• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.205-216
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• 2022

Background: People with special needs tend to require diverse behavioral management in dentistry. They may feel anxious or uncomfortable or may not respond to any communication with the dentists. Patients with medical, physical, or psychological disorders may not cooperate and therefore require sedation (SED) or general anesthesia (GA) to receive dental treatment. Using the healthcare big data in Korea, this study aimed to analyze the trends of SED and GA in special needs patients undergoing dental treatment. It is believed that these data can be used as reference material for hospitals and for preparation of guidelines and related policy decisions of associations or governments for special needs patients in dentistry. Methods: The study used selected health information data provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Patients with a record of use of one of the eight selected drugs used in dental SED between January 2007 and September 2019, those with International Classification of Diseases-10 codes for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), phobia, brain disease, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, genetic disease, autism, mental disorder, mental retardation, and dementia were selected. The insurance claims data were analyzed for age, sex, sedative use, GA, year, and institution. Results: The number of special needs patients who received dental treatment under SED or GA from January 2007 to September 2019 was 116,623. Number of SED cases was 136,018, performed on 69,265 patients, and the number of GA cases was 56,308, implemented on 47,257 patients. In 2007, 3100 special needs patients received dental treatment under SED while in 2018 the number of cases increased 6 times to 18,528 SED cases. In dentistry, ADHD was the most common disability for SED cases while phobia was the most common cause of disability for GA. The male-to-female ratio with respect to SED cases was higher for males (M : F = 64.36% : 35.64%). Conclusion: The application of the SED method and GA for patients with special needs in dentistry is increasing rapidly; thus, preparing guidelines and reinforcing the education and system are necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.41-49
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• 2011

Objective : This study aims to compare children with and without pervasive developmental disorders in terms of the sensory processing ability and behavioral characteristic of oral feeding. This study also aims to identify correlation between sensory processing and characteristics of eating. Methods : The subjects of this research were normal children and those who have diagnosis of a pervasive developmental disorder, aged from 4 to 6. The research instruments were composed of Short Sensory Profile (SSP), Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory (BAMBI) and Food Items of the Sensory Checklist. Data collection was done by a professional survey institute located in 10 cities including Busan, South Korea. The survey questionnaires were distributed to 455 parents of children with and without pervasive developmental disabilities through the survey institutes. Total 263 answers were collected out of 455 questionnaires (62%) and 154 answers were used in data analysis. Out of 154 answers, 45 were for children with pervasive developmental disabilities and 109 were for normal children. Data analysis was done to identify correlations between sensory processing and characteristics of eating such as eating behavior and oral feeding. Results : 1. There was a significant difference between children with and without pervasive developmental disorders in all area of sensory processing ability (p<.05). 2. There was no difference between children with and without pervasive developmental disorders in eating behavior (p=0.881) and oral feeding (p=0.324). 3. In the group of children with a pervasive developmental disorders, it is found that there is negative correlation between sensory processing, eating behavior and oral feeding (r=-0.384, p<.01). 4. A remarkable significant correlation was found between sensory processing and eating behavior especially in taste/smell sensitivity (r=-0.6, p<.01) and auditory filtering (r=-0.326, p<.05). The correlation between sensory processing and oral feeding was most significant in under responsiveness/seeking sensation (r=-0.372, p<.05) and auditory filtering (r=-0.382, p<.05). Conclusion : This study found that there are significant correlations between sensory processing ability and some characteristics of eating behaviors for children with pervasive developmental disorders. This information can be useful to develop a program to intervene eating behavior problems of children with pervasive developmental disorders.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2013

In-utero exposure to valproic acid (VPA) has been known as a potent inducer of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), not only in humans, but also in animals. In addition to the defects in communication and social interaction as well as repetitive behaviors, ASD patients usually suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) problems. However, the exact mechanism underlying these disorders is not known. In this study, we examined the gross GI tract structure and GI motility in a VPA animal model of ASD. On embryonic day 12 (E12), 4 pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subcutaneously injected with VPA (400 mg/kg) in the treatment group, and with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) in the control group; the resulting male offspring were analyzed at 4 weeks of age. VPA exposure decreased the thickness of tunica mucosa and tunica muscularis in the stomach and ileum. Other regions such as duodenum, jejunum, and colon did not show a significant difference. In high-resolution microscopic observation, atrophy of the parietal and chief cells in the stomach and absorptive cells in the ileum was observed. In addition, decreased staining of the epithelial cells was observed in the hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained ileum section. Furthermore, decreased motility in GI tract was also observed in rat offspring prenatally exposed to VPA. However, the mechanism underlying GI tract defects in VPA animal model as well as the association between abnormal GI structure and function with ASD is yet to be clearly understood. Nevertheless, the results from the present study suggest that this VPA ASD model undergoes abnormal changes in the GI structure and function, which in turn could provide beneficial clues pertaining to the pathophysiological relevance of GI complications and ASD phenotypes.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.77-90
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• 2009

Objective : The purpose of this study was to provide evidence for the effectiveness of Sensory Integrative Intervention (SII) through a systematic review. Method : The systematic review was executed using MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, OTSeeker. The key words for search was "effects of sensory integration", "sensory integration therapy", and "sensory integration intervention". 11 studies were used for data analysis, and the level of evidence were level I, leve lII and level IV. The substances of review were subject (population), method (intervention type), effect of the intervention, outcome parameter, and outcome measurement. Results : 1. The subjects of SII were autism spectrum disorders (30.7%), pervasive developmental disorder (15.4%) and preterm infants (15.4%). 2. Most frequently used method was the traditional intervention of J. Ayres (36.5%). The outcome parameters of SII were behavioral outcome (40.63%), motor performance outcome (28.13%), sensory-based outcome (25.0%), and academic outcome (6.35%). 3. The effects of SII were improvement of motor performance (66.7%), sensory-based (62.5%), and behavior problems (61.5%). In most studies, however, academic skill such as writing skill was not a positive outcome parameter in terms of effectiveness of SII. Conclusions : The results implied that the sensory integrative intervention is effective on motor performance, sensory-based and behavioral change, but not on the academic skill. It is suggested that the future research need to be done to examine whether and how the effect of sensory integration intervention can be long-lasting and contribute any academic skill and activities of daily living performance.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.406-413
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• 2014

to valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy produces ASD-like core behavioral phenotypes as well as hyperactivity in offspring both in human and experimental animals, which makes it a plausible model to study ASD-related neurobiological processes. In this study, we examined the effects of two of currently available attention defecit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications, methylphenidate (MPH) and atomoxetine (ATX) targeting dopamine and norepinephrine transporters (DAT and NET), respectively, on hyperactive behavior of prenatally VPA-exposed rat offspring. In the prefrontal cortex of VPA exposed rat offspring, both mRNA and protein expression of DAT was increased as compared with control. VPA function as a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that the acetylation of histone bound to DAT gene promoter was increased in VPA-exposed rat offspring suggesting epigenetic mechanism of DAT regulation. Similarly, the expression of NET was increased, possibly via increased histone acetylation in prefrontal cortex of VPA-exposed rat offspring. When we treated the VPA-exposed rat offspring with ATX, a NET selective inhibitor, hyperactivity was reversed to control level. In contrast, MPH that inhibits both DAT and NET, did not produce inhibitory effects against hyperactivity. The results suggest that NET abnormalities may underlie the hyperactive phenotype in VPA animal model of ASD. Profiling the pharmacological responsiveness as well as investigating underlying mechanism in multiple models of ASD and ADHD may provide more insights into the neurobiological correlates regulating the behavioral abnormalities.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.24-34
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• 1991

Delayed emergence of speech or language are frequent causes for concern about development during early childhood. Dealy in evaluation and proper management until school entry in more likely to result in frustration, anxiety and school failure. Many language disturbances and their attendant behavior disorders respond to intensive language therapy. Authors analyzed the medical recoreds of 52 children with delayed language development evaluated during 30 months from January 1986 through June 1988. The results were as follows : 1. The majority of cases were evaluated at the age of 2-2.9 year old(16 cases, 30.8%) and 3-3.9 year old(11 cases, 21.2%) 2. Male to female ratio was 3 : 1 3. The most common cause was mental retardation(53.8%), followed by developmental language disorder(23.1%) and autism(13.5%) 4. The most common associated condition was dysarticulation(17.3%), followed by strabismus(9.6%) and seizures(7.7%) 5. Special education was recommended in cases of 23(44.2%), speech therapy in 12 cases(23.1%) and consultation to child psychiatry in 7 cases (13.5%). Making diagnosis of underlying disorders is not simple because assessment of intelligence in young children is difficult and only a few tests are standardized. More detailed study on children with delayed language development and development of psychometric tests for the handicapped children are necessary, especially in Korea.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.439-445
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• 2018

T-type calcium channels are low voltage-activated calcium channels that evoke small and transient calcium currents. Recently, T-type calcium channels have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and neural tube defects. However, their function during embryonic development is largely unknown. Here, we investigated the function and expression of T-type calcium channels in embryonic neural progenitor cells (NPCs). First, we compared the expression of T-type calcium channel subtypes (CaV3.1, 3.2, and 3.3) in NPCs and differentiated neural cells (neurons and astrocytes). We detected all subtypes in neurons but not in astrocytes. In NPCs, CaV3.1 was the dominant subtype, whereas CaV3.2 was weakly expressed, and CaV3.3 was not detected. Next, we determined CaV3.1 expression levels in the cortex during early brain development. Expression levels of CaV3.1 in the embryonic period were transiently decreased during the perinatal period and increased at postnatal day 11. We then pharmacologically blocked T-type calcium channels to determine the effects in neuronal cells. The blockade of T-type calcium channels reduced cell viability, and induced apoptotic cell death in NPCs but not in differentiated astrocytes. Furthermore, blocking T-type calcium channels rapidly reduced AKT-phosphorylation (Ser473) and $GSK3{\beta}$-phosphorylation (Ser9). Our results suggest that T-type calcium channels play essential roles in maintaining NPC viability, and T-type calcium channel blockers are toxic to embryonic neural cells, and may potentially be responsible for neurodevelopmental disorders.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2016

This study reported a case study that showed educational usefulness of SAFMEDS (Say All Fast a Minute Every Day Shuffled) on the improvement of Fluency. The participants were 3 experts with special teacher and speech and pathology, who enrolled a graduate level course, Research in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The SAFMEDS strategy was employed as a study tool for the participants to acquire fluent verbal repertoires related to the key terminologies of Skinner's (1957) analysis of verbal behavior, list 60 pairs of terms. The participants developed 60 term flash cards which presented a target term on the front of the card, and its definition on the back. During the intervention, the participants were required to see the definition and says its term. The results of this study indicated that the SAFMEDS was effective to improve participants' fluent verbal repertoires in terms of both accuracy and fluency. The results of this study would be able to contribute for education professionals to improve certain target operant's accuracy and fluency.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.753-766
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• 2013

Even though civilization is developing at a fast rate, human beings and their living environments do not look happy. Given that the civilization comes from the human mind, which is changing in interaction with human body, society, and nature, it is hard to think that the human mind is changing in the desirable direction. This paper described a whole changing paradigm of the human mind and its causes through the cognitive mechanism in the brain from which all the diverse minds are formed. According to the cognitive mechanism, the human mind can change from the first free and peaceful mind through the middle mind to the last obsessive and anguish mind in accordance with the change of one of the factors in the origin of the human mind. Today's unfavorable changes in human beings, society, and the natural environment including the excessive development of civilization are the results of the undesirable changes of the human mind. This paper specified the respective characteristics of the first, middle, and the last mind and discussed where individuals' minds are and where they are going. Lastly, this paper suggested the specific ways to return to the first original mind based on the cognitive mechanism.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.447-456
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• 2021

This study analyzed 28 domestic and foreign studies related Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets treatment techniques from 1984 to 2020 to prepare basic data for the development of PROMPT intervention programs and examination tools. According to the analysis, continuous research has been conducted since 1984 when the prompt study was first started, and the method of research was 16 intervention studies, with the highest number of speech disorders, and the target age being 3 to 5 years old, the most frequently conducted for infancy. The treatment was the most frequent in the 16th sessions, and the activities were based on the Motor Speech Hierarchy(MSH), except for the subjects of the non-verbal autism spectrum disorder. According to the analysis of the dependent variables, 'speech production' was the most common, followed by 'speech motor control', 'articulation', and 'speech intelligibility' were highest. Combined with all these studies, it suggests that PROMPT, which are directly useful for exercise spoken word production, are effectively being used outside the country and that it is necessary to develop a PROMPT program that can be applied domestically, in Korea.