• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.4 s.28
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• pp.518-527
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• 1989

The relationship between copper content in scalp hair and mental retardation was investigated. Samples of scalp hair were collected from 297 mentally retarded children who were students in one of two schools providing special educational services, one, consisted of children living in an orphan home, the other, children living with parents. For comparison, 117 scalp hair samples were collected from the children who had got average or above average academic achivement in a regular elementary school. Hair samples were taken from the nape of the neck and the copper content was determined by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (IL 551). There was no statistically significant difference in scalp copper levels across different age groups except female orphan group, but no trend or correlation between copper conents and age was found. The hair copper contents of the mentally retarded children groups were significantly lower than that of control groups. But there was no dose-response relationship between degree of mental retardation and hair copper level. The hair copper contents of the group accompanied by Down's syndrome and unknown group were significantly lower than that of control group in both sex, and in the case of accompanied by epilepsy or autism, lower than control group in male. Although the results of this study show no evidence that mental retardation has owed to copper deficiency, the possibility of copper deficiciency in their fetal or infant age could not be ruled out. Thus further study is needed to determine whether mental retardation could be attributed to copper deficiency, through the examinations about their living environments, dietary pattern, eating habit and the impact of copper deficiency on brain development.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.815-826
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• 2000

This study is for the segmentation and volume calculation of the white matter and gray matter from brain MRI. In general, the volume of white and gray matter is reduced by contraction of each components in the case of mental retardation which are Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome. As results, it is useful for diagnostic and early detection for various mental retardation through the tracing of variation for its volume from the brain MRI. But, until now, it was very difficult to calculate the partial volume of each components existing in some thickness, because MR image was represented by single gray value after scanning by MR scanner. Accordingly, new segmentation algorithm proposed in this paper is to calculate the partial volume of the white and gray matter existing in some thickness through the analysis of the blurred gray value, and is to determine the threshold for segmentation of white and gray matter, and is to calculate the volume of each segmented component. And finally, proposed algorithm was applied the models which was created manually, and then acquired results was compared with that of original model.

• Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.512-527
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• 2018

This review provides a comprehensive overview of brain imaging studies of the brain-gut interaction in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). Functional neuroimaging studies during gut stimulation have shown enhanced brain responses in regions related to sensory processing of the homeostatic condition of the gut (homeostatic afferent) and responses to salience stimuli (salience network), as well as increased and decreased brain activity in the emotional response areas and reduced activation in areas associated with the top-down modulation of visceral afferent signals. Altered central regulation of the endocrine and autonomic nervous responses, the key mediators of the brain-gut axis, has been demonstrated. Studies using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging reported abnormal local and global connectivity in the areas related to pain processing and the default mode network (a physiological baseline of brain activity at rest associated with self-awareness and memory) in FGIDs. Structural imaging with brain morphometry and diffusion imaging demonstrated altered gray- and white-matter structures in areas that also showed changes in functional imaging studies, although this requires replication. Molecular imaging by magnetic resonance spectroscopy and positron emission tomography in FGIDs remains relatively sparse. Progress using analytical methods such as machine learning algorithms may shift neuroimaging studies from brain mapping to predicting clinical outcomes. Because several factors contribute to the pathophysiology of FGIDs and because its population is quite heterogeneous, a new model is needed in future studies to assess the importance of the factors and brain functions that are responsible for an optimal homeostatic state.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.50-54
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• 2018

Jehovah's Witnesses do not accept blood transfusions, because of their particular interpretation of the Old and New Testaments. When people with such religious convictions are in need of medical care, their faith and belief may become an obstacle for proper treatment, and pose legal, ethical, and medical challenges for the health care providers. We report two inherited metabolic disorder cases in South Korea where the infants died whilst under medical care because of parental refusal of blood transfusions for religious reasons. Case 1 had methylmalonic acidemia, Down syndrome and associated congenital cardiac anomalies requiring surgery. Case 2 had anemia and methylmalonic acidemia requiring dialysis to treat hyperammonemia and metabolic acidosis. For effective medical management, they needed life-saving blood transfusions. As a part of alternative treatment, Erythropoietin was administered in both cases. As a result, two babies died from their extremely low hemoglobin and hematocrit. The hemoglobin concentrations below 2.7 g/dL without cardiac problem and 5.4 g/dL with cardiac anomaly complicated by pulmonary hypertension are considered life-threatening hemoglobin threshold. The medical professional must respect and accommodate religious beliefs of the patients who can make informed decisions. However, when parents or legal guardians oppose medical treatment of their babies and incompetent care receivers on cultural and religious grounds, the duty to assist and save persons exposed to serious danger, particularly life-threatening events must come first.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.320-325
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• 2018

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection accounts for 20 million annual infections worldwide. HEV can be fatal in approximately 20-30% of pregnant women. HEV infections are normally self-limiting and mostly asymptomatic. However, in patients with insufficient immunity, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients, chronic and often fatal infections may ensue. Therefore, it is likely that host immune responses, especially interferon responses, play a critical role in HEV infection control. Here, we report that an HEV-encoded non-structural protein down-regulates type I interferon response. In addition, some other immune genes involved in the induction of type I interferon may be regulated as well. Detailed molecular mechanisms are currently being studied.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.311-319
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the structural change in knees caused by quadriceps angle and the muscle activity in lower limbs. Indirect intervention was provided by using taping for stability in the ankle joints, which affected patellofemoral pain. Methods: The subjects in this study were 20 patients with patellofemoral pain who visited ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}{\bigcirc} $ Hospital in Busan. The visual analogue scale measured the dynamic quadriceps angle and the degree of pain felt by the patients while walking down stairs, which was a known factor of patellofemoral pain. In addition, muscle activities in the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, and biceps femoris, which affect the knees and ankles, were measured using surface electromyography. The muscle activities were converted into %RVC for this study. The data obtained in this study were analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test using the SPSS Ver. 25.0 statistical program. The significance level ${\alpha}$ was 0.05. Results: The study results showed that the pain and dynamic quadriceps angle were significantly reduced statistically when applying the calcaneus fixation taping (p<0.05). Muscle activity in the lower limbs was significantly decreased in the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and tibialis anterior (p<0.05). Conclusion: The summary of the study results verified that the calcaneus fixation taping reduced the pain and dynamic quadriceps angle by providing stability in the ankle joints. It also produced efficient movement due to the difference in lower-limb muscle activity.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted primarily through droplets, and dental practitioners are at risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection owing to direct contact with the patient's mouth, aerosols from dental procedures, and saliva. Wearing a mask is believed to be the best method of protection against infection, and a systematic literature review was conducted on whether the dental masks used in dentistry are effective in preventing Coronavirus Infectious Disease-19 (COVID-19). Methods: We used PubMed, Google Scholar, DBpia, NDSL, and KISS databases for this study. Of the 917 documents narrowed down by the search terms "Coronavirus, COVID-19, and dental," 83 documents were collected and studied. Ultimately, 42 of these papers were selected for analysis after considering duplication from the flow chart of the literature selection process. Results: While dental masks are often used when treating patients with unknown COVID-19 status, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated that the use of dental masks is insufficient in preventing cross-transmission of COVID-19; instead, it was recommended that N95 masks, which correspond to KF94 masks, should be worn daily. On the other hand, wearing a dental mask and following precautions such as hand hygiene may not pose a significantly higher risk of infection than wearing an N95 mask when treating COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: There is an ongoing discussion regarding the use of dental masks when treating dental patients, and many argue that different types of masks should be selected according to the degree of infection and the individual's respiratory condition. By considering the safety and efficacy of dental masks in preventing infection, improvements can be made in the management of COVID-19 and dental-related infections.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.65-76
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• 2022

Purpose: The present study measured changes in arteriolar and venular capillary flow and structure in the gingival tissues during the development of plaque-induced gingival inflammation by combining dynamic optical coherence tomography (OCT), laser perfusion, and capillaroscopic video imaging. Methods: Gingival inflammation was induced in 21 healthy volunteers over a 3-week period. Gingival blood flow and capillary morphology were measured by dynamic OCT, laser perfusion imaging, and capillaroscopy, including a baseline assessment of capillary glycocalyx thickness. Venular capillary flow was estimated by analysis of the perfusion images and mean blood velocity/acceleration in the capillaroscopic images. Readings were recorded at baseline and weekly over the 3 weeks of plaque accumulation and 2 weeks after brushing was resumed. Results: Perfusion imaging demonstrated a significant reduction of gingival blood flow after 1 and 2 weeks of plaque accumulation (P<0.05), but by 3 weeks of plaque accumulation there was a more mixed picture, with reduced flow in some participants and increased flow in others. Participants with reduced flux at 3 weeks also demonstrated venular-type flow as determined by perfusion images and evidence of the development of venular capillaries as assessed by the velocity/acceleration ratio in capillaroscopic images. After brushing resumed, these venular capillaries were broken down and replaced by arteriolar capillaries. Conclusions: After 3 weeks of plaque accumulation, there was wide variation in microvascular reactions between the participants. Reduced capillary flow was associated with the development of venular capillaries in some individuals. This is noteworthy, as an early increase in venous capillaries is a key vascular feature of cardiovascular disease, psoriasis, Sjögren syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis-diseases with a significant association with the development of severe gingival inflammation, which leads to periodontitis. Future investigations of microvascular changes in gingival inflammation might benefit from accurate capillary flow velocity measurements to assess the development of venular capillaries.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2009

Purpose: To assess the value of first-trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), nuchal translucency (NT) and second-trimester alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol (uE3), and inhibin-A in predicting pregnancy complications other than fetal aneuploidy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study in 3,121 singleton pregnancies with integrated testing was performed at Kangnam CHA hospital between January 2005 and December 2006. Baseline characteristics, pregnancy outcomes, and serum marker levels were obtained by review of the medical records. We analyzed the data to identify associations between the integrated screening markers and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS program. Results: In preterm labor and preeclampsia, high AFP, hCG, and inhibin-A levels and low PAPP-A and NT levels were found to be significantly correlated (P<0.05). Elevated second-trimester inhibin-A levels were associated with preeclampsia (odds ratio 2.843), low birth weight (odds ratio 1.446), and preterm labor (odds ratio 1.287), and while decreased first-trimester PAPP-A levels were associated with preeclampsia (odds ratio 0.51) and preterm labor (odds ratio 0.75). Conclusion: First- and second-trimester maternal serum markers screening can be used for predicting high-risk pregnancies.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.457-468
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• 2006

It is widely known that individuals with mental retardation (MR) and Down's syndrome (DS) often develop early onset periodontal diseases. In this study, the prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria in MR persons and DS patients was compared with normal persons. Plaque index and gingival index were measured. Five periodontopathic bacteria, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum were surveyed in subgingival plaque samples by the polymerase chain reaction. Results : 1. Plaque index and gingival index were higher in MR persons group and DS patients group than normal persons group (p<0.05). 2. The prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria in normal persons group were lower than that of MR persons group and DS. Significant differences were observed in the prevalence of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and A. actinomycetemcomitans(P<0.05). 3. Prevalence of P. gingivalis(5.9%) at age 8-10 was lower than other ages in normal persons group, and its prevalence increased with age Prevalence of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and A. actinomycetemcomitans at MR persons group and DS patients group were higher than those of same ages of normal persons group. 4. Plaque index was associated with T. denticola and gingival index was associated with T. denticola and A. actinomycetemcomitans(P<0.05). These results suggested that plaque index, gingival index and prevalence of periodontopathic pathogens, especially P. gingivalis, T. denticola and A actinomycetemcomitans in DS patients group and MR persons group are higher than those of normal persons group.