• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.216-224
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a community-based cancer patient management program (CBPCMP) which was collaborated between a hospice center and public health centers. Methods: The CBPCMP proceeded on four steps; 1) Signing agreements with three public health centers, 2) Enrolling the domiciliary terminal cancer patients, 3) Providing home hospice service, and 4) Inquiring patient's level of satisfaction. From February 1 to December 31 in 2009, 43 terminal cancer patients were referred and provided with home hospice service. The hospice team made a total of 605 visits. Medical records for each visit and data from satisfaction surveys were analyzed. Results: 76.7% of patients were older than 60 years, and 90.7% of the patients were alert. The level of functional status for 76.7% of patients rated as lower than ECOG grade 1. 62.8% of the patients or their caregivers signed hospice service agreements. On the initial evaluation, the most frequent reasons for referral were general weakness (86.0%), followed by anorexia (72.1%). Nurses visited the patients' most frequently (371 visits), followed by volunteers (216 visits). Nurses provided emotional support and health promotion counseling on 95.1% and 22.9% of visits, respectively. The mean satisfaction score rated by patients and their family was 4.45 out of 5. Conclusion: This study tested CBPCMP in collaboration with hospice centers and public health centers. CBPCMP showed a possibility to improve the quality of end of life care. To insure the quality care, however, the guidelines for home hospice service should be developed.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.241-247
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• 2014

Purpose: Serum vitamin C is one of the indicators for antioxidant levels in the body and it is lower in cancer patients compared with the healthy population. However, there have been few studies on the levels of serum vitamin C in terminally ill cancer patients and related factors. Methods: We followed 65 terminal cancer patients who were hospitalized in two palliative care units. We collected data of age, sex, cancer type, functional status, clinical symptoms, history of cancer therapy, and various laboratory findings including serum vitamin C level. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the quartile of serum vitamin C level (Q1-3 vs. Q4), which were compared each other. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors related to serum vitamin C levels. Results: The mean serum vitamin C level was $0.44{\mu}g/mL$, and all patients fell into the category of vitamin C deficiency. Univariate analysis showed that The serum vitamin C level was lower in non-lung cancer patients (P=0.041) and febrile patients (P=0.034). Multivariate analysis adjusted for potential confounders such as lung cancer, fever, dysphagia, dyspnea, C reactive protein, and history of chemotherapy demonstrated that odds for low serum vitamin C level was 3.7 for patients receiving chemotherapy (P=0.046) and 7.22 for febrile patients (P=0.02). Conclusion: Vitamin C deficiency was very severe in terminally ill cancer patients, and it was associated with history of chemotherapy and fever.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2012

Purpose : Gated myocardial perfusion SPECT provides not only myocardial perfusion status, but various functional parameters of left ventricle (LV). The purpose of this study was to analyze ejection fraction (EF) for correlation and difference between $^{201}Tl$ gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and echocardiography depending on extent of perfusion defect, gender and LV volumes. Materials and Methods : From April 2011 to May 2012, we analyzed 291 patients (male:female =165:126; mean: $64.6{\pm}10.8$ years) who were examined both $^{201}Tl$ gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and echocardiography at less than 7 days apart in our hospital. 101 patients showed perfusion defect and the rest of the people without any defect. We applied automatic analysis (Quantitative gated SPECT, QGS), and calculated EF, End-diastolic volume (EDV) and End-systolic volume (ESV) from Stress (G-Stress) and Rest (G-Rest) studies. And we analyzed the correlation and difference for EF between $^{201}Tl$ gated SPECT and echocardiography. Results : The correlation of LVEF among G-Stress, G-Rest and echocardiography was quite a good (G-Stress vs. G-Rest: r=0.909, G-Stress vs. echocardiography: r=0.833, G-Rest vs. echocardiography: r=0.825). And there were significant differences in EDV, ESV and EF in total patients (p<0.01). The normal group showed significant difference in EF (p<0.01) and the group with perfusion defect also demonstrated significant difference (a group with reversible defect: p<0.01, fixed defect: p<0.01) depending on extent of perfusion defect. We analyzed difference in normal group by gender. In normal group, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in EF from men. However, there was a significant difference (p<0.01) from women. When we classified two groups by average size of EDV in Korean women, there was no significant difference in a group of above average size of EDV (p>0.05). Conclusion : When compared among Stress and Rest of $^{201}Tl$ gated SPECT and echocardiography, we confirmed that there was a good correlation for LVEF. But there were significant differences among three studies. And extent of perfusion defect, gender and LV volumes are independent determinants of the accuracy of LVEF. So, it is hard to compare and interchange quantitative indices among modalities. We should take additional researches to prove results of our study.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.147-154
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• 2011

Decision making in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Consultation on the Coastal Area Utilization (CCAU) is footing on the survey reports, thus requires concrete and accurate information on the natural habitats. In spite of the importance of reporting the ecological quality and status of habitats, the accumulated knowledge and recent techniques in ecology such as the use of investigated cases and indicators/indices have not been utilized in evaluation processes. Even the EIA report does not contain sufficient information required in a decision making process for conservation and development. In addition, for CCAU, sampling efforts were so limited that only two or a few stations were set in most study cases. This hampers transferring key ecological information to both specialist review and decision making processes. Hence, setting the effective number of sampling stations can be said as a prior step for better assessment. We introduced a few statistical techniques to determine the number of sampling stations in macrobenthos surveys. However, the application of the techniques requires a preliminary study that cannot be performed under the current assessment frame. An analysis of the spatial configuration of sampling stations from 19 previous studies was carried out as an alternative approach, based on the assumption that those configurations reported in scientific journal contribute to successful understanding of the ecological phenomena. The distance between stations and number of sampling stations in a $4{\times}4$ km unit area were calculated, and the medians of each parameter were 2.3 km, and 3, respectively. For each study, approximated survey area (ASA, $km^2$) was obtained by using the number of sampling stations in a unit area (NSSU) and total number of sampling stations (TNSS). To predict either appropriate ASA or NSSU/TNSS, we found and suggested statistically significant functional relationship among ASA, survey purpose and NSSU. This empirical approach will contribute to increasing sampling effort in a field survey and communicating with reasonable data and information in EIA and CCAU.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.350-355
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• 2002

Background: Most of pulmonary regurgitation with or without stenosis appears to be well tolerated early after the repair of pulmonary outflow tract. However, it may result in symptomatic right ventricular dilatation, dysfunction and arrhythmias over a long period of time. We studied the early outcome of pulmonary valve replacement with tissue valves for patients with the above clinical features. Material and Method: Sixteen consecutive patients who underwent pulmonary valve replacement from September 1999 to February 2002 were reviewed(9 males and 7 females). The initial diagnoses included tetralogy of Fallot(n=11), and other congenital heart anomalies with pulmonary outflow obstruction(n=5). Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT Pericardial Bioprostheses and Hancock porcine valves were used. The posterior two thirds of the bioprosthetic rim was placed on the native pulmonary valve annulus and the anterior one third was covered with a bovine pericardial patch. Preoperative pulmonary regurgitation was greater than moderate degree in 13 patients. Three patients had severe pulmonary stenosis. Tricuspid regurgitation was present in 12 patients. Result: Follow-up was complete with a mean duration of 15.8 $\pm$ 8.5months. There was no operative mortality. Cardiothoracic ratio was decreased from 66.0 $\pm$ 6.5% to 57.6 $\pm$ 4.5%(n=16, p=0.001). All patients remained in NYHA class I at the most recent follow-up (n=16, p=0.016). Pulmonary regurgitation was mild or absent in all patients. Tricuspid regurgitation was less than trivial in all patients. Conclusion: In this study we demonstrated that early pulmonary valve replacement for the residual pulmonary regurgitation with or without right ventricular dysfunction was a reasonal option. This technique led to reduce the heart size, decrease pulmonary regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation as well as to improve the patients'functional status. However, a long term outcome should be cautiously investigated.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.343-352
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• 2001

Background : Advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized by progressive pulmonary hypertension leading to right heart dysfunction, which plays a Important role in clinical evaluation but remains difficult and challenging to quantify. The noninvasive doppler echocardiographic value referred to as the Tei index has been suggested as a simple, reproducible and reliable parameter of the right ventricular function. The purpose of this was to assess the right ventricular function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using the Tei index and to evaluate its relationship with the pulmonary functional status. Methods : The study population comprised of 26 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 10 normal control subjects. The Tei index was obtained by dividing the sum of the isovolumetric contraction and the relaxation times by the ejection time using a pulsed-wave doppler. It was compared with the other available Doppler echocardiographic parameters of systolic or diastolic function and with the pulmonary function of the patients. Results : The Tei indices of the patients with COPD were significantly higher than those of normal subjects($0.45{\pm}0.17$ vs. $0.27{\pm}0.03$, p<0.01). The isovolumetric contraction time/ejection time($0.32{\pm}0.08$ vs. $0.25{\pm}0.05$, p<0.05), the isovolumetric relaxation time/ejection time($0.29{\pm}0.16$ vs. $0.15{\pm}0.08$, p<0.05)and the preejection period/ejection time ($0.46{\pm}0.10$ vs. $0.38{\pm}0.06$, p<0.05) were prolonged and the ejection time ($255.2{\pm}32.6$ vs. $314.2{\pm}16.5$ msec, p<0.05) was significantly shortened in patients with COPD compared to normal subjects. The tei indices were inversely correlated with the $FEV_1$ (r=-0.46, p<0.05) and were prolonged significantly in patients with a severe obstructive ventilatory dysfunction(less than 35% of predicted $FEV_1$) compared to those with a mild and moderate ventilatory dysfunction. The tei indices showed an inverse correlation to with the ejection time (r=-0.469), the isovolumetric contraction time/ejection time(r=0.453), the isovolumetric relaxation time/ejection time(r=0.896) and the preejection period/ejection time(r=0.480). Conclusion : The tei index appeared to be a useful noninvasive means of evaluating the right ventricular function. It revealed a significant correlation with the pulmonary function in patients with COPD.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.239-255
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to explore the care needs of family-caregivers caring for patients with a CVA and the level of self care of the patients. The subjects for the study were 112 patients with a CVA and their caregivers. These patients were seen in a hospital or out-patient-department(OPD) at two oriental medical hospital in Jeonbuk province. The survey instruments used in this study were Kang's ADL checklist for self care of patients and Kim's Likert-style checklist for care needs of family-caregivers to patient with CVA. The survey was conducted from July 4 to August 30, 1999. Internal validity by calculation of Cronbach's alpha was 0.95, which was regarded as high. The survey results were analyzed using the SPSS program, with percentages, means, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficients. The results of this study are as follows : 1. The level of self care for patients with a CVA was : 1) complete dependence(M=14.9, 13.1%), 2) complete independence(M=23.6, 20.9%), 3) incomplete independence(M=23.9, 21.0%), 4) incomplete dependence(M=26.6, 25.0%), 5) dependence and independence(M=23.0, 20.0%). The items for which there was a high level of self care were : 1) drinking(M=3.62), 2) eating (M=3.25), 3) position returning(M=3.18) : and the items for which there was a low level of self care were : 1) ascending and descending stairs(M=2.08), 2) walking(M=2.47). 3) putting on and taking off trousers(M=2.55). 2. The mean score of the sum of the care needs of the family-caregivers was : 1) need for immediate care and help: 2) need of the way to communicate with patient: 3) need for education and assistance related to physical functional level: 4) need to be informed about the disease, treatment and care: 5) need for social support and consultation: 6) need for appreciation: 7) need for management of nursing problems related to immobility. The highest meed factor was the need for immediate care and help(M=3.47): and lowest need factor was the need for management of nursing problems related to immobility(M=2.80). 3. There were significant differences between the level of care need and general characteristic of the caregivers, there were family-caregivers age(P=0.001), marital status (P=0.276), occupation (P=0.006), monthly income(P=0.000), Patient's relationship to caregivers(P=0.004) and health(P=0.000). 4. There were significant differences between the level of self care and general characteristic of the patients, there were patient paralytic condition(P=0.01), blood pressure(P=0.01), and length of suffering(P=0.03). 5 There were significant differences between the level of care need and the general characteristic factors, which were CVA patient's blood pressure (P=0.05), problem of medical fee (P=0.05). 6. There was significantly correlation with the family-caregivers care need and the level of self care in the CVA patient(r=0.300, P=0.000). As a result, need to promote the level of self care in patients and to meet the care need of family-caregivers for more efficient nursing of CVA patients, is emphasized. Therefore more study is needed on an efficient way to provide rehabilitation and quality nursing interventions for family-caregivers and patients with CVA.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective study is to compare the results of arthroscopic reconstruction of ACL using autologous hamstring tendon (Group 1) and autologous bone patella tendon bone (Group 2). Materials and Methods: From Jan. 2004 to Dec. 2007, fifty patients were analyzed in this study. A single surgeon performed the ACL reconstruction with autologous hamstring tendon (25 patients) and autologous bone patella tendon bone (25 patients) alternatively each other. The mean follow up period of two groups was 38 months (range 25~58 months). We evaluated the result of Lachman test, Pivot shift test as a physical examination and Lysholm score, Tagner activity scale as patients' satisfaction and functional status and Telometer for anterior instability of each groups at the time of final follow up. Results: In final results, negative or mild positive findings on Lachman test were 24 out of 25 cases (equally) in each groups.) Twenty two cases in the Group 1 and 21 cases in the Group 2 were negative on Pivot shift test. Lysholm scores mark 94.6 points in group 1 and 92.3 points in group 2 at the final follow up and Tegner activity scales mark 8.5 points (Group 1) and 8.1 points (Group 2) at the time of last follow up and there were no differences between the two groups statistically. The numbers of patients who have less than 5 mm of anterior translation of tibia under telometer at 20 degrees of knee flexion are 24 cases in group 1 and 23 cases in group 2. Conclusion: The overall improvements of clinical scores (Lysholm scores and Tegner Activity scales) of the group 1 were a little bit superior to those of the group 2, but there were no significant statistical difference between two groups.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was performed to assess the usefulness of non-anatomical repair for irreparable large and massive rotator cuff tears by the arthroscopic margin convergence technique. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients were followed up more than 1 year after non-anatomical repair for irreparable large and massive rotator cuff tears using the arthroscopic margin convergence technique. The clinical evaluation was performed according to the KSS score, the UCLA score and the Visual analogue scale (VAS). The measurement of the acromio-humeral distance was performed using the shoulder anterior-posterior radiographs. The measurement of fatty degeneration and the healing status was performed using the shoulder MRI after 6 months. Results: Among twenty-two patients, follow up MRI was performed in eleven cases. Three cases were well healed, four cases were partial healed and another four cases were re-torn. The KSS and UCLA scores had significantly improved from a preoperative average of 45.0${\pm}$8.014 and 10.8${\pm}$2.302 points to 77.1${\pm}$10.151 and 30.0${\pm}$1.521 points, respectively, and the pain VAS had decreased from a preoperative average of 7.7${\pm}$0.616 points to 3.0${\pm}$1.021 points at the last follow up. Less favorable results were obtained when the patient had a grade of fatty degeneration higher than grade 3 on the preoperative MRI. Conclusion: Non-anatomical repair for irreparable large and massive rotator cuff tears by the arthroscopic margin convergence technique showed good functional results. It seems to be one of the effective treatment methods for irreparable large and massive rotator cuff tears.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.783-791
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• 2012

The purpose of the study was to provide baseline information that could encourage consumers and establish the direction of development for sprouts and leafy vegetables. A survey on the consumption and preference for sprouts and leafy vegetables of 823 people over 20 years of age in Seoul and Gyeonggi province was conducted. The preference for sprouts was higher in men ($3.75{\pm}0.96$) than in women ($3.64{\pm}0.84$), whereas the preference for leafy vegetables was higher in women ($4.06{\pm}0.74$) than in men ($3.88{\pm}0.90$). Based on age, the respondents in their 40s or above had high preferences for sprouts and leaf vegetables due to the importance that they accorded to health and nutrition (p<0.01). The sprouts and leafy vegetables were purchased mainly for their high nutritional value. The purchase frequency of once a month or more for leafy vegetables (82.7%) was higher than that for sprouts (57.1%). The consumers purchased sprouts and leafy vegetables mainly from a large discount store. The respondents in their 20s showed the highest percentage of purchasing from a local store whereas the older ones showed a high preference for traditional markets. The reason for the choice of the place of purchase was convenience. The freshness and price were important factors in the consumption of sprouts and leafy vegetables. In the case of leafy vegetables, the consumers preferred to buy them using the conventional weight measurement system rather than in small packages. On the other hand, mixed small packages were preferred for sprouts. The purchase frequency was correlated with the preferences, need for improvement and purchase intent for sprouts and leafy vegetables. The aspects that require improvement for producing high-quality sprouts and leafy vegetables were the nutritional and functional properties. To increase the consumption of sprouts and leafy vegetables, there is need for variations and improvement of the quality and safety of the products.