• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1019-1024
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• 2015

Background: Survival of breast cancer patients depends on a number of factors which are not only prognostic but are also predictive. A number of studies have been carried out worldwide to find out prognostic and predictive significance of different clinicopathological and molecular variables in breast cancer. This study was carried out at Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI), Islamabad, to find out the impact of different factors on overall survival of breast cancer patients coming from Northern Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This observational retrospective study was carried out in the Oncology Department of NORI Hospital. A total of 2,666 patients were included. Data were entered into SPSS 20. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to determine associations of different variables with overall survival. P values <0.05 were considered significant. Results: The mean age of the patients was 47.6 years, 49.5% being postmenopausal. Some 1,708 were ER positive and 1,615 were PR positive, while Her 2 neu oncogene positivity was found in 683. A total of 1,237 presented with skin involvement and 426 had chest wall involvement. Some 1,663 had > 5cm tumors. Lymph node involvement was detected in 2,131. Overall survival was less than 5 years in 669 patients, only 324 surviving for more than 10 years, and in the remainder overall survival was in the range of 5-10 years. Conclusions: Tumor size, lymph node metastases, receptor status, her 2 neu positivity, skin involvement, and chest wall involvement have significant effects whereas age and menopausal status have no significant effect on overall survival of breast cancer patients in Pakistan.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5861-5865
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• 2014

High risk forms of the human papilloma virus (HPV) are generally accepted as necessary causative agents for cervical cancer. Recently, a possible relation between HPV and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has also been noticed. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of HPV infection in OSCCs in Wuhan city. DNA samples were collected from fresh tissues in 200 patients with OSCC and 68 normal controls. The polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing were used to identify the HPV types in the samples. The prevalence of HPV of all types in the OSCC group was higher than in the control group (55/200 vs 2/68, OR=11.5, 95% CI=2.6-50.2). HPV16 and HPV18 were the main types detected, with HPV6 was the only low-risk type identified. High-risk HPV types HPV16 and HPV18 are prevalent in OSCC patients and may participate in the development of OSCC with traditional risk factors, tobacco and alcohol, possibly exerting synergistic effects. The results of multinomial logistic regression showed that those who smoked, consumed alcohol and with HPV infection have the highest risk of developing oral cancer (OR=13.3, 95% CI=3.1-56.8). Adjusted for age, smoking and alcohol use, HPV infection was independently associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.31-44
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to explore empirically the effects of the residential environments and housing consciousness on the housing tenure choice of newlyweds in the Seoul metropolitan region. Regarding the results of the empirical analysis, firstly, not only the household's attributes and housing characteristics but also the residential environments and housing consciousness were significant factors on housing tenure choice. Secondly, as a household considers worse housing quality and better environmental quality surrounding the housing, the household chose Cheonsei housing more often than owner-occupied housing. On the other hand, as a household reviews only better living condition, the selection probability of monthly rent was higher. Thirdly, as a household regards that the housing investment value was more important, the choice probability of owner-occupied housing was higher than that of other tenure types.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.160-172
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• 2018

This study examined the intake status of energy drinks and related factors among university students in Yeungnam region, Korea. A total of 456 students participated in the study by a self-administered questionnaire. About 26% of the respondents never took energy drinks, whereas about 30% took them previously, but do not take them now. Almost 45% answered that they have taken them up to now. The reasons for first intake of energy drinks were 'necessity for myself' followed by 'curiosity', 'recommendation of friends', and 'seeing advertisement', and Chi-square test showed that there was a significant difference according to dwelling status. About half of the respondents took them since high school, and the main reason for energy drink intake was 'to stay awake'. About 45% of the respondents indicated that they increased study hours after taking energy drinks, whereas almost 40% answered that they had little effect on them. Over half of the respondents experienced side effects after energy drink intake. About one-fifth of the respondents mixed the energy drinks with alcoholic beverages to make them taste better. In addition, in the result for the multinomial logistic regression analysis, gender, grade, dwelling status, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, perception of effect of energy drinks on health, and perception of benefit level of caffeine were the predictors for the respondents who never took energy drinks in comparison with the respondents who have taken them up to now. On the other hand, for the respondents who took them previously but do not take them now compared with those of having taken them up to now, the predictors were dwelling status and smoking status. These results imply that dietary education from childhood regarding knowledge and side effects of energy drinks should be offered.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.211-221
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• 2015

Objectives The aim of this study is to develop a Korea Sasang Constitutional Diagnostic Questionnaire (KS-15) with practicality and validity. Methods The data of body shape, temperament and symptoms were collected from 11 nationwide multi-centers in Korean Medical Clinics between Nov. 2009 to Aug. 2012. KS-15 algorithm was developed through Multinomial Logistic Regression and was applied for test group to verify it's classificatory function. Results The weight value of variables of KS-15 were different between male and female. The concordance of KS-15 with the expert in training group was 58.34% (72.8% in Tae-eumin, 54.8% in Soeumin, and 44.1% in Soyangin). The concordance of KS-15 with the expert in test group was 63.1% (63% in Tae-eumin, 83.3% in Soeumin, and 51.9% in Soyangin). Conclusions KS-15 seems to have suitable implement with practicality and validity. Further study is necessary to verify it accuracy and cut-off.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.193-201
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was conducted to measure the intake rate of SSBs (sugar sweetened beverages) and examine the relationship between health behavior factors and SSBs intake by adolescents. Methods: This study used data from the 2016 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, which included 65,528 study participants. SSBs intake frequency was measured by asking respondents if they consumed soda, high-caffeinated beverages, and sugary drinks during the previous week. Type of intake was categorized into three groups according to the number of consumed drinks [SSBs (0): None; SSBs (1-2): 1 or 2 consumed; SSBs (3): 3 consumed]. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine health behaviors that affected SSBs consumption. Results: Increased SSBs intake was significantly correlated with current smoking (OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.82-3.17), current drinking (OR=2.13, 95% CI=1.82-2.51), sedentary time increase (OR=1.31, 95% CI=1.15-1.49), three days or more physical activity per week (OR=1.12, 95% CI=1.02-1.24), <8 hours sleep (OR=1.6, 95% CI=1.43-1.78), increased internet usage time (OR=1.44, 95% CI=1.25-1.65). Conclusions: Sugar-sweetened beverages intake by Korean adolescents was associated with health behaviors such as smoking, drinking, sedentary time increase, more physical activity, poor sleeping time, and increased internet use time. Based on these results, it is necessary to recognize the influence of SSBs intake and to intervene to reduce consumption of SSBs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The effects of fish consumption by subjects with prediabetes on the metabolic risk factors were examined based on the data from the $6^{th}$ Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 2015. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 1,520 subjects who agreed to participate in a blood test and dietary intake survey were divided into a prediabetes group and normal blood glucose group, and the level of the subjects' fish consumption was divided into ${\leq}17.0g/day$, 18.0-93.0 g/day, and ${\geq}94g/day$. The correlation between the level of fish intake and the metabolic risk factors was evaluated by multinomial logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A significant difference in the gender distribution was observed in the prediabetes group, which is a group with a high risk of non-communicable diseases, according to the fish intake, and there were significant differences in the total energy intake, protein intake, n-3 fatty acids intake, and the intakes of sodium and micro-nutrients according to the intake group (P < 0.05). In addition, the blood total cholesterol (TC) decreased 0.422 fold in model 1 (unadjusted) [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.211-0.845] and 0.422 fold in model 2 (adjusted for sex) (95% CI: 0.210-0.846) in those with a fish intake of 18.0-93.0 g/day (P < 0.05) compared to those with a fish intake of ${\leq}17.0g/day$. The blood TC decreased 0.555 fold (95% CI: 0.311-0.989) in model 1 and 0.549 fold (95% CI: 0.302-0.997) in model 2 in those with a fish intake of ${\geq}94g/day$ compared to those with a fish intake of ${\leq}17.0g/day$ (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Subjects with prediabetes or the metabolic risk factors can maintain their blood low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and blood TC concentrations at the optimal level by consuming fish (18.0-93.0 g/day).

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.27-44
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• 2007

Background: Eight-Constitution Medicine (ECM) classifies the human body into eight constitutions. Diagnosis of discrimination of the eight constitutions depends on a unique pulse diagnosis. However, pulse diagnosis is subjective and requires vigorous training. Objectives: This study aims to analyze the validity and reliability of the Eight-Constitution Questionnaire as a diagnostic method. Methods: Participants of this study were outpatients in six ECM clinics located in Seoul. The resources were collected from 409 patients who were classified into one of the eightconstitutions according to their pulse types and their responses to constitution-acupuncture therapy. SPSS 13.0 for Windows was used for statistical analysis: factor analysis, reliability analysis, independent sample t-test, and multinomial logistic regression were used to verify the results. Results and Conclusions: 1. The proportion of participants' constitutions is in the order of Pancreotonia (23.7%), Colonotonia (19.8%), Pulmotonia (18.1%), Hepatonia (16.9%), Vesicotonia (8.1%), Cholecystotonia (7.3%), Renotonia (5.3%) and Gastrotonia (0.7%). 2. Sevencomponents and 74 items were selected through factor factor and relaibility analysis performed on about 251 items. 3. The firstcomponent's mean is significantly higher in Pancreotonia than that in other constitutions (p<0.05). The second is in Pulmotonia and Colonotonia, whereas the third is in Hepatonia and Cholecystotonia. Fifth is in Vesicotonia, the sixth is in Colonotonia, and the fourth and seventh are not significant in specific constitutions. 4. The percentage that Pancreotonia is correctly predicted is 96.9%, Pulmotonia is 91.9%, Colonotonia is 91.4%, Hepatonia is 88.4%, Vesicotonia is 81.8%, Gastrotonia is 66.7%, Renotonia is 66.7%, Choleeystotonia is 30.0%, and the total percentage is 85.3%.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and results in vulnerability to fracture. Calcium and vitamin D are known to play an important role in bone health. Recently, potassium has been identified as another important factor in skeletal health. We examined the link between potassium intake and bone health among the Korean older adult population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study included 8,732 men and postmenopausal women over 50 years old who completed the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES) between 2008 and 2011. Potassium consumption was evaluated using a 24-hour recall method. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at three sites (total hip, femur neck, and lumbar spine) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the link between potassium intake and prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia, after controlling for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: The BMD of the total femur and Ward's triangle were significantly different according to the potassium intake among men (P = 0.031 and P = 0.010, respectively). Women in the top tertile for potassium intake showed higher BMD than those in the bottom tertile at all measurement sites (all P < 0.05). Daily potassium intake was significantly related to a decreased risk of osteoporosis at the lumbar spine in postmenopausal women (odds ratios: 0.68, 95% confidence interval: 0.48-0.96, P trend = 0.031). However, the dietary potassium level was not related to the risk of osteoporosis in men. CONCLUSION: Current findings indicate that higher dietary potassium levels have a favorable effect on bone health and preventing osteoporosis in older Korean women.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.51
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• pp.332.1-332.8
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• 2018

Background: The trend of aging society is occurring globally, and with it, one of the health problems that is emerging is frailty. Efforts are being made to account for the increasing prevalence of frailty, and various modifiable factors are being considered in regards to frailty. Because social contact has shown beneficial effects in terms of health in previous studies, it is increasingly being considered in relation to frailty. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of different types of social contact with frailty status. Methods: A total of 1,200 Korean elders aged 70-84 years old were included in the study. Using Fried's Cardiovascular Health Study index to categorize the frailty status, the relationship between frailty status and frequency of contact (i.e., with family members, friends, or neighbors) was analyzed using multinomial logistic regression accounting for confounders. Results: Adjusting for all covariates, frequency of contact with friends was the most statistically significant. Less frequent contact was associated with a significantly higher odds of pre-frailty: monthly (odds ratio [OR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-3.20), and rarely (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.17-2.99), with daily contact group as reference. Also, those contacting friends monthly (OR, 5.04; 95% CI, 2.29-11.08) or rarely (OR, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.58-6.61) were more likely to be frail compared to the daily group. Conclusion: Frequency of social contact, especially with friends, is strongly associated with frailty.