• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.543-547
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• 2019

Toxoplasma gondii can infect humans worldwide, causing serious diseases in pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. T. gondii rhoptry protein 13 (ROP13) is known as one of the key proteins involved in host cell invasion. In this study, we generated virus-like particles (VLPs) vaccine expressing T. gondii rhoptry ROP13 and investigated VLPs vaccine efficacy in mice. Mice immunized with ROP13 VLPs vaccine elicited significantly higher levels of T. gondii-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgA antibody responses following boost immunization and challenge infection, whereas antibody inductions were insignificant upon prime immunization. Differing immunization routes resulted in differing antibody induction, as intranasal immunization (IN) induced greater antibody responses than intramuscular immunization (IM) after boost and challenge infection. IN immunization induced significantly higher levels of IgG and IgA antibody responses from feces, antibody-secreting cells (ASCs), $CD4^+$ T, $CD8^+$ T cells and germinal center B cell responses in the spleen compared to IM immunization. Compared to IM immunization, IN immunization resulted in significantly reduced cyst counts in the brain as well as lesser body weight loss, which contributed to better protection. All of the mice immunized through either route survived, whereas all na?ve control mice perished. These results indicate that the ROP13 VLPs vaccine could be a potential vaccine candidate against T. gondii infection.

• Journal of Rhinology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 2018

Pregnancy rhinitis is a relatively common condition. It is characterized by the presence of nasal symptoms, especially nasal congestion, not present prior to pregnancy, but typically present during the last 6 or more weeks of pregnancy, without other signs of respiratory tract infection or any known allergic causes, and disappearing completely within 2 weeks after delivery. Nasal saline irrigation, intranasal steroid spray, and oral antihistamines are usually recommended as the first line of treatment for rhinitis. However, most pregnant women refuse medical treatment for pregnancy rhinitis because of the fear of teratogenicity. Severe pregnancy rhinitis increases the risk of snoring, which has been suggested as having adverse effects on the fetus. In cases where the patients are unable to control their symptoms, pregnancy rhinitis can negatively affect the quality of life (QOL) as well as the pregnancy outcome. Therefore, special caution is required for determining the appropriate diagnosis and treatment modalities for pregnancy rhinitis. Here, we report for the first time, the successful treatment of pregnancy rhinitis that was unresponsive to conservative management and medical therapy by using microdebrider-assisted inferior turbinoplasty at the final stages of pregnancy, along with a review of the relevant literature.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.1125-1139
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• 2006

In 1991, the Ministry of Health & Social affairs adopted a nationwide service program for neonatal screening of phenylketonuria, galactosemia, maple syrup urine disease, homocystinuria, histidinemia & congenital hypothyroidism for newborns delivered from low class pregnant women registered in health centers. Government decreased the test items from six to two, PKU & congenital hypothyroidism to increase test numbers with same budget from 1995. Government decided to test PKU & hypothyroidism for all newborns from 1997. 78 laboratories wanted to participate for neonatal screening test in 1999. Government didn't decide laboratory center for a certain district and placed responsibility on free competition. Government are planning to test 573,000 newborns from 1998, Government decided to screen 6 items PKU, congenital hypothyroidism, maple syrup urine disese, homocystinuria, galactosemia and congenital adrenal hyperplasia from 2006. 17 laboratores are participating now. The cost of screening test is supported by both the federal government and local government on a 40-60 basis. In case a patient with an inherited metabolic disease is diagnosed by screening of government program, special milk is provided at government's expense. Interlaboratory quality control was started 6 times a year from 1994. According to the government project, 3,707,773 newborns were screened. 86 PKU, 718 congenital hypothyroidism were detected. So incidence of PKU is 1/43,114 and congenital hypothyroidism is 1/4,612. Maeil dairy company produced new special formula for PKU, MMA and PA, MSUD, urea cycle disorder, homocystinuria, isovaleric acidemia from Oct. 1999. The cost benefit of performing screening procedures coupled with treatment has been estimated to be as high as 1.77 times in PKU, 11.11 times in congenital hypothyroidism than cost without screening. We are trying to increase the budget to test all newborns for Tandem mass sereening & Wilson disease from 2008. Now it is a very important problem to decrease laboratory numbers of neonatal screening in Korea. So we are considering 4-5 central laboratories which cover all newborns and are equipped with tandem mass spectrometer & enzyme immunoassay for TSH, 17OHP & enzyme colorimetric assay for galactose.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.118-124
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• 2018

Obecity in pregnancy causes many problems and increases risk of pregnancy complications at the time of childbirth. But there is a lack of comprehensive analysis of factors that are negatively affected during pregnancy. Therefore, this study is intended to analyze seven factors of high-risk maternal diseases by the degree of obesity using body mass index(BMI). We conducted a cross tabulation analysis and regression analysis to analisized relationship between variables : Gestational Hypertension(GH), Gestational Diabetes Mellitus(GDM), Thyroid Stimulation Hormone(TSH), Age, Blood Urea Nitrogen Test(BUN), Total-Cholesterol(T-C), and newborn's weight. As a result, the more the obesity level of mothers increases, the more the proportion of mothers with GH, GDM, TSH increases. And there was a positive relationship between the BMI of mothers and their age, T-C, and Newborn weight, and a negative relationship to the BUN.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.649-656
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of transverse cerebellar diameter and abdominal circumference (TCD/AC ratio) as variables to evaluate intrauterine growth restriction of the fetus. From April 2019 to March 2021, 784 pregnant women who underwent ultrasound as a regular checkup at I hospital were retrospectively analyzed using the transverse cerebellar diameter and abdominal circumference measurements. In simple regression analysis, transverse cerebellar diameter and abdominal circumference had an effect of 97.2% and 97.5% on gestational age (p<0.001). In addition, the percentile of the TCD/AC ratio for each gestational age group was calculated through frequency analysis, and the 95th percentile of intrauterine growth restriction prediction was 14.2. As a result, it is thought that the TCD/AC ratio can be used as a useful variable to evaluate the normal growth of the fetus and predict the IUGR.

• Journal of the Health Care and Life Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.243-252
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• 2022

This study introduces a case consisting of nursing capstone design class delivered in an intensive mode during the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzes the outcome of student capstone designs. The nursing capstone design class was held four hours a week for eight weeks from August 25 to October 27, 2020, and 18 students completed the course. Results of capstone design projects included a storybook designed to educate hospitalized children for their disease, detachable nets for safe wheelchair transfer, teaching aids for pregnant women with gestational diabetes, and adhesive alarm bells for bed rails. Students showed high satisfaction with the intensive mode of delivery in the class and positively evaluated the inclusion of team-based projects, and the average score of overall satisfaction with the course was 4.8±0.41. There is a lack of research on intensive capstone design courses in the nursing field. This study explores measures to help develop flexible cirriculums and enhance learner efficacy in a real-life context. Future research is anticipated to expand on capstone design in nursing.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.3310-3318
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of individual breast-feeding promotion program on breast-feeding attitude and breast-feeding practice in the non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design. The subjects of this study were 64 pregnant women who were more than 32 weeks of pregnancy period (Exp. group; 32, Con. group; 32) at a Maternal and Child health center. The data were analyzed with frequency, percentage, $x^2$-test and t-test using a SPSS statistical program. The results are as follows. The experimental group that participated in the individual breast-feeding promotion program was higher scores of breast-feeding attitude and breast-feeding practice rate than the control group. There was significant difference between two groups with time period change. In conclusion, this program could be an effective nursing intervention to improve breast-feeding attitude and breast-feeding practice.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2010

Objectives: The Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) payment system, which has been mplemented in Korea since 1997, is based on voluntary participation. Hence, the positive impact of this system depends on the participation of physicians. This study examined the factors determining participation of Korean obstetrics & gynecology (OBGYN) clinics in the DRG-based payment system. Methods: The demographic information, practice-related variables of OBGYN clinics and participation information in the DRG-based payment system were acquired from the nationwide data from 2002 to 2007 produced by the National Health Insurance Corporation and the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service. The subjects were 336 OBGYN clinics consisting of 43 DRG clinics that had maintained their participation in 2003-2007 and 293 no-DRG (fee-for-service) clinics that had never been a DRG clinic during the same period. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the factors associated with the participation of OBGYN clinics in the DRG-based payment system. Results: The factors affecting participation of OBGYN clinics in the DRG-based payment system were as follows (p<0.05): (1) a larger number of caesarian section (c/sec) claims, (2) higher cost of a c/sec, (3) less variation in the price of a c/sec, (4) fewer days of admission for a c/sec, and (5) younger pregnant women undergoing a c/sec. Conclusions: These results suggest that OBGYN clinics with an economic practice pattern under a fee-for-service system are more likely to participate in the DRG-based payment system. Therefore, to ensure adequate participation of physicians, a payment system with a stronger financial incentive might be more suitable in Korea.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.381-393
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• 2014

The purpose of this research was to analyze the work performance and the general characteristics influencing work performance of customized home health care nurse. Research participants were 204 nurses who worked in the customized home health care of 33 public health centers in Daegu city and Gyeong-Buk Province. The data were collected by self report questionnaires from July, 1 to August, 30, 2011. The highest degree of work performance was the diabetes mellitus service, while the lowest degree was pregnant women services. Age, marital status, education level, religion, career at public health center, visiting nurses career and work area were the significant factors related to work performance in these subjects. Customized home health care nurses management policy which includes assignment tasks and employment security considering general characteristics of visiting nurses should be established to enhance of activation and stable settlement of customized home health care service.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.293-300
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• 1997

The aim of present study was to determine the efficacy of immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes for unexplained infertility. It has been apparent that reproductive success may be affected by the presence of abnormal autoantibodies. Unexplained infertility and repeated pregnancy wastage has been reported in the presence of abnormal autoantibodies. These data suffest that abnormal immune function may be an important pathologic entity contributing subfertility in patients with unexplained infertility. Therefore, immunotherapy may be a possible treatment modality for patients with unexplained infertility. Some investigators have reported that a proportion of infertile couples with repeatedly unsuccessful ET showed close histocompatibility similar to those of spontaneous recurrent abortion. Recently, it has been noted that immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes achieves a high efficacy in preventing subsequent abortion in women with primary recurrent abortion of unknown cause, which was mediated by immune reaction including blocking antibody. To substantiate the hypothesis, we applied immunotherapy preceding Peritoneal Oocyte and Sperme transfer (POST) to 43 patients, 47 cycles of 82 patients, 89 cycles with at least three previous IUI failure from April, 1993 to February, 1995. There were no significant differences between treatment and control group in clinical response and hormonal response to controlled hyperstimulation. there was no significant difference between treatment and control group in pregnant rates per cycles (42.6% versus 28.6%), but a significantly lower abortion rate per pregnancy in treatment group, with 10.0% (2/20) compared with 50.03% (6/12) in control group. This study may suggest that immune therapy for patients with unexplained infertility with paternal lymphocytes might be beneficial.