• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.790-795
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• 2006

Purpose : This study was performed to compare the therapeutic effects according to duration of medium-dose aspirin(50-60 mg/kg/day) therapy at the acute stage of Kawasaki disease(KD). Methods : Total 87 patients with KD were enrolled in this study. We performed retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics and echocardiographic findings based on medical records. Patient were randomly divided into 2 groups according to the duration of aspirin therapy at the acute stage of KD. Long-term group(LG, n=55) was administered medium-dose aspirin for 2 weeks after diagnosis of KD, and short-term group(SG, n=32) for 48 hours after intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) administration. The parameters of therapeutic effects were duration of fever after IVIG administration, incidence of unresponsive patients to single administration of IVIG, and development of transient dilatation or aneurysm of coronary arteries. Results : There was no significant difference in the duration of fever after IVIG between the both group(LG $1.7{\pm}1.1$ days, SG $1.8{\pm}1.1$ days; P=0.588). The incidences of unresponsive patient to the single administration of IVIG were 5.5 percent, 6.3 percent in the each group. Transient dilatation of coronary arteries occurred at 18.2 percent(10/55) in the LG, and 15.6 percent(5/32) in the SG(P=0.761). Prevalence of coronary aneurysm after subacute stage were 7.3 percent(4/55) in the LG, and 9.4 percent(3/32) in the SG(P=0.728). Conclusion : There was no significant difference in the therapeutic effects between long-term(2 weeks) and short-term(48 hours) administration of medium-dose aspirin at the acute stage of KD.

• Atmosphere
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.367-385
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• 2023

The variabilities of precipitation and particulate matters (i.e., PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) and the scavenging efficiency of PMs by precipitation were quantified using long-term measurements in Seoul, Korea. The 21 years (2001~2021) measurements of precipitation and PM₁₀ mass concentrations, and the 7 years (2015~2021) of PM_2.5 mass concentrations were used. Statistical analysis was performed for each period (i.e., year, season, and month) to identify the long-term variabilities of PMs and precipitation. PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 decreased annually and the decreasing rate of PM₁₀ was greater than PM_2.5. The precipitation intensity did not show notable variation, whereas the annual precipitation amount showed a decreasing trend. The summer precipitation amount contributed 61.10% to the annual precipitation amount. The scavenging efficiency by precipitation was analyzed based on precipitation events separated by 2-hour time intervals between hourly precipitation data for 7 years. The scavenging efficiencies of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were quantified as a function of precipitation characteristics (i.e., precipitation intensity, amount, and duration). The calculated average scavenging efficiency of PM₁₀ (PM_2.5) was 39.59% (35.51%). PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were not always simultaneously scavenged due to precipitation events. Precipitation events that simultaneously scavenged PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 contributed 42.24% of all events, with average scavenging efficiency of 42.93% and 43.39%. The precipitation characteristics (i.e., precipitation intensity, precipitation amount, and precipitation duration) quantified in these events were 2.42 mm hr^-1, 15.44 mm, and 5.51 hours. This result corresponds to 145% (349%; 224%) of precipitation intensity (amount; duration) for the precipitation events that do not simultaneously scavenge PM₁₀ and PM_2.5.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.185-192
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• 2016

Objectives Treatment response of bipolar disorders (BDs) to long-term mood stabilizers maintenance has not been well explored because of complicated clinical and treatment courses. This study aims at investigating long-term clinical response of BDs to lithium and/or valproate in a naturalistic setting of a tertiary-care university-affiliated hospital. Methods Subjects were 65 patients with bipolar I (BD-I) disorders who had been treated with lithium and/or valproate for more than two years at single bipolar disorder clinic. Long-term response to the best treatment based on treatment algorithms and the current clinical standard of care was retrospectively evaluated using the Alda Scale and the Clinical Global Impression Scale for use in bi-polar illness (CGI-BP). Patients were classified into full responder and partial/non responder groups based on the total score of the Alda Scale with the cut-off score generated from the frequentist mixture analysis of the authors' previous study. Results The mean duration of treatment with the index medication was 69.2 months. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were not different among three mood stabilizer groups (valproate, lithium, and combination groups). Twenty-one subjects were classified into full responder group (32.3%). Treatment response assessed by the Alda Scale and CGI-BP scores was not different between lithium and valproate groups. The Alda Scale scores were well correlated with the CGI-BP scores (p < 0.05). Conclusions One third of the patients showed a full response to the long-term lithium and/or valproate treatment in BD-I. The degree of response was similar between lithium and valproate groups.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.435-439
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• 2011

Sildenafil citrate (SIL) a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5I) has been used for long time as a first line oral drug for erectile dysfunction. Though it has beneficial effects on erectile organ it also has some adverse effects in other cells and/or tissues related to reproductive system when exposed to longer duration. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the long term effect of SIL on sperm parameters in Wistar albino rat. The animals are divided into two groups, for group I - rats were treated with saline (vehicle alone) and group - II oral administration of 5 mg/kg b.w. of SIL was administrated orally once in a day for 120 days. At the end of the trial period animals were sacrificed and epididymal sperm were subjected to various analysis. Results showed significant reduction in sperm count, motility, viability and morphologically intact sperm in long term PDE5I exposed animals when compared to control. Acrosomal status and fertility test also showed significant reduction in long term PDE5I exposed animals. The present study clearly indicated that long term SIL has shown to induce alteration in sperm quality and quantity, leading to decline in fertility rate. Indicate that SIL impinge on spermatogenesis as well as epididymal function. Understanding the molecular down-stream events involved in long-term exposure to PDE5 inhibitor can be valuable to supervise on related infertility issues and to suggest corrective measures.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.65-79
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was firstly to investigate correctional function of custom semi-rigid foot orthotics for excessively pronated people during gait by observing comfort, navicular movement and leg muscles' activity according to short-term and mid-term wearing duration and secondly to understand positive and/or negative point of view of a recently proposed paradigm related to foot orthotics more profoundly. Sixteen subjects who showed excessive pronation at navicular drop test were recruited for this study. Custom semi-rigid foot orthotics were made fitting for foot characteristics of the subjects by podiatry division of Otto Bock Korea company. While wearing the foot orthotics for two months, comfort of wearing were questioned and vertical navicular movement and electromyography of leg muscles during gait were measured at the condition of both immediately after and 2 months after including a control condition, respectively. The subjects were required to walk on a treadmill at the speed of 1.5m/s and four digital video camera filmed the movement of navicular process at the speed of 60 frames/s. In conclusion, in excessively pronated group continuous increase of comfort from short-term to mid-term wearing of custom foot orthotics is assumed to be closely related with short-term and mid term correctional action, of which are consisted the decrease of the range of navicular drop and navicular raisins- the faster timing of minimum navicular position occurring, and the decrease of leg muscles' activities. This conclusion could lead to positively accept new paradigm related to foot orthotics suggested by Nigg and the author suggest that in the future study the variable which could observe navicular movement would be one of major variables to study preferred path of skeleton in the paradigm.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.251-258
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• 2009

Purpose: The study aimed to compare characteristics associated with smoking and smoking cessation of those who had succeeded in smoking cessation. Methods: Data were collected from January to June, 2008. The subjects were 9,819 smokers who were registered at the smoking cessation clinic of public health centers in Incheon. Four characteristics (demographic, health promotion, smoking, smoking cessation) were compared between 6-week (short-term) and 6-month (long-term) success groups. Results: There was a significant difference between the 6-week and 6-month success groups for smoking cessation in demographic characteristics (gender, age, job, social security), health promotion (BMI, alcohol dependency, BP), smoking (first smoking age, smoking duration, expiration CO concentration, nicotine dependency), and smoking cessation (attempt to quit smoking, reason for smoking cessation, information source for registration). Conclusion: The group of short-term smoking cessation success was younger than the other. Also, short-term success group was of lower socioeconomic class than the other. The 6-month success group had a larger number of attempts to quit smoking. Therefore, smoking cessation policy should be focused more on younger people and those in lower socioeconomic status. These groups should be given advice on smoking cessation motives and more frequent counseling for smoking cessation.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.621-631
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: The morphology-voltage-P-wave duration (MVP) electrocardiography (ECG) risk score is a newly defined scoring system that has recently been used for atrial fibrillation (AF) prediction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of the MVP ECG risk score to predict AF in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in long-term follow-up. Methods: The study used a single-center, and retrospective design. The study included 328 patients who underwent ICD implantation in our hospital between January 2010 and April 2021, diagnosed with heart failure. The patients were divided into low, intermediate and high-risk categories according to the MVP ECG risk scores. The long-term development of atrial fibrillation was compared among these 3 groups. Results: The low-risk group included 191 patients, the intermediate-risk group 114 patients, and the high-risk group 23 patients. The long-term AF development rate was 12.0% in the low-risk group, 21.9% in the intermediate risk group, and 78.3% in the high-risk group. Patients in the high-risk group were found to have 5.2 times higher rates of long-term AF occurrence compared to low-risk group. Conclusions: The MVP ECG risk score, which is an inexpensive, simple and easily accessible tool, was found to be a significant predictor of the development of AF in the long-term follow-up of patients with an ICD with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. This risk score may be used to identify patients who require close follow-up for development and management of AF.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.835-850
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• 2007

This study examines long-term trends of onset dates and durations of season decomposed by applying a lowpass filtering using observed 80-year(1921-2000) data and projected 2040s and 2090s data based on the IPCC SRES A1B emission scenario in South Korea. As recent climate changes on seasonal cycles in South Korea, the onset dates of spring and summer began earlier after 1970s. But onset dates of autumn and winter were delayed. Winter duration was more shortened during the post-1990 period. Summer duration is longer and winter duration is shorter at southern and eastern coastal area. The different of summer duration and winter duration in coastal area was longer than over the inland. The reduction in winter duration in South Korea agrees with results in overall global warming trends as a climate change signal. Future model output data predict that winter will disappear in Gangneung, Busan and Mokpo in the 2090s

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.41-57
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• 2021

This study evaluated the application of water quality management measures using the SWAT model and the effectiveness of the measures using the load duration curve targeting the Seohwacheon watershed located upstream of Daecheongho. As water quality management measures, artificial wetlands, reduction of neglected livestock, reduction of runoff from greenhouses, restoration of ecological rivers, application of LID technology, and management of point sources were applied. The applied technology evaluated the efficiency of water quality improvement measures by using the target water quality excess rate and the degree of load reduction for each sulfur through the load duration curve. The load duration curve was created by creating a long-term flow duration curve using SWAT and multiplying it by the target water quality. For the target water quality, the value corresponding to the 60th percentile was set as the target water quality using the 10-year data from the Okcheoncheon water quality observation point located in the downstream of Seohwacheon. Through this study, it was possible to confirm the applicability of various water quality measures through the SWAT model, and to examine the applicability of each period according to the sulfur through the load retention curve.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.49 no.9
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• pp.59-72
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• 2011

This study examined whether there are underlying latent classes of growth trajectories of maternal depression in the Korean population. Data from the first phase of the Panel Study of Korean Children (PSKC) of the Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE) were used for this study. The final sample of participants included 1,471 mothers, who completed three interviews: at birth, at one month, and at four months. A two-class model consisting of depression (12.3%) and non-depression (87.7%) was considered the best-fitting solution using Mplus 3.13. The changes in postnatal depression in the Korean population within four weeks after childbirth, which is the period of "postpartum onset", seem to be important. Logistic regression analysis showed that duration of breast-feeding and planned pregnancy effects were significantly associated with trajectory class membership.