BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many studies have reported no benefit of sound localization, but improved speech understanding in noise after treating patients with single-sided deafness (SSD). Furthermore, their performances provided a large individual difference. The present study aimed to measure the ability of speech perception and gap detection in noise for the SSD patients to better understand their hearing nature.
Deafness ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; Humans ; Individuality ; Noise ; Plastics ; Sample Size ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Silver Sulfadiazine ; Sound Localization ; Speech Perception ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this meta-analysis were to examine intervention methods of qualitatively, well-designed studies from the past 10 years for treating visuo-spatial neglect (VSN) in patients who had suffered a stroke, and to evaluate the combined effects of intervention. METHODS: Studies published between 2008 and 2017 on the theme of VSN were collected from PubMed, CINAHL, and MEDLINE, representative academic databases and search engines. The PEDro scale was used for evaluating the quality of methodology. The sample size, mean, and standard deviation of identified studies were used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: Eight studies were selected for analysis. The PEDro scores of the selected studies were ≥ 7, with 237 subjects analyzed. The results of intervention were classified into “mental function” and “activity and participation” based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The analyzed effect sizes for combined outcomes, mental function and, activity and participation, were 0.728 (medium effect size), 0.850 (large effect size), and 0.536 (medium effect size), respectively. CONCLUSION: Intervention methods for treating VSN had a short-term effect on cognitive function (visual perception). In particular, non-invasive brain stimulation therapy showed a large effect size for VSN treatment.
Brain ; Cognition ; Humans ; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health ; Sample Size ; Search Engine ; Stroke* ; Visual Perception

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at identifying the current nutrition knowledge, body-related perspectives, and weight control behaviors of Korean-Chinese college students. METHODS: We conducted a pilot study by employing a healthy weight education program targeting Korean-Chinese nursing school students at the Yanbian University of Science and Technology in Yanbian, China. RESULTS: This pilot study included 40 participants (38 women and 2 men; mean age, 20.5 years). The current weight status of the participants was as follows: 7.9% underweight, 78.9% normal weight, 7.9% overweight, and 5.3% obese. However, nearly two-thirds of the participants were dissatisfied with their current body size (43.6% a little dissatisfied; 20.5% very dissatisfied). Fifty percent of the participants perceived their current body size as being either slightly fat (35.0%) or very fat (15.0%). The following unhealthy weight control methods were commonly used among the 24 participants who practiced weight control: (1) laxatives or diuretics (91.7%), (2) saunas or spas (87.5%), and (3) a one-food diet (79.2%). In addition, the nutrition knowledge of the participants increased by 24 points from 117 points (pretest) to 141 points (posttest) through the healthy weight education program. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate an urgent need to educate Korean-Chinese college students on healthy weight control methods and body-related perspectives.
Body Size ; Body Weight ; China* ; Diet ; Diuretics ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Laxatives ; Male ; Methods* ; Nursing* ; Overweight ; Pilot Projects* ; Schools, Nursing* ; Steam Bath ; Thinness ; Weight Loss ; Weight Perception

OBJECTIVES: Self perceived body image among women is drawing a lot of attention in Korea due to their unhealthy weight control behaviors. To determine the relationship between self-perceived body image and dietary behaviors among Korean women, the discrepancy between actual body size and body image perception, weight control behaviors were assessed based on age groups using the 2010 KNHANES data. METHODS: A total of 1,747 subjects were selected after eliminating those of likely changing their diet recently using the 2010 KNHANES data. The subjects were divided into 3 groups, self-underweight, self-normal, and self-obese according to their perception of body image. The BMI and weight control behaviors were assessed based on age groups according to the body image perception. RESULTS: The younger, the higher ratio of underweight, women perceived their body size as normal or overweight. Exercise and reduced food intakes were dominant among various weight control methods but unhealthy methods were dominant among self perceived overweight group. CONCLUSIONS: Incorrect body image perception and unhealthy weight control behaviors can cause nutritional problems. Nutritional education should emphasize the importance of healthy weight and proper body image perception for Korean women.
Body Image* ; Body Size ; Diet ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Overweight ; Thinness ; Weight Perception

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate effects of lead on the central nervous system of children by measuring blood lead concentration, computerized neurobehavioral function and intelligence of elementary school students. METHODS: The study was conducted with 208 elementary school students living in the vicinity of Pohang Industrial Complex in October and November, 2005. Data on demographic characteristics, living environments and lifestyle habits were collected from subjects. RESULTS: Blood lead levels of elementary school students ranged from 0.76-4.97 microg/dl, which is below the 10 microg/dl recommended level of CDC. The blood lead levels were similar with those reported in other domestic and international studies. Neurobehavioral tests revealed that most third grade students reacted slowly and their speed declined in simple reaction time (p<0.05), choice reaction time (p<0.05), symbol digit substitution (p<0.01), finger tapping speed nondominant hand (p<0.05) as blood lead levels increased. Sixth grade students demonstrated significance in test performance, and displayed blood lead levels of 2.00-4.00 microg/dl. Results of intelligence testing showed significantly low performance in IQ (p<0.05), vocabulary ability (p<0.05), reasoning ability (p<0.05), mathematical ability (p<0.05) and perception ability (p<0.05) among third grade students who displayed high levels of blood lead concentration. Sixth grade students showed significantly low performance in vocabulary ability (p<0.05) at high level of blood lead concentration. The difference in mean IQ scores between the group with blood lead level of < or =2.00 microg/dl and the group with blood lead level > or =3.00 microg/ dl was 3.21 in third grade students and 4.28 in sixth grade students. Low academic achievement was observed among third grade students (p<0.05) and six grade students (p<0.05) as the average blood lead level increased. Correlation analysis on the association of blood lead concentration with neurobehavioral tests revealed a positive correlation between blood lead levels and reaction time of choice reaction time and symbol digit substitution in third grade students. A positive correlation was observed between blood lead levels and reaction time of symbol digit substitution and finger tapping speed in sixth grade students. There was a negative correlation between blood lead levels and reasoning ability of third grade students (r=-0.247) and vocabulary ability of six grade students (r=-0.255). CONCLUSION: There have been few studies on the effects of blood lead on the central nervous systems of children in Korea. The study supports the findings of earlier studies that blood lead has an impact on children. However, the study did not confirm significant association of blood lead concentration with each neurological and motor test conducted for this study due to a small sample size and relatively low blood lead levels of elementary school students. Further studies using a similar assessment methods would be helpful to evaluate the effects of low blood lead levels on the central nervous systems of children.
Achievement ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Central Nervous System ; Child ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Intelligence Tests ; Korea ; Life Style ; Perception ; Reaction Time ; Sample Size ; Vocabulary

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate effects of lead on the central nervous system of children by measuring blood lead concentration, computerized neurobehavioral function and intelligence of elementary school students. METHODS: The study was conducted with 208 elementary school students living in the vicinity of Pohang Industrial Complex in October and November, 2005. Data on demographic characteristics, living environments and lifestyle habits were collected from subjects. RESULTS: Blood lead levels of elementary school students ranged from 0.76-4.97 microg/dl, which is below the 10 microg/dl recommended level of CDC. The blood lead levels were similar with those reported in other domestic and international studies. Neurobehavioral tests revealed that most third grade students reacted slowly and their speed declined in simple reaction time (p<0.05), choice reaction time (p<0.05), symbol digit substitution (p<0.01), finger tapping speed nondominant hand (p<0.05) as blood lead levels increased. Sixth grade students demonstrated significance in test performance, and displayed blood lead levels of 2.00-4.00 microg/dl. Results of intelligence testing showed significantly low performance in IQ (p<0.05), vocabulary ability (p<0.05), reasoning ability (p<0.05), mathematical ability (p<0.05) and perception ability (p<0.05) among third grade students who displayed high levels of blood lead concentration. Sixth grade students showed significantly low performance in vocabulary ability (p<0.05) at high level of blood lead concentration. The difference in mean IQ scores between the group with blood lead level of < or =2.00 microg/dl and the group with blood lead level > or =3.00 microg/ dl was 3.21 in third grade students and 4.28 in sixth grade students. Low academic achievement was observed among third grade students (p<0.05) and six grade students (p<0.05) as the average blood lead level increased. Correlation analysis on the association of blood lead concentration with neurobehavioral tests revealed a positive correlation between blood lead levels and reaction time of choice reaction time and symbol digit substitution in third grade students. A positive correlation was observed between blood lead levels and reaction time of symbol digit substitution and finger tapping speed in sixth grade students. There was a negative correlation between blood lead levels and reasoning ability of third grade students (r=-0.247) and vocabulary ability of six grade students (r=-0.255). CONCLUSION: There have been few studies on the effects of blood lead on the central nervous systems of children in Korea. The study supports the findings of earlier studies that blood lead has an impact on children. However, the study did not confirm significant association of blood lead concentration with each neurological and motor test conducted for this study due to a small sample size and relatively low blood lead levels of elementary school students. Further studies using a similar assessment methods would be helpful to evaluate the effects of low blood lead levels on the central nervous systems of children.
Achievement ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Central Nervous System ; Child ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Intelligence Tests ; Korea ; Life Style ; Perception ; Reaction Time ; Sample Size ; Vocabulary

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In this study, we evaluated the effect of bimodal hearing in the speech perception test and the increasing level of bimodal hearing over cochlear implantation in speech perception score regarding residual hearing. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Nineteen prelingually deaf patients, who had used bimodal hearing over a period of 8 months, were divided in two groups in accordance to their low frequency residual hearing. The children were tested in open-set speech perception under +10 SNR and +20 SNR. The scores of bimodal hearing and unilateral cochlear implantation were compared by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Also, the increased level of speech perception scores of bimodal hearing over cochlear implantation alone were calculated using the formula, [bimodal score (%)-unilateral cochlear implantation (%)], and was compared between groups. RESULTS: In pure tone audiometry under silent condition, the result of bimodal hearing was similar to unilateral cochlear implantation in magnitude in both groups. Under the noisy condition, both groups had better result in bimodal hearing in terms of speech perception. Also, the increased level was higher in bimodal hearing over unilateral cochlear implantation in the better residual hearing group. However, since the sample size was small enough, it is considered that there was no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implanted patients with residual hearing are expected to get better speech perception in noisy environment with bimodal hearing regardless of the level of residual hearing.
Audiometry ; Child ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Hearing ; Hearing Aids ; Humans ; Sample Size ; Speech Perception

BACKGROUND: Body image, a personal perception of the body shape, is known to influence motive to control body weight. This study aimed to evaluate perception of body image according to the weight status in children. METHODS: The study participants were 442 Korean boys and girls enrolled in 2nd or 6th grade of a primary school. Heights and weights were measured by standardized method. Each child was asked to fill in a questionnaire asking about the factors which might be probably related to body image and to select a figure reflecting their current and ideal images among 7 drawings grading the extent of fatness. Weight status was classified using the age- and gender-specific cut-off points of the International Obesity Task Force based on the body mass index calculated. Chi-square test and multiple linear logistic regression test were performed. RESULTS: Among the subjects, 17% of the children were overweight, and 4.3% were obese. Among the overweight or obesity group, the children who chose figures corresponding to fatty body image were 4% and 32%, respectively, and the children who wanted to be thinner were 27% and 47%, respectively. Only the previous trial for weight reduction was independently associated with body image distortion defined as being satisfied with current body image in overweight or obese children. CONCLUSION: Safe and systematic efforts providing children with adequate body image perception would be needed to prevent and manage the obesity problem, especially for overweight or obese children who think their body images as normal or who were satisfied with their current body images.
Advisory Committees ; Body Image ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Child ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Size Perception ; Weight Loss ; Weights and Measures ; Surveys and Questionnaires