• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2008

Objective: To compare the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with fresh and cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa in patients with azoospermia. Methods: One hundred and nine cycles (66 couples) where ICSI was planned with fresh or cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa were included in this study; Ninety two cycles (61 couples) with fresh testicular spermatozoa (fresh group) and seventeen cycles (13 couples) with cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa (cryopreserved-thawed group). We compared ICSI outcomes such as fertilization rate, implantation rate, pregnancy rate and miscarriage rate, which were statistically analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test, where appropriate. Results: In 9 out of the 92 cycles where ICSI was planned with fresh testicular spermatozoa, testicular spermatozoa could not be retrieved. Fertilization rate tended to be higher in the fresh group than in the cryopreserved-thawed group ($58.0{\pm}27.8%$ vs. $45.9{\pm}25.0%$, p=0.076). The number of high quality embryos was significantly higher in the fresh group ($0.9{\pm}1.2$ vs. $0.2{\pm}0.5$, p=0.002). However, there were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate and miscarriage rate between the two groups. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that although the use of cryopreserved-thawed testicular sperm for ICSI in patients with azoospermia may reduce fertilization capacity and embryo quality, it may not affect pregnancy rate, implantation rate and miscarriage rate. If testicular sperm can be obtained before ICSI procedure, the use of cryopreserved-thawed testicular sperm may also avoid unnecessary controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and cancellation of oocyte retrieval when spermatozoa cannot be retrieved as well as damage on testicular function by repeated TESE.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2012

Purpose: For determining the prognosis of critically injured patients, transporting patients to medical facilities capable of providing proper assessment and management, running rapid assessment and making rapid decisions, and providing aggressive resuscitation is vital. Considering the high mortality and morbidity rates in critically injured patients, various studies have been conducted in efforts to reduce those rates. However, studies related to diagnostic factors for predicting severity in critically injured patients are still lacking. Furthermore, patients showing stable vital signs and alert mental status, who are injured via a severe trauma mechanism, may be at a risk of not receiving rapid assessment and management. Thus, this study investigates diagnostic factors, including physical examination and laboratory results, that may help predict severity in trauma patients injured via a severe trauma mechanism, but showing stable vital signs. Methods: From March 2010 to December 2011, all trauma patients who fit into a diagnostic category that activated a major trauma team in CHA Bundang Medical Center were analyzed retrospectively. The retrospective analysis was based on prospective medical records completed at the time of arrival in the emergency department and on sequential laboratory test results. PASW statistics 18(SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for the statistical analysis. Patients with relatively stable vital signs and alert mental status were selected based on a revised trauma score of more than 7 points. The final diagnosis of major trauma was made based on an injury severity score of greater than 16 points. Diagnostic variables include systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate, glasgow coma scale, initial result from focused abdominal sonography for trauma, and laboratory results from blood tests and urine analyses. To confirm the true significance of the measured values, we applied the Kolmogorov-Smirnov one sample test and the Shapiro-Wilk test. When significance was confirmed, the Student's t-test was used for comparison; when significance was not confirmed, the Mann-Whitney u-test was used. The results of focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST) and factors of urine analysis were analyzed using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Variables with statistical significance were selected as prognostics factors, and they were analyzed using a multivariate logistics regression model. Results: A total of 269 patients activated the major trauma team. Excluding 91 patients who scored a revised trauma score of less than 7 points, 178 patients were subdivided by injury severity score to determine the final major trauma patients. Twenty-one(21) patients from 106 major trauma patients and 9 patients from 72 minor trauma patients were also excluded due to missing medical records or untested blood and urine analysis. The investigated variables with p-values less than 0.05 include the glasgow coma scale, respiratory rate, white blood cell count (WBC), serum AST and ALT, serum creatinine, blood in spot urine, and protein in spot urine. These variables could, thus, be prognostic factors in major trauma patients. A multivariate logistics regression analysis on those 8 variables showed the respiratory rate (p=0.034), WBC (p=0.005) and blood in spot urine (p=0.041) to be independent prognostic factors for predicting the clinical course of major trauma patients. Conclusion: In trauma patients injured via a severe trauma mechanism, but showing stable vital signs and alert mental status, the respiratory rate, WBC count and blood in the urine can be used as predictable factors for severity. Using those laboratory results, rapid assessment of major trauma patients may shorten the time to diagnosis and the time for management.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.195-205
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• 2016

This study was performed to select single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to the body burden of heavy metals in Koreans, to provide Korean allele frequencies of selected SNPs, and to assess the difference in allele frequencies with other ethnicities. The candidate-gene approach method and genome-wide association screening were used to select SNPs related to the body burden of heavy metals. Genotyping analysis of the final 192 SNPs selected was performed on 1,483 subjects using the VeraCode Goldengate assay. Allele frequencies differences and genetic differentiations between the Korean population and Chinese (CHB), Japanese (JPT), Caucasian (CEU), and African (YIR) populations were tested by Fisher's exact test and fixation index ($F_{ST}$), respectively. The Korean population was genetically similar to the CHB and JPT populations ($F_{ST}$ < 0.05, for all SNPs in both populations). However, a significant difference in the allele frequencies between the Korean and CEU and YIR populations were observed in 99 SNPs (60.7%) and 120 SNPs (73.6%), respectively. Ten (6.1%) and 26 (16.0%) SNPs had genetic differentiation ($F_{ST}$ > 0.05) among the Korean-CEU and Korean-YIR comparisons, respectively. The SNP with the largest $F_{ST}$ value between the Korean and African populations was cystathionine-${\beta}$-synthase rs234709 ($F_{ST}$: KOR-YIR, 0.309; KOR-CEU, 0.064). Our study suggests that interethnic differences exist in SNPs associated with heavy metals of Koreans, and it should be considered in future studies that address ethnic differences in heavy-metal concentrations in the body and genetic susceptibility to the body burden of heavy metals.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2011

The present study seeks to find the effect of oral health status that parents recognized, oral health habit and food intake on existence of decalcified teeth and decayed teeth. Participants were 293 infants aged 18-24 months who visited C dental clinic in Kyungki province between January and December 2010. Questionnaires and oral exam results were used and statistically analyzed by the SPSS program. Fisher's Exact and chi-square test were used to analyze the data. The 18-20 month-old age group had the highest rate of decalcified teeth with 36.4% while the 23-24 month-old age group had the highest rate of decayed teeth with 37.0%. Bottle feeding showed correlation with decalcified teeth, and decayed teeth. Parents were able to recognize decayed teeth and decalcified teeth. Group 2 food(soda/soft drinks/sugared fruit juice) was related to decalcified teeth and decayed teeth(p<.001). Group 4 food (cake/cookies/doughnut/dried fruit/banana) and group 5food(caramel/candy/chocolate bar) were both related to decalcified teeth(p<.001). As the result of dental examination, dental treatment was highly needed for the 21-22 month-old age group(89.3%), and preventive treatment and plaque control were highly needed for the 18-20 month-old age group(94.5%). The results concluded that 18-24 months was the critical period for children's oral health, therefore organized oral health education for parents is necessary.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8319-8324
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• 2014

Although genetic markers identifying women at an increased risk of developing breast cancer exist, the majority of inherited risk factors remain elusive. Mutations in the BRCA1/BRCA2 gene confer a substantial increase in breast cancer risk, yet routine clinical genetic screening is limited to the coding regions and intronexon boundaries, precluding the identification of mutations in noncoding and untranslated regions. Because 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) polymorphisms disrupting microRNA (miRNA) binding can be functional and can act as genetic markers of cancer risk, we aimed to determine genetic variation in the 3'UTR of BRCA1/BRCA2 in familial and early-onset breast cancer patients with and without mutations in the coding regions of BRCA1/BRCA2 and to identify specific 3'UTR variants that may be risk factors for cancer development. The 3'UTRs of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were screened by heteroduplex analysis and DNA sequencing in 100 patients from 46 BRCA1/2 families, 54 non-BRCA1/2 families, and 47 geographically matched controls. Two polymorphisms were identified. SNPs $c.^*1287C$ >T (rs12516) (BRCA1) and $c.^*105A$ >C (rs15869) (BRCA2) were identified in 27% and 24% of patients, respectively. These 2 variants were also identified in controls with no family history of cancer (23.4% and 23.4%, respectively). In comparison to variations in the 3'UTR region of the BRCA1/2 genes and the BRCA1/2 mutational status in patients, there was a statistically significant relationship between the BRCA1 gene polymorphism $c.^*1287C$ >T (rs12516) and BRCA1 mutations (p=0.035) by Fisher's Exact Test. SNP $c.^*1287C$ >T (rs12516) of the BRCA1 gene may have potential use as a genetic marker of an increased risk of developing breast cancer and likely represents a non-coding sequence variation in BRCA1 that impacts BRCA1 function and leads to increased early-onset and/or familial breast cancer risk in the Turkish population.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.261-266
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• 2015

Intravenous urography (IVU) for urolithiasis is a radiologic examination to diagnosis stone in the ureter path using iodine contrast media, which is radioopacity material. The method includes compression on the upper iliac crest. The compression band prevents outlet of the contrast media through the bladder and enables easier movement to upper urinary tract. This usage depends on the policy of a hospital. Therefore, this study aimed to review and compare the characteristic of progress of contrast media either in compression and non-compression. The retrospective image measurement on 60 cases of intravenous pyelography was conducted at a hospital with the identical type and amount of contrast media as well as criteria for testing. Image measurement was limited to 5 minutes clip, which is optimal for progress of contrast media depending on usage of the compression band. Also, anatomical regions were set as following: "RP" is from renal pyramid to renal pelvis, "PL" is from renal pelvis to lumbar three endplate, and "IU" and "IL" for upper and lower parts from both iliac crests. Analysis has been conducted through the statistical method based on Fisher's Exact Test to find if there are differences of distribution with the anatomical regions with compression or no compression. It has been confirmed that there is no statistical significant difference as the video measurement on 30 cases of compression and non-compression group respectively resulted in P value of 0.580 from left and 0.711 from right (both 0.960). Therefore, it has been concluded that application of a compression band on an intravenous pyelography for urolithiasis patient does not meaningfully affect the progress of contrast media.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.302-309
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• 2013

Purpose: This study evaluated the prognosis of conservative and surgical treatment according to the staging of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of jaw (BRONJ) by American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. Methods: We evaluated 53 patients of BRONJ who visited Department of Dentistry, Ajou University School of Medicine from May 2007 to February 2013. Twenty eight patients in stage 2, were divided into surgical and conservative groups with cessation of bisphosphonate therapy. Fifteen patients belonged to the conservative treatment group, in which mouth rinsing and antibiotics medication were done. Thirteen patients were treated with debridement or sequestrectomy, in the surgical treatment group. Each study list was analyzed by SPSS ver. 14.0 (SPSS Inc., USA) software and the favorable rate was verified by the Fisher exact test. P-values less than 0.05% were deemed significant. Results: Clinical outcome was evaluated on the basis of both clinical and radiographic findings. Of all the 28 patients of stage 2, 15 patients underwent conservative treatment and 13 patients received surgical treatment. In the surgical group, 9 of 13 (69.2%) showed good prognosis, 4 of 13 (30.7%) showed recurrence. In the conservative group, 13 of 15 (86.6%) showed no change duting the follow-up period. Two of 15 patients even showed a bad prognosis, such as pain and pus discharge, which are criteria for stage 3. P-value was 0.067 (>0.05). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggests that surgical intervention is good choice against the conservative treatment, after proper drug holidays period, while further investigation is needed for a definite solution to BRONJ.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.443-451
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was done to compare the rates of hemolysis and repeated sampling in blood samples obtained by a syringe needle versus a vacuum tube needle. Methods: A randomized, prospective study was used to evaluate the differences between the two blood sampling methods. The study group consisted of patients seen in the emergency department (ED) for blood sampling to determine electrolyte level. ED patients were randomly assigned to either the syringe group or the vacuum tube group. All blood samples were collected by experienced ED nurses and hemolysis was determined by experienced laboratory technologists. Data were analyzed using Fisher's exact test and binary logistic regression. Results: One hundred forty-five valid samples were collected (74 in the syringe group versus 71 in the vacuum tube group). 5 of 74 (6.8%) blood samples in the syringe group and 8 of 71 (11.3%) in the vacuum tube group hemolyzed. Repeated blood sampling occurred for 2 of 74 (2.7%) and 3 of 71 (4.2%) in each group respectively. There were no significant differences in rates of hemolysis and repeated sampling between two groups (B=1.97, p=.204; B=2.36, p=.345). Conclusion: Venipuncture with syringe needles can be recommended for ED nurses to obtain blood samples.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.37-66
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• 2000

Volunteers activities in Health Centers are strategically important for the efficient utilization of human resource and local people's health promotion in community. With these backgrounds. this study is conducted to examine significant factors in relation to demand and utilization of volunteers in Health Centers. and the factors are the characteristics of Health Centers. volunteer management factors and external environment factors. Subjects in this study were 245 Health Centers all chosen. Data were collected from April. 12. 1999 to May. 31. 1999. and the data for analyses were ones of 116 respondents. Then. the data coded and submitted to Fisher's exact test. NPAR1WAY ANOVA, Correlation analysis. multiple regression analysis, multiple logistic regression analysis with SAS program. The key results from this study can be epitomized as follows: 1. 43.1% of responding health centers answered that they 'utilize volunteers'. The average number of volunteers who were engaged in responding health centers was 43, out of which 7 were men and 36 were women. As for the adequacy of the number of the volunteers. 55.1% responded 'not enough' and 30.6% responded 'adequate'. The more the number of volunteers needed. the more the number of utilizing volunteers is. When asked about their views concerning the utilization of volunteers in Health Centers. 88.7% of all respondents answered in the affirmative. The accountable factor for the utilization of volunteers was the present utilization of volunteers. 2. Concerning the reasons for using volunteers. 'to induce local people's participation in health services' was the highest comprising 76% of the responding health centers. 3. Most of volunteers were housewives and independent enterprisers. The most type of volunteer activities was 'just simple labor'. 4. As for the action duration of volunteers. 69.4% answered 'under 6 months'. The factor was significant difference with the action duration of volunteers was 'to provide social meeting' in the middle of rewards for volunteers. 5. Asked about the problem in utilizing volunteers. 53.2% answered 'the difficulty of recruitment and education for volunteers'. and 42.6% answered 'lack of budget and manpower needed for the utilization of volunteers.' 6. Concerning the evaluation of the performance by volunteers. 88% answered 'satisfactory'. With regards to the reason for that. 29.3% answered 'volunteers can provide various kinds of services' 7. 88.7% of responding health centers answered that they will continuously or newly utilize volunteers in the future. 8. The main health program services which expect utilization of volunteers were visiting health services(63.2%). old people's health services (25.3%). These were not significant difference with any explanatory variable. 9. The average number of volunteer needed in responding health centers was 38. The more the average number of utilizing volunteers. the more the number of volunteers needed is. The more the degree of financial independence. the more the number of volunteers needed is. In conclusions. Health centers are necessary to promote their role of recruitment. education and training for volunteers. the development of volunteer activities programs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1389-1394
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• 2008

Abdominal fat characters are complex and economically important in the poultry industry. Their selection may benefit from the implementation of marker-assisted selection (MAS). The objective of this study was to identify the markers linked to QTL responsible for fatness traits. The Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content (NEAUHLF) were used in the study. A total of 596 individuals from the divergent tails from the 6th to the 10th generations were genotyped at 23 microsatellite markers on chromosome 1. The differences of allele frequencies of all marker alleles between the divergent tails across the five generations were recorded. The allele frequencies of five markers, including LEI0209, LEI0146, MCW0036, ADL328 and MCW0115, had significant differences between the two tails in all five generations. The resulting p-values using Fisher's exact test on eleven markers, containing MCW248, MCW0010, MCW0106, LEI0252, LEI0068, MCW0018, MCW0061, LEI0088, MCW200, MCW283 and ROS0025, had a decreasing tendency from the 6th to the 10th generation. Statistical analysis showed that polymorphisms of the eight markers, including LEI0209, LEI0146, ROS0025, MCW0115, MCW0010, MCW0036, MCW283, ADL328, were significantly (p<0.0011) or suggestively (p<0.05) associated with abdominal fat content (AFW and AFP) across generations. It is concluded that the eight markers could be associated with the QTL affecting the deposition of abdominal fat in broiler chickens.