• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2020

Alcohol, which can easily be obtained in the same way as ordinary beverages, is harmful enough to cause death due to excessive drinking and chronic alcohol intake, so it is important to maintain a proper amount of drinking and healthy drinking habits. In addition, the incidence of behavioral disturbances and impaired judgments that can be caused by chronic alcohol drinking of more than adequate amounts of alcohol is also significant. Accordingly it is very useful for forensic science to check whether the person involved is drunken or is alcoholism state in various accidents. Currently, in Korea, alcohol consumption is determined by detecting the level of alcohol or alcohol metabolism 'ethyl glucuronide (EtG)' in blood or urine samples. However, analysis of alcohol or EtG in blood or urine can only provide information about the current state of alcohol consumption because of a narrow window of detection time. Therefore, it is important to analyze the EtG as a long-term direct alcohol metabolite bio-marker in human hair and to investigate relationship between alcohol consumption and EtG concentration for the evaluation of chronic ethanol consumption. In this study, we established an analytical method for the detection of EtG in Korean hair efficiently and validated selectivity, linearity, limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), matrix effect, recovery, process efficiency, accuracy and precision using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, the assay performance was evaluated in Korean social drinker's hair and the postmortem hair of a chronic alcoholism. The results of this study can be useful in monitoring the alcohol abuse of Korean in clinical cases and legal procedures related to custody and provide a useful tool to evaluate postmortem diagnosis of alcoholic ketoacidosis in forensics.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1050-1054
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• 2000

Objective : The incidence of head injury has been increasing in the rural area. The author investigated the clinical features and difficulties in care of the acute head-injured patients in this area. Method and Material : The authors performed a retrospective review of radiological data and clinical records in patients with mild to moderate head injury. Cause, type of craniocerebral injury, delayed intracranial lesions, complications, its relation to alcohol abuse, and outcome were analyzed. Results : In total of 68 cases, 20(29.4%) victims were associated with acute alcohol intoxication. Motor vehicle accident was the leading cause of head injury and the most common craniocerebral lesion was basilar skull fracture. Eight(11.8%) patients showed delayed radiological and clinical deterioration and 40(58.8%) were followed-up regularly after discharge. The subdural hygroma was commonly noted in the elderly and alcoholics. Causes of thirty events that resulted in an atypical and difficult neurosurgical practice were as follows : delayed admission, premature discharge against doctor's request, refusal of radiological studies and admission, misunderstanding of disease entity, and unreasonable desire of transfer to tertiary hospitals. Inaccurate initial diagnoses were made by emergency doctors in twenty patients. During the course of treatment, there were a few complications such as alcohol withdrawal, acute otitis media, cerebrospinal fistula, facial weakness, and posttraumatic seizure. Outcome was good in 60(88.2%) patients. Conclusion : Most of minor head trauma patients in this series have shown good results, but we have to consider some possible complications and delayed intracranial lesions in these patients that should be managed with special cautions with various kinds of treatment difficulties.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 1994

This experiment was designed to investigate the effects of Galgunhaeiutang + Danjuhwan and Haejujigaltang on the experimental behaviors of alcohol-inticxicated mice. ICR mice were used as subjects for alcohol intoxication in this experiment and sample group received Herb Medicine. The foot-step and rearing score were measured in mice. Also Rota-Rod treadmill & number of successful trials swimming time in the T-maze were done. And the following results were observed; 1. The food-step score was decreased in Galgunhaejutang + Danjuhwan group at the 8th hour, the difference was statistically significant. But Haejujigaltang group showed no significant difference. 2. The number of rearing was decreased in Galgunhaejutang + Danjuhwan group at the 3rd and 8th hour, the difference was statistical significant, while Haejujigaltang group showed no significant differnce. 3. The motor incoordination measered by the Rota-Rod treadmill was decreased in Galgunhaejutang + Danjuhwan group at the 8th hour, but Haejujigaltang group showed no significant difference. 4. The number of successful trials in T-maze showed no significant difference in both groups. 5. The passing time in T-maze was increased in Galgunhaejutang +Danjuhwan group at the 8th hour, but Haejujigaltang group showed no significant difference.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.195-213
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• 1997

This study was carried out to investigate several effects of smoking and alcohol-drinking on the health of rural residents. The subjects were 710 people (325 males and 385 females) in rural area, Young-Duk Gun, Kyungbuk, Korea. The data were collected by medical students trained for this study during 4 days from 31 August, 1996. Questionnaire contents were general social characteristics, period of the agriculture, smoking history, alcohol-drinking history, some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health. The results obtained are as follows : 1. Positive rates of the some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health were higher in female than in male and were significantly increased as the as increased(p<0.05). 2. Smoking rate was 56.9% in male and 4.9% in female. In positive rates of the some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health in male, 'insomnia' was only significantly lower in ex-smoker than in smoker and non-smoker(p<0.05). Other items were significantly not different. 3. Prevalence rate of alcohol drinker was 54.8% in male and 17.1% in female and the alcoholism was 8.3% in male and 0.8% in female. Positive rate of the some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health in male were significantly not different. 4. The scores of self-evaluation for health was divided into two groups under two point and over three. And the analysis of multiple logistic regression shows that there were significant relationship with age and sex. This study suggests that some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health were significant relationship with age and sex but not smoking and alcohol-drinking.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.113-126
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• 2017

The purpose of the study was to find grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume reduction in the brain reward system among patients with alcohol dependency. This study investigated regional GM and WM in chronic alcoholic patients, focusing primarily on the reward system, including principal components of the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit as well as cortical areas with modulating and oversight functions. Sixteen abstinent long-term chronic alcoholic men and demographically matched 16 healthy control men participated in the study. Morphometric analysis was performed on magnetic resonance brain scans using voxel-based morphometry (VBM)-diffeomorphic Anatomical Registration through Exponentiated Liealgebra (DARTEL). We derived GM and WM volumes from total brain and cortical and subcortical reward-related structures. Morphometric analyses that revealed the total volume of GM and WM was reduced and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was increased in the alcohol group compared to control group. The pronounced volume reduction in the reward system was observed in the GM and WM of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), GM of the amygdala, GM and WM of the hippocampus, WM of the thalamus, GM and WM of the insula, GM of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), GM of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), GM of the cingulate cortex (CC), GM and WM of the parahippocampal gyrus in the alcohol group. We identified volume reductions in WM as well as GM of reward system in the patients with alcohol dependency. These structural deficits in the reward system elucidate underlying impairment in the emotional and cognitive processing in alcoholism.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.102-106
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• 1998

Objectives : To evaluate the relation of familial history of alcoholism and plasma level of ${\beta}$-endorphin, ethanol, ${\beta}$-endorphin, cortisol and blood glucose were compared in 48 male alcoholics and 29 normal controls. Methods : Subjects are divided into two groups by family history of alcoholism. Blood samples were obtained before and after 0.75mg/kg of ethanol consumption at 7th admission day. Results : 1) The ratio of family history positive to negative of the patient group was 2 to 1. 2) The age at admission of positive family history group was younger than negative group. 3) There was no significant difference in change of plasma ethanol level among three groups. 4) There was no significant difference in change of plasma ${\beta}$-endorphin level among three groups. 5) There was no significant difference in change of plasma cortisol level among three groups. 6) There was no significant difference in change of fasting blood sugar level between two patient groups.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.3
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• pp.15-33
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• 2002

Researchers' common findings is that there are positive or negative effect of alcohol expectancy on drinking behavior. Therefore we would effectively prevent troublesome drinking of the youth and university students by inquiring and controlling critical factors affecting alcohol expectancy. The purposes of this thesis are, first, to empirically test factors affecting the alcohol expectancy level of elementary schoolchild(potential drinker).; second, to suggest the necessity for development of pre-alcohol prevention programs. On the basis of previous research, eighteen factors included in four categories(general characters, environmental characters, alcohol knowledge, drinking experience) affecting alcohol expectancy level were found out. 623 subjects used in this study were drawn from 8 elementary schools in Daegu, Korea. The empirical results suggested that the alcohol expectancy level of elementary schoolchildren was negative in general. And it was proved that 9 factors were significantly correlated with alcohol expectancy level. To put it concretely(see Fig.), (1) It was proved that schoolchildren with bad environment(live in oneself, displeased drinking feeling) rather than good environment(live with parents, nice drinking feeling) for drinking had more negative alcohol expectancy. (2) Korean traditional culture that partakes of sacrificial food and drink have an influence on the first drinking of most elementary schoolchildren. And it was proved that schoolchildren with this drinking experience rather than any other motives had less negative alcohol expectancy. (3) It was proved that schoolchildren adapting themselves rather than being difficult in school life had more negative alcohol expectancy. And the more knowledge about alcohol or drinking schoolchildren had, the more they had negative alcohol expectancy (4) It was proved that schoolchildren having drinking experience or drinking at present rather than having no drinking experience or not-drinking at present had less negative alcohol expectancy. (5) It was proved that schoolchildren having strong drinking intention rather than having weak or no drinking intention in the future had more positive alcohol expectancy. Based on previous results, guideline for development of pre-alcohol prevention programs can be represented: discriminated programs development on educatee, drinking education programs development increasing the power of self-control about alcohol and drinking, social education or continuing education programs development on drinking, open preschool education to substantially prevent drinking or alcoholism etc. The findings, however, should be interpreted with caution, because this study has several limitations in measurement and sampling as follows. First, selection bias because of limited selection of sampling. It is because the subjects are drawn from only 8 elementary schools in Daegu. Second, less refined measurement ; Therefore, it is necessary to develop more detailed measures on alcohol knowledge, alcohol expectancy level especially. Further researches should be suggested and encouraged with more refined methodologies.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: To investigate the relationship between hearing impairment and alcohol drinking patterns in South Korean adults. Subjects and Methods: Data collection was performed by Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey from January 1 to December 31, 2012. Data analyses were performed from February 20 to March 3, 2018. Data from 3,860 adults 20 years of age or older without a history of malignancy or chronic otitis media in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 database who participated in the health questionnaires, and who had available results from otologic examinations that included pure tone audiogram, were included. Pure-tone average hearing thresholds were calculated at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz. Hearing loss was defined as a pure-tone average >40 dB in one or both ears. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test was used to evaluate drinking statuses of subjects. Data were analyzed using the complex-sample χ²-test of independence and a complex-sample logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 29,954,319 individuals in the weighted cross-sectional study population, 15,106,040 (50.4%) were men and 14,848,098 (49.6%) were women. A total of 8.1% of men and 7% of women had hearing impairment. The degrees of drinking with appropriate, risky, and hazardous drinking habits were 58.2, 32.1, and 9.7% among men; and 76.4, 12.5, and 11.1% among women, respectively. Among men, the odds ratio of hearing loss increased by 2.506 times when comparing hazardous and appropriate drinking (confidence interval, 1.083 to 5.800, p=0.002). Moderate alcohol consumption (≤2 drinks per day) was not protective for hearing in either group. Conclusions: As hazardous drinking tends to coexist with hearing impairment in men, appropriate prevention and intervention strategies should be emphasized. A longitudinal study to investigate harmful drinking and the mechanism of hearing loss should be performed.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: To investigate the relationship between hearing impairment and alcohol drinking patterns in South Korean adults. Subjects and Methods: Data collection was performed by Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey from January 1 to December 31, 2012. Data analyses were performed from February 20 to March 3, 2018. Data from 3,860 adults 20 years of age or older without a history of malignancy or chronic otitis media in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 database who participated in the health questionnaires, and who had available results from otologic examinations that included pure tone audiogram, were included. Pure-tone average hearing thresholds were calculated at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz. Hearing loss was defined as a pure-tone average >40 dB in one or both ears. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test was used to evaluate drinking statuses of subjects. Data were analyzed using the complex-sample χ²-test of independence and a complex-sample logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 29,954,319 individuals in the weighted cross-sectional study population, 15,106,040 (50.4%) were men and 14,848,098 (49.6%) were women. A total of 8.1% of men and 7% of women had hearing impairment. The degrees of drinking with appropriate, risky, and hazardous drinking habits were 58.2, 32.1, and 9.7% among men; and 76.4, 12.5, and 11.1% among women, respectively. Among men, the odds ratio of hearing loss increased by 2.506 times when comparing hazardous and appropriate drinking (confidence interval, 1.083 to 5.800, p=0.002). Moderate alcohol consumption (≤2 drinks per day) was not protective for hearing in either group. Conclusions: As hazardous drinking tends to coexist with hearing impairment in men, appropriate prevention and intervention strategies should be emphasized. A longitudinal study to investigate harmful drinking and the mechanism of hearing loss should be performed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.37-59
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• 2004

Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test for Fathers(F-SMAST) and Mothers(M-SMAST) is to measure the presence of an alcohol use disorder in one's father and/or mother. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Korean version of the F-SMAST and M-SMAST. A total of 241 college students, who resided in Seoul and two other cities, participated in this study. The internal consistency of the Korean version of the F-SMAST and M-SMAST was assessed using alpha coefficient. The alpha coefficient of both the F-SMAST and the M-SMAST was 0.82. Standard Errors of Measurement(SEM) were also computed. SEMs of the F-SMAST and the M-SMAST were quite low. With a cut-off score of 3, the F-SMAST correctly identified 91 percent of respondents who were presumed to be children of alcoholics and correctly identified 81 percent of respondents who were presumed not to be children of alcoholics. Sensitivity and specificity of the M-SMAST with a cut-off score of 1 are 0.33 and 0.81, respectively. Several variables were examined in relation to the F-SMAST and the M-SMAST to examine convergent and discriminant validity. It was found that the F-SMAST and the M-SMAST were significantly correlated with most of convergent variables(average amount of drinking per day, AUDIT, distress) and had not statistically significant relationships with discriminant variables(demographic variables). This study suggests that the Korean version of the F-SMAST and the M-SMAST be repeatedly assessed across different sample in order to confirm the findings of this study.