• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2012

Objectives : The present study takes part of the agricultural district cohort study of a certain county located in Gyeonggido and aims to investigate the difference of the heart rate variability(HRV) according to the social support level. Methods : We used data from 1727 participants of a health promotion program who are older than 40 years old. A physical examination, as well as a one-to-one interview to obtain sociodemographic characteristics, was performed with each participant. In addition, the participants completed the Medical Outcomes Study-Social Support Survey(MOS-SSS) for their the social support level to be assessed, and their HRV were measured to evaluate their autonomic function. The entire group was divided in two groups according to its MOS-SSS points to facilitate the research. Those who were evaluated as the high 25%(432 persons) were denominated as high social support (HSS) group and those who were evaluated as the low 25%(425 persons) were denominated as poor social support(PSS) group. Results : The two groups showed significant differences on the sociodemographic factor such as mean age and gender composition(p<0.05). Comparing the indices related to the HRV, the HSS group had the following values higher than the PSS group : SDNN(F=4.938, p=0.027), TP(F=8.088, p=0.005), VLF(F=6.220, p=0.013) LF (F=3.873, p=0.049). Conclusion : According to the research, the PSS group showed dysfunction on their autonomic nervous system comparing to the HSS group. The social support helps an individual overcome difficulties, helps the adaptation during the changes of circumstances and in stressful situations it serves like a buffer. Based on that, it's possible to define that a low social support level gave an impact on the autonomic function. Also, using the fact that the HRV can evaluate the autonomic function in an objective view, it was possible to visualize that it has a potential to be used as an assistant factor to evaluate the social support.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.404-412
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• 2012

The main object of this study is to render a better dental education to mental disabilities, teachers, and their parents. By providing a better dental education to them, mental disabilities would understand the importance of their oral hygiene. The study was held in Seoul at two different locations, named H and E mental welfare facilities. Ninety Three mental disabilities were studied by observing their oral behavior, simple oral hygiene index and plaque index prior and post to dental education. At the end of education, following result were gathered from two mental facilities. First, the level of oral behavior in Class 1,2, and 3 mental disabilities were observed prior and post to the dental education. Overall, there was no significant difference among Class 1 mental disabilities with the dental education. Second, in simple oral hygiene index, the severity of mental illness has affected on their oral behavior (F=6.322, p<.001). Third, in simple oral hygiene index, the frequency of dental education, regardless of severity of mental illness has affected on their oral hygiene (F=5.961, p<.01). Fourth, the plaque index also illustrated that the frequency of dental education, regardless of severity of dental illness has affected on their oral hygiene (F=5.126, p<.05). Finally, the general characteristics of mental disabilities according to changes in oral health awareness to gender, age, disability type, educational level do not statistically significant in all variables. Their simple oral hygiene index and plaque index advanced, although after a while they started to lose focus, which brought back their old habits. Nevertheless, in conclusion I believe that helping mental disabilities more frequently to constant reminder, will not only keep them entertained, but help them realize how important oral hygiene practice is, hopefully increasing and benefiting those with mental disabilities for future reference.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.215-229
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• 2020

Purpose: This study examines the attitude of South Korean adults toward food aid to North Korea and factors associated with it. Methods: An online survey involving 1,000 adults aged 19-69 years was conducted between September-October 2019. Throughout South Korea, the subjects were proportionally distributed with respect to gender, age, and region, to represent South Korean adults. Results: A total of 44.6% of the respondents agreed (Agreement group), 36.7% disagreed (Disagreement group), and 18.7% neither agreed nor disagreed to food aid to North Korea. Compared to the Disagreement group, the Agreement group had a higher concern of food aid to North Korea and a more positive perception on the effect of it. The Agreement group selected "direct assistance from the government" whereas the Disagreement group chose "support through international organizations" as the most appropriate channel for food aid to North Korea. Logistic regression analysis revealed that South Korean adults showing a more positive perception on the effect of food aid to North Korea were more likely to agree to the aid (odds ratio [OR], 19.32). Moreover, compared to the conservatives, the progressives were more likely to agree to food aid to North Korea (OR, 5.94). South Korean adults in their 40-50s were more likely to agree to food aid to North Korea than those in their 20-30s (OR, 2.81). South Korean adults with a higher concern of food aid to North Korea (OR, 3.93) and a greater positive perception on Korean unification (OR, 1.88) were more likely to agree to food aid to North Korea. Conclusion: The most important factor associated with the attitude of South Korean adults toward food aid to North Korea was their perception on the subsequent effect. As strategies to draw social consensus on food aid to North Korea, we recommend systematizing the monitoring process on the effect of providing food aid to North Korea and informing the public of the outcomes.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.299-306
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• 2008

Purpose : Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare but fatal disorder characterized by fever, splenomegaly, pancytopenia, and hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow and other tissues. In this study, we investigated the clinical manifestations and prognostic factors in patients with HLH. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the data from 29 patients who were diagnosed whit HLH in the Severance Children's Hospital from Jan. 1996 to Feb. 2007. Results : The median age at diagnosis was 3.8 years (range 0.1-12.2). The ratio of male to female patients was 1.1:1. The 5-year overall survival rate was 55.2% with a median follow-up duration of 32 months. In a multivariate analysis, the duration of fever before admission (survival vs. non-survival, 6.5 days vs. 14 days, P=0.010), the interval from the day of fever onset to the day of initiation of etoposide (survival vs. non-survival, 10 days vs. 35 days, P=0.002) and the presence of neurologic symptoms (survival vs. non-survival, 1 case vs. 7 cases, P=0.010) were independent, poor prognostic factors of HLH. EBV infection, gender, and the level of serum ferritin had no relations to the poor prognosis of the disease. Conclusion : This study showed that the presence of neurologic symptoms and a longer duration of fever were related to a poor prognosis. Therefore, if a patient develops neurologic symptoms and the duration of fever is prolonged, a prompt diagnostic approach and aggressive treatment for HLH are necessary.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of the injuries of the national elite Taekwondo players with the best performance in the international championship competition. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two athletes who got the injury in the 2011 Gyeongju World Taekwondo Championship competition were included in this sturdy. 950 members of national team of 146 countries participated in this game, 1,063 matches were performed. We analyzed the characteristics of the injuries such as injury rate by gender, age, weight class, injured region and injury type. Results: Fifty-two athletes of 950 athletes in 1,063 matches got injured and injury rate was 5.47 per 100 participants and 24.47/1,000 athlete-exposures. Injury rate of female athletes was higher than mail, but there was no significant statistical difference (p=0.512). Injury rate of over 30 years old was 17.39 per 100 participants, and injury rate of over 87 kg in male weight class and 68 to 73kg in female weight class were highest than other groups, but there was no significant statistical difference (p=0.838). Overall injury rate of the lower extremity was 13.17/1,000 A-E, higher than upper extremity or head and neck or trunk, but injury rate of the hand was 5.17/1,000 A-E, highest as a specific injured region, followed by the knee, 4.70/1,000 A-E (p=0.714). Injury rate of the sprain was 10.81/1,000 A-E, highest as an injury type, the second most common injury type was the fracture, 5.40/1,000 A-E in men, and was the contusion, 9.63/1,000 A-E in women (p=0.033). As one of the most serious injury, 4 of 8 fractures were occurred in hand. Conclusion: Overall injury rate of the elite Taekwondo players in 2011 Gyeongju World Taekwondo Championship was 5.47 per 100 participants and 24.46 per 1,000 athlete exposures. Although the most common type of injury was the sprain of the knee and ankle, the fractures were more commonly occurred in hand.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.262-268
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• 2009

Purpose: We wanted to analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with gastric carcinoid tumor, which is a rare gastric tumor (less than 2% of all gastric tumors). Materials and Methods: We reviewed all the carcinoid patients who were treated from 1996 to 2006. The clinicopathologic characteristics, the treatment modalities and the survival rates were retrospectively analysed. Results: There were 8 type I patients and 10 type III patients, but there were no type II patients. The mean age of onset for type I was 47.75 years and that for type III was 57.90 years. More type III patients were female, but the gender ratio of type I patients was equal at a ratio of 1：1. There were 4 cases of solitary tumor, which were all T1 except for one case, and there was neither distant metastasis nor lymph node involvement for the type T1 cases. In the 13 patients who had no metastasis, 5 underwent endoscopic mucosal resection and 8 underwent surgery, and their combined 5 year survival rate was 92.3%. For the 5 cases who had metastastses, their mean survival was 22 months and especially, 3 of them underwent palliative surgery and their median survival were 24 months (95%, ${\pm}6.52$). Conclusion: Higher incidence of type III gastric carcinoid tumor and less multiplicity in type I gastric tumor were identified in our study compared with previous reports. For the type III cases, there were some noteable differences compared with the Western country's survival rate for the patients who underwent palliative surgery, so physicians must pay close attention to the definite clinicopathologic characteristics of gastric carcinoid patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.231-237
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• 2009

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of palliative gastrojejunostomy for treating patients with unresectable stage IV gastric cancer, and as compared with laparotomy for treating patients with incurable gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied 167 patients who could not undergo resection without obstruction at Korea University Hospital from 1984 to 2007. They were classified into two groups, one that underwent palliative gastrojejnostomy (the bypass group, n=62) and one that underwent explo-laparotomy (the O&C group, n=105), and the clinical data and operative outcomes were compared according to the groups. Results: For the clinical characteristics, there were no differences of age, gender and liver metastasis between the bypass group and the explo-laparotomy group, but there was a significant different for the presence of peritoneal metastasis (P=0.001). There was no difference between two groups for the postoperative mortality and morbidity. For the postoperative outcomes, the duration of the hospital stay (29.25 vs 16.67) and the frequency of re-admission were not different, but the median overall survival (4.3 months vs. 3.4 months, respectively) was significantly different. By multivariate analysis, the presence of peritoneal metastasis was identified as the independent prognostic factor for incurable gastric cancer. Conclusion: A prophylactic bypass procedure is not effective for improving the quality of life and prolonging the life expectancy of unresectable stage IV gastric cancer patients without obstruction.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.9
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• pp.1012-1017
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• 2008

Purpose : This study aimed to assess the mechanical properties of the abdominal aorta in school-aged patients treated for Kawasaki disease and in normal, healthy children. Methods : This study examined 28 children with Kawasaki disease who had been followed up on and 30 healthy subjects of the same age and gender. We recorded systolic (Ps) and diastolic (Pd) blood pressure values and the aortic diameter at both minimum diastolic (Dd) and maximum systolic (Ds) expansion using two-dimensional echocardiography. These measurements were used to determine 1) aortic strain: S=(Ds-Dd)/Dd; 2) pressure strain elastic modulus: Ep=(Ps-Pd)/S; and 3) normalized Ep: $Ep^*=Ep/Pd$. Results : Ep (P=0.008) and $Ep^*$ (P=0.043) of the Kawasaki disease group were relatively high compared to those of the control group. Ep (P=0.002) and $Ep^*$ (P=0.015) of patients with coronary aneurysm were also relatively high compared with those of patients without coronary aneurysm, but lipid profiles did not differ, except for homocysteine (P=0.008). Therefore, in patients with coronary aneurysm, aortic stiffness was higher, compared to not only the control group but also patients without coronary aneurysm. However, in patients without coronary aneurysm, aortic stiffness was not significant, different compared to the control group. Conclusion : Measuring aortic distensibility may be helpful in assessing the risk of early atheroscletic change in the long-term management of Kawasaki disease.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.615-622
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• 2016

The 18~20G needle is used to computer tomography (CT) contrast examination. Therefore, a patient has to apply a self-administering hemostasis (conventional method: CM) and often experience bleeding in the course. Thus, we developed the new disposable transparent tourniquet (TT) for reducing. This study was to compare the usefulness between the proposed transparent tourniquet and the existing hemostatic methods. A Satisfaction survey was conducted by 50 patients and 25nurses. The survey contained the satisfaction of the convenience, safety, sanitation, and wearing sensation of transparent tourniquet. We employed face-to-face interview on 5 points likert scales. And Chi-square, paired T-test were used for the statistics verification. As for the patients, the satisfaction levels were measured for each category with the gender, age. Patients evaluation, overall satisfaction high average sore used TT and there were statistical significance by paired T-test(p<0.05). The following is the average satisfaction level for each category: $4.4{\pm}0.53$ in; $4.28{\pm}0.57$ in safety; $4.52{\pm}0.54$ in sanitation; $4.16{\pm}0.54$ in wearing sensation. So the overall satisfaction level is measured at $4.34{\pm}0.51$. As for the nurses, CT work experience and the current satisfaction with tourniquet were counted as variables. The satisfaction level for each category is: $3.8{\pm}0.7$ in; $3.6{\pm}0.68$ in safety; $3.4{\pm}0.5$ in sanitation; $3.9{\pm}0.49$ in hemostasis. The overall satisfaction level is $3.8{\pm}0.3$. Patients' satisfaction levels were very high with little difference among variables. Nurses' satisfaction levels were different with the TT depending on their work experience but their overall satisfaction was high. This TT will be a starting point to minimizing patient's inconvenience and more studies are necessary to enhance their satisfaction.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.414-421
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• 2008

Background: Recently, in addition to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become rapidly growing public health threat. This study examined the clinical differences between pulmonary TB patients with extensively drug resistance (XDR) and multi-drug resistance (MDR) at the National Medical Center in Korea in order to determine the clinical characteristics associated more with XDR-TB than MDR-TB. Methods: Patients who received a diagnosis of culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and a drug sensitivity test (DST) for anti-TB drugs at the National Medical Center between January 2000 and August 2007 were enrolled in this study. The patients were identified into the XDR-TB or MDR-TB group according to the DST results. The clinical characteristics were reviewed retrospectively from the medical records. Statistical analysis for the comparisons was performed using a ${\chi}^2$-test, independent samples t-test or binary logistic regression where appropriate. Results: A total 314 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB were included. Among them, 18 patients (5.7%) had XDR-TB and 69 patients (22%) had MDR-TB excluding XDR-TB. A comparison of the clinical characteristics, revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection for the treatment of TB (odds ratio [OR], 3.974; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.052~15.011; P value 0.032) and longer average previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs, including a treatment interruption period prior to the diagnosis of XDR, than the MDR-TB group (XDR-TB group, 72.67 months; MDR-TB group, 13.09 months; average treatment duration difference between two groups, 59.582 months; 95% CI, 31.743~87.420; P value, 0.000). In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs was significantly associated with XDR-TB (OR, 1.076; 95% CI, 1.038~1.117; P value, 0.000). A comparison of the other clinical characteristics revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of male gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), age under 45, treatment interruption history, cavitations on simple chest radiograph and positive result of sputum AFB staining at the time of diagnosis of XDR. However, the association was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Pulmonary TB patients with XDR have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection and longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs than those with MDR. In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs is significantly associated with XDR-TB.