• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2023

Background: Commensal bacteria play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and probiotics have been used as treatment options. We aimed to explore the current use of probiotics and factors associated with their prescription in patients with IBD. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a single hospital-based cohort. Patients were eligible if they were ≥18 years old, visited the IBD clinic as an outpatient more than twice during the study period, and had a confirmed diagnosis of IBD. Patients were divided into two groups based on the prescription of probiotics. Clinical assessments were compared between the two groups. Results: In total, 217 patients were enrolled in this study. In patients with Crohn disease (CD), moderate or severe abdominal pain; prior use of methotrexate (MTX), iron, thiopurines, or biologics; history of IBD-related surgery; and stool frequency were independently associated with the prescription of probiotics. In patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), moderate or severe abdominal pain, hematochezia, stool frequency, and moderate or severe physician global assessment score were independently associated with the prescription of probiotics. Conclusion: Increased disease activity may be associated with fewer prescriptions of probiotics in patients with IBD. However, physicians prescribed probiotics to control symptoms, such as abdominal pain and increased stool frequency in patients with UC and CD, and hematochezia in patients with UC. Additionally, the use of MTX and iron, and a history of IBD-related surgeries were associated with more frequent probiotic prescriptions in patients with CD.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.77-86
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• 2024

Purpose: This study examined the combined effects of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, screen-based sedentary behaviors, and sleep duration on adolescent obesity. Methods: It followed a cross-sectional study design and conducted secondary analysis on data from 20,497 high school students who participated in the 17th (2021) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. This study underwent logistic regression analysis in complex sampling analysis. Results: The combinations of low and medium consumption of SSBs, excessive screen-based sedentary behaviors, and short sleep durations were associated with a 1.18 and 1.12 fold increased likelihood of obesity (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.03-1.35) and (95% CI=1.02-1.22), respectively. The combination of high SSB consumption, appropriate screen-based sedentary behaviors, and short sleep duration (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.15, 95% CI=1.01-1.31) and high SSB consumption, excessive screen-based sedentary behaviors, and short sleep duration (aOR=1.40, 95% CI=1.16-1.69) were associated with obesity. Conclusion: Integrated and tailored programs considering combination patterns of SSB consumption, screen-based sedentary behaviors, and short sleep duration need to be developed for preventing adolescent obesity.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.97-107
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of family resilience on caregiver well-being across various age groups of children diagnosed with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) groups (0-5, 6-11, and 12-17 years). Methods: Utilizing secondary data from the 2022 US National Survey of Child Health, this cross-sectional study involved 2,752 children who were formally diagnosed with ADHD. Statistical analysis included descriptive analysis, Spearman's rank correlation, chi-square tests, and linear regression, conducted using SPSS version 27. Results: The study revealed a moderate positive correlation (r=.35, p<.001) between family resilience and caregiver well-being. Controlling for covariates, family resilience accounted for 25.2%, 21.1%, and 22.1% of caregiver well-being variance in age groups 0-5, 6-11, and 12-17 years, respectively. Additionally, factors like employment status, family structure, and caregiver age showed varying influences on caregiver well-being across these developmental stages. A consistent pattern emerged across these age groups: unemployment and non-traditional family structures were associated with negative impacts on caregiver well-being, whereas older caregiver age positively influenced well-being. Conclusion: This research underscores the importance of age-specific family resilience strategies to improve caregiver well-being and family interactions in ADHD contexts. Investigating these aspects through qualitative studies across various cultures could deepen our understanding of well-being and inform culturally sensitive interventions.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.1055-1060
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• 2020

This study is a study on the analysis and measurement of the radar cross-sectional area of a miniature aircraft. Radar cross-sectional area for miniature aircraft in advance were analyzed using an electromagnetic analysis tool, and an actual miniature aircraft was manufactured and measured in an anechoic chamber. When measuring, the old model was used as reference data for RCS(radar cross section) characteristics and applied to the test result data of the actual reduced model. The measurement method improved the accuracy of the measurement by applying time gating to remove the influence on the components scattered inside the anechoic chamber. The RCS test results of the reduced model showed relatively high RCS characteristics in the microwave band, as the previous analysis results. In the future, we plan to utilize the method of RCS analysis and measurement for the target of the radar in the VHF(Very High Frequency)/UHF(Ultra High Frequency) band with a relatively large wavelength.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.371-381
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• 2015

Object : The purpose of this study was to investigate aging-related changes of intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles in their strength, cross-sectional area and volume, force control, and multi-digit synergies. It was hypothesized that aging would negatively affect distal muscles (intrinsic muscles) more than proximal muscles (extrinsic muscles). Method : Nine young and eleven older right-handed participants underwent MRI scans of the hand and forearm. Muscle cross-sectional areas and volumes of the intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles were determined. Result : Muscle volume of the intrinsic muscles were larger in the younger group than the older group while muscle volume of the extrinsic muscles did not differ. For the cross-sectional area, both the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the younger group were larger than the older group. The maximum strength of the intrinsic muscles of the young group was 31% greater than the older group ($399.1{\pm}26.4$ vs $270.2{\pm}22.9Ncm$, p < 0.05) while the extrinsic muscles showed no significant difference. Although the elderly group showed a trend of decreased force control and multi-digit synergies, no statistical differences were found. These findings indicate aging-related decreases in hand muscle size and strength affect intrinsic muscles more than extrinsic muscles, thus supporting the hypothesis that sarcopenia affects the muscle size and strength of distal muscles more than proximal muscles. Conclusion : The aging-related decreases in hand muscle size and function were more apparent in intrinsic hand muscles, located more distally, than extrinsic muscles, located more proximally.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.1-18
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to investigate empirically the characteristics of financial structure by using 76 fisheries corporations in Korea, and to suggest implications of the empirical results for government's financial policy for fisheries corporations. For the empirical test, we choose the following factors as the explanatory variables of cross-sectional regression analysis:firm-size(SIZE), collateral value of assets(TFATA), business risk(BRISK), growth(GROWTH), effective tax(ET), profitability(PROFIT). Two different debt ratios are used as dependent variables. One is defined as the ratio of total debt to total assets and the other is as that of long-term debt to total asset in terms of book value. The sample consists of 76 fisheries firms and sample period is 14 years from 1982 till 1995. From the results of cross-sectional regression analysis, the adjusted R$^2$values were high, 16∼79% and the overall F values indicated to be statistically significant. The results of cross sectional regression analysis show that the characteristics of financial structure fur fisheries corporations are as follows ; (1) Firm-size and collateral value of assets are the major factors of financial structure for fisheries corporations. That is, the larger firm-size the higher is debt ratio. This means that financial institutions conventionally lend more collateral loans with fixed assets like land, building rather than management capacities or credits. (2) To be consistent with a pecking-order theory, the higher is profitability the lower is debt ratio in fisheries corporations. (3) Corporations with high effective tax rate have lower financial leverage. Although the empirical results are inconsistent with traditional static trade-off theory, we think it would be attributed to government's various tax shelterings for fisheries which are likely to reduce tax shield effect of interests.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1232-1241
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cerebral ischemia on Type I(soleus) and Type II(plantaris, gastrocnemius) muscles, and to determine the effects of isometric contraction training by electro- stimulation on Type I and II muscles in cerebral ischemia model rats. Method: Twenty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: ST(stroke), STES(stroke+electrostimulation), SH(sham) and SHES (sham+electrostimulation). The ST and STES groups received a transient right middle cerebral artery occlusion operation. The SH and SHES groups received a sham operation. The STES and SHES groups had daily isometric contraction training by electrostimulation(100Hz, 45mA, 7.5V) on hindlimb muscles for 7days. Result: Plantaris and gastrocenmius muscle weight, myofibrillar protein contents of soleus and gastrocnemius, and the muscle fiber cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius in the ST group significantly decreased compared with the SH group. Soleus, plantaris, gastrocnemius muscle weight, myofibrillar protein contents of soleus and gastrocnemius, and the Type I muscle fiber cross-sectional area of soleus and the Type II muscle fiber cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius in the STES group significantly increased compared with the 57 group. Conclusion: Hindlimb muscle atrophy occurs after acute stroke and isometric contraction training by electrostimulation during early stages of a stroke attenuates muscle atrophy of Type I and Type II muscles.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.353-364
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• 2017

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) on changes in airflow in the upper airway (UA) of an adult patient with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) using computational fluid-structure interaction analysis. Methods: Three-dimensional UA models fabricated from cone beam computed tomography images obtained before (T0) and after (T1) MARPE in an adult patient with OSAS were used for computational fluid dynamics with fluid-structure interaction analysis. Seven and nine cross-sectional planes (interplane distance of 10 mm) in the nasal cavity (NC) and pharynx, respectively, were set along UA. Changes in the cross-sectional area and changes in airflow velocity and pressure, node displacement, and total resistance at maximum inspiration (MI), rest, and maximum expiration (ME) were investigated at each plane after MARPE. Results: The cross-sectional areas at most planes in NC and the upper half of the pharynx were significantly increased at T1. Moreover, airflow velocity decreased in the anterior NC at MI and ME and in the nasopharynx and oropharynx at MI. The decrease in velocity was greater in NC than in the pharynx. The airflow pressure in the anterior NC and entire pharynx exhibited a decrease at T1. The amount of node displacement in NC and the pharynx was insignificant at both T0 and T1. Absolute values for the total resistance at MI, rest, and ME were lower at T1 than at T0. Conclusions: MARPE improves airflow and decreases resistance in UA; therefore, it may be an effective treatment modality for adult patients with moderate OSAS.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.632-640
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) on muscle weight and Type I and II fiber cross-sectional area of affected and unaffected hindlimb muscles in rats with neuropathic pain induced by unilateral peripheral nerve injury. Methods: Neuropathic pain was induced by ligation and cutting of the left L5 spinal nerve. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of two groups: The DHEA group (n=10) had DHEA injections daily for 14 days, and the Vehicle group (n=10) had vehicle injections daily for 14 days. Withdrawal threshold, body weight, food intake and activity were measured every day. At 15 days all rats were anesthetized and soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles were dissected from the both hindlimbs. Body weight, food intake, activity, muscle weight and Type I, II fiber cross-sectional area of the dissected muscles were measured. Results: The DHEA group showed significant increases (p<.05), as compared to the vehicle group for muscle weight of the unaffected plantaris, and in Type II fiber cross-sectional area of the gastrocnemius muscle. The DHEA group demonstrated a higher pain threshold than the vehicle group whereas total diet intake and activity score were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: DHEA administration for 14 days attenuates unaffected plantaris and gastrocnemius muscle atrophy.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of linear measurements in the horizontal and vertical dimensions based on object position and slice inclination in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Materials and Methods: Ten dry sheep hemi-mandibles, each with 4 sites (incisor, canine, premolar, and molar), were evaluated when either centrally or peripherally positioned within the field of view (FOV) with the image slices subjected to either oblique or orthogonal inclinations. Four types of images were created of each region: central/cross-sectional, central/coronal, peripheral/cross-sectional, and peripheral/coronal. The horizontal and vertical dimensions were measured for each region of each image type. Direct measurements of each region were obtained using a digital caliper in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. CBCT and direct measurements were compared using the Bland-Altman plot method. P values <0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: The buccolingual dimension of the incisor and premolar areas and the height of the incisor, canine, and molar areas showed statistically significant differences on the peripheral/coronal images compared to the direct measurements (P<0.05). Molar area height in the central/coronal slices also differed significantly from the direct measurements (P<0.05). Cross-sectional images of either the central or peripheral position had no marked difference from the gold-standard values, indicating sufficient accuracy. Conclusion: Peripheral object positioning within the FOV in combination with applying an orthogonal inclination to the slices resulted in significant inaccuracies in the horizontal and vertical measurements. The most undesirable effect was observed in the molar area and the vertical dimension.