• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2015

Purpose: Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are progressive neurodegenerative disorders with diverse modes of inheritance. There are several subtypes of SCAs. SCA 8, SCA 12, and SCA 17 are the less common forms of SCAs with limited information available on their epidemiological profiles in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17 in Korea. Materials and Methods: Ninety-six unrelated Korean patients were enrolled and showed normal trinucleotide repeats through polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) for the genes ATXN1, ATXN2, ATXN3, CACNA1A, and ATXN7, which correspond to SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, and SCA7, respectively. PCR products from patients were further analyzed by capillary electrophoresis using fluorescence labeled primers for the genes ATXN8OS, PPP2R2B, and TBP, which correspond to SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17. Results: Three patients had 104, 97, and 75 abnormal expanded repeats in the ATXN8OS gene, the causative gene for SCA8. None of the patients exhibited abnormal repeats in SCA12 and SCA17. Normal trinucleotide repeat ranges of the cohort in this study were estimated to be 17-34 copies (average, $24{\pm}4copies$) for SCA8, 7-18 copies (average, $13{\pm}3copies$) for SCA12, and 26-43 copies (average, $35{\pm}2copies$) for SCA17. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17 are rare in Korean patients with SCA, and further genetic studies are warranted to enhance the mutation detection rate in the Korean SCA population.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.121-127
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• 2012

Purpose: Improved survival of patients with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has drawn attention to the potential for late consequences of previous treatments among survivors, including metabolic syndrome. In this study, we evaluated changes in 3 parameters, namely, random blood glucose, body mass index (BMI), and Z score for BMI (Z-BMI), in children with ALL during chemotherapy and after completion of treatment. Methods: Patients newly diagnosed with ALL from January, 2005 to December, 2008 at Saint Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, who completed treatment with chemotherapy only were included (n=107). Random glucose, BMI, and Z-BMI were recorded at 5 intervals: at diagnosis, before maintenance treatment, at completion of maintenance treatment, and 6 and 12 months after completion of maintenance treatment. Similar analyses were conducted on 2 subcohorts based on ALL risk groups. Results: For random glucose, a paired comparison showed significantly lower levels at 12 months post-treatment compared to those at initial diagnosis ($P$ <0.001) and before maintenance ($P$ <0.001). The Z-BMI score was significantly higher before maintenance than at diagnosis ($P$ <0.001), but decreased significantly at the end of treatment ($P$ <0.001) and remained low at 6 months ($P$ <0.001) and 12 months ($P$ <0.001) post-treatment. Similar results were obtained upon analysis of risk group-based subcohorts. Conclusion: For a cohort of ALL patients treated without allogeneic transplantation or cranial irradiation, decrease in random glucose and Z-BMI after completion of chemotherapy does not indicate future glucose intolerance or obesity.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.549-559
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• 1994

Razor clam, Solen (Solen) strictus, was collected between May 1989 and July 1990 on a macrotidal flat, Inchon, Korea. The population sampled at just above mean sea level had a mean density of 126 individuals/$m^2$. Age was determined for 872 specimens by counting annuli, a series of closely-spaced concentric growth lines. According to the fatness index spawning seemed to have occurred once per year in June, and the first recruits for the 1989 year cohort population were found in July. Solen (Solen) strictus on the Chokchon tidal flat reached a shell length of 6.2 cm in four years. Mean growth in shell length can be described by the von Bertalanffy function, which yielded estimates of growth parameters equivalent to $L_{\infty}=81.865\;mm$ shell length and K=0.320 per year: $$L_{t}=81.865(1-e^{-0.320(t+0.487)})$$$$W_{t}=7.173(1-e^{-0.320(t+0.487)})^3$$

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.560-571
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• 1994

A single station representative of the razor clam, Solen (Solen) strictus, on a macrotidal flat, Inchon, Korea was sampled at bimonthly intervals between May 1989 and July 1990 by using a can corer. Estimates of growth rate and annual production of this razor clam have been made using the techniques of cohort growth analysis. Growth rate and production were highest during the first year after spawning and recruitment. The annual production was $2.83g\;DWt/m^2/yr$, mean annual biomass $256.3\;g/w^20$, and a turnover time of 5.00 yea, giving an annual turnover rate (P/B) of $0.20\;yr^{-1}$. The total annual production in wet weight ($33.22g\;WWt/m^2/yr$) appeared to consist of water in live flesh($72.6\%$) and shell($18.9\%$), whereas the dry weight of the soft parts was $8.52\%$, the ash-free dry weight $5.4\%$, and the ash content $3.1\%$ of the total wet weight.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2015

Objectives: An outbreak of food poisoning occurred among the baseball club students at a high school in Ulsan city in 2014. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to examine the infection source and the transmission route of pathogen, and to prevent a recurrence. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted for 26 male students and 2 food handlers. Rectal swabs were examined in 7 students and the 2 food handlers, and an environmental investigation was performed. A retrospective cohort study was used to evaluate the association between risk factors and disease. Results: The attack rate was 35.7% (10 persons/28 persons) from June 9 to 14, and Enterotoxigenic E. coli ST/LT was isolated from 7 among 28 persons. The study revealed that no food was a significant risk factor for the outbreak. There were no connection between environmental factors and the outbreak. Conclusions: The major risk factors for this outbreak were presumed to be the contaminated ice cube and ice making machines and eating ice cube from the machines. More strict personal and environmental hygiene need to be enforced to prevent such outbreaks.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2007

Purpose: To investigate the quality of training hospital based treatment, we evaluated the soft tissue sarcoma treatments afforded by general orthopedic surgeon rather than orthopedic oncologist. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the details of 25 patients with pathologically confirmed soft tissue sarcoma who registered in our hospital between July 1997 and 2006 September. We evaluated initial diagnoses, the surgical treatment (including adjuvant therapy) and the follow up method used and related these to the principles of soft tissue sarcoma treatment. Results: The study cohort comprised 16 men and 9 women of mean age of 50.2 years. A diagnostic biopsy was performed in 9(36%) cases before definitive surgical treatment. Wide excision was performed in 13(52%) cases. For the 12 cases in which the grade of sarcoma was estimated, adequate surgical treatment with adjuvant therapy was performed only in 4(33.3%) cases. In addition, an adequate follow up schedule was adopted in only 4(16%) of the 25 study subjects. Conclusion: Unexpectedly, many cases of soft tissue sarcoma were treated inadequately even in a training hospital. An intensive education program on the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma is necessary for all orthopedic surgeons.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.152-159
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• 2017

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of advancement magnitude and changes in mandibular plane angle on the stability of mandibular advancement. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the postoperative stability of mandibular advancement in class II skeletal subjects who underwent bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. Radiographs taken preoperatively, immediately postoperatively and 1 year postoperatively were traced and analyzed using linear and angular measurements. To determine horizontal and vertical relapse, an X-Y coordinate system was established in which the X-axis was constructed by rotating S-N downward by $7^{\circ}$ (approximation of the Frankfort horizontal plane) and the Y-axis was defined as a line perpendicular to the X-axis and passing through the point Sella. For certain reference points including point A, point B, pogonion and menton, the perpendicular distance between each point and both axes was determined and cephalometric variables were recorded as X and Y coordinates. Results: Twenty-five subjects were studied. A significant correlation between the amount of mandibular advancement and relapse in the B point (vertical and horizontal) and the pogonion point was observed (vertical and horizontal, P<0.001). Evaluation of data demonstrated a positive correlation between the mandibular plane angle (SN/ML) change and vertical relapse in the B point (P<0.05). A simple regression model demonstrated that 74% of horizontal relapse and 42.3% of vertical relapse in the B point was related to the amount of mandibular advancement. The receiver operating characteristic test showed that 8.5 mm mandibular advancement is related to a relapse rate of 1 mm or more in the pogonion, vertically or horizontally. Conclusion: The magnitude of mandibular advancement is a stronger surgical predictor for horizontal rather than vertical relapse at the B point. Changes in mandibular plane angle (SN/ML) during surgery affect vertical, but not horizontal relapse at the B point.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2018

Background: Information regarding the incidence and risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) detected by follow-up computed tomographic (CT) venography after pulmonary embolism (PE) is sparse. The aim of the present study was to identify the predictors of DVT in follow-up CT images, and to elucidate their clinical significance. Methods: Patients with PE were classified into the following three cohorts based on the time of indirect CT venography follow-up: within 1 month, 1 to 3 months, and 3 to 9 months after the initial CT scan. Each cohort was subdivided into patients with or without DVT detected by follow-up CT. Clinical variables were compared between the two groups. Results: Follow-up CT revealed DVT in 61% of patients with PE within 1 month, in 15% of patients with PE at 1 to 3 months, and in 9% of patients with PE at 3 to 9 months after the initial CT scan. Right ventricular (RV) dilation on the initial CT (odds ratio [OR], 8.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.89-36.40; p=0.005) and proximal DVT at the initial presentation (OR, 6.93; 95% CI, 1.90-25.20; p=0.003) were found to independently predict DVT in follow-up CT images within 1 month, proximal DVT at the initial presentation was found to independently predict DVT in follow-up CT images at 1 to 3 months (OR, 6.69; 95% CI, 1.53-29.23; p=0.012), and central PE was found to independently predict DVT in follow-up CT images at 3 to 9 months (OR, 4.25; 95% CI, 1.22-4.83; p=0.023) after the initial CT scan. Furthermore, the detection of DVT by follow-up CT independently predicted the recurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) (OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 2.24-9.74; p<0.001). Conclusion: Three months after PE, DVT was not detected by follow-up CT in most patients with PE. RV dilation on the initial CT, central PE, and proximal DVT at the initial presentation were found to predict DVT on follow-up CT, which might predict VTE recurrence.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.218-227
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• 2020

Background: The national Public-Private Mix (PPM) tuberculosis (TB) control project provides for the comprehensive management of TB patients at private hospitals in South Korea. Surveillance and monitoring of TB under the PPM project are essential toward achieving TB elimination goals. Methods: TB is a nationally notifiable disease in South Korea and is monitored using the surveillance system. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quarterly generates monitoring indicators for TB management, used to evaluate activities of the PPM hospitals by the central steering committee of the national PPM TB control project. Based on the notification date, TB patients at PPM hospitals were enrolled in each quarter, forming a cohort, and followed up for at least 12 months to identify treatment outcomes. This report analyzed the dataset of cohorts the first quarter of 2016 through the fourth quarter of 2017. Results: The coverage of sputum, smear, and culture tests among the pulmonary TB cases were 92.8% and 91.5%, respectively. The percentage of positive sputum smear and culture test results were 30.7% and 61.5%, respectively. The coverage of drug susceptibility tests among the culture-confirmed cases was 92.8%. The treatment success rate among the smear-positive drug-susceptible cases was 83.2%. The coverage of latent TB infection treatment among the childhood TB contacts was significantly higher than that among the adult contacts (85.6% vs. 56.0%, p=0.001). Conclusion: This is the first official report to analyze monitoring indicators, describing the current status of the national PPM TB control project. To sustain its effect, strengthening the monitoring and evaluation systems is essential.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.35-47
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• 2009

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to investigate incidence and related factors of the MS in a university hospital Methods: This survey was conducted from January in 1997 to March in 2008. This study is a cohort study. The baseline subjects were 529 men and 609 women without metabolic syndrome(MS) who visited the health promotion center of Chungnam National University Hospital for general health check-up. The MS was diagnosed according to the definition by the NCEP ATP III. The abdominal obesity guidelines for waist circumference applied the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity Guideline Results: The survey exhibited that baseline risk factors that mainly affect odds ratio(OR) of the MS at follow-up were sex, ages, heavy drinking, uric acid and transpeptidase(GGT) in women. Incidence of the MS was 10.6% in total cases, 18.1% in men and 4.0% in women. The risk of the MS was significantly lower in women than men(OR=0.4, 95% confidence interval(CI: 0.2-0.9), significantly higher 50-59 Ages than < 40 ages(OR=3.4, 95% CI: 1.9-6.4), significantly high in women with heavy drinkers(OR=14.3, 95% CI: 1.2-177.5), significantly high in whole, men and women with high uric acid group(whole, OR=2.6, 95% CI: 1.6-4.2. men, OR=2.1, 95% CI: 1.3-3.5. women, OR=14.2, 95% CI: 3.0-68.3) and significantly high in women with high GGT(OR=1.8, 95% CI: 2.4-12.6). Conclusion: Risk factors of incident MS were baseline sex, ages, heavy drinking in women, uric acid and GGT in women. These can be utilized as an important index to determine risk factors of incident MS and will be basic data in part of management, education, countermeasure and selection test of the MS.