• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.209-216
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• 2015

Stress is now recognized as a universal premorbid factor associated with many risk factors of various chronic diseases. Acute stress may induce an individual's adaptive response to environmental demands. However, chronic, excessive stress causes cumulative negative impacts on health outcomes through "allostatic load". Thus, monitoring the quantified levels of long-term stress mediators would provide a timely opportunity for prevention or earlier intervention of stressrelated chronic illnesses. Although either acute or chronic stress could be quantified through measurement of changes in physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of various metabolic hormones, it is still elusive to interpret whether the changes in circulating levels of stress mediators such as cortisol can reflect the acute, chronic, or diurnal variations. Both serum and salivary cortisol levels reveal acute changes at a single point in time, but the overall long-term systemic cortisol exposure is difficult to evaluate due to circadian variations and its protein-binding capacity. Scalp hair has a fairy predictable growth rate of approximately 1 cm/month, and the most 1 cm segment approximates the last month's cortisol production as the mean value. The analysis of cortisol in hair is a highly promising technique for the retrospective assessment of chronic stress. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(4): 209-216]

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2015

The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill pediatric patients has been reported as increasing to 25 %, depending on population characteristics. The etiology of AKI has changed over the last 10-20 years from primary renal disease to the renal conditions associated with systemic illness. The AKI in pediatric population is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, and prevention is needed to reduce the consequence of AKI. It is known that the most important risk factors for AKI in critically ill pediatric patients are clinical conditions to be associated with decreased renal blood flow, direct renal injury, and illness severity. Renal hypoperfusion leads to neurohormonal activation including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, sympathetic nervous system, antidiuretic hormone, and prostaglandins. Prolonged renal hypoperfusion can result in acute tubular necrosis. The direct renal injury can be predisposed under the condition of renal hypoperfusion, and appropriate treatment of volume depletion is important to prevent AKI. The preventable causes of AKI include contrast-induced nephropathy, hemodynamic instability, inappropriate mediation use, and multiple nephrotoxic insults. Given the evidence of preventable factors for AKI, several actions such as the use of protocol for prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy, appropriate treatment of volume depletion, vigorous treatment of sepsis, avoidance of combinations of nephrotoxic medications, and monitoring of levels of drugs should be recommended.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.397-405
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• 2011

Objectives: The impact of climate change on the health has been of increasing concern due to a recent temperature increase and weather abnormality, and the research results of the impact varied depending on regions. We synthesized risk estimates of the overall health effects of low and high temperature taking account of the heterogeneity. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PUBMED to identify journal articles of low and/or high temperature effects on mortality. The search was limited to the English language and epidemiological studies using time-series analysis and/or case-crossover design. Random-effect models in meta analysis were used to estimate the percent increase in mortality with $1^{\circ}C$ temperature decrease or increase with 95% confidence intervals (CI) in cold or hot days. Results: Twenty three studies were presented in two tables: 1) low temperature effects; 2) high temperature effects on mortality. The combined effects of low and high temperatures on total mortality were 2% (95% CI, 1-4%) per $1^{\circ}C$ decrease and 4% (95% CI, 2-5%) per $1^{\circ}C$ increase of temperature, respectively. Conclusions: This meta analysis found that both low and high temperatures affected mortality, and the magnitude of high temperature appeared to be stronger than that of low temperature.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.11
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• pp.472-478
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• 2014

Kawasaki disease (KD), an acute vasculitis that primarily affects young children, is the most common acquired paediatric cardiovascular disease in developed countries. While sequelae of arterial inflammation in the acute phase of KD are well documented, its late effects on vascular health are increasingly unveiled. Late vascular dysfunction is characterized by structural alterations and functional impairment in term of arterial stiffening and endothelial dysfunction and shown to involve both coronary and systemic arteries. Further evidence suggests that continuous low grade inflammation and ongoing active remodeling of coronary arterial lesions occur late after acute illness and may play a role in structural and functional alterations of the arteries. Potential importance of genetic modulation on vascular health late after KD is implicated by associations between mannose binding lectin and inflammatory gene polymorphisms with severity of peripheral arterial stiffening and carotid intima-media thickening. The changes in cholesterol and lipoproteins levels late after KD further appear similar to those proposed to be atherogenic. While data on adverse vascular health are less controversial in patients with persistent or regressed coronary arterial aneurysms, data appear conflicting in individuals with no coronary arterial involvements or only transient coronary ectasia. Notwithstanding, concerns have been raised with regard to predisposition of KD in childhood to accelerated atherosclerosis in adulthood. Until further evidence-based data are available, however, it remains important to assess and monitor cardiovascular risk factors and to promote cardiovascular health in children with a history of KD in the long term.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.75-81
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• 2014

To establish a new creative economy, the worldwide efforts have been made to wriggle out the old economic paradigm after the financial crisis of 2008. When it comes to the limitation of the viability. the start up companies have a high risk of failure. Therefore business incubator (BI) should carry out the role to improve their viability. As for the maximization of the effect on the business incubating services as move in companies, it is important for BI to increase the level of business incubating services by the systemic and scientific measurement. This study showed that the quality of the BI center services was measured by Kano analysis and the previous research as follows. First, BI quality attribute by Timko's customer satisfaction came out into the attractive qualities on the 14 items that amount to the 70% of 20 business incubating services items. It is desirable to perform the strategy for the satisfaction. Secondly, basic business incubating services were interpreted as the one-dimensional quality like incubating spaces, parking facilities, security facilities, industry technology development funds, and incubating managers. Finally, training and educational service was recognized as indifferent quality. Futhermore, the improvement and the limitation of this study as well as the interpretation of analysis results are also provided.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.207-209
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• 2016

A 4-month-old boy diagnosed with acute myocarditis was treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Follow-up echocardiography eight hours after ECMO revealed intracardiac thrombosis involving all four heart chambers. Because of the high risk of systemic embolization due to a pedunculated thrombus of the aortic valve, we performed an emergency thrombectomy. After the operation, the patient had a minor neurologic sequela of left upper arm hypertonia, which had almost disappeared at the last outpatient clinic two months later. He was diagnosed with a major mutation in MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase), which is related to thrombosis.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2004

Purpose : This study was conducted to compare the radiomorphometric indices of the mandible on panoramic radiographs among three groups of normal, osteopenia and osteoporosis and to determine whether panoramic indices have validity in predicting osteoporotic risk. Materials and Methods: Ninty-four postmenupausal women aged 42-72 years (mean 62±7.5) were examined using dual energy X-ray absorptionmetry (DEXA) of the lumbar and classified into three groups by WHO classification. Panoramic mandibular index (PMI), mandibular cortical thickness (Mental index (MI), Antegonial index (AI), Gonial index (G!)) and the mandibular cortical index (MCI) were measured bilaterally on panoramic radiographs and analyzed. Results: There were signigicant differences among normal, osteopenic and osteoporoti groups in PMI (I), PMI (S), MI, AI, GI and MCI. The sensitivities of the MCI (93%) and the combination index of MCI and MI (90%) in diagnosing osteopenic/osteoporotic cases were high. Conclusion: The widths and shapes of the mandibular cortical bone on panoramic radiography may highly reflect the systemic osteopenic/osteoporotic conditions of the patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.183-191
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• 2011

Although antenatal diagnostic technique has considerably improved, precise detection and proper management of the neonate with congenital heart disease (CHD) is always a great concern to pediatricians. Congenital cardiac malformations vary from benign to serious conditions such as complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA), critical pulmonary and aortic valvular stenosis/atresia, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), which the baby needs immediate diagnosis and management for survival. Unfortunately, these life threatening heart diseases may not have obvious evidence early after birth, most of the clinical and physical findings are nonspecific and vague, which makes the diagnosis difficult. High index of suspicion and astute acumen are essential to decision making. When patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is opened Widely, many serious malformations may not be noticed easily in the early life, but would progress as severe acidosis/shock/cyanosis or even death as PDA constricts after few hours to days. Ductus dependent congenital cardiac lesions can be divided into the ductus dependent systemic or pulmonary disease, but physiologically quite different from each other and treatment strategy has to be tailored to the clinical status and cardiac malformations. Inevitably early presentation is often regarded as a medical emergency. Differential diagnosis with inborn error metabolic disorders, neonatal sepsis, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) and other pulmonary conditions are necessary. Urgent identification of the newborn at such high risk requires timely referral to a pediatric cardiologist, and timely intervention is the key in reducing mortality and morbidity. This following review deals with the clinical presentations, investigative modalities and approach to management of congenital cardiac malformations presenting in the early life.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.587-596
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• 2015

Obesity and diabetes arise from an intricate interplay between both genetic and environmental factors. It is well recognized that obesity plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes. Yet, the exact mechanism of the connection between obesity and diabetes is still not completely understood. Metabolomics is an analytical approach that aims to detect and quantify small metabolites. Recently, there has been an increased interest in the application of metabolomics to the identification of disease biomarkers, with a number of well-known biomarkers identified. Metabolomics is a potent approach to unravel the intricate relationships between metabolism, obesity and progression to diabetes and, at the same time, has potential as a clinical tool for risk evaluation and monitoring of disease. Moreover, metabolomics applications have revealed alterations in the levels of metabolites related to obesity-associated diabetes. This review focuses on the part that metabolomics has played in elucidating the roles of metabolites in the regulation of systemic metabolism relevant to obesity and diabetes. It also explains the possible metabolic relation and association between the two diseases. The metabolites with altered profiles in individual disorders and those that are specifically and similarly altered in both disorders are classified, categorized and summarized.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.392-397
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• 2006

Orbital pseudotumor, also known as idiopathic orbital inflammatory syndrome(IOIS), may have protean clinical manifestations. IOIS should be determined with a diagnosis of exclusion, with evaluation directed toward eliminating other causes of orbital disease. Orbital MRI and CT are the important diagnostic tests, but serologic studies are necessary to exclude a systemic causes. Biopsy is usually not performed currently, as the risk of producing damage to vital structures within the orbital outweighs the benefits. Patients with multiple recurrences, or those unresponsive to therapy, should be treated of biopsy sample extraction. Corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy and administered for several months to ensure remission. Radiotherapy may be used in patients who fail to respond to steroids or who have a rapidly progressive course. We analysed the data of two patients. There were no specific complications related to this treatment. We discussed the radiologic findings, treatment procedures, and other orbital diseases.