• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.867-879
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• 2021

Objective: To compare the screening performance of diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI and combined mammography and ultrasound (US) in detecting clinically occult contralateral breast cancer in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Between January 2017 and July 2018, 1148 women (mean age ± standard deviation, 53.2 ± 10.8 years) with unilateral breast cancer and no clinical abnormalities in the contralateral breast underwent 3T MRI, digital mammography, and radiologist-performed whole-breast US. In this retrospective study, three radiologists independently and blindly reviewed all DW MR images (b = 1000 s/mm² and apparent diffusion coefficient map) of the contralateral breast and assigned a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category. For combined mammography and US evaluation, prospectively assessed results were used. Using histopathology or 1-year follow-up as the reference standard, cancer detection rate and the patient percentage with cancers detected among all women recommended for tissue diagnosis (positive predictive value; PPV2) were compared. Results: Of the 30 cases of clinically occult contralateral cancers (13 invasive and 17 ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS]), DW MRI detected 23 (76.7%) cases (11 invasive and 12 DCIS), whereas combined mammography and US detected 12 (40.0%, five invasive and seven DCIS) cases. All cancers detected by combined mammography and US, except two DCIS cases, were detected by DW MRI. The cancer detection rate of DW MRI (2.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3%, 3.0%) was higher than that of combined mammography and US (1.0%; 95% CI: 0.5%, 1.8%; p = 0.009). DW MRI showed higher PPV2 (42.1%; 95% CI: 26.3%, 59.2%) than combined mammography and US (18.5%; 95% CI: 9.9%, 30.0%; p = 0.001). Conclusion: In women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, DW MRI detected significantly more contralateral breast cancers with fewer biopsy recommendations than combined mammography and US.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.609-614
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• 2016

Background: Although breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, economic evaluation of breast cancer screening is not fully addressed in developing countries. The main objective of the present study was to analyze the cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening using mammography in 35-69 year old women in an Iranian setting. Materials and Methods: This was an economic evaluation study assessing the cost-effectiveness of a population-based screening program in 35-69 year old women residing in rural areas of South east Iran. The study was conducted from the perspective of policy-makers of insurance. The study population consisted of 35- to 69-year old women in rural areas of Kerman with a population of about 19,651 in 2013. The decision tree modeling and economic evaluation software were used for cost-effectiveness and sensitivity analyses of the interventions. Results: The total cost of the screening program was 7,067.69 US$ and the total effectiveness for screening and no-screening interventions was 0.06171 and 0.00864 disability adjusted life years averted, respectively. The average cost-effectiveness ratio DALY averted US$ for screening intervention was 7,7082.5 US$ per DALY averted and 589,027 US $ for no-screening intervention. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio DALY averted was 6,264 US$ per DALY averted for screening intervention compared with no-screening intervention. Conclusions: Although the screening intervention is more cost-effective than the alternative (noscreening) strategy, it seems that including breast cancer screening program in health insurance package may not be recommended as long as the target group has a low participation rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.764-772
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences of perceived body size and actual body size between Korean and USA female college students of 18 to 26 year-old. Body measurements and survey were taken from August to September, 1998. The results are as follows: 1) There were differences between the body measurements of the Korean women and US women. Among 20 body areas, except only head length and neck circumferences, American women had bigger sizes than Korean women. 2) Compared to US females, Koreans perceived their body sizes as bigger and were more dissatisfied with their bodies than Americans. 3) Those who had thinner body sizes tended to be more satisfied with their bodies.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.207-219
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate shopping behavior of Chinese, Japanese, and US tourists in Korea. For this purpose, travel activities and shopping items were identified first. And thereafter the shopping satisfaction, travel satisfaction, intention to word-of-mouth, and intention to re-visit were compared by country, gender and age. Finally, the effect of shopping satisfaction on travel evaluations as well as the effect of demographics on shopping satisfaction were examined. Secondary data were used for this survey, while ${\chi}^2$ test, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test and regression analysis were applied to analyze data. The results were listed below. First, main travel activities were shopping, followed by enjoying natural scenery and visiting historic sites. Apparel, cosmetics, leather goods, and shoes were major shopping products. Chinese and Japanese tourists preferred cosmetics and apparel most, while US travellers bought lots of apparel and shoes. Men and older tourists tended to buy food products more than women and younger people did. Second, degree of shopping satisfaction significantly differed by country and age. The US tourists showed highest satisfaction, followed by Japanese and Chinese ones. Younger people tended to be satisfied more than older people significantly. In terms of travel satisfaction and intention for word-of-mouth, the US tourists, women, and younger people revealed higher scores than the other counterparts. Intention to re-visit Korea were significantly different, based on country and gender, showing higher for the US people and women. Third, shopping satisfaction was found to affect travel satisfaction, intention for word-of- mouth, and intention to revisit Korea significantly. In turn, travel satisfaction was also shown significantly to affect on intention for word-of-mouth, and intention to re-visit Korea.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.34-45
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• 2008

This research was designed to find decision factors through color assortment planning process by Korean women's clothing merchandisers and to look for if there exists difference with American women's clothing merchandisers. A merchandise assortment is a collection of various quantities of styles, colors, sizes, and prices of related merchandise, usually grouped under one classification within a department. The subjects were 20 women's clothing merchandisers who work for clothing retail stores from 5 to 22 years in US and Korea. The authoring process was done for qualitative data analysis. The decision factors of color assortment planning were identified with four stages; information search, qualitative evaluation, quantitative evaluation, and selection. There were differences of color assortment decision factors due to different business types, business sizes, fashion-ability, sourcing ways, and merchandise turnover. Noticeable color assortment decision factor differences caused by country difference were not found except considering the target market ethnicity and skin color in US market. Korea merchandisers seem to be more sensitive to present sales data usages and spot order availability in color assortments because of more local production use than American merchandisers.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.19
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• pp.125-153
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• 2002

Because most of feminist researches on the media have been primarily concerned with women's roles and representations in main scream mass media, women's media as alternative media remain remarkably understudied. Thus this study explores women's media in relation to women's movement during the period of US military Government in Korea. There were five women's newspapers which were means of women's movement in this period. However, failing to attract enough appropriate revenues and resort to fund-raising, women's newspapers could nor be published a long time. And women's newspapers as means of women's movement had the defects in women's representations because women's movement lacked a certain degree of autonomy from the male-dominated political activities. In other words, women's newspapers maintained women's participation in political areas, but on the other hand they emphasized the women's role as mother and housewife.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.22-32
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to suggest the appropriate marketing strategies for Korean fashion companies wishing to enter the US market. In-depth-interview with documentary research were performed to investigate the seven Korean fashion companies launching in the US market as wholesalers or retailers. The interviews were executed from May to July 2007. The results of the study were summarized in accordance with Marketing Mix(4P's). In most cases, the brand targets are female customers of 20's to early 30's. The products carried by the companies are trendy with a tint of vintage and oriental feelings. The price ranges from middle to high level. Most brands are engaged in wholesaling through trade shows to sell the merchandise for department stores or specialty stores, but recently are trying to convert to retailing. Trade shows and show rooms are used as one of the promotion tools, but celebrity marketing has also been active for the promotions. Most companies suggested their superior qualities of the products as their strength, and the lack of experience and information as their weakness. Most companies forecast that the influence of FTA between Korea and the US may be limited because of Korea companies' overseas outsourcing system.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2327-2331
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• 2015

Purpose: To determine the accuracy of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) in detecting high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in pre- and post-menopausal women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) Papanicolaou (Pap) smears. Materials and Methods: Two hundred women (150 pre-menopausal and 50 post-menopausal) with ASC-US and LSIL cytology who attended the colposcopy clinic, Thammasat University Hospital, between March 2013 and August 2014 were included. All women underwent VIA testing and colposcopy by gynecologic oncologists. Diagnostic values of VIA testing including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for detecting high-grade CIN were determined using the histopathology obtained from colposcopic-directed biopsy as a gold standard. Results: VIA testing was positive in 54/150 (36%) pre-menopausal women and 5/50 (10%) post-menopausal women. Out of 54 pre-menopausal women with positive VIA testing, 15 (27.8%) had high-grade CIN and 39 (72.2%) had either CIN 1 or insignificant pathology. Ten (10.4%), 43 (44.8%) and 43 (44.8%) out of the remaining 96 pre-menopausal women with negative VIA testing had high-grade CIN, CIN 1 and insignificant pathology, respectively. Out of 5 post-menopausal women with positive VIA testing, there were 4 (80%) women with high-grade CIN, and 1 (20%) women with insignificant pathology. Out of 45 VIA-negative post-menopausal women, 42 (93.3%) women had CIN 1 and insignificant pathology, and 3 (6.7%) had high-grade CIN. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the VIA testing were 59.4%, 76.2%, 32.2% and 90.8%, respectively (60%, 68.8%, 27.8% and 89.6% in pre-menopausal women and 57.1%, 97.7%, 80% and 93.3% in post-menopausal women). Conclusions: VIA testing may be used as a screening tool for detecting high-grade CIN in women with minor cervical cytological abnormalities in a low-resource setting in order to lower the rate of colposcopy referral.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3461-3464
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• 2014

Background: To determine the frequency of dysplastic lesions in the endocervical curettage (ECC) specimens of women with ASC-US and LSIL Pap and to evaluate the possible factors associated with high grade dysplasia in those ECC specimens. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and sixty patients with ASC-US and LSIL cytologic smears who underwent an ECC at the time of colposcopic examination during January 2010 and December 2012 were reviewed. Demographic and clinicopathologic data were collected. Multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression was used to identify factors that might be associated with high grade endocervical dysplasia. Results: The frequency of endocervical dysplasia was 7.7% (20 out of 260 patients). Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 and CIN 2-3 lesions in the endocervical canal were observed in 12 and 8 patients, respectively. No microinvasive or invasive cervical cancers were identified. There was no difference in the frequency of high grade endocervical dysplasia between the patients with satisfactory and unsatisfactory colposcopic examinations (1.4% vs 5.1%, respectively, p=0.087). A multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between high grade CIN on ectocervical biopsy as well as LSIL cytologic smears and high grade dysplasia in endocervical canal (OR=0.046, 95%CI=0.007-0.288; p=0.001 and OR=0.154, 95%CI=0.025-0.942; p=0.043, respectively). Conclusions: The frequency of high grade endocervical dysplasia in women with ASC-US and LSIL cytologic smears was low. Therefore, routine performance of ECC in those women is debatable. High grade ectocervical dysplasia and LSIL cytologic smears may be used as predictors for high grade dysplasia in endocervical canal and ECC in these patients is reasonable.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6857-6862
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• 2015

Background: To identify the optimal cost effective strategy for the management of women having ASC-US who attended at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KMCH). Design: An Economical Analysis based on a retrospective study. Subject: The women who were referred to the gynecological department due to screening result of ASC-US at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, a general and tertiary referral center in Bangkok Thailand, from Jan 2008 - Dec 2012. Materials and Methods: A decision tree-based was constructed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of three follow up strategies in the management of ASC-US results: repeat cytology, triage with HPV testing and immediate colposcopy. Each ASC-US woman made the decision of each strategy after receiving all details about this algorithm, advantages and disadvantages of each strategy from a doctor. The model compared the incremental costs per case of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) detected as measured by incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results: From the provider's perspective, immediate colposcopy is the least costly strategy and also the most effective option among the three follow up strategies. Compared with HPV triage, repeat cytology triage is less costly than HPV triage, whereas the latter provides a more effective option at an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 56,048 Baht per additional case of CIN 2+ detected. From the patient's perspective, the least costly and least effective is repeat cytology triage. Repeat colposcopy has an incremental cost-effectiveness (ICER) of 2,500 Baht per additional case of CIN2+ detected when compared to colposcopy. From the sensitivity analysis, immediate colposcopy triage is no longer cost effective when the cost exceeds 2,250 Baht or the cost of cytology is less than 50 Baht (1USD = 31.58 THB). Conclusions: In women with ASC-US cytology, colposcopy is more cost-effective than repeat cytology or triage with HPV testing for both provider and patient perspectives.