• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.147-155
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• 2012

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprise about 2.5% of the Australian population. Cancer registry data indicate that their breast cancer survivals are lower than for other women but the completeness and accuracy of Indigenous descriptors on registries are uncertain. We followed women receiving mammography screening in BreastScreen to determine differences in screening experiences and survivals from breast cancer by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, as recorded by BreastScreen. This status is self-reported and used in BreastScreen accreditation, and is considered to be more accurate. The study included breast cancers diagnosed during the period of screening and after leaving the screening program. Design: Least square regression models were used to compare screening experiences and outcomes adjusted for age, geographic remoteness, socio-economic disadvantage, screening period and round during 1996-2005. Survival of breast cancer patients from all causes and from breast cancer specifically was compared for the 1991-2006 diagnostic period using linked cancer-registry data. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to adjust for socio-demographic differences, screening period, and where available, tumour size, nodal status and proximity of diagnosis to time of screen. Results: After adjustment for socio-demographic differences and screening period, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women participated less frequently than other women in screening and re-screening although this difference appeared to be diminishing; were less likely to attend post-screening assessment within the recommended 28 days if recalled for assessment; had an elevated ductal carcinoma in situ but not invasive cancer detection rate; had larger breast cancers; and were more likely than other women to be treated by mastectomy than complete local excision. Linked cancer registry data indicated that five-year year survivals of breast cancer cases from all causes of death were 81% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, compared with 90% for other women, and that the former had larger breast cancers that were more likely to have nodal spread at diagnosis. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, tumour size, nodal spread and time from last screen to diagnosis, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women had approximately twice the risk of death from breast cancer as other women. Conclusions: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have less favourable screening experiences and those diagnosed with breast cancer (either during the screening period or after leaving the screening program) have lower survivals that persist after adjustment for socio-demographic differences, tumour size and nodal status.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.369-379
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• 2015

Objectives: The lack of reliable information on environmental pollution and health impacts related to asbestos contamination from abandoned mines has drawn attention to the need for a community health study. This study was performed to evaluate asbestos-related health symptoms among residents near abandoned asbestos mines located in the Chungcheong Provinces. In addition, exposure assessment for asbestos is needed although the exposure to asbestos was in the past. Methods: Past exposure to asbestos among inhabitants near abandoned asbestos mines was estimated by using surface sampling of deposited dust in indoor and outdoor residences. A total of 54 participants were divided into two groups with (34 cases) and without (20 controls) diseases related to asbestos. Surface sampling of deposited dust was carried out in indoor and outdoor residences by collecting 105 samples. Deposited dust for sampling was analyzed by polarization microscope (PLM) and scanning electron microscope?energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) to detect asbestos. Subsequently, the elements of the deposited dust with asbestos were analyzed by SEM-EDX to assess the contribution of sources such as abandoned mines, slate and soil. Results: Among the 105 samples, asbestos was detected by PLM in 29 (27.6%) sampling points, and detected by SEM in 56 (48.6%) sampling points. Asbestos in indoor residences was detected by PLM in four sampling points, and by SEM in 12 sampling points. Asbestos detection in indoor residences may be due to ventilation between indoors and outdoors, and indicates long-term exposure. The asbestos detection rate for outdoor residences in the case group was higher than that in the control group. This can be explained as the case group having had higher exposure to asbestos, and there has been continuous exposure to asbestos in the control group as well as the case group. Conclusion: Past residential asbestos exposure may be associated with asbestosis among local residents near abandoned asbestos mines. Odds ratios were calculated for asbestos detection in outdoor residence by logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio between asbestos detection and asbestosis pulmonum was 3.36 (95% CI 0.90-12.53) (p=0.072), adjusting for age, sex, smoking status and work history with multi-variable logistic regression by PLM analysis method.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.369-376
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• 2020

This study was to investigate the predictors of suicidal thoughts in the subjects who received the support for depression drug costs at a local public health center. The subjects were 156 depressed patients aged 18 and over. Data analysis was conducted by descriptive statistics, χ²-test, t-test and logistic regression analysis. The results of the analysis showed that the suicidal thoughts rate of the subjects was 25%, and the subjects showed significant differences in suicidal thoughts as the duration of antidepressant use was longer (t=-2.19, p<.05), the perceived physical health(t=3.03, p<.01) and the perceived mental health (t=5.21, p<.001) were lower, and the depression(x²=41.11, p<.001) were higher. The predictors of suicidal thoughts were perceived mental health(OR=0.97, p<.05) and depression(OR=8.44, p<.001). The regression equation of this study explained 42.4% of the suicidal thoughts of the subjects. Continued assessment and convergent mental health promotion programs are required for depression patients living in the community.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.27-35
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• 2018

In the mandatory application of the CPTED, only negative parts of urban parks and vegetation were reflected. Therefore, this study tries to present the positive effects of urban parks and vegetation. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effects of urban parks and vegetation on crime occurrence and to suggest the planning implications of this to CPTED based on theory related to crime, environmental psychology, and crime occurrence analysis. This study used the crime occurrence data of Seoul, NDVI, population, distance from urban park, floating population, and the like. This study collected data from the Statistics Korea, the local government, and Landsat 8 satellite images provided by the USGS and created data of environmental variables and social variables by district using ArcGIS and statistical program. Literature analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and geographically weighted regression were used to determine the relationship between crime occurrence and environmental variables, and to discuss its implication. It was found that crime occurrence has a relationship with the total population (${\beta}=.663$), the number of amusement facilities (${\beta}=.447$) and the area of a police station jurisdiction (${\beta}=.395$). This confirms that a crime rate is low when the floating population is large (${\beta}=-.241$) and vegetation vitality is high (NDVI, ${\beta}=-.281$). Vegetation vitality (NDVI) is effective in lowering violence through psychological stabilization, strengthening territoriality and improving regional image. The implications for the allocation of urban park and vegetation, program and management plan of urban park and vegetation to reduce crime occurrence have therefore been presented.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.465-475
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• 2016

Since inaccurate demand estimation for recent urban rail construction may result in financial burden to cities, precise prediction for operating cost as well as construction costs is necessary to avoid or reduce budget loss of the local or central government. The operating cost is directly related to the public fare and affect a policy to determine the rate system. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop an estimating model for reliable operating cost of urban railway. This study introduces a new model to estimate the operating cost with new variables. It provides a better prediction in accuracy and reliability compared to the existing model, considering the feature of urban railway. For verification of our model, railway operation data from a few cities for the last five years were comprehensively examined to determine variables that affect the operating cost. The operating cost was estimated in a dummy regression model using five independent variables, which were average distance between stations, daily trains distance, total passenger capacity of a train in a train, driving mode(manned/unmanned), and investment type(financial/private).

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 1994

Purpose : This study was undertaken to show the clinical results of combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia in primary hepatoma Materials and Methods : Between December 1989 and March 1993, 50 patients with hepatomas were treated by combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia. Among them, we analyzed retrospectively 33 patients who received the complete course of treatment. The ages of the patients ranged from 36 to 75(mean age: 55.5 years). Twenty-six patients ($78.8\%$) were men, and 7 ($21.2\%$ were women. According to Child's classification, nine patients ($27.3{\%}$) were A group, 9 ($27.3\%$) were B group, 15 ($45.4\%$) were C group. Radiation therapy was done by a 6 MV and 15 MV linear accelerator. Patients were treated with daily fractions of 150-180 cCy to doses of 2550 cGy -4950 cGy (median : 3000 cGy). Local hyperthermia was done by 8 MHZ RF capacitive heating device (Cancermia. Green Cross Co., Korea), 50-60 min/session, 1-2 sessions/wk, and 8.5 sessions (median number)/patient. We analyzed the prognostic factors including age, sex, tumor type, Child's classification, $\alpha$-fetoprotein, liver cirrhosis, ascites, portal vein invasion, esophageal varix, number of hyperthermia, chemotherapy, total bilirubin level, Karnofsky perfomance status. Results : The overall 1-year survival was $24.2\%$, with a mean survival of 10months. Of 33 patients, tumor regression (PR+MR) was seen in $30.4\%$, no response was seen in $52.2\%,\;17.4\%$ patient was progressed. In patients who had tumor regression, the overall 1-year survival was $42.1\%$ with a mean survival of 14 months. Factors influencing the survival were sex (p=0.05), tumor type (p=0.0248), Child's classification (p=0.0001), liver cirrhosis (p=0.0108), ascites (p=0.0009), and Karnofsky perfomance status (p=0.0028). Complications developed in 28 patients, including 18 hot pain,5 fat necrosis, 3 transient fever, 2 nausea and vomiting. Conclusion : In this study, the results suggests that combined radiotherauy and hyperthermia may improve the survival rate of hepatoma.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 2014

The common-rail injectors are the most critical component of the CRDI diesel engines that dominantly affect engine performances through high pressure injection with exact control. Thus, from now on the advanced combustion technologies for common-rail diesel injection engine require high performance fuel injectors. Accordingly, the previous studies on the numerical and experimental analysis of the diesel injector have focused on a optimum geometry to induce proper injection rate. In this study, computational predictions of performance of the diesel injector have been performed to evaluate internal flow characteristics for various needle lift and the spray pattern at the nozzle exit. To our knowledge, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the internal flow passage of an entire injector duct including injection and return routes has never been studied. In this study, major design parameters concerning internal routes in the injector are optimized by using a CFD analysis and Response Surface Method (RSM). The computational prediction of the internal flow characteristics of the common-rail diesel injector was carried out by using STAR-CCM+7.06 code. In this work, computations were carried out under the assumption that the internal flow passage is a steady-state condition at the maximum needle lift. The design parameters are optimized by using the L16 orthogonal array and polynomial regression, local-approximation characteristics of RSM. Meanwhile, the optimum values are confirmed to be valid in 95% confidence and 5% significance level through analysis of variance (ANOVA). In addition, optimal design and prototype design were confirmed by calculating the injection quantities, resulting in the improvement of the injection performance by more than 54%.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1974-1984
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy between no-touch (NT) radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and conventional RFA using twin internally cooled wet (TICW) electrodes in the bipolar mode for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Materials and Methods: In this single-center, two-arm, parallel-group, prospective randomized controlled study, we performed a 1:1 random allocation of eligible patients with HCCs to receive NT-RFA or conventional RFA between October 2016 and September 2018. The primary endpoint was the cumulative local tumor progression (LTP) rate after RFA. Secondary endpoints included technical conversion rates of NT-RFA, intrahepatic distance recurrence, extrahepatic metastasis, technical parameters, technical efficacy, and rates of complications. Cumulative LTP rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Considering conversion cases from NT-RFA to conventional RFA, intention-to-treat and as-treated analyses were performed. Results: Enrolled patients were randomly assigned to the NT-RFA group (37 patients with 38 HCCs) or the conventional RFA group (36 patients with 38 HCCs). Among the NT-RFA group patients, conversion to conventional RFA occurred in four patients (10.8%, 4/37). According to intention-to-treat analysis, both 1- and 3-year cumulative LTP rates were 5.6%, in the NT-RFA group, and they were 11.8% and 21.3%, respectively, in the conventional RFA group (p = 0.073, log-rank). In the as-treated analysis, LTP rates at 1 year and 3 years were 0% and 0%, respectively, in the NT-RFA group sand 15.6% and 24.5%, respectively, in the conventional RFA group (p = 0.004, log-rank). In as-treated analysis using multivariable Cox regression analysis, RFA type was the only significant predictive factor for LTP (hazard ratio = 0.061 with conventional RFA as the reference, 95% confidence interval = 0.000-0.497; p = 0.004). There were no significant differences in the procedure characteristics between the two groups. No procedure-related deaths or major complications were observed. Conclusion: NT-RFA using TICW electrodes in bipolar mode demonstrated significantly lower cumulative LTP rates than conventional RFA for small HCCs, which warrants a larger study for further confirmation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2465-2472
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• 2014

Background: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) published a new staging system ($7^{th}$ edition) in 2009. In our study, we evaluated the survival results and prognostic factors among T4 local advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) patients in a large heterogeneous group, in accordance with this new system. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the files of 122 T4 N0-3 M0 LA-NSCLC patients, identified according to the new staging system, treated at two centers between November 2003 and June 2012. Variables correlating with univariate survival at p<0.20 were later included in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Here, selection of relevant predictors of survival was carried out in accordance with the likelihood ratio formula with p<0.05 regarded as significant. Results: The median age was 60 and the median follow-up period was 17.4 months. Median overall survival (OS) was 18.3 months, the 1 year overall survival (OS) rate was 72%, and the 5 year OS rate was 28%. Statistically significant predictors of survival were (p<0.20) ECOG-PS (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status), age, T4 factor subgroup, stage and primary treatment in OS univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis for OS ECOG-PS (p=0.001), diagnostic stage (p=0.021), and primary treatment (p=0.004) were significant. In the group receiving non-curative treatment, the median OS was 11.0 months, while it was 19.0 months in the definitive RT group and 26.6 months in the curative treatment group. There was a significant difference between the non-curative group and the groups which had definitive RT and curative operations (respectively p<0.001 and p=0.001) in terms of OS, but not between the groups which had definitive RT and curative operations. The median event free survival (EFS) rate was 9.9 months, with rates of 46% and 19% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. On univariate analysis of EFS rate with ECOG-PS, weight loss and staging, statistical significance was found only for thorax computerized tomography (CT)+18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography-CT (PET-CT) use, stage and primary treatment (p<0.20). In multivariate analysis with EFS, only the primary treatment was statistically significant (p=0.001). In the group receiving non-curative treatment, the median EFS was 10.5 months while in the curative operation group it was 14.7 months. When all the primary treatment groups were taken into consideration, grade III/IV side effect swas observed in 57 patients (46.6%). Esophagitis was most prominent among those that received definitive radiotherapy. Conclusions: Independent prognostic factors among these 122 heterogeneous LA-NSCLC T4 N0-3 M0 patients were age at diagnosis, ECOG-PS, stage and primary treatment, the last also being a significant prognostic indicator of EFS. Our findings point to the importance of appropriate staging and a multidisciplinary approach with modern imaging methods in this patient group. In those with T4 lesions, treatment selection and the effective use of curative potential should be the most important goal of clinical care.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3 s.71
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• pp.126-137
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• 2007

Objectives : Standardization of pattern identification for stroke and development of a diagnostic tool for Korean medicine. Methods : We organized a committee for stroke diagnosis standardization of Korean traditional medicine and submitted the Korean standard differentiation of the symptoms and signs for stroke (KSDSS). We collected cases through a multi-center network consisting of twelve university hospitals and one local hospital. We analyzed the data with discriminant function and logistic regression. Results : 321 cases were confirmed by diagnosis of medical specialists and residents. They were divided into qi deficiency 30.84%, dampness & phlegm 25.55%, fire & heat 22.43%, eum deficiency 18.69% and blood stasis 2.49%. The accordance rate between discriminant function and doctor's diagnosis was calculated. Conclusions : To make a stroke diagnostic program, we must raise the accordance rate between doctor's diagnosis and the program.