• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.19-24
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• 2003

Background and Purposes : Smoking is a well-known risk factor for ischemic stroke. It may contribute to s1Toke by inducing the aggregation of platelets and formation of atheroma, reducing cerebral blood flow, and increasing fibrinogen. However, the relative risk varies according to different ethnicity and area. Therefore, we performed this study to assess the risk of smoking for ischemic s1Toke in Korea. Methods : Cigarette smoking habit was studied in 308 patients with ischemic s1Toke and in 348 age- and sex-matched control subjects who had no history of stroke using case control methods. In multiple logistic regression analysis, smoking had a significant value of odds ratio adjusted for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. Results : The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95％ confidence interval (CI) was significant in the medium smokers (AOR, 1.92; 95％ CI, 1.11 to 3.33: p< 0.05) and heavy smokers (AOR, 2.80; 95％ CI, 1.64 to 4.78: p< 0.05). Furthermore, the OR was higher in hypertensive subjects than in normotensive subjects compared to non-smokers (AOR, 1.98; 95％ CI, 1.01 to 3.85: p< 0.05). Conclusions : Our findings suggest that smoking is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke in Korea.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2010

For the evaluation of our laboratory's 11-nor-${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THCCOOH) urinalysis test, THCCOOH urinalysis test was carried out with Certified Reference Material (CRM). The used CRM was THCCOOH in freeze-dried urine produced by NIST as Standard Reference Material 1507b. Comparing the estimated value of our laboratory with CRM, the results was coincided in the confidence level of approximately 95%.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2903-2908
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• 2012

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is associated with disruption of basement membranes of blood vessels and promotion of metastasis through the lymphatics. However, its prognostic value for survival in patients with gastric cancer remains controversial. Method: We therefore conducted a meta-analysis of the published literature in order to clarify the impact of MMP-9. Clinical studies were selected for further analysis if they provided an independent assessment of MMP-9 in gastric cancer and reported analysis of survival data according to MMP-9 expression. Results: A total of 11 studies, covering 1700 patients, were included for meta-analysis. A summary hazard ratio (HR) of all studies and sub-group hazard ratios were calculated. The combined HR suggested that a positive MMP-9 expression had an impact on overall survival: 1.25 (95% confidence interval 1.11-1.40) in all eligible studies; 1.13 (1.06-1.20) in 8 studies detecting MMP-9 by immunohistochemistry; 1.36 (1.12-1.65) in 7 studies from Asia. Only one study for DFS showed a significant impact on disease free survival (HR 1.73, 95%CI 1.27-2.34). Conclusions: Our findings suggested that MMP-9 protein expression might be a factor for a poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. However, the association was rather weak, so that more prospective studies should further explore the prognostic impact of MMP-9 mRNA and correlations between MMP-9 and clinicopathological characteristics.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1263-1267
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• 2014

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in pathogenesis and development of cancer. Recently, many studies have show associations between polymorphisms in the promoter regions of MMPs and risk of gastric cancer. The present meta-analysis was conducted in order to investigate the potential association between four polymorphisms in the MMP gene and gastric cancer risk. Methods: A computerized literature search was conducted in databases of Med-line, Embase, Science Citation Index and PubMed till June 2013 for any MMP genetic association study of gastric cancer. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for each gene under dominant and recessive models, and heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the Q test and $I^2$ value. Overall and subgroup analyses according to ethnicity were carried out with Stata 12.0. Results: 14 reports covering 8,146 patients (2,980 in the case group and 5,166 in the control group) were included in the present meta-analysis. We found that the MMP-7 (-181A>G) polymorphism increased the gastric cancer risk in therecessive model (GG vs. AA/AG, OR=1.768, 95% CI =1.153-2.712). For MMP2 -1306 C>T, MMP1-1607 1G/2G, and MMP9-1 562 C>T, there were no associations between these polymorphisms and the risk of gastric cancer under dominant or recessive models. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggested that the MMP7-181 A>G polymorphism may contribute to gastric cancer susceptibility. More studies are needed, especially in Europeans, in the future.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9615-9619
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• 2014

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare, aggressive form of breast cancer which is more likely to be her-2/neu amplified. While the her-2/neu status has been utilised to predict prognosis, the published data are inconsistent. The present meta-analysis was conducted to determine whether the her-2/neu status predicts outcomes. Papers were selected from the PubMed database based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Parameters such as total patients, follow-up time and outcome statistics (i.e. overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS) were collected. The analysis included 6 studies with 2,838 IBC patients. The summary hazards ratio (HR) estimating the association of OS with HER-2-positive disease was 0.96 (95% confidence interval (95%CI: 0.85-1.10)), with similar findings for RFS (HR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.61-1.09). No obvious statistical heterogeneity was detected. This meta-analysis suggests that HER-2-positive status is not an independent adverse prognostic factor for survival among IBC patient cases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.8
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• pp.294-300
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• 2015

Purpose: It is difficult to differentiate between central precocious puberty (CPP) and premature thelarche (PT) in girls. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic usefulness of pelvic ultrasonography to distinguish between CPP and PT in girls with early breast development. Methods: This study included girls with early breast development who visited the clinic between January 2012 and December 2013. Clinical, laboratory, and pelvic ultrasonographic data were evaluated. CPP and PT were confirmed using the gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test. Results: A total of 248 girls aged 7-8 years were included, among whom 186 (75.0%) had CPP and 62 (25.0%) had PT. The uterine length, transverse diameter, fundus, volume, and cross-sectional area were significantly larger in the CPP group (uterine length, $2.45{\pm}0.50cm$ vs. $2.63{\pm}0.49cm$, P=0.015; uterine volume, $0.95{\pm}0.62cm^3$ vs. $1.35{\pm}0.76cm^3$, P<0.001). However, there were no differences in the fundus/cervix ratio and ovarian measurements. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, a uterine volume of at least $1.07cm^3$ was the most predictive parameter for CPP with an area under the curve of 0.670 (95% confidence interval, 0.593-0.747). Conclusion: Uterine measurements by pelvic ultrasonography in girls with early pubertal development were significantly larger in the CPP group. However, the diagnostic value of ultrasonographic parameters was not high because of a considerable overlap of values between the two groups. Therefore, pelvic ultrasonography in combination with clinical and laboratory tests may be useful to distinguish between CPP and PT in girls.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 2012

Whether the $FTO$ polymorphisms interact with environmental factors has not yet been evaluated in associations with metabolic syndrome (MS) risk. The present study investigated the association of the $FTO$ rs9939609 genotypes, body mass index (BMI), and lifestyle-related factors including smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, and diet with MS incidence. A population-based prospective cohort study comprised 3,504 male and female Koreans aged 40 to 69 years. At the beginning of the study, all individuals were free of MS and known cardiovascular disease. Incident cases of MS were identified by biennial health examinations during a follow-up period from April 17, 2003 to April 15, 2009. Pooled logistic regression analysis was applied to obtain relative odds (RO) of MS with its 95% confidence interval (CI). After controlling for potential MS risk factors, we observed no association between the rs9939609 genotypes and MS incidence. In analysis stratified by BMI, however, carriers with the $FTO$ risk allele whose BMI is $29kg/m^2$ or greater showed an approximately 6-fold higher RO (95% CI: 3.82 to 9.30) compared with non-carriers with BMI less than $25kg/m^2$. In particular, the association between the rs9939609 variants and MS risk was significantly modified by high BMI (P-value for interaction < 0.05). Such significant interaction appeared in associations with central obesity and high blood pressure among the MS components. Because carriers of the $FTO$ risk alleles who had BMI of $29kg/m^2$ or greater are considered a high risk population, we suggest that they may need intensive weight loss regimens to prevent MS development.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.54-86
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• 2015

The study examines the U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, with a focus on the recent Reauthorization, and compares, in the political context, the U.S. and East Asian countries-Japan, Korea and Taiwan-that adopted the U.S. SBIR program. For the systematic analysis and cross-country comparison, the study employs Kingdon (2003)'s framework-his political theory and Garbage Can Model-to identify political participants and processes underlying the SBIR Reauthorization and to analyze the differences in problem, policy, and politics streams between the U.S. and East Asian countries. For the cross-country comparison, specifically, the study uses various data sources such as OECD, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions, and World Value Survey. Based on the analysis outcomes, implications of U.S. practices on East Asian countries are extracted as follows. East Asian countries tend to: Have higher entrepreneurial aspiration while lower entrepreneurial activity and attitude than the U.S.; bear higher long term orientation and uncertainty avoidance while lower individualism than the U.S.; and have greater expectations of technology development and higher confidence in political parties while participating less in political action than the U.S. Drawing on the differences, the following policy recommendations are suggested. East Asian countries should: Improve entrepreneurs' access to resources (in particular, financial resource) in order to link their high entrepreneurial aspiration to actual entrepreneurial activities; cultivate failure-tolerating culture and risk-taking entrepreneurs, for instance, by providing a second chance to SBIR-participating businesses that failed to materialize their innovative ideas; and leverage their high expectations of new technology in order to take bold actions regarding their SBIR programs, and update the programs by drawing out constructive dialogues between SBIR stakeholders.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.809-827
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• 2017

Steam explosion was applied to extract phenolic compounds from oak wood (Quercus mongolica). The effects of three independent factors (ethanol concentration, extraction temperature and extraction time) on the total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and antimicrobial activity from the steam exploded oak wood were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The independent variables were coded at three levels and their actual values were selected on the basis of preliminary experimental results. The following optimal extraction conditions were selected: ethanol concentration 82.0%, extraction temperature $71.7^{\circ}C$, and extraction time 60.5 min for total phenolic content; ethanol concentration 78.3%, extraction temperature $70.3^{\circ}C$, and extraction time 57.6 min for DPPH radical scavenging activity; ethanol concentration 80.6%, extraction temperature $68.4^{\circ}C$, and extraction time 59.0 min for antimicrobial activity. The experimental values agreed with those were predicted within confidence intervals indicating the suitability of RSM in optimizing the ethanol extraction of phenolic compounds from the steam exploded oak wood. Under the optimized conditions, the experimental value of the total phenolic content was 111.8 mg GAE/g dry steam exploded oak wood, DPPH free radical scavenging activity was 65.7%, and antimicrobial activity was 17.0 mm, and those are reasonably close to the predicted values (109.2 mg GAE/g dry steam exploded oak wood, 62.3% and 15.9 mm, respectively).

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.96-103
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• 2020

Purpose: In patients with trauma, rhabdomyolysis (RM) can lead to fatal complications resulting from muscle damage. Thus, RM must be immediately diagnosed and treated to prevent complications. Creatine kinase (CK) is the most sensitive marker for diagnosing RM. However, relying on CK tests may result in delayed treatment, as it takes approximately 1 hour to obtain CK blood test results. Hence, this study investigated whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) could predict RM at an earlier time point in patients with trauma, since NLR results can be obtained within 10 minutes. Methods: This retrospective study included 130 patients with severe trauma who were admitted to the emergency room of a tertiary institution between January 2017 and April 2020. RM was defined as a CK level ≥1,000 U/L at the time of arrival. Patients with severe trauma were categorized into non-RM and RM groups, and their characteristics and blood test results were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.0 for Windows. Results: Of the 130 patients with severe trauma, 50 presented with RM. In the multivariate analysis, the NLR (odds ratio [OR], 1.252; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.130-1.386), pH level (OR, 0.006; 95% CI, 0.000-0.198), presence of acute kidney injury (OR, 3.009; 95% CI, 1.140-7.941), and extremity Abbreviated Injury Scale score (OR, 1.819; 95% CI, 1.111-2.980) significantly differed between the non-RM and RM groups. A receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that a cut-off NLR value of 3.64 was the best for predicting RM. Conclusions: In patients with trauma, the NLR at the time of arrival at the hospital is a useful biochemical marker for predicting RM.