• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.17-25
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• 2003

The tegumental ultrastructure of juvenile and adult Himasthla alincia (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) was observed by scanning electron microscopy. One-, 5- (juveniles) and 20-day-old worms (adults) were harvested from chicks experimentally fed metacercariae from a bivalve, Mactra veneriformis. The juvenile worms were elongated and cu wed ventrally. The head crown bore 31 collar spines, arranged in a single row. The lip of the oral sucker had 12 paired, and 3 single type 1 sensory papillae, and the ventral sucker had about 25 type II sensory papillae. The anterolateral surface between the two suckers was densely packed with tegumental spines with 4-7 pointed tips. The adult worms were more elongated and filamentous, and had severe transverse folds over the whole body surface. On the head crown and two suckers, type 1 and 11 sensory papillae were more densely distributed than in the juvenile worms. Retractile brush-like spines, with 8-10 digits, were seen on the anterolateral surface, whereas claw-shaped spines, with 2-5 digits, were sparsely distributed posteriorly to the ventral sucker The cirrus characteristically protruded out, and was armed with small spines distally. The surface ultrastructure of H. alincia was shown to be unique among echinostomes, especially in the digitation of its tegumental spines, the distribution of sensory papillae and by severe folds of the tegument.

• 혜화의학회지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.79-89
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• 2012

Objective : This study was conducted to evaluate of efficacy and safety of Vanadium Water (VW) on Cancer related Fatigue of Non-advanced Cancer Patients. Methods : Experimental Group Administration. Participants in treatment group consumed three 500 ml/bottle bottles of Jeju Island's VW, which contains 40.2 ${\mu}g/L$ of vanadium, three times a day (morning, afternoon, evening) for 4 weeks (28 days) without any additional treatments for fatigue improvement. The control group participants consumed three 500 ml/bottle bottles of ordinary water (0 ${\mu}g/L$ of vanadium) three times a day for the same period of time without any additional treatments for fatigue improvement. Results : After 4 weeks of VW consumption, total score of Revised Piper Fatigue Scale (RPFS) was reduced 30% and basal score after Fisher's Exact Test resulted statistical borderline significance (p=0.0799) and result of t-test of comparison between two groups' RPFS total score and fatigue cognitive/mood changes resulted statistical significance (p=0.0112). In detail, only 36.4% of control group (N=11) showed improvement while 77.8% of treatment group (N=9) showed fatigue improvement and thyroid hormone level changes. No other lab measures indicated any significant differences between two groups. Conclusion : Daily consumption of 1.5 L of Vanadium water for 4 weeks showed improvement of non-advanced cancer patients' fatigue.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.526-536
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• 2015

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira, a genus of which more than 250 serovars have been identified. Commercial bacterin vaccines are limited in that they lack both cross-protection against heterologous serovars and long-term protection. This study investigated in mice the immunogenicity of an anti-leptospirosis vaccine, using the outer membrane proteins LipL32 and Loa22 as antigens. The immunogenicity of this vaccine formulation was compared with those induced by vaccines based on LipL32 or Loa22 alone. A DNA-encapsulated chitosan nanoparticle was used for in vivo DNA delivery. Using a unique DNA plasmid expressing both lipL32 and loa22 for vaccination, higher antibody responses were induced than when combining plasmids harboring each gene separately. Therefore, this formulation was used to test the immunogenicity when administered by a heterologous prime (DNA)-boost (protein) immunization regimen. The specific antibody responses against LipL32 (total IgG and IgG1) and Loa22 (IgG1) were higher in mice receiving two antigens in combination than in those vaccinated with a single antigen alone. Although no significant difference in splenic CD4⁺ T cell proliferation was observed among all groups of vaccinated mice, splenocytes from mice vaccinated with two antigens exhibited higher interferon-γ and IL-2 production than when using single antigens alone upon in vitro restimulation. Taken together, the immunogenicity induced by LipL32 and Loa22 antigens in a heterologous primeboost immunization regimen using chitosan as a DNA delivery system induces higher immune response, and may be useful for developing a better vaccine for leptospirosis.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.56-61
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of powered toothbrushes for plaque control in patients with peri-implant mucositis, in comparison with manual toothbrushes. Methods: This randomized, prospective, controlled, clinical parallel study compared the efficacy of manual and powered toothbrushes for plaque control in implant restorations. Patients with bleeding on probing, no residual pocket depth (as indicated by a pocket probing depth ${\geq}5mm$), and no radiological peri-implant bone loss were eligible for this study. Patients were requested to complete a questionnaire describing their oral hygiene habits. The duration and frequency of tooth brushing were recorded by subjects in order to assess their compliance. Clinical parameters, including the modified plaque index (mPI), the modified sulcus bleeding index (mSBI), and clinical photographs (buccal and lingual views) were recorded at baseline and at one-month and two-month follow-up visits. Results: Statistically significant differences between patients who used manual toothbrushes and those who used powered toothbrushes were found regarding the frequency of tooth brushing per day and the duration of brushing at one-month and two-month follow-up visits, while no statistically significant differences were found relating to other oral hygiene habits. A statistically significant difference in patient compliance for tooth brushing was found at one month, while no difference was found at two months. Statistically significant decreases in the mPI and the mSBI were observed in both groups from baseline to the one- and two-month follow-ups. The overall reduction of these parameters was not significantly different between the two groups, except for mPI reduction between baseline and one month of follow-up. Conclusions: Sonic-powered toothbrushes may be a useful device for plaque control in patients with peri-implant mucositis.

• Strategy21
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• 통권38호
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• pp.287-320
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• 2015

On October 27, 2015, USS Lassen(DDG82), a 9,200 ton class Aegis destroyer of the United States Navy, began its operations within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef, one of the seven artificial islands that China has built and claimed sovereignty over. The maneuver was joined by anti-submarine patrol airplanes such as P-8A and P-3. The White House press secretary mentioned that the President of the United States approved the operation. In response, China announced that it warned the US Navy ship about the 'illegal violation' by sending two destroyers(PLAN Lanzhou and Taizhou). This event represents a close call case where tension between the United States and China in the South China Sea might have been elevated to a conflict between the two navies. Moreover, considering that this happened only one month after Chinese president Xi's state visit to the United States, the event shows that the positions of the two countries have become starkly different to the extent that they are so hard to be reconciled. The United States' position is different from those of Vietnam and the Philippines. Countries like Vietnam and the Philippines have been directly involved in disputes with regard to sovereignty claims across the waters in the South China sea. As for the United States, being a third party in the disputes, it still cannot be a by-stander watching the whole waters in the region fall under the influence of China. Accordingly, the United States maintains that all countries bear the rights of innocent passage and military operations in the Exclusive Economic Zones(EEZ) as stipulated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS). In contrast, China claims that, historically, the South China sea has been part of China's territorial waters, and that foreign countries are not allowed to conduct military operations within the waters. It strongly accuses that such military operations are illegal. Against this background, this paper tracks the different positions of the United States and China on the issues regarding the South China sea. It also carefully looks at the possibility that, in the process of dealing with the issues, the two countries may get into an armed conflict as the phrase 'Thucydides Trap' predicts.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.343-354
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• 2022

Objective: To develop and evaluate a deep learning-based artificial intelligence (AI) model for detecting skull fractures on plain radiographs in children. Materials and Methods: This retrospective multi-center study consisted of a development dataset acquired from two hospitals (n = 149 and 264) and an external test set (n = 95) from a third hospital. Datasets included children with head trauma who underwent both skull radiography and cranial computed tomography (CT). The development dataset was split into training, tuning, and internal test sets in a ratio of 7:1:2. The reference standard for skull fracture was cranial CT. Two radiology residents, a pediatric radiologist, and two emergency physicians participated in a two-session observer study on an external test set with and without AI assistance. We obtained the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), sensitivity, and specificity along with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The AI model showed an AUROC of 0.922 (95% CI, 0.842-0.969) in the internal test set and 0.870 (95% CI, 0.785-0.930) in the external test set. The model had a sensitivity of 81.1% (95% CI, 64.8%-92.0%) and specificity of 91.3% (95% CI, 79.2%-97.6%) for the internal test set and 78.9% (95% CI, 54.4%-93.9%) and 88.2% (95% CI, 78.7%-94.4%), respectively, for the external test set. With the model's assistance, significant AUROC improvement was observed in radiology residents (pooled results) and emergency physicians (pooled results) with the difference from reading without AI assistance of 0.094 (95% CI, 0.020-0.168; p = 0.012) and 0.069 (95% CI, 0.002-0.136; p = 0.043), respectively, but not in the pediatric radiologist with the difference of 0.008 (95% CI, -0.074-0.090; p = 0.850). Conclusion: A deep learning-based AI model improved the performance of inexperienced radiologists and emergency physicians in diagnosing pediatric skull fractures on plain radiographs.

• 한국중재학회지:중재연구
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.207-239
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• 2002

The redemption system for consumer's claim is intended to deal with the conflicts between consumers and firms in their transaction of goods and service ensuring consumer's basic right. In general, the redemption system for consumer's claim requires promptness of redemption, free charge of claim procedure for consumers and constructive response of firms. However, the current redemption system in Korea has some limitations in its authority in the sense that it has only the right for mediation of consultation and agreement and thus the involved consumer should forfeit his/her claim or should go to legal suit which requires high cost and time when the mediation work is failed between two parties. As it is shown in result of survey on empirical cases produced by the Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee in Consumer Protection Board of Korea in 2001, the 20.3％ of total claims have failed to reach final mediation, while the BBB case in the U. S. has recorded 19％ of arbitration success after its failure in mediation. Therefore, it is strongly recommended for Korea to augment current. arbitration system toward assuring firm's cost liability, the principle of quick procedure through agreement on arbitration upon consumer's request. It is thus prerequisite for firms to be armed with the concrete entrepreneurship of responsibility on cost liability. In conclusion, we suggest restructuring of currently existing institution, rather than establishing new one through substantial augmenting the role of Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee In Consumer Protection Board of Korea and enlarging its business criteria of The Korean Commercial Arbitration Board by progressive development of the consumer protection program through amendment of current law for consumer protection.

• 임상간호연구
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.194-204
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify physiological functional status and unmet care needs among patients with chronic pulmonary disease, colorectal cancer, and strokes after discharge. Methods: A crosssectional study was conducted with 224 patients diagnosed with aforementioned diseases from January to July in 2014 in two different tertiary hospitals in Seoul and its suburban area. Physiological functional status and unmet care needs were collected using Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) Scale and Problems After Discharge Questionnaire-English version(PADQ-E) respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: Patients with chronic pulmonary disease and colorectal cancer showed a low level of physiological functional status (mean: 77.20 and 77.60 out of 100 respectively) and a high level of unmet care needs (mean 2.23 and 2.63 out of 4 respectively). Stroke patients showed a high level of unmet care needs in the category of 'counseling', 'physical complaints', and 'instructions'. Physiological functional status was significantly associated with unmet care needs in all three patient groups and it showed a significant effect on unmet care needs in patients with stroke. Conclusion: The results showed that patients after discharge were still having insufficient functional status and various unmet care needs. The results of this study suggest a development of nursing care service for patients with chronic diseases after discharge.

• BMB Reports
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• 제43권7호
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• pp.485-490
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• 2010

Neurotrophins regulate many aspects of neuronal function through activation of the high affinity Trk receptors. Shc family proteins are implicated in the coupling of RTK to the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. Here we report that the fourth Shc family member, ShcD, associates with TrkB receptor and regulates BDNF-induced MAPK activation. Yeast two-hybrid assay and Co-IP experiments demonstrate ShcD interacts with TrkB in a kinase-activity-dependent manner. Confocal analysis shows ShcD cololizes well with TrkB in transfected 293T cells. Subsequent mapping experiments and mutational analysis indicate that both PTB and SH2 domains are capable of binding to TrkB and PTB domain binds to TrkB NPQY motif. Furthermore, ShcD is involved in BDNF-induced MAPK activation. In summary, we demonstrate that ShcD is a substrate of TrkB and mediates TrkB downstream signaling pathway.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.200-210
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• 2001

Objective : To explore the status of cancer research in the Republic of Korea. Methods : Thirty-eight medical journals, published in Korea between 1990 and 1996, were reviewed for abstracts relating to cancer research. Of the 5,899 eligible abstracts related to cancer, 4,732 were collected and evaluated. Results : Including first author and first two co-authors, a total of 7,427 authors were identified. Those who published an average of one or more article per one year were defined as cancer researchers for this study. This group, however, accounted for a small proportion of the total (3.1%). Analysis of the selected abstracts showed that the study goals in more than half focused on pathophysiologic mechanisms. Studies that were designed to use causal relationships such as cohort studies and randomized controlled trials were rare. A greater number of analytic and experimental studies were found in abstracts published by the cancer researcher group. More advanced study designs that explored causal relationships and analytic procedures were found in abstracts published later than those abstracts published from 1990 to 1992. Conclusion : Our findings show that researchers who published more articles adopted more advanced study designs. This study provides primary data that can be used to compare the status of cancer research in future studies.