• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Recently, anthocyanins have been reported to have various biological activities. Furthermore, anthocyanin-rich purple corn extract (PCE) ameliorated insulin resistance and reduced diabetes-associated mesanginal fibrosis and inflammation, suggesting that it may have benefits for the prevention of diabetes and diabetes complications. In this study, we determined the anthocyanins and non-anthocyanin component of PCE by HPLC-ESI-MS and investigated its anti-diabetic activity and mechanisms using C57BL/KsJ db/db mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: The db/db mice were divided into four groups: diabetic control group (DC), 10 or 50 mg/kg PCE (PCE 10 or PCE 50), or 10 mg/kg pinitol (pinitol 10) and treated with drugs once per day for 8 weeks. During the experiment, body weight and blood glucose levels were measured every week. At the end of treatment, we measured several diabetic parameters. RESULTS: Compared to the DC group, Fasting blood glucose levels were 68% lower in PCE 50 group and 51% lower in the pinitol 10 group. Furthermore, the PCE 50 group showed 2-fold increased C-peptide and adiponectin levels and 20% decreased HbA1c levels, than in the DC group. In pancreatic islets morphology, the PCE- or pinitol-treated mice showed significant prevention of pancreatic ${\beta}$-cell damage and higher insulin content. Microarray analyses results indicating that gene and protein expressions associated with glycolysis and fatty acid metabolism in liver and fat tissues. In addition, purple corn extract increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and decreased phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), glucose 6-phosphatase (G6pase) genes in liver, and also increased glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) expressions in skeletal muscle. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that PCE exerted anti-diabetic effects through protection of pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells, increase of insulin secretion and AMPK activation in the liver of C57BL/KsJ db/db mice.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2012

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of $Clostridium$ $difficile$ ($C.$ $difficile$) colonization (CDC) and potential neonatal determinants of CDC in hospitalized preterm infants. Methods: Fecal samples were serially collected within 72 h after birth and at 1, 2, and 4-6 weeks of age from preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of two different university hospitals. Total bacterial DNA was extracted from each fecal sample from 49 infants, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed with primers for the 16S gene of $C.$ $difficile$ and the toxin A and toxin B genes. The correlation between the results of $C.$ $difficile$ PCR assays and the clinical characteristics of the infants was analyzed. Results: The prevalence rates of CDC were 34.7, 37.2, 41.3, and 53.1% within 72 h after birth and at 1, 2, and 4.6 weeks of age, respectively. The toxin positivity rate was significantly higher in the infants with persistent CDC than in those with transient CDC (8/12 [66.7%] vs. 6/25 [24.5%] ($p$=0.001). Among the various neonatal factors, only the feeding method during the first week after birth was significantly associated with persistent CDC. Exclusive breast-milk feeding (EBMF) significantly decreased the risk of persistent CDC compared to formula or mixed feeding (adjusted odds ratio: 0.133, 95% confidence interval: 0.02-0.898, $p$=0.038). Conclusion: The prevalence of CDC increased with the duration of hospitalization in preterm infants in the NICU. EBMF during the first week after birth in hospitalized preterm infants may protect against persistent CDC.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.349-355
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• 2019

The virtual reality training has been suggested as an intervention to improve physical function. But, the effects of virtual reality training focused on improving ADL in patients with acute stroke are unclear. Purpose of this study was to examine the effect of virtual reality training on hand function and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with acute stroke. Sixteen patients with acute stroke were included in this study. The experimental group (VRA group) received 30 minutes of virtual reality training focused on ADL for each session, while the control group received 30 minutes of conventional virtual reality training. To examine the hand function and ADL of the subjects, the study used Jebsen-Tylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT) and Korean Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), respectively. Both groups showed significant improvements in hand function of affected and unaffected sides, and in K-MBI total score before and after the intervention. The experimental group showed significantly greater improvements in the self-care domain of K-MBI after intervention than the control group. These findings suggest that the virtual reality training focused on ADL may have a better effect on self-care than conventional virtual reality training in patients with acute stroke.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.128-139
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences of anxiety-depression and maternal fetal attachment between pregnant women with preterm labor and normal pregnant women. The number of subjects was 132 convenienced sample. The sample were 66 pregnant women with preterm labor admitted in clinics and 66 normal pregnant women visited OB outpatient department at 1 general hospital in Busan. The data were collected by a self-reported questionnaire from Aug. 1st to Oct, 31th. 2006 and were analyzed with t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test using SPSS/Win PC+ 12.0. The research results were as follows: 1. The general characteristics between normal and preterm pregnancy were homogeneous. 2. It was significantly differed according to anxiety-depression between two groups, but it was not significantly differed according to maternal fetal attachment. 3. There were negative correlations with anxiety-depression and maternal fetal attachment. In conclusion, the special program should be created for each pregnant women and ante-natal nursing service may assessed and consulted on anxiety-depression and maternal fetal attachment, and needed the development of professional and educational nursing intervention on anxiety-depression and maternal fatal attachment enhancement in prenatal health care.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate patient safety regulations and guidelines in order to understand their current status, and to examine support measures to improve patient safety in Korean hospitals. Methods: The participants were the safety officers from hospitals with 200 or more beds and 112 hospitals responded to the online survey. The questions covered patient safety regulations, the performance level of patient safety activities, patient safety incident reporting systems, the dedicated professional, training, support mechanisms, and expectations of reporting systems. Results: Among preventative measures, fall prevention and hand hygiene were reported to be most widely practiced (92% and 91%, respectively). Time-out for invasive procedures showed a relatively low practice rate at 70%. Among patient care activities, transfusion, surgery and sedation, medication, and infection management were performed by 84, 74, 93 and 93% of the hospitals, respectively. Patient safety activities included patient safety committee, patient safety cooperation between decision-making bodies, patient safety workshops, seminars, lectures, and training for employees. Conclusion: Patient safety regulations and guidelines have not yet been sufficiently prepared, and a public institution such as a certification authority is of crucial importance to enforce these guidelines.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2008

The charcoal has been used not only as fuel but also as human health care material since it was used. Charcoal's performances were generally investigated in aspects of energy efficiency and caloric values. This study was conducted in order to increase charcoal's application area and to develop functional paper. Five types of charcoal were used on a basis of gas absorption properties from previous study. Handsheets were made by two methods by internal loading and surface spray on interlayer. Strength properties of internal loading and interlayer spray handsheets were decreased as the charcoal loading increased. Ethylene gas absorption property was higher in both of oak's black charcoal and white charcoal than others. In terms of strength, 5-10% charcoal loading was efficient. Above 10% loading, a rate of strength decrease was higher than that of ethylene gas absorption rate. Formaldehyde absorption property was higher at both of oak's black charcoal and mixed charcoal than others. However, to guarantee enough charcoal loading should be higher than 95 $g/m^2$ for sufficient formaldehyde absorption.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.321-330
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• 1999

Background : Early diagnosis and proper antibiotic treatment are very important in the management of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) because of its high mortality. Bronchoscopy with a protected specimen brush (PSB) has been considered the standard method to isolate the causative organisms of VAP. However, this method burdens consumer economically to purchase a PSB. Another useful method for the diagnosis of VAP is quantitative cultures of aspirated specimens through bronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), for which the infusion of more than 120 m1 of saline has been recommended for adequate sampling of a pulmonary segment. However, occasionally it leads to deterioration of the patient's condition. We studied the diagnostic efficacy of minibronchoalveolar lavage (miniBAL), which retrieves only 25 ml of BAL fluid, in the isolation of causative organisms of VAP. Methods: We included 38 consecutive patients (41 cases) suspected of having VAP on the basis of clinical evidence, who had received antibiotics before the bronchoscopy. The two diagnostic techniques of PSB and miniBAL, which were performed one after another at the same pulmonary segment, 'were compared prospectively. The cut-off values for quantitative cultures to define causative bacteria of VAP were more than $10^3$ colony-forming units (cfu)/ml for PSB and more than $10^4$ cfu/ml for BAL. Results: The amount of instilled normal saline required to retrieve 25 ml of BAL fluid was $93{\pm}32 ml$ (mean${\pm}$SD). The detection rate of causative agents was 46.3% (19/41) with PSB and 43.9% (18/41) with miniBAL. The concordance rate of PSB and miniBAL in the bacterial culture was 85.4% (35/41). Although arterial blood oxygen saturation dropped significantly (p<0.05) during ($92{\pm}10%$) and 10 min after ($95{\pm}3%$) miniBAL compared with the baseline ($97{\pm}3%$), all except 3 cases were within normal ranges. The significantly elevated heart rate during ($l25{\pm}24$/min, p<0.05) miniBAL compared with the baseline ($1l1{\pm}22$/min) recovered again in 10 min after ($111{\pm}26$/min) miniBAL. Transient hypotension was developed during the procedure in two cases. The procedure was stopped in one case due to atrial flutter. Conclusion: MiniBAL is a safe and effective technique to detect the causative organisms of VAP.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2017

In this study, various plant extracts were screened for the effective and safe skin care ingredient according to the antioxidant activity assay guidelines. We selected an optimized combination herbal extract, Charmzone extract (CZE), which composed of Nelumbo nucifera leaves, Saururus chinensis and Orostachys japonica. CZE exerted free radical scavenging activity. It reduced reactive oxygen species formation and increased total antioxidant capacities in human keratinocyte (HaCaT) and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF). CZE also leaded procollagen type 1 secretion in NHDF and decreased cellular melanin contents in B16F10. The production of nitric oxide was decreased by CZE in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 in a dose dependent manner. Therefore, it is concluded that CZE can be applied for naturally derived anti-aging functional skin care ingredient for anti-oxidation, wrinkle enhancement, whitening, anti-inflammation and wound healing of skin.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.110-115
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• 2020

Purpose: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with glyphosate poisoning has a poor prognosis. This study aimed to predict the risk factors for AKI in patients with glyphosate poisoning at the emergency department (ED). Methods: Clinical data on glyphosate poisoning patients at ED who were older than 18 years were collected retrospectively between January 2013 and December 2019. The clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes of the AKI group in patients with glyphosate poisoning were compared with the non-AKI (NAKI) group. Results: Of 63 glyphosate poisoning patients, AKI was observed in 15 (23.8%). The AKI patients group showed the following: old age (p=0.038), low systolic blood pressure (p=0.021), large amount of ingestion (p=0.026), delayed hospital visits (p=0.009), high white blood cells (WBC) (p<0.001), high neutrophil counts (p<0.001), high neutrophil-lymphocyte (LN) ratios (p<0.001), high serum potassium (p=0.005), low arterial blood pH (p=0.015), and low pO2 (p=0.021), low bicarbonate (p=0.009), and high Poisoning Severity Score (PSS) (p<0.001). AKI patients required hemodialysis, ventilator care (p<0.001, p=0.002), and inotropics (p<0.001). They also showed more intensive care unit admission (p<0.001), longer hospitalization (p<0.001), and high mortality (p<0.001). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that high WBCs (OR, 1.223) and increased LN ratios (OR, 1.414) were independently associated with the occurrence of AKI. Conclusion: In patients with glyphosate poisoning at ED, high WBCs and increased LN ratios can help predict the occurrence of AKI.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.62-66
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• 2014

Osteoradionecrosis is one of the most serious complications of patients receiving radiation therapy. It is characterized by hypovascularity, hypocellularity, and hypoxia-inducing necrosis of bone and soft tissue following delayed healing. In this case, a 72-year-old man was referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery complaining of trismus following extraction three months before first visit. He had a history of right tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection and radiotherapy performed due to right tonsillar cancer seven years prior. After the diagnosis of osteoradionecrosis on right mandibular body and angle, conservative antibiotic therapy was used first, but an orocutaneous fistula gradually formed, and extensive bony destruction and sequestrum were observed. Sequestrectomy, free particulated iliac bone and umbilical fat pad graft were performed via a submandibular approach under general anesthesia. Preoperative regular exams and delicate wound care led to secondary healing of the wound without vascularized free flap reconstruction.