• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 2006년도 Spring Conference
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• pp.139-149
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• 2006

Amyloid beta (A$\beta$) is believed one of the major pathogens of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the reduction of A$\beta$ is considered a primary therapeutic target. Immunization with A$\beta$ can reduce A$\beta$ burden and pathological features in transgenic AD model mouse. This means anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies may have a role in AD pathology. Recent findings suggest anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies level decrease in AD patients. The early detection of AD is important for treatment of this disease. However, diagnosis on AD has only been possible through limited methods such as neuropsychological examination or MRI. To investigate whether it was possible to detect the presence and different levels of naturally occurring anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies in the plasma of patients with AD and age-matched controls. An advanced ELISA was performed to detect levels of naturally occurring anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies in the plasma. The level of anti-A$\beta$ auto-antibodies from patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease or stroke and from normal controls were compared to that of AD patients. Our results showed a significantly lower anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies level in AD compared to those with other neurological diseases or control. The level of anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies in the serum may be used to diagnose the presence of AD.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국약용작물학회 2006년도 Spring Conference
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• pp.137-149
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• 2006

Amyloid beta ($A{\beta}$) is believed one of the major pathogens of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the reduction of $A{\beta}$ is considered a primary therapeutic target. Immunization with $A{\beta}$ can reduce $A{\beta}$ burden and pathological features in transgenic AD model mouse. This means $anti-A{\beta}$ autoantibodies may have a role in AD pathology. Recent findings suggest $anti-A{\beta}$ autoantibodies level decrease in AD patients. The early detection of AD is important for treatment of this disease. However, diagnosis on AD has only been possible through limited methods such as neuropsychological examination or MRI. To investigate whether it was possible to detect the presence and different levels of naturally occurring $anti-A{\beta}$ autoantibodies in the plasma of patients with AD and age-matched controls. An advanced ELISA was performed to detect levels of naturally occurring $anti-A{\beta}$ autoantibodies in the plasma. The level of $anti-A{\beta}$ auto-antibodies from patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease or stroke and from normal controls were compared to that of AD patients. Our results showed a significantly lower $anti-A{\beta}$ autoantibodies level in AD compared to those with other neurological diseases or control. The level of $anti-A{\beta}$ autoantibodies in the serum may be used to diagnose the presence of AD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제81권2호
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• pp.116-122
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• 2018

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious chronic condition with a global impact. Symptoms of COPD include progressive dyspnea, breathlessness, cough, and sputum production, which have a considerable impact on the lives of patients. In addition to the human cost of living with COPD and the resulting death, COPD entails a huge economic burden on the Chinese population, with patients spending up to one-third of the average family income on COPD management in some regions is clinically beneficial to adopt preventable measures via prudent COPD care utilization, monetary costs, and hospitalizations. Methods: Toward this end, this study compared the relative effectiveness of six indices in predicting patient healthcare utilization, cost of care, and patient health outcome. The six assessment systems evaluated included the three multidimensional Body mass index, Obstruction, Dyspnea, Exercise capacity index, Dyspnea, Obstruction, Smoking, Exacerbation (DOSE) index, and COPD Assessment Test index, or the unidimensional measures that best predict the future of patient healthcare utilization, cost of care, and patient health outcome among Chinese COPD patients. Results: Multiple linear regression models were created for each healthcare utilization, cost, and outcome including a single COPD index and the same group of demographic variables for each of the outcomes. Conclusion: We conclude that the DOSE index facilitates the prediction of patient healthcare utilization, disease expenditure, and negative clinical outcomes. Our study indicates that the DOSE index has a potential role beyond clinical predictions.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.134-140
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Excessive sugar consumption may increase the risk for development of several diseases. Although average dietary sugar intake of Koreans is within the recommended level, an increasing trend has been found in all age groups. This study aimed to evaluate the population attributable fractions (PAF) to dietary sugar for disease and death in Korea, and to estimate the socioeconomic effects of a reduction in dietary sugar. MATERIALS/METHODS: The prevalence of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) overconsumption (${\geq}20g$ of sugar from beverages) was analyzed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015. Disease-specific relative risks of excessive SSB consumption were obtained through reviewing previous studies. Using the prevalence of SSB overconsumption and each relative risk, PAFs for morbidity and mortality were calculated. Socioeconomic costs of diseases and death attributable to SSB overconsumption were estimated by using representative data on national medical expenditures, health insurance statistics, employment information, and previous reports. RESULTS: Disease-specific PAF to SSB consumption ranged from 3.11% for stroke to 9.05% for obesity and dental caries, respectively. Costs from disease caused by SSB overconsumption was estimated at 594 billion won in 2015. About 39 billion won was estimated to be from SSB consumption-related deaths, and a total of 633 billion won was predicted to have been saved through preventing SSB overconsumption. CONCLUSIONS: Sugars overconsumption causes considerable public burdens, although the cost estimates do not include any informal expenditure. Information on these socioeconomic effects helps both health professionals and policy makers to create and to implement programs for reducing sugar consumption.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.113-125
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a daily life-based physical activity enhancement program performed by middle-aged women at risk for cardiovascular disease. Methods: This study used a randomized control group pretest-posttest design. Middle-aged women aged 45 to 64 were recruited from two outpatient cardiology departments, and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=28) and a control group (n=30). For the experimental group, after providing one-on-one counseling and education, we provided customized text messages to motivate them in daily life. To monitor the practice of physical activity, they also used an exercise diary and mobile pedometer for 12 weeks. Subjects' physical activities (MET-min/week) were measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Their physiological data were obtained by blood tests using a portable analyzer, and the data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0/WIN program. Results: There were significant differences in exercise self-efficacy, health behavior, IPAQ score, body fat, body muscle, and fasting blood sugar between the two groups. However, there were no significant differences in total cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and waist-to-hip ratio. Conclusion: Strengthening physical activity in daily life without being limited by cost burden and time and space constraints. Therefore, it is essential to motivate middle-aged women at risk for cardiovascular disease to practice activities that are easily performed in their daily lives.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.177-181
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• 2014

Cockroaches are abundant in Nigeria and are seen to harbour an array of pathogens. Environmental and sanitary conditions associated with demographic/socio-economic settings of an area could contribute to the prevalence of disease pathogens in cockroaches. A total of 246 cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) in urban (Benin, n=91), semi-urban (Ekpoma, n=75) and rural (Emuhi, n=70) settings in Edo State, Nigeria were collected within and around households. The external body surfaces and alimentary canal of these cockroaches were screened for bacterial, fungal, and parasitological infections. Bacillus sp. and Escherichia coli were the most common bacteria in cockroaches. However, Enterococcus faecalis could not be isolated in cockroaches trapped from Ekpoma and Emuhi. Aspergillus niger was the most prevalent fungus in Benin and Ekpoma, while Mucor sp. was predominant in Emuhi. Parasitological investigations revealed the preponderance of Ascaris lumbricoides in Benin and Emuhi, while Trichuris trichura was the most predominant in Ekpoma. The prevalence and burden of infection in cockroaches is likely to be a reflection of the sanitary conditions of these areas. Also, cockroaches in these areas making incursions in homes may increase the risk of human infections with these disease agents.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.31-45
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• 2001

With an economic development and epidemiologic transition, the burden of disease due to chronic diseases and accidents is increasing. However, in most of developing countries, long-term care facilities are not available, therefore acute care facilities should provide both acute and long-term care services. It is also true in Korea. The demand for long-term care services needs to be estimated to establish the adequate supply system of health resources. This article introduces the reclassification methodology of inpatients' healthcare utilization to acute and long-term care services. All discharged patients from hospitals for one month were analyzed. The distribution of inpatients' hospital days were fitted to Chi-squared distribution by ICD disease categories, and they were grouped in five clusters. For each cluster, the lower and upper limit of classification criteria to acute and long-term care services were chosen. Summarizing all hospital days corresponding to acute and long-term care respectively, 24 to 28 percent of inpatient services fumed out to be long-term care services. The study results are consistent with those of the existing studies. They can be used practically in the allocation of long-term care resources.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.34-57
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• 2004

Universal health insurance normally requires a basic benefit package, whose design intersects with almost all other aspects of the health insurance debate. Despite its central importance, basic benefit package has not received the analysis it deserves in Korea. The issue of how to decide which health services should be delivered and to whom has been a matter for consistent policy debate. Many industrialized countries observed in this study have been dealing explicitly or implicitly with the basic benefit package. The methods vary from having a specific positive list of services (Bismarkian countries) to the use of guidelines (Beveridgian countries). The purpose of this paper is to form the underlying principles and process for determining what is included or left out by getting accurate and representative responses from health-related personnel. Mail survey is used. Economic burden for treatment, seriousness of disease and urgency of treatment are ranked at the first three priorities. Services that had been suspended because of financial crisis in health insurance scheme in 2001 were selected as items which should firstly be expanded into coverage. Diagnostic test against heart disease and vaccination were also selected as items which should additionally belong to the list of covered services.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.223-235
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was done to investigate the prevalence of job stress and musculoskeletal symptoms, and to identify the factors that affect work-related musculoskeletal symptoms of the 119 Emergency medical technicians (EMT). Method: From August 26 to September 10, 2010, the data were obtained from 456 EMT working in Daejeon city or Choongnam province. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were performed using SAS version 9.1. Results: Physical environment, job demand, interpersonal conflict, and occupational climate were stressful to 119 EMT. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms of female EMT was higher than those of the male EMT's. After gender and age were adjusted, there ware significant relationships between musculoskeletal symptoms and some risk factors including occupational class, hours of intensive musculoskeletal use, previous injury or work-related injury, physical burden, and job stress. Overall, a higher degree of job stress increased musculoskeletal symptoms. Conclusion: Job stress is a major cause of musculoskeletal symptoms. To prevent and manage musculoskeletal disease of 119 EMT, there is a need to develop a management program for musculoskeletal symptoms to reduce occupational stress, considering gender differences.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.213-221
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• 2020

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common disease with a complex pathophysiology which significantly contributes to the development of chronic kidney disease and end stage kidney failure. Preventing AKI can consequently reduce mortality, morbidity, and healthcare burden. However, there are no effective drugs in use for either prevention or treatment of AKI. Developing therapeutic agents with pleiotropic effects covering multiple pathophysiological pathways are likely to be more effective in attenuating AKI. Fyn, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, has been acknowledged to integrate multiple injurious stimuli in the kidney. Limited studies have shown increased Fyn transcription level and activation under experimental AKI. Activated Fyn kinase propagates various downstream signaling pathways associated to the progression of AKI, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, as well as autophagy dysfunction. The versatility of Fyn kinase in mediating various pathophysiological pathways suggests that its inhibition can be a potential strategy in attenuating AKI.