• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.125-131
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• 2019

As a non-invasive method for alleviating allergic rhinitis, there has been a recent ongoing research in the treatment of light from light emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers. A total of 15 subjects diagnosed with allergic rhinitis were selected for this study. Red and near infrared light emitted from LEDs with wavelengths of 660nm and 940nm were illuminated three times daily (three minutes per cycle) for a total of two weeks. The degree of nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing and nasal itching was evaluated by questionnaires before and after the test. Also, the serum IgE (Immunoglobulin E) was measured and compared before and after the test. As a result, the total score of symptoms of allergic rhinitis was decreased by 67% after the test (P<0.01). The level of IgE was decreased by 17% after the test (P<0.05). In conclusion, the non-invasive LED phototherapy method using red and near-infrared LED light was effective in alleviating symptoms of allergic rhinitis. There were no adverse effects or complications reported during and after the test.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.323-334
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• 2015

Objectives This study was designed to analyze the characteristics of craniofacial hyperhidrosis and palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis by nasal endoscopy and body composition test. Methods The study sample consisted of 20 and 22 patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis and palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis, respectively, who answered questionnaires and underwent nasal endoscopy and body composition test. The questionnaires estimated the quality of life by Dermatology Life Quality Index score (DLQI), and the degree of obesity was evaluated using body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (PBF), and waist-hip ratio (WHR). The state of nasal cavity was evaluated by color, humidity, and swelling of the mucous membranes, and runny nose. Results BMI, PBF, and WHR were higher in patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis than in patients with palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis. Rhinitis score was not significantly different between craniofacial hyperhidrosis and palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis. There was a positive correlation between rhinitis score and DLQI. Conclusions The degree of obesity was higher in patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis than in those with palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis. The state of nasal cavity was not significantly different between craniofacial hyperhidrosis and palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis, but was associated with quality of life of hyperhidrosis patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.166-173
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• 2010

Objectives: On December 7, 2007, the Hebei Spirit oil tanker spilled out 12,547 kl of crude oil on the Yellow Sea 10 km away from the cost of Taean Province, Korea. As the coastline has been contaminated, local residents have been exposed to crude oil. Because the residents were showing many symptoms, we investigated the acute health effects of this oil spill on them. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of the heavy and moderately oil soaked area in Taean and the lightly oil soaked area in Seocheon. Ten seashore villages were selected from each area, and 10 male and female adults were selected from each village. We interviewed the subjects using a structured questionnaire on the characteristics of residents, the cleanup activities, the perception of oil hazard, depression and anxiety, and the physical symptoms. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The logistic regression model was adjusted for age, gender, education, smoking, the perception of oil hazard and anxiousness. Results: The more highly contaminated the area, the more likely it was for residents to be engaged in cleanup activities and have a greater chance of exposure to oil. The indexes of anxiety and depression were higher in the heavy and moderately oil soaked areas. The increased risks of headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, tingling of limb, hot flushing, sore throat, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, itchy skin, rash, and sore eyes were significant. Conclusions: The results suggest that exposure to crude oil is associated with various acute physical symptoms. Long-term investigation is required to monitor the residents' health.

• CELLMED
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.25.1-25.7
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• 2020

Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is an IgE (immunoglobin-E) mediated inflammatory condition of upper respiratory tract; main clinical features involve runny nose, sneezing, nasal obstruction, itching and watery eyes. AR is a global problem and has large variations in incidences, currently affects up to 20% - 40% of the population worldwide. It may not be a life-threatening disease per se but indisposition from the condition can be severe and has the potential to adversely affect the daily functioning of life. Classical yoga literature indicates that, components of yoga have been used to treat numerous inflammatory conditions including upper respiratory tract. A few yoga intervention studies reported improvement in lung capacity, Nasal air flow and symptoms of allergic rhinitis. This review examined various anti-inflammatory pathways mediated through Yoga that include downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and upregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines. The hypothalaminic-pitutary-adrenal (HPA) axis and vagal efferent stimulation has been reported to mediate anti-inflammatory effect. A significant reduction is also reported in other inflammatory biomarkers like- TNF-alpha, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), plasma CRP and Cortisol level. Neti, a yogic nasal cleansing technique, reported beneficial effect on AR by direct physical cleansing of thick mucus, allergens, and inflammatory mediator from nasal mucosa resulting in improved ciliary beat frequency. We do not find any study showing effect of yoga on neurogenic inflammation. In summary, Integrated Yoga Therapy may have beneficial effect in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life for patients with allergic rhinitis. Yoga may reduce inflammation through mediating neuro-endocrino-immunological network. Future studies are needed to explore the mechanism how yoga might modulate immune inflammation cascade and neurogenic inflammation at the cellular level in relevance to allergic rhinitis; the effects of kriyas (yogic cleansing techniques) also need to be evaluated in early and late phase of AR. So the proposed model could guide future research.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.12
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• pp.652-660
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• 2021

Background: Viral load and shedding duration are highly associated with the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, limited studies have reported on viral load or shedding in children and adolescents infected with sudden acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the natural course of viral load in asymptomatic or mild pediatric cases. Methods: Thirty-one children (<18 years) with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were hospitalized and enrolled in this study. Viral loads were evaluated in nasopharyngeal swab samples using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (E, RdRp, N genes). cycle threshold (Ct) values were measured when patients met the clinical criteria to be released from quarantine. Results: The mean age of the patients was 9.8 years, 18 (58%) had mild disease, and 13 (42%) were asymptomatic. Most children were infected by adult family members, most commonly by their mothers. The most common symptoms were fever and sputum (26%), followed by cough and runny nose. Nine patients (29%) had a high or intermediate viral load (Ct value≤30) when they had no clinical symptoms. Viral load showed no difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Viral rebounds were found in 15 cases (48%), which contributed to prolonged viral detection. The mean duration of viral detection was 25.6 days. Viral loads were significantly lower in patients with viral rebounds than in those with no rebound (E, P=0.003; RdRp, P=0.01; N, P=0.02). Conclusion: Our study showed that many pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experienced viral rebound and showed viral detection for more than 3 weeks. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between viral rebound and infectiousness in COVID-19.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.231-237
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality in pre-elderly and elderly individuals in Jakarta, Indonesia. Methods: We employed a case-control study design, utilizing secondary data from the Epidemiology Surveillance, Immunization Prevention, and Disease Control Sections of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Health Office, collected from December 2020 to January 2021. The study included 188 cases and an equal number of controls. Cases were COVID-19 patients confirmed to have died, as reported by hospitals and communities and subsequently verified by healthcare workers. Control subjects were patients who completed a 14-day isolation period and had been officially declared recovered by healthcare professionals. The dependent variable was the mortality of COVID-19 patients in the January 2021 period. The independent variables consisted of demographic data (age and sex), clinical symptoms (cough, runny nose, anosmia, diarrhea, headaches, abdominal pain, muscle pain, and nausea/vomiting), and comorbidities (hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes). Multivariate analysis was conducted using multiple logistic regression. Results: The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed several factors associated with COVID-19 fatalities in Jakarta: age of 60 years or older (odds ratio [OR], 4.84; 95% CI, 3.00 to 7.80), male (OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 2.41 to 3.68), dyspnea (OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 2.04 to 7.55), anosmia (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.46), and heart disease (OR, 4.38; 95% CI, 1.04 to 18.46). Conclusions: The control and prevention of COVID-19 among elderly individuals require particular vigilance. When a COVID-19 case is detected within this demographic, prompt treatment and medication administration are crucial to mitigate the presenting symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.457-467
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between ocular and allergy symptoms in children by environmental pollutants emitted from new constructed building. Methods: Two different types of survey (6-Item Dry Eye Questionnaire and Ocular Surface Disease Index) were used to study dry eye syndromes and ocular subjective symptoms for a six-grade of elementary school students (54 males and 61 females) in newly built buildings in the past three month, located near capital city, Seoul. Atopy and medical history of allergic rhinitis were investigated with using questionnaire for allergy, and also nose itchiness and ocular symptoms were checked as visual analog scale(10-score) with using questionnaire of allergy rhinitis and conjunctivitis under the guideline of ARIA(Allergic Rhinitis Impacts on Asthma). Results: Fifty seven students (50%) from DEQ and 19 students (16.52%) from OSDI were diagnosed as dry eye, and 18 students (15.79%) were diagnosed as dry eye from both questionnaires. It was surveyed that 45 students (39.5%) and 29 students (25.4%) had atopy and allergy rhinitis, respectively. Among 45 students having atopy, 30 students and 8 students were diagnosed as dry eye with using DEQ and OSDI, respectively. And also, 22 students were diagnosed as dry eye by DEQ and 5 students were diagnosed as dry eye by OSDI from 29 students having allergy rhinitis. Among 29 students having both medical history atopy and allergy rhinitis, 15 students detected observable ocular symptom. The complicating allergy symptoms with ocular syndrome were arranged with sneeze, nose itchiness, nose stuffiness, and runny nose in order of frequency. As students recognized eye symptoms, the number of allergy found and student's number were increased proportionally. Conclusions: It was found that children's subjective ocular symptoms were confirmed in the environment as newly built building. The number of student for dry eye was proportionally increased to students having atopy and allergy symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.547-555
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• 2014

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the association between subjective distress symptoms and argon welding among workers in Gyeongnam Province shipyard. Method: 31 argon and 29 non-argon welding workers were selected as study subjects in order to measure concentrations of personal dust, welding fumes and other hazardous materials such as ZnO, Pb, Cr, FeO, MnO, Cu, Ni, $TiO_2$, MgO, NO, $NO_2$, $O_3$, $O_2$, $CO_2$, CO and Ar. An interviewer-administered questionnaire survey was also performed on the same subjects. The items queried were as follows: age, height, weight, working duration, welding time, welding rod amounts used, drinking, smoking, and rate of subjective distress symptoms including headache and other symptoms such as fever, vomiting and nausea, metal fume fever, dizziness, tingling sensations, difficulty in breathing, memory loss, sleep disorders, emotional disturbance, hearing loss, hand tremors, visual impairment, neural abnormality, allergic reaction, runny nose and stuffiness, rhinitis, and suffocation. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 18. Data are expressed as the mean ${\pm}SD$. An ${\chi}^2$-test and a normality test using a Shapiro wilk test were performed for the above variables. Logistic regression analysis was also conducted to identify the factors that affect the total score for subjective distress symptoms. Result: An association was shown between welding type (argon or non-argon welding) and the total score for subjective distress symptoms. Among the rate of complaining of subjective distress symptoms, vomiting and nausea, difficulty breathing, and allergic reactions were all significantly higher in the argon welding group. Only the concentration of dust and welding fumes was shown to be distributed normally after natural log transformation. According to logistic regression analysis, the correlations of working duration and welding type (argon or non-argon) between the total score of subjective distress symptoms were found to be statistically significant (p=0.041, p=0.049, respectively). Conclusion: Our results suggest that argon welding could cause subjective distress symptoms in shipyard workers.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.51
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• pp.361-390
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• 2018

Users of KakaoTalk emoticons use Kakao Talk emoticons as means of communicating their emotions in virtual space. Emotional state is represented by design element (auxiliary, color, form, motion) and storytelling element contained in emoticons. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors of the storytelling and design elements of kakaoTalk emoticons and how they prefer the kakaoTalk emoticons as emotional expression means. In terms of storytelling, crocodiles, peaches, dogs, ducks, lions, moles, and rabbits were made up of ordinary fruits and animals. Most of the emoticons are composed of stories with unique personality, and each story has a complex one by one, which makes it easy for users to approach and use them. In terms of design, I used various auxiliary elements (flame, sweat, tears, runny nose, angry eyes, etc.) to express angry, sincere, nervous, begging, joy, and sadness. The color elements consisted of most of the warm color series with the unique colors (green, red, yellow, pink, white, black, brown, etc.) of emoticon characters regardless of feelings of joy, anger, sadness, pleasure. The form factor is composed of a round shape when expressing factors such as joy and sadness. On the other hand, when FRODO and NEO express sadness and anger, they represent the shape of a rectangle. The motion elements are horizontal, vertical, and oblique expressions of APPEACH, NEO, TUBE, and JAY-G, expressing emotional expressions of sadness, anger, and pleasure. APEACH, TUBE, MUZI & / Shows the dynamic impression of the oblique and the radiation / back / forward / rotation. The anger of TUBE and FRODO shows horizontal / vertical / diagonal and radial motion. As a result of this study, storytelling is structured in accordance with each emoticon character. In terms of design, auxiliary elements such as flame, sweat, and tears are represented by images. The color elements used the unique colors of the character series regardless of the difference of emotion. The form factor represented various movements for each emotion expression. These findings will contribute to the development of communication, emotional design and industrial aspects. Despite the significance of the above paper, I would like to point out that the analysis framework of the storytelling and the semiotic analysis of the supplementary elements are not considered as limitations of the study.