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CARIES PREDICTION MODEL USING LASER FLUORESCENCE (레이저 형광법을 이용한 우식유발 예측모형)

  • Lee, Sang-Ho;Lee, Chang-Seop;Jeong, Yeon-Hwa
    • Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.16-24
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    • 2001
  • The purpose of this study was to evaluate the specificity, sensitivity, and diagnostic power of caries activity test using laser fluorescence. The subjects of this study were 50 children of $7\sim9$ years old. Fluorescence from initial carious lesion of teeth illuminated by an argon laser(480nm) was observed and photographed with barrier filter. Visual examination for the dDfFtT rate and Streptococcus mutans colony counting was done to evaluate correlation with caries activity test using laser fluorescence. Data analysis was accomplished by Axelsson's method. The results from the present study can be summarized as follows: 1. There was positive correlation $(\gamma=0.48)$ between laser fluorescence test and Streptococcus mutans count. And also positive correlation $(\gamma=0.39)$ exists between laser fluorescence test and dDfFtT rate (P<0.01). 2. Positive correlation $(\gamma=0.27)$ between Streptococcus mutans colony count and dDfFtT rate was found(P<0.05). 3. When dDfFtT rate was defined to standard testing method, the specificity, senstivity, and diagnostic power of laser fluorescence test were 44.4%, 85.7%, and 87.8%. 4. When dDfFtT rate was defined to standard testing method, the specificity, senstivity, and diagnostic power of S. mutans colony counting were 77.8%, 92.9%, 84.8%. 5. When S. mutans colony counting was defined to standard testing method, sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic power of laser fluorescence test were 40.0%, 84.8%, 95.1%. In regard to above results, laser fluorescence test considered to be accurate and reliable method for determining caries activity because of it's close relationship with caries susceptibility test and caries experience measurements. And it was also considered to be practical because it would be simple, inexpensive, and time saving method.

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Clinical Characteristics of Neonatal Status Epilepticus (신생아 간질 중첩증의 임상 특성)

  • Jung, Kyeong Hun;Kim, Yun Hee;Kwon, Young Se;Jun, Yong Hoon;Kim, Soon Ki;Son, Byong Kwan
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.48 no.12
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    • pp.1342-1347
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    • 2005
  • Purpose : Among perinatal risk factors, neonatal seizures are one of the strongest independent discriminators of adverse outcome, representing high risks of mortality and neurologic morbidity. This study was undertaken to evaluate the neurologic outcome of neonatal status epilepticus according to underlying etiology, seizure pattern, onset time, and duration. Methods : We reviewed retrospectively 36 neonates(19 males, 17 females) with status epilepticus who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, Inha Hospital between July, 1988 and June, 2003. They were evaluated with neurologic examination, laboratory data, EEG findings, and neuroimaging studies etc. Results : The mean gestational period of the patients was $37.0{\pm}3.6$ weeks and birth weight was $2.70{\pm}0.82$ kilogram. Fifty two point eight percent of the neonates were male and 66.7 percent were born at term. The most common cause of neonatal status epilepticus was hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. In preterm babies, intracranial hemorrhages showed an especially high frequency(P=0.034). Gestational age and birth weight did not show a correlation with neurologic complications. The incidence of neurological sequelae were significantly related to prolonged seizures lasting more than 1 hour(P=0.002). Neonates with seizures within the first 72 hours tended to be more frequent among those who developed adverse outcomes(P=0.016). Generalized tonic seizures had the worst prognosis, whereas those children who had subtle seizures had better outcomes than any other type(P<0.05). Generalized tonic seizures were primarily represented on EEG by abnormal background, whereas subtle seizure showed a significantly more normal EEG than any other seizures(P<0.05). Conclusion : Our results indicate that neonatal status epilepticus with early onsets, prolonged durations. And generalized tonic types can predict an increased risk for neurologic sequelae. So, those seizures must be perceived as medical emergencies and treated aggressively with antiepileptic drugs.

Should Voiding Cystourethrography be Performed for Infants with Urinary Tract Infection? (요로감염 영아에서 배뇨성방광요도조영술이 필요한가?)

  • Woo, Mi-Kyeong;Kim, Mun-Sub;Koo, Ja-Wook
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.54-61
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: This study was performed to assess necessity of voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) for infants with urinary tract infection (UTI) who had both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scans. Methods: We reviewed 117 infants hospitalized for UTI between February 2002 and July 2007 at Sanggye Paik Hospital. The diagnosis of UTI was made by culture from a urine specimen obtained by suprapubic puncture(n=57), catheterization(n=58), or collection bag method (n=2, twice positive culture of the same organism). All patients had undergone renal sonography, DMSA renal scan and VCUG. Children with both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scans were evaluated for the presence or severity of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Results: Of the 117 patients, 96 were boys and 21 were girls. 28 patients(23.9%) had VUR. 59(50.4%) showed both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scans. Among these 59 patients, 7(11.9%) showed VUR. Three of them had grade I-II reflux, two grade III reflux, and the other two grade IV reflux. One of them showed bilateral VUR, grade IV reflux on the right and grade III on the left. Conclusion: Although the negative predictive value of both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scan for VUR was 88.1%, 7 patients had VUR and two of them had high grade reflux(grade IV). So, we suggest that VCUG should be performed in infants with UTI despite both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scans.

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The Relation between Mother's LOHAS Propensity and Healthy Dietary Life Attitude perceived by Chinese University Students (대학생 자녀가 지각한 어머니의 로하스(LOHAS) 성향과 건강식생활 태도와의 관련성 연구 - 중국대학생을 중심으로 -)

  • Lee, Yeon-Jung;Ahn, Gee-Jung
    • Culinary science and hospitality research
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.101-120
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    • 2015
  • This study was conducted to examine the relation between a mother's LOHAS lifestyle propensity, healthy dietary life, and nutrient intake perceived by Chinese university students. The subjects consisted of 376 Chinese university students. The research results are summarized below. The mother's LOHAS attitude index was 76.02 points out of a perfect score of 100 points. High LOHAS attitude factors of mothers were 'health', whereas 'social welfare' scored low. The highest LOHAS attitude items of mothers that Chinese university students perceived was 'My mother uses health food, organic food, clean food'(4.26 points). Males who lived on their own in a large city and have normal BMI ($18.5{\sim}22.9kg/m^2$) perceived a high mother's LOHAS score. The highest food habit variables are 'eating without spilling food' 'cleaning up after meals around' and 'washing my hands before meals'. The highest healthy dietary life item is 'I try to maintain a pleasant and enjoyable life'(3.83 points). The highest nutrient intake attitude score is 'I tend to eat yellowish-green vegetables every day.'(3.92 points). According to mother's LOHAS lifestyle score, it was verified that the higher mother's LOHAS lifestyle score, the higher children's food habit, healthy dietary life, and nutrient intake score are. Mother's environment-friendly LOHAS attitude index has a meaningful impact on the child's food habits, healthy dietary life, and nutrient intake.

Economic Crisis and the Lowest-Low Fertility (경제위기와 저출산)

  • Lee, Sung-Yong
    • Korea journal of population studies
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.111-137
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    • 2006
  • The purpose of this study is to analyze how to change the fertility behavior at each parity after/before the economic crisis, and to find its significant determinants. The study assumes that because the socioeconomic changes have significant effects on the individual's fertility behavior, the individual's fertility behaviors and the determinants affecting fertility at each parity may change with economic crisis. Such assumption has been proven in this study. After the economic crisis, Korean fertility behavior at each parity has changed. The proportion of women having no child has increased. However, women who want to have a second child or a third one are more likely to do so within shorter period after marriage. The rectangularization of fertility has appeared after the economic crisis, because women married at later ages tends to finish their child bearing within the short period, especially before age 35. Based on the multiple variable analysis, the determinants affecting the fertility behavior have changed after the economic crisis. Interestingly, the men's safety job have the positive effects on the first childbearing while the women's safety careers have the negative effects on it, after the economic crisis. Before the economic crisis, both do not have significant effects on the first childbearing. This findings point out the limitation of women career favor policy, which purpose to raise the fertility rates by making good environments for women having children to work comfortably without the anxiety of child care.

The moderating effects of ego-resilience on the effects of parents' child-rearing attitude perceived by adolescents and school life adaptation on problem behavior (청소년이 지각한 부모의 양육태도와 학교생활적응이 문제행동에 미치는 영향에서 자아탄력성의 조절효과)

  • Kim, Ji Hye;Yu, Nan Sook
    • Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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    • v.31 no.1
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    • pp.1-19
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    • 2019
  • The purposes of this study were to concretely reveal the effect of the parents' child-rearing attitude perceived by adolescents and the school life adaptation on the problem behavior, and to verify the moderating effect of the ego-resilience on the relationship between the parents' child-rearing attitude and the school life adaptation and the adolescent problem behavior. This study analyzed a total of 2,107 students in the first year of high school, which was the 4th year data(2013) of Korea Children Youth Panel Survey(KCYPS) 2010. The reliability, descriptive statistics, t-test, and hierarchical regression analysis were conducted using SPSS WIN 22.0. The results were as follows. First, the effect of the parents' child-rearing attitude(supervision, affection, reasonable explanation, excessive interference, excessive expectation, and inconsistency), school life adaptation(relationship with teacher, relationship with friend, school regulation, and learning activity), and ego-resilience on the adolescent problem behavior was analyzed. As a result, the relationship with friend(-) had the highest influence on the adolescent problem behavior, followed by learning activity(-), inconsistency(+), ego-resilience(-), excessive interference(+), and supervision(-). However, the remaining sub-variables did not have any significant influence on the adolescent problem behavior. Second, the moderating effect of the ego-resilience on the relationship among the parents' child-rearing attitude, adaptation to school life, and adolescent problem behavior. The ego-resilience was found to moderate the effects of parents' positive child-rearing attitude, interpersonal relationships, and school adaptation on the adolescent problem behavior. However, the moderating effect was not significant for the effect of negative child-rearing attitude on the adolescent problem behavior. Therefore, various ego-resilience enhancement programs need to be developed and researched as a part of the safety education through the home economics class.

A prediction model for adolescents' skipping breakfast using the CART algorithm for decision trees: 7th (2016-2018) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (의사결정나무 CART 알고리즘을 이용한 청소년 아침결식 예측 모형: 제7기 (2016-2018년) 국민건강영양조사 자료분석)

  • Sun A Choi;Sung Suk Chung;Jeong Ok Rho
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.56 no.3
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    • pp.300-314
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: This study sought to predict the reasons for skipping breakfast by adolescents aged 13-18 years using the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: The participants included 1,024 adolescents. The data were analyzed using a complex-sample t-test, the Rao Scott χ2-test, and the classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm for decision tree analysis with SPSS v. 27.0. The participants were divided into two groups, one regularly eating breakfast and the other skipping it. Results: A total of 579 and 445 study participants were found to be breakfast consumers and breakfast skippers respectively. Breakfast consumers were significantly younger than those who skipped breakfast. In addition, breakfast consumers had a significantly higher frequency of eating dinner, had been taught about nutrition, and had a lower frequency of eating out. The breakfast skippers did so to lose weight. Children who skipped breakfast consumed less energy, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, cholesterol, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, phosphorus, sodium, iron, potassium, and niacin than those who consumed breakfast. The best predictor of skipping breakfast was identifying adolescents who sought to control their weight by not eating meals. Other participants who had low and middle-low household incomes, ate dinner 3-4 times a week, were more than 14.5 years old, and ate out once a day showed a higher frequency of skipping breakfast. Conclusion: Based on these results, nutrition education targeted at losing weight correctly and emphasizing the importance of breakfast, especially for adolescents, is required. Moreover, nutrition educators should consider designing and implementing specific action plans to encourage adolescents to improve their breakfast-eating practices by also eating dinner regularly and reducing eating out.

Clickstream Big Data Mining for Demographics based Digital Marketing (인구통계특성 기반 디지털 마케팅을 위한 클릭스트림 빅데이터 마이닝)

  • Park, Jiae;Cho, Yoonho
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.143-163
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    • 2016
  • The demographics of Internet users are the most basic and important sources for target marketing or personalized advertisements on the digital marketing channels which include email, mobile, and social media. However, it gradually has become difficult to collect the demographics of Internet users because their activities are anonymous in many cases. Although the marketing department is able to get the demographics using online or offline surveys, these approaches are very expensive, long processes, and likely to include false statements. Clickstream data is the recording an Internet user leaves behind while visiting websites. As the user clicks anywhere in the webpage, the activity is logged in semi-structured website log files. Such data allows us to see what pages users visited, how long they stayed there, how often they visited, when they usually visited, which site they prefer, what keywords they used to find the site, whether they purchased any, and so forth. For such a reason, some researchers tried to guess the demographics of Internet users by using their clickstream data. They derived various independent variables likely to be correlated to the demographics. The variables include search keyword, frequency and intensity for time, day and month, variety of websites visited, text information for web pages visited, etc. The demographic attributes to predict are also diverse according to the paper, and cover gender, age, job, location, income, education, marital status, presence of children. A variety of data mining methods, such as LSA, SVM, decision tree, neural network, logistic regression, and k-nearest neighbors, were used for prediction model building. However, this research has not yet identified which data mining method is appropriate to predict each demographic variable. Moreover, it is required to review independent variables studied so far and combine them as needed, and evaluate them for building the best prediction model. The objective of this study is to choose clickstream attributes mostly likely to be correlated to the demographics from the results of previous research, and then to identify which data mining method is fitting to predict each demographic attribute. Among the demographic attributes, this paper focus on predicting gender, age, marital status, residence, and job. And from the results of previous research, 64 clickstream attributes are applied to predict the demographic attributes. The overall process of predictive model building is compose of 4 steps. In the first step, we create user profiles which include 64 clickstream attributes and 5 demographic attributes. The second step performs the dimension reduction of clickstream variables to solve the curse of dimensionality and overfitting problem. We utilize three approaches which are based on decision tree, PCA, and cluster analysis. We build alternative predictive models for each demographic variable in the third step. SVM, neural network, and logistic regression are used for modeling. The last step evaluates the alternative models in view of model accuracy and selects the best model. For the experiments, we used clickstream data which represents 5 demographics and 16,962,705 online activities for 5,000 Internet users. IBM SPSS Modeler 17.0 was used for our prediction process, and the 5-fold cross validation was conducted to enhance the reliability of our experiments. As the experimental results, we can verify that there are a specific data mining method well-suited for each demographic variable. For example, age prediction is best performed when using the decision tree based dimension reduction and neural network whereas the prediction of gender and marital status is the most accurate by applying SVM without dimension reduction. We conclude that the online behaviors of the Internet users, captured from the clickstream data analysis, could be well used to predict their demographics, thereby being utilized to the digital marketing.

Clinical Features of Acute Nonspecific Mesenteric Lymphadenitis and Factors for Differential Diagnosis with Acute Appendicitis (급성 비특이성 장간막 림프절염의 임상 소견과 급성 충수돌기염과의 감별 인자)

  • Shin, Kyung Hwa;Kim, Gab Cheol;Lee, Jung Kwon;Lee, Young Hwan;Kam, Sin;Hwang, Jin Bok
    • Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.31-39
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    • 2004
  • Purpose: Although acute nonspecific mesenteric lymphadenitis (ANML) is probably common cause of abdominal pain in children, which can be severe enough to be an abdominal emergency, the clinical features of mesenteric lymphadenitis are not clear. Also, a differential diagnosis with acute appendicitis (APPE) is indispensable to avoid serious complications. The clinical features of ANML were determined, and the risk factors for differential diagnosis with APPE were analyzed. Methods: Between November 2000 and May 2001, data from 26 patients (aged 1 to 11 years) with ANML and 21 patients (aged 2 to 13 years) with APPE were reviewed. ANML was defined as a cluster of five or more lymph nodes measuring 10 mm or greater in their longitudinal diameter in the right lower quadrant (RLQ) without an identifiable specific inflammatory process on the ultrasonographic examination. There were risk factors on patient's history, physical examination, and laboratory examination; the location of abdominal pain, abdominal rigidity, rebound tenderness, fever, nocturnal pain, the vomiting intensity, the diarrhea intensity, the symptom duration, and the peripheral blood leukocytes count. Results: Of the 26 ANML patients and 21 APPE patients, abdominal pain was noted on periumbilical (76.9% vs 14.2%), on RLQ (11.5% vs 71.4%), with abdomen rigidity (7.6% vs 80.9%), with rebound tenderness (0.0% vs 76.1%)(p<0.05), in the lower abdomen (11.5% vs 14.2%), and at night (80.8% vs 100.0%) (p>0.05). The clinical symptoms were vomiting (38.4% vs 90.4%), the vomiting intensity ($1.5{\pm}0.7$ [1~3]/day vs $4.5{\pm}2.9$ [1~10]/day), diarrhea (65.3% vs 28.5%) (p<0.05), and fever (61.5% vs 76.2%)(p>0.05). The period to the subsidence of abdominal pain in the ANMA patients was $2.5{\pm}0.5$ (2~3) days. The laboratory data showed a significant difference in the peripheral blood leukocytes count ($8,403{\pm}1,737[5,900{\sim}12,300]/mm^3\;vs\;15,471{\pm}3,749[5,400{\sim}20,800]/mm^3$)(p<0.05). Discriminant analysis between ANML and APPE showed that the independent discriminant factors were a vomiting intensity and the peripheral blood leukocytes count and the discriminant power was 95.7%. Conclusion: The clinical characteristics of ANML were abrupt onset of periumbilical pain without rigidity or rebound tenderness, a mild vomiting intensity, normal peripheral leukocytes count, and relatively short clinical course. If the abdominal pain persist for more than 3 days, and/or the vomiting intensity is more than 3 times/day, and/or the peripheral leukocytes count is over $13,500/mm^3$, abdominal ultrasonography is recommended to rule out APPE.

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Epidemiological Studies of Clonorchiasis. - I. Current Status and Natural Transition of the Endemicity of Clonorchis sinensis in Gimhae Gun and Delta, a High Endemic area in Korea (간흡충증(肝吸虫症)의 역학(疫學) - I. 고도유행지(高度流行地) 김해지방(金海地方)에 있어서의 간흡충감염(肝吸虫感染)의 현황(現況)과 자연추이(自然推移))

  • Kim, D.C.;Lee, O.Y.;Lee, J.S.;Ahn, J.S.;Chang, Y.M;Son, S.C.;Moon, I.S.
    • Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.44-65
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    • 1983
  • As a part of the epidemiological studies of clonorchiasis, this study was conducted to evaluate the current endemicity and the natural transition of the Clonorchis infection in Gimhae Gun and delta area a high endemic area in Korea in recent years, prior to the introduction of praziquantel which will eventually influence the status of the prevalence. The data obtained in this study in 1983 were evaluated for natural transition of the infection in comparison with those obtained 16 years ago in 1967 by the author(Kim, 1974). The areas of investigation, villages and schools surveyed, methods and techniques used in this study were the same as in 1967, except for the contents of the questionnaire for raw freshwater fish consumption by the local inhabitants. 1) The prevalence rate of clonorchiasis in the general population of the villages was 48.1% on the average out of a total of 484 persons examined. The average of those of the riverside-delta area was 65.2% and 43.0% in the inland area. Among the schoolchildren, the prevalence rate was 8.2% on the average out of a total of 1,423 examined. By area, the prevalence rate was 10.8% in the riverside delta area and 2.8% in the inland area. By sex, difference in the prevalence was seen only in the inhabitants of the inland area showing 52.4% in the male and 33.5% in the female. 2) In the natural transition of the infection, the prevalence rate among the inhabitants has decreased from 68.8% in 1967 to 48.1% in 1983, and in the schoolchildren from 56.4% in 1967 to 8.2% in 1983. The reduction rate was higher in the riverside-delta area than in the inland area. 3) In the prevalence rate by age, 11.9% was first seen in the 5-9 age group and the rate gradually increased up to 75.0% in the 50-59 age group. By sex, the rate was higher in the male than in the female in the 20-29 age group and over. 4) In the natural transition of the prevalence rate by age, the reduction rate of the infection during the past 16 years was greater in the younger age groups up to the 40-49 age group and reached the same level in the age group 50-59. Reduction was seen again in the age group over 60s. By sex, the reduction rate was greater in the female than in the male in the 20-29 age group and over. By area, the reduction rate was greater in the riverside delta area than in the inland area, particularly in the young age groups. 5) In the intensity of the infection among the cases, the mean egg out-put per mg feces per infected cases(EPmg) in the inhabitants was 6.3. EPmg of those of the river-side-delta area was 15.4 and that of the in-land was 2.8. On the other hand, in the schoolchildren, EPmg was 3.2, and no difference was seen between the two areas, the river-side-delta area and the inland area. 6) In the transition of the intensity of the infection by area, EPmg among the inhabitants inexplically increased from 7.8 in 1967 to 15.4 in 1983. This was probably caused by uneven specimen collection in the process of sampling the population. EPmg of the inhabitants in the inland area and those of the schoolchildren of both riverside delta and inland areas showed a similar decrease in the past 16 years. 7) The intensity of the infection by age showed a relatively low level in the 20-29 age group and below, and EPmg 5.1-9.5 was seen in the 30-39 age group and over. Sex, Epmg was 5.8 in the male and 4.7 the female. By in 8) In the transition of the intensity of the infection, EPmg decreased from 6.2 in 1967 to 5.4 in 1983. By age, in contrast to the figures of 1967 in which EPmg gradually increased with some fluctuation from 1.1 in the 0-4 age group to peak 10.5 in the 50-59 age group, in 1983 lower intensity of the infection was seen in the age group from 10-14 to 20-29 with the EPmg range of 0.6-2.7. 9) In the distribution of the clonorchiasis cases by the range of EPmg value, 43.2% of the cases were in 0.1 0.9 and 34.6% in 1.0-4.9. As a whole by cumulative percent, 44.6% of them were under 0.9 as light infection and 86.1% of them under 9.9 up to moderate infection. By sex, no difference was seen in Epmg. 10) In the transition of the distribution by the range of Epmg, the cases were distributed up to the range 80.0-99.9 in 1967 and to 60.0-79.9 in 1983. By cumulative percent, in the range of 0.1-0.9 and less, light infection, 34.3% of them were distributed in 1967 and 44.6% in 1983 with about 10% increase. In the range of 5.0-9.9 and less, up to moderate infection, 83.2% in 1967 and 86.1% in 1983 of the cases were seen, respectively. 11) The practice of raw freshwater fish consumption among the inhabitants seems to have decreased in recent years. Those who admitted to raw freshwater fish consumption in the last two years among the infected inhabitants were 59.3%, although 86.8% of them professed to have experience with raw freshwater fish consumption. 31.7% of those who have had experience of the raw freshwater fish consumption denied any further consumption in recent years. From an interview of 543 school-children, 24.1% of them admitted to an experience of raw freshwater fish consumption. However, those who have practised in the past two years comprized 17.9%. Those who denied raw freshwater fish consumption in recent years among those who had such experience were 26.0% out of 131 interviewed. The rate of raw freshwater fish consumption in both inhabitants and schoolchildren were higher in the male than in the female. On the contrary, the rate of those who did not practise in recent years among those who had experience of raw freshwater fish consumption was higher in the female than in the male. 12) The major reason for the reduction of raw freshwater fish consumption among the local inhabitants was the risk of the fluke infection. However, it has become apparent that such change of taste has resulted from water pollution impact which has affected throughout the areas of the freshwater systems in this locality since last several years. 13) In animal survey, Clonorchis infection was seen in 14.8% of 88 dogs examined and 3.7% of 27 house rats examined. It was noted that populations of dogs and cats have increased in the villages surveyed. Although the prevalence rate was lower in the present survey than those of 1967, the significance of the animals as the reservoir host has not changed. 14) Prevalence rate of Clonorchis infection by cercariae in the first intermediate host, Parafossarulus manchouricus, was 0.6% out of 517 snails examined. The infection rate was lower in comparison with 2.3% out of 2,124 examined in 1967. Moreover, sharp decreases in number and distribution of the intermediate host snails in many watershed areas of the huge freshwater systems in this locality seemed to reduce transmission of Clonorchis in connection with the intermediate host stage of its life cycle. 15) Clonorchis infection in the second intermediate fish hosts was relatively low. The mean number of Clonorchis metacercaria per fish in Pseudorasbora parva was 517 in 1983, whereas it was 1943 in 1968 through 1969. Environmental water pollution has also caused the decreased fish population density in these areas, and this has also apparently affected to the practice of raw freshwater fish consumption among the local inhabitants. 16) In conclusion, endemicity of Clonorchis infection in Gimhae Gum and delta area of the Nagdong River has sharply decreased during the past 16 years. The major cause of the regressive transition of the infection was the water pollution of the land water systems of this locality. The pollution has upset the ecosystems comprizing of the intermediate hosts of Clonorchis in many areas, and also affected to a significant extent to the discontinuance of the local inhabitants for raw freshwater fish consumption.

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