• Human Ecology Research
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.433-445
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• 2015

This study develops normative scores of the Infant/Toddler version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (IT-HOME) inventory for Korean infants and toddlers. We selected 482 0- to 36-month-old infants and families by a stratified sampling procedure that considered residency, age, and gender of children. The pass rate, discrimination rate, and internal consistency were analyzed for the item analysis. Statistical validity included intercorrelation among the IT-HOME subscales, correlation between IT-HOME scores and environmental status variables, and correlation between IT-HOME and Korean Bayley Scales of Infant Development second edition (K-BSID-II) scores. Normative scores were prepared by percentile ranks. The results of this study were as follows: First, 45 items were acceptable for Korean subjects with few exceptions. IT-HOME was developed to screen unfavorable environmental factors during infancy; therefore, items such as 12, 17, 23, 39, 44 need to be retained even though they had low discriminating power. Second, IT-HOME subscales were correlated, and IT-HOME was significantly related to parents' education level, household income level, and infant' developmental levels. Third, percentile scores and the median of each IT-HOME subscales were suggested as normative scores. We discussed the normative scores of the IT-HOME to screen the quality of home environments for children aged 0-36 months in Korea, and provide the intervention basis for the at-risk population.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.34 no.2A
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• pp.99-106
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• 2009

In this paper, we propose UCA algorithms that are applied to the unified inter-cell interference mitigation through frequency plannings in OFDMA cellular systems. Under three frequency plannings, UCA algorithms allocate frequency channels to UEs(User Equipments). Proposed UCA algorithms require the information of received signal power from home sector and neighbor sectors respectively. We compare all possible combinations of UCA algorithms and frequency plannings through compute simulation. A primary performance measure is the low 5th percentile of SINR at UEs. The proposed UCA algorithms can avoid the interference to neighbor cells by allocating relatively low transmit power to centrally-located UEs and cancel inter-cell interference at cell-edge UEs by a coordinated symbol repetition. We show that UCA algorithm 2 applied in frequency planning 1 is promising among other combinations of UCA algorithms and frequency palnnings in terms of the low 5th percentile of SINR at UEs.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.26
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• pp.9.1-9.9
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• 2011

Objectives: In order to evaluate which temperature index is the best predictor for the health impact assessment of heat stress in Korea, several indexes were compared. Methods: We adopted temperature, perceived temperature (PT), and apparent temperature (AT), as a heat stress index, and changes in the risk of death for Seoul and Daegu were estimated with $^1{\circ}C$ increases in those temperature indexes using generalized additive model (GAM) adjusted for the non-temperature related factors: time trends, seasonality, and air pollution. The estimated excess mortality and Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) due to the increased temperature indexes for the $75^{th}$ percentile in the summers from 2001 to 2008 were compared and analyzed to define the best predictor. Results: For Seoul, all-cause mortality presented the highest percent increase (2.99% [95% CI, 2.43 to 3.54%]) in maximum temperature while AIC showed the lowest value when the all-cause daily death counts were fitted with the maximum PT for the $75^{th}$ percentile of summer. For Daegu, all-cause mortality presented the greatest percent increase (3.52% [95% CI, 2.23 to 4.80%]) in minimum temperature and AIC showed the lowest value in maximum temperature. No lag effect was found in the association between temperature and mortality for Seoul, whereas for Daegu one-day lag effect was noted. Conclusions: There was no one temperature measure that was superior to the others in summer. To adopt an appropriate temperature index, regional meteorological characteristics and the disease status of population should be considered.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.3 s.27
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• pp.303-312
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• 1989

To show the distribution and change of blood pressure according to age and to find factors affecting the level of blood pressure in primary school children, a follow-up study was conducted from 1986 to 1989 on 401 first grade children attending primary school in Kangwha County in 1986 and their parents. The blood pressure of the children was significantly increased according to age. The average annual increase was 1.8mmHg in systolic blood pressure and 2.5mmHg in diastolic blood pressure. The level of blood pressure did not show any significant difference in both sexes. Among children who were at or above the 80th percentile of blood pressure in the first grade, 35 and 30% of them have remained at the same level of systolic and diastolic blood pressure respectively in the fourth grade. But we could not find any significance in the tracking of blood pressure of children who were at or above the 90th percentile of blood pressure in the first grade. Weight and pulse rate were shown to be significant factors affecting systolic blood pressure in children of both sexes and mother's blood pressure and skinfold thickness were also affected systolic blood pressure in girls. The variables significantly affecting diastolic blood pressure were arm circumference and pulse rate for boys and height and pulse rate for girls.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.521-529
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• 2000

Objectives : To assess height, weight and body mass index from childhood to adolescence according to the age at menarche and hence to study the influence of childhood growth on the menarche age. Methods : $\lceil$The Kangwha Study$\rfloor$was a community-based prospective cohort study which included the entire population of 219 female first graders in Kangwha county in 1986. Among the 219 girls, 119 girls who had received complete follow up checks during the study period$(1986\sim1997)$, were included in this study, except one for whom menarche age information was unavailable. The remaining 118 girls were divided into three groups according to the timing of menarche : early(<25 percentile), intermediate and late($\geq75$ percentile) maturers. Results : The average age at menarche was 12.7 years . early 11.3 years, intermediate 12.6 years and late 13.7 years. The early maturers were taller and heavier between $6\sim8$ years. But, the mean weight and body mass index at the menarche age did not differ statistically among the three groups. The weight and body mass index of the early maturers were consistently higher than those of the late maturers over the entire period of the study. Conclusions : Critical body weight and body mass index must be attained for menstruation to be attained and the age at menarche is largely determined by the childhood growth. In addition, it seems that childhood growth and age at menarche are associated with adolescent weight and body mass index.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.74-78
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• 2014

Sotos syndrome (SS, OMIM 117550) is characterized by prenatal and postnatal overgrowth with multiple congenital anomalies. However, there have been few cases of growth retardation caused by renal failure from infancy. We report a case of dysplasia of the bilateral kidneys with renal failure and poor postnatal growth. A 2-month-old boy visited the emergency room owing to poor oral intake and abdominal distension. He was born at the gestational age of 38 weeks with a birth weight of 4,180 g. After birth, he had feeding difficulty and abdominal distension. Upon physical examination, his height and weight were in less than the 3rd percentile, while his head circumference was in the 50th percentile on the growth curve. He also showed a broad and protruding forehead and high hairline. Blood laboratory tests showed severe azotemia; emergent hemodialysis was needed. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed bilateral renal dysplasia with multiple cysts and diffuse bladder wall thickening. A posterior urethral valve was suggested based on vesicoureterography and abdominal magnetic resonance findings. Results of a colon study to rule out congenital megacolon did not reveal any specific findings. The conventional karyotype of the patient was 46, XY. Array comparative genomic hybridization study revealed a chromosome 5q35 microdeletion including the NSD1 gene, based on which SS was diagnosed. We describe a case of SS presenting with end stage renal disease due to posterior urethral valve. The typical somatic overgrowth of SS in the postnatal period was not observed due to chronic renal failure that started in the neonatal period.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.547-553
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• 2015

BACKGROUNDS/OBJECTIVES: The effects of malnutrition on growth of toddlers and preschoolers by socioeconomic status are not well known. This study aimed to examine the effects of dietary intake on growth outcomes in toddlers and preschoolers by household income level. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study population was a total of 1,687 children aged 1 to 5 years that participated in the KNHANES from 2009 to 2011. Growth of children was assessed by height for age (HFA) and weight for height (WFH). Children were classified into three groups according to children's HFA and WFH compared to the $10^{th}$ and $90^{th}$ percentiles of the 2007 Korean Children and Adolescent Growth Standard. Average monthly household income was divided into quartile groups. Dietary intake data were obtained by using the one day 24-hr recall method. Risks of inadequate intake of nutrients and unfavorable growth were estimated by using a multiple logistic regression model adjusted for sex, age, region, and energy intake. RESULTS: The low HFA group (<$10^{th}$ percentile) had significantly lower intakes of energy, carbohydrate, and thiamin as compared with the high group (${\geq}90^{th}$ percentile). For WFH status, vitamin C intake was lower in the low group than in the high group. Household income level was related to WFH status but not HFA. Children from lower income households were more likely to have high WFH than those from higher income households (P for trend = 0.038). Household income status was also significantly related with risk of inadequate intake of micronutrients such as thiamin (P for trend = 0.032) and vitamin C (P for trend = 0.002), showing higher odds of inadequate intakes in children from lower income households. CONCLUSIONS: Children from lower income households were prone to be overweight and to have inadequate intakes of micronutrients such as thiamin and vitamin C. To reduce nutritional and health disparities, collective action in the public sector is required from early life.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.649-656
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of transverse cerebellar diameter and abdominal circumference (TCD/AC ratio) as variables to evaluate intrauterine growth restriction of the fetus. From April 2019 to March 2021, 784 pregnant women who underwent ultrasound as a regular checkup at I hospital were retrospectively analyzed using the transverse cerebellar diameter and abdominal circumference measurements. In simple regression analysis, transverse cerebellar diameter and abdominal circumference had an effect of 97.2% and 97.5% on gestational age (p<0.001). In addition, the percentile of the TCD/AC ratio for each gestational age group was calculated through frequency analysis, and the 95th percentile of intrauterine growth restriction prediction was 14.2. As a result, it is thought that the TCD/AC ratio can be used as a useful variable to evaluate the normal growth of the fetus and predict the IUGR.

• Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.215-219
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• 2018

Purpose: We investigated the effect of overweight on luteinizing hormone (LH) levels after a gonadorelin stimulation test in Korean girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP). Methods: Medical records of 234 girls diagnosed with idiopathic CPP were reviewed retrospectively. CPP was diagnosed when the peak LH levels after gonadorelin stimulation was >5.0 U/L. The enrolled girls had a peak LH level >5.0 U/L after a gonadorelin stimulation test. Selected girls were classified as normoweight (body mass index [BMI] below the 85th percentile with respect to age) and overweight (BMI greater than the 85th percentile with respect to age). Results: The peak LH ($8.95{\pm}2.85U/L$ vs. $11.97{\pm}8.42U/L$, P<0.01) and peak folliclestimulating hormone ($9.60{\pm}2.91U/L$ vs. $11.17{\pm}7.77U/L$, P=0.04) after gonadorelin stimulation were lower in overweight girls with idiopathic CPP than in normoweight girls with idiopathic CPP. Being overweight was negatively associated with peak LH levels after gonadorelin stimulation test (odds ratio, 0.89; 95 % confidence interval, 0.81-0.98, P=0.02). Conclusion: In girls with idiopathic CPP, being overweight led to a lower LH peak after gonadorelin stimulation. Further research is needed to better understand the role of overweight on gonadotropin secretion in precocious puberty.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.157-169
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• 2018

This study explores the long?term trends of extreme temperatures of 270 observation stations in East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea) for 1961?2013. The 5th percentile of daily minimum temperatures (TN05%) and 95th percentile of daily maximum temperatures (TX95%), derived from the quantile regression, are particularly examined in term of their linear and nonlinear trends. The warming trends of TN05% are typically stronger than those of TX95% with more significant trends in winter than in summer for most stations. In both seasons, warming trends of TN05% tend to amplify with latitudes. The nonlinear trends, quantified by the $2^{nd}$?order polynomial fitting, exhibit different structures with seasons. While summer TN05% and TX95% were accelerated in time, winter TN05% underwent weakening of warming since the 2000s. These results suggest that extreme temperature trends in East Asia are not homogeneous in time and space.