• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2005

Objectives: Particulate contaminants, such as total and respirable dusts, can harm the health of farm workers via several routes. The principal aims of this field study were to determine the concentrations and emissions of particulate contaminants: total and respirable dusts, in the different types of swine houses used in Korea, and allow objective comparison between Korea and the other countries in terms of swine housing types. Methods: The swine houses investigated in this research were selected with respect to three criteria: the manure removal system, ventilation mode and growth stage of pigs. Measurements of total and respirable dust concentrations and emissions in the swine houses were carried out on 5 housing types at 15 different farm sites per housing type. The swine houses investigated were randomly selected from farms situated within the central districts in Korea: province of Kyung-gi, Chung-buk and Chung-nam. Results: The total and respirable dust concentrations in the swine houses averaged $1.88\;and\;0.64mg/m^3$, ranging from $0.53\;to\;4.37mg/m^3$ and from $0.18\;to\;1.68mg/m^3$, respectively. The highest concentrations of total and respirable dusts were found in the swine houses with deep-litter bed systems: $2.94mg/m^3\;and\;1.14 mg/m^3$, while the lowest concentrations were found in the naturally ventilated buildings with slats: $0.83mg/m^3\;and\;0.24mg/m^3$, respectively (p<0.05). All the swine houses investigated did not exceed the threshold limit values (TLVs) for total ($10mg/m^3$) and respirable ($2.5mg/m^3$) dusts. The mean emissions of total and respirable dusts, per pig (75 kg in terms of live weight) and area ($m^2$), from the swine houses were 97.33 and 9.55 mg/h/pig and $37.14\;and\;12.83mg/h/m^2$, respectively. The swine houses with deep-litter bed systems showed the highest emissions of total and respirable dusts (p<0.05). However, the emissions of total and respirable dusts from the other swine houses were not significantly different (p>0.05). Conclusion: The concentrations and emissions of total and respirable dusts were relatively higher in the swine houses managed with deep-litter bed systems and ventilated naturally of the different swine housing types tested. In further research, more farms than the number used in this research should be investigated, which will present objective and accurate data on the concentrations and emissions of total and respirable dusts in Korean swine houses. In addition, personal sampling should be performed to objectively assess the exposure level of farm workers to particulate contaminants.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.18-28
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• 2008

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most abundant forms of human genetic variations and resources for mapping complex genetic traits and disease association studies. We have constructed a linkage disequilibrium (LD) map of chromosome 22 in Korean samples and compared it with those of other populations, including Yorubans in Ibadan, Nigeria (YRI), Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain (CEPH) reference families (CEU), Japanese in Tokyo (JPT) and Han Chinese in Beijing (CHB) in the HapMap database. We genotyped 4681 of 111,448 publicly available SNPs in 90 unrelated Koreans. Among genotyped SNPs, 4167 were polymorphic. Three hundred and five LD blocks were constructed to make up 18.6% (6.4 of 34.5 Mb) of chromosome 22 with 757 tagSNPs and 815 haplotypes (frequency $\geq$ 5.0%). Of 3430 common SNPs genotyped in all five populations, 514 were monomorphic in Koreans. The CHB + JPT samples have more than a 72% overlap with the monomorphic SNPs in Koreans, while the CEU + YRI samples have less than a 38% overlap. The patterns of hot spots and LD blocks were dispersed throughout chromosome 22, with some common blocks among populations, highly concordant between the three Asian samples. Analysis of the distribution of chimpanzee-derived allele frequency (DAF), a measure of genetic differentiation, Fst levels, and allele frequency difference (AFD) among Koreans and the HapMap samples showed a strong correlation between the Asians, while the CEU and YRI samples showed a very weak correlation with Korean samples. Relative distance as a quantitative measurement based upon DAF, Fst, and AFD indicated that all three Asian samples are very proximate, while CEU and YRI are significantly remote from the Asian samples. Comparative genome-wide LD studies provide useful information on the association studies of complex diseases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2016

Several infectious agents are considered to be causes of cancer in human, mainly hepatitis B and C viruses, high-risk human pailloma viruses, Helicobacter pylori, Clonorchis sinensis, and Opisthorchis viverrini. Here we described the evident research and the association between Helicobacter spp. and biliary tract cancer particularly cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Global epidemiological studies have suggested that Helicobacter spp. are possible risk factors for biliary tract diseases. Molecular studies support a linkage of Helicobacter spp. with CCA development. H. pylori, H. bilis, and H. hepaticus, are found in CCA, but the most common species are H. pylori and H. bilis. The type of CCA are associated with Helicobacter spp. include extrahepatic CCA, and common bile duct cancer. Up to the present, however, the results from different regions, materials and methods, sub-sites of cancer, and controls have not been consistent, thus introducing heterogeneity. Therefore, a comparison between co-Helicobacter spp.-CCA in the countries with low and high incident of CCA is required to settle the question. Furthermore, clarifying variation in the role of Helicobacter species in this CCA, including pathogenesis of CCA through enhanced biliary cell inflammation and proliferation, is necessary.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to measure contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and signal to noise ratio (SNR) according to change of reconstruction from region of interest (ROI) in breast positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), and to analyze the CNR and SNR statically. We examined images of breast PET-CT of 100 patients in a University-affiliated hospital, Seoul, Korea. Each patient's image of breast PET-CT were calculated by using ImageJ. Differences of CNR and SNR among four reconstruction algorithms were tested by SPSS Statistics21 ANOVA test for there was statistical significance (p<0.05). We have analysis socio-demographical variables, CNR and SNR according to reconstruction images, 95% confidence according to CNR and SNR of reconstruction and difference in a mean of CNR and SNR. SNR results, with the quality of distributions in the order of PSF_TOF, Iterative and Iterative-TOF, FBP-TOF. CNR, with the quality of distributions in the order of PSF_TOF, Iterative and Iterative-TOF, FBP-TOF. CNR and SNR of PET-CT reconstruction methods of the breast would be useful to evaluate breast diseases.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.207-210
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• 2001

Objective : The prognosis of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage often depends on initial neurologic condition, size and location of hemorrhage and associated intraventricular hemorrhage. However, age of patient, coagulation state and other associated vascular diseases may also play a role when present. In recent years, the geriatric population has been increasing. The age distribution of the patients with intracerebral hemorrhages also has been increased, accordingly. However, such patients, especially when associated with poor initial conditions often tend to be managed rather conservatively. The authors analyzed retrospectively on forty-five patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage over the seventies with poor initial condition to find out whether there exists a difference of outcome between surgery and non-surgery group. Material and Method : A total of 45 patients over seventies with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage with Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) 4-8 treated over last six years were included. The validity of surgical management for these patients as well as clinical variables which might have been operated on the outcome of these patients were evaluated. The Glasgow Outcome Scale(GOS) after three months was used for comparison of outcome. Results : In surgical group(19 cases), mean age was 74.5 years old, mean hematoma volume 67.2ml and mean GCS score 5.7 points. In nonsurgical group(26 cases), mean age was 79.3 years old, mean hematoma volume 32.1ml, and mean GCS score 6.8 points. Mortality rate in surgical group was 47.4%(9 patients), including 2 cases of post-operative rebleeding, while that in nonsurgical group was 46.2%. However, when patients with initial GCS 4-6 points and over 30ml in hematoma volume were regrouped, mortality rate in surgical group was 46.2%, whereas mortality rate in nonsurgical group was 66.7%. Conclusion : It is concluded that the mortality rate is much low in surgery group with initial GCS less than 6 points and hematoma volume over 30cc. There was no significant difference of outcome in patients with basal ganglia and thalamic hemorrhage. However, surgical treatment lowered the mortality and morbidity rate in patients with subcortical and cerebellar hemorrhage.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.435-443
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• 2015

Purpose. This study was to investigate comparison of the near eye position according to the spectacle and contact lens wearing. Methods. We measured the AC/A ratio and near horizontal phoria using modified Thorington method in each case spectacle and contact lens wearing of equivalent spherical power after measuring the full corrected diopter for 20 subjects (men 5, woman 15, $21.15{\pm}1.35$ years) without specific ocular diseases, ocular surgery experience and vision anomalies. Results. It was shown high correlation between spectacle and contact lens wearing as AC/A ratio is a correlation coefficient 0.99 (p=0.00), near horizontal phoria is a correlation coefficient 0.95 (p=0.00). And contact lens wearing increased as AC/A ratio by $0.32{\pm}1.35$ ${\Delta}/D$ (p=0.31) and near horizontal phoria by $-0.17{\pm}2.18$ ${\Delta}$ (p=0.73) than spectacle wearing but there was no statistically significant difference. As the higher myopic grade AC/A ratio increased and then was shown decreased tendency in -6.00 D < $SED{\leq}-4.00$ D group (p>0.05) and as the higher myopic grade near exophoria increased but there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05). Conclusions. We should consider that the subjects who had the lower AC/A ratio or higher near exophoria in -6.00 D < $SED{\leq}-4.00$ D group were necessary to measure AC/A ratio and near horizontal phoria when they were wearing contact lens because contact lens wearing tended to increase the near exophoria than spectacle wearing.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2017

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics of influenza A and B infections and analyze the effect of oseltamivir in hospitalized children. Methods: We investigated children under the age of 15, who were diagnosed with influenza A/H1N1, A/H3N2, or B from January to April 2014. The subjects were admitted to the Changwon Fatima Hospital and diagnosed using a rapid antigen test from nasopharyngeal swabs. The medical records of the patients were retrospectively reviewed. Results: A total of 302 pediatric patients with influenza were enrolled. Influenza B infection was the most common type (n=187, 61.9%), followed by A/H3N2 (n=100, 33.1%) and A/H1N1 (n=15, 5.0%). Compared to patients diagnosed with influenza A, patients diagnosed with influenza B were older (P=0.005), and the duration of fever was significantly longer (P=0.001). A total of 161 patients (53.3%) had been vaccinated against influenza during the season, before admission. Among the patients infected with A/H3N2 and B, the duration of fever was shorter in oseltamivir recipients compared to oseltamivir non-recipients (P=0.026 and P=0.004, respectively). Conclusions: There were significant differences between influenza A and B groups in terms of age, demographics, and clinical course. Although the effectiveness of oseltamivir on influenza differs according to the type of influenza, our data provides evidence that oseltamivir is beneficial for both A and B infections.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.27-44
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• 2015

Objectives This study was carried out to find the effects of Gami-cheongyulsaseub-tang (hereinafter referred to GCST) on the inhibition of zymosan-induced pain in rats and collagen II-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1J mouse. Methods As an acute inflammatory pain model, peripheral inflammation was induced by intraplantar injection of zymosan into the right hind paw in rats and then the hyperalgesia and pain regulating factors in spinal cord were analyzed. As a chronic inflammation model, the mixture of collagen II and complete Freund's adjuvant was treated into mice to establish rheumatoid arthritis and then body weight, thickness of hind paw, pathological change of spleen, immunological rheumatoid factor (IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgM and anti-collagen II), pro-inflammatory cytokines, and bone injury were analyzed. Results In the acute inflammatory pain model, GCST significantly inhibited the thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia and the pain regulating factors, including Fos, CD11b, PKA and PKC, in the spinal cord with a dose-dependent manner. In the chronic rheumatoid arthritis model, GCST administration decreased arthritic index and paw edema as compared with CIA control group. In particular, GCST reduced significantly the serum levels of total IgG2a, IgG2b, IgM, and specific anti-collagen II, but not total IgG1. GCST also resulted in the attenuation of bone injury and spleen enlargement/adhesion in CIA mice. Moreover, the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ in CIA mice was significantly reduced by GCST in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions Comparison of the results in this study showed that GCST had anti-nociceptive and immunomodulatory effects. These data imply that GCST can be used as an effective drug for not only rheumatoid arthritic pain but also other auto-immune diseases.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.267-273
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• 2004

Objectives : This study was aimed at investigating the medical service utilization pattern of patients who use public medical aid compared to those who have health insurance. Methods : We selected every patient between the age of 18 and 69 who used public medical aid from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2001, in Gwangju metropolitan city, South Korea. For comparison, a list of patients with health insurance was gathered for same period. Then the medical records of those who had been hospitalized for acute appendicitis were selected among both groups. Of those records, we compared the number of cases of ruptured appendicitis to cases of whole acute appendicitis in both groups. Regarding coding for ruptured appendicitis, International Classification of Diseases - 10 (ICD-10) was used. Multiple logistic regression was used as a statistical tool to determine the effectiveness of risk factors. Results : Even after adjusting for risk factors, such as age and sex, the proportion of perforation of acute appendicitis among public medical aid patients was found to be significantly higher than among insured patients. Conclusions : This comparative study on ruptured appendicitis among public medical aid patients and insured patients, indicates that the proportion of perforation of acute appendicitis could be an index showing that these types of patients utilize medical services differently than insured patients. We know that when abdominal pain is not properly treated at the outset, it easily develops into ruptured appendicitis complicated with peritonitis. Considering this data analysis, we guess the public medical aid system to have significant problem with medical accessibility. So additional and systematic research on the pattern of utilization of medical services of public medical aid patients is needed.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.174-180
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• 2002

Purpose: Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is known to decrease hepatic injury by promoting the biliary secretion of retained toxic endogenous bile acids in hepatobiliary diseases complicated by total parenteral nutrition (TPN). However, most studies have focused on treatment for complications after TPN. We investigated the preventive role of early administration of UDCA in TPN-induced hepatobiliary complications by a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Methods: Between May 2000 and May 2002, thirteen patients, who were given TPN more than 10 days in the hospital, were assigned randomly to two groups. One was the case group (7 patients) who were given UDCA simultaneously with TPN regimen, and the other, the control group (6 patients) who were given placebo. Their age ranged from 1 day to 13 years. They were affected with diseases impossible for enteral nutrition, such as prematurity, cerebral palsy, chronic diarrhea, anorexia nervosa, pancreatitis, and cyclic vomiting. The duration of TPN ranged from 10 to 70 days. Hematologic parameters including liver function test were measured at regular intervals, and the duration, composition, administration rate, total calorie of TPN were recorded. The serum levels of total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase were compared between groups after cessation of the study. Results: The autoregressive coefficient of the control group was 0.4419 (p=0.0651) in bilirubin, -0.0431 (p=0.7923) in AST, 0.2398 (p=0.2416) in ALT, and 0.2459 (p=0.1922) in alkaline phosphatase by mixed procedure model when the parameters were referred to the case group. Conclusion: The serum level of total bilirubin did not increase in comparison with that of the control group, but statistically insignificant, when both TPN and UDCA were administered simultaneously from the beginning.