• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.499-504
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• 2006

Objectives : The aim of the study was to estimate the annual socioeconomic cost of diseases in Korea. Methods : We estimate both the direct and indirect costs of diseases in Korea during 2003 using a prevalence-based approach. The direct cost estimates included medical expenditures, traffic costs and caregiver's cost, and the indirect costs, representing the loss of production, included lost workdays due to illness and lost earnings due to premature death, which were estimated based on the human capital theory. The cost estimates were reported at three different discount rates (0, 3 and 5%). Results : The cost of diseases in Korea during 2003 was 38.4 trillion won based on 0% discount rate. This estimate represents approximately 5.3% of GDP The direct and indirect costs were estimated to be 22.5 trillion (58.5% of total cost) and 15.9 trillion won (41.5%), respectively. It was also found that the cost for those aged $40\sim49$ accounted for the largest proportion (21.7%) in relation to age groups. The cost of diseases for males was 23.5% higher than that for females. For major diseases, the total socioeconomic costs were 16.0, 13.4, 11.3 and 11.19% for neoplasms, and diseases of the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems, respectively. Conclusions : This study can be expected to provide valuable information for determining intervention and funding priorities, and for planning health policies.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.180-187
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• 2015

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome is an important etiologic factor in the development of certain types of cancers. The economic cost of the treatment of cancer has been steadily increasing. We therefore estimated the economic burden of cancers attributable to metabolic syndrome in Korea. Methods: We reviewed metabolic syndrome-related cancers and relative risk and then calculated population attributable fractions. We analyzed insurance claims data for metabolic syndrome-related cancers in 2012 in order to estimate the direct costs associated with these cancers, including hospitalization, outpatient visits, transportation costs, and caregivers' costs as well as indirect costs such as loss of productivity due to cancer treatment and premature death. Results: In 2012, 18 070 patients in Korea had cancers attributable to metabolic syndrome. The economic burden was USD 199.8 million and the direct and indirect costs were USD 124.5 million and USD 75.3 million, respectively. Conclusions: We estimated the economic burden of cancers attributable to metabolic syndrome in Korea and the efforts are necessary to reduce this burden.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.385-397
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• 2017

Currently, CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) plate bonding is used quite extensively as a strengthening method. In this technique, a composite CFRP plate or sheet of relatively small thickness is bonded with an adhesion material to steel or concrete structure in order to improve its structural behavior and strength. The sheets or plates do not require much space and give a composite action between the adherents. In this study, the rotation capacity of CFRP-strengthened cold-formed steel (CFS) beams has been evaluated through numerical investigation. Studies on different structural levels have been performed. At the beam level, C-section has been adopted with different values of profile thickness, web height, and flange width. At the connection level, a web bolted moment resistant type of connection using through plate has been adopted. In web-bolted connections without CFRP strengthening, premature web buckling results in early loss of strength. Hence, CFRP sheets and plates with different mechanical properties and geometric configurations have been examined to delay web and flange buckling and to produce relatively high moment strength and rotation capacity. The numerical results reveal that CFRP strengthening may increase strength, initial stiffness, and rotation capacity when compared with the case without strengthening.

• Journal of Interdisciplinary Genomics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.6-9
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• 2019

In this report, the phenotypes of three patients from two families with mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) are compared: a novel variant and recombinant variant of IDS gene. The results of urine in patients showed a pronounced increase in glycosaminoglycan excretion with decreased iduronate-2-sulfatase enzyme activity in leukocyte, leading to a diagnosis of MPS II. A patient has a novel variant with 1 bp small insertion, c.1224_1225insC in exon 9, which caused frameshifts with a premature stop codon, and two patients have a recombination variant, c.418+495_1006+1304del, leading to the loss of exons 4, 5, 6, and 7 in genomic DNA, which is relatively common in Korean patients. They had different phenotypes even in the same mutation. The patients have now been enzyme replacement therapy with a significant decrease in glycosaminoglycan excretion. Further study on residual enzyme activity, as well as experience with more cases, may shed light on the relationship between phenotypes in MPS II and gene mutations.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.123-140
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• 2019

This paper presents experimental study on effects of width-to-thickness ratio and loading history on cyclic rotational capacity of H-shaped steel beams subjected to pure bending. Eight Class 3 and 4 H-shaped beams with large width-to-thickness ratios were tested under four different loading histories. The coupling effect of local buckling and cracking on cyclic rotational capacity of the specimens was investigated. It was found that loss of the load-carrying capacity was mainly induced by local buckling, and ductile cracking was a secondary factor. The width-to-thickness ratio plays a dominant effect on the cyclic rotational capacity, and the loading history also plays an important role. The cyclic rotational capacity can decrease significantly due to premature elasto-plastic local buckling induced by a number of preceding plastic reversals with relative small strain amplitudes. This result is mainly correlated with the decreasing tangent modulus of the structural steel under cyclic plastic loading. In addition, a theoretical approach to evaluate the cyclic rotational capacity of H-shaped beams with different width-to-thickness ratios was also proposed, which compares well with the experimental results.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.507-515
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• 2021

To evaluate the influence of slag on the alkalinity of pore solution and microstructure of concrete, this paper performs a leaching experiment on hardened cement-slag pastes (HCSP) slice specimens with different slag content in purified water. The pH value of pore solution, average porosity, morphology, phase composition and Ca/Si of HCSP specimens in the leaching process are measured by solid-liquid extraction, saturated-dried weighing, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results shows that the addition of slag can mitigate an increase in porosity and a decrease in Ca/Si of HCSP in the leaching process. Besides, an appropriate slag content can improve the microstructure so as to obtain the optimum leaching resistance of HCSP, which can guarantee the suitable alkalinity of pore solution to prevent a premature corrosion of reinforced bar. The optimum slag content is 40% in HCSP with a water-binder ratio of 0.45, and an excessive slag causes a significant decrease in the alkalinity of pore solution, resulting in a loss of protection on reinforced bar in HCSP.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Since its first identification in 1995, klotho (KL) has become the most promising gene to consider for suppressing aging and aging-related diseases. KL knockout mice exhibited similar phenotypes found in human with premature aging such as short lifespan, osteoporosis, arteriosclerosis and hearing loss. Genetically modified mice overexpressing KL prolonged lifespan more than 20%. Also, clinical reports have indicated decreased concentration of the circulating KL protein in blood, which is called soluble klotho (sKL), is closely related to development of senile diseases. The best way to discover significance of sKL on the development of the diseases might be comparison of sKL concentration between controls and patients. Here we analyzed published clinical reports identified sKL concentration in the cohorts. The sKL concentrations were displayed using heatmap for better comparison. In most of the senile diseases, disease progression was inversely related with sKL concentration. Hypertension was the only disease had no relationship, while schizophrenia was the only disease had direct proportion to the disease progression. Overall, sKL concentration in blood could be a marker to determine current severity of the senile diseases and even to estimate disease progression for the patients at the onset of their senile diseases.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.2053-2068
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• 2023

Following a loss of coolant accident (LOCA), prestressing concrete containment vessels (PCCVs) may experience high thermal load as well as internal pressure. The high temperature stress would increase the risk of premature damage to the containment, which reduces the safety margin during the increasing internal pressure. However, current investigations cannot clearly address the issues of thermal-pressure coupling effect on damage propagation and thus safety of the containment. Thus, this paper offers three simple and powerful damage parameters to differentiate the severity of damage of the containment. Moreover, despite of the temperature action severely threatening the pressure performance of the containment, the research regarding the improvement of the resistant performance of the containment is quite scarce. Therefore, in this paper, a comprehensive comparison of damage propagation and mechanism between conventional and fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) containments is performed. The effects of fiber characteristics parameters on damage propagation of structures following the LOCA are also specifically revealed. It is found that the proposed damage indices can properly indicate state of damage in the containment body and the addition of fiber can be used to obviously mitigate the damage propagation in PCCV considering the thermal-pressure coupling.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.446-452
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• 1999

Ectopic eruption of the first permanent molar means the first permanent molar assumes an atypical path of eruption resulting in premature atypical resorption of the second primary molar. If the reversible eruption does not occur, early loss of the second primary molars results in space loss, mesial tipping of the first permanent molar, impaction of the second premolar, buccal segment crowding and overeruption of opposing tooth. The main objectives of treatment are (1) to prevent loss of the second deciduous molars so it can continue to serve as a space maintainer and (2) to regain lost arch length, allowing the second premolar to erupt into normal position. The optimal treatment approach depends on a number of factors including the clinical eruption status of /6/, the change in position of /6/, the amount of enamel ledge of /E/ entrapping /6/, the mobility of /E/, and the presence of pain or infection. Unilateral appliance to correct the mesial angulation of ectopic permanent first molars, as in the majority of the appliance designs, would produce a resultant force that would further enhance the space loss. A bilateral support similar to the holding arch design is recommended to maximize the anchorage. These case reports present the successful result of preserving space for the second premolar in treatment of ectopic eruption of the first permanent molar using Halterman appliance with bilateral anchorage on patients visiting department of pediatric dentistry in Samsung Medical Center.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.376-379
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• 2009

We report a case of a premature newborn baby who presented with hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, and metabolic acidosis accompanied by severe polyhydramnios in utero. The baby was diagnosed with pseudohypoaldosteronism on the basis of normal 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels, elevated aldosterone, and clinical symptoms. His serum electrolyte levels were corrected with sodium chloride supplementation. Sodium supplementation was reduced gradually and discontinued at 5 months of age. At 5 months, the child was able to maintain normal serum electrolyte levels without oral sodium chloride supplementation, and showed normal physical and neurological development. This case illustrates that pseudohypoaldosteronism must be considered if a newborn infant with an antenatal history of severe polyhydramnios shows excessive salt loss with normal levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone.