• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1149-1154
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• 2014

Background: In Malaysia, data from the Malaysian Health Ministry showed colorectal cancer (CRC) to be the second most common type of cancer in 2007-2009, after breast cancer. The same was apparent after looking at males and females cases separately. In the present study, the Geographic Information System (GIS) was employed to describe the distribution of CRC cases in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia, according to socio-demographic factors (age, gender, ethnicity and district). Materials and Methods: This retrospective review concerned data for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the years 1995 to 2011 collected from the Wilayah Persekutuan Health Office, taken from the cancer notification form (NCR-2), and patient medical records from the Surgical Department, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). A total of 146 cases were analyzed. All the data collected were analysed using ArcGIS version 10.0 and SPSS version 19.0. Results: Patients aged 60 to 69 years accounted for the highest proportion of cases (34.2%) and males slightly predominated 76 (52.1%), Chinese had the highest number of registered cases at 108 (74.0%) and staging revealed most cases in the 3rd and 4th stages. Kernel density analysis showed more cases are concentrated up in the northern area of Petaling and Kuala Lumpur subdistricts. Spatial global pattern analysis by average nearest neighbour resulted in nearest neighbour ratio of 0.75, with Z-score of -5.59, p value of <0.01 and the z-score of -5.59. Spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I) showed clustering significant with p<0.01, Z score 3.14 and Moran's Index of 0.007. When mapping clusters with hotspot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi), hot and cold spots were identified. Hot spot areas fell on the northeast side of KL. Conclusions: This study demonstrated significant spatial patterns of cancer incidence in KL. Knowledge about these spatial patterns can provide useful information to policymakers in the planning of screening of CRC in the targeted population and improvement of healthcare facilities to provide better treatment for CRC patients.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2010

In recent studies, $PM_{2.5}$ has been reported to be more harmful to human health than $PM_{10}$ because it penetrates more deeply into the lung. We estimated $PM_{2.5}$ related health benefits in Seoul from implementing the World Health Organization (WHO)'s guidelines (annual average $10{\mu}g/m^3$, 24-hour average $25{\mu}g/m^3$) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s National Ambient Air Quality Standard (annual average $15{\mu}g/m^3$, 24-hour average $35{\mu}g/m^3$). U.S. EPA's Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program was utilized for the analysis. It was predicted that the attainment of the WHO annual guideline and U.S. EPA's annual standard, relative to the concentration in 2006, would result in reduction of 2,333~2,895 premature deaths and 1,703~2,121 premature deaths, respectively. If the WHO and EPA's daily standard for $PM_{2.5}$ are attained, 1,211~1,394 and 1,012~1,165 premature deaths could be avoided, respectively. Sensitivity analyses indicated that the estimates were robust regardless of air quality simulation methods for attaining the $PM_{2.5}$ goals. This study provides a quantitative approach to evaluate health risks from air pollution as well as to assess the potential health benefits of improving atmospheric $PM_{2.5}$ concentration. Even considering the intrinsic limitations and uncertainties of the analysis, it is an important information to rationalize the enforcement of $PM_{2.5}$ management policies and measures in Seoul, Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 1999

This study was carried out to find out the way to build a comprehensive wetland ecosystem database using the technique of remote sensing and geographic information system. A Landsat TM image taken in May 17, 1997 was used for the primary source for the image analysis. Field surveys were conducted March to September of 1998 to help image analysis and examine the results. An actual wetland vegetation map was created based on the field survey. A Landsat TM image was analyzed by unsupervised and supervised classification methods and finally categorized into such 5 classes as Phragmites australis community, mixed community, sand beach, Scirpus trigueter community and non-vegetation intertidal area. Wetland basemap was developed for the overall accuracy assesment in wetland mapping. Vegetation index map of wetland vegetation was developed using NDVI(normalized difference vegetation index). The map of wetland productivity was developed based on the productivity of Phragmites australis and the relationship to the proximity of adjacent water bodies. The map of potential vegetation succession map was also developed based on the experience and knowledge of the field biologists. Considering these results, it is possible to use the remote sensing and GIS techniques for producing wetland ecosystem database. This study indicated that these techniques are very effective for the development of the national wetland inventory in Korea.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1433-1436
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• 2016

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a major problem of health in Thailand, particularly in Northeastern and Northern regions, is generally incurable and rapidly lethal because of presentation in stage 3 or 4. Early diagnosis of stage 1 and 2 could allow better survival. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a distribution map of populations at risk for CCA in BuaYai district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, Northeast Thailand. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 10 sub-districts and 122 villages, during June and November 2015. The populations at risk for CCA were screened using the Korat CCA verbal screening test (KCVST) and then risk areas were displayed by using Google map (GM). Results: A total of 11,435 individuals from a 26,198 population completed the KCVST. The majority had a low score of risk for CCA (1-4 points; 93.3%). High scores with 6, 7 and 8 points accounted for 1.20%, 0.13% and 0.02%. The population at risk was found frequently in sub-district municipalities, followed by sub-district administrative organization and town municipalities, (F=396.220, P-value=0.000). Distribution mapping comprised 11 layers: 1, district; 2, local administrative organization; 3, hospital; 4, KCVST opisthorchiasis; 5, KCVST praziquantel used; 6, KCVST cholelithiasis; 7, KCVST raw fish consumption; 8, KCVST alcohol consumption; 9, KCVST pesticide used; 10, KCVST relative family with CCA; and 11, KCVST naive northeastern people. Geovisual display is now available online. Conclusions: This study indicated that the population at high risk of CCA in Bua Yai district is low, therefore setting a zero model project is possible. Key success factors for disease prevention and control need further study. GM production is suitable for further CCA surveillance and monitoring of the population with a high risk score in this area.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.10-15
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• 2012

In a color image, people and especially facial patterns are important and interesting visual objects. Thus, effective skin color reproduction is essential, as skin color is a key memory color in color application systems. Previous studies suggested skin color reproduction by mapping only to the center value of preferred skin region. However, it is not suitable to determine one preference color because preference color from the observer's preference test is not dominant. In this paper, skin color reproduction using multiple preferred skin colors for each race is proposed. The proposed method first defines multiple preferred skin colors for each race according to their luminance level. After that, skin region is detected in an image. The race is then selected by calculating distance between average chromaticity of detected region and that of each racial skin from a database to assign preferred skin color for each race. Next, each corresponding preferred skin color is determined for each selected race. Finally, input skin color is proportionally mapped toward preferred skin color according to the difference between the input skin color and the preferred skin color for a smoothly reproduced skin color. In the experimental results, the proposed method gives better color correction on the objective and subjective evaluation than the previous methods.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2007

To evaluate the accuracy and extent in the localization of cerebral motor coutex activation using a gradient- echo echo planar imaging(GE-EPI) compared to spin-echo echo planar iimaging(SE-EPI) on 3T MR imaging. Functional MR imaging of cerebral motor cortex activation was examined in GE-EPI and SE-EPI in five healthy male volunteers. A right finger movement was accomplished with a paradigm of 6 task and rest, periods and the cross-correlation was used for a statistical mapping algorithm. We evaluated any sorts of differenced of the time seried and the signal intensity changes between the rest and task periods obtained with two technoques. The qualitative analysis was distributed with activation sites of large veins and small veins by using two techniques and was found that both the techniques were clinically uesful for delineating large veins and small veins in fMRL Signal intensity charge of the rest and activation periods provided simmilar activations in both methods(GE-EPI : 0.93$\pm$0.11, SE-EPI : 0.80$\pm$.015) but the signal intensity in GE-EPI(133.95$\pm$15.76) was larger than in SE-EPI(74.5$\pm$18.90). The average SNRs of EPI raw data were higher at SMA in SE-EPI(48.54$\pm$12.37) than GE-EPI(41.4$\pm$12.54) and at M1 in SE-EPI(43.24$\pm$11.77) than GE-EPI(38.27$\pm$6.53). The localization of activation voxels of the GE-EPI showed a larger vein but the SE-EPI generally showed small vein. Then the analysis results of the two techniques were used for a statistacal paired student t-test. SE-EPI was found clinically useful for localizing the cerebral moter cortex cativation on 3.0T, but showed a little different activation patterns comparad to GE-EPI. In conclusion, SE-EPI may be feasible and can detect true cortical activation from capillaries and GE-EPI can obtain the large veins in the motor cortex activation on 3T MR imaging.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.134-153
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• 2008

The main purpose of the research is to illustrate the value of the spatial statistical approach to residential differentiation by providing a framework for exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) using a local spatial separation measure. ESDA aims, by utilizing a variety of statistical and cartographic visualization techniques, at seeking to detect patterns, to formulate hypotheses, and to assess statistical models for spatial data. The research is driven by a realization that ESDA based on local statistics has a great potential for substantive research. The main results are as follows. First, a local spatial separation measure is correspondingly derived from its global counterpart. Second, a set of significance testing methods based on both total and conditional randomization assumptions is provided for the local measure. Third, two mapping techniques, a 'spatial separation scatterplot map' and a 'spatial separation anomaly map', are devised for ESDA utilizing the local measure and the related significance tests. Fourth, a case study of residential differentiation between the highly educated and the least educated in major Korean metropolitan cities shows that the proposed ESDA techniques are beneficial in identifying bivariate spatial clusters and spatial outliers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6397-6403
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• 2014

Background: Aberrant promoter hypermethylation has been recognized in human breast carcinogenesis as a frequent molecular alteration associated with the loss of expression of a number of key regulatory genes and may serve as a biomarker. The E-cadherin gene (CDH1), mapping at chromosome 16q22, is an intercellular adhesion molecule in epithelial cells, which plays an important role in establishing and maintaining intercellular connections. The aim of our study was to assess the methylation pattern of CDH1 and to correlate it with the expression of E-cadherin, clinicopathological parameters and hormone receptor status in breast cancer patients of Kashmir. Materials and Methods: Methylation specific PCR (MSP) was used to determine the methylation status of CDH1 in 128 invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs) paired with the corresponding normal tissue samples. Immunohistochemistry was used to study the expression of E-cadherin, ER and PR. Results: CDH1 hypermethylation was detected in 57.8% of cases and 14.8% of normal adjacent controls. Reduced levels of E-cadherin protein were observed in 71.9% of our samples. Loss of E-cadherin expression was significantly associated with the CDH1 promoter region methylation (p<0.05, OR=3.48, CI: 1.55-7.79). Hypermethylation of CDH1 was significantly associated with age at diagnosis (p=0.030), tumor size (p=0.008), tumor grade (p=0.024) and rate of node positivity or metastasis (p=0.043). Conclusions: Our preliminary findings suggest that abnormal CDH1 methylation occurs in high frequencies in infiltrating breast cancers associated with a decrease in E-cadherin expression. We found significant differences in tumor-related CDH1 gene methylation patterns relevant to tumor grade, tumor size, nodal involvement and age at diagnosis of breast tumors, which could be extended in future to provide diagnostic and prognostic information.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1565-1574
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of the present study was to identify genetic variants based on RNA-seq data, obtained via transcriptome sequencing of muscle tissue of pigs differing in muscle histological structure, and to verify the variants' effect on histological microstructure and production traits in a larger pig population. Methods: RNA-seq data was used to identify the panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly related with percentage and diameter of each fiber type (I, IIA, IIB). Detected polymorphisms were mapped to quantitative trait loci (QTLs) regions. Next, the association study was performed on 944 animals representing five breeds (Landrace, Large White, Pietrain, Duroc, and native Puławska breed) in order to evaluate the relationship of selected SNPs and histological characteristics, meat quality and carcasses traits. Results: Mapping of detected genetic variants to QTL regions showed that chromosome 14 was the most overrepresented with the identification of four QTLs related to percentage of fiber types I and IIA. The association study performed on a 293 longissimus muscle samples confirmed a significant positive effect of transforming acidic coiled-coil-containing protein 2 (TACC2) polymorphisms on fiber diameter, while SNP within forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) locus was associated with decrease of diameter of fiber types IIA and IIB. Moreover, subsequent general linear model analysis showed significant relationship of FOXO1, delta 4-desaturase, sphingolipid 1 (DEGS1), and troponin T2 (TNNT2) genes with loin 'eye' area, FOXO1 with loin weight, as well as FOXO1 and TACC2 with lean meat percentage. Furthermore, the intramuscular fat content was positively associated (p<0.01) with occurrence of polymorphisms within DEGS1, TNNT2 genes and negatively with occurrence of TACC2 polymorphism. Conclusion: This study's results indicate that the SNP calling analysis based on RNA-seq data can be used to search candidate genes and establish the genetic basis of phenotypic traits. The presented results can be used for future studies evaluating the use of selected SNPs as genetic markers related to muscle histological profile and production traits in pig breeding.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2005

Purpose: This study is to evaluate the clinical findings of media] meniscus root tear, pull-out repair technique and it's short term results. Materials and Methods: From September 2003 to August 2004, 23 cases of total 27 medial meniscus root tears were treated by pull-out repair technique. Mean age was 60.2 years old. The pull-out technique was divided into 2 groups In group 1(14/23 cases), anterolateral portal was used and in group 2(9/23 cases), anterolateral and posteromedial portals were used for bed preparation. Concomitant cartilage lesions were documented as ICRS mapping system. The clinical outcomes were evaluated according to Lysholm Knee Score. Results: The postoperative Lysholm Knee Score was 77.1(range; $58{\sim}97$) in group 1 and 81.4(range; $72{\sim}94$) (p>0.05). The failure rate was 3 of 14 cases(21.4%) in group 1 and 1 of 9 cases(11.1%) in group 2. Twenty of 22 cases(90.9%) showed cartilage lesions in weight bearing portion of medial femoral condyle which were 8 grade III and 5 grade IV according to the Outerbridge classification. Conclusion: Pull-out repair seems to be a useful treatment of the medial meniscus root tear for preservation of circumferential hoop tension of meniscus.