Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of quality of life and interpersonal relationship satisfaction on academic achievement among dental hygiene students. Methods: A survey was conducted on 210 dental hygiene students from Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang. Results: The factors affecting the academic achievement of dental hygiene students were interpersonal relationship satisfaction (β=0.489), quality of life (β=0.243), and grade_dum3 (<2.5/≥3.5; β=0.206). The most significant factor was interpersonal satisfaction, with an explanatory power of 37%. Conclusions As a result of the above, it was found that quality of life and interpersonal satisfaction were closely related to the academic achievement of dental hygiene students. Further research on ways to improve academic achievement is needed.

Objectives: This study was conducted to analyze dental caries and periodontal diseases in Korean adults depending on types of national health insurance, using data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES Ⅶ). Methods: From 2016 to 2018, the final analysis included a total of 12,601 adults over 19 years of age, who had undergone dental inspections for dental caries and periodontitis, and whose national health insurance was verified. Results: Among all the subjects, the ratio of employees was highest (67.4%), followed by the self-employed (39.4%), and then medical care recipients (3.3%). The prevalence of dental caries and periodontitis was 93.0% and 30.5%, respectively, among all subjects. The former was highest for medical aid recipients (95.9%), followed by employees (93.1%), and was lowest for the self-employed (92.2%) (P<0.001). The latter was highest for medical aid recipients (40.7%), followed by the self-employed (35.9%), and was lowest for employees (27.7%) (P<0.001). The prevalence of dental caries in the self-employed group was significantly lower (0.52 times) than that of medical care recipients (95% CI: 0.28-0.94), while no significant difference was seen between the latter and employees. There were also no significant differences among them, depending on the types of national health insurance and periodontitis. Conclusions It is necessary to develop oral health promotion programs that are not biased toward specific types of health insurance subscriptions, and to establish a business plan for oral prevention of subscribers of medical benefits.

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of mouthwashes containing cetylpyridinium chloride and zinc acetate on oral health. Methods: A total of 60 participants were included in the study. Fifty-three participants (27 and 26 participants in the experimental and control groups, respectively) were retained, excluding seven candidates who dropped out. The mouthwash used for the study was spat out after 10-15 ml of mouth-washing for 3 s in the oral cavity after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Oral examination indices included the gingival (gingival index, PMA index), the patient hygiene performance (PHP index, Turesky plaque index), and the bad breath (BB checker, Oral chroma) indices. Five measurements were taken after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks and compared. Results: Measurements of the gingival index showed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and the control groups after 4 weeks, and the PMA index from eight weeks (P<0.05). Measurements of the PHP and Turesky plaque indices showed a significant difference in the experimental and control groups after 4 weeks (P<0.05). Compared to the PHP index before the experiment, that of the experimental group showed a significant index decrease after 2 weeks (P<0.05). Results of measuring bad breath through a BB checker showed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups after 4 weeks (P<0.05). Conclusions Oral mouthwash products containing cetylpyridinium chloride and zinc acetate relieves gingivitis, removes bacterial plaque, and reduces bad breath.

Objectives: Previous studies have suggested that the lactic acid bacterium, Weissella cibaria CMU has beneficial effects on halitosis, but its precise effects have not been evaluated in human subjects. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of W. cibaria CMU for reducing halitosis in adults (20-70 years old) whose exhibited volatile sulfur compound (VSC) concentrations exceeded 0.015 ng/mL and who scored ≥2 points in a halitosis sensory evaluation test. Methods: A total of 60 participants were assigned to an experimental group (treated with W. cibaria CMU) and a control group (placebo). In total, 58 out of 60 participants (experimental group, 29; control group, 29) were ultimately included in gas chromatography (OralChroma) analyses of VSC concentrations and halitosis sensory evaluation tests. Results: We found that the VSC concentration decreased by 0.030±0.062 ng/ml in the experimental group after 8 weeks (P=0.0138) and increased by 0.005±0.124 ng/ml in the control group (P=0.8198). However, the difference between groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In a sensory evaluation test, a significantly lower score was obtained for the experimental group than for the control group. Conclusions Overall, VSC concentrations and sensory evaluation scores were lower in the experimental group than in the control group, but only the latter was statistically significant. Thus, we conclude that W. cibaria CMU is involved in the reduction of halitosis.

Objective: To assess whether performing exercises during hemodialysis reduces the risk of developing intradialytic hypotension and enhances exercise capacity in patients with chronic kidney disease. Methods: This study included patients aged ≥18 years undergoing hemodialysis. Participants performed exercises using a portable lower extremity ergometer during hemodialysis sessions for 3 weeks. Data regarding walking distance, knee strength, quality of life, fat-free mass, arterial pressure, blood pressure, heart rate, frequency of intradialytic hypotension, fatigue, and duration of hemodialysis were collected and analyzed. Results: Significant improvements in walking distance and knee strength were observed following the implementation of exercise training during hemodialysis. Although there was no significant reduction in the frequency of intradialytic hypotension, a decreasing trend was noted. Other parameters such as quality of life and fatigue did not show significant changes. Conclusion Using a portable ergometer during hemodialysis improved exercise capacity and knee strength in patients with chronic kidney disease. There was a trend toward reduced intradialytic hypotension, suggesting potential cardiovascular benefits. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the reorganization of corticospinal pathways innervating upper extremity muscles in patients with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Thirty-2 patients (17 male, 15 female) with spastic hemiplegic CP were enrolled. The average age (mean ± standard deviation) was 7.5 ± 4.6 (range: 2–17) years. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied to the unaffected and affected motor cortices in turn, and bilateral electromyographic recordings were made from the first dorsal interossei (FDI), the biceps brachii (BB), and the deltoid muscles during rest. The onset latency, central motor conduction time, and peak-to-peak amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were measured for each muscle bilaterally. Whilst TMS of both affected and unaffected hemispheres elicited contralateral MEPs in all muscles, the number of MEPs evoked from the affected hemisphere was less than from the unaffected hemisphere for FDI and BB. TMS responses to stimulation of the affected side showed prolonged latency and reduced amplitude. The amplitudes of MEPs increased with age whereas the latencies were relatively constant. These results suggest that the corticospinal pathways to the proximal and distal muscles of the upper extremity undergo sequential maturation and reorganization patterns.
Cerebral Palsy ; Child ; Deltoid Muscle ; Evoked Potentials, Motor ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Spasticity ; Muscles ; Pyramidal Tracts ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; Upper Extremity

Objectives: We evaluated the level of oral health status and oral health behavior in the elderly prior to their participation in a visiting oral health care intervention program as part of a community healthcare project in Cheonan city, South Korea. Methods: The oral hygiene conditions, oral health behaviors, and oral senility of 64 elderly people subject to community care were measured during the period January 1 to February 15, 2020 using dental health surveys and questionnaire-based interviews conducted in line with World Health Organization standard criteria. Results: The systematic disease retention rate of the elderly in this study was 90.6%, followed by hypertention (70.7%), and diabetes (51.7%). Scores were 1.69 out of 5 for subjective health evaluation, 1.8 out of 5 for subjective awareness of oral health, and the number of natural teeth was 14.9 per person (average mean for elderly people 18.38-19.34). During the day, 94.9% practiced brushing, after dinner 58.9%, and before bedtime 26.8%, which shows a diminished rate of practice. The percentage of participants dissatisfied with dental treatment was high at 67.2%, and the six measures of oral sensitivity, masticatory discomfort, pronunciation discomfort, and tongue pressure, presented less than average scores. Conclusions The level of oral health and oral health behavior of the elderly prior to the visiting oral health care community intervention program, was very poor. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that there is a need to develop a more systematic and thorough strategy to activate visiting community oral health care intervention programs.

PURPOSE: Steroids may play a role in preventing the early recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). However, optimal doses and route of steroid delivery have not yet been determined. This study evaluated the effect of two different doses of a single bolus injection of steroids on AF recurrence after RFCA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 448 consecutive AF patients who underwent RFCA, a single steroid bolus was injected into 291 patients. A low-dose steroid group (n=113) received 100 mg of hydrocortisone and a moderate-dose steroid group (n=174) received 125 mg of methylprednisolone. We used propensity-score matching to select patients as follows: control (n=95), low-dose (n=95), and moderate-dose steroid groups (n=97). RESULTS: Pericarditis developed in 1 (1.1%) control patient, 2 (2.1%) low-dose patients and 0 moderate-dose patients. Maximum body temperature and C-reactive protein were significantly decreased in the moderate-dose steroid group compared to the other groups (p<0.01). The number of patients of early AF recurrence (< or =3 months) did not differ among three groups. Early recurrence was 24 (25%) in the control, 24 (25%) in the low-dose and 25 (26%) in the medium-dose groups (p=0.99). Compared with control group, low-dose or moderate-dose steroid treatment did not effectively decrease mid-term (3-12 months) AF recurrence [22 (23%) vs. 23 (24%) vs. 18 (19%); p=0.12]. CONCLUSION: A single injection of moderate-dose steroid decreased inflammation. However, single bolus injections of low-dose or moderate-dose steroids were not effective in preventing immediate, early or midterm AF recurrence after RFCA.
Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Atrial Fibrillation/physiopathology/*prevention & control ; C-Reactive Protein/drug effects ; *Catheter Ablation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Secondary Prevention ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To determine the effects of an integrated training device for strength and balance on extremity muscle strength, postural balance, and cognition in older adults using a combination with various rehabilitation training games, in which balance, strength, and cognitive training were configured in a single device. Methods: This prospective study included 20 healthy participants aged 65–85 years. Participants trained for 30 minutes daily, 3 days weekly, for 6 weeks with an integrated training device for strength and balance (SBT-120; Man&Tel Inc., Gumi, Korea). Main outcomes were measured using the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (K-MoCA), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Functional Reach Test (FRT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Manual Muscle Test. Measurements were taken at three time points: T0 (pretreatment), T1 (immediately after treatment), and T2 (4 weeks after treatment). Results: All 20 patients completed the training, and TUG, FRT, and BBS scores significantly improved at T1 and T2 compared to T0. Mean TUG scores decreased by 0.99±2.00 at T1 and 1.05±1.55 at T2 compared to T0. Mean FRT scores increased by 6.13±4.26 at T1 and 6.75±4.79 at T2 compared to T0. BBS scores increased by 0.60±0.94 at T1 and 0.45±1.15 at T2 compared to T0. Moreover, muscle strength and cognition (K-MMSE and K-MoCA scores) increased after training. Conclusion Our findings suggest that an integrated training device for strength and balance can be a safe and useful tool for older adults.

We measured the difference of sitting pressure between the affected and unaffected sides (DSPAU) using sitting pressure measured with a force platform to identify sitting imbalance. The aim of this study is to investigate the relations between sitting balance and functional status or parameters according to characteristics stroke patients. We examine changes in DSPAU and functional assessment before and after a 3 week of rehabilitation in hemiplegic stroke patients (n = 73). These pre- and post-treatment data according to stroke characteristics, and correlations between the DSPAU and functional scales were analyzed. The DSPAU was greater in the non-ambulatory group compared to the ambulatory group, in patients who scored lower in the Medical Research Council (MRC) scores, and in patients whose the MRC scores for the lower limbs were lower than of the upper limbs. We observed that a decrease in the DSPAU was associated with an improvement in functional assessment parameters following rehabilitation. Further, changes in DSPAU were significantly correlated to the Modified Barthel Index. We observed that a decrease in DSPAU was associated with an improvement in functional parameters following rehabilitation. In conclusion, repeated measurements of sitting balance using DSPAU may be helpful to predict motor and functional recovery in stroke patient with hemiplegia.