• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.755-760
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• 2021

In this study, the shielding rate of major X-ray protective equipment used in the medical environment was calculated using X-ray spectrum data emitted from the diagnostic X-ray generator of The Institute of Physics and Engineering(IPEM) Report-78, and the applicability of radiation protection was investigated. Radiation shielding rates were calculated through reduction rates of air-kerma and total intensity for lead apron (0.3 mmPb), thyroid shield (0.5 mmPb), lead goggles (0.5 mmPb), and lead glass (1.8, 2.7, 3.3 mmPb) used for diagnostic X-ray protection. As a result, the shielding rate calculated as the air kerma reduction rate ranged from 96.31 to 100% at 80 kV, and 90.35 to 100% at 120 kV. In addition, the results of this calculation were well matched with the results of previous studies measuring the actual shielding rate, and it is expected that the X-ray spectrum data of IPEM Report-78 can be used for radiation protection.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.58-69
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• 2021

Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the association between the sleep pattern, chronotype (midpoint of sleep on free days) and the depressive symptoms in adults aged 19 years and over in Korea. This study also investigated the mediating effect of perceived usual stress (PUS) and self-rated health (SRH) on the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms. Methods Among the subjects of the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016 and 2018, 16142 adults aged 19 or over responded to the survey and finally 8604 were analyzed according to the exclusion conditions. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to see the risk of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation over sleep pattern, chronotype. Finally, mediation analysis was performed in order to clarify how PUS and SRH are associated to chronoytpe and depression. Results After controlling for potential covariates, weekly sleep duration < 5 hours, ≥ 10 hours was associated with depressive symptoms. And late bed time sleeping after am 1:00 and later midpoints of sleep was associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms. Additionally, the PUS and SRH between chronotype and depressive symptoms showed a serial multiple mediation effect. Conclusions Short or long sleep duration, late bed time and later midpoints of sleep on free days are associated with depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the mechanism between chronotype and depressive symptoms needs to be further clarified by identifying the serial multiple mediation effects of PUS and SRH.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.461-469
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• 2021

Background: The global population is aging rapidly, and accordingly, the number of patients with dementia is increasing every year. Although the need for dental treatment increases for various reasons in patients with dementia, they cannot cooperate during dental treatment. Therefore, behavioral management, including sedation (SED) or general anesthesia (GA), is required for patients with dementia. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the trends and effects of SED or GA in patients with dementia undergoing dental treatment in South Korea based on the Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Methods: This study utilized customized health information data provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Among patients with records of using sedative drugs during dental treatment from January 2007 to September 2019, patients with the International Classification of Diseases-10 code for dementia (F00, F01, F02, F03, and G30) were selected. We then analyzed the full insurance claims data for dental care. Age, sex, sedative use, and dental treatment of patients were analyzed yearly. In addition, the number of cases of GA or SED per year was analyzed, and changes in behavioral management methods with increasing age were investigated. Results: Between January 2007 and September 2019, a total of 4,383 (male, 1,454; female, 2,929) patients with dementia received dental treatment under SED or GA. The total number of SED and GA cases were 1,515 (male, 528 ; female, 987 ) and 3,396 (male, 1,119 ; female, 2,277) cases, respectively. The total number of cases of dental treatment for 4,383 patients with dementia was 153,051 cases, of which 2.22% were under GA and 0.98% were under SED. Midazolam was the most commonly used drug for SED. Conclusion: Although gingivitis and pulpitis were the most common reasons for patients with dementia to visit the dentist, GA or SED for patients with dementia was frequently used in oral and maxillofacial or periodontal surgery.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.337-345
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate the phenotypes and predominant skeletodental pattern in pre-adolescent patients with Pierre-Robin sequence (PRS). Methods: The samples consisted of 26 Korean pre-adolescent PRS patients (11 boys and 15 girls; mean age at the investigation, 9.20 years) treated at the Department of Orthodontics, Seoul National University Dental Hospital between 1998 and 2019. Dental phenotypes, oral manifestation, cephalometric variables, and associated anomalies were investigated and statistically analyzed. Results: Congenitally missing teeth (CMT) were found in 34.6% of the patients (n = 9/26, 20 teeth, 2.22 teeth per patient) with 55.5% (n = 5/9) exhibiting bilaterally symmetric missing pattern. The mandibular incisors were the most common CMT (n = 11/20). Predominant skeletodental patterns included Class II relationship (57.7%), posteriorly positioned maxilla (76.9%) and mandible (92.3%), hyper-divergent pattern (92.3%), high gonial angle (65.4%), small mandibular body length to anterior cranial base ratio (65.4%), linguoversion of the maxillary incisors (76.9%), and linguoversion of the mandibular incisors (80.8%). Incomplete cleft palate (CP) of hard palate with complete CP of soft palate (61.5%) was the most frequently observed, followed by complete CP of hard and soft palate (19.2%) and CP of soft palate (19.2%) (p < 0.05). However, CP severity did not show a significant correlation with any cephalometric variables except incisor mandibular plane angle (p < 0.05). Five craniofacial and 15 extra-craniofacial anomalies were observed (53.8% patients); this implicated the need of routine screening. Conclusions: The results might provide primary data for individualized diagnosis and treatment planning for pre-adolescent PRS patients despite a single institution-based data.

• Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.148-155
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• 2018

Background and Purpose: Two conversion scales between the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) have been validated for Korean patients with Parkinson's disease. The aim of the present study was to validate these conversion scales for all patients with cognitive impairments regardless of dementia subtype. Methods: Medical records of 323 subjects who completed both MMSE and MoCA on the same day were retrospectively reviewed. Mean, median, and root mean squared error (RMSE) of the difference between true and equivalent MMSE scores were calculated. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between true and equivalent MMSE scores were also calculated. The validity of MoCA-MMSE conversion scales was evaluated according to educational level (low educated: ${\leq}6$ years; high educated: ${\geq}7$ years) and subtypes of cognitive impairment. Results: The difference between true and equivalent MMSE scores had a median value of 0, a mean value of 0.19 according to the van Steenoven scale, a mean value of 0.57 according to the Lawton scale, RMSE value of 2.2 according to the van Steenoven scale, and RMSE value of 0.42 according to the Lawton scale. Additionally, ICCs between true and equivalent MMSE scores were 0.92 and 0.90 on van Steenovan and Lawton conversion scales, respectively. These results were maintained in subgroup analyses. Conclusions: Findings of the present study suggest that both van Steenovan and Lawton MoCA-MMSE conversion scales are applicable to transforming MoCA scores into MMSE scores in patients with cognitive impairments regardless of dementia subtype or educational level.

• Stress
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.327-331
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• 2018

Background: For efficient management of an organization's human resource, it is crucial to increase the job satisfaction of women managers, since it is closely related to an individual's job performance and company's one. In this regard, this research explores how women managers' job stress and managerial efficacy affect their job satisfaction. Methods: This research uses the fifth wave of Korean Women Manager Panel (KWMP) collected in 2015. The 1,537 women managers who work at a company with 100 or more employees are employed and the data are analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS). Results: Income, job stress, and managerial efficacy have a statistically significant effect on job satisfaction. In addition, managerial efficacy has a moderating effect between job-related stress and job satisfaction. Conclusions: This study suggests the meaningful findings that in terms of boosting women manager's job satisfaction, it is requested to promote their managerial efficacy at the human resource management level.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.421-430
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• 2019

Background: The ginsenoside Rg3, one of active components of red ginseng, has chemopreventive and anticancer potential. Cancer stem cells retain self-renewal properties which account for cancer recurrence and resistance to anticancer therapy. In our present study, we investigated whether the standardized Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) and Rg3 could modulate the manifestation of breast cancer stem cell-like features through regulation of self-renewal activity. Methods: The effects of RGE and Rg3 on the proportion of $CD44^{high}/CD24^{low}$ cells, as representative characteristics of stem-like breast cancer cells, were determined by flow cytometry. The mammosphere formation assay was performed to assess self-renewal capacities of breast cancer cells. Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity of MCF-7 mammospheres was measured by the ALDEFLUOR assay. The expression levels of Sox-2, Bmi-1, and P-Akt and the nuclear localization of hypoxia inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ in MCF-7 mammospheres were verified by immunoblot analysis. Results: Both RGE and Rg3 decreased the viability of breast cancer cells and significantly reduced the populations of $CD44^{high}/CD24^{low}$ in MDA-MB-231 cells. RGE and Rg3 treatment attenuated the expression of Sox-2 and Bmi-1 by inhibiting the nuclear localization of hypoxia inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ in MCF-7 mammospheres. Suppression of the manifestation of breast cancer stem cell-like properties by Rg3 was mediated through the blockade of Akt-mediated self-renewal signaling. Conclusion: This study suggests that Rg3 has a therapeutic potential targeting breast cancer stem cells.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.315-328
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the components and nature of happiness in middle-aged women in Korea. Methods: Thirty middle-aged women living in metropolitan Seoul and Gyeonggi and Chungcheong provinces agreed to participate in this study. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with the participants in one-on-one settings. The data were analyzed qualitative using Colaizzi's method of phenomenology. Results: The three theme clusters were extracted from the raw data, along with 13 themes and 138 meaningful sentences and phrases. The three happiness theme clusters in middle-aged women were "live healthy for stability," "rule one's mind for harmony," and "activate hopes for self-esteem." The first theme cluster included healthy life, economic stability, physical youth, and positive thought. The second theme cluster included that harmonious family, ruling of mind, my position as invisible person in social relationships, and precious relationships to support. The last theme included the center of one's life is oneself, a sense of accomplishment, self-improvement, recognition of one's worth and rest for one self. The three theme clusters were associated with the existence, relatedness, and growth (ERG) of ERG areas, respectively. Conclusions: We conclude that the core components of happiness in middle-aged women are to live healthy and mind-ruled and activate hope. The nature of happiness is egocentric stability in middle-aged women. The results suggest that theme clusters might be used to develop a scale for measuring happiness in middle-aged women. This will be helpful to assess the psychosocial status of middle-aged women in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.449-460
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aims to provide base data for designing education and counseling programs for child-raising by identifying the types, characteristics and predictors of parenting behaviors of married immigrant women. Methods: We used a self-report questionnaire to survey 126 immigrant mothers of young children, who agreed to participate, and who could speak Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, or English, at two children's hospitals and two multicultural support centers. Statistical analysis was conducted using descriptive analysis, K-means clustering, ${\chi}^2$ test, Fisher's exact test, one-way ANOVA, $Sch{\acute{e}}ffe^{\prime}s$ test, and multinominal logistic regression. Results: We identified three clusters of parenting behaviors: 'affectionate acceptance group' (38.9%), 'active engaging group' (26.2%), and 'passive parenting group' (34.9%). Passive parenting and affectionate acceptance groups were distinguished by the conversation time between couples (p=.028, OR=5.52), ideology of motherhood (p=.032, OR=4.33), and parenting stress between parent and child (p=.049, OR=0.22). Passive parenting was distinguished from active engaging group by support from spouses for participating in multicultural support centers or relevant programs (p=.011, OR=2.37), and ideology of motherhood (p=.001, OR=16.65). Ideology of motherhood was also the distinguishing factor between affectionate acceptance and active engaging groups (p=.041, OR=3.85). Conclusion: Since immigrant women's parenting type depends on their ideology of motherhood, parenting stress, and spousal relationships in terms of communication and support to help their child-raising and socio-cultural adaptation, it is necessary to provide them with systematic education and support, as well as interventions across personal, family, and community levels.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2019

The root of Panax ginseng is used in ethnomedicine throughout eastern Asia and various recent studies have proved that Panax ginseng has inhibitory effects on cardiovascular disease. Each factor causing cardiovascular disease is known to have a very complex process which is achieved by a diverse number of mechanisms. Among these factors, platelets are the most important because they directly participate in thrombogenesis. Therefore, inhibiting the activity of platelets is an essential element for prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Our previous study showed the antiplatelet effects of Korean red ginseng extract and two of its components, ginsenoside Rg3 and ginsenoside Ro. However, the inhibitory mechanism of other ginsenosides remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the inhibitory mechanism of ginsenoside F4 (G-F4) from Korean red ginseng on the regulation of signaling molecules involved in human platelet aggregation. With the use of G-F4, collagen-induced human platelet aggregation was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, and it suppressed collagen-induced elevation of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization through elevated phosphorylation of inositol 1, 4, 5-triphosphate receptor I ($Ser^{1756}$). In addition, G-F4 inhibited fibrinogen binding to ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ during collagen-induced human platelet aggregation. Thus, in the present study, G-F4 showed an inhibitory effect on human platelet activation, suggesting its potential use as a new natural medicine for preventing platelet-mediated cardiovascular diseases.