• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was carried out to provide the basic information for developing intervention programs for volunteers by identifying the burdens felt by hospice volunteers and the factors related to such burdens. Methods: The subjects were 243 hospice volunteers at 8 hospitals of The Catholic University of Korea. A questionnaire was carried out: 25 questions about the burdens to the participants and 47 questions about the quality of life. The data obtained was analyzed using the SAS program to conduct t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient test. Results: 1. The mean total score of the burdens felt by the hospice volunteers was $53.3{\pm}10.4$. There was no significant difference in the level of burden depending on the demographic characteristics of the hospice volunteers. But the burden in care of high education and low quality of life increased significantly. 2. The level of burden to the hospice volunteers decreased significantly as their families more favored their volunteer activities. The subjects felt the highest burden in: family care, physical care spiritual care, emotional care, and after-death care, in this order. 3. The level of burden related to each factors was high in the burden due to patient care, sense of achievement, and volunteer activities, in this order. 4. There was a reverse correlation between the level of burden to hospice volunteers and their quality of life. Conclusion: In order to reduce the burdens to hospice volunteers and to help them tate care of patients more effectively, it would be necessary to provide the education programs about practical patient care problems and to develop measures for improving their quality of life, taking into account their level of education, family's support, and difficulties in their volunteer activities.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 2009

Purpose: Osteocalcin is also known as the bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) protein (BGP), is noncollagenous bone protein synthesized by osteoblasts. Serum concentrations of Osteocalcin have been used as a biochemical marker of bone turnover. The reference intervals of Osteocalcin is categorized by kit corporation according to the age. However, each laboratory should establish its own reference intervals. In this study, the variation in the serum Osteocalcin level were used to find actual standard age-specific Osteocalcin reference intervals. Materials and Methods: We have selected 864 healthy females aged 20~80 years who visited a health promotion center between Aug. 2007 and Sep. 2008. The Osteocalcin IRMA Kit (OSTEO-RIACT, CIS Bio international, Gif-sur-Yvette, France) was used for the quantification. Each results were analyzed with the SPSS 12.0 statistical software. Results: The analyzed reference intervals of Osteocalcin by using Hoffmann method are from 8.8~39.4 ng/mL to 6.3~28.8 ng/mL for the case of the age from 20 to 30, from 7.7~31.9 ng/mL to 5.9~17.4 ng/mL for the case of the age from 31 to 40, and from 8.0~36.0 ng/mL to 5.5~20.1 ng/mL for the case of the age from 41 to 50, and from 8.0~50.5 ng/mL to 6.7~27.0 ng/mL for the case of the age from 51 to 60, and from 12.9~55.9 ng/mL to 7.5~27.5 ng/mL for the case of the age from 61 to 80. Reference intervals of Osteocalcin were not in agreement with those recommended by the manufacturers. Conclusions: Osteocalcin is used as an indication of metabolic bone diseases. So in our study we wanted to provide reference intervals of Osteocalcin that can be useful to a clinical decisions. Also, previous reference intervals should not be re-used and new intervals should be set by continuous analyzing.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to correlate the imaging findings and the clinical findings in patients with transient splenial lesions (TSL). Materials and Methods: Total of 7 patients (M: F = 4: 3; age range 11 - 38 years, mean age 25.5 years) were studied between November 2006 and April 2011. The MRI findings and clinical findings in all patients were retrospectively reviewed. The location, MR signal intensity, restricted diffusion, enhancement pattern and reversibility from the follow up images were reviewed. Clinical features were reviewed with respect to the presented symptoms, signs, treatment and outcome. Results: The lesions were located in the splenium of corpus callosum in all patients. All lesions showed high signal intensity on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and six patients showed restricted diffusion on the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. ADC map was not available in one patient. All lesions (n = 7) showed high signal intensity on the T2 weighted image (T2WI). Five of the patients (71.4%) with follow up images (range 7 - 34 days) showed complete resolution of focal high signal intensity on DWI, with recovery of ADC values as well as T2WI. After contrast media administration, none of the lesions showed any enhancements. All lesions with various etiologies including TB medication were developed in younger age patients and showed reversibility after the acceptable period of minimum 7 days with conservative treatment. Conclusion: All TSL showed nonspecific imaging findings, including restricted diffusion on DWI and ADC map on the initial images. However, reversibility of the lesions and the young age preference can be a characteristic finding of TSL with acceptable period of minimum 7 days. In addition, to keep it in mind that various etiologies including TB medication may cause TSL, is important for radiologists as well as clinicians.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.1177-1191
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• 2016

Estimation of food consumption details, such as portion size and frequency of consumption, is needed for exposure assessment step in microbiological risk assessment. This study investigated the amounts and frequencies of 50 kinds of consumed livestock products. A quantitative survey was performed by trained interviewers in face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults aged over 19, who were randomly selected from seven major provinces in Korea. Respondents received a picture of one serving size for each of the 50 livestock products, including meats, processed meat products, milk and dairy products, and eggs and processed egg products. A t-test and general linear model were carried out using SPSS statistics. The most important factor affecting consumption of livestock products was residence area. The most frequently consumed food was milk (2.6 times/week), followed by pork (1.4 times/week), liquid yogurt (1.3 times/week), rolled omelet (1.2 times/week), semisolid yogurt (1.0 times/week), steamed egg (1.0 times/week), ice cream (0.9 times/week), chicken (0.8 times/week), low fat milk (0.7 times/week), and beef (0.6 times/week). In the case of consumption amount, people living in a city consumed meat (beef, pork, chicken, and duck) 1.5 times more than those living in a village, whereas milk and dairy products and eggs and processed egg products were consumed more frequently by people living in a town. When people eat meat, they consume twice the amount of one serving size. Students consumed livestock and processed livestock products more frequently with greater portions all at once. People living in Seoul, Incheon/Gyeonggi, and Busan/Ulsan/Gyeongnam consumed livestock products more frequently in large amounts. Data from this study can be used for risk assessment of livestock and processed livestock products as well as education for safe consumption of livestock products.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2012

I-cell disease (mucolipidosis type II; MIM 252500) and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy (mucolipidosis type III; MIM 252600) are disorders caused by abnormal lysosomal transport in cells. The presence of numerous inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, a lack of mucopolysacchariduria, increased lysosomal enzyme activity in serum, and decreased GlcNAc-phosphotransferase activity are hallmark. Here, we attempted to investigate phenotypical and biochemical characteristics of the knockoutmouse of GlcNAc-phosphotransferase ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ subunits; in addition, we also attempted to determine whether the lysosome enriched fraction derived from placenta can be beneficial to phenotype and biochemistry of the knockout mouse.We found that the knockout mouse failed to thrive and had low bone density, as is the case in human. In addition, skin fibroblasts from the animal had the same biochemical characteristics, including increased lysosomal enzyme activity in the culture media, in contrast to the relatively low enzyme activity within the cells. Intravenous injection of the lysosome rich fraction derived from placenta into the tail vein of the animal resulted in a gain of weight, while saline injected animals didn't.In conclusion, our study demonstrated the phenotypical and biochemical similarities of the knockout mouse to a mucolipidosis type II patient and showed the therapeutic potential of the lysosome enriched fraction. We admit that a larger scale animal study will be needed; however, the disease model and the therapeutic potential of the lysosome enriched fraction will highlight the hope for a novel treatment approach to mucopolipidosis type II, for which no therapeutic modality is available.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 1984

To assess the effect of noise on the blood pressure of workers, 70 weaving and 70 refining female workers in 15 to 24 years of ages were tested for the changes of blood pressure before and after exposure to the noise. The noise levels at work place were 99 dB (A) for weavers and 80 dB(A) for refiners. The mean age of refiners was 17,7 years and that of weavers was 18.6 years, and the difference in mean ages was statistically significant (p<0.05). The means of heights, weights and working durations were not significantly different between two groups. The mean systolic blood pressure of the weavers was 112.5mmHg before exposure to the noise and it was increased to 115.7mmHg after exposure to 99 dB(A) of noise for 30 minutes, and the mean diastolic blood pressure from 71.6mmHg to 74.1mmHg. These increments of blood pressure were statististically significant (p<0.05). The mean systolic blood pressure of the refiners was decreased from 108.9mmHg to 106.7mmHg after exposure to 80 dB(A) of noise for 30 minutes, and the mean diastolic blood pressure from 67.3mmHg to 67.1mmHg. These changes of blood pressure were not statistically significant. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the weavers before exposure to the noise were significantly higher than that of refiners (p<0.05). The difference of blood pressure between refiners and weavers was significantly associated with noises (p<0.05), and not ages and their interactions. The study results support the hypothesis that exposure to excessive noise increases the blood pressure of workers.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.140-144
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• 2014

Purpose: The recent surge in breast carcinoma patients is reported in a variety of statistics. Breast cancer occurs mainly from duct and lobulus: 85% is from the breast ducts. The present study is aimed to distinguish the difference in $SUV_{max}$ changing over time by identifying the type of cancers attacking from the duct. Materials and Methods: The subjects of the study are 291 female breast cancer patients who have visited the present PET/CT center from July 1, 2012 to July 23, 2013. Based on the pathological results, 248 IDC (invasive ductal carcinoma) patients and 43 DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) patients were selected. In the same manner as the general PET/CT scan (3.7 MBq/Kg), F-FDG was injected, followed by the primary test (Routine tests) after 1 hr, and the secondary test (Delay test) after another hr. $SUV_{max}$ was measured after setting ROI in the lesion based on the data from the two tests. Results: As the comparative result of the change in the lesion $SUV_{max}$ between the two groups, IDC group's $SUV_{max}$ showed M=7.11 and SD=5.405 in the primary test and increased M=7.11 and SD=5.405 in the secondary test (P<0.05); DCIS group's $SUV_{max}$ showed M=2.739, SD=1.229 in the primary test and increased M=2.614, SD=1.470 in the secondary test (P<0.05). Conclusion: As the comparative result of $SUV_{max}$ over time between the groups, IDC showed increased $SUV_{max}$ in the secondary test (Delay test) compared to the primary test (Routine test) (P=0.000); DCIS showed decreased $SUV_{max}$ in the secondary test (Delay test) compared to the primary test (Routine test) (P=0.039). It was confirmed through this study that the change in $SUV_{max}$ has occurred over time by the type of breast cancer (IDC or DCIS) occurring from the breast ducts. However, the onset of breast cancers (ILC, LCIS) from the lobulus was not discussed due to the lack of samples. Future research on the breast cancers from the lobulus is suggested.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.25-38
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• 1996

As the proportion of women's participation in economic activities is rising, the increase of husband and wife both working and nuclear families makes children up-bringing a social problem. But many families have difficulties by the shortage of day nurseries which can solve it. As we can see in the research, the most urgent problem is the extension of nurseries in quantity. In Taegu, since it became a wide-area city, there are 473 nurseries. But in the respect of distribution, only less than 10% of Dongs have more than 7 nurseries and more than 90% of Dongs have less than 7 nurseries. Consequently nurseries are extremely insufficient. Moreover 29 Dongs don't have any nurseries at all and they take 18.6% of Dongs. The second problem is the unbalanced distribution of nurseries. West and north ward which are industrial complex and swarmed with low-income families, and Tal-sung county which is recently included in the wide-area city keenly need the establishment of nurseries. Besides, Bi-san 1 Dong and Non-gong which have only $1{\sim}2$ nurseries though they have high proportion of children and women who can be pregnant are also the areas which take precedence of nursery establishment. The third problem is that government support must be increased in the areas which have many small, petty and profit-making private nurseries so that good quality teachers can make breeding activities in nice facilities and environment. In materials which are obtained by the interviews with publich servants in charge of family welfare in some ward offices. Young and unexperienced persons who aquired certificate of qualification take day-nursery permits and run nurseries only a few months. and if the profits are insufficient, they sell the nurseries for premiums to third persons who are not qualified. Then the third managers only think of profits without thought of good quality childcare. As the result, the nurseries become asylums not nurseries. That is why the conditions of nursery establishment must be restricted to suitable scale and experienced persons. The fourth problem is that the nurseries in work places are extremely insufficient. The women who have jobs have many things to do before they go to work such as preparing meals and leaving children in the care of someone. Hence the childcare problem of working women must be solved. In nuclear families, childcare is the most serious problem for working women. The fifth one is the reduction of childcare expenses. Women must sacrifice themselves a lot to make social activities. To say nothing of physical and mental burden, they have to spend much of their salaries on childcare. And yet they don't take the benefit of good quality childcare. For the participation of women in public affairs, society must support the childcare problem to have then be devoted to their jobs without worries about their children. Therefore Taegu wide-area city must select west, north ward which are industrial complex and the low-income swarmed area before everything and establish many national, public and corporate nurseries which cost less expenses.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2189-2198
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• 2012

This study was designed to measure the difference in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among social classes and explore the factors that may explain it. Study subjects were 7,992 Korean adults aged 20-69 from the 4th (2007-2009) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys data. We described mean value of EQ-5D index as a HRQOL by class and performed hierarchical multiple regression analysis to find the factors. The result was as follows. In the distribution of EQ-5D index level among social classes, new middle class (class II) had the highest score (0.966 in men and 0.955 in women); upper and middle-upper class (class I) 0.965 in men and 0.936 in women; working class (class IV) 0.958 in men and 0.936 in women; old middle class (class III) 0.955 in men and 0.932 in women; low class (class VI) 0.941 in men and 0.908 in women; and rural self-management class (class V) the lowest score (0.918 in men and 0.866 in women). In men, chronic disease, job stress, education and income level were found to make the difference in the health-related quality of life among social classes; in women, those factors and health behavior explained the difference. In conclusion, the lower social class has lower HRQOL. Except for education and income level, chronic disease may be the major factor to explain the difference in the health-related quality of life among social classes.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aging process on the immunity in human subjects. In this investigation, nineteen families of three generations (daughters on college age, their mothers, and grandmothers) participated to avoid genetic variation among individuals. Dietary food records, anthropometric measurements and biochemical assessments of serum nutrients were used to evaluate the nutritional status of subjects. The immune parameters of subjects were assessed by the total and differential WBC count. Total B and T lymphocytes, and T cell subsets were quantified by flowcytometer. Serum immunoglobulin G, A, M concentrations were also measured as an index of humoral immunity. The result of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. Along with the aging process, body fat was found to be increased whereas lean body mass and total body water were diminished. Since there were no significant difference in serum vitamin E levels in all age groups, serum retinal concentrations tended to decrease as one gets old. 2. Although total number of T lymphocytes seemed to be unchanged, B lymphocytes and NK cell numbers were increased by aging. The Percentage of CD8 + lymphocytes was lower in the elderly subjects compared with the younger, resulting in higher ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + lymphocytes in the elderly. Serum Ig G and Ig A levels remained unchanged, but IgM levels were significantly decreased as the age processes continue. Taking all together, it could be suggested that the alteration of immune cell population by aging is selective and possibly nonage factors such as nutrition may be attributable to the change of immunity in the elderly. The nutritional status and aging process may selectively affect both the cell-mediated (CD8 +, CD4 + CD8 + ratio, NK cell) and humoral (B lymphocyte, Immunoglobulin M, G) immune parameters in human subjects.