• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.1037-1041
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• 2006

Purpose : The prevalence of obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) was increased in adolescents. This study was performed to observe the prevalence of elevated aminotransferase levels in adolescents and to assess the correlations between aminotransferase levels and obesity related parameters(body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio and insulin level). Methods : We obtained weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference from 2,417 male and 1,219 female adolescents. Mean age was $15.7{\pm}0.7$ years old. We measured fasting insulin, aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT). Obese and overweight were defined as body mass indices(BMI) of more than the 95th, and 85th-94th percentiles, respectively, for age and sex. Results : The number of adolescents with obesity is 324(8.9 percent). 414(11.4 percent) subjects belonged to the overweight group. The average ALT level of obese, overweight and control groups were significantly different(obese : $32.1{\pm}34.3U/L$, overweight : $19.6{\pm}13.6U/L$, control : $12.7{\pm}6.7U/L$, P<0.001). The average AST level was also different according to group(obese : $27.8{\pm}16.5U/L$, overweight : $22.8{\pm}8.6U/L$, control : $20.8{\pm}8.5U/L$, P<0.001). AST and ALT were correlated with anthropometric parameters and insulin level. After multiple regression analysis, waist circumference was the significant predictive value for AST(r=0.234, P<0.001). Waist circumference, BMI and insulin levels were significant predictive values for ALT(r=0.435, P<0.001). Conclusion : The prevalence of abnormal aminotransferase was higher in the obese and overweight groups than control group. Waist circumference was useful to predict abnormal aminotransferase levels.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2007

Purpose : Viral respiratory tract infection is most common cause for admission to hospital in children. There are many cases with elevated transaminase level in patients with viral lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). The aim of this study was to compare indexes of disease severity such as duration of assisted ventilation, length of hospital stay and Respiratory Distress Assessment Instrument (RDAI) score in children with viral LRTI with and without elevated transaminase levels and to determine the etiology related to elevated transaminase levels in this patients group. Methods : Virological analysis was done from respiratory specimens obtained from patients with LRTI admitted to Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital from Jan. 2003 to Jun. 2005. Viral diagnosis was made by isolation of viruses employing HEp-2 cell culture from nasopharyngeal aspiration. Medical records of children were reviewed retrospectively. We compared age, sex, RDAI score, Respiratory Rate (RR) score and mean duration of hospital stay between patients with elevated transaminase levels (Patient Group) and patients with normal transaminase levels (Control Group). Results : Viruses were isolated from 181 children with LRTI. 16 cases were excluded according to criteria. 28 cases (17.0%) had elevated transaminase levels (Patient group) and 137 cases (83.0%) had normal transaminase levels (Control group). There were no significant difference in duration of fever, RR score, RDAI score, incidence of $O_2$ inhalation and duration of hospital stay between patient group and control group. We found 17 (60.7%) cases of RSV, 4 cases (14.3%) of parainfluenza, 4 cases (14.3%) of influenza B virus, 3 cases (10.7%) of adenovirus and 1 case (3.6%) of influenza A virus infection in patient group and 78 cases (56.9%) of RSV, 28 cases (20.4%) of parainfluenza virus, 13 cases (9.5%) of influenza A virus, 9 cases (6.6%) of influenza B virus, 6 cases (4.4%) of adenovirus and 3 cases (2.2%) of coxsackie virus infection in control group. Conclusion : There were 28 cases (17.0%) with elevated transaminase level among patients with virus isolated LRTI. There was no relation between elevated transaminase level and severity of disease. The viral etiologies in two groups were not significantly different. There was no significant difference of age distribution between two groups.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2014

Objective: Few studies have evaluated the personality characteristics of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and simple snoring. We investigated the personality characteristics of OSA and simple snoring patients and compared differences in personality between the two groups using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Materials and Methods: Two hundred and thirty-seven patients who were suspected to have OSA or simple snoring participated in this study. A self-questionnaire which included the EPQ was administered to all participants. All subjects underwent polysomnography in a sleep laboratory and those with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ${\geq}5$ were included in the OSA group, while those with an AHI <5 were included in the simple snoring group. Results: OSA patients had significantly lower scores for Psychoticism (F=4.563, p=0.034) than simple snorers. There were no significant differences in Extraversion (F=3.029, p=0.083), Lie (F=0.398, p=0.529), or Neuroticism (F=3.367, p=0.068) scores between the two groups. In the correlation analysis of the OSA group, AHI was positively correlated with Extraversion score (r= 0.16, p=0.029) and negatively correlated with Lie score (B=-0.31, p<0.001). Using multiple stepwise linear regression analysis with the four EPQ parameter scores as dependent variables, Lie score was associated with older age (B=0.14, p<0.001) and lower AHI (B=-0.05, p<0.001), Psychoticism score was associated with higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI ; B=0.14, p<0.001), Neuroticism score was associated with higher PSQI (B=0.34, p=0.001) and female sex (B=3.15, p=0.003), and Extraversion score was associated with younger age (B=-0.08, p=0.020) and higher body mass index (B=0.26, p=0.023). Conclusion: This study suggests that patients with OSA are significantly less prone to psychotic personality characteristics than those with simple snoring. Among OSA patients, higher AHI was correlated with low falsehood and high extraversion tendencies.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.474-485
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• 2009

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the characteristics of nutrient intakes of adults aged 20-64 years in Daegu and Gyeongbuk areas in comparison with Seoul and the whole nation. Data from the 1st (1998) to 3rd (2005) Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were used. Total numbers of subjects were 296-369 from Daegu and 307-447 from Gyeongbuk while 1076-1244 from Seoul and 5436-6852 from the whole nation. Average energy intakes (men; 2,386, 2,581, 2,305 Kcal, women; 1,937, 1,981, 1,804 Kcal in 1998, 2001, 2005, respectively) of the subjects from Daegu were higher than those from Gyeongbuk (men; 2309, 2267, 2487 Kcal, women; 1,851, 1,845, 1,901 Kcal) and those from Seoul in 1998 and 2001 but not different from those in 2005. Energy from carbohydrate was consistently higher in the subjects from Daegu and Gyeongbuk than in those from Seoul from 1998 to 2005, when the subjects whose carbohydrate energy was over 70% comprised 34 to 58% of the total in the two regions. In 2005, the average intakes of calcium of women and men from Daegu were 512 and 573 mg, iron, 12.8 and 16.6 mg, sodium, 4,650 and 5,951 mg, potassium, 2,585 and 3,152 mg, vitamin A, 823 and 1,038 ${\mu}$gRE, thiamin, 1.10 and 1.43 mg, riboflavin, 1.08 and 1.33 mg, and niacin. 15.4 and 19.3 mg, and vitamin C, 94 and 105 mg and these intakes were not very different from those from Gyeongbuk except higher sodium intake of the Gyeongbuk subjects. Nutrients of which the intakes were over 50% lower than EAR were calcium and riboflavin and those about 30% lower than EAR were iron in women, vitamins A and C in men and women from Daegu and Gyeongbuk. From the present results, it is concluded that high dependence on carbohydrate as energy source and low calcium intake in adults of Daegu and Gyeongbuk are serious and that low intakes of riboflavin, iron and vitamins A and C need to be improved. But changes in the intakes of total energy and other micronutrients from 1998 to 2005 were not reliable enough to judge the regional nutrition due to large variations during this period. The present study also provides the adults' nutrient intakes separated by sex and age groups in the three regions which could be readily used for setting up the nutrition policy for the adults in the regions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1187-1192
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• 2005

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobuin (IVIG) administration in fullterm neonates having clinically suspected neonatal sepsis. Methods : Forty full-term neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit with clinically suspected neonatal sepsis, who had at least two positive diagnostic criteria were enrolled. Twenty neonates were enrolled into the IVIG arm and 20 in the placebo arm. Neonates with a gestational age of less than 36 weeks and those with any major congenital malformation were excluded. The neonates were randomized to receive 1 g/kg of IVIG or equivalent amount of normal saline. The treatments including antibiotics and supportive care were administered. Results : The neonates in the therapy and placebo groups were comparable in terms of birth weight, gestational age, sex distribution, duration of antibiotics therapy and admission, elevation of serum IgG level, mortality rate, change of CBC, and serum level of acute phase reactants etc. Conclusion : Serum IgG values increased significantly 5 days after administration of IVIG in the IVIG-treated group and decreased significantly 5 days after administration of normal saline in the placebo group. However, there was no significant difference in the duration of antibiotics therapy and admission, or of mortality between the IVIG-treated and placebo groups. No adverse reactions to the IVIG infusions were noted during the study. Our preliminary observations suggest that the administration of 1 g/kg IVIG to neonates had some effect on augmentation of humural immune status in neonates with clinically suspected sepsis. But further study is needed to verify the benefit of IVIG infusion to neonatal sepsis.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.186-195
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• 1994

Fibromatosis is benign fibroblastic proliferative lesion with abundant collagenous neo-formation located principally in the abdominal wall and in the upper and lower extremities (Masson & Soule, 1966). Wilkins and Waldron, in 1975, suggested that the title aggressive fibromatosis was a more appropriate term, reflecting the invasive characteristics of the disease. Synonyms listed were extra-abdominal desmoid, juvenile fibromatosis, aggressive infantile fibromatosis and congenital fibrosarcoma. A total of 12% of all fibromatosis arise in head and neck. Fibromatosis of the oral cavity is uncommon and is even more rare when in involve the mandibule. It is a locally aggressive fibrous tissue tumor, generally does not metastasize, but may cause considerable morbility and even death due to local infiltration. The degree of microscopic cellularity is variable, not only from tumor to tumor but also from area to area in the same tumor. Some tumors present with proliferation of mature fibroblasts and a dominating collagenous component : others may show a lack of the tumor in both types. The common histologic denominator appears to be cellular interlacing bundles of elongated fibroblasts, showing little or no mitotic activity and no pleomorphism. Mitosis are not a consistent index of malignancy when found in younger age groups. Fibromatosis still posses difficult problems of diagnosis and treatment. It is frequently recurrent and infliltrates neighbouring tissues. These lesion infliltrate widely and replace muscle, fat, and even bone with fibrous tissue of varying cellularity. Lesion representing fibromatosis in the oral cavity must be carefully evaulated by both surgeon and pathologists to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment planning. When these lesions involve bone, surgeon must be aware of the lesion's potential to perforate the cortex and expand while remaining hidden from the surgeon's view. Careful and precise clinical correlation with histologic appearance is essential to preclude misdiagnosis of fibrosarcoma yet provide surgical treatment plan that provides adequate local excision and long-term follow up. As regards cause, little is known. It is attributed to trauma or alteration in the sex hormone(Carlos, et al, 1986). Clinially, the lesion is reported to be not painful in most cases, but capable of rapid growth. The treatment is essentially surgical excision with wide margin of adjacent uninvolved tissue. Radiotherapy, hormone treatment or chemotherapy are of no use (WIkins et al, 1975 ; Majumudar and Winiarkl, 1978). We report a case of aggressive fibromatosis of 15-year-old with a lesion in the soft tissue of the parotid area that invaded the underlying bone of the mandibular body.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6493-6499
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• 2013

Background: Non-epithelial malignant ovarian tumors and clear cell carcinomas, Brenner tumors, transitional cell tumors, and carcinoid tumors of the ovary are rare ovarian tumors (ROTs). In this study, our aim was to determine the clinicopathological features of ROT patients and prognostic factors associated with survival. Materials and Methods: A total of 167 patients with ROT who underwent initial surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Prognostic factors that may influence the survival of patients were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Of 167 patients, 75 (44.9%) were diagnosed with germ-cell tumors (GCT) and 68 (40.7%) with sex cord-stromal tumors (SCST); the remaining 24 had other rare ovarian histologies. Significant differences were found between ROT groups with respect to age at diagnosis, tumor localization, initial surgery type, tumor size, tumor grade, and FIGO stage. Three-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates and median PFS intervals for patients with other ROT were worse than those of patients with GCT and SCST (41.8% vs 79.6% vs 77.1% and 30.2 vs 72 vs 150 months, respectively; p=0.01). Moreover, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates and median OS times for patients with both GCT and SCST were better as compared to patients with other ROT, but these differences were not statistically significant (87.7% vs 88.8% vs 73.9% and 170 vs 122 vs 91 months, respectively; p=0.20). In the univariate analysis, tumor localization (p<0.001), FIGO stage (p<0.001), and tumor grade (p=0.04) were significant prognostic factors for PFS. For OS, the univariate analysis indicated that tumor localization (p=0.01), FIGO stage (p=0.001), and recurrence (p<0.001) were important prognostic indicators. Multivariate analysis showed that FIGO stage for PFS (p=0.001, HR: 0.11) and the presence of recurrence (p=0.02, HR: 0.54) for OS were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: ROTs should be evaluated separately from epithelial ovarian cancers because of their different biological features and natural history. Due to the rarity of these tumors, determination of relevant prognostic factors as a group may help as a guide for more appropriate adjuvant or recurrent therapies for ROTs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.247-250
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• 2012

Objective: To determine whether CDX2 and villin protein expression are associated with intestinal metaplasia (IM) in gastric cardiac mucosa and to explore the relationship with evolution of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (GCA). Methods: We studied 143 gastric cardiac biopsy or resection specimens from Henan province China, including 25 cardiac gastritis specimens with IM, 65 dysplasia specimens with IM and 35 gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma specimens and stained them for CDX2 and villin by the immunohistochemical SP method. 15 normal gastric cardiac biopsy specimens were also collected as control. Results: (1) Normal gastric mucosa presented no CDX2 and villin expression. The positive rates of CDX2 protein in cardiac gastritis with IM, dysplasia with IM, and carcinoma tissues were 84.0% (21/25), 66.7% (32/48) and 36.4% (20/55), respectively. While the positive rates of villin protein in cardiac gastritis with IM, dysplasia with IM, and carcinoma tissues were 76.0% (19/25), 70.8% (34/48) and 45.5% (25/55), respectively. There were significant differences among the three groups for both CDX2 and villin (P<0.01). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient(rho) showed a close correlation between the two proteins (r=0.843, P<0.01) and both were positively related with tumor differentiation (both P<0.05), but not associated with age, sex, invasion and metastasis of lymph node (P>0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that ectopic expression of CDX2 and villin may be involved in early-stage IM and tumorigenesis in gastric cardia and the expression of villin may be regulated by CDX2.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.124-138
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• 2003

Objectives : To evaluate the properness and effectiveness of the question categories concerning 'sasang constitutional characteristics of mind', used in Iksan Wonkwang Oriental Medicine. Methods : We statistically analyzed data from those 1335 patients focussing on 'relative discrimination ability' to sasang constructions and 'response ratio'. Patients included in this research are only those who had been well treated in Iksan Wonkwang Oriental Medicine during the Period of three years from 2000 to 2002. The data are obtained through the electronic chart developed by Kim Jong-Yeal, and analyzed using the statistical Package SPSS. Results: In total characteristics of mind, the question category of 'timid' has high discriminating power and effectiveness to Soeum type, more in women than men, and especially with an age of 21 or more; The category of 'hasty-tempered' to Soyang type in women with all ages and men with ages 21-40; The category of 'broad-minded' to Taeum type with ages 41 or more; The category of 'timid and broad-minded' to Soyang type, and especially high to women with ages 41 or more. Question categories concerning response type in anger were estimated to have different response patterns to sasang constructions only for ages 21 or more by $X^2$2 test. The question category of 'bear and last long' has high discriminating power and effectiveness to Soeum type, more in men than women, and increasingly to ages; The category of 'impatient and disarmed quickly' to Soyang type in both women and men, especially with ages 21 or more; The category of 'impatient' to Soyang type women or with ages 21 or more. Other categories have low discriminating power or low effectiveness. Concernig expression type of one's thought, the question category of 'straightly' has high discriminating power and effectiveness to Soyang type, more in wemen than men, and especially to ages 21 or more; The category of 'tender' to Soeum type, in women or with ages 40 or less; The category of 'indirectly' to Taeum type in men or with ages 41 or more; The category of 'straightly and stuborn' to Soyang type with ages 41 or more; The category of 'indirectly and tender' to Soeum with with ages 20 or less; The category of 'not express and tender' to Soeum type with ages 41 or more; Conclusions : Question categories concerning total characteristics of mind, response type in anger and expression type of one's thought, are partially discriminating and effective to specific constitution according to sex and ages, and some categories are more discriminating and effective when they are composited. But generally, the discriminating power of Taeum constitution group and group with ages 20 or less was too low, so it is necessary to develope question categories for those groups.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2001

Objectives: We performed this study to compare the short term results of induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy versus concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. Materials and Methods: From Oct. 1985 to May 1998, 121 patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer were treated with induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy (induction group) or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (concurrent group), and a retrospective analysis was done. Induction chemotherapy was done for 97 patients, and concurrent chemotherapy for 24 patients. Age, sex, performance status, and pathologic types were evenly distributed between two groups. Primary site showed nasopharynx(72.2%), oropharynx(27.8%) in induction group, and nasopharynx(50%), oropharynx(50%) in concurrent group. Chemotherapy regimen was CF(cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) for 67 patients and CVB (cisplatin, vincristine, bleomycin) for 30 patients in induction group, and CF for all of 24 patients in concurrent group. Proportion of patients treated with more than 2 cycles of planned chemotherapy was 94.8% in induction group and 87.5% in concurrent group. Conventionally fractionated radiotherapy with daily fraction size of 1.8-2.0Gy and 5 fractions/week was done. Total dose was 61-95Gy (median 73.4Gy) for induction group, and 69.4-75.4Gy (median 69.4Gy) for concurrent group. Follow-up time was 4-161 months (median 38 months) for induction group, 7-35 months (median 21.5 months) for concurrent group, respectively. Results: According to treatment modality, overall 2-year survival rates were 68.0% for induction group, 74.3% for concurrent group (p>0.05). two-year disease-free survival rates were 51 % and 74% (p=0.05). Complete response rates were 67.4% for induction group and 83.3% for concurrent group (p=0.09). The incidence of grade 3-4 hematologic toxicity (2.1% vs. 25%, p=0.001) and grade 3-4 mucositis (9.3% vs. 37.5%, p=0.002) during radiotherapy was higher in concurrent group. Conclusion: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy showed a trend of improvement in short-term survival and treatment response when compared with induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer. A more controlled randomized trial is needed.