• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.279-287
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• 2021

Purpose: The clinical implications of bowel wall thickening (BWT) on abdominal computed tomography (CT) among children are unknown. We aimed to suggest a new method for measuring BWT and determining its clinical significance in children. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 423 patients with acute abdomen who underwent abdominal CT; 262 were classified into the BWT group. For this group, the pediatric radiologist described the maximal bowel wall thickness (MT), normal bowel wall thickness (mm) (NT), and their ratios for each segment of the bowel wall. Results: In the thickened bowel walls, the thickness differed significantly between the small bowel (6.83±2.14 mm; mean±standard deviation) and the colon (8.56±3.46 mm; p<0.001). The ratios of MT to NT in the small bowel (6.09±3.17) and the colon (7.58±3.70) were also significantly different (p<0.001). In the BWT group, 35 of 53 patients had positive fecal polymerase chain reaction results; 6 patients infected with viruses predominantly had BWT in the small intestine, while the terminal ileum and the colon were predominantly affected in 29 patients with bacterial infections. In the initially undiagnosed 158 patients with BWT, the symptoms improved spontaneously without progression to chronic gastrointestinal disease. Conclusion: This study provides a clinical reference value for BWT in the small intestine and colon using a new method in children. The BWT on abdominal CT in children might indicate nonspecific findings that can be observed and followed up without additional evaluation, unlike in adults.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.129-135
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of the head posture with the tone and stiffness of the cervical extensor muscles. Eighty adults in their twenties were chosen as subjects, and the tone and stiffness of the cervical extensor muscles were measured, with their usual head posture in the sagittal plane. For the measured head posture, the craniovertebral angle (CVA), craniorotation angle (CRA), and forward shoulder angle (FSA) were analyzed using Image J. It was observed that the tone and stiffness of the upper trapezius muscle increased significantly with a decrease in the CVA as well as with an increase in the CRA (p < 0.05). As a result of further classification into the normal and forward head postures based on the CVA of the subjects, the forward head posture was characterized by a significant increase in the tone and stiffness of the upper trapezius muscle (p<.05). The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for the evaluation of the forward head posture and posture education in clinical practice.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.sup1
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• pp.53-69
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To determine the weight change trend among the adult Turkish population after 1 yr of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and factors associated with weight change. MATERIALS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 26 February and 6 March 2021 using an online questionnaire that included questions for sociodemographic variables, eating habits, stress level, and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18. Those who weighed themselves 1-2 weeks before the pandemic was declared in Turkey and remembered their weight were invited to participate in the study. Trends in weight and body mass index (BMI) change were calculated. The variables associated with a 1% change in BMI were assessed using hierarchical regression analysis. RESULTS: The study was conducted with 1,630 adults (70.25% female) with a mean age of 32.09 (11.62) yrs. The trend of weight change was found to increase by an average of 1.15 ± 6.10 kg (female +0.72 ± 5.51, male +2.16 ± 7.22 kg) for the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate of participants with a normal BMI (18.50-24.99 kg/m²) decreased to 51.91% from 55.75%. Consuming an "Increased amount of food compared to before the pandemic" was found to be the independent variable that had the strongest association with a 1% increase in BMI (β = 0.23 P < 0.001). The average change in the BMI was higher in older individuals than in those who were younger. A high stress level was associated with a decrease in BMI (β = -0.04 P = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the factors associated with weight change after 1 yr of the pandemic in the Turkish population was reported for the first time. A high stress level and increased weight gain trend still occur in Turkey after 1 yr of the pandemic.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2020

Background and Objectives: The present study aimed to compare thresholds of direct bone-conduction (BC direct) with those of behaviorally measured BC pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and objectively measured BC auditory brainstem response (ABR) to confirm the clinical feasibility of their relationships. Subjects and Methods: Young adults with normal hearing participated in the study to determine the thresholds from three measurements at four testing frequencies. In the BC direct, the vibrator of a bone-anchored hearing aid softband was placed on the right mastoid of each subject. In both PTA and ABR, a B71 bone oscillator was placed on the subject's right mastoid. While the subject's thresholds of BC direct and BC PTA were determined with a clinically routine 5-dB step procedure, BC ABR was conducted to determine the individual's hearing sensitivity by a peak V of the waveform using tone-burst and click stimuli. Results: The BC direct showed a different pattern between low and high frequencies. Precisely, its thresholds were 13.25 and 12.25 dB HL at 0.5 and 1 kHz, respectively, but 19 and 19.75 dB HL at 2 and 4 kHz, respectively. A significant positive correlation existed between BC direct and PTA at 1 kHz, which was also correlated with ABR. Conclusions: Based on the current data, the thresholds of BC direct were similar to BC PTA at low frequencies and BC ABR at high frequencies. The thresholds of BC direct might be predictable at approximately 5 dB higher (or lower) than that in PTA, although a large data set is required for standardization.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.103-114
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• 2022

Zoological Parks house exclusive animal species, thus creating a source of education and awareness for visitors. Big cats like tigers and leopards are among the most visited species in zoos globally. However, they often display stressful or stereotypic behaviours. Such behaviours are influenced by multiple factors including visitors, animal history, and captive environment. To understand this impact, we investigated the behavioural response of tigers and leopards to visitation, captive, and biological factors. The behaviour of eight big cats housed in the National Zoological Park, New Delhi, was monitored using focal sampling technique during May and June 2019. We recorded the captive and biological factors and visitor density for the subjects. The study revealed high proportions of inactive and stereotypic behaviours amongst the species. Tigers and leopards were found to perform stereotypic behaviours for 22% and 28% of their time, respectively. Generalised Linear Models revealed a significant variation of stereotypy in association with the factors. Stereotypy was influenced by visitor density, age, sex, breeding history, coat colour, and enclosure design. Adults, males, white-coated, previously bred, and those housed in smaller and simple enclosures display more stereotypy than young, females, normal-coated, unbred, and those housed in larger and complex enclosures, respectively. A high density of visitors induced more stereotypic behaviours amongst the big cats. As providing entertainment and awareness amongst the public is one of the fundamental objectives of the zoo, visitors can not be avoided. Thus, we suggest providing appropriate enrichments that would reduce stereotypies and promote naturalistic behaviours.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2024

The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Acoustic Voice Tremor index (AVTI) for the acoustic measurement of voice tremor. A total of 71 normal adults and 41 patients with voice tremor participated in the study. Vowels /a/ were recorded for at least five seconds. Three seconds of vowel stable duration were edited to identify measures of 18 variables related to voice tremor using a Praat script. These variables and the overall severity (OS) of auditory-perceptual assessment were used to design the AVTI using linear regression analysis. The linear regression analysis identified four out of the 18 variables as significant, and a regression equation was constructed. Furthermore, internal and external validity studies demonstrated high correlations, with an average of over 0.8. The AVTI demonstrated a high correlation of 0.841 with OS. The AVTI was found to be capable of predicting voice tremor. Further studies should include a larger number of voice samples and a complementary Praat script for further analysis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.556-566
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was designed to determine the relationship between health behaviors and high levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) according to cardiovascular risk factors among Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on the sixth Korea national health and nutrition examination survey (KNHANES VI). Participants were 13,841 adults aged 19 years and older. Cardiovascular risk factors were stroke, myocardial infarction or angina, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hypertension, aging, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) under 40 mg/dL and HDL-cholesterol over 60 mg/dL. Cardiovascular risk groups were classified as very high risk (stroke, myocardial infarction or angina), high risk (diabetes mellitus), moderate risk (over 2 risk factors), and low risk (below 1 risk factor). The prevalence of high LDL-cholesterol was calculated using the LDL-cholesterol target level according to cardiovascular risk group. Results: The prevalence of high LDL-cholesterol was 25.5% in males and 21.7% in females. Complex sample cross tabulation demonstrated that the high LDL-cholesterol and normal groups differed significantly according to age, education, body mass index, percentage of energy from carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat and n-6 in males and females. These two groups were also significantly different according to smoking in males and the percentage of energy from n-3 in females. Complex sample multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for multiple confounding factors demonstrated that the probability of high LDL-cholesterol was significantly associated with current smoking (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.40-1.99), obesity (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.64-2.31) in males, and current smoking (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.19-2.52), obesity (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.39-1.90), percentage of energy from n-3 (quartile 1 vs. quartile 2; OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62-0.96; quartile 1 vs. quartile 3; OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56-0.94; quartile 1 vs. quartile 4: OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.51-0.87) in females. Conclusion: This study reveals the impact of smoking, obesity, energy percentage of nutrient intake on LDL-cholesterol.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.61-61
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was performed to understand the influence of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T and A1298C) genotypes on the spontaneously aborted embryos. Methods : DNA was extracted from tissue samples of 95 spontaneously aborted embryos and 100 samples of normal children randomly and 449 samples of normal adults were selected as the controls. MTHFR genotypes were determined by a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. Results : The aborted embryo group had higher frequency of MTHFR 677CC type (p=0.014) and lower 677CT type (p=0.063) than the controlled child group. The frequency of MTHFR 677CT type was drastically lower than that of controlled adult group (p=0.032). In the MTHFR C677T/A1298C combination, 677CC/1298AC genotype of the aborted embryo was significantly higher (p=0.034) than that of controlled child group, but it was not statistically significant in controlled adult group (p=0.063). Conclusion : MTHFR 677CC and MTHFR 677CC/1298AC genotypes may represent genetic markers for the risk of spontaneously aborted embryos at least in Koreans.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 1998

We measured the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic movements during abduction of the arm in the coronal plane with radiologic analysis in the 30 shoulders of normal male adults who were without pain, limitation of motion, and history of trauma. In the resting position, the glenoid cavity of the scapula faced somewhat superiorly in over 80 percents of the individuals, the mean superior tilting was 5.7 degrees. The mean total scapulothoracic movement was 65.8 degrees and the mean total glenohumeral movement was 106.8 degrees during abduction of arm in the coronal plane. The mean ratio of the glenohumeral movement to the scapulothoracic movement was 1.6 and this GH/ST ratio was decreased toward the extreme abduction. When the arm was abducted, external rotation of the humeral head occurred and this external rotation was increased smoothly during 0 degree through 90 degrees, but steeply above 90 degrees. The acromiohumeral interval was 10.9 mm at the resting positon, and this interval decreased during the arm abduction. The superior migration of the humeral head was 3.1 mm while abducting the arm. Our measurement of the relationships of glenohumeral and scapulothoracic movements at the coronal plane would be useful in the understandings of the biomechanics of shoulder, but further study would be required for the analysis of the three dimensional relationship because of the limitation of our two dimensional analysis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.358-365
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• 2009

The study was performed for investigation with 257 female adults to find out the factors affecting health control behavior and obesity stress by personality type. First of all, BMIs of the respondents showed 30 low weight (11.7%), 170 normal weight (66.1%), 33 overweight (12.8%) and 24 obese respondents (9.4%). Comparing with low weight or normal weight, overweight or obesity could be seen as strong with diet control behaviors, from which obesity stress showed the tendency to be high accordingly. Second, the result of the investigation showed that for the open personality, which was featured as strongly desired to accomplish, very sincere and sensitive, they were more eager to control through health or diet. Third, the result of the investigation showed that for the more nervous, which is featured as emotionally unstable, bad at self control of impetus and clumsy to handle stress, the obesity stress was escalating.