• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.23-29
• /
• 2008

Objectives : We examined the association between alcohol consumption and incidence of colorectal cancer in elderly Koreans. Methods : The cohort members (n=14,304) consisted of 4,834 males and 9,470 females derived from the Korea Elderly Pharmacoepidemiologic Cohort (KEPEC), a population-based dynamic cohort. They were aged 65 years old or older and lived in Busan between 1993-1998; they were beneficiaries of the Korean Medical Insurance Corporation (KMIC). Baseline information was surveyed by a self-administered, mailed questionnaire. This study population was restricted to 14,304 participants who reported alcohol drinking habits on the questionnaire and had not been diagnosed with colorectal cancer at baseline. The adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) of status, type, frequency and daily average amount of alcohol consumption were computed with Cox's proportional hazard model, with the never-drinkers as a reference group and controlling for age and gender. Results : After 4.82 person-years of mean follow-up 112 cases of colorectal cancer occurred. The incidence densities of colorectal cancer were 161 (95% CI=123-200) for never-drinkers, 219 (95% CI=125-339) for ex-drinkers, and 137 (95% CI=84-189) for current-drinkers per 100,000 person-year. The status, type, frequency, and daily average amount of alcohol consumption were not significantly related to the incidence of colorectal cancer after controlling for age and gender. Conclusions : There was no significant association between alcohol consumption and colorectal cancer among elderly people after controlling for age and gender.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.2329-2336
• /
• 2016

Background: Despite the existence of established guidelines advocating the use and value of chemotherapy order templates, chemotherapy orders are still handwritten in many hospitals in Lebanon. This manuscript describes the implementation of standardized chemotherapy order templates (COT) in a Lebanese tertiary teaching hospital through multiple steps. Initial Assessment: An initial assessment was conducted through a retrospective appraisal of completeness of handwritten chemotherapy orders for 100 adult patients to serve as a baseline for the project and identify parameters that might afford improvement. Choice of solution: Development of over 300 standardized pre-printed COTs based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network templates and adapted to the practice culture and patient population. Implementation: The COTs were implemented, using Kotter's 8-step model for leading change, by engaging health care providers, and identifying and removing barriers. Evaluation: Assessment of physicians' compliance with the new practice (122 orders assessed) was completed through two phases and allowed for the identification of areas of improvement. Lessons Learned: Overall, COT implementation showed an average improvement in order completion from 49.5% (handwritten orders) to 77.6% (phase 1-COT) to 87.6% (phase 2-COT) reflecting an increase of 38.1% between baseline and phase 2 and demonstrating that chemotherapy orders completeness was improved by pre-printed COT. As many of the hospitals in Lebanon are moving towards standardized COTs and computerized physician order entry (CPOE) in the next few years, this study provides a prototype for the successful implementation of COT and demonstrates their role in promoting quality improvement of cancer care.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.120-128
• /
• 2002

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to develop a cognitive rehabilitation program and to investigate the effect of the program that restores the deficiency of memory, which is necessary to operate on high cognitive function such as problem-solving or judgement, for TBI(traumatic brain injury) patients. Methods:Sixteen TBI patients participated in this study. The inclusion criteria were : 1) aged 18 to 60 ; 2) higher than IQ 80 ; 3) lower than MMSE-K 25 and K-MAS(Korean version of Memory Assessment Scale) 85. We administered our program to an experimental group(N=8) in order to improve attention and memory for 4 weeks(total 12 section). Our program was not administrated to a control group(N=8) for 4 weeks. After administrating this program, we measured MMSE-K and K-MAS for the experimental and control groups. Results:The findings of the study were as follows. 1) the experimental group showed significant improvement on MMSE-K score in comparison with baseline, but the control group did not. 2) the experimental group showed significant improvement on K-MAS score in comparison with baseline, but the control group did not. In particular, among the three subscales of K-MAS, only verbal memory scale revealed significant improvement, while visual and short-term memory scales revealed no differences. Conclusion:Our cognitive rehabilitation program improves cognitive state and memory, particulary verbal memory, for TBI patients. These results imply that our program aids in rehabilitation of basic cognition such as memory which is necessary to operate on high cognitive function such as problem-solving or judgement, for TBI(traumatic brain injury) patients.

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 2007

In this study, the software to compute Bessel coordinates by trilateration adjustment was developed, and the software was used to determine coordinates of the cadastral control points over the southern Korean peninsula. The baseline measured by GPS was reduced to the distance on geoid surface by applying PNU95 geoid model, and the distance on geoid surface was reduced to the plane grid distance by applying scale factor of map projection of Bessel coordinates. Using the plane grid distance, Bessel coordinates of 32 CORS (Continuously Operating Reference Station) were computed by free adjustment at first, and then the coordinates of the cadastral control points were computed by joining the control points to adjacent CORS. The result shows a possibility of construction of highly accurate and consistent cadastral survey network with coordinate error less than 1ppm of distance, when newly computing the coordinates of the control points by using distances measured by GPS.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.221-230
• /
• 2004

The probability of causation(PC) is the measure to ascertain the likelihood that a particular cancer may be attributed to a particular prior exposure to radiation. Since the PC is involved in several uncertainties, it is desirable to use the confidence limit for the PC, not a point estimate for determining whether to award compensation. We developed the program for estimating the PC to Korean radiation workers with cancer, the so-called RHRI-PEPC, which is based on the most reasonable model for radiation cancer risk and recent Korean baseline data. RHRI-PEPC gives us the upper confidence limit for the PC after adjusting several uncertainties and therefore we can assess more reasonably the causality of radiation exposure for cancer occurred in Korean radiation workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.213-223
• /
• 2009

In geoid modelling field, it is very important the GPS/leveling data because it could be check-out the accuracy of gravimetric geoid and computed the hybrid geoid. In this study, GPS surveying was accomplished in the test area including mountainous area to improve the GPS/leveling data density in Korea. And the geometric geoidal heights was calculated using the GPS/leveling data in the test area and the accuracy of the geoidal heights was analyzed. For this study, GPS surveying was accomplished on the 211 1st and 2nd order benchmarks in Gyeongbuk province and 198 GPS/leveling data were achieved after both baseline analysis and network adjustment. Geometric geoidal heights were calculated using these 198 GPS/leveling data and the accuracy analysis was done by comparison with the geoidal heights from EGM2008 geopotential model. The results showed that the bias and standard deviation computed from 190 GPS/leveling data after gross removal was -0.185$\pm$0.079m. And also, the accuracy analyses according to the benchmark order, baseline length, and altitude were accomplished.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
• /
• v.60 no.5
• /
• pp.69-80
• /
• 2018

This study investigated climate change influences over crop water requirement (CWR) and irrigation water requirement (IWR) of the wheat-rice cropping system of Upper Chenab Canal (UCC) command in Punjab Province, Pakistan. PRECIS simulated delta-change climate projections under the A1B scenario were used to project future climate during two-time slices: 2030s (2021-2050) and 2060s (2051-2080) against baseline climatology (1980-2010). CROPWAT model was used to simulate future CWRs and IWRs of the crops. Projections suggested that future climate of the study area would be much hotter than the baseline period with minor rainfall increments. The probable temperature rise increased CWRs and IWRs for both the crops. Wheat CWR was more sensitive to climate-induced temperature variations than rice. However, projected winter/wheat seasonal rainfall increments were satisfactorily higher to compensate for the elevated wheat CWRs; but predicted increments in summer/rice seasonal rainfalls were not enough to complement change rate of the rice CWRs. Thus, predicted wheat IWRs displayed a marginal and rice IWRs displayed a substantial rise. This suggested that future wheat production might withstand the climatic influences by end of the 2030s, but would not sustain the 2060s climatic conditions; whereas, the rice might not be able to bear the future climate-change impacts even by end of the 2030s. In conclusion, the temperature during the winter season and rainfall during the summer season were important climate variables controlling water requirements and crop production in the study area.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.135-144
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of art therapy to control fatigue in cancer patients during course of radiotherapy and its impact on quality of life (QoL). Materials and Methods: Fifty cancer patients receiving radiotherapy received weekly art therapy sessions using famous painting appreciation. Fatigue and QoL were assessed using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) Scale and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) at baseline before starting radiotherapy, every week for 4 weeks during radiotherapy, and at the end of radiotherapy. Mean changes of scores over time were analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model. Results: Of the 50 patients, 34 (68%) participated in 4 sessions of art therapy. Generalized linear mixed models testing for the effect of time on mean score changes showed no significant changes in scores from baseline for the BFI and FACIT-F. The mean BFI score and FACIT-F total score changed from 3.1 to 2.7 and from 110.7 to 109.2, respectively. Art therapy based on the appreciation of famous paintings led to increases in self-esteem by increasing self-realization and forming social relationships. Conclusion: Fatigue and QoL in cancer patients with art therapy do not deteriorate during a period of radiotherapy. Despite the single-arm small number of participants and pilot design, this study provides a strong initial demonstration that art therapy of appreciation for famous painting is worthy of further study for fatigue and QoL improvement. Further, it can play an important role in routine practice in cancer patients during radiotherapy.

• Psychiatry investigation
• /
• v.15 no.12
• /
• pp.1162-1167
• /
• 2018

Objective Motor, perceptual, and cognitive functions are known to affect driving competence. Subcortical ischemic changes on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reflect reduction in cognitive and motor performance. However, few studies have reported the relationship between subcortical ischemic changes and driving competence of the elderly. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the association between subcortical ischemic changes on MRI and driving abilities of the elderly. Methods Participants (n=540) were drawn from a nationwide, multicenter, hospital-based, longitudinal cohort. Each participant underwent MRI scan and interview for driving capacity categorized into 'now driving' and 'driving cessation (driven before, not driving now)'. Participants were divided into three groups (mild, n=389; moderate, n=116; and severe, n=35) depending on the degree of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) on MRI at baseline. Driving status was evaluated at follow-up. Statistical analyses were conducted using ${\chi}^2$ test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), structured equation model (SEM), and generalized estimating equation (GEE). Results In SEM, greater baseline degree of WMH was directly associated with driving cessation regardless of cognitive or motor dysfunction (${\beta}=-0.110$, p<0.001). In GEE models after controlling for age, sex, education, cognitive, and motor dysfunction, more severe change in the degree of WMH was associated with faster change from 'now driving' state to 'driving cessation' state over time in the elderly (${\beta}=-0.508$, p<0.001). Conclusion In both cross-sectional and longitudinal results, the degree of subcortical ischemic change on MRI might predict driving cessation in the elderly.

• Journal of Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.163-170
• /
• 2018

The cost-effectiveness of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) control strategies was evaluated using a simulation model fitted to the 2010/11 FMD epidemic in the city of Andong, Republic of Korea. Seven FMD-control strategies were evaluated with respect to the direct cost of a FMD-control strategy, such as slaughtering, movement restriction, and vaccination. All the strategies included pre-emptive slaughtering, movement restriction, and vaccination, but the levels of each control option were different. The simulated median cost of the baseline FMD-control strategy (three kilometers of pre-emptive slaughtering area, 100 days of movement restriction and vaccination of all FMD-susceptible animals in the study area) was estimated to be USD 99.7 million. When a five kilometer vaccination area was applied (with the other control measures being the same as the baseline strategy), the simulated median cost was reduced to USD 81.1 million from USD 99.7. The simulated median costs were USD 107.6 million for a five kilometer radius slaughtering area and USD 168.8 million for 60 days of movement restriction. The FMD-control strategy cost decreased with increasing number of farms depopulated per day. The probability of passive surveillance being effective or the probability of the successful implementation of movement restrictions were increased. Cost-effectiveness analysis is a suitable tool for evaluating the financial consequences of FMD-control strategies by comparing the cost of control strategies for a specific area.