• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.5263-5272
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• 2012

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers in China. Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) is a routine auxiliary treatment for GC recommended by the guidelines issued in 2011 by the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China, but the relevant credible consequences in China have been insufficient because of China's late start and ethical concerns. Methods: A series of databases, including Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Chinese database of the National Knowledge Infrastructure and the VIP database, were searched by 2 reviewers independently for studies investigating AC for GC through March 2012. The retrieved literature was screened according to the eligibility criteria. Results: A total of 35 randomized control trials (RCTs) were subjected to the final analysis, including 4,043 patients in treatment group and 3,884 in the control group, as well as 4 clinical-control trials (CCTs), which accessed the final analysis with 238 and 252 patients, respectively. AC reduced the risk of death as a protective treatment with statistical significance (HR=0.91, 95%CI: [0.85, 0.97], P=0.002), and it seemed more effective for Asian than non-Asian patients. The effects of AC were not influenced by the starting time (P>0.05). D2 lymphadenectomy-based chemotherapy was effective (HR=0.89, 95%CI: [0.80, 0.99], P=0.04). Oral S-1 40 mg/m2 after D2 lymphadenectomy might be a better choice for Asians with advanced GC and might result in a greater reduction of adverse events than in non-Asian patients. GRADE quality assessment determined that the strength of the evidence from foreign studies from Europe, the United States and Asian countries other than China was high, while it was moderate for Chinese studies. Conclusion: AC was effective or even curative in Chinese patients in general, although it is still necessary to optimize a targeted AC scheme for Chinese patients with GC.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.493-500
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• 2005

There is some evidence that soy isoflavone has beneficial effects on the concentration of blood lipids. In this study, we investigated habitual isoflavone intake levels and the relation among dietary isoflavone intake, blood pressure, and blood lipids of adult men (n = 149) and women (n = 205). Anthropometric measurements including blood pressure, dietary in-take assessment using 24-hour recall method, and biochemical assessment using blood were conducted. The average age, height, weight, and BMI were 54.7 years, 168.5 cm, 67.3 kg, and 24.5 $kg/m^2$ for men and 53.9 years, 153.8 cm, 59.2 kg, and 25.0 $kg/m^2$ for women, respectively. The mean daily intakes of total food and energy were 1219.1 g and 1740.9 kcal for men and 1071.3 g and 1432.6 kcal for women, respectively. The mean daily isoflavones (daidzein + genistein) intake of men and women were 20.0 mg and 14.2 mg, respectively. Blood pressure of the subjects was 128.3/75.5 mmHg for men and 124.1/73.7 mmHg for women. Serum lipids of men and women were 180.2 and 184.9 mg/dL for total cholesterol, 160.8 and 137.6 mg/dL for triglyceride, 41.5 and 44.7 mg/dL for HDL-cholesterol, 106.6 and 112.7 mg/dL for LDL-cholesterol, and 3.5 and 3.3 for atherogenic index, respectively. Serum triglyceride and atherogenic index of men were significantly higher than those of women. In men, isoflavone intake and the level of total serum cholesterol were negatively (p < 0.05) correlated, after adjusted age. In women, there were significant correlations between isoflavone intake and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), after adjusted age (p < 0.05). Based on these results, we concluded that higher isoflavone intake seemed to be related to a better lipid profile in men and lower blood pressure in women. But more epidemiological studies and controlled clinical trials would help to confirm the optimal amount required for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

The Stream/River Ecosystem Survey and Health Assessment has been carried out regarding the ecological health of the streams by the Ministry of Environment (MOE), South Korea. However, the sources of impairment of the stream ecosystem and the interactions between the sources, stressors, and the responses of impaired streams have not been taken into consideration. The purpose of this study is to propose the establishment of diagnosis systems for the impaired stream ecosystem because of the need to incorporate the same in the making of the policy to enable the recovery and improvement of the health of the impaired streams or river ecosystem. First, we define the concept of a diagnosis of the impaired stream or river ecosystem through a literature review. Second, through case studies [e.g., US CADDIS (Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System), AUS. Eco Evidence, EU WFD (Water Framework Directive)], we try to develop the diagnosis system for the making of policy. In this study, the diagnosis system that is proposed consists of eight steps including the basic data collection, detecting or suspecting impairment, defining the impaired stream reach, identifying the biological impaired cases and listing the candidate causes, illustrating the interactive conceptual diagrams between stressors and responses, investigating the stressors-responses in the field, verifying causes and identifying the probable causes of the impaired cases, and summarizing and proposing the restoration of the streams. The results of this study will support and enable efficient decision-making for sustainable stream restoration and management based on the diagnosis of the probable causes for the impaired complex and the diverse stream ecosystem.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.29-48
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to analyze medical expenses by decedents in their last year of life and compare them with those by survivors during the year 2008. This study is conducted firstly in Korea, except some studies focusing on medical cost of decedents from specific diseases. To study this, national health insurance(NHI) claims data was used with medicaid claims data. The study group(decedents) was selected from the insurance entitlement file who were dropped out from January to December of 2008. The control group(survivors) was selected from the entitlement file by stratified sampling with keeping age-sex composition of the study group. The medical expenses of decedents during one year before death were measured and compared with those of survivors by sex and age. And the medical expenses were analyzed by causes of death, and also the expenses were examined by each item of medical services. On average, the medical expense amounted to 11 million Korean Won per decedent during their last year of life in 2008. The medical expense per decedent was 9.3 higher than that of survivor. The death-related expense of under the age 35 was about 16 million Won, compared with 4 million Won in the case of over the age 95, in average. The death-related expense is higher in younger ages. This means that more medical resources are put in to save life in younger ages. Total death-related expenditure took 8.3 percent in total NHI expenditures. Of the death-related medical expenses, the largest one was injection-related cost which shares twenty five percent, and the second largest one was hospitalization charges, and then the third one was surgery cost. The results of this study suggested that we should pay attention to the medical expenses in the last of year of life when we study health care expenditure in Korea. In addition, we have to deliberate health care policy to cope with medical expenditures before death in more efficient way.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.162-170
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• 2017

This study analyzed the current situation of medium and small-sized hospital nursing staff and related policies, and identified the factors that affect staffing level to provide evidence for planning and adopting policy. By analyzing the statistical data published by public institutions such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the result was viewed based on the understanding of various internal and external health care environments. The number of active nurses was less than 50% of the number of licensed nurses and has decreased every year. This means that the cost-effectiveness of increases in nursing college enrollment should be reconsidered. Inpatient nursing fees by staffing grades has caused nurses to move from medium and small-sized hospitals, where there is a severe lack of staff, to more advanced general hospitals. As a result, the lack of nursing staff in medium and small-sized hospitals has worsened. In conclusion, reexamination is needed to improve effectiveness of inpatient nursing fees by staffing grades as a policy to secure the workforce of medium and small-sized hospitals. Furthermore, the tracking management system of licensed nurses must be able to solve the imbalance between demand and supply of nursing staff.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.169-178
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is promoting agri-environment conservation program to induce farmers to participate in agricultural environment improvement and conservation activities. However, assessment tools based on scientific evidence are needed to determine the effectiveness of the program objectively and quantitatively. Therefore, this study was performed to develop plant indicators in order to efficiently evaluate the effects of the agri-environment conservation program promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. METHODS AND RESULTS: The survey was conducted in five regions (Hampyeong, Boryeong, Mungyeong, Hongseong, and Sangju) participating in the agri-eonvironment conservation program. In each region, twenty paddy fields were investigated (ten paddy fields included in the program and ten paddy fields not included in the program). A total of 231 taxa vascular plants were identified in the paddy fields that were included in the agri-environment conservation program, and a total of 177 taxa were identified in the paddy fields that were not included. The average species number occurred on each field was 55.8 taxa in the fields included in the program, and 35.0 taxa in the fields not included in the program. The difference in occurring plants between two groups was found to be more higher in perennial plants than in annual plants. We selected the six groups as indicator plants through five criteria such as perennial plants and broadly occurring species, etc. to verify the effectiveness of the agri-environment conservation program: Taraxacum spp., Ixeris spp., Viola spp., Platago spp., Calystegia spp., and rare and endagered species. There was a high positive correlation between the score calculated using these indicator plants and the total number of plants species. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that it is possible to evaluate the agro-ecological environment by using indicator plants. The selected indicator plants can be effectively used to verify the effectiveness of projects such as agri-environmental conservation programs in the future.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.36 no.6_3
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• pp.1635-1641
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• 2020

Air pollution is one of the most severe threats to society globally due to the rapid expansion of urbanization and industrialization. Particularly, particulate matter (PM) pollution was recently designated as a social disaster by the Korean government because of increases in public concerns and the accumulation of scientific evidence that links high levels of PM2.5 (PM smaller than 2.5 ㎛ in diameter) to a long list of adverse health effects. Atmospheric PM concentrations can also affect the indoor PM levels to which people are exposed most of the time. Thus, understanding the characteristics of indoor and ambient PM pollution based on measurements, model simulations, risk assessments, and management technologies is inevitable in establishing effective policies to mitigate social, economic, and health costs incurred by PM pollution. In this special issue, we introduce several interesting studies concerning indoor and outdoor PM from the perspective of monitoring, assessment, and management being conducted by i-SEED (School of Integrated Science for Sustainable Earth & Environmental Disaster at Pukyong National University) and SPMC (School Particulate Matter Center for Energy and Environmental Harmonization). We expect that this special issue can improve our understanding of the current and future of indoor and outdoor PM pollution, integrating the results from interdisciplinary research groups from various academic fields.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.251-259
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• 2023

This study was conducted for the purpose of the basic direction for the new regulations and categories of Ruralism changing in the new era. To this end, the results of Delphi analysis and AHP analysis by dividing it into the definition, criteria, scope and component items of Ruralism based on systematic literature review are as follows. First, through studies representing most rural areas, it was found that Ruralism was the most problematic keyword and most of the studies did not cover it as they were studying various ranges of rural areas. Second, the Delphi survey was able to derive keywords that can be used as evidence for item classification and clear concept establishment for the regulation and category setting of Ruralism. Third, through the hierarchical decision-making method, it was found that landscape factors are the most important thing in forming Ruralism as well as deriving priorities that can be a baseline for each item. This study is meaningful in providing a minimum baseline as basic data for establishing the concept of Ruralism, and it is believed that future-oriented Ruralism can be established if reviews are added from various perspectives to overcome limitations dependent on expert groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.21-32
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• 2023

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) plays a pivotal role in predicting the potential environmental impacts of proposed developments and planning appropriate mitigation measures to minimize effects on species. However, as concerns over biodiversity loss rise, there's ongoing debate about the efficacy of these mitigation plans. In this study, we utilized data from EIAs and post-environmental impact surveys to understand the trends in biodiversity during construction and operation phases. By examining 30 urban development projects, we categorized species richness indices of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles into pre-construction, during construction, and post-construction operational stages. The biodiversity trends were analyzed based on the rate of change in these indices. The results revealed three distinct biodiversity change patterns: (A) An initial increase in biodiversity indices post-development, followed by a gradual decline over time; (B) a sustained increase in biodiversity as a result of mitigation measures; and (C) a continuous decline in biodiversity post-development. Furthermore, all species exhibited a higher rate of biodiversity decline during the construction phase compared to the operational phase, with mammals showing the most significant rate of change. Notably, the biodiversity change rate during operation was generally lower than during construction. In particular, mammals seemed to be most influenced by mitigation measures, displaying the smallest rate of change. This study provides empirical evidence on the efficacy of mitigation measures and deliberates on ways to enhance their effectiveness in minimizing the adverse impacts of urban development on biodiversity. These findings can serve as foundational data for addressing terrestrial biodiversity reduction.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the social factors influencing the 'authenticity of suicidal ideation' based post-suicidal care programs in emergency departments (EDs). Methods: This retrospective study was an analysis using the data of patients who had attempted suicide and visited the ED in tertiary urban hospitals from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2018. The variables examined included gender, age, history of previous psychiatric disease, suicide method, and the number of previous attempts. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing the registration rate for the community-based post-suicide care program. Results: Overall,1,460 suicides were analyzed, 177 (1.16%) showed a high authenticity of suicide. The social factors influencing the authenticity of suicide intent were the unmarried status of men and women, joblessness, history of mental illnesses, more than two previous suicide attempts, the influence of alcohol, and an attempt to commit suicide after midnight more specifically between 24:00 to 6:00 hours in the morning (p<.05). The factors influencing the severity of the condition of high authenticity suicide patients were low Glasgow coma scores (12 points or less), lactate levels, and oxygen saturation observed in the patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit for treatment and died (p<.05). Conclusion: The need for evidence-based preventive measures and early assessment tools at the emergency medicine level is emphasized to reduce the rate of suicide attempts. If the results of this study are used in the management of suicide prevention, the evaluation of the authenticity of suicide intent will be more likely to be made at the emergency medicine level, allowing the severity to be assessed earlier.