• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.103-141
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• 2022

Traditionally, schedule analysis in Korea has been used, mainly through the Critical Path Method, to evaluate the claim for extension of time and/or the amount of liquidated damages for delay. Critical path method, however, cannot identify the delay event and its impact occurred in non-critical path especially in multi facility projects. In multi facility projects that comprise several independent but related facilities or structures, each facility has its own facility critical path the duration of which will be impacted by facility specific critical delays. Thus, only through the non-critical delay analysis along with the critical delay analysis damages not attributable to contractors may be remedied in full. Because all the records and pictures can reveal what has actually happened in post contract review, only the retrospective analysis rather than the prospective analysis based on the assumptions can establish the cause and allocate the each parties' responsibilities appropriately.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.726-734
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• 2023

Background/Aims: Endoscopic stenting for stricturing Crohn's disease (CD) is an emerging treatment that achieves more persistent dilatation of the stricture over time than endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD). We aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of stenting for the treatment of CD strictures. Methods: A systematic electronic literature search was performed (PROSPERO; no. CRD42022308033). The primary outcomes were technical success, efficacy, complication rate, and the need for further interventions due to reobstruction. The outcomes of partially covered self-expanding metal stents (PCSEMS) with scheduled retrieval after seven days were also analyzed. Results: Eleven eligible studies were included in the review. Overall, 173 patients with CD were included in this study. Mean percentage of technical success was 95% (range, 80%-100%), short-term efficacy was 100% in all studies, and long-term efficacy was 56% (range, 25%-90%). In patients with a scheduled PCSEMS retrieval, the long-term efficacy was 76% (range, 59%-90%), the mean complication rate was 35% (range, 15%-57%), and the major complication rate was 11% (range, 0%-29%). Conclusions: Endoscopic stenting with scheduled PCSEMS retrieval may be considered a feasible second-line treatment for short CD strictures to postpone surgery. However, larger head-to-head prospective studies are needed to understand the role of stenting as an alternative or additional treatment to EBD in CD.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.125-129
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• 2023

Appropriate sedation and analgesia are crucial for successful endoscopic procedures, patient safety, and satisfaction. Endoscopic resection for upper gastrointestinal tumors requires a deep sedation level because the procedure is lengthy and induces moderate to severe pain. Continuous patient consciousness assessment and vigilant vital signs monitoring are required for deep sedation. General anesthesia may unintentionally occur even during deep sedation for endoscopic tumor resection, which may cause unexpected complications, especially in high-risk patients. Previous studies have revealed that general anesthesia increases the en bloc resection rate and decreases the procedure time. Complications, such as perforation, aspiration pneumonia, and cardiopulmonary instability, including hypoxemia, hypotension, and arrhythmia, occurred more frequently in patients with sedation compared to those with general anesthesia. Therefore, general anesthesia demonstrated potential benefits in endoscopic treatment results and patient safety. General anesthesia should be considered a useful alternative for sedation in patients undergoing endoscopic gastrointestinal tumor resection. However, more high-quality prospective studies are required to determine the safety and effectiveness of general anesthesia in endoscopic upper gastrointestinal tumor resection because most studies comparing general anesthesia and sedation in these procedures have been retrospectively conducted and the results were inconsistent.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2649-2656
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• 2013

Background: Depression is common in breast cancer patients. The aim of this paper was to make a systematic review of its prevalence and associated factors oin breast cancer survivors. Materials and Methods: An extensive systematic electronic review (PUBMED, CINAHL, PsyINFO and Ovid) and handsearch were carried out to retrieve published articles up to November 2012, using Depression OR Dysthymia AND (Cancer OR Tumor OR Neoplasms as the keywords. Information about the design of the studies, measuring scale, characteristics of the participants, prevalence of depression and its associated factors from the included studies were extracted and summarized. Results: We identified 32 eligible studies that recruited 10,826 breast cancer survivors. Most were cross-sectional or prospective designed. The most frequent instrument used to screen depression was the Center for Epidemiological Studies for Depression (CES-D, n=11 studies) followed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, n=6 studies) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS, n=6 studies). CES-D returned about similar prevalence of depression (median=22%, range=13-56%) with BDI (median=22%, range=17-48%) but higher than HADS (median=10%, range=1-22%). Depression was associated with several socio-demographic variables, cancer-related factors, treatment-related factors, subject psychological factors, lifestyle factors, social support and quality of life. Conclusions: Breast cancer survivors are at risk for depression so that detection of associated factors is important in clinical practice.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2010

Objectives : This study aims to evaluate current clinical evidence of acupuncture treatment for rehabilitation in patients with traffic accident in South Korea. Methods : Seven Korean databases were searched for prospective clinical trials for acupuncture on rehabilitation in patients with traffic accident from their inception to June, 2009. Only studies conducted in Korean language were searched. Risk of bias in included randomized controlled trials were assessed by Cochrane Handbook procedure. Results : Fifteen clinical trials were included among 31 studies searched. Eight were observational studies, five were non-randomizedcontrolled trials, and two were randomized controlled trials. In all of included studies, acupuncture were conducted with other concomitant treatment. Included studies dealt with such conditions as neck pain, low back pain tinnitus after traffic accident, post-traumatic stress, oculomotor nerve palsy, diplopia and insomnia. All of included studies reported favorable effects of acupuncture group compared to baseline or control group. All of included studies lacked the occurrence of adverse events. High risk of bias were observed in two randomized controlled trials. Conclusions : There is no evidence that acupuncture is effective for rehabilitation of traffic accident. All of included studies lacked appropriate methodological qualities and internal validity. Future welldesigned clinical trials that evaluate the effects and safety of acupuncture treatment for rehabilitation in patients with traffic accident is needed.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.569-579
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• 2022

Open and closed rhinoplasty are two main approaches to perform nasal modifications. According to current literature, there is no current consensus among plastic surgeons and otolaryngologists on which technique is preferred in terms of aesthetic result, complications, and patient satisfaction. This study uses published research to determine whether open or closed rhinoplasty leads to superior patient outcomes. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for systematic reviews were followed and a literature search was conducted in four databases based on our search strategy. Articles were then imported into COVIDENCE where they underwent primary screening and full-text review. Twenty articles were selected in this study after 243 articles were screened. There were 4 case series, 12 retrospective cohort studies, 1 prospective cohort study, 1 case-control, and 2 outcomes research. There were three cosmetic studies, eight functional studies, and nine studies that included both cosmetic and functional components. Sixteen studies utilized both open and closed rhinoplasty and four utilized open rhinoplasty. Both techniques demonstrated high patient and provider satisfaction and no advantage was found between techniques. Based on available studies, we cannot conclude if there is a preference between open or closed rhinoplasty in terms of which technique leads to better patient outcomes. Several studies determined that open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty leads to comparative patient satisfaction. To make outcome reporting more reliable and uniform among studies, authors should look to utilize the Nasal Obstruction and Septoplasty Effectiveness scale and the Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.186-192
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• 2009

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the trend of the literature reported in the Journal of Korean Gastric Cancer Association (JKGCA) and the Journal of Korean Surgical Society (JKSS) in order to suggest new directions for the future studies on gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: The papers published in the Journal of Korean Gastric Cancer Association (JKGCA) and the Journal of Korean Surgical Society (JKSS) between 2001 and 2008 were compared and summarized in terms of the following categories, retrospective study, prospective study, case report, biomolecular study, genetic study, tumor marker study, review article, and report. Results: For recent 8 years, while the number of review articles in JKSS had initially increased, gradually fallen down and recently increased again, only a few (only 6 publications) in JKGCA have been published. The number of case reports in JKSS has gradually increased and fallen down. On the other hand, a few of case reports (1~3 publications) has been annually published in JKSS. Uniquely, reports were published only in JKGCA with the noticeable increase during the period from 2004 to 2005. For retrospective studies, in JKGCA the number started off very high and decreased, and finally increased again (U-shaped), whereas it had a bell-shaped trend in JKSS. The number of prospective studies in JKGCA had a bell-shaped trend, but the one in JKSS continued to decrease. Few papers of molecular biologic study, tumor marker study and genetic study had been published in both journals. Conclusion: We concluded that the transition from retrospective studies to prospective studies as well as a comprehensive multi-disciplinary team management of a clinical research would represent a desirable strategy in gastric cancer research.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.47-68
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• 2004

Human Ecology researches studying human life patterns in Korea are on the same tracts of recent global promotion in Korea as that of other academic studies. In this changing academic atmosphere, Human Ecology-based researches are in demands of suitable research topics and methods. This study was done to investigate the present research situations of Human Ecology-based subdivisional fields, including food and nutrition, clothing and textiles, child studies, family studies, home management, housing studies, consumer sciences and home economics education, by an increasing need in the society of KHEA (Korean Home Economics Association). The study focused on understanding the trends of research topics and methods shown in the papers published in major academic periodicals in Korea as well as world-class (SCI, SSCI) journals in order to predict the future for Ecology-based studies in Korea. The data were collected from all periodicals from January, 2000 to August, 2003, listed in the Korean Research Foundation and from world-class journals comparable to the former. Twenty-six periodicals were chosen for analysis, including papers with authors of ecology-based, field faculty at colleges or universities. There were some differences between the Korean and world-class research topics and methods. In order to narrow the gap between the two, we suggested that serious consideration be given to the research's application-ability toward human beings, which would be the home-ecology study's identity. The same criteria in these fields as used in other natural science fields are not suitable for supporting and evaluating research proposals and outputs, and recent global academic promotions may not be desirable in some respects. However, they do present an opportunity to expose Korean researcher's to world-class scientific societies and upgrade their studies. These efforts should stimulate the field of Human-Ecology studies and enhance the recognitions of these fields among future students.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.182-189
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• 2015

Purpose: We performed a quantitative and qualitative analysis in the Journal of the Korean Society of Traumatology (JKST) by Bibliometrics to know the trends of articles. Methods: We reviewed articles in the JKST retrospectively through 1988 to 2014. Articles were classified into original articles, case reports, review articles, and also it is further classified as topics and the information related to the Department of Medicine of corresponding author. Original article was classified prospective and retrospective studies. Results: 753 studies and average of 27.9 studies per year were posted on JKST. 576 original articles (76.5%) were posted. Retrospective studies around 449 studies (78%) were posted and there were about 35 descript studies and 541 analytic studies. The most common themes were related to abdominal trauma, 144 pieces, 95 pieces following damage to the chest and the 84 pieces of special order of trauma. Emergency department had the highest case whereas general surgery came to the second place. Conclusion: Recently, there has been reduced proportion of original article in JKST. It was not possible to evaluate the Korea Citation index journals due to the fact that it does not correspond to listed register Journal of National Foundation of Korea. There will be the need for the effort to improve the maintenance of the posted article number, as well as the qualitative development of the posted articles.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2903-2908
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• 2012

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is associated with disruption of basement membranes of blood vessels and promotion of metastasis through the lymphatics. However, its prognostic value for survival in patients with gastric cancer remains controversial. Method: We therefore conducted a meta-analysis of the published literature in order to clarify the impact of MMP-9. Clinical studies were selected for further analysis if they provided an independent assessment of MMP-9 in gastric cancer and reported analysis of survival data according to MMP-9 expression. Results: A total of 11 studies, covering 1700 patients, were included for meta-analysis. A summary hazard ratio (HR) of all studies and sub-group hazard ratios were calculated. The combined HR suggested that a positive MMP-9 expression had an impact on overall survival: 1.25 (95% confidence interval 1.11-1.40) in all eligible studies; 1.13 (1.06-1.20) in 8 studies detecting MMP-9 by immunohistochemistry; 1.36 (1.12-1.65) in 7 studies from Asia. Only one study for DFS showed a significant impact on disease free survival (HR 1.73, 95%CI 1.27-2.34). Conclusions: Our findings suggested that MMP-9 protein expression might be a factor for a poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. However, the association was rather weak, so that more prospective studies should further explore the prognostic impact of MMP-9 mRNA and correlations between MMP-9 and clinicopathological characteristics.