• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.12
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• pp.526-532
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• 2014

Purpose: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in atherosclerosis, and therefore, are considered risk factors for metabolic dysfunction in adults. However, there is little data on circulating levels of MMPs and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) with regard to obesity-related biomarkers in the general adolescent population. In the present study, we determined the associations of MMP-8, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 levels and MMP-8/TIMP-1 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios with obesity-related biomarkers in apparently healthy adolescent boys. Methods: We measured MMP and TIMP concentrations in plasma samples using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and analyzed their associations with obesity-related biomarkers, such as liver enzymes and lipid profiles, in a sample of 91 Korean boys aged 13-14 years who participated in a general health check-up. Results: The mean age of the boys was $13.8{\pm}0.3years$; 72 boys were normal weight and 19 were overweight/obese. The Pearson correlation coefficients revealed a significant correlation between MMP-8 and aspartate aminotransferase (r=0.217, P=0.039) and alanine aminotransferase (r=0.250, P=0.017) and between TIMP-1 and aspartate aminotransferase (r=0.267, P=0.011). In a multivariate linear regression analysis, serum alanine aminotransferase was positively associated with the MMP-8 level. There were no significant differences in the MMP-8, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 levels or MMP-8/TIMP-1 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios between control and overweight/obese subjects. Conclusion: We found a significant association between the MMP-8 level and alanine aminotransferase in the apparently healthy adolescent boys. These findings indicate that there may be a pathophysiological mechanism underlying the relationship between MMP-8 and liver enzymes in young adolescents.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10451-10456
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• 2015

Background: We defined melanoma distribution in a large series of Turkish patients and evaluated the prognostic parameters of melanomas. Materials and Methods: A total of 1574 patients' data was retrospectively collected at 18 centers in Turkey. Demographic characteristics were questioned and noted. Prognostic parametres were evaluated based on sentinel lymph node involvement. Results: Mean age was 56.7 (4-99) years. While 844 (53.6%) cases were male, 730 (46.4%) cases were female. One thousand four hundred forty-seven (92%) cases were invasive melanoma and 127 (8%) cases were in-situ melanoma. The most common histopathological form was the superficial spreading melanoma (SSM) which was found in 549 patients (37.9%). It was followed by nodular melanoma in 379 (26.2%), acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) in 191 (13.2%) and lentigo maligna melanoma in 132 (9.1%), respectively. On univariate analysis, lymphovascular invasion (p<0.001), tumor thickness (p<0.001), histopathological subtype (p<0.001), Clark level (p=0.001), ulceration (p<0.001), ${\geq}6/mm^2$ mitosis (p=0.005), satellite formation (p=0.001) and gender (p=0.03) were found to be associated with sentinel lymph node positivity. Regression was associated with sentinel lymph node negativity (p=0.017). According to multivariate analysis, lymphovascular invasion and tumor thickness were significant independent predictive factors of SLN positivity. Patient age, tumor localization, precursor lesions, lymphocytic infiltration and neurotropism were not related with sentinel lymph node involvement. Conclusions: In this retrospective analysis, it was found that the prevalence of SSM is at a lower rate while the prevalence of ALM is at a higher rate when compared to western countries. According to Breslow index; most of the melanoma lesions' thickness were greater than 2 mm, corresponding Clark IV. Vascular invasion and tumor thickness are the most important factors for sentinel lymph node involvement.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2014

Background: Solid cancers with bone marrow metastases are rare but lethal. This study aimed to identify clinical factors predictive of survival in adult patients with solid cancers and bone marrow metastases. Methods: A total of 83 patients were enrolled consecutively between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2012. Bone marrow metastases were confirmed by biopsies. Patient clinical features and laboratory data were analyzed for associations. Results: The median age of the patients was 54 years (range, 23-88 years), and 58% were male. The 3 most common primary tumor locations were the stomach (32 patients, 39%), prostate (16 patients, 19%), and lungs (12 patients, 15%). The median overall survival was 49 days (range, 3-1423 days). Patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 1, cancers of prostate origin, platelet counts over 50,000/ml, and undergoing antitumor therapies had a significantly better prognosis in the multivariate analysis. The median survival times were 173 and 33 days for patients with 2-3 more favorable parameters (n=24) and those with 0-1 (n=69), respectively (hazard ratio 0.30; 95% CI 0.17-0.52, p<0.001). Conclusions: Solid cancers with bone marrow metastases are dismal and incurable diseases. Understanding prognostic factors to these diseases helps medical personnel to provide appropriate treatments and better inform patients about outcomes. Antitumor therapies may improve outcomes in selected patient cohorts.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1133-1140
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• 2014

Altered DNA repair capacity can result in increased susceptibility to cancer. The base excision repair (BER) pathway effectively removes DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation and reactive oxidative species (ROS). In the current study, we analyzed the possible relation of polymorphisms in BER genes, including 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1), and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 protein (XRCC1), with breast cancer risk in Chinese Han women. This case-control study examined 194 patients with breast cancer and 245 cancer-free hospitalized control subjects. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of OGG1 (Ser326Cys), XRCC1 (Arg399Gln), and APE1 (Asp148Glu and -141T/G) were genotyped and analyzed for their association with breast cancer risk using multivariate logistic regression models. We found that XRCC1 Arg399Gln was significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Similarly, the XRCC1 Gln allele was significantly associated with an elevated risk in postmenopausal women and women with a high BMI (${\geq}24kg/m^2$). The OGG1 Cys allele provided a significant protective effect against developing cancer in women with a low BMI (< $24kg/m^2$). When analyzing the combined effects of these alleles on the risk of breast cancer, we found that individuals with ${\geq}2$ adverse genotypes (XRCC1 399Gln, APE1 148Asp, and OGG1 326Ser) were at a 2.18-fold increased risk of breast cancer (P = 0.027). In conclusion, our data indicate that Chinese women with the 399Gln allele of XRCC1 have an increased risk of breast cancer, and the combined effects of polymorphisms of BER genes may contribute to tumorigenesis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9739-9745
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• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effects of hormone receptor, HER2, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression on epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) prognosis and investigate whether or not phenotypic subtypes might exist. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 82 patients who were diagnosed with EOC between 2003 and 2012 and treated by platinum-based chemotherapy were retrospectively evaluated. Expression of EGFR, oestrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and cerbB2 (HER2) receptors were assessed immunohistochemically on paraffin-embedded tissues of these patients. Three phenotypic subtypes were defined according to ER, PR, and HER2 expression and associations of these with EGFR expression, clinicopathologic features, platinum sensitivity, and survival were investigated. Results: When we classified EOC patients into three subtypes, 63.4% had hormone receptor positive (HR(+)) (considering breast cancer subtypes, luminal A), 18.3% had triple negative, and 18.3% had HER2(+) disease. EGFR positivity was observed in 37 patients (45.1%) and was significantly more frequent with advanced disease (p=0.013). However, no significant association with other clinicopathologic features and platinum sensitivity was observed. HER2(+) patients had significantly poorer outcomes than HER2(-) counterparts (triple negative and HR positive patients) (p=0.019). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the strongest risk factor for death was residual disease after primary surgery. Conclusions: Triple negative EOC may not be an aggressive phenotype as in breast cancer. The HER2 positive EOC has more aggressive behaviour compared to triple negative and HR(+) phenotypes. EGFR expression is more frequent in advanced tumours, but is not related with poorer outcome. Additional ovarian cancer molecular subtyping using gene expression analysis may provide more reliable data.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.38-52
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• 2016

This study analyzed effects of Action Learning approach on enhancing learning motivation and improving problem-solving capacity in NCS vocational competency classes of Polytechnic College. Targeted group is B Polytechnic College located in Chungnam, and 53 students in experimental group and 64 students in control group. analysis of data is descriptive statistic analysis and the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) method to study sub factors of learning motivation and problem-solving ability. As a result, Action Learning approach has a great influence on connection, confidence, and satisfaction, among the sub factors of learning motivation. also figured that the approach has positive effects on problem clarifying, cause analysis, alternative developing, planning/practicing, and performance assessment, among the sub factors of problem-solving capacity. Moreover, Polytechnic College's NCS vocational competency classes are desirably required to adopt the approach of Action Learning for their educational method, as it fosters basic competencies, such as understanding of diverse perspectives, communicating, leadership, interpersonal relationship, self-development, coping with conflicts, operating meetings, to be learned while students are doing problem-solving activities under a team-working atmosphere.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.77-83
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• 2014

Purpose - The National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of Korea and National Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Korea have prosecuted both financial and retail businesses. As cooperatives are public institutions and receive government support, their sound management is required by the Financial Supervisory Service in Korea. This is mainly managed by CAEL, which is changed by CAMEL. However, NFFC's business section, managing the finance and retail businesses, is unified and evaluated; the CAEL model has an insufficient classification to evaluate the retail industry. First, there is discrimination power as regards CAEL. Although the retail business sector union can receive a higher rating on a CAEL model, defaults have often been reported. Therefore, a default prediction model is needed to support a CAEL model. As we have the default prediction model using a subdivision of indexes and statistical methods, it can be useful to have a prevention function through the estimation of the retail sector's default probability. Second, separating the difference between the finance and retail business sectors is necessary. Their businesses have different characteristics. Based on various management indexes that have been systematically managed by the National Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Korea, our model predicts retail default, and is better than the CAEL model in its failure prediction because it has various discriminative financial ratios reflecting the retail industry situation. Research design, data, and methodology - The model to predict retail default was presented using logistic analysis. To develop the predictive model, we use the retail financial statements of the NFCF. We consider 93 unions each year from 2006 to 2012 to select confident management indexes. We also adapted the statistical power analysis that is a t-test, logit analysis, AR (accuracy ratio), and AUROC (Area Under Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis. Finally, through the multivariate logistic model, we show that it is excellent in its discrimination power and higher in its hit ratio for default prediction. We also evaluate its usefulness. Results - The statistical power analysis using the AR (AUROC) method on the short term model shows that the logistic model has excellent discrimination power, with 84.6%. Further, it is higher in its hit ratio for failure (prediction) of total model, at 94%, indicating that it is temporally stable and useful for evaluating the management status of retail institutions. Conclusions - This model is useful for evaluating the management status of retail union institutions. First, subdividing CAEL evaluation is required. The existing CAEL evaluation is underdeveloped, and discrimination power falls. Second, efforts to develop a varied and rational management index are continuously required. An index reflecting retail industry characteristics needs to be developed. However, extending this study will need the following. First, it will require a complementary default model reflecting size differences. Second, in the case of small and medium retail, it will need non-financial information. Therefore, it will be a hybrid default model reflecting financial and non-financial information.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.666-676
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• 2016

This study was designed to examine the depressive symptoms of individuals who became visually impaired and identify factors associated with the symptom. For the analysis, data from the Korean National Survey of Individuals with Disability 2014 was used. Adults between the ages of 20 and 60 years who became visually impaired after the first year of birth were included with a total of 235 individuals in the final sample. To identify the determinants of their depressive symptoms, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. The results showed that about twenty percent of the respondents reported having depressive symptoms in the past year. Among the sociodemographic factors, age, gender, and marital status were identified as significant predictors, while smoking status, stress level, and self-reported health status were identified as important health-related predictors. Among the disability-related factors, the length of disability and activities of daily living level were found to be significantly associated with the likelihood of experiencing the symptom. The results indicate the need for practitioners working with visually impaired populations to be better aware of the risks of depression and develop a wide array of preventive measures and techniques to work with individuals suffering from depression.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.147-155
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to observe the outcomes of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) with or without concurrent chemotherapy in resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in single institution. Materials and Methods: From 2002 to 2013, 78 patients diagnosed with NSCLC after curative resection were treated with radiotherapy alone (RT, n = 48) or concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT, n = 30). The indications of adjuvant radiation therapy were N2 node positive (n = 31), close or involved resection margin (n = 28), or gross residual disease due to incomplete resection (n = 19). The median radiation dose was 57.6 Gy (range, 29.9 to 66 Gy). Results: Median survival time was 33.7 months (range, 4.4 to 140.3 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 49.5% (RT 46% vs. CCRT 55.2%; p = 0.731). The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 45.5% (RT 39.4% vs. CCRT 55.3%; p = 0.130). The 3-year local control rate was 68.1% (RT 64.4% vs. CCRT 77.7%; p = 0.165). The 3-year DMFS rate was 56.1% (RT 52.6% vs. CCRT 61.7%; p = 0.314). In multivariate analysis, age ${\geq}66$ years and pathologic stage III were significant poor prognostic factors for OS. Treatment failure occurred in 40 patients. Four patients had radiologically confirmed grade 3 radiation pneumonitis. Conclusion: In NSCLC, adjuvant RT or CCRT after curative surgery is a safe and feasible modality of treatment. OS gain was seen in patients less than 66 years. Postoperative CCRT showed a propensity of achieving better local control and improved disease-free survival compared to RT alone according to our data.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.2091-2095
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• 2013

Background: The $7^{th}$ TNM staging is the first authoritative standard for evaluation of effectiveness of treatment of gastric cancer worldwide. However, revision of pN classification within TNM needs to be discussed. In particular, the N3 sub-stage is becoming more conspicuous. Methods: Clinical data of 302 pN3M0 stage gastric cancer patients who received radical gastrectomy in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2001 to May 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Location of tumor, depth of invasion, extranodal metastasis, gastric resection, combined organs resection, lymph node metastasis, rate of lymph node metastasis, negative lymph nodes count were important prognostic factors of pN3M0 stage gastric cancers. TNM stage was also associated with prognosis. Patients at T2N3M0 stage had a better prognosis than other sub-classification. T3N3M0 and T4aN3aM0 patients had equal prognosis which followed the T2N3M0. T4aN3bM0 and T4bN3aM0 had lower survival rate than the formers. T4bN3bM0 had worst prognosis. In multivariate analysis, TNM stage group and rate of lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: The sub-stage of N3 may be useful for more accurate prediction of prognosis; it should therefore be applied in the TNM stage system.