• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.512-520
• /
• 2006

Purpose: To investigate the risk factors of arthritis, this study was carried out with 1,829 Korean women aged between 40-64 who responded to a health behavior survey. Methods: Data were extracted from the results of the 2001 National Survey on Health and Nutrition conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Results: 1 Financial difficulty and continuous anxiety about health were directly associated with arthritis. The odd ratios of these two factors of arthritis were 1.43 and 1.82 respectively. 2. With regard to the presence or absence of arthritis according to demographic characteristic, the incidence of arthritis was higher in the age between 50-64, in the group whose education level was middle school or lower, and in those who experienced the death of spouse, divorce or separation. Nevertheless, it was not significantly different according to financial status and employment status. 3. Concerning the presence or absence of arthritis according to psychological characteristic, the incidence of arthritis was found to be higher in those who were not healthy by subjective health assessment, in those who were always anxious about their health, in those who were always depressed and sad, and in those who felt heavy stress. 4. With regard to the presence or absence of arthritis according to the health behavior, the incidence of arthritis was higher in postmenopausal cases and cases who were having hormone therapy, and the incidence of arthritis was higher in those who did not drink alcohol, those with BMI higher than 25, and those who slept shorter than 7 hours a day. Conclusion: Based on the above results, it is required to provide a means applicable to communities by developing preventive education that can prevent the incidence of arthritis in middle-aged women as well as intervention programs.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.519-523
• /
• 2004

This study investigates micro-structural and mechanical properties of trabecular bone in human femoral head with and without osteoporosis using Micro-CT and finite element-model. 15 cored trabecular bone specimens with 20min of diameter were obtained from femoral heads with osteoporosis (T-score > -2.5 ) resected for total hip arthroplasty, and 5 specimens were removed from femoral head of cadavers, which has no history of musculoskeletal diseases. A high-resolution micro-CT system was used to scan each specimen to obtain histomorphometry indices. Based on obtained micro-images(pixel size=21.31㎛), a FE-model was created to determine mechanical property indices. While non-osteoporosis group had increases trabecular thickness, bone volume, bone volume fraction, degree of anisotropy and trabecular number compared with those of non-osteoporotic group, the non-osteoporotic group showed decreases in trabecular separation and structure model index. Regarding the mechanical property indices, reaction force, apparent stress and young's modulus were 1ower in osteoporotic group than in non-osteoporotic group. Our data shows salient deteriorations in trabecular micro-structural and mechanical properties in human femoral head with osteoporosis.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.24 no.6 s.81
• /
• pp.515-522
• /
• 2003

Pharynx is a system transporting foods by peristaltic motion(contraction and expansion movement! into the esophagus and functioning as airway passages. In this study, structural changes of pharyngeal dysfunction are analyzed by biomechanical model using CT and FEM(finite clement method). Loading condition was assumed that equal pressure was loaded sequentially to inside of pharyngeal tissue. In order to analyze the pharyngeal muscular dysfunction by biomechanical model. the pharyngeal dysfunctions was classified into 3 cases. Taking into account the clinical complication by neuromuscular symptoms such as pharyngeal dysfunction after stroke. we assumed that a change of material property is caused by muscular tissue stiffness. A deformation of cross sectional area of the pharynx is analyzed increasing the stiffness $25\%,\;50\%,\;75\%$ in each case on the basis of stress-strain relationship. Based on three-dimensional reconstruction of pharyngeal structure using limited factor - techniques and the optimization procedure by means of inverse dynamic approach. the biomechanical model of the human pharynx is implemented. The results may be used as clinical index illustrating the degree of pharyngeal muscular dysfunction. This study may be used as useful diagnostic model in discovering early deglutitory impediment caused by physiological or pathological pharyngeal dysfunction.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.976-983
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The dynamic behavior of a bridge structure under seismic loading depends on many uncertainties, such as the nature of the seismic waves and the material and geometric properties. However, not all uncertainties have a significant impact on the dynamic behavior of a bridge structure. Since probabilistic seismic performance evaluation considering even low-impact uncertainties is computationally expensive, the uncertainties should be identified by considering their impact on the dynamic behavior of the bridge. Therefore, in this study, a global sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the main parameters affecting the dynamic behavior of bridges with I-curved girders. Method: Considering the uncertainty of the earthquake and the material and geometric uncertainty of the curved bridge, a finite element analysis was performed, and a surrogate model was developed based on the analysis results. The surrogate model was evaluated using performance metrics such as coefficient of determination, and finally, a global sensitivity analysis based on the surrogate model was performed. Result: The uncertainty factors that have the greatest influence on the stress response of the I-curved girder under seismic loading are the peak ground acceleration (PGA), the height of the bridge (h), and the yield stress of the steel (fy). The main effect sensitivity indices of PGA, h, and fy were found to be 0.7096, 0.0839, and 0.0352, respectively, and the total sensitivity indices were found to be 0.9459, 0.1297, and 0.0678, respectively. Conclusion: The stress response of the I-shaped curved girder is dominated by the uncertainty of the input motions and is strongly influenced by the interaction effect between each uncertainty factor. Therefore, additional sensitivity analysis of the uncertainty of the input motions, such as the number of input motions and the intensity measure(IM), and a global sensitivity analysis considering the structural uncertainty, such as the number and curvature of the curved girders, are required.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.69 no.1
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2010

Background: Most lung cancer patients receive systemic chemotherapy at an advanced stage disease. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the main regimen for treating advanced lung cancer. Recently, autophagy has become an important mechanism of cellular adaptation under starvation or cell oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not autophagy can occurred in cisplatin-treated lung cancer cells. Methods: H460 cells were incubated with RPMI 1640 and treated in $5{\mu}M$ or $20{\mu}M$ cisplatin concentrations at specific time intervals. Cells surviving cisplatin treatment were measured and compared using an MTT cell viability assay to cells that underwent apoptosis with autophagy by nuclear staining, apoptotic or autophagic related proteins, and autophagic vacuoles. The development of acidic vascular organelles was using acridine orange staining and fluorescent expression of GFP-LC3 protein in its transfected cells was observed to evaluate autophagy. Results: Lung cancer cells treated with $5{\mu}M$ cisplatin-treated were less sensitive to cell death than $20{\mu}M$ cisplatin-treated cells in a time-dependent manner. Nuclear fragmentation at $5{\mu}M$ was not detected, even though it was discovered at $20{\mu}M$. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavages were not detected in $5{\mu}M$ within 24 hours. Massive vacuolization in the cytoplasm of $5{\mu}M$ treated cells were observed. Acridine orange stain-positive cells was increased according in time-dependence manner. The autophagosome-incorporated LC3 II protein expression was increased in $5{\mu}M$ treated cells, but was not detected in $20{\mu}M$ treated cells. The expression of GFP-LC3 were increased in $5{\mu}M$ treated cells in a time-dependent manner. Conclusion: The induction of autophagy occurred in $5{\mu}M$ dose of cisplatin-treated lung cancer cells.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.391-400
• /
• 2005

Objective : This study examined the socioeconomic differentials for the health and health related behaviors among South Korean middle school students. Methods : A nationwide cross-sectional interview survey of 3,449 middle school second-grade students and their parents was conducted using a stratified multi-stage cluster sampling method. The response rate was 93.3%. The socioeconomic position indicators were based on self-reported information from the students and their parents: parental education, father's occupational class, monthly family income, out-of-pocket expenditure for education, housing ownership, educational expectations, educational performance and the perceived economic hardships. The outcome variables that were measured were also based on the self-reported information from the students. The health measures included self-rated health conditions, psychological or mental problems, the feelings of loneliness at school, the overall satisfaction of life and the perceived level of stress. The health related behaviors included were smoking, alcohol drinking, sexual intercourse, violence, bullying and verbal and physical abuse by parents. Results : Socioeconomic differences for the health and health related behaviors were found among the eighth grade boys and girls of South Korea. However, the pattern varied with gender, the socioeconomic position indicators and the outcome measures. The prevalence rates of the overall dissatisfaction with life for both genders differed according to most of the eight socioeconomic position indicators. All the health measures were significantly different according to the perceived economic hardship. However, the socioeconomic differences in the self-rated health conditions and the psychosocial or mental problems were not clear. The students having higher socioeconomic position tended to be a perpetrator of bullying while those students with lower socioeconomic position were more likely to be a victim. Conclusions : The perceived economic hardships predicted the health status among the eighth graders of South Korea. The overall satisfaction of life was associated with the socioeconomic position indicators. Further research efforts are needed to explore the mechanisms on how and why the socioeconomic position affects the health and health related behaviors in this age group.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.201-214
• /
• 2000

Precise and detailed clinical research and evaluation based on objective standards are imperative factors in securing reliability of a clinical test. Built on this principle, this clinical test has been conducted during the period between March 1999 and March 2000 dealing with 31 outpatients treated with ShiHo-GuizhiTang or ShiHo-GuizhiTang modify and ShiHo-GuizhiTang mixed prescriptions at the Sung-bo ORIENTAL MEDICAL CLINIC. A variety of information relating to those patients has been collected and analyzed under such criteria as precise diagnoses and their clinical effectiveness. The analysis was duly based on "The theory of cold syndrome". Then, the 31 patients' individual clinical information was compared one another by breaking down the results into sub-categories including gender, age, disease, main symptom, blood pressure, pulse beats, syndrome of abdomen, treatment period, modify and mixed prescription, and evaluation. The result of this clinical test can be summarized as follows: First, ShiHo-GuizhiTang appears to be more frequently prescribed in the case of female patients than in the case of male patients despite the fact that it does not necessarily need to be applied only to female. In addition, the numbers of prescriptions of ShiHo-GuizhiTang in the two age groups consisting of elementary school children and economically active adults respectively were the highest among other age groups. Second, ShiHo-GuizhiTang proved to be most effective in treatment for respiratory ailments and arthritis. Third, ShiHo-GuizhiTang brought down blood pressure of hypertension patients and at the same time benefited patients with normal or lower-than-normal blood pressure who were vulnerable to diseases due to low disease-resistance. Fourth, ShiHo-GuizhiTang was effective in the case of frequent pulse(rapid pulse) and thereby indicating the fact it carries Taiyang superficies syndrome. 지맥 arises from suppressed immune responses owing to adrenocortical hormones. ShiHo-GuizhiTang controls and revitalizes those suppressed immune systems which stem from slow pulse and, as a consequence of that process, helps them return to normal condition of pulse. Fifth, from the standpoint of syndrome of abdomen, feeling of obstruction in the epigastrium serves as an important standard in the process of diagnosing diseases and evaluating effectiveness of treatments. Sixth, according to the results of the clinical test with the 31 patients, a total of 81 percent of test subjects benefited from the treatment. The figure is the sum of 52 percent of I-class (both main symptom and accompanying symptoms had been eliminated) and 29 percent of II-class (part of main symptom and accompanying symptoms had been eliminated) respectively. All told it is safe to say that ShiHo-GuizhiTang can elect to be a viable clinical treatment. In conclusion, it is estimated that this clinical study has drawn up guidelines for objective diagnostic standards and evaluation on specific treatments' effectiveness. This will lead to more general application of ShiHo-GuizhiTang. On top of that, this study could also provide an opportunity to stress the significance of ShiHo-GuizhiTang and ShiHo-GuizhiTang modify and ShiHo-GuizhiTang mixed prescriptions as an alternative treatment for collagen disease which comes from environmental degradation and pollution.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.8-28
• /
• 2001

This investigation grasps the level and relevant elements of performance of health promotional activities for the elderly in Korea. It provides fundamental data on health promoting projects targeting the elderly population from farming villages. Hence, this study gropes for an effective approach and measures of health promoting programs. The program needs to be developed with a focus on elderly people from farming villages. In addition, it was carried out in order to provide basic data for development of health projects for local communities. Data gathering was based on survey data targeting patients from the free clinic service. Service was rendered for the residents of farming villages, and conducted at the Offices of CheonBuk Province from October 2000 to December 2000. Analytical results were used to examine the health promotional method for the elderly in the aspect of Oriental Medicine. SPSS 9.0 version as well as T-test and ANOVA were used for survey data analysis. Piersons correlation coefficient was utilized for the relationship for each area, obtaining the following analytical results. 1. The average score for the activities of health promotion was 2.28. Looking at each subcategory, stress management was the highest at 3.65; interpersonal relationship, 3.00; nutrition, 2.55; health responsibility, 2.15; self-realization, 2.03; and exercise was the lowest at 1.89. 2. With respect to lifestyle of the health promotion secondary to general features of elderly people from farming villages, the level of activities of health promoting lifestyle was shown to be higher for males than that of females. Self-realization area was high among males in detailed particulars while the level of execution was high as age decreases in the stress area. 3. Regarding health promoting life style secondary to socioeconomic characteristics, the level of execution was higher for the individuals with a higher level of education and further utilization of spare time. With respect to occupation, the level was highest for people from the fishery. The level decreased in the order of other occupations such as trade, unemployed and agriculture, which was shown to be the lowest. In detailed particulars, it revealed that higher the individuals educational level, the higher the self-realization and stress management areas. The level of interpersonal relationship was the highest among people with little or no education. With respect to self-realization area, the level was highest among the cases where one paid living expenses along with their children. The lowest level of living expenses was seen in the cases where an individual pays for living expenses by himself/herself. There were significant results in all areas except for nutrition areas depending on occupation. The fishery was shown to be the highest. The level of activities was higher as one utilizes more spare time in all areas except for the area of interpersonal relationship.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.761-767
• /
• 2007

This study was conducted to determine the effects of exogenous zinc-metallothionein (Zn-MT) on anti-oxidative function and pork quality. After feeding a corn-soybean meal-based diet for two weeks, 48 pigs ($Duroc{\times}Landrace{\times}Chinese\;Black Pig$) were assigned randomly to four groups. Pigs in Group 1 were maintained under non-stress conditions, whereas pigs in Groups 2, 3 and 4 were aggressively handled for 25 min to produce stress. Pigs in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 received intramuscular administration of saline (control group; CON), 0 (negative control group; NCON), 0.8 (low dose group; LOW), and 1.6 (high dose group; HIGH) mg rabbit liver Zn-MT per kg body weight, respectively. Pigs were slaughtered at 3 and 6 h post-injection. Zn-MT treatment increased (p<0.05) the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PX) while decreasing the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver. These responses were greater (p<0.05) at 6 h than at 3 h post Zn-MT injection. Zn-MT treatment increased (p<0.05) hepatic SOD mRNA levels in a time and dose-dependent manner and decreased (p<0.05) serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase activities (indicators of tissue integrity). Zn-MT administration decreased (p<0.05) lactate concentration and increased (p<0.05) pH and water-holding capacity in the longissimus thorasis meat. Collectively, our results indicate that intramuscular administration of Zn-MT to pre-slaughter stressed pigs improved tissue anti-oxidative ability and meat quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.193-200
• /
• 2014

In this study, fatigue tests on existing continuous welded rail (CWR) on a concrete track were carried out. Based on the test results, a S-N curve expressing the remaining life of the CWR at a fracture probability of 50% was obtained using weighted probit analysis suitable for small-sample fatigue data sets. As rails had different histories in terms of accumulated passing tonnage, the test data were corrected to average out the accumulated passing tonnage. The remaining service life for the CWR on the concrete track in an urban railway was estimated using the prediction equation for the bending stress of rail developed in the past to estimate rail base bending stress and taking the surface irregularities into consideration. Estimating the remaining service life of the CWR in an urban railway showed that the rail replacement period could be extended over 200MGT. In addition, comparing the concrete track to the ballast track, the fatigue life of rail was analyzed as approximately 300MGT higher than. Therefore, the rail replacement criteria needs to distinguish between the ballast track and the concrete track, and not the criteria needs to be changed as a target for the maintenance, although it is necessary to remove longitudinal rail surface irregularities at welds by grinding.