• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.329-332
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• 2013

Background: The study aimed to determine the incidence of K-ras and BRAF mutations in colorectal cancers (CRCs) in Thai patients and evaluate association with clinicopathological parameters including treatment outcomes in terms of event free survival (EFS). Materials and Methods: Two-hundred colorectal cancer specimens were collected for studies of K-Ras codon 12, 13 and 61, and BRAF codon 600 by polymerase chain reaction and direct nucleotide sequencing. Results: The overall incidence of K-Ras mutations in our patients was 23%. K-ras mutation frequencies in CRC stages (AJCC) I, II, III and IV were 6.7%, 16.1%, 23.3% and 26.6%, respectively (p-value>0.05). The three most common mutation forms were G12D, G12V and G13D. K-Ras mutation status was associated with poorer EFS in stage I-III CRCs (p-value 0.03). Conclusions: The study found a lower mutation frequency of K-Ras and BRAF compared to reports involving other ethnic groups. However, K-Ras mutations did have a negative prognostic value in early-stage CRCs.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2005

Purpose: A retrospective review of the radiographs of the proximal metatarsal osteotomy and distal soft tissue procedure for hallux valgus, evaluating the correction of the tibial sesamoid, was undertaken. We evaluated the correlation between the reduction of the tibial sesamoid and the clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: 17 patients (23 cases) with moderate to severe hallux valgus deformity underwent the proximal metatarsal osteotomy and distal soft tissue procedure. The preoperative and last follow-up radiographs were reviewed according to the tibial sesamoid grade classification recommended by the Research Committee of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS). We divided them into two groups according to the reduction of the tibial sesamoid. We anaylyzed the clinical outcomes in each group according to Mayo Clinic Forefoot Scoring System (FFSS). Results: In all of the patients, the preoperative tibial sesamoid position were grade 2 or greater. At the last follow-up, 52% (n=12) were grade 1 or less (Group I) and 48% (n=11) were grade 2 or greater (Group II). In group I, the forefoot score was improved from preoperative mean value of 32.0 points to final follow-up value of 66.3 points. In group II, the forefoot score was improved from preoperative mean value of 31.7 points to final follow-up value of 65.9 points. There was no statistical significance between postoperative, average scores in group I and II (p>0.05). Conclusion: The position of the tibial sesamoid was corrected insufficiently in almost half of all cases. In view of clinical outcomes, there was no significant difference between the corrected group and the other group.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.304-317
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• 2010

The study was performed to measure structural relationship among service value, brand image, and royalty of patients in regional public hospitals in Korea. Based on the analysis, the study aims to establish strategic direction of the regional public hospitals. Through a review of related literatures, measurement variables were identified, and a path model was developed for the study. Five regional public hospitals were chosen, and questionnaire has been collected from 387 outpatients and 358 inpatients. The study found that service value has a positive direct effect on brand image, and brand image has a positive direct effect on loyalty. Based on the findings, it is desirable for the regional public hospitals should mange the issues with lower level of perception and those with bigger effect, and establish low pricing strategy with improving the quality of service they provide.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.65-70
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• 2016

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the world. Its incidence and mortality rates are on the rise in Pakistan. However, epidemiological studies to identify common lung cancer determinants in the Pakistani population have been limited. In this study, data of 440 cases and 323 controls were collected from different hospitals in Peshawar and Islamabad, along with information about socio-demographic factors including age, sex and smoking. Univariate and multi-factorial analyses of socio-demographic factors in association with each other were also performed. Overall survival analysis highlighted that, out of 440 patients in the lung cancer dataset, 204 people were uncensored with a median survival time of 13 months (95% CI=12-18). There were 41 femaleand 399 male patients. Differences were observed between length of survival in the males and females (${\chi}12$ = 6.1; p-value = 0.01). Gender was observed to be significantly related to survival (p-value< 0.01), with better survival in females (hazard ratio=2). Cox regression was extended to adjust for the covariate age (z = 2.5; p-value = 0.02). Survival analysis was also performed on the basis of smoking groups (current smokers, former smokers and never smoked individuals) and smoking duration (smoking duration >10 years, <10 years and never smoked). Smoking duration was significantly associated with survival (p-value < 0.01), with better survival in never smokers in comparison to both smoking for greater or less than 10 years. Strong associations were observed for smoking group with duration greater than 10 years, OR=6.1(3.9-9.5) on univariate and multifactorial analysis OR=11.3(CI=6.8-19.3).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3255-3258
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• 2016

Background: There has been much research work in the past to ascertain the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and breast cancer, but definitive evidence has been scanty. The present study was carried out to determine the association of type 2 diabetes mellitus with breast cancer in the female population of Northern Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was carried out in the Oncology Department of NORI Hospital. A total of 400 patients were included. Data were entered into PSPP 0.8.1. Two-tailed significance tests were used and a p-value of 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There were a higher percentage of postmenopausal women in the diabetic breast cancer patients' group as compared to the non-diabetic subset. The odds ratio for the association between diabetes and risk of developing breast cancer was elevated with statistical significance (OR = 2.96; 95 % CI =1.3-6.3; p-value=0.004). The results of our study showed that diabetes is associated with a risk of developing breast cancer, especially in postmenopausal women (OR = 4.928; 95 % CI = 2.1-11.3; p-value=0.001). The association was particularly marked in obese subjects (OR = 31.49; 95 % CI = 1.8-536; p- value=0.01), as compared to non-obese subjects (OR = 0.642; 95 % CI = 0.2-1.7). Conclusions: Diabetes is strongly associated with obesity and it tends to increase the risk of breast Cancer, especially in postmenopausal women. A high-risk subset for breast cancer comprised postmenopausal, diabetic and overweight women.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.707-715
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• 2000

Background: Cold blood cardioplegic solution has been used to protect myocardium during open heart surgery with the hypothesis stating that it provides more oxygen supply to myocardium compared to crystalloid caridoplegic solution. We repeatedly infused cold blood cardioplegic solution to achieve myocardial protection. We biopsied a small portion of papillary muscle of patients with mitral valve replacement or double valve replacement during aortic cross-clamp time and evaluated the method of myocardial protection through the observation of changes in ultrastructure. We then analysed the relationship between changes in ultrasructure and peak postoperative CK-MB value and SGOT value. Material and method: We report observation on changes of myocardial ultrastructure, postoperative CK-MB and SGOT, and electrocardiogram in 31 patients who underwent cardiac operation. There were 11 males and 20 females, and they ranging in age from 28 to 69 years(mean score was 2.08$\pm$0.560, it was 2.37$\pm$0.558 at 40 minutes, and it was 2.36$\pm$0.523 at 70minutes. Mitochondrial score increased significant at 40 minutes. Mean value of postoperative peak CK-MB and SGOT were 37.3$\pm$17.061IU, 144.5$\pm$125.5IU respectively. We were not able to find any new Q were in EKG after the operation. There was no significant relationship between myocardium mitochondrial score and mean value of postoperative peak CK-MB and SGOT. Conclusion: In conclusion, with this study the cold blood cardioplegic solution was incomplete in preserving ultrastructure of myocardium even with satisfactory results in serum enzyme and EKG evaluation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to measure and evaluate radiation dose on patients in interventional radiological(IVR) procedures classified by each procedure, and aid as data for safety management. Fluroscopy time(F-time), dose area product(DAP) and number of acquired images from each kind of procedure was checked. Non-vascular procedures showed low value, and vascular procedure showed high value in all procedures except in IVC filter. F-time was longest in EVAR, which showed also the highest DAP value of all procedures. DAP-rate showed high value in TACE. By this result, we attempt to establish standard guideline of radiation dose on patients in IVR procedure.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2013

Objectives The purpose of this study is to know hematologic characteristics of patients with stroke in Sasang Constitutional Medicine which will be helpful for the prevention and treatment of stroke. Methods We collected data from 111 patients who received treatment as a stroke inpatient at one Korean medicine hospital in Busan, Korea. A Sasang Constitutional Medicine(SCM) specialist diagnosed their Sasang Constitutional types based on the four diagnosis standard of SCM and herbal medicine reaction. Results of hematologic tests were classified according to gender, age, stroke types and Sasang Constitutional types and analysed by SAS system. Results 1. Male's mean value of RBC count, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit was lower than normal range. 2. The mean value of hsCRP of above age 65 group was 3.19 times significantly higher than under age 65 group. 3. The mean value of platelet of cerebral hemorrhage group was significantly higher than cerebral infarction group. 4. The mean value of triglyceride of Taeeumin was significantly higher than Soyangin and Soeumin. Conclusions For the prevention of stroke, appropriate treatment of stress, trauma and infections is needed and male require a regular and balanced meals. Especially Taeeumin need to eat small meals to avoid excessive accumulation of energy.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

The purpose of this study, is to identify the factors affecting reuse intention, determine the accurate demand of suppliers and consumers for qualitative dental care service, and identify the cyclic factors positively affecting one another. The data were analyzed by SPSSWIN 18.0, t-test and one way ANOVA, Pearson correlation and Stepwise multiple regression. Human service quality was significantly positively correlated with service value (r=0.609) and reuse intention (r=0.627) and service value was significantly positively correlated with reuse intention (r=0.645). The higher service value, the higher human service quality, the lower medical service discrimination, the higher level of reuse intention, which accounted for 56.9%. Therefore, it is necessary to make optimal maintenance of the system from the broad viewpoint of dental care in general and apply it in practice by developing good methods steadily.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.9
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• pp.353-359
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• 2019

Background: Researchers have shown that eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) is a relatively accurate marker of eosinophilia and eosinophil activity. However, its use as a marker of eosinophilic inflammation in nasal secretions is limited because the diagnostic cutoff values of EPO for use as a one-time test for allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis have not been established. Purpose: To identify the correlation between nasal eosinophil count and EPO in children and adolescents with rhinitis. Methods: We recruited patients <18 years of age with rhinitis for more than 2 weeks or more than 2 episodes a year whose nasal eosinophil and EPO were measured at a single allergy clinic. The eosinophil percentage was calculated by dividing the eosinophil count by the number of total cells under light microscopy at ${\times}1,000$ magnification. EPO and protein were measured from nasal secretions. We retrospectively analyzed the correlation between nasal eosinophils and protein-corrected EPO (EPO/protein) value. Results: Of the 67 patients enrolled, 41 were male (61.2%); the mean age was $8.2{\pm}4.0years$. The median nasal eosinophil count was 1 and percentage was 1%. The median protein-corrected EPO value was $12.5ng/{\mu}g$ (range, $0-31ng/{\mu}g$). There was a statistically significant correlation between eosinophil count and percentage (P<0.001). However, the eosinophil percentage and EPO did not correlate. The eosinophil count and EPO had a statistically significant correlation (P=0.01). The EPO cutoff value examined for nasal eosinophil counts of 2, 5, 10, and 20 was $17.57ng/{\mu}g$ regardless of the reference count. The largest area under the curve value was obtained when the receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn using the eosinophil count of 2. Conclusion: Nasal eosinophil count was significantly associated with protein-corrected EPO.