• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2020

Background and Objectives: Hearing can be elicited in response to vibratory stimuli delivered to fluid in the external auditory meatus. To obtain a complete audiogram in subjects with normal hearing in response to pure tone vibratory stimuli delivered to fluid applied to the external meatus. Subjects and Methods: Pure tone vibratory stimuli in the audiometric range from 0.25 to 6.0 kHz were delivered to fluid applied to the external meatus of eight participants with normal hearing (15 dB or better) using a rod attached to a standard clinical bone vibrator. The fluid thresholds obtained were compared to the air conduction (AC), bone conduction (BC; mastoid), and soft tissue conduction (STC; neck) thresholds in the same subjects. Results: Fluid stimulation thresholds were obtained at every frequency in each subject. The fluid and STC (neck) audiograms sloped down at higher frequencies, while the AC and BC audiograms were flat. It is likely that the fluid stimulation audiograms did not involve AC mechanisms or even, possibly, osseous BC mechanisms. Conclusions: The thresholds elicited in response to the fluid in the meatus likely reflect a form of STC and may result from excitation of the inner ear by the vibrations induced in the fluid. The sloping fluid audiograms may reflect transmission pathways that are less effective at higher frequencies.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2020

Background and Objectives: Hearing can be elicited in response to vibratory stimuli delivered to fluid in the external auditory meatus. To obtain a complete audiogram in subjects with normal hearing in response to pure tone vibratory stimuli delivered to fluid applied to the external meatus. Subjects and Methods: Pure tone vibratory stimuli in the audiometric range from 0.25 to 6.0 kHz were delivered to fluid applied to the external meatus of eight participants with normal hearing (15 dB or better) using a rod attached to a standard clinical bone vibrator. The fluid thresholds obtained were compared to the air conduction (AC), bone conduction (BC; mastoid), and soft tissue conduction (STC; neck) thresholds in the same subjects. Results: Fluid stimulation thresholds were obtained at every frequency in each subject. The fluid and STC (neck) audiograms sloped down at higher frequencies, while the AC and BC audiograms were flat. It is likely that the fluid stimulation audiograms did not involve AC mechanisms or even, possibly, osseous BC mechanisms. Conclusions: The thresholds elicited in response to the fluid in the meatus likely reflect a form of STC and may result from excitation of the inner ear by the vibrations induced in the fluid. The sloping fluid audiograms may reflect transmission pathways that are less effective at higher frequencies.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2014

The Korea had been known as a safe region in volcanic disaster. However, precursor phenomena for volcanic eruption in mountain Baekdu have been frequently reported in these days. Therefore, the number of volcano experts, who warn the volcanic eruption in the Korean peninsula, has been increased. This paper describes the plan for developing volcanic disaster response system for mountain Baekdu. First, disaster prevention business system of National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) and related IT-based systems are analyzed. Second, business processes for volcanic disaster response are derived based on the business system. Third, The system architectures are designed referred to related disaster response system, and required spatial information is investigated. Finally, we implement the pilot system to test the suggested volcanic disaster response system. Applying suggested volcanic disaster response system to NEMA, additional test and system supplementation should be carried out. We expect that the complete volcanic disaster response system, which will be implemented based on this research, will minimize the volcanic disaster damage in the area of Korea, China, and Japan.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.266-274
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this research was to identify the mediating effect of sleep quality on the relationship between job stress and stress response of shift-working nurses. Methods: The participants in this study were 150 nurses who had more than 6 months of shift-working experience. A survey was conducted from May to June 2017 in a hospital in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The data were collected through self-report questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using SAS 9.4 program. The analysis was based on Baron and Kenny's model to examine the mediating effects of sleep quality on the relationship between job stress and stress response of shift-working nurses. Results: In the first and second steps, job stress was identified as a significant predictor of sleep quality (β= .29, p= .001) and stress response (β = .24, p= .004). In the third step, sleep (B = .55, p< .001) was observed as a significant predictor of stress response, and the direct relationship between job stress and stress response was not significant (β= .07, p= .291). Sleep quality was found to exhibit complete mediating effect on the relationship between job stress and stress response. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that strategies for managing the stress of shift-working nurses should include effective ways to ensure sleep quality.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 2004

Purpose: Hypopharyngeal cancer is diagnosed at the advanced stage in most cases, which the prognosis known to be poor. Thus, the efficacy of induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy, with regards to the response and survival rate for stage IV hypopharyngeal cancer patients, was examined. Materials and Methods: From July 1998 to February 2000, 18 cases were diagnosedas AJCC stage IV hypopharyngeal cancer without distant metastasis. These patients were treated with induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy, and the results retrospectively analyzed. The regimen of the induction chemotherapy was the 5-FU and cisplatincombination, at 3-week intervals for, 2 cycles. The total radiation dose for the primary lesion and metastatic lymph nodes was $68.4\~72.0$Gy (median: 70.2 Gy). Results: The: The median follow up period was 28 months, ranging from 7 to 99 months. The 3-year overall survival and disease-free survival rate were 41.7 and $31.1\%$, respectively. In 6 cases ($33.3\%$), conservation of the larynx for over 3 years was possible. After the induction chemotherapy there were 16 partial responses ($88.8\%$), 1 complete response and 1 with no response ($5.6\%$ each), therefore, 17 of the 18 cases ($94.6\%$) showed responses. After the completion of the induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy, a complete response was noted in 13 cases ($72.2\%$), a partial response in 5 ($27.8\%$), with an overall response rate of $100\%$. In the analysis of the prognostic factors influencing the survival rate, the 3-year and disease-free survival rates for the complete and partial response groups were 43.1, and $20.0\%$, and 39.6, and $20.0\%$, respectively (p=0.0003, p=0.002). Only the final response after treatment completion was statistically significant. Conclusion: For stage IV hypopharyngeal cancer, induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy was an effective treatment, with no severe side effects.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to assess complications and outcomes of a new approach, that is, combining short course radiotherapy (SRT), concurrent and consolidative chemotherapies, and delayed surgery. Materials and Methods: In this single arm phase II prospective clinical trial, patients with T3-4 or N+ M0 rectal adenocarcinoma were enrolled. Patients who received induction chemotherapy or previous pelvic radiotherapy were excluded. Study protocol consisted of three-dimensional conformal SRT (25 Gy in 5 fractions in 1 week) with concurrent and consolidation chemotherapies including capecitabine and oxaliplatin. Total mesorectal excision was done at least 8 weeks after the last fraction of radiotherapy. Primary outcome was complete pathologic response and secondary outcomes were treatment related complications. Results: Thirty-three patients completed the planned preoperative chemoradiation and 26 of them underwent surgery (24 low anterior resection and 2 abdominoperineal resection). Acute proctitis grades 2 and 3 were seen in 11 (33.3%) and 7 (21.2%) patients, respectively. There were no grades 3 and 4 subacute hematologic and non-hematologic (genitourinary and peripheral neuropathy) toxicities and perioperative morbidities such as anastomose leakage. Grade 2 or higher late toxicities were observed among 29.6% of the patients. Complete pathologic response was achieved in 8 (30.8%) patients who underwent surgery. The 3-year overall survival and local control rates were 65% and 94%, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that SRT combined with concurrent and consolidation chemotherapies followed by delayed surgery is not only feasible and tolerable without significant toxicity but also, associated with promising complete pathologic response rates.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.432-436
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• 2007

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare tumor that is difficult to clearly distinguish from an adenocarcinoma but usually has a poor prognosis. Numerous cytotoxic agents have been used in the primary treatment of MPM with limited success. A complete response is unusual and a partial response occurs in less than one-third of patients. Recently, a phase III trial showed that a combination of pemetrexed with cisplatin resulted in a significantly higher response rate and median survival time than with cisplatin alone. We encountered a case of a dramatic tumor response to pemetrexed/cisplatin combination chemotherapy in patients with MPM, which was resistant to the 1st-line gemcitabine/cisplatin therapy. After six cycles of pemetrexed/cisplatin combination chemotherapy, the tumor volume had decreased dramatically with complete symptom relief. There was no chemotherapy-related toxicity or scheduled violation. The patient is under maintenance chemotherapy with the same regimen.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the initial outcomes of proton beam therapy (PBT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in terms of tumor response and safety. Materials and Methods: HCC patients who were not indicated for standard curative local modalities and who were treated with PBT at Samsung Medical Center from January 2016 to February 2017 were enrolled. Toxicity was scored using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0. Tumor response was evaluated using modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). Results: A total of 101 HCC patients treated with PBT were included. Patients were treated with an equivalent dose of $62-92GyE_{10}$. Liver function status was not significantly affected after PBT. Greater than 80% of patients had Child-Pugh class A and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade 1 up to 3-months after PBT. Of 78 patients followed for three months after PBT, infield complete and partial responses were achieved in 54 (69.2%) and 14 (17.9%) patients, respectively. Conclusion: PBT treatment of HCC patients showed a favorable infield complete response rate of 69.2% with acceptable acute toxicity. An additional follow-up study of these patients will be conducted.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2501-2504
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• 2014

Background: Capecitabine is an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative which is frequently used alone or in combination regimens for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Although overall and progression free survivals have increased in recent years with the use of new generation drugs, predictive factors that would further improve the outcomes are needed. Previous studies have demonstrated the relation between post-treatment increase in mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and predicting therapy response as well as survival. The present study investigated the clinical impact of MCV elevation in metastatic breast cancer patients treated with capecitabine. Materials and Methods: The data of a total of 82 patients from three centers followed between June 2005 and June 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The demographic data and hormone receptor status of the patients, as well as initial examination before and after treatment and data concerning progression were recorded. MCV ${\geq}100$ fl was considered as macrocytosis. Capecitabine was given at a dose of $2500mg/m^2$ daily for 14 days every three weeks. Pre-treatment and post-treatment MCV and other parameters of complete blood count were recorded. Post-treatment initial evaluation was performed after 2 cycles of therapy. Results: The median age of the patients was 46.5 years (range 26-72 years) and 54% were premenopausal. Performance status was ECOG 0 and 1 in 81 (99%) patients. The median number of cycles for capecitabine therapy was 5 (min-max: 2-18). The median ${\Delta}MCV$ level (post-treatment values at sixth week - baseline) was 6.4. Whilst ${\Delta}MCV$ was ${\geq}6.4$ in 42 patients, it was <6.4 in 40 patients. Clinical benefit (complete response+partial response+stable disease) was observed in 37 (88%) of 42 patients with a median ${\Delta}MCV$ ${\geq}6.4$ and in 30 (75%) of 40 patients with ${\Delta}MCV$ <6.4 with no statistically significant difference (p=0.158). No significant difference was determined between the group with ${\Delta}MCV$ ${\geq}6.4$ and the group with ${\Delta}MCV$ <6.4 in terms of progression-free survival (11 vs 12 months) (p=0.55) and overall survival (20 months vs. 24 months) (p=0.11). Conclusions: The identification of new predictive markers in metastatic breast cancer is very important. In some recent studies, increase in MCV has been suggested as a marker in tumor response. In the present study, however, no significant difference was determined between tumor response and increase in MCV. Further studies including higher numbers of patients are needed to determine whether increase in MCV is a predictive marker or not.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the taste sensitivity in patients with oral mucosal diseases(Oral lichen planus(OLP), Recurrent apthous ulcer(RAU)) using electrogustometer. One hundred and seventy three subjects were included for the study and they were categorized into 2 groups(control 100, patient 73) and patient group was investigated in the Department of Oral Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital from April, 2005 until January, 2007. Control group was investigated in the clinics at Inchen Metroplitan city and Cheongju city from February to August, 2006. The electrical taste thresholds were measured by using an electrogustometer for the 4 different sites(tongue tip, tongue lateral, circumvallate papilla and soft palate) in oral cavity. The results were as follows ; 1. The electrical taste threshold in patient group was significantly decreased than that in the control group(p<0.001). 2. The electrical taste threshold, in terms of the chronicity and lesion multiplicity, was not significantly changed in patient group. 3. The electrical taste threshold was not significantly changed in Dexan only and Dexan+Prs combination treated group. 4. The electrical taste threshold, in terms of treatment progress(no response vs half response vs complete response), was not significantly changed. However subjective index which was determined by NAS(Numerical Analogy Scale) was significantly increased in no response group but significantly decreased in complete response group(p<0.001)