• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.333-342
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• 2014

Limited epidemiologic data is available regarding the cardiovascular effects of mercury exposure. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between mercury exposure from fish consumption and cardiovascular disease in a nationally representative sample of Korean adults using the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV 2008~2009). Survey logistic regression models accounting for the complex sampling were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) adjusted for fish consumption frequency, age, education, individual annual income, household annual income, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), alcohol consumption status, and smoking status. The mean blood mercury level in the population was $5.44{\mu}g/L$. Trends toward increased blood mercury levels were seen for increased education level (P=0.0011), BMI (P<0.0001), WC (P<0.0001), and fish (i.e., anchovy) consumption frequency (P=0.0007). The unadjusted OR for hypertension in the highest blood mercury quartile was 1.450 [95% confidential interval (CI): 1.106~1.901] times higher than that of the lowest quartile. The fish consumption-adjusted OR for hypertension in the highest blood mercury quartile was 1.550 (95% CI: 1.131~2.123) times higher than that of the lowest quartile, and the OR for myocardial infarction or angina in the highest blood mercury quartile was 3.334 (95% CI: 1.338~8.308) times higher than that of the lowest quartile. No associations were observed between blood mercury levels and stroke. These findings suggest that mercury in the blood may be associated with an increased risk of hypertension and myocardial infarction or angina in the general Korean population.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.148-157
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• 2005

Damum(痰飮) is a kind of pathologic secretion products that excessive water is accumulated in a part of body. Damhun(痰暈) is the vertigo induved by Damum(痰飮). We experienced two clinical cases treated vertigo by orietal medicine(herbal medication, acupuncture). 33-years old male and 63-years old female patients had Damhun(痰暈), vertigo by Damum(痰飮). We administered Banhabaechulcheoma-tang(Pansiabaichutienma-tang) and Yeonggyechulgam-tang(Lingguishugna-tang) to each Patient, and two Patients improved vertigo and referred symptoms. In other words, this study is that We did not limited peripheral vertigo to vestibular system, made a diagnosis of Damum(痰飮) and treated vertigo by orietal medicine(herbal medication, acupuncture) referred to many medical practitioner of many generations. We suggest that digestive sypmtom(related to Damum(痰飮), abdominal examination and stool frequency are closely associated with vertigo and could be estimated prognosis of vertigo.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.3 s.27
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• pp.380-388
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• 1989

To evaluate the costs of the hypertension screening program of the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation, the records of the screening examinations were used. The sample size was 49,983 of the 906,554 people insured by the Corporation and was obtained by two-stage stratification random sampling. The alternatives for efficiency of the screening program, which were divided into three categories : modification of the screening test package, application of other hypertension diagnostic criteria, and selective approach of tested groups by age, were evaluated according to the cost per patient detected. The results of this study were as follows In the hypertension screening system, the cost per patient detected was Won 30,883. The most nonsensitive test for hypertension detection was ophthalmoscopy, which was examined during the second stage of screening. If the ophthalmoscope examination was excluded, olny one person was not detected, which was 0.2% of detected persons, and the cost per patient detected decreased to Won 28,098. The most efficient modification of the screening test package was measurement of blood pressure through the first and second stages of screening. The cost per patient detected by this modification was Won 24,408. The application of other diagnostic critera, which were more restricted criteria, increased the cost per patient detected by 3.7%-6.7%. The cost per patient detected were Won 170,582 for persons less than 39 years old, Won 20,032 for persons 40 to 59 years old, and Won 8,675 for persons 60 years old and over. In conclusion, the best alternative suggested with respect to efficiency and practical application excluded the ophthalmoscope examination of second stage screening and restricted the target population to persons greater than 40 years old. The application of this alternative decreased 54.9% of the screening costs and the cost per patient detected was Won 15,222. This study was limited in that measurement of effectivenes was not of the ultimate goal of screening, which is decreasing morbidity and mortality, but was of disease detection as the short-term objective.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.330-335
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• 2013

Data are limited on the association between dietary patterns and screen time among Korean adolescents. The present study identified dietary patterns of 691 adolescents, aged 13-18 years, who had participated in the Third Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES III) and analyzed their associations with screen time. Screen time was defined as the time spent watching TV, using a computer, or playing video games was calculated as a sum of all these times. Dietary patterns and their factor scores were derived from a food frequency questionnaire using the factor analysis method. To analyze the association between dietary patterns and screen time, we conducted multiple linear regression analysis. We also performed multiple logistic regression analysis to estimate odds ratios (OR) of excessive screen time (2 hours or longer per day) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We identified 2 dietary patterns labeled "the Korean healthy dietary pattern" and "the Western diet and fast foods pattern". The former included mixed grains, legumes, potatoes, red meat, eggs, fish, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, seaweeds, and mushrooms, whereas the latter included noodles, bread, red meat, poultry, fast foods, snack, and soft drinks. After controlling for potential confounding factors, factor scores for the Korean healthy dietary pattern were inversely associated (P-value for trend < 0.01) and those for the Western diet and fast foods pattern were positively associated with the screen time (P-value for trend < 0.01). Adolescents in the top tertile of the scores for the Korean healthy dietary pattern had a multivariable-adjusted OR [95% CI] of 0.44 (0.25-0.75) for excessive screen time compared with those in the lowest tertile. On the basis of these findings, adolescents who have excessive screen time may need to be encouraged to consume a more healthy diet.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.80-94
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have reported chocolate consumption has beneficial effects on blood pressure, obesity, and dyslipidemia, which are components of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, evidence regarding these relationships in Asia is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate relations between chocolate consumption and MetS in Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Study subjects were 6,982 adults aged 19-64 years free of major chronic diseases that participated in the 2014-2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Information on chocolate consumption was obtained using food frequency questionnaires. For primary analysis, subjects were divided into two groups: non-consumer (n = 3,741, 53.6%); consumer (n = 3,241, 46.4%). In order to investigate dose-response effects on MetS, chocolate consumers were divided into quartiles based on amounts consumed: Q1 (n = 789, 24.3%); Q2 (n = 837, 25.8%); Q3 (n = 863, 26.6%); Q4 (n = 752, 23.2%) in second analysis. RESULTS: Chocolate consumers; 1) were more physically active(P < 0.0001); 2) less likely to smoke(P < 0.0001); 3) paid more attention to food nutrition labels (P < 0.0001), and 4) had healthier dietary patterns, that is, they consumed vegetables, fruits, and dairy products more frequently(P < 0.0001) than non-consumers. Furthermore, chocolate consumers had a 30% lower risk of MetS (odds ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-0.86; P = 0.0005). However, dose-response effects between chocolate intake and MetS was not found by secondary analysis after excluding non-consumers. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, chocolate consumers had healthier lifestyles and dietary patterns and a lower prevalence of MetS than non-consumers, as determined by our primary analysis. Although dose-response effects were not found to be significant among chocolate consumers during secondary analysis, the patterns were partially similar. This cross-sectional finding shows chocolate consumption does not increase the risk of MetS. The prospective studies and intervention trials in Korea are needed to confirm this cross-sectional finding.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2021

Background: Limited information is available regarding the associations of various nutrients and periodontitis in Korea. Furthermore, these associations have been controversial in previous studies. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the associations between several nutrients and periodontitis. Methods: Pooled data from the 2007~2010 and 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) were used for the present study. Periodontitis was defined using the World Health Organization (WHO) Community Periodontal Index. All participants completed the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), which was analyzed using CAN-Pro 4.0. Vitamins A, B₁, B₂, and C, iron, phosphorus, calcium, and protein were selected for analysis. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) for periodontitis. Results: Lower intake of phosphorus (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.86), calcium (AOR = 1.25), and protein (AOR = 1.52) were associated with periodontitis in males, and lower intake of vitamins A (AOR = 1.32), B1 (AOR = 1.21), B2 (AOR = 1.24), and C (AOR = 1.21), iron (AOR = 1.25), phosphorus (AOR = 1.33), and protein (AOR = 1.27) showed significant relationships with periodontitis in females. In the sociodemographic, somatic, and health behavior-adjusted models, lower phosphorus (AOR = 2.68) and protein (AOR = 1.68) intake in younger males, and lower vitamin A intake (AOR = 1.37) in middle-aged females were significantly associated with periodontitis. Conclusions: The results of the present study demonstrated a significant association between periodontitis and nutrient intake. To avoid an insufficient nutrient supply for a patient with periodontal disease, the patient's diet should be closely monitored.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.181-185
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to make suggestions for the implementation of the job-based dental technician practical exam. Methods: The duties of dental technicians and the recent trends in the dental technician field were defined and identified, respectively, to achieve the purpose of the current study. The practical test system of domestic and foreign national tests was comparatively analyzed to seek improvements. Additionally, the direction of the practical test to be taken in the future was investigated through a public hearing of domestic experts. Results: As a result of this study, the job site of dental technicians was recently found to be undergoing many changes, and it can be observed that related laws and the work site have already changed. Comparison of overseas test systems showed that Korea was limited to a rather small evaluation range; in general, the scope of the evaluation of the practical tests in foreign countries was widely conducted. In the results of the public hearing, opinions exist that the evaluation range of the practical test was expanded and that new subjects were needed, but the opinion on the existence of practical difficulties was mainly mentioned. Conclusion: The evaluation range of the current practical examination subjects should be expanded and the evaluation of digital dental engineering subjects should be added to proceed with the job-based practical examination. However, it seems that efforts should be made gradually through various efforts in the future due to practical difficulties.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.755-764
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in Koreans, and eating habits, including diet quality, are among the etiologies of these diseases. Recently, various studies on regional health disparities have been conducted. However, there are limited studies on their relationship with nutritional factors. This study aimed to identify the magnitude of regional disparities in diet quality and prevalence of CVD in Korean adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study included 17,646 participants aged ≥ 20 years from the 7^th (2013-2016) Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were classified into four groups based on their residential areas: City 1, City 2, City 3, and non-city. Demographic characteristics, health-related factors, body mass index (BMI), metabolic syndrome index, diet quality, and CVD prevalence were evaluated. RESULTS: In terms of demographic characteristics, age (P < 0.001), marital status (P < 0.001), educational level (P < 0.001), and income (P < 0.001) were lower in the non-city category. Health-related factors such as monthly drinking rate (P < 0.01) and mental stress (P < 0.05) were the highest in City 1 and lowest in the non-city group. Conversely, the current smoking rate (P < 0.05), BMI (P < 0.05), and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.001) were the highest in the non-city group (P < 0.05). The non-city group also had the highest prevalence of CVDs (35.6%). This group had the lowest diet quality index (68.36 ± 0.22, P < 0.01), caused by low intake of fruit and calcium, a lack of sodium moderation, and an overall imbalance in the macronutrient and fatty acid ratio. When the diet quality index was increased by 1, the odds ratio for the prevalence of CVDs was reduced by 0.991 (P < 0.001), but this was not the case in all regions. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides useful information and data in identifying and resolving the regional health disparities related to CVD prevalence and implementation of public health nutrition systems.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.267-272
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• 2022

Online exams are not limited by time and space. It has the advantage that it does not require a separate exam site for examinees, and there is no time and cost required to move to the exam site. However, the online exam has the disadvantage that various cheating is possible because the exam is conducted in an individual environment. In addition, there is a difficulty in detecting cheating due to the lack of exam supervision methods. In addition, since the exam process and result data exist only as digital data, it is inconvenient to check directly on the server where the exam result is stored in order to check whether the exam result is forged or not. If the data related to the exam is maliciously changed, the authenticity cannot be verified. In this study, we tried to increase the reliability of the online exam by developing a blockchain-based online exam cheating detection system that stores exam progress-related data in the blockchain to detect cheating. Through the experiment, it was confirmed that forgery and falsification are detected as a result of the exam.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.433-444
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• 2018

This study aims to examine the screening rate of health screening of the disabled by screening the data of disability and health statistics of the National Health Insurance Corporation, to suggest the problems of health examination and the future improvement measures, and also to review the type of health management of the disabled based on the results of health examination interview. As people with limited daily life or social life for a long time because of their physical/psychological disabilities in accordance with the Article2 of , out of 2,479,080 registered people with disabilities on the basis of December 31st 2015, the research subjects were limited to people with disabilities who participated in the health screening and health type for presenting the opinions about policies. In conclusion, regarding the health screening for the disabled, first, it would be necessary to collect the opinions from people with disabilities in order to prepare the health screening service suitable for them. Second, it would be needed to develop the health screening items for each type of disability and severity. Third, it would be necessary to consider the medical equipments and amenities of health examination for the disabled. Fourth, there should be the securement of manpower and education for service providers. Fifth, the mobility right of the disabled should be secured. Regarding the health type of the disabled, first, the expert consultative group in each area should be composed for the health enhancement of the disabled. Second, it would be necessary to screening the current status of health enhancement programs for the disabled and operating facilities. Third, the Central Health Medical Center for the Disabled, shown in the law on the securement of health rights & medical accessibility of the disabled should develop the standardized health enhancement programs for each disability type and severity. After examining the contents of health examination and health type of the disabled, the opinions about policies were suggested. Thus, in the future, there should be more detailed researches based on the tasks suggested by this study, and also the causal relations between health of the disabled and relevant programs should be continuously revealed.