavioral intention (b = 0.61, P < 0.001) and perceived behavioral control (b = 0.19, P < 0.001). Further analysis showed that behavioral intention was significantly related to subjective norm (b = 0.15, P < 0.01) and perceived behavioral control (b = 0.56, P < 0.001). Attitude toward fast food consumption was not significantly associated with behavioral intention. Therefore, effective nutrition education programs on fast food consumption should include components to change the subjective norms of fast food consumption, especially among peers, and perceived behavioral control. Further studies should examine effective ways of changing subjective norms and possible alternatives to fast food consumption for students to alter perceived behavioral control.
Anniversaries and Special Events ; Child ; Diet ; Fast Foods ; Friends ; Humans ; Intention ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objectives: Previous studies have reported that self-neglect, which may be a sign of elder abuse, can result in suicide among older adults. The signs of self-neglect and its impact on the risk of suicide may differ by gender. Thus, this study explored the association between self-neglect and suicide risk in older Korean adults and examined the potential moderating effect of gender on this relationship. Methods: Data were collected from 356 Korean adults aged 65 or older through an online survey. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the research hypothesis. First, the associations between 4 sub-dimensions of self-neglect (i.e., daily life management issues, personal hygiene issues, financial management issues, and relational issues) and suicidal ideation were examined. Then, the moderating effect of gender on these relationships was investigated by including interaction terms. Results: Self-neglect was significantly associated with suicidal ideation in older adults. Aspects of self-neglect related to daily life management and relational factors were key predictors of suicidal ideation. Gender significantly moderated the effect of the relational dimension of self-neglect on suicidal ideation. The relational dimension of self-neglect was more strongly associated with suicidal ideation in older women than in older men. Conclusions The findings suggest the importance of screening older adults with signs of self-neglect for suicide risk. Special attention should be paid to older women who experience relational issues as a high-risk group for suicidal ideation. Public programs and support systems should be established to improve daily life management and promote social relationships among older adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the medical expenditures for poisoning patients in Korea using data from National Health Insurance and the Korea Health Panel Survey. Methods: The operational definition of poisoning was the presence of Korean Standard Classification of Diseases codes from T36 to T65. The number of poisoning patients, the amount of legal copayments, and benefit and non-benefit costs were extracted from both databases. The frequency of emergency, inpatient, and outpatient treatment utilization by poisoning patients was determined, and medical expenses were calculated. Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate factors affecting the medical expenses of poisoning patients. Results: The number of poisoning patients increased from 97,965 in 2011 to 147,984 persons in 2020. Medical expenses also increased by 74% from Korean won (KRW) 30.1 billion to KRW 52.3 billion, and benefit costs also increased by 79%. The average outpatient cost per person was KRW 67,660, and the inpatient cost was KRW 1,485,103. The average non-benefit medical expenses were KRW 80,298, accounting for about 16.2% of the total expenses. Multivariable analysis showed that the total expenditure was associated with economic status and disabilities. Conclusion The average medical expenditure per poisoning patient was KRW 534,302 in 2020, and poisoning-related costs gradually increased during the study period. Further research on the economic burden of poisoning should include indirect costs and reflect disease-adjusted life years.

Purpose: The study was examined to investigate the influence of nurse manager and peer group caring behaviors on organizational socialization and nursing performance Methods: The subjects were 286 clinical nurses from a general hospital in S city. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analysis with the SPSS 25.0 program. Nurse manager and peer group caring behaviors, organizational socialization, and nursing performance were measured using organizational climate for caring scale, peer group caring interaction scale, organizational socialization and performance measurement scale for hospital nurses. Results There was no significant difference in organizational socialization between nurse manager and peer group caring behaviors. The significant predictors of nursing performance were position (β=-.26), nurse manager caring behaviors (β=.23), and peer group caring behaviors (β=.17). These variables explained 23% of the variance in nursing performance. Conclusion: The results suggest that it is necessary to increase both manager and peer group caring behaviors in order to improve nursing performance.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) in a tertiary hospital. METHODS: Medical, anesthetic, and nursing records from the 27,320 procedures conducted in a tertiary hospital during 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Three clinical performance indicators of SAP (selection of antibiotic, timing of the first administration, duration of prophylaxis) were included as part of the National Hospital Evaluation Program (NHEP) of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. In addition, 2 other parameters were assessed according to recent guidelines (weight-based initial dosing for obesity, intraoperative re-dosing for excessive blood loss, and prolonged duration of procedures). RESULTS: Prophylactic antibiotics were administered in 19,637 (71.8%) of 27,320 total procedures. Quality of the 3 performance indicators was higher in the types of operations included in NHEP than in other procedures. However, additional doses were administered in 15 (1.2%) of 1,299 surgical procedures that lasted more than twice the half-life of the antibiotic used, and in 9 (3.3%) of 273 procedures with excessive blood loss greater than 1,500 mL. NHEP and non-NHEP results did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Three SAP quality indicators showed more improvement in NHEP surgical procedures than in non-NHEP, but the other parameters did not perform well regardless of NHEP assessment. Therefore, more measures to improve the appropriateness of SAP should be developed.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antibiotic Prophylaxis* ; Half-Life ; Insurance, Health ; Nursing Records ; Obesity ; Quality Indicators, Health Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the risk of fractures related with zolpidem in elderly insomnia patients. METHODS: Health claims data on the entire South Korean elderly population from January 2005 to June 2006 were extracted from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. We applied a case-crossover design. Cases were defined as insomnia patients who had a fracture diagnosis. We set the hazard period of 1 day length prior to the fracture date and four control periods of the same length at 5, 10, 15, and 20 weeks prior to the fracture date. Time independent confounding factors such as age, gender, lifestyle, cognitive function level, mobility, socioeconomic status, residential environment, and comorbidity could be controlled using the casecrossover design. Time dependent confounding factors, especially co-medication of patients during the study period, were adjusted by conditional logistic regression analysis. The odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for the risk of fracture related to zolpidem. RESULTS: One thousand five hundred and eight cases of fracture were detected in insomnia patients during the study period. In our data, the use of zolpidem increased the risk of fracture significantly (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.37 to 2.16). However, the association between benzodiazepine hypnotics and the risk of fracture was not statistically significant (aOR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.21). Likewise, the results were not statistically significant in stratified analysis with each benzodiazepine generic subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Zolpidem could increase the risk of fracture in elderly insomnia patients. Therefore zolpidem should be prescribed carefully and the elderly should be provided with sufficient patient education.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Benzodiazepines/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Cross-Over Studies ; Female ; Fractures, Bone/chemically induced/*epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Pyridines/*adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/*drug therapy

The purpose of this study was to measure bone age using an artificial intelligence program based on the Greulich-Pyle (GP) method to find out the bone age corresponding to each stage of cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) and the middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3). This study was conducted on 3,118 patients who visited pediatric dentistry at Kyung Hee University Dental Hospital and Pusan National University Dental Hospital from 2013 to 2021. The CVM stage was divided into 5 stages according to the classification by Baccetti, and the MP3 stage was divided into 5 stages according to the methods of Hägg and Taranger. Based on the GP method, bone age was evaluated using an artificial intelligence program. The pubertal growth spurt in the CVM stage was CVM II and III. The mean bone age in CVM II was 11.00 ± 1.81 years for males and 10.00 ± 1.49 years for females, and in CVM III, 13.00 ± 1.46 years for males and 12.00 ± 1.44 years for females (p < 0.0001). The pubertal growth spurt in the MP3 stage was MP3 - G stage. The bone age at the MP3 - G stage was 13.14 ± 1.07 years for males and 11.40 ± 1.09 years for females (p < 0.0001). Bone age evaluation using artificial intelligence is worth using in clinical practice, and it is expected that a faster and more accurate diagnosis will be possible.