• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.322-327
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• 2009

Objective : Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is considered to have the best theoretical potential in promoting bony fusion of unstable vertebral segments by way of a load sharing effect of the anterior column. This study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of PLIF with cages in chronic degenerative disc disease with Modic degeneration (changes of vertebral end plate). Methods : A total of 597 patients underwent a PLIF with threaded fusion cages (TFC) from 1993 to 2000. Three-hundred-fifty-one patients, who could be followed for more than 3 years, were enrolled in this study. Patients were grouped into 4 categories according to Modic classification (no degeneration : 259, type 1 : 26, type 2 : 55, type 3 : 11). Clinical and radiographic data were evaluated retrospectively. Results : The clinical success rate according to the Prolo's functional and economic outcome scale was 86% in patients without degeneration and 83% in patients with Modic degeneration. The clinical outcomes in each group were 88% in type 1, 84% in type 2, and 73% in type 3. The bony fusion rate was 97% in patients without degeneration and 83% in patients with Modic degeneration. The bony fusion rate in each group was 81% in type 1, 84% in type 2, and 55% in type 3. The clinical success and fusion rates were significantly lower in patients with type 3 degeneration. Conclusion : The PLIF with TFC has been found to be an effective procedure for lumbar spine fusion. But, the clinical outcome and bony fusion rates were significantly low in the patients with Modic type 3. The authors suggest that PLIF combined with pedicle screw fixation would be the better for them.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2007

Backgrounds: Obesity and depression are serious health problem and also constitute cardiovascular disease risk factors. Some studies found an association between obesity and higher rates of depression in women but not in men. The current study examined the association between depressive symptoms and obesity, especially central obesity in Korean women. Methods : The participants were 4,609 Korean women aged 20-85 years. Each individual was assessed for the presence of obesity and central obesity using the criteria suggested by WPRO(World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific). Depressive symptomatology was measured by Beck Depression Inventory(BDI). Results : In obese women, rate of depressed women is significantly higher compared normal group(27.6% VS. 23.2%, p<0.01). The rates of depressed women is higher in women who had central obesity(26.9% VS. 22.7%, p<0.01). Depressed women had higher rates of central obesity(93.2% VS.86.9%, p<0.01). Conclusion Our findings show obesity especially central obesity is associated with depressed women and suggests that further investigation for interaction between depression and obesity is needed.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.246-255
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• 2015

Purpose: The importance of Helicobacter pylori eradication after endoscopic resection (ER) of gastric neoplasms remains controversial. In this study, we clarified the importance of H. pylori eradication for metachronous lesions after ER. Materials and Methods: This study included 3,882 patients with gastric neoplasms who underwent ER. We included patients infected with H. pylori who received eradication therapy. Among them, 34 patients with metachronous lesions after ER and 102 age- and sex-matched patients (nonmetachronous group) were enrolled. Background mucosal pathologies such as atrophy and intestinal metaplasia (IM) were evaluated endoscopically. The expression levels of CDX1, CDX2, Sonic hedgehog (SHH), and SOX2 were evaluated based on H. pylori eradication and the development of metachronous lesions. Results: The eradication failure rate was higher in the metachronous group than in the nonmetachronous group (P=0.036). Open-type atrophy (P=0.003) and moderate-to-severe IM (P=0.001) occurred more frequently in the metachronous group. In patients with an initial diagnosis of dysplasia, the eradication failure rate was higher in the metachronous group than in the nonmetachronous group (P=0.002). In addition, open-type atrophy was more frequent in the metachronous group (P=0.047). In patients with an initial diagnosis of carcinoma, moderate-to-severe IM occurred more frequently in the metachronous group (P=0.003); however, the eradication failure rate was not significantly different between the two groups. SHH and SOX2 expression was increased, and CDX2 expression was decreased in the nonmetachronous group after eradication (P<0.05). Conclusions: Open-type atrophy, moderate-to-severe IM, and H. pylori eradication failure were significantly associated with metachronous lesions. However, eradication failure was significantly associated with dysplasia, but not carcinoma, in the metachronous group. Thus, H. pylori eradication may play an important role in preventing metachronous lesions after ER for precancerous lesions before carcinomatous transformation.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.662-674
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns of fast food intake in residential areas and its relation to eating habits among 551 6th grade students (286 male students and 265 female students) from elementary schools located in Gangnam-gu, Dongjak-gu and Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. The results of this study were as follows. 1) There were significant differences in the preference for fast food among districts (p<0.05) and children from Seongbuk-gu showed a greater preference for fast food than those from Gangnam-gu and Dongjak-gu. In terms of preferences for particular types of fast food, children from Seongbuk-gu liked hamburgers more than those from Gangnam-gu and Dongjak-gu so that there were significant differences among districts (p<0.05). With regards to the frequency of intake of the various types of fast food, there were differences in hamburger, pizza and chicken among three districts (p<0.05) and children from Seongbuk-gu ate fast food 1 to significant 2 times more often than those from Gangnam-gu and Dongjak-gu. 2) There were significant differences in the regularity of mealtimes between districts (p<0.05), with children from Seongbuk-gu showing more irregularity in their mealtimes than those from Gangnam-gu and Dongjak-gu. There were significant differences in the frequency of snack intake (p<0.05), and children from Seongbuk-gu tended to take a snack 1 to 2 times more often than those from Gangnam-gu and Dongjak-gu. 3) In the frequency of fast food intake in accordance with obesity, there were significant differences between the obesity index (p<0.05). In particular, children who were underweight had a tendency to eat more fast food. There were significant differences between the frequency of fast food intake depending on children's pocket money (p<0.05), and children who took fast food more than twice a week tended to have more pocket money. According to these results, we report there are partly different trends in the consumption of fast food and food habits among the districts in Seoul. Therefore we suggest that different interventions be implemented within the different districts to reduce reliance on fast food restaurants and to address the perceptions of healthy eating as well as time and convenience barriers.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2011

Objective: The objectives of this study were to analyze efficacy of immature and mature mouse oocytes after vitrification and warming by applying various combinations of cryoprotectants (CPAs) and/or super-rapid cooling using slush nitrogen ($SN_2$). Methods: Four-week old ICR female mice were superovulated for GV- and MII-stage oocytes. Experimental groups were divided into two groups. Ethylene glycol (EG) only group: pre-equilibrated with 1.5 M EG for 2.5 minutes and then equilibrated with 5.5 M EG and 1.0 M sucrose for 20 seconds. EG+dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) group: pre-equilibrated with 1.3 M EG+1.1 M DMSO for 2.5 minutes and equilibrated with 2.7 M EG+2.1 M DMSO+0.5 M sucrose for 20 seconds. The oocytes were loaded onto grids and plunged into $SN_2$or liquid nitrogen ($LN_2$). Stored oocytes were warmed by a five-step method, and then their survival, maturation, cleavage, and developmental rates were observed. Results: The EG only and EG+DMSO groups showed no significant difference in survival of immature oocytes vitrified after warming. However, maturation and cleavage rates after conventional insemination were greater in the EG only group than in the EG+DMSO group. In mature oocytes, survival, cleavage, and blastocyst formation rates after warming showed no significant difference when EG only or EG+DMSO was applied. Furthermore, cleavage and blastocyst formation rates of MII oocytes vitrified using $SN_2$ were increased in both the EG only and EG+DMSO groups. Conclusion: A combination of CPAs in oocyte cryopreservation could be formulated according to the oocyte stage. In addition, $SN_2$ may improve the efficiency of vitrification by reducing cryoinjury.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.3 s.114
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• pp.245-266
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• 2006

This study aims to explain the emergence of Gangnam Region of Seoul as a new cluster of the Korean film industry in the context of its history of growth, recent development characteristics, and its production system. Statistical analyses of Korean industries and in-depth interview surveys to film producers were conducted. The results of the analyses show that there has been obvious tendency of film makers' move from Chungmuro, a traditional cluster of the Korean film industry, to Gangnam and many births of new film makers in Gangnam. This new cluster, however, is operating on informal networking between film makers and related personnel, not on formalized production system composed of specialized functions and labor market. Therefore, it can be called as loosely-articulated cluster. This form of cluster has much to do with production milieu of Gangnam, such as advantages of obtaining information and consumer trend, diverse atmosphere which makes it easier to meet diverse people, favorable environment to embed creativity and fresh idea, etc. This trend of the film industry to orient a specific area can be explained in conjunction with the uniqueness of the film industry, such as uncertainty, project-based work, generation gap between film makers, participation of large companies or increasing size of investment.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2020

Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the results of several noninvasive prenatal tests (NIPTs) from a single center and confirm their efficacy and reliability. In addition, we aimed to confirm the changes in the number of invasive tests performed after introducing NIPT. Materials and Methods: NIPT data from a large single center from March 2014 to November 2018 were analyzed. Karyotyping was confirmed based on chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis, or postnatal cord/peripheral blood sampling. Data on maternal age, gestational age, fetal fraction, and ultrasonographic results were analyzed. As the secondary outcome, the number of amniocentesis cases before and after the introduction of NIPT was compared. Results: Overall, 1,591 single pregnancy cases that underwent NIPT were enrolled. The mean maternal age was 36.05 (22-45) years. The average gestational age and fetal fraction were 12⁺¹ (9⁺³ to 27⁺¹) weeks and 10.95% (3.6% to 31.3%), respectively. A total of 1,544 cases (97.0%) were reported to have negative NIPT results and 40 (2.5%) had positive NIPT results. The sensitivity and specificity of the overall abnormalities in NIPT were 96.29% and 99.36%, respectively. The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value were 72.22% and 99.93% respectively. The mean number of amniocentesis cases were 21.7 per month (21.7±3.9), which significantly decreased from 31.5 per month (31.5±4.8) before conducting NIPT as a screening test. Conclusion: NIPT is currently a useful, powerful, and safe screening test. In particular, trisomy 21 is highly specific due to its high PPV. NIPT can reduce the potential risks of procedure-related miscarriages during invasive testing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.79 no.6
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• pp.303-310
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• 2018

Purpose: To evaluate the CT features of incidental breast lesions on chest CT and to suggest useful criteria for referral to a specialized breast unit. Materials and Methods: Between May 2009 and April 2014, enhanced chest CT examination reports containing the key word 'breast' were reviewed retrospectively. Patients who had incidental breast lesion and were referred to a specialized breast unit and then underwent pathological confirmation or follow-up over a 1-year period were included. Finally, 86 patients (all female, mean age, $48.9{\pm}12.6years$) were enrolled. Two radiologists evaluated lesion characteristics, including size, shape, margins, and enhancement. The correlations between the CT features and pathologies were evaluated, and the diagnostic accuracy of CT features in various combinations was assessed. Results: Among the CT features, irregular shape, non-circumscribed margin, and high contrast enhancement were different between malignant and benign lesions (p < 0.05). The combination of non-circumscribed margin and high contrast enhancement had the highest accuracy (97.7%). Conclusion: Reliable CT features for incidental malignant breast masses are irregular shape, non-circumscribed margin, and high contrast enhancement. The combination of non-circumscribed margin and high contrast enhancement could help distinguish incidental malignant breast lesions and indicate referral to a specialized breast unit.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.33-46
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• 2023

This study investigated price factors for large apartment complexes in Seoul during the COVID-19 pandemic and compared Gangnam and non-Gangnam areas, which have been recognized as heterogeneous markets. We find that the change in apartment prices in large-scale complexes did not significantly affect the individual characteristics of apartments, unlike previous studies, but was affected by macroeconomic variables such as interest rates and money. On the other hand, considering the units of the interest rate and total monetary volume variables, the effects of two variables on the apartment sales price is significantly high. In addition, the Gangnam area model analysis shows that apartment prices are greatly affected by interest rates and currency volume, and, the non-Gangnam area model analysis shows that apartment prices are greatly affected by interest rates and currency volume, but the degrees are different from the Gangnam area model. Overall, our study shows that interest rates and money supply were the main factors of apartment price changes, but apartment prices in non-Gangnam areas are more sensitive to changes in interest rates and money supply.

• 대한치주과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.39-40
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• 2006