• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5349-5357
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality among women of all ethnic and age groups in Malaysia. Delay in seeking help for breast cancer symptoms is preventable and by identifying possible factors for delayed diagnosis, patient prognosis and survival rates could be improved. Objectives: This narrative review aimed to understand and evaluate the level of in-depth breast cancer knowledge in terms of clinical breast examination and breast self-examination, and other important aspects such as side-effects and risk factors in Malaysian females. Since Malaysia is multicultural, this review assessed social perceptions, cultural beliefs and help-seeking behaviour in respect to breast cancer among different ethnic groups, since these may impinge on efforts to 'avoid' the disease. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search of seven databases was performed from December 2015 to January 2015. Screening of relevant published journals was also undertaken to identify available information related to the knowledge, perception and help-seeking behaviour of Malaysian women in relation to breast cancer. Results: A total of 42 articles were appraised and included in this review. Generally, women in Malaysia had good awareness of breast cancer and its screening tools, particularly breast self-examination, but only superficial in-depth knowledge about the disease. Women in rural areas had lower levels of knowledge than those in urban areas. It was also shown that books, magazines, brochures and television were among the most common sources of breast cancer information. Delay in presentation was attributed mainly to a negative social perception of the disease, poverty, cultural and religion practices, and a strong influence of complementary and alternative medicine, rather than a lack of knowledge. Conclusions: This review highlighted the need for an intensive and in-depth breast cancer education campaigns using media and community health programmes, even with the existing good awareness of breast cancer. This is essential in order to avoid misconceptions and to frame the correct mind-set about breast cancer among women in Malaysia. Socio-cultural differences and religious practices should be taken into account by health care professionals when advising on breast cancer. Women need to be aware of the risk factors and symptoms of breast cancer so that early diagnosis can take place and the chances of survival improved.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6131-6136
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• 2014

Objective: Epidemiology studies have reported conflicting results between glutathione S-transferase Mu-1 (GSTM1), glutathione S-transferase theta-1 (GSTT1) and glutathione S-transferase pi-1 (GSTP1) and ovarian cancer (OC) susceptibility. In this study, an updated meta-analysis was applied to determine whether the deletion of GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 has an influence on OC susceptibility. Methods: A published literature search was performed through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Science Citation Index Expanded database for articles published in English. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated using random or fixed effects models. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the Cochrane Q test and $I^2$ statistics. Sub-group analysis was conducted to explore the sources of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis was employed to evaluate the respective influence of each study on the overall estimate. Results: In total, 10 published studies were included in the final analysis. The combined analysis revealed that there was no significant association between GSTM1 null genotype and OC risk (OR=1.01, 95%CI: 0.91-1.12). Additionally, there was no significant association between GSTT1 genetic polymorphisms and OC risk (OR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.85-1.13). Similalry, no significant associations were found concerning the GSTP1 rs1695 locus and OC risk. Meanwhile, subgroup analysis did not show a significant increase in eligible studies with low heterogeneity. However, sensitivity analysis, publication bias and cumulative analysis demonstrated the reliability and stability of the current meta-analysis. Conclusions: These findings suggest that GSTs genetic polymorphisms may not contribute to OC susceptibility. Large epidemiological studies with the combination of GSTM1 null, GSTT1 null and GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphisms and more specific histological subtypes of OC are needed to prove our findings.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3403-3410
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• 2014

Context: Interest exits in whether TNF-alpha antagonists increase the risk of breast cancer and total malignancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives: To analyze the risk of malignancies, especially breast cancer, in patients with RA enrolled in randomized control trials (RCTs). Methods: A systematic literature search for RCTs from 1 January 1998 to 1 July 2013 from online databases, such as PubMed, WILEY, EMBASE, ISI web of knowledge and Cochrane Library was conducted. Studies included RCTs that compared the safety of at least one dose of the five TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonists with placebo or methotrexate (MTX) (or TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonists plus MTX vs placebo plus MTX) in RA patients for more than 24 weeks and imported all the references into document management software EndNote${\times}6$. Two independent reviewers selected studies and extracted the data about study design, patients' characteristics and the type, number of all malignancies. Results: 28 RCTs from 34 records with 11,741 patients were analyzed. Of the total, 97 developed at least one malignancy during the double-blind trials, and breast cancer was observed in 17 patients (17.5% of total malignancies). However, there was no statistically significant increased risk observed in either the per protocol (PP) model (OR 0.65, 95%CI [0.22, 1.93]) or the modified intention to treat (mITT) model (OR 0.75, 95%CI [0.25, 2.21]). There were also no significant trend for increased risk of total malignancies on anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ therapy administered at approved doses in either model (OR, 1.06, 95%CI [0.64, 1.75], and OR, 1.30, 95%CI [0.80, 2.14], respectively). As to the two models, modified intention to treat model analysis led to higher estimation than per protocol model analysis. Conclusions: This study did not find a significantly increased risk of breast cancer and total malignancies in adults RA patients treated with TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonists at approved doses. However, it cannot be ignored that more patients developed malignancies with TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonists therapy compared with patients with placebo or MTX, in spite of the lack of statistical significance, so that more strict clinical trials and long-term follow-up are needed, and both mITT and PP analyses should be used in such safety analyses.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3117-3122
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• 2016

Background: Health-care research is a neglected discipline in Pakistan and research related to esophageal cancer (ranks 9th in Pakistani males and 5th in females) is no exception in this regard. Particularly, there are no data available to delineate the overall status of esophageal cancer epidemiological studies in Pakistan. This study describes the first ever effort to make a systematic quantification, in an attempt to provide a road-map to all stakeholders for designing appropriate epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Materials and Methods: International (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge) and local (PakMedinet) scientific databases as well as Google search engine were searched using specified keywords to extract relevant publication. Well-defined inclusion criteria were implemented to select publications for final analyses. All data were recorded by at least 3 authors and consensus data were entered into and analyzed for descriptive statistics (such as frequencies, percentages and annual growth rates) using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. Results: A total of 79 publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria including 20 publications for which full texts were not available. Of the 79 publications, 59 (74.6%) were original/research publications, 5 (6.3%) were case reports, 4 (5.1%) were research communications, 2 (2.5%) were review articles, 1 was (1.2%) correspondence and 8 (10.1%) were undefined categories. Only 13 (<20%) cities of Pakistan contributed towards the 79 publications. On average, only 1.9 relevant publications/year were published from 1976 (year of first publication) to the present. Alarmingly, a decline in the annual growth at -4.1% was recorded in the last six years. Conclusions: Esophageal cancer research is largely unfathomed in Pakistan. Urgent/dramatic steps are required by all concerned to address this common (and under reported) cancer of Pakistan.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.414-426
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to conceptualize reading capital in the career context and to provide basic data for further study by exploring the components of reading capital. For this purpose, previous studies and literature were reviewed. In addition, we conducted big data analysis regarding 209 papers concerning various activities related to reading, and explored the components of reading capital. Through this study, reading capital can express personal, intangible ability such as literacy, experience, and attitude embodied through reading, and enable understanding persons, looking at the world positively, and creating personal, social and economic values. The components of reading capital are reading competency and humanistic knowledge; the former was conceptualized to be reading literacy, reading activity, reading attitude, reading ability, and the latter was conceptualized to be emotional intelligence, relationship, self-identity, creativity, adaptability, self-directedness and values. The definitions and components researched of the reading capital derived through this study are thought to be highly useful as basic data for the expansion of research between related studies.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.69-78
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• 2013

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the Gongjin-dan (Gongchen-dan, here in after GJD) in order to obtain the evidence for clinical application. Methods The GJD-related articles published from 1990 to 2013 were searched using "Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal", "Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS)", "Korean Association of Medical Journal Edition (Koreamed)", "Research Information Services (RISS4U)", "Korean Medicine Database (KMbase)", "National Discovery for Science Leader (NDSL)", "PubMed", "China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)". The search keywords were "Gongjin-dan", "Gongchen-dan". Thirty-nine articles were obtained. After excluding the eighteen article which did not meet inclusion criteria, finally twenty-one articles were included; five clinical articles and sixteen experimental articles. Results In clinical studies, GJD has the various effectiveness in cardiovascular diseases, alcoholic hepatitis, mild dementia, anemia. Also experimental studies related to the GJD show a variety of effects, such as anti-oxidative activity, neuroprotective activity, hepatoprotective activity, anti-inflammatory activity, immunological activity, reproductive recovery activity with fewer side-effects. Conclusions It has been suggested that there are various effects of GJD in treating a wide-range disease. However, in order to put GJD to use for many kinds of diseases in more reasonable ways, it is needed to publish well-design clinical trial based on the variety of results of experimental studies.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.259-268
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• 2020

Eighteen catholic churches, built in the Chungbuk area(Cheongju diocese) under the jurisdiction of the American Maryknoll missioners in 1953-1969, are not constrained by specific architectural styles, unlike those built by other foreign Catholic missionary organizations. The same is true of Naedeok-dong cathedral in Cheongju, which is the highest hierarchy and representative church of the diocese. Nevertheless, it has unique architectural features that distinguish it from other churches in the diocese. This study examined what those features were, how they were embodied, and their origins. This study also shows that the features are common in the missioners' churches in Pyeogyang diocese in 1923-1942 and that Father James V. Pardy and the architect Tae-Bong Park, played a bridging role in having the same features between the Pyeogyang and Cheongju diocese. In conclusion, this study summarizes the significance of Naedeok-dong cathedral in relation to the missioners' ideology, in the history of the churches in 1923-1969 and Korean modern Catholic church architecture. To this end, a literature search that utilized mainly primary sources, such as newly discovered architectural drawings, photographs, and text related to the cathedral, was performed.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.91-102
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• 2015

Purpose - This study aims to build a systematic frame for effective marketing performances by prioritizing product type and pertinent channel that are appropriate for digital channel characteristics. FCB grid model was used to define a product type, and Internet communication satisfaction index was considered as a marketing performance measuring tool for digital channel. Research design, data, and methodology - As systematic understanding for Digital marketing is still unfamiliar to even professional marketer, the hypothesis was established based on preliminary research by conducting a qualitative survey of marketing experts who already experienced digital marketing in the fields as well as existing related study literature. Through a preliminary research, the degree for understanding for digital marketing, current digital marketing (including product/channel mix) execution status, and difficulties for marketers who had experienced digital marketing were figured out. Based on preliminary research, the main part of survey was designed to examine which type of product would be effective for digital marketing and which digital channel would be effective to achieve marketing performance in line with marketing objectives. To collect data, the questionnaire survey was conducted for professional marketers who had experienced digital marketing in 10 different fields including FMCG, cosmetics, distribution industry for one month (July, 10, 2014~Aug, 10, 2014). A total of 90 questionnaire were distributed and 66 questionnaires were used for the analysis, excluding the unanswered and insincere questionnaires. The data were analysed using SPSS ver.18.0. Results - The analysis for product type which is pertinent to digital marketing and prioritization for digital channel per digital marketing performance type could be summarized as followings. First, high involvement buying decision type of product and rational purchasing decision type of product in FCB grid are more effective for digital marketing in terms of marketing performance. Therefore, marketers in field would prioritize considering product type before executing digital marketing. Second, factor for sales increase, potential consumer creation and brand awareness was represented respectively 31.25%, 21.9%, and 20.8% as a result of factor analysis in terms of digital marketing channel performance. Third, effective major digital channel per digital marketing performance factor was differently identified as each digital channel has its own peculiarity. For instance, search engine is more effective for increasing sales while social media such as facebook and Kakaotalk is more effective for encouraging consumer participation. Conclusions - As a result of this study, product type and peculiarity which were pertinently fit to digital marketing were identified by using FCB grid model, and also suggested framework for decision making of digital channel selection in line with marketing objectives for effective marketing performance. It also provided insight to professional marketer which type of product could be effective for digital marketing execution as well as which factors should be measured for digital marketing performance.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.81-88
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• 2013

Purpose - This paper analyzes the influence of the RMB internationalization on the KRW/dollar exchange rate using an autoregressive distributed lag model. Comparing the parameter estimators from the sample period before and after the global financial crisis, we found that the RMB/dollar exchange rate has increasingly become more influential on the KRW/dollar exchange rate. Moreover, for the past several years, the Chinese government has actively utilized the financial service FTA negotiation as a measure for the RMB internationalization. This paper simultaneously considers RMB internationalization and financial service negotiations in the Korean-Chinese FTA. The purpose of this paper is to explicitly suggest a direction for the financial service negotiations in the Korean-Chinese FTA considering the effects of RMB internationalization. Research design, data, and methodology - The research plan of this paper has two parts. First, for an empirical study, this paper uses the daily exchange rate of the U.S. dollar against the currencies of the ASEAN5, Taiwan,and Korea. By using an autoregressive distributed lag model, this paper studies the influence of the change in the RMB/dollar exchange rate on changes in the local currency/dollar exchange rate in seven economies neighboring China. Our sample periods are 06/2005 - 07/2008 and 06/2010 -02/2013. During these periods, China was under the multi-currency basket system. We exempted the period of 08/2008 - 05/2010 from the analysis because there was nearly no RMB/dollar exchange rate fluctuation during those months. Second, after analyzing the recent financial service liberalizations and deregulations in China, we recommend a direction for the financial service negotiations in the Korean-Chinese FTA. In the past several years,the main Chinese financial policy agenda has surrounded the RMB internationalization. Therefore, it is crucial to understand this in the search for strategies for the financial service negotiations in the Korean-Chinese FTA. This paper employs an existing literature survey and examines the FTA protocols in its research methodology. Results and Conclusions - After the global financial crisis, the Chinese government wanted to break away from the dollar influence and pursued independent RMB internationalization in order to continue the growth and stability of its economy. Hence, every neighboring economy of China has been strategically impacted by RMB internationalization. Nevertheless, there is little empirical study on the influence of RMB internationalization on the KRW/dollar exchange rate. This paper is one of the few studies to analyze this problem comprehensively. By using a relatively simple estimation model, we can confirm that the coefficient of the RMB/dollar exchange rate has become more significant, except in the case of Indonesia. Although Korea is not under the multi-currency basket system but under the weakly controlled floating exchange rate system, its coefficient appears as large as that of the ASEAN5. This is the basis of the currency cooperation that has grown from the expansion of trade between the two countries. These empirical results suggest that the Korean government should specifically consider the RMB internationalization in the Korean-Chinese FTA negotiations.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 1999

This quasi-experimental study was intended to test the effect of self-help group program, which is one of the way to enhance adaptation and quality of life to mastectomy patients. Data was collected from July 14, 1998 to Oct. 31, 1998 at two Medical Center in Seoul. The subjects for this study were the patients who had undergone mastectomy and were follow-up ; 14 in experimental group and 14 in control group matched with age and treatment. The instruments for this study were adaptation in Lee(1994)'s physical symptom questionnaire, Zung's Self-rating Depression Scale(SDS, 1965), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS, 1970), quality of life in Spranger(1996)'s and No(1988)'s Quality of Life Questionnaire. The self-help group program for mastectomy patients was developed based on literature review and pilot study by the investigator. The subjects of experimental group were participated in 6 weeks self-help group program and were received arm and shoulder exercise, informational support, and interpersonal support by group members. The control group were received no intervention, Both group answered questionnaires prior to intervention and 6 weeks later. The data analyzed by frequency, $X^2$-test, Mann-Whitney U test. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, Pearson's Correlation Coefficient and Stepwise Multiple Regression using SPSS WIN. The results are as follows ; Hypothesis 1. "The experimental group with the self-help group program will have a higher score on adaptation state than control group." was not supported. But the post test score of anxiety and depression in experimental group were declined and the depression score was reduced relatively. Hypothesis 2. "The experimental group with the self-help group program will have a higher score on quality of life than control group." was not supported. But the posttest score of quality of life in experimental group was reduced relatively. Hypothesis 3. "The higher adaptation state of mastectomy patients, the higher quality, of life." was supported(r=,80, p<.001). Additionally, the lower physical symptom, depression and anxiety, the higher quality of life And depression, which was the main predictor of quality of life, accounted for 59.5%, depression and anxiety accounted for 65.5% of the variance in quality of life. In conclusion, when the self-help group program was intervened to mastectomy patients, it was tended to increase quality of life and to reduce depression and anxiety. So self-help group program can be considered useful nursing inter vention effect on adaptation and quality of life of mastectomy patients. With discussion, I suggest repeated further re search on self-help group with appropriate sample size and longitudinal study. Also during adjuvant therapy, it is needed to develop convenient method to be supported from peer group and family, such as computer mediated support group.