• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2008

Purpose: This study evaluates the association of estrogen receptor(ER), progesterone receptor(PR), Her-2, COX-2, and survivin with the clinicopathological features and outcomes in young Korean women with breast cancer using recently developed tissue microarray(TMA) technology. Materials and Methods: A cohort of 212 young patients with breast cancer diagnosed at the age of 45 years or younger from March 1994 to August 2005, were enrolled in this study. The age range of patients was $23{\sim}45$ years(median age, 39 years). The minimum and median follow-up periods were 24 months and 60 months, respectively. Serial sections of primary tumors were processed by the use of a TMA for immunohistochemical staining for five biomarkers. The correlation of these five biomarkers and the clinicopathological features and outcomes were analyzed by statistical methods. Results: The majority of the patients were stage T1(90 patients) or T2(101 patients), and 105 patients(49.5%) had an axillary node metastasis. The 5-year overall and relapse free survival rates for all of the patients were 90.4% and 82.3%, respectively, and 36 patients had a locoregional or distant metastasis as a first event. Positive expression of ER, PR, Her-2, COX-2, and survivin was determined in 38.2%, 45.3%, 25.9%, 41.5%, and 43.4%, of the tumor samples, respectively. Tumor stage, nodal status, age, as well as expression of ER, PR, and HER-2 status were significantly associated with the disease free survival rate. Tumor stage, nodal status, as well as expression of ER, PR, and HER-2 were significantly related with the overall survival rate. Expression of COX-2 and survivin were not single independent prognostic factors for the disease free and overall survival rate although co-expression of HER-2 and COX-2 had a tendency as a poor prognostic factor. By multivariate analysis, only T stage and lymph node status were significant prognostic factors, and ER status was a marginally significant prognostic factor(p=0.075). Conclusion: Expression of ER, PR and HER-2 were significant prognostic factors for the relapse free and overall survival rate. Expression of COX-2 and survivin were not prognostic factors for young women with breast cancer.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2006

Purpose: Crohn disease (CD) in children is frequently complicated by malnutrition and growth retardation. Conventional treatment with corticosteroid may also affect the growth of children, which may be alleviated by nutritional therapy. Therefore, we performed this study to evaluate the role of nutritional therapy in the treatment of CD in children. Methods: The study cohort consisted of thirty children under the age of 17 years, admitted to the Asan Medical Center from 2001 to 2005. While 11 children received nutritional therapy (NT) with an elemental diet, 19 received conventional corticosteroid therapy (ST). Comparative analysis was performed for the rate of the induction of remission, recurrence, disease activity index of pre and post-treatment, and changes of the growth using mean standard deviation score for weight (zW) and height (zH). Results: Ten of 11 children with NT and 18 of 19 children with ST completed the therapy. Two of them were lost to follow-up during the treatment. All 10 children with NT and 15 of 18 children with ST achieved remission. While there was no recurrence in children with NT, 7 with ST showed recurrence within 1 year. Pre- and post treatment Pediatric Crohn disease Activity Index (PCDAI) did not show a difference between the two groups. There were no differences in zW and zH between the two groups after 1 year of follow-up. Conclusion: This study showed that nutritional therapy could be considered instead of steroid therapy for treatment of children with CD. However, a long-term study will be needed to determine the long-term efficacy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.7
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• pp.868-875
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• 2017

The aim of the present study was to investigate antioxidant nutrient intake and risk of metabolic syndrome based on stress level in rural Korean women. Subject were participants from the Multi-Rural Communities Cohort Study, which was a part of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. According to scores of the Psychosocial Well-Being Index Short-Form, a total of 10,111 subjects were classified into 'low stress group (n=8,015)' from 0 to 26 points and 'high stress group (n=2,096)' above 27 points. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and blood chemical analysis. Dietary nutrient consumption was assessed by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. High stress group showed lower intake of antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, zinc, and carotene compared to the low stress group. Intake of fruits and vegetable was lower in the high stress group compared to the low stress group. Subjects with high stress showed higher risk of hypertension [odd ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.226 (1.112~1.351)] and hypertriglyceridemia [OR, 95% CI=1.227 (1.110~1.356)] than subjects with low stress. High stress group had a significantly greater odds ratio for metabolic syndrome compared with the low stress group [OR, 95% CI=1.216 (1.101~1.342]). Thus, the present study suggests that high stress might be associated with low intake of antioxidant nutrients and high risk of metabolic syndrome in rural Korean women.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.513-522
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• 2017

This study was conducted to examine the relationships between milk and milk product intake and bone health. The data from the 2008~2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were used for data analysis. Subjects included 4,626 men and 6,144 women aged 19 to 64 years. Daily intake frequency of milk and milk products was obtained using a food frequency questionnaire and divided into two categories: less than one serving per day and more than one serving per day. Bone mineral density (BMD) values of total femur, femoral neck, and lumbar spine were compared based on daily intake frequency, and relationships between milk and milk product daily intake frequency and osteoporosis risk were evaluated based on logistic regression. In men aged 30~39, BMDs of total femur and femoral neck were significantly higher in the group that consumed milk more than one serving per day (P<0.05). Intake frequency of milk and milk products was also significantly related to both BMDs of total femur and femoral neck. The odds ratio (OR) for milk intake frequency (more than one serving per day) compared to intake frequency less than one serving per day was 0.36 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21~0.62], and the OR for milk and milk products intake frequency (more than one serving per day) was 0.49 (95% CI 0.28~0.86) in women aged 50~64. These results indicate that increased consumption of milk and its products is associated with reduced risk of bone health disease, and adequate intakes of milk and milk products might play an important role in maintaining optimum bone health. Further research on the causal relationship and dose-response association between milk intake and bone heath using prospective cohort data is required prior to applying the observed results to programs that prevent bone health problems.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.4 s.51
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• pp.845-862
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• 1995

We followed prospectively some hospital-delivered mothers to identify characteristics of those not initiated breast-feeding and predictors of breast-feeding discontinuation in monthly telephone interviews. Recruits were composed of 482 mothers who delivered their babies at one university hospital and one OB/GYN clinic in September to November 1991. Breast-feeding discontinuation was defined as switch to 100% formula lasting more than one week regardless of solid foods. Average age of the study subjects was 27.3 years of age(standard deviation 3.2). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated native place, occupation, method of delivery and method of feeding considered to be better for maternal health were statistically significant(p<0.1) between initiators and non-initiators of breast feeding. In starting cohort(N=242) of those initiated breast-feeding, that median of breast-feeding discontinuation were 5 months and 25th and 75th percentiles were 3 and 9 months respectively. In Cox's proportional hazard model, mothers with $10\sim13$ years of education were 2.63 times (95% confidence interval, CI $1.50\sim4.60$) more likely to discontinue than those with less than 9 years of education and those with more than 13 years of education were 3.55 time (95% CI $1.99\sim6.33$). Compared with house wife, mothers with part-time jobs were 1.99 times (95% CI $0.86\sim4.57$) more likely to discontinue and those with employed full-time were 1.55 times (95% CI $0.96\sim2.51$). These results suggest that the predictors of initiation and discontinuation of breast-feeding may be different and different target populations should be selected to promote initiation and to prevent discontinuation of breast-feeding according to the period after birth.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2019

Purpose: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is the most common congenital endocrine disorder. The purpose of the present study was to determine the incidence of CH in South Korea during the period from January 1991 to March 2004. Methods: Central data from each city branch of SCL (Seoul Clinical Reference Laboratories) in Yongin, South Korea, was gathered and collectively analyzed. Newborn screening (NBS) for CH was based on measuring the levels of neonatal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free T4 (a cut-off of 20 mIU/L and less than 0.8 ng/dL, respectively). Results: During the study period, 671,805 live births were screened for CH based on TSH and free T4 ELISA assays. A total of 159 newborns were deemed positive for CH out of 671,805, with a corresponding incidence of 1 in 4,225. When a cut-off of 20 mIU/L was used in TSH assays, the associated sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values (PPV) were 100.0%, 99.7%, and 10.8%, respectively. When a cut-off of 0.8 ng/dL in free T4 assays was used, the associated sensitivity, specificity, and PPV were 100.0%, 98.5%, and 3.9%, respectively. Conclusion: CH incidence in South Korea as evidenced by the results of NBS was compared with its incidence and comparable to the other countries prior to 2004.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.211-226
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• 2022

Choline, an essential nutrient for humans, is required for the structural integrity of the cell membranes, methyl-group metabolism, synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, synthesis of the membrane phospholipid components of the cell membranes, and the transport of lipids and cholesterol. Choline can be synthesized in the body, but it is insufficient to meet the daily requirements and hence it must be obtained through the diet. In the United States/Canada, Australia/New Zealand, Europe, China, and Taiwan, the adequate intake (AI) and tolerable upper intake level (UL) of choline have been established, while the establishment of the 2020 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRI) for choline was postponed due to the lack of a choline database for Korean foods and studies on the choline intake of Koreans. However, as part of the preparation work for the 2020 DRI revision and finalization, choline intake and the possibility of disease occurrence were verified through analysis of published data. The groundwork for the subsequent establishment of a choline DRI was laid through a literature search, evaluation, and review of the literature reported from 1949 up to 2019. This can be regarded as the culmination of this project. According to the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, case-control studies, and cross-sectional observational studies in humans, approximately 400-500 mg/day of choline intake was effective in preventing liver function damage (fatty liver), neural tube damage, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and cognitive function improvement. The same amount of choline intake, however, also correlated with the risk of prostate and colorectal cancer. At present, there is limited information available on choline intake and health outcomes, particularly for the Korean population. More human studies, including clinical trials on the requirements and the physiological benefits associated with dietary intake, are needed to establish the KDRI for choline.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.2 s.57
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• pp.437-461
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• 1997

Because of a significant improvement in the economic situation and development of scientific techniques in Korea during the last 30 years, the life expectancy of the Korean people has lengthened considerably and as a result, the number of the elderly has markedly increased. Such an increase of the number of aged population brought about many social, economic, and medical problems which were never seriously considered before. This study was conducted to assess the trend of medical care utilization and medical expenditure of the elderly. The data of each patient in the study were taken from computer database maintained for administrative purpose by the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation. The study population was 132,670 who were 60 years old or more and registered in Korean Medical Insurance Corporation from 1989 to 1993. The study subjects were predominantly female(56.3%) and 10,000-20,000 Won premium group(50.6%). The following are summaries of findings : The total increase of the number of inpatient cases was 40.5% from 1989 through 1993. The average annual increase was 3.7% in inpatient medical expenditures per case, 4.4% in inpatient medical expenditures per day and 0.08% in length of stay per case from 1989 through 1993. Cataract was the most prevalent disease of 10 leading frequent diseases in all ages from 1989 through 1993. The case mix in 1993 compared to 1989 revealed that cataract and ischemic cerebral disease were increased whereas essential hypertension and pulmonary tuberculosis were decreased . The average annual increase of medical expenditures was 3.8% in general hospitals, 6.3% in hospitals and 2.4% in clinics. From 1989 through 1993, medical expenditures used by high-cost patients accounted for about 14% to 20% of all expenditures for inpatient care, while they represented less than 2.5% of the elderly population. Time series analysis revealed that total medical expenditures and doctor's fee for inpatient will be progressively increased whereas drug expenditures for inpatient will be decreased. And there will be no change in length of stay. Based on the above results, the factors increasing medical cost and utilization should be identified and the method of cost containment for the elderly health care should be developed systematically.