• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.4-14
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• 2023

This study aimed to discuss mental health services for children and adolescents that are being implemented as initiatives of the Korean government and to review the functions and roles of these projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three government departments are in charge of providing mental health services for children and adolescents: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and Ministry of Health and Welfare. The Ministry of Education has implemented several policies to facilitate the early detection of mental health issues among school students (from preventive interventions to selective interventions for high-risk students). The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family additionally serves out-of-school children and adolescents by facilitating early identification of adolescents in crises and providing temporary protection or emergency assistance (as required) through the Community Youth Safety-Net Project. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health and Welfare operates relevant mental health agencies for individuals of all ages including children and adolescents. Any high-risk students who have been screened through the projects of the Ministry of Education are supported through referrals to the following institutions for appropriate treatment of their symptoms: specialized hospitals, the Youth Counseling and Welfare Center operated by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the National Youth Healing Center, the Mental Health Welfare Center operated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Suicide Prevention Center, and the Child Welfare Center. To assist students who are facing any psychological difficulties because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education has established a psychiatric support group for providing emergency mental health care; furthermore, schools are promoting psychological surveillance (e.g., provision of non-face-to-face counseling services that are centered around the Wee Center). The Ministry of Education, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and Ministry of Health and Welfare have provided varied mental health support services in order to address the challenges faced by children and adolescents during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the mental health services operated by each ministry do show some limitations because their service provision system is insufficiently collaborative. The present study discussed the positive effects of each initiative as well as its limitations; furthermore, it suggested improvements for facilitating the healthy development of children and adolescents' mental health.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2023

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in the abdominal cavity between functional dyspepsia patients and healthy people using an algometer combined with an ultrasound device. Methods : A non-randomized, controlled, pilot trial was conducted. Thirty patients in the experimental group and fifteen participants in the control group were recruited. We collected demographical data, and measured abdominal circumference, height of the body cavity, subcutaneous fat thickness, visual analogue scale of dyspepsia symptoms in the experimental group, depth of algometer and pressure of algometer when pressure pain occurred, and the whole ultrasonic image from the beginning of pressurization to the time when pressure pain occurred. The measurements were carried out twice with the duration of 1 week. Generalized linear regression was conducted to adjust baseline characteristics. Results : A total of 45 participants (30 in experimental group, 15 in control group) were recruited and finished the trial. Females were recruited more in the experimental group than in the control group and it was statistically significant. The difference in thickness of abdominal cavity between a second before the pressure pain and at the time when pressure pain occurred was statistically significant on 1st visit, and other measurements were not statistically significant. From the results of the regression analysis, the difference between two groups was statistically significant in the differences in the thickness of stomach and up to abdominal aorta on 1st visit, and the thickness of stomach on 2nd visit, and other measurements were not statistically different. Conclusions : According to the results, there were not statistically significant differences in abdominal examination when pressure pain occurred between dyspepsia patients and healthy people. Further studies are warranted to assess the abdominal examination using devices including algometer and ultrasound devices, regarding the results of the present study.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.435-459
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• 2011

The present study explored Korean parents' perceptions of and behavior toward game use among teenagers in Korea. A total of 600 Korean mothers of teenagers residing in Seoul and five other metropolitan areas participated in the survey. The survey was constructed based on five categories of variables, including the overall perception of games and game use, specific attitudes toward game use, cognitions about and attitudes toward game addiction, factors predicting parental monitoring of children's game use, and views and opinions about what needs to be done to promote healthy game cultures as well as to prevent problematic game use among teenagers in Korea. Results indicate that the respondents' overall perceptions of and attitudes toward games and game use are negative. In contrast, attitudes toward game use of the respondent's own child are contingent upon various comparison standards. Results also indicate that the respondents tend to overestimate the possibility that their own child is addicted to games, and their perceptions of game addiction are based on a narrow range of behavioral symptoms. Additional analyses indicate that parental monitoring of teenagers' game use can be predicted by the theoretical model driven from Ajzen(1991)'s theory of planned behavior. Finally, results also indicate that, in order to deal with the problems associated with teenagers' game use, proactive approaches to promote healthy game cultures as well as various initiatives to prevent problematic game use are necessary. Implications of the findings and future direction were discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.544-557
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• 2010

This study was performed with Korean adults to investigate Makgeolli drinking behavior, preference, and perception about Makgeolli and health, as well as Makgeolli complaints and prices. A survey questionnaire was formulated to obtain information on demographic variables, drinking habits, and perceptions about Makgeolli's function, price, and complaints. The questionnaire was distributed to 468 adults living in the capital area. The results are as follows. Makgeolli (16.1%) was third preferred, following Soju (45.1%) and beer (30.7%), and no significant differences were observed by gender and income, but the preference for Makgeolli increased with increasing age (p<0.001). According to the survey, the largest reason both genders drank Makgeolli was that it tastes good. Men preferred Makgeolli for its health effects and cheap price, while women preferred it for the atmosphere while drinking it. Also, older people and those with higher incomes preferred drinking Makgeolli for its health effect rather than its good taste (p<0.001 for each). No significant difference was observed by gender for the question "Do you think that Makgeolli has a health-promoting effect?" Overall, 51% of the subjects gave positive answers and only 5.9% gave negative answers. Significantly, older people and those with a higher income had a higher rate of answering positively to this question. Belching (45.1%) and headache (29.9%) were the most common symptoms among the side effects of drinking Makgeolli. No significant difference was observed by gender or income, but older people had a higher rate of belching and fewer headaches than younger people (p<0.001). Women had a significantly higher rate of perceiving that Makgeolli was cheap than men. Age and income differences did not influence price perception. To the question "What is the ideal price for high quality Makgeolli", 32.1% answered that the present rate (1,000 won) was ideal, and 59.4% answered that a price between 1,000 and 2,000 won was ideal. These results indicate that the high preference for Makgeolli is due to its good taste and health effects. However, belching and headache caused by drinking Makgeolli were the most common complaints and, thus, must be solved. Some opinions indicated that Makgeolli must eliminate its low-quality image, but, according to this survey, most subjects answered that the ideal price of higher-quality Makgeolli should be increased slightly, which would cause price resistance.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.895-902
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• 2019

This study reviewed the diagnosis accuracy and evaluation criteria of the fall risk assessment questionnaire that proved validity through factor analysis in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to diagnose high-risk groups and propose personal fall risk profiles for the Korean community-dwelling elderly. The participants of this study were 439 elderly people living in S, U, B, and Y cities Korea (mean age 75.0 ± 5.7 years). Receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted to review the accuracy of the fall risk assessment and evaluation criteria of the FRA. The results showed that the four sub-factors of the FRA: 'Potential for fall', 'Disease and physical symptoms', 'Environment' and 'Physical function', can effectively diagnose the fall risk of the community-dwelling elderly. The evaluation criteria was presented based on the sensitivity and specificity results. In addition, as a result of analyzing the patterns by the sub factors of the fall risk, the high-risk group accounted for 80% of the elderly who had problems with two or more factors. Therefore, the four sub-factors of FRA can effectively diagnose the fall risk level, and could be present individual fall risk profiles based on the evaluation criteria.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.263-283
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• 2016

The present study aimed at examining the factor structure, reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Continuing Bonds Scale (K-CBS). In study 1, exploratory factor analysis was administered to 293 bereaved adults who had experienced the death of a loved one, and it revealed a single factor structure with 10 items that explained 52.59% of the total variance. The K-CBS showed good internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha of .92. In study 2, confirmatory factor analysis in a different sample of 200 bereaved adults indicated satisfactory standardized regression weights of all items. However, one item had a squared multiple correlation less than .40, hence, this item was discarded, and 9 items remained for the final scale. The single factor model with 9 items displayed a good fit. The K-CBS had strong positive correlation with grief symptoms, and weak positive correlation with depression. After controlling for grief, however, the K-CBS was predictive of a decrease in depression. The K-CBS was positively associated with posttraumatic growth. In addition, significant differences in scores of the K-CBS were shown among groups based on the deceased's relation to the bereaved and expectedness of loss. These results suggest that the K-CBS is a reliable and valid instrument to measure continuing bonds. Finally, implications, limitations, and directions for future research were discussed.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2024

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) is a popular and economically vital plant known for its ornamental and medicinal properties. Despite its widespread cultivation, there has been no documentation of plant viruses on gardenia yet. In the present study, gardenia leaves exhibiting symptoms of plant viral diseases were sampled and sequenced by both metatranscriptome and small RNA sequencing. As a consequence, bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) was identified in gardenia for the first time and named BCMV-gardenia. The full genome sequence of BCMV-gardenia is 10,054 nucleotides (nt) in length (excluding the poly (A) at the 3' termini), encoding a large polyprotein of 3,222 amino acids. Sequence analysis showed that the N-termini of the polyprotein encoded by BCMV-gardenia is less conserved when compared to other BCMV isolates, whereas the C-termini is the most conserved. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed that BCMVgardenia was clustered closely with other BCMV isolates identified outside the leguminous plants. Our results indicated that the majority of BCMV-gardenia virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) were 21 nt and 22 nt, with 21 nt being more abundant. The first nucleotide at the 5' termini of vsiRNAs derived from BCMV-gardenia preferred U and A. The ratio of vsiRNAs derived from sense (51.1%) and antisense (48.9%) strands is approaching, and the distribution of vsiRNAs along the viral genome is generally even, with some hot spots forming in local regions. Our findings could provide new insights into the diversity, evolution, and host expansion of BCMV and contribute to the prevention and treatment of this virus.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.99-115
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• 2024

A worldwide effort is underway to utilize urban parks as a means ofresponding to climate change, providing various benefits to citizens. However, it also has several negative effects, such as an increase in pollen allergies. These negative impacts have been defined as ecosystem disservices and discussed globally, although the discussion remains insufficient domestically. In particular, pollen allergies have been discussed as a typical ecosystem disservice, with negative impacts such as an increase in symptoms attributed to higher pollen production or the growth of trees with higher antigenicity. The WHO reports that approximately 30% of the world's population suffers from pollen allergies. Many recent studies indicate that the harm induced by pollen allergies is expected to increase due to changes in the climate and thermal environment. In this context, we aim to diagnose the allergenicity of current urban parks and assess changes according to climate change scenarios. To achieve this goal, we assess pollen allergenicity in Seoul Children's Grand Park using the Urban Green Space Allergenicity Index (IUGZA) as the first step towards discussing ecosystem disservices. We found that the IUGZA value in the target area exceeds the threshold suggested in previous research, causing harm due to pollen allergies and is expected to increase according to climate change scenarios. We conclude that this result indicates that social harm from pollen allergies in urban parks may increase due to climate change. Therefore, we emphasize the necessity of discussing ecosystem disservices in the composition of urban parks.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2024

Objectives: Frozen shoulder (FS) is one of the most challenging shoulder disorders for patients and clinicians. Its symptoms mainly include any combination of stiffness, nocturnal pain, and limitation of active and passive glenohumeral joint movement. Conventional treatment options for FS are physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, injection therapy, and arthroscopic capsular release, but adverse and limited effects continue to present problems. As a result, pharmacoacupuncture (PA) is getting attention as an alternative therapy for patients with FS. PA is a new form of acupuncture treatment in traditional Korean medicine (TKM) that is mainly used for musculoskeletal diseases. It has similarity and specificity compared to corticosteroid injection and hydrodilatation, making it a potential alternative injection therapy for FS. However, no systematic reviews investigating the utilization of PA for FS have been published. Therefore, this review aims to standardize the clinical use of PA for FS and validate its therapeutic effect. Methods: The protocol was registered in Prospero (CRD42023445708) on 18 July 2023. Until Aug. 31, 2023, seven electronic databases will be searched for randomized controlled trials of PA for FS. Authors will be contacted, and manual searches will also be performed. Two reviewers will independently screen and collect data from retrieved articles according to predefined criteria. The primary outcome will be pain intensity, and secondary outcomes will be effective rate, Constant-Murley Score, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, range of motion, quality of life, and adverse events. Bias and quality of the included trials will be assessed using the Cochrane handbook's risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. Meta analyses will be conducted using Review Manager V.5.3 software. GRADE will be used to evaluate the level of evidence for each outcome. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted following PRISMA statement. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Conclusion: This review will provide scientific evidence to support health insurance policy as well as the standardization of PA in clinical practice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.85 no.3
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• pp.654-660
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• 2024

Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a malignant tumor of mesenchymal origin that rarely occurs in the urinary tract, particularly in the urinary bladder. Unlike urothelial carcinoma, which accounts for most bladder cancers, it occurs in the submucosal portion of the bladder wall and consists of the lamina propria, muscularis propria, and adventitia. It is presumed to originate from poorly differentiated pluripotent mesenchymal cells in which fibroblasts and histiocytes are partially differentiated. Radiologically, it is known as the "non-papillary tumor" and is commonly diagnosed as a large mass without necrosis, which shows invasion beyond the muscularis propia. Although the prognosis of this rare malignancy depends on pathological parameters, it generally has a poor prognosis with high local tumor recurrence. Here, we present a case of primary MFH in the urinary bladder with clinical symptoms of lower abdominal pain without gross hematuria that recurred rapidly and showed an aggressive disease course.