• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.87-104
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• 2015

Purpose: To assess real-world treatment patterns, health care utilization, costs, and survival among Medicare enrollees with locally advanced/unresectable or metastatic gastric cancer receiving standard first-line chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked database (2000~2009). The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) first diagnosed with locally advanced/unresectable or metastatic gastric cancer between July 1, 2000 and December 31, 2007 (first diagnosis defined the index date); (2) ${\geq}65$ years of age at index; (3) continuously enrolled in Medicare Part A and B from 6 months before index through the end of follow-up, defined by death or the database end date (December 31, 2009), whichever occurred first; and (4) received first-line treatment with fluoropyrimidine and/or a platinum chemotherapy agent. Results: In total, 2,583 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at index was $74.8{\pm}6.0years$. Over 90% of patients died during follow-up, with a median survival of 361 days for the overall post-index period and 167 days for the period after the completion of first-line chemotherapy. The mean total gastric cancer-related cost per patient over the entire post-index follow-up period was United States dollar (USD) $70,808{\pm}56,620$. Following the completion of first-line chemotherapy, patients receiving further cancer-directed treatment had USD 25,216 additional disease-related costs versus patients receiving supportive care only (P<0.001). Conclusions: The economic burden of advanced gastric cancer is substantial. Extrapolating based on published incidence estimates and staging distributions, the estimated total disease-related lifetime cost to Medicare for the roughly 22,200 patients expected to be diagnosed with this disease in 2014 approaches USD 300 millions.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.87-97
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• 2017

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disease caused by an abnormal proliferation of plasma cells, of which the prognostic factors include chromosomal abnormality, ${\beta}$-2 microglobulin, and albumin. Recently, the term chromothripsis has emerged, which is the massive but highly localized chromosomal rearrangement in response to a one-step catastrophic event. Many studies have shown an association of chromothripsis with the prognosis in several cancers; however, few studies have investigated it in MM. Here, we studied the association between chromothripsis-like patterns and treatment resistance or prognosis. First, we analyzed nine MM cell lines (U266, MM.1S, RPMI8226, KMS-11, KMS-12-BM, KMS-12-PE, KMS-28-BM, KMS-28-PE, and NCI-H929) and bone marrow samples of four patients who were diagnosed with MM by next-generation sequencing-based copy number variation analysis. The frequency of the chromothripsis-like pattern was observed in seven cell lines. We analyzed the treatment-induced chromothripsis-like patterns in KMS-12-BM and KMS-12-PE cells. As a result, breakpoints and chromothripsis-like patterns were increased after drug treatment in the relatively resistant KMS-12-BM. We further analyzed the patients' results according to the therapeutic response, which was divided into sensitive and resistant, as suggested by the International Myeloma Working Group. The chromothripsis-like pattern was more frequently observed in the resistant group. In the sensitive group, the frequency of the chromothripsis-like pattern decreased after treatment, whereas the resistant group showed increased chromothripsis-like patterns after the treatment. These results suggest that the chromothripsis-like pattern is associated with treatment response in MM.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.65-72
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• 2016

Objectives : While neck pain is highly prevalent in Korea, studies examining its Korean medical treatment are currently lacking. The aim of this study was to assess current Korean medical treatment practice patterns for neck pain. Methods : A preliminary questionnaire was developed to investigate current practice patterns of neck pain and cervical intervertebral disc displacement (IDD) treatment, and underwent further revision through external review. The final questionnaire was distributed as a web-based survey to 18,289 potential respondents by email. Results : The response rate was 3.34 %. Most participants replied that they received multiple Korean medicine interventions for neck pain treatment consisting of such methods as acupuncture, wet cupping, interferential current therapy and electroacupuncture. A total of 378 respondents acknowledged that diagnostic testing was needed for neck pain treatment. The most commonly used Korean Standard Classification of Diseases (KCD) principal diagnosis code for neck pain was M542, and for cervical IDD was M501. Conclusion : This survey study helps determine current practice patterns of neck pain, and recognizes the need for use of diagnostic devices in neck pain treatment. These results are further anticipated to provide basic data for clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and future studies using Korean National Health Insurance and Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service data.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.112-129
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• 2020

Objectives : The aim of this study is to explore the types of pattern identification (PI, 辨證) and the differential points of PI used for the treatment of psoriasis in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) based on the Chinese references and to provide the evidences applying PI for the treatment of psoriasis in clinical practice. Methods : This study extracted patterns of psoriasis through database CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and analysis the patterns and classification criteria of the patterns. Those examined in the study are dermal symptoms, general symptoms, formula and herbs which are different depending on the patterns. Results : Total 60 studies were selected and 44 pattern types were extracted from them. We categorized the main pattern types on psoriasis used in TCM as 'blood-heat syndrome(BHS, 血熱證)', blood-stasis syndrome(BSS, 血瘀證), and 'blood-dryness syndrome(BDS, 血燥證)', 'dampness-heat syndrome(DHS, 濕熱證)' and 'yang-deficiency syndrome(YDS, 陽虛證)'. Among these patterns, BHS was the most common. In TCM, the pattern of BHS tended to have skin symptoms and signs related to inflammatory erythema and heat. Both BSS and BDS were characterized by long disease duration and poor healing. In addition, DHS tended to have the skin symptoms and signs such as oozing and severe itching. The symptoms and signs related to coldness mainly showed in YDS. For PI criteria, 'qi-blood-essence criteria(氣血津液辨證)' and 'eight-doctrine criteria(八鋼辨證) are commonly used. Conclusions : Our findings show that each PI on psoriasis in TCM has different characteristics related to dermal and general symptoms or signs. Further studies are needed to develop the diagnostic tool of PI on psoriasis reflecting on clinical practices in Korean Medicine by referring to the findings of this study about PI on psoriasis in TCM.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.33.2-33.2
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• 2009

Block copolymer lithography has attracted great attention for emerging nanolithography since nanoscaleperiodic patterns can be easily obtained through self-assembly process without conventional top-down patterning process. Since the morphologies of self-assembled block copolymer patterns are strongly dependent on surface energy of a substrate, suitable surface modification is required. Until now, the surface modification has been studied by using random copolymer or self-assembled mono layers (SAMs). However, the research on surface modifications has been limited within several substrates such as Si-based materials. In present study, we investigated the formation of block copolymer on Au substrate by $O_2$ plasma treatment with the SAM of 3-(p-methoxy-phenyl)propyltrichloro-silane [MPTS, $CH_3OPh(CH_2)_3SiCl_3$]. After $O_2$ plasma treatment, the chemical bonding states of the surface were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The static contact angle measurement was performed to study the effects of $O_2$ plasma treatment on the formation of MPTS monolayer. The block copolymer nanotemplates formed on Au surface were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the ordering of self-assembled block copolymer pattern and the formation of cylindrical nano hole arrays were enhanced dramatically by oxygen plasma treatment. Thus, the oxidation of gold surface by $O_2$ plasma treatment enables the MPTS to form the monolayer assembly leading to surface neutralization of gold substrates.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2019

Purpose: The dental CAD / CAM system has been popular with the development of the digital dental industry. Zirconia is a typical material in dental CAD / CAM systems. Zirconia crowns are classified into single layer and double layer. This study is about the double layer crown of zirconia. The surface roughness, bond strength and fracture patterns of the zirconia surface were observed. Methods: Zirconia blocks were cut using a low speed cutter. Sintered to form a plate shape (6mm × 6mm × 3mm). The prepared specimens were surface treated in four ways. Surface roughness and bond strength were measured. And the fracture pattern was observed. Results: Result of surface treatment of zirconia. The surface roughness test results were as ET 2.87 ㎛, ST 2.67 ㎛, LT 2.44 ㎛, AT 2.41 ㎛, CN 2.08 ㎛ order. Bond Strength results were as LT 25.09 MPa, AT 23.27 MPa, ST 21.27 MPa, ET 21.09 MPa, CN 16.12 MPa order. Fracture patterns showed cohesive failure of 25-50% of the bond area. Conclusion: Surface roughness, bond strength and fracture pattern of the zirconia surface were observed. Etching the surface treatment of zirconia materials has been shown to affect the surface roughness. Zirconia special binder treatment has been shown to affect the bond strength improvement.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1010-1015
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• 2008

The effects of heat treatment on the physicochemical properties and mineral composition of sun-dried salt were investigated. The salts parched at high temperature were appeared the higher alkalinity and the lower oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) than the samples without heat treatment. The commercial salts (bamboo salt and yellow loess salt) and the sun-dried salt parched at high temperature had relatively higher sodium ion content (418-450 ppm) compared to that (418.0 ppm) of refined salt. The increase of calcium ion occurred in the salts parched at high temperature compared to the sun-dried salt without heat treatment, but the magnesium ion was vice versa. The commercial salt, yellow loess salt had highest turbidity (0.973) whereas sun-dried salt showed lowest level (0.097) among the tested samples. Turbidity of heat treatment samples decreased as solubility increased. The maximum concentration of dialyzed salt was reached after 4 hr regardless of various processed salts, but those had no difference significantly among the tested samples. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the parched sun-dried salts showed different peak intensity with common salts, and they were similar to the patterns of oxide salts, especially MgO. The maximum value (2.56%) of MgO appeared in the sun-dried salt parched at $1,400^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.251.1-251.1
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• 2013

Combination of oxidative vacuum annealing and oxygen plasma treatment can serve as a simple and efficient method of line-width modification of imprinted nanopatterns. Since the vacuum annealing and oxygen plasma could lead mass loss of polymeric materials, either one of the process can yield a narrowed patterns. However, the vacuum annealing process usually demands quite high temperatures (${\geq}300^{\circ}C$) and extended annealing time to get appreciable line-width reduction. Although the plasma treatment may be considered as an effective low temperature rapid process for the line-width reduction, it is also suffering for the lowered controllability on application to very fine patterns. We have found that the vacuum annealing temperature can be lowered by introducing the oxygen in the vacuum process and that the combination of oxygen plasma treatment with the vacuum annealing could yield the best result in the line-with reduction of the imprinted polymeric nanopatterns. Well-defined line width reduction by more than 50% was successfully demonstrated at relatively low temperatures. Furthermore, it was verified that this process was applicable to the nanopatterns of different shapes and materials.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2005

Backgrounds and Objectives: Squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity(SCOC) in TNM stage I & II have relatively high chance to be cured compared to those in the advanced stage, but sometimes result in the treatment failure with poor prognosis. There have been few reports on the patterns of failure and the clinical courses for SCOC in stage I & II after the failure of initial treatment. This study is directed at identifying the clinical outcomes of stage I & II SCOC and the salvage rate after initial treatment and suggesting an optimal level of treatment by analyzing the patterns of failure. Material and Methods: The medical records of 36 patients with SCOC, initially diagnosed between 1995 and 2001 as TNM stage I & II were reviewed retrospectively. The patterns of failure, salvage treatment, clinical courses, and the survival of these subjects were analyzed. The minimum follow-up period of no-evidence of disease(NED) was 12 months with an average of 32.2 months. Results: Overall rate of the treatment failure in SCOC of stage I & II was 41. 7%(15/36 cases). Most of the treatment failure in the subjects with stage I tumors occurred in regional lymph node. Local failure was the most frequent form of failure in the subjects with stage II tumors after wide excision of primary tumor with elective neck dissection and/or radiation therapy. No significant correlation was noted between the safety margin and the local failure. Elective neck dissections in stage I & II SCOC had a tendency to reduce regional failure (p=0.055). The salvage rates at 24 months were 85.7% in stage I, and 37.5% in stage II. The 3-year survival rate after the failure of initial treatment was 55.0%. Conclusion: SCOC of stage I & II after the failure of initial treatment showed poor prognosis despite of the salvage treatments. This study implies that the elective neck dissections for regional lymph node should be required for SCOC of stage I & II to reduce the treatment failure.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.131-145
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• 2017

Objectives The purpose of this study is to understand current status of Korean Medicine treatment practice patterns for traffic injuries by web-based survey. Methods The structured questionnaire was distributed by a web based survey to 1,630 potential respondents by email from December 19th in 2016 to February 13th in 2017. All data were statistically analysed. Results The response rate was 79.4%. According to the analysis of the outcome of the survey, 88.0% of the participants felt necessity of the development of Korean medicine clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for traffic injuries. Survey results showed cognitive degree about Korean Medicine CPGs' necessity, individual Korean medicine treatments and requirement for extending insurance coverage for patients with traffic injuries. Conclusions This survey study helps to determine current clinical practice patterns of Korea medicine treatments for traffic injuries. These results further anticipate to provide basic data for CPGs for traffic injuries.