• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.10-22
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• 2023

Objectives The aim of this study is to explore the mechanism of action and target diseases of Sasang constitutional prescriptions using a multiscale interactome approach. Methods The compound and target information of Sasang constitutional prescriptions were retrieved from various databases such as the TM-MC, STITCH, and TTD. Key targets for Sasang constitutional prescriptions were identified by selecting the top 100 targets based on the number of simple paths within the constructed network. Diffusion profiles for Sasang constitutional prescriptions and diseases were calculated based on a biased random walk algorithm. Potential diseases and key mechanisms of Sasang constitutional prescriptions were identified by analyzing diffusion profiles. Results We identified 144 Sasang constitutional prescriptions and their targets, finding 80 herbs with effective biological targets. A cluster analysis based on selecting up to 100 key targets for each prescription revealed a more cohesive grouping of prescriptions according to Sasang constitution. We then predicted potential diseases for 62 Sasang constitutional prescriptions using diffusion profiles calculated on a multiscale interactome. Finally, our analysis of diffusion profiles revealed key targets and biological functions of prescriptions in obesity and diabetes. Conclusions This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a multiscale interactome approach in elucidating the complex mechanisms and potential therapeutic applications of prescriptions in Sasang constitutional medicine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.173-177
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• 2022

Multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential (MCRNLMP) is a rare subtype of renal cell carcinoma that has a favorable outcome. Most cases of MCRNLMP usually present as distinct multilocular cystic lesions; however, they may appear as small complicated cysts with hemorrhagic components. Herein, we present a case of MCRNLMP and provide a review of the literature.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.85-106
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• 2024

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze randomized controlled trial, which studied the effect of korean herbal medicine on premature ovarian insufficiency. Methods: Researchers searched for randomized controlled trial of based on korean herbal medicine and premature ovarian insufficiency. The paper search was conducted through 7 online databases on April 20, 2024. Results: 12 studies were included after selection and exclusion criteria. 4 studies compared herbal medicine with hormone replacement therapy or placebo. 8 studies compared combined treatment of herbal medicine and hormone replacement therapy, with hormone replacement therapy alone. All studies reported significant improvement on hormone, antral follicle count (AFC), total effective rate and associated symptoms. There were no serious adverse effects. Conclusions: This study suggests that herbal medicine has benefit for treating symptoms and ovarian function of premature ovarian insufficiency. For reliable evidence, further research on pregnancy or long-term follow-up is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Child Neurology Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2018

Purpose: Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common type of seizure in children between 6 months to 5 years of age. A family history of febrile seizures can increase the risk a child will have a FS. Yet, prevalence of FS regarding external environment has not been clearly proved. This study attempts to determine the association between prevalence of FS and weather. Methods: This study included medical records from the Korea National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Data were collected from 29,240 children, born after 2004, diagnosed with FS who were admitted to one of the hospitals in Seoul, Korea, between January 2009 and December 2013. During the corresponding time period, data from the Korea Meteorological Administration on daily monitoring of four meteorological factors (sea-level pressure, amount of precipitation, humidity and temperature) were collected. The relationships of FS prevalence and each meteorological factor will be designed using Poisson generalized additive model (GAM). Also, the contributory effect of viral infections on FS prevalence and weather will be discussed. Results: The amount of precipitation was divided into two groups for comparison: one with less than 5 mm and the other with equal to or more than 5 mm. As a result of Poisson GAM, higher prevalence of FS showed a correlation with smaller amount of precipitation. Smoothing function was used to classify the relationships between three variables (sea-level pressure, humidity, and temperature) and prevalence of FS. FS prevalence was correlated with lower sea-level pressure and lower humidity. FS prevalence was high in two temperature ranges (-7 to $-1^{\circ}C$ and $18-21^{\circ}C$). Conclusion: Low sea-level pressure, small amount of precipitation, and low relative air humidity may increase FS prevalence risk.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2019

Purpose: Isolated methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder of propionate metabolism. There are two subtypes of MMUT gene defects. $Mut^0$ represents complete loss of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MCM) activity while mut- is associated with residual MCM activity, which can be stimulated by hydroxocobalamin (OHCbl) supplementation. The objective of this study is to investigate cobalamin responsiveness and mutations present in Korean MMA population. Methods: We evaluated 10 MMA patients using somatic cell complementation analysis on their fibroblasts to measure MCM activity and vitamin B12 responsiveness for the optimal treatment. MMUT gene was sequenced to identify the MMA mutations. Results: For all patients, the incorporation of $[^{14}C]-propionate$ was low, and there was no response to OHCbl. The incorporation of $[^{14}C]-methyltetrahydrofolate$ and $[^{57}Co]-CNCbl$ fell within the normal range. There was adequate synthesis of methylcobalamin while the synthesis of adenosylcobalamin was low. The complementation analysis showed all patients were $mut^0$. The sequence analysis identified 12 different MMUT mutations, including 2 novel mutations, p.Gln267Ter and p.Ile697Phe, were identified. All the patients in this study had neonatal onset of symptoms, belonged to $mut^0$ complementation class, and as a result, showed no cobalamin responsiveness. Conclusion: No Korean MMA patient showed cobalamin responsiveness.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.160-169
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of a toothbrush with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on periodontitis-associated dental biofilm attached to a zirconia surface by static and dynamic methods. Materials and Methods: Zirconia disks (12 mm diameter, 2.5 mm thickness) were inserted into a 24-well plate (static method) or inside a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) biofilm reactor (dynamic method) to form dental biofilms using Streptococcus gordonii and Fusobacterium nucleatum. The disks with biofilm were subdivided into five treatment groups-control, commercial photodynamic therapy (PDT), toothbrush alone (B), brush with LED (BL), and brush with LED+erythrosine (BLE). After treatment, the disks were agitated to detach the bacteria, and the resulting solutions were spread directly on selective agar. The number of viable bacteria and percentage of bacterial reduction were determined from colony counts. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to visualize alterations in bacterial morphology. Results: No significant difference in biofilm formation was observed between dynamic and static methods. A significant difference was observed in the number of viable bacteria between the control and all experimental groups (P < 0.05). The percentage of bacterial reduction in the BLE group was significantly higher than in the other treated groups (P < 0.05). SEM revealed damaged bacterial cell walls in the PDT, BL, and BLE groups, but intact cell walls in the control and B groups. Conclusion: The findings suggest that an LED toothbrush with erythrosine is more effective than other treatments in reducing the viability of periodontitis-associated bacteria attached to zirconia in vitro.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.90-98
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to provide basic data for preventing and managing sarcopenia by identifying the relationship between sarcopenia, malnutrition, and psychosocial factors among the elderly in the community. Methods: The study included 1,019 subjects aged 60 and over. "Possible sarcopenia" was defined by low handgrip strength with or without reduced physical performance. Nutrition was evaluated according to the mini nutrition assessment (MNA), and the psychosocial factors examined were self-efficacy, social isolation, fear of falling, and social capital (trust and participation). A logistic regression analysis was also performed on the relationship between risk of malnutrition, psychosocial factors, and sarcopenia. Results: MNA was significantly associated with social participation (OR = 1.747, p <0.001), fear of falling (OR = 2.905, p <0.001), and self-efficacy (high/low, OR = 0.654, p = 0.011). In model 3, which included both MNA and psychosocial factors, sarcopenia was significantly associated with MNA (OR = 2.529, p <0.001) and fear of falling (OR = 1.544, p = 0.045). Compared with the low self-efficacy group, the high group (OR = 0.589, p = 0.009) was significant. The factors related to possible sarcopenia include risk of malnutrition, fear of falls, and low self-efficacy. Conclusion: It will be necessary to improve self-efficacy so that individuals feel they can do activities of daily living themselves and to reduce their fear of falling through muscle strength and balance exercises. Finally, it is also necessary to increase regular participation in community social activities.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.108-117
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• 2023

Objectives : Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is characterized by the manifestation of a variety of physical symptoms, but little is known about differences in autonomic nervous system activity according to symptom severity, especially within patient groups. In this study, we examined differences in heart rate variability (HRV) across symptom severity in a group of SSD patients to analyze a representative marker of autonomic nervous system changes by symptoms severity. Methods : Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for patients who were diagnosed with SSD based on DSM-5 from September 18, 2020 to October 29, 2021. We applied inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) methods to generate more homogeneous comparisons in HRV parameters by correcting for selection biases due to sociodemographic and clinical characteristic differences between groups. Results : There were statistically significant correlations between the somatic symptom severity and LF (nu), HF (nu), LF/HF, as well as SD1/SD2 and Alpha1/Alpha2. After IPTW estimation, the mild to moderate group was corrected to 27 (53.0%) and the severe group to 24 (47.0%), and homogeneity was achieved as the differences in demographic and clinical characteristics were not significant. The analysis of inverse probability weighted regression adjustment model showed that the severe group was associated with significantly lower RMSSD (β=-0.70, p=0.003) and pNN20 (β=-1.04, p=0.019) in the time domain and higher LF (nu) (β=0.29, p<0.001), lower HF (nu) (β=-0.29, p<0.001), higher LF/HF (β=1.41, p=0.001), and in the nonlinear domain, significant differences were tested for SampEn15 (β=-0.35, p=0.014), SD1/SD2 (β=-0.68, p<0.001), and Alpha1/Alpha2 (ß=0.43, p=0.001). Conclusions : These results suggest that differences in HRV parameters by SSD severity were showed in the time, frequency and nonlinear domains, specific parameters demonstrating significantly higher sympathetic nerve activity and reduced ability of the parasympathetic nervous system in SSD patients with severe symptoms.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of an 810-nm infrared diode laser with indocyanine green (ICG) against Staphylococcus aureus on sandblasted, large grit, and acid-etched (SLA) titanium surfaces, comparing its effectiveness with alternative chemical decontamination modalities. Materials and Methods: Biofilms of S. aureus ATCC 25923 were cultured on SLA titanium disks for 48 hours. The biofilms were divided into five treatment groups: control, chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), tetracycline (TC), ICG, and 810-nm infrared diode laser with ICG (ICG-PDT). After treatment, colony-forming units were quantified to assess surviving bacteria, and viability was confirmed through confocal laser-scanning microscope (CLSM) imaging. Results: All treated groups exhibited a statistically significant reduction in S. aureus (P < 0.05), with notable efficacy in the CHX, TC, and ICG-PDT groups (P < 0.01). While no statistical difference was observed between TC and CHX, the ICG-PDT group demonstrated superior bacterial reduction. CLSM images revealed a higher proportion of dead bacteria stained in red within the ICG-PDT groups. Conclusion: Within the limitations, ICG-PDT effectively reduced S. aureus biofilms on SLA titanium surfaces. Further investigations into alternative decontamination methods and the clinical impact of ICG-PDT on peri-implant diseases are warranted.

• Journal of the Korean Child Neurology Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.251-262
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to identify changes in smart device usage trends of young children using two studies conducted in 2015-2016 and 2017 respectively. Methods: We compared the data of the previous study of 130 children (Group A) and the new study of 162 children (Group B). The children and parents were recruited from kindergartens in Seoul and Guri/Namyangju cities. We used the "Parental questionnaire for smart device usage status." Results: There were some changes in the smart device usage in young children and parental perception. In the 2017 study, smart device usage time increased during weekends (P<0.05) and the usage with siblings decreased (P<0.05). In 2017, the smart device was mostly used when children had to be quiet without disturbing others (36.8%). No significant difference existed in the main purpose of use: watching video clips (79.3% vs 76.6%). Overall control of the usage was still largely exercised by mothers; however, when using applications, mothers still only helped the children on request (51.8% vs 49.7%). Regarding the effect of smart device on children, responses of "not knowing" decreased and "will be negative" and "will be positive" increased (P<0.05). Additionally, most mothers thought that "Although the smart device is currently unnecessary, it will be needed in future" in 2017 (46.3%). Conclusion: Limiting the smart device usage time during the weekends and increasing parental involvements are recommended. Guidelines for smart devices usage in young children are also necessary considering the changes in parental attitudes in recognizing the smart device usage as unavoidable.