• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.408-417
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• 2022

Purpose: Treatment options are limited after the failure of first-and second-line treatments in patients with HER2⁺ metastatic gastric cancer (mGC). The present study aimed to explore the efficacy, safety, and prognostic factors of apatinib efficacy as a third-line therapy for patients with human epithelial growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2⁺) mGC. Materials and Methods: A total of 59 HER2⁺ mGC patients who received apatinib as third-line therapy were retrospectively enrolled in this two-center, single-arm, cohort study; the clinical response, survival data, and adverse events were retrieved. Results: The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9-6.5), and the median overall survival (OS) was 8.2 months (95% CI, 6.6-9.8) Furthermore, forward stepwise multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that a higher Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score and multiple metastases were independently correlated with decreased PFS and OS (both P<0.05). The main adverse events were leukopenia (45.8%), hypertension (44.1%), thrombocytopenia (39.0%), hand-foot syndrome (37.3%), and elevated transaminase (33.9%). Grade 3 adverse events mainly included hypertension (5.1%) and neutropenia (5.1%); grade 4 adverse events did not occur. Conclusions: Apatinib is efficient and well tolerated in patients with HER2⁺ mGC as a third-line treatment, suggesting that it may be a candidate of choice for these patients.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.419-428
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• 2023

This study examines customer reviews from online stores of Korean vegan fashion brands to determine the qualities that customers value in vegan fashion items. For this purpose, we conducted a case study of online reviews-2,285 reviews were collected and analyzed. The results are as follows: The clothing evaluation criteria for vegan fashion products can be divided into four categories: aesthetics, material characteristics, affordability, and characteristics. This suggests that evaluation standards for vegan fashion items operate at multiple levels. The animal welfare aspect of the product was the most important factor, followed closely by how well the clothes fit. High-quality vegan materials and the use of recycled materials that are environmentally friendly were emphasized. The findings of this study suggest that even for vegan products, stylistic features remain an essential component of fashion items. To understand the main aspects of clothing evaluation criteria in the current vegan fashion market, this study differs from other studies in that it examined online reviews of vegan fashion brands. This comprehensive analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of customer preferences and highlights the importance of ethical considerations alongside style in the evaluation of vegan fashion items, providing valuable insights for the industry. Moving forward, this study is significant in suggesting that vegan fashion brands should develop their products as well as their brands, capitalizing on the demand for ethically conscious and stylish options.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of treatment of humerus shaft simple fracture by minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis (MIPO) technique using locking compression plate (LCP). Materials and Methods: Six patients who were operated for humerus shaft simple fracture from August 2010 to May 2011 were enrolled for this study. We checked the cause of injury and the accompanying injuries and evaluated the operation time, the clinical and radiological period of union, postoperative range of motion of the shoulder and elbow joint, pain, activities in daily living, radiologic alignment, and other complications. Results: The clinical period of bone union was 7.2 weeks on average, and the radiologic period of bone union was 8 weeks on average. Follow-up period was more than 12 months in all cases. The angulation through postoperative alignment was 2.8 degrees in AP view and 2 degrees in lateral view. The postoperative range of motion was 167 degrees in forward flexion, 50 degrees in external rotation, and thoracic vertebra 12 level in internal rotation. The average value of visual analogue scale (VAS) was 1.2 and that of KSS was 91.3. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons' score (ASES) was 26.5 and the UCLA score was 31.5. Conclusion: MIPO technique for the humerus shaft simple fracture showed good functional and radiological outcomes and may be considered as one of the treatment options for humerus shaft simple fracture.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.111-121
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• 2014

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows New & Renewable Energy projects to make additional income by selling CER's, which represent the amount of Green House Gases(GHG) that is reduced in the project. However, forward contracts used to hedge fluctuating market prices does not allow projects to sell CER's at a premium. As an alternate approach to maximize CER revenue, CER's are modeled as a 'real option', in which CER's are sold only above the desired sales price. Using the Binomial Option Pricing model, the resultant lattices are used to determine whether to sell, defer or abandon the option at individual nodes. Overlaying Pascal's Triangle on the lattices also enabled the calculation of the annual probabilities for deferring CER sales without incurring downside losses. Application to an actual Landfill Gas project showed increased overall NPV, and that CER sales could be deferred at a maximum of 2 years. The proposed framework allows transparency in the analysis and provides valuable and strategical information when making investment decisions related to CER sales of CDM projects.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.146-152
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to review the effectiveness of arthroscopic debridement and tuberoplasty, and to evaluate the clinical and radiologic results of our series for irreparable massive rotator cuff tears in the elderly. Materials and Methods: We reviewed articles that focused on the treatment options and decision making for irreparable massive rotator cuff tears. In particular, we summarized the reported results of arthroscopic debridement and tuberoplasty for irreparable massive rotator cuff tears in the elderly. Among consecutive patients who had arthroscopic tuberoplasty for irreparable massive rotator cuff tears in our series, thirty-two patients available for clinical and radiological evaluation at a mean follow-up of 29 months (range, 13-52 months) were enrolled and reviewed for the analysis. Results: At the last follow-up, the range of active forward flexion increased significantly with excellent pain relief and improvement in the ability to perform the activities of daily living. However, the group with less than 2 mm in preoperative acromiohumeral distance showed inferior postoperative results. Conclusion: Arthroscopic tuberoplasty may be an alternative option in irreparable massive rotator cuff tears for pain relief and improvement of range of motion. However, good results can not be expected if the acromiohumeral distance is less than 2 mm preoperatively and decreases postoperatively, or when the preoperative range of motion is less than $90^{\circ}$ on flexion and abduction.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• no.39
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• pp.221-252
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• 2008

The current social service delivery system for people with disabilities has four critical problems: absence of needs assessment, absence of case management, shortage of professional workers, and absence of local social welfare agencies. The Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family of Korea has pushed forward with a project to reform the welfare infra-structure for people with disabilities since 2007. It's main purpose is to reorganize the social service delivery system for people with disabilities. A report from the project makes two suggestions: introduction of new standards for disability and set-up of disability service determination centers. The new standards for disability are suggested to include a work ability test and a welfare needs assessment tool as well as a medical standard. Three models for disability service determination centers are suggested: independent model, local governmental model, and public corporational model. Tentative operations using the three models are on the way in the second half of 2008. In order to reform the social service delivery system for people with disabilities, this study makes a fundamental suggestion: set-up of about 120 local welfare agencies over which the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family can have direct control, and which are equipped with professional workers who are able to perform needs assessment and case management. In actuality, welfare centers for disabled people are the best options for local welfare agencies for disabled people.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.220-227
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• 2019

Objectives: Parkinson's disease is the neurodegenerative disease that affects both motor and non-motor function, including postural instability. Camptocormia is an abnormal condition in which the thoracolumbar spine bends forward during walking or standing. However, the treatment options are limited and often not effective. The purpose of this study was to report on the Korean medical treatment of a Parkinson's disease patient with postural instability who presented with camptocormia. Methods: We used Korean medical treatment including herbal medicine (Jemageopung-tang), acupuncture and pharmacopuncture therapy to the patient who was admitted to the hospital for 21 days. The clinical symptoms were assessed with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and walking time without assistance. Results: After treatment, the UPDRS Parts 2 and 3 scores were decreased from 5 to 3 and 20 to 9, respectively. Also, the walking time without assistance was improved. Conclusion: This study suggested that Korean medical treatment could be an effective option for treating Parkinson's disease with postural instability.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 2009

Annex I parties continued its consideration of how to address, the definitions, modalities, rules and guidelines for the treatment of Land Use, Land-use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol by the year of 2009. In the AWG-KP conference held in Accra, Ghana in 2008, four alternatives (gross-net carbon accounting, net-net with base year or base period accounting, net-net with forward looking baseline accounting, and land-based accounting method) for negotiations were decided in order to revise gross-net accounting method applied during the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. In this study, alternative scenarios are set in consideration with reporting system (voluntary or compulsory), discount factors and cap about these three alternatives except for the method of net-net with forward looking baseline accounting, and then estimates the Removal Unit (RMU) among the countries. In the case that article 3.4 activities under the Kyoto Protocol revises from voluntary reporting to mandatory reporting, it is estimated that the loss of RMU would be huge in Russia, Australia, New Zealand, as well as Canada potentially. Net-net with base year or base period carbon accounting and land-based carbon accounting method have big difference of RMU in accordance with the base year or the base period. So the more unfavorable the country with a lot of old-age forests was, the closer the base year or period comes to the commitment period in the context of RMU. If it is getting lowered for the current rate of 85% in discount factors, RMU is getting higher to the whole countries. Therefore in Korea with little potential for afforestation and reforestation, there was the most sensitive response to the change of discount factors. Post-2012 LULUCF hereafter, it is strongly expected for the succession of current carbon accounting system which is voluntary reporting of gross-net carbon accounting and the activity for article 3.4. Other carbon accounting method is hard to accept in aspect that there is big differentiated interests among the countries and it is required enormous cost and time to develop reliable method. Provide for Post-2012 mandatory greenhouse gas reduction, Korea needs to have a competitive negotiation strategies differentiated from Annex I countries. The most reliable alternative would be to lower the discounting factors about the activities for forest management.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2018

Human fibroblast growth factor (FGF) has the potential to be a commercially important therapeutic or cosmeceutical agent due to its ability to generate tissue and heal wounds. Granting permeability into skin tissues increases the therapeutic effects of FGF. Thus, several researchers have attempted the fusion of FGF conjugates with protein transduction domains (PTDs) to investigate the transduction ability and therapeutic effects of FGF. Less is known, however, about whether the location of PTD fused to the N- or C-terminus of FGF proteins has a significant impact on the folding and stability in Escherichia coli, and eventually, on transduction. Here, we report cloning of human basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) as a control and FGF2 with PTD fused to the N- or C-terminal ends of FGF proteins by an overlap extension PCR. We performed expression, verified expression properties of recombinant FGF2 without or with PTD fused to the N-terminus and the C-terminus, and investigated transduction ability into tissue by treating the dorsal skin of mice subjects. As a result, FGF2 and FGF2-PTD (fused to C-terminus) fusion protein were expressed as soluble forms suitable for straight-forward purification, unlike insoluble PTD-FGF2 (fused to N-terminus), but only FGF2-PTD fusion protein could transduce into the dorsal skin tissue of the mice subjects. Our results suggest that FGF2 with PTD fused to the C-terminus is more efficient than other options in terms of expression, purification, and delivery into skin tissue, as it does not require labor-intensive, costly, and time-consuming methods.