• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 2005

The purposes of this study were to develop and introduce a novel intraoral appliance for bruxism composed of power switch and biofeedback device and further to examine inter- and intra-reliability of the appliance prior to clinical tests. The newly-developed appliance consisted of detection sensors, a central processing unit (CPU), a reactor and a storage unit and a displayer. Compact-sized, waterproof switches were selected as bruxism detection sensor and any sensor activation by clenching or grinding event was processed at the CPU and transmitted, by radio wave, to the reactor and storage unit and triggered auditory or vibratory signal, subsequently producing biofeedback to the patient with bruxism. The data on bruxing event in the storage unit can be displayed on the computer, making it possible analyzing frequency, duration and nature of bruxism. Cast models were obtained from ten volunteers with normal occlusion to evaluate reliability of the appliances. For inter-operator reliability on the intraoral appliances, each operator of the two fabricated the appliance for the same subject and compared the minimal contact forces provoking auditory biofeedback reaction in vertical, lateral and central directions. Intra-operator reliability was also investigated on the appliances made by a single operator at two separate times with an interval of two days. Conclusively, the newly-developed appliance is compact and safe to use in oral circumstance and easy to make. Furthermore, it had to be proven reliability excellent enough to apply in clinical settings. Thus, it is assumed that this appliance with the processor and the storage of data and auditory or vibratory biofeedback function is available and useful to analyze and control bruxism.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.97-129
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• 2005

Korean society recently witnesses a rapid lllcrease of suicide across all ages. In particular, suicide in old ages jumps up ill a very unexpected way. Furthermore, the order of suicide in the cause of death across all ages is becoming higher and higher in Korea. This study provides details of suicide that occurs in Korean society with the comparison to that of Japan at the descriptive level. It is not well known why suicide in Korean surges recently. Several previous research show the possibility that surging suicide is closely related to the worsened economic conditions especially since the economic crisis in 1997. They adopt economic growth, unemployment rate, income distribution, household finance index as economic indicators in their research. This study also adopts those indicators and conducts a correlation analysis in two periods, 1990-1997 and 1998-2004. It is found that there is no correlation between economic indicators and suicide in the period of 1990-1997. On the other hand, there is a very strong correlation between income distribution and suicide in the period of 1998-2004. Other economic indicators except income distribution does not have any significant correlation with suicide. This finding suggests that currently increasing suicide in Korea may be a result of economic polarization, which has been worsened since the economic crisis in 1997.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of a trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) among healthy Korean children and adolescents. Methods: From October to December 2008, 65 healthy patients aged 6 months to 18 years who visited Korea University Ansan Hospital for influenza vaccination were enrolled in this study. We measured the hemagglutinin inhibition antibody titers at baseline and 30 days after vaccinating enrollees with split influenza vaccine and calculated the seroprotection rates, geometric mean titers, and seroconversion rates. Local and systemic adverse events were assessed after vaccination. Results: The seroprotection rates against all three viral strains (A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B) were 87.7%, 89.2%, and 89.2% (${\geq}70%$), respectively; seroconversion rates were 44.6%, 73.8%, and 63.1% (${\geq}40%$), respectively; and seroconversion factors were 4.5, 8.4, and 10.5 (>2.5), respectively. The TIV immunogenicity was acceptable according to the CPMP (Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products) criteria. Although 48 patients (73.8%) reported one or more adverse events, no severe adverse events such as anaphylaxis and convulsion were observed. Forty-two patients (64.6%) reported a local skin reaction, including redness (29.2%), pain (43.1%), or swelling (41.5%) of the injected site, and 26 (40.0%) reported a systemic reaction: fatigue (23.1%), myalgia (20.0%), headache (10.8%), arthralgia (10.8%), chills (9.2%), or fever (7.7%). Conclusions: This study shows that the immunogenicity of the TIV vaccine is acceptable. As there were no serious adverse events aside from local reactions and mild systemic reactions, this vaccine can be safely used among healthy Korean children and adolescents.