• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.10
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• pp.402-407
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• 2016

Purpose: Buckwheat allergy is one of the most severe types of food allergy in some countries, especially among children. However, few studies have investigated this condition. The aim of this study was to report the clinical and laboratory findings in Korean children with buckwheat allergy. Methods: Thirty-seven subjects, aged 1 to 14 years, were enrolled by retrospective medical record review from January 2000 through May 2015 at the Department of Pediatrics in Ajou University Hospital. The demographic profile, previous exposure to buckwheat pillows, clinical symptoms, and laboratory findings of each subject were recorded. Results: Twenty-six of the 37 children had immediate-type allergic symptoms to buckwheat, while 11 subjects were tolerant to buckwheat. Seventeen out of 26 buckwheat allergic children (65.4%) had anaphylaxis. The median buckwheat specific IgE level in the buckwheat allergic group ($7.71kU_A/L$) was significantly higher (P<0.001) than in the buckwheat tolerant group ($0.08kU_A/L$) with an optimal cutoff value of $1.27kU_A/L$ (sensitivity 84.6%, specificity 100%). When adjusted for age, the difference between the 2 groups showed no statistical significance (P=0.063). In subjects who had anaphylaxis, buckwheat-specific IgE levels ranged from 0.37 to $100kU_A/L$. Conclusion: Almost two-thirds of buckwheat-allergic children had anaphylaxis, and a wide-range of buckwheat specific IgE levels were observed in these children. Anaphylaxis occurred in a subject with a remarkably low IgE level ($0.37kU_A/L$).

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.494-503
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• 2016

PURPOSE. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of two-implant splinting (2-IS) and single-implant restoration (1-IR) in the first and second molar regions over a mean functional loading period (FLP) of 40 months, and to propose the appropriate clinical considerations for the splinting technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The following clinical factors were examined in the 1-IR and 2-IS groups based on the total hospital records of the patients: sex, mean age, implant location, FLP, bone grafting, clinical crown-implant ratio, crown height space, and horizontal distance. The mechanical complications [i.e., screw loosening (SL), screw fracture, crown fracture, and repeated SL] and biological complications [i.e., peri-implant mucositis (PM) and peri-implantitis (PI)] were also evaluated for each patient. In analysis of two groups, the chi-square test and Student's t-test were used to identify the relationship between clinical factors and complication rates. The optimal cutoff value for the FLP based on complications was evaluated using receiver operating characteristics analysis. RESULTS. In total, 234 patients with 408 implants that had been placed during 2005 - 2014 were investigated. The incident rates of SL (P<.001), PM (P=.002), and PI (P=.046) differed significantly between the 1-IR and 2-IS groups. The FLP was the only meaningful clinical factor for mechanical and biological complication rates in 2-IS. CONCLUSION. The mechanical complication rates were lower for 2-IS than for 1-IR, while the biological complication rates were higher for 2-IS. FLP of 39.80 and 46.57 months were the reference follow-up periods for preventing biological and mechanical complications, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.873-889
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of family-of-origin experiences(parents' marital adjustment and affectionate relationship with parents) and self-differentiation on the nuclear family relationships(marital adjustment of married men women, and affectionate relationship with child). Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire method with 159 married men and 193 married women. The results showed that first, married men and women perceived the level of family-of-origin experiences lower than that of nuclear family relationships, and there were significant differences in the level of marital adjustment across sex, age, marital status, and income. Second, there was significant positive correlation between family-of-origin experiences and self-differentiation, between family-of-origin experiences and the nuclear family relationships, and between self-differentiation and the nuclear family relationships. Third, multiple regression analyses indicated that parents' marital adjustment and emotional cutoff were the powerful predictors of marital adjustment of married men women. Finally, women's affectionate relationship with child was predicted by such variables as affectionate relationship with parents, fusion with others, and emotional fusion, whereas men's affectionate relationship with child was predicted by such variables as affectionate relationship with parents, emotional reactivity, and I-position.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.195-202
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• 2014

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disorder related to insulin resistance, obesity, and inflammation. Genetic and environmental factors also contribute to the development of MetS, and through genome-wide association studies (GWASs), important susceptibility loci have been identified. However, GWASs focus more on individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), explaining only a small portion of genetic heritability. To overcome this limitation, pathway analyses are being applied to GWAS datasets. The aim of this study is to elucidate the biological pathways involved in the pathogenesis of MetS through pathway analysis. Cohort data from the Korea Associated Resource (KARE) was used for analysis, which include 8,842 individuals (age, $52.2{\pm}8.9years$ ; body mass index, $24.6{\pm}3.2kg/m^2$). A total of 312,121 autosomal SNPs were obtained after quality control. Pathway analysis was conducted using Meta-analysis Gene-Set Enrichment of Variant Associations (MAGENTA) to discover the biological pathways associated with MetS. In the discovery phase, SNPs from chromosome 12, including rs11066280, rs2074356, and rs12229654, were associated with MetS (p < $5{\times}10^{-6}$), and rs11066280 satisfied the Bonferroni-corrected cutoff (unadjusted p < $1.38{\times}10^{-7}$, Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.05). Through pathway analysis, biological pathways, including electron carrier activity, signaling by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase cascade, PDGF binding, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling, and DNA repair, were associated with MetS. Through pathway analysis of MetS, pathways related with PDGF, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and PPAR signaling, as well as nucleic acid binding, protein secretion, and DNA repair, were identified. Further studies will be needed to clarify the genetic pathogenesis leading to MetS.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2015

Purpose: This research was aimed at evaluating the differences in depression by skinfold thickness, and the relationship between two variables. Methods: Research design was a non-experimental descriptive survey. Using a caliper, we measured skinfold thickness on the triceps, and then on the suprailiac, and the mid-thigh. Depression was evaluated using the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF). Data were collected for one month from Sept 1st to 30th, 2011. There were 52 subjects, 25 of which were from elderly welfare centers and 27 were hospitalized. Results: Subjects were an average age of $76.4{\pm}4.45$, and the incidence rate of depression (${\geq}6$) was 36.5% and those who had a sum of 3 skinfolds over 62 mm were 22.7%. The GDS-SF was significantly different in only the suprailiac skinfold thickness (F=7.25, p<.05). Conclusion: Findings indicate that depression is different based on suprailiac thickness in older adult women at elderly welfare centers and those who were hospitalized in an medical ward. It suggests that the suprailiac skinfold may be an indicator of abdominal obesity when considering depression in elderly women. Further study is needed to evaluate a cutoff score of skinfold thickness in obesity for older adult women.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.249-258
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the psychosocial status of candidates for deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) in South Korea and identify factors associated with high-risk psychosocial status. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional design included application of a standardized transplantation-specific assessment tool, the Psychosocial Assessment Candidacy Transplantation (PACT) instrument, and review of candidates' medical records. A total of 157 patients awaiting DDKT were recruited from a Korean organ transplantation center. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Candidates were divided into high- and low-psychosocial risk groups using 3 as the cutoff point of PACT. Results: The mean score for the PACT final rating was 2.10, and the lowest average subscale score was 2.30 for understanding the processes of transplantation and follow up. Poor physical candidacy, especially due to comorbidities, and older age were associated with high psychosocial risk. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the psychosocial status of Korean DDKT candidates was problematic. Development of systematic management programs for effective clinical strategies in the care of candidates is crucial to maintain their desirable psychosocial status in case of an emergency DDKT operation and improve post-transplantation outcomes. Continuous education is absolutely necessary to enhance understanding of the transplantation process for high-risk psychosocial candidates. Additionally, nurses and transplantation professionals should screen candidates with high-risk psychosocial status early in the process using transplantation-specific assessment tools and provide intensive interventions, particularly for poor physical candidacy patients and older candidates.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.355-362
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to establish the prevalence and patterns of nonsyndromic tooth agenesis in patients referred to a tertiary health care facility. Methods: The intraoral records and panoramic radiographs of 9,874 patients aged 12-22 years were evaluated. The study group included 716 patients (371 male, 345 female) with non-syndromic agenesis of at least one tooth (except the third molars). The study data were assessed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and Mann-Whitney U test, while patterns were evaluated using a tooth agenesis code (TAC) tool. Results: A total of 1,627 congenitally missing teeth, were found in patients with non-syndromic tooth agenesis, with an average of 2.27 missing teeth per patient. The prevalence of tooth agenesis was 7.25%, and the most commonly missing teeth were the left mandibular second premolars (10.17%). The age group comparison revealed no significant difference in the median number of missing teeth per patient according to the cutoff values for ages between 12 and 22 years. When the missing teeth were examined separately according to quadrants, 114 different tooth agenesis patterns (upper right quadrant = 28, upper left quadrant = 27, lower left quadrant = 31, and lower right quadrant = 28) were identified, and 81 of these patterns appeared only once. Conclusions: This study highlights the benefits of applying the TAC tool in a large sample population. The application of the TAC tool in such studies will enable the development of template treatment plans by determining homogenous patterns of tooth agenesis in certain populations.

• Acute and Critical Care
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.260-268
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical application of modified Burns Wean Assessment Program (m-BWAP) scoring at first spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) as a predictor of successful liberation from mechanical ventilation (MV) in patients with endotracheal intubation. Methods: Patients requiring MV for more than 72 hours and undergoing more than one SBT in a medical intensive care unit (ICU) were prospectively enrolled over a 3-year period. The m-BWAP score at first SBT was obtained by a critical care nursing practitioner. Results: A total of 103 subjects were included in this study. Their median age was 69 years (range, 22 to 87 years) and 72 subjects (69.9%) were male. The median duration from admission to first SBT was 5 days (range, 3 to 26 days), and the rate of final successful liberation from MV was 84.5% (n=87). In the total group of patients, the successful liberation from MV group at first SBT (n=65) had significantly higher m-BWAP scores than did the unsuccessful group (median, 60; range, 43 to 80 vs. median, 53; range, 33 to 70; P<0.001). Also, the area under the m-BWAP curve for predicting successful liberation of MV was 0.748 (95% confidence interval, 0.650 to 0.847), while the cutoff value based on Youden's index was 53 (sensitivity, 76%; specificity, 64%). Conclusions: The present data show that the m-BWAP score represents a good predictor of weaning success in patients with an endotracheal tube in place at first SBT.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1391-1400
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• 2019

Canine parvoviral enteritis (PVE) is an important intestinal disease of the puppies; however, the potential impact of the canine parvovirus (CPV) on the gut microbiota has not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the gut microbial shifts in puppies naturally infected with CPV. Fecal samples were collected from healthy dogs and those diagnosed with PVE at 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks of age. The distal gut microbiota of dogs was characterized using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA genes. The sequence data were analyzed using QIIME with an Operational Taxonomic Unit definition at a similarity cutoff of 97%. Our results showed that the CPV was associated with significant microbial dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota. Alpha diversity and species richness and evenness in dogs with PVE decreased compared to those of healthy dogs. At the phylum level, the proportion of Proteobacteria was significantly enriched in dogs with PVE while Bacteroidetes was significantly more abundant in healthy dogs (p < 0.05). In dogs with PVE, Enterobacteriaceae was the most abundant bacterial family accounting for 36.44% of the total bacterial population compared to only 0.21% in healthy puppies. The two most abundant genera in healthy dogs were Prevotella and Lactobacillus and their abundance was significantly higher compared to that of dogs with PVE (p < 0.05). These observations suggest that disturbances of gut microbial communities were associated with PVE in young dogs. Evaluation of the roles of these bacterial groups in the pathophysiology of PVE warrants further studies.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.8
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• pp.307-311
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• 2019

Purpose: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most serious complications of prematurity. Many risk factors can contribute to the development of NEC. The epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a major role in intestinal barrier function, increases intestinal enzyme activity, and improves nutrient transport. The aim of this study was to assess the role of epidermal growth factor in the development of NEC in preterm neonates. Methods: In this study, 130 preterm neonates were included and divided into 3 groups, as follows: group 1, 40 preterm neonates with NEC; group 2, 50 preterm neonates with sepsis; and group 3, 40 healthy preterm neonates as controls. The NEC group was then subdivided into medical and surgical NEC subgroups. The serum EGF level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum EGF levels (pg/dL) were significantly lower in the NEC group (median [interquartile range, IQR], 9.6 [2-14]) than in the sepsis (10.1 [8-14]) and control groups (11.2 [8-14], P<0.001), with no significant difference between the sepsis and control groups, and were positively correlated with gestational age (r=0.7, P<0.001). A binary logistic regression test revealed that low EGF levels and gestational ages could significantly predict the development of NEC. The receiver-operating characteristic curve for EGF showed an optimal cutoff value of 8 pg/mL, with 73.3% sensitivity, 98% specificity, and an area under the curve of 0.92. Conclusion: The patients with NEC in this study had significantly lower serum EGF levels (P<0.001), which indicated that EGF could be a reliable marker of NEC in preterm neonates.