• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.405-411
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• 2012

The spontaneous axon regeneration of damaged neurons is limited after spinal cord injury (SCI). Recently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation was proposed as a potential approach for enhancing nerve regeneration that avoids the ethical issues associated with embryonic stem cell transplantation. As SCI is a complex pathological entity, the treatment of SCI requires a multipronged approach. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the functional recovery and therapeutic potential of human MSCs (hMSCs) and polymer in a spinal cord hemisection injury model. Rats were subjected to hemisection injuries and then divided into three groups. Two groups of rats underwent partial thoracic hemisection injury followed by implantation of either polymer only or polymer with hMSCs. Another hemisection-only group was used as a control. Behavioral, electrophysiological and immunohistochemical studies were performed on all rats. The functional recovery was significantly improved in the polymer with hMSC-transplanted group as compared with control at five weeks after transplantation. The results of electrophysiologic study demonstrated that the latency of somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEPs) in the polymer with hMSC-transplanted group was significantly shorter than in the hemisection-only control group. In the results of immunohistochemical study, ${\beta}$-gal-positive cells were observed in the injured and adjacent sites after hMSC transplantation. Surviving hMSCs differentiated into various cell types such as neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. These data suggest that hMSC transplantation with polymer may play an important role in functional recovery and axonal regeneration after SCI, and may be a potential therapeutic strategy for SCI.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.183-190
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• 2017

Ficus carica L. (common fig), one of the first plants cultivated by humans, originated in the Mediterranean basin and currently grows worldwide, including southwest Asia and South Korea. It has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of metabolic, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases as well as hemorrhoids and skin infections. Its pharmacological properties have recently been studied in detail, but research on the anti-cancer effect of its latex has been only been studied on a limited basis on several cell lines, such prostate cancer, breast cancer, and leukemia. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity of the latex of Ficus carica L.and its underlying mechanism in FaDu human hypopharynx squamous carcinoma cells. (See Ed. note above) We confirmed through SDS-PAGE analysis and gelatinolytic activity analysis that the latex of Ficus carica contains cysteine protease ficin. Our data showed that the latex inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the latex treatment markedly induced apoptosis in FaDu cells as determined by FACS analysis, elevated expression level of cleaved caspase-9, -3 and PARP (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase), and. increased the expression of Bax (pro-apoptotic factor) while decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic factor). Taken together, these results suggested that latex containing the ficin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis by caspase and the Bcl-2 family signaling pathway in FaDu human hypopharynx squamous carcinoma cells. These findings point to the potential of latex of Ficus carica to provide a novel chemotherapeutic drug due to its growth inhibition effects and induction of apoptosis in human oral cancer cells.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.85-91
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• 2018

This is a qualitative research that was carried out to analyze the experience of loneliness of the elderly people living alone using the result of focus group interviews. This study conducted interviews with 28 subjects in the Senior Welfare Center of D city. For the purpose, 28 persons were divided into 5 groups, and interviews were carried out with each group for 50-70 minutes. and the voluntary character of research participation was sufficiently explained. As a result of the research, three topic collections consisting of 'Unavoidable lonesomeness', 'Inevitable death', and 'Acceptance of my life' and seven subjects, which consist of 'Absence of spouse', 'Independence for children', 'Death of neighbor (friend)', 'Fear of death left alone', 'Laying down', 'Taking care of my health', and 'Soothing loneliness in my own way', were derived. The elderly persons living alone who participated in this research expressed their feeling of unavoidable loneliness and their effort to overcome the loneliness. Based on the findings of this research, it is hoped that diverse plans to overcome psychological loneliness of the elderly people living alone will be developed.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

The research study focuses to analyze the result of the military personnel medical examination and identify the medical conditions of military individuals. The results of this study are as follows. First of all, for the general features of research subjects, there are 60 people who are 39-year-old or less and 60 people in the age of 40-year-old or over of the total 120 research subjects. Secondly, as a result of canonical correlation analysis in between their ages/body mass index(BMI) and the outcomes of medical examination, it derived 3 canonical functions. 2 of the functions out of the 3 demonstrated statistical significance. The research has conjured meaningful results which include that the holistic diagnosis and treatment system for the military officers needs additional enhancement. Also the medical examination is in desperate need of expansion in test items and the associated budget planning should be evaluated in government organizations related to welfare policy.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.368-373
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• 2010

The incisors function as instruments for biting and cutting food during mastication. They also support the lips and face and maintain vertical dimension. In addition, they contribute to overall normal arch appearance. They play important role during the articulation of speech and assist in guiding jaw closure. Extraction and space maintenance are the most common treatment for a tooth with poor prognosis. However, in the mixed dentition, extraction of the upper permanent incisors results in many complications, such as resorption of alveolar bone, poor esthetics, pronunciation, and mastication. Considering these various roles of incisors in oral cavity, approach for traumatized incisors, even the ones with poor prognosis, should be considered first prior to simple extraction. The dentist must take into account the age of the patient, growth potential, occlusion, oral hygiene status, economic status and motivation towards dental health in addition to patient compliance. In this case, although the prognosis was predicted to be unfavorable due to short root and mobility, we could save the central incisor using conservative treatment, reposition by orthodontic appliance instead of extraction.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.385-395
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• 2012

This clinical report presents the case using overlay dentures to treat a patient with cleft lip and palate and malocclusion. This patient requires vigorous treatment such as orthodontic treatment and combined orthodontic/oral surgery procedures. Overlay denture can be used as an alternative treatment option. Intraoral and radiographic examinations were done. The vertical dimension of occlusion was evaluated for proper prosthetic procedures and the surveying in the diagnostic cast was done. Considering the tissue and teeth undercut, the alterations of teeth shape were done. Final preparation and impression was performed. After the evaluation of vertical dimension and occlusion with wax-denture, the dentures were polymerized. Clinical remounting and occlusal adjustment were done on the articulator. Overlay dentures were delivered and the patient was recalled for relining. The overlay dentures satisfied patient's esthetic and functional requirements and provided a stable occlusion. Overlay dentures in this case were a reversible and relatively inexpensive treatment for this patient, however the potential possibilities of caries and periodontal disease as a result of poor oral hygiene should be prevented with periodic recall.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.257-269
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• 2021

This study aimed to secure basic data for the development and operation of well-aging education programs by analyzing the physical, mental, and socio-economic needs of well-aging education for successful aging. The research tool was developed as a questionnaire to investigate the perception of well aging and the needs of well-aging education in terms of physical, mental, and socio-economic aspects. In February 2021, 1949 adults over the age of 19 were surveyed through an online and mobile survey by Gallup Korea. Descriptive statistics analysis, variance analysis, Borich needs analysis, and IPA analysis were conducted to analyze the needs of well-aging education. The results revealed economic power, exercise, and chronic disease management to be high in terms of the overall priority of the education needs for well-aging, and infectious disease management, independence, and social responsibility were surveyed in the order of low education needs. In terms of economic power, education needs were highest among all age groups except for the middle-age group (35-49 years old), 82.4% of all respondents, and education needs for exercise and chronic disease management were highest in the middle-age group. Therefore, it is necessary to develop well-aging education programs for each life cycle. These results are expected to be used as empirical data in establishing a platform for developing and operating educational programs for well aging.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 2014

This study is trying to grasp the stress of the male high school students and the correlation between the stress according to the oral health important cognitive and self-rated oral health status and number of brushing, emphasizing the need for the education of oral health important, providing the basic data in order to accomplish correctly until the enhance of oral health-related quality of the oral health correct behavior. From May to July 2013, a self administered survey was conducted by the selected by convenience sampling from subjects of two high school located in Chungcheongnam-do 1, 2 grade. The SPSS PASW Statistics 18.0 and Amos 5.0 program had been used for the statistical data analysis. The study results were as follow: 1) Among five areas of stress, the stress of school life was the highest as 2.11 points and the stress of home problem was the lowest as 1.51 points; 2) The significance analysis results between the five areas of stress according to the stress of latent variable and the oral health-related quality of life all showed the significant difference (p<0.001). 3) Oral health-related quality of life was higher as oral health important and self-rated oral health status positive. Furthermore oral health-related quality of life was higher as number of brushing increased; 4) Fit Measures test result of stress, academic level, and family economic level model all showed more than 0.9 in goodness of fit index (GFI), adjusted GFI, normed fit index and root mean square residual and root mean square error of approximation values is all estimated less than 0.1, so it showed good model. From this study, it can be concluded that there is the correlation between stress and oral health-related quality of life.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.3293-3300
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• 2013

Recently, Korean prefer the slim and skinny body. Even though they are normal or underweight, they strive for weight control routinely. Due to the appearance-oriented trend prevalent in our society, severe losing weight for women has become a social problem. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between body dysmorphic disorder and depression. Health-related and health-unrelated college students were classified into three different groups according to BMI. This study was performed of 200 health-related and 200 health-unrelated college students respectively at K college in Gangwon province. A self-administered survey was conducted from September 10 to 21, 2012, and the 319 questionnaires were analyzed. The collected data were analyzed by the SPSS(statistical package for the social science) WIN 18.0. Regarding the relationship between the BMI of the female students and their unsatisfied parts of the body, the overweight female students were more dissatisfied with the entire lower parts of their body(${\chi}^2$=6.97, p<.05). About the waist and belly, the female students of normal weight were the most dissatisfied but of under weight were less dissatisfied than the other groups and the differences among them were statistically significant(${\chi}^2$=8.12, p<.05). About the chest and breasts, the female students of under weight were more dissatisfied than the other groups and there were significant differences according to BMI. As a result of analyzing the relationship between the BMI of the female students and their dissatisfied parts of the body, the female students of over weight were more dissatisfied with the entire lower parts of their body and whole body, and the female students of normal weight were more dissatisfied with their waist and belly than the other groups. The female students of under weight were more dissatisfied with their chest and breasts. But, there were no differences in the way they want to try for a change of the dissatisfied part of the body. Because this body dysmorphic disorder may be associated with depression and cause the social and cultural problems, the development of counseling programs and additional research should be needed.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.210-217
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• 2018

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects quality of life and nutrition. Several studies have demonstrated a link between periodontal disease and low bone density, and vitamin D is expected to have a beneficial effect on periodontal disease as well as on bone mineral density and anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of this study was to identify the association between periodontal disease and vitamin D because the results are different in some studies and there is a lack of research in Korea. In this study, we conducted a multiple linear regression analysis of 8,783 subjects among 23,626 subjects who were older than 20 years of age, who had serum vitamin D levels and periodontal disease, who had three years of the National Health and Nutrition Survey that was conducted in Korea from 2012 to 2014. We examined the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and periodontal disease. Tooth loss and vitamin D levels were negatively correlated (${\beta}=-0.028$, p=0.008). In addition, the prevalence of periodontal disease was found to be higher in men younger than 50 years of age with lower vitamin D levels (Q1: 1.769 [1.125~2.782], Q2: 1.182 [0.743~1.881], Q3: 0.676 [0.400~1.881]; p=0.001). Low vitamin D levels and periodontal disease are common diseases in primary care. Vitamin D supplementation is expected to have favorable effect on periodontal disease and falls, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and cancer. Therefore, patients with periodontal disease may benefit from periodic vitamin D management to improve quality of life as well as to manage periodontal disease. In addition, as shown in this study, not only elderly individuals, but also men younger than 50 years of age are related to periodontal disease, so there should be interest in controlling the levels of vitamin D in adults.