• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.45-54
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• 2008

This study examines the influence of acculturation level and ethnic groups as a fashion reference group on Korean-American consumer attitude toward luxury fashion brands. Of interest is the role of Korean culture, which emphasizes luxury brand consumption due to the Confucion value of 'face', on Korean-American attitudes toward luxury brands. Data were collected from 108 young Korean-Americans living in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and multiple regressions were conducted for the analysis. In general, the respondents had relatively negative attitudes toward luxury fashion brands. Even though the acculturation level did not have a significant influence, attitudes toward luxury fashion brands were influenced by Korean reference groups. Age at immigration did not have a significant relationship with attitudes toward luxury brands. Korean-Americans who maintain ties with Korean culture are more likely to have a positive attitude towards luxury fashion, regardless of familarity with American culture.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.145-149
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• 2003

Adult periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease whose etiology is not well defined. Recent studies have shown that vitamin D receptor gene has been a candidate for the susceptibility of adult periodontitis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the frequency of Taq I restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in the vitamin D receptor gene in nan periodontically healthy controls and 28 adult periodontitis patients. Taq I RFLP in the vitamin D receptor gene was detected by PCR amplification, followed by restriction enzyme digestion and 2％ agarose gel electrophoresis. There was no significant difference in the distribution of Taq I RFLP between healthy controls and adult periodontitis group (P > 0.05). Thus, Taq I RFLP in the vitamin D receptor gene may not confer the susceptibility to adult periodontitis in Korean population. However, t allele distributions of this RFLP showed various frequencies among ethnic groups studied. Further studies in other ethnic groups will be required.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권11호
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• pp.4513-4518
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• 2014

The prevalence of BRCA1 gene mutations in breast cancer differs between diverse ethnic groups. Relatively little information is known about patterns of BRCA1 mutations in early-onset breast cancer in women of Uighur or Han descent, the major ethnic populations of the Xinjiang region in China. The aim of this study was to identify BRCA1 mutations in Uighur and Han patients with early-onset (age <35 years), and sporadic breast cancer for genetic predisposition to breast cancer. For detection of BRCA1 mutations, we used a polymerase chain reaction single-stranded conformation polymorphism approach, followed by direct DNA sequencing in 22 Uighur and 13 Han women with early-onset sporadic breast cancer, and 32 women with benign breast diseases. The prevalence of BRCA1 mutations in this population was 22.9% (8/35) among early-onset sporadic breast cancer cases. Of these, 31.8% (7/22) of Uighur patients and 7.69% (1/13) of Han patients were found to have BRCA1 mutations. In 7 Uighur patients with BRCA1 mutations, there were 11 unique sequence alterations in the BRCA1 gene, including 4 clearly disease-associated mutations on exon 11 and 3 variants of uncertain clinical significance on exon 11, meanwhile 4 neutral variants on intron 20 or 2. None of the 11 BRCA1 mutations identified have been previously reported in the Breast Cancer Information Core database. These findings reflect the prevalence of BRCA1 mutations in Uighur women with early-onset and sporadic breast cancer, which will allow for provision of appropriate genetic counseling and treatment for Uighur patients in the Xinjiang region.

• 한국학교보건학회지
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.22-32
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• 2021

Purpose: Discrimination experienced in the early stages of life among ethnic minority adolescents is known to affect depression and also adversely affect health throughout adulthood and old age. The purpose of this study was to identify whether discrimination experienced by ethnic minority adolescents and their mothers and depression among mothers affect depression in ethnic minority adolescents according to gender. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using the data of 2018 National Multicultural Family Survey in Korea. The study sample comprised 2,446 ethnic minority adolescents aged 11~18 and their mothers. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, pearson correlation analysis, and ordinal logistic regression with SPSS/WIN 25.0 and STATA IC 16. Results: 18.4% of the adolescents (boys: 15.1%, girls: 20.5 %) felt sad or frustrated sometimes or more often for at least two weeks during the past year. Also, 8.3% of the adolescents and 29.6% of their mothers experienced discrimination during the past year. Boys were influenced more than girls by bullying at school (OR=5.17, 95% CI: 2.85~9.38), academic performance (very bad's OR=5.79, 95% CI: 1.54~21.63) and mother's depression (often's OR=2.31, 95% CI: 1.14~4.64). Girls were influenced more than boys by experience of discrimination (OR=2.72, 95% CI: 1.69~4.39). Conclusion: The findings showed that discrimination experienced by ethnic minority adolescents and their mothers in Korean society increases depression in ethnic minority adolescents and has different effects by gender. Therefore, a gender-specific and mother-inclusive intervention is recommended to prevent depression in ethnic minority adolescents.

• 한국환경성돌연변이발암원학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.12-21
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• 2002

Genetic polymorphisms of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) have been associated with hypertension in various ethnic groups, but no relation between these polymorphisms and hypertension has yet been systematically evaluated. To assess the relationship between allelic variation of RAS genes and hypertension, we performed the case-control studies using genetic markers in Korean normotensives and hypertensives. The allele and genotype frequencies of RAS genes in Korean population were not significantly different between normotensives and hypertensives. To investigate the distribution of allele frequencies among various populations, the data obtained in this study were compared to those in other ethnic groups studied previously. Except for T174M polymorphism of angiotensinogen (AGT) gene, allele frequencies of RAS genes were different among racial groups. The reason for these differences may be due to the difference in various genetic or environmental background or due to the effects by various sample size studied. In addition, it can be emphasized that carefully designed studies are required to minimize the ethnic heterogeneity of the case and control populations.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.73-90
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Meat eaters face conflicts over meat consumption due to recent increasing demands for reduced-meat diets to promote human and environmental health. Attitudes toward consuming meat have been shown to be culture-specific. Thus, this study was performed to examine cultural differences in attitudes, beliefs, and patterns of meat consumption among meat eaters in a group homogeneous in terms of age and sex but with diverse ethnicities. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In this cross-sectional study conducted in New York City in 2014, 520 female meat eaters (Whites = 25%; Blacks = 20%; East Asians = 35%; Hispanics = 20%) aged 20-29 completed a questionnaire consisting of a series of questions on meat consumption behaviors, which addressed amounts of consumption, cooking methods, past and future changes in meat consumption, and attitudes and beliefs regarding relationships between health and meat consumption. Logistic and multiple regression analyses were used to assess the effects of variables on meat consumption. RESULTS: Blacks had the highest annual total meat consumption (64.2 kg), followed by East Asians (53.6 kg), Whites (46.9 kg), and Hispanics (35.8 kg). Blacks ate significantly more chicken than the other ethnic groups (P < 0.001), and East Asians ate significantly more pork and processed meat (P < 0.001). Regardless of ethnicity, grilling/roasting/broiling were the preferred cooking methods, and vegetables were most consumed as a side dish. More than half of the participants expressed an intention to decrease future meat consumption. East Asians more strongly perceived meat as a festive food (P < 0.001) and were less guilty about the slaughtering animals (P = 0.11) than other groups. No differences were found between the ethnic groups regarding negative attitudes to meat consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that ethnicities differ in terms of attitudes, beliefs, and patterns of meat consumption. Irrespective of ethnicity, the meat-eating participants almost unanimously demonstrated a willingness to reduce future meat consumption. It is hoped these findings aid the formulation of culturally-tailored interventions that effectively reduce meat consumption.

• 복식문화연구
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• 제31권6호
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• pp.776-792
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• 2023

This study aims to analyze the traditional attire of four ethnic minority groups in Northeastern China: Daur, Ewenki, Oroqen, and Hezhen, considering their natural environment, lifestyles, and cultural influences. A literature review of academic papers, books, and online resources was conducted, along with indirect investigations through artifacts. The Daur people, being equestrian, have garments with deep slits, vibrant colors, and elaborate decorations. The Ewenki people wear clothes made of fabric in the summer and primarily deer skin in the winter, and their clothing is simple and not flashy. The Oroqen people's clothing typically has slits at the front, back, or on both sides, and they wear a waist belt. The Hezhen people, an ethnic group that primarily hunts and fishes, wear two-piece clothing with a hip-length top and pants or other fur-trimmed garments. All groups incorporate symbolic patterns influenced by Shamanism, along with animal headgear and leather shoes. We observed that the traditional costumes of ethnic minority groups in Northeastern China share many commonalities in form, but there are detailed differences in material, shape, color, and decoration due to unique geographical and climatic characteristics as well as differences in livelihood. Additionally, the structure of clothing varies depending on each tribe's shamanistic practices and lifestyle.

• 한국도서관정보학회지
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.273-295
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• 2004

이 연구의 목적은 소외집단의 정보행태를 연구하는데 필요한 방법론적 토대를 세우는데 있다. 이를 위해, 소외집단은 크게 다민족사회에서의 소수민족집단과 사회경제적 소외계층으로 분류하고, 각 분야 별로 정보행태와 정보빈곤 문제를 다룬 주요 선행연구를 수집하여 분석하였다. 구체적으로, 이들 연구의 논점과 내용 그리고 한계에 대해 살펴보았으며, 특히, 각 연구에서 사용한 방법론적 특성에 대해 고찰하였다. 방법론에 대한 논의에 있어서는 이 분야 연구에서 사용한 주요 질의와 변수, 그리고 데이터의 수집과 해석 방법에서 나타나는 특성을 중점적으로 파악하였다.

• 패션비즈니스
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.155-166
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• 2011

The purposes of this study was to examine Chinese consumers's perception toward Korean fashion brands. Especially, this study aimed to compare the Chinese consumers in three local groups (Beijing, Shanghai, & Yangji). The subjects used for this study were one hundred ninety-six participants(male; 110, female; 86) in 20s age who live in China. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, and t-test were used. Cronbach's alpha test revealed that all instruments which were used for this study had over 0.85. As the results, first, 67.9% of Chinese consumers perceived Korean brands correctly as Korean brands. Also, 42.5% of Chinese participants had purchased Korean fashion brand products such as Teenie Weenie or E-land. Second, there were not significant differences in brand attitudes among three group participants. However, there was a significant difference in 'brand preference' factor, one of three brand attitudes, between two ethnic groups. Finally, there were not signifiant differences in brand image, while there was a significant difference in intelligent brand image, one of 4 brand image factors, between two ethnic groups. These results of this study would be very useful for Korean fashion brand marketers in order to understand Chinese fashion consumers more details, and provide more efficient fashion marketing strategies.

• 수완나부미
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.29-51
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• 2010

The diversity of Southeast Asia can be also represented at the tremendous number of ethnic groups residing throughout its various regions even beyond national boundaries. What does it mean by the composite of numerous peoples? It has triggered a lot of problems in a nation or overall Southeast Asia. Among them, the most serious one seems to be ethnic conflicts having damaged national integration and caused political, economical, and social instability. In that respect, Karen people have been a minority group situated in the most chronic dispute in Myanmar. Since 1947 some of the Karen equipped with armed forces have been fighting against the military government currently ruling Myanmar. As the result, the refugees over 200,000 population had moved to the mountain camps located at neighboring Thailand, attracting a lot of attention throughout international societies. According to 1931 census by British colonial government, the Karen have the greatest numbers in population as minority and include 16 subgroups including Karenni(Kayah) and Pa-O seemingly excluded from its category in contemporary point of view. It means that Karen people should not be regarded as an ethnic group, and in fact do not show a homogeneous identity under the title of Karen. Given the situation, we need to reconsider the category of Karen. What does the Karen mean in a real sense? Previous studies on the Karen had been performed mainly by anthropologists or missionaries such as Marshall(1922), Hamilton (1976), Hanson Tadaw(1959), Smeaton(1920), Keyes(1979), Hayami (1992; 2004), etc. Most of them examined the Karen as a group and ignored the possibilities of representing the divergent identities vis-à-vis their subgroups. Therefore, they have focused on the myth to convert Karen people to Christianity, although the Christian Karens are less than 20% of total population. As a result, I argue that they would fail to define the real meaning of Karen. It has been caused us to recognize the Karen as a meaningless total entity to be accepted by all means. According to their arguments, the difference among Karen's subgroups is just dealt with the trivial matters that do not affect the ethnic boundary itself, still maintaining the ethnic identity as Karen. As we shall see on this thesis, this is never the case. My thesis aims at uncovering and scrutinizing the real meaning of the category of Karen. For the purpose of it, I will consider Karen people as a linguistic group from the beginning as shown in 1931 census. I argue that the Karen have been affected or exposed by various conditions or environments throughout the harsh history having happened on the areas of current Myanmar and Thailand, leading the vicissitudes of their ethnic identities.