• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5539-5543
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• 2012

Objective: The smoking prevalence in Malaysia is high, especially among men and adolescents. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors towards cigarette smoking among school teachers in Malaysia. Methodology: This study was a school-based cross-sectional study conducted among 495 secondary school teachers. The questionnaire used in this study consisted of 29 questions categorized into two sections: socio-demographic characteristics and smoking behaviour. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program 13.0. ANOVA; t-tests were used in univariate analysis; multiple linear regression was applied for multivariate analysis. Results: The majority of the participants were female (81.6%), in the age group ranged between 30-39 years (44%), Malay (90.1%), married (89.7%), degree holders (85.1%), with monthly income ranged between 3000-3999 Ringgit Malaysia (33.5%), from urban areas (94.7%), their specialty is social studies (33.9%) and with no family history of cancer (83.6%). The prevalence of smoking among school teachers in Malaysia was found to be 7.8%. Regarding reasons to start smoking among school teachers: the major reason was found to be relaxation (33.3%), followed by stress-relief (28.2%). Univariate analysis showed that sex, educational status, monthly income and residency were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers (p<0.001, p=0.004, p=0.031, p=0.010; respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that gender and marital status were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers (p<0.001, p=0.033; respectively). Conclusion: The prevalence of smoking among school teachers in Malaysia was found to be relatively low. Sex, marital status, educational status, monthly income and residency were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6553-6558
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• 2014

Background: This study was conducted to gauge how the demographic profile of smokeless tobacco (SLT) users from Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, India, differs from that of smokers. It also addresses how factors associated with the initiation and continuation of smokeless tobacco vary by age, gender, and education. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 2011 cross-sectional survey data collected from 4,759 respondents (smokers/SLT users/non-users) in both states. Chi-square analysis was used to make comparisons between the demographic profiles of smokers and SLT users. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to obtain the odds ratios (ORs) for initiation and continuation factors regressed on socio-demographic variables (age, gender, education). Results: Initiation-women were less likely than men to report "peer pressure", "fashion statement", and "stress/coping" as relevant factors for SLT use (OR: 0.45 CI: 0.30-0.70; OR: 0.42 CI: 0.24-0.74; OR: 2.47, CI: 1.47-4.15). Older age groups had lower odds of choosing "peer pressure" than the 15-24 year olds. Respondents with 11 or more years of education were more likely to report "stress/coping" than those with no education (OR: 2.82, CI: 1.06-7.48). Continuation-women were less likely than men to choose "relaxation", and "distance from family" as important continuation factors (OR: 0.50, CI:0.32-0.80; OR: 0.20, CI: 0.06-0.65). All age groups were less likely to choose "stimulation" as a factor than the youngest group. Conclusions: Along with confirming and expanding upon previous literature, the findings of this study should encourage further SLT research in women and younger age groups (15-24 and 24-44). They also confirm the need for SLT prevention and cessation interventions in India in other community-based settings, besides schools.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.518-527
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to identify a relationship between the communication competence and social anxiety in nursing students. Methods: With a cross-sectional survey, a convenience sampling of 303 nursing students was taken from P-university in Y-city. The instrument for the study was a questionnaire that is consisted of the general characteristics, an Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS) and a Global Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale (GICC). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS version 21.0. Results: The mean score of the IAS was $41.89{\pm}8.74$ and the GICC was $3.51{\pm}0.34$. Communication competence significantly differed by the satisfaction of major (F=10.86, p<.001). In addition, the satisfaction of interpersonal relationships was significantly different in both communication competence (F=17.52, p<.001) and social anxiety (F=23.85, p<.001). Social anxiety had a negative correlation with communication competence (r=-.48, p<.001). Social anxiety accounted for 55.3% of the variance -social relaxation (${\beta}$=-.62), assertiveness (${\beta}$=-.18), interaction management (${\beta}$=.14) and efficiency (${\beta}$=-.13)- of communication competence's subcategories. Conclusion: It was found that communication competence has an influence on social anxiety. Therefore, education programs are needed to promote communication competence for a decline of social anxiety in nursing students.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.11 no.3 s.40
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• pp.319-327
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• 1999

This study makes mechanism of the fatigue strength improvement by the processing of weld toe clear for the vertical cross rib specimens which was made fillet weld joint, also it proposes to the appropriate later processing. As a result of tension fatigue test, the fatigue strength improvement could have been seen in later processed specimens than as-weld specimens. Especially fatigue crack initial life $N_c$ increased in specimens which processed grinder after hammer-peening. Also, fatigue crack propagation life $N_p$ improved more in hammer-peening specimens than as-weld or TIG specimens. It thinks that $N_c$ is because of the geometrical shape of weld toe, i.e. the relaxation of the stress concentration and also that $N_p$ is because the big compression residual stress which was introduced in the surface by hammer-peening is restraining the propagation of fatigue crack.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.6
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• pp.634-640
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to clarify the physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest of forest bathing). The subjects were twelve male university students ($21.6{\pm}2.1$ years old). On the first day, six subjects were sent to a forest area, and the others to a city area. On the second day, the subjects were sent to the opposite areas for a cross check. The subjects were seated on chairs and viewing the landscapes of their given areas for 15 minutes. HRV (Heart Rate Variability) and diastolic blood pressure were used as physiological indices. Diastolic blood pressure and LF/(LF+HF) components of HRV in the forest area were significantly lower than in the city area. And HF power components of HRV in the forest settings were significantly enhanced than in city settings. In conclusion, the results of the physiological measurements show that Shinrin-yoku was able to effectively relax people in both mind and body.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.305-309
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• 2020

Breast cancer treatment-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common comorbidity in breast cancer survivors. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to evaluate therapeutic response of patients with various medical conditions, it is not routinely used to evaluate lymphedema patients. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify studies on the use of MRI to evaluate therapy for BCRL. We hypothesized that MRI could provide information otherwise not possible through other examinations. On October 21, 2019, we conducted a systematic review on the PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases, without time frame or language limitations, to identify studies on the use of MRI to evaluate therapy for BCRL. We excluded studies that investigated other applications of MRI, such as lymphedema diagnosis and surgical planning. Of 63 potential articles identified with the search, three case series fulfilled the eligibility criteria. In total, 53 patients with BCRL were included and quantitatively evaluated with MRI before and after manual lymphatic drainage. Authors used MRI or MR lymphagiography to investigate factors such as lymphatic vessel cross-sectional area, tissue water relaxation time (T₂), and chemical exchange saturation transfer. The only study that compared MRI measurement with standard examinations reported that MRI added information to the therapy evaluation. MRI seems to be a promising tool for quantitative measurement of therapeutic response in patients with BCRL. However, the identified studies focused on only manual lymphatic drainage and were limited by the small numbers of patients. More studies are necessary to shed light on the topic.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

Background: As the increase of forward head position, we studied the change of thickness of deep cervical flexor (DCF) compared of with sternocleidomastoid (SCM). we measured and analysed the change of thickness of the neck flexor for forward head position and cranio-cervical flexion exercise (CCFE). Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, we conducted the study selecting 35 healthy adults (12 males, 23 females). We measured the craniovertebral angle (CVA), instructed them to perform the CCFE, and measured the DCF and SCM using ultrasonography during the contraction and relaxation period. Results: Intra-reliability of SCM is .96, longus capitis is .92 and longus coli is .97. we compared according to the change of forward head position, Correlation of DCF is .841, and DCF/SCM is .754 by significant positive correlation. At the comparison of CCFE and Resting muscle thickness, SCM and DCF is .00, DCF/SCM is .68. Conclusion: There is a strong positive correlation between the change amount of DCF and DCF/SCM as the increase of CVA.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.687-694
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• 2017

Plumbagin, a hydroxy 1,4-naphthoquinone compound from plant metabolites, exhibits anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal activities via modulating various signaling molecules. However, its effects on vascular functions are rarely studied except in pulmonary and coronary arteries where NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibition was suggested as a mechanism. Here we investigate the effects of plumbagin on the contractility of skeletal artery (deep femoral artery, DFA), mesenteric artery (MA) and renal artery (RA) in rats. Although plumbagin alone had no effect on the isometric tone of DFA, $1{\mu}M$ phenylephrine (PhE)-induced partial contraction was largely augmented by plumbagin (${\Delta}T_{Plum}$, 125% of 80 mM KCl-induced contraction at $1{\mu}M$). With relatively higher concentrations (>$5{\mu}M$), plumbagin induced a transient contraction followed by tonic relaxation of DFA. Similar biphasic augmentation of the PhE-induced contraction was observed in MA and RA. VAS2870 and GKT137831, specific NOX4 inhibitors, neither mimicked nor inhibited ${\Delta}T_{Plum}$ in DFA. Also, pretreatment with tiron or catalase did not affect ${\Delta}T_{Plum}$ of DFA. Under the inhibition of PhE-contraction with L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker (nifedipine, $1{\mu}M$), plumbagin still induced tonic contraction, suggesting $Ca^{2+}$-sensitization mechanism of smooth muscle. Although ${\Delta}T_{Plum}$ was consistently observed under pretreatment with Rho A-kinase inhibitor (Y27632, $1{\mu}M$), a PKC inhibitor (GF 109203X, $10{\mu}M$) largely suppressed ${\Delta}T_{Plum}$. Taken together, it is suggested that plumbagin facilitates the PKC activation in the presence of vasoactive agonists in skeletal arteries. The biphasic contractile effects on the systemic arteries should be considered in the pharmacological studies of plumbagin and 1,4-naphthoquinones.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.301-305
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• 2012

In this work the mechanical behaviors of GaN nanowires are analyzed during tension, compression, and unloading deformations. The thermal conductivity of the nanowires at each deformed state is evaluated using an equilibrium Green-Kubo approach. Under tensile loading, the [0001]-oriented nanowires with hexagonal cross-sections undergo a phase transformation from wurtzite to a tetragonal structure. The phase transformation is not observed under compressive loading. The thermal conductivity decreases on going from compressive strains to tensile strains. The strain dependence of the thermal conductivity results from the relaxation time of phonon. A reverse transformation from the tetragonal structure to the wurtzite structure is observed during unloading. The thermal conductivities in the intermediate states are lower than the conductivity in the wurtzite structure at same strain. Such differences in the thermal conductivity between different atomic structures are mainly due to changes in the group velocity of phonon.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.302-308
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• 2020

Objective: The endurance and strength of deep neck flexor (DNF) muscles have a major role on the function and stability of the cervical spine. In recent years, there has been a lack of research that have investigated the muscle tone of the superficial neck muscles. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of between contraction ratio of the DNF and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles, DNF endurance, and muscle tension of the neck muscles. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Forty-seven subjects (male=20, female=27) participated in this study. The muscle tone of the upper trapezius (UT), SCM, and suboccipital (SO) muscle was measured using a contact soft tissue tone-measuring instrument. For the contraction ratio of the SCM and longus colli muscle, the thickness of the relaxation and maximum contraction state of the SCM and longus colli muscles were assessed using a diagnostic ultrasound measuring instrument and a pressure biofeedback unit. The deep neck flexor endurance test (DNFET) was performed in a cranio-cervical flexion posture. The correlations between the measured variables were investigated. Results: The relationship between the DNFET and SO tone showed a significant negative correlation (p<0.05). The relationship between the DNFET and contraction ratio showed a significant positive correlation (p<0.01). There was no significant correlation between the DNFET and SCM and UT tone. Conclusions: This study confirmed that there is a relationship between DNF endurance, DNF activation, and SO tone. The information on the results of this study may be used as a reference that can be actively applied in the clinical environment.