• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.358-363
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have indicated that when compared to young mice, old mice have lower global DNA methylation and higher p16 promoter methylation in colonic mucosa, which is a common finding in colon cancer. It is also known that a Western-style diet (WSD) high in fat and calories, and low in calcium, vitamin D, fiber, methionine and choline (based on the AIN 76A diet) is tumorigenic in colons of mice. Because DNA methylation is modifiable by diet, we investigate whether a WSD disrupts DNA methylation patterns, creating a tumorigenic environment. SUBJECTVIES/METHODS: We investigated the effects of a WSD and aging on global and p16 promoter DNA methylation in the colon. Two month old male C57BL/6 mice were fed either a WSD or a control diet (AIN76A) for 6, 12 or 17 months. Global DNA methylation, p16 promoter methylation and p16 expression were determined by LC/MS, methyl-specific PCR and real time RT-PCR, respectively. RESULTS: The WSD group demonstrated significantly decreased global DNA methylation compared with the control at 17 months (4.05 vs 4.31%, P = 0.019). While both diets did not change global DNA methylation over time, mice fed the WSD had lower global methylation relative to controls when comparing all animals (4.13 vs 4.30%, P = 0.0005). There was an increase in p16 promoter methylation from 6 to 17 months in both diet groups (P < 0.05) but no differences were observed between diet groups. Expression of p16 increased with age in both control and WSD groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this model a WSD reduces global DNA methylation, whereas aging itself has no affect. Although the epigenetic effect of aging was not strong enough to alter global DNA methylation, changes in promoter-specific methylation and gene expression occurred with aging regardless of diet, demonstrating the complexity of epigenetic patterns.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.319-345
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• 2018

Effective higher educational management in undergraduate nursing programs is an important issue from the viewpoint of stakeholders. This qualitative research aimed to examine the characteristics of nursing students and curriculum development of undergraduate nursing education from the opinions of Boromarajonani College of Nursing Saraburi, Thailand stakeholders. The population included 4 groups: 1) the alumni who have graduated within the past 5 years and currently work in primary, secondary, and tertiary care units, 2) the supervisors and colleagues of the alumni, 3) nursing lecturers, and 4) the current nursing students. The respondents who are the alumni, nursing lecturers, and current nursing student were selected using a purposive sampling, for the supervisors and colleagues were selected using snowball techniques. Semi-structured interview questions were used for data collection. Group discussions were conducted until saturation on 55 key informants. The qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. Results showed the viewpoints of stakeholders on the characteristics of future nurse graduates were comprised of four elements: knowledge that meets standards; essential skills for self-development and lifelong learning process; good morals and professional ethics in providing nursing care; and nurse competencies in teamwork, communication, language, research, management, IT, life skills, and global literacy. The viewpoints on the development of the nursing curriculum focus on four elements: the learner, teaching and learning, course content, and instructor tasks. For learners, the admission criteria should include a minimum not only of knowledge, but also positive attitude, science, and art skills, since the nursing profession is both a science and the art of caring. Teaching and learning elements should be authentic, including exposure to real situations, an integrated network, and activities that improve nursing care. Course content was comprised of an updated curriculum, humanized nursing care, student center, theory and practice with moral integration, case-based study, critical thinking, multidisciplinary work, and love for the nursing profession. Instructor tasks are to elicit student ideas, provide opportunities to learn, support infrastructure, support technology use, and extra-curricular activities to develop the competencies of nursing students. Recommendations were that the curriculum administration should review the selection process of student candidates and instructional management to achieve expected outcomes of nursing characteristics in the future. The nurse lecturer should provide authentic and integrated instruction, decrease lecturing, cultivate a lifelong learning process, and sustain the nursing characteristics.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.49-66
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• 2002

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise treatment program for the older women with stress incontinence. The researcher developed 8 weeks training program which was implemented at a social welfare center in Seoul. The exercise method followed the Kegel criteria. Verbal instructions were given to the subjects. Subjects were confirmed of the exercises and evaluated by description of the exercise method. Fourteen elderly women(mean age 75.7) with stress incontinence participated and completed this program. The training sessions were held twice a week and each session took 45 minutes ; 15 minutes for pelvic floor muscle strengthening program and 30 minutes for other physical therapy. Pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise program was applied using verbal instruction and practice at social welfare center, twice a week and daily home exercise program were given to each individual. The results were as follows ; 1. There was significant decrease of lower urinary symptoms in the subjects (p = 0.00) 2 But there was no significant change in the sexual matters (p = 0.44) and the life style (p = 0.41) In conclusion, further study with larger sample group is suggested in order to confirm the study result. Because of limited sample size, the study results were not conclusive. But the pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise treatment program could be a safe and effective program and is suggestive for the community residing older women with stress incontinence as a geriatric physical therapy intervention.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.400-408
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• 2013

Obesity may be the consequence of various environmental or genetic factors, which may be highly correlated with each other. We aimed to examine whether grandmaternal and maternal obesity and environmental risk factors are related to obesity in daughters. Daughters (n = 182) recruited from female students, their mothers (n = 147) and their grandmothers (n = 67) were included in this study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the association between the daughter's obesity and maternal, grandmaternal, and environmental factors. Maternal heights of 161-175cm (OD: 8.48, 95% CI: 3.61-19.93) and 156-160 cm (2.37, 1.14-4.91) showed positive associations with a higher height of daughter, compared to those of 149-155 cm. Mothers receiving a university or a higher education had a significant OR (3.82, 1.27-11.50) for a higher height of daughter compared to those having a low education (elementary school). Mother having the heaviest weight at current time (59-80 kg, 3.78, 1.73-8.28) and the heaviest weight at 20 years of age (51-65 kg, 3.17, 1.53-6.55) had significant associations with a higher height of daughters, compared to those having the lightest weight at the same times. There was no association between the height, weight, and BMI of daughters and the characteristics and education of her grandmothers. In conclusion, although genetic factors appear to influence the daughter's height more than environmental factors, the daughter's weight appears to be more strongly associated with individual factors than the genetic factors.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.103-113
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• 2007

This study is a report on recently discovered medical records based on traditional medicine in the 1900s. First, the contents of the records and their significance are described in detail. Next, a simple example of the research follows, in order to explain the medical and historical significance the records contain and to answer the question of how this historical document can contribute to future medical and historical studies. The documents dealt with in this study, the Chunggang Medical Records, are medical records compiled by a Korean doctor of oriental medicine by the name of Younghun Kim who practiced in the center of Seoul for a period of over 60 years. The records, which eventually amounted to over 1,500 books, were made known to the academic world when the descendents recently donated them to Kyunghee University. The reason these medical records attract so much attention from academic circles, even though they are the work of one individual, is that they contain abundant information on general public medical health at the time, in addition to the fact that Kim Younghun was a well known figure among Oriental Medicine doctors in Korea. The medical records start in 1915 and continue until Kim Younhun's death in 1974, though they have some damaged or missing parts. Kim's medical records are a gold mine not only for scholars studying the medical history of the early 1900s, but also for doctors trying to emulate the techniques embedded in a great predecessor's medical practice.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.29-32
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• 2020

As respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) is transmitted either via directly contact with an infected case or via indirectly contaminated fomites or skin, the major preventive measures are strict hand hygiene, early detection of transmitted sources, and rapid isolation of RSV patients. Especially early detection of hidden cases is the most critical control measure when an index case was notified in a postpartum center. The Guideline of Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention defines potential contacts in an epidemiologic survey as admitted newborns, parents of index cases, center's workers, and visitors for 10 days before the first diagnosis day of index case. However, it needs to classify potential contacts in more detail in order to conduct a successful survey. Authors conducted to search related literatures and appraise the evidences. Firstly, potential contacts would be classified into RSV-related symptomatic contacts(SxC) and asymptomatic contacts. And then, mother, caring workers, and visitors of the index cases among asymptomatic contacts would be defined as the asymptomatic close contacts(ASCC). Finally, the rest would be defined as the asymptomatic regular contacts(ASRC). The defined test using reverse transcription-PCR is applied to SxC and ASCC, and decision of isolation or regular activities are made according to the results. The rapid antigen detection test kits are applied to ASRC. These suggestions might be helpful to detect hidden cases earlier and prevent a further infection.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.141-145
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• 2013

Objectives: Assessment of dental pain severity is very challenging in dentistry. Previous studies have suggested that elevated salivary alpha amylase may contribute to increased physical stresses. There is a close association between salivary alpha amylase and plasma norepinephrine under stressful physical conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between pain severity and salivary alpha amylase levels in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six patients (20 females and 16 males) with severe tooth pain due to symptomatic irreversible pulpitis were selected. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to assess the pain severity in each patient. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected, and the level of alpha amylase activity was assessed by the spectrophotometric method. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13. Results: The level of alpha amylase was significantly increased in the saliva in association with pain severity assessed by VAS. The salivary alpha amylase was also elevated with increased age and in males. Conclusions: There was a significant correlation between the VAS pain scale and salivary alpha amylase level, which indicates this biomarker may be a good index for the objective assessment of pain intensity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.385-392
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have reported an association of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) 3123Cytosine/Adenine (3123C/A) polymorphism with essential hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the AT2R 3123C/A polymorphism affects blood pressure for free-living hypertensive men during a 5-month intervention period. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The subjects were free-living hypertensive Japanese men aged 40 to 75 years who agreed to intervention in the period from 2004 to 2011. Detection of the AT2R 3123C/A polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction. The dietary intervention was designed to decrease salt level and to increase potassium level through cooking instructions and self-monitoring of the diet. The exercise session consisted of activities such as stretching, resistance training, and walking. Blood pressure, urinary sodium and potassium excretion, dietary and lifestyle data, and non-fasting venous blood sample were collected at baseline and after the intervention period. RESULTS: Thirty nine subjects were eligible for participation and the follow-up rate was 97.4%. The C allele proportion was 57.9%. AT2R 3123C/A polymorphism was X-chromosome-linked, therefore we analyzed the C and A genotypes. At baseline, no significant differences were observed between the genotype groups. After the intervention, there were no significant differences in lifestyle habit between the groups. Nevertheless, the estimated salt excretion (g/day) was significantly decreased only in the C genotype (13.0-10.3, P = 0.031). No significant change was observed in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (mmHg) in the A genotype, but a significant decrease was observed in the C genotype (150.0-141.5, P = 0.024). CONCLUSTIONS: In the C genotype, it might be easy to improve SBP through lifestyle intervention in free-living hypertensive Japanese men, however generalization could not be achieved by the small sample size.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.36-53
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• 1987

It is utmostly important to establish the efficient fitable way of peoples' active participation in primary health care especially in the areas where the public or governmental service input for the basic health care is insufficient like as in rural areas of Korea. In light of above reason, this study focused mainly on the evaluation of roles and activities of village health workers (VHWs) who were selected from grass- root level of village people in order to derive further motivation for active participation. This is believed to be a sort of feedback mechanisms. Actually, the authors collected the activity reports of VHWs who had been devoting themselves in the primary health care services of Jeomdong Area, of Yeoju Gun one of Korea University Community Health Action Programmes and survey record on the VHWs activity from correspondent people. 1 hose data were analyzed through computer programmed package. The activities performed by VHWs were limited to the performance in 1985 for conveniance. The summarized results were as follows; 1) General characteristics of VHWs. Among a total of 28 VHWs in the area, about 39.3g of them have been replaced up to the date since the implementation in 1983, because of moving out, occupational employment and of others. The age of majority (75.0%) lied between the range of 30-50, and educational background of 67.9% belonged to category of primary school graduation, about 50% of them experienced to be or were also entiled "chief of women club" of corresponding villages. 2) Work-load of VHWs. Each VHW was assigned for tasks of health care for average 55 households of 248 persons. They shared approximately 6 days a month for the activity in average and it covered 17 cases of basic health care in a month. A half of the VHWs performed home visits irregularly without solidified schedule. 3) Work performance analysis. Informations collected through VHWs were compared with data from official vital registration at local administration center "Myon Office" in 1985. VHWs collected 100.8 of new born, 116.2 of death, 58.3 of move in and 74.8 of move out in comparison with 100.0 of official registration each. Pregnant women of 79.8% of mothers among the total pregnancy of 94 which were confirmed as normally delivered or aborted cases by all means afterwards had been detected by VHWs as being pregnant and all of them received some of antenatal cares by VHWs. All(100%) of delivered women were detected by VHWs through home visits and they were cared postnatally. Whereas, according to the records of birth registration, the places of delivery were clinic in 33.7%, and mother's home in 66.3%, VHWs reported them to be clinic in 48.9%, midwifery in 20.2%. It was cleared that most of misinformation was caused by uncautious filling of birth registration at notification. Among the total of 717 eligible women under age 44 years, family planning status of 92.6% was reported by VHWs confirming practice of control to be 70.8% of reported fertile women. 4) Attitude of VHW on the roles and functions. Although 92.0% of VHWs expressed VHWs to be worthwhile, only 52.0% of them had dignity and satisfaction in their activity and 44.0% of them had passive attitude of working saying they followed direction regardlessly. Concerning difficulties in performance as a VHW, 60.7% of them pointed out lacking of medical and health related knowledge by themselves. Still, 64.0% of them thought visiting unfamilier house to be awful and 40.0% complained forms of activity to be difficult and hard. It was also revealed that 56.6% confessed lack of interest on community health service itself. Most of VHWs needed more educational training especially on clinical fields such as cares of gynecological diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseaes of the aged. Regular on-the-job basic trainings were said to be needed twice a year.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.2497-2507
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to identify recognition, intention and practice to premarital examination of women and to define the predictors of intention and compliance to examination. The subjects for this study were 257 women at a university, college, a bank worker and health clinic visitor in Busan city. The date for this study was collected from August 25th to September 24th 2006 by structured questionaries, and were analyzed mean, standard deviations(SD), $x^2$-test, t-test and multiple Logistic regression using SPSS/WIN 12.0. The mean performance of the premarital examination was 28.4%. Thirty-five point five percent of unmarried women and 71.6 percent of married women had experience of heard premarital examination. The score of attitude toward premarital examination were that single women was 23.04 and married women was 22.55, respectively. The scores of behavioral control cognition between unmarried women and married women were statistically significant different. The predictor of premarital examination intention was necessity of premarital examination, and the predictors of examination compliance were experience of hearing examination and behavioral control cognition. Based on the results of this study, promoting recognition and behavioral control cognition by community healthcare organization and health professionals for empowering the premarital examination of women were needed.