• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.69-79
• /
• 1996

Primary culture of cerebellar neuronal cells derived from 8-day old Long-Evans rats was used. Pure granule cells, astrocytes or mixed cells culture systems were prepared. These cells were differentiated and developed synaptic connections. And the astrocytes were identified by immunostaining with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Methamphetamine (MAP), which acts on dopaminergic system and cadmium (Cd), a toxic heavy metal, were applied and biochemical assays and electrophysiological studies were performed. $LC_50$ values estimated by MTT assay of MAP and Cd were 3 mM and 2$\mu M$ respectively. Cells were treated with 1 mM or 2 mM MAP and 1$\mu M$ $CdCl_2$ for 48 hour, and the incubation media were analyzed for the content of released LDH. MAP (2 mM) and Cd significantly increased the LDH release. Cell viability was decreased in both groups and some cytopathological changes like cell swelling or vacuolization were seen. The cerebellar granule cells were used for measuring membrane currents using whole-cell clamp technique. Sodium and potassium currents were not affected by MAP neither Cd, but calcium current was significantly reduced by Cd but not affected by MAP. Therefore, in vitro neurotoxicity test system using neuronaI cells and astrocytes cultures were established and can be used in screening of potential neurotoxic chemicals.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
• /
• v.21 no.8
• /
• pp.353-359
• /
• 2021

Information technology and the need for timely and effective communication during the Covid-19 have made most governments adopt technological approaches to provide their services. E-government services have been adopted by most governments especially in developed countries to quickly and effectively share information. This study discusses the reasons why governments in the Gulf region should develop a new model for information technology knowledge management practices. To achieve this, the author identified possible benefits of adopting information technology knowledge management practices and why most governments in the Gulf find it hard to adopt them. Knowledge management allows for learning, transfer as well as sharing of information between government organizations and citizens and with the development of technology, the effectiveness of electronic services can easily be achieved. Also, effective adoption of information technology can improve knowledge management with the help of techniques that enhance capture, storage, retrieval as well as sharing of information. The author used systematic literature review to select 28 journals and articles published post 2019. IEEE, Google Scholar and Science Direct were used to select potential studies from which 722 journals and articles were selected. Through screening and eligibility assessment, 21 articles were retained while the back and forward search had 7 more articles which were also included in the study. Using information gathered from these articles and journals a new conceptual model was developed to help improve information technology knowledge management for governments in the Gulf region to effectively deliver e-services during Covid-19. This model was developed based on the process of KM, Theory of Planned Behavior and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Based on the developed model. From UTAUT model, performance expectancy, effort expectancy as well as social influence had a great impact.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.472-478
• /
• 2021

Background: Early identification of patients who are highly likely to develop severe illness among confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) can be expected to lead to effective treatment. This study therefore aimed to determine whether the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has an impact on the exacerbation of COVID-19 symptoms. Methods: The study used the Korean National Health Insurance claim data for treatment of COVID-19 patients in 2020. NAFLD includes nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The outcome variables used were hospitalization and the use of medical devices. Hospitalization was defined by a length of stay exceeding one day and the use of medical devices was defined as one or more uses of a ventilator or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if there was a difference in the hospitalization and use of medical devices of COVID-19 patients depending on the presence of NAFLD. Results: The odds ratio of hospitalization was 1.059, indicating slightly higher odds of hospitalization for patients with NAFL or NASH compared to those without the conditions, but it was not statistically significant (0.969-1.156). On the other hand, the odds ratio of use of medical devices was high at 1.667 and was statistically significant (1.111-2.501). Conclusion: The study results found NAFLD to be a risk factor that can exacerbate symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Accordingly, it is necessary to identify NAFLD patients through preemptive screening and provide them with appropriate treatments.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.47-58
• /
• 2019

Objectives: To conduct and report the results of a public health promotion program in Korean medicine (KM), namely the KM Visiting Care Service for Solitary Elderly, from November 2018 to April 2019. Methods: Six elderly people living in a rural area received the KM visiting care service, twice a week, for four months. This service consisted of acupuncture, auriculotherapy, and supportive counseling to manage their musculoskeletal pain, cognitive impairment, and/or depression. The changes of symptoms were assessed using Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K), and Geriatric Depression Scale-Short form Korean (GDS-SF-K). Results: Through the 4-months KM visiting care service, the overall subjects' NRS-rated pain decreased slightly. Most showed improvement in MMSE-DS and/or MoCA-K, except one subject who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Depression assessed by GDS-SF-K showed improvement in a few subjects who were unable to walk independently. Satisfaction assessed through survey was generally high in all subjects. Conclusions: This KM Visiting Care Service for Solitary Elderly may help improve the pain and cognitive function of frail solitary elderly in rural areas. However, the protocol need to be improved to optimize the effect.

• Korean Medical Education Review
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.41-50
• /
• 2019

The aim of this study is to analyze the current status and performance evaluation systems of faculty in Korean medical colleges and professional graduate medical schools (called medical schools). We developed a research tool based on previous studies and distributed it to 40 medical schools from July to October 2017. The response rate was 100%. We calculated the number of faculty members and analyzed the faculty evaluation systems and awareness according to national and private medical schools. As of 2017, the number of medical faculty in Korea was 11,111 (4,973 faculty were employed by their alma mater, which is 44.76% of the total), with non-medical doctor faculty accounting for 754 of the total. The medical schools reflect research achievements as most important for re-appointment and screening to promote faculty, and the area of education is secondary excepting clinical faculty of private medical schools. However, important issues in the faculty evaluation deal with the relevance of research achievement and the need for qualitative assessment. Some medical schools revised or have been revising the faculty evaluation system in areas such as minimum standards of education for promotion and separation of promotion and tenure review. Opening non-tenure track lines for faculty show positive effects such as increasing the number of positions for hire and easing the financial burdens of medical schools. Downfalls include inconsistencies between the responsibilities and actual practices of tenure not being available and the instability of faculty's status. In conclusion, medical schools need to prepare a faculty evaluation system that fits the position of faculty members and attempt to establish a reasonable compensation system.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.10 no.7
• /
• pp.391-397
• /
• 2019

In 2016, the number of suicides per 100,000 population in Korea was 24.6, which is the highest record of OECD countries. The number of suicide deaths increased with age. Elderly people have a higher risk of completed suicide than any other age group. The purpose of this study was to analyze the panel data of the Korean Welfare Panel Study to identify the factors affecting the suicide of Korean older people. This study analyzed the data of the 11th Korean Welfare Panel Study, which was constructed in 2016. The mean age of the participants was 75.55 years and 37% were man and 63% were women. The annual prevalence of suicidal ideation was 3.4%. The effects of depression(Exp(B)=1.113) and subjective health status((Exp(B)=.767) on suicidal ideation was statistically significant by stepwise logistic regression analysis(Nagelkerke $R^2=.248$). Therefore, for the effective application of suicide prevention program for the older people, assessment of subjective health status and depression screening should be preceded.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.197-207
• /
• 2019

Objectives: This study examined the characteristics and nutritional risk of the elderly who receive home delivery services. We then analyzed the effects of the characteristics of the elderly who receive the home-delivery meal service on their nutritional risk. Methods: A total of 220 respondents who receive home-delivery meal service in Seoul participated in the survey. The survey consisted of the characteristics of the elderly (health status, tooth condition, physical activity, social participation activity, depression and relationship with neighbors), nutritional risk assessment and other general matters. The data was analyzed by using the SPSS program. Cross-tabulation analysis, t-test, correlation analysis and regression analysis were all conducted. Results: 47.0% of the subjects were under 80 years old and 53.0% were over 80 years old, The nutritional risk score, as evaluated by a Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) checklist was 10.7 points, and the high nutrition risk group was 91.5% of the subjects. The subjective self-health status score was 2.24 points (out of a total of 5 points) and the tooth status score was 3.30 points. The physical activity level was 2.17 points for the under 80 years old group and 1.76 points for the over 80 years old, and there was a significant difference according to age (p<0.01), The higher the health status, tooth condition, physical activity and social participation activity level, the lower was the nutritional risk. Further, the higher the degree of depression, the higher was the nutritional risk. Conclusions: For the healthy life of the elderly in the community, various welfare policies should be planned to increase social participation as well as to promote physical health and reduce depression.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.185-198
• /
• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among a group of community dwelling elderly. Methods: Two-hundred and twenty-nine elderly living in a community and diagnosed with MCI were recruited. Participants were evaluated with various instruments such as the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS) and the Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K). Korean medicine treatment consisted of herbal medicine, acupuncture, and pharmacoacupuncture. The change in cognitive ability was assessed by using the MMSE-DS and the MoCA-K. Data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN 22.0 using the paired t-test, and the ANOVA. Results: The MMSE-DS and the MoCA-K score generally increased after six months of Korean medicine treatment and the differences in both instruments were statistically significant. Additionally, some consecutive participants maintained long-term cognitive improvement. When analyzed specifically by herbal medicine group based on syndrome differentiation and pharmacoacupuncture group, most showed improvement in the MMSE-DS and the MoCA-K but not all data were statistically significant. The satisfaction score was mostly high and most participants were willing to re-participate in the program. Conclusions: Korean medicine treatment may contribute to the improvement and prevention of cognitive decline in the elderly. However, further systematic research based on large scale sample data and standardized protocols is needed to uplift the welfare and mental health of the elderly.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.62 no.2
• /
• pp.48-54
• /
• 2019

Purpose: Liver metabolism plays a pivotal role in the development of metabolic disorders. We aimed to investigate the clinical and laboratory risk factors associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in young adolescents from an urban population in Korea. Methods: A population of 120 apparently healthy adolescents aged 12-13 years was included in the cross-sectional design study; 58 were overweight or obese and 62 were of normal weight. We estimated anthropometric and laboratory measurements, including waist-to-height ratio, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, aspartate aminotransferases (AST), ALT, and lipid profiles. Results: The mean ages of the overweight or obese and normal weight participants were $12.9{\pm}0.3$ and $13.0{\pm}0.3years$, respectively. Height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, AST, ALT, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride, insulin, and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score were significantly higher and the high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index were significantly lower in the overweight/obese participants in comparison to the normal-weight participants (all P<0.05). In multivariate linear regression analysis, waist-to-height ratio, systolic blood pressure, and HOMA-IR score were independently and positively associated with serum ALT levels. Conclusion: Screening for ALT levels in adolescents may help to differentiate those at risk of metabolic abnormalities and thus prevent disease progression at an early age.

• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.137-143
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study was performed to determine the clinical features of full-term infants with hypoxemia detected by pulse oximetry and to establish the diagnosis of critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of neonates who had been admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit within 2 weeks of birth at Korea University Ansan Hospital between January 2013 and October 2017 (n=450). We classified these neonates based on the presence of hypoxemia at admission and investigated neonatal characteristics, initial symptoms, echocardiographic findings, and final diagnosis associated with hypoxemic diseases. Results: Of 450 term infants, 265 infants (58.9%) were identified hypoxemia by pulse oximetry at admission. The most common symptoms of them were cyanosis and tachypnea. Among them, 80.1% of infants (214/265) were diagnosed with respiratory tract disease and 8.3% of infants (22/265) had congenital heart disease. Thirteen infants (13/265, 4.9%) had CCHD and were treated with urgent surgery or transcatheter intervention within 28 days of birth. Majority of infants with respiratory tract disorder were transferred from hospital immediately after birth, but 46.1% of infants (6/13) with CCHD remained asymptomatic after birth and were admitted after 48 hours after birth. In addition, other hypoxemic illnesses were identified as neonatal infectious and neurological diseases. Conclusion: This study showed the importance of assessment in neonates with hypoxemia, including those diagnosed with CCHD. The possibility of CCHD should be considered in the differential diagnosis in neonates demonstrating hypoxemia after 48 hours of birth. A larger prospective study is needed to assess the effectiveness and outcomes of pulse oximetry for neonatal screening in Korea.