• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.140-146
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• 2024

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), causing multi-organ damage affecting the heart, lungs, kidneys, digestive tract, and nervous system. As the cases of MIS-C have been increasing following the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of appropriate management for MIS-C is becoming increasingly apparent. Immunomodulating agents such as anakinra, infliximab, and steroids are regarded as supplementary therapy to the first-line treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin. However, these immunomodulating therapies can potentially precipitate opportunistic infections, including those caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus, and tuberculosis, or increase the risk of co-infections. Herein, we report a case of a 3-year-old boy who was treated with immunoglobulin, infliximab, and high-dose methylprednisolone for MIS-C, and subsequently developed a persistent fever lasting 32 days caused by a CMV infection.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.28-41
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• 2024

Objective: Chronic scrotal hyperthermia (SHT) can lead to serious disorders of the male reproductive system, with oxidative stress playing a key role in the onset of these dysfunctions. Thus, we evaluated the impact of caffeine, a potent antioxidant, on cellular and tissue disorders in mice with chronic SHT. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult male NMRI mice were allocated into seven equal groups. Apart from the non-treated control group, all were exposed to heat stress. Two groups, termed "preventive" and "curative," were orally administered caffeine. The preventive mice began receiving caffeine immediately prior to heat exposure, while for the curative group, a caffeine regimen was initiated 15 consecutive days following cessation of heat exposure. Each treated group was subdivided based on pairing with a positive control (Pre/ curative [Cur]+PC) or a vehicle (Pre/Cur+vehicle). Upon conclusion of the study, we assessed sperm characteristics, testosterone levels, stereological parameters, apoptosis, antioxidant and oxidant levels, and molecular markers. Results: Sperm parameters, testosterone levels, stereological parameters, biochemical factors (excluding malondialdehyde [MDA]), and c-kit gene expression were significantly elevated in the preventive and curative groups, especially the former, relative to the other groups. Conversely, expression levels of the heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κβ) genes, MDA levels, and apoptotic cell density were markedly lower in both caffeine-treated groups relative to the other groups, with more pronounced differences observed in the preventive group. Conclusion: Overall, caffeine attenuated cellular and molecular abnormalities induced by heat stress in the testis, particularly in the mice treated under the preventive condition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.128-141
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• 2024

Fish resource surveys were conducted near Jeju Island in June, August and October 2021 using an underwater camera monitoring system, fish pots, and SCUBA diving methods. The efficiency of the methods used to survey fish resources was compared using the number of individuals compared to area per unit time (inds/m³/h) and the number of species compared to area per unit time (spp./m³/h). As a result of comparing the number of individuals compared to the area per unit time (inds/m³/h), the order was underwater camera 214.69, SCUBA diving 124.62, and fish pots 0.57 inds/m³/h. The number of species compared to area per unit time (spp./m³/h) is in the following order: SCUBA diving 0.85, underwater camera 0.38, and fish pots 0.01 spp./m³/h. The fish resource monitoring method using underwater cameras was found to be more efficient in individual counts, and the SCUBA diving method was found to be more efficient in species counts. When considering cost and survey efficiency, the fish resource survey method using underwater cameras was judged to be more effective. The results of this study are expected to be widely used in estimating the population density of fish, which is the core of future fisheries resource surveys.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.5
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• pp.1222-1226
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• 2020

Lymphoma is a common cause of nontraumatic chylothorax. Clinical success rates of thoracic duct embolization are lower in patients with nontraumatic chylothorax compared to patients with traumatic chylothorax. Herein, we report a case of nontraumatic chylothorax and lymphoma in a 77-year-old man managed with thoracic duct embolization. The chest tube drainage decreased but not was sufficient to enable removal of the chest tube. Therefore, a second embolization was performed through a direct puncture of the lymphatic mass in the lung, following which the chyle leakage ceased, and the chest tube was removed. The treatment strategy discussed in this report may be an effective therapeutic option for select patients with nontraumatic chylothorax.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.65-76
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• 2024

Purpose : This study aimed to develop and validate a reliable tool, the Korean physical therapists' work environment scale (K-PTWES), for assessing the work environment of Korean physical therapists. The study also sought to examine the validity and reliability of the instrument. Methods : This methodological study involved the development and testing of the measurement tool. The conceptual framework was established through a literature review and in-depth interviews with clinical physical therapists. A total of 40 meaningful statements emerged from this process, leading to the generation of 29 primary items. Following a content validity test, 29 items were selected for the preliminary tool. Data were collected from 220 physical therapists across various job roles and unit types, such as outpatient and inpatient physical therapy rooms in domestic hospitals, with more than one year of experience. The final analysis included data from all 220 physical therapists. Results : Varimax rotated principal component analysis was employed for validities, revealing four factors: organizational support, working system, sustainable development, and relationship with coworkers, explaining a total variance of 54.97 %. The Cronbach's α coefficient for the final tool was .939, indicating high reliability. Conclusion : In this study, we developed a measurement tool reflecting the characteristics of the Korean physical therapists' work environment scale (K-PTWES). Our findings highlight the tool demonstrated both validity and reliability. Utilizing this tool is expected to contribute to understanding the work environment of Korean physical therapists and fostering a healthy work environment. Based on our findings, we recommend, firstly, conducting research on the work environment and related factors of physical therapists working in diverse settings using the K-PTWES. Secondly, future studies should focus on validating the tool's criterion-related validity, as it was not addressed in this research.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.93-107
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• 2024

Interprofessional education (IPE) is relatively new in medical schools in South Korea. Since the introduction of IPE in 2022, its effective and sustainable implementation has been of great interest in medical schools. This study analyzed literature on the development of IPE in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan to explore strategies for successful IPE in Korean medical schools. A systematic literature search focused on institutionalizing IPE yielded 30 papers for review. The findings included the following crucial elements for effective IPE: (1) government or institutional-led support; (2) establishment of networks and partnerships; (3) development of standardized core competency frameworks for IPE; and (4) inclusion of IPE in accreditation standards. These aspects underscore the importance of IPE as an essential component of health professional education that should be effectively and sustainably implemented in academic settings. The study concludes that the successful integration and sustainable development of IPE in Korean health education will necessitate expanded and proactive governmental support. Moreover, promoting collaborations among universities, hospitals, and local healthcare institutions will be vital for creating synergies in implementing IPE programs. Establishing networks to develop and execute joint IPE initiatives and securing initial support for conceptualizing and developing competency frameworks will be critical. Additionally, forming consortia of healthcare accreditation bodies to collaboratively develop and incorporate IPE standards into evaluation criteria will be essential. Efforts to surmount these challenges will contribute to building a structural and institutional support system for the successful introduction and sustainability of IPE in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2024

Objectives: This study investigated the prevalence and characteristics of comorbid conditions in patients exposed to ionizing radiation and those who were involved in the Soviet-Afghan war. Methods: This study analyzed the frequency and spectrum of morbidity and comorbidity in patients over a long-term period (30-35 years) following exposure to ionizing radiation at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site or the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, and among participants of the Soviet-Afghan war. A cohort study, both prospective and retrospective, was conducted on 675 patients who underwent comprehensive examinations. Results: Numerical data were analyzed using the Statistica 6 program. The results are presented as the mean±standard deviation, median, and interquartile range (25-75th percentiles). The statistical significance of between-group differences was assessed using the Student t-test and Pearson chi-square test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. We found a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension (55.0%) and cardiac ischemia (32.9%); these rates exceeded the average for this age group in the general population. Conclusions: The cumulative impact of causal occupational, environmental, and ultra-high stress factors in the combat zone in participants of the Soviet-Afghan war, along with common conventional factors, contributed to the formation of a specific comorbidity structure. This necessitates a rational approach to identifying early predictors of cardiovascular events and central nervous system disorders, as well as pathognomonic clinical symptoms in this patient cohort. It also underscores the importance of selecting suitable methods and strategies for implementing treatment and prevention measures.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2024

Purpose: The goal of this study was to determine the clinical acceptability of various cement space settings for the marginal and internal fit of a zirconia core manufactured using additive manufacturing. Methods: The maxillary right incisor served as the master model. After scanning the maxillary right incisor with a dental 3D (three-dimensional) scanner, the stereo lithography file was created using different cement space settings of 40, 120, and 200 ㎛ using computer-aided design software (Dental System 2018; 3Shape). The marginal and internal fit of the 3 groups were determined using the silicon replica technique. Measurement points were divided into the following three categories: margin, axial wall, and incisal. To ensure more accurate measurements, these three measurement points were divided into 8 points. The Shapiro-Wilk, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey's honestly significant difference test (for all tests α=0.05) were the statistical analyses that were included in the study. Results: The CS (cement space)-200 group had better marginal and internal fit than the CS-40 and CS-120 groups, and there were statistically significant differences at the marginal and incisal points, except for the axial wall points. CS-200 group, both marginal and internal fit were within 120 ㎛, which is the clinically acceptable value. Conclusion: This study suggests that a 200 ㎛ cement space setting is ideal for optimal marginal and internal fit of 3D-printed ceramic crowns.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine middle school students' environmental worldviews, focusing on the following: 'Technocentric (TC)', 'Ecocentric (EC)', and 'Sustainable Development (SD)' environmental worldviews. The instrument surveying the worldviews of middle school students comprised two components: 'natural environment' and 'human action & environment'. The 'natural environment' component consisted of four categories. These were the value of humans in nature, the value of natural environments, nature reigned by humans, and the equilibrium sustaining power of environmental ecosystems. The 'human action & environment' component also consisted of four categories. These were the depletion of energy & resources, technology development, economic growth, and the severity of environmental problems. The subjects were 376 middle school students (152 males and 224 females), who were selected from 10 middle schools, and they answered question items by themselves through an online survey system. They displayed more 'Sustainable Development environmental worldviews' and 'Ecocentric environmental worldviews' than 'Technocentric environmental worldviews'. Furthermore, the female students displayed more 'Sustainable Development environmental worldviews' than the males. Hence, it is necessary to implement educational approaches that address and relate to the sustainable development environmental worldviews of middle school students.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.34-44
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• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to investigate how the movements occurring during the follow-through phase after releasing an arrow among elite compound archers, are associated with the arrow impact points on the target. Method: Nine elite archers performed consecutive compound archery shooting under conditions identical to actual competitions using their own bows and equipment. Motion capture system and force platform were utilized to record the changes in joint positions and center of pressure, respectively. Principal component analysis was employed to identify the patterns in which multidimensional joint positions and COP changes were organized with horizontal and vertical coordinates of arrow impact points. Subsequently, correlation analysis quantified the relationship between individual variables and the coordinates of arrow impacts on the target. Results: We found a common organizational pattern in which the two axes of the impact point coordinates were grouped into the first two principal components. The movements of the upper and lower limbs following release exhibited opposite patterns in the anterior-posterior axis, with significant correlations observed between the arrow impact points of the horizontal axis and the left shoulder, right elbow, left hip, and both knees. Additionally, the lateral movements induced by the reaction force upon arrow release showed significant associations with the vertical coordinates of the impact points. Particularly, the correlations between the movements of the left shoulder and elbow, as well as the bilateral hip and right knee, were consistently observed among all participants. Conclusion: These findings implied that the post-release movements could significantly influence the trajectory and impact points of the arrows in compound archery. We suggest that a consistent and controlled movement during the follow-through phase may be more beneficial for optimizing shooting accuracy and precision rather than minimizing movements.