• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.199-203
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• 2012

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic value of serum CYFRA21-1, CEA and hemoglobin levels regarding long-term survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: Age, gender, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), tumor location, tumor length, T stage, N stage and serum hemoglobin, and CYFRA21-1 and CEA levels before concurrent CRT were retrospectively investigated and related to outcome in 113 patients receiving 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin combined with radiotherapy for ESCC. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze prognosis, the log-rank to compare groups, the Cox proportional hazards model for multivariate analysis, and ROC curve analysis for assessment of predictive performance of biologic markers. Results: The median survival time was 20.1 months and the 1-, 2-, 3-, 5- year overall survival rates were 66.4%, 43.4%, 31.9% and 15.0%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that factors associated with prognosis were KPS, tumor length, T-stage, N-stage, hemoglobin, CYFRA21-1 and CEA level. Multivariate analysis showed T-stage, N-stage, hemoglobin, CYFRA21-1 and CEA level were independent predictors of prognosis. By ROC curve, CYFRA21-1 and hemoglobin showed better predictive performance for OS than CEA (AUC= 0.791, 0.704, 0.545; P=0.000, 0.000, 0.409). Conclusions: Of all clinicopathological and molecular factors, T stage, N stage, hemoglobin, CYFRA21-1 and CEA level were independent predictors of prognosis for patients with ESCC treated with concurrent CRT. Among biomarkers, CYFRA21-1 and hemoglobin may have a better predictive potential than CEA for long-term outcomes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4567-4570
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• 2012

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence and predictive value to detect significant neoplasia and invasive lesions, and to evaluate the correlation between clinical and histopathology of women with squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) on Siriraj liquid-based cervical cytology (Siriraj-LBC). Methods: The computerized database of women who underwent Siriraj-LBC at Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University from January 2007 to December 2010 were retrieved. The hospital records of women with SCCA cytology were reviewed. Results: The prevalence of SCCA cytology was 0.07%. A total of 86 women, mean age was 58.1 years. Sixty-one women (70.9%) were post-menopausal. Overall significant pathology and invasive gynecologic cancer were detected in 84 women (97.7%) and 71 women (82.5%), respectively. The positive predictive values for detection of significant neoplasia and invasive lesion were 97.7% and 82.6%, respectively. The cervical cancer was diagnosed in 69 women and among these 58 women were SCCA. Thirteen women (15.1%) had cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 and two women (2.3%) had cervicitis. The sensitivity and specificity of colposcopy for cervical cancer detection in SCCA cytology were 83.3% and 75%, respectively. Median follow up period was 17.6 months and 64 patients were alive without cytologic abnormality. Conclusions: The final histopathology of SCCA cytology in our populations demonstrated a wide variety, from cervicitis to invasive cancer and the most common diagnosis was invasive cervical cancer. Colposcopy with biopsy and/or endocervical curettage and loop electrosurgical excision procedure should be undertaken to achieve histologic diagnosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3805-3808
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• 2013

Background: Osteosarcomas have many established risk factors, both genetic and environmental, but by themselves these explain only part of the total cancer incidence. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental estrogen associated with risk of several kinds of tumour. The lysyl oxidase gene (LOX) may also contribute to risk of tumours including osteosarcomas. Here, we investigated possible interactions of BPA and a LOX polymorphism on the risk of osteosarcoma. Method: The present hospital-based case-control study included 106 cancer patients and 112 controls from a Chinese population. Internal burden of BPA exposure was assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method. Genotypes were determined using PCR-RFLP methods. Results: Compared with those in low BPA exposure group, subjects with BPA more than or equal to median value had significant increased risk of osteosarcoma among subjects who carried GC or CC genotypes. A significant interaction with BPA level and the -22G/C polymorphism was observed for osteosarcoma overall, osteosarcoma affecting knee and osteosarcoma affecting hip, as $P_{forinteraction}$ = 0.036 for osteosarcoma overall; $P_{forinteraction}$ = 0.024 for osteosarcoma affecting knee; and $P_{forinteraction}$ = 0.017 for osteosarcoma affecting hip. Conclusions: The results suggest that BPA exposure interacts with the -22G/C polymorphism of the LOX gene to increase the risk of osteosarcoma.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1383-1388
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• 2016

Although image signal processing is used in many fields, degradation takes place in the process of transmitting image data by several causes. CWMF, A-TMF, and AWMF are the typical methods to eliminate noises from image data damaged under salt and pepper noise environment. However, those filters are not effective for noise rejection under highly dense noise environment. In this respect, the present study proposed an algorithm to remove in salt and pepper noise. In case the center pixel is determined to be non-noise, it is replaced with original pixel. In case the center pixel is noise, it segments local mask into 4 directions and uses linear interpolation to estimate original pixel. And then it applies spatial weight to the estimated pixel. The proposed algorithm shows a high PSNR of 24.56[dB] for House images that had been damaged of salt and pepper noise(P = 50%), compared to the existing CWMF, A-TMF and AWMF there were improvements by 16.46[dB], 12.28[dB], and 12.32[dB], respectively.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.703-732
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• 2014

Meta-evaluation for national R&D programs should be established within the framework of whole R&D system linked with science and technology needs and objectives. The R&D program evaluation system can be understood as a circulation of input, implementation, output, and utilization. In the result of the Delphi survey, which consisted of twenty-four experts (performed in three rounds), twenty-four indices were developed. The meta-evaluation model included sub-items which were important points of view of it as follow (eight items): propriety of planning, sufficiency of information, and propriety of evaluators in evaluation input; appropriateness of method and appropriateness of procedure in evaluation implementation; credibility of output in evaluation output; and usefulness of report and application of evaluation utilization. As the application of the meta-evaluation model, the total mean was lower than 3.0 of the median value of 2.73 (5 point Likert scale). Finally, it was suggested that the feedback of evaluation results should be more enforced to R&D program improvement particularly (evaluation utilization 2.50).

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.48
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• pp.207-233
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• 2016

The purpose of current study is to investigate university students' attitudes toward prostitutes and factors affecting their attitudes. Based on previous research, age, grade, major, gender, religion, religious faith, watching pornography, prostitution experience, empathy level, anti-prostitution/anti-rape /human right education and gender equality level were constructed as independent variables. Using self-administered survey method, 502 students participated in survey. Research results indicated that average of respondents' attitudes toward prostitutes 4.19 was higher than median value(3). Results of multiple regression revealed that a male student, a social welfare and theology major student, a respondent with lower social-economic status, a respondent with higher level of empathy, and gender equality is more likely to demonstrate more supportive and positive attitude toward prostitute. Based on research results, developing programs aimed at enhancing empathy and gender equality, and implementing character education and prostitution/sexual violence prevention program were provided as policy implications.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.466-472
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• 2015

A rapid and simple analytical method, using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), was developed to detect myo-inositol (MI) in infant formulas. For protein removal: acid hydrolysis and lipid removal through organic solvent extraction. The operating conditions for instrumental analysis were determined based on previously reported analogous methods that used LC-MS/MS. Quantitative analysis was used for the detection limit test, infant formula recovery test, and standard reference material (SRM) 1849a to verify the validity of our LC-MS/MS analytical method, which was developed to quantify MI. For validation, the results of our method were compared with the results of quantitative analyses of certified values. The test results showed that the limit of detection was 0.05 mg/L, the limit of quantitation was 0.17 mg/L, and the method detection limit was 17 mg/kg. The recovery test exhibited a recovery between 98.07-98.43% and a relative standard deviation between 1.93-2.74%. Therefore, the result values were good. Additionally, SRM 1849a was measured to have an MI content of 401.84 mg/kg and recovery of 98.25%, which is comparable to the median certified value of 409 mg/kg. From the aforementioned results, we judged that the instrumental analysis conditions and preparation method used in this study were valid. The rapid analytical method developed herein could be implemented in many laboratories that seek to save time and labor.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.217-229
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• 2016

The government has conducted a plan of total maximum daily loads(TMDL), which divides with unit watershed, for management of stable water quality target by setting the permitted total amount of the pollutant. In this study, BOD concentration trends over the last 10 years from 2005 to 2014 were analyzed in the Geumho river. Improvement effect of water quality throughout the implementation period of TMDL was evaluated using the seasonal Mann-Kendall test and a LOWESS(locally weighted scatter plot smoother) smooth. As a study result of the seasonal Mann-Kendall test and the LOWESS smooth, BOD concentration in the Geumho river appeared to have been reduced or held at a constant. As a result of quantitatively analysis for BOD concentration with exploratory data analysis(EDA), the mean and the median of BOD concentration appeared in the order of GH8 > GH7 > GH6 > GH5 > GH4 > GH3 > GH2 > GH1. The monthly average concentration of BOD appeared in the order of Apr > Mar > Feb >May > Jun > Jul > Jan > Aug > Sep > Dec > Nov > Oct. As a result of the outlier, its value was the most frequent in February, which is estimated 1.5 times more than July, and was smallest frequent in July. The outlier in terms of water quality management is necessary in order to establish a management plan for the contaminants in watershed.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.248-262
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• 2016

Most Korean companies in the fashion industry are SMEs, and the role of the CEO and management ownership is important for enhancing the firm's competence and developing strategies. The study aims to examine the effect of management ownership on company financial growth. In particular, the study focuses on the moderating effect of company age and size on Korean fashion SMEs' financial outcomes. Financial data based on company financial statements from 2012 to 2014 was collected by the Data Analysis, Retrieval and Transfer System of Korea's Financial Supervisory Service. A total of 295 companies' (domestic fashion businesses) data was analyzed by the bootstrap method. The median sales value in the financial year 2014 was 47,492,403,958 KRW, and the company size was divided by it. The companies were in business for an average of 20 years. According to the results, the management ownership had a negative effect on Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the three-years, and the relationship between the two variables was moderated by company age. Additionally, the interaction effect of management ownership and company age on 3-CAGR was also moderated by company size. When the companies had spent only a few years in business, a negative effect of management ownership for small firms and a positive effect of management ownership on financial growth for medium firms were found. These results suggest that small companies starting business need to manage their company governance structure to make flexible decisions, and after retaining financial growth, the companies can expand their businesses based on strong ownership.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.389-393
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• 2002

The marginal integrity of the crown can be broken during endodontic access cavity preparation due to the vibration of burs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of endodontic access cavity preparation on the marginal leakage of full veneer gold crowns. 24 intact molars were mounted in acrylic resin blocks and prepared for crowns by a restorative dentist and crowns were cast with gold alloy. 20 Crowns were cemented with glass ionomer cement and 2 crowns were not cemented for positive control. 200 thermo-cycles from 5$^{\circ}C$ to 5$0^{\circ}C$ with a travel time of 20s were completed. Then samples were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups of 9 each. Endodontic access preparation and zinc-oxide eugenol temporary fillings were done in Group 1. Teeth in Group 2 were not treated. Samples were coated with 2 layers of nail varnish and were immersed in 1% methylene blue dye for 20 hrs. Endodontic access was prepared in 2 samples, which were coated with nail varnish on all surfaces for negative control. After washing in running water gold crowns were cut with a #330 bur. Four buccolingual sections, 2 mm apart, were cut from the central section of each tooth and were examined and scored under the microscope for dye leakage. Score 1: leakage to the cervical 1/3 of the axial wall, Score 2: leakage to the middle 1/3 of the axial wall, Score 3: leakage to the coronal 1/3 of the axial wall, Score 4: leakage to the occlusal surface. The median value for Group 1 is 4 and for Group 2 is 2. The result of this study showed that samples in Group 1 leaked more than those in Group 2. This finding was significant(P<0.001).