• Journal of the Korean Statistical Society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.79-97
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• 2004

We propose a permutation approach to the classic Behrens-Fisher problem of comparing two means in the presence of unequal variances. It is motivated by the observation that a paired test is valid whether or not the variances are equal. Rather than using a single arbitrary pairing of the data, we average over all possible pairings. We do this in both a parametric and nonparametric setting. When the sample sizes are equal, the parametric version is equivalent to referral of the unpaired t-statistic to a t-table with half the usual degrees of freedom. The derivation provides an interesting representation of the unpaired t-statistic in terms of all possible pairwise t-statistics. The nonparametric version uses the same idea of considering all different pairings of data from the two groups, but applies it to a permutation test setting. Each pairing gives rise to a permutation distribution obtained by relabeling treatment and control within pairs. The totality of different mean differences across all possible pairings and relabelings forms the null distribution upon which the p-value is based. The conservatism of this procedure diminishes as the disparity in variances increases, disappearing completely when the ratio of the smaller to larger variance approaches 0. The nonparametric procedure behaves increasingly like a paired t-test as the sample sizes increase.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.262-272
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the degree of job demand, job resources, burnout, and the organizational commitment of administrative nurses based on the job demands-resources model. Further, it seeks to confirm the influencing factors affecting nurses' burnout and organizational commitment. Methods: The participants were 188 administrative nurses working at hospitals (one tertiary hospital and six general hospitals) located in D City. The collected data were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0 using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The influential factors of burnout were role conflict (β=.50), job demand (β=.18), job position (β=-.17, team leaders and above), and social support (β=-.15). The regression model had an explanatory power of 59%. The influential factors of organizational commitment were appropriate rewards (β=.59), job position (β=.15, team leader or above), working department (β=.14, referral center and health screening administration department), and social support (β=.18). The regression model had an explanatory power of 59.5%. Conclusion: The results support the job demands-resources model, and interventions should be developed to decrease job demand and provide sufficient job resources.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8587-8589
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• 2014

Background: Although a great deal of progress has been made in the management of colorectal cancer in terms of neoadjuvant modalities, surgical techniques and adjuvant therapies, the recurrence of tumors remains an enigmatic complication in patients. A better understanding of colorectal cancer and of factors that lead to recurrence of disease can provide helpful information for designing more effective screening and surveillance methods. Aim: To investigate the factors that may lead to local recurrence of colorectal cancers. Materials and Methods: The current retrospective case study evaluated 617 patients admitted to the Iranian Cancer Institute (the largest referral cancer center in the country) from 1995 to 2009 with confirmed colorectal cancer. Patients with distant metastasis, or with pathology other than adenocarcinoma and no follow-up, were excluded (175 patients). The remainder (442) included 294 (66.5%) with rectal cancer and 148 (33.5%) with colon cancer. The median duration of follow-up was 26 months. Results: The total rate of recurrence was 17.4%, comprising 19.6% and 16.3% recurrence rates in colon and rectal cancer, respectively. Conclusions: Recurrence of colorectal cancer was significantly correlated to tumor grade (p<0.008).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2867-2870
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• 2016

Background: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy among females worldwide, approximately 320,000 women being diagnosed with the disease each year and 76,000 dying. To date, there is limited knowledge of endometrial cancer in Malaysia. Objectives: To identify the epidemiological profile and prognostic factors of survival. Materials and Methods: A list of endometrial cancer patients in 2000-2011 was obtained from the hospital Record Department. Only cases confirmed by histopathology examination were included. We excluded those with incomplete medical records or referral cases. Simple and multiple Cox regression approaches were used for data analysis. Results: Only 108 cases were included with a mean (SD) age of 62.7 (12.3) years, with 87.0% Malay ethnicity. Grade of cancer was: 29.1% grade 1, 43.7% grade 2 and 27.2% grade 3. The majority of patients had non-endometrioid type (60.2%), with myometrial invasion (82.2%) and lymphovascular invasion (57.3%). The significant prognostic factors were age (HR 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.08, p=0.002) and having lymphovascular invasion (HR 2.15; 95% CI: 1.08, 4.29; p=0.030). Conclusions: Endometrial cancer patients should be diagnosed earlier to reduce the risk of mortality. The public should be given education on the signs and symptoms of the disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.891-894
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• 2014

This study is aimed to investigate the role of paired boxed gene 1 (PAX1) methylation analysis by methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) in the detection of high grade lesions in atypical squamous cells cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H) and compared its performance with the Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) human papillomavirus (HPV) test. In our study, 130 cases with a diagnosis of ASC-H from the cervical cytological screening by Thinprep cytologic test (TCT) technique were selected for triage. Their cervical scrapings were collected and evaluated by using PAX1 methylation analysis (MS-HRM) and high-risk HPV DNA test (HC2), followed by colposcopy and cervical biopsy. Chi-square test were used to test the differences of PAX1 methylation or HPV infection between groups. In the detection of CIN2+, the sensitivity, specificity, the PPV, NPV and the accuracy of PAX1 MS-HRM assay and high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) tests were respectively 80.6% vs 67.7%, 94.9% vs 54.5%, 83.3%, vs 31.8%, 94.0% vs 84.4%, and 91.5% vs 57.7%. The PAX1 MS-HRM assay proved superior to HR-HPV testing in the detection of high grade lesions (CIN2+) in ASC-H. This approach could screen out the majority of high grade lesion cases of ASC-H, and thus could reduce the referral rate to colposcopy.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.31-31
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• 2016

Purpose: To describle clinical features and enzyme activity of Vietnamese patients with Mucolipidosis type II. Methods: Clinical features, laboratory and plasma lysosom enzyme activity by 4 MU-Fluorometric assay was studied from 2014-2015 at the Northern referral center of Pediatrics - National Children's Hospital. Results: 16 cases (7 girls and 9 boys) were diagnosed with I-cell bases on clinical symptoms and enzyme activities studies. Diagnosis age was $5.93{\pm}4.28$ years, onset age was recognised from birth to 4 years (median 1.25) with the feature of joint stiffness and bone deformation. All cases presented with the feature of joint stiffness, chest deformation and kyphoscoliosis; Fifteen cases (93.7%) had coarse facial features. No patients had hepatosplenomegaly on abdominal ultrasound, 5/15 patients had heart valves disease. Enzyme assay showed ${\alpha}$-Hexosaminidase of $1,885.9{\pm}338.7$ (nmol/mg plasma/17 hrs), ${\alpha}$-Iduronate sulfatase of $4,534.8{\pm}1,062.9nmol/mg$ plasma/4 hrs). Conclusion: Mucolipidosis II seriously affected the life of the patients with skeletal deformities, contractures develop in all joints and cardiac involvement.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.23-26
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• 2016

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) I is a rare, progressive and multisystemic disease with insidious initial signs and symptoms, and making an early diagnosis can be a challenge for the first-line general medical practitioner. We report a 6-month-old girl who was brought to our well baby clinic for regular immunization with the manifestations of lumbar gibbus, hirsutism, large Mongolian spots over back and buttock, and mild bilateral legs spasticity noticed by the general pediatrician, and then newly diagnosed with MPS I after referral to the geneticist in time. Her surgical history included inguinal hernia repair at 1 month old, $CO_2$ laser supraglottoplasty for laryngomalacia and tracheostomy due to chronic respiratory failure with ventilator dependence at 2 months old. Understanding and identification of the early signs and symptoms of this disease have the potential to early diagnosis and timely appropriate treatment, which could contribute to a better clinical outcome.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.177-185
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• 2005

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of an endodontic infection on presence of furcation involvement in periodontally-involved mandibular molars. All first and second mandibualr molars in 45 patients were selected if at least one was root-filled or had a possible periapical radiolucency. The sample consisted of patients from a referral population at a periodotnal clinic which represented an adult population with a mean age of 47.5 years (range 31 to 63) For mandibular molars with periapical destruction at both roots, frequency of horizontal furcation depth ${\geqq}$ 3 mm was significantly more compared to teeth without periapical destruction. Mean periodontal probing depth was significantly greater at mandibular molars with periapical destruction. It is suggested that a root canal infection in periodontitis-involved molars may potentiate periodontitis progression by spreading of endodontic pathgens through patent accessory canals and dentinal tubules. In conclusion, an endodontic infection in mandibular molars was found to be associated with additional attachment loss in the furcation area, and may thus be considered to be one of several risk factors influencing the prognosis of molars in periodontitis-prone patients.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.77-87
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• 2009

The main aim of the paper is to provide an empirical analysis on patient satisfaction as an indicator of service quality in Malaysian public hospitals. Self-administered questionnaires were administered to patients by convenience sampling. Two sets of questionnaires were used, one for inpatient and another one set for outpatient. Selection of hospitals was made according to states in Peninsular Malaysia. 23 hospitals covering all state level hospitals, the National Referral Centre and selected district hospitals were chosen as respondent hospitals. Two dimensions of service quality emerged, namely clinical and physical dimension of service. Both outpatient and inpatient were found to be more satisfied with clinical dimension of service than physical dimension. For outpatient satisfaction, there was positive correlation between waiting time and patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction was also found to be higher in the smaller district hospitals than in the larger state hospitals. For clinical dimension of service, patients were satisfied with the services of doctors and nurses, while for physical dimension of service, patients were satisfied with the cleanliness of the facilities. The ability of the research to be conducted by random sampling was inhibited by the reluctance of patients to cooperate, which led to the use of convenience sampling. Studies have also shown that patients are reluctant to express their feelings on services provided by their caregivers. The study provides primary data for a nationwide study on patient satisfaction in Malaysian public hospitals, for both inpatient and outpatient.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.131-134
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• 2005

It is often difficult to identify and localize intraorbital foreign bodies despite of modern high-resolution imaging investigation. Especially, posteriorly located foreign bodies have increased risks of morbidity that surgical approach is often complicated. No matter how trivial it seems, retained foreign body, particularly organic in nature, may give rise to severe orbital and cerebral complications. High clinical suspicion, proper diagnostic studies, timely referral to a skilled orbital surgeon are mandatory. We report a case of intraorbital wooden foreign body that required two separate exploration for removal. Initial exploration failed to identify and locate the foreign body completely. After the operation, fistula formation and purulent discharge were developed and the imaging investigation results were equivocal, complicating the management. A second exploration yielded multiple intraorbital wooden foreign body in the apex of orbit. The patient fully recovered without complication. The evaluations and the details of management strategy are discussed.