• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.136-144
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study was to identify the effect of pressure biofeedback applied in various postures that allow the application of abdominal drawing-in. Design: A cross sectional study. Methods: The study intended to compare changes in the thickness of abdominal muscles between different postures when abdominal drawing-in was performed using a pressure biofeedback unit in five postures and to compare differences in terms of measures such as the transverse abdominis's preferential activation ratio(PAR). Data measured from 30 healthy individuals were used for data analysis. A paired t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to compare the thickness of each abdominal muscle. Results: The transverse abdominis's and internal oblique's thickness showed statistically significant differences in all postures when abdominal drawing-in (p<0.05). In the comparison between the postures, statistically significant differences were observed between the positions of hook-lying and wall support standing and between supine and wall support standing and between hook-lying and sitting (p<0.05). In terms of the transverse abdominis's PAR in each posture, statistically significant differences were observed between hook-lying and quadruped, hook-lying and sitting, hook-lying and wall support standing, quadruped and supine, sitting and supine, as well as wall support standing and supine (p<0.05). Conclusions: When abdominal drawing-in using pressure biofeedback unit is performed for stabilization exercises, selecting and applying specific postures according to targeted muscles and the subject's functional ability will help provide a more efficient and accurate intervention.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.489-499
• /
• 2022

Purpose: The survival rate of pediatric patients undergoing liver transplantation has increased considerably. Despite this, the period after transplantation is still complex and poses several challenges to the recipient's family, which is responsible for care management. Recently, more attention has been paid to the impact of this complex procedure on the quality of life of caregivers. Hence, this study is aimed at assessing the quality of life of caregivers of patients who have undergone liver transplantation and the aspects that influence it. Methods: This was an observational and cross-sectional study. From November 2020 to January 2021, short-form-36 questionnaires and additional questions were given to the main caregivers of children and adolescents who underwent pediatric liver transplantation. Results: Thirty-eight questionnaires were completed and the results revealed a lower quality of life in comparison to Brazilian standards, primarily in the mental domains (41.8±14.1 vs. 51.1±2.8; p<0.001). It did not show a significant association with socioeconomic or transplant-related factors, but it did show a negative impact on parents' perception of the child's health. Parents who reported worse health status for their children had a lower mental quality of life (44.1±13.8 vs. 33.3±12.6; p<0.05). Conclusion: The caregivers of transplanted children have a lower quality of life than those of the local population. Psychological assistance should be routinely provided to parents for long-term follow-up to mitigate potential negative effects on the transplanted child's care.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.46 no.5
• /
• pp.657-665
• /
• 2022

Background: Sarcopenia is a new and emerging risk factor aggravating the quality of life of elderly population. Because Korean Red Ginseng (RG) is known to have a great effect on relieving fatigue and enhancing physical performance, it is invaluable to examine its potential as an anti-sarcopenic drug. Methods: Anti-sarcopenic effect of non-saponin fraction of Korean Red Ginseng (RGNS) was evaluated in C2C12 myoblasts treated with C2-ceramide to induce senescence phenotypes, and 22-month-old mice fed with chow diet containing 2% RGNS (w/w) for 4 further months. Results: The RGNS treatment significantly alleviated cellular senescence indicated by intracellular lipid accumulation, increased amount of lysosomal β-galactosidase, and reduced proliferative capacity in C2C12 myoblasts. This effect was not observed with saponin fraction. In an aged mouse, the 4-month-RGNS diet significantly improved aging-associated loss of muscle mass and strength, assessed by the weights of hindlimb skeletal muscles such as tibialis anterior (TA), extensor digitorum longus (EDL), gastrocnemius (GN) and soleus (SOL), and the cross-sectional area (CSA) of SOL muscle, and the behaviors in grip strength and hanging wire tests, respectively. During the same period, an aging-associated shift of fast-to slow-twitch muscle in SOL muscle was also retarded by the RGNS treatment. Conclusions: These findings suggested that the long-term diet of RGNS significantly prevented aging-associated muscle atrophy and reduced physical performance, and thus RGNS has a strong potential to be developed as a drug that prevents or improves sarcopenia.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.65 no.6
• /
• pp.861-867
• /
• 2022

Objective : High-dose radiation is well known to induce and modulate the immune system. This study was performed to evaluate the correlation between clinical outcomes and changes in natural killer cell activity (NKA) after Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKS) in patients with brain cancer. Methods : We performed an open-label, prospective, cross-sectional study of 38 patients who were treated with GKS for brain tumors, including metastatic and benign brain tumors. All of the patients underwent GKS, and blood samples were collected before and after GKS. NKA was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, to measure interferon-gamma (IFNγ) secreted by ex vivo-stimulated NK cells from whole blood. We explored the correlations between NK cell-produced IFNγ (NKA-IFNγ) levels and clinical parameters of patients who were treated with GKS for brain tumors. Results : NKA-IFNγ levels were decreased in metastatic brain tumor patients compared to those with benign brain tumors (p<0.0001). All the patients who used steroid treatment to reduce brain swelling after GKS had an NKA-IFNγ level of zero except one patient. High NKA-IFNγ levels were not associated with a rapid decrease in brain metastasis and did not increase after GKS. Conclusion : The activity of NK cells in metastatic brain tumors decreased more than that in benign brain tumors after GKS.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.511-521
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the moderating effect of organizational justice on the relationship between self-efficacy and nursing performance among clinical nurses. Methods: In January 2021, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 224 clinical nurses recruited from a university-affiliated hospital in Suwon, South Korea. Participants completed online-based, self-report structured questionnaires. Collected data were analyzed using multiple regression and a simple model of PROCESS macro with a 95% bias-corrected bootstrap confidence interval. Results: Self-efficacy and organizational justice were found to be significant predictors of nursing performance. These two predictors explained the additional 34.8% variance of nursing performance in the hierarchical regression model, after adjusting the other covariates. In addition, organizational justice moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and nursing performance among the clinical nurses. In particular, at low self-efficacy level, participants with high organizational justice had higher nursing performance compared to those with low organizational justice. Conclusion: Enhancing organizational justice can be used as an organizational strategy for improving the organizational culture in terms of distribution, procedure, and interaction. Ultimately, these efforts will contribute to the improvement of nursing performance through a synergistic effect on organizational justice beyond nurses' individual competency and self-efficacy.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.285-293
• /
• 2022

Background: This study was conducted to analyze the effects of low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and obesity on aging-related osteoarthritis (OA) in the Korean population. Methods: A total of 16,601 participants who underwent a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and 3,976 subjects with knee X-rays according to the modified Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) system were enrolled. Knees of ≥KL grade 2 were classified as radiologic OA. The severity of joint space narrowing (JSN) was classified by X-rays as normal, mild-to-moderate, and severe JSN in radiologic OA. The subjects were grouped as normal SMI (SMI of ≥-1 standard deviation [SD] of the mean), low SMI class I (SMI of ≥-2 SDs and <-1 SD), and low SMI class II (SMI of <-2 SDs). Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of ≥27.5 kg/m². Results: The modified KL grade and JSN severity were negatively correlated with the SMI and positively correlated with BMI and age. The SMI was negatively correlated with age. JSN severity was significantly associated with a low SMI class compared to a normal SMI, which was more prominent in low SMI class II than class I. Obesity was significantly associated with more severe JSN, only for obesity with a low SMI class. Furthermore, patients with a low SMI class, regardless of obesity, were prone to having more severe JSN. Conclusion: This study suggested that a low SMI class was associated with aging and that an age-related low SMI was more critically related to the severity of JSN in OA.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.31-35
• /
• 2022

Recently, with the 4th industrial revolution, the demand for high-density semiconductors for large-capacity data processing is increasing. Researchers are interested in researching the reliability of surface mount technology (SMT). In this study, the effect of PCB pad design on assembly and adhesion reliability of passive component was analyzed using design of experiment (DOE). The DOE method was established using the pad length, width, and distance between pads of the PCB as variables. The assembly defect rate of the passive element after the reflow process was derived according to the misplacement direction of the chip resistor. The shear force between the passive element and the PCB was measured using shear tests. In addition, the shape of the solder according to the pad design was analyzed through cross-sectional analysis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.55 no.5
• /
• pp.455-463
• /
• 2022

Objectives: Economic hardship has a serious impact on adolescents' mental health. The financial impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was more severe for low-income families, and this also impacted adolescents. This study aimed to examine the associations of economic deterioration (ED) caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and low socioeconomic status (SES) with adolescents' suicidal behaviors. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2020 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, which included 54 948 middle and high school students. Odds ratios (ORs) of suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts related to ED and SES were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. We calculated relative excess risks due to interaction to assess additive interactions. Results: The ORs for suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts related to combined severe ED and low SES were 3.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.13 to 4.23), 3.88 (95% CI, 3.09 to 4.88), and 4.27 (95% CI, 3.21 to 5.69), respectively. Conclusions: ED and low SES were significantly associated with suicidal behaviors in adolescents. Although no significant additive interaction was found, the ORs related to suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts were highest among adolescents from low-income families with severe ED. Special attention is needed for this group, considering the increased impact of economic inequality due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.198-203
• /
• 2020

Background and Objectives: We sought to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of measurable parameters of internal auditory canal (IAC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). Subjects and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the patients with ISSNHL who underwent IAC MRI from January 2008 to March 2019. Measurable parameters of IAC MRI, such as the diameter of the IAC, bony cochlear nerve canal, and cross-sectional area of the cochlear nerve, were measured by a single examiner. These parameters were then compared between the affected and healthy sides. Inner-ear abnormalities such as intralabyrinthine hemorrhage or labyrinthitis were also evaluated. The relationship between the surveyed parameters and the diagnosis of ISSNHL was assessed. Results: A total of 208 patients with ISSNHL were included. The measured parameters of IAC MRI were not different between the affected and healthy sides and were also not associated with the diagnosis of ISSNHL. However, inner-ear abnormalities of IAC MRI in ISSNHL displayed a significant association with worse hearing before and after treatment. An age that was older than 40 years also correlated with poorer outcomes. Further, inner-ear abnormalities were more frequently detected when IAC MRI was performed early after ISSNHL onset. Conclusions: Patients with ISSNHL and inner ear abnormalities such as intralabyrinthine hemorrhage or labyrinthitis identified via IAC MRI may experience poorer hearing outcomes. To detect such abnormal findings, it is recommended to perform IAC MRI early after the onset of ISSNHL.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.443-458
• /
• 2020

Aim: This study investigated the association between leisure activities and cognitive impairment in Korean community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Among participants of the 2017 National Survey of Older Koreans, 10,055 (male=4,277, female=5,778) were included in this cross-sectional study. To better identify the association between late-life cognition and leisure activities, individual leisure activities were categorized into 3 types including productive, consumptive, and unclassified activities. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between participation in leisure activities and cognitive impairment when controlling for possible covariates evidenced by previous studies. Results: Male participants were more likely to be cognitively impaired than female ones with significant differences in all the covariates. After controlling for confounding variables, involvement in productive leisure activities was found to be associated with cognitive function in both male and female groups, along with age, educational level, depressive symptoms, subjective hearing problems, and occupational status. Conclusion: Involvement in productive leisure activities might be associated with decreased risk of cognitive impairment in later life. Appropriate strategies to encourage older adults to participate in productive leisure activities should be established to help them maintain their cognitive function.