• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2022

Background: There are various conservative treatment options for lateral epicondylitis (LE). The aim is to evaluate pain, daily functioning, and complications after ultrasound-standardized autologous blood injections in patients with LE. Methods: For this prospective cohort study, consecutive patients (>18 years) diagnosed with LE were included. Autologous blood was injected using a medical device containing an injection disposable with 12 small needles (Instant Tennis Elbow Cure [ITEC]) device. Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE), subjective elbow score (SES), palpation and provocation pain, satisfaction, and complications of treatment were measured at baseline and two months after treatment. Paired t-tests and Fisher's exact tests were used for calculating the difference between pre- and post-treatment outcomes. Results: Fifty-five elbows were analyzed. Mean time between pre- and post-treatment was 11.1 weeks (standard deviation [SD], 8.9 weeks). The mean PRTEE score decreased from 68.2 (SD, 15.7) before surgery to 53.2 (SD, 25.9; p<0.001) after. The mean SES improved from 36.9 (SD, 20.8) to 51.7 (SD, 27.4; p<0.001). Despite this improvement, only 44.7% of patients showed relevant clinical improvement in PRTEE, and 37.3% showed significant clinical improvement based on SES. Four patients reported a complication and the injection disposable failed three times. Conclusions: Ultrasound-standardized autologous blood injection using the ITEC device is not an effective tool in reducing symptoms related to LE. This study showed that only half of all patients experienced a positive effect. In this heterogeneous cohort of patients, we showed no added value of ultrasound standardization.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.206-215
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• 2022

For a long time, traditional culture has been regarded as one of the sources of the inspiration, method and language of Chinese writing. In this article, we studied the medium- and long-term impact of a traditional Chinese culture seminar attended by college students on the output of creative writing. The seminar included traditional Chinese philosophy, history, literature, art, etc. It spanned three years (22 months) and held lectures lasting for approximately two hours once a week. The subjects of the prospective cohort study included 130 first-year college students who participated in the seminar and 130 controls. From September 2016 to June 2018, 72 lectures were held. We measured the creative writing output from the first lecture (September 2016) to December 2021 (64 months in total), including novels, essays, poems, and plays. Two indicators, the total number of words (TNW) and the quality of yield (QY), were evaluated by a 15-member panel. Although the TNW and QY of the participants and their controls were similar before the seminar, we found that the participants have higher TNW and QY than the controls after participating in the seminar. The difference in TNW became significant after month 51 (p<0.05), and the difference in QY became significant after month 46 (p<0.05). After these dates, the differences stabilized. In addition, text analysis indicates that by month 64, traditional cultural elements in the works of the participating group had a higher frequency (p<0.001). The research shows that the traditional culture seminar not only enhanced the yield of college students' creative writing but also improved the quality of their work. The traditional cultural elements enriched the works of the seminar participants.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.12-26
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• 2024

Objectives We aimed to identify the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its clustering components according to constitution type and lifestyle risk factors in Korean adults. Methods This study included 1,978 adults aged 30-55 years from the Korean Medicine Daejeon Citizen Cohort (KDCC) study. We defined lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep, dietary quality, and weight status. Total lifestyle scores were created based on the six lifestyle factors (ranging from 0 to 5 factors) and classified into two groups: unhealthy (0-2 factors), or healthy (3-5 factors). Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of primary endpoints: MetS events and their clustering components. Results During a median follow-up of 2.2 years, we documented 125 new onsets of MetS. Compared with participants with healthy, the HR of unhealthy participants was 2.401 (95% CI: 1.497-3.851) for MetS incidence. After adjusting for covariates, TE type with unhealthy was higher HR values of abdominal obesity (HRs: 1.499, 95%CI: 1.061-2.117) and hypertension (HRs: 1.840, 95%CI: 1.032-3.277), respectively. Conclusion Unfavorable lifestyle factors were highly associated with the prevalence of MetS and its clustering such as abdominal obesity and hypertension in Korean adults with TE. Tailored health management is needed to consider individual traits and healthy lifestyles to prevent cardiometabolic diseases.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.526-537
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• 1999

Objectives : It is known that the prevalence of diabetes mellitus(DM) appears to be rapidly increasing in recent times in Korea, presumably due to a westernized diet and change of life style followed by rapid economic growth. Based on the Seoul male cohort which was constructed in 1993, this study was conducted to estimate the annual incidence rates of DM through 4 years' follow up and to determine which factors are associated with DM risk in Korean middle-aged men. Methods : Among 14,533 men recruited at baseline, 559 were excluded because they reported a history of diabetes or were found to be diabetes at 1992 routine health examination. During 4 years' follow-up, 237 incident DM cases were ascertained through chart reviews and telephone contacts for those who have ever visited hospitals or clinics under suspicion of DM during 1993-1996 and the biennial routine health examinations in 1994 and 1996. Results : In this study the annual incidence of DM among the study population was estimated to be 0.5 per 100. This study showed that fasting glucose level at initial baseline examination was a powerful predictor of risk for diabetes several years later(fasting blood glucose of $\geq$ 110 mg/dl compared with $\leq$ 80 mg/dl, Hazard Ratio[HR]:15.6, 95% Confidence interval[CI]=9.1-26.6) after considering potential covariates such as age, family history, smoking and alcohol history, body mass index, physical activity, total energy intake, and total fiber intake. Adjusted hazard ratios of family history of diabetes was 1.95(95% CI=1.38-2.75); of obesity as measured by BMI(BMI $\geq$ 25.3 compared with $\leq$ 21.3) was 7.19(95% CI=3,75-13.8); of weight change during middle life(>10kg compared with $\leq$ 5) was 1.77(95% CI=1.16-2.69); of smoking(current vs none) was 1.93(95% CI=1.06-3.51); and fat intake(upper fertile compared with lower fertile) was 1.88(95% CI=1.01-3.49), while fiber intake was associated with the reduced risk(HR=0.36, 95% CI=0.19-0.67). Conclusion : The factors identified in this study indicate that the greatest reduction in risk of diabetes might be achieved through population-based efforts that promote fiber intake and reduce obesity, smoking, and fat intake.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.233-241
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• 2013

There are limited data on healthy dietary patterns protective against metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) development. We identified dietary patterns among middle-aged and older adults and investigated the associations with the incidence of MetSyn. A population-based prospective cohort study included 5,251 male and female Koreans aged 40-69 years. At baseline, all individuals were free of MetSyn, other major metabolic diseases, and known cardiovascular disease or cancer. Cases of MetSyn were ascertained over a 6-year of follow-up. Dietary patterns and their factor scores were generated by factor analysis using the data of a food frequency questionnaire. We performed pooled logistic regression analysis to estimate multivariable-adjusted relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for associations between factor scores and MetSyn risk. Two dietary patterns were identified; (1) a healthy dietary pattern, which included a variety of foods such as fish, seafood, vegetables, seaweed, protein foods, fruits, dairy products, and grains; and (2) an unhealthy dietary pattern, which included a limited number of food items. After controlling for confounding factors, factor scores for the healthy dietary pattern were inversely associated with MetSyn risk (P-value for trend < 0.05) while those for the unhealthy dietary pattern had no association. Individuals in the top quintile of the healthy diet scores showed a multivariable-adjusted RR [95% CI] of 0.76 [0.60-0.97] for MetSyn risk compared with those in the bottom quintile. The beneficial effects were derived from inverse associations with abdominal obesity, low HDL-cholesterol levels, and high fasting glucose levels. Our findings suggest that a variety of healthy food choices is recommended to prevent MetSyn.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.5179-5183
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• 2016

Background: Prior series investigated the expression of prepro-gastrin releasing peptide (prepro-GRP) in the peripheral blood of lung cancer patients. Our aim was to assess any prepro-GRP role as a prognostic factor for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and NSCLC and correlations with clinical presentation and treatment outcome. Methods: A prospective study was conducted during the time period from the beginning of January 2012 till the end of January 2014. Prepro-GRP expression was analysed using a nested RT-PCR assay in peripheral blood of 62 untreated lung cancer patients attending the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University, and 30 age and sex matched healthy volunteers. Results: Among the 62 lung cancer cases, there were 24 (38.7%) SCLC, and 38 (61.3%) NSCLC (10 squamous cell carcinomas, 12 adenocarcinomas, 11 large cell carcinomas, 4 undifferentiated carcinomas, and 1 adenosquamous carcinoma). Twenty six patients (41.9%) were prepro-GRP positive. Prepro-GRP expression was higher (58.3%) among SCLC patients compared to NSCLC (squamous cell carcinoma (15.4%), large cell carcinoma (36.4%), and adenocarcinoma (25%)). Mean OS among prepro-GRP negative cases was longer than that among preprogastrin positive cases (17.6 vs 14.9 months). The mean PFS durations among preprogastrin negative versus positive cases were 7.7 vs 4.6 months (p= 0.041). No difference in response to chemotherapy was identified between the groups (p=0.983). Conclusion: Prepro-GRP is suggested to be a useful prognostic marker for lung cancer patients, especially with the fast- growing, bad prognostic SCLC type. More studies should aim at detailed understanding of the mechanisms of prepro-GRP action and its use in monitoring the response to treatment in a larger cohort.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.590-598
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• 2023

Objective: To investigate whether the levels of inflammation detected by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) can predict disease relapse in immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) patients receiving standard induction steroid therapy. Materials and Methods: This prospective study analyzed pretherapy FDG PET/CT images from 48 patients (mean age, 63 ± 12.9 years; 45 males and 3 females) diagnosed with IgG4-RD between September 2008 and February 2018, who subsequently received standard induction steroid therapy as the first-line treatment. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify the potential prognostic factors associated with relapse-free survival (RFS). Results: The median follow-up time for the entire cohort was 1913 days (interquartile range [IQR], 803-2929 days). Relapse occurred in 81.3% (39/48) patients during the follow-up period. The median time to relapse was 210 days (IQR, 140-308 days) after completion of standardized induction steroid therapy. Among the 17 parameters analyzed, Cox proportional hazard analysis identified whole-body total lesion glycolysis (WTLG) > 600 on FDG-PET as an independent risk factor for disease relapse (median RFS, 175 vs. 308 days; adjusted hazard ratio, 2.196 [95% confidence interval: 1.080-4.374]; P = 0.030). Conclusion: WTLG on pretherapy FDG PET/CT was the only significant factor associated with RFS in IgG-RD patients receiving standard steroid induction therapy.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.203-213
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• 2024

Backgrounds/Aims: The standard treatment for acute cholecystitis, biliary pancreatitis and intractable biliary colics ("hot gallbladder") is emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). This paper aims to identify the prognostic factors and create statistical models to predict the outcomes of emergency LC for "hot gallbladder." Methods: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted on 466 patients having an emergency LC in 17 months. Primary endpoint was "suboptimal treatment," defined as the use of escape strategies due to the impossibility to complete the LC. Secondary endpoints were postoperative morbidity and length of postoperative stay. Results: About 10% of patients had a "suboptimal treatment" predicted by age and low albumin. Postop morbidity was 17.2%, predicted by age, admission day, and male sex. Postoperative length of stay was correlated to age, low albumin, and delayed surgery. Conclusions: Several predictive prognostic factors were found to be related to poor emergency LC outcomes. These can be useful in the decision-making process and to inform patients of risks and benefits of an emergency vs. delayed LC for hot gallbladder.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8599-8604
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• 2016

Ovarian cancer is the main cause of mortality in gynecological malignancy and extensive studies have been conducted to study the underlying molecular mechanisms. The BRCA2 gene is known to be an important tumor suppressor in ovarian cancer, thereby BRCA2 alterations may lead to cancer progression. However, the BRCA2 gene is rarely mutated, and loss of function is suspected to be mediated by epigenetic regulation. In this study we investigated the methylation status and gene expression of BRCA2 in ovarian cancer patients. Ovarian cancer pateints (n=69) were recruited and monitored for 54 months in this prospective cohort study. Clinical specimens were used to study the in situ expression of aberrant BRCA2 proteins and the methylation status of BRCA2. These parameters were then compared with clinical parameters and overall survival rate. We found that BRCA2 methylation was found in the majority of cases (98.7%). However, the methylation status was not associated with protein level expression of BRCA2 (49.3%). Therefore in addition to DNA methylation, other epigenetic mechanisms may regulate BRCA2 expresison. Our findings may become evidence of BRCA2 inactivation mechanism through DNA methylation in the Indonesian population. More importantly, from multivariate analysis, BRCA2 expression was correlated with better overall survival (HR 0.32; p=0.05). High percentage of BRCA2 methylation and correlation of BRCA2 expression with overall survival in epithelial ovarian cancer cases may lead to development of treatment modalities specifically to target methylation of BRCA genes.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.42-51
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• 2007

Background and Purpose : To prevent ischemic cerebral infarction, it is very important to reduce risk factors which might cause stroke. However, the relationship of coffee consumption with ischemic cerebral infarction still remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of coffee consumption on the risk of ischemic cerebral infarction in Koreans. Methods : A case-control study was conducted from April 1, 2001 to July 31, 2004. Cases (n=435) of first incident ischemic cerebral infarction were enrolled and were mostly matched by age to stroke-free hospital controls (n=407). All subjects were interviewed, examined and had anthropometric measurements by using an organized questionnaire. The coffee consumption was classified by the average frequency of intake, being none, 1 cup/day, 2-4 cups/day, more than 5 cups/day. Odds ratios (ORs) of ischemic cerebral infarction were proved multivariate analysis after adjustment for demographic factors, diet factors, and vascular risk factors. Results : When adjusted for sex, age, and other factors, coffee consumption and stroke do not have a significant association. (${\leq}$ cup/day OR=1.035, 95% CI=0.880-2.756; 2-4cups/day OR=1.452, 95% CI=0.864-2.440; ${\geq}$ 5 cups/day OR=1.557, 95% CI=0.705-3.435) Conclusions : In this study, we conclude that coffee consumption is not an important risk factor of ischemic cerebral infarction in Koreans. Prospective and cohort study on the relation between coffee consumption and the possibility of inducing ischemic cerebral infarctions in Koreans will be required in the future.