• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.1 s.21
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• pp.165-203
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• 1987

This project was a service-cum-research effort with a quasi-experimental study design to examine the health benefits of an integrated Family Planning (FP)/Maternal & Child health (MCH) Service approach that provides crucial factors missing in the present on-going programs. The specific objectives were: 1) To test the effectiveness of trained nurse/midwives (MW) assigned as change agents in the Health Sub-Center (HSC) to bring about the changes in the eight FP/MCH indicators, namely; (i)FP/MCH contacts between field workers and their clients (ii) the use of effective FP methods, (iii) the inter-birth interval and/or open interval, (iv) prenatal care by medically qualified personnel, (v) medically supervised deliveries, (vi) the rate of induced abortion, (vii) maternal and infant morbidity, and (viii) preinatal & infant mortality. 2) To measure the integrative linkage (contacts) between MW & HSC workers and between HSC and clients. 3) To examine the organizational or administrative factors influencing integrative linkage between health workers. Study design; The above objectives called for quasi-experimental design setting up a study and control area with and without a midwife. An active intervention program (FP/MCH minimum 'package' program) was conducted for a 2 year period from June 1982-July 1984 in Seosan County and 'before and after' surveys were conducted to measure the change. Service input; This study was undertaken by the Soonchunhyang University in collaboration with WHO. After a baseline survery in 1981, trained nurses/midwives were introduced into two health sub-centers in a rural setting (Seosan county) for a 2 year period from 1982 to 1984. A major service input was the establishment of midwifery services in the existing health delivery system with emphasis on nurse/midwife's role as the link between health workers (nurse aids) and village health workers, and the referral of risk patients to the private physician (OBGY specialist). An evaluation survey was made in August 1984 to assess the effectiveness of this alternative integrated approach in the study areas in comparison with the control area which had normal government services. Method of evaluation; a. In this study, the primary objective was first to examine to what extent the FP/MCH package program brought about changes in the pre-determined eight indicators (outcome and impact measures) and the following relationship was first analyzed; b. Nevertheless, this project did not automatically accept the assumption that if two or more activities were integrated, the results would automatically be better than a non-integrated or categorical program. There is a need to assess the 'integration process' itself within the package program. The process of integration was measured in terms of interactive linkages, or the quantity & quality of contacts between workers & clients and among workers. Intergrative linkages were hypothesized to be influenced by organizational factors at the HSC clinic level including HSC goals, sltrurture, authority, leadership style, resources, and personal characteristics of HSC staff. The extent or degree of integration, as measured by the intensity of integrative linkages, was in turn presumed to influence programme performance. Thus as indicated diagrammatically below, organizational factors constituted the independent variables, integration as the intervening variable and programme performance with respect to family planning and health services as the dependent variable: Concerning organizational factors, however, due to the limited number of HSCs (2 in the study area and 3 in the control area), they were studied by participatory observation of an anthropologist who was independent of the project. In this observation, we examined whether the assumed integration process actually occurred or not. If not, what were the constraints in producing an effective integration process. Summary of Findings; A) Program effects and impact 1. Effects on FP use: During this 2 year action period, FP acceptance increased from 58% in 1981 to 78% in 1984 in both the study and control areas. This increase in both areas was mainly due to the new family planning campaign driven by the Government for the same study period. Therefore, there was no increment of FP acceptance rate due to additional input of MW to the on-going FP program. But in the study area, quality aspects of FP were somewhat improved, having a better continuation rate of IUDs & pills and more use of effective Contraceptive methods in comparison with the control area. 2. Effects of use of MCH services: Between the study and control areas, however, there was a significant difference in maternal and child health care. For example, the coverage of prenatal care was increased from 53% for 1981 birth cohort to 75% for 1984 birth cohort in the study area. In the control area, the same increased from 41% (1981) to 65% (1984). It is noteworthy that almost two thirds of the recent birth cohort received prenatal care even in the control area, indicating that there is a growing demand of MCH care as the size of family norm becomes smaller 3. There has been a substantive increase in delivery care by medical professions in the study area, with an annual increase rate of 10% due to midwives input in the study areas. The project had about two times greater effect on postnatal care (68% vs. 33%) at delivery care(45.2% vs. 26.1%). 4. The study area had better reproductive efficiency (wanted pregancies with FP practice & healthy live births survived by one year old) than the control area, especially among women under 30 (14.1% vs. 9.6%). The proportion of women who preferred the 1st trimester for their first prenatal care rose significantly in the study area as compared to the control area (24% vs 13%). B) Effects on Interactive Linkage 1. This project made a contribution in making several useful steps in the direction of service integration, namely; i) The health workers have become familiar with procedures on how to work together with each other (especially with a midwife) in carrying out their work in FP/MCH and, ii) The health workers have gotten a feeling of the usefulness of family health records (statistical integration) in identifying targets in their own work and their usefulness in caring for family health. 2. On the other hand, because of a lack of required organizational factors, complete linkage was not obtained as the project intended. i) In regards to the government health worker's activities in terms of home visiting there was not much difference between the study & control areas though the MW did more home visiting than Government health workers. ii) In assessing the service performance of MW & health workers, the midwives balanced their workload between 40% FP, 40% MCH & 20% other activities (mainly immunization). However, $85{\sim}90%$ of the services provided by the health workers were other than FP/MCH, mainly for immunizations such as the encephalitis campaign. In the control area, a similar pattern was observed. Over 75% of their service was other than FP/MCH. Therefore, the pattern shows the health workers are a long way from becoming multipurpose workers even though the government is pushing in this direction. 3. Villagers were much more likely to visit the health sub-center clinic in the study area than in the control area (58% vs.31%) and for more combined care (45% vs.23%). C) Organization factors (admistrative integrative issues) 1. When MW (new workers with higher qualification) were introduced to HSC, it was noted that there were conflicts between the existing HSC workers (Nurse aids with less qualification than MW) and the MW for the beginning period of the project. The cause of the conflict was studied by an anthropologist and it was pointed out that these functional integration problems stemmed from the structural inadequacies of the health subcenter organization as indicated below; i) There is still no general consensus about the objectives and goals of the project between the project staff and the existing health workers. ii) There is no formal linkage between the responsibility of each member's job in the health sub-center. iii) There is still little chance for midwives to play a catalytic role or to establish communicative networks between workers in order to link various knowledge and skills to provide better FP/MCH services in the health sub-center. 2. Based on the above findings the project recommended to the County Chief (who has power to control the administrative staff and the technical staff in his county) the following ; i) In order to solve the conflicts between the individual roles and functions in performing health care activities, there must be goals agreed upon by both. ii) The health sub·center must function as an autonomous organization to undertake the integration health project. In order to do that, it is necessary to support administrative considerations, and to establish a communication system for supervision and to control of the health sub-centers. iii) The administrative organization, tentatively, must be organized to bind the health worker's midwive's and director's jobs by an organic relationship in order to achieve the integrative system under the leadership of health sub-center director. After submitting this observation report, there has been better understanding from frequent meetings & communication between HW/MW in FP/MCH work as the program developed. Lessons learned from the Seosan Project (on issues of FP/MCH integration in Korea); 1) A majority or about 80% of the couples are now practicing FP. As indicated by the study, there is a growing demand from clients for the health system to provide more MCH services than FP in order to maintain the achieved small size of family through FP practice. It is fortunate to see that the government is now formulating a MCH policy for the year 2,000 and revising MCH laws and regulations to emphasize more MCH care for achieving a small size family through family planning practice. 2) Goal consensus in FP/MCH shouBd be made among the health workers It administrators, especially to emphasize the need of care of 'wanted' child. But there is a long way to go to realize the 'real' integration of FP into MCH in Korea, unless there is a structural integration FP/MCH because a categorical FP is still first priority to reduce the rate of population growth for economic reasons but not yet for health/welfare reasons in practice. 3) There should be more financial allocation: (i) a midwife should be made available to help to promote the MCH program and coordinate services, (in) there should be a health sub·center director who can provide leadership training for managing the integrated program. There is a need for 'organizational support', if the decision of integration is made to obtain benefit from both FP & MCH. In other words, costs should be paid equally to both FP/MCH. The integration slogan itself, without the commitment of paying such costs, is powerless to advocate it. 4) Need of management training for middle level health personnel is more acute as the Government has already constructed 90 MCH centers attached to the County Health Center but without adequate manpower, facilities, and guidelines for integrating the work of both FP and MCH. 5) The local government still considers these MCH centers only as delivery centers to take care only of those visiting maternity cases. The MCH center should be a center for the managment of all pregnancies occurring in the community and the promotion of FP with a systematic and effective linkage of resources available in the county such as i.e. Village Health Worker, Community Health Practitioner, Health Sub-center Physicians & Health workers, Doctors and Midwives in MCH center, OBGY Specialists in clinics & hospitals as practiced by the Seosan project at primary health care level.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.23-35
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• 1999

Purpose : The hospice movement began about 30 years ago in Korea. However, basic studies have seldom been conducted about the general public's knowledge concerning hospice care and their needs for it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the general public's knowledge of and attitude toward hospice, and their needs for hospice care, and to analyze the needs for hospice care in relation to their knowledge and attitude in residents from a specific community. Methods : The survey was conducted with 924 people randomly selected from a district in Seoul. The data were collected through a self-reporting questionnaire constructed by the authors. With 30 items given in the questionnaire, the level of hospice needs showed Cronbach's alpha .89 in a pilot study and .92 in this study and the items were classified into four areas by a factor analysis. The data collected were analyzed by means of t-test and ANOVA. Results : 1) The average age of the respondents was 38. The majority of the respondents were well-educated. 2) Regarding awareness of hospice care, 54%(501 people) indicated they have heard of hospice. About 74% thought that people should be able to prepare for death in advance. About 83% wanted to be informed when they have life threatening illnesses such as terminal cancer. Also, about 63% responded that patients with terminal diseases should be provided with physical, spiritual, and psychological care for minimizing pain and peaceful death. Regarding the attitude toward hospice care, 74% responded that they would use hospice care if needed. The number of the respondents who preferred home visitation by the hospice team to care for the terminally ill ranked first with 34%. Concerning needs for hospice care : 1) By needs area, physical need showed highest mean(M=4.37), followed by social need(M=3.96), emotional need(M=3.87), and the spiritual need(M=3.79). The overall need level showed the mean value of 4.00 which reflects a considerable need for hospice care. 2) By demographic characteristics, people age over 50, the married, and the unemployed indicated higher level of needs for hospice care. Women showed higher level of needs than did men, and Catholics demonstrated higher level of needs than believers of other religion(P<0.0001). 3) As for the knowledge of and attitude toward hospice rare, the level of hospice care needs was significantly higher in the following groups: those who have heard of hospice, those who are aware of death preparation, those who want information on terminal diseases, those who want to use every method to sustain life, and those who are aware of hospice needs(P<0.001). Conclusion : It is assumed that the findings of this study on the knowledge, attitude, and needs for hospice care in the public can contribute to planning a successful hospice care program. Furthermore, the findings of this study will serve as useful data for the promotion of home hospice care to improve the quality of life of community residents, and contribute to the development of hospice care as a whole.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.157-175
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• 2007

This study was conducted through an interview process in which questionnaires were administered to 293 people. The questionnaires related to the behaviors of oral hygiene care, and disease history related to halitosis, and status of halitosis, halitosis measurement, oral examination, and caries activity tests such as the snyder test, Salivary flow rate test, and Salivary buffering capacity test. Our sample was taken from 293 rural residents within the period from 4th to 21st of January 2006. This was done in order to provide basic data to prepare both policies of halitosis prevention and a device to efficiently measure halitosis status and investigate the factors related therein. The major findings of this study results are as follows: 1. As for frequency of tooth brushing, twice a day occupied the greatest portion at 46.1 % Women exceeded men in frequency of tooth brushing. Tongue brushing everyday produced a 25.6 % result among subjects and The use of auxiliary oral hygiene devices occupied 9.2 %. 2. As for degree of usual self-awareness of halitosis: 62.5 %. This result also demonstrate that the severest time of self-awareness in regards to halitosis is wake up time in the morning. The time period produced the highest portion of 72.7 % in times of self-awareness. In terms of the area in which halitosis was observed, gum resulted in 23.0 %. As for types of halitosis, fetid smell was the most frequent at 37.2 %. 3. As for the result of halitosis measurement, values of OG less than 50 ppm occupied 54.3 % and $50{\sim}100ppm$ occupied 41.6 %. As for $NH_3$ values, $20{\sim}60ppm$ showed the highest value range of 52.6 %. 4. As for OG per disease history related to halitosis, values of OG were significantly high in the ranges of $50{\sim}100ppm$ within family history groups of food impaction by dental caries, diabetes mellitus and halitosis. As for values of $NH_3$, there showed a significant difference in respiratory system disease groups. 5 Value range of OG per ordinary halitosis self-awareness degree: values ranging less than 50 ppm were recorded at 55.9 % from the group realizing not aware of smell. 57.5 % from groups only realizing sometimes, while values range of $50{\sim}100ppm$ were recorded at 52.0 % from groups always aware of smell. 63.6 % from groups always strongly aware of smell. Meanwhile as for the values ranges of $NH_3$, $20{\sim}60ppm$. they occupied high portions for all groups of exams. 6. Values of OG per oral examination: the more pulp-exposed teeth and food impaction and the higher the tongue plaque index, values of OG increased within the range of $50{\sim}100ppm$. As for values of $NH_3$, the more prosthetic teeth and the higher the tongue plaque index, this value increased significantly, and the values increased up to no less than 60 ppm for groups of mandibular partial denture. 7. Within the realm of caries activity test: as for the Snyder test, high activity was highest by 43.0 % wherewith the higher the activity of acidogenic bacteria the higher the OG values. As for the salivary flow rate test, the number of cases below 8.0 ml showed the highest tendency by 62.5 %. The larger the salivary flow rate the more decreased OG values distribution. As for the salivary buffering capacity test, $6{\sim}10$ drops of 0.1N lactic acid showed the overwhelming trend by 58.7 % whereby the higher the salivary buffering capacity the greater distribution occupancy ratio of OG values below 50 ppm which is scentless to on ordinary person. 8. As for the correlation between oral environment and halitosis, OG showed the positive correlation with pulp exposed teeth, filled teeth, present teeth, tongue plaque index, and food impaction, while the negative correlation with salivary flow rate and prosthetic teeth. $NH_3$ showed a positive correlation with prosthetic teeth and frequency of tooth brushing, while decayed teeth was negative correlation. 9. As for the multiple regression analysis result, there have been selected female, pulp exposed teeth, prosthetic teeth, food impaction, salivary flow rate, tongue plaque index and severe activities in the Snyder test as factors affecting OG wherein explanatory power on it was 45.1 %. There have been selected females, pulp exposed teeth, tongue plaque index, and prosthetic teeth as factors affecting on $NH_3$ wherein explanatory power on it was 6.6 %. With the aforementioned results in mind, the status of halitosis among rural residents is considered to bare a close relation with oral environments and other factors related to halitosis such as the Snyder test from caries activity test, and salivary flow rate test. For the prevention of halitosis of residents in rural areas, we have to focus on correct tooth brushing methods and tongue brushing, with using auxiliary oral hygiene devices to remove fur of tongue plaque and food impaction. Also, when the cause and ingredients of halitosis are diverse and complex, in order to analyze exactly the factors of individual halitosis development, we need continuous and systematic study in order to provide rural residents with programs of oral hygiene education and encourage the use of dental hygienists in public health centers.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.45-49
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• 2005

This study is designed to present basic materials necessary for offering the more effective way of dental hygienists, or those who are in charge of the education of Oral health, the treatment and prevention of dental problems, educating Oral health by stage by dint of determining the actual condition of the knowledge and management of dental hygiene, or prevention of the basic dental disease except the professional methods of dental management and evaluating their abilities to manage dental hygienes. In terms of the real conditions of the management of dental hygienes, the majority of the subjects said, "not bad" or "healthy". Most of them (62.1%) said that they brush their teeth three times a day, and most of them (85.2%) depend on rolling methods. 69.2% of them used brushes that are neither hard nor soft, and 28.4% of them use soft brushes and 49.7% of them brush their teeth for about 3 minutes. In terms of brushing time, 27.8% of them brush their teeth after lunch, while 23.8% of them brush their teeth after breakfast. 66.3% of them use fluoric tooth pastes while 19.5 percent of them said, "I have no idea." and 14.2% of them said, "No." In terms of complementary dental hygiene goods, dental goggles are used by 23% of them, and dental threads are used by 78.1% and tooth brushes are used by 78.1% of them, and 42.4% of the subjects use the instruments one to twice a day, and 53.8% of them use them for less than one minute a time. In terms of dental health care, 17.2% of them have a chew of gum and 8.3% of them pay a regular visit to dental clinics and 5.3% of them don't smoke.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.115-123
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• 2000

A few enzymeimmunoassay (EfA) for testosterone (T) have been reported but was not suitable for all biological samples. The present study was designed to develop a rapid, ultrasensitive EIA and to apply this technique for study the physiological changes of T in biological samples. Saliva samples were collected at 06:00～09:00 hour during one menstrual cycle from 18 normally menstruating women and on 09:00～10:00 hour from 20 normal men. The present study shows an established EIA for testosterone, using horseradish peroxidase (HRP), which was covalently bonded to testosterone-3-carboxymethyloxime (T-3-CMO). One batch of T-antisera was also covalently linked to microcrystalline cellulose particles by a mixed anhydride method in order to facilitate separation of bound and free steroids. The established EIA was validated in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, specificity, precisions etc., comparing with conventional radioimmunoassay. The sensitivity of the established EIA was less than 25 pg/tube. The correlation coefficients between the expected T-values and observed T-values measured by EIA or RIA were r=0.985 and r=0.941 respectively. The cross reactivity of antiserum in EIA was a little higher than that of RIA, especially by 5 ${\alpha}$-DHT. The intra- and inter-assay precisions of the present EIA were similar to those of RIA. The present study also demonstrates that the normal T-values in saliva of Korean male ＆ female samples are 265.65${\pm}$15.80 pmol／l and 109.74${\pm}$ 12.01 pmol／l, respectively. The present EIA seems to be established and suitable for use in the endocrinological studies. The advantages of this EIA system also might make the present T-EIA an ideal procedure for use in a routine assay of ordinary laboratory with a conventional spectrophotometer.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.77-89
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• 1983

Properties and frying performance of domestic rice bran oil were studied. For this purpose, the analyses on the following characteristics were performed and their comparison with the characteristics of soybean oil was made: fatty acid composition, glycerides, composition, acid value, specific gravity, color, petroleum ether insoluble oxidized fatty acid, viscosity, smoke point, foam test, and water solubility. The results were as follow: 1) Fatty acid composition of domestic rice bran oil by gas chromatography was same as perviously reported, and similar to the fatty acid composition of the rice bran oil in foreign countries. Also the glyceride composition of domestic rice bran oil was analyzed by the methods of TLC, column chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography. The results were monoglyceride ranged from one to four percent; diglyceride 30-30% and triglyceride 66-80%. Consequently, the composition was proven completely different from that of the other edible oils. 2) The high contents of mono-glyceride in rice bran oil resulted in high values of specific gravity and water-solubility respectively. However, high contents mono glyceride and diglyceride indicated little affection to changes of acid value, color, petroleum ether insoluble oxidized fatty acid, and smoke point on frying. 3) Because of low contents of linoleic acid, domestic rice bran oil was estimated stable on frying, whereas soybean oil was easily polymerized. 4) A serious foaming and low smoke point on Frying in domestic rice bran oil were caused by its impurities. It seems that monoglyceride and diglyceride had little relation with foaming and smoke point. 5) Oils with serious foaming and low smoke point on frying caused a substantial quality loss in terms of flavor and appearance of fried materials.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.167-177
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• 1982

This study was undertaken to observe relationships between patterns of feeding, supplementary-feeding and various maternal, family, and socioeconomic charactereistics in Hae Cheog Apartment area in Cheongdam-dong, Kangnamku, Seoul on July 2 to 12 in 1982. The results were based on a questionnaire from 179 mothers who have the last-born child under two years old. Results were as follows: 1) In socio-demographic characteristics, most of mothers were 25 to 30 years old and 52.0% of index children were under 6 months old. About 56.0% of families were the salaries and 47.0% of them earn over 500,000 won a month. 40.8% of mothers were college graduates and 81.6% of mothers had no occupation. 2) 89.4% of mothers received prenatal care in pregnancy of the index children and mothers who have delivered the child in medical institute were 88.3%. Mothers who recieved education of breast care and feeding technique through prenatal care were 22.4%, 31.8% respectively. 3) In the feeding method, 44.1% of mothers took the breast feeding, 24.0% of them chose the artificial feeding, and 20.7% of them chose the mixed feeding. Mothers who changed the-method from breast feeding to artificial feeding were 10.6% and only 0.6% of mothers changed from artificial feeding to breast feeding. 4) According to the questionnaire, 37 mothers have already finished lactation (no relation with. the beginning of weaning food). In breast feeding, one mother has lactated for $4{\sim}6$ months, one has lactated for $7{\sim}9$ months, four have lactated for $10{\sim}12$ months, and seven have. continued the lactation over 12 months. In artificial and mixed feeding, as the same phenomenon, most of mothers have lactated for more than 12 months. 5) The reasons for feeding method were as follows: In breast feeding, 64.6% of them took the method because they thought the breast milk nutrious, in artificial feeding, 34.9% of them chose it because they had occupation and in the mixed feeding, 67.6% of mothers took the method because of lack of their breast milk. In the case of changing the method from breast feeding to artificial feeding, 42.1% of them answered that they had to change the method because of lack of breast milk. 6) In most of cases, the 4th month was the proper period to begin the weaning food and 32.5% of breast feeding children and 27.6% of artificial feeding children began the weaning food in 4th month. After 4th month, there was no difference between breast feeding and artificial feeding in the beginning of weaning food. 7) In the matter of menstruation, 29.8% of mothers who had breast feeding started their menstruations in 3 months and the rest of them delayed until 12 months. 40% of mothers who had artificial feeding began to menstruate after 2 months and all the rest started within 5 months. 8) The birth interval between the index child and next new child (would-be-born): In breast feeding, the interval of $18{\sim}24$ months had a majority as 50.0%, and in the artificial feeding, the interval of over 24 months marked 66.7% of them. It was analyzed that the birth interval of artificial feeding was wider than that of breast feeding. 9) In the desirable number of children, the mothers who had breast feeding wanted two sons and two daughters as proper children. Those who want two children in disregard of the sex (son or daughter) were 89.3% of breast feeding, and 80.0% of artificial feeding respectively. Mothers who had breast feeding wanted two children rather than one child. 10) In the family planning practice, the rate of practice were 41.9% in breast feeding, and 58.1% in artificial feeding respectively. In the case of breast feeding, the using rate of family planning practice in men was higher than in women.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.1 no.1_2
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• pp.73-82
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• 1989

The development of eggs and larvae, and minute scale-like tubercles on the skin surface of the larval Acanthorthodeus asmussi from Korea were observed in the laboratory. The egg was nearly ovoid-shaped. The number of egg averaged 195 per an oviposition. The morphological character of larval development was relatively similar to those of Acheilognathus tabira tabira, A. tabira subsp. (a), A. yamatsutae, A. moriokae, A. cyanostigma and A. rhombeus. The larvae of this species had many scale-like tubercles ellipsoided in a diagonal cross section on the skin surface of the body. And also this species moved like incessant wiggly movement pattern as that of fly maggot duing the larval development. As regards the tubercles and larval movement pattern, the larvae of A. asmussi shared similar characters with those of Acheilognathus rhombeus, A. longipinnis and Pseudoperilampus typos. Hence A. asmussi may be closely related to these species. The latter three species are autumn-spawning bitterlings and the larval development always retard in a certain stage, while A. asmussi is a spring-summer spawning species and the larval development never retards. Judging from these facts, it should be considered that there are close relations in evolutionary trend between the two spawning species.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.163-183
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• 1998

To evaluate the impacts of the health education programs including smoking cessation, pap smear and breast self-examination(BSE), a community trial was conducted during one year from December 1996 to December 1997 in Kyongju City. Before health education, a base-line survey was implemented and the target population was allocated randomly to case and control groups. The case and control groups were divided into three categories which were smoking cessation, pap smear and BSE. The series of health education leaflets about anti-smoking, pap smear and BSE were mailed to case group and the evaluation survey was conducted at the end of this trial to compare the change of health related behaviours of case and control groups. Smoking prevalence of case group did not decline significantly after anti-smoking education but the cessation rates of the elderly and low educated were higher than others. The knowledge level of case group on the health risk associated with smoking was higher than that of control group and the willingness of case group to quit smoking was higher than the control group. The case group's compliance with pap smear for cervical cancer was more increased compared to control group after health education. Of the case group, the younger and lower educated women were screened at a higher rate than others. The knowledge level of case group on the risk factors of cervical cancer and how to prevent it was higher than that of control group. Nearly 60 percent of case group reported that the health education leaflet influenced them to have the pap smear. The unscreened cases were highly motivated to get the pap smear test in the future.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2008

Purpose: The measurement of radiosensitivity of individuals is useful in radiation therapy. Unfortunately, the measurement of radiation survival using a clonogenic assay, which is the established standard, can be difficult and time consuming. The aim of this study is to compare radiosensitivity results obtained from the MTT and clonogenic assays, and to evaluate whether the MTT assay can be used on clinical specimens. Materials and Methods: HCT-8, LoVo, CT-26, and WiDr were the colon cancer cell lines used for this study. The clonogenic assay was performed to obtain the cell survival curves and surviving fractions at a dose of 2 Gy ($SF_2$) as the standard technique for radiosensitivity. Also, the MTT assay was performed for each of the cell lines (in vitro). To simulate clinical specimens, the cell lines were inoculated into nude mice, removed when the tumors reached 1 cm in diameter, and chopped. Next, the tumors were subjected to the same process involved with the MTT assay in vitro. The inhibition rates (IR) of 10 Gy or 20 Gy of irradiation for in vitro and ex vivo were calculated based on the optical density of the MTT assay, respectively. Results: According to $SF_2$ and the cell survival curve, the HCT-8 and WiDr cell lines were more resistant to radiation than LoVo and CT-26 (p<0.05). The IR was measured by in vitro. The MTT assay IR was 17.3%, 21%, 30% and 56.5% for the WiDr, HCT-8, LoVo and CT-26 cell lines, respectively. In addition, the IR measured ex vivo by the MTT assay was 23.5%, 26%, 38% and 53% in the HCT-8, WiDr, LoVo and CT-26 tumors, respectively. Conclusion: The radiosensitivity measured by the MTT assay was correlated with the measures obtained from the clonogenic assay. This result highlights the possibility that the MTT assay could be used in clinical specimens for individual radiosensitivity assays.