• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.425-431
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• 2021

The use of big data may facilitate the recognition and interpretation of causal relationships between disease occurrence and climatic variables. Considering the immense contribution of rhinoviruses in causing respiratory infections, in this study, we examined the effects of various climatic variables on the seasonal epidemiology of rhinovirus infections in the temperate climate of Cheonan, Korea. Trends in rhinovirus detection were analyzed based on 9,010 tests performed between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2018, at Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea. Seasonal patterns of rhinovirus detection frequency were compared with the local climatic variables for the same period. Rhinovirus infection was the highest in children under 10 years of age, and climatic variables influenced the infection rate. Temperature, wind chill temperature, humidity, and particulate matter significantly affected rhinovirus detection. Temperature and wind chill temperature were higher on days on which rhinovirus infection was detected than on which it was not. Conversely, particulate matter was lower on days on which rhinovirus was detected. Atmospheric pressure and particulate matter showed a negative relationship with rhinovirus detection, whereas temperature, wind chill temperature, and humidity showed a positive relationship. Rhinovirus infection was significantly related to climatic factors such as temperature, wind chill temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and particulate matter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to find a relationship between daily temperatures/wind chill temperatures and rhinovirus infection over an extended period.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.93-105
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• 2021

Exosomes have gained the attention of the scientific community because of their role in facilitating intercellular communication, which is critical in disease monitoring and drug delivery research. Exosome research has grown significantly in recent decades, with a focus on the development of various technologies for isolating and characterizing exosomes. Among these efforts is the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS), which offers high-throughput direct analysis while also being cost and time effective. MALDI is used less frequently in exosome research than electrospray ionization due to the diverse population of extracellular vesicles and the impurity of isolated products, both of which necessitate chromatographic separation prior to MS analysis. However, MALDI-MS is a more appropriate instrument for the analytical approach to patient therapy, given it allows for fast and label-free analysis. There is a huge drive to explore MALDI-MS in exosome research because the technology holds great potential, most notably in biomarker discovery. With methods such as fingerprint analysis, OMICs profiling, and statistical analysis, the search for biomarkers could be much more efficient. In this review, we highlight the potential of MALDI-MS as a tool for investigating exosomes and some of the possible strategies that can be implemented based on prior research.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.249-254
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• 2021

The study of the impact of weather on viral respiratory infections enables the assignment of causality to disease outbreaks caused by climatic factors. A better understanding of the seasonal distribution of viruses may facilitate the development of potential treatment approaches and effective preventive strategies for respiratory viral infections. We analyzed the incidence of human mastadenovirus infection using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 9,010 test samples obtained from Cheonan, South Korea, and simultaneously collected the weather data from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2018. We used the data collected on the infection frequency to detect seasonal patterns of human mastadenovirus prevalence, which were directly compared with local weather data obtained over the same period. Descriptive statistical analysis, frequency analysis, t-test, and binomial logistic regression analysis were performed to examine the relationship between weather, particulate matter, and human mastadenovirus infections. Patients under 10 years of age showed the highest mastadenovirus infection rates (89.78%) at an average monthly temperature of 18.2℃. Moreover, we observed a negative correlation between human mastadenovirus infection and temperature, wind chill, and air pressure. The obtained results indicate that climatic factors affect the rate of human mastadenovirus infection. Therefore, it may be possible to predict the instance when preventive strategies would yield the most effective results.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.170-178
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• 2022

Purpose: Gardening has been reported to have positive emotional and physical effects in older adults. However, limited studies have assessed this relationship in Korea. Therefore, in this pilot study of densely populated urban dwellers, we aimed to investigate whether temporary but repeated experiences of the natural environment could positively change metabolism-related blood indicators. Methods: This study used pre- and post-interventional designs to investigate the effects of 16 weeks of gardening on lipid profiles in an urban adult population and investigate their relationships. This study was conducted 30 times at the H Botanical Garden in Yongin City from August 16, 2021 to November 30, 2021 (16 weeks, twice a week, 3 hours each time). Before and after the gardening program, a clinical pathologist collected blood samples from the participants. Results: High-density lipoprotein levels increased, low-density lipoprotein levels decreased, and total cholesterol levels decreased after the gardening activity. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that gardening has potential for clinical application as it has good control over the lipid profile through physical activity. These findings can be used as basic data for studying the relationship between urban populations and their living environment and for various studies in the future as experiencing the natural environment provides many health benefits.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2021

Background and Objectives This study was conducted to investigate the change of total work and total work ratio for each set, peak heart rate during exercise, and blood lactate for each set during the 5-set bench press exercise at 75% one repetition maximum test (1-RM). Materials and Methods Seven men in their 20s with more than 6 months of experience doing resistance exercises were selected as subjects, and their 1-RM bench press was measured two weeks before the experiment and 75% 1-RM was measured one week before the experiment. In this study, total work was measured for each set, and heart rate was measured during rest and set-by-set exercise. Blood lactate was measured during rest time after each set. The raw data were analyzed by repeated one-way ANOVA. Results Total work and total work ratio decreased from 1 set to 4 sets (p < .05), p < .001), heart rate increased from stable at the start of exercise (p < .001) and decreased between 3 sets and 4 sets (p < .05). Blood lactate increased continuously up to 2 sets (p < .001, p < .01). Conclusion In conclusion, total work and heart rate decreased with muscle fatigue during exercise, and blood lactate continuously increased. The results of this study are expected to be useful references for constructing resistance exercise programs in the future.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2020

Background and Objectives To evaluate the rotational stability of AcrySof toric intraocular lenses (IOL) by considering lapse of postoperative time and influence of capsulorhexis contraction. Materials and Methods A prospective, masked, single center study was conducted on 19 patients who had undergone microcoaxial cataract surgery and AcrySof toric IOL implantation. Slit-lamp retroillumination photographs of anterior segments were obtained from all patients after 1 week, 1 month and 3 months post-surgery. The degree of alteration of the postoperative IOL axis alignment and the amount of anterior capsular shrinkage were analyzed using Adobe Photoshop software. Results The mean degree of toric IOL axis misalignment was 2.18 (±20.2) degrees at 3 months follow-up. Quadrant analysis of the capsulorhexis aperture area at 1 week and 1 month post-operative, showed counterclockwise IOL rotation when the capsule contraction was dominant in the haptic part as well as clockwise rotation when dominant in the non-haptic part (p = 0.015). Conclusion The direction and degree of AcrySof toric IOL rotation differed throughout the follow-up period. Since most misalignments were found on the first post-operative day, physicians should try to minimize peri-operative risk factors that influence IOL rotation. There was also a correlation between the part of anterior capsule contraction and the direction of IOL rotation.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.123-131
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• 2021

Optical imaging modalities with properties of real-time, non-invasive, in vivo, and high resolution for image-guided surgery have been widely studied. In this review, we introduce two optical imaging systems, that could be the core of image-guided surgery and introduce the system configuration, implementation, and operation methods. First, we introduce the optical coherence tomography (OCT) system implemented by our research group. This system is implemented based on a swept-source, and the system has an axial resolution of 11 ㎛ and a lateral resolution of 22 ㎛. Second, we introduce a fluorescence imaging system. The fluorescence imaging system was implemented based on the absorption and fluorescence wavelength of indocyanine green (ICG), with a light-emitting diode (LED) light source. To confirm the performance of the two imaging systems, human malignant melanoma cells were injected into BALB/c nude mice to create a xenograft model and using this, OCT images of cancer and pathological slide images were compared. In addition, in a mouse model, an intravenous injection of indocyanine green was used with a fluorescence imaging system to detect real-time images moving along blood vessels and to detect sentinel lymph nodes, which could be very important for cancer staging. Finally, polarization-sensitive OCT to find the boundaries of cancer in real-time and real-time image-guided surgery using a developed contrast agent and fluorescence imaging system were introduced.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.229-237
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• 2021

Background and Objectives To assess the effectiveness of overnight orthokeratology (OK) in myopia using a new contact lens design over a one-month wearing period. Materials and Methods Participants were required to have myopia between -3.00 and -7.50D and astigmatism ≤ 2.00 D to participate in the study. The participants underwent OK with the White OK lens^® (Interojo, Pyungtek, Korea), which has a 6-curve lens design. Participants were assessed at weeks 1, 2, and 4 using slit-lamp bio-microscopy, and tested for refraction, uncorrected distance visual acuity, and corneal topography. Success was defined as achieving a Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution (logMAR) ≤ 0.1. Results A total of 46 eligible subjects with a mean age of 23.11 ± 7.89 years were recruited. Baseline logMAR was 1.18 ± 0.30 and a consistent decrease in logMAR was observed from week 1 to week 4. The success rate was 95.35% at week 4. The mean sphere significantly decreased from a mean pre-fitting value of -4.58 ± 1.28 D to a mean value of -0.65 ± 0.69 D at week 4 (p < 0.0001). Statistically significant corneal flattening was detected during keratometry at week 4. Conclusion Overnight OK with the White OK lens is effective for the correction of moderate and high myopia with astigmatism over a one-month wearing period.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.270-276
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• 2022

This study analyzed the epidemiological trends of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) according to age and sex among individuals aged 50 years or older in South Korea from September 2018 to December 2020. We found that the positivity rate for Gardnerella vaginalis was the highest in the study group, followed by the positivity rate for Ureaplasma parvum (UP). Interestingly, the positivity rates for Mycoplasma hominis and UP were higher in female participants than in male participants. The positivity rate for Treponema pallidum was very low in the female participants. During the study period, the positivity rate for herpes simplex virus 2 increased in the female participants, while the positivity rate for Candida increased in the male participants. These results show that the STI positivity rate varies according to age and sex, and a difference was observed in the average age of positive participants according to the type of STIs. We found a clear pattern of infection in the elderly population and according to sex. Our findings are expected to be used as baseline data for future research, education, and prevention of STIs in the elderly population.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-38
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• 2019

Thread-lifting is a minimally invasive procedure that shows good results and fewer complications as compared with those results and complications of standard surgery. Many procedures and techniques have been developed to create a younger appearance of facial/neck skin for aging people, and the demand for an improved aesthetic appearance is increasing. Since the incidence of side effects is much less than that of non-absorbable threads, which can lead to complications such as foreign body reactions, polydioxanone (PDO) threads are predominantly used for face lift procedures. A 66-year-old woman presented to our clinic with inflamed palpable masses. She had undergone a face lift with absorbable threads in our clinic 5 months previously. Excisional biopsy was performed with the patient under local anesthesia. During the operation, any threads were not detected and there was both fibrotic scar tissue and granulomatous tissue. For effectively promoting healing and managing the scars, treatment with LDM^®-MED was performed on the day after surgery. The treatment was performed according to the author's protocol. Although foreign body granuloma as a complication after using non-absorbable thread types have been previously reported, it is relatively rare to find this type of complication after using absorbable thread. In this report, we present a case in which a 66-year-old female with foreign body granuloma after undergoing a face lift using absorbable threads was treated with the application of dual-frequency ultrasound, which promoted wound healing.