• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2011

Background: The rising prevalence of asthma worldwide may be associated with the rising prevalence of obesity in developed nations. Although several studies have suggested a relationship between asthma and obesity, controversy still remains. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between obesity and asthmatic factors such as atopy, eosinophilia, serum total Ig E and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in chronic cough patients. Methods: This study was a retrospective, observational study in two centers done between January 2007 and June 2008. The subjects included individuals who had a chronic cough. We examined body mass index (BMI) to measure obesity and pulmonary function. We did a metacholine provocation test for airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), a skin prick test for atopy, and tests for blood eosinophils and serum IgE. Results: A total of 1022 subjects were included. Airway hyperresponsiveness was not related with obesity (p=0.06), and atopy incidence was significant higher in non obese patients (p=0.00). There was no significant difference in serum IgE and blood eosinophil counts between obese and non obese patients. Forced expiratory volue in one second ($FEV_1$)/forced vital capacity (FVC) was significantly reduced in obese patients (p=0.03), but FEV1 and FVC were no significant difference between obese and non obese patients. Conclusion: There is no relationship between obesity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The nonobese group appears to have more atopy. The relationship between obesity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness and atopy need further investigation.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.1 s.88
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• pp.19-26
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• 2006

This study was undertaken to determine the concentrations of 15 aldehydes in air samples collected from 21 households including 9 atopy patient's homes and to assess the extent of exposure and risk for an individual due to inhalation. Of all the aldehydes identified in both indoor and outdoor environment, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were the most abundant aldehydes, which were occupied $60\%\;and\;17\%$ of total amount, respectively. The geometric mean concentration of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in indoor air were $170.5\pm1.9\;{\mu}g/m^3\;and\;47.3\pm1.5\;{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. There existed a strong correlation between formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and other aldehydes. And the ratio of indoor and outdoor concentrations (I/O) exceeded 1.0 for almost every measured aldehydes except m-tolualdehyde... No associations were found between the level of aldehydes and either housing characteristics or living habits in most of the samples with only a few exception. And the concentrations of all aldehydes indoor air between atopy patient's homes and control homes were not significant(p>0.05). Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde exposures and risks were estimated by using the inhalation unit risk, mean concentrations and the 95th percentiles, and which were $2.6\times10^{-3}\;and\;1.1\times10^{-4}$, respectively. The mean and the 95th percentile risk estimates were 25 times higher for formaldehyde than for acetaldehyde in homes.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.123-135
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• 2015

In order to examine allergic disease experience rates of students at atopy and asthma friendly elementary schools located in Chungcheongnam-do and investigate their dietary behaviors, a survey on 250 parents of first to third grade students at four rural-type atopy and asthma friendly elementary schools was conducted. The number of students who had experienced allergic symptoms (allergic group) was 102 (40.8%). their breastfeeding duration was shorter than that of the non-allergic group (p<.001) and the former's weaning foods-feeding had started earlier than the latter's (p<.01). Regarding the eating habits, the non-allergic group was found to have breakfast and dinner better than the allergic group (p<.001). The number of students eating fruits as snacks was largest in the allergic group at 73 (71.6%), and as for the non-allergic group, their rate of eating fruits, milk and dairy products, and cookies and fries was at 25.7%, 22.3%, and 20.3%, respectively. A high percentage of the allergic group ate three times or less per month the animal food groups and dairy products (p<.001). Accordingly, for improvement in dietary behaviors of students who have allergy against food, nutrition education on regular eating, balanced intake of food, adequate intake of snacks and meals for proper growth and development and precise diagnosis of allergy-triggering food are necessary. In particular, as education on food allergy, implementation of practical education such as appropriate nutrition counseling by nutrition teachers is urgent beyond the one-way educational method of school newsletters.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.253-258
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• 2009

This study investigated the effects of mycelium and culture supernatant of Cordyceps ochraceostromat(Co) on air way hyper-responsiveness, pulmonary immune cell infiltration, and Th2 cytokine expression in animal models of atopy and asthma. After ConA(+/-) activation of mouse primary spleen cells, decreased IL-4 and IL-13 cytokine production were seen in the presence of Co mycelium extracts and culture supernatant. The asthma model involved mice sensitized to ovalbumin by i.p. injection treatment; Co mycelium extract was also injected. The atopy model was the dinitrofenylbenzene-treated mouse ear. Ear thicken ing induced by DNFB was decreased by Co mycelium extract, and the extract also inhibited lung cell infiltration in ovalbumin-induced asthmatic mice. The results thus indicated that the Co mycelial extract reduced the undesirable immune responses seen in asthma and atopy.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09b
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• pp.268-279
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• 2003

The nano capsulation of the ceramide was a technique that capsulated ceramide III and tocopheryl linoleate at the mono-vesicle, so as to act the horny layer in skin. It was used 0.5-5.0 wt% of hydrogenated lecithin and 0.01~2.00 wt% of lysolecithin as the membrane-strengthen agents of the mono-vesicle, 5.0~10 wt% of propylene glycol and 5.0~10.0 wt% of ethyl alcohol made by high-pressure Microfluidizer. To enhance the moisturizing efficacy and treat an atopy skin, used ceramide III and tocopheryl linoleate as the active ingredients, and it was made the nano-capsule that synthetic emulsifiers were free. The optimal condition of capsulation of nano ceramide was as follows. The conditions were 3 times at 1,000bar and 60-7$0^{\circ}C$. The particle size showed 63.1$\pm$7.34 nm such as the transparence water as the results for measuring by the laser light scattering. A zeta potential value was -55.1$\pm$0.84 ㎷. The result of the clinical test, the moisturizing effect (in-vivo, n=8, p-value<0.05) was improved 21.15% compared to control, as well as it was improved 36.31 % before the treatment. Moreover, the effectiveness of atopy skin indicated positive reaction that patients were 10 volunteers.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.26-29
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• 2016

Simultaneous determination of three corticosteroids (clobetasol propionate, betamethasone dipropionate, fluticasone propionate) in moisturizers was performed by using liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Sample preparation was conducted by the liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). Moisturizers include emulsifying agent and it forms micelles. In order to improve the extraction efficiency of corticosteroids trapped in micelle, newly developed-optimized extraction conditions which can remove the matrix effect from moisturizers was applied with various pH conditions in LLE extraction stage of sample preparation. Thus, the addition of 10 μL of 1 M HCl into moisturizers sample before extraction could improve the extraction efficiency. For the quantitative analysis, SRM table that contained specific transition of all of target corticosteroids was created. The developed method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantization (LOQ) and recovery. Over the 0.99 r² value was obtained in calibration standard range. Effective accuracy and precision were also obtained. LODs were below 31 ng/mL and LOQs were estimated below 94 ng/mL for all corticosteroids tested.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.275-280
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• 2018

Objectives: The project Seoul Atopy Asthma-friendly School investigated the current status of childhood asthma to enable formulation of a preventative policy. We evaluated the current prevalence of childhood asthma in Seoul and its trends and related factors. Methods: The project was conducted annually from 2011 to 2016 and involved around 35 000 children aged 1-13 years. Based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood guidelines, the survey involved parents. The associations of the particulate matter ($PM_{10}$) concentration, and the number of days on which the daily air quality guidance level was exceeded in the 25 districts of Seoul, with the prevalence of asthma were assessed. Results: The age-standardized asthma prevalence in 2011 and 2016 was 6.74 and 4.02%, respectively. The prevalence of lifetime asthma treatment and treatment during the last 12 months tended to decrease from 2011 to 2016. Asthma treatment was significantly correlated with the number of days on which the daily air quality guidance level was exceeded, but not with the $PM_{10}$ concentration. Conclusions: This study reports the prevalence of asthma among children in Seoul and confirmed the relationship between childhood asthma and known risk factors in a large-scale survey.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.9
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• pp.325-333
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• 2019

Allergic diseases, including allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis, are common heterogeneous diseases that encompass diverse phenotypes and different pathogeneses. Phenotype studies of allergic diseases can facilitate the identification of risk factors and their underlying pathophysiology, resulting in the application of more effective treatment, selection of better treatment responses, and prediction of prognosis for each phenotype. In the early phase of phenotype studies in allergic diseases, artificial classifications were usually performed based on clinical features, such as triggering factors or the presence of atopy, which can result in the biased classification of phenotypes and limit the characterization of heterogeneous allergic diseases. Subsequent phenotype studies have suggested more diverse phenotypes for each allergic disease using relatively unbiased statistical methods, such as cluster analysis or latent class analysis. The classifications of phenotypes in allergic diseases may overlap or be unstable over time due to their complex interactions with genetic and encountered environmental factors during the illness, which may affect the disease course and pathophysiology. In this review, diverse phenotype classifications of allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and wheezing in children, allergic rhinitis, and atopy, are described. The review also discusses the applications of the results obtained from phenotype studies performed in other countries to Korean children. Consideration of changes in the characteristics of each phenotype over time in an individual's lifespan is needed in future studies.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.439-445
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• 2013

Purpose: Previous studies suggest that the concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in cord blood may show an inverse association with respiratory tract infections (RTI) during childhood. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of 25(OH)D concentrations in cord blood on infant RTI in a Korean birth cohort. Methods: The levels of 25(OH)D in cord blood obtained from 525 Korean newborns in the prospective COhort for Childhood Origin of Asthma and allergic diseases were examined. The primary outcome variable of interest was the prevalence of RTI at 6-month follow-up, as diagnosed by pediatricians and pediatric allergy and pulmonology specialists. RTI included acute nasopharyngitis, rhinosinusitis, otitis media, croup, tracheobronchitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia. Results: The median concentration of 25(OH)D in cord blood was 32.0 nmol/L (interquartile range, 21.4 to 53.2). One hundred and eighty neonates (34.3%) showed 25(OH)D concentrations less than 25.0 nmol/L, 292 (55.6%) showed 25(OH)D concentrations of 25.0-74.9 nmol/L, and 53 (10.1%) showed concentrations of ${\geq}75.0$ nmol/L. Adjusting for the season of birth, multivitamin intake during pregnancy, and exposure to passive smoking during pregnancy, 25(OH)D concentrations showed an inverse association with the risk of acquiring acute nasopharyngitis by 6 months of age (P for trend=0.0004). Conclusion: The results show that 89.9% of healthy newborns in Korea are born with vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency (55.6% and 34.3%, respectively). Cord blood vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in healthy neonates is associated with an increased risk of acute nasopharyngitis by 6 months of age. More time spent outdoors and more intensified vitamin D supplementation for pregnant women may be needed to prevent the onset of acute nasopharyngitis in infants.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.669-674
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to develop the antiallergic and hypoallergic fennented soybean foods without side effect. We manufactured Chungkukjang with addition of herbal (aloe, cinamon, licorice root) extract. Sensory evaluation was performed to evaluate the acceptability by the consumer. Clinical evaluation was performed with 10 atopic dermatitis (AD) patients who showed positive reaction with specific IgE and skin prick test. Cross-over study between nonnal Chungkukjang and Chungkukjang with aloe extract was performed. In sensory evaluation, Chungkukjang with aloe extract obtained best score overall. In clinical evaluation, 7 out of 10 AD patients showed positive reaction to soy-bean and 4 out of 10 AD patients showed positive reaction to normal Chungkukjang. 2 out of 10 AD patients showed positive reaction to Chungkukjang with aloe extract. In conclusion, Chungkukjang could be recommended as functional food with hypoallergic effect. As adding aloe extract to Chungkukjang, hypo allergic effect was increased.