• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.159-164
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the association between dietary intake of citrus fruits and prostate cancer risk. Methods : Authors searched electronic databases and the reference lists of publications of diet and prostate cancer studies until August 2007. All of the epidemiological studies that obtained individual data on dietary intake of citrus fruits and presented risk estimates of the association between intake of citrus fruits and risk of prostate cancer were identified and included. Using general variance-based methods, study-specific odds ratios (OR)/ relative risk (RR) and associated confidence interval (CI)/ standard error (SE) for highest versus lowest intake of citrus fruits level were extracted from each paper. Results : Eleven articles including six case-control studies, one nested case-control study and four cohort studies, proved eligible. Overall summary OR using random effect model did not show an association in risk of prostate caner with intake of citrus fruits (summary OR=1.03, 95% CI=0.89-1.19) with large heterogeneity across studies that we were unable to explain ($I^2$=67.88%). The summary ORs in case-control studies and cohort studies were 1.10 (95% CI=0.97-1.22) and 1.05 (95% CI=0.96-1.14), respectively. Conclusions : Pooled results from observational studies did not show an association between intake of citrus fruits and the risk of prostate cancer, although results vary substantially across studies.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.354-365
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• 2016

Objectives: Studies that reported the association between diet quality/nutritional intake status and mortality have rarely used long-term follow-up data in Asian countries, including Korea. This study investigated the association between the risk of mortality (all-cause and cause-specific) and the diet quality/nutritional intake status using follow-up 12-year mortality data from a nationally representative sample of South Koreans. Methods: 8,941 individuals who participated in 1998 and 2001 Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were linked to mortality data from death certificates. Of those individuals, 1,083 (12.1%) had died as of December, 2012. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the relative risks of mortality according to the level of diet quality and intakes of major nutrients. Indicators for diet quality index and nutritional intake status were assessed using MAR (mean adequacy ratio) and energy and protein intake level compared with the 2010 Korean DRI. Results: Higher diet quality/nutritional intake status were associated with lower mortality; the mortality risk (95% confidence interval) from all-cause of lowest MAR group vs highest was 1.66 (1.27 to 2.18) among ${\geq}30$ year old, and 1.98 (1.36 to 2.86) among 30~64 year old individuals. Those with below 75% of energy and protein intake of Korean DRI had higher mortality risks of all-cause mortality compared to the reference group. Diet quality/nutritional intake status was inversely associated with mortality from cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Conclusions: Poor Diet quality/nutritional intake status were associated with a higher risk of mortality from all-cause and mortality from cardiovascular diseases and cancer among South Korean adults.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2020

Aim of the study: The objective of this systematic review is to critically evaluate the evidence of the effectiveness and safety of external application of herbal medicines (EAHM) for acne vurgalis (AV). Methods: English, Chinese and Korean language databases were searched up to May 2018. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that reported the effects of EAHM for AV were included and analysed. Results: A total of 10 randomized trials with 656 AV patients were identified. A meta-analysis of two RCTs indicated that EAHM had a significant effect on improving primary outcome 'global assessment' compared with placebo (mean difference (MD) = -2.62, confidence interval (CI) = -4.84 to -0.40, p = 0.02). Furthermore, data extracted from two RCTs showed that EAHM significantly reduce primary outcome 'inflammatory lesion count of acne' (MD = -1.25, CI = -1.68 to -0.83, p < 0.00001) and 'non-inflammatory lesion count of acne' (MD = -1.32, CI = -1.75 to -0.90, p < 0.00001). No significant difference was observed between groups in secondary outcome 'sebum of skin' (MD = -0.21, CI = -0.53 to 0.11, p = 0.20) and 'patient-reported changes in symptom' (relative risk (RR) = 2.56, CI = 0.43 to 15.22, p = 0.30). No severe adverse events (AEs) were found and no treatment was stopped due to AEs of EAHM. Conclusions: EAHM seems to have affirmative effects, but quality of evidence, and non-standardized use of EAHM make our conclusion weak. Our suggestion is rigorously designed RCTs and standardization of EAHM are required in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2017

The influence of the co-additive concentration (0 - 45 wt% with an interval of 5 wt%) of MgO-$TiO_2$ on the phase formation, microstructure and fracture toughness of MgO-$TiO_2$-reinforced dental porcelain nanocomposites derived from a one-step sintering technique were examined using a combination of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Vickers indentation. It was found that MgO-$TiO_2$-reinforced dental porcelain nanocomposites exhibited significantly higher fracture toughness values than those observed in single-additive (MgO or $TiO_2$)-reinforced dental porcelain composites at any given sintering temperature. The amount of MgO-$TiO_2$ as a co-additive was found to be one of the key factors controlling the phase formation, microstructure and fracture toughness of these nanocomposites. It is likely that 30 wt% of MgO-$TiO_2$ as a co-additive is the optimal amount for $MgTi_2O_5$ and $Mg_2SiO_4$ crystalline phase formation to obtain the maximum relative density (96.80%) and fracture toughness ($2.60{\pm}0.07MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$) at a sintering temperature of $1000^{\circ}C$.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2014

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common work-related peripheral neuropathy. In addition to grip force and repetitive hand exertions, wrist posture (hyperextension and hyperflexion) may be a risk factor for CTS among workers. However, findings of studies evaluating the relationship between wrist posture and CTS are inconsistent. The purpose of this paper was to conduct a meta-analysis of existing studies to evaluate the evidence of the relationship between wrist posture at work and risk of CTS. Methods: PubMed and Google Scholar were searched to identify relevant studies published between 1980 and 2012. The following search terms were used: "work related", "carpal tunnel syndrome", "wrist posture", and "epidemiology". The studies defined wrist posture as the deviation of the wrist in extension or flexion from a neutral wrist posture. Relative risk (RR) of individual studies for postural risk was pooled to evaluate the overall risk of wrist posture on CTS. Results: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. All were cross-sectional or case-control designs and relied on self-report or observer's estimates for wrist posture assessment. The pooled RR of work-related CTS increased with increasing hours of exposure to wrist deviation or extension/flexion [RR = 2.01; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.646-2.43; p < 0.01: Shore-adjusted 95% CI: 1.32-2.97]. Conclusion: We found evidence that prolonged exposure to non-neutral wrist postures is associated with a twofold increased risk for CTS compared with low hours of exposure to non-neutral wrist postures. Workplace interventions to prevent CTS should incorporate training and engineering interventions that reduce sustained non-neutral wrist postures.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.346-354
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• 2014

Objectives: Although a number of epidemiologic studies have examined the association between air pollution and mortality, data limitations have resulted in fewer studies of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ${\leq}2.5{\mu}m$ ($PM_{2.5}$). We conducted a time-series study of the acute effects of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ${\leq}10{\mu}m$($PM_{10}$) and $PM_{2.5}$ on the increased risk of death for all causes and cardiovascular mortality in Seoul, Korea from 2006 to 2010. Methods: We applied the generalized additive model (GAM) with penalized splines, adjusting for time, day of week, holiday, temperature, and relative humidity in order to investigate the association between risk of mortality and particulate matter. Results: We found that $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ were associated with an increased risk of mortality for all causes and of cardiovascular mortality in Seoul. A $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increase in the concentration of $PM_{10}$ corresponded to 0.44% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.25-0.63%), and 0.95% (95% CI: 0.16-1.73%) increase of all causes and of cardiovascular mortality. A $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increase in the concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ corresponded to 0.76% (95% CI: 0.40-1.12%), and 1.63% (95% CI: 0.89-2.37%) increase of all causes and cardiovascular mortality. Conclusion: We conclude that $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ have an adverse effect on population health and that this strengthens the rationale for further limiting levels of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ in Seoul.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2006

Objectives : Biochemical markers can provide an objective evidence of heavy alcohol drinking. The purpose of this study was to compare and evaluate the usefulness of biological markers detecting alcohol dependence, such as mean corpuscular volume(MCV), gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT), and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin(CDT) in the patients of an alcohol counseling center. Methods : This study was done with 64 patients with alcohol dependence and 36 healthy subjects. Relative values(%) of CDT were determined in their sera with turbidimetric immunoassay(Bio-Rad %CDT assay, Axis-Shield ASA, Oslo, Norway), and were compared with conventional markers of alcohol consumption, GGT and MCV. Results : Among the patients with alcohol dependence, 78.1% showed abnormal %CDT levels compared with GGT(61.9%) and MCV(20.7%). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves(95% confidence interval) for %CDT, GGT, and MCV were 0.934(0.866-0.973), 0.871(0.789-0.930), and 0.575 (0.472-0.673), respectively. Conclusion : %CDT seems to be the most reliable biological marker for the detection and monitoring of alcohol consumption in the patients with alcohol dependence of the alcohol counseling center.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.13-28
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• 1986

The main purpose of th study was to evaluate he validity of Korean Pain Measurement Tool composed of pain terms. The specific purposes of this study were 1. to examine whether pain intensities of pain terms are congruent with those classified in three previous studies. 2. to evaluate the relative intensity of each term by panel of judges. 3. to explore the difference of ranks of pain terms according to the sex, education, and ages. One hundred and sixty normal individuals were selected by 2$\times$2$\times$4 sampling design. Sex (male, female), education (high school, college), and age (20s, 30s, 40s, 50s) were matched. Each individual was asked to rate the ranks of 3~8 pain terms in each subclass. The data measured by ordinal scale were transformed to the interval scale to compare with the pain intensities gained from the previous study. The pain ranks different from previous results were finally rearranged or cancelled through the consultation of 4 panel of judges and sunmed up to 91 pain terms in the scale. As a result, the ranks of pain terms within each of eleven subclasses among the twenty subclasses completely were congruent with the Previous pain ranks, while the ranks of nine subclasses were different from the previous pain ranks. In addition, there was significant relation between sex and pain ranks in skin punctuate pressure pain and cavity pressure. (sp : $\chi$$^2$=5.18 ø=0.26； cp : $\chi$$^2$=5.83 ø=0.24) In conclusion, seven terms from subclasses of inflammatory repeated pain, traction pressure pain, fatigue-related pain, fear-related pain, dull pain, and pulsation. related pain were cancelled. The ranks of four terms in subclasses of incisive Pressure pain and constrictive pressure pain were tentatively rearranged. Ranks of two terms in the tract pain were left as shown in the third study. As a result, six terms must be studied repeatedly for obtaining exact scores from ratio scale.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.176-182
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• 2016

Objectives: Prospective evaluations of the associations between depressive symptoms and suicide deaths have been mainly performed in high-risk populations, such as individuals with psychiatric disorders or histories of self-harm. The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine whether more severe depressive symptoms assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) were associated with a greater risk of death from suicide in a general-risk population. Methods: A total of 113 478 men from the Korean Veterans Health Study (mean age, 58.9 years) who participated in a postal survey in 2004 were followed up for suicide mortality until 2010. Results: Over 6.4 years of follow-up, 400 men died by suicide (56.7 deaths per 100 000 person-years). More severe depressive symptoms were associated with greater risk of suicide death (p for trend <0.001). The unadjusted hazard ratios (HRs) in comparison to the absence of depression were 2.18 for mild depression, 2.13 for moderate depression, 3.33 for severe depression, and 3.67 for extreme depression. After adjusting for potential confounders, men with a potential depressive disorder had an approximate 90% higher mortality from suicide (adjusted HR, 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38 to 2.68; p<0.001) than men without depression. Each five-point increase in the GDS score was associated with a higher risk of death by suicide (adjusted HR, 1.22; p<0.001). The value of the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of GDS scores for suicide deaths was 0.61 (95% CI, 0.58 to 0.64). Conclusions: Depressive symptoms assessed using the GDS were found to be a strong independent predictor of future suicide. However, the estimate of relative risk was weaker than would be expected based on retrospective psychological autopsy studies.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.267-274
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• 2020

Background: General anesthesia (GA) has been considered the anesthetic technique which most frequent leads to phantom limb pain (PLP) after a limb amputation. However, these prior reports were limited by small sample sizes. The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of PLP according to the various anesthetic techniques used for limb amputation and also to compare the occurrence of PLP according to amputation etiology using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service for large-scale demographic information. Methods: The claims of patients who underwent limb amputation were reviewed by analyzing the codes used to classify standardized medical behaviors. The patients were categorized into three groups-GA, neuraxial anesthesia (NA), and peripheral nerve block (PNB)-in accordance with the anesthetic technique. The recorded diagnosis was confirmed using the diagnostic codes for PLP registered within one year after the limb amputation. Results: Finally, 7,613 individuals were analyzed. According to the recorded diagnoses, 362 patients (4.8%) developed PLP after amputation. Among the 2,992 patients exposed to GA, 191 (6.4%) were diagnosed with PLP, whereas 121 (4.3%) of the 2,840 patients anesthetized with NA, and 50 (2.8%) of the 1,781 patients anesthetized under PNB developed PLP. The relative risks were 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53-0.84; P < 0.001) for NA and 0.43 (95% CI, 0.32-0.59; P < 0.001) for PNB. Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort study, using large-scale population-based databases, the incidence rates of PLP after limb amputations were, in the order of frequency, GA, NA, and PNB.