• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.198-204
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• 2021

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is known as one of the major causes of death from disease worldwide. Statin therapy plays a pivotal role in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) lowering the LDL-cholesterol level effectively. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of the intensity of statin therapy in adult patients of Korea and the risk of ASCVD of the patient group. Methods: We used data from sample of patients from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA-NPS-2018). We analyzed the patterns of prescribing statins including types of statin, statin intensity, and number of patients with ASCVD or risk of ASCVD. Results: 155,512 patients were included in the analysis, and 27,950 patients (18.0%) was over 75 years. High-intensity statin usage was increased in ASCVD patients compared with the low-intensity statin use. The OR (odds ratio) of high-intensity statin were increased in myocardial infarction patients compared with low-intensity statin use showing the highest OR; 12.40 (95% CI; 9.48-16.22). At patient groups of angina, ischemic heart disease and carotid disease, high-intensity statin prescription rate was increased compared with low-intensity statin. However, there was no statistical significance between both statin prescription rates in patients of peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aneurysm, diabetic mellitus and atherosclerosis. Conclusion: The statin prescription rate showed intensity increasing tendency according to the risk of ASCVD. More aggressive statin therapy might be beneficial for the ASCVD patients based on the recent guidelines of dyslipidemia.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.359-365
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• 2012

We investigated leaf disease intensity of Kalopanax septemlobus (prickly castor oil tree) caused by the parasitic fungus Mycosphaerella acanthopanacis, in thirty natural host populations in the Japanese Archipelago. The disease intensity observed for individual trees were analyzed using a generalized additive model as a function of tree size, tree density, climatic terms and spatial trend surface. Individual tree size and conspecific tree density were shown to have significant negative and positive effects on disease intensity, respectively. The findings suggest that the probability of disease infection is partly determined by dispersal of infection agents (ascospores) from the fallen leaves on the ground, which can be enhanced by aggregation of host trees in a forest stand. Regional-scale spatial bias was also present in disease intensity; the populations in northern Japan and southern Kyushu were more severely infected by the fungus than those in southwestern Honshu and Shikoku. Regional variation of disease intensity was explained by both climatic factors and a trend surface term, with a latitudinal cline detected, which increases towards the north. Further research should be conducted in order to understand all of the factors generating the latitudinal cline detected in this study.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2008

A preliminary survey on the incidence and intensity of root disease complex (association of Meloidogyne incognita and root rot pathogens) was carried out in the sericultural areas of Karnataka. A total of 280 mulberry gardens were surveyed in 14 districts of Karnataka belonging to different types of soil (red sandy, red loamy and black cotton), farming systems (irrigated and rainfed), varieties (V-1, K-2, Local and S-13) and age of the plants (0-5, 5-10 and 10-15 years). It was observed that the association of M. incognita with Botryodiplodia theobromae and Fusarium solani causes the root disease complex in mulberry. Of the 280 gardens visited, 94 were infested with the disease complex and incidence was recorded as 33.6%. The higher intensity of root disease complex was observed when the root system had more than 100 galls/plant with infection of mixed population of B. theobromae and F. solani in sandy soil under irrigated farming. The 5-10 years old mulberry plantation with V-I variety was found to be most susceptible to root disease complex. Districts like Mysore, Kolar, Mandya, Tumkur, Chitradurga and Bangalore were observed as sensitive areas. Further, the wounds caused by M. incognita in mulberry roots favour the easy entry of root rot pathogens, which increased the severity of the disease very fast.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.427-432
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• 2021

The infection status of zoonotic trematode metacercariae (ZTM) was investigated in total 568 freshwater fishes (19 species) from the irrigation canal of Togyo-jeosuji (Reservoir) in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, the Republic of Korea for 3 years (2018-2020). All fishes were examined using the artificial digestion method. The metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis (CsMc) were detected in 180 (43.8%) out of 411 fish of positive species, and their infection intensity was 38 per fish infected (PFI). Especially, in 2 fish species, i.e., Pseudorasbora parva and Puntungia herzi, the prevalence was 82.1% and 31.3%, and the infection intensity with CsMc was 88 and 290 PFI, respectively. Metagonimus spp. metacercariae (MsMc) were found in 403 (74.1%) out of 544 fish of positive species, and their infection intensity was 62 PFI. In the pale chub, Zacco platypus, the prevalence of MsMc was 98.6%, and their infection intensity was 144 PFI. Centrocestus armatus metacercariae were detected in 171 (38.9%) out of 440 fish of positive species, and their infection intensity was 1,844 PFI. Echinostoma spp. metacercariae were found in 94 (19.6%) out of 479 fish of positive species, and their infection intensity was 3 PFI. Metorchis orientalis metacercariae were detected in 43 (29.3%) out of 147 fish of positive species, and their infection intensity was 4 PFI. By the present study, it has been confirmed that some species of ZTM, including CsMc and MsMc, are prevalent in fishes from the irrigation canal of Togyo-jeosuji in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.248-258
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was to investigate factors influencing the Framingham risk score-Coronary heart disease (FRS-CHD) according to gender and body mass index (BMI) of adults who participated in the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V-3). Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design with secondary analysis with KNHANES V-3. The FRS-CHD scores were measured with ages, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, smoking, and diabetes mellitus. With demographic characteristics, family history of ischemic heart disease, types (intensity) and days of physical activities, perceived stress, drinking, menopause (in female), and BMI scores were measured. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regressions. Results: FRS-CHD was significantly associated with types (intensity) and days of physical activities, educational level, occupation, and marital status, explaining 19.1~76.8% of the variance in men. FRS-CHD was significantly associated with types (intensity) and days of physical activities, menopause, and education level, explaining 55.0~59.5% of the variance in women. Conclusion: Factors influencing FRS-CHD were significantly different according to gender and BMI. To reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, it is necessary to develop gender-specific physical activity programs according to BMI.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.88-96
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• 2022

Widespread infectious diseases are a concern for workers working in confined spaces. However, there is no risk assessment index for the risk of infectious disease in the workplace. Therefore, we propose a simple but effective index model to assess the risk of infectious diseases in the workplace. The proposed model identifies the risk of each workplace through an evaluation sheet comprising the frequency and intensity of the infectious disease. The intensity of an infectious disease is generally governed by the density of workers, whereas frequency is the sum of physical-e nvironmental and human management factors. By multiplying intensity and frequency, the risk of the workplace is derived. Through the proposed model, we evaluate the risks of workers at 15 different work sites. The proposed model clearly reveals what should be improved to keep workers safe from infectious diseases and will be helpful in assessing the risk of contagious disease at the work place.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.10-26
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• 2019

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is an emerging new technology with considerable potential to treat various neurological diseases. With refinement of ultrasound transducer technology and integration with magnetic resonance imaging guidance, transcranial sonication of precise cerebral targets has become a therapeutic option. Intensity is a key determinant of ultrasound effects. High-intensity focused ultrasound can produce targeted lesions via thermal ablation of tissue. MRgFUS-mediated stereotactic ablation is non-invasive, incision-free, and confers immediate therapeutic effects. Since the US Food and Drug Administration approval of MRgFUS in 2016 for unilateral thalamotomy in medication-refractory essential tremor, studies on novel indications such as Parkinson's disease, psychiatric disease, and brain tumors are underway. MRgFUS is also used in the context of blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening at low intensities, in combination with intravenously-administered microbubbles. Preclinical studies show that MRgFUS-mediated BBB opening safely enhances the delivery of targeted chemotherapeutic agents to the brain and improves tumor control as well as survival. In addition, BBB opening has been shown to activate the innate immune system in animal models of Alzheimer's disease. Amyloid plaque clearance and promotion of neurogenesis in these studies suggest that MRgFUS-mediated BBB opening may be a new paradigm for neurodegenerative disease treatment in the future. Here, we review the current status of preclinical and clinical trials of MRgFUS-mediated thermal ablation and BBB opening, described their mechanisms of action, and discuss future prospects.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.3-15
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• 2013

The acoustic analysis of diadochokinesis(DDK) has been used to evaluate dysarthria. However, there has not been an automatic method to evaluate dysarthria. The aim of this study was to introduce a new automated program to measure DDK tasks and to apply this to clinical patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease(IPD). Fourty-seven patients with IPD and a healthy control group of twenty participants were selected with every DDK task recorded three times. Twenty-five acoustic parameters in the program were developed. The relevant parameters were times of DDK, pitch related parameters, intensity parameters which were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA. Significant differences between the groups were found in the times of DDK, pitch related parameters, and intensity parameters. The findings indicated that the pitch of control group was more stable than that of the IPD. Even though the patients with IPD had a higher intensity value, this phenomenon was caused by the weakness of the IPD group who could not control their speech with a breath.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.668-674
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• 2000

This study was to examine effects of the eight month exercise program at lactate threshold level intensity on 11 women patients of ischemic heart disease. The %body fat and systolic blood pressure were decreased and the aerobic capacioties of oxygen consumption as well as oxygen consumption at lactate threshold were improved through the exercise program arranged by this study. The lipid variables concerned with coronary heart disease were changed a little except that triglyceride was significantly decreased during the exercise program. The effects obtained from exercise program during four months lasted to the end of the exercise program. In case we control the exercise intensity according to increase of oxygen consumption at lactate threshold the exercise program conducted by this study will be effective to the treatment for ischemic heart disease patients.(Korean J Nutrition 33(6) . 668~674, 2000)

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.691-697
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• 2016

Methods: A stroke patient with hot flashes was treated for 4 weeks with acupuncture, herbal acupuncture, and herbal medicine. We then evaluated the frequency, intensity, and score (frequency×intensity) of the hot flashes, as well as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which shows subjective sleep quality. Results: After 4 weeks of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) treatment, the patient showed reductions in the frequency of hot flashes from a score of 7 to 4, the intensity of hot flashes from a score of 4 to 2, the scoring (frequency×intensity) of hot flashes from 28 to 4, and the PSQI from 13 to 4. Conclusions: This study validated the effect of TKM as a treatment for hot flashes in patients with stroke.