• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1316-1326
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• 2017

We evaluated the proximate compositions of raw materials, total polyphenols, total flavonoids, and radical scavenging activities of roasted maize tea according to cultivation period and variety. Proximate compositions of raw materials were significantly different according to cultivation period and variety, and quality characteristics of roasted maize tea extracts were significantly different according to cultivation period. Total polyphenols, total flavonoids, and radical scavenging activities of roasted maize tea were significantly different before and after roasting. The total polyphenol content of Pyeonggangok cultivar sown on April 5th was elevated about 3.60-fold before and after roasting by $3.42{\pm}0.16$ and $12.22{\pm}0.67mg$ gallic acid equivalents/g, respectively. Overall, total polyphenol content was higher in roasted maize tea produced using maize sown on April 5th. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of Gangdaok cultivar sown on April 5th was elevated about 31.6-fold before and after roasting by $7.61{\pm}1.93$ and $240.37{\pm}8.82mg$ Trolox equivalents (TE)/g, respectively. 2,2'-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical scavenging activity of Pyeonggangok cultivar sown on April 5th was elevated about 5.5-fold before and after roasting by $153.84{\pm}1.32$ and $843.54{\pm}3.64mg$ TE/g, respectively. The correlation between proximate compositions of raw materials and quality as well as antioxidant characteristics of roasted maize tea showed overall significance.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.214-220
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• 2006

Purpose: p53 is one of the most commonly mutated genes in human tumors. The aim of this study was to analyze p53 mutation in gastric cancer and its correlations with the clinicopathologic variables to clarify the usefulness of p53 mutation as a prognostic factor. Materials and Methods: Specimens from 331 patients with gastric cancer who underwent a gastrectomy between March 1999 and April 2001 at the Kyungpook National University Hospital were used. p53 gene mutations were assessed by using a polymerase chain-reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis. The correlations between p53 gene mutation and clinocopathologic parameters were analyzed. Results: p53 mutations were found in 66 (19.9%) tumors. Among those 66 cases, mutations were seen in 23 tumors at axon 5, in 8 at exon 6, in 21 at exon 7, and in 17 at exon 8. Two mutations were shown in 3 tumors. Thiriy-six (23.1%) of 156 intestinal-type tumors and 19 (13.1%) of 145 diffuse-type tumors showed p53 gene mutation (P=0.007). The frequency of p53 gene mutation didn't show any significant differences according to age, sex, stage, location, or gross type. Exon 5 mutations showed more frequently in intestinal-type tumors than in diffuse-type tumors (9.7% vs. 2.8%, P=0.024), and p53 mutation were more frequent in lymph nodes metastasis group than lymph nodes non-metastasis group with statistical significance (25.0% vs 15.6%, P=0.034). The five-year survival rate showed no statistically significant difference with p53 mutation (P=0.704). Conclusion: p53 mutations assessed by PCR-SSCP had little value as a prognostic factor after gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.250-256
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• 2006

Purpose: Recently, interest in peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) has increased, although clinical studies of the effect of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression on gastric cancer have not been reported yet. In this study, we investigated the role of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression in gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty-eight (128) samples of both gastric cancer and normal tissues were obtained from 128 patients who had undergone at a curative gastrectomy at Seoul Medical Center from Jan. 2001 to Dec. 2005. $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression was determined by using immunohistochemical staining, and the results were analyzed. The statistical analysis was based on clinicopathological findings and the differences in survival rates. Results: The mean age of the patients was 6n, and the male : female ratio was 1.9 : 1. $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression was significantly higher in cancer tissues than in normal tissue (81.3% vs. 57.0%, p<0.001). There was insignificant difference between well and moderately differentiated types and poorly differentiated types in terms of the expression of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ (87.0% vs. 74.6%, P=0.074). In the univariate analysis the survival rate was significantly increased when $PPAR-{\gamma}$ was expressed in normal tissue (P=0.003). In the multivariate analysis, only the UICC TNM staging had significance related to the survival rate. Conclusion: The rate of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression was higher in cancer tissue than it was in normal tissue from gastric cancer patients. In the univariate analysis, $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression in normal tissue had significance with respect to survival, but the multivariate analysis showed no such significance. Thus, we should further evaluate more cases to determine whether or not such a significance exists.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2009

Purpose: The postoperative hospital stay after gastric cancer surgery is usually 8 to 14 days. The main reason for a prolonged hospital stay may be the 3 to 4 day period of postoperative starvation. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of a critical pathway for early recovery after gastric cancer surgery, and this pathway included early postoperative feeding. Materials and Methods: One hundred three consecutive patients who underwent gastric resection and reconstruction for gastric cancer from October 2007 to June 2008 at St. Mary's Hospital were prospectively enrolled in a fast-track critical pathway. The pathway included minimal preoperative procedures, optimal pain relief, proper fluid administration, early mobilization and early enteral nutrition at postoperative 1 day. The exclusion criteria were determined preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively. Results: Of the 103 patients, 19 patients were excluded for preoperative (5), intraoperative (7) and postoperative (7) reasons. Eighty-four patients (81.6%) were included in the fast-track critical pathway. Sixty-eight (88.6%) of 84 patients were discharged at the planned 8 day after surgery during the initial period of the study, and the postoperative hospital stay was shortened up to 6 days during the more recent period. Postoperative complications occurred in 22 patients (26.2%), and these were gastrointestinal track-related complications in 6 cases (3 cases of ileus, 1 case of stasis and 2 cases of leakage) and infection-related complications in 8 cases. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of morbidity according to the clinic-operative features that included age, gender, stomach resection and lymphadenectomy. Conclusion: The fast-track critical pathway with using the available exclusion criteria was a valid option for patients who underwent gastric cancer surgery.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.217-224
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• 2008

Purpose: For most surgeons, colon interposition after gastrectomy remains an infrequently performed procedure because of its complexity. The aim of this study was to assess its technical feasibility and safety as a post-gastrectomy reconstruction method by reviewing our experience with colon interposition. Materials and Methods: From March 2001 to February 2002, 30 colon interpositions after-gastrectomy were done with using the ileo-ascending or transverse colon. We analyzed the clinicopathologic features and the surgical outcomes. Results: There were 16 males and 14 females in this study with a mean age of 67.5 years (range: 31 to 76 years). Twenty-five ascending colons and 5 transverse colons were used for the interposition, respectively. The mean operation time was 373 minutes (range: 204 to 600 minutes). There were 9 operative morbidities (30%) and 1 operative mortality. The restoration of bowel motility was noted at 3.8 postoperative days; a soft diet was started at 4.9 postoperative days and the duration of the hospital stay was 18.2 days. The percentage of weight loss in the patients with total, proximal and distal gastrectomy was 16.3%, 14.0% and 8.8%, respectively, at 6 months, and thereafter the weight loss gradually recovered as 8.1%, 7.5% and 5.6%, respectively, at 5 years postoperatively. Gastric stasis was the one of the most meaningful long-term complications, and especially in the patients who underwent distal gastrectomy with colon interposition. Conclusion: Colon interposition after gastrectomy was a very complex procedure with a long operating time and many anastomosis sites. The postoperative outcomes failed to achieve satisfactory weight gain and the patients displayed postprandial symptoms. This suggested that this procedure was not an appropriate procedure for conventional reconstruction after gastrectomy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.189-197
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• 2008

Purpose: Peritoneal lavage cytology is regarded as a useful diagnostic test for detecting intraperitoneal micrometastsis. However, there are currently no reports about cytological examination with $ThinPrep^{(R)}$ (CY), a newly introduced fluid-based diagnostic system, in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). This study was performed to analyze the clinical significance of intraoperative peritoneal lavage for CY in AGC patients. Materials and Methods: 424 AGC patients were suspected to have serosal exposure macroscopically during surgery and they underwent intraoperative peritoneal lavage for CY between 2001 and 2006 at Korea Cancer Center Hospital. The clinical data, pathological data and CY results were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Results: The percentage of cytology positive results was 31.1%, and this was well correlated with the T-stage, N-stage and P-stage. The 3-year survival rates of CY0 and CY1 were 68.1% and 25.9%, respectively. According to the P-stage and CY, the 3-year survival rates were 71.1% in P0CY0, 38.9% in P0CY1, 38.5% in P1/2/3CY0 and 11.0% in P1/2/3CY1. Interestingly, both the P0CY1 and P1/2/3CY0 survival curves were similar figures, but they were significantly different from those of the other groups. Multivariate analysis indicated that CY was an independent, strong prognostic factor for survival, as well as sex, the T-stage, N-stage, P-stage, other metastasis and the serum CEA. CY1 was revealed as a risk factor for peritoneal recurrence in the curative resection group. Conclusion: The results certify indirectly that cytological examination using $ThinPrep^{(R)}$ is a very reliable diagnostic method for detecting intraperitoneal micrometastasis from the fact that it is not only a strong prognostic factor, but it is also a risk factor for peritoneal recurrence in AGC patients. Therefore intraoperative peritoneal lavage should be included in the routine intraoperative staging workup for AGC, and its result will provide a good target for the treatment of peritoneal micrometastasis.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.857-862
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• 2002

Porous ceramic supports with immobilized microorganisms for the water purifier were synthesized by firing green compacts of mixed powder comprising of fly ash, bentonite and an additive of yeast powder at 800∼1,000$^{\circ}C$ for 1h and the pore and mechanical properties of specimens were investigated. The compressive strength was increased in FB (Fly Ash + Bentonite) specimens while pore properties was decreased with increasing the bentonite content and sintering temperature. The compressive strength, bulk density, apparent density, porosity, mean pore size, pore volume and specific surface area of FB specimens at 800∼1,000$^{\circ}C$ were 89.6∼128.9 kgf/$cm^2$, 1.25∼1.43, 1.61∼1.78, 27.2∼62.2%, 7.9∼25.6 ${\mu}m$, 8.9∼$22.2{\times}10^{-5}\;cm^3/g$ and 35.2∼134.3 $m^2/g$, respectively. The pore properties of FBY (FB+yeast powder) specimens were superior to that of FB specimens, however compressive strength was decreased with increasing yeast powder content. The overall properties of 9F1B1Y (9F1B+10% of yeast powder) specimens at 900$^{\circ}C$ for 1 h were 98.7 kgf/$cm^2$, 1.20, 1.67, 68.1%, 48.9 ${\mu}m$, $29.5{\times}10^{-5}\;cm^3/g$ and 152.2 $m^2/g$, respectively. In this study, it was revealed that 9F1B1Y specimen demonstrated better S. saprophyticus adherence properties n their surface pores. Consequently, the microorganisms immobilized on porous ceramic supports showed better water purifying performance with many pores and adequate strength.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.863-870
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• 2002

The Single phase $Pb(Fe_{1/2}Ta_{1/2})O_3$ (x=0.0∼1.0) solid solutions were successfully synthesized and their ordering structures as well as dielectric properties were investigated ${{r(Nb^{5+})=r(Ta^{5+})=0.78 {\AA},\;AW(Nb^{5+})=92.91,\;AW(Ta^{5+})=180.95}}$. While $Pb(Fe_{1/2}Ta_{1/2})O_3$ showed typical relaxor ferroelectric characteristics such as dielectric relaxation and diffuse phase transition, the sharpeness of the phase transition increased as $Ta^{5+}$ was replaced by $Nb^{5+}$ and finally $Pb(Fe_{1/2}Nb_{1/2})O_3$ showed normal ferroelectric characteristics with no dielectric relaxation. By using Raman spectroscopy, it was revealed that the $Fe^{3+}\;and\;Ta^{5+}\;of\;Pb(Fe_{1/2}Ta_{1/2})O_3$ were stoichiometrically 1:1 ordered within the short range which can be hardly probed even by TEM. Also, The degree of ordering in $Pb(Fe_{1/2}Ta_{1/2})O_3$ decreased as $Ta^{5+}$ was replaced by $Nb^{5+}$ and finally $Fe^{3+}\;and\;Nb^{5+}\;of\;Pb(Fe_{1/2}Nb_{1/2})O_3$ were completely disordered. The relaxor ferroelectric characteristics of $Pb(Fe_{1/2}Ta_{1/2})O_3$ could be correlated with the stoichiometric 1:1 ordering of B-site cations within the short range which can be hardly probed even by TEM. Also, the decrease of the relaxor ferroelectric characteristics with the replacement of $Ta^{5+}\;by\;Nb^{5+}$ could be correlated with the weakening of the ordering and the normal ferroelectric characteristics of $Pb(Fe_{1/2}Nb_{1/2})O_3$ could be correlated with the complete disordering of B-site cations.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.31-65
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• 2012

We study the sustainability of the current fiscal policy of Korea, and the effects of the social welfare policy expansion, which has been recently discussed among the political circles, on the government budget and the generational equity, using generational accounting. We follow the generational accounting approach, considering the fact that most of the social welfare policies are the entitlement programs, which imposes the limitation of the policy maker's discretion to control the cost of their provision. The social welfare expenditure will change due to the change in the policy environments of the future, such as population aging. Therefore, we need to take into account the government cash flow of the future as well as of the present to investigate its effects on the fiscal sustainability, which implies that the national debt or the budget balance is not a proper index for the investigation. Our findings are as follows. The current fiscal policies are not sustainable, and the long-term budgetary imbalance is shown very serious. The required tax adjustment, which is defined as the percentage change of tax burden required to attain the long-term budgetary balance, is very large. Unless the level of the government expenditure is properly controlled, the tax burden and the social contribution level will rise to the untolerable level. Moreover, the expansion of the social welfare policies, which has been discussed among the political circles, will substantially increase the fiscal burden of the future generations. Even though the provision of the free lunch to the primary and the secondary school students, the free child care, and the discounted college tuition do not increase the fiscal burden much, because their magnitude at present is not large and will decrease due to the decrease in the number of the newborns and the students resulting from the fall in the fertility rate, that of the free health care service will increase tax burden of the future generations very much, because the magnitude of the government expenditure needed at present is very large and the population aging will further increase the magnitude of the health care expenditure. The findings indicate that the structural reforms, to prevent the explosive increase in the social welfare expenditure in the future, are necessary before the implementation of the welfare policy expansion. In particular, the cost control of the social transfers to the elderly needs to be made, because the speed of the population aging of Korea is among the highest in the world. The findings also indicate that the budget balance or the national debt can cause the fiscal illusion, which makes the Korean government budget look sound, even though the fiscal policy will rapidly increase the social welfare expenditure in the future, as the population ages. The generational accounting, which takes into account the cash flow of the future as well as of the present, unlike the budgetary balance and the national debt, which shows the results of the government financial activities of the past and the present, is a useful method to overcome the fiscal illusion.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.51-79
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• 1990

Research on technical efficiency, an important dimension of market performance, had received little attention until recently by most industrial organization empiricists, the reason being that traditional microeconomic theory simply assumed away any form of inefficiency in production. Recently, however, an increasing number of research efforts have been conducted to answer questions such as: To what extent do technical ineffciencies exist in the production activities of firms and plants? What are the factors accounting for the level of inefficiency found and those explaining the interindustry difference in technical inefficiency? Are there any significant international differences in the levels of technical efficiency and, if so, how can we reconcile these results with the observed pattern of international trade, etc? As the first in a series of studies on the technical efficiency of Korea's manufacturing industries, this paper attempts to answer some of these questions. Since the estimation of technical efficiency requires the use of plant-level data for each of the five-digit KSIC industries available from the Census of Manufactures, one may consture the findings of this paper as empirical evidence of technical efficiency in Korea's manufacturing industries at the most disaggregated level. We start by clarifying the relationship among the various concepts of efficiency-allocative effciency, factor-price efficiency, technical efficiency, Leibenstein's X-efficiency, and scale efficiency. It then becomes clear that unless certain ceteris paribus assumptions are satisfied, our estimates of technical inefficiency are in fact related to factor price inefficiency as well. The empirical model employed is, what is called, a stochastic frontier production function which divides the stochastic term into two different components-one with a symmetric distribution for pure white noise and the other for technical inefficiency with an asymmetric distribution. A translog production function is assumed for the functional relationship between inputs and output, and was estimated by the corrected ordinary least squares method. The second and third sample moments of the regression residuals are then used to yield estimates of four different types of measures for technical (in) efficiency. The entire range of manufacturing industries can be divided into two groups, depending on whether or not the distribution of estimated regression residuals allows a successful estimation of technical efficiency. The regression equation employing value added as the dependent variable gives a greater number of "successful" industries than the one using gross output. The correlation among estimates of the different measures of efficiency appears to be high, while the estimates of efficiency based on different regression equations seem almost uncorrelated. Thus, in the subsequent analysis of the determinants of interindustry variations in technical efficiency, the choice of the regression equation in the previous stage will affect the outcome significantly.