• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.161-172
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study is to assess the degree of self-awareness, recognition of others, and adaptation to college life of dental hygiene students, and to identify the factors affecting college life adjustment. Methods: The effect size was calculated using the G*power 3.1.9.4 program, based on the data of 191 people who agreed to participate in the questionnaire. Independent samples t-test, one way ANOVA, Post HOC Scheffe, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were conducted to explore the difference and correlation between self-awareness, perception of others, and college life adjustment according to general characteristics. Results: A significant positive correlation was found in self-awareness (r=.301). The highest positive correlations were with social adjustment in both private (r=.340) and public self-awareness (r=.331) (p<0.01). Recognition of others (r=-.051) showed a negative correlation with college life adjustment, though it was not statistically significant. As factors for adapting to college life, private self-awareness (β=.232) and public self-awareness (β=.254) had a positive (+) effect, and internal self-awareness (β=-.205) was found to have a negative (-) effect (p<0.01) Conclusion: The self-awareness and recognition of others among dental hygiene students influence their smooth adjustment to college life. Improvement measures are recommended to enhance adaptability to college life and develop core competencies related to their major

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.25-35
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• 2023

Background: In order to emphasize the importance of clinical dental hygienists-led dental hygiene management processes for those with systemic diseases, we tried to identify systemic diseases affecting dental implants based on clinical data. Methods: In order to identify systemic diseases affecting dental implants, literature review was conducted from March 1 to May 31, 2023, and the search period was for research papers published in domestic and foreign academic journals from January 2000 to December 2020. Domestic databases used for search use RISS, Nuri Media(DBpia), and Korea Academic Information (http://www.papersearch.net ; KISS), while overseas databases searched Pubmed for dental implant failures, implants, systemic diseases, and Dental implant and system disease. Results: The cumulative survival rate of implants averaged 94.3 percent and the failure rate was 5.7 percent. Clinical analysis of systemic diseases related to implants accounted for the highest frequency with 13 (100.0%), followed by 8 (61.5%) studies on high blood pressure and smoking, 7 (53.8%) cardiovascular diseases, and 5 (38.5%). In addition, liver disease, thyroid abnormalities, blood abnormalities, organ transplants and infectious diseases were confirmed. Conclusion: Since unregulated systemic diseases are a risk factor for implant failure, clinical dental hygienists should continue to maintain healthy oral conditions by sharing information with patients during periodic preventive dental hygiene management processes such as dental hygiene assessment.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.41.1-41.11
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• 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The viral genome encodes twelve genes for viral replication and infection. The third open reading frame is the spike (S) gene that encodes for the spike glycoprotein interacting with specific cell surface receptor - angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) - on the host cell membrane. Most recent studies identified a single point mutation in S gene. A single point mutation in S gene leading to an amino acid substitution at codon 614 from an aspartic acid 614 into glycine (D614G) resulted in greater infectivity compared to the wild type SARS-CoV2. We were interested in investigating the mutation region of S gene of SARS-CoV2 from Korean COVID-19 patients. New mutation sites were found in the critical receptor binding domain (RBD) of S gene, which is adjacent to the aforementioned D614G mutation residue. This specific sequence data demonstrated the active progression of SARS-CoV2 by mutations in the RBD of S gene. The sequence information of new mutations is critical to the development of recombinant SARS-CoV2 spike antigens, which may be required to improve and advance the strategy against a wide range of possible SARS-CoV2 mutations.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.50.1-50.11
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• 2023

Background: The rise in telecommuting or non-face-to-face work owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has fueled conversations regarding the "right to disconnect." Although evidence suggests that receiving work-related communications through telecommunication devices outside of work hours may lead to various symptoms and illnesses, limited research has been undertaken on these symptoms. This study therefore aims to investigate the correlation between receiving work communications through telecommunication devices after work hours and the occurrence of work-related headaches and eyestrain in full-time, non-shift white-collar workers. Methods: This study used data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. The frequency of using telecommunication devices for work purposes outside of working hours was divided into five categories: "Every day," "Several times a week," "Several times a month," "Rarely," and "Never." Work-related headaches and eyestrain were categorized based on a "yes" or "no" response to the survey questions. Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0. Results: After adjusting for sex, age, income level, education, occupation, workplace size, work hours, and sleep disorders, the odds ratio (OR) of work-related headaches and eyestrain based on frequency of telecommunication device usage were as follows: "rarely" (OR: 1.292; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.111-1.503), "several times a month" (OR: 1.551; 95% CI: 1.249-1.926), "several times a week" (OR: 1.474; 95% CI: 1.217-1.784), and "every day" (OR: 1.548; 95% CI: 1.321-1.813). Conclusions: Employees who use telecommunication devices for work after regular hours are more susceptible to experiencing work-related headaches and eyestrain compared to those who do not. However, there is a dearth of research examining the physical and mental health impacts of using telecommunication devices for after-hours work. Furthermore, the existing preventative measures in Korea are insufficient. Consequently, it is imperative to develop effective measures and conduct additional research to address this issue.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.4.1-4.11
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• 2023

Background: Shift work has been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) based on several evidences. The classic risk factors of CVD include age, hypertension, smoking, obesity and diabetes. Recently, the serum homocysteine level has been reported to be a valuable indicator of CVD risk. This study aimed to determine the variation in serum homocysteine level as a cardiovascular risk indicator among female workers according to shift work. Methods: The data of regular health examination of workers at an electronic manufacturing services company in Yeongnam region, South Korea in 2019 were examined in this study. The investigation was based on a cross-sectional study conducted on 697 female workers (199 day workers and 498 shift workers). The sociodemographic and biochemical characteristics were compared between day workers and shift workers. Through a logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio (OR) of the increased serum homocysteine level in relation to shift work was determined. Results: Compared to female day workers, female shift workers showed significantly higher level of serum homocysteine (8.85 ± 2.16 vs. 9.42 ± 2.04 μmol/mL; p = 0.001). The OR of day workers against shift workers was 1.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-2.63). With the adjustment of variables that may influence the level of serum homocysteine, the adjusted OR was 1.68 (95% CI: 1.09-2.60). Conclusions: The serum homocysteine level was significantly higher in shift workers than in day workers. It is thus likely to be a useful predictor of CVD in shift workers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.349-364
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• 2024

Purpose: This study used the Analytic Hierarchy Process to evaluate the relative importance of the factors that school nutrition teachers and dietitians consider during menu planning for school foodservices across various educational levels. Methods: An online survey was conducted from December 2023 to January 2024. The hierarchical structure for school foodservice menu management was developed through content analysis, consisting of five high-level categories and 3-4 low-level factors. Questionnaires were distributed to 395 nutrition teachers and dietitians from kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide. One hundred and sixty-six responses were received, resulting in a 42.0% return rate. These responses were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS Statistics. Results: The most commonly referenced sources for school foodservice menu planning were 'menus obtained from websites' (19.4%). The most significant challenge encountered was 'incorporating students' preferences' (18.6%). In the hierarchy of categories considered for school foodservice menu management, 'employees and facilities' ranked highest (0.2347), followed by 'preference' (0.2312), 'nutrition balance' (0.2027), 'cooking process' (0.1726), and 'food materials' (0.1588). Within each category, the top-ranked factors were 'employees' cooking skills' (0.3759), 'students' preferences' (0.4310), 'dietary reference intakes' (0.4968), 'foodservice hygiene' (0.4374), and 'food costs' (0.4213). The study also compared the relative importance of factors according to the educational levels, and the top-ranked factors were the same across all educational levels. In particular, 'students' preferences', 'dietary reference intake', and 'food costs' aligned with the top three challenges in school foodservice menu planning. Conclusion: Enhancing working conditions for school foodservice employees and developing menu planning methods that accommodate students' preferences are necessary. These findings will provide foundational data for future school foodservice menu management strategies.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2023

Purpose: Children with incomplete Kawasaki disease (KD) and pyuria may be misdiagnosed with urinary tract infection (UTI) during the early phase of the prodrome. We investigated the percentage of UTI diagnoses preceding a KD diagnosis. Methods: Using the National Health Insurance data of South Korea, we assessed differences in UTI diagnoses made during the week preceding a KD diagnosis, according to demographic and geographic factors from November 2007-October 2019. Results: A total of 53,822 KD cases were identified, including 304 patients (0.56%) diagnosed with a UTI during the week preceding a KD diagnosis. The younger age group (0-11 months) showed the highest percentage of preceding UTI diagnoses (0.95%), with higher odds than 4-year-old children (3.12; 95% confidence interval, 2.05-4.77). Conclusions: These findings suggest a potentially misleading presentation of incomplete KD, a clinical conundrum requiring further investigation and validation, particularly in infants.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2024

Objective : Collateral circulation is associated with the differential treatment effect of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke. We aimed to verify the ability of the collateral map to predict futile EVT in patients with acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke. Methods : This secondary analysis of a prospective observational study included data from participants underwent EVT for acute ischemic stroke due to occlusion of the internal carotid artery and/or the middle cerebral artery within 8 hours of symptom onset. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify independent predictors of futile recanalization (modified Rankin scale score at 90 days of 4-6 despite of successful reperfusion). Results : In a total of 214 participants, older age (odds ratio [OR], 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56 to 3.67; p<0.001), higher baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.21; p=0.004), very poor collateral perfusion grade (OR, 35.09; 95% CI, 3.50 to 351.33; p=0.002), longer door-to-puncture time (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.14; p=0.009), and failed reperfusion (OR, 3.73; 95% CI, 1.30 to 10.76; p=0.015) were associated with unfavorable functional outcomes. In 184 participants who achieved successful reperfusion, older age (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.44 to 3.67; p<0.001), higher baseline NIHSS scores (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.22; p=0.006), very poor collateral perfusion grade (OR, 4.96; 95% CI, 1.42 to 17.37; p=0.012), and longer door-to-reperfusion time (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.15; p=0.003) were associated with unfavorable functional outcomes. Conclusion : The assessment of collateral perfusion status using the collateral map can predict futile EVT, which may help select ineligible patients for EVT, thereby potentially reducing the rate of futile EVT.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2024

This study investigated acoustic features in spectral moment analysis, comparing accurate articulations with distortions of alveolar fricatives such as dentalization, palatalization, and lateralization. A retrospective analysis was conducted on speech samples from 61 children (mean age: 5.6±1.5 years, 19 females, 42 males) using the Assessment of Phonology & Articulation for Children (APAC) and Urimal-test of Articulation and Phonology I (U-TAP I). Spectral moment analysis was applied to 169 speech samples. The results revealed that the center of gravity of accurate articulations was higher than that of palatalization, while palatalization was lower than dentalization. The variance of dentalization was higher than that of both accurate articulations and palatalization. The skewness of dentalization was higher than that of accurate articulations, and the skewness of palatalization was higher than that of accurate articulations. The kurtosis of palatalization was higher than that of both accurate articulations and dentalization. No significant differences were observed for the position of fricatives (initial, medial) and tense type (plain, tense) across all variables of spectral moment analysis for each distortion type. This study confirmed distinct patterns in center of gravity, variance, skewness, and kurtosis depending on the type of alveolar fricative distortion. The objective values provided in this study will serve as foundational data for diagnosing alveolar fricative distortions in children with speech sound disorders.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2024

Purpose: Cancer is the leading cause of death in Koreans, with breast cancer being the most common among women. Breast cancer readily metastasizes, and the existing treatment processes impose a significant burden on patients. This study examined whether pomegranate-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (PNVs) have anti-cancer effects by inhibiting cell infiltration and metastasis while increasing apoptosis on breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Methods: Initially, exosome-like nanovesicles were isolated from pomegranate using ultracentrifugation. Subsequently, the size range of these nanovesicles was confirmed using nanoparticle tracking analysis. The ability of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells to internalize these natural nanovesicles was assessed with flourescence microscope. The anti-cancer effects of the PNVs were confirmed by applying various concentrations of PNVs (10, 50, 100 ㎍/mL) to MDA-MB-231 cells and systematically assessing their impact on cell viability and migration. Results: The round shape of the lipid bilayer in the PNVs was confirmed, providing crucial insights into their structural properties. We demonstrate that PNVs-associated DiD dye can be efficiently internalized by the MDA-MB-231 cells. The data showed that the PNVs inhibited cell viability, invasion rates, and migration in MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, PNVs were absorbed into the MDA-MB-231 cells, leading to an increased expression of apoptosis proteins, such as cleaved caspase-3 and phosphorus-JNK, in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, a reduction in cell infiltration and decreased expression of the transition markers MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins were observed. Conclusion: For the first time, this study suggests that PNVs may be useful in the prevention or treatment of breast cancer by inhibiting the infiltration and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells and inducing apoptosis.