• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.1789-1795
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the commonest female cancer worldwide and its propensity to metastasize negatively impacts on therapeutic outcome. Several clinicopathological parameters with prognostic/predictive significance have been associated with metastatic suppressor expression levels. The role of metastatic suppressor gene (MSG) KiSS1 in breast cancer remains unclear. Our goal was to investigate the possible clinical significance of KiSS1 breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 87 histologically proven cases of breast cancer and background normal tiisue. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to investigate KiSS1 at gene and protein levels, respectively, for correlation with several patient characteristics including age, family history, hormonal receptor status, stage, tumor size, nodal involvement and metastatic manifestation and finally with median overall survival (OS). Results: Our study revealed (i) KiSS1 levels were generally elevated in breast cancer vs normal tissue (P < 0.05). (ii) however, a statistically significant lower expression of KiSS1 was observed in metastatic vs non metastatic cases (P = 0.04). (iii) KiSS1 levels strongly correlated with T,N,M category, histological grade and advanced stage (p<0.001) but not other studied parameters. (iv) Lastly, a significant correlation between expression of KiSS1 and median OS was found (P = 0.04). Conclusions: Conclusively, less elevated KiSS1 expression is a negative prognostic factor for OS, advancing tumor stage, axillary lymph node status, metastatic propensity and advancing grade of the breast cancer patient. Patients with negative KiSS1 expression may require a more intensive therapeutic strategy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.1925-1931
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• 2016

Background: The XRCC1 protein facilitates various DNA repair pathways; single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in this gene are associated with a risk of gastrointestinal cancer (GIC) with inconsistent results, but no data have been previously reported for the Sabah, North Borneo, population. We accordingly investigated the XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln SNPs in terms of GIC risk in Sabah. Materials and Methods: We performed genotyping for both SNPs for 250 GIC patients and 572 healthy volunteers using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism approach. We validated heterozygosity and homozygosity for both SNPs using direct sequencing. Results: The presence of a variant 194Trp allele in the Arg194Trp SNP was significantly associated with a higher risk of GIC, especially with gastric and colorectal cancers. We additionally found that the variant 399Gln allele in Arg399Gln SNP was associated with a greater risk of developing gastric cancer. Our combined analysis revealed that inheritance of variant alleles in both SNPs increased the GIC risk in Sabah population. Based on our etiological analysis, we found that subjects ${\geq}50years$ and males who carrying the variant 194Trp allele, and Bajau subjects carrying the 399Gln allele had a significantly increased risk of GIC. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that inheritance of variant alleles in XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln SNPs may act as biomarkers for the early detection of GIC, especially for gastric and colorectal cancers in the Sabah population.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.1019-1024
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• 2012

Background: Infections with human papillomavirus (HPV) are highly prevalent among sexually active young women in India. However, not much is known about the incidence of type-specific human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and their patterns of persistence, especially in the Indian context. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the rate of acquisition and persistence of HPV types in young women. Methods: Women residing in an urban slum in Delhi (n=1300) were followed for 24 months at 6 monthly intervals. Exfoliated cervical cells collected at each visit were tested for the presence of HPV DNA. Genotyping was performed using the reverse line blot assay. Results: The incidence rate for any HPV type was calculated to be 5 per 1000 women-months. Among high risk HPV types, HPV16 had the highest incidence rate followed by HPV59, HPV52 and HPV18, i.e., 3.0, 0.58, 0.41 and 0.35 women per 1000 women-months respectively. The persistence rate was higher for high-risk than low-risk HPV types. Among low-risk types, HPV42, HPV62, HPV84 and HPV89 were found to persist. Whereas almost all high risk types showed persistence, the highest rate was found in women with HPV types 16, 45, 67, 31, 51 and 59. The persistence rate for HPV16 infection was 45 per 1000 women-months. Conclusion: Incident HPV infections and high risk HPV type-specific persistence were found to be high in our study population of young married women. Understanding the patterns of HPV infection may help plan appropriate strategies for prevention programs including vaccination and screening.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.1753-1755
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• 2012

This was a survey research conducted in Northestern Thailand during 2009-2010 and designed to evaluate the success of a health education program by comparing levels of health knowledge in the community before and after the launching of a Multi-professional Intervention and Training for Ongoing Volunteer-based Community Health Programme. The survey questionnaire included items about demographic characteristics and health knowledge. The participants were 1,015 members of various communities, who were randomly selected to be included in the survey before launching the intervention, and 1,030 members of the same communities randomly selected to be included in the survey after the intervention was completed. The demographic characteristics of both groups were similar. Overall knowledge and knowledge of all the diseases, except lung and cervical cancer, were significantly higher after the intervention. In conclusion, a Volunteer-based Community Health Programme has advantages for areas where the numbers of health personnel are limited. The use of trained community health volunteers may be one of the best sustainable alternative means for the transfer of health knowledge.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.612-624
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• 2007

The real-time monitoring of radon ($^{222}Rn$) concentrations has been carried out to evaluate its ambient background concentration levels in Gosan site, Jeju Island between January 2001 and December 2004. In addition, the atmospheric TSP aerosols have been sampled, and their ionic and metallic components were analyzed to understand the characteristics of air pollution. The mean concentration of radon was $3,121{\pm}1,627\;mBq/m^3$, and the seasonal mean concentrations for spring, summer, fall and winter seasons were 2,898, 2,398, 3,571 and $3,646\;mBq/m^3$, respectively, The hourly concentrations have shown the highest value at 7 a.m. and the lowest value at 2 p.m. From the backward trajectory analyses, the radon concentrations have increased, when the air parcels were moved from the Chinese continent to Jeju area. On the other hand, they have decreased, when the air parcels from the North Pacific Ocean. In the analytical results of ionic species and metal elements of TSP aerosols, the concentrations of $nss-{SO_4}^{2-}$ and S were higher in June and March. Meanwhile, the concentrations of other anthropogenic species as well as soil components were mostly higher in March and April. On the basis of factor analysis, the TSP aerosols at Gosan area were largely influenced by soil sources, followed by anthropogenic sources and marine sources. From the result of backward trajectory analyses, the concentrations of $nss-{SO_4}^{2-},\;{NO_3}^-$, Al and Ca were mostly higher, when the air parcels moved from Chinese continent to Jeju area. On the other hand, their concentrations were lower, when the air parcels drifted from the North Pacific Ocean.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.849-852
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• 2013

Background: Cancer of the uterine cervix is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. Industrialized countries have dramatically reduced the incidence of mortality from cervical carcinoma in the last 50 years through aggressive screening programs utilizing pelvic examinations and Papanicolaou (Pap) smears but it still remains a major problem in the developing world. Objectives: This study was performed to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of Pap smear as a screening procedure among nurses in a tertiary hospital in north eastern India. Material and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out with a questionnaire survey covering the socio demographic factors, knowledge, attitude and practices about Pap smear screening among 224 nurses in Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, India during December 2011. Results: Two hundred and twenty one participants (98.6%) had heard about cervical carcinoma but 18.3% lacked adequate knowledge regarding risk factors. Knowledge about the Pap smear was adequate in 88.8% of the respondents. Out of these, only 11.6% had Pap smear at least once previously. The most common reasons for non-participation in screening were lack of any symptoms (58.4%), lack of counselling (42.8%), physician does not request (29.9%) and fear of vaginal examination (20.5%). Conclusion: Although knowledge of Pap smear as a screening procedure for cervical cancer is high, practice is still low. The nurses who should be responsible for opportunistic screening of women they care for are not keen on getting screened themselves. If we can improve the practice of Pap smear screening in such experts, they should be able to readily provide appropriate and accurate information and motivate the general population to join screening programs.

• 한국해양학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.189-204
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• 1990

태평양 클라리온-클리퍼톤 균열대 서부의 KODOS(Korea Deep Ocean Study)지역에 분포하는 망간단괴의 성인과 분포, 그리고 분포 원인을 규명하기 위하여 망간단괴와 퇴적물을 채취하여 화학 및 광물학적 분석을 하였다. 이 지역의 망간단괴는 Mn/Fe 비 가 크고 구리, 니켈, 아연, 마그네슘, 토도로카이트 함량이 높으며 표면조직이 거친 속성기원의 망간단괴(S-형 망간단괴)와 철, 코발트, 버나다이트 함량이 높고 표면조직 이 매끈한 수성기원의 망간단괴(S-형 망간단괴) 그리고 화학 및 광물조성과 표면조직 이 두 기원의 중간성격을 띄는 망간단괴(R-S-형 망간단괴)로 구분된다. 성인 및 부존 밀도 등의 특성에 따라 KODOS-89 지역은 크게 4지역으로 구분된다. 즉, 부존밀도가 10 kg/m$^2$이하이고 수성기원의 망간단괴가 분포하는 최북단지역, 부존밀도가 1 kg/m$^2$ 내 외이고 속성기원의 망간단괴가 분포하는 남부 지역, 그리고 부존밀도가 10 kg/m$^2$ 이 상으로 높고 수성기원의 망간단괴가 분포하는 해저산지역으로 구분된다. 이러한 망간 단괴의 분포특성은 주로 위도에 따른 수층의 생산성 및 해저지형의 차이에 의해 기인 되었다고 생각된다.

• 대기
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.291-303
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• 2018

In this study, a new consensus technique for predicting tropical cyclone (TC) intensity in the western North Pacific was developed. The most important feature of the present consensus model is to select and combine the guidance numerical models with the best performance in the previous years based on various evaluation criteria and averaging methods. Specifically, the performance of the guidance models was evaluated using both the mean absolute error and the correlation coefficient for each forecast lead time, and the number of the numerical models used for the consensus model was not fixed. In averaging multiple models, both simple and weighted methods are used. These approaches are important because that the performance of the available guidance models differs according to forecast lead time and is changing every year. In particular, this study develops both a multi-consensus model (M-CON), which constructs the best consensus models with the lowest error for each forecast lead time, and a single best consensus model (S-CON) having the lowest 72-hour cumulative mean error, through on training process. The evaluation results of the selected consensus models for the training and forecast periods reveal that the M-CON and S-CON outperform the individual best-performance guidance models. In particular, the M-CON showed the best overall performance, having advantages in the early stages of prediction. This study finally suggests that forecaster needs to use the latest evaluation results of the guidance models every year rather than rely on the well-known accuracy of models for a long time to reduce prediction error.

• 대기
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.109-121
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• 2011

This study revisits the definition of Changma, which is the major rainy season in Korea and corresponds to a regional component of the East Asian summer monsoon system. In spite of several decades of researches on Changma, questions still remain on many aspects of Changma that include its proper definition, determination of its onset and retreat, and relevant large-scale dynamical and thermodynamical features. Therefore, this study clarifies the definition of Changma (which is a starting point for the study of interannual and interdecadal variability) using a basic concept of air mass and front by calculating equivalent potential temperature (${\theta}_e$) that considers air temperature and humidity simultaneously. A negative peak in the meridional gradient of this quantity signifies the approximate location of Changma front. This front has previously been recognized as the boundary between the tropical North Pacific air mass and cold Okhotsk sea air mass. However, this study identifies three more important air masses affecting Changma: the tropical monsoon air mass related to the intertropical convergence zone over Southeast Asia and South China Sea, the tropical continental air mass over North China, and intermittently polar continental air mass. The variations of these five air masses lead to complicated evolution of Changma and modulate intensity, onset and withdrawal dates, and duration of Changma on the interannual time scale. Importantly, use of ${\theta}_e$, 500-hPa geopotential height and 200 hPa zonal wind fields for determining Changma onset and withdrawal dates results in a significant increase (up to~57%) in the hindcast skill compared to a previous study.

• 대기
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.1-18
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• 2016

Eleven Tropical Cyclone (TC) intensity guidance models in the western North Pacific have been validated over 2008~2014 based on various analysis methods according to the lead time of forecast, year, month, intensity, rapid intensity change, track, and geographical area with an additional focus on TCs that influenced the Korean peninsula. From the evaluation using mean absolute error and correlation coefficients for maximum wind speed forecasts up to 72 h, we found that the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model (HWRF) outperforms all others overall although the Global Forecast System (GFS), the Typhoon Ensemble Prediction System of Japan Meteorological Agency (TEPS), and the Korean version of Weather and Weather Research and Forecasting model (KWRF) also shows a good performance in some lead times of forecast. In particular, HWRF shows the highest performance in predicting the intensity of strong TCs above Category 3, which may be attributed to its highest spatial resolution (~3 km). The Navy Operational Global Prediction Model (NOGAPS) and GFS were the most improved model during 2008~2014. For initial intensity error, two Japanese models, Japan Meteorological Agency Global Spectral Model (JGSM) and TEPS, had the smallest error. In track forecast, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and recent GFS model outperformed others. The present results has significant implications for providing basic information for operational forecasters as well as developing ensemble or consensus prediction systems.