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Objectives@# This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status and dietary behavior of adolescents from North Korean refugee (NKR) families residing in South Korea (SK), who are known to be at a higher risk of malnutrition due to their lower socioeconomic status and facing other psychological challenges. @*Methods@# A total of 178 adolescents (91 males and 87 females) from NKR families were included in the analysis, and their demographic details such as age, birthplace, parental nationality, and duration of their settlement in SK were collected through questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were also taken to determine their growth and nutritional status according to the 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents. The study used the Nutrition Quotient for Korean Adolescents (NQ-A) questionnaire to assess the dietary behavior of the participants. @*Results@# Approximately 11.8% and 10.1% of participants were identified with malnutrition and obesity, respectively. The total mean score for the NQ-A was 50.1. The mean scores for the individual factors of balance, diversity, moderation, environment, and practice were 49.2, 44.7, 43.8, 51.2, and 61.5, respectively. Approximately 47.2% of participants had a low NQA grade. However, there was no significant difference in the NQ-A scores according to their nutritional status or duration of time in SK. @*Conclusions@# Adolescents from NKR families exhibited both malnutrition and obesity.However, their dietary behavior, as assessed using the NQ-A, did not vary with their nutritional status. The unique challenges and related dietary behavior of North Korean adolescent refugees should be taken into consideration, when developing targeted strategies for nutritional education and health management programs.
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Purpose@#This study evaluated changes in growth and nutritional status using the first basic and the second repeated surveys on children from North Korean refugee families who settled in South Korea. @*Methods@#A total of 337 children were included in the survey. Using a structured questionnaire, the data collected included sex, date of birth, country of birth, date of entry to South Korea, and birth parents’nationality. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting, and obesity were evaluated using the 2017 Korean National Growth Chart for Children and Adolescents. @*Results@#The prevalence of stunting decreased from 7.9% in the first survey to 6.9% in the second survey; that of underweight decreased from 6.0% to 4.7%; and that of wasting decreased from 6.3% to 3.5%; however, these changes were not statistically significant. The prevalence of obesity significantly increased from 8.0% to 13.2% in the first and second surveys, respectively (p=0.037). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of malnutrition according to the length of stay in South Korea or the children’s country of birth. However, the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in children with longer lengths of stay and in those born in South Korea. @*Conclusion@#Although children from North Korean refugee families have settled in South Korea for a long time, the rate of malnutrition is still high, and the prevalence of obesity continuously increases.
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Purpose@#This study sought to investigate the effects of robot-assisted gait training on balance in total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients after bilateral avascular necrosis (AVN). @*Methods@#This case study in two patients utilized an ‘A-B-A’ single-subject experimental design that included five days of pre-intervention, followed by five days of intervention, and five days of post-intervention. The intervention involved the use of a standing inclined robot (R-bot) for 15 minutes. The outcome measures were evaluated using the Functional Reaching Test (FRT), Time Up to Go (TUG), and the Modified One Leg Standing Test (OLST). @*Results@#Patient 1 showed improvement based on data gathered from baseline A to intervention period B, with results as follows: FRT improved from 27.7 cm to 41.28 cm, OLST LT from 14.03 seconds to 67.37 seconds, OLST RT from 2.94 seconds to 35.97 seconds, and TUG from 12.96 seconds to 7.82 seconds. Patient 2 also showed improvement from baseline A to intervention period B, with results as follows: FRT improved from 17.18 cm to 24.3 cm, OLST LT from 11.53 seconds to 52.01 seconds, OLST RT from 12.99 seconds to 62.19 seconds, and TUG from 27.31 seconds to 12.99 seconds. @*Conclusion@#Based on the results of this study, robotic rehabilitation during the early stages after surgery is effective for promoting balance in patients who have undergone THA due to bilateral AVN.
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Objectives@#This study aimed to identifying the relationship between exposure to secondhand smoking and oral diseases in adolescents, based on the web-based youth health risk behavior survey from 2020. @*Methods@#Among the 54,948 adolescent respondents to the 16th youth health risk behavior survey in 2020, this study included a total of 48,867 non-smoking adolescent participants who had never used regular cigarettes, vapes, or e-cigarettes. Analysis of the complex sample survey data was performed by applying weights according to the complex sample provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Cross-tabulation analysis by complex sampling using the RaoScott chi-square test and complex-sample t-test was then performed to identify the relationship between subject characteristics and gingival pain and bleeding prevalence. Finally, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of secondhand smoking on symptoms of gingival pain and bleeding in non-smoking adolescents. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 version, and the statistical significance level was defined as P<0.05. @*Results@#Among the participants, periodontal disease symptoms were reported 1.201 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.101-1.310) more often in those with exposure to secondhand smoking exposure at home and 1.281 times (95% CI: 1.173-1.398) more often in those with exposure to secondhand smoking in public places than in those who did not report exposure to secondhand smoking. @*Conclusions@#The study results suggest that exposure to secondhand smoking increases the risk of gingival pain and bleeding in non-smoking South Korean adolescents and is a risk factor for periodontal diseases.
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Objectives@#The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors affecting unmet dental care needs among elderly living alone. @*Methods@#The study subjects were 19,019 elderly living by themselves, who participated in the Korea Community Health Survey 2018 (KCHS, 2018). The data were analyzed using frequency analysis, Rao-Scott chi-square test, t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis, using the SAS 9.4 software. @*Results@#Results from the multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a higher odds ratio (OR) for unmet dental care needs among those with a monthly household income below KRW 1,000,000 (OR=1.64, 95% confidence interval, 95%CI=1.39-1.92), compared to those with an income of above KRW 2,000,000. With regards to stress levels, unmet dental care needs were more prevalent among participants in the “stress moderate” (OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.06-1.33) and “stress” groups (OR=1.68 95% CI=1.48-1.92), compared to the “no stress” group. Furthermore, the OR for unmet dental care needs was significantly higher among participants in the “depression” group (OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.61-2.11) than the “no depression” group. @*Conclusions@#Higher unmet dental care needs were found among participants in the low monthly household income, stress, and depression groups. Further study is needed to analyze the association between factors and needs related to unmet dental care.
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Objectives@#This study aimed to identifying the relationship between exposure to secondhand smoking and oral diseases in adolescents, based on the web-based youth health risk behavior survey from 2020. @*Methods@#Among the 54,948 adolescent respondents to the 16th youth health risk behavior survey in 2020, this study included a total of 48,867 non-smoking adolescent participants who had never used regular cigarettes, vapes, or e-cigarettes. Analysis of the complex sample survey data was performed by applying weights according to the complex sample provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Cross-tabulation analysis by complex sampling using the RaoScott chi-square test and complex-sample t-test was then performed to identify the relationship between subject characteristics and gingival pain and bleeding prevalence. Finally, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of secondhand smoking on symptoms of gingival pain and bleeding in non-smoking adolescents. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 version, and the statistical significance level was defined as P<0.05. @*Results@#Among the participants, periodontal disease symptoms were reported 1.201 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.101-1.310) more often in those with exposure to secondhand smoking exposure at home and 1.281 times (95% CI: 1.173-1.398) more often in those with exposure to secondhand smoking in public places than in those who did not report exposure to secondhand smoking. @*Conclusions@#The study results suggest that exposure to secondhand smoking increases the risk of gingival pain and bleeding in non-smoking South Korean adolescents and is a risk factor for periodontal diseases.
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Objectives@#The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors affecting unmet dental care needs among elderly living alone. @*Methods@#The study subjects were 19,019 elderly living by themselves, who participated in the Korea Community Health Survey 2018 (KCHS, 2018). The data were analyzed using frequency analysis, Rao-Scott chi-square test, t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis, using the SAS 9.4 software. @*Results@#Results from the multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a higher odds ratio (OR) for unmet dental care needs among those with a monthly household income below KRW 1,000,000 (OR=1.64, 95% confidence interval, 95%CI=1.39-1.92), compared to those with an income of above KRW 2,000,000. With regards to stress levels, unmet dental care needs were more prevalent among participants in the “stress moderate” (OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.06-1.33) and “stress” groups (OR=1.68 95% CI=1.48-1.92), compared to the “no stress” group. Furthermore, the OR for unmet dental care needs was significantly higher among participants in the “depression” group (OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.61-2.11) than the “no depression” group. @*Conclusions@#Higher unmet dental care needs were found among participants in the low monthly household income, stress, and depression groups. Further study is needed to analyze the association between factors and needs related to unmet dental care.
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Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated oral cryotherapy was effective in reducing nausea, vomiting, oral mucositis, and oral pain in patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy during the 1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd rounds of chemotherapy for the first time. @*Methods@#A nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design was used. The experimental group (n=21) received oral cryotherapy that applied a 2×2×2 cm ice cube in the mouth for 30 minutes at each chemotherapy. Both experimental group and control group (n=20) received oral care educations. Nausea, vomiting, oral mucositis and oral pain were measured on 5 days, 14 days, and 21 days after each chemotherapy. Data were collected from July 2019 to April 2020 at a university hospital in Korea, and analyzed using the SPSS WIN 25.0 software package. @*Results@#There was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the nausea·vomiting score, oral mucositis grade, and oral pain score. Oral cryotherapy was confirmed to be effective in delaying nausea and vomiting. It has been shown that stomatitis and oral pain are related. @*Conclusion@#For breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, it is recommended to apply oral cryotherapy as a nursing intervention to reduce nausea, vomiting, oral mucositis, and oral pain.
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Oxaliplatin is a new generation of platinum derivatives used frequently to treat solid organ malignancies, including colorectal and ovarian cancer. Recently, an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapeutic regimen was adopted for advanced pancreatic cancer. Although oxaliplatin has extensive therapeutic potential, its use can be limited by significant adverse effects, particularly ototoxicity. This paper reports a rare case of irreversible unilateral hearing loss in a 48-year-old female that developed after the intravenous infusion of oxaliplatin during pancreatic cancer treatment. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the second reported case of oxaliplatin-related ototoxicity in pancreatic cancer.
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Atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP) is a 28-amino acid hormone with potent natriuretic effect and diuretic one. ANP wag originally thought to be involved in the regulation of blood pressure and blood volume. However, recent studies have indicated that ANP has much wider physiologic roles, such as the regulation of mitoses, the secretion of thyroglobulin, the production of cerebrospinal fluid and aqueous fluid formation. This peptide hag been detected in the anterior uvea, retina and corneal endothelium. It was reported that ANP decreased intraocular pressure and aqueous humor formation. However the distribution of ANP in the eye was not clearly confirmed. This study was carried out to localize the immunoreactive ANP in the rat eye. The distribution of alpha-ANP in the rat eye was studied by immunohistochemistry using a polychnal antibody against synthetic rat alpha-ANP. Immunoreactive ANP was localized intensely in the epithelium of the ciliary body. ANP immunoreactivity was also strong in the corneal endothelium, iris and in the anterior epithelium of the lens. The immunoreactivity was observed in the nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer in the retina. These data clearly confirm that ANP is widerly distributed and that it takes part in diverse functions in the rat eye.