• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.405-414
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a policy change to expand Korean National Health Insurance (KNHI) benefit coverage to include scaling on access to dental care at the national level. Methods: A nationally representative sample of 12,794 adults aged 20 to 64 years from Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2010-2014) was analyzed. To examine the effect of the policy on the outcomes of interest (unmet dental care needs and preventive dental care utilization in the past year), an estimates-based probit model was used, incorporating marginal effects with a complex sampling structure. The effect of the policy on individuals depending on their income and education level was also assessed. Results: Adjusting for potential covariates, the probability of having unmet needs for dental care decreased by 6.1% and preventative dental care utilization increased by 14% in the post-policy period compared to those in the pre-policy period (2010, 2012). High income and higher education levels were associated with fewer unmet dental care needs and more preventive dental visits. Conclusions: The expansion of coverage to include scaling demonstrated to have a significant association with decreasing unmet dental care needs and increasing preventive dental care utilization. However, the policy disproportionately benefited certain groups, in contrast with the objective of the policy to benefit all participants in the KNHI system.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2012

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the impact of advanced maternal and paternal age on perinatal outcome in Korea. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study involving 1,622 Korean women who delivered at M Woman Hospital from January to December 2010 and their spouses were included. We obtained obstetrics database which included demographic characteristics, medical and obstetrics history, course of the current pregnancy and advised perinatal outcome. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounding variables. Results: Women giving birth age 35 or older were statistically significant in paternal age, gravidity, spontaneous abortion experience, method of conception, method of delivery, and multiple gestation compared to women aged <34 years. After adjusting for the confounding effects of maternal characteristics, women aged 35 or older were at increased risk for cesarean section delivery (adjusted OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.22-2.13) and preterm birth (adjusted OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.03-4.63). Conclusion: In this population of Korean women, advance maternal and paternal age is independently associated with specific adverse perinatal outcome, especially preterm birth and cesarean section delivery.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8829-8836
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• 2014

Background: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), considered to have tumor-promoting potential, is highly expressed in a variety of tumors, including breast cancer. Since the functions and action mechanisms of COX-2 in breast cancer have not been fully elucidated, in the present study, the effects of target inhibiting COX-2 with recombinant adenovirus Ad-COX-2-shRNA on malignant biological behavior were investigated in representative cell lines. Materials and Methods: Breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells were transfected with Ad-COX-2-shRNA and COX-2 expression was tested by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Changes in proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of breast cancer cells were detected with various assays including MTT, colony forming, flowcytometry and Transwell invasion tests. The expression of related proteins involved in the cell cycle, apoptosis, invasion and signaling pathways was assessed by Western blotting. Results: COX-2 expression was significantly reduced in both breast cancer cell lines infected with Ad-COX-2-shRNA, with obvious inhibition of proliferation, colony forming rate, G2/M phase passage and invasion, as well as induction of apoptosis, in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, respectively. At the same time, proteins related to the cell cycle, anti-apoptosis and invasion were significantly downregulated. In addition, c-myc expression and phosphorylation activation of Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin and p38MAPK pathways were reduced by the Ad-COX-2-shRNA. Conclusions: COX-2 expression is associated with proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of breast cancer cells, and its mechanisms of action involve regulating expression of c-myc through the p38MAPK and Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin pathways.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2131-2136
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• 2016

Background: Cancer is currently one of the main public health problems all over the world and its economic burden is substantial both for health systems and for society as a whole. To inform priorities for cancer control, we here estimated years of potential life lost (YPLL) and productivity losses due to cancer-related premature mortality in Iran from 2006 to 2010. Materials and Methods: The number of cancer deaths by sex and age groups for top ten leading cancers in Iran were obtained from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. To estimate the YPLL and the cost of productivity loss due to cancer-related premature mortality, the life expectancy method and the human capital approach were used, respectively. Results: There were 138,228 cancer-related deaths in Iran (without Tehran province) of which 76 % (106,954) were attributable to the top 10 ranked cancers. Some 63 % of total cancer-related deaths were of males. The top 10 ranked cancers resulted in 106,766,942 YPLL in total, 64,171,529 (60 %) in males and 42,595,412 (40%) in females. The estimated YPPLL due to top 10 ranked cancers was 58,581,737 during the period studied of which 32,214,524 (54%) was accounted for in males. The total cost of lost productivity caused by premature deaths because of top 10 cancers was 1.68 billion dollars (US$) from 2006 to 2010, ranging from 251 million dollars in 2006 to 283 million dollars in 2010. Conclusions: This study showed that the economic burden of premature mortality attributable to cancer is significant for Iranian society. The findings provide useful information about the economic impact of cancer for health system policy/decision makers and should facilitate planning of preventive intervention and effective resource allocation.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.707-716
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• 2020

Red sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus, was dried using three methods-far-infrared ray, vacuum, and freeze drying and then enzymatically hydrolyzed using nine proteases: Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Kojizyme, Neutrase, Protamex, trypsin, α-chymotrypsin, and papain. In addition, the potential ability of hydrolysates to inhibit lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was evaluated. The yield of hydrolysates from red sea cucumbers dried using each method was higher than that of the distilled water extract, and protein contents were either similar or higher. The hydrolysates that exhibited inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation, as demonstrated via Oil red O staining, were those obtained by far-infrared ray drying coupled with Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Kojizyme, or Neutrase treatment. In addition to the advantages of far-infrared drying and the characteristics of Flavourzyme, the Flavourzyme hydrolysate of far-infrared-dried red sea cucumber showed the highest inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation. In addition, this hydrolysate significantly decreased the expression of the protein factor fatty acid-binding protein 4, which is related to the late differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that Flavourzyme hydrolysates from farinfrared-dried red sea cucumber may be used as a functional food and/or a pharmaceutical ingredient for the inhibition of lipid accumulation.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.374-384
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• 2014

Purpose: Health professionals and policy makers confront the failure of provider-administered, conventional behavioral interventions in the fight against obesity epidemic. The aim of this study was to develop a tailored, cost-effective delivery system for a child obesity prevention and management program through technology convergence using Web-enabled smart cellular phones. Methods: Assessment of service needs and development of a delivery system for the program were based on a comprehensive literature review and expert reviews, and results from in-depth interviews and a need-assessment survey. Results: The user- and site-centered service delivery system using Web-enabled cellular telephones as the hardware platform for obesity prevention and management has been developed. A tailored informational service and intervention will be provided interactively between stakeholders through the platform. The potential legal issues associated with the service design have also been considered. Conclusion: The user-centered convergence design and platform based on principles of Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change using the Health Promoting School framework could enable effective intervention and promote acceptance in the long-run.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.296-303
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The present study investigated Korean and Taiwan adults on the importance of and the satisfaction with street food sanitation and street food choice factor, in order to present management and improvement measures for street foods. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The present study conducted a survey on 400 randomly chosen adults (200 Korean, 200 Taiwanese). General characteristics, eating habits, street food intake frequency, and preference by type of street food of respondents were checked. Respondents' importance and satisfaction of street food hygiene and selection attributes were also measured. In order to test for the difference between groups, ${\chi}^2-test$ and t-test were performed. ISA was also performed to analyze importance and satisfaction. RESULTS: Results showed that the importance of sanitation was significantly higher than satisfaction on all items in both Korea and Taiwan, and the satisfaction with sanitation was higher in Taiwan than in Korea. According to ISA results with street food sanitation, satisfaction was low while importance was high in both Korea and Taiwan. In terms of street food choice factor, importance scores were significantly higher than satisfaction scores on all items. In addition, satisfaction scores on all items except 'taste' were significantly higher in Taiwan than in Korea. CONCLUSIONS: A manual on sanitation management of street foods should be developed to change the knowledge and attitude toward sanitation by putting into practice a regularly conducted education. Considering the popularity of street foods and its potential as a tourism resource to easily publicize our food culture, thorough management measures should be prepared on sanitation so that safe street food culture should be created.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.241-246
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• 2016

Purpose: Aloe-emodin (AE), an ingredient of aloe, is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory activities. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms of its inflammatory modulatory activity in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of AE using $Pam_3CSK_4$-stimulated macrophages. Methods: RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with AE (0~20 mM) for 1 h, followed by treatment with $Pam_3CSK_4$ for 1 h. After incubation, mRNA expression levels of cytokines were measured. The effect of AE on TLR2-related molecules was also investigated in $Pam_3CSK_4$-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Results: AE attenuated $Pam_3CSK_4$-stimulated expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$) in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Two concentrations of AE ($10{\mu}M$ and $20{\mu}M$) effectively reduced mRNA expression of TLR2 by 41.18% and 54.43%, respectively, compared to that in control cells (p < 0.05). AE also decreased nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) activation and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. Phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, p38, and JNK were markedly reduced by $20{\mu}M$ AE. In particular, AE decreased phosphorylation of ERK in a dose-dependent manner in $Pam_3CSK_4$-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Conclusion: Our data indicate that AE exerts its anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing TLR2-mediated activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPK signaling pathways in macrophages.

• The Journal of Korean Institute for Practical Engineering Education
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.110-115
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• 2012

IPP (Industry Professional Practice) is an educational model that combines academic study and industrial work through university-industry cooperation. Students would decide suitable career based on their IPP experience, that will lead a university graduate to improve their recruitment potential. IPP could also be a key to solve national employment problems as well as a chronic manpower supply and demand mismatch issue between university and industry. This paper discusses about an academic program operation for the IPP implementation, that includes operation plan for semester-based quarter system, a guideline for new curriculum, an academic credit allocation, evaluation guideline, a capstone design class operation, and interim measures.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.6584-6594
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• 2015

This study is intended to come up with the Scale of the danger in the adolescents' school-dropout. The present dissertation developed the questions and collected them on the base of the potential variables, that consist of the school-dropout of adolescents, and the operational definition of each variable, through the verification of the precedent research and the review of the related literatures. In addition, the interviews for the teachers who have experienced the school-dropouts of adolescents are performed and are analyzed, and then the relevant questions were culled. The Scale developed in this study is composed of 48 questions and 10 factors. The questions which have the same factors and clustered are reflected, and then are discerned into 3 dimensions, that is, the outer attitude, the inner attitude, and the attitude of parents. The Scale of the danger in the adolescents' school-dropout which is contrived through this study is expected to prevent school-dropouts to teenagers and the teachers.