• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.107-114
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• 2023

Epidemiological control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is needed to estimate the infection period of confirmed cases and identify potential cases. The present study, targeting confirmed cases for which the time of COVID-19 symptom onset was disclosed, aimed to investigate the relationship between intervals (day) from symptom onset to testing the cycle threshold (CT) values of real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Of the COVID-19 confirmed cases, those for which the date of suspected symptom onset in the epidemiological investigation was specifically disclosed were included in this study. Interval was defined as the number of days from symptom onset (as disclosed by the patient) to specimen collection for testing. A locally weighted regression smoothing (LOWESS) curve was applied, with intervals as explanatory variables and CT values (CTR for RdRp gene and CTE for E gene) as outcome variables. After finding its non-linear relationship, a polynomial regression model was applied to estimate the 95% confidence interval values of CTR and CTE by interval. The application of LOWESS in 331 patients identified a U-shaped curve relationship between the CTR and CTE values according to the number of interval days, and both CTR and CTE satisfied the quadratic model for interval days. Active application of these results to epidemiological investigations would minimize the chance of failing to identify individuals who are in contact with COVID-19 confirmed cases, thereby reducing the potential transmission of the virus to local communities.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.130-136
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• 2007

Objectives : Recent educational efforts have concentrated on patient's early hospital arrival after symptom onset. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the time interval between symptom onset and hospital arrival and to investigate its relation with clinical outcomes for patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods : A prospective registry of patients with signs or symptoms of acute ischemic stroke, admitted to the OO Medical Center through emergency room, was established from September 2003 to December 2004. The interval between symptom onset and hospital arrival was recorded for each eligible patient and analyzed together with clinical characteristics, medication type, severity of neurologic deficits, and functional outcomes. Results : Based on the data of 256 patients, the median interval between symptom onset and hospital arrival was 13 hours, and 22% of patients were admitted to the hospital within 3 hours after symptom onset. Patients of not-mild initial severity and functional status showed significant differences between arrival hours of 0-3 and later than 3 in terms of their functional outcomes on discharge. Logistic regression models also showed that arrival within 3 hours was a significant factor influencing functional outcome (OR=5.6; 95% CI=2.1, 15.0), in addition to patient's initial severity, old age, cardioembolism subtype, and referral to another hospital. Conclusions : The time interval between symptom onset and hospital arrival significantly influenced treatment outcome for patients with acute ischemic stroke, even after controlling for other significant clinical characteristics. The findings provided initiatives for early hospital arrival of patients and improvement of emergency medical system.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.12-15
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• 2002

Background : Changes in firing pattern and in the recruitment order of single motor unit(MU) have been claimed to be characteristic of central motor lesions, and a reduced firing rate was found in upper motor neuron lesions. But these findings have been rarely studied before in Korea, so we studied initial MU recruitment pattern in stroke patients with hemiparesis. Methods : We studied six patients(3 men and 3 women) whose mean age was $60.6{\pm}7.4$ years. A mean $20.6{\pm}16.2$ months had elapsed since the stroke. To compare the initial MU activation patterns in proximal and distal segments of paretic limb with their contalateral unaffected counterparts, we studied the onset and recruitment intervals in biceps brachii(BB) and first dorsal interossei(FDI) muscles in paretic and healthy arms. In a single muscle we examined from 5 to 10 individual MUs. And in a single motor unit, both the onset interval and the recruitment interval was examined. Results : The mean onset interval in paretic limb was significantly(p<0.05) longer than unaffected limb at proximal and distal location: BB $118.5{\pm}17.8$ msec vs $96.1{\pm}8.3$ msec(n=58); FDI $125.8{\pm}16.7$ msec vs $101.5{\pm}17.2$ msec(n=38). The mean recruitment interval in paretic limb was also significantly(p<0.05) longer than unaffected limb: BB $87.7{\pm}14.9$ msec vs $73.4{\pm}11.5$ msec(n=53); FDI $96.3{\pm}16.4$ msec vs $87.7{\pm}14.1$ msec(n=38). Conclusion : The first recruited MU had a lower baseline firing rate and the second recruited motor unit potential appeared earlier in paretic than in healthy muscles. And these findings may explain one of the reasons for paresis in patients with stroke.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.108-113
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• 2021

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between changes in employment status and new-onset depressive symptoms through a one-year follow-up of permanent waged workers. Methods: We analyzed the open-source data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study. Using the 2017 data, we selected 2,314 permanent waged workers aged 19 to 59 years without depressive symptoms as a base group. The final analysis targeted 2,073 workers who were followed up in 2018. In 2018, there were five categories of employment status for workers who were followed up: permanent, precarious, unemployed, self-employed, and economically inactive. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the association between employment status change and new-onset depressive symptoms. Results: Adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis showed that among male workers, workers who went from permanent status to being unemployed (odds ratio: 4.50, 95% confidence interval: 1.19 to 17.06) and from permanent status to being precarious workers (odds ratio: 3.15, 95% confidence interval: 1.30 to 7.65) had significantly high levels of new-onset depressive symptoms compared with those who retained their permanent employment status. There were no significant increases in new-onset depressive symptoms of male workers who went from permanent status to being self-employed or economically inactive. On the other hand, no significant differences were found among female workers. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the change of employment status to precarious workers or unemployment can cause new-onset depressive symptoms in male permanent waged workers.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.53-62
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• 1985

The position and time interval of wave components of the electrocardiogram are used as important data for physician's diagnosis. In case of using the existing definition of the onset of the wave component of the electrocardiogram, they have some problems of defining the precise position of the isoelectric line, of defining the limit of the gradient accepted as the onset, and of the gradient being changed by noise. Therefore, in this paper all time intervals and positions of wave components needed for data of diagnosis were obtained correctly by turning point data reduction algorithm and linear regression intersection algorithm, and the viability of the method of intersecting lines was established in comparison to the four methods of calculating the PR interval.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2018

Background: Vitamin D has been associated with sepsis in pediatric and adult patients. The association with neonates is unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effect of neonatal and maternal vitamin D levels on neonatal early-onset sepsis. Methods: We searched studies published up to November 2017 in PubMed/Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases. All studies that reported 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in neonates with or without early-onset sepsis were included. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: Four studies were eligible. The weighted mean difference of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in neonates with early-onset sepsis and controls was -7.27 ng/mL (95% confidence interval = -7.62, -6.92). Maternal vitamin D levels in neonates with early-onset sepsis were significantly lower than those in controls (weighted mean difference -7.24 ng/mL, 95% confidence interval -8.45, -6.03). All neonates with early onset sepsis had vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D <20 ng/mL). Conclusion: Lower neonatal and maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were associated with neonatal early-onset sepsis. Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy may be helpful to prevent neonatal early-onset sepsis. The effects of vitamin D supplementation on early-onset sepsis in neonates warrant further study.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.59-67
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• 2010

Mortality rates from stroke have been declining. Because of this, more people are living with residual disability. Rehabilitation plays an important role in functional recovery of stroke survivors. In stroke rehabilitation, early prediction of the obtainable level of functional recovery is desirable to deliver efficient care, set realistic goals, and provide appropriate discharge planning. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of functional outcome after stroke using inpatient rehabilitation as measured by Functional Independence Measure (FIM) total scores. Correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed on data collected retrospectively from two-hundred thirty-five patients. More than moderate correlation was found between FIM total scores at the time of hospital admission and FIM total scores at the time of discharge from the hospital. Significant predictors of FIM at the time of discharge were FIM total scores at the time of hospital admission, age, and onset-admission interval. The equation was as follows: expected discharge FIM total score = $76.12+.62{\times}$(admission FIM total score)-$.38{\times}(age)-.15{\times}$(onset-admission interval). These findings suggest that FIM total scores at the time of hospital admission, age, and onset-admission interval are important determinants of functional outcome.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 2021

An important, albeit rare, cause of fetal bradycardia is long QT syndrome (LQTS). Congenital LQTS is an ion channelopathy caused by mutations in genes encoding cardiac ion channel proteins. Fetal onset of LQTS imposes high risk of life-threatening tachyarrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Here, we report the case of a female newborn with fetal onset of bradycardia and a 2:1 atrioventricular (AV) block. After birth, a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed bradycardia with QT prolongation of a corrected QT (QTc) interval of 680 ms and pseudo 2:1 AV block. Genetic testing identified a heterozygous Gly402Ser (c.1204G>A) mutation in CACNA1C, confirming the diagnosis of LQTS type 8 (LQT8). The patient received propranolol at a daily dose of 2 mg/kg. Mexiletine was subsequently administered owing to the sustained prolongation of the QT interval and pseudo 2:1 AV block. One week after mexiletine inception, the ECG still showed QT interval prolongation (QTc, 632 ms), but no AV block was observed. There were no life-threatening tachyarrhythmias in a follow-up period of 13 months.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1075-1078
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• 2002

Objective: The management for the stroke should ,given as soon as possible to be effect. But Patients with stroke symptoms commonly delay many hours before seeking medical attention. We evaluated the factors which are related to the time of hospital arrival after acute stroke. Method: Data were obtained from 317 patients admitted to our hospital within 72 hours of stroke onset. We assessed demographic variables, stoke subtype. referral routes. history of previous stroke, level of consciousness, distance from the place where stroke occurred to hospital, and the time interval between onset of stroke and arrival at the hospital. Results: Mean patient age was 65.99±9.57 years. The mean time interval between onset of stroke and hospital arrival was 17.26±18.69 hours and 128 (40.38%) patients arrived within 6 hours. The patients whoes stoke subtype was infarction, who arrived our hospital by way of other hospital, who had no suffered from previous stroke and who showed no impairement of consciousness was arrived at the hospital late(p<0.05). Conclusion: The majority of patients arrive at the hospital after prolonged delays for multiple reasons, and patients with milder symptoms, for whom treatment might be more effective, were less likely to arrive in time for therapy. Our study suggest that effective education about stroke to the patients and public would be highly necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1067-1073
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• 1990

To clarify the changes of left ventricular function under normothermia, the time interval between the onset of ischemia and the beginning of contracture of left ventricle[TIC] were recorded in newborn piglet. Myocardial performance was assessed using intraventricular balloon to determine compliance and systolic function after 5 to 10 minutes interval per-fusing normothermic substrate free Krebs solution as a perfusate. The time to onset TIC was 29.5\ulcorner1.7 minutes and peak ischemic contracture was 46.7\ulcorner4.0 minutes[p<0.01]. In myocardial performance, systolic function of left ventricle[defined as cardiac contractility] was kept until 25 minutes of perfusion, but was decreased abruptly after 30 minutes of perfusion[p<0.0018] and diastolic function of left ventricle[defined as diastolic compliance] was kept until 15 minutes of perfusion, but was decreased after 20 minutes of perfusion [p=0.00\ulcorner9]. This study demonstrated maximal time of the tolerance to normothermic global ischemia and functional changes of left ventricle using Krebs perfusate under the same condition.