• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.94-103
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• 2004

Objective:There have been a kind of transmethylation theory that high homocysteine serum concentration affects schizophrenia by neurotoxic mechanism and clinical reports that some schizophrenic patients with high homocysteine were improved by high folate ingestion. This study was done to confirm previous research results and find the clinical characteristics of schizophrenia showing high serum homocysteine and low folate. Method:We compared the serum levels of homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 level between 234 schizophrenic patients(male 99, female 135) group and 234 normal controls(male 99, female 135) group. The subjects of two groups were age and sex matched. The evaluated clinical characteristics items were sex, age, onset of disease, hereditary loading, disease course, hallucination and subtype of schizophrenia. Results:1) Homocysteine level of the schizophrenia group was significantly higher than the normal control group and folate level of the schizophrenia group was significantly lower than the normal control group. Homocysteine level was more negatively correlated with folate level in the schizophrenia group than the normal control group. 2) The percentage of high homocysteine(above 12.46umol/L;90 percentile of normal control) was 33.8% of schizophrenia patients and 51.5% of male schizophrenia. The percentage of low folate(below 3.8nM/L;bottom tertile of normal control) was 66.2% of schizophrenia. 3) In low folate group and not-low folate group, schizophrenia showed significantly higher homocysteine level than normal control. Especially, low folate schizophrenia group showed significantly higher homocysteine level than low folate normal control group. Conclusions:Some schizophrenia patients with high serum homocysteine may be genetic defector and having low folate serum level. In that case, folate ingestion could be a good management for clinical improvement.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6391-6395
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• 2012

Background: Ovarian cancer is ranked as the fifth most common cause of cancer death in women. In Malaysia, it is the fourth most common cancer in females. CA125 has been the tumor marker of choice in ovarian cancer but its diagnostic specificity in early stages is only 50%. Hence, there is a critical need to identify an alternative tumor marker that is capable of detecting detect ovarian cancer at an early stage. HE4 is a new tumor marker proposed for the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer and disease recurrence. Currently, none of the normal ranges of HE4 quoted in the literature are based on data for a multiethnic Asian population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine reference intervals for HE4 in an Asian population presenting in University Malaya Medical Centre, a tertiary reference hospital. Materials and Methods: 300 healthy women were recruited comprising 150 premenopausal and 150 postmenopausal women, aged from 20-76 years. All women were subjected to a pelvic ultrasonograph and were confirmed to be free from ovarian pathology on recruitment. Serum HE4 levels were determined by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA, Abbott Architect). The reference intervals were determined following CLSI guidelines (C28-A2) using a non-parametric method. Results: The upper limits of the $95^{th}$ percentile reference interval (90%CI) for all the women collectively were 64.6 pmol/L, and 58.4 pmol/L for premenopausal) and 69.0 pmol/L for postmenopausal. The concentration of HE4 was noted to increase with age especially in women who were more than 50 years old. We also noted that our proposed reference limit was lower compared to the level given by manufacturer Abbott Architect HE4 kit insert (58.4 vs 70 pmol/L for premenopausal group and 69.0 vs 140 pmol/L in the postmenopausal group). The study also showed a significant difference in HE4 concentrations between ethnic groups (Malays and Indians). The levels of HE4 in Indians appeared higher than in Malays (p<0.05), while no significant differences were noted between the Malays and Chinese ethnic groups. Conclusions: More data are needed to establish a reference interval that will better represent the multiethnic Malaysian population. Probably a larger sampling size of equal representation of the Malay, Chinese, Indians as well as the other native ethnic communities will give us a greater confidence on whether genetics plays a role in reference interval determination.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.1-22
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• 2010

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of parent-child communication and the inclination of interpersonal relations on the child's loneliness. The participants were 588 children in 5th and 6th grade of the elementary school which is located in Jeonbuk. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire method. Data were analyzed by statistical techniques such as mean, frequency, percentile, t-test, pearson's correlation, multiple regression analysis using SPSS/Win 12.0 program. The major results of this study are as follows: First, female children's communication with their mother are more open that those of male children and have ostentation-narcism stronger than that of male children. There is no significant difference statistically in children's loneliness by sex. Second, it is indicated that the parent-child communication has negative correlation with children's loneliness and it also has close relations with sub-variables in inclination of interpersonal relations. Third, when investigating how parent-child communication and inclination of interpersonal relations have influences on child's loneliness, they have influences on child's loneliness by the following order: social-friendly, mother-child communication, father-child communication.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.256-270
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• 2000

Invasive hemodynamic monitoring has become a valuable assessment parameters in critical care nursing in patients undergoing open heart surgery patients. During cardiac surgery, the Swan Ganz catheter is placed in the pulmonary artery. Critical care nurses routinely obtain cardiac output, cardiac index, and pulmonary arterial pressure in these patients. Traditionally, patients are positioned flat and supine for cardiac output measurement. Numerous studies have dealt with the effects of changing position on the hemodynamic variables. However, there are a few studies dealing with patients who undergo cardiac surgery in Korea. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of changing position on cardiac output, PAP, CVP, BP, HR and discomfort in patients after cardiac surgery. A sample of 21 adults who had CABG and/or valve replacement with Swan Ganz catheters in place was studied. The data were collected in the cardiac ICU of a university hospital in Seoul during the period from July 28, 1999 to August 30. 1999. In this study, the independent variable is patient position in the supine, 30 degree, and 45 degree angles. Dependent variables are C.O., C.I., CVP, PAP, MAP, HR and patients' perceived discomforts. Subject discomfort was measured subjectively by visual analogue scale. Other hemodynamic data where collected by the thermodilution method and by direct measurement. The data were analyzed by percentile, t-test, ANOVA, Linear regression analysis using SPSS-/WIN program. The results are as follows : 1) Changes in cardiac output were absent in different angle positions, 0, 30. 45 degrees(F=.070, P=.932). Changes in cardiac index were absent in different angle positions, 0. 30, 45 degrees(P>.05). 2) Changes in central venous pressure were absent in different angle positions, 0, 30, 45 degree(P>.05). 3) PAP had no change in different angle 0, 30, 45 degree positions; systolic PAP(P>.05), diastolic PAP(P>.05). 4) Changes in systolic blood pressure were absent in different angle positions, 0, 30, 45 degree(P>.05). 5) Changes in heart rates were absent in different angle positions, 0, 30, 45 degree(P>.05). 6) Patients' perceived discomfort was absent in different angle positions, 0, 30, 45 degree(p<.05). In conclusion, critical care nurses can measure C.O., C.I., PAP, BP, & CVP in cardiac surgery patients at 30 degree or 45 degree positions. This can improve the patients' comfort.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.97-118
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• 1989

The purpose of this study is to clarify the definition of middle age, to compare the different perspectives about mid-life crisis, and to identify the variables that cause the mid-life crisis of men and women.. For this purpose reviewing literatures and emprical research were conducted. For the emprical research, Mid-life Crisis Scale, Mid-life Indentity Scale, Family Relation Scale. Health Scale and Religious Scale were developed. The Sample was selected form the men and women living in Seoul, whose age is from 40 to 59 , and whose last child is older than 13 years of age. Among 820 respondents 218 men and 442 women were finally selected as datum sources. The data were analyzed by the statistical method such as the factor analysis frequency distribution, percentile, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and regression analysis. The main results were as follows; 1) Men and women experience mid-life crisis some extent. The mid-life crisis score for men is 33.60 and 35.0 for women. This implies women reveal significantly higher crisis than men. As for women's mid-life crisis. self-awaring age, education, income, husband's occupation, employment status of wife and occupational status of wife have a significant influence Expecially employment status of wife seemed to interact with sex, husband's occupation and educational level of wife. however status of child, family pattern, son's existence are not as important an influence on mid-life crisis. 3) Among the psychological variables, work identity and physical identity have the strong influence on the mid-life crisis of men and women, It implies that mid-life crisis si lower when one has higher work identity and physical identity. 4) Mid -life crisis of men and women is influenced significantly according to family relation variables and health variables. It reveals that the better one's family relations and health sate, the lower one's mid-life crisis is. However menopause and the years after menopause do not influence on the mid-life crisis of women. 5) Mid-life crisis of women differs significantly according to the kind of religion and religious activity. That is mid-life crisis of women is lower when she believes in Protestantism and Catholicism and participate in more religious activity. Mid-life crisis of men is not significantly influenced by religious variables. After all among the five categories of variables that related to mid-life crisis, psychological variables-especially work identity and physical identity are observed to have the strongest degree of significance.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.629-635
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• 2007

Purpose : This study was conducted to assess the usefulness of fat-free mass index (FFMI) and fat mass index (FMI) as novel expression methods of body composition in children. Methods : A total of 466 Second grade students-248 boys and 218 girls- from all elementary schools the Gwacheon City underwent anthropometric measures including bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and biochemical tests. The correlation coefficients between obesity indices, including FMI and FFMI, and metabolic risk factors, were assessed. Metabolic risk factors of children with increased FMI were compared with those of children with normal FMI. We compared FMI and FFMI percentile distribution between this study's subjects and the subjects of the Fukuoka body composition study. Results : FMI was lower and FFMI was higher in this study's subjects compared to the subjects of the Fukuoka body composition study. FMI was correlated with other obesity indices and several metabolic risk factors. Metabolic risk was higher in children with increased FMI than in children with normal FMI. Conclusion : FMI and FFMI were useful indicators in comparing difference of body composition among children that had different body size and growth. High FMI was related to increase of metabolic risk in children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.295-306
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate patterns of fortified food (FF) consumption and intake of vitamins and minerals from FFs among 577 Korean children (12.4 years of age) who attended elementary or middle school. FFs eaten by children as a snack were surveyed using the food record method during 3 days, including 2 week days and one weekend. As a result, 114 FF items were eaten by the children, and several kinds of nutrients such as vitamin A, D, E, B complex, C, calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) were fortified in these foods. Ca-FFs (65.8%) were most frequently consumed, followed by vitamin C-FFs (33.4%) and vitamin D-FFs (33.3%). The number of FF items in each food group was the most in the milk group (n=24, 21.0%), followed by the beverage group (n=19, 16.7%), and the cookie/bread/cake group (n=17, 14.9%). Fortified nutrients in FFs were in various combinations, but the major combination patterns were Ca, Ca plus vitamins, Ca plus vitamins plus other minerals, and Ca plus other minerals. Daily mean intakes of vitamins and minerals from the FFs were 66-300% more than those of the recommended nutrient intake (RNI ) or adequate intake (AI) for most vitamins and minerals. Daily maximum intakes (95th percentile) of vitamins and minerals from FFs were 1-15 times the RNI or AI for most vitamins and minerals. Vitamin and mineral consumption ratios from each FF group were different according to the kind of fortified nutrient. For example, vitamin C was mostly eaten in fortified beverages (46-54%), and Fe was mostly eaten in fortified cookie/breads/cakes (87%). The above results show that FF consumption varied widely among the children, and that most of the children's foods were fortified with several vitamins and minerals without a common rule; thus, subjects risked over consuming vitamins and minerals by eating FFs. Therefore, practical guideline on FF use for children's optimal nutrition and health should be provided through nutrition education.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.199-207
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• 2010

In this study, breast milk levels of indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were estimated, and statistics drawn, for 22 Koreans in the general population, aged 26-38, who had resided in metropolitan areas for more than 5 years without occupational exposure to organochlorine pollutants. Concentrations of indicator PCBs were measured using the isotope dilution method with a high resolution gas chromatograph/high resolution mass detector, which provided accurate and precise data for investigation of trends, and international comparisons. The geometric mean of total indicator PCB levels was 22.3 ng/g lipid, which is significantly lower than the level in individuals from European countries. Overall, the geometric mean and 95th percentile of the most abundant congener PCB 153 were 8.04 ng/g lipid and 16.4 ng/g lipid, respectively. PCB congeners 138, 153 and 180 together accounted for about 75% of the indicator congeners analyzed. Breast milk total indicator PCB concentrations were significantly associated with age and parity, but not with body mass index (BMI), rate of body weight increase, or smoking habits. The geometric mean level of PCB 153 in breast milk from mothers with a pre-pregnant BMI < $21\;kg/m^2$ was significantly higher than in pre-pregnant women with a BMI of ${\geqslant}\;21\;kg/m^2$ (p<0.05). Women who ate more fish, meat, and milk products did not have significantly higher total indicator PCB levels than those who ate less of these products, but a significant difference in PCB 153 levels was demonstrated between the subjects consuming higher (11.45 ng/g lipid) and lower (6.79 ng/g lipid) amounts of fish (p<0.05), after adjusting for confounders. These results suggest that age, parity and fish intake are the important factors affecting the concentrations of indicator PCBs in these subjects.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.298-305
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• 2019

This study was aimed to examine kindergarten teachers' concerns in physical computing, which corresponds to the innovative teaching method, based on CBAM. For this, a questionnaire survey was conducted targeting 118 kindergarten teachers. Percentile analysis and MANOVA using CBAM model were carried out. As a result of the research, the kindergarten teachers' concern level is analyzed to be a critical non-user pattern on the whole. However, a pattern aspect was shown with a slightly high concern in stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3 compared to a typical type, and with a low concern level in stage 4. In consequence of having implemented MANOVA, the private kindergarten teachers' concern level appeared to be significantly high in stage 4 and stage 6 compared to a public kindergarten. Also, compared to the teachers who plan to utilize physical computing from now on, the teachers who don't have a plan of the application had significantly high concern level in stage 0. The concern level score was significantly low in 1~6 stages excluding stage 3.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.127-139
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• 2023

Daechung Reservoir has been suffering from severe cyanobacterial blooming periodically due to the water pollutants from the watershed, especially nutrients from nonpoint sources. As a countermeasure, an artificial wetland was constructed to mitigate the pollutant load from the watershed by utilizing the vegetation. We investigated the water quality of the influent and outflow of the wetland during years 2014~2020 to evaluate the performance of pollutant removal through the wetland. Major pollutants (e.g. BOD, COD, SS, T-N, and T-P) were largely reduced during the retention in the wetland while nutrients removal was more efficient than that of organic matters. Pollutant removal efficiency for different inflow concentrations was also investigated to estimate the wetland's capability as a way of managing nonpoint sources. The efficiency of water treatment was significantly higher when inflow concentrations were above 75^th percentile for all pollutant, implying the wetland can be applied to the pre-treatment of high pollution load including initial rainfall runoff. Furthermore, the yearly variation of removal efficiency for seven years was analyzed to better understand long-term trends in water treatment of the wetland. The annual treatment efficiency of T-P was very high in the early stages of vegetation growth with high concentration of inflow water. However, it was confirmed that the concentration of inflow water decreased, vegetation stabilized, and the treatment efficiency gradually decreased as the soil was saturated. The findings of the study suggest that artificial wetlands can be an effective method for controlling harmful algal blooms by alleviating pollutant load from the tributaries of Daechung Reservoir.