• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 2018

Purpose: Few studies have examined periodontal pathogens from saliva samples in periodontally healthy young adults. The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria and to quantify periodontal pathogens in saliva samples using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays in periodontally healthy Korean young adults under 35 years of age. Methods: Nine major periodontal pathogens were analyzed by real-time PCR in saliva from 94 periodontally healthy young adults. Quantification of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Campylobacter rectus, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, and Eikenella corrodens was performed by DNA copy number measurement. Results: F. nucleatum and E. corrodens were detected in all subjects; the numbers of positive samples were 87 (92.6%), 91 (96.8%), and 90 (95.7%) for P. gingivalis, P. anaerobius, and C. rectus, respectively. Other pathogens were also detected in periodontally healthy subjects. Analysis of DNA copy numbers revealed that the most abundant periodontal pathogen was F. nucleatum, which was significantly more prevalent than all other bacteria (P<0.001), followed by P. anaerobius, P. gingivalis, E. corrodens, C. rectus, and T. denticola. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of each bacterium between men and women. The DNA copy number of total bacteria was significantly higher in men than in women. Conclusions: Major periodontal pathogens were prevalent in the saliva of periodontally healthy Korean young adults. Therefore, we suggest that the development of periodontal disease should not be overlooked in periodontally healthy young people, as it can arise due to periodontal pathogen imbalance and host susceptibility.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.64-70
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• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated the influence of attention-demanding tasks on gait and measured differences in the temporal, spatial and kinematic characteristics between young healthy adults and elderly healthy adults. Methods: We recruited 16 healthy young adults and 15 healthy elderly adults in this study. All participants performed two cognitive tasks: a subtraction dual-task (SDT) and working memory dual-task (WMDT) during gait plus one normal gait. Using the LEGSys+ system, knee and hip-joint kinematic data during stance and swing phase and spatiotemporal parameter data were assessed in this study. Results: In the elderly adult group, attention-demanding tasks with gait showed a significant decrease in hip-joint motion during the stance phase, compared to the normal gait. Step length, stride length and stride velocity of the elderly adult group were significantly decreased in WMDT gait compared to normal gait (p<0.05). In the young adult group, kinematic data did not show any significant difference. However, stride velocity and cadence during SDT and WMDT gaits were significantly decreased compared to those of normal gait (p<0.05). Conclusion: We determined that attention-demanding tasks during gait in elderly adults can induce decreased hip-joint motion during stance phase and decreased gait speed and stride length to maintain balance and prevent risk of falling. We believe that understanding the changes during gait in older ages, particularly during attention-demanding tasks, would be helpful for intervention strategies and improved risk assessment.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1513-1520
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to compare cerebral blood flow between hyperlipidemic patient group and normal healthy aldult group using transcranial doppler ultrasonography(TCD). I investigated cerebral blood flow of 63 hyperlipidemic patients and 42 healthy adults. To evaluate the cerebral blood flow, I measured the systolic peak velocity(Vs) and mean flow velocity(Vm) of the milddle cerebral artery(MCA), anterior cerebral artery(ACA), posterior cerebral artery(PCA), basilar artery(BA), internal carotid artery(ICA) in the two groups using TCD. In normal healthy adults, subjects showed a decerease in Vs and Vm with advancing in age. There was a significant difference in the Vm of ICA. There was no significant differences in the Vm of ACA and ICA. In normal healthy adults, females showed high velocities of all examined vessel. There was a significant difference in the Vs of ICA. There was a significant differences in the Vm of MCA and ICA. Normal healthy adults higher than hyperlipidemic patients in the Vs of MCA, ACA, PCA. There was no significant difference in the Vs of all exmined vessels. Hyperlipidemic patientsincrease higher than normal healthy adults in the Vm of ACA. There was a significant difference in the Vs of BA. In the patients aged under 50's, normal healthy adults higher than hyperlipidemic patients in the Vs and Vm except BA. But there was no significant difference in all exmined vessels. In the patients aged over 50's, hyperlipidemic patients higher than normal healthy adults in all examined vessel expect PCA. There was a significant difference in the Vs of BA and ICA. And hyperlipidemic patients higher than that normal healthy adults in all exmined vessels. There was a significant difference in BA and ICA. In this study, visible differences in blood flow between hyperlipidemic patient group and normal healthy aldult group were shown. However, these results do not come up to the previous values that were reported and known worldwide.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was to examine by gender the clustering patterns and correlates of healthy lifestyle clusters and the relationships between healthy lifestyle clusters and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. Methods: The observed/expected ratio of physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption were calculated to analyze clustering effects. The correlates of those healthy lifestyle clusters were evaluated using logistic regression models, and the relationship between those healthy lifestyle clusters and depressive symptoms was investigated using multiple regressions by gender. Results: Based on the guidelines this study adopted, we obtained three healthy lifestyle clusters: active healthy lifestyle; passive healthy lifestyle; and unhealthy lifestyle. All three clusters were found in men, but two in women, who did not have an unhealthy lifestyle cluster. High socio-economic status was positively related to healthy lifestyle clusters. Social participation and residence location (in men) and marital status (in women) were significant factors. Having an active or a passive healthy lifestyle was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in women, but such a relationship was not observed in men. Conclusions: The study findings imply that health promotion programs for middle-aged and older adults in Korea should be comprehensive and integrated, considering healthy lifestyle clusters and gender differences.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.66-74
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• 2007

The aim of the present study was to investigate age-related differences in stepping behavior in response to sensory perturbations of postural balance. The participants for this study were 2 healthy elderly adults (mean age=76.0) and 2 younger adults (mean age=25.5). Subjects were asked to step over a 10 cm high obstacle at self-paced speed with the right limb to land on the primary target (normal step length) that is 10 cm in diameter. However, if, during movement, the light was illuminated, then the subject had to step on the secondary target (long step length). It was planned that the onset of the light would be prior to peak Fx of swing limb, between swing peak Fx and swing toe-off, and after swing toe-off. In the younger adults these secondary visual cues were provided at mean times of 240 ms (standard deviation (SD)=11), 402 ms (SD=13), and 476 ms (SD=88) following the movement onset. Corresponding mean times for the healthy elderly were 150 ms (SD=67), 352 ms (SD=39), and 562 ms (SD=115). Results showed great changes in both group and visual cue condition in Fx ground reaction forces and temporal events following the swing toe-off. Swing limb acceleration force (Fx) and stance peak Fx1 was much greater in the young adults compared to the older adults. Both young and older adults increased stance peak Fx2 in the visual cue condition compared to normal stepping. There was no difference in stance peak Fx2 between the visual cue conditions in both groups. Similarly, the time to stance peak Fx2 was much longer for the visual cue condition than for the normal stepping. It was not different between the visual cue conditions in the young adults, but in the elderly mid and late cue was much greater than early cue. In addition, time to stance peak Fx2 and swing and stance time were much longer in the older adults compared to the young adults for the visual cue conditions. These results suggest that unlike young adults, elderly adults did not flexibly modify their responses to unexpected changes in step length while stepping over obstacles.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.820-830
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• 1997

Sleep is an essential component for health and the quality of life of individuals, and is affected by multiple factors. Thereby, sleep impairment is known to be frequent even in healthy subjects. The purpose of the study is to compare sleep patterns and related factors between healthy young and old adults and to identify aging effects upon sleep in a cross-sectional way. The survey questionnaire was developed by translation and modification of two well-known sleep questionnaires which were originally developed by Monroe(1967) and Ellis, et al. (1982). Discussion with experts and pilot study were completed to finalize the contents of the questionnaire that was used in this study. Results are as follows : 1. Sleep complaints were lower in older adults. 2. The most frequent variables that explain sleep satisfaction were feeling rested in the morning in the older adults and feeling rested and failing asleep within five minutes in the young adults. 3. Regarding sleep-disturbing factors, physical factors were more frequently reported in the older adults and environmental factors are reported more frequently in the young adults, and there was no difference related to the emotional factors between the two groups. 4. Young adults were practiced strategies for better sleep more often than the older adults, and they were mainly in-home activities just before sleep. 5. Sleep patterns which change with aging were as follows : going to bed and waking up earlier : not staying in the bed long after waking up ; getting harder to fall asleep ; frequent arousal after sleep onset ; getting harder to go back to sleep after arousal during night sleep. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that sleep and related factors of the young and the older adults are different. Also, sleep patterns change with aging and those changes seem to be negative for sleep in the elderly. Repeated studies are needed to establish more concrete information regarding sleep patterns. In addition, further research is needed to develop more reliable, valid, and feasible sleep measure tools, and to develop and evaluate nursing interventions.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.354-365
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Understanding the mechanism of chewing and swallowing food is important when creating a proper diet for older adults. This study investigated whether texture-modified model foods can reduce the difference in chewing and swallowing parameters between healthy community-living young and older adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In total, 35 older and 20 young adults (mean age: 75 and 25 years, respectively), matched for sex and number of teeth, were recruited and their unstimulated salivation and tongue pressure were measured. Simultaneous assessment of chewing and swallowing characteristics was conducted using surface electromyography and a videofluoroscopic swallowing study while the participants ingested 8 g of model food with one to four levels of hardness. RESULTS: The average tongue pressure and salivation among older adults were 61% and 49.7%, respectively, of the corresponding values observed in young adults. The older adult group used significantly (P < 0.05) increased muscle force with more chewing cycles (P < 0.05) than the young adult group, which was maintained even when consuming foods with the lowest hardness, although without chewing. However, the age effect on oral processing time existed only for the hardest foods. Swallowing difficulties among older adults were demonstrated by the significant increase in vallecula aggregation time. The total food intake duration was significantly (P < 0.05) longer in older adults than in young adults, regardless of food hardness. CONCLUSIONS: There were measurable differences in the process of chewing and swallowing food between young and older adults, which can be improved with food hardness control. Adjusting food hardness may help food intake in healthy older adults.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2022

The purpose of the this study is to observe the effects of healthy adults' age on temporal features of speech and identify which could differentiate older and young adults. We examined speech rates(i.e., overall speaking rate, articulation rate), occurrence of pause, and duration of pause per utterance by utilizing the National Institute of Korean Language's open corpus. We selected a total of 30 healthy adults (10 young, 10 middle-aged, and 10 older adults) in this study. There were significant differences among the groups in the overall speaking rate, articulation rate, total occurrence of pause, the occurrence of pause between syntactic words, total duration of pause, and duration of pause between syntactic words. The older and middle-aged adults showed slower speech rates and longer and more frequent pause than young adults. But there were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of pause within syntactic word. The overall speaking rate significantly differentiated older adults from young adults. These findings suggested that the effect of speakers' age was reflected in gradual changes in the temporal features of their speech.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2008

Purpose : Tandem stance is a clinical measure of standing balance considered to assess postural steadiness in a heel-to-toe position by a temporal measurement. The aim of this study is to investigate postural steadiness and to explore the weight distribution between legs during 25s of quiet stance and tandem stance(right foot was leading) in healthy young adults. Methods : 107 healthy young adults(mean age 21.1 years) are participated. Weight distribution beneath both feet and sway distance were recorded while the subjects performed 25s of quiet stance and tandem stance. Results : Subjects placed more weight on the rear leg in tandem stance and on the left foot in quiet stance. So, quiet stance and tandem stance is not a task for equal weight bearing. Subjects show larger sway distance in anteroposterior direction of tandem stance than quiet stance. Conclusion : The results of this study will be useful to researchers and clinicians using tandem stance measures to evaluate postural steadiness and to predict fall. The results suggest that tandem stance is useful to treat of weight distribution and to improve of balace in elderly adults and stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2016

Objective: The arm swing is associated with gait ability in healthy young adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of arm swing during gait in healthy young adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Forty-five subjects without any orthopedic or neurological injuries participated in this study. All subjects performed all three conditions according to the arm swing type as follows: first procedure (condition 1), walking as usual without arm swing constraint; second procedure (condition 2), constraint of dominant arm swing walking as usual; third procedure (condition 3), constraint of both arm swing walking as usual. Gait parameters such as gait velocity, stride length, cadence, step time, single limb support, and double limb support were measured in all arm swing conditions performed randomly, with the mean value obtained from three measurements. A rest period of 5 minutes was given to prevent repetition of each condition and learning effect. All data was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA to notice the changes between arm swing conditions. Results: Within walking conditions, significant difference of gait velocity, stride length, cadence, and double limb support was noticed (p<0.05), except step time and single limb support. Gait velocity and stride length were significant reduced, and in cadence and double limb support were increased (p<0.05). Condition 3 had the most significant decrease of gait ability compared with condition 1 (p<0.05). Conclusions: These finding suggested that constraint arm swing conditions reduced gait ability in healthy young adults. Also, these findings can be utilized as a reference to future studies that not only pelvic, knee and ankle, but also upper limb affect to gait ability.