• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.84-89
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• 2018

Purpose: Timely antibiotic therapy in selected cases of diarrhea associated with bacterial infections can reduce the duration and severity of illness and prevent complications. The availability of a predictive index before identification of causative bacteria would aid in the choice of a therapeutic agent. Methods: The study included patients admitted to the pediatrics unit at Konyang University Hospital for acute inflammatory diarrhea from August 1, 2015 to July 31, 2016 who underwent multiplex polymerase chain reaction testing. Of 248 patients, 83 had positive results. The clinical symptoms and blood test results were examined in 61 patients with Campylobacter spp. (25 patients), Salmonella spp. (18 patients), and Clostridium perfringens (18 patients) infections. The mean age of the 61 patients (male:femal=31:30) was $84.0{\pm}54.8months$, and the mean hospital stay was $4.6{\pm}1.7days$. Results: There were no statistical differences in sex, age, clinical symptoms, or signs. Patients with Campylobacter infection were significantly older (P=0.00). C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with Campylobacter infection were higher than those in the other 2 groups, at $9.6{\pm}6.1mg/dL$. The results of receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the cutoff age was ${\geq}103.5months$ (sensitivity, 72%; specificity, 86%) and the CRP cutoff level was ${\geq}4.55mg/dL$ (sensitivity, 80%; specificity, 69%). Conclusion: Age (${\geq}103.5months$) and higher CRP level (${\geq}4.55mg/dL$) were good predictors of Campylobacter enterocolitis. If neither criterion was met, Campylobacter enterocolitis was unlikely (negative predictive value 97.2%). When both criteria were met, Campylobacter enterocolitis was highly likely.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.137-141
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• 2009

Depending on the definition used, between 3% and 10% of live neonates are small for gestational age (SGA). The definition of SGA requires the following: (1) accurate knowledge of gestational age; (2) accurate measurements at birth of weight, length, and head circumference; (3) a cutoff, which has been variably set at the 10th percentile, 3rd percentile, or at less than 2 standard deviation from the mean, and (4) race and ethnicity-specific growth curve. Consensus statements are needed on the management of growth hormone therapy in SGA children, as well as treatment and long-term health outcomes such as impaired cognitive function, increased risk of adult cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.11
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• pp.425-431
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• 2016

The waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), calculated by dividing the waist circumference (WC) by height, has recently gained attention as an anthropometric index for central adiposity. It is an easy-to-use and less age-dependent index to identify individuals with increased cardiometabolic risk. A WHtR cutoff of 0.5 can be used in different sex and ethnic groups and is generally accepted as a universal cutoff for central obesity in children (aged ${\geq}6$ years) and adults. However, the WHtR has not been validated in preschool children, and the routine use of WHtR in children under age 6 is not recommended. Prospective studies and meta-analysis in adults revealed that the WHtR is equivalent to or slightly better than WC and superior to body mass index (BMI) in predicting higher cardiometabolic risk. In children and adolescents, studies have shown that the WHtR is similar to both BMI and WC in identifying those at an increased cardiometabolic risk. Additional use of WHtR with BMI or WC may be helpful because WHtR considers both height and central obesity. WHtR may be preferred because of its simplicity and because it does not require sex- and age-dependent cutoffs; additionally, the simple message 'keep your WC to less than half your height' may be particularly useful. This review article summarizes recent publications on the usefulness of using WHtR especially when compared to BMI and WC as a screening tool for obesity and related cardiometabolic risks, and recommends the use of WHtR in clinical practice for obesity screening in children and adolescents.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.283-292
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• 1996

Objective: To determine the cutoff value of clomiphene citrate challenge test(CCCT) that can predict the normal and abnormal(diminished) ovarian response group and to assess the usefulness of CCCT as a predictor of ovarian reserve. Materials and Methods: From March 1994 to Februry 1996, CCCT was performed to 129 infertile patients and among them, 20 patients whose basal FSH on the third day of menstrual cycle was more than 20 mIU/ml were excluded. At the same time, the same CCCT was performed to the fifteen healthy volunteers with proven fertility to determine the cutoff value of CCCT. Results; 1) A FSH value higher than 23.4 mIU/ml, measured on the 10th day of menstrual cycle, was defined as a abnormal ovarian response. The cutoff value of 23.4 mIU/ml is more than 2 standard deviations(SD) above the mean value of 15 healthy women after CCCT. 2) The abnormal CCCT group, the subpopulation with a FSH value of 23.4 mIU/ml or more, was 7.3%(8/109) and their mean age was higher than the normal CCCT group($36.5{\pm}4.5$ vs. $32.9{\pm}4.8$, P = 0.059). And the percentage of the patients older than 35 years of the abnormal CCCT group was significantly higher than that of the normal CCCT group(62.5% vs. 38.6%, p <0.05). 3) There was no correlation between the hormone values of the third day and the 10th day of menstrual cycle before and after CCCT except between FSH of the third day and the 10th day. Conclusion: The CCCT is a good method to predict the individual ovarian response to COH for ART, especially in the patients who has no other abnormal findings that predict poor prognosis. And it is neccessary to determine the cutoff value of CCCT by the large numbers of randomized study, and combining the previously proven prognostic factors, it can be applicated in many individual centers for evaluate the ovarian response before ART program.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-15
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• 2012

The formative ages and processes of five natural abandoned channels in three types in Korea are studied. The former meandering channel in Seongsandong, Uljin-gun was abandoned due to the neck-cutoff of incised meander, Wangpi River in approximately 2.5~2.6ka and the abandoned channel in Bulyeong Temple, Uljin-gun was formed by the neck-cutoff of Wangpi River in approximately 90ka. Deduced from these results, it is judged to favorable for formation of abandoned channels by incised meander cutoff in interglacial or interstadial stages that had a better condition for meander cutoff because of active lateral erosion. Due to the corrosion of limestone joints in the underground of ridges between Hwangji River and Cheolam River, the channel in Gumumso, Taebaek-si was abandoned by the stream piracy connecting and combining the rivers into a limestone cave in approximately 40ka and higher lower reaches of Dong River than Banbyeon River in Seonbawi, Yeongyang-gun was turned to the abandoned channel throughout the stream piracy between the rivers in approximately 1.4ka. During Last Glacial Maximum in Jangcheon-ri, Chungju-si, Namhan River was divided into the eastern and western tributaries due to the alluvial island in approximately 10ka and then the western tributary was abandoned recently.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate for the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related symptoms, anxiety, and depression after stroke. Eighty-four patients were enrolled between 2 and 12 months after their first ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Methods: PTSD symptoms were evaluated using the Impact of Event Scale (IES). The IES is a 15-item scale measuring intrusion and avoidance symptoms. The authors assessed mood alterations using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The HAD is a brief, 14-item, self-reported questionnaire used to detect symptoms of anxiety (HADA) and depression (HADD). The survey data were analyzed using the SPSS 10.0 program. Frequency, mean, standard deviation, percentage t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient were determined. Results: Twenty nine of the 84 (34.5%) patients scored higher than the cutoff for PTSD on the IES (IES>26). With use of the HAD scale, 44% of the patients reached the cutoff for anxiety ($HADA\;{\geq}8$). On the HSD scale, 44.1% of the patients reached the cutoff for depression ($HADD\;{\geq}8$). PTSD symptoms and anxiety were more frequent in women under age 39, without spouses, who had operations. Depression was more frequent in patients without spouses. There was a statistically significant correlation among posttraumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Conclusion: There was statistically significant correlation among PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression in stroke patients. Therefore, it is necessary to develop nursing intervention for stroke patients with these clinical manifestations.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.821-827
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• 2022

Objective: To determine the anatomical characteristics of the petrous ridge and trigeminal nerve in trigeminal neuralgia (TN) without neurovascular compression (NVC). Materials and Methods: From May 2017 to March 2021, 66 patients (49 female and 17 male; mean age ± standard deviation [SD], 56.8 ± 13.3 years) with TN without NVC and 57 controls (46 female and 11 male; 52.0 ± 15.6 years) were enrolled. The angle of the petrous ridge (APR) and angle of the trigeminal nerve (ATN) were measured using magnetic resonance imaging with a high-resolution three-dimensional T2 sequence. Data on the symptomatic side were compared with those on the asymptomatic side in patients and with the mean measurements of the bilateral sides in controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the performance of APR and ATN in distinguishing TN patients from controls. Results: In TN patients without NVC, the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of APR on the symptomatic side (98.40° ± 19.75°) was significantly smaller than that of the asymptomatic side (105.59° ± 22.45°, p = 0.019) and controls (108.44° ± 15.98°, p = 0.003). The mean ATN ± SD on the symptomatic side (144.41° ± 8.92°) was significantly smaller than that of the asymptomatic side (149.67° ± 8.09°, p = 0.003) and controls (150.45° ± 8.48°, p = 0.001). The area under the ROC curve for distinguishing TN patients from controls was 0.673 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.579-0.758) for APR and 0.700 (CI: 0.607-0.782) for ATN. The sensitivity and specificity using the diagnostic cutoff yielding the highest Youden index were 81.8% (54/66) and 49.1% (28/57), respectively, for APR (with a cutoff score of 94.30°) and 65.2% (43/66) and 66.7% (38/57), respectively, for ATN (cutoff score, 148.25°). Conclusion: In patients with TN without NVC, APR and ATN were smaller than those in controls, which may explain the potential cause of TN and provide additional information for diagnosis.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.89-106
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• 2018

As the Korean school entry date changed in 2010, from March 1 to January 1, January-born children are older than their peers at school, and December-born children are the youngest. This implies that parents may have incentives to avoid giving birth in December, and a mother who gives birth in this month is likely to be a mother who is not very concerned with her child's education. This study finds that the mothers of December-born children are younger, have lower education level, and have a lower probability of being employed than other mothers. This means that December-born children are more disadvantaged because they are the youngest among their peers and are from families of low socioeconomic backgrounds.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.194-197
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• 2021

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder in reproductive-age women. In 2018, an international evidence-based guideline announced recommendations spanning a wide range of issues on the assessment and management of PCOS. From the 166 recommendations, the present study reviews those that are of particular clinical relevance for daily practice and introduces other relevant studies that have been published since the global guideline. The 2018 guideline increased the antral follicle count cutoff for the diagnosis of PCOS from 12 to 20 when using a high-frequency probe. Hirsutism was defined as having a score of ≥4-6 based on a lower percentile of 85%-90% or cluster analysis, which was lower than the traditionally used 95th percentile-based cutoff. The diagnosis of PCOS in adolescents is challenging, and irregular menstruation was defined carefully according to years from menarche. The use of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of PCOS was restricted to those 8 years after menarche. As medication for non-fertility indications, combined oral contraceptives are the first-line drug. Metformin, in addition to lifestyle modifications, should be considered for adult patients with a body mass index ≥25 kg/m² for the management of weight and metabolic outcomes. An aromatase inhibitor is the recommended first-line medication for ovulation induction, a subsequent individual patient data meta-analysis also reported the same conclusion. Whether the new global guideline will be fully adopted by many specialists and change clinical practice is open to question. Further studies are needed to better understand and manage PCOS patients well.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.237-247
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• 2022

To investigate the curing temperature effect on the engineering properties of ground granulated blast furnace slag-cement bentonite (GGBS-CB) slurry for cutoff walls, the laboratory experiments including the setting time, unconfined compressive strength, and permeability tests were carried out. The mixing procedure for GGBS-CB slurry was as follows: (1) montmorillonite-based bentonite slurry was first fabricated and hydrated for four hours, and (2) cement or GGBS with cement was added to the bentonite slurry. The dosage range of GGBS was from 0 to 90 % of cement by mass fraction. The GGBS-CB slurry specimens were cured and stored in environmental chamber at temperature of 14±1, 21±1, 28±1℃ and humidity of 95±2% until target days. The highest average temperature of three seasons in South Korea was selected and used for the tests. The experimental results indicated that in early age (less than 28 days) of curing the engineering properties of GGBS-CB slurry were primarily affected by the curing temperature, whereas the replacement ratio of GGBS became a main factor to determine the properties of the slurry as the curing time increased.