• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2011

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and extent of clinical attachment loss of periodontal tissue and to find out variables related to clinical attachment loss (CAL) in Korean adults older than 40 years of age. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Data were collected from 2,519 subjects who were part of a cohort study conducted in Ansan city by Korea University Medical School for Korean Genome project. Age, sex, smoking, drinking, fast glucose, blood pressure, obesity and total cholesterol levels were examined. The oral examination included probing pocket depth, gingival recession and CAL of Ramford's teeth. The severity of periodontitis was classified based on the mean value of CAL. The relationship between each risk factor and the severity of CAL was independently estimated using the chi-square test, the test or one-way ANOVA. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the significance of each factor in the periodontal disease. RESULTS. The prevalences of clinical attachment between 1 and 3 mm, between 3 and < 5 mm, and ${\geq}$ 5 mm were 80.27%, 16.75% and < 1%, respectively. Although the univariate analysis showed age, gender, smoking, fasting glucose, blood pressure and total cholesterol levels were significantly related to the severity of CAL, multiple regression analysis indicated that age (P < .0001), gender (P < .0001) and smoking (P < .05) were only significantly related. CONCLUSION. Older age, male gender and smoking were significant risk factor for the increase of CAL, and these may be useful indicators of periodontitis high-risk groups.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2013

Trichoderma asperellum SKT-1 is a microbial pesticide that is very effective against various diseases. Our study was undertaken to evaluate T. asperellum SKT-1 for induction of resistance against yellow strain of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV-Y) in Arabidopsis plants. Disease severity was rated at 2 weeks post inoculation (WPI). CMV titre in Arabidopsis leaves was determined by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 2 WPI. Our results demonstrated that among all Arabidopsis plants treated with barley grain inoculum (BGI) of SKT-1 NahG and npr1 plants showed no significant reduction in disease severity and CMV titre as compared with control plants. In contrast, disease severity and CMV titre were significantly reduced in all Arabidopsis plants treated with culture filtrate (CF) of SKT-1 as compared with control plants. RT-PCR results showed increased expression levels of SA-inducible genes, but not JA/ET-inducible genes, in leaves of BGI treated plants. Moreover, expression levels of SA- and JA/ET-inducible genes were increased in leaves of CF treated plants. In conclusion, BGI treatment induced systemic resistance against CMV through SA signaling cascade in Arabidopsis plants. While, treatment with CF of SKT-1 mediated the expression of a majority of the various pathogen related genes, which led to the increased defense mechanism against CMV infection.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2001

Background : The eosinophil chemotactic and activating effects of eotaxin and the known association of eosinophils with asthma suggest that eotaxin expression is increased during an asthma attack. This study was aimed to determine whether the plasma eotaxin levels are higher in patients during an asthma attack and to correlate the eotaxin levels with the disease activity, severity and response to therapy. Method : A case-control study of the plasma eotaxin levels was performed in 100 patients with exacerbated asthma and 48 age- and sex-matched subjects with stable asthma. Results : The plasma eotaxin levels were significantly higher in the 100 patients with exacerbated asthma($233{\pm}175\;pg/mL$) than in the 48 subjects with stable asthma($169{\pm}74\;pg/mL$). A trend toward higher eotaxin levels was observed in asthmatic subjects who were taking oral steroids ($332{\pm}225\;pg/mL$) than in those who were not ($214{\pm}159\;pg/mL$) and higher levels were found in those admitted to the hospital ($275{\pm}212\;pg/mL$) than in those discharged after receiving only emergency treatment ($190{\pm}115\;pg/mL$). The eotaxin levels inversely correlated with the $FEV_$ (r=-0.25, p<0.01). The eotaxin levels were higher in moderate persistent ($323{\pm}256\;pg/mL$) and severe persistent asthmatics ($276{\pm}170\;pg/mL$) than in mild intermittent asthmatics ($l60{\pm}60\;pg/mL$). Conclusion : Eotaxin expression is directly associated with asthma exacerbation, impaired pulmonary function and the disease severity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.447-453
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• 2014

In this study, a test for the immunity control effect by ethanolic extract of Eurya emarginata (EE-70E) on NC/Nga mice as the models for atopic dermatitis was conducted with the following results. Atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice was induced by repeated application of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) for 5 weeks. Mice were orally administered EE-70E or terfenadine, positive control for 3 weeks. Scratching behavior, clinical skin severity, and the levels of IL-4, L-13, IL-17, total serum IgG1, and total serum IgE were measured. The oral administration with EE-70E doses of 200 or 400 mg/kg significantly decreased scratching behavior scores and clinical skin severity score in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). The administration of EE-70E at 400 mg/kg significantly decreased cytokines within the blood serum, that is, IL-4, L-13, and IL-17 compared to the control group (p<0.05). The level of blood histamine was statistically significantly decreased. Administration of EE-70E at 400 mg/kg significantly decreased the levels of total serum IgE (p<0.05). The above results indicated that EE-70E was effective in improving the symptoms of atopic dermatitis through various immunity control mechanisms.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.153-164
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• 2009

This Paper presents the severity analysis result of the year 2006 national pedestrian crashes using the data base of 37,589 records prepared for the National Police Bureau. A set of attributing factors considered to affect pedestrian crash patterns were selected, and their contributing effects were investigated by applying the Ordered Logit Model. This model was selected because this model has been able to afford satisfactory results when the dependent variable involved ordered severity levels; fatal, injury, and property- damage-only in this investigation. The investigation has unveiled the followings; First, the pedestrian crash patterns were dependent upon human -drivel and pedestrian- characteristics including gender, age, and drinking conditions. Second, other contributing factors included vehicle, roadway geometric, weather, and hour of day characteristics. Third, seasonal effect was not contributive to crash patterns. Finally, the application of the Ordered Logit Model facilitated the ordered severity level analysis of the pedestrian crash data. This paper concludes that conventional wisdom on the pedestrian crash characteristics is largely truthful. However, this conclusion is limited only to the data used in this analysis, and further research is required for its generalization.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.509-518
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• 2018

Objective: The evidence that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is more effective for improving the acute neuropsychological status (ANS) of carbon monoxide poisoning than normobaric oxygen (NBO) therapy is not convincing. This is because the levels of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) do not correlate with the clinical severity of carbon monoxide poisoning and there is no universally accepted severity scale of carbon monoxide poisoning. This paper suggests a new scale for the clinical and neurological severity of carbon monoxide poisoning, called the ANS, and assesses the effect of HBO therapy for each level of ANS compared to NBO therapy. Methods: A total of 217 patients who had been hospitalized because of carbon monoxide poisoning from January 2009 to July 2013 were studied. ANS was suggested as a new severity scale of carbon monoxide poisoning considered in the Glasgow Coma Scale, acute neuro-psychologic signs and symptoms, or cardiac ischemia on the initial medical contact. HBO therapy is indicated in those who have a loss of consciousness, seizure, coma, abnormal findings on a neurological examination, pregnancy, persistent cardiac ischemia, level of COHb >25%, or severe metabolic acidosis (pH <7.2). The end point is the day of discharge, and recovery is defined as a normal neuro-psychological status without any sequelae. Results: The levels of troponin T and creatinine increased significantly with increasing ANS score. In the moderate to severe group (ANS 2 and 3), the recovery rate was significantly higher when treated with HBO therapy than with NBO therapy (P=0.030). On the other hand, the development of delayed neuro-psychological sequelae (DNS) did not correlate with any level of ANS, type of oxygen therapy, or recovery on discharge. Conclusion: In the moderate to severe poisoned group, HBO therapy is more effective for improving the ANS from carbon monoxide poisoning than NBO therapy. On the other hand, the development of DNS of HBO therapy is no more preventable than with NBO therapy. Although the level of ANS is low, the patient needs to be provided with sufficient information and a follow-up visit is recommended for any abnormal symptoms because the ANS does not correlate with the development and degree of DNS.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.859-868
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• 2020

Objective: To investigate the value of initial CT quantitative analysis of ground-glass opacity (GGO), consolidation, and total lesion volume and its relationship with clinical features for assessing the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Materials and Methods: A total of 84 patients with COVID-19 were retrospectively reviewed from January 23, 2020 to February 19, 2020. Patients were divided into two groups: severe group (n = 23) and non-severe group (n = 61). Clinical symptoms, laboratory data, and CT findings on admission were analyzed. CT quantitative parameters, including GGO, consolidation, total lesion score, percentage GGO, and percentage consolidation (both relative to total lesion volume) were calculated. Relationships between the CT findings and laboratory data were estimated. Finally, a discrimination model was established to assess the severity of COVID-19. Results: Patients in the severe group had higher baseline neutrophil percentage, increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and procalcitonin levels, and lower baseline lymphocyte count and lymphocyte percentage (p < 0.001). The severe group also had higher GGO score (p < 0.001), consolidation score (p < 0.001), total lesion score (p < 0.001), and percentage consolidation (p = 0.002), but had a lower percentage GGO (p = 0.008). These CT quantitative parameters were significantly correlated with laboratory inflammatory marker levels, including neutrophil percentage, lymphocyte count, lymphocyte percentage, hs-CRP level, and procalcitonin level (p < 0.05). The total lesion score demonstrated the best performance when the data cut-off was 8.2%. Furthermore, the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity were 93.8% (confidence interval [CI]: 86.8-100%), 91.3% (CI: 69.6-100%), and 91.8% (CI: 23.0-98.4%), respectively. Conclusion: CT quantitative parameters showed strong correlations with laboratory inflammatory markers, suggesting that CT quantitative analysis might be an effective and important method for assessing the severity of COVID-19, and may provide additional guidance for planning clinical treatment strategies.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2002

In replicated field trials, the efficacy of pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB; quintozene) for control of damping-off of ginseng seedlings was found to be affected by timing of application and formulation. Application at the time of seeding and prior to placement of straw mulch was found to provide the moat consistent level of disease control. However, decline in plant stand during the four-year production cycle resulted in most treatments providing similar levels of plant populations at harvest. Soil residues of pentachloronitrobenzene were generally highest (1 $\mu\textrm{g}$ PCNB/g soil) in those treatments that exhibited the highest levels of disease control in the seedling year. Straw contained high levels of quintozene after application. Beet seed assays with artificially-infested soils indicated that current use rates provide an amount of product suitable for high levels of disease control.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.75-101
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• 2024

This study investigates the variation in anxiety levels across income classes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The research is based on data from nationally representative surveys conducted in 2017 and 2021, and it employs a multilevel mixed-effects ordered logistic model. The unique aspect of this investigation lies in its utilization of the Cantril ladder, a commonly employed tool in public opinion research, to gauge anxiety levels. Participants are prompted to assess their present life circumstances concerning their daily worries and anxieties. The empirical findings provide evidence that individuals in provinces with higher exposures to COVID-19 reported heightened anxiety levels. Furthermore, the results highlight a consistent association between higher household income and lower levels of anxiety. Notably, individuals from the highest income group experienced a substantial decline in anxiety levels during the pandemic. When examining specific income classes, the study reveals heightened anxiety among women in higher-income brackets and among lower-income households residing in urban areas. Furthermore, regarding macroeconomic circumstances, the results illustrate a positive correlation between economic prosperity and anxiety levels among members of low-income households. The study also uncovers a positive connection between income inequality and self-assessed anxiety within upper-middle and high-income brackets.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 2020

Drought is considered as a devastating hazard that causes serious agricultural, ecological and socio-economic impacts worldwide. Fundamentally, the drought can be defined as temporarily different levels of inadequate precipitation, soil moisture, and water supply relative to the long-term average conditions. From no unified definition of droughts, droughts have been divided into different severity level, i.e., moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought. The drought severity classification defined the ranges for each indicator for each dryness level. Because the ranges of the various indicators often don't coincide, the final drought category tends to be based on what the majority of the indicators show and on local observations. Evaporative Stress Index (ESI), a satellite-based drought index using the ratio of potential and actual evaporation, is being used as a index of the droughts occurring rapidly in a short period of time from studies showing a more sensitive and fast response to drought compared to Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). However, ESI is difficult to provide an objective drought assessment because it does not have clear drought severity classification criteria. In this study, U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), the standard for drought determination used in the United States, was applied to ESI, and the Percentile method was used to classify drought categories by severity. Regarding the actual 2017 drought event in South Korea, we compare the spatial distribution of drought area and understand the USDM-based ESI by comparing the results of Standardized Groundwater level Index (SGI) and drought impact information. These results demonstrated that the USDM-based ESI could be an effective tool to provide objective drought conditions to inform management decisions for drought policy.