BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to examine the trends of government-supported health promotion research projects conducted in Korea over the past 12 years. METHODS: Research type, area of interest, organization, and expense of 726 research projects conducted from 1998 to 2009 were examined and the health promotion content analyzed. RESULTS: In Korea, 361 health policy researches (HPR) and 365 general health researches (GHR) were supported by the government during the defined time period. A total of 60.5 health promotion research were conducted annually with a total amount of 27.1 billion won provided (2.26 billion won per year). With the average research project lasting 8.5 months, HPR (7.7 months) projects were completed sooner than GHR (9.2 months). Those who majored in preventive medicine completed 177 research (24.4%), the most number of research projects, followed by public health (22.5%), and family medicine (15.6%). There were 641 health promotion research projects done mostly on policies, legal systems, and grasping current conditions, and only 85 (11.7%) clinical test research on the development or effects of health promotion programs. CONCLUSIONS: HPR have been increasing annually. However, our study could not be certain of how close the studies were to the government's health promotion policies. Furthermore, the main health promotion area, 'healthy living', was not researched as often as should be. Additionally, to improve applicability of the research projects, interdisciplinary cooperation should be promoted.
Hand Strength ; Health Policy ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Korea ; Preventive Medicine ; Public Health

Malposition of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) venous cannula in the azygos vein is not frequently reported. We hereby present such a case, which occurred in a neonate with right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Despite ECMO application, neither adequate flow nor sufficient oxygenation was achieved. On the cross-table lateral chest radiograph, the cannula tip was identified posterior to the heart silhouette, which implied malposition of the cannula in the azygos vein. After repositioning the cannula, the target flow and oxygenation were successfully achieved. When sufficient venous flow is not achieved, as in our case, clinicians should be alerted so they can identify the cannula tip location on lateral chest radiograph and confirm whether malposition in the azygos vein is the cause of the ineffective ECMO.
Azygos Vein* ; Catheters* ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Heart ; Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Oxygen ; Radiography, Thoracic

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the effects of mobile health (mHealth), using mobile phones as an intervention for weight loss in obese adults. METHODS: An electronic search was carried out using multiple databases. A meta-analysis of selected studies was performed. The effects of mHealth were analyzed using changes in body weight and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: We identified 20 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2,318 participants who fit our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that body weight was reduced with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of −2.35 kg (95% confidence interval [CI], −2.84 to −1.87). An examination of the impact of duration of intervention showed that weight loss was greater after 6 months of mHealth (WMD = −2.66 kg) than between three and four months (WMD = −2.25 kg); it was maintained for up to 9 months (WMD = −2.62 kg). At 12 months, weight loss was reduced to a WMD of −1.23 kg. BMI decreased with a WMD of −0.77 kg/m2 (95% CI, −1.01 to −0.52). BMI changes were not statistically significant at 3 months (WMD = −1.10 kg/m2), but they were statistically significant at 6 months (WMD = −0.67 kg/m2). CONCLUSIONS: The use of mHealth for obese adults showed a modest short-term effect on body weight and BMI. Although the weight loss associated with mHealth did not meet the recommendation of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network, which considers a reduction of approximately 5 to 10 kg of the initial body weight as a successful intervention. Well-designed RCTs are needed to reveal the effects of mHealth interventions.
Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cell Phones ; Humans ; Mobile Applications ; Obesity ; Telemedicine* ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the health status and nutritional condition of children living in a low-income community through anthropometric, laboratory evaluation. METHODS: A community-based survey identified children below 15 years living in a low-income community. Their weight, height, visual acuity, hearing level and dental status were measured. Blood sample were obtained on June and July, 2004. Hemoglobin, serum cholesterol, Hepatitis B antigen/antibody, AST and ALT were measured. RESULTS: A total of 285 students(M:F=141:144) aged 6 to 14 years were included in this study. The heights and weights in some grades were smaller than controls. The prevalence of obesity was 10.6 percent in males and 10.7 percent in females. The prevalence of abnormal visual acuity, hearing impairments and dental carries were 20.5 percent, 0.3 percent and 69.4 percent. The prevalence of anemia was 10.1 percent. Serum total cholesterol was over 200 mg/dL in 7 percent. They complained of abdominal pain(22.1 percent) and headache(17.1 percent). Hyperthyroidism, cataract, neurofibromatosis, severe atopic dermatitis, ventricular septal defect, strabismus and inguinal hernia were newly diagnosed. CONCLUSION: Mean heights and weights of children in the low-income community were smaller than controls. The prevalence of abnormal visual acuity, hearing impairment and dental carries were higher than in the 2003 national health survey. Additional research is needed to evaluate the health status of the low-income community.
Anemia ; Cataract ; Child* ; Cholesterol ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Hepatitis B ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Male ; Neurofibromatoses ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Strabismus ; Visual Acuity ; Weights and Measures

Lovastatin is a potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, which catalyzes the conversion of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A to mevalonate, anearly and rate-limiting step in the synthesis of cholesterol. We studied the therapeutic effect and safety of lovastatin in 18 patients with nonfamilial primary hypercholesterolemia. Patients received 20mg/day lovastatin therapy as a single evening dose. If the total cholesterol level exceeded 200mg/dl after 2weeks of lovastatin therapy, the dosage of lovastatin was doubled. Mean percent total cholesterol level reductions from baseline were 26.4% and 31.9% after 4, and 8 weeks of lovastatin therapy respectively. Mean percent HDL-cholesterol level increase from baseline were 12% and 13% after 4, and 8 weeks of lovastatin therapy respectively. Adverse effects attributable to lovastatin were mild and temporary and no patient was withdrawn from therapy. We concluded that lovastatin was a well tolerated and effective agent for the treatment of nonfamilial primary hypercholesterolemia. Further studies are needed to establish the long-term safety and effectiveness of this drug.
Cholesterol ; Coenzyme A ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Lovastatin ; Mevalonic Acid ; Oxidoreductases

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether upright position is effective in labor through systematic review in randomized controlled trials. METHODS: We established the PICO (Patient-Intervention-Comparator-Outcome) strategy, and reviewed 282 literatures from national and international electronic databases, and finally selected 9 references based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. We evaluated the quality of references and carried out a meta-analysis. RESULTS: The maternal outcomes showed that the duration of their second-stage labor was 2.29 minutes shorter than that of the women in the recumbent position, and were less likely to have episiotomy. The other outcomes, including the mode of delivery, blood loss, hemoglobin level, use of oxytocin, use of analgesics, and perineal laceration, did not differ between the groups. The fetal heart rate abnormality occurred less than in the control group. The Apgar scores of the groups did not differ. CONCLUSION: There is evidence that an upright position in the second stage of labor reduces the duration of the second stage of labor, the incidence of episiotomy, and an abnormal fetal heart rate.
Analgesics ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Episiotomy ; Female ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lacerations ; Oxytocin ; Postpartum Period ; Posture ; Pregnancy

Our study surveded 418 obese first grade elementary school children(279 male and 139 female), in seoul, and measured levels of serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride were measured in addition to the measurement of body weight and height. The following results were obtained. 1) Obesity index was catergorized into mild, moderate, and severe, and the percentage of mild was 6.8%, moderate 48%, severe 45.7% respectively in surveyed children. 2) The average level of total cholesterol was 1.66.60 27.63mg/dl, HDL cholesterol 50.22+/-0.68mg/dl, LDL cholesterol 82.23+/-1.26mg/dl. 3) Atherogenic index was calculated, and obtained value was 2.45+/-0.48. It showed higher statstical significance in boys than in girls(p<0.05). 4) There was no significant difference in average level of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride in accordance of the severity of obesity. 5) Statistical significance was found in different average ievels of HDL cholesterol and atherogenic index according to obesity index (p<0.05). 6) There was a statistical significance in the average values of Kaup index and Rohrer index in accordance with obesity index (p<0.000). 7) There was no correlation between abnormal levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol and the severity of obesity. 8) Abnormal levels of triglyceride, atherogenic index, Rohrer index and Kaup index had a statistical significance since their levels. 9) There was a correlation between atherogenic index and body measurement. Total cholesterol level showed correlation with obesity index, and HDL cholesterol with Kaup index and arm circum ference.
Arm ; Body Weight ; Child ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Seoul* ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: The oral ulcer is a common oral disorder, but the precise etiology remains elusive despite of intensive clinical, immunological, hematological and microbiological investigations. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine oral ulcers for the detection of HSV DNA by using PCR and to characterize clinical features of HSV DNA positive cases. METHODS: Specimens collected with cotton swabs and saliva from 48 cases of oral ulcers were examined for HSV DNA by PCR and Southern blot hybridization. RESULTS: 1. HSV DNA was detected in 8 of 48(16.7%) cotton swabbed specimens of oral ulcers and saliva by PCR and Southern blot hybridization. 2. Clinical features of HSV DNA positive oral ulcers were a. predominently located in buccal mucosa. b. mall sized(<3mm), multiple(> or =5) lesions. 3. In Behcet's disease, 2 of 7(28.6%) cases of oral ulcers were positive for HSV DNA CONCLUSION: PCR is an useful and accurate method for the detection of HSV DNA from cotton swabbed specimens of oral ulcers.
Blotting, Southern ; DNA ; Herpes Simplex* ; Mouth Mucosa ; Oral Ulcer* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Saliva ; Simplexvirus*

With the recent increase in the elderly population, and the Westernization of the diet and increased consumption of meat products, a significant rise in the incidence of prostate cancer has been noted in the Republic of Korea. In cases with localized prostate cancer and sufficiently long life expectancy, the standard treatment is surgical resection of the prostate. Such surgical treatment is so far the only modality demonstrated through randomized prospective studies to be beneficial in terms of disease-specific survival; this procedure involves not only surgical removal of the prostate but also pelvic lymphadenectomy for accurate staging and neurovascular bundle preservation to aid in postoperative functional recovery. Prostatectomy can be carried out either with an open technique, laparoscopically, or under robot assistance. Reviews of the literature and meta-analyses have shown that laparoscopic and robot-assisted procedures offer significant reductions in blood loss and transfusion rates and advantages in terms of recovery from postoperative complications such as incontinence and impotence over open prostatectomy. However, no long-term oncologic outcomes are available for laparoscopic or robot-assisted procedures, and the long-term prevalence of incontinence and impotence for these two methods doesnot differ significantly from those for open prostatectomy, despite the laparoscopic and robot-assisted procedures being far more costly. Therefore, surgical treatment of prostate cancer should be carefully decided on following ample deliberation of various factors including the stage, age, comorbidities, and economic status of the patient and provision of sufficient information to the patient.
Aged ; Comorbidity ; Diet ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Incidence ; Life Expectancy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Male ; Meat Products ; Postoperative Complications ; Prevalence ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Republic of Korea ; Urologic Surgical Procedures

BACKGROUND: Standard solution-phase PCR cannot localize the amplified DNA products in cells or tissue sections. Recently, in situ PCR technique which combines PCR with in situ hybridization was developed and applied to detect target DNA or gene expression in the tissue sections. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to detect the presence of HSV type-1 DNA in herpes simplex lesions by using hot start PCR in situ hybridization and hot start in situ PCR and to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the two methods. The sensitivity and specificity of multiple overlapping primers and a single primer pair in hot start in situ PCR were also compared. METHODS: We performed hot start PCR in situ hybridization and in situ PCR with multiple overlapping primers, and hot start in situ PCR with a single primer pair in paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed tissues. RESULTS: HSV type-1 DNA was detected in 4 (80%) of.5 cases of herpes simplex and negative in all cases of herpes zoster, verruca vulgaris, and normal skins. One negative case of herpes simplex could not be detected by HSV type-1 specific primers because it might be caused by HSV type-2. There was no difference in the sensitivity, specificity, and intensity of signals between the three methods. CONCLUSION: Hot start in situ PCR with a single primer pair is a simpler, easier, and more rapid technique for detecting the HSV type-1 DNA in lesional tissue sections with similar sensitivity and specificity than hot start PCR in situ hybridization and hot start in situ PCR using multiple overlapping primers.
DNA* ; Gene Expression ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpes Zoster ; In Situ Hybridization ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Simplexvirus* ; Skin ; Warts