• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.447-456
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• 2008

Background: Caspase-3 is a cysteine protease that plays a major role in the process of apoptotic cell death. The dysregulated expression of c-myc contributes to the tumorigenesis in a variety of human cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc and their significances as prognosis markers in patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Material and Method: A total 130 consecutive patients who had undergone complete resection without pre-operative radio-therapy or chemotherapy between May 1996 and December 2003 for NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. The median follow-up period of the patients was 50 months (range: $3{\sim}128$ months). The expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc were immuno-histochemically examined, and these were correlated with the clinico-pathologic data. Result: The prevalence of caspase-3 and c-myc expressions in the patients was 68% (88/130) and 59% (77/130), respectively. Significant association was found between the frequency of the expressions of caspase-3 and c-myc (p=0.025). The caspase-3 and c-myc expressions were not significantly associated with the prognosis in all the patients. However, according to stages, a positive caspase-3 expression was significantly correlated with a favorable prognosis for patients with stage IIIa disease (median survival period: 35 months vs. 10 months, p=0.021). Multivariate analysis showed the pathologic stage to be significantly correlated with a good prognosis in all the patients (p=0.024), and with a positive caspase-3 expression, well differentiated tumor and negative neuronal invasion in the patients with stage llla disease (p=0.005, p=0.003, p=0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Caspase-3 and c-myc were frequently expressed in NSCLC, suggesting its possible involvement in tumor development. The caspase-3 expression, as determined with performing immunohistochemical staining, may be a favorable prognostic indicator in patients with completely resected NSCLC an advanced stage (IIIa).

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.305-335
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• 2005

This paper is a result from validation study for SPDA(A Screening Scale For Potential Drug-use Adolescents) created in 2003 and newly developed during 2004. SPDA aims to screen adolescents in their early stage of drug-use and to help practitioners make a preventive approach for the adolescents. 4307 junior and senior high school students were selected as primary research subjects by stratified and quota sampling methods. 305 adolescents on probation were also selected as a comparison group and asked to answer the same questionnaire. Reliability for SPDA recorded 0.914, which proved to be better than previous year's (0.898). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to test construct validity proved that SPDA could be divided into 7 factors and that each factor structure of SPDA could be a proper measurement model with high level of fitness and factor loadings. Discriminant analysis to test predictive validity confirmed that SPDA could classify the adolescents excellently by the frequency of drug-use, with hit ratio of 86.6 percent(78.8% and 87.4% for junior and senior high school students respectively). For concurrent validity test, Hare Home Self-Esteem Scale, Hare School Self-Esteem, Zuckerman-Kuhlman Sensation-seeking Scale were employed to find correlation with SPDA and all the three scales had significant Pearson correlation coefficients with SPDA. Known-groups validity test indicated that SPDA had an adequate power to classify out adolescents on probation from those in schooling, with a hit ratio of 71.8 percent. Cut-off point to detect adolescents with high risk of substance use was 77, which indicated approximately T score, 55 (0.5 SD), satisfying sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency criteria.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.471-475
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• 2008

Background: In order to achieve a maintenance level and to prevent hemorrhagic complications, regular monitoring of the INR is mandatory for patients on oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT). A point-of-care instrument for INR monitoring is convenient for users, but the accuracy of the results has been controversial, and so this calls for exact evaluation of the point-of-care instrument that is used for INR monitoring. Methods: From Aug 2007 through Feb 2008, 85 patients on OAT among the all the patients who were admitted to Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital were involved in this study. Parallel measurements of the PT INR were performed using a CoaguChek-XS and, a CA-7000 laboratory reference instrument and the results were analyzed. In addition, the patients' clinical data, including the diagnosis and the frequency and interval of the INR measurements, were also analyzed. Results: Of the 85 patients, 25 were admitted more than once to undergo INR testing and the mean interval between testing was 8.6 weeks with 39% and 38% of the tests being less than INR 2 units with using the CoaguChek-XS and the reference method, respectively. The coefficients of variation of CoaguChek-XS were 4.50 and 2.45 for the high and low INR patients, respectively. An excellent correlation was found between the two methods with a $R^2$ of 0.966 (p<0.001). Through Bland-Altman analysis, the mean INR difference between the two methods was 0.13 with the limit of agreement being -0.47~+0.72 with a 95% confidence interval. CoaguChek-XS was shown to overestimate the INR value for patients with an increasing INR, as compared to the reference method. Conclusion: CoaguChek-XS demonstrated great precision and accuracy for patients on OAT when compared to the laboratory INR results. Accordingly, the instrument should help to monitor the INR in the patients on OAT.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.414-433
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to identify the needs which are perceived by one of the familiy members who have head injury parients by traffic accidents in the intensive care units. Subjects were 70 families members of head injury patients admitted to 2 general hospitals NICU located Pusan city, 1 general hospital NICU located Ulsan city from December 1. 1998 to February 28. 1999. For this study, 70 family members were interviewed with aid of a Likert scale which was developed by researcher for this study. For development of the survey instrument, literature review and open questionnaire technique with family members and the nurses working in NICU. The 50needs-items were classified into 7 groups according to the homogeneity of the items with the support of literature review. For the content validity, the instrument was reviewed by 1 nursing professor and the internal reliability of this instrument was Cronbach alpha=0.94 which is highly accepted. Data was analyzed by a SPSS computer program. Data analysis included frequency. percentage, mean, standard variance and t-test or ANOVA. The results were as followings : 1. The general characteristics of head injury patients shows that the male was 74.3%, the female was 25.7% and age distribution shows that the fifty-fifty nine years was 30%, the highest. Of religion the buddhism was the most, The diagnosis distribution shows that epidural hematoma was 32.9% and subdural hematoma was 24.3%. The mentalility distribution shows that semicoma was 31.4% and stupor was 31.4%. Hemiplegia was 42.9% 2. The general charaterisrics of the family needs of head injury patients shows that thirty-thirty nine years was 31.4%, the highest. sex distribution shows that the male was 20%, the female was 80%. Of religion the buddism was the most. 3. The family needs of head injury patients was $3.03{\pm}0.42$, needs for the information of a patient's condition was $3.65{\pm}0.48$, the highest. And needs for the information of care and treatment was $3.48{\pm}0.48$, needs to be supplied with comfortable facilities for family was $3.04{\pm}0.66$, needs to be participate in a patient's care was $2.90{\pm}0.55$, needs to be informed about the available resources was $2.83{\pm}0.59$, needs to be supported emotionally for family was $2.79{\pm}0.55$, needs for religious assistance was $2.51{\pm}0.85$. 4. Examining the family needs of head injury patients according to patient's characteristics, mentality, plegia degree and operation were shown be variables to make an effect on the needs for the head injury patients family. At all, according to severity of head. injury, the family needs of head injury patients was high. 5. Examining the family needs of head injury patients according to their general characteristics, we could know that religion, job. income were shown to be variables to make an effect on the family needs. Through the examination it can be seen that the characteristics of head injury patients and the family needs of head injury patients. In conclusion, the family needs of head injury patients was almost same the family needs of ICU patients. Therefore we must involve the family's care of head injury patients and we must provide exact and repeated explanation, education and support the family of head injury patients. As this study was resulted in selecting the families admitted to NICU of some general hospital, we couldn't stretch the result in our favor. Therefore, continuous studies are suggested.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.91-107
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate what middle school Home Economics(HE) teachers perceive, practice and need for self-supervision at school related to HE. Questionnaires were sent by E-mail and 150 were collected. Descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, t-test and ANOVA analysis were reported using SPSS/win 10.1. The results of this research were as follows: First, middle school HE teachers perceived that self-supervision at school was essential since it promoted self reflection of teachers themselves and improved professional skills. Furthermore, peer-coaching was highly preferred. Second, negative responses to the supervision of principal, vice-principal, and peer teachers overwhelmed positive answers. Information exchange among peer teachers was frequent, yet, approximately 22.6% of middle school HE teachers were still avoiding sharing information process for several reasons. About half of the teachers answered that all teachers needed to participate in this process. Third, they pointed out that self-supervision at school was not implemented well because of the lack of time due to the heavy work load, negative and passive attitude for the improvement of teaching-learning activities, administration-centered supervision that did not reflect teachers' opinion, and shortage of economical, and environmental support.. HE teachers perceived that peer teachers who were doing good practices were most helpful for the supervision. Also, they preferred self-evaluation at the end of the self-supervision at school. Forth, to improve self-supervision at school, there were very high demands for reduction of administrative work, additional time, fundamental philosophy toward HE education. Fifth, the purpose and detailed plans of self-supervision were recognized as the results that were democratically derived by the HE teachers. Sixth, class inspection and informal inspection were operated once in a year, and self-training was rarely operated. Peer coaching and self-coaching were operated occasionally. Self-coaching and peer coaching were reported as the most helpful types of supervision. In addition, HE teachers answered that supervision was helpful to teaching method followed by contents, evaluation, and philosophy of education.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2005

Objectives: Although many reports have been written on seasonal variations in mood and behavior in foreign countries, few reports have dealt with Korean adolescents, except medical students. The goal of this study was to estimate the frequency of seasonal variations in mood and behavior among Korean high school students. Methods: A total of 656 high school students living in southeastern Seoul participated in this study. The subjects were investigated with the Korean translated version of the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), and their responses were evaluated for seasonal patterns in mood and behavior change according to Kasper's criteria to make SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or SSAD (subclinical seasonal affective disorder) diagnosis. Results: A total of 565 subjects completed the questionnaire and the responses (M：F=324：241) were collected and used for analysis. The mean age was 16.73 (SD=0.65) years, and mean global seasonality score 5.88 (SD=4.72). Of the respondents, 413 (73.1%) reported problems related with seasonal changes. Total prevalence rates were 13.6% for SAD, 10.8% for S-SAD. The estimated frequencies were 5.1% for summer SAD, 3.2% for summer S-SAD, 0.5% for winter SAD and 1.1% for winter S-SAD. The prevalence rate of summer SAD or S-SAD was higher than winter SAD or S-SAD. Conclusion: The subjects showed a higher prevalence rate of summer type than winter type in SAD or S-SAD. These results were similar to those of other studies carried out in East Asian countries. However, the unpleasant feelings resulting from high temperature and humidity in summer rather than depression may have influenced the results. Therefore, it is necessary to make new SAD criteria of the SPAQ suitable for East Asian countries.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.40 no.4 s.109
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• pp.428-440
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• 2005

There is currently no agreement among archaeologists, environmental historians, and paleoecologists as to the relative significance of pre- and post-Conquest human impact on the environments of Highland Mexico. This paper presents the results of pollen, microscopic charcoal, dung fungal spore, isotope, and magnetic susceptibility analyses on ca. 4m sediment core. The coring site is Hoya Rincon de Parangueo, one of the seven maar lakes in the Valle do Santiago. Amaranthaceae pollen, one of important disturbance indicators and Zea mays pollen obviously indicate two periods of agricultural activities. The first period begins ca. 400 B.C. and ends ca. A.D. 850. The second begins around A.D. 1550 and continues to the present. During the first period, the degree of agricultural activities was related to periodical sunspot cycles and the most intense activities were present between ca. A.D. 150-ca. A.D. 400. The abrupt increase of $\delta^{18}O$ around 280cm may reflect that an important transition to a dry phase took place around A.D. 450. People probably stopped cultivating crops due to dry conditions prevailing since ca. A.D. 450. The second period, the post-Conquest, exhibits a dramatic increase of sporormiella, dung fungal spores resulted fron the introduction of cattle. Low Poaceae frequency and charcoal production and high $\delta^{13}C$ values, magnetic susceptibility, and organic contents all indicate the arrival of the Spanish. Most importantly, it seems that mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) could have benefits from declined fire frequencies caused by cattle grazing. The study area is now entirely dominated by woody plants like mesquite, which clearly demonstrates that serious vegetation change occurred in the study area.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.232-243
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing the meaning of life for middle-aged women. The subjects for the study were 190 middle-aged women who live in Busan. Data were collected from May 25 to June 20, 1999. The instruments for this study were as follows : the meaning of life scale developed by Jung D. R(1978) ; the self-esteem scale developed by Ro, E. Y, Kwon, J. H.(1997) ; the volunteer activity scale developed by Park G. J.(1999), the marital satisfaction scale developed by Choi G. Y.(1999) ; and the health status scale developed by Kim S. Y. (1991). SPSS PC+ was utilized for data analysis. Data were analysed according to frequency and percentage, mean and standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Sheffe' s test and Pearson' s correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. The reliability of the tools was tested by Cronbach's $\alpha$ : and it showed reliability scores of 0.88(for the meaning of life tool), 0.81(for the self-esteem tool), 0.94(for the marital satisfaction tool) and 0.78(for the health status tool). The results were as follows: 1) The scores showed that middle-aged women had a moderate level of meaning of life, with a mean of 30.31 and standard deviation of 6.24 (with values ranging from 12.00 to 48.00). The scores showed that middle-aged women had a moderate levels of self-esteem, with a mean of 28.92 and standard deviation of 4.67 (with values ranging from 10.00 to 40.00). The scores showed that middle-aged women had a very low level of volunteer activity, with a mean of 0.87 and standard deviation of 0.93(with values ranging from 0.00 to 1.00). The scores showed that middle-aged women had a moderate level of satisfaction in their marriages, with a mean of 31.99 and standard deviation of 7.84(with values ranging from 12.00 to 48.00). The scores showed that middle-aged women had a moderate level of health status, with a mean of 6.63 and standard deviation of 1.57(with values ranging from 3.00 to 9.00). 2) There was a statistically significant difference of the meaning of life of middle-aged women according to their religion(F=8.930, p=.000), christian ($31.94{\pm}5.96$) had more meaning th life than buddhists ($28.40{\pm}6.23$). 3) There was a statistically significant correlations between the subject' s self-esteem and the her meaning of life(r=0.477, p=0.000), the subject' s level of volunteer activity and meaning of life(r=.428, p=.000), her level of marital satisfaction and meaning of life(r=.417, p=.000), and her level of health status and meaning of life(r=.261, p=.000) among these middle-aged women. 4) Self- esteem was the highest factor influencing the level of meaning of life in middle-aged women. 40.0% of the total variance of levels of meaning of life by was dependent on self-esteem, volunteer activity, marital satisfaction and health status. In conclusion, the higher the self-esteem and levels of volunteer activity, marital satisfaction, and health status of middle-aged women, the higher the meaning of life for them. Therefore, it is necessary to elevate levels of the self-esteem and volunteer activity, marital satisfaction and health status in order to help middle-aged women have more meaning of life.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3075-3078
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• 2013

Background: KLK3 gene products, like human prostate-specific antigen (PSA), are important biomarkers in the clinical diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). G protein-coupled receptor RFX6, C2orf43 and FOXP4 signaling plays important roles in the development of PCa. However, associations of these genes with PCa in northern Chinese men remain to be detailed. This study aimed to investigate their impact on occurrence and level of malignancy. Methods: All subjects were from Beijing and Tianjin, including 266 cases with prostate cancer and 288 normal individuals as controls. We evaluated associations between clinical covariates (age at diagnosis, prostate specific antigen, Gleason score, tumor stage and aggressive) and 6 candidate PCa risk loci, genotyped by PCR- high resolution melting curve and sequencing methods. Results: Case-control analysis of allelic frequency of PCa associated with PCa showed that one of the 6 candidate risk loci, rs339331 in the RFX6 gene, was associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) =0.57-0.94, P = 0.013) in northern Chinese men. In addition, subjects with CX (CC+TC) genotypes had a decreased risk for prostrate cancer compared to those carrying the TT homozygote (OR =0.64, 95% CI = 0.45- 0.90, P = 0.008). The TT genotype of 13q22 (rs9600079, T) was associated with tumor stage (P=0.044, OR=2.34, 95% CI=0.94-5.87). Other SNPs were not significantly associated with clinical covariates in prostate cancer (P > 0.05). Conclusions. rs339331 in the RFX6 gene may be associated with prostate cancer as a susceptibility locus in northern Chinese men.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.56-66
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• 2003

Purpose : Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) play an important role in regulating blood flow by releasing vasoactive substances. It has been reported that endothelial impairment and dysfunction might be a primary cause of placental vascular disease, which is manifested clinically as preeclampsia in mother and intrauterine growth restriction in fetus. Furthermore, the frequency of apoptotic changes is increased in umbilical and placental tissues from growth-restricted pregnancies. However, the various mechanisms of umbilical endothelial cell apoptosis have not been broadly proposed. We investigate the effects of amiloride derivatives on apoptotic death of HUVECs and identify their ionic mechanism. Methods : HUVECs were purchased from Clonetics, and cultured on endothelial cell growth medium. MTT assay and flow cytometry were used for assessing cytotoxic effect and confirming the apoptosis. Changes in intracellular ion concentrations were measured with specific fluorescent dyes and fluorescence imaging analysis system. Results : Amiloride derivatives elicited cytotoxic effects on HUVECs with dose-dependent manners and the rank order of potency is HMA($IC_{50}\;11.2{\mu}M$), MIA>EIPA>>amiloride. HMA-induced cytotoxicity is dependent on extra- and intracellular pH, that is, increase extra- and intracellular pH augmented the cytotoxic effects of HMA. HMA dose-dependently reduced intracellular major ions, such as $K^+$ and $Cl^-$. Interestingly, the depletion of intracellular ions induced by HMA was also significantly enhanced at alkaline extracellular pH. Conclusion : Amiloride derivatives induce apoptosis of HUVECs with dose and pH dependent manners. They reduce intracellular $K^+$ and $Cl^-$ concentration, which is also extracellular pH dependent.