• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.1193-1201
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• 2016

In epidemiology or etiology, we are often interested in identifying areas of elevated risk, so called, hot spot or cluster. Many existing clustering methods only tend to a result if there exists any clustering pattern in study area. Recently, however, lots of newly introduced clustering methods can identify the location, size, and shape of clusters and test if the clusters are statistically significant as well. In this paper, one of most commonly used clustering methods, scan statistic, and its implementation SaTScan software, which is freely available, will be introduced. To exemplify the usage of SaTScan software, we used cancer data from the SEER program of National Cancer Institute of U.S.A.We aimed to help researchers and practitioners, who are interested in spatial cluster detection, using female lung cancer mortality data of the SEER program.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.92-99
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• 2009

Population dynamics and sexual maturity of Neomysis japonica (Ishikawa and Oshima, 1951) were investigated from a shrimp farm in Tae-an, Korea. N. japonica was collected monthly at the shrimp farm belonging to the Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, the Soonchunhyang University from October 2002 to September 2003. The proportion of female was higher than that of male. The mean carapace length of male (2.42 mm) was larger than that of female (2.31 mm). Brood size increased with increasing female body size. The size of N. japonica at 50% sexual maturity was approximately 4.4 mm. N. japonica females grew faster and reached larger size than males. The mortality rate (z) calculated by length-converted catch curves was $3.46\;yr^{-1}$. The annual recruitment pattern of N. japonica had two major peaks. Log-transformed total length was significantly related with log-transformed carapace length.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.3 s.47
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• pp.465-473
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• 1994

This study was carried out to evaluate the relations between sociodemographic, work-related factors and health related behaviors in a group of 1,042 workers in Taejeon and Chungnam area. The results were as followings: The older workers took more irregularly meals, more cigarette and more alcohol than the younger. Men had more appropriate sleeping time, more regular exercise than women, but more frequent alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. The married had more regular sleeping habit than the unmarried. The group of married were smoking more and obese. In view of monthly income which represent the socioeconomic state of workers, the group of more than 1 million won had more frequent alcohol ingestion, more heavier body weight than another group of less than 1 million won. Workers having their work hours exceed 9 hours had inappropriate sleep duration, and shift workers took more irregularly meals. The group having poor self-rated health status showed more regular diet, exercise and overweight. Workers recently experienced chronic illness were more overweight and lesser smokers. Above results showed that the health related behaviors were related to the sociodemographic characteristics and occupation-related characteristics. The study for relationship between variant factors affecting health behavior and disease or mortality is need and it should be emphasized that the publicity and education of health related behavior for industrial workers is necessary.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2008

Purpose: As the care of surgical patients becomes increasingly complex and catheter-based techniques are more frequently applied, the pattern of iatrogenic vascular injuries may be increasing. Major vascular injuries can jeopardize a patient's life or limb survival. The purpose of this study was to examine the current etiology and prognosis for iatrogenic vascular injuries. Methods: We reviewed medical records of 29 cases of iatrogenic vascular injury that were treated Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between October 2003 and October 2008. We studied clinical variables including demographics, cause of injury, clinical presentations, management and prognosis. Results: The mean age was 60.8 years (range: 25-86), and the male to female ratio was 1.9 : 1. The causes of injuries were operation related complication in 18 cases (62.1%), endovascular intervention and diagnostic angiography in 11 cases (37.9%). The types of vascular injury were partial severance in 14 cases, pseudoaneurysm in 8, arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in 3, thrombosis in 2, complete severance in 2. Especially, device related complication including percutaneous closing device were occurred in 9 and the others came from inadvertent physician's procedure. Primary repair were done in 12 cases, end-to-end anastomosis in 5, interposition graft in 4, ligation in 2, patch angioplasty in 1, peudoaneurysm excision and arteriorrhaphy in 1, hematoma evacuation in 1, and endovascular repair in 3. There were 2 cases of mortality, one of them due to hemorrhagic shock and the other due to septic shock. Conclusion: Proper selection of treatment modalities should be important to have better outcome according to the type of injury as well as anatomical location. Each physician should be familiar to new device as well as patient's topographical feature. Immediate referral to vascular specialist is also essential to reduce morbidity.

• Integrative Medicine Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 2018

Background: Hypertension is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and associated mortality, and postmenopausal women are at a high risk of hypertension. We aim to investigate the hypotensive effect and safety of acupuncture, focusing on postmenopausal women with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension. In addition, we aim to investigate whether the effect of acupuncture treatment differed, depending on Sasang Constitution and cold-heat pattern. Methods: This study is designed as an intervention cohort study. Two hundred postmenopausal women aged <65 years with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension living in Daejeon city in Korea will be recruited, and randomly assigned to either an acupuncture or no-treatment control group. The intervention will consist of four sessions; one session will include acupuncture performed 10 times for 4 weeks. There will be a 20-week observation period after each session, and the total study duration will be 96 weeks. Acupuncture will be applied at the bilateral Fengchi (GB20), Quchi (LI11), Zusanli (ST36), and Sameumgyo (SP6) acupoints. The effect of acupuncture will be evaluated by comparing the change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the acupuncture and control groups every 4 weeks until the end of the study. Discussion: To evaluate the success of blood pressure management, long-term observation is required, but no long-term studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on blood pressure in postmenopausal women. To our knowledge, this study will be the first long-term study to investigate this issue for more than 6-8 weeks.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.251-264
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• 2021

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) are the main viral contributors to bovine respiratory disease (BRD) with high mortality and morbidity. BRD control measures include vaccination that modulates immunological profiles reflected in blood cells, serum, and body secretions, such as milk. This study evaluated the immune responses to an inactivated BRD vaccine in lactating cows reared in a natural environment on a dairy farm. The cows were intramuscularly inoculated with the vaccine, and serum, blood, and milk were collected pre-and post-vaccination. Our study revealed a prominent increase in BRSV-specific antibodies both in serum and milk, while the change in BVDV-specific antibodies was insignificant. Serum interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 levels significantly decreased, but this change was not reflected in milk. Evaluation of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) via RT-qPCR revealed downregulation of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2). The concentrations of BRSV antibodies, BVDV antibodies, IL-2, and IL-17A in serum and milk were strongly correlated, implying a concurrent influence on both body fluids. Thus, immunological factors modulated as a result of vaccination generally measured in serum were reflected in milk, demonstrating the suitability of milk evaluation as an alternative approach for immunological observations. Furthermore, the correlation between BRSV antibodies and NOD2 and that between BVDV antibodies and toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR3, TLR4, and TLR5 imply the possible role of PRRs for the assessment of the immune response developed in immunized cows reared on the farm.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.759-770
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• 2018

Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) is distributed worldwide and causes economic losses in the poultry industry. The objectives of this study were to determine the hexon and fiber gene changes in an attenuated FAdV isolate from Malaysia in specific pathogen-free chicken embryonated eggs (SPF CEE) and its infectivity in commercial broiler chickens. SPF CEE were inoculated with 0.1 mL FAdV inoculum via the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) for 20 consecutive passages. The isolate at passage 20 (E20), with a virus titer of $10^{8.7}TCID_{50}/mL$ ($TCID_{50}$, 50% tissue culture infective dose), was inoculated (0.5 mL) into one-day-old commercial broiler chicks either via oral or intraperitoneal routes. The study demonstrated that 100% embryonic mortality was recorded from E2 to E20 with a delayed pattern at E17 onwards. The lesions were confined to the liver and CAM. Substitutions of amino acids in the L1 loop of hexon at positions 49 and 66, and in the knob of fiber at positions 318 and 322 were recorded in the E20 isolate. The isolate belongs to serotype 8b and is non-pathogenic to broiler chickens, but it is able to induce a FAdV antibody titer. It appears that molecular changes in the L1 loop of hexon and the knob of fiber are markers for FAdV infectivity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.251-262
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• 2023

Schistosomiasis causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to assess the effect of schistosomula lung antigen preparation (SLAP) and soluble egg antigen (SEA) on a murine schistosomiasis mansoni model. Ninety laboratory-bred male Swiss albino mice were divided into 6 groups. Two doses of the vaccine were given at 2-week intervals. All mice were subcutaneously infected with 80±10 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae 2 weeks after the last vaccination dose. They were sacrificed 7 weeks post-infection. Parasitological and histopathological studies were conducted to assess the effect of inoculated antigens (single or combined). The results showed that the combination of SLAP and SEA (combination group) led to a significant reduction in worm burden (65.56%), and liver and intestine egg count (59% and 60.59%, respectively). The oogram pattern revealed a reduction in immature and mature eggs (15±0.4 and 10±0.8, respectively) and an increased number of dead eggs in the combination group (P<0.001). In terms of histopathological changes, the combination group showed notably small compact fibrocellular egg granuloma and moderate fibrosis in the liver. A high percentage of destroyed ova was observed in the intestine of the combination group. This study demonstrates for the first time the prophylactic effect of combined SLAP and SEA vaccine. The vaccine induced a significant reduction in the parasitological and pathological impacts of schistosomiasis mansoni in hepatic and intestinal tissues, making it a promising vaccine candidate for controlling schistosomiasis.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.79-88
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• 2024

Aeromonas spp. infections have been reported to cause significant economic losses not only in the ornamental fish industry but also in aquaculture. In December 2022-January 2023, an Aeromonas infection occurred on a goldfish in korea, A gram-negative bacterium was isolated from the skin and internal organs of infected goldfish (Carassius auratus). The results showed that the isolate was identified as Aeromonas veronii using 16S rDNA targeted oilgpnucleotide primers, furthermore characteristics of A. veronii was confirmed by enterotoxin gene, infectious experiment, antibiotic resistance. In-vivo pathogenicity of isolates to goldfsh resulted in 100% mortality in challenged host within one week of post experiment injection. As a result of PCR analysis targeting three enterotoxin-encoding genes, cytotoxic enterotoxin (act) was identified in A. veronii isolate in this study. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of isolate showed it was to susceptible to most antimicrobial agents tested but resistant to ampicillin, imipenem, meropenem and clindamycin.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2024

Purpose: Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of mortality in children living in developing countries. The etiology of acute diarrhea in each healthcare center varies depending on place, time, and population. This study aimed to identify pathogen patterns in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and non-HIV children suffering from acute diarrhea, using multiplex real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in an Indonesian tertiary hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital from March 2019 to April 2020. Results: The study showed that multiplex RT-PCR results were positive in 58.9% of the specimens, with more positive results in HIV-infected children than in non-HIV-infected children (70% vs. 54.7%). Altogether 72 enteropathogens were detected from all specimens. Enteropathogens in non-HIV children with acute diarrhea consisted of bacteria (70.6%) and viruses (29.4%) with a predominance of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (25.4%), followed by Campylobacter spp. (11.8%), enteropathogenic E. coli (9.8%), Norovirus GII (7.8%), and Clostridium difficile (7.8%). Enteropathogens in HIV-infected children consisted of viruses (57.1%), bacteria (28.6%), and parasites (14.3%) comprising Norovirus GII (24%), Cryptosporidium spp. (14.3%), Campylobacter spp. (14.3%), Norovirus GI (14.3%), and Astrovirus (14.3%). Cryptosporidium spp. was the only parasite found in this study and was found only in HIV-infected children. In non-HIV children with acute diarrhea, most pathogens were invasive bacteria, while in HIV-infected children, more viral and parasite infections occurred, primarily caused by opportunistic pathogens. Conclusion: The pattern of enteropathogens can help clinicians determine further examinations and appropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy for the patient.