• Journal of Korea Trade
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.102-116
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• 2022

Purpose - This paper empirically investigates the relationship between firm productivity and importing intermediate inputs in the Korean manufacturing sector. Design/methodology - This paper tests the two related hypotheses on the relationship between importing and productivity for a sample of Korean manufacturing firms. We test the self-selection hypothesis by comparing pre-entry levels of productivity between importers and non-importers. We test the learning-by-importing hypothesis by employing propensity score matching with differencein-differences approach. Findings - Future importers are more productive than future non-importers years before they start to import, which supports the self-selection hypothesis. In contrast, there is no strong evidence for learning-by-importing. Originality/value - This paper is the first study to explore the relationship between importing and firm-level productivity for Korean firms. The results have an important implication on trade policies to lower or raise trade barriers in imported inputs.

• 한국심리학회지 : 문화 및 사회문제
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.497-510
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• 2015

국민참여재판에서 판사가 배심원에게 제시하는 법설시에는 범죄사실에 대해서 합리적인 의심이 없는 정도의 증명에 이르렀을 때 유죄를 인정해야 한다는 "합리적 의심의 초월 기준"에 대한 설명이 포함된다. 합리적 의심의 초월 기준은 일반적으로 배심원들이 평의를 시작하기 직전에 설명되는데, 본 연구에서는 설시절차(증거 이전, 증거 이후)에 따라 피고인에 대한 유죄/무죄 인정에 차이가 생긴다는 선행연구를 기반으로 그 인지과정을 알아보고자 하였다. 배심원 자격을 가진 만 20세 이상 성인남녀 189명을 대상으로 합리적 의심의 초월 기준에 대한 설명을 증거 전과 후에 받은 집단이 증거 후에만 설시를 받은 집단과 설시를 받지 않은 집단보다 피고인에 대한 유죄인정비율이 낮은지 분석한 후, 설시 제시절차와 유죄인정비율 사이의 두 가지 인지과정을 확인하였다: 1) 유죄판단 역치 생성, 2) 증거의 증명력 평가. 분석 결과, 설시를 증거 전후에 받은 집단은 다른 집단에 비해 피고인의 유죄를 판단하기 위한 역치가 높게 형성된 것을 확인하였으나, 증거의 증명력은 설시 제시절차 간에 유의한 차이가 없었다. 이러한 결과는 배심원이 재판에서 설시를 증거 전에 받았을 때, 각 증거의 증명력을 합리적 의심의 초월 기준으로 평가하기보다는 유죄결정을 위한 역치수준을 조정하여 그것을 기반으로 피고인에 대한 최종판단을 한다고 해석되었다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.1617-1620
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• 2014

Background: Evidence shows direct link of HER2 to increased glycolysis and over production of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). HER2 overexpression, high LDH and low glucose pleural levels are associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer. Here, their relationships were investigated. Materials and Methods: HER2 positivity was studied using immunohistochemistry in non-small cell lung cancer. Glucose and LDH levels were measured using commercial colorimetric kits. Results: Of 42 patients (29 adenocarcinoma and 13 squamous cell carcinoma), 28 (66.7%) were HER2-negative, 14 (33.3%) were HER2- positive, including 9 (21.4%) weakly stained (1+) and 5 (11.9%) moderately stained (2+) samples. The relationship between HER2 and glucose and LDH levels were tested in 20 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients who had simultaneous pleural and serum samples. Pleural and serum LDH levels were increased, and pleural glucose levels were decreased with the scale of HER2 positivity, and that the difference in glucose levels between HER2-negative group and HER2-positive patients scored at 2+ reached statistical significance (p=0.02). This latter group all had pleural glucose levels below 40 mg/dl. Conclusions: For the first time, we showed a significant association between low pleural glucose level and overexpression of HER2 in lung cancer. Further investigations are warranted to disclose the association of HER2 with low pleural glucose levels in other populations, with a larger sample size, in malignant pleural effusions caused by other types of cancer, and finally to assess employment as a screening tool for finding HER2-positive cases of lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.381-384
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• 2014

Background: Evidence indicates that Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) levels may be a biomarker for cancer risk. The aim of this study was to assess DKK-1 and its correlation with clinic-pathological features in patients with bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: DKK-1 levels were determined in serum samples from 90 patients with bladder cancer before transurethral tumor resection. The concentrations of DKK-1 were determined by using enzyme linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Elevated preoperative DKK-1 levels were associated with tumor stage (p<0.001), grade (p<0.001) and histological grade (p<0.001). Conclusions: The results of our study demonstrated that the level of serum DKK-1 is correlated with both disease progression and increase in the tumor grade. Preoperative serum DKK-1 elevation may thus represent a novel marker for the determination of bladder cancer and the detection of patients with a likely poor clinical outcome.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.293-299
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• 2021

Background: This study sought to determine whether the antioxidant effects of astaxanthin (AST) could have an anti-inflammatory effect to reduce inflammation caused by atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods: Using a mouse model of AD induced by phtalic acid (PA), the levels of inflammation, inflammatory agents, and evidence of antioxidant activity were examined in PA treated mice (n = 3), PA-AST treated mice (n = 3), and a control group of mice (n = 3). This included measurements of ear thickness, levels of mast cells, IgE, inflammatory cytokine, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide, HO-1, and GPx-1. Results: AST treatment significantly prevented inflammation as measured by ear thickness (p < 0.05), mast cell count (p < 0.001), and IgE concentration in the blood (p < 0.001). Levels of TNF-α (p < 0.001), IL-1β (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p < 0.001), and MDA (p < 0.05) were also significantly lower. In addition, GSH levels increased significantly (p < 0.001), and the level of hydrogen peroxide significantly reduced (p < 0.01). The expression of HO-1, GPx-1 increased. Conclusion: In this small experimental study, AST acted on inflammatory mechanisms that induced AD, through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms, and is a candidate of interest in the clinical treatment of AD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제56권12호
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• pp.519-522
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• 2013

Timely diagnosis of hyponatremia is important for preventing potential morbidity and mortality as it is often an indicator of underlying disease. The most common cause of eurvolemic hyponatremia is the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) secretion. Recent studies have demonstrated that proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL) $1{\beta}$ and IL-6 are involved in the development of hyponatremia, a condition that is associated with severe inflammation and is related to antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion. Serum sodium levels in hyponatremia are inversely correlated with the percentage of neutrophils, C-reactive protein, and N-terminal-pro brain type natriuretic peptide. Additionally, elevated levels of serum IL-6 and IL-$1{\beta}$ are found in inflammatory diseases, and their levels are higher in patients with hyponatremia. Because it is significantly correlated with the degree of inflammation in children, hyponatremia could be used as a diagnostic marker of pediatric inflammatory diseases. Based on available evidence, we hypothesize that hyponatremia may be associated with inflammatory diseases in general. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for augmented ADH secretion during inflammation, monitoring patient sodium levels, and selecting the appropriate intravenous fluid treatment are important components that may lower the morbidity and mortality of patients in a critical condition.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제75권3호
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• pp.125-127
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• 2013

In this paper, we describe 72-year-old female patient without evidence of malignant disease presented with significantly elevated serum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 levels by respiratory infections. She was diagnosed with respiratory infections due to Mycobacterium avium complex and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The serum CA 19-9 levels remarkably increased (1,453-5,300 U/mL; reference range, <37 U/mL) by respiratory infection and abruptly decreased (357-534 U/mL) whenever infection was controlled by specific treatments. This case suggests that serum CA 19-9 levels may be used as a diagnostic marker to indicate new or resistant infections to previous antibiotics in chronic lung diseases without significant changes in chest X-ray findings.

• Child Studies in Asia-Pacific Contexts
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.95-108
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine group differences in paternal behaviors (i.e., paternal connection, paternal punitiveness, and paternal knowledge) within and across three academic achievement levels-low, moderate, and high, and to explore the effects of paternal behaviors on the academic motivation of Chinese adolescents within these three achievement groups. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) indicated that adolescents with low achievement perceived their fathers as more punitive than teens with moderate and high academic achievement. Regression analyses also revealed that paternal punitiveness (negative) and paternal knowledge (positive) were significant predictors of academic motivation for teens with low levels of academic achievement; while paternal punitiveness was a significant negative predictor of academic motivation among adolescents with moderate achievement. In contrast, for adolescents with high achievement, paternal connection was a positive significant predictor of academic motivation. The present findings provide some evidence that the impact of parental behaviors on teen's motivation varies across adolescent academic achievement levels, which may prove useful for professionals working with fathers to help target the most effective parenting behaviors to foster academic motivation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제56권10호
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• pp.417-423
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• 2013

Vitamin D is an essential component of bone and mineral metabolism; its deficiency causes growth retardation and skeletal deformities in children and osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults. Hypovitaminosis D (vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency) is observed not only in adults but also in infants, children, and adolescents. Previous studies suggest that sufficient serum vitamin D levels should be maintained in order to enhance normal calcification of the growth plate and bone mineralization. Moreover, emerging evidence supports an association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels and immune function, respiratory diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, infection, allergy, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases in pediatric and adolescent populations. The risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in the pediatric population are season (winter), insufficient time spent outdoors, ethnicity (non-white), older age, more advanced stage of puberty, obesity, low milk consumption, low socioeconomic status, and female gender. It is recommended that all infants, children, and adolescents have a minimum daily intake of 400 IU ($10{\mu}g$) of vitamin D. Since the vitamin D status of the newborn is highly related to maternal vitamin D levels, optimal vitamin D levels in the mother during pregnancy should be maintained. In conclusion, given the important role of vitamin D in childhood health, more time spent in outdoor activity (for sunlight exposure) and vitamin D supplementation may be necessary for optimal health in infants, children, and adolescents.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.28-32
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• 2017

Objective: Growing evidence suggests that increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is associated with female infertility caused by conditions such as polycystic ovarian disease, obesity, thyroid dysfunction, and endometriosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether any relationship exists between CVD and unexplained infertility. Methods: Sixty-five women with unexplained infertility and 65 fertile controls were enrolled in the study. CVD risk markers such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), insulin resistance (defined by the homeostasis model assessment ratio), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were assessed. Results: TG, TC, LDL, and hs-CRP levels were higher and HDL levels were lower in patients with unexplained infertility than in fertile controls (p<0.05 for all). Positive associations were found between unexplained infertility and TG, TC, LDL, and hs-CRP levels, and a negative correlation was found for HDL (p<0.05 for all). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that TG, HDL, and hs-CRP were independent variables associated with unexplained infertility. Conclusion: Our study showed that women with unexplained infertility had an atherogenic lipid profile and elevated hs-CRP levels, suggesting a higher risk of developing CVD in the future. Further studies with larger groups are needed to investigate the nature of this link.