• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.64-73
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• 2000

There are several candidate genes in genetic study of alcoholism. Among them, allelic associations have been reported between MAOA CA repeat polymorphism and alcohol dependence, recently. And also, several studies have been investigated genotype-phenotype relationships between MAOA CA repeat polymorphism and clinical manifestations. The authors tried to identify differences in allelic frequency of MAOA CA repeat polymorphism between alcohol dependence and controls, and in behavioral trait and clinical characteristics according to MAOA CA repeat polymorphism. We also tried to investigate genotype-phenotype relationships between MAOA CA repeat polymorphism and behavioral trait such as aggression. We examined 49 male patients with alcohol dependence(DSM-IV) who had been admitted in Yong-In Mental Hospital from June 1st 1998 to October 31th 1998. We performed semistructured interview for demographic and clinical characteristics. Self-report questionnaire for BDHI(Buss-Durkey Hostility Inventory) was given to all subject at least 4weeks later after admission. Using polymerase chain reaction and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, MAOA CA repeat polymorphism were observed in 52 male controls and 49 male patients with alcohol dependence. We devided alcoholic patients into two groups according to allelic length of MAOA CA repeat polymorphism ; alcoholics with short alleles(${\leq}$119bp, N=20) and alcoholics with long alleles(${\geq}$123bp, N=29). T-test, ${\chi}^2$-test and Fisher exact probability test were used for statistical analysis. There were no significant differences in frequency of each allele and short and long alleles of MAOA CA repeat polymorphism between alcoholics and controls. But there were significant differences in clinical symptoms and behavioral trait between alcoholics with short and long alleles. In clinical symptoms, alcoholics with long alleles used alcohol more frequently during one month before admission, had much more maximum amount of beer drinking and reported withdrawal seizure more frequently than with short alleles. In contrary, alcoholics with short alleles expressed depressed mood and guilty feeling more frequently and wanted complete abstinence as a treatment goal more frequently than with long alleles. In behavioral trait, alcoholics with long alleles had higher total aggression score and showed much more self-assertive attitude(subscale of expression of aggression) than with short alleles. Allelic length of MAOA CA repeat polymorphism was correlated with self-assertive attitude and accounted for 9% of the variance of self-assertive attitude. And also, predictable variables of allelic length of MAOA CA repeat polymorphism were drinking frequency and self-assertive attitude. Our findings suggest that MAOA CA repeat polymorphism may provide some behavior modifying role especially in self-assertive attitude and indirect symptom modifying role in Korean male alcoholics.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2014

Objectives: Several studies suggest that nocturia may be related to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The mechanism by which OSAS develops nocturia has not been determined. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of nocturia among adults with OSAS and to identify factors that may be predictive in this regard. Methods: Retrospective review of clinical and polysomnographic data obtained from patients evaluated at the sleep clinics of the St. Paul's Hospital between 2009 and 2012. The urinary symptoms were assessed on the basis of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Pathologic nocturia was defined as two or more urination events per night. OSAS was defined as apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ${\geq}5$. A multivariate analysis using logistic regression was performed to examine the relationship between polysomnographic variables and the presence of pathologic nocturia, while controlling for confounding factor. Results: A total of 161 men >18 years of age (mean age $46.7{\pm}14.1$), who had been referred to a sleep laboratory, were included in the present study. Among these, 27 patients with primary snoring and 134 patients with obstructive sleep apnea were confirmed by polysomnography. Nocturia was found in 53 patients with OSAS (39.6%) and 8 patients with primary snoring (29.6%). The AHI was higher in patients with nocturia than in those without nocturia (p=0.001). OSAS patients with nocturia had higher arousal index (p=0.044), and lower nadir oxyhemoglobin saturation (p=0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that age (${\beta}$=0.227, p=0.003), and AHI (${\beta}$=0.258, p=0.001) were associated with nocturia, and that the presence of pathologic nocturia was predicted by age (OR 1.04 ; p=0.004) and AHI (OR 1.02 ; p=0.001). Conclusion: Nocturia is common among patients with OSAS. The strongest predictors of nocturia are age and AHI in patients with OSAS.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.9 no.spc
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• pp.107-122
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• 2003

The object of this study is to evaluate the prevailing physical and psychosocial conditions regarding occupational low back injury. This study consists of two parts. In the first part of the study, analytic biomechanical model and NIOSH guidelines are applied to evaluate risk levels of low back injury for automobile assembly jobs. Total of 246 workers are analysed. There are 20 jobs having greater back compressive forces than 300kg at L5/S1. Also, there are 44 jobs over Action Limit with respect to 1981 NIOSH guidelines. The relationship between psychosocial factors and low back injury was examined in the second part of the study. A battery of questionnaires concerning the psychosocial stress based on PWI (Psychosocial Well-being Index) and musculoskeletal pain symptoms at low back was completed by 246 workers at the same plant. Results showed that 207 out 246 workers experienced the symptoms and 27 workers were diagnosed as patients. Two groups(low stressed, high stressed) based on PWI score had no significant relationships with both symptoms and results of diagnosis. The relationships between physical work load and psychosocial stress were also analysed. Specifically, some postural factors(vertical deviation angle of forearm, horizontal deviation angle of upperarm, vertical deviation angle of thigh, etc) were highly correlated with psychosocial stress. The results illustrated that PWI scores were associated with some physical workloads. However, psychosocial stress levels couldn't be well related with the pain symptom as well as the actual incidence of low back injury since pain or discomfort regarding low back injury were more complex than that of other musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.139-152
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• 2002

Objectives：This study was conducted to compare the clinical and neuropsychological characteristics by DSM-IV subtypes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) patients who did not have comorbid psychiatric disorders. Methods：5-15 year old children with ADHD were recruited at psychiatric outpatient clinic of Yeungnam University hospital and the patients with comorbidity or neurological abnormalities were excluded. Finally, total 404 children with ADHD were selected for this study. There were 234 subjects of ADHD-C(57.9%), 156 subjects of ADHD-I(38.6%) and 14 subjects of ADHD-HI(3.5%), who fulfilled the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The mean age of the total subjects was 9.63±2.49 years old. The psychopathology, IQ, behavioral problems, neuropsychological executive function were evaluated before pharmacological treatment. The measures were Korean Personality Inventory of Child(K-PIC) for psychopathology, 4 behavioral check lists(ADDES-HV, ACTeRS, CAP, SNAP) for behavioral symptoms of ADHD, K-ABC and KEDI-WISC for IQ and Conner's CPT, WCST, SST for neuropsychological executive functions. Results：1) The prevalence of subtypes was ADHD-C, ADHD-I, ADHD-HI in decreasing order. There was no sex difference of prevalence among three subtypes. The mean age of ADHD-I was older than other subtypes. 2) There was significant differences of psychopathology among subtypes, the ADHD-C and ADHD-HI had higher than the ADHD-I in the scores of delinquent, hyperactivity and psychosis；the ADHD-C had higher than the ADHD-I in the scores of family relation and autism, the scores of ego resilience were lower than the ADHD-I. However, there was no difference in anxiety, depression and somatization scores among them. 3) The results of behavioral symptom check lists, the ADHD-C had higher the score of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity than the ADHD-I. Meanwhile the results of ACTeRs, which rated by the teachers, were different. 4) There were significant differences of sequential processing scale and arithmetics among subtypes in IQ using K-ABC, but there was no significant difference between the ADHD-C and the ADHD-I after excluding the ADHD-HI due to small numbers. 5) There was numerical difference among subtypes but did not reach statistical significance in three neuropsychological executive function tests. Conclusion：In conclusion, our results revealed that there was significant difference in clinical features among three subtypes but, no significant difference in executive functions.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.428-442
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• 2011

This study investigated the actual status of constipation. In total, 978 female students in Korea participated. We identified the relationship among constipation and life style, clothing patterns, housing patterns, dietary habits, and dietary intake in a constipation symptom group and a normal group. The actual constipation rate based on the Rome II criteria was 27.0% (n = 264). Body weight (p < 0.05) and body mass index (p < 0.05) in the constipation group were significantly higher than those in the normal group. The incidence of functional bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome in the constipation group were significantly higher than those in the normal group. The discomfort of wearing underwear was significantly higher in the constipation group than that in the normal group. The constipation group revealed a significantly higher rate of irregular dietary habits than those in the normal group. The dietary diversity score of the normal group was 4.22 (p < 0.05), which was significantly higher than that of constipation group (4.12). No significant difference in life style factors was observed. It is necessary for university female students to correct their dietary habits, maintain food intake of three times per day, and select diverse foods. Furthermore, it is necessary for university female students to wear comfortable clothing to lessen symptoms and improve constipation rates.