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This paper attempts to empirically trace the United States-Republic of Korea diplomatic relations and the process that led to the outbreak of the Korean War. In so doing, it makes use of the hypothesis on the 'American boundary', which maintains that the American strategy toward the developing countries of Asia pivoted around the primary concern of defusing both of the two possible scenarios which could unfold in post-World War II Asia, one leaning toward the left, and the other toward the right - namely, the outbreak of a series of communist revolutions and the emergence of fascist dictatorial governments. At the same time, the paper critically examines both the orthodox and revisionist views of the Korean War by paying attention to the political stances adopted by Syngman Rhee and other political leaders of South Korea, and the 'relational dynamics' among South and North Koreas, and the United States, thereby coming to a 'critical rationalist' interpretation of the war. Furthermore, the paper calls attention to the connection between the nationalist and anti-Communist feelings in the South as an important factor underlying the war, and asserts that understanding this factor, which has been ignored by the United States, is indispensable for gaining an accurate picture of the war. Only by incorporating this new factor into our analysis of the war can we overcome the shortcomings of conventional, simplistic views which explain away the war as having been 'plotted', either by the United States or North Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the effect of parental social class on cancer mortality in children under 5 in Korea, two birth cohorts were constructed by linking national birth data to under-5 death data from the Statistics Korea for 1995-1999 (3,323,613 births) and 2010-2014 (2,297,876 births)., Methods: The Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for covariates was used in this study., Results: Social inequalities of under-5 cancer mortality risk in paternal education and paternal employment status were greater in 2010-2014 than in 1995-1999. The gap of hazard ratio (HR) of under-5 cancer mortality between lower (high school or below) and higher (university or higher) paternal education increased from 1.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.041.46) in 1995-1999 to 1.45 (1.11-1.97) in 2010-2014; the gap of HR between parents engaged in manual work and non-manual work increased from 1.32 (1.12-1.56) in 1995-1999 to 1.45 (1.12-1.89) in 2010-2014 for fathers, and from 1.18 (0.7-1.98) to 1.69 (1.03-2.79) for mothers. When the parental social class was lower, the risk of under-5 cancer mortality was higher in not only adverse but normal births., Conclusion: Social inequalities must be addressed to reduce the disparity in cancer mortality of children under 5 years old., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (© 2023 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.)

This study aimed to develop a locally suitable advance care planning (ACP) program for older community-dwelling adults and a training program for nurse facilitators in Korea, and to evaluate their feasibility from the facilitators' experiences. This was a mixed methods pilot study that assessed the feasibility of an ACP program by analyzing survey, checklist, and focus group interview data. The ACP program was named CLOSE (Communicating and Listening to Our Seniors' voices about End-of-life care). Home health care nurses (N = 9) participated in this study. The participants reported that CLOSE was applicable to older community-dwelling adults and the training program was useful for increasing facilitator competency. We suggest some lessons from this pilot study that can be used to improve the ACP program and encourage community health nurses to participate in ACP as facilitators.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were measure the orbital volume of healthy Koreans and analyze the differences between orbital tissue volume with respect to age and sex and to assess any correlation between body mass index (BMI), eyeball position, and orbital volume., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the scan results of patients who had undergone orbital computed tomography scans between November 2010 and November 2011. We assessed the scan results of 184 orbits in 92 adults who had no pathology of the orbit. The individuals were classified into 3 groups with respect to age. Orbital volume, effective orbital volume (defined as the difference between orbital and eyeball volume), extraocular muscle volume, orbital fat volume, and transverse globe protrusion were recorded and analyzed. The records of the subjects were reviewed retrospectively, and BMI was calculated. A correlation analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between BMI, eyeball position, and orbital volume., Results: Orbital tissue volume, with the exception of orbital fat volume, was larger in men compared with women. In both sexes, orbital fat volume increased with increasing age, whereas the other volumes decreased. Orbital tissue volumes increased with increasing BMI, but transverse globe protrusion was not significantly related to BMI. In addition, orbital volume and effective orbital volume were positively correlated with transverse globe protrusion., Conclusions: These results provide basic information about the effects of age, sex, and BMI on orbital volume and eyeball position in healthy Koreans. Furthermore, these results will be helpful in the diagnosis of orbital diseases and in planning orbital surgeries.

It was performed a family-based association study of 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the TPH2 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 151 Korean trios. We found a significant association at the rs2129575 with ASD susceptibility (corrected p=0.006). Furthermore, after conducting with the quantitative scores in the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, there were associations between restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior (preoccupation with parts of objects or nonfunctional elements of materials) in ASD and SNPs in TPH2. These results suggest that TPH2 polymorphisms influence the phenotypic impairments of ASD and enhance ASD susceptibility., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The gradual decrease in the age of onset of puberty raises concerns about the contribution of phytoestrogen intake on sexual maturation. However, no data are available on the association between serum isoflavone (genistein, daidzein) concentration and central precocious puberty (CPP). The aim of the study was to test the association between serum isoflavone concentrations and the risk of CPP in Korean girls., Study Design: A case-control study was conducted at Inje University Hospital in Korea. One-hundred and eight girls with CPP (aged 8·6 ± 0·8 year) and 91 age-matched controls (aged 8·5 ± 0·8 year) were examined., Results: Serum concentrations of daidzein (P = 0·0202), genistein (P = 0·0021) and total isoflavones (P = 0·0009) were higher in children with CPP than in normal children. When the children were categorized into three groups according to total serum isoflavone as follows: <30, 30-70 and ≥70 nmol/l, serum concentrations of daidzein, genistein and total isoflavones significantly increased across three categories of serum isoflavone (P < 0·0001). The prevalence of CPP was significantly higher in children with serum isoflavone level of ≥30 nmol/l than those with serum level of <30 nmol/l (P = 0·0008). The adjusted OR for precocious puberty increased significantly across a range of total serum isoflavone (OR = 4·39; 95% CI: 1·83-10·51 vs OR = 5·22; 95% CI: 2·07-13·20; P = 0·001)., Conclusion: These results suggest that elevated serum isoflavones may be associated with the risk of CPP in Korean girls., (© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Background: Obesity is a major health problem. It is associated with cardiovascular disease. The diagnosis of obesity is crucial to treating and preventing obesity-related medical problems., Objective: The objective was to determine optimal percentage body fat cutoffs in Korean adults for predicting obesity-related cardiovascular disease risk factors., Design: We evaluated the body composition and prevalence of obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia, in 41,088 Korean adults aged 18-92 y. The optimal percentage body fat cutoffs for Korean adults were determined. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of overweight and obesity were estimated by logistic regression., Results: The first cutoffs in men and women were 17% and 32% body fat, respectively; the second cutoffs were 21% and 37% body fat, respectively. The percentages of obese men and women were 41.8% and 15.9%, respectively. The adjusted OR of at least one risk factor for overweight or obesity in men was 2.22 (95% CI: 2.07, 2.38) or 4.05 (95% CI: 3.78, 4.33). The adjusted OR for women was 1.95 (95% CI: 1.79, 2.07; P < 0.0001) or 3.21 (95% CI: 2.87, 3.57)., Conclusions: Only one-fourth of Korean men had a normal body composition, whereas most of the Korean women had a normal body composition. We conclude that susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and its risk factors is higher in Korean men than in Korean women. The cutoffs are useful for providing adequate guidelines for treating and preventing cardiovascular disease. This was the first study to determine cutoffs of percentage body fat for Korean adults.

Lash ptosis (LP) is one of the important factors to be considered in blepharoplasty or correction of ptosis, but LP is an often overlooked symptom. We evaluate normal variations in the degree of LP to analyze the relationship between LP and its associated factors in Asians. One-hundred and sixty patients without ptosis and 16 patients with acquired ptosis were included in this study. We measured the degree of LP, marginal reflex distance 1, levator function, and presence or absence of a double fold. A significant difference was observed in LP rating between the nonptosis and acquired ptosis groups (P = 0.00), along with a significant correlation between LP rating and marginal reflex distance 1 (r = -0.272, P < 0.01), levator function (r = -0.170, P < 0.01), and absence or presence of double fold (r = -0.233, P < 0.01). Our results may be beneficial in the design of a basic plan for Asian patients with LP at the time of upper eyelid surgery, such as blepharoplasty or correction of ptosis.

To determine the association between arginine vasopressin receptor 1A gene (AVPR1A) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), we examined 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), namely, rs7294536, rs3759292, and rs10877969, in the promoter region of AVPR1A by using a family-based association test (FBAT) in 151 Korean trios. Our results demonstrated a statistically significant association between autism and SNPs (additive model: rs7294536, chi(2)=9.328, df=2, P=0.002; rs10877969, chi(2)=11.529, df=2, P<0.001) as well as between autism and haplotype analysis (additive model: chi(2)=14.122, df=3, P=0.003). In addition, we found that ADI-R scores calculated by using a diagnostic algorithm for failure to develop peer relationships (A2) were higher in subjects having the AA genotype than in subjects having the AG and GG genotypes of rs7294536. Thus, our study provides evidence for a possible association between these SNPs and the phenotype of ASDs., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the association of identified copy number variations (CNVs) in whole genome with the risk of Avellino corneal dystrophy (ACD) in a Korean population., Design: Case-control study., Participants: A total of 146 patients with ACD and 226 control subjects., Methods: A total of 193 trios were genotyped by the Illumina HumanHapCNV370-Duo BeadChip (370,404 markers) (Illumina, Inc., San Diego, CA). The intensity signal (log R ratio) and allelic intensity ratio (B allele frequency) of each marker in all individuals were obtained by Illumina BeadStudio software (Illumina, Inc.). To obtain authentic CNVs in this study, we performed a family-based CNV validation and family-based boundary mapping using the PennCNV algorithm, which incorporates multiple factors, including total log R ratio, B allele frequency, and family information, based on an integrated hidden Markov model., Main Outcome Measures: Statistical comparison and identification of CNVs between case and control using family information., Results: We identified 27,267 individual trio CNVs with a median size of 16.2 kb, aggregated in 2245 CNV regions. Most of the identified trio CNVs in this study showed well-defined CNV boundaries and overlapped with those in the Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) (83.4% in number and 79.2% in length). With the common CNV regions (264 CNV regions >5%), we performed a family-based association test with the risk of ACD., Conclusions: Two CNV regions (chr6:29978470-29987783 and chr14:59896944-59916129) were significantly associated with the risk of ACD (P=0.05-0.003 and P=0.008, respectively). This study describes the first results of a genome-wide association analysis of individual CNVs with the risk of ACD and shows that 2 novel CNV loci may be involved in the risk of ACD., Financial Disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article., (Copyright 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the ACE DD genotype is unfavorably associated with the ultimate power-oriented performance. To test the hypothesis we recruited a total of 848 subjects including 55 international level power-oriented athletes (High-performance), 100 national level power-oriented athletes (Mid-performance) and 693 healthy controls (Control) in Korea. Then the distributions of ACE polymorphism throughout these groups were analyzed. As a result, there was a gradual decrease of frequencies of the DD genotype with advancing levels of performance (Control vs. Mid-performance vs. High-performance=17.2% vs. 10.0% vs. 5.5%, p=0.002). Also, the frequencies of D allele decreased gradually with advancing levels of performance (Control vs. Mid-performance vs. High-performance=42.6% vs. 35.0% vs. 30.9%, p<0.01). Therefore, power-oriented athletes at the top level had a markedly diminished frequency of the DD genotype and the D allele. This finding gave 3.83 times lower probability of success in power-oriented sports for individuals with the DD genotype than those with the II+ ID genotype. In conclusion, these results indicate that Korean power-oriented athletes with a lower frequency of the DD genotype had a lower probability of success in power-oriented sports., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.)

Although the locations of many common deletion variants in the human genome are unknown, such deletions may be causative in rare disorders. Deletions can be mapped through the identification of Mendelian inconsistencies in pedigrees. Data for a total of 341,577 SNPs from an ACD family cohort (n=551) and 341,039 SNPs from a Korean-Vietnamese family cohort (n=554) were collected for a genome-wide association study using Illumina 370K-Duo Beadchips((R)). In the present study, a Mendelian inconsistency analysis of genotype data identified 1029 deletion variants in Korean and Korean-Vietnam family cohorts of 404 trios comprising 1105 individuals. Small-deletion copy number variations adjacent to 10 deletion variants were then validated by the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expected copy numbers of each deletion variant were directly matched to its genotype cluster image. Deletion variants were also in strong linkage disequilibrium with nearby SNPs. To determine the overall contribution of the 1029 deletion variants, we analyzed case-control trio associations with the risk for Avellino corneal dystrophy. One SNP marker (rs885945) neighboring the gene encoding major histocompatibility complex class I F (HLA-F) was significantly associated with the risk of Avellino corneal dystrophy (P=0.0003). rs885945 showed high LD with SNPs within the HLA-F gene. Therefore, HLA-F may be a potential candidate gene for Avellino corneal dystrophy.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the association of Internet overuse with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)., Methods: A total of 2336 high school students in South Korea (boys, 57.5%; girls, 42.5%) completed the structured questionnaire. The severity of Internet addiction was evaluated using Young's Internet addiction test., Results: The proportions of boys who were classified as Internet addicts and possible Internet addicts were 2.5% and 53.7%, respectively. For girls, the corresponding proportions were 1.9% and 38.9%, respectively. The prevalence of EDS was 11.2% (boys, 11.2%; girls, 11.1%). When Internet addicts were compared with non-addicts, they consisted of more boys, drank alcohol more, and considered their own health condition as poor. But smoking was not related with Internet addiction. The prevalence rate of EDS for Internet addicts was 37.7%, whereas that for possible Internet addicts and non-addicts was 13.9% and 7.4%, respectively. The prevalence of insomnia, witnessed snoring, apnea, teeth grinding, and nightmares was highest in Internet addicts, middle in possible addicts, and lowest in non-addicts. With adjustment for duration of Internet use, duration of sleep time, age, gender, smoking, taking painkillers due to headache, insomnia symptoms, witnessed apnea, and nightmares, the odds of EDS were 5.2-fold greater (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.7-10.2) in Internet addicts and 1.9-fold greater (95%CI: 1.4-2.6) in possible Internet addicts compared to non-addicts., Conclusion: Internet addiction is strongly associated with EDS in adolescents. Clinicians should consider examining Internet addiction in adolescent cases of EDS.

Objective: To determine whether anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies, which are a highly specific test for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), could differentiate between hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated arthropathy and concomitant RA in Korean patients with chronic HBV infection., Methods: We investigated 240 patients with HBV infection. Anti-CCP antibodies were measured by ELISA and rheumatoid factor (RF) by the latex fixation test. Patient records were reviewed, and a standard form was used to record all demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to joint symptoms: asymptomatic, arthralgia, oligoarthritis, and RA. We categorized liver disease into 3 groups: carrier, chronic hepatitis, and cirrhosis., Results: Anti-CCP antibodies and RF were detected in 11 and 28 of 240 patients, respectively. Anti-CCP antibodies were detected in 9 of 10 RA (90%) and 2 of 230 non-RA patients (0.86%). The positive rate for RF was 90% in RA and 8.3% in non-RA. Eight of 10 RA patients were positive for both RF and anti-CCP antibodies. RF was detected in 11 patients without joint symptoms, 4 with arthralgia, and 4 with oligoarthritis, whereas anti-CCP antibodies were found in 1 patient without joint symptoms and 1 with oligoarthritis. Specificity of anti-CCP antibody for RA was 99.1%, whereas RF showed 91.7% specificity (p<0.0002). We compared the titers and positive detection rates of anti-CCP antibodies and RF among liver disease subgroups. There was no significant between-subgroup difference., Conclusion: Measurement of anti-CCP antibodies is better than RF detection to discriminate HBV-associated arthropathy from concomitant RA in patients with chronic HBV infection.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component and environmental risk factors. Nitric oxide (NO), which is produced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS), may play a role in the development of ASD. We genotyped nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NOS-I gene and nine SNPs in the NOS-IIA gene and carried out the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and haplotype analysis in 151 Korean ASD trios. We found preferential transmission of the A allele of rs8068149 (P = 0.039) and G allele of rs1060826 (P = 0.035) of NOS-IIA in ASD and the haplotype analysis revealed that the two haplotypes had significant associations (P = 0.014 and 0.031, respectively). The behavioral subdomain score of failure to use nonverbal behaviors to regulate social interaction in Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) was significantly higher in subjects with the GG or AG allele in rs1060826 of NOS-IIA compared to those who had the AA allele (P = 0.027). These results provide significant but weak evidence for an association between NOS-IIA and ASD in the Korean population., (2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) has been thought to be a candidate gene implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study evaluates the relationship between ASDs and MAOA markers (i.e., uVNTR and four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)) in 151 Korean family trios with children diagnosed with ASDs, and 193 unrelated Korean controls. The result of case-control global haplotype analysis also showed a statistically significant difference in haplotype frequencies between ASD patients and controls (male d.f.=5, p<0.001; female d.f.=7, p<0.001). With the specific haplotype analyses, the frequencies of the most frequent haplotype (AGG) with three SNPs (rs5906883+rs1137070+rs3027407) in ASD showed significant statistical differences between ASD patients and controls in both the male and female groups (d.f.=1, male p=0.001, female p<0.001). In a family-based association test (FBAT) analysis, it was observed that, in the dominant model, a three-repeat allele of a MAOA-uVNTR marker was preferentially transmitted in ASDs (Z=2.213, p=0.027). Moreover, in the global haplotype analysis, the statistically significant evidence of associations with ASD were demonstrated in additive and dominant models (additive chi(2)=11.349, d.f.=2, p=0.003; dominant chi(2)=6.198, d.f.=2, p=0.045).

Correct identification of the origins of herbal medical products is becoming increasingly important in tandem with the growing interest in alternative medicine. However, visual inspection of raw material is still the most widely used method, and newer scientific approaches are needed. To develop a more objective and efficient tool for discriminating herbal origins, particularly Korean and Chinese, we employed a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics approach combined with an orthogonal projections to latent structure-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) multivariate analysis. We first analyzed the constituent metabolites of Scutellaria baicalensis through NMR studies. Subsequent holistic data analysis with OPLS-DA yielded a statistical model that could cleanly discriminate between the sample groups even in the presence of large structured noise. An analysis of the statistical total correlation spectroscopy (STOCSY) spectrum identified citric acid and arginine as the key discriminating metabolites for Korean and Chinese samples. As a validation of the discrimination model, we performed blind prediction tests of sample origins using an external test set. Our model correctly predicted the origins of all of the 11 test samples, demonstrating its robustness. We tested the wider applicability of the developed method with three additional herbal medicines from Korea and China and obtained very high prediction accuracy. The solid discriminatory power and statistical validity of our method suggest its general applicability for determining the origins of herbal medicines.

Findings from preclinical and clinical research support the involvement of central noradrenergic dysregulation in the etiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Previous studies have suggested that the alpha-2C-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRA2C) is associated with ADHD. The aims of this study were to examine the association between the ADRA2C (GT)n repeat polymorphism (STR marker adra2c1) and ADHD in a Korean sample. In this case-control and family-based association study, we assessed 184 ADHD probands, 150 normal controls, and 98 trios. There were no significant differences in the allele frequencies of the ADRA2C polymorphism between the ADHD and control groups (p > 0.05). The overall allele-wise transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) analysis showed statistical significance (chi2 = 19.07, p = 0.025). We found a trend for preferential transmission of the 183-bp allele (chi2 = 3.72, p = 0.054), and a significantly lower-than-expected rate of transmission of the 187-bp allele (chi2 = 6.26, p = 0.012). With regard to the temperament profiles of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI), the ADHD subjects with the 183/183 genotype at the ADRA2C polymorphism showed a trend toward a lower score in the Novelty Seeking (p = 0.020) profile than did those with the other genotypes. Our findings provide important evidence that the ADRA2C polymorphism is involved in the etiology of ADHD in Korean subjects. In addition, our results provide evidence that the temperament of Novelty Seeking and ADHD might share molecular genetic characteristics related to the noradrenergic system.

A Gram-negative, non-spore-forming bacterium, designated strain BD-d46(T), was isolated from a playground soil sample in Jinju, South Korea. Cells were straight or curved rods and showed catalase- and oxidase-positive reactions. Growth of strain BD-d46(T) was observed between 15 and 35 degrees C (optimum 25-30 degrees C) and between pH 6.5 and 8.0 (optimum pH 7.0-7.5). The predominant fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C(16 : 1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH), C(12 : 0) 3-OH and C(16 : 0). Strain BD-d46(T) contained phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol as major polar lipids. Isoprenoid quinones were Q-8 (75 %) and MK-7 (25 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 49.2 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BD-d46(T) formed a distinct lineage with Rheinheimera chironomi K19414(T) within the genus Rheinheimera. Levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between strain BD-d46(T) and the type strains of recognized Rheinheimera species ranged from 94.4 to 96.9 %. On the basis of chemotaxonomic data and molecular properties, strain BD-d46(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Rheinheimera, for which the name Rheinheimera soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BD-d46(T) (=KCTC 22077(T) =DSM 19413(T)).

Previous studies have demonstrated that the MspI and DraI polymorphisms at the alpha-2A-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRA2A) are associated with ADHD. However, few studies have been designed to ascertain the association between the ADRA2A genotypes and the performance on neurocognitive measures in ADHD. The aims of this study were to examine the association of the ADRA2A MspI and DraI polymorphisms with ADHD in Korean subjects, and to determine the relationship between the genotypes of these two polymorphisms and the candidate endophenotypes, as measured by the continuous performance test (CPT). In a case-control study, we assessed 186 ADHD probands and 150 normal controls. One hundred eight trios were studied in a family based association analysis. The transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) analysis showed preferential transmission of the C allele of the DraI polymorphism (chi(2) = 5.88, P = 0.015). In the haplotype analyses, a trend of over-transmission of haplotype C/C was observed (chi(2) = 3.80, P = 0.051). The homozygous subjects for the C allele (C/C genotype) at the DraI polymorphism showed a trend toward a higher mean T-score with respect to the response time variability profiles of the CPT than did those with the other genotypes (C/T + T/T genotypes; P = 0.042). The homozygous subjects for the G allele (G/G genotype) at the MspI polymorphism showed a tendency to have a lower mean T-score with respect to the response time variability profiles of the CPT (P = 0.068). The results of this study provide important evidence for the involvement of the ADRA2A MspI and DraI polymorphisms in the etiology of ADHD in Korean subjects. In addition, our results provide evidence for the possible role of these two polymorphisms in ADHD symptom expression, such as increased response time variability., (2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) is an inducible enzyme involved in neuroplasticity and the neuropathology of the central nervous system. This study evaluated the relationship between autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and polymorphisms of PTGS2 (the gene encoding Cox-2) with 151 Korean family trios including children with ASDs. We found that the A allele of rs2745557 was preferentially transmitted in ASDs (p < 0.01) and that the GAAA haplotype was significantly associated with ASDs (p < 0.01). We also observed statistically significant associations between each genotype and the specific symptom domain scores of ADOS and ADI-R, including communication, qualitative abnormalities in reciprocal social interaction, and overactivity/agitation.

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain BD-c54(T), was isolated from BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes)-contaminated soil in Sacheon, Korea. Growth of strain BD-c54(T) was observed at 15-35 degrees C (optimum 25-30 degrees C) and pH 6.0-9.5 (optimum pH 7.0-8.0). The predominant fatty acids were iso-C(15:0), iso-C(17:1)omega9c, iso-C(11:0) 3-OH, iso-C(16:0), iso-C(11:0) and iso-C(17:0). The strain contained large amounts of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol and a small amount of an unknown amino-group-containing polar lipid as polar lipids. The major quinone was ubiquinone-8 (Q-8) and the G+C content of the genomic DNA was 67.5 mol%. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BD-c54(T) formed a tight phylogenetic lineage with Pseudoxanthomonas yeongjuensis GR12-1(T) within the genus Pseudoxanthomonas and was most closely related to P. yeongjuensis GR12-1(T) and [Stenotrophomonas] dokdonensis DS-16(T), with 98.3 and 96.6% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, respectively. The DNA-DNA relatedness between strain BD-c54(T) and P. yeongjuensis GR12-1(T) was 24.5%. On the basis of chemotaxonomic data and molecular properties, strain BD-c54(T) represents a novel species within the genus Pseudoxanthomonas, for which the name Pseudoxanthomonas sacheonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BD-c54(T) (=KCTC 22080(T) =DSM 19373(T)). In addition, the transfer of Stenotrophomonas dokdonensis to Pseudoxanthomonas as Pseudoxanthomonas dokdonensis comb. nov. and an emended description of the genus Pseudoxanthomonas are proposed.

Neurobiological and pharmacological research has suggested that dysregulation of the central noradrenergic systems might be involved in the pathophysiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Previous studies have demonstrated that the norepinephrine transporter gene (SLC6A2) is associated with ADHD. The aims of this study were to examine the association of the SLC6A2 G1287A and -3081(A/T) polymorphisms with ADHD in Korean children and adolescents, and to determine the relationships of the genotypes of these two polymorphisms with continuous performance test results and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory profiles of ADHD. In a case-control study, we assessed 186 ADHD probands and 150 normal controls; 109 trios were studied in a family-based association analysis. There were no significant differences in the genotype or allele frequencies of the SLC6A2 G1287A and -3081(A/T) polymorphisms between the ADHD and control groups (p > 0.05). In the transmission disequilibrium test analyses, there was no evidence for biased transmission of any of the alleles of the SLC6A2 G1287A and -3081(A/T) polymorphisms. In the haplotype analyses of these two polymorphisms, the global and individual chi(2) tests showed no significant associations between any of the haplotypes and ADHD. There were no significant differences with respect to the continuous performance test results and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory profiles in the ADHD probands according to the genotypes of the SLC6A2 G1287A and -3081(A/T) polymorphisms. Our findings do not support SLC6A2 as a major genetic susceptibility factor in ADHD., (Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

A Gram-negative bacterium, designated strain EMB34(T), was isolated from a wastewater treatment plant in Korea. Growth was observed between 10 and 40 degrees C (optimum, 25-35 degrees C) and between pH 6.0 and 9.5 (optimum, pH 7.5-8.0). The cells were non-motile rods, linked with extracellular fibrils. The predominant fatty acids of strain EMB34(T) were iso-C(15 : 0), C(15 : 0), iso-C(15 : 1) G, iso-C(16 : 0) 3-OH and iso-C(15 : 0) 3-OH and the strain contained phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol as the polar lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 34.2 mol% and the major quinone was menaquinone-6. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that strain EMB34(T) formed a distinct phyletic line within the genus Flavobacterium. The levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with other Flavobacterium species were less than 94.5 %. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular data, it is clear that strain EMB34(T) represents a novel species within the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium filum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EMB34(T) (=KCTC 12610(T)=DSM 17961(T)).

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with strong genetic components. The present study comprises the detection of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GRIK2 followed by a family-based association analysis of the SNPs in 126 Korean ASD trios by using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and haplotype analysis. We found preferential transmission of the C allele at the rs3213607 (P<0.001) of GRIK2 in ASD and haplotype analysis revealed that one haplotype demonstrated a significant association (P=0.023). These results suggest a potential association between GRIK2 and ASD in the Korean population.

The potential role of the serotoninergic system in the development of autistic disorder has long been suggested based on the observation of hyperserotoninemia in autistic subjects and the results of drug treatment studies. Promoter region polymorphisms (5-HTTLPR) of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) and the 5-HT2A receptor gene (HTR2A) have been studied as potential candidate genes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objective of this family-based linkage/association study is to evaluate the relationship between ASD and 5-HTTLPR as well as that between some SNPs of HTR2A and ASD in Korean trios by using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT). Genotyping was performed for 5-HTTLPR and two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (-1438G/A and 102T/C) of HTR2A. The TDT, linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis and haplotype analysis were performed. This study comprised 126 complete trios of ASD patients and both parents. With regard to the transmission of 5-HTTLPR, the long allelic variant was preferentially transmitted in the ASD subjects. Based on the TDT results, there was no significant difference in the transmission of the two SNPs of HTR2A. However, in the results of the haplotype analysis, the AT haplotype demonstrated significant evidence of association with autism. The global chi(2) test for haplotype transmission revealed a significant association between HTR2A and autism. Although we identified a significant association between ASD and 5-HTTLPR as well as between ASD and HTR2A, it cannot exclude the chance finding because of the low level of statistical significance and relatively small power. We believe that further studies are required to examine the relationship between serotonin-related genes and the behavioral phenotypes of ASD in the Korean population.

A Gram-negative bacterium, designated strain EMB117T, was isolated from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and characterized by polyphasic taxonomy. The cells were non-spore-forming rods that showed gliding motility. Optimal growth occurred at 25-30 degrees C and pH 7.0-8.0. Strain EMB117T contained phosphatidylethanolamine as the predominant polar lipid, and the major fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(17 : 0) 3-OH, iso-C(15 : 0) 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C(16 : 1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 33.5 mol% and the major isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain EMB117T belonged to the genus Flavobacterium and was most closely related to Flavobacterium johnsoniae DSM 425(T) (97.8 % sequence similarity). The DNA-DNA relatedness between strain EMB117T and F. johnsoniae ATCC 17061T was about 18 %. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular data, strain EMB117T represents a novel species within the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium defluvii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EMB117T (=KCTC 12612T=DSM 17963T).

Parameters for noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of cardiovascular disease. We developed a new method to measure blood pressure (BP) noninvasively without cuff. In Korean traditional medicine, the degree of the pulse depth is one of the important criteria to diagnosis. We combined this concept with pulse wave analysis. With clinical data obtained from 163 subjects, we selected APm (applied pressure which has a maximum value of pulse wave), elasticity of wrist tissue, depth of blood vessel, cardiac output and h1 as parameters to estimate blood pressure. And with the parameters, we induced multi regression equation of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP). And the probabilities of these parameters to explain SBP, DBP, and MAP were 89.5%, 91.1% and 94.6%, respectively. To estimate PP, we added h1 to the parameters to explain PP was 97.5%. We compared the estimated SBP, DBP, MAP and PP through the multiple regression equations to the actual measured SBP, DBP, MAP and PP through the wrist type BP meter. Differences were (+/- SD) 0.38 +/- 9.95, -1.0 +/- 8.2, 0.02 +/- 6.9 and 0.05 +/- 5.9mmHg for SBP, DBP, MAP and PP, respectively. According to the American National Standard for Electronic or Automated Sphygmomanometers, the mean difference (MD) should be +/- 5mmHg or less with a standard deviation (SD) of +/- 8mmHg or less. Hence, the results of MAP and PP were within the limits for the AAMI SP 10 criteria and the results of SBP and DBP were not within the limits for the AAMI SP 10 criteria. The preliminary results indicate the results are quite reliable and promising.

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor 2B gene (GRIN2B) was studied as a candidate gene of alcoholism. This study aimed to investigate the association between each of the three GRIN2B polymorphisms (rs1806201, rs1805247, and rs1805502) and alcoholism. This study included 206 alcoholic patients and 189 unrelated control subjects of Korean origin. Associations between genotype, allele, and haplotype frequencies of the polymorphisms and alcoholism were investigated. The genotype frequencies of rs1806201 and the haplotype analysis of SNPs in this study show significantly differences between the case and controls. These findings suggest new candidate SNPs in GRIN2B for studying the genetic susceptibility to alcoholism.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between abdominal obesity and microalbuminuria (MA) in normotensive, euglycemic Korean men., Design: A cross-sectional study at a health screening center., Subjects: A total of 1321 healthy, normotensive Korean men, aged 20-78 years, with a fasting plasma glucose level <100 mg/dl., Measurements: Height, weight, and waist; systolic blood pressure (SBP); diastolic blood pressures (DBP); urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR); fasting glucose, insulin, lipids, C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell count. Waist circumference (WC) was used to indicate abdominal obesity and a single measurement of ACR was used to estimate MA. We also calculated body mass index (BMI) based on weight and height., Results: Mean BMI, WC, and SBP were significantly higher in subjects with MA than in those without (24.8+/-4.1 vs 23.8+/-2.7 kg/m2, 86+/-9 vs 83+/-8 cm, and 115+/-5 vs 112+/-7 mmHg, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that only WC and SBP were independent predictors of MA., Conclusion: WC and SBP were positively associated with MA in normotensive and euglycemic Korean men.

Background/aims: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex neuropsychiatric disorders having a genetic risk factor. The association and linkage study for the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor beta3 subunit gene (GABRB3), located within the chromosome 15q11-q13 autism candidate region, and ASD have been evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between GABRB3 and ASD in the Korean population., Methods: The present study was conducted with the detection of four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs1426217, rs2081648, rs890317, rs981778) in GABRB3 and association analysis in 104 Korean ASD trios using the transmission disequilibrium test., Results: The transmission disequilibrium test demonstrated that an allele at rs2081648 showed preferential transmission (p = 0.027). One haplotype, including all examined markers in GABRB3, demonstrated significant association (p = 0.043), but the global chi2 test for haplotype transmission did not reveal an association between GABRB3 and ASD (chi2 = 15.516, d.f. = 15)., Conclusion: Our finding suggested that single-nucleotide polymorphisms in GABRB3 may play a significant role in the genetic predisposition to ASD in the Korean population., (2006 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Approximately 60 approximately 80% of the elderly population report some degree of pain that interferes with life activities. As recipients of healthcare, the elderly are frequent recipients of medical and surgical treatments that result in acute pain and are at risk for inadequate pain management during hospitalization.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and its associations with sleep habits, sleep problems, and school performance in high school students in South Korea. A total of 3871 students (2703 boys and 1168 girls with a mean age of 16.8 years and 16.9 years, respectively) aged 15-18 years in the 11th grade of high school completed a questionnaire that contained items about individual sociodemographic characteristics, sleep habits, and sleep-related problems. The overall prevalence of EDS was 15.9% (14.9% for boys and 18.2% for girls). Mean reported total sleep time was similar in EDS and non-EDS (6.4 +/- 1.6 and 6.4 +/- 1.3 h/day, respectively). The increased risk of EDS was related to perceived sleep insufficiency (P < 0.001), teeth grinding > or = 4 days/week (P < 0.001), witnessed apnea > or = 1-3 days/week (P < 0.01), nightmares > or = 4 days/week (P < 0.05), low school performance (P < 0.01), and two or more insomnia symptoms (P < 0.05). Students with low school performance had a 60% excess in the odds of EDS compared to those whose school performance was high. These findings suggest that EDS is associated with multiple sleep-related factors in adolescents. Whether interventions to modify associated correlates can alter EDS warrants consideration, especially because it may also improve academic performance in high school students.

The present study was purposed to identify the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) and its associated factors in the Korean adult population. Among a total of 9939 participants derived from the Korean Health and Genome Study, 12.1% of subjects (men, 8.5%; women, 15.4%) suffered from RLS. Factors independently related with RLS were older age and frequent fatigue in both men and women.

Free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria were isolated from rhizosphere of seven different plant namely sesame, maize, wheat, soybean, lettuce, pepper and rice grown in Chungbuk Province, Korea. Five isolates with nitrogenase activity above 150nmol(-1) mg(-1) protein were identified based on, phenotypic and 16S rDNA sequences analysis. The strains were identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (PM-1, PM-26), Bacillus fusiformis (PM-5, PM-24) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (PM-13), respectively. All the isolates produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), in the presence of tryptophan, ranging from 100.4 microg ml(-1) (PM-13) to 255 microg ml(-1) (PM-24). The isolate PM-24 (Bacillus fusiformis) exhibiting highest nitrogenase activity (3677.81 nmol h(-1) mg(-1) protein) and IAA production (255microg ml(-1)) has a promising potential for developing as a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria.

Purpose: We examined human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution and prevalence from routine Pap smear cases in Korean women using DNA Chip., Patients and Methods: A total of 2,470 cervical specimens from women attending routine Pap smear cytology screening in local hospitals was subjected to HPV test. HPV detection and genotyping were done using DNA Chip., Results: HPV DNA was detected in 44.8% of the patients and in 58.7% of the 861 atypical lesions based on the Bethesda system, including 52.6% of 627 atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), 69.0% of 168 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), and 89.4% of 66 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) cases. The most frequently found genotypes in all HPV-positive cases were HPV-16, HPV-52, and HPV-58. HPV-16 was the most prevalent type in within normal limits, ASCUS, and HSIL categories, whereas HPV-51 was most frequently found in LSIL. Multiple infection was identified in about 20% of HPV-positive cases and most of them were that by two different types. HPV-16 was present in the majority of multiple infection cases. A significant decrease in the percentage of multiple infection was observed in HSIL cases compared with ASCUS and LSIL., Conclusions: The distribution of HPV genotypes in Korean women was revealed to have differences to that of other regions, showing higher frequencies of HPV-52, HPV-58, and HPV-51. HSIL cases were mostly infected by sole HPV-16 whereas LSIL that by various HPV types, suggesting a certain type may become dominant over others as the disease progresses.

Methamphetamine is the most abused drug in Korea followed by cannabis and opiates. Recent characteristics of the drug problem in Korea include increased drug smuggling from abroad, drug trafficking by organized gangs, varieties of drug smuggling, foreigners engaged in drug smuggling, and spread among drug abusers and areas. New drugs such as MDMA, Yaba, and LSD are found in greater proportion in the seizure records, indicating diversification of smuggled drugs in Korea. In addition, there is a growing tendency for the abuse of common medicines among young people in Korea because they are easily available. Methamphetamine is so seriously abused that fatalities from its overdose have occurred; since 1985, 20 such fatalities have been reported. Many deaths from the abuse of noncontrolled substances, especially dextromethorphan, zipeprol, and carisoprodol, which are taken for their hallucinogenic effects, were also reported. Recently, there was even a fatality related to smuggling of cocaine by body-packing.

Objective: This study was done to verify the validity and the reliability of the newly developed Computerized Dementia Screening Test (CDST) to be easily used in the primary care setting of Korea., Design: Comparison of the results of CDST between 103 healthy control subjects and 41 patients who were diagnosed as having mild cognitive impairment or early dementia, having a clinical dementia rate of 0.5-1 from one health examination center and two neurology clinics in university hospitals., Measurements: In order to estimate the criterion-related validity, logistic regression analysis for dementia was done using the four individual test results of CDST, age and educational level. The correlation between Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) and the predicted probability of mild cognitive impairment and early dementia from the logistic regression was measured to verify its validity. The reliability of CDST was measured by test-retest reliability., Results: The sensitivity and specificity of CDST were 75.6% and 94.2%, respectively, if the cut-off point was set to be 0.5 in the logistic regression model. The Pearson's Correlation Coefficient between K-MMSE and the predicted probability of mild cognitive impairment and early dementia from the logistic regression analysis was 0.59 (P<0.001). The overall test-retest reliability using the predicted probability of dementia from the logistic regression analysis of CDST was 0.89 (P=0.01)., Conclusion: The validity and reliability of CDST is adequate for use as a screening tool to identify mild cognitive impairment and early dementia in Korean primary care.

In paternity testing using the DNA evidence, analysis of the deficiency case when the DNA profiles of the alleged father are not available is different from that of the case with complete evidence. In this paper, we describe how to evaluate and determine the paternity in the deficiency case, by comparing the paternity indexes of the true father and the falsely non-excluded man.

The association of HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 genes with IDDM in Koreans was assessed using 115 IDDM patients and 140 nondiabetic controls. DQB1*0201 is the only DQB1 allele positively associated with IDDM while DQB*0602, *0601 and *0301 are negatively associated. Three DRB1 alleles (DRB1*0301, DRB1*0407 and DRB1*0901) are positively associated while four DR allele groups (DRB1*15, DRB1*12, DRB1*10 and DRB1*14) are negatively associated. However, Haplotype analyses indicated that DQB1*0302, DRB1*0405 and DRB1*0401 may confer susceptibility because the DRB1*0405-DQB*0302 and DRB1*0401-DQB1*0302 haplotypes are positively associated with the disease. The lack of association in Koreans with the DQB1*0302 allele, which appears predisposing in studies of non-Orientals, is due to its strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the protective DRB1*0403 and *0406 alleles, while the lack of association with DRB1*0405 is because of its strong LD with the protective DQB1*0401 allele. Nine DR/DQ genotypes confer significantly increased risk to IDDM. Seven of the nine genotypes (DR3/4s, DR1/4s, DR4s/13, DR4s/8, DR4s/7, DR9/13 and DR3/9) were also found to be at high risk to IDDM in other populations, while the two others (DR1/9 and DR9/9) are only found in Koreans. Surprisingly, DR4/4 homozygotes are not associated with high risk to IDDM in Koreans. This observation can be explained by the high frequency of protective DR4 subtypes and the protective DQ alleles (0301 and 0401) associated with the susceptible DR4 alleles. Our analyses indicate that the counterbalancing act between susceptible DRB1 and protective DQB1, and vice versa, that has already been observed in Chinese and Japanese, is the major factor responsible for the low incidence of diabetes in Koreans.