• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.436-444
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• 2010

Objectives: This study aimed to assess prospectively the clinical outcome of nonsurgical endodontic treatment and identify patient- and tooth-related factors, rather than treatment-related factors, that were the best predictors of this outcome. Materials and Methods: The inception cohort comprised 441 teeth (320 patients) and 175 teeth (123 patients) were followed up for 1-2 years. Age, gender, presence of medical disease, number of canals, previous endodontic treatment, presence of sensitivity and pain, pulp vitality, swelling or sinus tract of pulpal origin on the gingiva, periapical radiolucency and tendency of unilateral bite on the affected tooth were recorded at treatment start. Results: The outcome was classified on the basis of periapical radiolucency as healed or non healed. The overall healed rate in these cases, including nonsurgical retreatment, was 81.1%. Four tooth-related factors had a negative impact in the bivariate analysis: previous endodontic treatment, necrotic pulp, preoperative gingival swelling or sinus tract of pulpal origin, and preoperative periapical radiolucency. Stepwise logistic regression analysis including patient-, tooth-related factors and level of the root canal filling as a treatment-related factor showed that preoperative gingival lesion (odds ratio [OR]: 4.4; p = 0.005), preoperative periapical radiolucency (OR: 3.6; p = 0.011), and $\leq$ 1-2 mm under root filling length (OR: 9.6; p = 0.012) were significant predictors of failure. Conclusions: A preoperative gingival lesion of pulpal origin can influence the outcome of nonsurgical endodontic treatment in addition to preoperative periapical radiolucency.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 2018

Purpose: The number of patients with dyslipidemia have been increasing steadily over the past few decades in South Korea. The association between the chromium level and chronic disease has attracted considerable interest, but few studies have been conducted on the Korean population. The aim of this study was to identify the dietary and non-dietary correlates of the toenail chromium level, and evaluate the association between the toenail chromium level and dyslipidemia. Methods: The baseline data of an ongoing prospective cohort study in Yeungnam area in South Korea were analyzed. A total of 500 participants aged 35 years or older who completed questionnaires on their demographics, lifestyle characteristics, and medical information were included. The toenail chromium level was analyzed by neutron activation analysis. The dietary intake was assessed using a validated 146-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The blood lipid profiles were obtained from medical examinations conducted by the Korean National Health Insurance Service or medical institutions. Results: Higher chromium levels were associated with the residential area (urban), higher education level, higher intakes of noodles and vegetables, and lower intake of fruits. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the toenail chromium levels were not associated significantly with the prevalence of dyslipidemia (odds ratio: 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.61 ~ 1.60). Conclusion: This study is the first study in Korea to determine the independent correlates of the toenail chromium levels and the association between chromium exposure and dyslipidemia. These findings provide useful scientific evidence for the development of chromium intake guidelines for the Korean population.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.56
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• pp.101-132
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• 2016

Fandom is a meaningful social phenomenon that represents a significant dimension of contemporary Korean youth culture. Previous research, however, has considered fandom as a deviant activity that is negative in nature, and there is scant research on the positive effects of fandom activity. This study examined the effects of off-line and on-line fandom activity participation on adolescents' academic time management capability. Data were collected from three waves (2010, 2012, and 2014) of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (middle school cohort; N=2,206 at baseline). Results from the multi-level growth curve analysis were as follows. First, more than half of the adolescents reported participating in fandom activities, and the majority of them participated in both online and offline activities. Second, adolescents' academic time management capability improved over time. Third, both off-line and on-line fandom activity participation was positively associated with adolescents' academic time management capability at the baseline (first year of middle school). The size of this relationship, however, decreased over time (from middle school to high school). This study presented the importance of appropriate guidance by adults to develop and promote the positive aspects of fandom activity, and highlighted the need for further research that focuses on the positive aspects of fandom activities.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.243-252
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• 2021

This study examined the current trend of the qualitative researches on the experiences of individuals who have siblings with disabilities. This study analyzed 17 research articles that either have been published in journals or nominated during the recent ten years, attempting to suggest future directions of the research on siblings who have siblings with disabilities. This study analyzed 17 research papers examining their participants, research methods, and research topics. The results of the previous literature analysis are the followings. Phenomenological approach is the most frequently used research method and normally developing siblings who were in their 20s participated in the researches most. As most research papers did not consider the normally developing siblings birth order, sex, and types of disabilities, future researches will need to specify these variables. The results of this study suggest the followings. Researchers have tried to investigate and understand the experience of the individuals who have siblings with disabilities, using phenomenological research method. Future research should go beyond the phenomenological research to developed theories that can affect the government policies, employing various research methods with specified participants. Further, this study has also identified that the individuals who have siblings with disabilities wanted to be identified as a separate cohort that needs to be researched and receive support.

• Asian Spine Journal
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.1010-1016
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• 2018

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Purpose: To report on spinal fusion assessment using computed tomography (CT) after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery using ultra-low dose recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (RhBMP-2). Overview of Literature: The reported dose of RhBMP-2 needed for successful spinal posterolateral fusion in ASD ranges from 10 to 20 mg per spinal level. This study reports the use of ultra-low dose of RhBMP-2 (0.07 mg per facet) to achieve spinal fusion in multilevel ASD surgery. Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent ASD surgery using ultra-low dose RhBMP-2 were recruited. Routine postoperative CT analysis for spinal fusion was performed by two spine surgeons. Inter-observer agreement was calculated for facet fusion (FF) and interbody fusion (IBF) at 6 and 12 months after the procedure. Results: Six consecutive ASD patients with a mean age of 62 years (28-72 years) were examined. Each patient received a total dose of 12 mg with an average dose of $0.69{\pm}0.2mg$ (0.42-1 mg) per single FF and $1.38{\pm}0.44mg$ (0.85-2 mg) for IBF. Total 131 FF and 15 IBF were examined in the study, with 88 FFs and nine IBFs being analyzed specifically at 6 months after the surgery. FF and IBF reported by surgeons A and B at 6 months were 97.7% vs. 91.9% FF, respectively (${\kappa}=0.95$) and 100% vs. 100% IBF, respectively (${\kappa}=1$). Two patients underwent longitudinal follow-up CT at 12 months, and the FF rates reported by surgeons A and B were 100% vs. 95.8%, respectively (${\kappa}=0.96$). Five out of nine facet (56%) non-unions were identified at the cross-links. The remaining four facet pseudarthrosis were noted at 1-2 spinal levels caudal to the cross-links. At the final clinical follow-up, there was no rod breakage, deformity progression, neurological deficit, or symptom recurrence. The Oswestry Disability Index improved by an average of $32.8{\pm}6.3$, while the mental component summary of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey improved by an average of $4.7{\pm}2.1$, and physical component summary improved by an average of $10.5{\pm}2.1$. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to report a CT that defined 92%-98% FF and 100% IBF using the lowest reported dose of RhBMP-2 in multilevel ASD surgery. The use of ultra-low dose RhBMP-2 reduces the RhBMP-2 related complications and healthcare costs.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2019

Hypertension is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In advanced countries, more than 30% of adults have hypertension. Among the genetic factors affecting hypertension, there are reports from European cohort studies that variants of the MACROD2 gene are correlated with blood pressure and the hypertension status. In this study, genetic polymorphisms of the MACROD2 gene region were selected and extracted based on Korean Genome and Epidemiology data, and logistic regression analysis was then performed for the hypertensive state. Linear regression analysis was also performed for the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. As a result, 16 SNPs showed a statistically significant association with a hypertensive state, and 2 SNPs (rs16996211, rs6034240) showed statistical significance, even in blood pressure. The most significant rs16996211 had a relative risk of hypertension of 0.85 (CI: 0.76~0.95, $P=3.1{\times}10^{-3}$), as well as an association with the systolic blood pressure (beta=-0.75, P=0.024) and diastolic blood pressure (beta=-0.59, P=0.01). These results suggest that polymorphisms of the MACROD2 gene are associated with hypertension in both Caucasians and Koreans, and highlight the potential genetic correlations with the pathogenesis of hypertension.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2018

Purpose: The Korean government has tried to decrease the suicide death rate over the last decade. Suicide attempts, particularly non-fatal attempts, are the most powerful known risk factor for a completed suicide. An analysis of suicide attempt methods will help establish the effective preventive action of suicide. Fit prevention according to the method of suicide attempt may decrease the incidence of suicide death. Self-poisoning is suggested as a major method of both suicide attempts and suicide death. The aim of this study was to determine if a self-poisoning patient is a suitable target for the prevention of the suicide. Methods: This was retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort, which included patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) after a self-harm or suicide attempt from Jan 2013 to Dec 2017. The proportion of methods in suicide attempts, psychological consultation, and fatality according to the suicide attempt method were analyzed. The types of poison were also analyzed. Results: Poisoning was the most common method of suicide attempts (52.1%). The rate of psychological consultations were 18.8% for all patients and 29.1% for poison patients (p<0.001). The rate of mortality in poisoning was 0.6%. Psychological consultation was performed more frequently in admission cases than discharged cases. The most common materials of poisons was psychological medicines and sedatives that had been prescribed at clinics or hospital. Conclusion: Self-poisoning is a major method of suicide attempt with a high rate of psychiatric consultation, low mortality rate, versus others methods. The prevention of suicide death for suicide attempts may focus on self-poisoning, which is the major method of suicide attempts. A suitable aftercare program for self-poisoning may be an effective method for preventing suicide if an early diagnosis and management of psychiatric disorders through psychiatric consultation can be made, and early connection to social prevention program for non-fatal patients are possible.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2021

Purpose: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Brain atrophy in this disease spectrum begins in the medial temporal lobe structure, which can be recognized by magnetic resonance imaging. To overcome the unsatisfactory inter-observer reliability of visual evaluation, quantitative brain volumetry has been developed and widely investigated for the diagnosis of MCI and AD. The aim of this study was to assess the prediction accuracy of quantitative brain volumetry using a fully automated segmentation software package, NeuroQuant^®, for the diagnosis of MCI. Materials and Methods: A total of 418 subjects from the Korean Brain Aging Study for Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease cohort were included in our study. Each participant was allocated to either a cognitively normal old group (n = 285) or an MCI group (n = 133). Brain volumetric data were obtained from T1-weighted images using the NeuroQuant software package. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to investigate relevant brain regions and their prediction accuracies. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that normative percentiles of the hippocampus (P < 0.001), amygdala (P = 0.003), frontal lobe (P = 0.049), medial parietal lobe (P = 0.023), and third ventricle (P = 0.012) were independent predictive factors for MCI. In ROC analysis, normative percentiles of the hippocampus and amygdala showed fair accuracies in the diagnosis of MCI (area under the curve: 0.739 and 0.727, respectively). Conclusion: Normative percentiles of the hippocampus and amygdala provided by the fully automated segmentation software could be used for screening MCI with a reasonable post-processing time. This information might help us interpret structural MRI in patients with cognitive impairment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2021

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can manifest in a range of symptoms, including both asymptomatic systems which appear nearly non-existent to the patient, all the way to the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Specifically, COVID-19-associated pneumonia develops into ARDS due to the rapid progression of hypoxia, and although arterial blood gas analysis can assist in halting this deterioration, the current environment provided by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to an overall lack of medical resources or equipment, has made it difficult to administer such tests in a widespread manner. As a result, this study was conducted in order to determine whether the levels of oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and the fraction of inhaled oxygen (FiO₂) (SF ratio) can also serve as predictors of ARDS and the patient's risk of mortality. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted from February 2020 to Mary 2020, with the study's subjects consisting of COVID-19 pneumonia patients who had reached a state of deterioration that required the use of oxygen therapy. Of the 100 COVID-19 pneumonia cases, we compared 59 pneumonia patients who required oxygen therapy, divided into ARDS and non-ARDS pneumonia patients who required oxygen, and then investigated the different factors which affected their mortality. Results: At the time of admission, the ratios of SpO₂, FiO₂, and SF for the ARDS group differed significantly from those of the non-ARDS pneumonia support group who required oxygen (p<0.001). With respect to the predicting of the occurrence of ARDS, the SF ratio on admission and the SF ratio at exacerbation had an area under the curve which measured to be around 85.7% and 88.8% (p<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified that the SF ratio at exacerbation (hazard ratio [HR], 0.916; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.846-0.991; p=0.029) and National Early Warning Score (NEWS) (HR, 1.277; 95% CI, 1.010-1.615; p=0.041) were significant predictors of mortality. Conclusion: The SF ratio on admission and the SF ratio at exacerbation were strong predictors of the occurrence of ARDS, and the SF ratio at exacerbation and NEWS held a significant effect on mortality.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.376-383
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and incidence and evaluate the current status of dental treatment of Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) and Dentinogenesis imperfecta (DI) in South Korea. The data was based on National Health Insurance Service (NHIS)-National Sample Cohort Database (2002 - 2015) and Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Dental Hospital (2011 - 2020). The NHIS data analysis showed prevalence of AI and DI were 11.6 and 2.4 per 100,000 people, respectively. The annual incidence of AI and DI for 2013 - 2015 were 2.2 and 0.5 per 100,000. There were no statistically significant differences regarding the number of visits, the reimbursable cost among AI, DI patients and others. In the patient analysis of the JBNU dental hospital, proportion of the reimbursable and non-reimbursable cost for AI patients were 12.1% and 87.9%, while DI patients accounted for 18.6% and 81.4%.