• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.108-114
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• 2022

The Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia. Since the introduction of a universal JE vaccination program and urbanization of Korea, the incidence of JE has dramatically decreased in Korea. However, recent JE cases have occurred, predominantly among unvaccinated adults and with a shift in age distribution. Here we aimed to review the changes in age-specific JE seroprevalence over time and discuss the implications of JE vaccination programs in Korea. Following the last epidemic in 1982-1983, mandatory vaccination for all children aged 3-15 years was conducted annually until 1994. However, JE has reemerged, predominantly affecting unvaccinated adults aged 40 years or older and demonstrating a shift in age distribution toward older populations. The age-specific seroprevalence of the JE virus in Korea has changed noticeably over time. Seropositivity in children and adolescents increased from 10%-59% in the 1970s to 90%-92% in the 1980s after the implementation of the JE vaccination program and increased further to 98% in 2012. No age-specific difference in the seroprevalence of JE was found, and appropriate levels of immunity to JE were maintained for all age groups. Continuous surveillance of the seroprevalence of JE is essential to establish a proper immunization policy in Korea.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.767-770
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• 2016

Background: The proportion of aged Thais (${\geq}65$ years old) is expected to be 30% by 2030, leading to an increased number of elderly cancer cases. Older individuals have distinct patterns of cancer and treatment needs. We therefore conducted the present study of new cancer cases and trends to get a perspective on the elderly cancer situation in Northeast Thailand. Materials and Methods: All new elderly cancer cases (${\geq}65$ years) registered in the hospital-based cancer registry at the Faculty of Medicine, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University during 1993-2012 were included in the study. Results: Elderly patients accounted for 31.6% of all cancer patients and new cancer cases in the older age group increased 46% from the first to second decades. The absolute number of oldest old (80+ years) doubled. The top three cancers in males were liver and bile duct, lung, and colorectal. In females, the three most common cancers were liver and bile duct, oral cavity, and cervix. Cancers with the highest percentages of increase were thyroid, prostate, and colorectal. Conclusions: Elderly cancer cases are increasing. Treatment modalities and palliative care for older populations are urgently needed.

• Korean Journal of Family Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.340-346
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• 2018

Background: Several studies have revealed the frequency of family mealtimes to be inversely associated with depressive symptoms in adolescents. However, there have been few studies in older populations. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between family mealtime frequency and depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans. Methods: This study analyzed 4,959 elderly men and women (aged 65 years or older) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Self-administered questionnaires were used to assess depressive status, family mealtime frequency, and covariates. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association using the eating alone group as a reference. Results: After adjusting for all covariates, participants who had family meals 3 times a day had fewer depressive symptoms than the eating alone group; adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were 0.72 (0.58-0.89) for point depressiveness/anxiety and 0.73 (0.56-0.94) for depressiveness lasting for at least 2 weeks. In suicidal ideation, the OR (95% CI) of eating with family twice a day was significant after full adjusting for covariates at 0.67 (0.50-0.88). Conclusion: Family mealtimes were closely associated with depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans, which suggests that maintaining intrafamilial bonding is important for mental health in an older population.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.364-372
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• 2023

Background: Growing evidence suggests that beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), arginine (Arg), and glutamine (Gln) positively affect wound recovery. This study investigated the effects of long-term administration of HMB/Arg/Gln on pressure ulcer (PU) healing in sedentary older adults admitted to geriatric and rehabilitation care facilities. Methods: This was a pilot retrospective case (standard of care and HMB/Arg/Gln)-control (standard of care alone) clinical study. Outcome measures were relative healing rates and Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) scores (calculated after 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks) and time to healing. Results: The study subpopulation was comprised of 14 participants (four males, 28.6%) with the median age of 85.5 years (interquartile range [IQR], 82.0-90.2 years). The control subpopulation was comprised of 31 participants (18 males, 58.1%) with the median age of 84.0 years (IQR, 78.0-90.0 years). At the beginning of follow-up, there were no statistically significant demographic (sex and age) and clinical (main diagnosis, baseline area, and PU perimeter) differences between the groups. During the study period, there were no significant differences in the relative healing rates and PUSH scores between the subpopulations. The median time to complete healing in the study and control populations was 170.0 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 85.7-254.3) and 218.0 days (95% CI, 149.2- 286.7) (log-rank, chi-square=3.99; p<0.046), respectively. Conclusion: More than 20 weeks of HMB/Arg/Gln supplementation had a positive effect on difficult PU healing in older adults with multiple comorbidities.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.46-58
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• 2013

Calcium intake has been insufficient in all age groups in previous Korean national surveys. This study was conducted to investigate calcium intake in Korean and American populations at different ages. We analyzed two national survey data: the 2007~2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the 2007~2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Statistically, survey procedures were applied using the weight, cluster, and strata variables. The mean calcium intake of Koreans at ages of 1~2 y, 3~5 y, 6~11 y, 12~18 y, 19~64 y, and 65+y was lower than American populations at those ages. The sufficient proportions based on Korean Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) of 1~2 y, 3~5 y, 6~11 y, 12~18 y, 19~64 y, and 65+y in Koreans were 45.5%, 33.1%, 24.3%, 16.6%, 32.7%, and 19.0%. While the sufficient rates based on American EAR of 1~3 y, 4~8 y, 9~13 y, 14~18 y, 19~30 y, 31~50 y, 51~70 y, and 71+y in US population were 88.5%, 54.4%, 35.2%, 35.8%, 55.3%, 55.2%, 40.6%, and 24.5%. Overall, the major foods contributing to calcium intakes in Koreans were milk, baechukimchi, and anchovies, whereas, milk products, pasta, or bread were major contributions to calcium in American populations. The calcium supplement intakes in the American population were 5.5 mg (1~2 y), 15.5 mg (3~5 y), 13.9 mg (6~11 y), 35.7 mg (12~18 y), 150.3 mg (19~64 y) and 334.4 mg (${\geq}65$ y). These results suggest that Korean adolescents and older adults are the most insufficient in dietary calcium intakes among Koreans. In order to accurately estimate calcium intakes in Korean populations, calcium supplements and calcium-fortified foods should be considered.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.53-77
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to review the literature on music interventions with older adults and to analyze the rationale for the type of intervention and type of music selected. A search of KCI journals for research including older adults and music-based interventions identified 33 published articles, and 23 of these studies met the criteria for inclusion in this analysis. Included studies were analyzed in terms of the contents of the interventions and the appropriateness of the rationale reported for selecting the intervention and music. Each study was analyzed in terms of the relevance of the reported rationale to target goals and the characteristics of the study participants. The results showed that many of the included studies incorporated a variety of activities but failed to include a valid rationale for using those activities to achieve the target goals. Also, many of the studies tended to select music based on participants' preferences or perceived familiarity without thorough consideration of the therapeutic function of music in the given intervention. This study presents how music therapy interventions with older adults have been conducted without sufficient attention to the selection of the intervention and presented music. There remains a need to delineate which intervention and music characteristics should be utilized to obtain particular outcomes with specific populations.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.62.3-63
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• 2016

We studied the young stellar populations of star-forming (SF) regions in M33 based on the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) ultraviolet (UV) imaging data. The SF regions are defined from far-UV data with various thresholds. We examined the reddening and spatial distribution of hot massive stars within SF regions from Hubble Space Telescope multi-band survey and Local Group Galaxy Survey (LGGS) data. The H-alpha sources from the LGGS are used for comparing with the spatial distribution of SF regions. The GALEX UV flux measurements of SF regions are used to derive their ages and masses. We also estimated the size and density of SF regions. The younger and compact SF regions are often arranged within older and sparser SF complexes. The results allow us to understand the hierarchical star formation and recent evolution of M33.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4025-4032
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• 2013

Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer for all US populations including Asian Americans. CRC screening has considerable benefits to prevent CRC and reduce mortality. The purpose of this article was to review the published literature on rates of colorectal cancer screening and factors associated with colorectal cancer screening practice among Asian Americans. Methods: Through searching electronic reference databases from 2000 to 2013, 30 articles were found on Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans. Findings: Asian Americans had significantly low ratesfor CRC screening; Korean Americans reported the lowest rates, while higher screening rates were found among Japanese Americans. Older age, longer length of stay in the US, and having a physician's recommendation were the most common facilitators to receiving screening. The common inhibiting factors were financial issues, employment status, and worries/fears about the procedure. Conclusions: Despite a number of Asian Americans being vulnerable to CRC, individual Asian subgroups were underserved with CRC screening and intervention. Further studies should focus on each individual Asian subgroup and culturally proficient CRC screening intervention programs should be developed for each.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.25-34
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between cognitive ability and emotional and behavioural problems in a nonclinical sample of 120 preschool children aged 4-5 years. Cognitive ability scores were derived from the 'McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities', and emotional and behavioural problems were measured using quantitative and dimensional method, 'Child Behavior Checklist'. The results from this study support similar findings among older children and clinical populations that lower McCarthy general, verbal, and perceptual-performance IQ scores are associated with internalizing and externalizing emotional and behavioural problems. On the basis of this study, early identification of intellectual deficits among preschool children may help to prevent later school difficulties and severe psychopathology.

• ALGAE
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.295-299
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• 2003

The population dynamics of Ecklonia stolonifera was investigated at Tongyeong coastal area in the South Sea of Korea. The blade length and width, stipe length and diameter, mean total length and mean weight were measured from randomly collected fifty individuals in every month. The plants in Tongyeong population were relatively bigger than those of Busan Korea and Aomori Japan in terms of their blade length and width. The population biomass was low in winter and high in spring and summer. The sporangial sori were found from August to December but prominent in September and October. About 90 % of the Tongyeong population was consisted of one- and two-year old plants and the zoosporangial sori were observed mostly in two-year old plants. It was different from the results of Busan and Aomori population in which the zoosporangial sori were observed from the plants older than three years. The new populations were developed from the zoospores of two-year old plants and their generation time was relatively shorter than those of Busan and Aomori.