• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.51
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• pp.325.1-325.10
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• 2018

Background: To evaluate survival outcomes and prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) who received sunitinib (SU) and pazopanib (PZ) as first-line therapy in real-world Korean clinical practice. Methods: Data of 554 patients with mRCC who received SU or PZ at eight institutions between 2012 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Based on the targeted therapy, the patients were divided into SU (n = 293) or PZ (n = 261) groups, and the clinicopathological variables and survival rates of the two groups were compared. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the prognostic factors for OS. Results: The median follow-up was 16.4 months (interquartile range, 8.3-31.3). Patients in the PZ group were older, and no significant difference was observed in the performance status (PS) between the two groups. In the SU group, the dose reduction rate was higher and the incidence of grade 3 toxicity was more frequent. The objective response rates were comparable between the two groups (SU, 32.1% vs. PZ, 36.4%). OS did not differ significantly between the two groups (SU, 36.5 months vs. PZ, 40.2 months; log-rank, P = 0.955). Body mass index, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group PS > 2, synchronous metastasis, poor Heng risk criteria, and liver and bone metastases were associated with a shorter OS. Conclusion: Our real-world data of Korean patients with mRCC suggested that SU and PZ had similar efficacies as first-line therapy for mRCC. However, PZ was better tolerated than SU in Korean patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2022

Objective: Male genital tract infections have been associated with infertility, and Escherichia coli has drawn increasing attention as an important bacterium in this context. This investigation aimed to characterize and compare the distributions of O-antigen serogroups of E. coli in the semen samples of fertile and infertile men. Methods: In this case-control study, semen samples were collected from 618 fertile and 1,535 infertile men. The E. coli-positive samples were evaluated in terms of concentration, morphology, viability, and motility parameters according to the World Health Organization 2010 guidelines. Finally, different serogroups of E. coli were identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction targeting the O-antigen variations of the bacterium. Results: The prevalence of E. coli among fertile men was significantly higher than among infertile men (p<0.001). The sperm morphology, viability, and motility in the E. coli-positive fertile group were significantly higher than in the E. coli-positive infertile group (p<0.001). E. coli O6 was the most prevalent serogroup found in both groups. However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of different serogroups of E. coil between the two groups (p=0.55). Conclusion: Despite the higher prevalence of E. coli among fertile men, E. coli had more detrimental effects on semen parameters in infertile men. There was no significant difference in E. coli serogroups between the fertile and infertile groups.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5643-5646
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• 2012

Background and Objectives: Increase of mortality rates of gastric cancer in Iran and the world in recent years reveal necessity of studies on this disease. Here, hazard function for gastric cancer patients was estimated using Wavelet and Kernel methods and some related factors were assessed. Materials and Methods: Ninety-five gastric cancer patients in Fayazbakhsh Hospital between 1996 and 2003 were studied. The effects of age of patients, gender, stage of disease and treatment method on patient's lifetime were assessed. For data analyses, survival analyses using Wavelet method and Log-rank test in R software were used. Results: Nearly 25.3% of patients were female. Fourteen percent had surgery treatment and the rest had treatment without surgery. Three fourths died and the rest were censored. Almost 9.5% of patients were in early stages of the disease, 53.7% in locally advance stage and 36.8% in metastatic stage. Hazard function estimation with the wavelet method showed significant difference for stages of disease (P<0.001) and did not reveal any significant difference for age, gender and treatment method. Conclusion: Only stage of disease had effects on hazard and most patients were diagnosed in late stages of disease, which is possibly one of the most reasons for high hazard rate and low survival. Therefore, it seems to be necessary a public education about symptoms of disease by media and regular tests and screening for early diagnosis.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2009

Objectives : It is reported that panic disorder is frequently comorbid with other psychiatric illnesses. The aim of this study was to investigate differences of psychiatric comorbidity according to age of onset of panic disorder. Methods : Three hundred-two patients participated in the study. All the patients were evaluated by clinical instruments for the assessment the presence of other comorbid psychiatric disorders and various clinical features; Korean version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Self-report questionnaires(Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Anxiety Sensitivity Index and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and clinical rating scale (Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale and Global Assessment of Functional score). Chi-square test was used to determine the difference between early onset and late onset panic disorder. Results : Forty percent of panic patients were found to have at least one comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. There were no differences among the groups divided by number of comorbidity in sex, agoraphobia comorbidity, duration of panic disorder, except onset age of panic disorder. Early onset group had more comorbidy with social phobia, agoraphobia, PTSD. We also found that Early onset panic disorder patients were more likely to experience derealization, nausea, parethesia than late onset panic disorder patients. Conclusion : The results of our study are in keeping with previous data from other parts of the world. Our finding suggest that earier onset of panic disorder related to more psychiatric comorbidity.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.149-174
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was aimed to figure out the effect of Onkyung-tang (OKT) on cold hypersensitivity on feet in female patients. Methods: This study was designed to implement multi-center randomized clinical trial in three korean medical hospitals. The female patients who were enrolled in this study were 112 women who suffered from cold hypersensitivity on feet. They were randomly allocated into OKT group or control group in 1:1 ratio. The primary outcome was change in score of visual analogue scale of hypersensitivity on feet, and the secondary outcomes were thermometer of LU4, PC8, ST32, LR3, visual analogue scale of hypersensitivity on hands, result of cold stress test, and score of World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF. Results: In both group, the VAS of hypersensitivity on feet and hands was decreased while taking the medicine, and the effect of decreasing the VAS continues for the 4 weeks after the end of medication (p<0.001, 0.003, 0.001). In OKT group, the body temperature difference in lower extremity (ST32-LR3) was steadily decreased at every visit and it was statistically significant(p=0.003, <0.001). On the other hand, in control group, the body temperature difference in lower extremity was decreased only while taking the medicine (p<0.001). Conclusions: OKT significantly reduced discomfort coldness on feet in patients, and the effect of treatment was maintained at least for four weeks after medication.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.14-28
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• 2009

Exoticism, by definition, is 'the charm of the unfamiliar', usually because of associations with a distant country. In the western-centric world, exoticism implies non-western or oriental style. The purpose of this study was to identify Koreans' perception of "Exoticism", and to compare the perception of exotic fashion image according to gender and education differences. Empirical study was composed of two parts focusing on gender and education effects respectively. For the first part, data were collected by self-administered questionnaires distributed to 280 respondents at 2 universities and 2 high schools during August and September 2005. The sample was consisted of 140 male and 140 female. A measurement, including 24 image adjectives to evaluate 16 fashion stimuli, was developed. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, correlations, t-test, and MDS. There was no difference in the perception of exotic fashion image according to gender. Both gender groups perceived exotic image as western image and non-exotic image as oriental image. Thus it could be said that Koreans perceive western-based fashion as foreign and exotic. This finding implies the relativity of "Exoticism." In the second part, the measurement and the analysis methods were the same with the first part. The respondents were consisted of 70 fashion majored female students and 70 non-fashion majored female students. There was considerable difference between fashion and non-fashion major groups in their perception of exotic fashion image. Whereas non-fashion major group perceived exotic image as western image and non-exotic image as oriental image, fashion major group perceived exotic image as both western and oriental image. This result suggested that fashion major group have western-centered conception as well as general perception character of Korean.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.75-89
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• 2014

In recent years, utilization of underground space has been increasing in various parts of the world. In particular, open-cut method is usually applied to the shallow depth excavation. However some problems such as extreme traffic congestion and unstability of adjacent structures etc. might occur. In order to cope with these problems, the M-CAM (Modified Cellular Arch Method) method was proposed to excavate soil tunnels at shallow depth with secured enough stability and minimized construction period. In this study, sensitivity analysis was performed to predict the influence of the size of CPW(Continuous Pile Wall) and ground conditions on the behavior of the tunnel. First of all, embedded depth and diameter (or thickness) of CPW, coefficient of lateral earth pressure, and ground conditions were selected as parameters that could affect tunnel stability. Meanwhile, FLAC 2D based on finite difference method was used for numerical analysis. As a result of this study, it was checked out that embedded depth among sizes of CPW had a greatest influence on the stability of a tunnel.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.68-73
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• 2008

This study was focused on whether or not isoflavones affect the increase in bone mineral density of growing females. Female Sprague-Dawley rats ($60{\pm}5\;g$) were randomly assigned to two groups and provided control diets (control group) or isoflavone-supplemented diet (IF group, 57.8 mg isoflavones/100 g diet) for 9 weeks in growing female rats. Measurements of Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and Bone Mineral Content (BMC) on the experimental animals were executed in the $3^{rd}$, $6^{th}$, $9^{th}$ weeks. In result, there was no significant difference in spine BMD between the isoflavones supplemented group and the control group. But, the IF group tended to have higher BMD than the control group in between 3 and 9 experimental weeks, and the striking difference could be shown in the $6^{th}$ week of feeding. In case of femur BMD, the effects of added isoflavones appeared in the $6^{th}$ week of feeding, and it became intensified in the $9^{th}$ week of feeding to the extent that the BMD in the IF group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, isoflavone supplementation increased spine BMD per weight in the $6^{th}$ week of feeding, and affected the increase of femur BMD in the $9^{th}$ week. The result of the experiment implies that it affects positively the formation of spine and femur BMD of growing female rats. The study also suggests that the effects of isoflavone on the pattern of BMD formation might differ from the parts of bones.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.80-88
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: Non-linear frequency compression (NLFC) technology compresses and shifts higher frequencies into a lower frequency area that has better residual hearing. Because consonants are uttered in the high-frequency area, NLFC could provide better speech understanding. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of NLFC technology on the perception of speech and music in patients with high-frequency hearing loss. Subjects and Methods: Twelve participants with high-frequency hearing loss were tested in a counter-balanced order, and had two weeks of daily experience with NLFC set on/off prior to testing. Performance was repeatedly evaluated with consonant tests in quiet and noise environments, speech perception in noise, music perception and acceptableness of sound quality rating tasks. Additionally, two questionnaires (the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit and the Korean version of the International Outcome Inventory-Hearing Aids) were administered. Results: Consonant and speech perception improved with hearing aids (NLFC on/off conditions), but there was no significant difference between NLFC on and off states. Music perception performances revealed no notable difference among unaided and NLFC on and off states. The benefits and satisfaction ratings between NLFC on and off conditions were also not significantly different, based on questionnaires, however great individual variability preferences were noted. Conclusions: Speech perception as well as music perception both in quiet and noise environments was similar between NLFC on and off states, indicating that real world benefits from NLFC technology may be limited in Korean adult hearing aid users.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.80-88
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: Non-linear frequency compression (NLFC) technology compresses and shifts higher frequencies into a lower frequency area that has better residual hearing. Because consonants are uttered in the high-frequency area, NLFC could provide better speech understanding. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of NLFC technology on the perception of speech and music in patients with high-frequency hearing loss. Subjects and Methods: Twelve participants with high-frequency hearing loss were tested in a counter-balanced order, and had two weeks of daily experience with NLFC set on/off prior to testing. Performance was repeatedly evaluated with consonant tests in quiet and noise environments, speech perception in noise, music perception and acceptableness of sound quality rating tasks. Additionally, two questionnaires (the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit and the Korean version of the International Outcome Inventory-Hearing Aids) were administered. Results: Consonant and speech perception improved with hearing aids (NLFC on/off conditions), but there was no significant difference between NLFC on and off states. Music perception performances revealed no notable difference among unaided and NLFC on and off states. The benefits and satisfaction ratings between NLFC on and off conditions were also not significantly different, based on questionnaires, however great individual variability preferences were noted. Conclusions: Speech perception as well as music perception both in quiet and noise environments was similar between NLFC on and off states, indicating that real world benefits from NLFC technology may be limited in Korean adult hearing aid users.